WVTK Local & State News July 9, 2014

While crews continue on work on Water Street, please be advised there there will be no water service till about 4:30 this afternoon on Water Street, Duane Court, and a portion of Charles Avenue, from Duane Court to the Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society. Water Street is also closed to traffic from entering from Cross Street during this construction. The road will remain closed for the rest of today and most of tomorrow.

Vermonters who use their 3SquaresVT Benefits at farmers' markets will now get double their money making it easier to get fresh fruits and veggies. Here's how it works: starting this month, Vermonters can will swipe their EBT card at a participating farmer’s market, saying how much they want to spend, and in turn can they’ll receive fresh produce from vendors and will be given Harvest Health Coupons to match their purchases, up to $10. There are now 41 Farmers' Markets in Vermont accepting EBT cards, which carry 3SquaresVT Benefits.

Residents in Salisbury will gather for a special meeting next Tuesday, During the meeting, town officials will discuss a plan to replace the deteriorating Maple Street Bridge. The total for the project is estimated to be $850,000. Most of which would be funded by a bond that voters would have to approve this November.

FairPoint Communications says it has plans to ensure that its services to customers continue in the event of a strike. Unions representing nearly 2,000 employees in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont have scheduled a strike authorization vote for this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Leaders of both unions say they expected members to vote in favor of strike authorization.

All of North Beach in Burlington is open to the public. The south end of the beach was closed Monday due to elevated levels of E. coli. Officials at Burlington Parks and Rec tested the waters again yesterday and got the results back this morning showing normal results.

The Vermont Health Department is warning people to watch out for ticks that could carry Lyme disease. This time of year, the immature ticks, which are about the size of a poppy seed, are biting and they could spread the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. People should use insect repellent while enjoying nature and do daily tick checks on themselves, children and pets. Immature ticks can be found anywhere on the body. In 2013, there were more than 600 confirmed cases of Lyme disease. Most cases were from four southern counties, but it has been found throughout the state.