WVTK Local & State News October 14, 2014

Although there's been no sign of the lethal virus in the Green Mountain State, Vermont hospitals are preparing their staffs for the possibility of an Ebola infection. The first case of Ebola transmitted in the U.S. was a West African who infected a nurse in a Dallas hospital. Officials at Fletcher Allen Health Care are determining the best level of protection that allows hospital workers to move and do their work.

Teachers in South Burlington are on strike. Although a counter-offer is on the table for the school board to consider, it may be Friday before classes resume if the school board accepts the proposal. All students will get a few days off while their teachers picket outside. The school board says it cannot consider the counter-proposal until its next scheduled meeting, which is Thursday.

The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife announced grants available to help the state's lakes, rivers, and habitat. A press release says the 2015 Vermont Watershed Grants Program is now accepting applications for funding projects to help Vermont protect and restore the state's watersheds. Applications for the grant program are due by Friday, November 21. A Watershed Grants application guide and application forms are available from the Watershed Management Division of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.

The Vermont Department of Financial Regulation is urging people to be sure that when they sign service contracts the companies they are dealing with are registered with the state. The department and the Attorney General's office issued the warning today after officials became aware of a mailing that has been distributed to Vermont homeowners offering an insurance-type product that covers water service line protection. The product is in the form of a service contract that pays for certain claims in the event outside water and sewer lines that service a home are damaged. All companies that sell or issue service contracts to Vermonters, or cover property located in Vermont, are required to register with the Department of Financial Regulation.

Authorities have not made any arrests in the case of counterfeit tickets for Addison County Fair and Field Days. Organizers say about $12,000 in phony passes were printed. They were a combination of single day and season tickets. One of the fair's directors says new ticketing options are being explored to try and avoid future problems.