Tuesday, November 11, 2014

WVTK Local & State News November 11, 2014

A Colchester Police Officer has been arrested after a gun and drugs from an evidence locker was found inside his home. Officer Tyler Kinney was arrested last night. Kinney, who was in charge of evidence storage and record keeping at the department, is currently on unpaid leave. Colchester Police Chief Jennifer Morrison says a federal investigation will likely lead to charges by tomorrow. Morrison said she would not provide any more information until after federal charges have been announced.

Price Chopper announced today that they are changing their name to Market 32. A press release says the new brand will change food shopping for its customers by modernizing its stores and offering new services and products. Officials say Market 32 represents the next leap forward for our company. The Market 32 stores will be rolled out this spring.

The Select Board decided unanimously last night to separate Brandon town’s library and senior center funding from the municipal budget. The board said in separate statements that having the library and senior center in their general budget last year forced the board to cut their funding, and placing the two budgets on the ballot as separate line items will benefit all parties. But some in the audience said the measure will make it harder for the separate budgets to pass, and lead to closing the town’s library.

Law enforcement officials say they have written more than 100 tickets since the new hand-free law went into effect. Motor Vehicle Department Commissioner Robert Ide says 130 drivers were pulled over for using an electronic device while driving in October. He says about 70 percent of them received warnings and the remainder were ticketed. Vermont is the 15th state to prohibit all drivers from using handheld cellphones while driving. The fine, including fees, for a first offense is $162.

Both of Vermont's U.S. senators have come out strongly supporting President Barack Obama's call to preserve open access to the Internet and for the Federal Communications Commission to reject rules setting up what critics call fast lanes in cyberspace. The commission has been considering new rules that curtail so-called net neutrality in favor of a system in which companies could pay for preferential access like having their data move at higher speeds than people who don't pay for the privilege.