WVTK Local & State News November 6, 2014

Incumbent Governor Peter Shumlin has declared victory over his opponent Scott Milne, while Milne refuses to concede. With 100-percent of the vote counted, the two were slightly more than two-thousand votes apart. Shumlin said that voters sent a message, and he will work to regain the confidence of Vermonters and the Legislature. In Addison County, Shumlin barely beat out Milne by a vote of 5,675 - 5,524 or 151 votes.

The $33-million dollar bond for Mount Abraham Union High School was defeated by a 3 to 1 margin on election day. 3,328 Addison Northeast Supervisory Union residents voted against the bond while just 1,239 cast their ballots in favor of the proposal. The failed planed called for building a new middle school gymnasium, installing 21st-century communications infrastructure, moving the library and media center to the front of the building, making upgrades to the pool, constructing new bathrooms and locker rooms, updating auditorium lighting and seating and renovating the lobby to improve aesthetics and heighten security among other work. The school board will go back to the drawing board and start working on another proposal to upgrade the school facilities.

In the local races on election day, Amy Sheldon won over incumbent Betty Nuovo in Addison-1. Willem Jewett ran unopposed in Addison-2. Diane Lanpher and Warren Van Wyck will continue to represent Addison-3. Fred Baser is in while MIchael Fisher is out in Addison-4. And incumbent Harvey Smith will continue to represent Addison-5. In New York, incumbents did well, Cuomo, DiNapoli, and Schneiderman were all re-elected while Elise Stefanik will represent the 21st Congressional District.

The Vermont Health Department says the state is continuing to have the lowest rate of pre-term births in the nation. The most recent numbers came in the March of Dimes 2014 Premature Birth Report Card. The health department says Vermont was one of only five states to receive a score of "A," and has received the highest score on the report card for the past seven years. Health Commissioner Tracy Dolan says the report is a point of pride for Vermont health officials.