WVTK Local & State News February 3, 2015

The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles wants motorists to replace faded license plates. The state says plates that have faded to the point they are hard to read must be replaced. The department says a problem with the manufacturing process of plates produced between 2003 and 2005 may cause fading. State law allows those plates to be replaced at no cost to the owner. Owners of vehicles with faded plates should fill out a form available on the department's website.

Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy is continuing to position himself for another run for reelection next year. Leahy has made no secret that he plans to seek an eighth term in the Senate, and is now in the process of raising money for the race. The 74-year-old Leahy is currently the most senior member of the Senate, having first been elected in 1974. He earned 64-percent of the vote in his last re-election race in 2010, easily defeating six opponents.

A fire last night destroyed a building in Hinesburg and left 6 residents displaced. The building that was on fire was on Route 116 in the village. The building was the home of the Grateful Dog Grooming business and several apartments. The building was not a complete loss as crews were able to extinguish the fire quickly. Two people were taken to the hospital for minor injuries. The cause of the fire in still under investigation.

A Connecticut man involved in major drug distribution rings in Vermont and Maine is going to prison for more than 17 years. Prosecutors say that 34-year-old James Nastri of Deep River, Connecticut, was sentenced last week to 210 months in prison following his conviction on a federal drug conspiracy charge. At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge William Sessions said Nastri financed and managed a sophisticated, multi state drug operation. Court records show Nastri's group distributed an especially strong form of heroin in the Burlington area that caused several overdoses.