Thursday, May 14, 2015

WVTK Local & State News May 14, 2015

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife is asking the public to avoid tempting bears by removing food sources. Fish & Wildlife say they are receiving reports of hungry bears getting into trash containers and raiding bird feeders, bee hives, and chicken houses. In Vermont, it's illegal to feed a bear. Homeowners must also take reasonable measures to protect their property from bears before lethal force can be taken.

The VUHS School Board is working on a new budget that they say will lower the tax impact in the Addison Northwest Supervisory towns by several cents. The board will unveil the third proposal during a meeting on May 28. Board members are looking to make some cuts but since teachers already have contracts, cutting more than $55,000 from the previous proposal could be tricky. One board member said cuts past $55,000 could mean cutting some extra curricular activities, including teams. The next budget vote is scheduled for June 9.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has extended the state's ban on residential brush burning until May 21 due to dry conditions across the state that have heightened the risk of wildfires. The burn ban also prohibits outdoor fires such as campfires and recreational fires, and open fires used for cooking. The eastern, central, southern and far northern regions of the state are rated as having a high risk of fire. The Southern Tier, Lake Ontario, and Adirondack regions are rated as having a moderate fire danger. This year, 110 wildfires have burned nearly 3,600 acres.

The Agriculture Department has developed the first government certification and labeling for foods that are free of genetically modified ingredients. The USDA's move comes as some consumer groups push for mandatory labeling of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. Certification would be voluntary and companies would have to pay for it. If approved, the foods would be able to carry a "USDA Process Verified" label along with a claim that they are free of GMOs.

Vermont Lottery officials say a winning Tri-State Megabucks ticket was sold in Vermont. A press release says last night’s winning numbers were 02, 04, 10, 21, 27; and the Megaball number of 1. The winning ticket matched all five numbers, plus the Megaball number. The winning ticket is worth $3,450,000. The Tri-State Megabucks game is played and sold in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.