WVTK Local & State News May 21, 2015

A series of protections inserted into Vermont's assisted suicide law are now permanent. Governor Peter Shumlin signed a bill yesterday that makes protections in the law permanent. They include a mandatory 48 hour waiting period for a doctor to issue the deadly prescription to a terminally ill person. Shumlin signed the bill yesterday at a South Burlington natural food store owned by the sister of Maggie Lake, who requested a lethal prescription after suffering with cancer for close to a decade.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is officially launching his Presidential campaign next week in Burlington. Details of the event were released yesterday, with Sanders announcing that the launch will occur next Tuesday along Lake Champlain in Waterfront Park. Also yesterday, Governor Peter Shumlin posted to his Twitter account that he's endorsing Hillary Clinton for President, not Sanders.

The Winooski Police Department is investigating a robbery at the Champlain Farms located on East Allen Street. INvestigators say a man entered the store around 9 o’clock last night and took off with an undisclosed amount of money. The suspect was last seen on foot heading toward East Allen Street. He is described as being white, 5'11 tall, wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses, and possibly a gray t-shirt. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Winooski Police Department at (802) 655-0221.

Nearly $90,000 in state grants will go to three Essex County farms, to help encourage young farmers to stick with the profession. The grants come from the New Farmers Grant Fund. The goal of the program is to continue growing New York's agricultural sector. The grant recipients are: Blue Pepper Farm in Jay: $34,000, Full and By Farm in Essex: $18,576, Fledgling Crow Vegetables in Keeseville: $37,248. The money will help the farms use innovative agricultural techniques, and encourage young farmers to consider the job as a career. $610,000 in total will go to 19 farms across the Empire State.

A new report from the United Health Foundation says Vermont’s seniors are the healthiest in the nation. The report looked at such factors as behaviors, community and environment, policy, clinical care and outcomes. Some of the strength that the Green Mountain State has includes low intensive care unit use and ready availability of home-delivered meals. New Hampshire was ranked second healthiest for seniors in the country while New York was ranked 21st.