Friday, May 29, 2015

WVTK Local & State News May 29, 2015

Vermont State Police are investigating a burglary at a home on Lime Kiln Road in New Haven that happened sometime between May 26 and May 29. Police say items were taken from the residence, including prescription medication. Entry was made through the front door. Anyone with information is asked to contact Vermont State Police at (802)-388-4919.

The plan passed by the legislature to spend over 600-million-dollars on transportation improvements is now law. Governor Peter Shumlin signed the bill near a bridge that is being replaced in Colchester yesterday. He says in order for Vermont's economy to flourish, it needs a strong transportation system, and these investments position the state for success. The governor also says the state is working to save costs on some projects in order to add more to the list.

Vermont Health Connect is currently off-line while the site undergoes some major upgrades. During the system update, customer service staff will have limited access to back-end systems and will be unable to help with many basic requests. Customers with non-urgent questions and requests are encouraged to wait to call when the system is back online next week.

A new report highlights the high cost of renting a home in Vermont. The National Low Income Housing Coalition says Vermont is the 13th most expensive in the country for renters. It says that people have to earn more than 20-dollars an hour in order to afford the rent for a two bedroom home. It also shows that someone earning the minimum wage of nine-dollars and 15-cents an hour would have to work 70-hours a week to afford a one bedroom home.

For those of you who love the outdoors, you may want to check out a new app that’s designed to help you fight tick dangers. It’s a free app for apple and android users called TickClick. The idea behind the app is to help you determine if you or your pet has been bitten by a tick. The creators say, TickClick will allow you to identify what tick has bitten you, the life stage it's in, the diseases the tick may carry, and links to the CDC website.