WVTK Local & State News March 21, 2013

The Vermont House today voted 105-37 to increase the state sales tax on gasoline.  The tax will add a 4 percent increase to the price of gasoline at a time when many small businesses, including farmers and other working Vermonters, are struggling to make ends meet.  Debate over the increase lasted nearly all day yesterday with Republicans proposing various amendments.  The bill is now cleared for a final, formalized vote in the State House within a few weeks.  If it passes, the tax would be phased in over two years.

The Addison Central Supervisory Union Board on Wednesday evening offered the job of superintendent to Peter Burrows, principal of Willamette High School in Eugene, Ore., and Burrows accepted.  Burrows will replace Superintendent Gail Conley, who will retire at the end of June.

A new report is showing thousands of Vermont children are living in poverty.  The report released Wednesday by Population Health Institute at the University of Wisconsin and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation reveals child poverty rates have not improved in 13 years.  The highest rates are in Orleans and Essex Counties with 27-percent of kids living in poverty.  The county with the lowest level is Chittenden, at eleven-percent.  Various organizations in the state are working hard to keep children in their homes and fed, and say they've seen a steady increase in need, blaming unemployment and a high cost of living.

Lawmakers in Montpelier have tabled the idea of new tax to satellite television subscribers.  Satellite subscribers across the state got an email this week telling them the House of representatives is quote "considering a tax hike that will force you to pay 5-percent more EVERY month for the service you love”.  The bill had no sponsor and had been floated by the cable industry.

New York Lawmakers have reached a deal, signing off on a new budget last night.  New York's budget is due each year by the end of March.  Governor Cuomo and legislislative leaders announced last night that they have an agreement on a 136-billion-dollar budget.  That means a spending increase of about 2-percent over last year.  The budget includes plans to raise the minimum wage from 7-25 an hour to 9 dollars an hour, in stages over the next few years,  and a 350-dollar tax rebate for middle class families.

The maple syrup season is on hold right now, due to the most recent storm and very cold weather.  While the sap had been running, temperatures dipping into the teens brought it to a halt.  Owners of maple syrup operations say if there's a frozen obstruction in the one-inch lines running from trees it takes more than one 34-degree day to free it up.  The hope now is the slowly rising temperatures will get the sap flowing once again.

The Vermont State Police will be going cyber tomorrow, joining more than 100 agencies across six countries in one giant Twitter event.  It's a 24-hour Tweet-a-thon to draw attention to the use of social media by law enforcement.  Agencies will tweet using the same hash-tag to create awareness about police work.  So far, the agencies who will take to Twitter tomoow include dozens in the U-S, Canada, England, Sweden, Iceland and Australia.

WVTK Local & State News March 20, 2013

Vermont State Police have recovered a stolen dirt bike.  The motorcycle was stolen during a deal that had been set up on craigslist.  The victim met the suspect in the parking lot of Broughton's True Value in Bridport.  The victim was handed a closed envelope which was suppose to contain $4000 in cash with the suspect asking to take the bike for a quick test ride.  The suspect took off as the victim opened the envelope which contained cash size clipping from different magazines.  The suspect was last seen headed west across a field near the Bridport Elementary school and then heard turning north.  The dirt bike has since been recovered on Route 22A in Orwell.

Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin has signed the pension reform bill into law.  The new law will allow judges to order any public employee to forfeit some or all of their pension if they are convicted of certain financial crimes related to their employment.  The law applies to felonies like embezzlement, theft, bribery and other crimes that involve an abuse of public office for financial gain.  The new law, however, will not effect cases already prosecuted or being prosecuted.  The changes will only apply to new convictions.

State Police from the New Haven Barracks are investigating a residential burglary in Bristol.  Investigators say someone forced their way into the residence and garage and stole an undisclosed amount of personal property to include tools, electronics and a safe that was located by Williston State Police in Charlotte.  This case is being actively investigated; anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Vermont State Police (388-4919).  Information can also be submitted anonymously online at www.vtips.info or  text "CRIMES" (274637) to Keyword: VTIPS.

The Moriah Chamber of Commerce is reorganizing with the support of the town board.  Town trustees recently voted to enter into a contract with the chamber for economic development services. The town will pay the chamber $2,000 this year.  The town and village of Port Henry have assisted the chamber in the past with community events such as the annual Labor Day celebration, but the $2,000 agreement is new. 

Parking in Downtown Rutland will remain free on Saturdays for the foreseeable future.  The Mayor recently vetoed a measure to enforce the parking meter ordinance on Saturdays.  A review of city records found that the board has the authority to set the times of enforcement and voted in 1994 to enforce it Monday through Friday.  While the board of the Downtown Rutland Partnership had opposed Saturday enforcement, it was promoted by some individual merchants who are concerned that workers in the downtown area are using parking spaces on the street; not leaving many spaces for customers to use. 

The fifth annual Middlebury Rotary Club online auction ends this Friday at midnight.  More than 400 items including gift certificates, services, products and travel opportunities worth more than $37,000 are up for auction this year.  The funds raised this year will benefit a number of organizations like the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Special Olympics of Vermont, the Ronald McDonald House Charities, Camp Ta-Kum-Ta, and many more.  The auction can be found by doing a Google Search for “Middlebury Rotary Club Auction 2013”.  Or Clicking Here.

WVTK Local & State News March 19, 2013

The Vermont Legislature is back at work, with a busy week of action on the House and Senate floors.  The House is expected to take action on boosting transportation funding by increasing the gasoline tax. The bill moves to add a percentage sales tax on the per-gallon cost, in addition to the flat fee now assessed.  The new tax would be phased-in over two years.  In the Senate, final passage is expected on a bill that would open some police investigative records to public review when that would not interfere with an active investigation.  The move is opposed by police and prosecutors.

A North Carolina man was sentenced yesterday to 150 months in prison and 4 years supervised release for conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and for assaulting a police officer.  A press release says 35-year-old William Parker pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine in the Burlington area.  Parker also received a concurrent sentence of 6 months for assaulting a police officer in the Post Office on Elmwood Avenue in Burlington.  Investigators say Parker and several other individuals with ties to North Carolina, New York, and Georgia distributed crack cocaine in and around Burlington from about June 2011 through February 2012.  Parker also sold heroin in Chittenden County.

More than 90 people turned out to tell the Essex County Board of Supervisors the State SAFE Act needs to be repealed.  And the Board of Supervisors decided they also want it gone.  Out of the 13 people who spoke at the meeting, 10 wanted the act repealed and three advocated amending it instead. 

A driver is in fair condition after her car slammed into the back of a stopped school bus.  The accident happened Monday in Rutland Town, as the bus had stopped at a train crossing on U.S. Route 4 where the railroad signs were flashing.  The driver of the car, Paulette Sheldon of Granville, New York was taken to Rutland Regional Medical Center.  Neither the bus driver nor any of the 15 Fair Haven Union High School students on the bus were hurt.

The Vermont Public Service Board plans to hold a public hearing Thursday about the Addison Natural Gas Project. It will take place at 7 p.m. in the Champlain Valley Union High School auditorium.  Vermont Gas Systems is proposing to extend a 12-inch pipeline from its existing mainline in Colchester to Exchange Street in Middlebury, add five miles of 6-inch distribution pipeline and install three new gate stations on the route.  The proposal has provoked strong feelings in several communities in Chittenden and Addison counties and resulted in protests to the board and to Vermont Gas. Opponents of the project plan to host a rally before the meeting Thursday, too.

Crown Point Telephone officials are hopeful that a local problem will be closer to being solved.  For more than a year phone patrons have reported problems receiving long distance calls, but the issue isn’t a local one.  The issue is known as “failure to complete.”  Problems include incoming long distance calls not connecting or, if they do connect, poor voice quality.  Last month, as part of an FCC investigation, Level 3 Communications agreed to a voluntary contribution of $1 million to the U.S. Treasury and to cease using poorly-performing intermediate providers.  

WVTK Local & State News March 18, 2013

A winter storm warning has been posted for the entire listening region by the National Weather Service.  Meteorologist with Fox 44 and ABC 22 say we will see snow fall begin tonight between 6 and 8 PM to the south and make its way northward as the night progresses.  BY morning we should see 2 to 6 inches.  Snow fall will continue throughout the day with heavy snow fall in the afternoon.  Total accumulations will be between 6 to 12 inches with as much as 18 inches in the higher elevations.

The New York State Department of Transportation is planning to investigate why some of the lights on the new Lake Champlain Bridge to Vermont aren't working.  The $76 million bridge opened late in 2011 after its predecessor at the same location was found to be unsafe.  The bridge's lighting system includes 66 LED floodlights, and 276 2-foot long LED pedestrian lights on the handrails. Many are not working.  A New York DOT spokesman says the problem will be investigated this spring when it's warmer so engineers can get onto the bridge and look at the wiring.

The Vermont House passed a same-sex couple health care coverage bill Friday.  According to the bill, H. 315, any employer operating outside of Vermont is required to offer the same health care coverage and benefits to same-sex spouses that they would offer to opposite-sex spouses.  Legislators passed the bill 139 to 5.

Vermont's unemployment rate for January 2013 drops to 4.7%.  According to the Vermont Department of Labor, this represents a decline of two-tenths of a percent from the prior month's revised estimate of 4.9 percent.  January's unemployment numbers mark the sixth consecutive month without an increase in the unemployment rate in the state.

Vermont lawmakers are considering adding candy to a proposed sugary-beverages tax.  In the House Ways and Means committee Friday, lobbyists from the Vermont Grocer's Association argued against the proposed tax, or removing sugar-loaded items from the sales tax exemption.  Health advocates lobbying for a sugar-sweetened beverage tax do not want to see that happen by simply lifting the sales tax exemption.

The Castleton fire department wants a new station and has petitioned town officials to put its construction on a special bond ballot.  First Assistant Chief Richard Combs says the petition asks for a $1.5 million bond to construct a new emergency service building on land near Castleton Corners, less than 2 miles from its current location near the college.  Once the petition is verified, meaning the signatures on the petition are from legal voters, town officials are required to warn a special vote.

The Shoreham Zoning Board of Adjustment has given its approval to WhistlePig’s proposal to establish a whiskey distillery at its property off Quiet Valley Road.  The main stumbling block in the project now is other interested parties want to see a separate Act 250 review of the proposed WhistlePig distillery, which would involve conversion of an existing, on-site dairy barn and construction of a 50-foot-by-90-foot storage barn.

WVTK Local & State News March 15, 2013

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has agreed to buy out 90 properties across Vermont that were damaged by 2011 flooding, most from Tropical Storm Irene.  Eight structures were deemed ineligible for the federal hazard mitigation program and 24 applications are still pending.  Of those, FEMA has committed $12.8 million. The pending acquisitions total $6.1 million.  Earlier this week, state officials agreed to help buy out 5 of the properties that were rejected by FEMA.

A Port Henry man has admitted he tried to burn down part of the business district last year.  Joseph King plead guilty to arson and other charges in court yesterday. The 44-year-old was accused of setting fires at buildings owned by Mountain Lake Services in Port Henry back in January of last year.  He will be sentenced in May and faces up to 14 years behind bars.  Repairs to the building are expected to begin in a few weeks.

The higher gas tax proposal made it out of the Vermont House Ways and Means Committee today.  The proposal passed by a 10-1 vote.  The higher gas tax proposal calls for a 2% hike in the gas tax this year and another 2% in July of next year.  The high gas tax proposal passed the House Transportation Committee on Wednesday.  The proposal now moves to the House Appropriations Committee.

A veteran police officer in Rutland, who was suspended following an altercation at a hospital has been cleared of any criminal conduct.  Thomas Fuller, a 26-year veteran of the force, was placed on paid administrative leave following the incident at Rutland Regional Medical Center on December 1.  The details of the altercation have not been disclosed.  The Attorney General’s Office says there was insufficient evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.  Fuller will remain on leave until an internal investigation is completed.

A bill moving through the Senate would allow larger producers of raw milk to sell their product off the farm.

The consumption of raw milk is part of growing trend in Vermont and around the country.  Many say the non-pasteurized product not only tastes great, but also has health benefits.  Lawmakers four years ago allowed producers to sell the milk at their farms.  The new bill would allow a handful of larger producers to sell at farmers markets.   It does not address smaller producers -- in part -- because of safety concerns.

While some deal with major funding cuts, the IRS says others are missing out on getting money!  Turns out, there's still close to $920 million in unclaimed tax refunds from 2009.  That's because close to a million taxpayers never submitted returns for that year.  The IRS says it breaks down to about $500 a person.  If you're one of those people, time is running out. You have until April 15 to collect otherwise the money goes to the U.S. Treasury.

Police will be out patrolling the roads this weekend.  Troopers in Vermont and New  York say they will be highly visible on the roadways throughout the weekend as people celebrate St. Patrick's Day.  They also remind you to choose a designated driver or have an alternate plan for transportation -- before drinking any alcohol.

WVTK Local & State News March 14, 2013

For the second year in a row, Ronan Howlett, an 8th grader from Middlebury Union High School, has won the Vermont State Spelling Bee.  Howlett beat 42 other students that were competing in the Vermont State Spelling Bee.  The press release says Emily Ballou, of South Royalton School, came in second. Nicholas Knudsen, of Frederick H Tuttle Middle School came in third.  Next Howlett will travel to Washington D.C. to compete against top spellers from every other state in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in June.

Governor Peter Shumlin and Agriculture Secretary Chuck Ross announced a statewide Workplace Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program today.  The program will allow Vermont State employees to purchase locally grown food and produce at numerous sites around the state.  More than 30 employees participated in the pilot project in 2012, about 75 percent had never previously participated in a CSA.  About 15 state buildings across the state have been identified as possible sites.

A young man whose father lives in Vermont is one of the latest casualties in Afghanistan.  Twenty-one-year-old Army Specialist Zachary Shannon was one of five people killed Monday when a Black Hawk helicopter went down.  The Vermont National Guard says Shannon's father lives in Guildhall, plus his grandfather lives in Vermont as well.  Shannon, who graduated from high school in Florida, was assigned to an aviation regiment out of Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia.

Lawmakers are taking testimony today on a controversial bill that would allow migrant farmworkers in the country illegally to get Vermont driver's licenses.  Sen. Transportation Committee Chairman Dick Mazza said today that the bill has a lot of issues that need to be resolved before it can be voted on by the committee and then the full Senate.  Vermont dairy farms employ an estimated 1,500 Mexican farmworkers who say they are isolated in rural areas and have to ask farmers or others for rides to the grocery store or doctor.

A rollover crash on Route 7 yesterday sent a Salisbury man to the hospital with abrasions and contusions.  Police say 77-year-old John Lewis was driving north on Route 7 when he drove onto the shoulder, eventually leaving the road and hitting trees.  His Jeep Patriot was destroyed.  Lewis was taken to Rutland Regional Medical Center for treatment of his injuries.

Rutland City is getting a big financial surge to fight domestic abuse.  A new federal initiative aimed at reducing deaths in domestic abuse cases is awarding 200-thousand dollars to the city.  Rutland is just one of a dozen cities getting the federal funding.  The Lethality Assessment Program in Rutland has victim advocates and police working together to identify high risk offenders and potential victims.  City officials believe their work with that program is what earned the attention and award from the feds.

WVTK Local & State News March 13, 2013

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is urging people to take down their bird feeders to avoid attracting hungry bears as they emerge from their winter dens.  The department recommends taking down the bird feeders and not feeding birds again until December 1.  Bears often eat seeds in the wild, so a birdfeeder full of seed is a great source of what a bear considers natural food.  The department also advises you not to leave pet food outside and washing down barbecues after using them.  Garbage containers also should be secured.

State Police in Bristol recovered a stolen car.  While on patrol, they saw the vehicle and ran a check of the registration which showed that it was a stolen vehicle.  They stopped the driver and it was confirmed to be the stolen vehicle in question.  Investigators say the driver, 35-year-old Shannon Gilmore-Manning or Ripton, was not involved in the theft of the vehicle and has been released with a citation to appear at the Addison County Court Criminal Division for possession of marijuana.

While states around the country are working on gun control legislation, it's unlikely that any legislation will be passed in Vermont this session.  That didn’t stop protesters from rallying at the State House today.  More than 50 people were at the rally, including former Vermont Governor Madeleine Kunin.  She was addressing gun control legislation in the Cedar Creek room at the State House.  Kunin acknowledges that gun legislation won't pass this year.  Instead, she urges gun owners to promote safe practices like gun locks.

A legislative committee has given its stamp of approval to higher gasoline taxes in Vermont.  The bill, which advanced out of committee earlier today, would add a 2 percent sales tax to the existing per gallon tax. The new tax would raise an estimated $26 million for the transportation fund.

A while back, Target was eyeing an area to build a store in Williston.  However, a company spokesperson says they have no plans to put a new store there.  The area that was being considered was on the old driving range at the corner of Williston Road and Maple Tree Place. 

Target says while the plans to build a Target in Williston fell through, they are always exploring new opportunities to expand and serve their guests.

Organizers have canceled the "Wings Over Vermont" air show, saying they couldn't continue with plans for the August event after studying the impact of automatic federal spending cuts that took effect this month.  The Vermont National Guard Foundation announced the cancellation of the show this morning.  The U.S. Air Force Demonstration Team, the Thunderbirds, were scheduled to headline the show.