WVTK Local & State News December 21, 2010

As part of the education portion of the “e-Vermont” grant awarded to the town of Bristol earlier this year, Bristol Elementary School fifth-graders all received new Dell netbooks to use at school and at home through the end of the school year. In May, Bristol was one of 12 towns to receive a portion of a $3.8 million grant meant to boost community access to Internet resources. The grant not only provided the 40-plus netbooks it also provided training for both students and teachers by representatives of e-Vermont’s partner, Digital Wish.

A state energy official will meet with the Ferrisburgh selectboard today to explain the benefits of a program that could allow town property owners to finance energy-efficiency upgrades with long-term, town-backed loans. A representative from Vermont Energy Investment Corporation will discuss whether Ferrisburgh should become a “Property Assessed Clean Energy,” or PACE, community. It’s a model for funding energy efficiency that other Addison County towns could emulate.

Vermont Coffee Company has hired Chris Bray as its executive vice president. It’s one of four new positions recently added at the Middlebury-based firm. During his four years on the House Agriculture Committee he has frequently advocated for farming practices and food policies that are socially responsible and add value to Vermont’s food commodities.

A group of 18 Vermont inns and bed and breakfasts are offering free stays this winter to members of the Vermont National Guard, many of who are returning home from a one-year tour of duty in Afghanistan. The owners of the Swift House Inn are leading the effort. The first soldiers returned home before Thanksgiving, and the rest are expected home by Christmas.

The Addison Volunteer Fire Department is wrapping up a year in which community members not only gave their time and efforts in responding to emergencies, but also showed financial support to the department. The total raised from this month’s tree lighting fund-raiser is not complete but a few thousand dollars has been raised so far and a few donations are still coming in.

Vermont's governor-elect, who picked state Treasurer Jeb Spaulding to be his administration secretary, has chosen Spaulding's replacement. Spaulding's successor is 57-year-old Beth Pearce, who's now the deputy treasurer. Pearce has worked for the treasurer's office since 2003 and in financial jobs in New England cities and states for her whole career.

Vermont lawmakers could reverse a law that gave a Northeast Kingdom farmer ownership of wild deer and moose on his Irasburg property. If approved, the law would require that deer and moose trapped inside the elk hunting preserve be removed, probably by hunting. The Burlington Free Press says the proposed law would protect "Pete the Moose," a bull moose orphaned when it was young and raised in the fenced preserve.

New York Governor David Paterson was ordered to pay 62-thousand dollars for an ethics violation. The New York State Commission on Public Integrity is punishing Paterson for accepting five tickets to the first game of the 2009 World Series at Yankee Stadium. The commission rejected Paterson's claim that he always intended to pay for the tickets. An Albany prosecutor has been reviewing whether to also bring criminal charges.

The United States is falling behind the rest of the world when it comes to Internet speed and Vermont is one of slowest states in the country. Those are the findings of the fourth annual Speed Matters survey which finds that the U.S. is only 25th best for average download and upload speeds. And among the states -- Vermont ranks 46th.

The next time North County Community College negotiates a labor contract Essex and Franklin counties want to have someone there.

 Both counties recently approved the college's new labor agreement which many lawmakers felt was onerous considering the current financial downturn.

 To prevent more surprises the Essex County Board of Supervisors Chair said that from now on there will be county representatives at negotiating sessions.

A Williston, Vermont woman is behind an outdoor activity encyclopedia available now on your iPhone and iPad. Clare Innes spent three months researching books, using past experiences, and asking other Vermonters about fun thing to do in the winter. The "Vermont Winter Fun" App gives Vermonters a chance to explore the Green Mountain State in new ways. If you have any activity ideas you can email Clare at VermontApp@gmail.com.

The Vermont Fire Academy in Pittsford is now home to a series of sculptures by artist Gregory Miguel Gomez as part of the Vermont Arts Council’s “Art in State Buildings” program. He created five different sculptures representing the tools used and needed by firemen to combat all types of fires. The sculptures in the Fire Academy are the 28th building commissioned by the Vermont Arts Council as part of its “Art in State Buildings” program.

Sixth grade students brought smiles to Fletcher Allen yesterday. Children from Ferrisburgh Central School sang holiday songs at the Children's Specialty Center. It was in honor of one of their classmates, Ellie Martin, who was diagnosed with Leukemia over the summer and gets treatments at the center. The students carol at nursing homes every year but this year wanted to do something in honor of Ellie.

While ski areas do what they can to keep their slopes safe for customers, the Cochran Ski Area is also looking at safety for competitive skiers. It was recently awarded five thousand dollars from the Kelly Brush foundation, which started after skier Kelly Brush was paralyzed, with the goal to make trails used for racing safer. At Cochran, the money was used for net fences along the trail, which keeps skiers from going off the trail into the trees.

Author and University of Vermont professor Frank Bryan will be among those honored when Secretary of State Deb Markowitz gives out the 2010 Democracy Awards. Bryan, Milton Town Clerk John Cushing and the Burlington Free Press are being honored with a Medallion Award, presented by the National Association of Secretaries of State to honor those involving in the promotion of elections, voter education, voter participation, civic education and service to state government.