WVTK Local & State News February 18, 2011

The Route 74 Bridge that connects Shoreham and Middlebury is back open. The bridge was shutdown earlier this week after a state transportation vehicle broke through a 6-foot chunk of the bridge. Maintenance crews have patched hole in the concrete deck and the bridge is back open to traffic.

Porter Hospital’s ability to participate in Vermont’s health care reform effort could be limited by state budget proposals. Porter’s financial challenge grew even bigger last month when Gov. Peter Shumlin proposed to raise the provider tax on the state’s hospitals from the current 5.5 percent of net revenues to 6 percent as a way of helping to balance the state’s human services budget next year. The provider tax is an assessment currently charged to hospitals and home health agencies.

Rep. Greg Clark of Vergennes is recovering well from surgery just hours after suffering a heart attack at his hotel in Montpelier on Tuesday evening. 63-Year-Old Clark began experiencing some of the classic symptoms of a heart attack Tuesday evening. According to his wife his prognosis is good, and after some rest he could be back in the Statehouse by early next month.

The Ferrisburgh Zoning Board of Adjustment has conditionally approved a plan for a Dollar General store at the intersection of Monkton Road and Route 7. The site is located across from the new solar farm, and across Monkton Road from Denecker Chevrolet.

A New York man was arrested in downtown Rutland yesterday after leaving the scene of a vehicle crash on South Main Street. According to police, 77 grams of crack cocaine and less than two grams of marijuana were found in his vehicle. Police identified the driver as 22 year-old Demonte Miller of Troy, NY. He’s held on $150,000 bail and is scheduled to answer to charges at criminal court in Rutland today.

Ticonderoga leaders are preparing a beta test 2012 budget that assumes the state will impose a 2-percent cap on property-tax increases. The town's new Operational Efficiency Committee is creating the tryout budget on the tax cap proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Town officials want to know how much of an impact the 2-percent limit would have on their operations. Town budgets in recent years have had property tax levy hikes well above 2 percent.

The new Crown Point Chamber of Commerce has 34 charter members. The chamber held its organizational meeting recently, electing officers, adopting bylaws and discussing the community's future. The first order of business is to shortly have a chamber web presence where current members will be show cased as well as have links for their business.

Eagle Lake residents will soon receive a survey letter, asking for their support in fighting milfoil. The letter is another step in a process that started last fall when the Eagle Lake Property Owners, Inc. approached the Ticonderoga and Crown Point town boards, asking them to become "lead agents" in the application of a herbicide in the lake.

We know second hand smoke is dangerous especially for children. But Vermont Representative Rachel Weston says not everyone gets it when it comes to smoking with kids in the car, and that needs to change. Weston is the co-sponsor of a bill that would ban smoking in vehicles carrying children. The bill is still being considered by a house committee.

The state hiring freeze put in place a month ago by Governor Peter Shumlin is already over. His administration secretary, Jeb Spaulding, says the concept has evolved from how it was first proposed. He says reviewing each position was not working so blanket approvals have been given to hire key staff. House Speaker Don Turner says with the state facing a 176-million dollar shortfall, the hiring freeze needs to be reconsidered.

The union representing state workers says its members will be paying more towards their retirement. The Vermont State Employees Association says workers are now going to pay just over one percent a year more towards retirement for the next five years, as a way to help with the budget crunch, and the fact January tax revenues fell short of expectations. The increased contributions would yield about five million dollars in savings, and won approval this week from a council representing state employees throughout Vermont.

A new $250,000 federal grant is aimed at putting more locally raised food into New England's colleges, schools and hospitals. Proponents say that if New England schools bought just 5% local foods, it could boost the region's agriculture economy by $7.5 million. Vermont will use its share to provide technical assistance to farmers.

Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin has signed a budget adjustment bill proposing a $6 million spending increase for the current year. The bill also includes some reductions created by changes in caseloads or other programs. Shumlin praised lawmakers for moving quickly and says his administration and the House and Senate worked hard to make sure the adjustment is affordable for taxpayers and meets the state's needs.

Vermont State Auditor Tom Salmon will not seek re-election. He's considering a run for the U.S. Senate. He made the initial announcement on Facebook. The republican says he is considering a run against incumbent Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders. Salmon says he informed his staff yesterday morning and will make an announcement on a possible Senate run on March 5th.

An environmental group is calling on Vermont state officials to act now on a pending Clean Water Act permit application for Vermont Yankee. The Connecticut River Watershed Council filed a petition asking that the state Agency of Natural Resources either grant or deny the application of Entergy Corp. for a renewed permit for the nuclear power plant in Vernon.

Sen. Bernie Sanders wants to vastly expand the government's role in early education. Sanders has introduced legislation that would provide state-funded childcare and preschool to all children starting when they are just 6 weeks old. Sanders says it's important to invest in children as early as possible to improve overall education quality and ultimately the economy.

Central Vermont Public Service Corp. has named its next president. Larry Reilly, a former executive vice president of National Grid, will take over CVPS on March 1, succeeding Bob Young. CVPS is Vermont's largest electric utility, serving 159,000 customers in central and southern Vermont. Young, who spent more than 30 years with the company, announced last year he would retire on May 3 of this year. Until then, he'll help with the transition to a new president.

Bookseller Borders filed for bankruptcy protection Wednesday, sunk by crushing debt and sluggishness in adapting to a rapidly changing industry. The 40-year-old company plans to close about 200 of its 642 stores over the next few weeks. Neither the Plattsburgh nor Burlington locations are among those on that list. All of the stores closed will be superstores. The company also operates smaller Waldenbooks and Borders Express stores.

On March 5, nearly 30,000 people are expected at Magic Hat's annual Mardi Gras parade. Unlike its infamous New Orleans counterpart, Burlington's version strives to be family friendly. Police and Magic Hat organizers agree that the event, which benefits the Women's Rape Crisis Center, has outgrown its original Church Street location. This year they will try out a new route in hopes it will alleviate congestion and improve emergency access. So after 15 years the string of lavish floats will bypass Church Street and instead grace Main Street.

The farm advocacy group Rural Vermont is complaining about a state order that it halt workshops to teach people how to turn raw milk into butter and other dairy products. Rural Vermont Director Jared Carter says the agriculture agency is infringing on consumers' rights to do what they want with milk in their own kitchens. The Agency Dairy Section Chief says the Montpelier-based Rural Vermont is violating state law "by holding classes in which raw milk is processed and served" to people taking the class.

More Lake Champlain ice events are going by the wayside, due to warm temperatures and recent snow. The Great Ice in Grand Isle celebration has been canceled for this weekend. The Lake Champlain Pond Classic hockey tournament, also scheduled for this weekend, had to be cancelled because of an accumulation of snow that ruined the ice. And organizers also have cancelled this weekend's Frozen Chosen Regatta, trek to Knight Island and ice golf tournament.

The sister of a state worker charged with embezzling more than $490,000 from the state Department for Children and Families over five years will spend 13 months in federal prison. Deborah Tuller of Newport was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Burlington after admitting to mail fraud and filing a false tax return.

United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 15-13, The Bridge Flotilla, based in Crown Point, recently had their Change of Watch Ceremony at The Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls. Eugene H. Frost of Ticonderoga was sworn in as flotilla commander and Heidi Trask of Crown Point was sworn in as vice flotilla commander.

The Knights of Columbus has become a hub of activity in downtown Ticonderoga. The renovated Knights of Columbus hall on Montcalm Street has hosted several major events in the past few months with more coming. The renovated building includes a council room, office space, new rest rooms, a kitchen, a lounge and a banquet room. It is handicap accessible and has access to the recently constructed parking lot at the rear of the building. A new heating system has also been installed.