WVTK Local & State News March 16, 2011

Police are investigating an early-morning stabbing in South Burlington. It happened around 2:00AM at a home on Ethan Allen Drive. Police say several people were attending a party at the residence when two of them got into a fight. A woman then allegedly stabbed a man with a knife multiple times. Police have not released the names of the suspect or the victim but do say the suspect admitted to the stabbing.

The McKernon Group was named first place in the categories of Energy Efficiency and Single Family Home over 3,000 Square Feet at the annual Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Southern Vermont Awards Banquet held in Rutland last month. The home, sited at the foot of Mount Ascutney, was designed and constructed by the McKernon Group. Jack McKernon and Kevin Birchmore commented that these awards are significant for the firm because of the company's commitment to passive and active methods of design and construction.

Residents from the town of Hubbardton voted this week on an article that would allow the Select Board to lease a 2012 14-yard dump truck for seven years. The article was passed by a 42-to-40 vote through paper ballot. The new truck, that will include a plow, wing and sander, will replace a 1999 International dump truck. Once the lease is complete, the town will then own the truck.

Jason Gibbs has been named director of marketing for Ski Vermont, the Vermont Ski Areas Association. Gibbs has a background in brand management and strategic communications, formerly serving as commissioner of the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation and as communications director for Gov. Jim Douglas.

In the wake of the disasters in Japan, there are many of us who want to help out by making donations. But how do you know your money is actually going to help? There are people running scams right now that claim to be helping those in Japan but instead are taking your money. The best way to protect yourself is give only to established charities you know of such as the Red Cross. The most secure way to give money is with a good, old-fashioned check. Cash can be misused and credit card numbers can be stolen.

The return of Vermont National Guard members that was delayed by the tsunami is now back on. A military transport plane is due to arrive in Burlington this morning, bringing home the last group of Vermont Air Guard members who were deployed for a peacekeeping mission in South Korea. Most of the unit came home a month ago.

Former Vermont Governor Jim Douglas returned to the Statehouse yesterday. About two months after leaving office, Douglas was before the House Committee on Education to talk about how to choose the person who oversees education in the state. The former governor says he is in favor of a governor directly picking an education commissioner instead of the State Education Board. Douglas says this is not about politics controlling education but about accountability.

While lawmakers in Wisconsin and elsewhere look to curb collective bargaining rights of employees, Vermont is considering expanding them - to childcare providers. More than 100 providers turned out yesterday at the Statehouse to lobby for a bill before the Legislature that would treat them as state employees for collective bargaining purposes. Gov. Peter Shumlin said he supports their cause.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials say Vermont Yankee's license renewal is still coming, but will be delayed because agency workers are busy with events in Japan. The paperwork was expected to be in the Vermont Yankee's hands this week. But with the NRC deploying staff members to help with the nuclear emergency in Japan, the NRC now is going to take a bit more time to finish the paperwork.

Vermont's state auditor says he has a plan to prevent embezzlements. Auditor Tom Salmon told lawmakers yesterday a key to stopping them is letting people who have access to public cash know that they're being watched. He wants towns, agencies and non-profits to be required to complete a checklist of internal cash controls and certify it.

The Willsboro Central School District and the Willsboro Teachers Association have agreed to a contract extension for the 2011-12 school year. The extension is a direct rollover contract without any additional raises and includes freezes in all stipends, including coaching and extracurricular positions.

Yesterday, the Republican-led Senate and Democrat-led Assembly were proposing and passing their own versions of a New York state budget. Each chamber would restore some school aid cut in Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposal. The Assembly also wants a true 'millionaire's tax.' Each chamber will pass its version this week. Next come conference committees of senior members negotiating different areas of the budget to hit spending targets. The budget is due April 1.

You can't miss Orwell's First Congregational Church. It's a classic Vermont church that's visible to all in the heart of Orwell village. Distinguished by its imposing architecture, the church, built in 1843, is now graced by placement on the National Register of Historic Places. Thanks to the effort of church and other community members, the structure is now being recognized as a national treasure.

Girl Scouts from across Vermont join sister Girl Scouts nationwide in celebrating the 99th birthday of the founding of Girl Scouting in the United States this month. For nearly a century, the Girl Scouts has stayed true to founder Juliette Gordon Low's vision of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

You knew it had to happen sometime: a movie about Vermont's Captain Richard Phillips of Underhill. He was captain of a cargo ship off the coast of Africa nearly two years ago, which was attacked by Somali pirates, and he was held hostage for several days before his eventual rescue by Navy SEALs. Deadline-dot-com is reporting Tom Hanks will play Phillips in a movie being produced by Sony Pictures, and based on the book written by the Vermont resident.

Walking into one fifth-grade classroom in Westport, people immediately notice that something is different. The students have no chairs. Instead, the students sit on WittFitt stability balls. The balls are part of a pilot program that the class is participating in. The program replaces their chairs with an inflatable ball that looks like the ones used for exercise. The stability balls have no backing, requiring the children to keep proper posture throughout the day.