WVTK Local & State News April 14, 2011

Today Bruce & Hobbes are making history. This morning they are broadcasting live from Montpelier for Humane Lobby Day. Later on, Hobbes will be the first non-police dog in Vermont history to meet legislators to discuss animal welfare issues in the statehouse.

Lake Champlain hit flood stage Wednesday morning according to National Weather Service meteorologists. They said snowmelt with heavy rainfall made the lake rise 100 feet above sea level. According to forecasters, the lake level hasn't been this high since 2008. Officials expect more rain into next week, which they said if it raises the lake level by another half foot, it would create serious problems.

Vermont Gas would like to be bringing gas into Addison County within the next five years. The Chittenden County-based utility wants to run a pipeline from Burlington to Middlebury using the state's right of way mostly along Route 7. Officials say the expansion would offer options to customers who currently depend on other fossil fuels. Governor Shumlin was pushing for gas service as far south as Rutland. That project would cost 177-million. Vermont Gas says it's not a cost-effective option, but it is looking at the possible Addison expansion as a first step toward its long-term Rutland goal.

A Rutland judge denied a former Rutland police sergeant’s request to dismiss criminal charges brought against him. In an 18-page decision filed Tuesday, the Judge ruled that there was sufficient evidence to bring charges against David Schauwecker to trial. His attorney is considering an appeal to the state Supreme Court.

Residents and recovery crews continue to comb the area along the Lamoille River in Milton where David Driscoll disappeared in the rapid waters of Clarks Falls Tuesday. He was fishing with a friend on Lake Arrowhead when their boat's engine quit. The search was called off for the night last night. It will resume again this morning at 9AM.

The Vermont Public Service Board approved a certificate of public good for proposed updates for an electric substation in West Rutland. The upgrades to the West Rutland substation will reduce electrical loss by controlling low voltage during high demand. The electric company hopes to begin construction to upgrade the substation in May, but a definite construction date has not be set. VELCO hopes to have the project completed in October.

The heads of Beaver Wood Energy who are hoping to build a 29 megawatt wood-fired power plant and wood-pellet production facility in Fair Haven said they have spent more than $2 million in obtaining the appropriate permits for the project. A bus trip to Montpelier has been planned for Friday where residents hope to lobby for more support from the governor and legislators. The buses will leave from the Shaw’s in Fair Haven at 7:30AM.

Health care legislation that has been a top priority of Gov. Peter Shumlin has won approval in a Senate committee and a vote by the full Senate is expected next week. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee approved the legislation 5-0 yesterday. It now goes to the Senate Finance Committee. The target for action on the bill by the full Senate is next Wednesday.

The Vermont House is poised to debate whether the state should join a national effort to get around the Electoral College and participate in what backers say would effectively be a national popular vote. The measure, passed in February by the Senate, would have Vermont join a compact of other states agreeing to throw their Electoral College votes to whichever candidate won the national popular vote.

Vermont prison officials are asking St. Johnsbury for permission to add 12 beds to the Caledonia Community Work Camp and drop a ban on housing violent offenders there. The state Department of Corrections, told the town's select board that the state is under pressure to use all of its prisoner bed capacity to house inmates. He says the state saves $24,000 on every inmate it keeps in Vermont to avoid housing in out-of-state facilities.

A Vermont mother and daughter have been sentenced to three years of probation on charges of defrauding or trying to defraud a dozen vendors on Craigslist. Louise Townsend and Misty Townsend of East Haven were accused of ordering electronics, jewelry and other merchandise on Craigslist in 2009 and lying to the sellers, telling them they deposited payments in their Paypal accounts.

Essex County is forming a regional radio consortium to try for a communications grant. The problem is that closed radio systems in use now mean firefighters can't talk to police and police to highway crews. But a new set of nationwide VHF radio channels, called V-Tac, enables different agencies to talk with each other.

The Vermont House has given final passage to a bill that would give citizens more of a say in the enforcement of state and federal environmental laws. The bill now moves to the Senate and is designed to address a complaint by some environmentalists that enforcement penalties are negotiated behind closed doors by the state and polluters, and that affected citizens haven't had a chance to weigh in on whether the penalties are sufficient.

The Vermont Senate has passed a bill designed to expand broadband Internet and cellular phone service to areas of the state that currently don't have them. Backers of the bill the legislation was needed to take advantage of more than $174 million in federal stimulus money earmarked for expanding telecommunications services. The bill is designed to streamline and speed up the permitting process for cell phone towers and tower expansions.

Vermont utility regulators have given the OK for a wind turbine at Burke Mountain ski resort. The Vermont Public Service Board issued a certificate of public good for the 121-foot turbine on March 29. The resort hopes to break ground for the project this spring and have the turbine operating later this year. The turbine will generate about 15% of the electricity needed to run the resort.

Bus drivers have rejected a last-minute proposal from a Vermont transit agency hoping to avert a strike. Chittenden County Transportation Authority requested that any dispute that exists between the two parties after meeting with a federal mediator today go to binding arbitration. But the drivers have rejected that proposal. CCTA serves Burlington, South Burlington,
Winooski, Essex, Williston and Shelburne, and a strike would also affect service to Middlebury, Montpelier, Milton and St. Albans.

There may have been protests going on outside the Hilton Hotel in Burlington yesterday when Republican National Party chair Reince Priebus spoke at the Republican Spring Dinner, but inside he got a warm welcome. He used his opportunity in Vermont to discuss the state of the economy blaming the Democratic Party for the stalemate in congress over the budget.

Vermont is one of the worst places in the country to make a living according to new income rankings compiled by MoneyRates.com. Vermont ranks 46th best of the 50 states, with an adjusted average income of just under $30,000. The adjusted figure takes into account state taxes, unemployment rates and cost of living. By comparison, Illinois is number one in the country at just under $42,000. New Hampshire is 24th at $35,000 and New York is 30th at $34,600.

Vermont's capital city was just named one of America's prettiest, most alluring towns by Forbes Magazine. Montpelier was one of 11 spots picked across the country. Forbes selected Montpelier saying it has a nice small town vibe and a great selection of shops and theaters. It also noted that it's home to the New England Culinary Institute.