WVTK Local & State News April 20, 2011

A Vermont athlete has reason to celebrate after her finish at the Boston Marathon. Kelly Brush of Charlotte was the top female finisher in hand cycling and sixth best overall in hand cycling. Brush was a standout skier at Middlebury College, but a racing accident in 2006 left her paralyzed. It hasn't slowed her down. Her time at Monday's marathon was 1 hour, 55 minutes, 1 second. And it was only her second marathon.

An explosion that destroyed the large steam boiler at the Ticonderoga Armory Community Center could be heard blocks away. At about 9AM Monday, pressure build-up in the commercial boiler caused the blast that blew off the unit's door and warped the heavy metal casing. The cause of the explosion was still unknown. The armory's main tenant is the Ticonderoga Central School District’s administration office, which was already closed for spring break this week.

The news coming out of Rutland Regional Medical Center’s annual meeting held yesterday was mostly about the challenges for the hospital and the nation. In addresses from the hospital’s president and other various speakers the themes were similar: Change is coming and it promises to be both good and bad. While the past year was a good one at the hospital, which finished $7.4 million in the black and saw the biggest fundraiser in year’s to help buy a new cancer-treating linear accelerator, the chairman of the board that oversees the hospital said he foresees a rougher road ahead.

Convicted murderer Jonathan Bruno’s request for a new trial has been denied. The 27-year-old was sentenced last year to serve a 35-year-to-life sentence for the killing of John Baptie during an argument behind the Rutland Wal-Mart in November 2007. The judge’s denial doesn’t exhaust the legal options for Bruno, who can appeal to the Supreme Court.

Vermont relies heavily on federal funds for countless programs, and just about everyone who relies on tax dollars is trying to figure out what big cuts from Washington, D.C., will all mean. The biggest immediate impact will be on transportation where nearly $13 million was trimmed. That could derail attempts to finance a high-speed rail project in Vermont. State officials say the current federal budget deal will trim nearly $5 million in programs in Vermont.

Both Vermont and Vermont Yankee are ready to go to war over the future of the aging nuclear power plant in Vernon. This is a legal battle over jurisdiction. Does the federal government or the state of Vermont have the authority to close Yankee's doors? If Entergy wins its injunction it would be allowed to continue operating despite state law while the case is litigated and that gives Entergy little motivation to speed things along.

The Vermont state Board of Education has approved a proposal to merge seven school boards into one in the Chittenden East Supervisory Union. Each town in the district must approve the consolidation plan in order to move forward. The issue will go before voters in those towns - Bolton, Huntington, Jericho, Richmond and Underhill - in June. The plan would consolidate the seven school boards with 45 members into one 15-member board. The unification plan is estimated to save $300,000 to $400,000 a year.

More than a dozen friends and family of David Driscoll came to the riverbank in Milton last night to light candles and pray. David Driscoll went missing and is presumed dead after falling off his fishing boat during a recent flood. He was sucked into the Lake Arrowhead dam and crews have been searching for him during the last week. They found David's sneaker over the weekend, but so far not much else has turned up. Crews will continue to search everyday until a body is found.

Some downtown merchants in Burlington said a proposed partial ban on outdoor smoking would drive their customers to communities where they could light up. The City Council voted recently to have its Ordinance Committee consider the proposal. Smoking inside is already illegal in Vermont. Ordinance Committee Chairwoman Joan Shannon said the current plan would allow outdoor cafes to decide whether to allow smoking.

The former town clerk of Woodbury has admitted she embezzled thousands of dollars from the town. 37-year-old Julie Blake pleaded guilty Monday to charges accusing her of stealing $18,000 over three years. Blake resigned after she was confronted by the select board and has repaid the money. She faces up to 10 years in prison at her sentencing in May.

The fire chief in a Vermont town where a landmark building went up flames says the fire was triggered by electrical wiring and may have smoldered for more than a day before it erupted into a five-alarm blaze. The Brattleboro Fire Chief says Sunday's fire in the 19th-century Brooks House has been traced to wiring in a space above a third-floor ceiling.

Vermont's unemployment rate continues to decline, dropping two-tenths of 1%age point last month to 5.4%. The March rate was 1.2%age points better than March 2010. Labor Commissioner Annie Noonan says the numbers show the Vermont economy is recovering slowly. She says employers in the manufacturing, professional and business service, and leisure and hospitality industries are reporting significant increases in employment.

The New England Culinary Institute announced its graduation speaker. He's a former student and a star. The Food Network's Alton Brown will deliver the commencement speech. Brown is a 1997 graduate of NECI, an author and the host of "Good Eats" on the Food Network.

Former New York Governor David Paterson will deliver this year's commencement address at Paul Smith's College. The school says it chose Paterson because he has overcome obstacles his entire life. Paterson is legally blind. He became the state's first African-American governor at the height of the state's worst fiscal crisis. The 64th commencement at Paul Smith's College will be held May 15th.

More than 100 students and community members gathered at Poultney High School on Tuesday for the fourth annual Poultney Earth Fair to celebrate local food and sustainability. More than 20 exhibits from local organizations and Green Mountain College students featured topics such as ways to have a healthy meal and how our actions affect our food systems.

The Benson Village School is trying to raise enough money for the eighth-grade class trip to Washington, D.C. Eight students from the School have held three fundraisers this school year with one remaining push for donations left. The class needs about $1,500 more for a three-day civics camp with professional educators trained in all branches of government. To earn that money, the class is hosting a second basket raffle in the school’s gym from 11AM – 3PM on April 30. The event will also include a bake, book and rummage sale, and it’s the last chance for the students to get help from the public to pay for their field trip.

Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin will deliver the commencement speech at Green Mountain College's graduation next month. Shumlin also will receive an honorary doctor of laws degree at the May 14 ceremony in Poultney.

Police are searching for a suspect after a man was robbed at gunpoint in South Royalton last night. Police say a 19-year-old Tunbridge man was making a deposit outside the Randolph National Bank at 9:45PM when a man walked up to him with a handgun and demanded cash. The suspect is described as being about 6' tall and around 160 lbs. He was last seen wearing a camo jacket with brown pants and a ski mask.