WVTK Local & State News April 26, 2011

A portion of Weybridge Street will be closed to through traffic beginning at 8:00 this morning. The closure is between Murdoch Court and Freeman Way. Work there should be completed by the end of the day.

There has been a delay in the replacement of the deteriorating railroad bridges at Main Street and Merchants Row here in Middlebury due to tight state and federal finances. Both of the bridges were built in 1920 and are showing substantial signs of wear and tear as they continue to bear heavy traffic loads. Town officials will continue to voice concerns about a potential long-term delay in replacement of the two downtown railroad bridges.

Middlebury police are confronting a new drug threat. They fear Methamphetamine could soon be joining prescription narcotics and heroin on the list of top illicit substances among addicts. Authorities are asking residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity that might point to illegal drug use or sales. Addison County State’s Attorney David Fenster agreed that meth has become an issue to contend with in the area.

Goshen residents are now wired for broadband Internet service. At a community broadband meeting last week FairPoint Communications announced town residents would be able to subscribe to high-speed Internet services. Parts of Hancock also have broadband access now as well.

A 64-year-old New York woman was injured in a crash that snapped a utility pole in half on Route 7 yesterday morning in Pittsford. Jennifer Gilbert of Salt Point, NY fell asleep and struck the pole. According to police she was wearing her seat belt and taken by ambulance to Rutland Regional Medical Center.

The Lake Champlain Region Marketing Committee is already looking at tourism opportunities and ways to publicize businesses and events. The committee has also unveiled its new logo. The simple but graphic design features a green depiction of the High Peaks across the top with "Lake Champlain Region" written in the middle and a blue design representing Lake Champlain on the bottom. To learn more about the Lake Champlain Region Marketing Committee, click HERE.

For the first part of 2011, the numbers show that people are spending in Essex County. According to the county's finance committee, mortgage, occupancy and sales tax revenues were up from where they were in 2010, and in a big way.

Fujitsu Frontech North America plans to move its point-of-sale equipment manufacturing and integration operations from California to Plattsburgh. According to company officials the move is expected to bring about 50 additional jobs to Plattsburgh. This will be taking place over the next few months. It will be completed by the end of September.

Two wireless communication companies are expanding their networks for Vermonters by adding infrastructure to an existing cell tower on Pico Peak. One is a two-way radio company from Williston and the other is AT&T. The cell company is adding 3G broadband cell services to its existing tower. AT&T’s new mobile broadband site at Pico Peak will enhance coverage and improve data speeds for area residents and visitors.

The Rutland School Board will vote tonight whether to demolish one of its properties and try and sell the land to the Stafford Technical Center Student Craft Corp. The student-led nonprofit is the only entity the district knows of that is looking to buy property in Rutland that would consider its Watkins Avenue property. The organization buys land in Rutland, and its electrical, plumbing and construction students build homes on the land then sell them for market value.

General Electric will not be making the alternative engine for the F-35 fighter jet. The Pentagon notified the company yesterday that the project has been terminated. Work on the engine was stopped a month ago, when Defense Secretary Robert Gates called the 3-billion dollar project a waste of money. The project was expected to help the GE Aviation plant in Rutland because the company makes parts for the engine.

The Vermont Senate has given preliminary approval to health care legislation that is a key part of Gov. Peter Shumlin's agenda. The Senate legislation won initial approval on a 21-8 vote and is due for final action today. It calls for setting up a health care "exchange," or marketplace in keeping with federal health care legislation. The Vermont bill also sets up a board that would review and approve designs for a publicly financed program available to all Vermonters.

Vermont's third-largest power company will consider a tentative deal today to buy power from Vermont Yankee. In March, Entergy Nuclear announced the tentative deal to sell power to Vermont Electric Co-op at a highly favorable price of 4.9 cents per kilowatt-hour. However, VEC officials say they will not finalize the deal unless the legislature agrees to let Vermont Yankee stay open.

A website problem at the Vermont Department of Labor caused some problems yesterday. People who went to the home page to try and file an unemployment insurance claim were not able to. Labor officials say the problem was just with the home page and not with the entire website. Officials say benefit checks will not be delayed. The problem started late Friday night and is now fixed.

The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, which has been looking for a new spot for its Burlington office, has found one. It's in South Burlington. The DMV office will move to 4 Market Street in South Burlington. No date has been set for the move. The new location is near the University of Vermont, University Mall and Dorset Street.

Law enforcement agencies in northern border states for now will receive border protection aid after Congress nixed an attempt to limit the money to the Southwest. The Department of Homeland Security's budget requests for 2011 and 2012 specified that Operation Stonegarden grants were to be used only "to address the nation's Southwest border security issues." That restriction was removed in the 2011 budget bill Congress passed earlier this month. The department says northern border states are still eligible for the grants.

Vermont Republican leaders are accusing Gov. Peter Shumlin of violating the state law that says elected officials aren't supposed to solicit campaign contributions from lobbyists or the companies that hire them during the legislative session. State Republican Chairwoman Pat McDonald says Shumlin's campaign sent out two fund-raising emails this month, and that lobbyists were among the recipients. The Vermont Democratic Party issued a statement saying the campaign had not received any contributions from lobbyists. It says efforts will be made in the future to exclude lobbyists from e-mail solicitations.

Vergennes Union High School sophomore Kaitlin Leroux-Eastman has won the title of Vermont Boys & Girls Clubs Youth of the Year. She is now the fourth member of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Vergennes in the past five years to claim that honor and was the youngest of the half-dozen local clubs’ Youths of the Year vying in Montpelier for state recognition last week. She and her competitors were judged on club and community service and their personal character and poise.

Two Vermont groups are joining hands to promote the use of industrial hemp, the fiber harvested from cannabis plants. Vote Hemp and Rural Vermont are hosting their second annual Hemp History Week, set for May 2 through May 8. On May 4, at the West Monitor Barn in Richmond, there will be hemp displays, an annual meeting and opportunities to take action in support of hemp. Admission is $10 for adults, free for children and Rural Vermont members.

Waterfalls Day Spa here in Middlebury is set to transport you to London, England on Friday just in time for the Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton right inside the spa itself. The owners are celebrating the Royal Wedding and promoting their business on the biggest wedding day of the century. On Friday Waterfalls Day Spa will offer the Royal Spa Mini Treatment for $20, with free champagne. For more info click HERE.