WVTK Local & State News April 29, 2011

Moriah Central School & Newcomb Central School District in Essex County is closed today.

The ferry that runs between Charlotte, Vt., and Essex, N.Y. is closed until further notice. Transportation officials say that 'record high water' prompted the closure. For ferry updates and the full schedule, click HERE.

Floodwaters receded and some roads reopened but anxiety over the prospect of more rain rose yesterday in northern Vermont, where incessant rain and lingering runoff from snowmelt sent rivers over their banks and Lake Champlain's water level to a record high. A day after the Lamoille River spilled into parts of Cambridge, Jeffersonville and Johnson, homeowners were drying off possessions and pumping water out of basements.

Vermont state officials are trying to assess the flood damage. If the destruction exceeds $1 million then Vermont could qualify for federal help. If the state qualifies for federal assistance it will not apply to private businesses or homes. The state, cities and towns could qualify for help, but low-interest loans might be possible for private enterprises.

Rain stopped as expected throughout Rutland County yesterday and by the afternoon, rivers had begun to recede according to the National Weather Service. The service has received no reports of flash flooding or water damage as a result of total rain accumulations of about an inch to an inch and a half in Rutland County. Addison and Windsor counties did not report any major flooding damage either.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has activated the statewide Emergency Operations Center amid reports of high winds and flooding from spring storms. State emergency management staff members have also been sent to areas hit or threatened by the storms. State police and Department of Transportation officials are also enacting their storm plans with local first-responders.

Between September and March the Middlebury College campus has seen nearly $70,000 worth of damage to its dormitories. There are concerns that with another month and a half to go in the school year, the current price tag for repairing the damage could increase. This will be the third year in a row Middlebury College has seen a rise in that expense and College Administrators are wondering why.

This week Vergennes aldermen took another step toward a new police station. The also heard a suggestion on how to pay for it without raising taxes. Aldermen unanimously voted to ask the City Manager to study building a new station on city-owned land off Green Street. The Tower Fund may be a possible way to pay for it.

Middlebury police and managers of several local affordable housing developments are joining forces to fight what they say has been a recent surge in illegal drug activity. Middlebury officials specifically identified John Graham Court as a neighborhood in which some residents have been complaining about drug transactions.

Vergennes aldermen had the opportunity on Tuesday to learn more about a potential natural gas pipeline. Vermont Gas Systems officials shared the benefits of making natural gas available to city residents and businesses. The company hopes to extend a line from Chittenden County to Addison County by 2015. The preliminary path along Route 7 would allow Vermont Gas to serve the densely populated areas of Vergennes.

A Vermont Rail System train spent less than an hour stuck behind the Rutland Town office after one of its cars derailed yesterday afternoon. The Operations Manager said it was unclear why exactly the car derailed, but that it happened as the train went over a rail junction. The train derailed at around 2:45 PM and was back on the track shortly after 3:30 PM.

A man's body was discovered at the mouth of the Middlesex Dam on the Winooski River yesterday. State Police say it's not that of David Driscoll, a young fisherman who is missing from a boating accident on the Lamoille River. The body discovered is that of a man in his late 40s, possibly early 50s, with gray hair, about five-feet-six or five-feet-eight, and weighing around 200 pounds. Investigators say they cannot rule out foul play and hope to know more once an autopsy is complete.

An abandoned landfill in New York is about to become a recreation area. The former Moriah dump, which was closed 15 years ago, will soon have hiking and walking trails. The site includes Cheney Mountain. Plans call for volunteers to make a walking trail at the base of Cheney Mountain and a trail to the top of the mountain all with no cost to taxpayers.

The NCAA says there's no need to take further action against Castleton State College, which forced its football coach to resign for improperly arranging student loans for 1 of his players. In a letter to the Castleton Associate Dean of Athletics the NCAA said it had considered processing the case as a "major infractions case," but because Castleton had the former Coach resign in February and efforts are being made to return the loan money no further action is needed.

The Vermont Student Assistance Corporation has won a federal contract that will help the organization keep running. VSAC lost its primary function last year when Congress decided the federal government would administer student loans directly. Since then, the Winooski nonprofit has cut dozens of jobs. But now the feds have awarded VSAC a roll in servicing student loans and $1.3 million to carry out that function.

Fifteen civil engineers from the Vermont Air National Guard are preparing to head out for a four-month mission to Iraq, Oman, Kyrgyzstan and the United Arab Emirates. A deployment ceremony will be held this afternoon at the Hampton Inn in Colchester. The Guard says the airmen will perform firefighter duties and escort duties. They will start to depart early next week and be at their destinations by the end of May.

The operator of New England's electric grid says the improving economy is expected to lead to more electricity use this summer, but the region should have enough power to meet rising demand. ISO New England said Thursday that demand is forecast to peak at 27,550 megawatts under normal summer conditions of about 90 degrees.

In addition to the many events taking place this weekend here Middlebury, train enthusiasts from throughout New England will be celebrating the rich history of one of Vermont’s most prominent railroad systems. The 25th annual convention of the Rutland Railroad Historical Society takes place this Saturday and Sunday at the Middlebury Inn. Meanwhile the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life is taking place at Middlebury College beginning this afternoon at 5. Then on Sunday morning at 9 the Middlebury Maple Run, the Sweetest half gets underway. For more information about either event follow the links on our homepage.

Middlebury’s Liz Cronin was presented with a Bonnie and John McCardell Citizen’s Award by Middlebury College for her outstanding service to the community as the founder and previous chairwoman of the Face Off Against Breast Cancer Hockey Tournament. The tournament brings together women’s hockey teams from around the state to have fun and raise money for the support of cancer patients and their families. The 12th annual tournament this past January raised close to $60,000.

There will be major changes at Fort Ticonderoga this season. A major new exhibit, changing programs and a historic corn maze will highlight 2011 at "America's Fort." They will unveil a new exhibit called, "The Art of War: Ticonderoga as Experienced Through the Eyes of America's Great Artists," when its opens May 20th. The exhibit will showcase 50 works from the fort's extensive art collection for the first time, presenting a visual history of Fort Ticonderoga.

Friends of Crown Point State Historic Site will hold its annual meeting Saturday, May 7th. The gathering will be at 10 AM at the historic site museum, located at the base of the Lake Champlain Bridge that is now under construction. Members will nominate officers as part of the annual business meeting. The meeting, and the group, is open to all interested people.

Vermonters can get rid of old prescription drugs free of charge this weekend. The Drug Enforcement Administration is holding its second annual Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday. The event is aimed at reducing drug abuse. More than 25,000 pounds of medication were collected last year.

Even with gasoline near $4 a gallon, U.S. households are also facing the pinch of higher prices for everything from diapers to toilet paper to ice cream. Major makers of everyday consumer products and groceries say they have to raise prices to offset soaring costs for their fuel and key raw materials, such as such as corn and wood pulp. Retailers say they plan to pass along those increases, adding pressure on a sluggish economic recovery.