WVTK Local & State News June 21, 2011

Drainage rehab begins today on Weybridge St. here in Middlebury. On Friday (6/24/11) Weybridge St. will be closed for a Cross St. culvert replacement at 7:30AM and will re-open once the replacement work is completed which is expected to be done by 5PM Thursday. The contractor will try and maintain access on a limited basis for emergency vehicles only.

The Vermont Apportionment Board has drafted a controversial new map that re-draws several Addison County House districts and even splits the town of Monkton. The new map must be endorsed by the Legislature before it becomes law. Locally, the Addison-1 Middlebury district would remain the same. Addison-2 would lose Hancock, and be left with the existing five other towns. Hancock would be placed into a district with Granville, Bethel and Rochester. Addison-3 would cease, as a two-seat district with its five towns dispersed into parts of three other districts. Addison-4 would cease to be a two-seat district. Addison-5 would also change. Addison-Rutland-1 would lose Benson and gain Bridport. The Rutland-7 district comprised only of Brandon would expand to also include Sudbury and Pittsford.

Rutland City police seized cocaine, marijuana and thousands in cash during a search of a West Street home where three men were arrested early Saturday morning. Two Brooklyn, NY men and an unnamed Rutland man wanted on multiple warrants were arrested during the raid on West St., which Officer Ted Washburn said began with multiple tips about drugs in the home.

A mandatory boil water order was issued in Castleton yesterday as a response to the discovery of chloroform in the town water late last week. The chairman of the fire district believes the problem is located in the water pipes along South Street. The fire district does not know when the state will allow them to lift the order, as several tests need to be conducted to determine the exact extent of the problem.

Some Middlebury College students are tackling a big project. A 1,000 square foot farmhouse is currently the work of 85 students serving as the project's builders, architects, and engineers. When it's done 30 solar panels will provide power to the 2-bedroom home built for a family of four. The project is part of a contest sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. Twenty college teams are competing to design and build energy-efficient houses powered by the sun. Win or lose the home will become a permanent fixture on campus when a group of students move in next spring.

The Middlebury Area Community Garden has finally found a new home at Porter Medical Center. One of the main goals of the garden is to offer the space and resources to those in the community who don’t have the opportunity to garden. The garden has also begun to receive referrals from the state’s WIC program. Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects (HOPE) has agreed to serve as the umbrella organization for the garden, allowing it to receive and administer grants with the nonprofit status. For more info just visit www.middleburygarden.org.

The New Haven Maplefields gas station and convenience store on Route 7 North will be closed for approximately one month. After what station manager Sherry Cram referred to as “years of abuse,” the station is shutting down to remove contaminated soil and possibly reduce toxins already found in the bedrock.

It's still OK to use a metal detector in Ticonderoga, as long as you don't dig up what you find. Following a recent public hearing on a local law that would have banned metal detectors on town property, the Ticonderoga Town Council decided to drop the issue.

Authorities hope they can soon confirm the identity of a body pulled out of Lake Champlain Monday near the drawbridge in North Hero. Francine Marcel of Morrisonville, New York disappeared after her canoe capsized last November. Based on the clothing found on the body and physical description, police at this point feel confident the body is indeed Marcel.

State Police say five dogs and nearly two dozen chickens were killed in what they believe was a suspicious fire in Stockbridge. Authorities say the owners discovered their outdoor kennel had burned down Saturday while they were away for the day.

Police continue to investigate the suspicious disappearance of an Essex couple but are releasing very few details about the ongoing case, including whether Lorraine Currier may have been a victim of stalking. The Curriers went missing from their Colbert Street home June 8th. Police are still considering this a missing persons case even though they've declared the home a crime scene. They've seized personal records looking for clues and say the couple's handgun is missing from the home's inventory.

The Shumlin administration launched its Comprehensive Energy Plan website (www.vtenergyplan.vermont.gov) yesterday that the administration said will serve as a one-stop source of information related to the state’s energy plan. Currently under development, the plan is scheduled for completion by October 15th. The website allows the public to follow developments and share ideas through an online comment form.

The supply of type O negative blood at the American Red Cross has dropped to critically low levels. Type O negative blood is always in high demand because it can be transfused to patients with any blood type, especially in emergency situations. Type O negative donors are needed now to help prevent the type O negative blood supply from declining further. Eligible blood donors are asked to please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to find a blood drive and to make an appointment.

Gov. Peter Shumlin and the State's congressional delegation announced yesterday that public assistance for Washington County roads and infrastructure damaged in April and early May has been approved. That clears the way for the Federal Emergency Management Agency aid to provide 75% of the cost of repairs. Last week, the White House approved aid for Addison, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, and Orleans.

U.S. Sen. Chris Coons says Delaware can be a model for other states looking to improve communication and collaboration among local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Coons hosted a field hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee in Wilmington yesterday to examine information sharing among law enforcement agencies. Coons and committee chairman Patrick Leahy of Vermont heard from a panel of state and federal law enforcement officials, who agreed that communicating and sharing information is key to effective police work.

A special nominating committee is now taking applications for positions on the five-member board that is to oversee implementation of Vermont's new health care law. The panel expects to forward recommendations to Gov. Peter Shumlin in time for him to appoint the board chair and four side members by October 1st. The new health care law calls for the board to move the state through several stages of health care system change leading to a publicly financed, universal health benefits program called Green Mountain Care. A position description and applicant questionnaire are available at the web site of the Vermont Department of Human Resources.

A State Police lieutenant is going to be the new head of the Governor's Highway Safety Program. Lieutenant John Flannigan is currently the leader of the state police's traffic safety unit. Public Safety Commissioner Keith Flynn announced Flannigan’s appointment yesterday.

Here in Vermont it appears we are continuing to get a little bit of relief when at the gas pump. The price monitoring website Vermontgasprices.com says the statewide average for regular gasoline is $3.79 a gallon, down from $3.85 a week ago. A month ago gas cost $3.92.

A professor of environmental law at Vermont Law School says he's OK with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of utilities in a climate change suit brought by a group of states including Vermont. The suit was originally filed to get the Environmental Protection Agency to step up efforts to regulate utilities that emit large amounts of carbon dioxide from power plants. Assistant Attorney General Scot Kline says he hopes the EPA will get tougher on polluters.

Vermont Law School is hosting a conference aimed at helping developers turn brownfields into green ones. "Brown to Green 2011," a daylong event being held Thursday at the South Royalton school, will feature law school professors, government lawyers and representatives of federal, state and regional agencies that deal with brownfields, which are contaminated industrial or commercial sites in need of cleanup. Vermont Secretary of Natural Resources Deb Markowitz will deliver the keynote address, and participants will get instruction on regulatory affairs, risk management and environmental mitigation.

Borders says it will close its downtown Burlington store on Church Street. The company would not say when the store will shut its doors or what would happen to the 31 employees. Borders is currently in bankruptcy and closing hundreds of stores nationwide. Borders says its store in South Burlington at the University Mall will remain open.

A summer attraction for cyclists will not open this year. Local motion says the bike ferry which links Colchester to South Hero will not run. Floodwater damaged much for the causeway and it will not be repaired in time. If you would like to help with the repairs, there are several fundraisers coning up. For more information visit www.localmotion.org.