WVTK Local & State News June 8, 2011

Voters in five northern Vermont towns are saying no to a plan to merge school districts and have one school board oversee nine schools. Residents of Huntington and Richmond on Tuesday rejected the plan, which needed the approval of voters in all five towns to pass. Eighty-one percent of Huntington voters and 54% of Richmond voters said no. The plan passed in Bolton, Jericho and Underhill.

The Vermont State Police are investigating a two vehicle crash that occurred on Route 22A, in Benson. A vehicle operated by Mary Shaw of Orwell was traveling south and crossed into oncoming traffic causing a head on collision. The operators of both vehicles were transported for medical treatment of broken bones. Police are investigating the use of prescription medication as a cause of the crash.

Vermont State Police are investigating a Burglary of stolen copper piping in the Town of Shoreham. Between May 10th and May 23rd approximately 200 pounds of Copper Piping was stolen from a barn just south of the Shoreham Service Center on Route 22A. Anybody with possible information is asked to contact the Vermont State Police New Haven Barracks. (802) 388-4919

According to police the seizure of a computer from a home on First Street in Fair Haven uncovered a stash of child pornography and they say it belonged to a Brandon man. Fair Haven police arrested Theodore E. Gould last month after a four-month review of the computer taken from the Fair Haven home. He is scheduled to appear in court this month to answer to a felony charge.

Vandals knocked over and destroyed a railway crossing mast on North Shrewsbury Road in Clarendon some time Monday night, causing $10,000 in damage to the mast. Vermont State Police responded to a report from signal maintenance workers and are investigating the incident. Anyone with information regarding this vandalism is asked to contact the Vermont State Police at the Rutland Barracks. (802) 773-9101.

A carbon monoxide scare yesterday prompted the evacuation of a dorm at the University of Vermont. A UVM spokesman said that only a few people were in the building at the time. No one reported feeling ill. Officials believe a clog in a vent pipe caused the leak, which triggered the building's alarm system.

Essex County lawmakers have named Kathy Daggett interim director of the County Public Health Department while they continue to search for a new leader. New York State apparently has a shortage of qualified individuals for county health directors. It previously took county officials 15 months to find a new health director.

The Westport Town Planning Board has scheduled two special meetings, one at 7 PM Wednesday, June 15th and the second on June 29th. These are in addition to the Wednesday, June 22nd regular monthly meeting of Planning Board. All meetings are open to the public.

A new report shows Vermont doctors are worried about the uncertainties surrounding health reform in the state. The 2011 Physician Needs Assessment report says providers are facing increasing time and financial pressures, and they're worried those issues will affect the quality of care in Vermont. Doctors said the three biggest issues are a lack of time to interact with patients because of regulatory and administrative requirements, a lack of say in policy making, and low reimbursement rates and their affect on the pool of doctors in Vermont.

More than forty new police officers are expected to help some understaffed police departments around Vermont. The most recent police academy graduates are expected to join those departments by the end of the summer. It's one of the largest classes Vermont has ever seen and it couldn't have come at a better time. Vermont State Police is understaffed and the same goes for the Burlington Police Department. Both agencies will have eight new officers by the end of the summer.

Advocates for Vermont's homeless gathered at the capital yesterday to tackle a growing problem in the state. The group included state officials, shelter workers, builders and other supporters. They looked at how to increase the amount of permanent housing and how to better make use of existing state subsidies. The group says there's been a substantial increase in the need for housing assistance, especially for families.

Vermont is seeing its first case of the measles in a decade. The state health department says an unvaccinated person from southern Vermont has been confirmed with the virus. Measles is a highly contagious illness that causes fever, cough and rash. It was largely eradicated decades ago by the measles vaccine that all children are required to get. Health officials say most new cases in the U.S. are due to exposure from other countries.

The chancellor of the Vermont State Colleges says a former state government executive will be the interim president of Lyndon State College. Steve Gold, of Montpelier, who served in the cabinets of Governors Howard Dean and Jim Douglas, takes over July 5 at the college, succeeding President Carol Moore, who recently retired. It's expected to be a 1-year appointment, since the college will launch a national search for a permanent replacement for Moore in the fall.

Two Vermont environmental groups have announced a merger, with Smart Growth Vermont folding its operations into the Vermont Natural Resources Council. VNRC's Jake Brown says two Smart Growth board members will be joining the VNRC board, and that its anti-sprawl initiatives will be absorbed by VNRC's sustainable communities program.

Some Vermont non-profit organizations that support multiple farms and enterprises in their regions will receive $40,000 in grant funding, thanks to the state's recent jobs bill. That measure passed back in 2010 has freed up money for the state's Farm to Plate Strategic Planning program. The funding will mainly go toward new equipment and infrastructure. Among the five funded projects are the Intervale Center in Burlington and the Mad River Valley Food Hub in Waitsfield, which will open as a new storage and distribution facility.

First Lady Michelle Obama is planning a visit to Vermont. The Vermont Democratic Party says the presidential spouse will speak at a campaign fundraiser on June 30. The event is to raise money for the president's 2012 campaign. Tickets are $100 and up. The event is to be held at the Sheraton Hotel in South Burlington. Doors open at 3:30 PM on the 30th, with the program beginning at 4:15.

A major crackdown on unsafe truck drivers is underway in Vermont and across the country. It's called Road Check 2011. Inspectors will be out for 72 hours, around-the-clock, stopping every truck on I-89 in Colchester. Inspectors say this provides a snap shot of the safety of trucks on our roads. Beside the I-89 check point, there will also be roving patrols on other Vermont highways.

Officials in the town of Hartford say Vermont's state Senate president, whose home was to be sold at a tax sale because of unpaid taxes, has settled his $6,000 debt. The Quechee home of state Senate President Pro Tem John Campbell appeared Sunday on a published list of 62 properties to be sold next week. The six-term Democrat missed a payment that was due February 4th. After a story in Tuesday's edition of the Valley News, Campbell paid the debt in full. Darlene Johnson, delinquent tax clerk for the Town of Hartford, confirmed it.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission says accident mitigation plans submitted by Vermont Yankee are up to snuff. In a report issued Monday, the NRC said a review of U.S. nuclear plants' severe accident mitigation guidelines showed Vermont Yankee's plans met the vast majority of the criteria.

New York legislative leaders are pushing new protections for student athletes who get concussions, including taking students who may have a mild traumatic brain injury out of a game or gym class and keeping them sidelined until they're symptom-free for at least 24 hours. It calls for each school district to establish a group responsible for staff training and student and parent education. Both chambers are expected to act before the legislative session ends next week.