WVTK Local & State News July 18, 2011

Hundreds of items, from home furniture to an original piece by Warren Kimble, will be up for auction at the 23rd annual Great Brandon Auction tomorrow. Hosted by the Brandon Area Chamber of Commerce, item previews begin at 2PM at Brandon’s town park, with items going to auction at 4PM. During the previews, people who cannot spend the afternoon can leave bids as well. The proceeds from the event are used by the Chamber for local projects and events as well as its annual scholarship for an Otter Valley Union High School graduate. For more information on the auction, contact the Brandon Area Chamber of Commerce.

More than a month after a Vermont couple vanished, police in their hometown are planning a briefing to update the public on the status of the investigation into their disappearance. Essex police will host a news conference today at the Essex Town Fire House. But they said they’ll release only limited information on developments since the investigation into the suspicious disappearance of William and Lorraine Currier is active. A $10,000 reward has been posted for information leading to their whereabouts.

Most rice in the U.S. is grown in the South, but several Vermont farmers are experimenting with cold-hardy varieties in what could be a model for other small farms in his region. Erik Andrus says he tried for several years to grow grains on his farm in Ferrisburgh, but the land was too damp for him to have much success. Then, in February, he took a workshop on growing rice offered by a couple that had been testing growing it in colder climates. This spring, he dug out two rice paddies and put in 50,000 seedlings. The rice he is growing is a cold-hardy, short-grain type similar to Japanese rice. He's hoping to get 4,000 pounds that he'll sell to a local health food store and at farmers' markets.

A highly toxic plant, giant hogweed, was found near the Lake Champlain Transportation Co. ferry dock in Essex. Its sap can cause severe burns, blistering, painful sores and dark scars. The plant was properly removed and the reaming stem treated by the Nature Conservancy. The plant will be checked in about two weeks to see if the treatment worked. The plant in Essex was the second-known occurrence of it in the Adirondack Park; the first was found near Old Forge.

Town of Essex officials may know soon whether they can lift their boil water order tomorrow. The order has been in effect since April 29 due to high water turbidity levels. The town needs two consecutive days of water tests with acceptable turbidity levels before the order can be lifted. The turbidity prevents accurate readings of water tests for bacteria, copper and lead.

The new water system in the hamlet of Wadhams will begin operation tomorrow. Westport Supervisor Dan Connell said that letters had been sent out to local homeowners within the water district telling them that the new system would be starting up. During the initial switchover process, there may be some sediment that causes cloudiness, but that should only last for two days, at most.

Police say they busted a motorcyclist driving 118 miles an hour over the weekend. It happened Saturday on Route 7 near the Clarendon-Wallingford town line where police say they clocked a 25-year-old driving 118 mph in a 50 mph zone. The Wallingford man reportedly refused to pull over but police eventually caught up with him at his home. He is now charged with speeding, careless and negligent operation and trying to elude police.

A Rutland sports bar will close its doors after police say a gun was pulled on a patron. It happened on June 25 at Jilly's Sports Bar on Merchants Row. The bar's owners are now giving up their liquor license rather than face a disciplinary hearing before the state Liquor Control Board. Police say they also found drugs inside the bar when they searched the property.

Vermont Yankee's owners are hoping a judge will decide this week whether to stave off the state's shutdown of the nuclear plant. Entergy's lawyers told a federal judge that if he doesn't grant an injunction against the state by this Saturday they might be forced to pull the plug. The July date coincides with when Entergy will have to decide whether to spend $60 million to re-fuel the plant. The company doesn't want to spend that money if the plant will be forced to close next March when its original license expires.

The state of Vermont says it will pave more roadway repairs this construction season than had been planned originally, due to bad weather this winter and spring. The Vermont Agency of Transportation is using $2 million left over from the just-ended fiscal year to make short-term repairs to about 23 additional miles of road in spots scattered around the state.

A federal judge in Vermont is holding a fairness hearing on a settlement that would require dairy processor Dean Foods Co. to pay Northeast farmers and their attorneys $30 million to settle antitrust allegations in a class-action lawsuit. The hearing today in Burlington will determine whether the settlement is "fair, reasonable and adequate." Farmers will have a chance to object to it today.

A shareholder of the Central Vermont Public Service Corp. is suing to block the proposed sale of the company to the parent company of the state's second largest utility, Green Mountain Power. In a federal lawsuit filed last Wednesday, Howard Davis, of Maine, said the directors of CVPS and the company seeking to buy CVPS are working to enrich themselves without sharing those benefits with individual shareholders. Davis is seeking to have his lawsuit declared a class action on behalf of all CVPS shareholders.

Thousands of people turned out in Tinmouth for the 17th annual SolarFest. SolarFest features a unique marriage of both education and entertainment. The event also showcased some of the latest in green auto technology. Several alternatively fueled vehicles were on display including a fully electric Tesla Roadster, which can travel over 200 miles on a single charge and reach speeds up to 120 miles per hour. Volunteers say events like SolarFest will help ensure a bright future for renewable energy here in Vermont.

Vermont state revenues for June came in ahead of forecast for the fourth month in a row, and they’re ahead of the target set a year ago by about $60 million. That’s the word from Administration Secretary Jeb Spaulding, whose monthly revenue report on Friday said general fund revenues for June were nearly $113 million. That’s more than 14 percent above what had been forecast for the month.

The national debt is no longer just a federal concern as state credit ratings could be affected. Vermont currently has the highest credit rating in New England, but Moody's Investor Services has said even the top states would have their ratings reviewed this week in light of the continuing national debate. But State Treasurer Beth Pearce says the news is disappointing because the state's good credit allows it to borrow money at low rates, saving taxpayers money, but she is confident the state will do well in a review.

Fields were packed with berry pickers yesterday on New England farms despite spring flooding setbacks. Some local farmers report a weaker growth this berry season due to their fields being submerged in water during the record spring flooding. Even though some farmers say the flooding was a setback, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture says growers are reporting one of the best crops in years.

Three Vermonters are listed among President Barack Obama's 27 top re-election campaign fundraisers during the past three months. Jane Stetson of Norwich raised more than $500,000. Carolyn Dwyer of Montpelier, Vermont co-chairwoman of the Obama For America National Finance Committee, raised between $200,000 and $500,000. Charles and Marie Kireker of Weybridge raised $100,000 to $200,000.

Governor Peter Shumlin says Vermont's main tourism website needs to do a better job reflecting the state's growing diversity. Shumlin's comment follows recent criticisms from the Brattleboro-based Vermont Partnership for Fairness and Diversity. The group says out of 187 people pictured on the VermontVacation.com website in early June, there was one picture showing two African-American musicians.

Northeastern Vermont will celebrate good food and Vermont agriculture at the annual Kingdom Farm & Food Days in August. The free event includes a bike tour, guided tours of a farm, and workshops and garden tours. Volunteers are needed for the Aug. 20-21 event.

Home brewers are encouraged to register now for the Southern Vermont's Homebrew Competition and Festival in September. The fifth annual event will take place September 24th at the Bennington Brush Company in downtown Bennington. The festival costs $35 for admission and includes tasting throughout the afternoon, live music, brewing tips and demonstrations.

On Saturday over 200 people walked to honor and remember law enforcement officers who died while serving and protecting. The walk is called "Funds for Fallen Officers" and all the money raised will go towards helping families of fallen officers. Each person in the walk sponsors a fallen officer or K9 dog that was killed. This is the second annual walk and organizers say it's important to remember those who died trying to keep citizens safe. This year they are hoping to raise 25,000 dollars.

The Back Home Again Café is now The Yellow Deli in downtown Rutland. Closed for renovations for a month, the Center Street restaurant has reopened with a new name, a new menu and more than a few interior changes. The redesign was done to align the downtown restaurant with eight other restaurants owned by The Twelve Tribes.