WVTK Local & State News July 28, 2011

On Route 22 in Willsboro roadwork has restricted traffic to a single lane moving in alternating directions from the Willsboro/Essex line to the Chesterfield/Willsboro line. Work will continue there until further notice. Meanwhile, crews will be performing pothole patching throughout Essex County. Flaggers in construction areas will control traffic.

Vermont State Police were dispatched earlier this week to Quiet Lane in the Town of Salisbury located at Kampersville Camp Ground for a reported theft from a motor vehicle. $100 cash was taken from inside the vehicle along with a Rockford Fosgate stereo system with an Amp valued at approximately $450. Anyone with information is asked to contact the New Haven State Police Barracks. (802) 388-4919

Lt. Governor Phil Scott continued his "Vermont Everyday Jobs" tour at the GE Aviation plant in Rutland this week, where he gained hands-on experience with a mix of classic and cutting-edge technology, as well as a startling appreciation of the energy needs of Vermont's manufacturers. He started the day in a parts production cell for the CF34-10 engine, used in regional passenger jets. The Lt. Governor started his "Vermont Everyday Jobs" initiative to promote Vermont businesses and highlight the hard work that Vermonters do every day in all areas of our economy.

Vermont State Police received a complaint of a Burglary located on the Lincoln Gap Road in Lincoln on July 7th. The owner of the residence advised that a Cannondale Bike color Orange and Yellow was stolen along with approximately 150 CD's and $150 worth of loose change. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the New Haven State Police Barracks. (802) 388-4919

Almost $3 million in federal disaster assistance money is on its way to Vermont homeowners and business affected by spring flooding. The grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency includes $1.9 million in housing assistance, $863,000 in small business loans and $95,000 for other needs such as replacement of personal property.

Police said they found a knife that could have been used to stab 54-year-old Ralph Bell. Vermont State Police divers found the knife in the Winooski River Tuesday morning. It was under the Blue Bridge, a rail bridge off of Intervale Road in Burlington. Burlington Police said the knife has been sent for forensic examination to look for fingerprints and DNA. Police will likely look for the DNA of 25-year-old Daniel Whalon who is being held for Bell's death.

Police in Chittenden County are warning the public about a high-risk sex offender just released from custody. 33-Year-Old Patrick Sinclair has multiple convictions for lewd and lascivious conduct for exposing himself in public dating back to 1997. He maxed out his most recent conviction and was released from prison without completing sex offender treatment. The corrections department lists Sinclair as a high-risk offender. Police say he has no listed residence and may be living in the Chittenden County area.

The faculty union at the University of Vermont says it's "profoundly disappointed" by the size of the compensation package given to outgoing President Daniel Fogel. United Academics, which represents 800 full and part-time faculty at UVM, says the school's Board of Trustees should be "ashamed and embarrassed" to pay Fogel $27,000 a month, plus additional benefits after he leaves office.

Governor Peter Shumlin says he disagrees with Senator Bernie Sanders' call for someone to challenge President Obama from the left in next year's Democratic primaries. The first-term governor calls Obama "the smartest person I've ever met." He says the president is doing a great job and Democrats and progressives should work to get him re-elected.

Governor Peter Shumlin is now criticizing outgoing University of Vermont President Daniel Fogel's compensation package. Shumlin says he thinks Fogel's pay package is more suited to corporate America than academia. United Academics says the school's Board of Trustees should be "ashamed and embarrassed" to pay Fogel $27,000 a month after he leaves office.

Thirteen years after opening its doors to homeless men, who served in the armed forces, the Dodge House in Rutland is preparing to offer the same shelter for women. On August 10th a two-bed home for female veterans will open right next door to the five-bed shelter that has served for years as both home and support for male veterans coping with psychological and substance abuse issues after their military careers ended. The Dodge House works with other agencies that refer homeless veterans to the shelter.

The head of the Vermont Democratic Party is resigning to take a new job. Judy Bevans says she is going to work at Sterling College in Craftsbury next month and will not be able to serve out the remainder of her term. After Bevans leaves, Jake Perkinson will serve as acting chair.

The FBI has joined the search for an 11-year-old girl missing from her New Hampshire house just a mile from the Canadian border. Celina Cass was last seen in her Stewartstown house working at a computer at around 9PM Monday and was gone the next morning. Police say there's no indication that she ran away or that someone took her from her home in the community. They say there are no signs of a struggle. Senior Assistant Attorney General Jane Young says the FBI has joined the case because it's an investigation into a missing child. She says authorities are still desperately looking for the girl.

As Republicans and Democrats bicker in Washington about raising the debt ceiling, Gov. Peter Shumlin thinks Vermont will be OK if the U.S. government defaults. Shumlin said yesterday in his weekly press conference that if the U.S. partially defaults or is not able to pay its bills, Vermont's state obligations wouldn’t be affected. Shumlin also said Vermont is still in good fiscal shape compared to other states.

Gov. Peter Shumlin says the state has had success in promoting renewable energy and efficiency projects, thanks to $32 million in federal stimulus funding. He and Public Service Commissioner Elizabeth Miller said Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Energy had recently conducted a routine review of the state's use of the money and given Vermont high marks.

A signal sent from an iPhone brought the last of 382 solar trackers into position perpendicular with the sun and marked the commissioning of what developers say is the largest solar installation in Vermont and the largest installation of its kind in North America. The project, unveiled Wednesday uses 382 AllSun Trackers produced by Williston-based AllEarth Renewables. The pole-mounted trackers use global positioning systems and wireless technology to follow the sun throughout the day, producing more than 40% more energy than fixed solar.

405 people now have permits to hunt moose in Vermont. The drawing was held Wednesday morning in Montpelier. State leaders say more than 8,780 Vermonters applied, 2,600 from out of state. There was also a drawing for 50 archery season permits.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters has reported a third quarter net income of $56.3 million, or 37 cents a share, an increase of more than 200 percent from the same quarter last year. Net sales for the third quarter increased 127 percent to $717.2 million. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters President and CEO Lawrence Blanford said that fiscal third quarter results were driven by strong consumer demand for the company's Keurig Single-Cup Brewing system as well as from its first-ever spring advertising and brand support programs, designed to raise awareness of the Keurig system.

There is some mixed news about invasive bugs in Vermont, the search for one devastating pest turned up another. The state has set over 2,000 traps looking for the emerald ash borer. The bugs have devastated ash trees in other parts of the country. Fortunately, no borers have been found so far. But the bad news is another bug was discovered, an infestation of subterranean termites. They nest underground below the frost line, so they can survive the winter cold. The termites are now feeding on timber.

The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles officially opened its new location in South Burlington yesterday. The DMV decided to move out of Burlington after a nearby development project at the North Avenue site caused disruptions and created dust, degrading air quality at the old facility. Officials say the new location across from the University Mall offers more natural light, better access and a covered parking garage.

New York ambulances can now use rear-projecting blue lights in an effort to make them more visible to oncoming motorists and therefore safer. The measure passed by the Legislature and signed this month by Gov. Andrew Cuomo gives ambulances the same option as fire and police vehicles for one or more blue lights in combination with red and white lights displayed for rear projection.

Local bands and locally prepared ethnic treats will be served up this weekend in downtown Rutland. This week’s Friday Night Live will be mixed up with international delights served by area restaurants. On Friday and Saturday, Center Street and a portion of Merchants Row in Rutland will be closed to traffic and transformed into a large, open-air marketplace. About 86 vendors are expected. The event is rain or shine and admission is free.