WVTK Local & State News October 5, 2011

The National Weather Service has issued a Freeze Warning for Addison, Rutland and Essex County, NY from Midnight Tonight through 8AM Thursday. Widespread freezing temperatures are expected to bring an end to the growing season for any unprotected plants or vegetation. Temperatures are expected to dip into the 20’s overnight.

This week you have an incredible opportunity to support Team WVTpinK and the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. “Waiting” for a cure will take place this Thursday at Two Brothers Tavern here in Middlebury from 6 – 9PM! Local celebrities will serve as the wait staff for the evening and all of their tips will be donated to Making Strides. According to team leader Amanda Leigh, the celebrity wait staff already includes Katie Levassuer – Miss Vermont 2011, Caroline Bright – Miss Vermont 2010, Sue Hoxie from the Addison County Chamber Of Commerce along with herself and Bruce from the WVTK Wake Up Crew. Get the details now HERE!

The Vermont Food Bank is coming to Rutland, and Lt. Gov. Phil Scott is coming with it. Food bank personnel will be distributing food under the Commodity Supplemental Food Program. Those eligible for the federally funded program include income-eligible seniors over the age of 60 and women and children recently off the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program. Scott will be on hand from 11AM to 1PM, helping hand out food boxes to nearly 200 recipients. The food drop takes place at the Rutland Fairgrounds parking lot on Dana Avenue in Rutland.

The Westport Town Council will meet at 6:30 this evening to discuss the 2012 budget. This special meeting is open to all.
Rutland City intends to have its say on the proposed merger between Central Vermont Public Service Corp. and Green Mountain Power. The Board of Aldermen voted to seek status as an intervening party when the merger goes before the Public Service Board. Officials feel that because CVPS has been an integral part of the city they want to make sure the city’s interests, in terms of the jobs, are protected.

Vermonters who lost work because of Tropical Storm Irene are eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, but time is running out to sign up. Workers in Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Chittenden, Orange, Rutland, Washington, Windham and Windsor counties must submit their applications by this Friday (October 7th). You might qualify if you were injured in the disaster, if your workplace was damaged or if you couldn't get to work. To find out if you qualify, call the Vermont Labor Department's Claim Assistance Line at 1-877-214-3330.

The state of Vermont could end up having to pay more than $1 million to state workers whose offices were moved after the remnants of Hurricane Irene flooded the state complex in Waterbury. The Vermont State Employees' Association says the union contract calls for workers to be sent a letter when they are being moved to a new location, or they should be paid double time if such a letter isn't forthcoming. Administration Secretary Jeb Spaulding says there are no provisions in the contract to cover a situation like Irene. He says it would have been unreasonable to send letters about moving workers when their relocations weren't permanent. The union's Connor Casey says a contract is a contract, and he thinks Vermonters will understand that.

New York farmers will be getting the final installment of money from the state to help them rebuild from damages caused by tropical storms Irene and Lee. 127 farms will be splitting $1.2 million from the Agriculture and Community Recovery Fund. Since September 22nd, more than 250 farms have received nearly $4 million to help speed up the recovery process.

A new state audit says greater oversight is needed over monies collected by Crown Point Town Clerk Linda Woods. The report from the State Comptroller's Office says the Crown Point Town Council must monitor and audit Woods's financial operations, and the clerk must make timely bank deposits and better account for funds she handles. All monies have been accounted for, but some procedures were not adequately followed.

South Burlington police are warning residents to lock their doors and windows after two break-ins were reported while the homes were occupied. Police say a woman told them she woke up to find a burglar in her home early yesterday morning. The burglar fled when confronted.

Vermont transportation officials say a section of Route 14 in East Montpelier that was ravaged by spring flooding and Tropical Storm Irene will close for repairs. The stretch from the intersection of Route 2 to Northstar Fireworks is expected to close tomorrow and remain closed into November.

The five-member board moving Vermont in the direction of a single-payer health care system met for the first time yesterday. Vermont is the first state to move toward a single-payer system, officials say this leaves them with no example. Opponents worry the board doesn't have a plan for where funding will come from. Roughly 30 people came to Montpelier yesterday to hear what five had to say. The board will oversee nearly every aspect of health care in Vermont. The state is serving as a testing ground for the first single-payer health care system.

Two east-west roads in southern Vermont that were devastated by Tropical Irene have reopened to two lanes of traffic. The Agency of Transportation said Tuesday that both lanes of routes 9 and 11 are now open. Officials say a bridge on Route 9 had been reduced to one lane after a second round of inspections found more damage that had been hidden by debris. Route 11 in Chester also had been restricted to one lane in September.

Vermont Congressman Peter Welch has introduced legislation that would enable federal aid to school lunch programs to pay for local produce. Welch says the bill could be a boon to Vermont farmers trying to recover from the effects of Tropical Storm Irene. He says Vermont schools currently receive produce from a regional distribution center in Rhode Island under the Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. Welch's bill would create a three-state pilot program that would allow participants to opt out of the program and spend those funds instead on local fruits and vegetables.

The University of Vermont says 32 state scientists whose Waterbury offices were flooded by Tropical Storm Irene will be working in laboratories in Burlington. UVM says the scientists began moving on September 19th. The moves will be completed the week of October 17th. In some cases UVM scientists will share space and in others the state scientists will move into vacant labs. It's expected the state scientists will work in Burlington for between six and nine months.

Military recruiters will return to Vermont Law School this month for the first time for more than a decade. The school lifted its ban on campus recruiters with the recent end of the military's prohibition on gays and lesbians serving openly. Law school spokesman John Cramer says students already are starting to sign up to meet with the recruiters. Faculty and students at the school are largely supportive of the end of the military's ban. The school's ban on recruiters cost it up to $500,000 a year in federal funding.

By a wide margin on Tuesday, Colchester voters rejected a plan to spend $4.5 million to buy Camp Holy Cross. The final vote was 2108 against and 959 for. Town leaders described the effort as a rare chance to acquire 26 acres on Lake Champlain being sold by the Diocese of Burlington. Opponents had numerous concerns including the cost and upkeep of the land.

An Essex town official says Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. is eyeing the town as a possible site for a new roasting facility that could add 800 jobs. The Waterbury-based company has received the permits it needs from the town. According to documents, the company is seeking Act 250 approval from the stat for the site at the Gauthier Industrial Park. A spokeswoman for Green Mountain Coffee, which has a packaging facility and offices at the Essex site, says the company hasn't decided yet whether it will expand at the location.

A refrigerator-recycling program is taking place throughout New York. Residents are paid $30 for each fridge or freezer scheduled for free pickup, courtesy of New York State Electric and Gas. The program could save NYSEG customers up to $150 a year in energy costs as a result of lower electricity usage. For details or to schedule pickup of refrigerators or freezers visit www.nyseg.com/energyefficiencyprograms/recycle.

A Ticonderoga teen has proven himself to be among the best earth science students in the world. Riley Chapman, a junior at Ticonderoga High School, earned a bronze medal at the International Earth Science Olympiad held in Modena, Italy last month. He was one of 114 high school students from 23 nations to test his skills in disciplines such as geology, meteorology, environmental science and terrestrial astronomy.

The historic Hubbardton Battlefield site will host a special astronomy program and marshmallow roast on Saturday from 6:30 to 8PM. Members of the Green Mountain Alliance of Amateur Astronomers will be on hand and will bring telescopes to share. Attendees can bring their own telescope or binoculars and blankets and flashlights are recommended. The program is free and open to the public. If the skies are cloudy, the event will be held on Sunday. Call to confirm the program is on at 273-2282.