WVTK Local & State News November 15, 2011

A section of Vermont Route 125 in Hancock is going to be closed for two days so crews can replace a culvert damaged by flooding from Tropical Storm Irene. The area to be closed beginning this Saturday is about two miles west of the highway's intersection with Vermont Route 100. The permanent culvert replacement will be made of concrete and have a larger opening than the original. The goal is to reopen Route 125 on November 21.

Otter Creek Brewing suffered a minor explosion Monday morning when a small fermentation tank over pressurized and suddenly burst. No one was hurt in the incident. Middlebury fire crews responded with four trucks but there was no fire and no major structural damage was done to the facility. Otter Creek officials say the cause is unclear and the plant has shut down to assess and investigate the situation. Despite the shutdown, they say there is plenty of beer on hand to meet demand.

Police say three people lost their lives following a Monday morning car crash on Route 4 in Fair Haven. The crash occurred at about 12:30AM near the Vermont Welcome Center. Police say the car went off the right side of the road, smashed into a concrete bridge and burst into flames. Two truck drivers, who reported the accident, were able to get two people out of the car before it was completely engulfed in flames. A woman survivor was transported to Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington with head injuries. Police say the victims are not from the area and their names have not been released. The crash remains under investigation.

Vermont State Police are investigating the burglary into a camp located on Carp Cole Rd. in Starksboro. The burglary occurred sometime between November 6th and the 11th. Among the items stolen were a Husqvarna chainsaw, a single shot 12-gauge shotgun with a large amount of ammunition, and 2 pair of VT Tubbs snowshoes. Also on November 14th State Police received a burglary complaint located on Brown Hill East in the Town of Starksboro. A residence was broken into sometime between November 9th and the 14th. Anyone with any information is urged to contact the State Police New Haven barracks. (802-388-4919)

Finding the money to start and run ventures that keep our landscape open and productive was the challenge a “Financing the Working Landscape” conference last Thursday addressed at the American Legion here in Middlebury. The event brought some 120 entrepreneurs, capital providers and others interested in the topic to this daylong meeting. Vermont Agriculture Secretary Chuck Ross said the event’s turnout and the ideas and businesses represented in the crowd demonstrated the sheer energy surrounding agricultural entrepreneurship.

Bristol Rep. David Sharpe has been a longtime member of the House Ways and Means Committee. Now he has been appointed to the Vermont Legislature’s Joint Fiscal Committee. The JFC is a panel made up of 10 lawmakers that includes five House members and five senators, primarily charged with overseeing the fiscal responsibilities of the Legislature when the General Assembly is not in session. Sharpe becomes the first Addison County lawmaker to sit on the JFC in about two decades.

Earlier this year more than 1,800 Addison County middle and high school students, took the statewide biennial Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which is administered by the Vermont Department of Health. The results of the survey show a decrease in substance abuse since 1999, an increase in sexual activity and an increase in bullying. It also showed that almost one-in-five middle school students have considered taking their own lives. The survey meant to increase awareness about these behaviors, stimulate a community-based conversation and encourage schools and communities to create strategies for dealing with these issues that put their youth at risk.

The former president of the Historical Society in Manchester is facing more charges that he defrauded local authors out of thousands of dollars. Peter Cambell Copp pleaded not guilty Monday to a new felony charge. The 62-year-old is facing a total of 15 charges. Police say he took between $8-$10 thousand to edit and publish authors' works, but never finished the jobs.

Visitors to the new M Gallery at 3 Mill Street who fail to discuss the art are missing the point. One of their goals is to create a community that communicates with each other. Through Thursday, the M Gallery will display “Vision Obscured,” an exhibit of abstract photography by seven Middlebury students. The show opened last Friday.

The Monkton Community Coffeehouse and the Monkton 250th Founding Celebration Committee announce the launch of the Monkton Flag Project to design a town flag and postmark for the town’s 250th anniversary on June 24, 2012. Kristen Farrell is a Mt. Abraham Union High School history teacher and the chairman of Monkton’s 250th Founding Celebration Committee. She wants Monkton residents of all ages to know that designing a town flag and postmark is a great opportunity to get everyone involved and excited about being part of a community art project to commemorate the 250th birthday celebration of Monkton. It will provide a legacy for future generations and foster pride in our town.

The American Dog tick and the Black Legged tick, also known as the Deer tick, are Vermont's two most popular ticks. The State Of Vermont says there have been reports of a lot of ticks in a lot of places this year. In the first two weeks of November, the temperature in many location has gotten to 60 degrees or higher 5 times, and that's keeping the ticks very active. The Deer tick carries Lyme Disease. So far this year the Vermont Health Department has more than 500 confirmed and probable cases of Lyme Disease. Hunters or people outdoors should be aware of ticks and get them off within 36 hours if they bite you.

Farms in parts of New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine are eligible for low-interest loans to cover losses from flooding, hail and heavy rains, including Tropical Storm that started on May 1st. The United States Department of Agriculture designated eight counties in New Hampshire, five in Vermont and two in Maine as natural disaster areas on November 9th. The designation means the qualified farmers in those counties are eligible for low emergency loans from United State Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency. The areas covered include Caledonia, Essex, Orange, Windham and Windsor counties in Vermont.

Vermont State Police say they are looking for the suspect or suspects in the killing of a 48-year-old Bethel man and attempted killing of a 19-year-old woman. Investigators aren't releasing the cause of death of Scott Hill, but his death has been ruled a homicide. The chief criminal investigator of the state police, says police want to hear from anyone who may have seen or heard from Hill last week. Police say there does not appear to be a threat to the public.

The big question about federal disaster aid for Vermont in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene appears to have been answered in the state's favor. U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy announced Monday that a House-Senate conference committee on Capitol Hill had agreed to a new federal highway funding package that lifts funding caps for disaster relief. The bill still must pass the full House and Senate.

College students and Vermont law enforcement professionals have a new resource to help them hone their skills at conducting criminal investigations on computers, smart-phones and other digital devices. Officials gathered Monday at the new Patrick Leahy Center for Digital Investigation at Champlain College in Burlington. The center provides a high-tech educational setting and a fully equipped, secure digital forensics lab. Vermont U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy helped secure a series of federal grants that Champlain used to help set up the center.

New York budget officials are projecting a $350 million deficit in this year's general fund, followed by a deficit ranging from $3 billion to $3.5 billion next year. In the midyear update released Monday, the Division of the Budget cites weak economic conditions around the world, volatility in financial markets and persistently disappointing data on employment, consumer confidence and income. Officials say they expect to better gauge the tax receipts shortfall in the coming weeks and will immediately institute a financial management plan to eliminate the shortfall. If that fails, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected call the Legislature back to consider additional measures.

You are invited to join the Addison County Chamber Of Commerce this Thursday from 5 – 7PM for this month's mixer, which is being held at People's United Bank in Middlebury. As in past year's you can help People's United collect items for the Addison County food shelf. Bring two non-perishable food items and you'll receive free entry to the mixer! If you bring more than two items, you will receive an extra door prize ticket for your generous donation. The mixer will be catered by Middlebury Natural Foods Co op. There was no winner at October's mixer, so the pot is now valued at $700. For more information and to RSVP just visit the Chamber’s Website.

The Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce November “After Business Mixer” will be held on Thursday at Inter-Lakes Health from 5:30 to 7PM. Sponsors providing door prizes will be Achieve Fitness, Frenchman’s Restaurant and the Wagon Wheel Restaurant. Inter-Lakes Health is located on Wicker St. in Ticonderoga. For more information visit the Ti Chamber's Website.