WVTK Local & State News November 17, 2011

The first annual Otter Valley Trail Run at the OVUHS Fields will take place on Sunday, November 27th. This is a fundraiser for the OV Junior Class. You are invited to run or walk in the race, which is open to all ages. The 5K Walk-Run starts on the 27th at 10AM. Registration will take place from 8:30 – 9:45 that morning. The course will be on the Otter Valley and hawk Hill Running Trails. The suggested donation is $10. For more information contact Mr. Havens at Otter Valley. (802-247-6833 Ext. 234)

Vermont State Police are investigating an attempted burglary on Cove Road in Bristol on Wednesday. Unknown individuals attempted to force entry through the garage door. Anyone with information is asked to contact the New Haven Barracks. (802-388-4919)

Tropical Storm Irene washed away the remains of dozens of people at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Rochester. Months later the effort to find them continues. Out of 50, 23 people are still unaccounted for. Now someone is stealing recovered headstones, adding to the families' pain and frustration.

After three committee meetings, a proposal to raise parking rates in downtown Rutland while lowering them in the deck is on its way to the Board of Aldermen. The Community and Economic Development Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend the full board pursue a modified version of the proposal put forward by Mayor Christopher Louras. The proposal is designed to encourage use of the downtown parking deck by long-term parkers.

Stafford Technical Center’s spending plan for 2013 calls for an increase of 2.5 percent, but includes a new revenue item to try and offset it. The school would like to generate about $90,000 by expanding its now part-time day care program to full-time for paying parents and other profit-making programs such as culinary. The proposed budget is up $39,606 from the current year budget. Also, all sending schools, including Rutland, will pay $371 more per student in tuition for next school year. The Rutland School Board has to approve the spending plan. The vote is scheduled for December 13th.

The Ticonderoga town board has appointed members to the Ticonderoga Revitalization Alliance board of directors. The Ti town board also has approved minor changes to a 2010 resolution enabling the creation of a local development corporation to focus on the economic development and revitalization and OK’d the alliance using office space in the Community Building.

A general election re-canvas yesterday showed challenger Margaret Bartley widening her lead by 16 votes in the Elizabethtown town supervisor contest. In the Essex town supervisor race, incumbent Sharon Boisen won the majority of absentee ballots to secure another term.

Two campers opposed to Green Mountain Power's wind farm in Lowell were arrested yesterday morning. Some opponents of the project have been trying to block construction by camping within the safety perimeter of a blasting zone. The blasting must occur in order to build a road to the top of the mountain, where the utility plans to put up 21 turbines. Both individuals arrested are students at Sterling College.

Senator Bernie Sanders says Democrats should reject any deficit reduction deal if it cuts Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid. Sanders’ says that would allow Democrats to frame the 2012 election debates. He says the next few weeks could be a critical time for the Democrats because he says they have an opportunity to develop a clear economic alternative to the Republicans. But Sanders’ is worried that the Democrats won't take advantage of this opportunity. That's because a number of Democratic leaders have expressed support for a compromise plan that raises some new revenue and also reforms entitlement programs. The Senator strongly opposes this approach.

Burlington police are still completing their investigation of the shooting death last week at the Occupy Burlington encampment. Josh Pfenning died in a tent at City Hall Park last week. Police Chief Michael Schirling says his department is waiting for final reports. But he says it's apparent that Pfenning shot himself. The question that police are still trying to answer is whether the shooting was accidental or intentional.

New consideration is being given to whether culverts need to be larger to accommodate not just floodwaters but the silt and debris they carry. Culverts are getting attention because of the flooding triggered by the remnants of Hurricane Irene. The state standard for culverts under town roads is that they should be able to withstand a 25-year flood. But a state transportation official says there are worries that climate change may mean what was previously considered a 100-year flood is now a 25-year flood.

Vermont Auditor Tom salmon says, over the last six months, complaints have surged concerning how the state does business. That's why Salmon says his office is taking a more aggressive approach to suspected fraud and wasteful spending. Currently, his office is in the process reviewing six departments.

The University of Vermont administration and faculty union have reached a tentative 3-year agreement. The president of United Academics said that the two sides have come to a constructive and workable outcome. John Bramley, UVM's interim president, says the process was not always easy but both sides recognized that these are challenging times in finding reasonable approaches to resolve conflicts. The terms of the tentative deal have not yet been released.

Officials in Bennington are supporting passenger rail service in the area. A study is looking at the impact of passenger rail service to Bennington and Rutland counties, as well as various counties in New York. The Bennington Select Board agreed Monday to send a letter of support for rail service to state and federal officials.

The state says the owner of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant didn't prove to federal regulators who extended the plant's operating license that it is in compliance with the federal Clean Water Act. In documents filed Monday, the Department of Public Service argued the Nuclear Regulatory Commission violated the Clean Water Act when it approved the permit extension without proof the plant was in compliance. The state wants the plant closed.

Cities and towns across the state are coping with dwindling tax revenue, and they're trying to do more with less. In Franklin County, the City and Town of St. Albans are exploring whether they can effectively merge the two communities into one in an effort to more efficiently provide services. Residents from both the city and the town have formed a committee that will evaluate the benefits of reorganizing as one community.

With the holidays around the corner, stores are already gearing up for mobs of eager shoppers. And, expert’s say this year stores may actually get their wish. Holiday shopping to expected to go up by about 2.8%. But, the consumer still is not making it easy on retailers. Experts say with big deals on the Internet, and smart phone applications that compare prices stores will have to keep the deals coming from Thanksgiving all the way through Christmas. That is instead of one big sale on Black Friday. WVTK encourages you to support businesses close to home this year and shop local!

A housing project under way in Vermont's largest city is going to get even bigger thanks to a $4.8 million federal housing grant. The state's congressional delegation announced Wednesday that the Cathedral Square Thayer Commons project in Burlington's New North End would add 28 additional rent-subsidized units with help from the grant.

Sen. Bernie Sanders is campaigning against the congressional super committee that is cutting benefits including Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Today he is joining seniors, advocates and at least three other members of Congress in protesting against cuts being advocated by Republicans on the special budget negotiation committee. Sanders says he'll use the event in part to outline ways the super committee can move toward balancing the federal budget without cutting entitlement programs.

More Vermont smokers are kicking the habit. According to a 2010 survey conducted by the Vermont Health Department, 76,000 adults smoke in Vermont. That's about 15 percent of the population. That's down from 17 percent in 2009, but short of the department's target of 11 percent. The results were released to coincide with today's 36th anniversary of the Great American Smokeout, a day when many smokers nationwide attempt to quit.