WVTK Local & State News December 8, 2011

Republican Vermont State Sen. Randy Brock announced he is running for governor. Brock made the announcement yesterday afternoon. Former Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas was at the press conference to show support for Brock. The 68-year-old, of Swanton, represents Franklin County in the state Senate. He also served as Vermont state auditor.

Vermont Democrats announced the launch of a newly redesigned website, which uses the same web address as the previous site; www.vtdemocrats.org. The site features technological and aesthetic improvements, making it both easier and more appealing to use. The improvements include links to information on voter registration and obtaining an absentee ballot, platform pages detailing Vermont Democrats’ stance on the issues, the latest news from the party’s Twitter feed and more.

Vermont police are investigating a suspicious death in Shelburne. Shelburne Police Chief James Warden say a man in his 70s was found dead in a mobile home by a relative Wednesday morning. Warden told the Burlington Free Press that the cause of death has not been determined and that the man died under suspicious circumstances. He would not provide further details. Police are not releasing the man's name until relatives are notified. Vermont State Police are helping with the investigation.

The Middlebury Downtown Improvement District Commission will hold a Public Meeting this afternoon at 4:30 in the Town Offices Conference Room. The hearing is regarding the Downtown tax district revenues and budget/project recommendations that the DIDC should make to the Select-board for the upcoming fiscal year, which runs from July 2012 through June 2013.

The Middlebury Select-board Board continued its review of the fiscal year 2013 Budget, which is a level-service spending plan. Staff presented revenue enhancements of $18,248 and expense reductions totaling $44,405, lowering the amount of property tax revenue to support the budget by $62,653 from the first budget draft. The Board will continue to work on the budget proposal throughout December and January, and will hold a public hearing on the proposal on Tuesday, January 17th. Budget drafts and supporting information are available on the Town's website, www.townofmiddlebury.org.

The Brandon Planning Commission presented a second draft of a more “business-friendly” sign and merchandise ordinance on Monday at a public forum. The Commission Chairman said they worked hard to incorporate some of the changes and suggestions they received at the first public hearing in October. She said they have streamlined it and made it user-friendly and clearer. At the first public hearing, several business owners raised concerns regarding internally illuminated signs, product merchandise and sandwich signs.

A Hinesburg man charged with second-degree murder in a fatal drunken driving crash in Burlington wants statements he made to police blocked from his trial. He says he wasn't read his rights. Timothy Dowd allegedly slammed into a car during a police chase. The crash last December killed Kaye Borneman.

Mendon hopes to work with the city of Rutland to get debris out of Mendon Brook. The city’s watershed runs along the town’s roads, and Mendon Selectman Larry Courcelle said there were worries about debris in Mendon Brook knocking out sections of Wheelerville Road that has just been repaired after the flooding caused by Tropical Storm Irene. He told the Board of Aldermen earlier this week that five of Wheelerville Road’s seven miles were damaged.

A former park ranger is facing a felony charge for allegedly skimming about $5,000 from Bomoseen State Park. John R. Davine of Proctor, pleaded innocent in Rutland criminal court to a single charge of grand larceny. If convicted, he could face a maximum of 10 years in prison. He was released on the condition he not have any contact with witnesses in the case.

There are safety concerns with the new Cheney Mountain Trail in Moriah. The new recreation trail opened last month. It starts by the town’s former landfill and follows an old logging road to the summit of Cheney Mountain. However the problem is hunting. Moriah allows hunting on town property. Adjacent landowners also allow hunting on their property. The supervisor said he would recommend to the town board that the Cheney Mountain Trail be closed during deer hunting season, from mid-October to the first week of December.

Essex County lawmakers will finally decide next week whether they want to slash county programs and eliminate 30 jobs to balance the 2012 budget. A special meeting to discuss and pass the 2012 budget has been scheduled for 11:30AM Monday in the Old County Court Courthouse at Elizabethtown. In related developments, the union representing county workers may agree to reopen contract discussions.

The Vermont Health Department says the number of cases of whooping cough is continuing to go up in the state. In the last six weeks there have been 26 confirmed cases of whooping cough and 47 cases this year. Suspected or confirmed cases have been reported or are under investigation in 11 Chittenden County schools.

This winter, the U.S. Supreme Court will review the constitutionality of President Obama's health care plan. Vermont officials say Governor Peter Shumlin's efforts to implement a single payer system in the state could hinge on how the Court rules. According to Cheryl Hanna a constitutional law professor at Vermont Law School, if the Court were to strike down either part or all of the health care legislation it could really have significant consequences for the state of Vermont in its desire to move forward with single payer health care.

The U.S. Postal Service announced yesterday it has rescheduled a public meeting regarding the future of the White River Junction mail processing facility. The meeting will address the future of the plant. A recent feasibility study conducted by the postal service suggested the White River Junction facility for closing. The public meeting will be held January 4th at 6PM at the American Legion in White River Junction.

Fugitive Harley Breer Jr. is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon at 1 in Barre criminal court. Breer was located in Tilton, NH on Monday. The Tilton Police Department said officers located Breer at the residence of an acquaintance and that he was taken into custody without incident. He had a warrant out for his arrest issued November 30th after Vermont State Police received a report that he had allegedly assaulted a female acquaintance several times in October.

A former doctor at Fletcher Allen Health Care pleaded guilty to illegally accessing medical records. Thirty-five year old Joshua Welch now lives in Colorado. But back in 2008, he admits he checked the medical records of a several women, including one woman he was dating, who were not his patient. He'll be sentenced in March. He could get up to a year in prison.

The search for a new University of Vermont President is moving along. The field has been narrowed to a dozen candidates. The UVM presidential search committee met last week in Boston to conduct interviews with those candidates. It's expected that field will be narrowed to a handful of candidates soon. The finalists will be made public and will be invited to campus for more interviews and meetings with students and faculty.

Since its inception in 1984, the Middlebury Congregational Church's annual grand Christmas season “Messiah Sing” performance attracts hundreds of singers and players from throughout Addison County and the greater Champlain Valley region. The community music-making at the Middlebury Congregational Church will begin at 2PM on Sunday, December 18th. Singers, instrumentalists and all who enjoy music are welcome to sing and play. A $5 contribution ($10per family) is requested at the door.

A crowd of more than 225 gathered for the fourth-annual Fashion for Passion show to support the North Country SPCA. The sold-out "Winter Wonderland" show featured 45 models. The local students, business owners and SPCA Board members all walked the runway to raise money for the shelter in Westport. The event surpassed last year's total, raising nearly $8,000.

Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine are among the top eight states in the country in the amount of Peace Corps volunteers they have per capita. Vermont is the top-ranked state, although the District of Columbia ranks higher. New Hampshire ranks fifth and Maine is eighth. Currently there are 47 volunteers from Vermont serving in the Peace Corps.