WVTK Local & State News February 14, 2012

A reminder that the Middlebury Select Board will hold its regular meeting tonight at 7PM in the Town Offices Conference Room. Items to be covered include approval of wage increases for Election Workers, authorization of the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program application, an update on the Town Plan Schedule and an update on the FY2011 Audit. The complete agenda can be viewed anytime on the Town’s Website.

An Addison County Democrat wants to keep imposter grapes from masquerading as Vermont wine. Winemakers, however, say his legislation would do more harm than good to the state’s growing wine industry. Sen. Harold Giard has introduced legislation that would limit the percentage of out-of-state grapes sold in wines bearing the “Vermont” label. Giard said he was moved to act after learning that wine sold at many Vermont wineries is made from the juice of grapes grown elsewhere. Some winemakers feel they are already subject to a host of state and federal regulations that prohibit producers from misleading consumers about the origins of the wine.

The Pulp Mill Bridge project is underway. The bridge on Seymour Street will be closed until November as construction workers give the bridge a major structural facelift. The two-lane covered bridge, spanning Otter Creek and linking Weybridge and Middlebury, was built in the 1800s. Alpine Construction of New York is working on the nearly $2 million repair project. Repairs to the antique bridge will include a new base, roof, and siding. Also, the bridge truss work will be beefed up to better support increased traffic on the bridge and both approaches to the bridge will get cosmetic touch ups.

Construction work is underway at Middlebury College for what will be Middlebury’s largest solar-power station. Ground was broken in late January. Last week, two arrays were completed and more are on the way. The project got an early start with sunny and warmer-than-normal weather last week. Weybridge-based Backspin Renewables is doing the work. AllEarth Renewables of Williston is building the campus “solar farm” employing its own AllSun Trackers units. In total, the mini power station will produce, on average, 200,000 kilowatt-hours each year it remains in operation.

The energy committee in Fair Haven is spearheading a project that could provide up to 10 kilowatts of hydroelectric power for the town. The four-person committee is looking into the possibility of installing a water turbine at the town’s water treatment facility with the hopes of generating approximately 50 percent of the building’s demand for electricity. With the support of town officials, the energy committee recently submitted a letter of intent to the state Department of Environmental Conservation putting them on a green project priority list for water system improvement funds.

Discovery of some extra funds by the Essex County Department of Social Services has rescued the After-School Program that was about to be cut for Moriah and Willsboro schools. State funding had been abruptly shut down for the program, which serves elementary-age children, so it needed $31,000 in a hurry. After some searching, Social Services found the money in its budget. Adirondack Community Action Programs operates the After-School Program. The program has 85 elementary school children enrolled from the two schools. It covers grades pre-K to six with after-school educational activities and games.

Some people are wondering about the proceeds raised to help victims of Tropical Storm Irene during concerts by Phish and Grace Potter. The money went into the State's Long Term Disaster Relief Fund formed last September by Governor Peter Shumlin, but it's only been during the past three weeks, which 30 case managers began handing it out. The fund has more than three million dollars, but so far only 80-thousand has been given, partly because victims of the storm have to apply first to FEMA and private insurance.

Sen. Patrick Leahy is pushing legislation to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, which he says is the centerpiece of the federal government's attempts to stamp out domestic and sexual violence. Leahy says federal funding has enabled the network to help 7,000 adults and nearly 1,400 children in Vermont during the past year, and has enabled Sorrell's office to add a position dedicated to combating domestic violence. The law also provides training to police and prosecutors and housing for victims and their children.

Nearly $22 million in Irene recovery money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will take months to reach Vermont. At a public hearing yesterday in Montpelier, state officials fielded suggestions for how the money should be used. Jennifer Hollar is Deputy Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Economic, Housing and Community Affairs and she says the state has to develop a plan for how to use the money, submit it to the federal government and then wait for it to be reviewed. Hollar says it will be summer before applications for the money are accepted and the funds may not be available until August, a full year after Irene.

Senator Bernie Sanders says Vermont would greatly benefit from a transportation bill that would bring hundreds of millions of dollars to the state. The $109 billion bill goes before the U.S. Senate this week. Sanders’ says the legislation is important, but given the repair needs of the nation's roadways he characterizes it as a modest piece of legislation. The State’s Secretary of Transportation says about one third of Vermont's bridges are structurally deficient. And even before Tropical Storm Irene, a national report ranked the state's rural roads as some of the worst in the country.

A 42-year-old Vermont man has pleaded not guilty to charges he stole original papers and cards written by the poet Robert Frost and received more than $20,000 for them. Hartford police say Timothy Bernaby of Hartland was arrested Friday on a charge of grand larceny. He is free on $5,000 bail. If convicted he could be sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The union that represents Vermont state workers has ratified a new contract that restores a 3% pay cut and adds a two percent increase in each of the next two years. The Vermont State Employees Association announced the results of ballot counting from the ratification vote on Monday. Union officials praised what they called the cordial tone of negotiations with the administration of Gov. Peter Shumlin. The union says it's the first time in decades that the VSEA bargaining units were able to reach a deal with an administration without having to resort to a mediator or fact-finder.

Very little snow means a very big loss for the tourism industry in Vermont, this winter. It's not just ski resorts that are taking a hit, either. Deputy Commissioner of Tourism, Steve Cook, says December is normally one of the busiest months for ski areas, but with less people on the slopes business took a hit. Profits at resorts, hotels, and restaurants fell short by more than $500,000 over the course of the month which created an even bigger loss for small shops and other retailers: about $940,000. That means Vermont missed out on a total of more than $1.5 million worth of business in December, alone. Cook says the numbers are significant but they aren't high enough that the state can't recover. He feels a couple of big snowstorms could certainly make up any of these gaps.

Vermont's largest hospital has made its interim chief executive permanent. Burlington's Fletcher Allen Health Care announced Monday that Dr. John Brumsted will move from interim to permanent president and CEO. He had served on an interim basis since August, when former hospital chief Dr. Melinda Estes left.

A new report by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources says flooding from Tropical Storm Irene shows the state needs to be better prepared for future flooding. The state's "Climate Change Team" says climate change data predicts that Vermont will get more extreme rain events in the future, so "flood resiliency" may be a critical adaptation to climate changes.

Brandon Music is pleased to welcome Rutland native, Olivia Gawet, in a concert of vocal music, accompanied by Rip Jackson on piano at 2 P this Sunday (Feb. 19) in the Music Cafe. Price of admission is $10, with funds going to support the renovation of the new Compass Music and Arts Center in Brandon. In addition, donations are welcome to the non-profit, Compass Music and Arts Foundation, Inc. Also, on Saturday (Feb. 18) Ruth Hamilton will be on hand from 1 to 4PM, talking about the artistic process she uses in creating a painting. Her current exhibit of work is in our gallery until the end of the month and is a "must-see". We hope you'll join Brandon Music during "Art in the Snow" weekend! Get details at www.brandon-music.net.

A Hague woman is preparing to walk nearly 40 miles to raise money and awareness for the fight against breast cancer. Lori Ross of Hague will participate in the Avon Walk For Breast Cancer in Washington, D.C., May 5th and 6th. It’s a 39-mile trek around the city. The course will include the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and the White House. Your support and donations would greatly be appreciated. Learn more online at www.avonwalk.org.

Accomplished musician and educator Cynthia Huard of Middlebury College developed a passion for music early in life. She has made her mark as a stellar pianist and harpsichordist in the USA and in Europe. Cynthia will perform in concert, on piano this Saturday (Feb. 18) at 8PM in Middlebury College’s Mahaney Center for the Arts, Concert Hall. For more information just visit: www.middlebury.edu/academics/music