WVTK Local & State News March 2, 2012

At Tuesday’s Middlebury Select-Board Meeting the property owner of 1 Mill Street, Edgewood Property Holdings, LLC, is considering further development of its property there to add a restaurant and residential units. There will be a public hearing on Edgewater's proposal to acquire the property from the Town at the Select Board's March 27th meeting. Meanwhile the Butternut Ridge Road project is out to bid for construction this summer, with bids due March 9th. The design plans for the South Street/Green Mountain Place project are currently in development for bidding this spring, with construction starting this summer and completed in the summer or fall of 2013. After extensive review, the Town's Auditor has re-issued the FY2011 Audit Report and the Town Manager noted that there is an Open House/Information Meeting on plans for Vermont Gas to extend natural gas lines to Addison County at the American Legion in Middlebury set for Thursday, March 15th from 7 – 9 PM. Get a complete update in the meeting by visiting the Town’s Website.

Police were investigating the collision of milk truck on Route 17 in Addison yesterday. While traveling eastbound, 27-year-old Kyle J. Adams of St. Albans lost control of the rig and traveled off the south side of the roadway. Adams subsequently collided with a sign and an electrical pole. There were no injuries. Road and weather conditions included snow. Vermont DMV commercial motor vehicle inspectors responded to the scene to inspect the site. Neither speed nor impairment were contributing factors in the collision.

Vermont Electric Power Company is the recipient of the 2012 NWTF’s Energy for Wildlife award for the company’s commitment to develop and improve wildlife habitat. Jeffrey Disorda, VELCO’s supervisor of right of way management, accepted the award for the company during the 36th annual NWTF National Convention and Sport Show in Nashville. Rutland based VELCO is a Corporate Silver Life member of the NWTF and has been a member of the Energy for Wildlife program since 2006.

Miss Vermont 2011, Katie Lavasseur visited the Hub Teen Center in Bristol last week, and spoke to a small but interested group about community service and fundraising. Lavasseur is no stranger to a variety of teen topics and was eager to offer advice and lend an ear to the varied ideas put forth by her audience. One of the main topics was how to raises funds for a new sprinkler system for the Hub. Together they brainstormed ideas, including holding a spaghetti dinner in a nearby community hall, a chowder making competition and asking local businesses to dedicate a time period when they will share a percentage of the proceeds with the Hub.

The Lincoln Community Elementary School will have to find a new way to fund upgrades to their computer lab after thieves made off with over $1,400 worth of copper scrap that was slated for sale to fund the improvements. The copper was part of the school’s old heating and plumbing system that was replaced during a recent renovation project. Since the price of copper has skyrocketed in recent years, they had planned to sell it and use the proceeds to purchase new chairs for the computer lab and possibly to finance other improvements. So far there are no leads in the theft. If you have any information please contact VSP at the New Haven Barracks.

At this year’s town meeting, voters in Castleton will get the chance to approve or reject a $2 million bond for the construction of municipal offices and an emergency services complex. The issue regarding the town offices was raised at town meeting last year. Since then, plans to build a new complex for the town have been in the works. If passed, the estimated annual bond payment is $139,101. It would add $32.35 for a $100,000 home tax payment.

Former Rutland City Mayor Jeffrey Wennberg will take the reins at the state’s highest-profile anti-single-payer organization. Vermonters for Health Care Freedom has helped galvanize opposition to the health care reform legislation signed into law last year by Gov. Peter Shumlin. Darcie Johnston, founder of the group said that she’d be stepping aside to focus on her consulting business. Wennberg, who also served as commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation under the Douglas administration, will take over as executive director.

Mount St. Joseph Academy's cheerleaders landed a third place trophy at the Vermont Cheerleading Coaches Association Annual Cheerleading Competition last week. The team competed in the Small Varsity Division at the event held in Windsor. The team will compete again at the state competition at Vergennes Union High School tomorrow. Doors will open to the public at 2PM and the competition begins at 4.

Republican Assemblywoman Teresa Sayward has announced she will not seek re-election. She represents Ticonderoga, Moriah, Crown Point and Schroon Lake. It was a family decision made by the desire to spend more time with her husband after recently celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. She is very grateful for all who have supported her over the years.

A project to make the former Moses Ludington Hospital a senior citizen housing complex is on schedule. Liberty Affordable Housing Inc. and Inter-Lakes Health have informed town officials they expect to begin work on the $7 million project in June. Completion is anticipated in September 2013. The project will turn the now-vacant facility into 31 one-bedroom units for low-income seniors. It will be called Moses Circle Senior Apartments.

The Crown Point Chamber of Commerce will celebrate its one-year anniversary this Monday at Frenchman’s Restaurant at 6:30PM. There will be time throughout the evening for current members to renew their membership as well as time for new members to join. The board meeting will start at 6:30 with a potluck to follow.

The Vermont Senate has given preliminary approval to a bill that would end the philosophical exemption that allows families to skip childhood immunizations for their children. But the bill advanced by senators’ left a religious exemption intact; meaning parents opposed to immunizations still could avoid their children having the shots. It needs final Senate approval before moving to the House.

The good-government group Common Cause of Vermont has set up a database of campaign contributions made to candidates in the state during the 2010 election cycle, and it's urging the state to do something similar. Executive director Wally Roberts says Vermont is behind many other states in that it lacks a searchable online database that allows visitors to see easily which candidates are getting how much money from what sorts of groups.

The Vermont House has given preliminary approval to legislation that would push the state toward the goal of recycling and composting solid waste, with as little as possible going to landfills. The bill would authorize the Agency of Natural Resources to write rules mandating recycling of materials ranging from batteries to paper.

Officials are trying to determine how many endangered Canada lynx live in Vermont. This week wildlife officials on snowmobiles are conducting the state's first lynx survey. They hope the new snow will help them get an idea of lynx activity in the northeastern part of the state.

The Vermont Public Service Board says it will set its own pace in deciding whether the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant gets a state permit to operate for another 20 years. A federal judge in January issued an order blocking an effort by Vermont lawmakers to close the plant down, and sent the issue back to the Public Service Board. The owner of the plant first said the board had all the information it needed to go ahead and issue a new permit. Then, this week, Entergy Corp. asked the federal judge to make changes to his January decision and for the board to wait. The board says its review is continuing.

The Vergennes Opera House kicks off Local Music Showcase Weekend with a benefit show featuring the local band Panton Flats at the Vergennes Opera House on March 10th at 8PM. Panton Flats is set to rock the house with their sweltering blend of Motown, blues, funk, country, and rock and roll. They will be adding to their repertoire five brand new originals in anticipation of recording this spring. Tickets are $10 and available at www.vergennesoperahouse.org, at Classic Stitching or by calling 877-6737.

The Ticonderoga First 250 Years Committee is seeking a logo to represent the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the settlement of Ticonderoga. The logo will be featured in promotions on-line and printed on various materials. The group is holding a contest to find a logo. The competition is open to any individual, organization, business, educational institution or group. All submissions must contain a primary graphic that is a visual/artistic representation of the commemoration and must include the text: Ticonderoga, 250 Years, 1764-2014. The entry deadline is April 25. You can get more information through the Ticonderoga Chamber Of Commerce.

The Lyndon State College student chapter of the American Meteorological Society and National Weather Association will host the 47th annual Northeastern Storm Conference in Rutland this weekend. The conference is the largest student-run conference in the nation. In past years attendance has reached more than 300 people. The event aims to bring together scientists, professionals and students to share new ideas and knowledge in the atmospheric sciences. The conference focuses primarily on weather in the New England region.

New Orleans may have wrapped up their Mardi Gras festivities earlier this week, but the celebration is in Burlington Saturday. That's where the 17th annual Magic Hat Mardi Gras Parade will be, and if it's anything like previous years, it will draw thousands to downtown. Over 30 floats will come down Main Street to the waterfront Saturday afternoon, with about 25-thousand spectators watching, cheering, and catching beads and candy thrown from the floats. The entry fees paid by float sponsors go to HOPE Works, previously known as the Women's Rape Crisis Center. The parade usually raises about 30-thousand dollars each year for the non-profit.