WVTK Local & State News May 1, 2012

Seymour Street here in Middlebury will be closed to through traffic today from 7AM until 5PM. It will be closed at Main Street and at Elm Street for water main work at the Fire Station. Access to businesses and residences north of the Fire Station will be via the Elm Street End.

Addison County Sheriff James B. Coons’ life was celebrated during a memorial service yesterday at Middlebury College. Family and friends gathered in Mead Memorial Chapel, joined by former colleagues and local and state officials to remember and honor Coons’ dedication to his family, community and state throughout his life. He passed away on April 16th at his home following a brief battle with cancer at 59. The Middlebury native began is career with the Middlebury Police Department in 1972, serving for 10 years including as acting chief. He was elected sheriff in 1982 to become the longest-term sheriff currently serving in the state when he died.

Two families must decide if and how to continue their businesses after a devastating fire. That fire heavily damaged a Ferrisburgh building, which housed a boat store and a farm repair shop. Both families have run their businesses for decades. While both say they have insurance, they say it's unclear what will be covered as they try to rebuild. At this point, the fire chief says he believes the fire started in the back of the building and thinks it might be accidental. He says it does not appear to be suspicious.

On Monday Vermont State Police responded to a report of a burglary on Shacksboro Road in Shoreham. Entry was made to the residence by forcing a window open in the rear of the house. Nothing was taken from the residence. Meanwhile a suspect entered a residence on Richville Road in Shoreham through an unlocked door while the owner was at the local post office. The suspect rummaged through the residence and stole several pieces of jewelry and left through another door prior to the homeowner returning. Anyone with information on either of these two Shoreham break-ins is encouraged to contact Vermont State Police at the New Haven Barracks.

Sometime Sunday evening a suspect entered an unlocked vehicle on Horton Road in Orwell and discovered that the keys were in the vehicle. The suspect then stole the vehicle. The owner did not discover it stolen until approximately 8AM the following day. The vehicle was stolen with approximately three quarters of a tank of fuel. If you have information regarding this theft, please call the New Haven State Police Barracks. (802-388-4919)

Green Up day occurs in several communities around Addison County this Saturday. The annual tradition began in Vermont during the 1970s. In Middlebury, bags are available at the Municipal Building and at Otter Creek Brewery. You can drop off your filled bags Saturday and Sunday at the brewery. Also municipal trucks will be parked at the Middlebury Recreation Park, Municipal Gym and at the East Middlebury Fire Station. A cook out will be held at Otter Creek Brewery Saturday from 11:30AM - 1:30PM. For Green Up schedules in other Addison County towns contact your local town clerk’s office for litter pick-up times.

The Owner and President of Paw Print & Mail and Catamount Marketing, Tom Brassard, has joined the Champlain Valley Association for the Aging Board of Directors. He is a native of Burlington. He serves on the board as vice chairman for the Burlington Business Association and is a longtime supporter of CVAA. He was a major supporter of CVAA's Driving Force Event previously held each February in Quebec featuring go-kart racers that raced to end senior hunger.

The price of trash disposal in Ticonderoga is going up. The town board has approved a rate increase from the present 10 cents a pound to 15 cents a pound. The increase will be effective as soon as new trash tickets are received from a printer. All previously sold trash tickets will be honored at the town trash transfer station. New trash tickets will be sold in $6, $15 and $30 increments. It’s the first increase in the price of garbage disposal since the town opened its transfer station more than 20 years ago.

Runners will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as part of the grand opening celebration for the new Lake Champlain Bridge. “The New York/Vermont 5K Champlain Bridge Run,” a 5-kilometer (3.1 miles) road race, will be held at 3PM Sunday, May 20th. The course, which will start at the Crown Point State Historic Site, will traverse the bridge into Vermont, return across the bridge and run through the New York State campsite on Lake Champlain before finishing back at the historic site. The LaChute Road Runners Club of Ticonderoga is sponsoring the race and you can register online at active.com.

The New York Assembly is cracking down on a legal drug that has been linked to seizures, heart attacks, even death. On Monday, the New York Senate passed a bill that would make it illegal to sell or possess synthetic marijuana. Synthetic marijuana is a mix of herbs and synthetic chemicals. New York and the Federal government already banned some of those chemicals but producers of the drug found new ones. This bill would criminalize all synthetic marijuana. High school student, Sarah Sandberg, who experienced negative health effects from the drug, says this bill is much needed. "All I remember is taking the first hit and I woke up in the hospital with heart monitors and everything strapped to me,” Sandberg and a group of other outspoken teens from Essex County New York held a rally Monday in support of the Senate. They hope that the Federal government will soon criminalize all synthetic marijuana as well.

An informational meeting on a public vote that will decide to keep the existing form of town government or change it is being held Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the town offices. The public vote is May 7 by paper ballot from 7AM to 7PM. Killington town officials met Monday morning to finalize a letter that will be sent to the voting public, informing them of the implications of not having a town manager.

The Downtown Rutland Partnership wants motorists on Route 7 know just what the city has to offer. New way-finding signs are scheduled to go up June 1, replacing the marble ones that sit at the corners of Main Street and Center, West and Washington streets, with a fourth sign going up on Madison Street. The signs double as street signs and offer a generalized list of attractions. All four let travelers know “shopping” and “dining” can be found downtown.

Passenger service at the Vermont state airport that serves the Rutland area is being suspended this week so crews can install a long-awaited instrument landing system. The 88 travelers who had been booked on the Cape Air flights out of the Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport in North Clarendon this week have been offered refunds or seats on flights out of Lebanon, New Hampshire.

A House and Senate panel now have a compromise on the controversial immunization issue. Currently parents can "opt out" of having their children vaccinated for religious, health, or philosophical reasons. The philosophical objection was in danger of being eliminated. The compromise reached Monday afternoon acknowledges there is a public health risk if rates of certain vaccines fall below 90-percent, and if that happens, then the Health Department could automatically rescind the philosophical exemption.

Using MRIs to map out brain activity, looking for patterns of certain behavior, is considered "cutting edge" research in the field of neuro-psychology. Two researchers from the University of Vermont are part of an international study using MRIs to look at teenagers prone to use drugs or alcohol. What's new about this latest study out of Europe is it reveals distinct networks in a 14-year-old's brain linked to risky behavior. Robert Whelan and Hugh Garavan at UVM are involved in the study as well as the follow up now underway, looking at the same group of kids who are now 16.

The 2012 CVPS-Zetterstrom Environmental Award will be presented tomorrow morning at 11 in the Cedar Creek Room of the Vermont Statehouse. The third annual award is named for famed osprey advocate Meeri Zetterstrom, and is designed to honor her legacy while recognizing Vermonters and Vermont organizations that continue to work on behalf of Vermont’s environment. The winner’s story is a great example of dedication and perseverance on behalf of Vermont.

Vermont State Police say a trooper shot a suspect in a home burglary after a police pursuit. The suspect died on the way to the hospital. Police say they were on the lookout for a suspect and the suspect's vehicle that had been involved in a burglary at a residence in Johnson on Monday when the vehicle was spotted in Cambridge. Troopers found the vehicle, a black Volkswagen Jetta, with Florida plates but it was unoccupied. Police say they were setting up a perimeter and deployed a search dogs when a trooper found the suspect. Vermont State Police say the trooper discharged his weapon, injuring the suspect. The suspect died on the way to the hospital.

Vermont lawmakers say they hope to wrap up the 2012 legislative session this week. House Speaker Shap Smith says it really depends on passing a state budget. Legislators worked Saturday and expect to again this weekend. Although Smith wants the session to end by Saturday, he's not 100% certain it will happen. Smith says the state is covered if lawmakers have to stay in Montpelier beyond the weekend because the session is budgeted for another two weeks.

Vermont is working to protect the state's ash trees from an invasive and destructive pest. The state's Agency of Agriculture and the USDA Department of Animal and Plant Inspection Service are hanging purple box traps from trees to detect the emerald ash borer. The traps do not catch the beetle but detect whether they are present. The metallic green beetle has destroyed ash trees in 15 states, but to date hasn't been found in Vermont. But this month researchers in New York announced that the insect has been found east of the Hudson River for the first time, marking its closest known threat to New England.

Congressman Peter Welch is compiling stories about student debt. Welch was at the University of Vermont yesterday where he met with students, some of whom are working multiple jobs and studying full time as they accumulate student loan debt. In Vermont, almost 70% of college graduates have an average of $30,000 in debt.

Police say a missing 12-year-old boy has been found about 1.5 miles from his home in the southern Vermont town of Winhall after a five-hour search. Members of the Winhall police department, U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Forest Service and Vermont game wardens searched for about five hours before a search dog found Conor Marcellus in the woods on Sunday. His parents reported him missing Sunday afternoon. Police say he had walked away from his home.

A Vermont produce company is working to install solar panels with the goal of cutting its utility bill in half. Black River Produce of Springfield sells fruit, vegetables and seafood, and is expanding its meat processing and shipping. The Eagle Times reports a Windsor-based company has won a $1.3 million bid to handle the project. It's called Prudent Living. The 3-year-old company has completed multiple solar projects, including one near Black River Produce. Company Vice President Tim Biebel believes the Black River system would be the largest privately owned solar network in Vermont.

It's opening day of Vermont's spring turkey hunting. Hunters are allowed to get two bearded turkeys during the season, which runs through May 31. Shooting hours are one half an hour before sunrise until 12 noon daily. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says last year hunters took more than 4,700 turkeys in both the youth and regular seasons.