WVTK Local & State News May 7, 2012

Work on Castleton-West Rutland Route 4A Area Improvement Project Continues this week. Milling will be done on Route 4A from Castleton heading west to West Rutland. Drainage structures will be added on Route 30 as well as Route 4A and excavation of ditches will take place on 4A From Castleton to West Rutland. Work will also begin at the railroad crossing on Castleton State Highway as well. For your safety and the safety of the construction workers please abide by the signs, watch for flaggers and drive at appropriate construction zone speeds.

You are invited to join the Addison County Chamber of Commerce this Wednesday for a presentation on "Federal and State Health Care Reform: Major Changes and Impacts Coming Soon for Employers and Employees” The event runs from 8 – 9:30AM in the Community Room at the Ilsley Public Library. Cost is only $5 for Chamber members and $10 for non-members. Coffee and pastries will be provided. Get more information and RSVP to Sue Hoxie by clicking HERE.

Ilsley Library looking for book sale Volunteers. The monthly used book sale sponsored by Friends of Ilsley Library is their major fundraising effort to support the library’s programs and outreach. The Friends invite persons who would like to help run these sales to an organizational meeting Wednesday, May 16th from 4-5 PM at the library. If you would like to help but can’t make it that day, contact Ray Hudson at rhudson@together.net

On Friday, Vermont State Police responded to a suspicious complaint located on 84 Galvin Road in Whiting. Further investigation revealed the barn was broken into. Entry was gained through the side door of the barn. A container of fuel and several power tools were taken. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Vermont State Police New in New Haven. (802-388-4919)

The next Town Of Middlebury Select Board Meeting will take place tomorrow evening at 7 in the Town Offices Conference Room.
Items on this week’s agenda include Nominations & Appointments to Town Boards and Commissions that include the Development Review Board and River Task Force. Reports will be heard from meetings of the Business Development Review Board and the River Task Force. There will also be an update on the Fire Facilities Project and year to date results as of April 30th from the FY2012 Budget. Additional information about most Agenda items is available on the Town's website on the Select Board page.

A civilian dispatcher for the Vermont State Police is facing charges after being arrested for marijuana possession while attending classes at the Vermont Police Academy. Police say 26-year-old Michelle Bachand of Lyndonville was arrested Friday while she was attending dispatcher training courses at the academy in Pittsford. Police say they found a small amount of marijuana in her car. Bachand was hired as a temporary dispatcher in February, but was let go following her arrest.

Last Thursday marked an annual event, known as Middlebury Bike Safety Fair, which has been held for over a decade at Mary Hogan Elementary School. Geared toward all ages this year’s fair had something for everyone including free bike tune-ups worth $35, fancy new safety helmets, homemade baked goods and exciting raffle prizes. Mary Hogan students, as well as a few students from other nearby elementary schools such as St. Mary’s, were able to increase their bicycling and safety knowledge.

The start of the Route 7 road reconstruction project through downtown Brandon is still at least two years away, but the local business community is letting people know that Brandon will be open for business despite future disruptions. Officials say the details of the marketing campaign are still in the beginning stages, but emphasized the importance of communication among all parties to make sure people know that although there will be disruptions because of construction in the downtown, the town’s businesses will still be open.

A Schroon bridge will be repaired as part of a new state program. The Rogers Brook Bridge on Route 9 in Schroon will get $319,500 for rehabilitation. The Grove Brook Bridge in Port Henry will receive $191,700 for deck replacement. Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently announced a $45 Million investment for 49 projects that will repair 345 miles of roads and 11 bridges in the North Country. The money is part of the state’s NY Works program.

The Ticonderoga Chamber of Commerce 10th Annual Fundraiser Dinner and Auction will be held on Friday, June 15th at Silver Bay YMCA. The event will take place in Silver Bay’s Gullen Lounge located within the main Inn starting at 6:00 PM with appetizers followed by dinner at 7:00. Early reservations are suggested, as seating is limited. Contact the TACC office at 518-585-6619 or chamberinfo@ticonderogany.com today! Tickets are $42.00 per person and include appetizers, buffet, beer, wine, dessert, and gratuity.

Nearly 50 tickets were issued in the tri-county area during the State Police's second Operation Hang Up campaign. From April 23 to 29, State Police and other local law-enforcement officials across New York blanketed the roads to target drivers using their cellphones and other handheld electronic devices while behind the wheel. It was an attempt to prevent crashes by changing driver behavior. Twenty people in Clinton County were issued tickets during the campaign, 11 were given tickets in Essex County, and 16 were ticketed in Franklin County. Statewide, 3,172 tickets were issued.

Fort Ticonderoga has received national recognition as it prepares to open for its 103rd season May 18. The historic site was named as the top destination in the Adirondacks by USA News Travel, which said Fort Ticonderoga connects visitors to a place and time that defined a continent, a nation and a continuing legacy. This season will feature new programs, living history weekends, events, exhibits, botanical gardens and a six-acre corn maze in the shape of the fort. Learn more right now by visiting www.fortticonderoga.org.

The lawyer for a woman charged in the killing of a prep school teacher is considering whether to seek a separate trial. Allen and Patricia Prue of Waterford are charged with second-degree murder in the March 28 death of Melissa Jenkins of St. Johnsbury. Patricia Prue's attorney told a judge that he'd discussed with the state's attorney the possibility of splitting the proceedings into two cases. Patricia Prue has denied being involved.

The Legislative session is finally over, adjourning at last on Saturday night. It was one members say was marked by chaos, creativity and compromised, and that's what ended up saving the 2012 session, they say. House Speaker Shap Smith tells the "Burlington Free Press" civil discourse prevailed, and much was accomplished despite some old-fashioned brawls. Governor Peter Shumlin, in his adjournment speech told the Senate "Mission accomplished."

A Vermont couple managed to walk away from a plane crash over the weekend. It happened in Cambridge, New York, as Bruce Faller of Pownal was taking off from the Chapin Field Airport. Instead of lifting off, the plane flipped over, landing on its roof. The pilot and his wife somehow managed to walk away without any injuries, while a passenger from New Jersey suffered a shoulder injury.

The town of Waterbury's historic train station will be hosting Vermont's celebration of National Train Day. The event takes place this Saturday. Passengers in Essex Junction will board historic passenger cars provided by the Vermont Rail System and pulled by locomotives from the New England Central Railroad. The train is expected to arrive in Waterbury 35 minutes later for the celebration, which will be attended by Governor Peter Shumlin, Amtrak and Vermont Rail System officials as well as members of the governor's administration and the state legislature. Several speakers will give brief remarks followed by a slideshow of repairs to Vermont railroads damaged by Tropical Storm Irene.

Across Vermont, many communities that were hit by flooding from Tropical Storm Irene are working to get their athletic fields back in shape. For many schools, their fields are on flat land next to rivers, just the areas that were hit the hardest by the flooding in August. In Bethel, parts of the fields that are used by the Whitcomb High School and the community were under 18 inches of silt and littered with other debris such as hot water and propane tanks. Parts of the fields are ready for use. But some won't be ready until next year. Athletic director Willy Walker says the $80,000 repair was paid for with a combination of insurance, federal and state assistance and local fundraising.

Around one hundred protesters from both sides of the border, Canada and Vermont, rallied at the border in defense of their towns. People from Derby Line, Holland, Derby, and Quebec want the proposed project of 430-foot wind turbines built a top a hill within a mile of neighborhoods to be disregarded. The plan is to build two towers to start with, then build more. All towns involved voted against the project, but the Vermont public service board has the final say in the matter.

There are now more than 100,000 pages of old newspapers available digitally, online and for free. Thanks to a nearly $400,000 grant by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the University of Vermont, with its partner iArchive and with assistance by the Library of Congress, is scanning the microfilm of Vermont newspapers from 1836 to 1922. It’s called the Vermont Digital Newspaper Project. So far the project’s librarian at UVM Tom McMurdo, said that approximately 104,000 pages have been digitally archived. And when this round of funding runs out in September, he said, they expect to have more than 131,000 pages digitized. To view the newspapers, visit the Library of Congress’ Chronicling America website at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.

Vermonters can fish for free one day next month. On Saturday, June 9th residents and nonresidents can go fishing without a fishing license in the state. Fish and Wildlife officials say Vermont has 284 lakes and more than 7,000 miles of streams in which to fish. The department will host a special event in Grand Isle for kids on Free Fishing Day. Organizers say the free kids' event will offer basic fishing instruction and the chance for kids to hook a big trout in a pond next to the hatchery. The event will be held from 9 to 3 at the Ed Weed Fish Culture Station.

Hundreds of people gathered for the 12th annual weekend of hope in Stowe. It’s a retreat for those who've ever been touched by cancer in their lives. ABC 22's Jenny Day attended the closing ceremony. A room full of people who share a common thread..."I was stage two in 94", "I’m in the one percentile for still being here", "we've lost a number of people in our family.", "and because far too many people have a story and everyone needs some support, many people started this weekend as strangers and are leaving with lifelong friends.", "I want them to leave with a connection that they can keep, and they can know that they're not alone." In addition to making friends, the weekend enabled brain cancer survivor Jane Merchant to cross horseback riding off of her bucket list. There were also workshops and discussions about recent advances in treatments and a closing ceremony filled with dancing, motivational speeches, singing and a moment of silence for those who lost their battle. But many say it was still truly a weekend filled with hope. "We had 450 cancer survivors this year, that's a record year."

Vermont likely looks greener after Saturday. An estimated 15-thousand volunteers spent the day picking up garbage, painting and planting flowers. ABC 22's Jenny Day explains. "We’re happy to have some sunshine." Sunshine, a far different forecast from last august-- so in many ways, this green up day symbolizes a fresh start for survivors of the storm. "Kinda hard starting over at our age- but we're, we're gonna make it." "Donna and glen French had been living in this mobile home for three years up until Irene hit- then they were forced to move out because the inside was filled with four and a half feet of water and although today does mark new beginnings, it also brings back emotions from that dreadful day." "It’s a little bit traumatic for them, so we wanted to take the opportunity to brighten it up and make it more home for them." Governor Shumlin even got down- and dirty this green up day. Mulch was spread- and flowers were planted to make the Weston’s mobile home park in Berlin - once a tropical storm target- a little brighter. "I’m grateful to be the governor of a state where Vermonters pull together and help out." UVM junior Katherine Reynolds is a student in a class called "rebuilding Vermont." with her hometown being Waterbury- she's been involved with Irene clean up since day one-- and so far, hasn't stopped. "If any state can come back- and come back stronger, it's definitely Vermont." In the statewide effort to improve the look of Vermont- these recovery efforts are proof that it did - and ultimately it's getting people back in their homes. Jenny Day ABC 22 news.