According to autopsy results the body found in Mount Hope Cemetery in Ticonderoga on Monday has been positively identified as Jimmy Joe St. Andrews. The Putnam man had been sought by police since Friday night, when he allegedly fired several shots from a small-caliber handgun at people attending an outdoor party on Montcalm St. in Ticonderoga. Three of the shots hit Michael A. Tyler of Hudson Falls, wounding him in the abdomen and each leg. Tyler was treated at Albany Medical Center and released and is recovering well according to the Ti Police Chief. Police said the shooting was related to a domestic situation.
The Downtown Improvement District Commission will meet this afternoon at 4:00 at the Middlebury Town Offices. The Commission will review proposals for a parking study of the downtown and prepare a recommendation to the Select Board regarding the award of the contract for the study. The Commission will also discuss plans for installing bike racks in the downtown.
Brandon Music on Country Club Road in Brandon will present the John Abercrombie Trio this evening at 7:30. General Admission is $12. Brandon Music offers an Early Bird dinner special, which includes a ticket for the jazz performance, for $22 per person. Reservations are recommended. Over a career spanning more than 40 years and nearly 50 albums, John Abercrombie has established himself as one the masters of jazz guitar. For Information & Reservations just visit www.brandon-music.net.
The Addison County Chamber of Commerce is set for their July after hours business mixer this afternoon from 4 – 7PM! They'll be doing a block party in downtown Vergennes with more than 20 participating businesses. Please note that the start time is at 4 PM so you can visit all the businesses. Or, just meet at the Bixby Library starting at 5 PM. At the mixer there will be plenty of great door prizes plus a chance to win the Pot of Gold—now valued at $600! If you would like to attend, please RSVP by sending Sue an email, or calling 388-7591 x2. Just visit click HERE for details!
You are invited to join the Ti-Alliance to celebrate the opening of The Downtown Gallery today from 5 to 9 PM. The Gallery is located at 119 Montcalm Street and will present local artists displaying their work in a lively and creative manner. The Gallery will be open Thursdays thru Saturdays, 10-4. Artwork will all be available for purchase, with a portion of the proceeds being donated back to the Ti-Alliance to support economic development and cultural arts initiatives. Look for them and follow their progress on the Ticonderoga Downtown Gallery Page on Facebook.
Vermont officials said the state is auctioning the custom-built ferry slip it built in February 2010 to serve commuters and tourists while the new Lake Champlain Bridge was being built. The ferry slip stood in Addison, just south of the new bridge site, next to the Chimney Point historical site and across from the Bridge Restaurant. The ferry operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week, until the new bridge opened in November 2011. On the auction website, the slip is described as being in good condition and in use for less than two years. The slip is being auctioned through the website www.auctionsinternational.com. The auction ends at midnight on August 7th.
Vermont State Police investigated a reported theft from a motor vehicle owned by Evelyn Bushey of Waltham parked at the Dog Team Road swimming hole in New Haven. A witness told a trooper that a male was entering vehicles and stealing items and left the scene on a bicycle. Police identified the perpetrator as 38-year-old Thomas Huestis of Burlington and was taken into custody. Huestis was issued a citation to appear in Addison County Court on September 10th.
The Town of Middlebury will hold a public meeting August 6th at 7 PM at the East Middlebury Methodist Church to discuss replacing the Sand Hill Bridge on Route 125. The meeting will review the project details and present the town's preferred design alternative for the bridge replacement. The project team will be seeking input from municipal officials, abutting property owners, and the general public in regard to the project improvements. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer period with an opportunity for those attending to present any concerns. Representatives from both VTrans and VHB will be available at the meeting to address public concerns about the projects.
On Saturday the 14th, at approximately 11:59 PM, Vermont State Police troopers responded to a call from a resident living on Sperry Road in Cornwall. The resident told police that a significant amount of jewelry was stolen from his home. Police said it is unknown when this jewelry was taken during the past year. If you have information on this case, please contact Trooper Cathy Cappetta at the New Haven State Police Barracks. (802-388-4919)
Champlain Valley Educational Services has now cut 84 positions. About a year ago, CVES eliminated 93 positions primarily due to member school districts deciding to teach special education students on their home campuses. This year, CVES’ special-education department provided services to 209 students, and this fall that number will drop to around 130. CVES offers technical training and special-education services to 17 school districts in Clinton, Essex, Warren and Washington counties. The most recent reductions at CVES will impact administrators, faculty, teaching assistants, plus clerical and support staff. Despite the cuts, CVES is planning to offer two new programs.
Two teenage girls accused of damaging public flower boxes on the Port Henry Bridge are headed for Essex County Family Court. Moriah Town Police this week arrested two females from Moriah, ages 14 and 15, and charged them with misdemeanor fourth-degree criminal mischief. The 15-year-old was also involved in a similar incident in Ticonderoga, where she is charged with felony criminal mischief for destroying flower boxes on the Montcalm Street Bridge. The girls were released to the custody of their parents to await court action.
Investigators are trying to find out what caused
the explosion leveling a house in Townshend. Luckily, the owner was away on vacation and no one was home
at the time. The blast happened at
about 3AM Wednesday on Grafton Road.
The homeowner had smelled propane in the house for the last several
weeks, but there was also the electrical storm several hours before. The Townshend Fire chief says he's not
ruling anything out at this point.
The possibility of F-35's being based at the
Vermont Air National Guard facility in South Burlington will not devastate
property values. That's according
to a new study released this morning by the Greater Burlington Industrial
Corporation. The Chittenden County
economic development organization looked at ten years' worth of property value
data in the areas surrounding the Burlington International Airport. The group's president says home values
in South Burlington have actually increased over the past ten years. The GBIC had already supported bringing
the new military jets to the base before this most recent study was finished.
Two Vermont hospitals are working with a health
insurance company to offer expanded coordinated care services. Fletcher Allen
Health Care in Burlington and Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin are
working with the health insurer Cigna to expand patient access to health care,
improve the coordination of care and help improve the quality of health care.
The Chelsea Green Publishing Company has new
owners, but it's owners are at least familiar with all the ins and outs of
the business. That's because
Chelsea Green is now 80-percent employee owned. Co-founder and President Margo Baldwin could have sold the
company outright, but decided instead to "look within" for new
owners. It's the same business
model used at King Arthur Flour in Norwich, which has been 100-percent
employee-owned for 10 years. More
than 30 Vermont-based companies are at least partially employee owned,
according to the Vermont Employee Ownership Center.
FairPoint Communications says regulatory reforms in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont reduce the potential penalties the company could incur by more than $31 million a year. FairPoint officials said Wednesday the benefits come from legislation in Maine and New Hampshire and the Vermont Public Service Board's approval of its 4-year regulatory plan. The changes in the three states reduce the penalties the company could face for falling short of service standards. CEO Paul Sunu says the changes also allow more pricing flexibility, making it more competitive in the marketplace a year and a half after emerging from bankruptcy.
The downturn in the U.S. wind industry has led to more layoffs at the Vermont Company NRG. The Hinesburg Company shed 18 jobs in May and has now let go about a dozen more. NRG makes wind measurement devices and sensors used to determine the best place to locate wind farms. But demand for their products has fallen with a severe cut back in wind energy development around the country. The slowdown in the economy, low natural gas prices and the looming expiration of a federal tax credit has stifled wind projects. The wind industry in the U.S. is expected to cut 35,000 jobs, about half of its workforce, over the next year.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed legislation providing tax credits for small breweries, replacing an excise tax exemption struck down by a lawsuit. Any brewery that produces 60 million or fewer gallons in New York will be eligible for a refundable tax credit applied against state personal income and business taxes. The state has more than 90 breweries. The law also establishes a license to allow craft brewers using New York hops to operate like wineries, which can sell products directly from their own retail outlets. They will be able to sell each other's products as well. Farm-based breweries will be able to open restaurants. The law exempts breweries producing brands of 1,500 barrels or less annually, even breweries outside New York, from the state's $150 annual brand label fee.
Ticonderoga will host three major musical performances in coming days. The Adirondack Jazz Orchestra, the Lake Placid Sinfonietta and the Ticonderoga Community Band have all scheduled concerts in the community. Fort Ticonderoga will host the Adirondack Jazz Orchestra Saturday, July 28th at 7:30PM, St. Mary’s Church will host the Lake Placid Sinfonietta Friday, August 3rd at 7PM and The Knights of Columbus will welcome the Ticonderoga Community Band on Tuesday August 7th at 7PM.
Did you know that you could become a Monthly Donor to the North Country SPCA? Their website, www.ncspca.org, features an opportunity for you to designate any amount you wish to be automatically debited from your credit card on a monthly basis. If you would prefer, you can use their "Donate Now!" feature to make a one-time donation through the website. You can also print and submit a donation form with a check. The animals appreciate your help, no matter the size of the donation! Not to worry if you have more time on your hands than money, consider volunteering at the shelter! Visit their website for details!
From Fox 44 and ABC 22 News – Your Voice in Vermont & New York:
Vermont is taking a tougher stance on designer drugs linked to paranoia, seizures, and even death. These drugs are most commonly known as bath salts and synthetic marijuana. They are essentially powders and herbs laced with synthetic chemicals. "Many people experience paranoia and panic attacks. There are often severe affects on the heart. There's an increase in aggressive behavior including self-harm and harm to others," Vermont State toxicologist Sarah Vose said. Cases such as these are on the rise in Vermont. Central Vermont Medical Center says it sees four to five patients a week. Six months ago, the hospital did not see any. But we did see something. Designer drugs being sold on head shop shelves, legally. It was the result of a special investigation conducted in May. Last year, Governor Peter Shumlin banned some synthetic chemicals used in the creation of the drugs. But, producers found a way around the law by using other synthetics. We approached lawmakers with the problem but they said it was the first they had heard of it. "To hear it from a reporter and not from the law enforcement community requires further investigation at the very least," Senator Vincent Illuzzi (R) Orleans said, Now, something is being done. Vermont is banning 87 new synthetic chemicals. It is a move to crack down on sellers who are evading the law. The ban goes into effect on Friday.
Matt Cohen was busy doing what he loves most Wednesday, working on a batch of beer. The Vermonter worked at Magic Hat for years, but recently decided to try it on his own. "I'd always dreamed about owning a brewery," said Cohen. In 2012 he accomplished that by opening Fiddlehead Brewing Company in Shelburne. And it hasn't taken him long to do well. "By month 3 I had already exceeded my year 3 predictions," said Cohen. Cohen isn't the only one doing well. At least three other breweries in Vermont opened this year. And Vermont Brewer's Association leaders say the Green Mountain State has the highest concentration of breweries in the country. To celebrate that, Fiddlehead, and more than 40 others will showcase their products during this weekend's sold out brewer's festival. To celebrate 20 years, this year's big thing at the festival is collaborative beers. That means breweries from across the state and even across the country came together to create specialty drinks that you'll only be able to get at this weekend's event. "This is unique I think that this will be the highest concentration of collaborative beers in the Northeast," said Cohen. As for why breweries like his continue to thrive in Vermont, Cohen says it's all about the consumers. "Vermonters really love local products, they seek them out," said Cohen. Even if Cohen says it means paying a little bit more for that craft beer taste. Information on the Vermont Brewer's Festival: http://vtbrewfest.com/index.php
