Coming up on Monday you are invited to the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the ACTR Community Transportation Center. The event takes place from 2 – 3PM at 341 Creek Road in Middlebury. The ceremony will include introductions and a formal welcome from Jim Moulton of ACTR. Also expected to attend are Ted Brady from the Office of Senator Patrick Leahy, Chris Cole with VTrans and Dean George the Chair of the ACTR Board Of Directors. An opportunity to mingle with attendees and refreshments will be part of this event. www.actr-vt.org
Middlebury American Legion Post 27 will be holding their annual clambake fundraiser this Sunday at the post. If you enjoy seafood – you’ll want to check this out! Everything gets started at 11 AM with a buffet and clam chowder, then they bring out the steamers and a raw bar and everything culminates later in the day with lobster, chicken and corn. If the food sounds good – it is – but it’s also for a great cause – the post gives out over $21,000 annually in college scholarships – and this fundraiser helps them do it. Tickets are not being sold at the door – so for more info – please call 388-9311.
Brandon Music in Brandon, Vermont, presents a chamber music concert by Point CounterPoint summer camp faculty members on this evening at 7. The program will include Beethoven’s Piano Trio in B-flat, Op. 11, Castanuevo-Tedesco’s Sonata for violin and viola, and Brahms’ Piano Quartet in c minor, Op. 60. Tickets are $15 per person and proceeds will benefit the Compass Music and Arts Foundation. Compass Music and Arts Foundation is a new and developing non-profit organization, located in Brandon, striving to be the foremost venue in Vermont for all types of music and artistic media. Compass Music and Arts Foundation is dedicated to enriching life through a deeper appreciation of music and the literary, performing and visual arts. The purpose of Compass Music and Arts Foundation is to help bring art in all its forms to the people of Vermont and beyond. Get more information about CMAC and Friday’s Benefit Chamber Music Concert by visiting www.brandon-music.net.
September is a busy time for Bristol starting with the 8th Annual Better L8 Than Never Car Show. The show will be held Sunday, September 16th beginning at 9 AM at the Bristol Recreation Field. More than 200 vehicles are expected this year. Whether you are showing or just walking the field, the vehicles are amazing. If you have a vehicle you'd like to show, you can download an application. Admission for spectators is free however donations are accepted for Camp Ta-Kum-Ta and vehicle registration is only $15 per vehicle. Then on Saturday, September 22nd the annual Bristol Harvest Festival takes place. It will kick off with a 5K Road Race at 7:30 AM. Other activities are scheduled to begin at 10 AM when the village green will come alive with 60+ crafters, vendors, and bandstand entertainment. There are a few crafter spaces still available, so there is still time to reserve a booth. But don’t delay—this show is usually a sell-out! Click HERE for more on both events!
Shoreham village will be alive with Apple Fest on Sunday, September 16th at the town common and gazebo. Delicious food, live music, a silent auction and a farmers’ market will be featured at the afternoon-long event. Apple Fest is an annual fall fundraising event for the Friends of the Platt Memorial Library, and is a public event open to all. New this year at Apple Fest will be activities for children, an apple display and tasting, cider pressing demonstrations, a used book sale and a contest that will determine the “Best Apple Pie” in the county. Apple Fest is a fee event and runs from 12:30 to 5 PM on the 16th rain or shine.
The 2012 Fort Ticonderoga capital campaign is off to a great start thanks to the fact that trustees and administration have contributed $412,497 to the fund raising effort, which is more than half of the campaign’s $650,000 goal. Beth Hill, Fort Ticonderoga president and executive director, said the support demonstrated by trustees and senior staff is gratifying. For more information on the Fort just visit www.fort-ticonderoga.org.
The Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce and the Ticonderoga Historical Society are pleased to announce their joint event to benefit both organizations the 2nd Annual “Night At The Museum” – USS Ticonderoga Sets Sail. “Night at The Museum” will be held on Thursday, September 27th starting at 6:00 PM at the Hancock House in historic Ticonderoga at 6 Moses Circle. Admission is $20.00 per person or $30.00 for a couple. For more information and to RSVP please visit www.ticonderogany.com.
A former Moriah woman was in Saratoga County Jail on Thursday, facing charges for allegedly possessing a significant amount of drugs intended for sale from her motel room in South Glens Falls. 22-year-oldCrystal A. Benway was arrested at the Clear View Motel on Route 9 on Wednesday after the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant and allegedly found 80 bags of heroin and 10 grams of cocaine. Police also seized an unspecified amount of cash in her room. Investigators said they went to the motel after receiving a report of Benway selling drugs there.
Castleton Town officials are finalizing a $750,000 article in which voters will be asked November 6th to approve renovations to the town office building. At a special meeting this week, four members of the Select Board approved the initial wording of the petitioned article. The full board is expected to accept the final revisions, pending approval from the town’s attorney and the bonding agent, at its next regular meeting Monday. As it stands, the article will ask voters to approve a $750,000 bond for a renovation project not to exceed $1.2 million.
The state of Vermont has issued an emergency rule to further crack down on drugs known as bath salts. The new rule expands the list of bath salts and other compounds, which are now illegal to sell, make or possess in Vermont. It also includes a ban on derivatives so that manufacturers can't change the chemical structures to evade the law. Gov. Peter Shumlin said Thursday that Vermont has been outlawing bath salts based on chemical composition as they hit the market, but dealers simply add new chemicals to avoid current laws. The previous rule announced in July banned 86 dangerous designer drugs. Shumlin says synthetic stimulants can cause hallucinations, violence, paranoia, seizures, psychosis, and even death.
Newly corrected election results show environmental activist Annette Smith lost the Progressive Party nomination for governor by one vote. Smith has requested a recount in the race. The new numbers were certified after Secretary of State Jim Condos discovered errors made in tabulating votes submitted by two towns. Condos says human errors were to blame for the wrong numbers. Seven votes for Smith from Walden were not counted initially. And nine votes for her from Hardwick were also missed. Condos said he would not assign blame, but he took responsibility for the errors. Condos said he hopes the recount process can be done quickly because September 22nd is the federal deadline for ballots to be mailed to overseas and military voters.
Police are looking for a suspect who robbed a bank in the Vermont town of Hardwick. Authorities say the Union Bank was held up on Thursday afternoon. Police are using search dogs to try to track the suspect, who fled on foot. The high school and elementary school had been temporarily locked down. Police say the school children have since been released.
Vermont State Police say two men killed in unrelated car crashes last weekend brings the total number of motor vehicle fatalities across the state this year to 57 - two more than last year's total. Police said the 55 people killed on Vermont's roads last year was the lowest recorded number since 1944.
Another brewery is opening in Vermont. The Vermont Brewers Association says Grateful Hands Brewing is opening this weekend in Cabot and will specialize in dark beers. Owner Ricky McLain will pour samples of his beers and sell containers called growlers on Saturday. His initial four offerings include an American brown ale called Time and an American stout called Courage. Grateful Hands is considered a nano-brewery because of the size of each batch of beer, 20 gallons. The Brewers Association says McLain expects to start off selling growlers from the brewery and at farmer's markets and eventually start bottling.
Snowboarding, a woman and Iran: not a trio that immediately comes to mind. Ever. But native Vermonter and Olympic gold medalist Hannah Teter is part of a group trying to change that. Teter, who grew up riding the slopes of Okemo Mountain in Ludlow and earned two Olympic medals in the half-pipe, is hoping to bring her passion for the extreme winter sport to the Middle East in March with the group Boarders Without Borders. But the bigger deal for Teter and the three other professional snowboarders from the United States is to narrow the cultural gap between Americans and Iranians — at least on the slopes. And everyone will get to see the journey, as the trip will be made into a docu-feature.
A legislative official says the New York Assembly's Democratic majority has gotten a letter from the state ethics board asking it to retain records involving a sexual harassment scandal in their chamber. The official says the Joint Commission on Public Ethics letter asks for records to be retained, but doesn't say anyone is targeted for investigation.
New York Republican Senate challenger Wendy Long says that if Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is truly an advocate for women, she'd support the removal of the Democratic leader of the state Assembly. Assembly leader Sheldon Silver used $103,000 in public money in a secret settlement to end earlier sexual harassment claims by former employees against Brooklyn Assemblyman Vito Lopez. A Gillibrand campaign spokesman says she supports a full investigation into the situation uncover all the facts.
The Cast Off 8's Square Dancing Evening at the Brandon Town Hall will take place tomorrow evening from 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. Peter Tobin will call this evening of Western Style Square Dance. The program is sponsored by the Cast Off 8's and is a benefit for the Town Hall renovations. Admission is just a $5.00 donation. No experience necessary as Peter will walk dancers through the moves for each set. Refreshments will be available. Visit www.brandontownhall.org for more information on this and other upcoming events!
Burlington's South End Art Hop turns 20-years-old this weekend, with 500 artists showcasing their work in the city. The festival has the artists spread out at more than a hundred sites in an area filled with aging warehouses and factories, perfect spots for the creative juices to flow. While it involves some serious work produced over the past year, for the first time it also spotlights the art of comedy and music, with the Pop Up Comedy Club and Hopapaplooza, which is a concert with Vermont performers. About 30-thousand people are expected to attend.
Burlington's South End Art Hop turns 20-years-old this weekend, with 500 artists showcasing their work in the city. The festival has the artists spread out at more than a hundred sites in an area filled with aging warehouses and factories, perfect spots for the creative juices to flow. While it involves some serious work produced over the past year, for the first time it also spotlights the art of comedy and music, with the Pop Up Comedy Club and Hopapaplooza, which is a concert with Vermont performers. About 30-thousand people are expected to attend.
The aerial assault on Eastern equine encephalitis began Thursday night over 20-thousand acres in Vermont. Aerial spraying for mosquitoes covered areas in Brandon, Leicester, Salisbury and Goshen. One Vermonter from Brandon died this week from the mosquito-borne illness while another remains in the hospital. The state Agriculture Department says the pesticide used is considered safe for crops and gentle on bees.
Vermonters living in long-term care facilities could be able to return to their communities with the help of an $18 million federal grant. The 5-year "Money Follows the Person" grant helps people who wish to leave nursing facilities by funding expenses such as rent deposits and accessibility modifications not covered under Vermont Medicaid reimbursement policy.
Vermont's Sugarbush resort is getting the green light for a 93-unit residential development. Sugarbush says it has received the necessary permits for its Lincoln Peak Village master plan. Resort officials say they're accepting bids from builders and hope to start construction soon.
From Fox 44 & ABC 22 News – Your Voice in Vermont & New York:
Dozens of Vermonters traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina for the Democratic National Convention. "I've never been in a city like this, pulsing with excitement and energy," says Mayor Miro Weinberger, D-Burlington. Weinberger says one of the highlights of his first convention was the speech by former President Bill Clinton. "It really felt like an important moment to have President Clinton joining President Obama," says Weinberger. Weinberger says for President Obama to win in November he needs to explain what he did during the past four-years to fix the economy. "People I think are being to understand this week, I think better than the past, the key decisions that President Obama needed to make to turn that situation around," says Weinberger. Weinberger says while in Charlotte he was chosen to be one of the nation's "100 New Deal Leaders." He says it's a chance to learn and share solutions to problems. "I think it's a good thing for Burlington for me to be here this week," says Weinberger. Weinberger says he thinks it's important that President Obama wins re-election. He says the president understands the problems of cities, such as pensions, and can offer help.
Afternoon Update:
The Paradox Creek dam project in the town of Schroon is complete. The dam replaces an old barrier, built in 1937. That hemlock and stone structure was leaking. That caused water levels in Paradox Lake to fall, creating lakeshore and boating navigation issues. Local resident Roger Mead designed the new dam with help from Bud Maxwell and the architecture firm CT Male. The project was expected to cost $115,000, but was completed for $60,000. It includes 96 tons of concrete.
The Vermont Health Department is going to try again to finish spraying pesticides from airplanes to control mosquitoes in parts of Rutland and Addison counties where two people were sickened, and one person died, from the state's first cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Spraying began Thursday evening, but it could not be completed because weather conditions were unfavorable. Two 16-square mile areas will be sprayed near mosquito pools that have tested positive for EEE. Ground spraying has already started. Eighty-7-year-old Richard Hollis Breen of Brandon died Tuesday of EEE. A Chittenden County adult also has been hospitalized with West Nile virus, the state's first human case of the disease since 2003, which is also spread by mosquitoes.
State authorities say treated and untreated sewage flowed into the Missisquoi River after a rain storm. The chief operator of the waste plant in Enosburg Falls tells the Burlington Free Press the overflow Wednesday night was greater than the system's 30,000 gallon tank could handle.
A bridge replacement project linking Brattleboro, Vermont, and Hinsdale, New Hampshire, is a step closer to approval. The Brattleboro Reformer reports an environmental assessment for the proposed replacement bridge has been sent to federal authorities. The project has been delayed by budget cuts.
Vermont is hosting public forums about the Health Benefit Exchange. "The Exchange will give Vermonters access to affordable, quality health coverage," Mark Larson, Commissioner of the DVHA, said in a press release. "These forums are a statewide effort intended to help the public learn about the Exchange and what it will mean for them." Each session will cover essential health benefits required of all health plans, assistance that will be available and what the Exchange website will look like.
Upcoming Sessions Include:
Middlebury - Thursday, September 13
6:00pm to 8:30pm
Isley Public Library
75 Main Street, Middlebury, VT
6:00pm to 8:30pm
Isley Public Library
75 Main Street, Middlebury, VT
Rutland - Monday, September 24
6:00pm to 8:30pm
Rutland Free Library
10 Court Street, Rutland, VT
6:00pm to 8:30pm
Rutland Free Library
10 Court Street, Rutland, VT
Governor Peter Shumlin says he hopes Congress will amend the Affordable Care Act to allow individual states to implement a single payer health care system as soon as possible. Shumlin says controlling health care costs is critical to creating new jobs and he's convinced that a single payer plan is the best way to achieve this goal Shumlin made his comments at a health care panel at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. He said adopting a single payer plan would give all Vermonters access to health care and take the burden of providing health insurance off the backs of small businesses.
