WVTK Local & State News July 12, 2013

Farmers are being urged to document the damage their farms suffered after an unprecedented rainy period left parts of some farms underwater and saturated fields across the state. Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin and Agriculture Secretary Chuck Ross say the federal Farm Services Agency is expected to request an emergency disaster declaration, but that won't happen until after crops are harvested in the fall.

There is a happy ending for a missing girl in West Rutland.  Police say family members were worried when the 14-year-old left home.  They said she suffers from severe asthma and didn't have her medication with her.  Police used dogs and helicopters to search for the teenager Thursday night.  She was found and is at home safe.

At a public hearing yesterday, the majority of people who spoke out say, the town of Middlebury should step back and consider long-term community needs before seriously considering a new municipal building and a gym.  The proposal say Middlebury College would contribute $5.5 million toward the estimated $7.5 million project, which calls for the town to demolish and remove the current municipal building and gym and give that parcel to the college, which would turn it into a park.  The community would also be responsible for moving the Osborne House from its current location to a town-owned parcel at the intersection of Cross and Water streets.  And then that piece of land would be used for the new municipal building.  Most of the selectboard says this is a win for the tax payers.

IBM is expected to release the totals from the latest round of layoffs tomorrow.  State officials say preliminary estimates are that more than 300 people are losing their jobs at Big Blue’s facility in Essex Junction.  That figure is based on the number of people showing up at state-run seminars on seeking new work.  All of the layoffs will be final today.

Authorities have issued a warning about an advertising scam which claims you can make money for placing a company logo on your vehicle.  The Lamoille County Sheriff's Department says the scheme popped up on Craigslist.  The fraudulent promotion claimed Pepsi would pay drivers 300-dollars a week to put the company's logo on your vehicle.  But police called Pepsi and confirmed the ad was fake.  Authorities say never respond to online ads before verifying the promotion with the company.

South Burlington police are looking for a robber who stole cash from a register.  Police say at about 9:40 last night, the man pretended to buy a pack of gum at a Shell station on Shelburne Road.  When the clerk opened the register, he reached over the counter, grabbed money, and fled the store.  If you know who he is, you're asked to call South Burlington police.  This is similar to robberies this week in Essex and Colchester, and police are looking into whether they're connected.