WVTK Local & State News April 7, 2014

A man accused of shooting and wounding two Vermont state troopers and a neighbor was a no-show in court. A not guilty plea was entered on behalf of 47-year-old Timothy Foley in Rutland today to charges stemming from the Sunday morning incident that wounded three in Leicester. Police say the incident began at about 3 AM yesterday morning when Foley allegedly went in to a neighbor’s home and shot a man in his bed. Authorities say 64-year-old Mahlon McCoy is at Fletcher Allen Medical Center receiving treatment and is in good condition. Two troopers investigating the incident were also shot when they tried to confront Foley. Both troopers from the New Haven Barracks were injured with non life threatening injuries.

A petition has been filed asking for Middlebury to revote on the Town Office Plan. With only a few hours to spare last week, resident Howard “Skip” Brush submitted a petition with 280 signatures to the town clerk’s office asking for a revote. Town Clerk Ann Webster today verified that the petition calling for a reconsideration of a $6.5 million bond has more than the 230 required signatures. The Select Board now has 60 days to schedule a vote.

Residents in Middlebury will be voting an ID-4 budget at Mary Hogan Elementary School this Wednesday. The new spending plan calls for over $6.6 million for the 2014-2015 school year and $225,000 for a new play structure that would replace Kidspace.

Water quality in the southern Lake Champlain basin will be the focus of upcoming public hearings in Pawlet and Orwell. The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources has drafted a water quality management plan for surface waters in the basin, including the Poultney and Mettowee rivers, East Creek and several other tributaries that drain into the southern part of the lake. Hearings have been set for 5:30 p.m. tomorrow night at the Pawlet Public Library and for 6:30 on April 15 at the Orwell Free Library. The sessions will include a presentation on the draft plan and time for public comments and suggestions.