WVTK Local & State News February 10, 2015

Vermont Gas announced that it will not proceed with plans to extend natural gas service to the International Paper Plant in Ticonderoga. Vermont Gas says they had numerous discussions with International Paper and were unable to find a mutually acceptable path forward. The company will ask the Public Service Board to dismiss the pending petition for approval of Phase 2. Vermont Gas says due to the cost increase, International Paper decided to withdraw. Officials at Vermont Gas say today’s announcement does not affect Phase 1. Vermont Gas will now focus on completing Phase 1 to serve Addison County.

The Vermont Health Department says eight more kids have test positive for tuberculosis (TB) at the Charlotte Central School. Skin tests were conducted on 223 students on Friday and were evaluated by nurses yesterday. To date, a total of 15 children and one adult have tested positive out of 380 students and staff who have been tested and evaluated. The Health Department says there are no active cases of TB at the school and there is no ongoing risk. A positive skin test result does not mean a person is sick with TB, or that they can pass bacteria to anyone else. Health officials say a positive skin test means that a person has been exposed to TB, and has the bacteria in his or her body. Additional skin tests were conducted yesterday for school staff. Those tests are expected to evaluated tomorrow.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is boycotting next month's address to Congress by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Sanders says the main reason he will skip the speech is because Netanyahu did not consult with President Obama in scheduling the event. Sanders says the fact that Obama heads the nation's foreign policy and was not even consulted is wrong and bad for the country. Vice President Joe Biden is also boycotting the speech, scheduled for March 3rd.

A newborn baby is in critical condition after police say the infant was shaken by his teen mother. Police arrested 17-year-old Desiree George of South Burlington. She's charged with aggravated domestic assault and child cruelty. Police say the 3-week-old boy suffered life-threatening injuries after being shaken and remains hospitalized. His mother pleaded not guilty to the charges this morning.