WVTK Local & State News October 4, 2012

The Westport Town Council will hold special meetings to work on the 2013 budget.  The meetings, which are open to the public, will be held at 7 PM this evening, 4 PM on October 9^th, 6:30 PM on October 16th and 5 PM on October 23rd, all with regular board meetings to follow.

Vermont’s fastest-growing socially responsible business is now offering an opportunity for homeowners in Addison County to save money by going solar.  Since launching in March, SunCommon has already sold more than 160 solar systems throughout Chittenden and Washington Counties.  This represents a 24% increase in the number of solar systems in those counties in just 6 months.  Since launching the program, more than 100 families across Addison County lobbied SunCommon to make this opportunity available to them, as well. This innovative venture has already created 46 new green jobs, both within SunCommon and its contracted installer.  SunCommon is partnering with Peck Electric.

The 2012 Middlebury Arts Walk season winds down on Friday, October 12th. This month will feature nearly 35 venues with a diverse variety of art from painters, photographers, potters and a calligraphist. Several venues are featuring artwork in honor of His Holiness the Dalia Lama’s visit to Middlebury. The Middlebury Arts Walk will have one more event in 2012—a fundraising event scheduled for Friday, November 9th. The event will be held at Two Brothers Tavern’s lounge from 5 to 8 PM. Tickets are $10 per person and the evening will feature live music, a silent auction, snacks, and a cash bar. This event is to help raise funds towards the 1-to-1 cash match of a grant that was recently awarded by the Vermont Arts Council. The Middlebury Arts Walk does not charge attendees, venues or artists to participate in the monthly events.  Learn more at www.MiddleburyArtsWalk.com.

WomenSafe is looking for volunteers. WomenSafe is a nonprofit organization that works toward the elimination of physical, sexual and emotional violence against women and their children through direct service, education and social change.  They are seeking applications for an annual volunteer training course.  Participants will acquire all the tools needed to provide direct service over WomenSafe’s 24-hour hotline, at court hearings and in the WomenSafe office, work in WomenSafe’s Supervised Visitation Program, coordinate public awareness and community outreach events, and provide childcare or perform administrative assistance tasks.  Call or e-mail WomenSafe at 388-9180 or info@womensafe.net.

Two incidents of vandalism in Brandon have police looking for the perpetrators.  On Monday, police were called to a building under construction at the former Brandon Training School off Route 7 north of the village. An unknown number of people entered the building on bicycles and shattered approximately $600 worth of interior windows.  The next day, police were notified of a vandalized car on Union Street, where someone smashed the windshield and driver’s-side window with a railroad tie.  Anyone with information on either incident is asked to call Brandon Police at 247-0222.

Through a combination of thrift, good management and the generosity of its members and Ticonderoga neighbors, Chilson Volunteer Fire Department has been able to replace its support-utility vehicle with a more modern and effective truck.  The old CVFD Utility 137 was an old and unreliable former ambulance. The “new” Utility 137 is a 2005 Chevy 2500 4X4 with a crew cab.  In addition to serving Chilson, the department provides mutual aid to surrounding departments. 

As part of its annual Credit Union Week celebration, the Ticonderoga Federal Credit Union will host its third annual Shred Fest Monday October 15th and Tuesday the 16th.  The free paper-shredding event aims to increase public awareness of identity theft prevention. Community members are invited to bring their confidential documents to be shredded at their local TFCU office during event hours.  Documents will be shredded on site in a mobile shredding truck. The first 10 participants at each location will receive a free TFCU flashlight.

City officials are turning their attention to Rutland’s sidewalks.  The Public Works Committee will take up how the fund for sidewalk repairs is handled following a request by Alderman Gary Donahue on behalf of the city’s Committee for Accessibility Improvement. Donahue said the city needs to look at keeping unspent sidewalk and curb money from a given budget year and rolling it over to the same fund for the following year.

Researchers say there's no quick way to control and eliminate the invasive spiny water flea from Lake George, so they're recommending other ways to try to keep it out of Lake Champlain.  A joint task force of New York and Vermont experts looked at options to stop the spread of the creature that competes with fish for food. They considered things like electric barriers and mesh screens where the La Chute River drops into Lake Champlain from the north end of Lake George. But they ruled those out.  For now, they're recommending stepped up monitoring and spreading the word about how boaters and fisherman can best decontaminate their gear before entering area waters.  The pest also adds urgency to efforts to eradicate a number of invasive creatures from Lake George.

A new report out puts Vermont in the top tier of states considered energy efficient.  The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy released its sixth annual scorecard this week, ranking Vermont fifth in the nation with Massachusetts considered number one.  Nearly half of the states have already adopted standards setting long-term energy savings goals.  Vermont is also ranked among a total of eight states with the most aggressive energy savings targets.

Vermont writers are celebrating their freedoms by reading from works that have been banned or censored. This week is the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week, an annual event sponsored by the American Library Association aimed at highlighting the value of free and open access to information.

Governor Peter Shumlin has set up an independent commission to review electric power generating projects including wind farms in Vermont. The commission will compare Vermont's methods for approving projects to the process in other states, particularly in New England, following growing concern about mountaintop wind projects.

NY Governor Cuomo has signed a bill, which would allow the Department of Motor Vehicles to indicate whether the holder of a drivers license or a non-driver ID is a veteran.  Many businesses provide discounts to veterans.  The law will make it easier for them to show and verify to a business their status as veterans without having to carry multiple forms of identification.  Applicants would have to provide proof they were honorable discharged from the armed forces in order to qualify. The law will take effect in one year.

It will be months before work on the next New York State budget begins in earnest.  But Budget Director Robert Megna is already indicating that Governor Cuomo wants to keep spending growth to two percent or less.  After a panel discussion in Albany earlier this week, Megna said we have to look at areas where incremental progress can be made.  Among the possibilities are reducing some of the regulations imposed on localities, and keeping costs down for special education services for prekindergarten programs.

A Vermont man has been sentenced to nearly 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of failing to register as a sex offender and possessing stolen firearms. Court records indicate 36-year-old Terry Van Mead was convicted in 2005 in New York of criminal sexual acts with a 15-year-old girl. Prosecutors said Mead moved to Vermont in 2010 and failed to notify the sex offender registry of his new address.

Vermont State Police say they are still trying to solve the murder of a farm worker who was shot and killed on a dairy farm in Sheldon seven years ago. Police are offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the resolution of the case or the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible.

Vermont's top environmental officials say they want to help the state control water pollution by using what they are calling green infrastructure systems to reduce the amount of storm-water pollution. The systems announced yesterday at a conference in Burlington can include rain gardens, porous pavements, trees and rainwater harvesting.

Efforts to raise more than $500,000 to buy a now-closed general store in the central Vermont town of Barnard are more than halfway to the financial goal and backers of the idea are now looking for someone to run the store once it can be reopened. The Valley News reports the Barnard Community Trust has collected $280,000 since it began fundraising in June.

The winner of the 2012 Vermont Dairy Farm of the Year award has been named. It's the Chaput Family Farms in North Troy.  The University of Vermont Extension and the Vermont Dairy Industry Association in cooperation with the New England Green Pastures Program present the award. They say Chaput Family Farms has been honored for its "sound management practices, outstanding herd performance and strong commitment to agriculture."  The 1,800-acre farm is near the Canadian border. Brothers Reg and Michael Chaput, who’ve worked together for 30 years, own it.  The brother’s milk 830 cows three times a day and this spring bought their own milk truck and tanks.

Brandon Music on Country Club Road in Brandon will present vocalist Philip Hamilton 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. Philip Hamilton is revered as one of the most exciting contemporary vocalists on the international jazz and world music stages. With a rich voice that conveys a “warrior’s strength, a blues man’s soul and a romantic’s heart” Hamilton is a true original who has performed or recorded with Pat Metheny, Spyro Gyra, and Steely Dan’s Donald Fagan.  For Information & Reservations (802) 465-4071 / info@brandon-music.net 

The Vergennes Opera House is set to host an intimate performance by folk legend and Grammy Award-winning artist Peter Yarrow November 2^nd at 7:30 PM. Peter Yarrow is a legend in the folk world as a member of the celebrated trio Peter, Paul and Mary.  His solo performances connect the present and the past in perfect harmony, taking his audiences on a magical journey that is not to be missed. General admission tickets for this performance are $35 in Advance, $40 at the Door and are available at the Opera House, Classic Stitching in Vergennes, and online at www.vergennesoperahouse.org.

A special event is taking place this Saturday, “For Carly - A Night in Remembrance” from 7PM – 10PM at Spartan Arena Rutland.  The community is hosting this event to remember Carly Ferro and to raise money for the VT Golf Association Scholarship Fund. Join in for a night of skating, where proceeds from skate rentals will be donated, a silent auction, door prizes and a live DJ. To make a donation send a check to: Vermont Golf Association, Attn: Scholarship Fund, PO Box 1612, Rutland VT 05701-1612 or e-mail dave@vtga.org.

From Fox 44 and ABC 22 News – Your Voice in Vermont & New York:

The construction on Shelburne Road in South Burlington is still creating hassles for drivers, but it's not the traffic congestion, it's the raised manholes and drains that stick out of the pavement and that could be costing drivers a hefty amount.  When you drive down Shelburne Road, watch out.  "It's annoying," said concerned driver, Craig Miller.  Man holes and drains are raised off the pavement, leaving drivers no choice but to hit ‘em or swerve.  "We've had some cars that hit 'em, we've had some cars that've done damage," said John DuBrul, Vice President at Automaster on Shelburne Road.  Thanks to the construction project, they've seen an increase of damaged vehicles, "If you hit it just right you could certainly bend the suspension, cause alignment problems," said DuBrul.  Or this, a rim cracked in half, "The amount of rubber we have between the wheel and rim and pavement is less and less," said DuBrul.  Because tires on sports car are so thin, hitting something like these manholes is causing problems for guys like Craig Miller.  "The size of these, I could bend a rim or pop a tire," said Miller.  On a busy road like Shelburne, it's nearly impossible to avoid hitting those manholes.  "Often times coming down Shelburne Road, you're not able to swerve to the left lane because you've got traffic in the left lane and a steep curb to your right," said DuBrul.  If hit just right it could cost a pretty penny to fix, "You could be looking at thousands of dollars of damage, you know if you throw the car out of alignment, bend a bunch of different things you're talking with your insurance company and talking about an expensive repair," said DuBrul.  The Vermont Department of Transportation says the project is 90 percent complete and they are hoping to have the project finished by the end of this month.

More than 15-hundred illegal immigrants want Vermont driver's licenses and the state is seriously considering providing them.  A group of migrant workers argues they're vital to Vermont’s dairy industry but because there aren't visas for dairy workers, and they'd like to stay permanently they can't get drivers licenses and therefore can't leave the farm.  A table full of Vermont lawmakers and activists are looking into whether the state would benefit from issuing driver's licenses.  The plan is to have a bill ready for the legislature in January, or come to the conclusion that this idea doesn't work in Vermont.  "There really is no reason for our department of motor vehicles to be in the business of determining immigration status."  There’s no federal law preventing Vermont from issuing driver's licenses it's a matter of whether they want to.

WVTK Local & State News October 3, 2012

Roadwork this week in Essex County includes Route 9N in Port Henry. Traffic continues to be reduced to a single lane in alternating directions from Bridge Road to County Route 2 due to road construction over Grove Brook at Island Way.  Also on Route 74 in Schroon Lake. Traffic there is reduced to one lane between Pyramid Road and Hall Street. Work will take place between 8 AM and 4:30 PM. Remember to slow down and use extra caution in all constructions zones for your safety and the safety of the work crews.

A Monkton residence was robbed Monday. On Tuesday Vermont State Police responded to a report of a burglary at a residence on Monkton Road in Monkton.  The burglary is believed to have occurred during the previous day.  There was no force used to gain entry as the door was unlocked. Items taken included cash and jewelry meanwhile in a second Monkton house break in, Vermont State Police are also investigating a burglary that occurred Monday, between the hours of 8:25 AM and 4:40 PM on Pond Road. The criminal entered the residence by kicking the north door open.  Multiple items we stolen from the house as well. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Vermont State Police in New Haven at (802) 388-4919. Information can also be submitted anonymously online at www.vtips.info or text "CRIMES" (274637) to Keyword: VTIPS

Since 2008, the Willowell Foundation in Monkton has sought to engage community members, educators and students in wildlife through the renowned Keeping Track Wildlife Monitoring Program with Susan Morse.  The Program will once again be offered and participants will learn behavioral ecology, track identification and track patterns, ecosystem connectivity, wildlife habitat and food resources, land use and connectivity and how it affects and relates to human residents of Vermont, as well as gain a deeper exposure to the story of the forest. For more information about Willowell or to register for the course visit www.willowell.org.

In mid-October, the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum’s schooner Lois McClure returns to the lake, concluding a four-month journey to ports in Canada, on the Great Lakes, the Erie Canal, and the Lake Champlain Basin.  A welcome home reception will take place at Vergennes Falls Park on Friday October 12^th from 3 – 4 PM. Public Boarding of the Lois McClure will follow from 4 – 6 PM on Friday and on Saturday and Sunday, 10 AM – 5 PM.

Crown Point Central School has been named a School of Distinction by the College For Every Student program for a third straight year.  Ticonderoga Middle School also received the award.  College For Every Student, a national non-profit that helps under-served students get to college, granted the award to 20 schools nationwide for their success in meeting goals during the 2011-12 academic year. The award is given for success in C-F-E-S’s primary programs — mentoring, bullying prevention, college campus visitation, college exploration and leadership.

Selling marijuana will remain completely illegal in the City of Rutland.  The Board of Aldermen voted unanimously Monday to approve an ordinance banning medical marijuana dispensaries and the growing of marijuana for such dispensaries within city limits. There was no debate on the measure, which had unanimously cleared the Public Safety Committee the previous week.  Act 65, which authorized the licensing of four medical marijuana dispensaries around the state, allows municipalities to opt out by using either zoning or an ordinance to forbid such facilities.

Rutland Police are warning of potential Internet scams targeting those who want to make donations in the wake of the crash that killed high school student Carly Ferro.  No specific charitable efforts have been deemed fraudulent. But city police Lt. Kevin Geno said Monday that police have opened an investigation into at least one of several online donation campaigns proclaiming to raise funds for the 17-year-old’s family.  The Rutland City Public Schools Superintendent said that the only charity that the school district had verified as legitimate was the Vermont Golf Association Scholarship Fund.

Several people are homeless after a fire Monday destroyed an apartment building on The Portage in Ticonderoga. The building had three apartments, and the North Country Chapter of the American Red Cross was helping all the occupants. Everyone got out safely and the cause was determined to be accidental and electrical in nature.

The Hannaford supermarket chain recently purchased the building it currently occupies in downtown Brandon.  Land records show that Hannaford Brothers Company purchased the building and about 10.34 acres of land on Supermarket Drive for $2.9 million. The building is located next to the Rite Aid pharmacy in town. Janet Mondlak, director of the Brandon Area Chamber of Commerce, said the company’s purchase of the building is a good sign for the downtown, as having a supermarket is an anchor for the town. She said, although it is speculation, by Hannaford purchasing the building it seems they intend to stay and eventually expand.

A little boy missing in AuSable Acres yesterday has been found.  Searchers, including State Police and fire department members combed the area.  Clinton County Fire Control dispatched calls asking for assistance for Essex County at about 2:50 PM yesterday.  The report said they were searching in the area of the pond at AuSable Acres.  But the 2-year-old was discovered later in the afternoon, unharmed, according to Ray Brook-based State Police.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer's legislation aimed at cracking down on prescription-drug theft is headed to the president’s desk for signature.  The Safe Doses Act passed by Congress will help law enforcement fight prescription-drug theft at every point of the supply chain, from the drug warehouse to the delivery truck to the pharmacy.  The legislation calls for increased penalties, more police access to wiretaps and other tools to help infiltrate drug rings.

Top state health officials are considering whether Vermont needs to test adult mosquito populations on its own, instead of outsourcing samples to laboratories in other states.  The move would likely shorten the turnaround time between the state catching mosquitoes and knowing if they are carrying deadly viruses like the eastern equine encephalitis that has killed numerous animals and two humans in Vermont, one in Brandon and one in Sudbury, this year alone.

A woman is okay but remained trapped inside her car for a while after live power lines fell around her.  Police say the car driven by Emmy Kearns of Fairlee drifted off Route 5 in North Thetford Tuesday evening.  The car hit a utility pole, which then split in half, entangling the car in live electrical and telephone wires.  Rescue crews managed to get Kearns out, while power remained out in the area for several hours.

Employees of Vermont's Green Mountain National Forest are gearing up for what's expected to be peak foliage in many parts of the state. Officials say there will be an influx of local and visitor traffic in the coming weeks. They're encouraging motorists to be mindful of where they park and to use extra caution when driving in the forest.

The U.S. Labor Secretary has toured a Vermont school's dairy farm. Hilda Solis visited the Vermont Technical College in Randolph yesterday. She talked with students and staff who are going to be implementing a $3.4 million program to support food production, waste disposal and energy production.

Governor Cuomo is announcing that second round applications for the Land Bank Program are now available online.  The program allows municipalities to develop or convert vacant or abandoned properties into something that better serves the community.  Cuomo says more communities will have access to this important resource for economic development and job creation.

The family of 17-year-old Carly Ferro, the Rutland High School student whose life was taken last week in what police say was a criminal crash, has established a foundation to honor the teenager and her love of golf.  Named “The Purple Angel Foundation” after Ferro’s favorite color, the family issued a statement Tuesday thanking the community for its support and vowing to make positive change the legacy of the popular student’s life. Donations can be made at any branch of the Merchants Bank including at the bank’s two locations on Route 7 in Rutland Town and Woodstock Avenue in Rutland.

Republican Mitt Romney's campaign has sent letters to election officials in Vermont, Wisconsin and Mississippi demanding that the deadline for receiving ballots from military and overseas voters be extended.  The letters sent last week and Monday say election officials in each of the states missed the September 22nd deadline for mailing some ballots to overseas and military voters.  Romney's push is part of a broader effort to court the veterans’ vote.

A Vermont board says budgets for Vermont's 14 hospitals for the next fiscal year are not on a sustainable path.  The Green Mountain Care Board says it has approved budgets that will result in 5.1% increase in hospital net patient revenue for fiscal year 2013. The board had set a target increase of 3.75%.  Three hospitals exceeded the 3.75% limit, even after some exemptions. Copley and Porter hospitals were told to reduce their budgets and Copley was ordered to make a better case for needing a new orthopedic surgery practice.

The Vermont state airports in Morrisville and Newport will receive more than $900,000 in federal grants to buy equipment, design a project and conduct an environmental assessment.  The Vermont Transportation Agency Aviation Director says the money will allow the state to deal with immediate and future operational and safety needs and ensure passenger service amenities.

Brandon Music on Country Club Road in Brandon will present vocalist Philip Hamilton this Thursday at 7:30pm. General Admission is $12.  Brandon Music offers an Early Bird dinner special, which includes a ticket for the jazz performance, for $22 per person. Philip Hamilton is revered as one of the most exciting contemporary vocalists on the international jazz and world music stages. With a rich voice that conveys a “warrior’s strength, a blues man’s soul and a romantic’s heart” Hamilton is a true original who has performed or recorded with Pat Metheny, Spyro Gyra, and Steely Dan’s Donald Fagan.  For Information & Reservations (802) 465-4071 / info@brandon-music.net 

The Brandon Town Players proudly present “A Night On The Town In Brandon”, a vaudeville style variety show incorporating skits, sketches, solos, duets, small groups and large chorus numbers. Performances are this Friday & Saturday at 7:30 PM and Sunday at 2:00 PM in the Brandon TownHall. Tickets are $8.00 in advance, $10.00 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at Carr's Florist & Gifts or at the door the night of the show.

St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church in Vergennes will hold its 2013 Harvest Supper on Sunday, October 21st. The annual supper is a popular event in downtown Vergennes and is open to all residents of Vergennes.  Tickets for the 4 PM and 6 PM sittings will be available at the parish office and at Jackman Fuels.  Adult admission is $10, Children ages 6 – 12 are $5, ages five and under are admitted free.  There will be a 50/50 raffle held at the supper servings with a drawing at 7 PM.

From Fox 44 & ABC 22 News – Your Voice in Vermont & New York:

A thief stole the ashes of an infant that were in the mother's home. Police say a home in Monkton was broken into yesterday - and among the jewelry and other items, the baby's urn was taken. I stopped by the mother's home, she rightfully didn't want to do an interview, but she did send us a picture of the urn in the hopes that someone saw or heard something who can ultimately bring her baby home.  Just six short months ago, a mother had to cremate her baby. On Monday, the tragedy struck again, and all of the emotions of the loss came rushing back.  "It's horrible," neighbor Michelle Burritt said.  Burritt lives on the same street where the robbery happened, she doesn't know her neighbor, but is sympathetic to her great loss.  "It's bad enough losing your child," Burritt said.  Police say a robber kicked in the front door of a home on Pond Road in Monkton... an oak jewelry box, with costume jewelry and a gold ring with a garnet stone was taken. As well as the urn with the infant's ashes inside. It's four inches tall with a screw on top.  I asked Burritt, "If you saw this, would you think that this was an urn?" She said, "No."  And police say the thief probably didn't either.  "They take whatever they can see in plain view and very quickly," Vermont State Police Trooper Keri Starr said.  "And if they did, they're horrible," Burritt added.  Police say the odds of the thief returning the ashes back to the home are slim, because there's of course the chance that he or she could get caught and items that are stolen are so rarely ever returned.  "I would hope that they wouldn't dump the ashes and that they could return that at least, be civil," Burritt said.  If the motive was money, funeral home owners say the crook isn't going to get much. When I called a half dozen places, they all said, pewter urns like the one in the picture, at retail value are between two and four hundred dollars... but selling it to a scrap metal yard or a pawn shop, you'd be lucky to get thirty bucks.  Burglaries in general are on the rise in Addison County, so police say to report suspicious cars, or people. And because most people work, the majority of the break in's are happening during the day, like this one. So if you have any information and can help bring this baby home, contact police.

A Trader Joe's in South Burlington? It could happen. The applicant who wants to bring the health food store to the city is in the second stage of the 3-step process.  The plans include two buildings, a main store by Dorset Street, and a second by "Healthy Living."  This would be the first Trader Joe's in all of Vermont.  "The zoning and the planning in that area is looking for the walk able, pedestrian friendly, mix of uses in a future downtown of South Burlington," The South Burlington Zoning and Planning Director Paul Conner said.  The development review board is looking at the project now. It will be up to the city council to approve -- or deny it.

Last month police say a Winooski, Vermont man broke through the Burlington International Airport fence.  No one was hurt, but it caused a scare, and about $10-thousand dollars in damages.  On Tuesday, nearly a month later, Brent Rutledge, 39, of Winooski, Vt., faced three charges from the incident, including unlawful mischief and trespass.  "The next case is state vs. Brent P Rutledge," said a Vermont superior judge.  But Rutledge failed to show up.  "Is Mr. Rutledge present?" said the judge.  "No, your honor," said a court officer.  Because Rutledge wasn't there, the judge issued a warrant for his arrest, which was later reduced to having police issue a citation for him to show up at another point.  In a way airport leaders say last month's incident was a blessing because after it they walked along the rest of the fence they found and discovered a number of problems. Now they're making changes before the end of the year.  "We have quite a few gates so now we're going to as we move forward do away with those gates and put in more re-enforcement's," said Burlington International Airport Director Gene Richards.  As for the busted fence, it's been replaced and airport leaders say the gate is much stronger than the other one.  They also took a look at how police and airport workers handled the situation and decided to make no changes.  "I couldn't have been any happier, it was dealt with by the minute perfectly," said Richards.  Police say they haven't been able to locate Rutledge and issue a new court date.  Until that happens they won't tell us when he's due back in court.

WVTK Local & State News October 2, 2012

The Middlebury Town Center Steering Committee meets at 9 this morning in the Town Offices Conference Room.  Items to be discussed include financing, the product brochure, and the identification of sources and delegate contacts.  Get details right now by visiting the Town’s Website.

A new community solar offering is coming to Addison County next month. SunCommon launched in March 2012 serving only Chittenden and Washington Counties and increasing the number of solar homes there by over 20% in just a few months.  Since March, more than 100 Addison homeowners have reached out to SunCommon, requesting our program.  SunCommon is responding to that call by making this opportunity available in Addison County beginning in October.  You can learn more by joining them on the Middlebury Village Green, this morning at 11.  Dave Conant with SunCommon says now homeowners here will be able to go solar with no upfront cost and a monthly payment the same or less than your utility bill.

The Addison County Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a Candidates' Forum on October 25th, focusing on the Addison County races for the Vermont House of Representatives and Senate. It will be held from 8:00 to 9:30 AM at the Ilsley Library Community Room in Middlebury. Many of our state representatives in uncontested races will also be in attendance for a discussion of issues and legislation important to you. It will cost $5 to attend and coffee and baked goods will be provided. An RSVP to maria@addisoncounty.com would be appreciated.

Porter Hospital is in the process of welcoming several new providers to our community and re-opening practices to new patients.  During the past several months, all of the primary care practices in Addison County have not been accepting new patients, but with the arrival of new providers, our community will once again have more convenient access to primary care services.  To view the roster of new providers just visit the Chamber’s Website.

EastView at Middlebury, the area’s newest community for seniors, will host this month’s Addison County Chamber Of Commerce Mixer. The mixer is just one of several events that week that will celebrate EastView's grand opening. Tours of both the independent-living and assisted living apartments will be offered.   There was no Pot of Gold winner drawn at September's mixer! The value of the pot grows to $550!  The mixer will take place on October 18^th from 5 – 7 PM.  Get details and RSVP right HERE!

National Bank of Middlebury has achieved the highest possible rating during its recent Community Reinvestment Act Performance Evaluation from the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Administrator of National Banks. Factors that led to the achievement of this “outstanding” rating included their level of lending, a substantial majority of originated and purchased loans are within the Bank’s assessment area, the borrower distribution of loans reflects excellent penetration among individuals of different income levels and a strong level of community development activities as evidenced by qualified community development investments and services.

Essex County’s new budget so far has a spending gap of about $13 million over this year. County lawmakers said yesterday they intend to continue budget work to reduce that figure, maybe by speeding up the sale of Horace Nye Nursing Home. The County Board of Supervisors agreed in June to sell the Nursing Home to the Centers for Specialty Care of the Bronx for $4.01 million. But to date, no contract has been signed.

Rebuilding a damaged wastewater pipe and its trestle will be a safety priority in Ticonderoga’s upgrade of its sewage-treatment facility.  The huge pipe is on a trestle that crosses the LaChute River to access the Town Wastewater Treatment Plant on Montcalm Street.  Ticonderoga Town Supervisor Debra Malaney said replacing the rusted pipe welds and parts would be about $100,000 of the total project cost of $300,000. The town already paid $14,000 to have the pipe repaired temporarily. 

The Westport Town Council will hold special meetings to work on the 2013 budget.  The meetings, which are open to the public, will be held at 7 PM October 4th, 4 PM on October 9^th, 6:30 PM on October 16th and 5 PM on October 23rd, all with regular board meetings to follow.

The Elizabethtown-Lewis Central School Board will meet at 6:30 PM this Wednesday for a special meeting exclusively focused on executive-session interviews with second-round candidates for the combined position of superintendent/principal. The board had selected three individuals from their candidate pool to participate in first-round interviews. Two have been chosen for round two and will meet with a committee of stakeholders representing cross-sections of the school community.  The appointment is expected in October.

Vermont's Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Brock says the state needs to do more to declare that Vermont is open for business and to make that a reality. In a news conference yesterday at a Williston business Brock outlined his plan to spur economic development and as he put it, "put Vermonters back to work."

The mayor of Vermont's largest city says a $1 million grant will help the Burlington Electric Department provide financing to customers for energy efficiency projects. Mayor Miro Weinberger says the grant will help the city build on its continuing commitment to improve energy efficiency and keep energy costs affordable for Burlington businesses.

The Vermont community of Shaftsbury has wrapped up celebrations commemorating the 250th anniversary of the town's chartering with a time capsule that won't be opened until the 300th anniversary. Residents tell The Bennington Banner the sealed container includes an anniversary charter, newspaper, phone book and children's essays about Tropical Storm Irene.

Autumn just arrived, but members of the Carillon Garden Club are thinking about Christmas.  The club is taking orders for Christmas wreaths and kissing balls until October 26^th.  Wreaths come in 12, 18, 24 and 36-inch sizes and may be purchased plain, with a bow only or decorated with pine cones, berries and bows. Bows and berries come in red or burgundy. Prices range from $15 for a plain 12-inch wreath to $60 for a 36-inch decorated wreath.  Decorated kissing balls are available for $30.  The sale of wreaths and kissing balls each year are an important fundraiser for the club and enables them to beautify areas in Ticonderoga and Hague with special seasonal plantings. To place an order call Jackie Viestenz at 546-9855 or any garden club member.

Local Artists are being sought to assist with a playground project at Ticonderoga Elementary School.  The young-children’s playground is being renovated to make it safer and more appealing. An old, concrete wall and teeter-totter will be removed and three new pieces of equipment will be installed. The remaining pieces will be given a face-lift.  Among the pieces to be renovated are the playground ponies. The ponies will be available at the Downtown Gallery October 14th, when they are scheduled to return to the playground.  Artists interested in painting a pony can contact Chattie Van Wert at 593-9093 or ChattieVW@ticonderoga-alliance.org.

Vermont State Police turn up empty handed after a 12-mile chase through several towns.  A trooper tried to pull over a truck in New Haven just before midnight for running a stop sign and driving without headlights.  The driver failed to stop.  The chase went through Bristol, New Haven and Monkton before it was called off.

The war between GOP state Chairman Jack Lindley and Attorney General Bill Sorrell continues.  Last week Lindley wrote to Governor Shumlin asking him to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate alleged campaign finance law violations by Sorrell.  Now Lindley has written to Sorrell himself asking him to appoint the independent prosecutor.  According to Lindley there was collusion between Sorrell's re-election campaign and a Political Action Committee in producing a TV ad this summer.  Sorrell says there's nothing to investigate and he's done nothing wrong.

Vermont's newest welcome center on I-91 is officially open for business.  The Hartford Welcome Center is located just south of the I-89 junction and features free Wi-Fi, coffee, maps, and, of course, good clean restrooms.  Yesterday, the center was doing a brisk business and getting rave reviews from motorists happy to have a place to stretch their legs.

The Bartonsville covered bridge is being rebuilt.  After serving the public since 1870 the bridge was wept downstream last year during Tropical Storm Irene.  Now timbers from the Pacific Northwest have been shipped in and will be used to construct the new span.  A company called Cold River Bridges from Walpole New Hampshire is building the bridge, which they hope will last another 140 years at least.

Governor Cuomo reportedly talked campaign finance reform with several groups yesterday.  The "Daily News" says many were in agreement that the public has been shelled with campaign ads and they are trying to get support for changes.  A source tells the newspaper that Cuomo told the group he doesn't expect campaign finance reform to come up this fall but it will be a focus next year. 

As seasonal cooling continues, colors are firing up, sometimes seemingly brightening overnight as foliage unfolds across Vermont’s scenic landscape. Foresters are now pointing out regions where colors are showing mid-stage foliage, at 25-50 percent peak in the northeastern Washington County, Northeast Kingdom and chasing along the peaks of the Green Mountains.  Windsor County Forester Jon Bouton reported “The clear cool air is Nirvana…we've had several days in the last week when one could clearly see more than 50 miles from one of our hill tops.”  Best Bets: This week, Vermont State Foresters and the New England Maple Museum suggest touring these Mid-Peak routes:  Route 302 through Orange, Groton & Ryegate, Route 4 from West Bridgewater, heading west to Killington over Sherburne Pass to Mendon, Route 73 from Rochester heading west over Brandon Gap to Sudbury, and Route 103 from Ludlow through Mount Holly to Route 7.  “Treetops on higher elevations are showing bright yellows and oranges. Reds are plentiful and starting to brighten road sides and meadow hedgerows. Could be a good year for red on the hillsides as the soft maples seem to be co-operating,” Tom Olson of the New England Maple Museum reports. “The rain and cooler weather has lowered temperatures in marshy areas causing trees to turn bright red and orange...a great contrast against the beige and brown backdrop of marsh grass, wild rice and cat tails.” Jon the Forester notes I-89 / I-91 Bethel to Springfield are good starting points to see early stages of foliage, 5-20 percent. Also, Chittenden County is just starting to show modest colors, along low-lying march regions and vistas from Washington County along Route 2 and Route 12 are beginning to hint at the dynamicity that’s ahead in the next few weeks.  Suggested Hikes and Walks: Mount Horrid near the Brandon Gap, Stowe Recreation Path, Wheeler Mountain - Barton, Sunset Ledge - Warren, Groton State Park’s Boulder Beach.  Leaf-peepers can also easily stay up-to-date on the colorprogression of Vermont’s foliage by calling the Fall Foliage Hotline at 1-800-VERMONT.

From Fox 44 and ABC 22 News Your Voice in Vermont & New York:

A multi-million dollar bridge isn't operating quite as it should. Half of the lights on the Lake Champlain Bridge work about half the time. And while many people are just happy to have the bridge, others want answers.  The Lake Champlain Bridge has been open for almost a year now, and ever since it opened, the lighting hasn't worked properly, but even worse... the New York State Department of Transportation can't figure out what's wrong.  "We've got a brand new bridge, what's wrong?" questioned Karen Hennessy of the Lake Champlain Bridge Coalition.  The majority of people, tourists included... "it's absolutely stunning" think the bridge is beautiful and more importantly convenient. Every day more than 15-hundred drivers cross between Bridport, Vermont and Crown Point, New York, but ever since it opened, almost a year ago, the lights haven't worked properly. Hennessy can see the bridge from her kitchen window.  "It looks kind of awful when you see half the arch lit and not half the arch lit," she said.  Most of the complaints aren't about the bridge being dangerous to use without lights on, it's the principle of things, that a brand new, expensive bridge isn't working entirely as it was intended.  "They're having a few bugs, hopefully they get it fixed," two sisters said as they walked across the bridge.  But a year later, the New York State Department of Transportation, which operates the bridge still hasn't been able to diagnose the problem. Lights on the handrail and on the arch are supposed to turn on automatically when it gets dark.  "Visually it's such a beautiful affect when all of the lights are lit up, but with any new project, if the lighting is the only really big issue out there, I am putting faith that they're going to get it fixed," Hennessy said.  So even though it's a functioning bridge, people on both sides of the span agree the millions poured into the project should go to full use.  "I haven't seen the bridge at night, but I would like to."  The New York State Department of Transportation is currently working with the contractor and design consultant to get the lighting problem fixed. New York and Vermont each paid for ten percent of the bridge, and the federal highway paid for the remaining amount. It's unknown who will pay to have the problem fixed.

It's that time of year the Health Department is encouraging anyone over six months old to get the influenza vaccination.  The flu shot is available now and experts say it closely protects against the strain of the flu virus that they're anticipating.   The peak flu seasons aren't until December through February but the sooner you get it, the more time the vaccine has to build up in your system.  "I think a lot of people are confused about - should I be vaccinated now or should I wait? And do I need to be vaccinated if it was a mild season last year? And yes, you do need to be vaccinated because the flu is unpredictable and it changes each year," Chris Finley, Immunization Program Chief for the Vermont Department of Health said.  The Health Department also wants people to know that you can not get the flu from the flu shot... it's a common misconception.  Click HERE to see where you can get a flu shot.

People in Rutland are grieving the tragic loss of 17-year-old Carly Ferro.  Yesterday Rutland police and Rutland united neighborhoods held a special meeting and fox 44's Brittney hobs explains how it was designed to help those affected start to heal.  Its been less than a week since a man lost control of his car in front of this Rutland store. And hit several other cars and struck 17 year old Carly Ferro killing her.  She was a bright star and we lost her.  Monday- dozens of people gathered for a neighborhood meeting to come to grips with what happened so close to their homes.   Its important to have it here in this neighborhood beccause this is where it happened. Because of this event and how public it was and how many people were in the area at the time of the ax it would be a good idea to hold an event where we brought mental health advisors in.  To hopefully answer questions on grief and to allow neighbors to talk with one another about how to move forward.  This is a place for those people who may have witnessed it or been traumatized in some way because of it.  To understand what we can do is support each other it’s going to take a long time for the community to heal.  Rutland city police chief James Baker says the ax was very traumatic for those who witnessed the horrific scene that day and it will take some folks a long time for the community to heal   this event has affected the entire community, it doesn't matter where you live, who you are, if you knew Carly or not. 

WVTK Local & State News October 1, 2012

The Middlebury Public Works Committee is meeting at 7:30 this morning in the Town Offices Main Conference Room.  Items on the agenda include Public Works Project Updates including the current Status of projects under construction & plans for summer of 2013 also the discussion of and budgeting for Driver Feedback Signs.  Tomorrow the Town Center Steering Committee meets at 9 AM in the Town Offices Conference Room.  Items to be discussed include financing, the product brochure, and the identification of sources and delegate contacts.  Get details on these meetings right now by visiting the Town’s Website.

A new community solar offering is coming to Addison County next month. SunCommon launched in March 2012, serving only Chittenden and Washington Counties and increasing the number of solar homes there by over 20% in just a few months.  Since March, more than 100 Addison homeowners have reached out to SunCommon, requesting our program.  SunCommon is responding to that call by making this opportunity available in Addison County beginning in October.  You can learn more by joining them on the Middlebury Village Green, Tuesday morning at 11.  Dave Conant with SunCommon says now homeowners here will be able to go solar with no upfront cost and a monthly payment the same or less than your utility bill.

The Agency of Transportation has announced that Route 30 in Hubbardton will close from October 8 to October 15 for culvert replacements.  The project will start Monday, with a target completion date of November 30. The project consists of removing and replacing two culverts on Route 30. Except for the week that the road will be closed, one-way traffic will be in place during the day.

The Middlebury Select Board reviewed comments last week received at its public meeting on the Town Plan that was held on September 18 and written comments received since the public hearing. The Board considered its response to a number of comments and will continue to work on comments received and the implementation of the Town Plan. The Board will take up its review of the Town Plan at its next regularly scheduled meeting on October 9th.

Last week the Middlebury Select Board awarded the bid for the supply and delivery of winter sand to JP Carrara. According to Director of Operations Dan Werner the Town uses about 3,000 tons of winter sand per year.  Meanwhile the Intersection of College, Weybridge & Academy Streets will remain Unchanged. The Board discussed a suggestion of adding a stop sign on College Street westbound at its intersection with Academy and Weybridge Streets, but did not act to add a stop sign in this location.

The Exchange Street Speed Limit will not change. Police Chief Tom Hanley reviewed the results of a traffic study on Exchange Street near its intersection with Route 7 north with the Select Board last week and recommended that, based on the study, there is no need to change the speed limit at this time.

The Town Offices/Community Center Steering Committee heard a report last week from the Finance & Fundraising Task Force, which is working to identify funding sources based on the current project concept for the town office building, using rough numbers of $3M to be raised for the project through a combination of local revenues and energy savings used to offset debt service expense, and $2-3M to be raised for the project through fundraising from public and private sources.  The F & F Task Force will pursue outside funding sources.  The next F & F Task Force Meeting is tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. in the Town Offices.  The Town Center Steering Committee also discussed the need to get information out about project and solicit input on the project. The Committee will continue its discussion of these items at its next meeting on Tuesday, October 9 at 10:30 a.m.  Meanwhile the Gym Task Force will meet on October 11 at 3:30 p.m. to review the draft list of projects and plans for obtaining cost estimates for the projects on the list.

Middlebury Business Development Advisory Board Member Nick Artim has reported that the Board finished-up the statement of need for fundraising and is currently making initial contacts with businesses in an effort to raise the $36,000 business share of the MBDF initiative.  Nick also reported that the job description for the Business Development Director has been drafted for final review by the Select Board before recruitment for the Director begins.

Residents voted at a special town meeting to prohibit construction of commercial wind turbines on the Grandpa’s Knob ridgeline.  By a vote of 94 to 6, Hubbardton residents voted against industrial wind. Holding the vote was an effort by town officials to strengthen their position against the construction of 20 wind turbines on the ridgeline east of the town. Although officials from the other three affected towns — West Rutland, Castleton and Pittsford — have also voted against the project, Hubbardton is the only one to hold a town-wide vote on the issue.

A Vermont lawyer long involved in pushing the state toward same-sex marriage has been named Vermont's Lawyer of the Year in the area of family law. Susan Murray of the Middlebury-based firm Langrock, Sperry and Wool represented the plaintiffs in the case that resulted in a 1999 state Supreme Court decision saying Vermont was improperly denying marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples.

Stories about Carly Ferro keep coming back to her smile and her laugh.  More than 200 people packed into a room at the Rutland Country Club for Ferro’s memorial service Saturday. The 17-year-old Rutland High School senior lost her life Wednesday in a car crash on Cleveland Avenue in Rutland. A local man faces criminal charges, including manslaughter, in her death.

Vermont police are investigating a robbery at a grocery store in West Rutland. Police say an unidentified man reached into an open cash register while a cashier was making change for a transaction at the Price Chopper supermarket shortly before 11 p.m. Saturday. Employees said the man grabbed an undisclosed amount of money and ran out of the store.

Essex County’s $10 million public-safety radio project is experiencing some delays but is still ongoing.  There are construction permit delays, a Federal Communications Commission radio-standards deadline and local costs in the form of new pagers that some fire and ambulance departments must buy.  County Manager Daniel Palmer said recently the county still awaits the Adirondack Park Agency and State Department of Environmental Conservation permits necessary for parts of the project.

The Elizabethtown Community Hospital Auxiliary is hosting a new-member night on Wednesday at 6 PM in the hospital boardroom. Anyone interested in becoming a member is welcome to attend.  The auxiliary participates in fundraising efforts throughout the year, with all proceeds supporting the hospital. The group donates clothing and snacks to those who need emergency-room care, offers care packages to chemotherapy patients and gives gifts and flowers to patients in the hospital during the holidays. It also provides scholarship funding and purchases equipment for the hospital’s various departments.

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman has shut down two websites, finding them part of a work-at-home scam.  The sites involved a mystery-shopper program, which is used by legitimate retailers who hire marketing research companies to evaluate the quality of service in their stores.   The websites — www.idealcorp.net and www.survsonl.com - lured consumers into becoming mystery shoppers to gather information anonymously about the customer service of a particular store.  But instead of getting paid, they were duped into paying the scammers thousands of dollars.

Some farmers and ranchers in New York who previously were forced to sell livestock due to drought have an extended period of time in which to replace the livestock and defer tax on any gains from the forced sales, according to the Internal Revenue Service.  Farmers who, due to drought, sell more livestock than they normally would may defer tax on the extra gains from those sales. To qualify, the livestock generally must be replaced within a four-year period. The IRS is authorized to extend this period.

A man who was tasered by a State Police trooper last June and died did indeed die as a direct result of the Taser.  A report issued late Friday by the state medical examiner ruled the electrical charge from the Taser stopped Macadam Mason's heart, causing his death.  State Police say Mason resisted arrest and acted aggressively before he was struck in the chest with the charge, and witnesses say Mason warned the trooper he had epilepsy and was threatening suicide before troopers arrived.  Governor Peter Shumlin says despite what happened, state police policy will remain the same.

Two Irish diplomats will be in Vermont this week, hoping to bring even closer ties between the island nation and Vermont.  The Irish ambassador to the U-S and Irish Consul General will be in Burlington Thursday and Friday for talks and events.  The Vermont Council on World Affairs and Champlain College, which has been sending about 300 students to study in Dublin since 2008, is hosting it.

The Randolph-based Vermont Technical College is getting a $3.4 million federal grant for training programs for state industries that support agriculture, food production, waste disposal and energy production.  The Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grant will support the Applied Agriculture and Food Systems Institute at Vermont Tech.

The annual Fall Foliage Festival kicks off today in the Northeast Kingdom.  For six consecutive days, each day in a different town, several communities celebrate rural Vermont at this colorful time of year.  For more than 50 years, the festival has been bringing together "Old Vermont" with local crafts, hymn sings, band concerts, church suppers and historical tours.  Today's festival is in the town of Walden at the Methodist Church.

Senator Charles Schumer is warning consumers that huge increases in milk prices could be coming if Congress doesn't reauthorize the Farm Bill.  The current bill expired yesterday, meaning that farm regulations will revert back to 1940s era policies until a new measure is passed.  Schumer cites National Milk Producers Federation numbers in predicting that milk prices could rise over six-dollars a gallon if a new bill is not passed soon.  The bill passed the Senate, but Schumer says it is stalled in the House because leaders will not bring it to the floor.

After an investigation police in Lake George arrested a local man for a hit-and-run.  Authorities had found that 54-year-old Scott Ball did not have permission to drive the car that was allegedly involved in the accident.  He is facing charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and criminal mischief.  He was arraigned and sent to jail due to lack of bail and will be in court on a later date to face charges.

Some Vermont kids get key nutritional help from free and reduced-price lunches in schools, but what happens when they go home for the weekend?  Sixteen schools around the state are participating in the Backpack Program, which provides kids with items to bring home with them on Friday to eat between then and Monday.  The program got a recent boost from Shaw's Supermarkets, which donated fruit cocktail through the Vermont Foodbank.  Vermont Foodbank CEO John Sayles says the Backpack Program has tripled in size since its inception five years ago and now serves 650 school-aged children.  Shaw's has donated enough fruit cocktail to last the program from now until March.

The Ticonderoga Montcalm Street Partnership is finalizing plans for the upcoming Halloween Fest, which will be held on Wednesday, October 31st in Downtown Ticonderoga.  From 3:00 – 4:30 PM businesses and organizations displaying a pumpkin in their windows will be participating in the event by handing out treats to young people as they walk the sidewalks of Historic Downtown Ticonderoga. Candy will also be given out at the Ticonderoga Community Building.  The Ticonderoga American Legion invites children and their parents to attend their Free Annual Halloween Party from 4:30 – 6:00 PM, which will include a costume contest with prizes, games, hot dogs, juice, & chips as well as Halloween themed music.  In addition All ‘Bout Critters invites the community to attend their free Creature Feature Halloween Party from 5:00 – 7:00 PM with crafts, animals, and a Halloween themed movie as well as a chance to see how Apple Cider is made.  Visit timainstreet.com or their Facebook page for more information! 

Kaylee Robison of the Hannaford Supermarket in Middlebury and Amberly Kay Bonilla of Hannaford in Rutland have taken honors as “Best Baggers” here in Vermont.  Middlebury’s Robison bested more than a dozen other competitors to become the 2012 Vermont “Best Bagger”. Rutland’s Bonilla placed third.  Every year during the Vermont Food Industry’s annual convention and exposition, food store clerks get to show their stuff by demonstrating how best to pack a sack of groceries.  The competition, which took place last week at the Miller Expo Centre in Essex Junction, included skilled baggers from around the state.

The Massachusetts-based Collings Foundation's Wings of Freedom Tour, which includes a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, a Consolidated B-24 Liberator, and a P-51 Mustang, will arrive at the Rutland Airport for a three-day visit, today through Wednesday.  The B-17 is one of only nine remaining in flying condition in the United States. The B-24 and the P-51C Mustang are the sole remaining examples of their type flying in the world.  You are invited to see the aircraft at the airport, inside and out. A $12 donation for adults and $6 donation for children under 12 is requested for access to up-close viewing and tours through the inside of the aircraft.

The Ticonderoga CROP Walk will be held on Saturday, October 13th at 1 PM.  Registration will be at the Heritage Museum for the 1, 2 and 4-mile walks through Bicentennial Park and Ticonderoga.  During that weekend 2,000 cities and towns nationwide are walking around the theme “Ending hunger one step at a time.” A quarter of the donations collected will be returned to the food pantries in Ticonderoga, Crown Point and Hague.