WVTK Local & State News May 31, 2013

Winooski schools were on a brief lockdown this morning after a woman reported being chased by a male with a gun from Motel 6 in Colchester.  Police say 21-year-old Megan Russell of Winooski, told them she ran to the school to get away from the man.  Police learned that the incident happened on Thursday night and not this morning when she reported it.  The children and staff were safe and they were not in any danger from the incident.  Police say the lockdown was based on information they received from Russell.

A new report says Vermont remains a top choice for the new F-35 fighter jets, but it is not the preferred site from an environmental perspective.  The Air Force Friday released its revised environmental impact study -- some 3,000 pages -- detailing the siting process for the next generation planes.  The Air Force determined that the Vermont Air Guard base and Hill Air Force Base in Utah are the two preferred sites for the initial basing of the jets.  Vermont National Guard officials as well as opponents and supporters of the F-35, have all indicated they will need time to read and analyze the report before offering comments.

Repair work on an Adirondack road that was postponed earlier this month will begin next week, with lane closures scheduled and full closures expected during some periods.

The state Department of Transportation say the slope repairs and drainage improvement work along Route 73 in Essex County will begin on Monday in the area of Cascade Lake between Lake Placid and Keene. The project was originally scheduled to begin in early May but was delayed after crews discovered a fiber-optic cable line in an unexpected location.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters is coming out on the losing end of a bitter lawsuit with a California competitor.  Green Mountain claimed Rogers Family Coffee produced coffee pods which are too similar to the Keurig single-cup pods created by the Vermont business.  The lawsuit put production by Rogers on hold for a year, but now the judge is siding with the California company, saying it did not violate Keurig's patents.  Rogers will now go back to making the one-cup pods and plans to expand that to teas as well.

New unemployment claims fell in Vermont, for the most part continuing a trend seen since the middle of spring. For the week of May 25, 2013, there were 683 new, regular benefit claims for Unemployment Insurance in Vermont. This is a decrease of 166 from the previous week's total, and 37 fewer than they were a year ago.  Vermont's unemployment rate fell one-tenths to 4.0 percent in April, the third lowest rate in the nation and lowest in New England.

Ticonderoga’s Best Fourth in the North Committee needs help now so it can put on the community’s celebration this year.  Committee Chair Debbie Barber said local businesses, organizations and community members are needed to sponsor the $30,000 event, which will be held July 1, 2, 3 and 4.  She said any sponsorships must be received quickly to be included on T-shirts, banners and schedules.  A $500 donation gets listed on parade banners, schedules, press releases, advertising and T-shirts; other sponsorships are for $250, $100 and $50 and have varying degrees of recognition at the event.  The celebration will include fireworks, a parade, live music, food, vendors, rides, games and more.   

WVTK Local & State News May 30, 2013

With temperatures expected to be in the 80's the next few days, a lot of folks will be headed to their favorite swimming holes.  Rescue crews, however, are cautioning people who are considering a dip in a river, pond, or other natural water areas.  Currents right now are strong and as tempting as the water looks, there's danger just below the surface.  Rescue crews say if you get swept into a current, try to hold onto something, and if you see someone needing help, don't go in yourself but instead throw something that person can hang onto.

Tomorrow the revised report is due on the impact of the F-35 jet fighters on the Burlington/South Burlington area if based there.  Burlington and the Air National Guard is the preferred site for newest fighter in the Air Force, but there's a lot of people in South Burlington who are not so enamored with the F-35.  An attorney representing the neighborhood near the airport says studies indicate the loud volume from the jets can lead to permanent hearing damage and lower achievement levels in young students.  However, on the economic side, there's a lot of people who see the jets as one way to retain 11-hundred Air Guard jobs.

A second man has been found guilty in the fatal beating of another man in northern New York last summer.  An Essex County jury earlier this week found 37-year-old Michael Rivers guilty of first-degree manslaughter and felony gang assault in the death of 45-year-old Robert Rennie.  Earlier this month, 20-year-old Scott Denno was convicted of the same charges.  Authorities say the leader of the attack was 40-year-old Paul Taylor, who's charged with second-degree murder.  His trial is pending.  Rivers and Denno will be sentenced Aug. 8.

Supporters of labeling genetically modified food are gearing up for a busy summer.  The team at the Vermont Public Interest Research Group announced plans earlier today for a door-to-door campaign across the state to get Vermonters behind the effort.  The push is designed to let people know what may be in their food and encourage them to contact lawmakers to support legislation that would require the labels.  The team hopes to knock on 70,000 doors.  Legislation requiring the labels passed in the Vermont House this year but did not get taken up by the Senate.

Two organizations are competing to represent up to 7,000 home-care workers in Vermont after legislation was passed allowing workers caring for the elderly and disabled to unionize.  An election is expected in the fall between two labor groups that specialize in organizing public employees and health care workers.  The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Service Employees International Union are competing to represent the workers, who offer care to people at home.

The new federal health care reform law has saved young adults millions of dollars in medical bills.  A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine says in the first year that the Affordable Care Act went into effect, young adults who are now allowed to stay on their parents insurance saved nearly $147 million dollars in emergency room bills.  Without the new law, young adults and their families would have had to pay that amount, or hospitals would have had to write it off. 

WVTK Local & State News May 29, 2013

The last of three Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEE) research study clinics is being held this afternoon until 7 o’clock at the Whiting Town Hall.  The first two clinics, held in April and early May at the Brandon Senior Center and Sudbury Town Hall, were well attended.  A total of 316 volunteers have donated blood samples that will be tested for antibodies to EEE.

Governor Shumlin signed the 2014-2015 Capital Budget into law earlier today.  A press release says the budget amounting to more than $173 million for projects across the state.  Governor Shumlin says "Not only is this the largest Capital Bill appropriation in the history of the state, but these projects will create jobs for Vermonters in the coming years."

Police in Rutland are investigating suspicious fires in the city.  The fires were just before 8 PM and 9 PM Tuesday in swampy areas off Spruce Street and behind the old Hannaford building on South Main Street.  Both were put out before anything was damaged.  Police say a witness spotted a man running from the second fire. He's described as being in his mid-20s, clean-shaven, with short brown hair, wearing a long-sleeve gray shirt with a red logo and brown shorts.  Please call Rutland City Police if you have any information.

The board that oversees Vermont's enhanced 911 emergency phone system says the wireless provider Sprint Nextel is ending a six-month test that allowed people to report emergencies with text messages.  The E911 board says the trial that began in December is scheduled to end May 31.  While no emergency messages were transmitted during the test period, officials with Vermont E911 and Spring both say the test was a success.  E911 Executive Director David Tucker says Sprint is ending the test as it prepares to make text-to-911 service available nationwide by May 2014.

Three former Grand Union stores in Vermont and another 6 in New York are now under new management.  Tops Markets have taken over.  The locations in Vermont are Northfield, Rutland, and Hardwick.  The company says shoppers can expect to see changes in amenities and more variety on the shelves.  Tops Markets now operates close to 160 supermarkets and employs more than 15,000 people.

Members of the Federal Emergency Management Agency are in Vermont this week, assessing damage from the flooding late last week triggered by heavy rain.  The FEMA teams are concentrating on Chittenden and Lamoille counties, and will be working with V-Trans and town officials to see if the state met a one-million-dollar threshold.  That determines if a public assistance disaster declaration is made.    Any disaster assistance request has to also have the approval of FEMA, as well as President Obama.

WVTK Local & State News May 28, 2013

Smokers in Vergennes could soon have fewer places to light up.  The city council today is considering a measure to ban smoking on the city green and at the city pool.  Alderman Mike Ouellette argues that smoking is a personal choice and that residents should not be subjected to second-hand smoke.  Earlier this year Vergennes students pushed the council to make the move.  The proposal would also ban smoking at city-sponsored events.

The last of three Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEE) research study clinics will be held tomorrow from noon to 7 PM at the Whiting Town Hall.  The first two clinics, held in April and early May at the Brandon Senior Center and Sudbury Town Hall, were well attended.  A total of 316 volunteers have donated blood samples that will be tested for antibodies to EEE.

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board is holding three public hearings on proposed changes to trout and bass fishing regulations.  The board proposes reducing the daily creel limit for brook trout by half and opening 11 new river sections to catch and release trout fishing with artificial flies or lures outside of the normal season.  The first public meeting was today at the St. Johnsbury Elementary School, the second one will take place tomorrow at the Pavilion Auditorium in Montpelier and the third one will be held on Thursday at the Kehoe Education Center in Castleton.

Vermont Gas Services Inc. on Friday unveiled a natural gas pipeline route through Cornwall that it believes will comply with the community’s town plan and setback requirements while creating taxable infrastructure. Company officials said the pipeline would pour an estimated $240,000 into the municipal coffers during its first year of operation while allowing a limited number of local tie-ins.  Vermont Gas officials will present further details of their plans at a community meeting tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, June 5, at Cornwall’s Bingham Memorial School. The Cornwall selectboard is also expected to hold an informational meeting on the topic within the next few weeks.

Moriah Central School eighth-grader Nicholas Manfred is a North Country “spellebrity.”  After all, beginning today, the 13-year-old will compete for the second consecutive year in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.  Nicholas earned his spot in the national competition in March, when he outlasted 51 other area students to become the champion of the Champlain Valley Educational Services Regional Spelling Bee.  The young spellebrity won the Regional Bee last year, as well, and spelled his way through the first three rounds of the 2012 national competition’s preliminaries before being eliminated.

Killington can now go on record as not only being the largest ski resort in Vermont, but staying open the longest in the Northeast.  A few more inches of fresh snow Sunday morning added to the three-foot base already there, and the skiers rushed in for one more day.  The lift tickets were free, with only one open and one trail below.  This wasn't the latest the ski area was open, because in 1997, the season didn't officially end until June 22nd.

For thousands, the annual Memorial Day parade in Vergennes is a tradition not to be missed.  Vergennes may be considered Vermont's smallest city, but every year it's the site of the state's largest Memorial Day parade.  It has all the traditional parade elements: student bands, shiny fire trucks and special guests.  But, the parade watchers and participants say it's much more than that, calling it a way to share pride, and say thank you to those who paid the ultimate price for freedom.

WVTK Local & State News May 24, 2013

Believe it or not, Vermont's economy is on the road to recovery.  Vermont economist and member of the New England Economic Partnership, Jeff Carr, says the state's recovery is only behind Massachusetts, which restored all of the jobs it lost.  While the construction sector is ranked one of the lowest for performance, the highest performance rates are in the trade, transportation, utilities and government sectors.  Carr says pre-recession employment rates should return in the next six to twelve months.

Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin says state officials are adding up the damage from overnight flash flooding to determine if it meets the $1 million threshold that could bring federal disaster assistance.  Shumlin made the comments earlier today while surveying the damage along Route 15 and 117 in Essex.  There was also a number of roads closed in Underhill, Jericho, Johnson, and Cambridge. 

Salisbury residents will have an extra reason to honor their local veterans this Memorial Day thanks to a successful effort by the local historical society to install a monument on town-owned land off of Maple Street.  The society, led by Barry Whitney Jr., spent the last seven years raising money to create the first designated veterans’ park for honoring all local servicemen and women who’ve served during every major conflict dating back to the Revolutionary War.

Vermont is getting $6.3 million in federal Homeland Security grants to help the state develop prevention and preparedness programs to respond to acts of terrorism and other catastrophic events.  U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy said the grants will come from two Homeland Security programs.  A $3.4 million homeland security grant will help support the implementation of strategies to plan, organize, train and equip first-responder agencies who would be called upon in the event of an act of terrorism or other disasters.  A second grant of just under $3 million will help Vermont and local governments prepare for disasters and hazards.

With Rain in the forecast all weekend long, officials want to remind you about the potential dangers of flooded basements.  First, shut off power to all basement appliances.  Don't touch circuit breakers, fuses or operation switches while standing in water.  Fishing waders, rubber boots and rubber gloves will not protect you from electrical shock.  If any appliances or electrical equipment are wet, have an electrician inspect them before using them.  And do not turn the power back on until the basement is dry.

WVTK Local & State News May 23, 2013

The state of Vermont is telling the newly formed Health Care Cooperative it cannot have a license to offer insurance policies because of serious financial problems.  The Vermont Health Co-Op was formed last year, under the Affordable Care Act to sell health insurance policies on an exchange starting next year.  State regulators say they don't think the co-op can meet basic financial commitments, and they want to make sure there's enough money to pay health insurance medical claims.  The C-E-O for Health Care Co-Op says they're disappointed, but will find a way to move forward.

Remains from dozens of graves which washed away in Tropical Storm Irene are finally at peace once again.  28 bodies swept away when Nason Brook in Rochester flooded Woodlawn Cemetery in August 2011 are finally being reburied this week.  More than 450-thousand dollars from FEMA along with state and local funds helped pay to shore up the cemetery land and fix the infrastructure.  The bodies of 24 others, however have never been found.  A rededication is planned for next month.

Crown Point Central School District voters have approved a school budget for next year that mirrors the current spending plan.  The budget, approved 97-10, maintains all existing programs and staff.  There are no cuts.  The 2013-14 budget totals over $6-million and is a 2-percent increase.  Crown Point Central School has 274 students kindergarten through 12th grade.

The U.S. Senate today rejected by a vote of 71 to 27 an amendment by Sen. Bernie Sanders to let states require labels on food or beverages made with genetically modified ingredients.  The issue is of special interest to Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.  An overwhelming majority of Americans favor GMO labeling but virtually all of the major biotech and food corporations in the country oppose it.”  The Vermont House on May 10 voted 99-42 for legislation calling for labeling food products that contain genetically modified organisms.  Sanders’ proposal was designed to make it clear that states have the authority to require the labeling of foods produced using genetically modified organisms.

Crews responded to a garbage truck that caught fire off Shelburne Road in Shelburne. According to the Shelburne Fire Department, something in the back of a Casella Waste truck caught fire.  The contents in the truck were hosed down.  At this time, they do not think it was suspicious.  No one was injured from the fire.

The South Burlington City Council has OK'd a new building at the University Mall, which is expected to settle a lawsuit.  The UMall wants to tear down a two-story building on Dorset Street and replace it with a 6,000-square-foot building that would house a bank and retail space. But under the city's interim zoning rules, the City Council rejected the proposal, prompting the mall owners to sue.  This week, the City Council reversed course, voting unanimously in favor of the project.

WVTK Local & State News May 22, 2013

With gas prices rising rapidly, Senator Bernie Sanders wants to see federal regulators follow the lead of Europeans and investigate oil and fuel price manipulation.  Sanders also proposed a 30 day deadline for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which he says would help curb excessive speculation in crude oil markets.  This speculation can significantly increase oil and gas prices.  Sanders says these price hikes are coming at a time when U.S. inventories have reached a 3 decade high, while demand is lower.

Voters in Ticonderoga have approved a school budget for next year that included employee and academic cuts.  The 2013-14 budget totals over $18-million.  That’s an increase of almost 4-percent from the current spending plan.  The spending plan calls for the elimination of 11.6 full-time equivalent jobs and cuts in academic programs.  In all, 25 employees are being cut to some degree.  Also eliminated is a librarian position. That person is retiring and will not be replaced.

Vermont State Police are currently investigating a car break-in at the hiking access on Mountain Road in Addison.  According to reports, an unlocked vehicle was parked at the access and approximately $2,200 in personal property was stolen from inside the vehicle.  Anyone with information is asked to contact Vermont State Police New Haven Barracks.  Information can also be submitted anonymously online at www.vtips.info or text CRIMES (274637) to Keyword: VTIPS.

A pair of siblings pleaded innocent to a string of burglaries in Rutland that police say funded their heroin addiction.  28-year-old Todd Miller and his sister 30-year-old Amanda Miller pleaded not guilty.  The pair is charged with multiple counts of felony burglary.  Police say starting in October, the siblings stole and then pawned jewelry and assorted silverware from at least five homes around the city.  Police estimate from one house alone on Church Street the Millers stole up to $12,000 worth of goods.  The siblings were released on conditions.  If convicted, Todd Miller could face up to 100 years in prison; his sister could spend up to 45 years behind bars.

The Agency of Agriculture is tracking down hay producers who used an herbicide now being blamed for poisoning compost.  Contaminated hay believed to have been sold to a stable in Colchester up to two years ago, was fed to horses and manure from them was used in making the compost.  A specific chemical that ruined hundreds of gardens last year was found in material produced by Green Mountain Compost.  There's new rules for using the herbicide, and the hay producers the Agency of Agriculture is looking for could face fines up to ten-thousand dollars.

Lake Bomoseen is getting some additional help, with more police at the state park.  Officials there say an increased police presence is needed due to an increase in nighttime noise.  In previous summers, Castleton police would only drive through the park, but this year there will be an officer on foot patrol, once a contract now in the works is agreed upon.  Bomoseen State Park opens up for the season on Memorial Day Weekend.