Top stories developing across the region at the noon hour:
The Vermont Supreme Court heard oral arguments today over the validity of a storm-water permit issued to Lowe’s two years ago for a store in South Burlington; a state committee is recommending cuts in all transportation spending except for roads and bridges; a Vermont arm of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission is asking Vermont schools to stop using Indian symbols and nicknames in their athletic programs; environmental groups are calling for a ban on toys containing mercury batteries.
(To hear the Midday Report, click on the “Listen” icon.)