Northern opinion on war with Iraq
Canadian views on a possible war with Iraq differ sharply from opinion in the United States. In part five of our series Perspectives on War, VPR’s Neal Charnoff explores the northern point of view. (Listen to the story online or read the transcript.) (VPR)
Vermont Yankee evacuation plan
The Dummerston Selectboard has voted to reject Vermont Yankee’s emergency evacuation plan. (VPR)
Heroin treatment center
Governor Jim Douglas wants heroin addicts to receive treatment in Vermont and not be sent out of state. Douglas Thursday announced that the state will seek bids for a new, 80-bed drug treatment center. He says the center is a key element of his program to fight drug addiction. (Listen to the story online or read the transcript.) (VPR)
Bioterrorism conference
State officials say preparations for a possible bioterrorism attack are going smoothly, but there’s much to be done before the plan is fully in place. Concerns about a terrorist attack were heightened recently when the government put the nation on the second highest level of alert. (Listen to the story online or read the transcript.) (VPR)
Reiner endorses Dean
Howard Dean’s bid to win the Democratic presidential nomination got a big boost on Thursday when film director Rob Reiner announced his strong support for Dean. Reiner is very active in Democratic politics and the endorsement is expected to open a lot of new fundraising opportunities for Dean. (Listen to the story online or read the transcript.) (VPR)
Prescription purchasing pool
Vermont and Michigan have teamed up to save money on prescription drugs for Medicaid patients. (VPR)
Canadian drug embargo
The Vermont Senate wants the drug maker Glaxo-Smith-Kline to lift its embargo on selling its products to Canadian mail-order pharmacies that re-sell them to U.S. consumers. Glaxo last month said it would no longer sell its products to Canadian pharmacies, which had been selling them back into the U.S. at the regulated (and therefore lower) prices set by the Canadian government. The Senate Thursday passed a resolution calling for an end to the embargo. Supporters of the measure say the Canadian price reductions are what keep some of the medicines affordable for Vermonters. (AP)
Middlebury files in affirmative action case
Vermont’s Middlebury College is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold affirmative action programs at the University of Michigan. The college is joining about two dozen other liberal arts schools in a friend-of-the court brief. (AP)
Syrup run
Maple syrup makers hope the cold, snowy winter turns on a steady flow of sap from sugar maple trees this year. They say conditions this winter could set up a good maple run if the weather continues to cooperate. (AP)
Stroke rates calculated
A new federal study indicates that residents of Rutland and Addison counties are more likely to die from strokes than are other Vermonters. Overall, Vermont’s stroke death rate is lower than the national average of 120 deaths per 100,000 people older than 35. (AP)
State handling of FAHC
Vermont regulators could have caught overspending on Fletcher Allen Health Care’s renovation and expansion much sooner than they did. That’s the word from the state Auditor of Accounts Elizabeth Ready, whose office spent months investigating the project at Vermont’s largest hospital. (AP)