May 24, 2004 – News at a glance

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Increased demand for road repairs
A few miles of crumbling pavement on Interstate 89 received a lot of attention earlier this year. But Vermont has more than 300 miles of Interstate and officials say the entire system is in serious need of repair. (VPR)

Interview: ‘Red Sox Century’
Fans of the Boston Red Sox may not want to see the documentary “Still We Believe” that opened in theaters throughout New England this weekend. The film chronicles the 2003 season that ended with a devastating playoff loss to the New York Yankees. If the movie is too much to take, it might be easier to read about the 2003 season in the newly updated “Red Sox Century,” the comprehensive guide to the team’s history. Mitch Wertlieb talks with the book’s co-author, Glen Stout, about the 2003 season. (VPR)

Increased fees help balance budget
Lawmakers can say they balanced Vermont’s $955 million general fund budget without raising taxes this year. But Vermonters will pay more than $3.2 million in new fees. The government levies thousands of fees, and about a third of them go up in cost each year. (AP)

Kids conference at Statehouse
More than 220 state and local leaders are expected to converge on the Statehouse on Monday to discuss extra learning opportunities for kids. The conference is aimed at getting more young people involved in sports, the arts, community service and other useful activities. (AP)

Higher milk prices
Wholesale milk prices are at record highs. The federal government set the wholesale price for a gallon of milk in May to $1.69 – a record price. At the Hannaford Food and Drug Superstore in Burlington, a gallon of milk cost between $3.39 and $3.59 last week. (AP)

Burlington city budget
City councilors in Burlington are set to vote tonight on a $153.5 million budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The city’s general fund budget, which covers most of its departments, is up by 8.6 percent from last year. (AP)

UVM commencement
The University of Vermont celebrated its past this weekend. The university held its 200th commencement on Sunday and did so on the university green, marking the first time since 1962 the ceremonies have been held on the green at the center of the campus. UVM graduated its first class in 1804 but the university suspended operations for a year during the War of 1812, which made this year’s commencement the 200th. (AP)

Turkey season
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says the turkey harvest declined this year. Vermont’s spring turkey season opened May 1 and continues until noon on the last day of the month. The Pittsford Fish and Wildlife office tallied more than 1,100 hunting reports that had been turned in by the middle of last week (AP)

Sea lamprey impact lake fish
Fisheries biologists on Lake Champlain say sea lamprey attacks are taking a heavy toll on salmon, rainbow trout and brown trout. Staff from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service office in Essex Junction and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation sampled four tributaries on the New York side of the lake. They came up with just 93 salmon, one brown trout, and no rainbow trout. (AP)

Suspicious fires in Addison County
Vermont state police are investigating a series of suspicious fires that occurred Sunday in Addison County. Police say fires in vehicles and buildings were reported in Middlebury, Weybridge, Cornwall and Bridport during the late afternoon. (AP)

Sheriff’s deputies cited
Several sheriff’s deputies in Vermont have gotten in trouble with the law this year. Chittenden County Deputy Sheriff Martin Olsen pleaded guilty in January to child pornography charges. Rutland County Deputy Sheriff Benjamin Herrick was cited in March for providing beer to a minor, who was also a deputy. (AP)

Tunbridge teen charged
A teen-ager from Tunbridge has been ordered to appear in court on charges of attempted aggravated assault for allegedly throwing a rock off a highway overpass last month. Police say 17-year-old Peter Blaisdell threw a rock off a bridge over Interstate 89 in Royalton. The rock hit a car driven by 32-year-old Julie Reynolds of Lowell, Massachusetts. Nobody was injured. (AP)

Moose hit on Interstate
A moose was killed but no humans were injured when three vehicles struck the animal on Interstate 89 in Sharon. Vermont state police say the accidents occurred last night. Police say all the vehicles’ occupants were wearing seat belts. (AP)

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