May 8, 2003 – News at a glance

Print More

Interview: dissent in schools
Steve Delaney talks with the commissioner the propriety of political dissent in high school classrooms. (Listen to the interview online.) (VPR)

Habitat for Humanity
Vermont has 10 chapters of Habitat for Humanity, the organization that helps needy families get a start in the housing market. But a recently formed chapter in southern Vermont has encountered an unusual problem. (Listen to the story online or read the transcript.) (VPR)

Identity theft bill
The Vermont House on Tuesday gave its strong preliminary approval to legislation that makes it a crime to steal someone’s identity for fraudulent purposes. (VPR)

Hot summer may bring energy shortage
New England energy officials say it may be difficult to meet the demand for electricity in northwestern Vermont this summer. Conservation measures and rolling brown outs may be necessary if the region experiences unusually hot weather. (Listen to the story online.) (VPR)

Vermont trauma resources
As American soldiers return from Iraq, the news is full of images of joyful reunions with loved ones. But in the coming weeks, some military personnel will suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. When that happens, it’s likely they’ll turn to a Vermont center for help. (Listen to the story online.) (VPR)

Stowe expansion plan
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is taking public comments this week on a $220 million expansion at the Stowe Mountain Resort. The ski area plans to build a 35-acre ski village and 18-hole golf course at the base of Spruce Peak. (AP)

License security features
The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles says driver’s licenses will soon be harder to counterfeit. The DMV is adding new security features to licenses, including a digital watermark. (AP)

GMC will replace burnt barn
The Green Mountain Club will demolish its charred 1837 barn instead of restoring it. The Club’s landmark red barn in Waterbury Center burned down in January. (AP)

Homeland security funds
Vermont’s police, fire and rescue agencies are starting to benefit from the federal government’s effort to prepare for a possible terrorist attack. About nine million dollars has reached the state so far with another $13 million due soon. (AP)

Nurses’ contract negotiation
A federal mediator will participate in next month’s contract negotiations between Vermont’s largest hospital and its unionized nurses. Fletcher Allen Health Care nurses have filed notice that they could strike if their contract is not in place by early June. (AP)

Memo on ANR politics
The Agency of Natural Resources frequently succumbs to political pressure and issues illegal environmental permits. That’s according to an internal memo by longtime ANR staffer John Brabant. Brabant says the agency is short of staff and resources. (AP)

Texas nuclear waste storage
The state of Texas is one step closer to taking radioactive waste from Vermont and Maine. The Texas Senate Wednesday approved a plan to set up two low-level radioactive waste facilities. One site would handle waste from Texas, Vermont and Maine. (AP)

UVM student housing
The University of Vermont is moving ahead on a promise to build more student housing. UVM wants to add 400 additional student beds on part of the Redstone campus. Some neighbors are concerned about added traffic and noise in Burlington’s hill section. (AP)

Dean comments on Halliburton
Presidential candidate Howard Dean says the Bush administration is selling the country down the river. Dean made the comments Wednesday after learning that Vice President Dick Cheney’s former company, Halliburton, is making more money in managing Iraq’s oil than originally believed. (AP)

Landlord suit settled
Former tenants of a southern Vermont housing complex with contaminated drinking water have agreed to a $3.1 million settlement. The tenants will press forward with a lawsuit against the property owner and their landlords. (AP)

Comments are closed.