Clavelle says Douglas failing on several issues, misleading voters
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Peter Clavelle has launched an aggressive attack on his rival. Clavelle accused Governor Jim Douglas of a failure of leadership on a list of topics – economic development, education, energy issues and health care. (VPR)
Board prepares slate of Supreme Court nominees
The 11 members of the state’s Judicial Nominating Board are making some important decisions that will have an enormous impact on the future direction of Vermont’s Supreme Court. (VPR)
Interview: Vermont Red Cross chapter assists with hurricane damage in Florida
There are more than a few volunteers from Vermont willing to lend a hand to the victims of hurricanes Charley and Frances that have struck Florida. Mitch Wertlieb talks with Chet Briggs, director of Emergency Services for the central Vermont chapter of the American Red Cross about what Vermonters can do to help. (VPR)
CVPS crews help restore electricity in Florida
About two dozen employees of Central Vermont Public Service are headed to Florida to help restore power in the wake of two recent hurricanes. (VPR)
McMullen criticizes Leahy’s jobs record
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jack McMullen says incumbent Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy has not paid enough attention to creating new jobs across the state. Speaking at a press conference in the Statehouse, McMullen said Wednesday he was much better qualified to bring new, good paying jobs to Vermont because of his more than 20 years of experience in private business. (VPR)
September 11 memorials
The third anniversary of the September 11 attacks falls on Saturday, and as VPR’s Steve Zind reports people are finding new ways to mark the occasion.
Homeland security jobs
Vermont U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy led a successful fight in the Senate Wednesday to stop the Bush administration’s effort to hand some Department of Homeland Security jobs to private companies. Leahy argued that some of those jobs involve weeding out potential terrorists among people seeking entry to the United States. (AP)
Heating assistance funds
Vermont Congressman Bernard Sanders backed a successful amendment yesterday to add $22 million more to heating and weatherization assistance programs. The amendment passed on a 305 to 114 vote against a backdrop of steeply rising fuel prices and worries about the ability of low-income people to heat their homes this winter. (AP)
Flood watch
The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for northern Vermont except Grand Isle County. It’s to last through the end of Thursday. The remnants of Hurricane Frances are expected to dump two to three inches of rain on the region. Heavy rain early today is expected to taper to showers by afternoon. (AP)
Flood damage
Governor Jim Douglas has asked for a federal disaster declaration for seven Vermont counties due to recent rains and flooding. Douglas wrote to President Bush Wednesday and said the $1.8 million in estimated damage to public property was more than the state and its communities could afford. (AP)
Tourism suffers from rainy summer
Tourism is down in Vermont this summer and attraction owners are blaming the rain. Visits to state parks were down five percent compared to last year and factory tours at The Vermont Teddy Bear Company in Shelburne were down 10 percent. (AP)
Peterson Dam hearing
The Vermont Public Service Board is continuing to listen to sample public opinion as members prepare to decide whether to remove the Peterson Dam from the Lamoille River. The Public Service Board held a hearing on the issue Wednesday. (AP)
Coventry landfill
A regional land-use commission has ordered the owners of a landfill near the Vermont-Canada border to draw up a plan for preventing water pollution. That also will address concerns from Quebec officials and residents who get their drinking water from Lake Memphremagog. (AP)
Lipizzan patriarch dies
The patriarch of the Royal Lipizzan stallions that have summered in North Hero for 13 years is dead. Ottomar Herrmann died of a heart attack Monday in Massachusetts about 45 minutes after the end of a performance. He was 75. His family says the horses will return next summer. (AP)