Reapportionment
The stalemate over reapportionment continued at the Statehouse Thursday. The Senate offered a new plan to the House but it was immediately rejected. (Listen to the story online or read the transcript.) (VPR)
Route 9
After decades of delays, work has begun on a $20 million project to correct a dangerous situation on Route 9. It’s one of Vermont’s most heavily traveled east-west truck routes. (Listen to the story online or read the transcript.) (VPR)
Seized Sheep
The East Warren farmers whose sheep were seized last year amid fears of Mad Cow Disease are disputing the governments interpretation of test results. The sheep were slaughtered because the government said tests showed the sheep might have had an illness related to Mad Cow Disease. (Read the transcript online.)
Dubie Announces Lieutenant Governor
Brian Dubie made it official Thursday. The Essex Junction resident says he will seek the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor this year. Dubie was the GOP candidate in this race two years and lost to Lieutenant Governor Doug Racine by roughly a 10-point margin. (Read the transcript online.)
Dean’s Absence
Some lawmakers are blaming the delay in adjourning the Legislature on Governor Howard Dean’s absence. Dean says he made speech commitments out of state before he knew the Legislature would run a month longer than usual. (AP)
Firefighters
Governor Dean has signed a bill providing $50,000 to the survivors of volunteer firefighters who may be killed in the line of duty. (AP)
Telemarketing Bill
Telemarketers now have to register with the state under a law enacted yesterday. It contains penalties for callers who contact people who have signed onto a “do not call” list. (AP)
Leahy Criticizes FBI
Vermont Senator Pat Leahy says Congress should have been told about the FBI memo that pointed out Arabs who were training at a flight school in Arizona. (AP)
Cornfield Turned Over for Development
An 18 year-old fight over turning a cornfield in Keene, NH into a shopping complex has ended. Groundbreaking was held for the new shopping mall, which will open late next year. (AP)
UVM Public Administration Program
The University of Vermont has reversed its decision to close a masters program in public administration. The program will be housed in the Community Development Department. (AP)
Truck Tolls Considered
Hartford is studying whether to charge fees to heavy trucks that use local roads and damage the pavement. (AP)
Beers Murder Trial
Teen murder suspect Tashia Beers’ lawyer wants the charges against her thrown out. The charges were filed two years after the girl allegedly talked her foster brother into killing her step-mother. (AP)
MAU Building Permit
The Act 250 commission in Bennington has approved the application of the Mt. Anthony Union School district to build on an open parcel of land outside the town of Bennington. MAU has criticized the Conservation Law Foundation’s for the way objected to the building permit. CLF may appeal, and that could delay construction for another year. (AP)