Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.:
All three members of Vermont’s congressional delegation oppose President Bush’s proposal to allow oil drilling off the U.S. coast. They describe the plan as "a gimmick" that won’t help lower gas prices for years to come. Instead, they have their own short term plan to lower energy prices; A Bear Stearns Cos.’s fund managers charged in New York with lying to investors about the collapse of the subprime mortgage market is a Vermont native; A children’s book illustrator known for her whimsical drawings of gardens, pets and country outings in rural New England that echoed her own picturesque lifestyle, has died.