WTSA News For Your Wednesday, April 27th:
Vermont recorded one death and 327 new covid 19 cases on Tuesday. There were 13 new positive covid tests in Windham County. New Hampshire reported 206 new Covid 19 cases with no deaths, including 7 new covid positive tests in Cheshire County. Massachusetts reported one death and 2,372 new covid 19 cases, with ten new covid positive tests in Franklin County.
Putney has two new select board members. Charles Raubicheck and Peg Alden were elected in a special election Tuesday. This year’s town meeting approved increasing the board from three to five members. More than a quarter of the town’s voters voted in the special election.
Five Windham County projects have received flood resilience grants. The Tri Park cooperative in Brattleboro was granted 575 thousand dollars to remove flood prone structures, and another 75 thousand for a bridge replacement scoping project. The Connecticut River Conservancy will use 20 thousand for flood plain restoration in Guilford. 66 thousand dollars is headed to Dover for a study of removing the snow lake dam. Putney will receive 31 grand for a Sacketts brook wetland project. The funding was announced Tuesday by Vermont Governor Phil Scott.
Windham County is one of six in Vermont that has seen work force declines of at least 15 percent. The state labor department’s Mathew Barewicz says the proportion of working age Vermonters between 20 and -64 has also declined, dropping by nearly 5% between 2010 and 2020. Statewide K-12 enrollment has fallen 21.3% since 2004, and 11 of 14 counties have seen double digit declines in student enrollment, with decreases between 10% and 21% since 2011. Vermont Governor Phil Scott says he’s continuing to emphasize job growth, to make the state more affordable.
The McLure foundation is offering Vermont high school students the chance to get a free associates degree from the community college of Vermont. Many Vermont high school students are using the dual enrollment program to get up to a full year of college by the time of high school graduation. Now, the foundation will offer the classes of 2023 thru 26 enrolled in the program the chance to get an additional year of college for free. The announcement is meant to help high schoolers who otherwise might not continue their education.
The Windham County Sheriff’s office and West River Valley Thrives are raising awareness about Saturday’s National Drug Take Back Day. This initiative gives Vermont residents the opportunity to prevent prescription drug abuse and theft by ridding their homes of expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Anonymously drop your pills and patches in an Rx drug drop box near you. Last year, the Windham County Sheriff’’s Department collected 79.87 pounds of unused medications, which equals the weight of a small sofa.
Another candidate has entered Vermont’s U.S. Senate race. Brattleboro activist Isaac Evans-Frantz says his work in health care, nonprofits, and international aid makes him the right fit for the seat being vacated by Senator Patrick Leahy. The Democrat says he’s spent years organizing for social justice and for peace and that Vermont needs a new voice in Washington. If elected, he says he’ll advocate for more public education funding, a child tax credit, childcare, and policies to mitigate climate change. Evans-Frantz will face Rep. Peter Welch in the August primary. Former U.S. Attorney for Vermont Christina Nolan is running on the Republican ticket.
LOTTERY NUMBERS:
TRI STATE PICK 3 2-2-9
TRI STATE PICK 4 2-8-0-0
LUCKY FOR LIFE 2-22-35-38-39 LUCKY BALL 2
MEGA MILLIONS 5-7-19-46-69 MEGA BALL 2
MASS CASH 9-16-17-19-35
WTSA SPORTS:
George Springer hit a two-run homer to force extra innings, and the Blue Jays went on to beat Boston last night, 6-5. The teams play again tonight, Michael Wacha on the mound for Boston, first pitch is at 7:05.
Anthony Rizzo slugged three homers in leading the Yankees past Baltimore last night, 12-8. The teams play again tonight, Jordan Montgomery on the mound for New York, first pitch I at 7:05.
The Bruins beat Florida last night, 4-2. Linus Ullmark had 19 saves for the B’s.