WTSA News For Your Thursday, April 21st:
No deaths. but there were 332 new covid 19 cases in Vermont reported Wednesday, with 5 in Windham County. There was one death and 355 new covid cases in New Hampshire, with 21 new positive tests in Cheshire County. In Massachusetts, 24 deaths and 1,853 new cases of the covid 19 virus, with one death and 15 new positive covid tests in Franklin County.
Brattleboro will celebrate Earth Day on Friday with a street festival and parade. There will be food, music, dance performances, art, bicycle decorating, kids activities, a trash pick-up contest, and a parade down Main Street. Parade kicks off at 6 pm. Events will be held around the state beginning today, with an online discussion about separating climate change fact from fiction.
The Vermont Senate has passed an eight-billion-dollar state budget. The Senate’s budget proposal prioritizes investments in housing, mental health and disability services, workforce and economic development, and higher education. It invests over $160 million in climate action and close to $100 million in broadband connectivity. The Senate is also committed to putting over $30 million back in the pockets of Vermonters through a balanced package of tax relief.
Vermont Governor Phil Scott has signed a tax exemption for some property owned by Vermont-recognized Native American Tribes from property tax. Scott says the bill was crafted narrowly in order to benefit only Vermont’s four state-recognized Native American tribes, the official, registered non-profit entities of the tribes and non-profit tribal purposes. According to the Legislature’s Joint Fiscal Office no additional non-profits would be created to take advantage of this bill’s benefits and the bill will not allow for or incentivize land transfers exclusively for the purpose of avoiding taxation. Scott calls on the Legislature to take action to correct any consequences which would further increase costs to all Vermonters because of this legislation.
As the Biden Administration pauses student loan payments, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders says there is another way those loan payments can be forgiven. It is easier than ever to qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program – a program created in 2007 to cancel student debt for individuals who work in the public and non-profit sector for 10 years or more. This temporary change means that Vermonters who are a non-profit employee, a public service worker, or a military service member may qualify for this loan relief. The deadline to apply is October 31.
Authorities are investigating a shooting in Springfield Wednesday morning. Police say no one was injured in the incident however investigators were seen pulling a shell casing off of a home on Park Street. Police responded to the area late Wednesday morning after a report of shots fired. Police say the shooter had already fled the scene before they arrived and that they are actively looking for him. “There was a white male, heavyset, wearing a black hoodie with a gray-colored vest that was seen to be running from the area,” said Springfield Police Chief Mark Fountain. Police are continuing to investigate the motive behind the shooting. Police say believe it was an isolated incident and that there is no threat to public safety. This is the second shooting under investigation in Springfield this month.
LOTTERY NUMBERS:
TRI STATE PICK 3 3-8-2
TRI STATE PICK 4 1-7-3-2
TRI STATE GIMME 5 5-8-17-34-37
TRI STATE MEGABUCKS 2-12-22-31-40 MEGA BALL 4
POWERBALL 20-30-45-55-56 POWERBALL 14
MASS CASH 2-4-25-34-35
WTSA SPORTS:
The Celtics dominated the 4th quarter on their way to a Game 2 win over Brooklyn last night, 114-107. Jaylen Brown scored 22 points to lead the way for the C’s. Game 3 is Saturday in Brooklyn, tip-off is at 7:30.
The Red Sox gave up 5 runs in the 2nd, as Toronto rolled over the ‘Sox on Wednesday, 6-1. The teams play this afternoon, Tanner Houck on the mound for Boston, first pitch is at 1:35.
Anthony Rizzo hit a homer on the Yankees way to a 5-3 win over Detroit on Wednesday. The Yankees and Tigers play again this afternoon, Jordan Montgomery on the mound for the Bombers, first pitch is at 1:10.