WTSA News For Your Wednesday, September 20th:
The Federal Nuclear Waste Policy (FNWP) Committee of the Vermont Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel (VT NDCAP) will meet on Monday, September 25, from 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM. As permitted by ACT 1 of the 2023 Vermont Legislature, this meeting will be conducted solely as a webcast and teleconference. Dr. Sara Hogan of the US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy, and Dr. Steve Maheras, US DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, will discuss the current planning efforts for spent nuclear fuel transportation within the continental United States. Logistical considerations for moving spent fuel from the Vermont Yankee site will be included in this discussion.
As Grace Cottage Hospital awaits state approval of a new outpatient clinic, a community forum about the project is planned for September 27 at 5 p.m. at the Wardsboro Town Hall. The Green Mountain Care Board (the regulatory body that oversees hospitals in Vermont) is now in their deliberation phase regarding the Certificate of Need for the project. The Certificate of Need application was placed on a 120-day timetable for a decision on July 26th.
One of the light poles on the back side of the Highgrove lot was struck by a vehicle and had to be removed. Due to this damage all lights along the back wall of the lot are out of order. Local electricians will be working to secure and install replacement parts. Expect the lights to be out and the lot to be unlit until further notice.
Today, Utilities Crews will be working to repair a road box at the intersection of High Street and Bullock Street. The work will take place between 7:00am and 11:00am. During this time, Bullock will be closed, and motorists should plan to use alternate routes.
The National Endowment for the Humanities has awarded the Vermont organization a Disaster Recovery Grant of $200,000 for ongoing flood recovery efforts for cultural organizations in the state. The emergency funding is designed to support non-profit organizations impacted by the historic flooding in Vermont as they seek to return to providing cultural or humanities-based programming to their communities. Vermont Humanities has already raised an additional $165,000 from reserve funds and generous individual donors seeking to offer flexible funding in support of the state’s vital community and cultural resources, and the award will empower the organization to extend that help further. Donations to the fund are still being accepted.
Vermont family households saw modest income growth last year, but it was not enough to keep up with inflation. According to the latest data from the U.S. Census, Vermont median household income rose to $73,991 in 2022. That was a 2.2 percent increase from 2021, the second smallest increase in the country, next to New Hampshire. Taking into consideration inflation, a Vermont median household income actually fell last year by 5.5 percent after adjusting for inflation.
Vermont Senator Peter Welch and New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen are part of a group that filed a legal brief urging the federal court to uphold the constitutionality of Congress allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices for consumers. The Pharmaceutical firm Merck is trying to block the law that allows Medicare to negotiate prices. Welch says the Inflation Reduction Act is bringing Medicare in line with other government agencies like the VA, and it’s just the beginning of their fight.
LOTTERY NUMBERS:
TRI STATE PICK 3 9-5-1
TRI STATE PICK 4 5-8-0-0
LUCKY FOR LIFE 1-3-10-23-34 LUCKY BALL 3
MEGA MILLIONS 6-9-13-29-66 MEGA BALL 24
MASS CASH 10-16-20-29-35
WTSA SPORTS:
Josh Jung hit a tie-breaking single in the 7th inning that was the difference as Texas beat the Red Sox on Tuesday, 6-4. The teams play again this afternoon, Brayan Bello on the mound for Boston, first pitch is at 2:05.
George Springer and Bo Bichette each homered to lead Toronto past the Yankees on Tuesday, 7-1. The teams play again tonight, Michael King on the mound for New York, first pitch is at 7:05.
Locally, in Girl’s High Soccer on Tuesday, Brattleboro tied Mt. Anthony, 5 to 5. In Boys’ soccer, Brattleboro visits Green Mountain today.