By Lani Duke
updated
Fri, Jan 13, 2012 01:22 PM
Rare species may hinder construction
CASTLETON-Reunion Power, planning to build as many as 20 turbines
in the vicinity of Grandpa's Knob, may find its plans stymied by
the state Agency of Natural Resources. Agency secretary Deb
Markowitz recently announced that the project site lies on a
section of the Taconic Range that is "a rare, irreplaceable natural
area" of the state. The state has been careful to say that it is
not saying no to the project, just expressing concern about the
local habitat.
Reunion Power managing director Steve Eisenberg
characterized meetings with ANR as normal and customary for major
stakeholders.
However, the agency's deputy secretary, Christopher
Recchia, has said his organization's view is that there is no way
"of overcoming these resource obstacles…there is no opportunity for
nearby off site compensation."
Sounds to me as though the state has made up its mind but wants
Reunion to expend more money before it finds the difficulties
insurmountable.
FHGS baseball field fix
FAIR HAVEN-Local fundraising and a $10,000 state recreational
facilities matching grant are coming together to revamp the Junior
Babe Ruth Baseball Field in Fair Haven. Engineers anticipate
grading will curb the field's long-time flooding problem; the field
does not drain well, at least partly because of a layer of
compacted slate dust.
Built in the 1940s, the field served as the
high school's baseball field before the high school received a new
field a few years back. Although volunteers work on the field
before each game, doing so is often not enough.
In addition to fixing the field, the town recreation committee also
intends to purchase new balls, bats and helmets to replace those
damaged by flood water from tropical storm Irene earlier this year.
Baseball league sign-ups begin the week before February break,
continuing through March.
Poultney receives transportation funds
POULTNEY-The town of Poultney recently received $230,000 for
pedestrian improvements to make foot traffic in East Poultney
safer. A transportation enhancement grant provides most the
$276,000 to build a sidewalk from Route 140 along Bird Street to
the East Poultney green and connects to Thrall Bride. Thrall Bridge
will become a single-lane bridge with a pedestrian lane on each
side protected by rubber bollards.
Health career camp
FAIR HAVEN - Eleventh graders at Fair Haven and throughout
Vermont's four southernmost counties who are interested in careers
in healthcare may attend a residential summer camp through the
Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center. Scholarships are
available if students are the first generation of their family to
attend college or come from families with modest incomes.
"MedQuest students" spend six days on a college campus while they
job shadow healthcare professionals, participate in health-related
workshops, learn basic medical terminology and CPR, and make new
friends. MedQuest West is at Southern Vermont College in
Bennington, July 8-13; MedQuest East is at the School for
International Training in Brattleboro, July 29 - August 3.
Interested students should get in touch with school counselors;
applications are due Friday, March 2.
Seniors meet for lunch
PAWLET-Haystack Hustler Seniors meet at Mettawee School for a
noon-time lunch on Tuesday, Jan. 24. The students will join them
and tell of some of their activities. All Haystack Hustlers
meetings include collecting food for the Pawlet Food Pantry and
holding a 50/50 raffle. For more info, call Phyllis Mason,
325-3196.
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