Mon Noon News Script

Mon 08-MAR-2010 Noon News Script

1} MARYRAY_VO

Good afternoon, I'm Roger Garrity. A woman from our region certified as the oldest person in the United States has died. Mary Ray died Sunday at a nursing home in Westmoreland, New Hampshire. She was 114 years and 294 days old. These are pictures from Mary at her 114th birthday party last May. The Gerontology Research Group says that until her death, Ray was the oldest person in the country -- and just seven days younger than a Japanese woman who is the oldest person in the world

2} ELLIS_FONT

New details about an investigation into the death of a female inmate at the Swanton prison last year. 23-year-old Ashley Ellis died in August -- a day and half into a 30-day prison sentence for a driving violation. According to police reports obtained by the Rutland Herald -- a missed phone call may be the reason Ellis did not receive needed medication. The reports also show lawyers for a private contractor hired to provide medical care to inmates -- told its employees NOT to talk to police investigators.

3} NURSINGHOME_WHITE

The director of a Windsor County nursing home is under investigation for allegedly putting patients at risk. Leslie Whittington runs the Gill Odd Fellows Home in Ludlow. She's accused of interfering with medical care -- failing to keep records -- or adequate medical supplies -- and attempting to intimidate staff. State officials will hold an emergency hearing Friday -- to determine whether Whittington's license should be revoked.

4} TIBBETTS_FONT

The man charged with a string of devastating fires in Berlin, New Hampshire -- has been sent to the psychiatric unit at the state prison. Police say Kerry Tibbetts admitted he set multiple fires -- to relieve stress -- targeting buildings where he spent time as a child. But a judge ruled Tibbetts is not competent for trial. He will spend the next five years at the secure psychiatric unit at the state prison in Concord because the judge does feel Tibbetts poses a threat to the community.

5} PIGLSEY_FONT

The owners of an oil distributing company that allegedly failed to make good on pre-buy orders has been arrested. 44-year-old John Pigsley owns North Haverhill Convenience. He's charged with writing a dozen bad checks to a fuel distributor. The New Hampshire Attorney General's office is also investigating Pigsley after a dozen customers claimed they scheduled prepaid oil deliveries and never received them. No charges have been brought in that case.

6} NORTHCOUNTRY_FONT

The job market in New York's North Country -- is bleaker than it's been in years. Newly released unemployment statistics show Clinton County's jobless rate stood at nearly 11 percent in January. It's the highest January unemployment rate the county has seen in nearly 20 years. It's up from 9-point-7 percent in the same month last year. Essex County also reported a nearly 11 percent unemployment rate in January -- up slightly from 2009. And the highest January rate for the county in 11 years. And in Franklin County -- the jobless rate stood at about 10 percent. It's the same rate the county saw in February of 2009 -- which was the county's worst rate in years. Those unemployment rates are higher than both state and national figures. However -- retail trade and construction are usually slow in January.

7} CLINIC_VO

Free health care will be available in Burlington next Sunday. The Community Health Center will be offering free medical check-ups to up to 100 people. Fletcher Allen Health Care and a group of volunteer doctors are helping to staff the clinic. It runs from 8:00 a.m. to noon on Sunday. To schedule an appointment, call the community health center. You can find out more information in the InfoCenter. Just go to wcax-dot-com and click on the 'i' at the top of the page.

8} BEACHES_WHITE

New Hampshire lawmakers are considering banning smoking at the beaches. Supporters say it will boost tourism. Critics say it would be difficult for lifeguards to keep an eye on the water - and enforce the smoking ban at the same time.

9} SCHOOL_VO

Tomorrow is town meeting day in New Hampshire ... and school officials in Claremont are hopeful voters will approve a multi-million dollar renovation project at the high school. The project will include new science, music, and English wings. It will also make the high school 100-percent handicapped accessible and considerably more energy efficient. Its estimated cost is nearly 23-million dollars-- with 60-percent of the cost covered by the state. School officials say the time to build is now.

10} RENOVATION_SOTVO

((Jacqueline Guillette//SAU 6: "Everyone knows that Claremont has been working like crazy for the last eight or ten years and trying to reinvigorate, reinvent itself. Education is a key piece of a community's economic development. And when new people come to Claremont and want to look at and tour our high school, they know that they feel caring in and they see good education but they also know that they see an amazingly tired, old building.")) The project needs approval from 60 percent of the voters in the district.

11} UNCLAIMED_WHITE

As you prepare to file your tax returns for 2009 -- there's a last call for collecting refunds from 2006. Some 22-hundred Vermont taxpayers are owed $1-point-7 million dollars. But you only have until April 15th to get what's coming to you. After that, the money will be turned over to the government. You can find a link and instructions in the InfoCenter at wcax-dot-com.

12} FORECAST

Today: Mix of sun & clouds Highs: 42 to 48 Wind: WNW 5 to 15 mph Tonight: Partly cloudy Lows: 23 to 30 Wind: N 5 to 10 mph Tuesday: Mostly sunny Highs: 37 to 44 Wind: N 5 to 15 mph Extended: Wednesday: Sunny Lows: 18 to 25 Highs: 40s Thursday: AM sun Increasing clouds Lows: 20s Highs: 40s Friday: Cloudy AM rain/snow mix Then rain Lows: 28 to 35 Highs: 40s Hyper-Extended: Saturday: Rain Lows: 35 to 40 Highs: 40s Sunday: Rain showers Lows: 35 to 40 Highs: 40s

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