The Burlington Free Press from Burlington, Vermont • Page 1

SHELTER from the STORM I V1r 1 WATER WORKS rsnnsmnsn Flower show offers hint 'I Nine towns request C)Ytts? of spring amid winter chill fast action on micro-hydro Jl33iS HOUSE HOME X. 'JS VERMONT, IB I x. yfr Cc. sn, Pag3 2A JFtee jte Friday, March 9, 2007 A Local Custom Serving Vermont for 180 years www.burlingtonfreepress.com 50 cents Last chance for hoop tickets Hospital IN SPORTS BASKETBALL PREVIEW: The UVM, Albany matchup: PAGE ID CATS VS. CATS: Which team would win? Online poll at Entries will not be accepted after 11 a.m.

Entries must include a full name and phone number; winners will be contacted by phone this afternoon. All orders must be paid for at the time of notification, and a valid photo ID will be required to claim the tickets. The photo ID must match the name of the entry winner. Tickets cost $25 per seat and will be limited to two per winner. The lottery is limited to one entry per Lottery will decide who fills 125 seats Free Press Staff Report Feeling lucky? A stroke of fortune is the only way you're going to get tickets to the America East Conference men's basketball final Saturday at the University of Vermont's Patrick Gymnasium.

The showdown between UVM and the University at Albany is almost sold out, but the last 125 tickets will be parceled out today by lot- executive lay avoid jail time David Demers was one of four former Fletcher Allen executives accused of hiding project costs ERIK JACOBS, Special to the Free Press CATS ADVANCE: Vermont's Slavomir Tomko tries to slow down Boston University's John McCarthy during Thursday's Hockey East playoff game at Agganis Arena in Boston. UVM won, 3-2. Story, ID tery. To enter, fans can stop by the ticket office at Patrick Gym between 9 and 11 a.m. or send an e-mail to Phone entries will not be accepted.

College signal fading? mm- By Adam Silverman Free Press Staff Writer David Demers, one of four top executives at Fletcher Allen Health Care who presided over a criminal scheme to conceal the true cost of a multimillion-dollar hospital expansion, will avoid prison time if a judge ac cepts the prosecution's recommendation during a sentencing hearing today. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Burlington, joined by defense lawyers for Demers, 51, of Shelburne, said in court papers that a $25,000 fine, 200 hours of community service and two David Demers CP years of probation is sufficient punishment for the former senior vice president of planning, development and public relations. Demers, a married father of three, deserves consideration because he helped state and federal authorities investigate the cover-up surrounding the $380 million Renaissance Project, testified against Fletcher Allen's former-CEO and grew to accept his own culpability in the scandal. "Even as the evidence of his role in the scheme became increasingly clear, Mr.

Demers remained committed to meeting with the government in order to help the government in its investigation," federal prosecutor Michael Drescher wrote in court papers filed in advance of the sentencing hearing this afternoon in U.S. District Court in Burlington. The suggested punishment is notably less than federal sentencing guidelines and could be ignored by Judge William Sessions III. Demers faces up to five years in prison under terms of his 2005 guilty plea to a felony conspiracy charge, according to court See DEMERS, 8A 0 Photos by GLENN RUSSELL, Free Press DJ Mike Morris loads a song to play Thursday during his show, "The Left Side," on WWPV at St. Michael's College in Colchester.

The college has discussed selling the station to Vermont Public Radio. St. Michael's considers selling student station to VPR begun "a discussion" with St. Michael's, which he called one of VPR's "longstanding partners." VPR has a presence on WWPV (88.7 on the dial), airing BBC broadcasts during hours when student shows are not running, such as 2-10 a.m. on weekdays.

This arrangement has lasted eight years, Vogelzang said. Students learned of VPR's interest See RADIO, 8A By Tim Johnson Free Press Staff Writer Vermont Public Radio has expressed an interest in acquiring WWPV, the student-run FM radio station at St. Michael's College, in hopes of turning it into an all-classical-music station serving Chittenden County. No deal is imminent, and VPR has not made a formal proposal, said Mark Vogelzang, president and general manager of VPR. He said VPR has merely To our readers Delivery of Thursday's Free Press was delayed in some areas due to a mechanical breakdown in our press.

We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. A door to the on-air studio. Withdrawal plan draws veto threat FT TTTT jrnr House Speaker Nancy Pelosi discusses Democrats' "U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health and Iraq Accountability Act" on Capitol Hill on Thursday. Rep.

Ike Skelton, looks on. Democrats tie troops to war-spending bill By David Espo The Associated Press WASHINGTON House Democratic leaders vowed Thursday to pass legislation setting a deadline of Sept. 1, 2008, for the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq, a challenge to President Bush's war policy that drew a blunt veto threat in return. gress for the redeployment of our troops out of Iraq." Officials said the deadline would be accelerated possibly to the end of 2007 if the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki failed to meet commitments for taking over security operations, distributing oil revenue and opening his nation's constitution to amendments.

Pelosi said Democrats would add their war-related provisions See IRAQ, 8A Highlights of Democrats' plan for the war in Iraq, 8A "It would unnecessarily handcuff our generals on the ground, and it's safe to say it's a nonstarter for the president," White House spokesman Dan Bartlett said. Little more than two months after Democrats took control of the House and Senate, Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said the bill would set "dates certain for the first time in the Con DENNIS COOK, I he Associated Press Printed in the U.S.A. Jl WEATHER For up-to-the-minute news, INDEX Ill 11 Business 9A Deaths 4B Opinion 6A Classified 5C Forum 7A Sports ID Comics 4C Horoscope. TV list 3C 2 A Living 1C Vermont IB Hi: 21 Low: 13 sports and enterta'nment- to a www.burlingtonfreepress.com ii 0 "4090 V'01 001 Vol. 180, No.

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