Rutland Daily Herald from Rutland, Vermont • 9

Southern Vermont Windham Windsor Bennington The Rutland rXiily Herald I Tuesday, October 21, 2008 In Brief Yankee shuts down for maintenance SOUTHERN VT. information, hut since Entergy taught Vermont Yankee in 2002 from a group of New England utilities, it had shut down for between two to three weeks. Neil Sheehan, a spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said Entergy has plans to conduct an inspection of the steam di ver, replace selected service-water valves and pipe, and inspections and repairs to the one safety-related cell in the two cooling towers. reactor and would complete a wide variety of maintenance projects in addition to changing the radioactive fuel in the reactor core. He said that the 850 contractors would not Ik- at the Vernon tractor all at the same time.

Williams said when the plant shut down early Sunday morning, it ended a run of 415 continuous days of operation, despite prolv lems this summer and last with its cooling towers. In all three eases. the plant reduced power significantly. hut kept operating. Williams said the 415-day mark was the second longest run in the plant's 36-year history.

The plant last scrammed" or went through an emergency shutdown in August 2007. when workers trying to dislodge a stuck valve caused the shutdown. Entergy Nuclear, like other commercial reactors, never says how long the plant will lie shut down, saying it is proprietary- The finer things By SUSAN SMAUNHR Herald Staff VERNON The Vermont Yankee nuclear plant shut down during the weekend and disconnected from the New England power grid, the first step in its regular refueling and maintenance outage. Entergy Nuclear spokesman Rotart Williams said Monday the plant would be shut down for several weeks," and he said 850 extra workers would be working at the Event benefits cancer patients Staff Report MANCHESTER A "Celebration of Life, hosted by the VcrmontNew Hampshire Affiliate of Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, is scheduled for Wednesday at Equinox Resort and Spa.

We want to recognize and thank those who make this race happen each year. Our efforts arc helping to save lives and someday we will be able to say we won the tattle, saidjill Smith, race chairwoman. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and the event will recognize survivors, volunteers, sponsors, participants and others who support the work of the local affiliate. Since the first Race for the (litre in 1993, the VermontNcw Hampshire affiliate has awarded more than $4.3 million in grants to support breast cancer education, treatment and screening programs in local communities. Highlights from this year's race included the start of a new tradition with the wishing tree and Survivor of the Year Paula Qttesnel crossing the finish line.

The affiliate is also encouraging people to collect the pinkYoplait Yogurt lids to support breast cancer education, treatment and screening programs in Vermont and New Hampshire. In October, Yoplait yogurt containers donated 10 cents to Susan G. Komen for the Cure for each In addition to the maintenance and inspections, workers will replace one-third ol the fuel the reactor core and rearrange the other fuel rods to maximize generation. He said there were no major projects slated for this refueling outage. Williams said the contract workers would conduct reactor vessel internal inspections, perform See Page 84 Yankee Forest Service goes bovine Federal agency signs up for Cow Power By JOSH O'GORMAN Herald Staff The Green Mountain National Forest is a little greener with its adoption of renewable energy.

The U.S. Forest Service and Central Vermont Public Service announced the Forest Setvice has enrolled in Gow Power for its Rutland headquarters. We work hard to improve the environment every day, so its natural that wed want to lessen our environmental impact through Cow Power, said Forest Supervisor Meg Mitt hell in a written statement. As we looked at ways to reduce the impact of our energy usage, enrolling in GYPS Cow Power had a great impact." The Forest Service will pay a 4-cent surcharge on one-quarter of the electricity used at its headquarters. (ATS customers have the option of buying one-quarter, one-half or all of theii power through Cow Power.

The 4-cent surcharge goes hack to the farmers who produce the power and creates incentives to help other farms become energy producers. The U.S. Forest Setvice will pay Vermont hunter bags biggest N.H. moose CONCORD, N.H. A Vermont man tagged the biggest moose so far in New Hampshire's annual hunt.

State game officials say Walter Celley of hot, got his 820-pound bull in far northwestern New I Iampshire. Tile mooses antlers measured hi inches across. The hunt began Saturday and runs through this Sunday. State Fish and Game offic ials say hunters got 147 moose in the first two days. The state held a lottery for the 515 permits.

The department's Kristine Rines says the results were about the same as for the first two days of last season. Pet blessing slated for Saturday afternoon WEST WINDSOR Pet owners and animal lovers arc incited to a pet blessing at 2 p.m. Saturday at the I.ucy Mackenzie Humane Society. Pastor Bill Sheldon of the Bro wnsvi I Ic Com unity Church and Pastor Connie Mosher of the Ascutney Union Church will lead a moment of blessing, silence and vigil for the homeless pets at the Humane Society. Pet owners arc encouraged to bring their pets or a picture of their pets to be blessed as well.

Pet owners are asked to use appropriate restraints for their animals, such as leashes and crates. Following the blessings, apple cider and doughnuts will be served. The Lucy Mackenzie Humane Society is on Route 44 about a quarter-mile from the intersection of Route 106. For more information, call the Humane Society at 484-5829 of visit them on the Web at www.lucymack.org. Candidacy 'a mix-up says Woodstock man WOODSTOCK Two candidates names arc on the ballot to represent Reading and Woodstock, but only one of them wants to go to the House of Representatives.

According to the ballot, two-term incumbent Rep. Alison Clarkson, D-Woodstock, is fating Republican challenger Geoffrey Peterson, of Woodstock, for the Windsor-5 seat, but in an open letter to the voters of Reading and Woodstock, Peterson said he is not in the race. Due to a mix-up in the primary race paperwork, my name has appeared on the ballot for State Representative in the General Election, Peterson wrote. I have been officially out of the race since the end of August of this year. During her last term, Clarkson, 53, served on the House Committee onjudiciary.

She said she is also interested in economic development and recently sponsored a digital corporation bill that would make Vermont the first state to allow companies to incorporate online. Staff refmrts CASSANDRA HOTAUNG RUTLAND HERALD A cyclist takes a rids along Rout 7 -A In Manchaster with seasonal foliage In the back- See Page B4: Komen ground on Monday. See Page B4: Cow Power Armed robber targets store near police station Cumberland Farms trains their employees to respond to robberies, said spokesperson Christian Graham. Graham sail! the company takes employee safety seriously, hut declined to discuss the nature of the safety training their store clerks receive. Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call Bellows Falls Police at 463-1234.

Contact Joh O'Gorman at josh.ogorman com. police departments dispatcher. Among the question!) still unanswered is how much money was taken, what kind of weapon was used, how police were alerted to the robbery, how soon they responded and whether officers were on-duty at the station at the time of the robbery. (irmll said the robber was a white male ataul 6 feet tall in his mid-20s wearing dark clothing. No other physical details were available.

assisted Bellows Falls police at the scene. Carroll said shortly before noon Monday, Cumberland Farms had not told police how much money had been taken from the store, but she said police were reviewing surveillance tapes and interviewing witnesses and might have more information later in the day. By midafternoon, Carroll was off-duty and no further information was available, according to the Falls Police Department. Cumberland Farms is about 500 feet away and is visible from the Colice department on Rocking-am Street. Carroll said the man threatened the clerk with a weapon, but did not know what kind of weapon and it was not clear if the clerk actually saw a weapon or if the robber only told her he was armed.

Officers from Bratllcboro, Walpole, N.H., and state police By JOSH OGORMAN Herald Staff BELLOWS FALLS Being close to a police station was no protection for a convenience store that was robbed early Sunday morning. Around 1 a.m., a man entered the Cumberland Farms convenience store on Rockingham Street, asked the clerk for money and (led the scene on foot, said Sgt, Jen Carroll of the Bellows the Wheel page runs every 1st 3rd Wednesday of the month. Deadline is Monday prior. Call your sales rep for more information or the sales office at the Rutland Herald 802-747-6121..