The Brattleboro Reformer from Brattleboro, Vermont • 3

Friday, December 14, 2007 VERMONT www.reformer.com Jratllrtorrj jRrformrr Page 3 Dems seek ways to reduce health insurance costs are still too high. We need to see what -we can do to moderate them," Douglas said. "I look forward to hearing more details, in particular how it's going to be funded. We have to be sure that whatever we do is sustainable." Shumlin said taxpayers would end up paying for some of the program. "Let's not forget that right now we are putting small businesses on the hook for covering the cost of health care for everybody else," he said.

"Isn't it time that we did something for individuals and small business people in this state?" Symington said that without affordable insurance, even people with high-deductible insurance plans would avoid getting needed health care, which would, ultimately, make it more expensive to treat that person's illness. "The Legislature is committed to taking the next step to make sure that all Vermonters have access to the health care they need when they need it at a price they can afford," Symington said. By WILSON RING Associated Press MONTPELIER Democratic leaders of the House and Senate called on lawmakers Thursday to find a way to make health care insurance affordable for Vermont's small business owners and the self-employed, some of whom are facing premium increases of more than 30 percent. House Speaker Gaye Symington, D-Jericho, and Senate President Pro Tern Peter Shumlin, D-Windham, asked lawmakers to prepare to do the hard work needed to accomplish that goal. The two said they support recommendations of the legislative Health Care Reform Commission, which called for a more affordable health insurance option for small businesses and the self-employed.

"We are facing a crisis," Shumlin said at a statehouse news conference. "This is a crisis that affects every single Vermonter. It affects the ability to live here." He said it was clear the federal government would not step in and solve the health care problem facing the state and the country. "The states going to have to act. Vermont is going to have to lead, and when Vermont leads, others follow," Shumlin said.

The goal would be to offer a health insurance plan through commercial insurers that would be 20 percent to 30 percent less than similar coverage choices. The lower cost would be achieved by encouraging people to stay healthy by participating in wellness and chronic illness programs, the state would also finance a reinsurance program to cover the costs of the most expensive illnesses. Symington and Shumlin didn't provide a plan. Rather, they left it to the chairmen and woman of the Legislature's committees that deal with health care issues to craft a solution. Gov.

Jim Douglas, a Republican, said he shared the goals of providing all Vermonters with affordable health insurance. "Although we've made a lot of progress insurance premiums Toby TalbotMI' House Speaker Gaye Symington, I)-Jericho, right, and Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin, D-Windham, hold a news conference in Montpelier, Thursday. JOHN PENFIELD'S It's beginning to look a lot like December Alignment Check with any tire purchase! into our area, so any precipitation events we do get tend to be snow, whereas last year, with warmer temperatures, it was causing rain. "Whatever happens in the first 13 days (of December) doesn't necessarily equate to a cold snowv winter," he said. The New England House In Brief Police send hair recovered from pants for DNA analysis MONTGOMERY (AP) The FBI laboratory in Virginia will test a hair found in an abandoned pair of jeans to determine if they belonged to a Montgomery teenager who went missing almost four years ago.

The women's jeans were found Oct. 25 in a remote wooded area and turned over to the police to see if they belonged to Brianna Maitland, who was 17 when she was last seen in Montgomery on March 19, 2004. The Vermont State Police says technicians at the Vermont Forensic Laboratory couldn't find enough DNA in the jeans to determine if they belonged to Maitland. Police say the results of the test will be made public once they're received from the FBI lab. Feds cite Vermont for improving access to food stamps program WATERBURY (AP) The state of Vermont was lauded Thursday for improving access to the federal food stamp program, with a U.S.

Department of Agriculture official announcing a $268,193 award to the state. Suzanne Biermann, regional administrator for the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service, said Vermont was one of four states to earn the award for boosting the number of people who are eligible for and receiving food stamps. "With the price of fuel and other costs squeezing people, food stamps play a bigger and bigger role," said Steve Dale, commissioner of the Department for Children and Families. State police wants extra money for drug investigations MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) Burdened by drug cases, the Vermont State Police is going to ask the Legislature for an extra $1 million to pay for investigations into an increasing number of drug crimes and meet other expenses.

The state is on track to see about 80 people die from drug overdose deaths this year, which would be a new record and probably more than the number of people who die in traffic accidents "The number of overdose deaths has been escalating rapidly over the last three or four years," said Vermont Public Safety Commissioner Kerry Sleeper. "It crosses all socio-economic boundaries. That is what makes it such a challenging issues." Right now, powdered and crack cocaine are the biggest drug problems, but the majority of overdose deaths are due to pharmaceutical drugs, primarily those diverted or illegally obtained. "There are a lot of people dying in this state because of these drugs," said Sleeper. The State Police is asking for the extra money SI million as part of the Legislature's Budget Adjustment Act, which will be considered in January.

In December 2006, Burlington got 4.2 inches of snow in the first 13 days of the month, compared with 13.3 this year. In the same period, there were only two days in which the temperature dipped below freezing, compared with the first 13 days of December this year, when only three days were above freezing, according to the National Weather Service. "The snow keeps coming," said Jen Butson, spokesman for the Vermont Ski Areas Association. According to that group, 59 percent of Vermont's 1,242 ski trails were open as of Dec. 10, compared with 14 percent at the same time last year.

At Smugglers' Notch last year, skiing was delayed two weeks past the traditional Black Friday opening because of no snow. When the Jeffersonville resort finally opened, it was with only four trails. Fast forward to this year, when the resort opened on the day after Thanksgiving with 32 trails open. "While the weather was still warm, we were biting our nails a bit about our reservations," said spokeswoman Barbara Thomke. "As soon as the cold weather hit, and the snow started to come, the phone started ringing.

"Now we're completely booked for the holidays. There's just no room at the inn," she said. As of Thursday, Smugglers' Notch was reporting 69 trails open. Eric Evenson, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said the snowy start to the ski season doesn't necessarily mean the whole winter will be that way. "We're just seeing a period in the weather pattern where it's allowed more cold air to move By JOHN CURRAN Associated Press MONTPELIER Oh, what a difference a year makes.

After struggling through a warm, wet December last year and a lackluster season, Vermont ski resorts are awash in snow and more is on the way. "Business levels have been really good," said Bonnie MacPherson, spokeswoman for Okemo Mountain Resort in Ludlow. "We have more terrain open than we've had in past years at this time, with more snOw on the way. We'll probably be 100 percent open for Christmas and I don't know when that's happened before." Last year, warm weather made trouble for the ski industry. What precipitation there fell in the form of rain, and temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s hampered snowmaking efforts.

COMPLETE AUTO SERVICE DONE RIGHT BY ASE TECHNICIANS Air Conditioning Lube; oil Filler Batteries Radiator Service Belts Moses Shocks Struts Brakes Tune up Exhaust 'Transmissions Everything Except Body Work Vt. State Inspection Red 12 -Due Now COURTESY CARS OR RIDES ALWAYS AVAILABLE AT NO COST COMBINE OUR EARLY BIRD SPECIALS WITH YOUR gjk HOLIDAY SHOPPING from 4:30 6:00 p.m. All inclusive meals Coffee, Tea or Soda and dessert included $10.95 $11.95 Norwich University, Vermont pols mourn former auditor and wife 558 Putney Road Brattleboro 254-541 1 (802)254-6886 RouteS, Brattleboro, VT former owners of the Falls River Inn NORTHFIELD (AP) A former Vermont state auditor arid his wife who died in a fire were mourned at a memorial service attended by about 120 people, many of them from Norwich University or Vermont political circles. The service was held Wednesday for Jay Gordon, 77, who served as auditor of accounts in the 1960s under Gov. Phil Hoff, and his wife, Joan Gordon, 72, The two perished Dec.

4 when a fast-moving fire engulfed their Montpelier home. "We are bidden to remember Jay and Joan for the delightful people they were," said Rabbi Shana Margolin, who remembered Mrs. Gordon as a "feisty New Englander" and accomplished cook who passed on her culinary passion to her son, David Gordon, a professional chef in Stowe. Gordon taught accounting at Norwich from 1990 until he retired in 2001. Despite his professional accomplishments, it was "his personal side we METLIFE AUTO HOME Superior Products Superb Service Sound Advice Jeff Blais.

Property Casualty Specialist 205 Mam SI Suite 14. Brattleboro. VT 05301 (802)251-9900 blaisgelmetagent com MetLife Former Vermont governors Thomas Salmon and Phil Hoff, right, console family members after the memorial service for Jay and Joan Gordon at Norwich University in Northfield on Wednesday. have you met life today?" "News to start your day" brattleboro Reformer remember," Margolin said. "He treated everyone the same.

He felt the waitress who served him a meal deserved the same consideration as the gov ernor of Vermont," Margolin said. Said Hoff, after the service: "He was a superb auditor and a superb human being." P.O. Box 802 Brattleboro. VT 053(12 (802) 254-2311 Home Delivery ext. 4 Classified ads ext.

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