New England News

Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin is highlighting the upcoming "hackathon" and "tech jam" as ways to bring high paying, high technology jobs to the state.

Beginning on Friday, teams will compete in Vermont's second hackathon, in which computer programmers will compete to develop computer applications that will benefit Vermont.

Shumlin made the announcement Wednesday at the Winooski headquarters of the high-tech company MyWebGrocer. The company along with Dealer.com and Fairpoint Communications use the competition as a way to recruit high-tech employees.

Work began Wednesday  in the western Massachusetts town of  Pelham to remove a public safety threat and at the same time provide an ecological benefit to the region.  WAMC”s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.

Environmental officials, and others celebrated as work began to remove a stone dam on the Amethyst Brook. It will result  in better water quality and open a corridor for the migration of aquatic wildlife, according to  Wendi Weber, the northeast regional director for the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service.

Folk singer Arlo Guthrie has announced the death of his wife, Jackie, at age 68.

An obituary released by Guthrie's record label says Jackie Guthrie had inoperable cancer and died Sunday at the couple's winter home in Sebastian, Fla. They had recently celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary.

In a Facebook posting, Guthrie says his relationship with his wife was "a very great love."