New England News

Vermont officials are celebrating the completion of a $1.2 million expansion at the Plainfield Health Center.

On Monday, the health center unveiled its new facilities, which will house more mental health services — including psychiatrists — space for yoga classes and to store a mobile dental program.

The 5,000-square-foot building was paid for by $988,000 federal stimulus funding and about $200,000 raised locally.

A special committee has been selected to review Pittsfield’s city charter, and the process of updating the document will begin later this week. WAMC’s Berkshire Bureau Chief Lucas Willard reports…

Pittsfield’s city charter has remained nearly unchanged since 1932, and now, 80 years later,  city officials say that the antiquated governing document requires some modern updates. Pittsfield mayor Dan Bianchi proposed an update in April of this year, 3 months after he took office.

    A campaign committee has been created to oppose the development of a resort casino in Springfield Massachusetts.   WAMC”s Paul Tuthill  reports.

   A Springfield attorney, Michael Kogut, filed legal paperwork with the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s office to register a political committee, called  “ Citizens Against Casino Gaming”  The committee will begin to raise  money in a bid to defeat a casino question if and when it gets to the ballot in Springfield. Kogut  knows they’ll be no match, financially ,for the casino lobby.

The once-lauded roundabout that was built in downtown Winooski as part of one of Vermont's most ambitious downtown redevelopment projects now has the distinction of being the most crash-prone intersections in the state.

Traffic planners and local officials say that among the roundabout's challenges are that it is unusually large, has several side streets entering it and has pedestrian stop lights.