New England News

Governor Peter Shumlin plans over four days to visit 22 Vermont communities impacted by Tropical Storm Irene to mark the anniversary of the storm.

Shumlin on Tuesday announced events that will be held to celebrate Vermont's recovery from the flooding on Aug. 28, 2011, and to acknowledge that more work needs to be done.

A free statewide event will be held on Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph, with music, storm videos, artwork and photography.

Vermont Democratic and Republican leaders are in a war of words over the impending visit to the state of New Hampshire Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte for a party fundraiser.

The Vermont Republican Party announced Ayotte's visit, set for midday Wednesday at the Woodstock Inn, calling her "a dynamic senator with a great message."

Democrats responded by circulating a letter calling Ayotte "extreme anti-choice," saying she's against same-sex marriage, legalized abortions and funding for Planned Parenthood.

The top transportation official in Massachusetts is highlighting a new program designed to tackle small traffic bottlenecks.  It could help communities pay for projects that have languished on “wish lists”. WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.

The Governor of Massachusetts has again asked the federal government for $21 million in fisheries disaster assistance to help the region's struggling fishing fleet. Patrick was denied the same request in 2010, but renewed it last year, along with data he said showed the hardship fishermen face under new fishing rules.

He has sent a new letter this week to the U.S. Commerce Department, citing new forecasts by regulators of steep cuts in the catch limit for various bottom-dwelling groundfish in 2013.

        Massachusetts Democrats are trying to tie Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown to Mitt Romney's hand-picked running mate, conservative Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan.  WAMC’s Paul Tuthill reports.
 

Democrats are banking that Ryan's budget proposals, including his plans to transform Medicare into a voucher system and re-shape the nation's tax system, could undermine support for Brown and other Massachusetts Republicans, including congressional hopeful Richard Tisei.