Bennington College printmakers’ show opens tonight

NORTH BENNINGTON — The Vermont Arts Exchange (VAE) presents “I Will Try to Put Down on Paper,” an exhibition by seven advanced printmaking students from Bennington College, in the Mill Gallery, located in Vermont Art Exchange’s Sage Street Mill. The show opens with a reception today from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The exhibition is on view through Feb. 25, 2012. In Bennington College’s advanced printmaking course, taught by faculty member Thorsten Dennerline, students Rebeca Baudille, Hannah Callahan, Elliot Cash, Farhad Mirza, Ellen Bogen, Amelia Vottero and Lauren Hamilton proposed and executed projects of their own design. Working in a basic structure of critiques and discussions, the students focused in on a variety of printing techniques and ways of handling materials to execute their ideas. The work featured includes photopolymer intaglio, wood cuts, screen-prints, artist books, handmade paper and copper plate etchings.
For other exhibits, events, classes and workshops at VAE, call (802) 442-5549, or visit vtartxchange.org. For information about Bennington College classes, visit bennington.edu.

Strike-affected students may need to re-test

BENNINGTON — Because of the nine-day strike at Bennington area schools, a number of students missed part or all of the New England Common Assessment Program this year, which could cause some schools to be identified as having failed to make adequate yearly progress, according to the Vermont Department of Education.
Jill Remick, a spokeswoman for the department, said no decision had yet been made about how the results will be counted.
“(Commissioner Armando Vilaseca) will have to decide, in the spring, when we do the accountability determination, whether just no determination is made or whether those results are counted as, basically, zero. It could hurt their accountability so that’s something the commissioner is going to have to decide is if a strike is a legitimate reason for school’s accountability being affected,” she said.

Read the full story by Patrick McArdle in the Rutland Herald >>

Teachers ratify pact after strike

BENNINGTON — Teachers in a Vermont school district who went on strike for nine days have overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year labor contract.

Teachers in the Bennington County school district voted 175 in in favor to two against the contract on Thursday. The agreement must now be ratified by the school boards.

The school boards from Bennington, North Bennington, Pownal, Shaftsbury and Mount Anthony in the Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union, and the Southwest Vermont Career Development Center are scheduled to meet next week to vote on the contract.

The teachers went on strike Oct. 19.

The new contract includes work rules the boards were seeking, modest raises and concessions on the cost of health insurance.

Burr & Burton asst. headmaster Houghton to retire

Vyto Starinskas photo
MANCHESTER — After almost 25 years as assistant headmaster at Burr and Burton Academy and more than 30 years at the independent high school, Steve Houghton will be retiring in June.
“It was time. It was time. I’ve thought about it for a while. I mean, I’ll be 59 when it’s done but 36 years in the (education) business is kind of a long time and I’ve been in this position as assistant headmaster for 23 years. … I have nothing but positive feelings about the school. I’m just looking for something different,” Houghton said Tuesday.

Read the full story by Patrick McArdle in the Rutland Herald >>

Franchise expert to speak at Bennington Chamber workshop

BENNINGTON – The Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a workshop at the Bennington Free Library on Nov. 17 on opening one’s own business.
Keld Alstrup, of Manchester, will be the speaker.
Alstrup represents FranNet, a national franchise consulting firm representing dozens of franchise concepts in all types of businesses and investment levels, for Vermont and New Hampshire.
During his franchise consulting career, Keld has helped clients with the opening of more than 130 businesses all over the United States, according to the chamber.
The workshop, which is free, will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Cars, businesses vandalized in Bennington

BENNINGTON — Police are investigating the shooting of car and business windows in Bennington in a vandalism spree that started early last week.

Police say they are looking for suspects in 31 cases.

Authorities said a number of businesses and residences as well as vehicles have been damaged by what appears to have been a pellet or BB gun.

Police say the shooting is taking place at night or in the early morning and is likely done from a vehicle.

Man innocent in baby death trial -- updated noon

BENNINGTON – An Arlington man accused of manslaughter in the October 2009 death of his five-week old son was found innocent this morning after an 11-day trial.

Russ C. Van Vleck, 29, was arraigned in March 2010 and after several delays, Van Vleck’s trial began on Oct. 17.

The case was given to the jury about 2 p.m. Monday. Their verdict was delivered Tuesday around 9:30 a.m.

Russ Van Vleck had been alone with his son, Colin Van Vleck, on Oct. 2, 2009. At about 10:55 p.m., Van Vleck called 911 to report that Colin was unresponsive and did not appear to be breathing.

Colin was taken to Southwestern Vermont Medical Center where he was declared dead shortly after midnight on Oct. 3, 2009.

Van Vleck’s attorneys said Colin died because of a birth injury and a congenital defect while the state argued that Van Vleck had either shaken Colin or pushed him into a soft object like a couch.

Patrick McArdle has been covering this story and we'll have a full story in tomorrow paper and online.

Bennington teachers' strike ends

From the AP (more updates to come from Herald reporter Patrick McArdle)
BENNINGTON, Vt. - Teachers in southwestern Vermont say they have reached a tentative deal with their Bennington county school boards that would end a nine-day-old teacher strike.
Union spokesman Darren Allen said late Monday afternoon teachers were going over the details of the deal and they are ready to go back to school on Tuesday.
The school boards have a meeting scheduled for Monday night to discuss the details of the negotiations.
The district with about 3,000 students and about 300 teachers covers schools in the towns of Bennington, Pownal, Shaftsbury and North Bennington, as well as the Mount Anthony Union and Southwest Vermont Regional Technical district.
The issues that separated the two sides were salaries, health care benefits, and how much time teachers will be in contact with students during the day.

Look for the full story from McArdle in tomorrow's Rutland Herald.

Teachers, district back at bargaining table

BENNINGTON — Striking teachers and the negotiators for schools in a southwestern Vermont school district are bargaining again in hopes of ending a nine-day-old teachers’ strike.
A spokesman for the Vermont Education Association says the negotiations began just after 10 a.m. Monday.
School for about 3,000 students in the Bennington Southwest Supervisory Union has been canceled during the strike.
The district with about 300 teachers covers schools in the towns of Bennington, Pownal, Shaftsbury and North Bennington, as well as the Mount Anthony Union and Southwest Vermont Regional Technical district.
The issues that separate the two sides are salaries, health care benefits, and how much time teachers will be in contact with students during the day.

-- The Associated Press

Strike continue at southwest Vt. schools

BENNINGTON — School is canceled again in southwest Vermont as teachers enter their eighth day on strike.
The schools boards and teachers’ union resumed negotiations on Thursday but failed to reach an agreement.
The union said the two sides had made progress during talks on Wednesday and that teachers had made significant concessions during Thursday’s negotiations but that the two sides still could not agree.
The issues up for discussion include salaries, health insurance and time spent with students.

-- The Associated Press