Rooney won't get videos returned
Toolbox
Published: February 21, 2009
BURLINGTON (AP) — A judge says the man serving a life sentence for the 2006 killing of a University of Vermont student won't get back videos seized by police.
Brian Rooney, 38, of Richmond was convicted last year of killing 21-year-old Michelle Gardner-Quinn after she asked to borrow his cell phone in downtown Burlington.
Rooney had asked the court to turn over "all non-evidential personal property" to his mother.
But a prosecutor told a judge there is some family information on the tapes, but it is interspersed with evidence of criminal activity.
Judge Geoffrey Crawford says the state can return cash. He allowed attorneys to decide if any digital photographs could be copied and released.
Middlebury College unveils biomass energy plant
MIDDLEBURY (AP) — Middlebury College is touting its new wood-chip fired biomass steam heating plant that is helping the college meet its goal of becoming carbon neutral.
The college feels the $12 million biomass gasification plant can be a showplace for the college and a model others can use in the campaign to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The new Middlebury plant is due to consume about three tons of wood chips an hour and meet about half of the school's heating, cooling and hot water needs. The other half will still be produced using fuel oil.
The biomass plant will produce carbon dioxide, but those emissions will be offset by its renewable power source, trees, which absorb carbon dioxide until they're cut down.
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