New lottery to start in N.H., Vt., Maine
Toolbox
TIMES ARGUS STAFF
TIMES ARGUS STAFF - Published: July 21, 2009
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Northern New England is getting a new $2 lottery jackpot game: Tri-State Megabucks Plus.
It's replacing Tri-State Megabucks, which in 1985 became the first multistate lottery game in the nation. The last drawing of that game is Saturday.
Lottery executive Director Rick Wisler says the rolling jackpots will now all start at $1 million, the second-tier prize will be bigger and the overall odds of winning are better — 1 in 6, as opposed to 1 in 21.
The tickets go on sale in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine on Sunday.
Megabucks Plus players select five numbers from a field of 1 to 41 and then select one Megaball number from a separate field of 1 to 6. The drawings will be held every Wednesday and Saturday, starting July 29.
Vermonters have 6 weeks to pay taxes without penalty
MONTPELIER (AP) — Vermonters have six weeks to pay back taxes without penalty.
The Legislature directed the Tax Department to offer the amnesty to Vermonters who owe taxes, whether it be income, property tax, corporate, sales or a host of others as a way to increase revenue.
The Tax Department has also been ordered to beef up its enforcement staff.
Tax Commissioner Ellen Tofferi says about 14,000 people owe about $55 million in taxes, including interest and penalties. Without penalties that's about $45 million.
Tofferi said that based on a tax amnesty period in 1990, she expects this amnesty to bring in at least $2.5 million.
Taxpayers will have to pay interest.
The amnesty runs through Aug. 31.
Vermont tries to boost park visits
UNDERHILL (AP) — There's no mystery about why visits to Vermont state parks are down 14 percent this year, but state officials are looking beyond the bad weather to boost visits.
When he took over as commissioner of Forest, Parks and Recreation in November, Jason Gibbs hoped to boost annual utilization of state parks to 1 million visits through strategies such as a Facebook page, park passes at libraries and targeted advertising.
Those strategies haven't been enough to overcome the rain, but they are working. The Burlington Free Press says the library passes have been popular, as has the Facebook page, which has more than 2,000 friends. The original goal was 250 by year's end.
Gibbs also plans an analysis of each park's assets to identify each one's specialty.
Revolutionary war comes to life at Vermont site
ORWELL (AP) — The Revolutionary War will come to life next weekend at Mount Independence in Orwell.
The historic site will host war reenactments, demonstrations and living history activities on July 25 and 26. Re-enactors will demonstrate military tactics and colonial and camp life. The weekend will also feature storytelling, colonial crafts and fife and drum music.
At 2 p.m. on Saturday the Declaration of Independence will be read followed by the recreation of the christening of Rattlesnake Hill with the new name Mount Independence.
The military fort was constructed in 1776 and 1777 on a rugged peninsula in Lake Champlain to defend the southern lake and New England against a British attack from Canada.
19