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Thursday, August 21 BENNINGTON — Bennington School District board members originally rejected a new educational technology position, 3-2, at their Monday meeting. Then, after hearing more from administrators, they changed their minds with a 4-1 affirmative vote, accepting Shelia Selden, a self-employed graphic designer, for the position.

Thursday, August 21 NORTH BENNINGTON — In 1908, the New Year's ball dropped for the first time in Times Square. Mother's Day was celebrated for the first time in Grafton, W.Va., by a group at the Andrews Methodist Church, and Henry Ford built his first Model T. Later in the year, William Howard Taft defeated William Jennings Bryan in the U.

Thursday, August 21 BENNINGTON — An appeal of a decision to suppress the confession of a Shaftsbury man accused of murder has moved forward. Judge Katherine Hayes issued a decision on July 19 disallowing the use of the confession, because police, she wrote, did not adequately protect the rights of Michael Christmas, 41.

Thursday, August 21 BENNINGTON — The trial of a man accused of the 2006 murder of a Winhall resident is set to take place this October. The date for the trial of Christopher Kosmalski was set at a pretrial conference in Bennington District Court on Wednesday. Judge Katherine Hayes set a jury draw for Oct.

Thursday, August 21 BENNINGTON — The following cases were heard in Bennington District Court on Wednesday: Dalton Bordeaux, 35, of Bennington pleaded not guilty to a charge of prohibited acts. Bennington Police Cpl. Thalia Hudson said in an affidavit that she received the case on July 15.

Thursday, August 21 BENNINGTON — Health officials say a skunk that attacked a local man's dog on Harmon Road has tested positive for rabies. The positive rabies test was confirmed Tuesday by state officials. It is the second positive rabies test for the Bennington area this year, but the first since January.

Wednesday, August 20 BEIJING — For months, martial arts student Cheng Jianghua saw nothing but the army barracks he stayed in and the stadium where he performed at the spectacular Olympics opening ceremony. Hissacrifices, however,were minor. Other performerswere injured, fainted from heatstroke or forced to wear adult diapers so the show could go on.

LEICESTER (AP) - Four Connecticut men are facing a variety of charges stemming from a shooting in Leicester and a pursuit during which a police dog was run over and killed by a state police cruiser, police said. The suspects in the Leicester shooting also face charges stemming from a Tuesday night carjacking in the town of Mendon, police said.

BRATTLEBORO -- A 59-year-old Wilmington man who is charged with killing his neighbor with a handgun pleaded not guilty in Windham District Court, Tuesday. But David Boglioli, who entered the court wearing dark blue prison clothes a day after appearing in the courtroom in his long underwear, will remain in custody after Judge Karen Carroll set bail at $500,000.

Wednesday, August 20 NORTH HOOSICK, N.Y. — Aaron Burdick said he used to break the law every day but he was never arrested. Burdick is a licensed pilot and the law he used to break was the law of gravity. He said he began flying at the age of 16 back in 1952, but his most recent flight was last Thursday in the "Liberty Belle," a World War II era B-17 bomber.

Wednesday, August 20 BENNINGTON — Elementary school officials are planning a public forum in November to gain input on school renovation and consolidation options. At a facilities meeting on Monday,Bennington SchoolDistrict boardmembers agreed it would be importantto include the public inthedecision-makingprogress before further narrowing down construction options.

Wednesday, August 20 SHAFTSBURY — The Select Board has agreed to a plan to deal with the town's budget deficit, now measured at around $70,000. According to Chairman Lon McClintock, the board came to an agreement at its Monday night meeting. "We had a number of different proposals," he said.

Wednesday, August 20 BEIJING — Lolo Jones was supposed to take the Olympic 100-meter hurdles title. Other entrants knew it. Jones knew it. Even told herself so right before the start, mouthing, "I can win this race," when she was introduced to the crowd. And Jones was right: She could have won, and she was about to — not just holding a lead but adding to it when she came to the

Wednesday, August 20 BENNINGTON — A nationwide shortage of police officers has prevented the Bennington Police Department from fully staffing the force for the past year and a half — until now. Public safety, however, was never at risk, according to Chief Richard Gauthier. Tricky planning The Bennington Police Department is authorized to employ 26 officers, but until recently

Wednesday, August 20 BENNINGTON — The following cases were heard in Bennington District Court on Tuesday: Nathan Gray, 18, of Route 7 in Pownal, pleaded not guilty to one felony charge of possession of stolen property and nine misdemeanor charges of possession of stolen property. He was released on conditions.

Tuesday, August 19 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The lanky cat slowly made its way across the Pittsfield woman's backyard, hanging low to the ground as if it were stalking prey. "I saw it cutting through my yard into my neighbor's yard," said Martha Pope, a resident of Mountain Drive, which runs along the city's rural eastern edge near Washington Mountain.

Tuesday, August 19 MILWAUKEE — Visa Inc. popped out ads almost as quickly as he swam his laps. Pizza Hut is giving Michael Phelps and his teammates free pizza and pasta for a year for him beating Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals in one Olympics. The makers of a new sports drink are embarking on their first national advertising campaign, banking on his most recent swimming

Tuesday, August 19 College presidents from about 100 of the nation's best-known universities, including Duke, Dartmouth and Ohio State, are calling on lawmakers to consider lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18, saying current laws actually encourage dangerous binge drinking on campus. The movement called the Amethyst Initiative began quietly recruiting presidents more than a year ago to

Tuesday, August 19 BENNINGTON — Nick Harrington says he wants to play in the NBA. For a kid from Division III, he may as well say he wants to win the Lottery. The thing is, when Harrington tells you about his long-term plans, eyes determined and sincere, it's easy to believe him. Maybe it's because he's already made so much of what would seem to be very little, taking the D-III