Cavendish Update 8/19/16 Rd Closed/Internet/News/Events
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IF YOU COUNT ON CAVENDISH CONNECTS TO KEEP YOU INFORMED, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO COUNT ON YOU.
This issue of the Cavendish Update has been made possible thanks to the generous support of Kem and Svetlana Phillips. Thank you!
8/19/16 Cavendish Update
1. Gulf Road Closed from 7 am to 7 pm daily from Aug. 22-Sept. 18
2. Cavendish Related News
3. TDS Internet Update
4. Be a BRAT!: RiverSweep
5. Events
1. GULF RD CLOSED 7 AM-6 PM FROM AUG 22-SEPT 18: Casella Construction, Inc. plans to begin a 28-day closure on Cavendish Gulf Road near Green Mountain Railroad Corporation milepost 21.059 as part of the Cavendish RREW12K project. The project work extends 100 feet along the railway embankment and Cavendish Gulf Road in Cavendish, VT. This project will construct a slope stabilization system utilizing soil nails and shotcrete. The shotcrete will be stained a natural brown 'kahlua' color. See The Dish for Map.
Casella plans to place the portable changeable message signs regarding the road closure this Friday Aug. 19. The 28-day closure period will begin Monday, August 22nd and extend until September 18, 2016. Next week the contractor will install erosion prevention and sediment control measures, complete clearing and grubbing activities, and begin soil nail testing.
Please note that this is one of two railroad projects impacting the Cavendish Gulf Rd. It is not known when the second project (train tracks that cross the Gulf Rd close to Mill Street) will take place but the town manager, Rich Svec, has requested that this work not be done until the completion of the first project.
Please focus on safety when driving through the construction work zone and remember, it is against the law to use a hand held cell phone while driving. FMI: 802-324-5522.
2. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS
New Cavendish Transfer Station Rates Go Into Effect Sept. 1: The new rate schedule for the Cavendish Transfer Station, effective Sept.1, is available at The Dish. Please note that vehicles not displaying a current Town of Cavendish Transfer Station windshield Sticker will be unable to use the facility. Stickers cost $5 and are available at the Town Office. FMI 802-226-7291.
Cavendish Beach Area on the Black River Continues to Be Damaged: For the last two years, volunteers, as part of RiverSweep, have spent many hours, cleaning up the beach area below the Power Dam on the Black River, removing truck loads of empty bottles and cans, clothing, dirty diapers etc. This area has been used for swimming since at least 1870 and is currently the portage site for canoes and kayaks. Multiple visits to the swimming hole, including one by Black River Action Team (BRAT), over a seven day period found conditions similar to previous years with an overflowing trash barrel, empty pizza boxes, multiple fire pits (including one in the pine forest) and even a gas grill. Many of those utilizing the area are not from Cavendish, but rather from surrounding towns, particularly Ludlow and Springfield. Because of the continuing misuse steps are being taken to limit access to the area. To see pictures of the damage being done, check out several entries at the Cavendish Facebook page.
Movies N Mags Free Streaming From Fletcher Library: Fletcher Library in Ludlow now offers patrons an opportunity to stream movies and download magazines for free. InstantFlix offers access to award-winning shorts, feature films, and documentaries. Patrons will be able to instantly view over 7,000 titles from more than 50 different countries, including the best from film festivals like Sundance, Cannes, Tribeca, PBS, and more! Zinio Magazines has hundreds of popular titles in the world's largest digital newsstand available on demand. Library patrons may check out complete magazines (current or archived) with no holds, checkout periods, or maximum quantities - Yours - until you delete them! All Cavendish residents are eligible to be patrons of the Fletcher Library. To learn more about this program, and to register, go to the Library’s Movies-N-Mags website.
Yogi McNamara Runfest: In honor ofProctorsville resident Yogi McNamara, the run that bears his name will take place at GMUHS Aug. 27 (Sat) 10 K 9 am, 5 K 10:30 and 1 M 11:30 am. This event is inspired by the legacy of Yogi who dedicated his life to the physical and emotional betterment of students and athletes. Post race there will be food and drinks. Entry fees 10 K $20, $25 race (18 and under free), 5K and Fun Run, free or by donation. To register and for more information, go to the race page website or call Mike McNamara 802-226-7850
State Puts Stoughton Pond Swimming on Hold: Water-based activities at Stoughton Pond Recreation Area in Springfield have been placed on hold after testing came back positive for a cyanobacteria bloom.
Magic Mountain Sold: Magic Mountain in Londonderry is getting new owners. A purchase and sales agreement was announced Tuesday giving the once ailing ski hill a fresh start. A group of 13 investors with local ties formed Ski Magic LLC and signed a deal for the 709-acre ski area. WCAX
Regulators Knock Back GMP Request: Green Mountain Power residential customers can expect their electricity rates to increase nearly 1 percent this fall, which is less than a third of what the utility had requested from state regulators. The company sought a 3.53 percent increase when it filed rate-setting papers July 1 with the Department of Public Service. The regulatory process took that down to 0.93 percent. The modest scale of the increase means Vermont will retain its rank among New England states as having the second-cheapest retail electricity. VT Digger
VT Schools Have More Technology Devices Than Students: The Burlington Free Press reports schools in the state own approximately 85,000 devices for students, of which there are approximately 77,000 in kindergarten through high school. The survey found that Chromebooks make up 47 percent of all computer devices, up from 28 percent in 2015. Chromebooks are Google's inexpensive laptops that rely on internet programs. Of the 305 schools in the survey, 237 of them said they access the internet through fiber optic connections. A majority have high-speed access. WCAX
3. TDS INTERNET UPDATE: For almost a year, Cavendish has been told that much faster Internet speeds were going to be available from TDS thanks to a newly installed 10 G Ring that serves as the backbone for the TDS Internet system. In June, TDS said they would be performing "cut overs" meaning that the TDS local team would be transferring the different junction boxes from the old system to the fiber one. It would take 15 business days for the cut overs to occur, with some users noticing changes sooner than others, but the system would be installed by mid August. In addition, five new E-7 boxes were going to be installed at the following points: Perkinsville, Proctorsville, Twenty Mile Stream, Cavendish Pointe and Tarbell Hill. For the first time, those on Tarbell Hill with dial up would finally have DSL.
In a conversation with TDS on Monday, Aug. 15, it was learned that as the install began, the equipment being used-Calix system-was recalled due to a defect that causes the system to periodically crash. TDS has put all projects using this particular type of Calix product on hold. The Tarbell Hill area did receive the faulty equipment, which explains why those in that area have had particular difficulty with their Internet malfunctioning.
While TDS was reluctant to give an estimate of when the new equipment would be installed, they said they thought it should be done in the next two months.
4. BE A BRAT! RIVERSWEEP: Come get dirty to help get the Black River cleaner. Join the 17th Annual RiverSweep on Saturday, September 10th between 8am and noon, with the Black River Action Team. Bring some elbow grease and wear your junk clothes, and get to one of our two HQ tables: Springfield volunteers should sign in at the Citizens Bank drive up in the Shopping Plaza; folks closer to Ludlow should sign in at the gazebo in the town green on Main St near the library. Work-gloves and trash bags will be available from the Connecticut River Watershed Council, along with snacks and drinking water. Pick a location to work, grab a buddy and head out. Return to HQ with your treasures by 11am to be photographed, clean up and enjoy a free lunch courtesy of our local sponsors: Young's Furniture and Appliance and Goodman's American Pie in Ludlow. Don't forget to pick up your commemorative tee shirt, the BRAT's way to say 'thank you' for your hard work! For more information log onto www.BlackRiverActionTeam.org or leave a message at 802-738-0456.
5. EVENTS
AUGUST 22 (Monday): Gulf Rd closed from 7 am-6 pm daily until Sept. 18.
For information on upcoming events, go to the Cavendish Connects Calendar or area events, check the Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce calendar.