Cavendish Update 1/21/22: Free masks tests vaccines/News/Events
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1/21/22
1. Cavendish Info
2. Covid update
3. Events
1. CAVENDISH INFO
• Leonard Carlisle 1929-2022: A Korean War veteran, Leonard was a Cavendish fixture. Our condolences to his family and his many friends. His obituary is available online.
• Possible resolution of Tierney Road dispute ahead in 2022: Tierney Road resident Mike Harrington, who has also served as a spokesperson for the Tierney Road residents, told the Select board at the Jan. 11 meeting that at the end of 2021, his group heard from the Snowstone lawyer who asked if there was any interest in a collaborative resolution in 2022, and Harrington said that as far as he, and other Tierney Road residents were concerned, “Absolutely.” According to Harrington, all the Tierney Road landowners who have stood in opposition against Snowstone, have put Harrington in charge of ‘course of direction’ so if there were to be a settlement, he would be the only one in the room with the attorney, the other stakeholders, and their attorneys negotiating the outcome. “I really feel like trying to reach a settlement is the right thing to do for all the parties involved including the town,” Harrington said. He said they would be looking for a settlement agreement where everybody gets a piece of the pie and can start to mend fences. VT Journal
• Ludlow Rotary hears update on real estate market: Lisa Kelley, President of the Crown Point Board of Realtors, stated that home prices were at a peak in June. This is a sellers’ market, which makes it hard to buy in the area, and there is little inventory of homes for sale. On average, houses are only on the market for six days, Kelley said, which makes it difficult for local residents to break into this market when looking for a house. Kelley also predicted that mortgage rates would only increase over the next couple of years. VT Journal
• Winter Update from Fletcher Memorial Library: Each Monday until Feb. 14, the Ludlow library is offering free Winter Olympic themed Grab-and-Go activity kits. These kits are best suited for ages four and up and are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. FMI: 802-228-3517 or FMLkidsVT@gmail.com
• Fletcher Farm School for the Arts and Crafts announces winter and spring classes: A gift certificate for a class at Fletcher Farm School is a wonderful Valentine’s present.
• Local healthcare workers vote in favor of joining UNAP healthcare union: Springfield Hospital healthcare workers voted in favor of joining the United Nurses and Allied Professionals, a regional health care union. VT Journal
• Green Mountain Power wants rate increase: The state’s largest utility has requested a rate increase of 2.34%, which it says is below inflation. GMP says rising energy costs are behind most of the requested increase. If approved by the Public Utility Commission, the rate hike would take effect in October. FMI GMP Rate & Regulation Plan Filings If you think you are paying too much for your electricity, check out Efficiency Vermont’s chart that lets you figure out how much electricity you are using at home and associated costs.
2. COVID UPDATE: For local information on testing, vaccinations, boosters, notifying contacts as well as other resources, including for Long Covid, please see the Cavendish COVID-19 Resource Guide.
WEEKLY DATA:
Cavendish & Surrounding Towns For the week ending Jan. 12, Cavendish and surrounding towns all set records for new cases of Covid. Cavendish 27 new cases (141 total); Ludlow 50 (269); Chester 89 (517); Springfield 161 (1,535) and 19 Weathersfield (209).
Schools: The VT Dept. of Health posted the following this week. Due to changes in testing and contact tracing in schools, the COVID-19 Cases in Schools While Infectious report will no longer be updated after Jan. 10, 2022. The new guidelines started this week. For more information see the Test at Home: Vermont School Covid-19 Testing Protocol Winter 2022.
Area Nursing Homes: Rutland Health & Rehab is showing 34 cases as of the Jan. 18 report. The Pines at Rutland Center for Nursing & Rehab is reporting 16. The number of Covid-19 cases associated with long-term care outbreaks jumped from 58 a week ago to 268.
State: There was no press conference this week. Tuesday’s modeling states that “New confirmed Covid-19 infections have decreased from last week’s high, down 2,115 cases. with every Vermont county reporting lower rates than the previous week. Vermont continues to see more breakthrough cases (9), but risk of hospitalization and death remains low for those fully vaccinated and boosted. Hospitalizations have increased 18% over the last week and ICU numbers have climbed 34%. A majority of those in both the hospital and ICU are not fully vaccinated. Availability of hospital beds has decreased this week with Vermont hospitals today reporting 27 open medical-surgical beds & 14 ICU beds. Vermont COVID-19 cases are expected to slow and possibly decline in the coming weeks as the Omicron surge possibly subsides. Hospitalizations and deaths are expected to lag behind improving case trends.
Records were set this week for number of hospitalizations (122 on Wednesday), deaths (now at 507), as well as for the spike in cases in long term care facilities. As of Wednesday, the last day the state’s dashboard was fully updated, there have been 93,492 cases in Vermont.
FREE VACCCINES/BOOSTERS, MASKS AND TESTS
Vaccines/Boosters: The Cavendish Fire Department will once again be sponsoring vaccination/booster clinics on January 29 (Saturday) 10:30 am to 1:30pm and a second one on February 7 (Monday) 4pm to 6 pm. Vaccination and booster shots are free.
Masks: The Biden administration will begin making 400 million free N95 masks available starting late next week, limit three masks per person. The masks will be available for pickup at pharmacies and community health centers that partnered with the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign. Both the Ludlow Health Center and Rite Aid Pharmacy should qualify.
Because of the need for N95s and their equivalent for children and women, Cavendish Connects is organizing the purchase of such masks, with the first distribution during the CVFD vaccine clinics. If you are interested in helping with this initiative, please e-mail cavendishconnects@gmail.com or call 802-226-7807.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidance on masks for the general public, saying people "may choose" to wear N95 and KN95 masks because they offer the best protection against Covid.
Test Kits: The Government’s website for free test kits (4 per family) launched a day ahead of schedule on Tuesday. Register for your free tests online.
OTHER NEWS
• Fourth Vaccine Shot Less Effective Against Omicron, Israeli Study Says USA Today.
• Vt. Consumer Assistance Program gets reports of price gouging on COVID tests
3. EVENTS
JANUARY 29 (SATURDAY): Vaccination/booster clinic at the Cavendish Volunteer Fire Dept. 10:30-1:30.
FEBRUARY 1 (TUESDAY): Happy Chinese New Year. It’s the year of the Tiger
FEBRUARY 7 (MONDAY): Vaccination/booster clinic at the Cavendish Volunteer Fire Dept. 4-6 PM
FEBRUARY 14 (MONDAY): Happy Valentine’s Day
FEBRUARY 15 (TUESDAY): 3RD Quarter Property Taxes Due
FEBRUARY 21 (MONDAY): President’s Day. Town Office Closed
MARCH 1 (TUESDAY) Mardi Gras
CA❤︎ENDSH VAXXING, BOOSTING & MASKING TO PROTECT SELF & OTHERS