Cavendish Update 5/20/22: Arrest/News/Events
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HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8:00 PM MAY 21 (SATURDAY)
5/20/22
1. GM Teacher Charged with Producing child pornography
2. Cavendish Info
3. Covid update
4. Events
1. GM TEACHER CHARGED WITH PRODUCING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY: On May 12, parents of GMUHS students received an e-mail stating that there was possible inappropriate behavior by a GMUHS staff member. That staff member has been placed on administrative leave while the police conduct their investigation. At this time there is no indication that anything inappropriate happened at the school; however, in an abundance of caution, the police conducted a thorough search of the building for evidence late Wednesday evening. We want to assure you that this does not involve drugs or weapons or physical safety. We understand that you will have additional questions. We are not able to share further information at this time. As soon as possible, we will provide an update.
The update came a week later when WCAX and the Chester Telegraph posted that Norman Merrill, a teacher at GMUHS, was arrested and accused of using hidden cameras to produce child pornography. A federal grand jury indicted Merrill on charges including production of child sexual abuse material and possession of child sexual abuse material. WCAX Chester Police and the Vermont State Police conducted a preliminary examination of a memory card seized from the residence that revealed numerous voyeuristic videos taken in bathrooms. Some of these videos were taken in a bathroom of defendant Merrill’s residence and were determined to depict nude minor female children. The memory card also contained image files that appear to be screen-captures created from these videos of nude minors. Chester Telegraph
Last evening, GMUHS e-mailed parents, informing them of Merrill’s arrest and included the link to the Department of Justice Press Release. They also noted that If you are reluctant to send your child to school on Friday, we understand. They may still attend all after school and weekend events if they choose.
Counselors will be at GM to assist students and staff. The Chester Police are also available to answer questions 802-875-2035.
Please note, this is a developing story and facts about this situation can change.
2. CAVENDISH INFO
• Cavendish Fire District #2 budget passes: At Tuesday’s annual meeting, the budget (approximately $138,000) passed, with an increase of approximately $30,000 to cover the rising cost of oil, adding money to the Truck Fund, and to pay the new auditor, Diane McNamara, a stipend of $100. McNamara assumes this position, which has been vaccinate for a number of years. Abe Gross will continue to be moderator of the Annual Meeting and Stacy Bishop will replace Stu Lindberg on the Prudential Board. Matt Seaton and Maureen Savage remain in their current positions as secretary and treasurer. The meeting has been recorded and will be available at the Okemo Valley TV’s website.
• CHS Plant Sale: The Cavendish Historical Society Annual Plant sale takes place in front of the Museum on Friday evening May 27 from 5-7 and on Saturday May 28 from 9-noon. If you are interested in container veggies, pre orders can be picked up starting this weekend. If you are interested in tomatoes (cherry, Sungold and Early Girl) or lettuce buckets, order now by calling 802-226-7807 or margocaulfield@icloud.com For the first time, there will be geraniums at the sale along with hosta favorites.
• Memorial Service for Connie Choiniere A memorial Mass will be held in Ludlow Vt. on June 18 at 11pm at The Annunciation Of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church. A reception will follow at the Choiniere home, 16 Pratt Hill Rd, Proctorsville.,Vt. Funeral will be held in Woonsocket,R.I. in Sept.
• Nitka among Vermont state senators who will not seek re-election
• SAPCC Formula Bank:Springfield Area Parent Child Center, which includes Cavendish, is offering free cans of formula to families in their service area. Stop by SAPCC Monday-Friday 8:30 to 3:30 to pick up or donate. FMI: Kayla.bapp@sapcc-vt.org 802-886-5242
• Fletcher Farm School June Classes: Note that there is a discount for Cavendish and Ludlow residents.
• OMARA offers two scholarships: Open to graduating seniors in the Okemo Valley. OMARA is awarding two $500 scholarships to two graduating seniors that have participated in Winter Snow Sports throughout their academic career. To apply, email omarascholarships@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name, email, the high school that you are graduating from, and a response to the question: How has your participation in Winter Snow Sports helped better prepare you for what is to come after high school? The deadline to apply is June 6th.
• Springfield Medical Care Systems is now North Star Health: Springfield Medical Care Systems, an independent, federally qualified health center serving southern Vermont and southwestern New Hampshire has unveiled a new name and brand identity: North Star Health. North Star Health includes Ludlow Health Center and Ludlow Dental Center.
• Coins on Headstones: As we approach Memorial Day, you may notice coins on some gravestones, particularly veteran graves. Please do not disturb.
• Billion Graves: Many people contact the Cavendish Historical Society looking for ancestors. While Find a Grave is a very helpful tool, did you know that there is another site called Billion Graves? While Find a Grave is very popular in VT, Billion Graves is heavily used in other places and worth checking.
3. 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.
TRSU SCHOOL NUMBERS: No cases have been reported this past week.
LONG TERM CARE: The following long term care facilities used by Cavendish residents are reporting outbreaks of Covid as of May 16, Historic Homes of Runnemede (13 cumulative cases); and The Pines at Rutland Center for Nursing & Rehab (7 cumulative cases)
STATE: As of Wednesday, the state has officially ceased daily case counts and replacing it with a weekly Surveillance Report. According to that report statewide community levels are “high” based on recent hospital admissions and the percentage of hospital beds occupied by Covid patients. Rutland Regional Medical Center has reopened its COVID Unit in response to the surge in cases.
The CDC recommends that people in high-level counties, Windsor is one such county, take broad-scale action to prevent Covid transmission, such as wearing masks.
Fourteen people have died so far in May, a death rate higher than March and April but below December-February.
Vt. state-sponsored COVID testing sites to close in coming weeks: Vermont health officials say most state-sponsored COVID testing sites will be phased out over the next two months (May and June). According to Vt. Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine, as the pandemic progresses with highly transmissible variants like omicron, the at-home instant testing has proved to be more timely and useful than the PCR tests provided by the state-run clinics.
Free COVID tests: Americans can once again order free COVID-19 tests from the federal government by visiting COVIDtests.gov. In this round, the U.S. Postal Service will deliver eight free rapid antigen tests to any household in the U.S. that wants them.
Q&A: We’ve received a number of questions recently about antibody testing and how long the protection lasts if you’ve had Covid.
• Antibody Testing: Antibody or serology tests look for antibodies in your blood that fight the virus that causes COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccines teach your body to produce antibodies to fight infection from the virus. If you get an antibody test after receiving a vaccine, you might test positive by some (but not all) antibody tests. Some antibody tests will only detect antibodies from infection, not from vaccination. Antibody testing is not currently recommended to determine if you are immune to COVID-19 following COVID-19 vaccination. The CDC’s Interim Guidelines for COVID-19 Antibody Testing provide more information on how antibody testing should be used and interpreted.
• How long does natural immunity last after a Covid-19 infection: The jury is still out is the simplest answer. An October 2021 study by the Yale School of Public Health- The Lancet Microbe -reported that unvaccinated people should have immunity against reinfection for 3 to 61 months after they had COVID-19, if their community is still experiencing infections from the virus. However, this study was pre Omicron variant which is quite different than the initial strain and Delta variant. One study showed that over 80% of those who were infected with earlier strains of the virus didn’t gain immunity from the Omicron variant. In fact, as the Omicron strain has mutated, some people are being reinfected.
4. EVENTS
MAY 20-21 (FRIDAY-SATURDAY): BRGN Rummage Sale at Fletcher Farm on Route 103. 10-4.
MAY 22 (SUNDAY): CCCA Spring Bird Walk at 8 am. Walkers will meet at the Proctor Piper trail head in Proctorsville. Marianne and Michael Walsh of the Mount Ascutney Audubon Bird Association return and join Tim Calabrese of the Cavendish Trail Association to lead the birding walk along the Proctor Piper Trail which links the two villages in Cavendish. To register and for more information Robin at 802-259-2327 or robintimko@tds.net. Walk is limited to 12 people.
MAY 25 (WEDNESDAY): Property Grievance Day
MAY 27 (FRIDAY): 5-7 pm, Early Bird Cavendish Historical Society plant sale in front of the Museum
MAY 28 (SATURDAY): 9-noon: CHS Plant sale continues in front of the Museum.
MAY 30 (MONDAY): Memorial Day. Legal holiday. Town Office Closed
JUNE 1 (WEDNESDAY): CCCA’s Cavendish Calendar Photography Contest photographs are due today. FMI: cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com.
JUNE 21 (TUESDAY): Last day of school
- 1st Day of Summer
JULY 30 (SATURDAY): Cavendish’s Annual Town Wide Tag Sale, 9-2.