Cavendish Update 6/17/22: Found/SB Mtg/News/Events
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The Cavendish Village Ghost Walk begins 8 pm in front of the CHS Museum tomorrow, Saturday, June 18th. Bring a flashlight and wear comfortable shoes.
Happy Father’s Day and Juneteenth!
6/17/22
1. A Successful Search & Rescue
2. Cavendish Select Board Meeting 6/13/17
3. Cavendish Info
4. Covid update
5. Events
1. SUCCESSFUL SEARCH & RESCUE: Early Tuesday morning, an alert was sent out statewide that Donald Gurney of Springfield was missing and his truck was located at the end of Parker Hill Rd. in Cavendish.
While Search & Rescue was being organized out of the Cavendish Volunteer Fire Dept (CVFD), the town went about the business helping support the rescue effort in a variety of ways. Some spent days driving the back roads of Cavendish and Reading, hoping he might wander out. Others searched their property and neighbors. Many brought food and beverages to keep the searchers fed and hydrated.
There were approximately 50 searchers daily, plus neighbors and friends, working in Cavendish & Reading trying to locate Don. The crews included the Vermont State Police Search and Rescue Team, New England K9 Search and Rescue, Upper Valley Wilderness Search and Rescue, the Vermont Warden Service, Cavendish Fire Department, Reading Fire Department, Rescue Inc., Killington Search and Rescue, and a helicopter from the Vermont Army National Guard.
Donations came pouring in for both humans and the canine team. Special thanks to the following businesses and organizations: Goodman's American Pie Pizza; Singleton's; Black River Good Neighbors; Black River Produce; Springfield Booster Club; Ludlow Rotary; W. Weathersfield Fire Dept; the Springfield Tech Center; Monkey Chews; Golden Stage Inn; 106 in Springfield; Ryan's Service Center in Springfield; Caton Place Campground and Winter View Farm. Special thinks to Becky Plunkard and her new neighbor Amy, who took 20 of the Everyone Eats Meals and created the most amazing dishes. The Cavendish edition of a bake contest using required ingredients. Here is her description of what they made, "My next door neighbor and I made a kind of Polynesian ham and rice casserole with ham, teriyaki, pineapple, rice, water chestnuts, and there oils scme corn and beans, then we took the carrots and sweet potatoes, added some butternut squash, cinnamon, brown sugar, butter and mixed then put marshmallows on top.” Yum.
A very special thank you to Neeko and his handler. Neeko is a Belgian Malinois and Don was his first “find.”
With the Search & Rescue operations successfully completely, -Don was found and transported to Springfield Hospital on Thursday afternoon-some are wondering what happened with donated items. Since the Cavendish Shelter Program, CVFD and responding groups provided water and other supplies the first day, those organizations were restocked. The dog handlers are now set for their next search and rescue effort. Some of the searchers have been out for 14 straight days so they were thrilled to be restocked, and were encouraged to take food home to families who haven’t seen them for days. Everything was either rehomed to the dedicated people who responded to the emergency, while other items are in storage ready for the next time they’re needed in town.
The searchers frequently commented about what an incredible town Cavendish is and how much they appreciated the food, drinks and support. As Donna Huge posted thank you to the Cavendish FD and community for all your support. With all three meals being served and the dog treats we could keep searching at full steam! Love, the dog team! (New England K9 Search and Rescue)
As most of us know, this isn’t our first rodeo and it won’t be our last. Cavendish knows how to get the job done. Hopefully we won’t need such a response anytime soon but it’s good to know what an incredible town we’re part of.
Missing Vermont man found alive after 3 days of searching
2. CAVENDISH SELECT BOARD MEETING 6/13/22: Unapproved minutes of Monday’s Select Board meeting are now on-line at the Municipal Website A video of the meeting is available at the Okemo Valley TV website.
Actions/Discussions
• Approved Andrea Garcia to the Proctorsville Fire Dept. Prudential Committee
- Liquor License for Neal’s Restaurant
- Proctorsville Fire Dept. holding a coin drop as part of the Town Wide Tag Sale-July 30 (Saturday) 9-2.
- Changing the July SB meeting from July 11th to July 18th
• Review of Tarbell Hill Paving: 4 culverts have been replaced by the town crew. The lower portion of the road-131 to Chambers Rd-is in bad shape and will need extensive work, while the upper portion will require less. Bids should be available at the July SB meeting.
• The dirt pile has been removed from the former town garage site. The plan is to test the soil and restore water to the Cavendish Historical Society Museum. Fuel tanks will be moved to the new garage once school is out. The pole barns are being cleaned in preparation for relocation.
• Discussed the entrance to the Cavendish Village Cemetery, which has been damaged due to heavy equipment being used on the reestablish road next to the entrance. Town Manager, Brendan McNamara, has been in touch with the property owner and repairs will be made once the homeowner has completed his land clearing project.
• The highway crew is grading and putting chloride on the dirt roads. They will be hydroseeding some ditches starting on Felchville Gulf and Davis Roads.
• McNamara reports that he should have approval from Vtrans within the month to place the digital speed signs on 131. The speed test has yet to be completed. There is a new sheriff deputy in town doing speed patrols
• Junk yard ordinance was again discussed.
• The trackless broom has been fixed and is being used in Cavendish village but will be heading to Proctorsville soon.
• The Energy Committee is considering placing a bike rack at the Town Office.
3. CAVENDISH INFO
• Black River Water Testing: It is recommended to stay out of the water when it appears cloudy and within 24 hours of a heavy rain. Wednesday’s test results were well below the EPA’s limit for safe swimming of 235 CFU: Cavendish Gorge 30; Greven Field 79; Buttermilk Falls 15; Tolles Power Dam Perkinsville 41; Twenty Foot Hole Reading 10; West Hill Road Rec Pond, Ludlow 3. Thank you BRAT for this testing.
• Chris Quinn 1951-2022: It’s with sadness that we post the passing of beloved community member Chris Quinn. Please see her obituary for more information on her memorial on July 24th at Harwood Pavillion, Plymouth State Park in Plymouth, Vt. from 1-4 p.m.
• Barbara L. LeMire, 1934-2022: Our condolences to Barb LeMire’s family and friends. Her obituary is available at the VT Journal.
• Judge denies Merrill motion for pre-trial release: Former Green Mountain Middle School teacher Norman Merrill will remain in jail after Federal District Judge Christina Reiss in Burlington held a hearing on his “motion to revoke detention order,” then denied it last Thursday. Chester Telegraph
• Vermont Everyone Eats extends beyond July 1: The Vermont Everyone Eats (VEE) program has been extended for 6-9 more months. The program will operate out of the Cavendish Town Library for the summer months. For more information on the program, to find out how to access local meals, or request the inclusion of a restaurant in this program, visit the Vermont Everyone Eats website.
• Vermont to launch 3-digit number for National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in July: On July 16, VT will join the rest of the country when it launches the 988 number to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. VT Digger
• Morrow pulls out of Windsor Senate race Remaining contenders are from northern part of county: Just one week after formally announcing his run for the VT Senate to represent the Windsor District, Chris Morrow of Weston, former owner of Northshire Books in Manchester, has pulled out of the race. Chester Telegraph
4. 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, which was updated this week.
TRSU SCHOOL NUMBERS: Cases have been reported from June 10-June 16 as follows: GMUHS-19; Chester/Andover Elementary-1; Ludlow Elementary-4; Mt Holly-4
STATE: Covid cases in VT are on the decline. There has only been one death in June and antivirals, for those who do contract Covid, are widely available. In fact, health commissioner Mark Levine, believes the state is now in the endemic phase of the disease. “We have reached a new phase in the pandemic where the risk of severe disease and death is much lower,” said Vermont Human Services Secretary Jenney Samuelson.
State testing sites close June 25. According to the state, Vermonters are encouraged to pick up free take-home tests from these sites to keep at home and use if needed.. You can get up to four antigen test kits for each appointment, but only one LAMP (similar to PCR) per appointment. Take-home antigen tests meet many testing needs and will continue to be widely available at pharmacies around the state and at online retailers. If the tests are covered by your health insurance, you may be able to show your insurance card at the pharmacy counter and get test kits at no cost to you. Some health plans may require you to pay for the tests and then be reimbursed. Make sure you have ordered all three rounds of at-home tests from COVID.gov, which are mailed directly to you. You can also reach out to your health care provider or local pharmacy for other types of testing.
5. EVENTS
JUNE 17 (FRIDAY): GMUHS graduation 7 pm
JUNE 19 (SUNDAY): HAPPY FATHER’S DAY
- Happy Juneteenth Learn more about the newest federal holiday by going to JUNETEENTH: A Celebration of Freedom & Resilience
JUNE 20 (MONDAY): Town office closed for Juneteenth
- CTES Graduation, 6 pm
JUNE 21 (TUESDAY): Last day of school
- 1st Day of Summer Happy Solstice
JULY 4 (MONDAY): Happy 4th of July. Town Office Closed. Fireworks in our area will be as follows:
- Ludlow 9:30 pm (All day events starting at 9 am Sugar House Location at Okemo Mountain Resort. All events are free)
JULY 6 (WEDNESDAY): The Summer Concert series at Svec Park (Proctorsville Green) kicks off the concert series with the Irish band Gypsy Reel. Concerts begin at 6 pm.
JULY 13 (WEDNESDAY): Summer concert series continues
JULY 30 (SATURDAY): Cavendish’s Annual Town Wide Tag Sale, 9-2.