Cavendish Update 8/23/24: Flood Relief/News/Events

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Summer Fest in Ludlow is Saturday (12-7) and Sunday (10-4). First day of school this week. Please use caution on the roads as school starts this week, and students will be waiting and boarding buses, some for the first time.

8/23/24

1.    Cavendish Flood Relief Funds

2.    Cavendish Related News

3.    Events Calendar

1. CAVENDISH FLOOD RELIEF FUNDS: The Cavendish July 2023 Flood Relief Fund is accepting applications from residents, property owners, renters who have been impacted by the July 10, 2023 storm and expenses of rebuilding. The fund is offering relief grants in the form of cash disbursements via check. Applications will be kept confidential.

There are limited funds available so the amount of each grant will generally be in the amount of $500.00. However, grants in larger amounts will be considered in cases of demonstrated needed.

Applications are available at the Cavendish Town Office, 37 High Street, Cavendish and on the town website.

All applications should be submitted to the Cavendish Town Treasurer at the Town Office or by e-mail to d.mcnamara@comcast.net by September 30, 2024

 2. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

• Black River Water Sampling: Almost all the water samples from yesterday came back from the lab with acceptable or very good bacteria numbers...Amherst Lake, on the other hand, is above the EPA's limit for safe contact (swimming). Never swim when the water is cloudy or murky (as Amherst currently is, sadly) or for 24-48 hours after a heavy rain. Results for all swimming holes can be found here: connecticutriver.us

• New flood relief film documents devastated Vermont community: “The Forgotten” is a short film about the resilience of the Windsor County town following devastating flooding in July 2023. The filmmakers are taking their project around the state this summer and donating 100% of ticket sales and donations to the Plainfield flood relief fund. “If all we can do is let them know they’re not alone and they’re not going to be alone because we are going to do whatever we can to help our fellow Vermonters and in whatever way we can. And if it’s just raising a few dollars through a film that we created, then that’s what we can do,” said Wendy Reynolds of Red Vault Productions. WCAX

• GMUSD board mulls finances, new bond effort, restructuring: Chester Telegraph

• Cavendish resident named new head at Expeditionary School in Ludlow: Chester Telegraph

• Cavendish Cares Closet: Thank you to Dave Gallagher!  The Cavendish Closet-next to the Museum steps-has an upgrade. In addition to new paint and other maintenance, Dave added a bunch of jigsaw puzzles in the cabinet. Lots of new books-including one by Louise Penny. More masks and hand sanitizer, as well as gardening to prevent the storm booklets and even the Cavendish Cemetery Guide. All free and open 24/7.

• Congratulations to Hana Saydek: Hana, who grew up in Cavendish recently received A First Tracks Award from the VT Ski and Snowboard Museum’s The Vermont Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. In 2020 the Vermont non-profit Unlikely Riders was established to promote diversity and inclusivity in alpine, backcountry and Nordic skiing, snowboarding, and other mountain sports. Founders Abby Crisostomo, Hana Saydek, Amanda Moran, and Bettina Guevara were motivated by a desire to create a welcoming community for underrepresented groups regardless of their background to get outside and enjoy winter sports in Vermont. Today Abby and Hana manage the organization, and, together, bring extensive experience in social justice and community organizing to the forefront and are working tirelessly to build a supportive and diverse community of riders while introducing people to the joys of winter outdoor recreation. Hana Saydek is a dynamic leader and lifelong skier and snowboarder that’s committed to fostering diversity in the mountain sports community. Hana grew up in Cavendish, VT, attending the local elementary school’s Tuesday ski program, and has fond memories of the Okemo Alpine Race Program and Okemo Mountain School, as both a ski race athlete and later, as a coach.

3. EVENTS

AUGUST 28 (WEDNESDAY): 1st Day of School

SEPTEMBER 2 (MONDAY): Labor Day. Town Office Closed

SEPTEMBER 14 (SATURDAY): Vermont Golden Honey Festival at the Golden Stage Inn. 10-4 FMI: Honey Festival Facebook page

SEPTEMBER 15 (SUNDAY): Annual Phineas Gage Walk and Talk, 2 pm at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum. The talk portion will take place rain or shine. Wear comfortable shoes. The walk is a mile and a half of road surface.

SEPTEMBER 29 (SUNDAY): 2 PM, Cavendish Historical Society Museum. Plant Time: Herbs focusing on longevity (e.g. chaga) and the life cycle of medicinal plants. This will include a discussion of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s writing and use of plants like chaga and mandrake root (European variety). Dr. Charis Boke will again be one of the speakers

OCTOBER 13 (SUNDAY) Last Sunday the Museum is open for the 2024 season.

OCTOBER 14 (MONDAY): Indigenous Peoples Day. Town office closed

OCTOBER 26 (SATURDAY) History of the Invasives: Knotweed. 2 pm at the Cavendish Library, 573 Main St. Proctorsville

NOVEMBER 2 (SATURDAY):  Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead): Starts 3 pm at the Cavendish Library, 573 Main St. Proctorsville. Workshop from 3-5:30 Pot luck supper follows

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Cavendish Update 8/16/24: SB Mtg/News/Events

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The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources has issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for Code Orange or Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups category due to Fine Particulates for Vermont until midnight tonight.

8/16/24

1.    Cavendish Select Board Meeting 8/12/24

2.    Cavendish Related News

3.    Events Calendar

1. CAVENDISH SELECT BOARD MTG 8/12/24: The video of Monday night’s Select Board (SB) meeting is now available at the Okemo Valley Website. Minutes from the SB meeting are posted to the town’s website.

Approved by the Select Board

• Letter supporting Steve Green applying for funding to establish affordable housing at 2588 Route 103, the former site of Smokin’ Bowls. He is working with Windham/Windsor Housing Trust and Springfield Supportive Housing to create 6-8 one bedroom units. Given the location, the property will need to conform to the town’s hazardous flood mitigation regs. This project is still in the beginning stages with many details still undecided.

• One day liquor license to Singleton’s for an upcoming event

• Town manager Rick Chambers will send a letter to the property owner of 1323 Main St (Route 131) inquiring about plans for a building that is viewed as dangerous. The letter will include a copy of the town’s “dangerous building ordinance.”

• Chambers to send a letter to the property owner regarding the need to stop blocking the right of way to the Proctor Cemetery, located off route 131 in Proctorsville.

Discussed

• Culvert Study: Dartmouth Students presented information about the culvert survey and cleaning project they have been doing in Cavendish since May. Their handouts- Executive Guide to Cavendish Drainage Site Surveying and Culvert Blockage Map are included in PDF format. The Executive Summary provides access to the survey and findings. Note that a webpage is being planned to help Cavendish property owners in checking and reporting culverts.

• Dangerous Building: Located at 236 and 246 Depot Street, the property owners responded to the letter sent to them by Chambers. There appears to be some work taking place. The building needs to be removed by Sept. 15.

• Flood Resilience Study: The town is applying for funding as FEMA will not be covering this project cost for the town. The cost is about $140,000.  

• FEMA: Reimbursement has been slow but it’s getting there.

• Road Behind Murdock’s: In mid-September, the road will be marked out.

• Paving: There was a cost overrun of $15,000 on Twenty Mile Stream as the road needed a new base. Edging is still needed on Whitesville Rd.

• Federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (DR 4720): The town is preparing a grant for the $90 million available to VT municipalities to implement hazardous mitigation measures to harden infrastructure against future flood losses and for voluntary buyouts of homes in floodplains. This grant requires no match from the town. The pre application forms are due by Aug. 30.

  2. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

• Water Testing Results: Water quality results for bacteria levels are again looking nice at all our swimming holes on the Black River  - 20' Hole was skipped this week, but the rest all came in looking nice from Wednesday morning's sample.  Thank you to all our supporters and volunteers! Just two more weeks of sampling for the season.  As always you can check out the results here, for info on swimming holes around the CT River watershed.

• Belle McKnight: Belle S. McKnight of Proctorsville, Vermont, passed away peacefully at Springfield Hospital on Wednesday, August 7 at the age of 89.

• Ludlow Dental Moving to Chester: Effective Sept. 3, all patients of Ludlow Dental Center will be seen at Chester Dental Center, at 55 Route 11 West. The trial period of combined operations from June-November 2023 demonstrated that merging services allows for streamlined operations, cost savings and improved delivery of dental care, according to North Star Health, which says it will maintain the same capacity to serve dental patients, ensuring that appointment availability and services will not be reduced. Chester Telegraph

• No surprises in primary races for state Senate, House: Primary election results, while predictable in many cases, set the ballot for state and local races in the Tuesday Nov. 5 election, which will include a much-contested presidential contest. In the race for three Senate seats representing Windsor County, Democrats tapped incumbents Rebecca White of Harford (4,226 votes) and Alison Clarkson of Woodstock (4,123) as well as newcomer Joe Major of Hartford (3,268) to face Republicans Jack Williams of Weathersfield (1,341), Andrea Murray, also of Weathersfield (1,336) and Jonathan Gleason of Ludlow (1,135.)  Not making the cut were newcomer Democratic candidates Marc Nemeth of Royalton and Justin Tuthill of Pomfret. Major had been favored by both Clarkson and White.  Also, Republican newscomer Robert Ruhlin of Cavendish failed to make the primary cut. The Windsor-2 House district (Cavendish and Weathersfield) will see a race between Democrat Mark Yuengling of Perkinsville who picked up 219 primary votes and V.L. Coffin of Cavendish who took 236 votes in the Republican primary. Chester Telegraph

• The Fillebrown family of Baltimore and Cavendish

• Vt. regulator says health insurance rate hike highlights need for fundamental reform: Health insurance rates are on the rise for thousands of Vermonters after state regulators earlier this week approved a rate hike for the state’s two major carriers. Officials say the double-digit increase should be a wake-up call for fundamental reforms in the health care system. WCAX

3. EVENTS

AUGUST 17 (SATURDAY): Singleton’s Car-BBQ, Antique car show, 11-3 rain or shine. 356 Main St. Proctorsville.

AUGUST 28 (WEDNESDAY): 1st Day of School

SEPTEMBER 2 (MONDAY): Labor Day. Town Office Closed

SEPTEMBER 14 (SATURDAY): Vermont Golden Honey Festival at the Golden Stage Inn. 10-4 FMI: Honey Festival Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/VTgoldenhoneyfestival/

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Cavendish Update 8/9/24: Be Prepared/News/Events

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8/9/24

1.    Be Prepared

2.    Cavendish Related News

3.    Events Calendar

1. BE PREPARED: While Debby probably won’t cause much damage in our area, there still will be heavy rains tonight. We’re into hurricane season and anything can and will happen. Consequently, it’s always a good time to make sure you are prepared. You can do this by:

• Registering for VT Alert (www.vtalert.gov) so you have advanced warning about events affecting our town as well as areas where you might travel

• Knowing that the Cavendish Shelter is located at the Cavendish Baptist Church 2258 Main St.

• Checking the Cavendish VT Facebook page for Updates

• Registering for CARE (Citizens Assistance Registry for Emergencies) if you or someone you know might need additional assistance in an emergency. https://e911.vermont.gov/care

• Having plans in place including best way to evacuate your home or business; a family meet up place and a place you can stay in the event your home is damaged and you can’t live there a week or more

• Setting up your smart phone for emergencies-Smart phone-the Right Tool for Emergent Situations

• Knowing how to shelter in place

• Preparing emergency and Go Kits

• Preparing your property to minimize damage and loss.

If you are in need of sand bags: Bags are available in the entry way of the Cavendish Town Office, which is open 24/7. Sand is available to your immediate right off of Power Plant Road. Bring your own shovel.

FMI: Cavendish Connects Emergency Preparedness page

 2. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

• New adventures await Golden Stage innkeepers: In July, on the Golden Stage Inn’s Facebook page, the owners, Julie and Mike Woods, shared a post revealing that after much consideration, conversation, and meditation, listed the inn for sale. “Alas, after thirteen years…we are getting pooped,” the post read in part. VT Journal

• BRGNS Back to School Supplies Program: If you are in need of assistance, stop by Black River Good Neighbors Services, call them 802-226-3663 or fill out an application on-line

• Soul Rockers Rescheduled for Aug. 15: Soul Rockers, a group of talented local musicians, were scheduled to perform at the Concert on the Green series in Proctorsville when Hurricane Beryl was also due to appear. That concert has been rescheduled to Thursday, Aug. 15, at 5:30 p.m

• Big Lots in Rutland and Claremont are Closing

• Ed Commission creates group to fix school financing: In the third meeting out of 30 budgeted by the Vermont legislature, about half of the members of the Commission on the Future of Public Education in Vermont assembled as the “steering group”  on Monday and got down to making some decisions on how their work will be done. On the agenda was a discussion of the kinds of data the commission will need to study the education system and give the legislature recommendations for a “statewide vision” for the education system and reforms in the way Vermont pays for it. There were also action items to be tackled including developing a plan for the commission, which must be approved by Sept. 15, and populating a subcommittee that is supposed to look at changes to the education finance system that will result in “substantially equal access to a quality basic education for all…Chester Telegraph

3. EVENTS

AUGUST 12 (MONDAY): Cavendish Select Board Meeting. 6:30 pm at the Cavendish Town Office.

AUGUST 13 (TUESDAY): Election Day Proctorsville Fire Dept 10-7.

AUGUST 15 (THURSDAY): Community Luncheon, Serving at 11 am, Penne pasta with sausage and sauce. Meal followed by games and a stroll around the gym. The luncheon is free and open to the public thanks to  Black River Good Neighbors Services.

-       Wednesday night concert: Soul Rockers, 5:30 pm

SEPTEMBER 2 (MONDAY): Labor Day. Town Office Closed

SEPTEMBER 14 (SATURDAY): Vermont Golden Honey Festival at the Golden Stage Inn. 10-4 FMI: Honey Festival Facebook page

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Cavendish Update 7/26/24: Tag Sale/News/Events

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7/26/24

1.    Tomorrow is Tag Sale Day

2.    Cavendish Related News

3.    Events Calendar

1. TOMORROW IS TAG SALE DAY!! Looks like it’s going to be a gorgeous day with low humidity with highs in the low 80s. A great day to be in Cavendish. This is a quick overview of what’s taking place tomorrow:

Food: Both the Cavendish and Proctorsville Fire Departments will be selling food. CVFD will be serving pulled pork (Miquel has had his smoker going for the past few days in preparation) at their fire station. PVFD, who will be on the Proctorsville Green, will be hosting a BBQ of burgers, hot dogs and sausage, and will also have a tag sale. There will be a cookie stand on the Cavendish Green and once again the lemonade stand, benefitting cancer research, will be on the Proctorsville Green.

Estate Sales: At least two estate sales are taking place: 66 Duttonsville School House Dr. (just off 131) and 244 Densmore Rd. [Turn onto Mill St (Mack Molding will be on your right) and go through the underpass (White’s Hill) and as it turns you’ll be on Densmore Rd.]

Greens: Various vendors will be on both the Cavendish and Proctorsville Greens.

Large Sales: The Cavendish Baptist Church, St. James Methodist and the multi family sale on the Cavendish Commons will be in full swing tomorrow.

 Cavendish Connects: We’ll be at the Proctorsville Green by the Gazebo. We will have a special table set up so people can make their own “Go” or “Ready” kits to help in times of emergency-one per family. We will also have copies of the Vermont Emergency Management’s “Family Emergency Preparedness.” This is a very helpful and easy to use guide booklet.

Vendors: Please remember to take everything with you, including trash, at the end of the day. If you are holding your sale at home, signage with directions to your house helps considerably.

Finally, Cavendish Connects has organized and run the Town Wide Tag Sale for 14 years.  PLEASE DROP OFF A DONATION this year so this sale and all the services you expect can continue.

We will continue to update the Cavendish Town Wide Tag Sale page until early tomorrow morning.

 2. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

• Vermont’s Covid-19 cases on the upswing this summer: Data from wastewater plants and emergency departments show that the virus is multiplying again. To help the community prepare, both fire departments and the Cavendish Connects booth at tomorrow’s Town Wide Tag Sale will be offering free COVID tests (kits expire in Oct), masks and hand sanitizer.

• The Forgotten: Stefan Beaumont and Wendy E. Reynolds of Red Vault Productions know firsthand what it is like to have to put their lives back together after they lost their home and business in last year’s flooding. As the anniversary approached, they planned to premiere the short film they created during the tumultuous past year. “We had made this film just for our community and our closure, but on the anniversary of the flood, when the flooding was happening again up north, we realized it could do so much more than that,” said Reynolds. On July 13, the residents of Cavendish gathered to unite in spirit and watch the premiere of “The Forgotten.” The outdoor screening took place at The Crow, another local business hit hard by the 2023 floods. Members of the community made donations to the 2024 flood survivors. If you missed the event on the 13th, or you just want to see it again, another outdoor community event is scheduled at Okemo Valley TV for Aug. 3, to continue to raise funds for 2024 flood survivors. VT Journal

• Volunteers Needed for CTES: Saturday, July 27 at Cavendish Elementary 3p-6p Need to seed and mulch areas that are now all dirt. Bring rakes and gloves, and if you have an additional seed spreader, bring that. FMI: Jenn Harper 802-548-7419

• Tech Time at Fletcher Library: Fletcher Memorial Library in Ludlow will host Tech Time with Matt Sydorowich of Sydscompufix, on Saturday, Aug. 3, from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Matt will offer one-on-one assistance with your device, phone, or computer. Please call the library at 802-228-8921 to register.

• Okemo Valley Technical Rescue: The newly formed Okemo Valley Technical Rescue (OVTR) will focus on technical rescue – swiftw water rescue and tactical emergency casualty care, in their training and acquisition of equipment. In late 2023, Ludlow Ambulance Chief Stephanie Grover, along with (recently retired) Chief Kolenda of Ludlow Fire, Chief Billy Austin of Mount Holly Fire, and Chief Robert Glidden of Proctorsville Fire came together to brainstorm how these area departments might work together to prepare for events that we were not currently able to address at that time. There are enormous costs associated with training and equipment in technical rescue, and it became clear that working together would be the best way forward. Okemo Valley Technical Rescue – a pending 501(c)(3) organization – is currently recruiting members who wish to train and volunteer in swiftwater rescue, tactical emergency casualty care, and later, structural collapse, ropes rescue, and wilderness search and rescue, to name a few. The board of directors is soliciting financial support from local businesses. The organization has already received complete verbal backing from local selectboards in an open meeting earlier this spring. Please direct any questions and offers for donations to OVTR President Stephanie Grover at sgrover.las@tds.net.

• Follow Up to CHS Talk: As a follow up to last Sunday talk at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum-18th Century Healers in Rural Vermont-a list of the guidebooks and other information discussed is now at the CHS blog.

• Cavendish concerts continue with Rick Redington and Tuff Luv: The Town of Cavendish and the Cavendish Community and Conservation Association (CCCA) invite everyone to come to the Svec Memorial Green in Proctorsville for the continuing summer music series. Rick Redington & Tuff Luv will take the stage on Wednesday, July 31, at 6 p.m.

3. EVENTS

JULY 27 (SATURDAY): Cavendish Town Wide Tag Sale. 9-2 pm

JULY 31 (WEDNESDAY): 6 PM Proctorsville Green Summer Concert Series-Rick Redington & Tuff Luv FMI cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

AUGUST 7 (WEDNESDAY): 6 PM Proctorsville Green Summer Concert Series-Bear Mountain Boys FMI cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

SEPTEMBER 14 (SATURDAY): Vermont Golden Honey Festival at the Golden Stage Inn. 10-4 FMI: Honey Festival Facebook page

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