Cavendish Update 9/9/22: News and Events

READ THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE LATEST NEWS

Honey Festival, Saturday (9/10) from 10-4 at the Golden Stage Inn

Annual Phineas Gage Walk & Talk, Sunday (9/11), 2 pm @ the CHS Museum

9/9/22

1.    Cavendish Info

2.    Covid update

3.    Events

1. CAVENDISH INFO

Cavendish man shot by police has died: Michael P. Mills was hospitalized at Dartmouth Medical Center following the Aug. 15 shooting. An obituary published Tuesday on Legacy.com indicated he died 10 days later, on Aug. 25. Capt. Scott Dunlap, commander of the Vermont State Police Major Crime Unit, confirmed Tuesday that Mills had died. Asked why state police had not released information about Mills’ death earlier, Dunlap said state police had been busy with several other major crimes as well as other police shooting investigations that occurred in close proximity to one another. VT Digger

Ludlow Bridge Closed: On Thursday, September 8, Bridge #26 over Jewell Brook on VT Route 103 (Main Street) in Ludlow-bridge is next to Shaw’s-  will be closed for a 21 days as VTrans replaces the existing bridge deck and superstructures.  The Town has signage in place for a local detour. All truck traffic will need to take the signed regional state detour route along VT 103, VT 100, and VT 155.  Sign up for weekly project updates by clicking here.

Seasonal Fuel Assistance: Sign up for Vermont’s Seasonal Heating Fuel Assistance Program, which can offset winter heating costs by anywhere from a few hundred to even a few thousand dollars. Senior Solutions is launching a two-month campaign to help residents apply for assistance through Vermont’s LIHEAP program, which could help lower your bills if you heat with oil, kerosene, propane, electric, coal, wood pellets, or cordwood. This program is income and household-size based. If your monthly income is at or below $2,096 (single person), or $2,823 (household of two), you may qualify. As household size increases, so do income limits. Benefits are sent directly to your fuel company on your behalf, giving you a credit for the season. In the case of wood, it will either appear on an EBT card containing a cash amount, or could be directly deposited into your bank account.  It doesn’t matter if you own your home, or rent, as long as you are incurring a heating cost. It doesn’t have an “asset test,” so the value of your vehicles, property, and bank accounts are immaterial. Vermont residents may drop in without an appointment at any of the following locations during September to apply:

Thursday, Sept. 8 – Weathersfield Food Pantry, 2–4 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 13 – Wardsboro Library, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 14 – Good Neighbors/Ludlow, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 23 – Putney Food Shelf, 1–3:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 27 – Reading Town Hall, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 27 – Hartland Library, 1–3 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 29 – Bellows Falls Senior Center, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 29 – Windsor Food Shelf/Trinity Church, 5:30–6:30 p.m.

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.

Free Test kits: Available Monday-Friday at the Cavendish Fire Dept from 9-4. For weekends and off hours, call 802-226-7807.

Schools: From 8/31 through 9/6 (Tuesday) CTES had 9 Covid cases. We’ve been unable to access data for the other schools in the GMUSD. Note that the incidence of Covid in schools is a reflection of how Covid is circulating in the community.

State: The current VT Dept of Health Weekly Report August 28 to September 3, continues to report statewide community levels as low, with only two counties reporting “medium” levels-Essex and Bennington.  

• New hospital admissions with Covid: 38 new admissions (decrease from last week’s 58)

• Percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by patients with Covid: 3.18% (decrease from last week’s 3.89%%)

• Wastewater Monitoring: Increasing Bennington, Morrisville, St. Albans City, Winooski. Decreasing Brighton, Essex Junction, Johnson, St. Johnsbury, and Troy/Jay.  No report for Barre and Newport City. Burlington showed sharp decrease.

• Outbreaks: As of Wednesday, there were 9 active outbreaks of Covid, which is 3 less than the previous weeks, including 5 in long-term care facilities, 1 each in Non-Long Term Care Healthcare, correctional facility and 2 in school/childcare  There are no active outbreaks listed for Windsor County. Note: With more reported cases from schools, expect to see outbreaks increasing in the weeks ahead.

• Deaths: Eight additional Covid deaths this past week, bringing the state total to 715. August had a total of 19 deaths, higher than the 12 cases each for June and July.  No deaths have been reported so far for September.

The newly approved COVID-19 vaccine booster shot, called bivalent, is now available. The updated boosters are designed to be a match for the BA.5 Omicron variant currently affecting most people. Eligible individuals may choose either the Pfizer or Moderna bivalent booster, regardless of which primary series vaccine or original booster dose they received. In order to receive either of the new boosters, you must have completed your primary vaccination series (two doses of Pfizer or Moderna, or one dose of Johnson & Johnson). Individuals who have recently received Novavax are not yet eligible for any booster at this time. The booster vaccine will be available at limited walk-in only clinics listed on the Health Department website. Walk-In Clinics closest to Cavendish are as follows:

Sept. 9 (Friday) Diamond Run Mall (Rutland) 10-1 and Riverside Middle School (Springfield) 3-6

Sept. 10 (Saturday): Hartford High School 9-11:30

Sept. 13 (Tuesday): Londonderry Rescue (6069 Vermont Route 100) 10-1

Sept. 14 (Wednesday): Diamond Run Mall 3-6

For other dates and times, click here.

3. EVENTS

SEPTEMBER 10 (SATURDAY): Tenth Anniversary of the Vermont Golden Honey Festival 10-4 at the Golden Stage Inn.

SEPTEMBER 11 (SUNDAY): Annual Phineas Gage Walk & Talk. Begins at 2 pm at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum. The walk includes the site of the accident, which is three quarters of a mile from the Museum. FMI: margocaulfield@icloud.com 802-226-7807

SEPTEMBER 12 (MONDAY): Cavendish Select Board Meeting, 6:30 PM @ the Town Office

SEPTEMBER 15 (THURSDAY): The Cavendish Energy Committee is sponsoring a composting workshop at 6:30 p.m. in the Cavendish Town Offices, 37 High Street, Cavendish. Masks will be required for all. State regulations on safety will be adhered to. The workshop is free and open to all. To sign up for the workshop, or for more information, please email cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com.  If you'd like to purchase a composter but cannot attend the workshop, please email your order. While sign-up is encouraged, walk-ins will be welcomed. 

SEPTEMBER 23-24 (FRIDAY-SATURDAY): Black River Good Neighbor (BRGN) Rummage Sale at Fletcher Farm.

SEPTEMBER 25-27 (SUNDAY-TUESDAY): Rosh Hashanah

OCTOBER 4-5 (TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY): Yom Kippur

OCTOBER 10 (MONDAY): Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Town Office Closed

OCTOBER 31 (MONDAY): Happy Halloween

NOVEMBER 9 (TUESDAY): Election Day! Proctorsville Fire Dept. 10-7. Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 11 (FRIDAY): Veteran’s Day Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 24 (THURSDAY): HAPPY THANKSGIVING

NOVEMBER 25 (FRIDAY): Town Office Closed

DECEMBER 3-4 (SATURDAY-SUNDAY): Okemo Valley INNdulgence Tour. Enjoy holiday decorations, warm drinks and tasty treats at nearly a dozen inns in the Okemo Valley. From noon-5 pm, tickets are $15 per person.

    IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Cavendish Update 9/2/22: ATVs/Workshops/News/Events

READ THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE LATEST NEWS

Have a safe Labor Day Weekend!

9/2/22

1.    FU to SB Mtg where ATVs were discussed

2. Cavendish Info

3.    Annual Phineas Gage Walk and talk

4.    Covid update

5.    Events

1. FOLLOW UP TO SB MTG WHERE ATVS WERE DISCUSSED: At the August 17 Select Board meeting, many in the audience complained about current issues with ATVs being inappropriately used on the roads in Cavendish,

Steve Laskevich, Vice President of the Reading ATV (RATS) group,  in response to the complaints, posted the following information. I understand your concerns and anguish towards ATVs on your roads. .I spoke with Warden Tim Carey this morning about these issues you all are having and he has asked me  to share his cell number along with the number for David Lockerby who is the other warden serving the Cavendish area.

Warden Carey can be reached at 802-793-2776

Warden Lockerby at 802-917-6263

State Police Dispatch 802-722-4600

Every time you have issues with these clowns, please contact these wardens. Share the locations, issues, times and any patterns you notice.

2. CAVENDISH INFO

• Black River Water Testing: Thank you BRAT for helping to keep us safe this summer with weekly water testing of the Black River. Due to the periodic heavy downpours, the e-coli levels were very high on Wednesday morning’s water testing. The EPA’s limit for safe swimming is 235 CFU

Greven Field 1,990 CFU (unsafe conditions)

Cavendish Gorge 345 CFU (unsafe conditions)

Buttermilk Falls: 2,420 CFU (unsafe conditions)

Tolles Power Dam (Perkinsville): 128 CFU

Twenty Foot Hole (Reading): 194 CFU

West Hill Road Rec Pond (Ludlow): 68 CFU

• GM board votes to put $20 million renovation bond before district voters: At the Aug. 25, the board of the Green Mountain Unified School District decided to move forward with a multi-year, $20.5 million project to renovate its three school buildings. The vote was 6-1 — with three members absent — to put a 20 year bond before the voters of Andover, Baltimore, Cavendish and Chester at the general election on Nov. 8. Chester Telegraph

• Cavendish Fire Dept BBQ The Cavendish Fire Dept. will be holding a BBQ on Sept. 3 (Saturday) from 11 to 3 pm while supplies last at the Cavendish Fire Hall

• Learn About Composting; Win a Free Composter: The Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management District, in conjunction with the Cavendish Energy Committee and the Town of Cavendish, will host a workshop specifically about composting on Thursday, September 15, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. in the Cavendish Town Offices, 37 High Street, Cavendish. Masks will be required for all. Since July 1, 2020, food scraps have been banned from household trash. Residents are required to compost at home or use a facility (the Cavendish Transfer Station provides this service). All attendees will be eligible to win the door prize of a new Soil Saver composter and may order composters for residential use. While these bins normally retail for $100 each, they will be available to workshop attendees for $65. Please bring exact change or a check; there will be no way to process credit cards. A second drawing will be held for a compost pail, good for kitchen use to gather scraps bound for the composter. These pails will also be for sale at the workshop for $5 each. Residents of Cavendish and any other town are invited to attend. To sign up for the workshop, or for more information, please email cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com.  If you'd like to purchase a composter but cannot attend the workshop, please email your order. While sign-up is encouraged, walk-ins will be welcomed. 

• Benson’s Chevrolet collects school supplies: Benson’s Chevrolet of Ludlow, Vt. is currently collecting back-to-school supplies for Ludlow, Mount Holly, and Cavendish area schools, until Sept. 10. Items may be dropped at Benson’s on Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. The primary items needed are as follows: #2 Ticonderoga pencils, colored pencils, manual pencil sharpeners, erasers, crayons, washable markers, pens, two-pocket folders, kids blunt-tip scissors, 8×10 white boards, fine tip Expo markers, Elmer’s Glue, glue sticks, composition notebooks, one-subject notebooks, binders, construction paper, art supplies, highlighters, sticky notes, sanitizing wipes, facial tissues, and paper towels.

• As rents skyrocket, massive federally funded rental assistance program to ramp down in Vermont: A pandemic-era rental assistance program that has doled out more than $130 million in federal funds to keep Vermonters in their homes will begin to significantly ramp down in just a month. The Vermont Emergency Rental Assistance Program will stop taking new applications for rent and other housing expenses beginning Oct. 1, according to the website for the Vermont State Housing Authority, which administers the program. Utility applications will be accepted through the end of the year, but utility payments will end Dec. 31. Participants who receive other types of rental assistance, like Section 8 vouchers, will no longer be eligible for assistance from the program, known as VERAP, as of Oct. 1. Existing VERAP participants will receive reduced assistance based on their income as of that date. VT Digger

• Plan, but don’t panic over heating oil prices, officials say

3. ANNUAL PHINEAS GAGE WALK AND TALK: Horrible accident. Phineas P. Gage, a foreman on the Rutland Railroads at Cavendish, VT was preparing for a blast on Wednesday last, when the powder exploded, carrying through his head an iron instrument, an inch and a fourth in circumference, and three feet and eight inches in length. The iron entered on the side of his face, shattering the upper jaw, and passing back of the left eye, and out the top of his head. Singularly enough, he was alive at two o’clock the next afternoon, in full possession of his reason, and free from pain. This is how the Boston Courier and the Boston Daily Journaldescribed Cavendish’s famous accident that occurred on Sept. 13, 1848

On October 3, 1848, a letter by A. Angier of Cavendish, VT,  appeared in the Christian Reflector and Christian Watchman. Describing the accident in more detail, it ends with the following comments, “Altogether, it is one of the strangest occurrences on record, and will form a subject of inquiry for the learned physiologist. We live in an eventful era, but if a man can have thirteen pounds of iron in the shape of a pointed bar, thrown entirely through his head, carrying with it a quantity of the brain, and yet live and have his senses, we may well exclaim, What next?

On Sunday, September 11, the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) will be exploring the “what next” at their annual Phineas Gage Walk and Talk. The “talk” portion begins at the CHS Museum (Route 131, 1955 Main St. Cavendish) at 2 pm. This will be immediately followed by the walk to the site of the accident, ¾ of a mile from the Museum. Walking shoes are recommended. FMI: margocaulfield@icloud.com or 802-226-7807.

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.

Free Test kits: Available Monday-Friday at the Cavendish Fire Dept from 9-4. For weekends and off hours, call 802-226-7807

The public is invited to the Springfield library to receive up to four free at-home antigen test kits (that is eight tests total) while supplies last. FMI: Sue Dowdell, library director, at the Springfield Town Library, at 802-885-3018, email springfieldlibrary@hotmail.com.

Today, Sept. 2, is the last day to order free tests- covidtests.gov- from the federal government.

State: The VT Dept of Health Weekly Report August 21 to August 24, continues to report statewide community levels as low, with a total of six counties being ranked as having medium levels- Bennington,  Essex, Orange, Rutland, Windsor and Washington.

• New hospital admissions with Covid: Increase from last week. 58 new admissions.

• Percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by patients with Covid: 3.89% (increase from last week’s 2.44%)

• Wastewater Monitoring: Increasing Johnson, Morrisville, St. Johnsbury, Troy/Jay, and Winooski. Decreasing Bennington, Brighton, Essex Junction and St. Albans City. No report for Barre and Newport City. Burlington showed slight increases

• Outbreaks: As of Wednesday, there were 12 active outbreaks of Covid, the same as last week, including 9 in long-term care facilities and 1 each in Non-Long Term Care Healthcare, correctional facility and other.  There is 1 active outbreak listed for Windsor County, the same as last week. .

• Deaths: No deaths were reported this week.

FDA Backs Omicoron-based booster, paving the way for shots in Vermont next week.

Life expectancy in the U.S. continues to drop, driven by COVID-19

5. EVENTS

SEPTEMBER 3 (SATURDAY): The Cavendish Fire Dept. will be holding a BBQ on Sept. 3 (Saturday) from 11 to 3 pm while supplies last at the Cavendish Fire Hall

SEPTEMBER 5 (MONDAY): Labor Day, Town Office Closed

SEPTEMBER 10 (SATURDAY): Tenth Anniversary of the Vermont Golden Honey Festival 10-4 at the Golden Stage Inn.

SEPTEMBER 11 (SUNDAY): Annual Phineas Gage Walk & Talk. Begins at 2 pm at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum. The walk includes the site of the accident, which is three quarters of a mile from the Museum. FMI: margocaulfield@icloud.com 802-226-7807

SEPTEMBER 15 (THURSDAY): The Cavendish Energy Committee is sponsoring a composting workshop at 6:30 p.m. in the Cavendish Town Offices, 37 High Street, Cavendish. Masks will be required for all. State regulations on safety will be adhered to. The workshop is free and open to all. To sign up for the workshop, or for more information, please email cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com.  If you'd like to purchase a composter but cannot attend the workshop, please email your order. While sign-up is encouraged, walk-ins will be welcomed. 

SEPTEMBER 23-24 (FRIDAY-SATURDAY): Black River Good Neighbor (BRGN) Rummage Sale at Fletcher Farm.

OCTOBER 10 (MONDAY): Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Town Office Closed

OCTOBER 31 (MONDAY): Happy Halloween

NOVEMBER 9 (TUESDAY): Election Day! Proctorsville Fire Dept. 10-7. Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 11 (FRIDAY): Veteran’s Day Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 24 (THURSDAY): HAPPY THANKSGIVING

NOVEMBER 25 (FRIDAY): Town Office Closed

DECEMBER 3-4 (SATURDAY-SUNDAY): Okemo Valley INNdulgence Tour. Enjoy holiday decorations, warm drinks and tasty treats at nearly a dozen inns in the Okemo Valley. From noon-5 pm, tickets are $15 per person.

    IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Cavendish Update 8/26/22: School info/News/Events

READ THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE LATEST NEWS

8/26/22

1.    Cavendish Info

2.    Covid update

3.    Events

1. CAVENDISH INFO

• Traveling to Canada: Two Cavendish residents went to Canada to see a concert just about 23 miles from the Vermont border. They almost weren’t allowed in, so they want people to know you can’t use paper forms at the border. Instead, you need to use the Canadian website ArriveCAN to give your information, including vaccination status, within 72 hours before you arrive in Canada. The latest version of ArriveCAN (v.3.0.9) was released on July 19, 2022. Make sure you have the latest version before submitting your mandatory information.

• CHS-CGYH Sept. Update Now online: The Cavendish Historical Society once again is providing a resource, as part of the Carmine Guica Young Historians (CGYH) program, for teachers, students, families and the community with information on town, state and national history for the month ahead.

• With a red carpet, cookout and tours, GM schools ready for reopening: Wednesday, Aug. 31 will be the first day of schools for children in the Green Mountain Unified School District and unlike so many schools around the country, not one of the three has a teacher vacancy. But the high school is down two para-professionals and CTES is still looking for a guidance counselor. For her first opening day at CTES, new Principal Amy Bohren and her staff are literally rolling out the red carpet for a “Hollywood themed celebrity breakfast” at 7:45 a.m. “This won’t be popular culture style celebrities,” says Bohren, “but our own local celebrities.” Included among these will be two former principals — Bob Snarski and George Thomson. Snarski ran the Cavendish school from the early 1970s to 1989 when Thomson took over and was principal until 2018. Bohren says both have great stories to share about the school. When breakfast is done, parents will line the 60-foot red carpet and as the school’s 75 students move outside to participate in the school’s traditional start of the day around the flagpole. Chester Telegraph

• GMUHS, CAES, CTES bus routes

• New Hours at the Cavendish Library as of August 29th: The Cavendish Library will only be open to the public three days a week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9-6.

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.

Free Test kits: Available Monday-Friday at the Cavendish Fire Dept from 9-4. For weekends and off hours, call 802-226-7807.

The public is invited to the Springfield library to receive up to four free at-home antigen test kits (that is eight tests total) while supplies last. FMI: Sue Dowdell, library director, at the Springfield Town Library, at 802-885-3018, email springfieldlibrary@hotmail.com.

State: The current VT Dept of Health Weekly Report August 14 to August 20, continues to report statewide community levels as low, with Bennington and Rutland counties as having medium levels of Covid.

• New hospital admissions with Covid: While the current report listed 30 cases for the week, a decrease from 50 last week,  the state had 47 patients hospitalized on Wednesday morning, the highest number since the end of May. It also reported a higher than-average 40 patients on Monday.

• Percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by patients with Covid: 2.44% (no real change from last week’s 2.45%)

• Wastewater Monitoring: Detailed wastewater indicators are not available for this week’s report.

• Outbreaks: As of Wednesday, there were 12 active outbreaks of Covid, the same as last week, including 11 in long-term care facilities and 2 in Non-Long Term Care Healthcare  There is 1 active outbreaks listed for Windsor County, one down from last week.

• Deaths: Three deaths were reported this week, for a total of 11 deaths in August. July had a total of 12 deaths and it appears August will exceed that. To date, 707 Vermonters have died of Covid.  

3. EVENTS

AUGUST 31 (WEDNESDAY): First Day of School

SEPTEMBER 5 (MONDAY): Labor Day, Town Office Closed

SEPTEMBER 10 (SATURDAY): Tenth Anniversary of the Vermont Golden Honey Festival 10-4 at the Golden Stage Inn.

SEPTEMBER 11 (SUNDAY): Annual Phineas Gage Walk & Talk. Begins at 2 pm at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum. The walk includes the site of the accident, which is three quarters of a mile from the Museum. FMI: margocaulfield@icloud.com 802-226-7807

SEPTEMBER 23-24 (FRIDAY-SATURDAY): Black River Good Neighbor (BRGN) Rummage Sale at Fletcher Farm.

    IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Cavendish Update 8/19/20: SB Mtg/Shooting/News/Events

READ THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE LATEST NEWS

8/19/22

1.    Cavendish Select Board Meeting 8/17/22

2.    Cavendish Man Shot by Ludlow Police

3.    Cavendish Info

4.    Covid update

5.    Events

1. CAVENDISH SELECT BOARD MEETING 8/17: Minutes of Wednesday’s Select Board (SB) meeting will be posted to the Cavendish Municipal website and a video of the meeting will be posted to Okemo Valley TV’s website. 

Over 40 people were in attendance Wednesday night, many of whom who had come to express their views regarding a proposed ordinance from the Reading All Terrain Sportsman Club (RATS). 

A letter sent to the SB by Stevan Laskevich, Vice President of RATS, requested that Cavendish adopt  “a new town ordinance allowing ATV access to town roads on the north side of Rt. 131 in the town of Cavendish. Allowing riders to access this section of Cavendish town roads will enable riders to connect to the Reading RATS club trail system into Plymouth, Reading and Woodstock areas. The annual riding season would be Mary 15th to October 15th.” 

Before the discussion began, the SB asked for a show of hands of those in favor of the proposed ordinance. It was clear that 99% of the audience were opposed to it. 

Laskevich began his address to the SB by saying he had been unaware of the problems Cavendish was having with ATVs until that day. He recognized that even members of the club didn’t always adhere to the laws, but for the most part they were trying to police their sport, He amended the written proposal asking that only Twenty Mile Stream and Chapman Rd be open to ATVs. 

When asked why people couldn’t trailer their ATVs to the Reading trail head, Laskevich explained that there wasn’t ample parking space. 

While the SB ultimately voted against the proposal by a vote of 4 against and 1 abstaining,  the comments against the ordinance clustered around common themes: Cavendish has no enforcement power and as a result there are already major problems with ATV riders in various parts of town, including some who have damaged wetlands and private property, as well as those who ignore the state ATV laws. With ATVs already a problem, adopting the ordinance would be like “opening Pandora’s Box,” as one resident put it. 

 It was recognized that ATVs have become more popular as a result of Covid, and that the noise level was very disruptive to the quiet that Cavendish is known for. There were also concerns about dirt bike riders who ride up and down the roads. 

Another topic that brought people to the meeting, was the recommendation for a town ordinance that would limit livestock in the villages, not to exceed the size of a chicken. A number of homes on Main St. in Cavendish Village are being directly impacted by a homeowner that is keeping 3-4 pigs in a very tiny pen. Those living nearby are complaining not only about the smell but also the significant increase in horse flies and rats. 

According to Brendan McNamara, town manager, there is no state law or town ordinance about livestock in villages. However, the Department of Agriculture is very concerned about livestock being close to surface water, and it appears they are now looking into the situation in Cavendish. Laskevich, who is the Ludlow animal control officer, commented that the Humane Society would be very interested in this situation and should be contacted. 

McNamara explained what is involved in passing a new ordinance, which will take considerable time, and when completed, would most likely grandfather in current animals. It was pointed out that the pigs were being raised for meat and once they were butchered, an ordinance would keep the owner from having other pigs. 

Other items discussed/acted on

• Rogers Drive Dog Issue: The dogs had been re homed after attacking two ducks. However, they were captured on video in town over the weekend, where they attacked a turkey. The dogs’ owner, Michael Mills, was shot on Monday night in Ludlow, see article 2 below, so how this will be handled remains to be seen.

• Approved renewal of “Solar Bond Anticipation Note”

• Approved the Town Manager and Phon Chambers making the final decision on the paving contract for Tarbell Hill Rd.

• Approved a one day liquor permit for the Vermont Golden Honey Fest

• Repairs will take place on Quint Fallen Rd and High St before the end of construction season (Oct. 15).

• Once the phase I testing has taken place at the old town garage site, being paid for by Regional Planning, the oil tank will be removed to the current town garage site.

2. CAVENDISH MAN SHOT MONDAY NIGHT BY LUDLOW POLICE: According to the Vermont State Police, VSP’s initial investigation shows that the incident started at about 6:45 p.m. Monday when [Michael] Mills began making a series of what would eventually become more than two dozen 911 calls during which he made various complaints, threats and suicidal statements. Police in the area began seeking Mills, and a brief encounter led to a short pursuit with Ludlow police, whom Mills was able to elude. Later, Mills was reported to be driving erratically in Ludlow, including in the parking lot of the police department. 

According to a review of evidence including video from body-worn cameras, two officers in a single cruiser attempted to stop Mills at about 9:30 p.m., but he drove off, and the officers followed. During the ensuing chase, Mills stopped his vehicle multiple times and at one point reversed his car and rammed the police cruiser before driving away. The pursuit ended at about 9:36 p.m. in the area of 451 South Hill Road when Mills drove off the road and into a tree. Officers attempted to speak to and calm Mills. When he failed to step out of the car, one of the officers approached the vehicle and opened the front passenger door, at which point the officer yelled “Gun!” several times. The second officer then fired a single round from his department-issued sidearm, striking Mills in the head. 

Police recovered a semiautomatic handgun from Mills’s vehicle. Mills did not appear to have fired a round during the encounter, but a subsequent examination of the gun indicated that it might have malfunctioned.

Mills received first aid on scene and was brought by ambulance to Springfield Hospital before being airlifted to Dartmouth-Hitchcock. Mills, 35 years old, is still at DHMC. Well known to local authorities, Mills has had a number of arrests and convictions for various criminal activities.

The officer who fired his department-issued handgun is identified as Zachary Paul, 21, who joined the Ludlow Police Department in July following his graduation from the Vermont Police Academy. Paul was on field training and was accompanied by his field training officer, Jeffrey Warfle, 41, who has served with Ludlow police for two and half years. Department photos of the officers are unavailable.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call VSP’s Westminster Barracks at 802-722-4600 or leave an anonymous tip online at http://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.

 Once the Vermont State Police investigation is complete, the case will be turned over to the Vermont Attorney General’s Office and the relevant State’s Attorney’s Office for independent reviews of the police use of force.

3. CAVENDISH INFO

• VT Journal Drop Locations: Due to unfortunate circumstances, The Vermont Journal and The Shopper has made a few changes to its coverage area and mailed circulation. The decision to cut certain towns out of our weekly circulation was not made lightly, and we are doing everything possible to continue serving those areas in what ways we can. As such, anyone no longer receiving a mailed edition can still pick up a copy of our newspaper at any one of the following locations: Belmont: Belmont General Store.; Cavendish: Pointe Hotel,; Proctorsville; Singleton’s, Proctorsville; Chester: Chester Hardware; Fullerton Inn; Smitty’s Market; Londonderry: Londonderry Village Market; Ludlow: Brewfest; Mary Davis and Springfield: Retirement Home. Full editions of our paper can also be found online weekly, at www.vermontjournal.com.

• Help Needed: Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) is looking for help this Sunday from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 to get the outside of school ready for a star-studded affair on the first day of school! Many hands make light work! 

• Best of Vermont Summer Festival Aug 20 & 21 at Okemo Field in Ludlow. A Classic Car Cruise-In at Benson's Chevrolet has been added for Aug 19 5-8PM as well as Car Show on both days of festival! To register and for more info, go to www.yourplaceinvermont.com follow the festival icon link.

• State police want Vermonters to be prepared for an active shooter incident: VT State Police are holding a series of forums, Survive Vermont  to train the public on what they can do to prevent and respond to an active shooter. The hour-and-a-half program included information on how to be more aware of your surroundings, and when to contact authorities when you notice something suspicious. The closest workshop for Cavendish will be held in Putney on Aug. 24th from 6-7:30. Click here to register for the workshop, or to learn more about the program. 

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.

Free Test kits are available Monday-Friday at the Cavendish Fire Dept from 9-4. For weekends and off hours, call 802-226-7807. 

State: The current VT Dept of Health Weekly Report August 7 to August 13, continues to report statewide community levels as low, with Windham being added to  Bennington and Rutland counties as having medium levels of Covid. 

• New hospital admissions with Covid: 50 (increase from 38 last week)

• Percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by patients with Covid: 2.45% (increase from last week’s 2.16%)

• Wastewater Monitoring: The following are showing an increase Brighton, Johnson, Morrisville, St. Albans, and Winooski. Decreases are reported for Bennington, Brighton, Essex Junction, Troy/Jay. No reports from Newport and St. Johnsbury. 

• Outbreaks: As of Tuesday, there were 12 active outbreaks of Covid, the same as last week, including 9 in long-term care facilities (a decrease by 3) and 3 correctional facilities. There are 2 active outbreaks listed for Windsor County, same as last week.

• Deaths: On August 6, Vermont passed the 700 mark, with 704 Covid deaths among Vermonters. Six deaths alone have occurred in August. 

5. EVENTS

AUGUST 20-21 (SATURDAY-SUNDAY): The Best of Vermont Summer Festival, from 12-7 on Saturday and 10-4 on Sunday Okemo Field in Ludlow. Vendors from Cavendish will be on site. 

AUGUST 31 (WEDNESDAY): First Day of School

SEPTEMBER 5 (MONDAY): Labor Day, Town Office Closed

SEPTEMBER 10 (SATURDAY): Tenth Anniversary of the Vermont Golden Honey Festival 10-4 at the Golden Stage Inn. 

SEPTEMBER 11 (SUNDAY): Annual Phineas Gage Walk & Talk. Begins at 2 pm at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum. The walk includes the site of the accident, which is three quarters of a mile from the Museum. FMI: margocaulfield@icloud.com 802-226-7807

SEPTEMBER 23-24 (FRIDAY-SATURDAY): Black River Good Neighbor (BRGN) Rummage Sale at Fletcher Farm. 

    IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS