Cavendish Update 7/10/15

As Cavendish Connects approaches its first anniversary on Aug 1, we’d like to point out, we’re very good at what we do with one big exception. We suck at fundraising!
 
Think about it-  Is it reasonable to expect the same people who provide the Cavendish community with a completely integrated and seamless news and community networking service to also go out and grovel every couple of months in order raise a few bucks to meet expenses? No. Besides, it’s sucking our soul dry. And you know what that leads to.
 
To save you the trouble of repeating the same two comments we hear consistently on this topic, we’ll do it for you:
• The town should support this effort. If you want original content and investigative reporting, you don’t want your news media funded by a governmental source.
 
• Local Advertising: We had some ideas, tried a few, no response and so we recognize getting business support is not something we do well or really have the time to do. However, we do know the organizations and businesses in town are definitely benefitting from Cavendish Connects.
 
At this point, if you’re wondering where the local news and events are this week, we’ve been too worried about money issues, so it’s limited. See, wouldn’t you rather we spent our time working on the things we do well?
 
It’s pretty simple, if you value Facebook, the Cavendish Update, website, Pinterest etc. then do one of the following:
• Give a donation of any amount. You can do that on-line,  mail a check to Cavendish Connects, PO Box 3, Cavendish, VT 05142 and/or dropping off a donation at the Cavendish Connects booth (Proctorsville Green) on July 25 (Town Wide Tag Sale).
 
• Organize a fundraiser. It can be as simple as giving a certain percentage of your sales from the Town Wide Tag Sale or hosting an event.
 
• Volunteer to work on fundraising
 
E-mail us with your questions or suggestions at cavendishconnects@gmail.com
 
CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS
Tax Rate: At a special Select Board meeting on Wed, the board adopted the tax rates below, all of which are down slightly, with the exception of Proctorsville non-residents, which went up slightly.
 
Fire District 1 (Proctorsville): Residential rate 1.18383; 1.8256 for non residents
Fire District 2 (Cavendish): Residential rate 1.8243; 1.8116 for non residents
 
Cavendish Telecommunications-Ludlow Internet Tower Now On-line: VTel’s Ludlow Tower is now live. For many this is thought to be a long awaited answer to their Internet issues. You can call VTel 802 885-7734 to set up an appointment for a signal test and/ or you can e-mail swhitaker@vermontel.com with your physical address for similar information. The VPR article VTel’s Statewide Wireless Broadband System Approaches the Finish Line, includes an important comment by President of VTel who notes that they may not reach all areas as anticipated. "It doesn’t go as far as expectations were some years ago. The signals simply don’t carry through foliage like people thought they might. The signals simply don’t go around buildings like we thought they might." There are Cavendish residents who have found this out the hard way since they are unable to utilize the wire less service because of tree height as well as foliage. 
 
Having High Speed Internet Impacts Price of Home: A nationwide study released recently by researchers at the University of Colorado and Carnegie Mellon University finds fiber-optic connections, the fastest type of high speed Internet available, can add $5,437 to the price of a $175,000 home—about as much as a fireplace, or half the value of a bathroom. In the last 12 months, we know of at least four Cavendish home sales that were lost due to poor Internet. Wall Street Journal 
 
 EVENTS
Check out the Cavendish Connects Calendar or Cavendish VT Pinterest, that includes separate boards on the Wed. night Concert series, upcoming events, things to do with kids and so much more.
 

Cavendish Update 7/3/14 Vandalism/News/ISO/Concerts

Summer time and the livin’ is easy. However, Cavendish Connects still has their bills to meet, so if you want to continue to enjoy the Cavendish Update, website, Facebook page, as well as the Cavendish Town Wide Tag Sale and the December Abundance Swap please Support Cavendish Connects today. 

                                       HAPPY 4TH OF JULY
 
7/3/15  Edition of the Cavendish Update
1. Vandalism of Cavendish Rural Mail Boxes
2. Cavendish Related News
3. Proctorsville Fire Dept. Needs Vehicles for Training
4. Tiemann Chapter 18 Cavendish Memoirs/Cavendish Mills
5. Town Wide Tag Sale Less Than a Month Away
6. Little Village Farm Now Has a Farm Stand
7. X-Marks the Spot-Bible Camp
8. Sensible Shoes to Perform in Proctorsville
9. Events
 
1. VANDALISM OF CAVENDISH RURAL MAIL BOXES
As reported earlier in the week, a number of rural mailboxes were damaged during the late night hours on 6/29/15 and 6/30/15. Roads that were hit include Twenty Mile Stream, Heald and Newton Roads, High Street and Center Road. One homeowner posted, “They hit ours 2 days in a row...the day before they threw something at it during the afternoon and knocked the flag off of it then the next night they crushed it with something...”  A resident of Ludlow posted to the Cavendish VT Facebook page that a couple of months ago a similar incident took place in Ludlow, with estimates of 70 boxes having been damaged. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Rockingham Barracks 875-2112.
 
2. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS
CHS Plant Sale-Thanks and Photographs: Many thanks to all those who made the Cavendish Historical Society’s Plant Sale a great success-Pieter van Schaik and his team (Norma Randall and Brian Pelkey); Steine van Schaik;  Kem and Svetlana Phillips; Bruce McEnaney; Lou Choinere; Jen Leak; Gloria Leven; the Tings and Moonlite Meadows Farm (best compost ever); Anna Shapiro; Bob Naess; Cooper Naess; and Margo Caulfield. Nancy Rankin McMillan was kind enough to share photographs of Craig Rankin’s (the originator of the plant sale) original plant list as well as pictures of the plant sale in 2006. These can be seen on the CHS Blog. 
 
LPCTV Elects New Board: At their annual meeting, the public access station that serves Cavendish, Ludlow and Plymouth, LPC-TV, has elected the following board members: Lou Krefski, Don Richardson, George Thomson (CTES Principal), Chris Saylor (Proctorsville resident), Sharon Bixby, and Francis DeVine.
 
VTel Service for Cavendish: Contrary to the initial report from VTel that a tower was now in Proctorsville, it’s actually on a utility style pole located in Cavendish village-White’s Hill near the underpass. At the top of the pole one antenna points west toward Proctorsville and the other toward Mt. Ascutney to connect back to the system. It’s unlikely that Cavendish’s underserved areas will be impacted until towers go up in Ludlow or South Reading. According to VTel, Although we’re unable to distribute a map of exact service availability (with wireless services, line of sight and signal barriers complicate that), I can say that in general I believe that route 131 from Maple Street in Proctorsville on east should generally have good signal, so homes and businesses in that valley should be candidates, and Cavendish locations are also great candidates for this new service, and encouraged to call our wireless team directly at 802-885-4444 to inquire about service availability at their home or business. Much of the rest of Proctorsville is expected to be covered soon once our Ludlow signal is live.
 
Want to Have Your Cavendish Property Evaluated for Solar? Are you interested in a free site visit to find out if your property is suitable for solar? Haven't had one scheduled yet? Sign up on-line, as part of Cavendish Solarize Makes Sense program, and click the green button "Request A Free Site Visit".
 
Getting Rid of Invasive Species on Your Cavendish Property:  As part of the Cavendish Transfer Station’s new Yard Waste Re Cycling it’s important to understand how to dispose of invasive/poisonous plants. Learn more about the leading invasive species in our area and now to deal with them at The Dish. If you aren’t sure what’s an invasive on your property, contact the Black River Action Team (BRAT) Plant Partners program. BRAT will conduct a “Weed Walk” with you to help inventory your greenery, prioritize some different tactics you could try, and strategize a management plan that works for your budget and your schedule.
 
Vermont Laws that Took Effect on July 1: A number of new laws went into effect on July 1 including Six percent sales tax on soft drinks; it’s illegal to use a cell-phone while stopped in traffic; recycling is now mandatory; and the state has a new motto “May the fourteenth star shine bright.” VT Digger 
 
3. PROCTORSVILLE FIRE DEPT. NEEDS VEHICLES FOR TRAINING
The Proctorsville Fire Dept. is actively looking for 1 or 2 junk vehicles for firefighters to train with when our new rescue equipment arrives in a couple weeks. It doesn't matter if it is a car, SUV or truck. We can make arrangements to pick up if needed. If you know someone who has a junker they are looking to get rid of please share this with them. If you have a vehicle to donate please send us a message or call PFD at 226-7281 and leave a message. Chief Glidden will also write up a form so you can claim it as a donation to PFD as we are a registered non-profit organization.
 
4. CHAPTER 18: CAVENDISH MEMOIRS/MILL HISTORY
As the Tiemann family completes its first full year in Cavendish, in Chapter 18, Tiemann describes the various odd jobs that supplemented his income. Interestingly, he never went to work for one of the mills. This week’s bonus feature is a history of the mills in Cavendish and Proctorsville. To read the prelude and other chapters of Tiemann’s Memoirs go to Coming to Vermont (Cavendish): Memoirs of Philip Tiemann.
 
5. TOWN WIDE TAG SALE LESS THAN A MONTH AWAY
The 5th Annual Town Wide Tag Sale will be held on July 25 (Saturday) from 9 – 3 pm.  Sponsored by Cavendish Connects, if you wish to register for space at either of the  Village Greens, or have your site listed on the vendor list (print and on-line) send an e-mail to cavendishconnects@gmail.com or call 802-226-7807. Please note that the more information on sale items you provide, the more shoppers you will attract.
 
For more information and to see who has already registered, go to 5th Annual Town Wide Tag Sale. 
 
6. LITTLE VILLAGE FARM NOW HAS A FARM STAND
Located in Proctorsville, Little Village Farm is Cavendish’s local CSA (community supported agriculture). While many people have “shares” in the farm’s bounty, this year there is farm stand open to the public on Friday’s from 4-7 pm and Saturdays from 9-noon. The farm is located off  Pratt Hill-take Depot Street off of 131 and turn left onto Pratt Hill and follow the signs. Be sure to check out their website for local produce of the week.
 
7. X-MARKS THE SPOT BIBLE CAMP 
Cavendish Baptist Church is excited to announce their 2015 summer program for kids! This year's theme is “X Marks the Spot!” - a high seas adventure where kids use God's treasure map to find the ultimate treasure! X Marks the Spot! is filled with hands-on experiences for kids. Team-building outdoor games, cool Bible songs, and active Bible adventures are just a few of the activities that promote active, real-life learning. Kids will also participate in a Set Sail Service Project, making baby blankets to be handed out at the Upper Valley Pregnancy Center. X Marks the Spot! is free for children ages 3 to 12 years and takes place July 13-15 from 5:00 to 7:30 pm. A healthy dinner is also included. For more information call (802) 226-7131 or visit CavendishBaptist.com. The church is located at 2258 Main Street in Cavendish.
 
8. SENSIBLE SHOES TO PERFORM IN PROCTORSVILLE 
The Town of Cavendish and the Cavendish Community and Conservation Association invite everyone to spend an evening listening to the sounds of Sensible Shoes on the Proctorsville Green on Wednesday, July 15th at 6:00 p.m.
 
ASCAP award-winning songwriter, keyboard player and singer Barbara Blaisdell brings her powerful New Orleans-inspired rhythm piano to the stage. Lead guitarist and singer Tim Utt is widely known as one of Vermont's most gifted players. Pooh Sprague, on bass, guitar and vocals, is a musical master who has played with the Shoes for years. Drummer and singer Steve Drebber, a member of Vermont rock royalty, splits his time with the Shoes and his popular jam band, Dr. Jones. Sensible Shoes has placed original
music in several major motion pictures including “Philadelphia” and “The Manchurian
Candidate.”
 
This will be the third of seven concerts that are held on consecutive Wednesday nights in July and August and is sponsored by the Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company.
 
Cavendish encourages all area residents and visitors to join their friends and
neighbors in front of the gazebo on the green. Bring a blanket or a comfortable chair, have a picnic, or just layback and relax on the grass. It’s a fun way to enjoy the summer weather and either reconnect with old friends or make new ones.
 
As always, the concerts are free and open to all. For more information please call Robin at 226-7736. In the event of rain postponement information will be reflected on the Cavendish Facebook page.
 
9. EVENTS
Upcoming activities for Cavendish this week include:
July 3 (Friday): Cavendish Town Office closed; Ludlow Fireworks, 9 pm West Hill Park
July 4 (Saturday): Happy 4th of July! Banks closed, Arts & Crafts Festival at Fletcher Farms 10-4
July 7 (Tuesday): Community Luncheon, noon at Gethsemane Church
July 8 (Wednesday): Proctorsville Concert featuring bluesman Chris Kleeman, 6 pm Proctorsville Green
 
For more information on these and other events, go to the Cavendish Connects July Calendar. For regional events, check out the Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce Calendar.

Dealing with Invasive and Poisonous Plants

Japanese Knotweed-A common invasive plant in Cavendish. 

As part of the Cavendish Transfer Station’s new Yard Waste Re Cycling, it’s important to understand how to dispose of invasive/poisonous plants. Use the following links to learn more about the top invasives in Vermont and how to control them.

Asiatic bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus)

Buckthorn (Rhamnus spp.)

Bush honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.)

Burning bush (Euonymus alatus)

Common reed (Phragmites australis)

Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii)

Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum)

Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)

Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria)

Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)

Norway maple (Acer platanoides)

Wild chervil (Anthriscus sylvestris)

Yellow-flag iris (Iris pseudacorus)

If you aren’t sure what’s an invasive on your property, contact the Black River Action Team (BRAT) Plant Partners program.  BRAT will conduct a “Weed Walk” with you to help inventory your greenery, prioritize some different tactics you could try, and strategize a management plan that works for your budget and your schedule.

Vermont Laws That Are Now in Effect

As of July 1, the following laws are now in effect:

• Six percent Sales tax on a variety on soft drinks. It will apply to beverages that contain natural or artificial sweeteners that are non-alcoholic. It does not apply to beverages that contain milk or milk products, milk substitutes such as soy or rice or beverages that are comprised of 50 percent or more of vegetable or fruit juice.

• It is illegal to use a hand-held cellphone while stopped in traffic, such as a stoplight. Operators may use their hand-held devices while safely parked in a legal space. The use of hands-free electronic devices, such as Bluetooth, is allowed while driving.

• Mandatory Recycling: The state will require recycling containers to be located in all public buildings and property, and solid waste haulers must offer curbside service for residential recycling. Cavendish residents are fortunate to have free zero sort recycling at the transfer station.

• The new Latin motto of the state of Vermont will be “Stella quarta decima fulgeat,” which means “May the fourteenth star shine bright.”

• Effective June 17, a 0.2 percent surcharge on property transfer tax will be implemented to raise money toward cleaning up the state’s waters and will last until 2018.

For more information