Welcome to "The Dish", the blog of Cavendish Connects, a community web site for the town of Cavendish, Vermont.
The Dish features a round-up of local happenings and events in Cavendish, Vermont.
Have something noteworthy to share? Contact us at cavendishconnects@gmail.com; we would love to hear from you.
Attached in PDF format are the unapproved minutes from the CTES board meeting in September as well as the agenda for the upcoming Oct. 17 (Tuesday) board meeting. The regularly scheduled school board meeting takes place at 5:30 pm in the Arts Room. For more information, call the school at 802-226-7758.
CAVENDISH TOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KITCHEN HELPER OPENING
DESCRIPTION – This person would perform the duties outlined to prepare food and serve students and staff: Assisting the head cook in any manner requested in the planning of menus, preparation of meals, serving, cleaning and sanitizing of kitchen facilities, taking of inventories, or any other duties to result in the proper operation and management of the schools hot lunch and milk programs. Complies with health standards, all safety procedures, district policies and procedures; and adhere to all applicable state and federal regulations.
EXPERIENCE: Some experience in food service and preparation in a school setting preferred.
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO APPLY: Send an application with references to:
George O. Thomson, Principal
Cavendish Town Elementary School
george.thomson@trsu.org
Gratia Denny's Grandmother, an Abenaki who spoke Algonquin. Gratia, named for her grandmother, lived in Cavendish for many years on Main St.
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10//6/17 /Cavendish Update
1. Cavendish Related News
2. Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Cavendish’s First People
3. Cavendish to Host Workshop on Heat Pump Technology
4. Events
1. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS
Neals Opens in Table 19 Location: Neal Baron opened his restaurant on Friday, Sept. 22, with an American comfort-food menu and a friendly staff that will all greet you with smiling faces. Most of the foods are local Vermont products, such as the Boyden Farms fresh organic pasture-raised beef that Baron uses in his burgers. VT Journal
CHS Briefs for Oct: The Cavendish Historical Society’s news briefs for October is now available at the CHS blog.
BRGN Changes Donation Policy: Due to higher tipping fees in Ludlow and Cavendish, there has been a steep increase in unusable donations; therefore the donation shed at Black River Good Neighbor has been closed. All donations must be made during business hours-Monday through Saturday 10-4 pm. Do not leave items outside. Please see The Dish for places to donate and recycle items. Before you make a purchase, think about how you will dispose of the item.
New Merger Plan Would Close Black River High School in Two Years: A committee of the Ludlow and Mount Holly school districts decided Tuesday night to merge into one district and operate two elementary schools and – temporarily – the Black River middle/high school until it can be closed. After that, students from the two towns will be able to attend the public or private school of their choice with tuition paid by the district. If approved by the State Board of Education and the voters of both towns, the new Ludlow-Mount Holly Unified Union School District— or LMHUUSD — would become operative on July 1, 2018, the same day as the new Green Mountain Unified School District, and would be eligible for incentives offered by the state. While it was not part of the equation for the supervisory union, the delay in closing Black River would give proponents of opening a private school in Ludlow time to plan and fund raise. Chester Telegraph
Introducing Mama’s Classic, Family Italian Restaurant in Ludlow: If you’ve lived in or around Ludlow for a long time, you may remember Mama Valente’s Italian restaurant on 190 Main Street. Now, Abby and Rogan Lechthaler, owners of The Downtown Grocer, are preparing to open Mama’s in the same space for Columbus Day weekend. In addition to a family-friendly dinner experience, Mama’s will have lunch and takeaway meals starting at 11 a.m. until late afternoon. Lunch will also include soup, salads, wine and beer, and hot prepared meals. A display case will hold house-made pastas, cheese, and cured meats. For customers looking to bring home an easy to make dinner, VT Journal
Property Taxes to Go Up by 8 Cents: As school boards start to budget for next year, the forecast for school spending is grim. Rebecca Holcombe, the secretary of the Agency of Education, says Vermonters are looking at a 7-cent to 9-cent increase in the statewide property tax, unless the state can find millions of dollars in cuts. VT Digger
Where VT Families Can Find Help Paying for College: Sen. Bernie Sanders is set to host a series of college fairs in Vermont for high school students and their parents to learn more about educational opportunities here in Vermont and the resources available to help pay for them. The first workshop will be on Oct. 7 at Lyndon State College. The 2nd one is at Castleton University on Oct. 14 at the Spartan Athletic Complex. Doors open at 10 and Sanders will speak at 12:30. Call 800-339-9834 to RSVP. WCAX
2. CELEBRATING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY -CAVENDISH’S 1ST PEOPLE: A holiday since 1937, Columbus Day was designed to celebrate Italian-American culture and heritage. Starting in the 1970s, alternatives to the holiday emerged as attention was called to the fact that Columbus and other Europeans interactions with the indigenous peoples resulted in hundreds of years of violence and slavery; forced assimilation and conversion to Christianity; and a host of new diseases, e.g. small pox, that killed thousands of native peoples. While Columbus may have been a very brave and skillful sailor, he was also a deeply flawed human who set the stage for the Spanish conquistadors who looted and killed natives by the thousands.
Columbus was also not the first European to reach America. Leif Ericksson arrived well before Columbus in what is today Newfoundland and it’s very possible that St. Brendan’s voyage from Ireland took place 500 years before Ericksson and 1,000 years before Columbus. However, they are “Johnny come latelies,” as the Americas were occupied, possibly as early as 16,000 years ago.
Based on archeological study, it is believed that Cavendish was occupied by hunter/gatherers around 11,000 years ago and may have had an upland village between 5,000-7,000 years ago. These people would be part of the Abenaki nation.
Due to discrimination, and Vermont’s Eugenics movement, where many Abenaki were sterilized between 1931-1957, many have been reluctant to identify as Indian, and instead were referred to as “dark” or “colored” French or gypsies. However, at least one Cavendish resident, Gratia Denny was of Abenaki descent.
As part of Indigenous Peoples Day, the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) has developed a special post on what is known about Cavendish’s first peoples, available at their blog.
3. CAVENDISH TO HOST WORKSHOP ON HEAT PUMP TECHNOLOGY: Are you fed up with the high cost of heating your home? Are you ready to look into alternatives? The Cavendish Energy Committee will host a heat pump workshop on Tuesday, October 17, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. in the town office meeting room, 37 High Street in Cavendish.
The workshop will include a presentation by Brent Coleman, a local heat pump installer who will talk about how air-to-air and ground source heat pumps work and why they can be an effective heat source for a climate such as ours in Vermont. While nobody can predict future housing concerns, energy consumption should be at the top of the list. Heat pumps can cool a house in summer, and warm it in winter, and each owner can recognize an immediate payback in comfort and significant energy bill savings, while lowering his or her carbon footprint.
The presentation will be both informational and educational, focusing on the steps to take in order to make homes more energy efficient with new technology. There will be plenty of time for Q&A and at the end of the workshop you will understand more about the way your home uses energy and one way that you can use to make it more efficient. The workshop is free and residents of any town are invited to attend. FMI:Peter LaBelle at 802-226-7250.
4. EVENTS
OCTOBER 7 (SATURDAY): Pig Roast to benefit Cavendish Snow fleas
OCTOBER 8 (SUNDAY): Cavendish Historical Society’s Proctorsville Ghost Walk. Meet at the Proctorsville War Memorial on route 131 at 2 pm.
OCTOBER 9 (MONDAY): Indigenous Peoples Day in VT. A legal holiday the town office and schools closed. Note that the Cavendish SB meeting will take place on Oct. 16.
For information on upcoming events, go to the Cavendish Connects Calendar. For area events, check the Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce calendar.
IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS
CHECK THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE DAILY FOR THE LATEST NEWS. You don’t have to be a Facebook subscriber to see this page.
9/29/17 Cavendish Update
1. Cavendish Related News
2. Legal Notice: Public Hearing
3. Proctorsville Ghost Walk/Request for Information
4. Events
1. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS
Voters approve replacement of town garage: With approximately 10% of Cavendish’s registered voters (1,131) casting ballots, the vote was overwhelming in favor-85 yes, 25 no- of allocating up to $400,000 of municipal funds/bond to replace the garage that burned in February. Where the building will be located is still under discussion. For more information on where to locate the town garage see the following reports at The Dish-Town Garage Informational Meeting 9/25 and Special Select Board Meeting 9/13
Senior Solutions to Expand Services with Respite Care: Senior Solutions announced Monday that it has received a $10,000 Respite Care grant from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation to support the expansion of services from an aging and dementia-focused respite program to include individuals from younger populations with physical disabilities. They will partner with the Vermont Center for Independent Living as well as other organizations to achieve the outreach to this population. This grant program recognizes family caregivers and the vital role they play by supporting nonprofits that address the occasional respite care needed to prevent caregiver “burnout.” Eagle Times
Thousands of Vermonters to See Cut in Food Stamps: Starting Oct. 1, the maximum benefit Vermonters can receive is going from $194 to $192 per month, down $2. The minimum benefit level is going from $16 down to $15. Most families will be seeing a slight reduction in their 3Squares Vermont benefits. Funding is based on a federal government formula which considers the cost of living, the consumer price index, food prices and housing and utility costs. While funding for food benefits are decreasing, the seasonal fuel program is predicted to get a boost of about $50 on average. WCAX
Federal Ruling is Expect to Hurt Solar Industry in VT: The International Trade Commission (ITC) found that solar panel importers have hurt American manufacturers by flooding the United States with cheap goods. Solar panels are being imported “in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry,” according to the ITC. The commission is expected to recommend that President Donald Trump impose tariffs on solar panels from China and other Asian countries. A tariff, or tax on foreign goods, would likely drive up the cost of solar installations in Vermont. Shortly after news of the trade case hit the stands in May, “all the utility-scale developers basically bought up the supply.” VT Digger
2. LEGAL NOTICE: Public Hearing: Town ofCavendish Notice of Public Hearing. Notice is hereby given to the residents of the Town of Cavendish, VT that the Cavendish Planning Commission will host a public hearing on Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at 6:30 pm at the Cavendish Town office meeting room. The hearing will be held for public review of and comment on the proposed Cavendish Town Plan update pursuant to Title 24 VDS, Chapter 117, 4384
Copies of the proposed Cavendish Town Plan update may be obtained from the Cavendish Town Clerk, or it can be viewed at the town web site.
Date in Cavendish, Vermont, September 25, 2017 Town of Cavendish Planning Commission
3. PROCTORSVILLE GHOST WALK/REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: The Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) is looking for artifact from the 1st peoples that lived here. Carmine Guica reported that while he was exploring cellar holes he came across a variety of arrow heads or projectile points. Have you found such items in Cavendish? Have you found unusual rocks or stones that appear to be "worked?" They could have been used for grinding corn or acorns. Does your family lore contain stories of Indians, gypsies or dark French? If you have any information, please contact CHS at margocaulfield@icloud.com or 802/226-7807, CHS, PO Box 472, Cavendish VT 05142 or stop by the Museum on Sunday, Oct. 1 from 2-4.
October 8 (Sunday) is the last day the CHS Museum will be open for the summer season. It will also be the afternoon of the Proctorsville Ghost Walk. There are many ghosts in Proctorsville village including: George (because he looks like George Clooney) who haunts The Golden Stage Inn; a ghost who has rights written into the deed of the house; Homer and Charlie have their special places to haunt and that’s just the beginning.
The Ghost Walk is free and open to the public. Walkers should meet at the Proctorsville War Memorial-Route 131, near the Village Clipper and across from the Proctorsville Green, at 2 pm. The walk will be approximately two hours and will be on side walk. This is a free event open to the public.
4. EVENTS: After a record breaking heat wave of 90 degree temps this past week, we’re settling into fall with a variety of seasonal activities.
SEPTEMBER 30 (SATURDAY): FieldDaze Obstacle Course and Fun Run at the Big Barn Farm at 112 Chapman Rd (corner of Chapman and Twenty Mile Stream. Volunteer for two hours and get kid free per adult.
• Fall Foliage Supper at the Cavendish Baptist Church. 5:30 pm
OCTOBER 1 (SUNDAY): Mini Golf Tournament to benefit CTES 6th grade trip to Keewaydin
OCTOBER 3 (TUESDAY): Community Luncheon at Gethsemane Church, off Depot St. Proctorsville; 12:00; turkey dinner; everyone welcome; donations accepted. h
OCTOBER 4 (WEDNESDAY): Planning Commission Meeting
OCTOBER 7 (SATURDAY): Pig Roast to benefit Cavendish Snow fleas
OCTOBER 8 (SUNDAY): Cavendish Historical Society’s Proctorsville Ghost Walk. Meet at the Proctorsville War Memorial on route 131 at 2 pm.
For information on upcoming events, go to the Cavendish Connects Calendar. For area events, check the Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce calendar.
IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS
