Cavendish Update 10/15/21: Trunk or Treat/News/Events

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10/15//21

1.    Cavendish Info

2.    Cavendish Trunk or Treat needs volunteers

3.    Covid update

4.    Events

1. CAVENDISH INFO

• 131 Construction: No report from VTrans has been received for the coming week. Will post the report to the Cavendish Facebook page when it is sent today. Note that paving has been completed through Cavendish Village and into Proctorsville. Anticipate paving will continue this coming week.

• Celebration of Life for Phyllis Bont: A Celebration of Life for Phyllis Anne Bont, who joined her husband Gene Bont, M.D., June 6, 2020, will be held at Grace Congregational Church Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021 at 2 p.m. Masks are required. Please honor her by giving a child in need your voice.

• Congratulations to Lisa and Chris Marks: Proctorsville residents Lisa and Chris Marks completed the Boston Marathon on Monday. They run for the Dana Farber team, raising money for cancer research.

• Latest from the Cavendish Historical Society: For Monday’s Indigenous Peoples Day, CHS updated Cavendish’s First People.

• GMUSD board hears further details of energy audit findings: GMUHS has the most need as it was constructed in the early 1970s. CTES was in fairly good shape, with Chester Elementary having issues but not to the degree of GMUHS. The next meeting on the audit and recommended upgrades and new construction will be on Monday, Oct. 25 via Zoom and at the Green Mountain Library. Chester Telegraph

• GM’s Mosher nets 100th goal in a tough double-overtime 1-1 tie Becomes sixth boy in Vt. high school soccer to score 100 goals. Chester Telegraph

• Fletcher Farm School late October classes

• Vermont Everyone Eats continues through December

• The US will soon allow nonessential travelers from Canada and Mexico again. The Biden administration has not announced the exact date that either policy will go into effect, only saying "early November.” NPR

• Gotta Love Ludlow group promotes education for retail cannabis vote

• Vermonters to receive $49 million in federal assistance to help pay heating bills this winter

2. CAVENDISH TRUNK OR TREAT: On Oct. 30 (Saturday) parents and community will deck out their cars-think “Pimp My Ride: Halloween Edition”- and the kids walk from car to car collecting treats. The event will be held at CTES and is being sponsored by the school’s PTO. Set up begins at 4:30 with treating from 4:45-7. Volunteers are needed to set up cars. If you’d like to trick out your car for this event, please register with denise@reillyhughes.com Note that there will be a lot of young trick or treaters so be mindful of the scary factor.

3. COVID UPDATE: Cavendish had another case of COVID last week bringing the town’s total cases to 45.  Ludlow had 2 new cases (119 total); Chester 4 (161 total) and Springfield 51 (515 total).  Area schools-Ludlow, Chester and Weathersfield-continue to have new cases. CTES has had no cases according to Tuesday’s report.

BOOSTER SHOT/VACCINES: Booster shots for Pfizer vaccine are available to those who’ve received their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine six months ago  In our area, Rite Aid has walk in appointments for Pfizer Booster. Find a map of locations at http://healthvermont.gov/MyVaccine. You can also call 855-722-7878.

The FDA Advisory Panel Recommends Moderna Booster: Yesterday, the Panel unanimously recommended that the agency authorize a booster dose of the Moderna COVID vaccine at least six months after completion of the initial two-dose regimen. The FDA typically follows the advice of its advisory committee. NPR

J & J Recipients: People who received Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine may benefit from a booster dose of Pfizer or Moderna, preliminary results of a US study published Wednesday showed. For people originally inoculated with J&J, antibody levels were four times higher after a J&J booster, 35 times higher after a Pfizer booster and 76 times higher after a Moderna booster. Note: The FDA Advisory Panel meets today on boosters for J & J recipients and to discuss “mixing and matching” J&J with an mRNA (Pfizer, Moderna).

MANDATED MASKING: Many believe Vermont should re institute mandatory masking statewide, and a number of businesses, plus all but one school district, require masks when indoors. The Governor has been resistant to this measure as to mandate it requires that  he put a “state of emergency” in place. The Governor has faced criticism after saying other states masking orders haven’t worked. His comments have drawn criticism from health experts as well as the states with the mandate. Peer reviewed studies consistently show that mask policies make a difference. Read more Scott faces backlash after saying other states’ Covid masking orders ‘haven’t worked’

BY THE NUMBERS: Tuesday’s Modeling, showed that instead of slowing down, Vermont had an increase in 26% cases over the last seven days and have increased 8% over the last 14. On Wednesday, the state reached its highest one day total with 327 new cases. The Governor, at Tuesday’s press conference, had no reason why VT’s cases are increasing while the country, including New England, is leveling off and declining. It appears cases are not from breakouts but rather from some the community-small social gatherings.

While there have been increases in cases among the partially (6.9%) and fully vaccinated (7.1%) in the last seven days, there has been decreases in hospitalizations among these groups, with a 36% decrease in fully vaccinated.

New cases are highest among children 5-14, with hospitalizations highest among those 70+. Tuesday’s school report indicated there were 158 cases the prior week in K-12 students/staff. Since the start of school this year, there have been 827 infections. Children are being hospitalized with Covid, and there were two children in the hospital on Tuesday.

As of 10/14, there have been 36,503 cases and 342 deaths, 24 of which have occurred in October. The state’s seven day seropositivity has increased from 2.6% on 10/7 to 3.5% as of 10/14.

LITERATURE/NEWS REVIEW

• Another Winter of Covid The New Yorker

• Merck asks FDA to authorize promising anti-Covid pill: Merck is seeking approval of its antiviral pill that has been shown to reduce Covid symptoms, speed recovery and keep patients out of the hospital. The request is for emergency use for adults with mild to moderate Covid who are at risk for severe disease or hospitalization.

4. EVENTS

OCTOBER 15 (FRIDAY): Cavendish Utilities Payment Due

OCTOBER 17 (SUNDAY): Author talk with Archer Mayor at the Cavendish Library, 1 pm. Archer Mayor will discuss his new book to be released Oct 12th. Books will be available for purchase.

OCTOBER 20 (WEDNESDAY): Cavendish Library Book Club, 7 pm at Murdock’s on the Green. This month’s book is “Killing Lincoln” by Bill O’Reilly and Maretin Dugard. The conspiracy that so few know about. Snacks and wine are provided. No fee but donations are accepted.

OCTOBER 23 (SATURDAY): Got Drugs? Turn in unused or expired medications for safe disposal at multiple locations from 10-2. Permanent year round disposal sites include Ludlow and Springfield Police Depts. and Ludlow Pharmacy. Additional sites for one day include Chester Police and Weathersfield Transfer Station

OCTOBER 30 (SATURDAY): CTES PTO is sponsoring Trunk or Treat at the school from 4:45-7. Interested in setting up a car or have a question, e-mail denise@reillyhughes.com

-       5th annual Trunk or Treat sponsored by the Weathersfield Proctor Library. Vehicle set up starts at 2 pm with treating from 3-5 pm at the Hosington Field, Perkinsville (on the ground of the 1879 Schoolhouse).

OCTOBER 31 (SUNDAY): HAPPY HALLOWEEN

NOVEMBER 11 (THURSDAY): VETERAN’S DAY Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 15 (MONDAY): 2nd Quarter Property Taxes Due

NOVEMBER 25 (THURSDAY): HAPPY THANKSGIVING Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 26 (FRIDAY): Town Office closed

DECEMBER 12 (SUNDAY): Christmas Ghost Walk-Proctorsville. 7 pm, meet at the Proctorsville War Memorial. Free and open to the public. FMI: 802-226-7807.

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Cavendish Update 10/8/21: 131 Paving/News/Events

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10/8//21

1.    Construction Update for 131, Exit 8

2.    Cavendish Info

3.    Covid update

4.    Events

1. CONSTRUCTION-131: Please direct questions and concerns to Natalie Boyle at Vtrans802-855-3893 or nboyle@eivtech.com. The update is from Vtrans on 10/7/21: Paving is scheduled for next week. Crews will continue with the wearing surface moving east to west. As mainline paving progresses, sideroads and driveways are being paved as well. This work will continue over the next couple of weeks until all sideroads and driveways are paved.  Some modifications are being made in the Town of Cavendish for drive access and sidewalk. This work will continue next week. Sign installation will continue next week at various locations throughout the project.

2. CAVENDISH INFO

• Special Cavendish Select Board Meeting 9/29/21: A special meeting was called to review and discuss action regarding the “Notice of Alleged Violation’ regarding the dogs belonging to Roger and Susanne Hayes at 31 Davis Rd. The board passed an unanimous decision that town manager, Brendan McNamara should send a letter to the Hayes stating that they have 21 days from September 20, 2021, to build a fence and muzzle the dogs while  they are outside and keep the dogs on a leash, or they can request a hearing. Further, the Select Board will impound the dogs and issue  a $500 fine if this notice is not followed. Unapproved Minutes

• Cavendish librarian speaks to Ludlow Rotary Club VT Journal

• Springfield Hospital welcomes Ian Odigie, DPM, Podiatrist VT Journal

• With Bankruptcy in the Rearview, Springfield Hospital Leaders Plot of Future VT Digger

3. COVID UPDATE: Cavendish had another case of COVID last week bringing the town’s total cases to 44. Ludlow had 2 cases (117 total); Chester 10 (157 total); and Springfield 51 (464). To date, CTES is the only school in the Two Rivers Supervisory Union (TRSU) that hasn’t had a case of Covid. GMUHS had their first case this past week. There have been no new cases at the Gill Home.

Springfield Hospital updated their visitor policy on Sept. 28. The new policy allows one visitor at a time in the emergency room and inpatients units during visiting hours 10-6.

BOOSTER SHOT/VACCINES: Booster shots for Pfizer vaccine are available to those who’ve received their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine six months ago. While the state qualifies that with age over 65, 18+ with certain conditions, or 18+ and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous or a person of color), it’s pretty much open to anyone over 18+ since anyone likely to be exposed to or spread COVID because of workplace is eligible.

 Note that a study published this week found that the effectiveness of the Pfizer Inc vaccine in preventing Covid infection dropped to 47% from 88% six months after the second dose. However, the vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing hospitalization and death remained high at 90% for at least six months, even against the Delta variant. Lancet

In our area, Rite Aid has walk in appointments for Pfizer Booster. There will be a free vaccination clinic today, Sept. 8, from 4-8 pm at Springfield High School. They will be administering Pfizer, including the booster shot. No appointment required.

Find a map of locations at http://healthvermont.gov/MyVaccine. You can also call 855-722-7878.

Moderna and J & J Recipients: The FDA Advisory Committee will be meeting on Oct. 14 and 15 to discuss the use of booster shots for both vaccines and mix and matching boosters. FDA Press Release

Pfizer Seeking FDA Approval for those 5-11 years of age: The FDA meets Oct. 26 to decide approval for the vaccination in children. The vaccine could be ready for roll out as early as November. Reuters

BY THE NUMBERS: Before providing the latest state data, there are a lot of headlines about yesterday having the second highest total of new Covid cases (287). It’s important to note the link between the number of tests being done and counts. Yesterday, they reported on the results of over 11,000 tests versus other days when it’s a fraction of the size. In short, don’t be too alarmed . Thursdays are the days with the highest counts as a more people are being testing during the week than the weekend. The seven day seropositivity test rate (the number of positive test results) is 2.6%.  

Tuesday’s Modeling  shows the VT cases have decreased 15% over the last 7 days and have decreased 23% over the last 14 days. The not fully vaccinated case rate has decreased 8% in the last 7 days while the fully vaccinated rate has decreased 22% during the same period. Case rates have fallen in 12 of VT’s 14 counties, including Windsor County. The Northeast Kingdom continues to see the highest case rates in VT.

 As of 10/7/21, VT has 34,923 cases, with 5 new deaths in October, bringing the total to 328.

 Vermont leads the country in vaccinations so it’s not that surprising when it comes to rate of Covid cases per 100,000 people, VT has the lowest incidence with Hawaii and Maine close behind. The state with the highest incidence, as of Oct. 6, is Tennessee.

LITERATURE/NEWS REVIEW

• ‘Monkey wrench’: How the Delta variant caught Vermont off guard

• Vt. education officials release COVID testing protocols

• State of VT Strengthens School Testing Programs: Includes Test to Stay; PCR Response Test and a take home PCR Test VDH Press Release

• Fewer than 10,000 Vermonters have opted for Pfizer booster shots so far.

4. EVENTS

OCTOBER 9 (SATURDAY): The Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC) 30th Annual Chili from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  The cook-off will be located at the traffic light on Depot Street.  Proceeds will benefit the Ludlow Rotary Charitable Fund to enable the LRC to continue its programs of local support.   Admission is $10.00 per person which includes chili, bread, ice cream and cider. Judges for the chili cook-off will include Alice Nitka, Brendan McNamara, and Anthony Segreto.

OCTOBER 11 (MONDAY): Indigenous People’s Day. Town Office closed.

OCTOBER 15 (FRIDAY): Cavendish Utilities Payment Due

OCTOBER 17 (SUNDAY): Author talk with Archer Mayor at the Cavendish Library, 1 pm. Archer Mayor will discuss his new book to be released Oct 12th. Books will be available for purchase.

OCTOBER 20 (WEDNESDAY): Cavendish Library Book Club, 7 pm at Murdock’s on the Green. This month’s book is “Killing Lincoln” by Bill O’Reilly and Maretin Dugard. The conspiracy that so few know about. Snacks and wine are provided. No fee but donations are accepted.

OCTOBER 30 (SATURDAY): 5th annual Trunk or Treat sponsored by the Weathersfield Proctor Library. Vehicle set up starts at 2 pm with treating from 3-5 pm at the Hosington Field, Perkinsville (on the ground of the 1879 Schoolhouse).

OCTOBER 31 (SUNDAY): HAPPY HALLOWEEN

NOVEMBER 11 (THURSDAY): VETERAN’S DAY Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 15 (MONDAY): 2nd Quarter Property Taxes Due

NOVEMBER 25 (THURSDAY): HAPPY THANKSGIVING Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 26 (FRIDAY): Town Office closed

DECEMBER 12 (SUNDAY): Christmas Ghost Walk-Proctorsville. 7 pm, meet at the Proctorsville War Memorial. Free and open to the public. FMI: 802-226-7807.

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Cavendish Update 10/2/21: Paving/News/Events

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10/1//21

1.    Construction Update for 131, Exit 8 & Route 100

2.    Cavendish Info

3.    Covid update

4.    Events

1. CONSTRUCTION-131, EXIT 8 ON 131 & ROUTE 100: Please direct questions and concerns to Natalie Boyle at Vtrans802-855-3893 or nboyle@eivtech.com. The updates below are from Vtrans on 9/30/21:

EXIT 8 Bridge/131: Bridge 30S has been opened to one lane of traffic. This will remain in place until the crossovers have been removed and reconfigured for next year's work.  Permanent pavement marking will be placed next week. The traffic pattern will alternate from the travel lane to the high speed lane for this work. Once completed the traffic will be placed back into the travel lane until the crossover work is complete. There should be no effect on VT 131 traffic.

ROUTE 131: Paving is scheduled for next week. Crews will continue with the wearing surface moving east to west. Some modifications are being made in the Town of Cavendish for drive access and sidewalk. This work will continue next week. Sign installation will take place next week at various locations throughout the project.

ROUTE 100: On Aug. 30, 2021, the Vermont Agency of Transportation closed Vermont Route 100 between its intersections with U.S. Route 4 in Bridgewater and Route 100A in Plymouth for a series of culvert replacements. Due to unanticipated delays experienced by the contractor, the new anticipated reopening date is Oct. 29, 2021. During this time, traffic will be detoured along U.S. Route 4 and VT Route 100A. Motorists should note that a paving project is also underway along VT Route 100A. Please expect alternating one-way traffic with some delays along this route.

2. CAVENDISH INFO

• Cavendish Receives Speakerphones: In a recent meeting of the Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce, Holger Stoltze, a representative of Yamaha Unified Communications, Inc, and member of the chamber’s board of directors, announced an important and timely product donation of Yamaha’s YVC-300 Portable USB & Bluetooth Speakerphones to area towns and organizations, including Cavendish. . These YVC-300 systems are intended to be used with online conference applications like Zoom or Microsoft Teams and are ideal for small business settings of up to 10 participants. Vermont Biz

• Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening GMUHS Students: The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated Jason Graham, 24, of Holland, Michigan, pled guilty today to making a 2019 threat over Facebook to “shoot up” Green Mountain Union High School located in Chester, Vermont. 

• More CAES students quarantining; over 10% of TRSU students return to remote learning Chester telegraph

• GMUHS Mascot Open Forum: On Oct. 14 from 6-7:30 pm a zoom call has been scheduled to discuss the high’s school mascot. GMUHS is the last high school in the state to have an Indian themed mascot. Join Zoom Meeting https://trsu.zoom.us/j/83331860790 Meeting ID: 833 3186 0790 One tap mobile +13017158592,,83331860790# US (Washington DC) +13126266799,,83331860790# US (Chicago)

• Cannabis Sales in Ludlow Informational Meeting Nov 1: A Special Town Informational Meeting on whether the town should allow cannabis retail sales will be held on Nov. 1 at 5 pm in the Heald Auditorium. Voting will be by Australian ballot on Tuesday, Nov. 2, from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

• Mail Delivery Is About To Get Slower And Pricier Just In Time For The Holidays: Beginning today, the U.S. Postal Service will start to "implement new service standards" for first class mail and periodicals — slowing its target delivery time by about 30%. NPR

3. COVID UPDATE: Before providing the latest in Covid world, some helpful info:

• Viruses mutate. That’s their job. If it doesn’t get you the first time its motto is “try, try and try again.” One way or the other most Americans will develop immunity via vaccination, infection or a combination of the two. Covid will be with us from now on, similar to the 1918 flu, which is known today as H1N1 influenza A virus,

On the topic of 1918 flu, yes Covid deaths (over 681,253) have exceeded the 1918 death toll (estimated 675,000). However, the population has tripled since then so a more accurate statistics is the 1918 flu killed one in 150 Americans while Covid’s rate is one in 500.

• Our best protection is vaccination but... Masks work. Social distancing works. Other strategies are being researched such as mouth wash, nasal sprays and daily testing.

Cavendish is up to 43 total cases, 2 for the most recent week. Cases for surrounding towns are on the rise as well-Ludlow 2 new cases (115 total); Chester 10 new cases (147) total and Springfield 42 (413 total).

WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE: VT is expanding Pfizer booster eligibility. See “Booster Shot” below for more information.

The masking recommendation for schools K-12 has been extended to Nov. 1.

New testing programs are now being offered at area schools including CTES. The state plans to offer free rapid antigen tests (RAT) to unvaccinated, asymptomatic students considered close contacts to someone who has tested positive for Covid-19. Under the new “test-to-stay” program, those students would be allowed to remain in school instead of quarantining at home so long as they test negative daily for seven days following exposure. Symptomatic students would still be required to quarantine, as will close contacts who don’t want to be tested daily.

PCR testing will be provided to schools experiencing an outbreak or have cases. Note PCR test takes a day or two to provide results but is more accurate than the RAT which provides results in 15 minutes but is less accurate. At least one study from the UK found that schools using a “test-to-stay” program had as little school transmission as schools implementing quarantine for students exposed.  All testing is free of charge to students as well as the public.

In our area, the following elementary schools have(had) cases Chester (2 cases total), Ludlow (1) and Weathersfield (4). Springfield has experienced cases at all four schools and as a result were closed on Monday. CTES and GMUHS have had no cases as of Tuesday’s reporting.

BOOSTER SHOT: Eligible to receive Pfizer booster vaccinations, as of Oct. 1 includes: those 65+, frontline workers, have an underlying condition, those who live or work in congregate settings, such as prisons, homeless shelters or long term care facilities, and anyone who works indoors and is exposed to the public. The broadening of eligibility includes workers in health care, food service such as grocery stores and restaurants, education, manufacturing, law enforcement, first responders, corrections and public transit. Please note you must have received the second dose of the Prizer vaccine six or more months ago. This booster is not for those who received Moderna or J&J.

In our area, Rite Aid has walk in appointments for Pfizer Booster. Pop up options include:

Oct. 1: Diamond Run Mall, Rutland 8-4

Oct. 1, 8, 9, 15, 16, 21, 22, 30: Asa Bloomer State Building, 88 Merchants Row, Rutland 11-5

Oct. 6, 13, 14, 20, 27: Asa Bloomer State Building, 88 Merchants Row, Rutland 9-3

Find a map of locations at http://healthvermont.gov/MyVaccine. You can also call 855-722-7878.

If you received Moderna: Moderna has submitted its data to the FDA to review, and the agency is expected to make a recommendation in coming weeks. U.S. FDA leaning toward approving Moderna half-dose booster

If You received J&J: The company has not provided the FDA booster information, though they have shared early data that found a second shot increases antibody levels nine fold in those 18 to 55 as compared to the single dose.

Side Effects: Pfizer and Moderna vaccine booster shot side effects are similar to the second dose. The findings were published Tuesday in the agency's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, analyzing responses from 12,591 Americans who completed the CDC's "V-safe" survey after receiving an additional dose of vaccine. 

BY THE NUMBERS: Tuesday’s Modeling shows a slight decrease from the previous week. Interestingly, Mike Pieciak, Commissioner of the Dept. of Financial Regulation, and data presenter, noted Tuesday that less-vaccinated states’ counts have dropped faster than more vaccinated states have.  The Covid-19 rate remains far higher among unvaccinated Vermonters, who are 4.3 times more likely to contract Covid and 3.1 times more likely to be hospitalized. The average breakthrough case in Vermont is 69 years old, and the average breakthrough death (of which there have been few so far) is 79 years old, Pieciak said. About 87.8% of Vermonters 12 and older have started the vaccination process, including about 2,200 in the past week. In total, 69.3% of the population is fully vaccinated.

September has been the second deadliest month with a total of 37 deaths. December 2020 was the highest with 71. There have now been 33,662 cases of Covid in VT.

4. EVENTS

OCTOBER 2 (SATURDAY): Cavendish Community Library will be hosting an open house from 3-5 pm. Discover what your library has for you. Books, magazines, newspapers, videos, games, audible books, and today we have home-made APPLE CRISP w/ Vanilla Ice Cream FMI: 226-7503

OCTOBER 3 (SUNDAY): Fitton-the Mill, the Firebug, and Everything in Between. Starting at 2 pm at the Museum, there will be a talk on the Fitton (Spring) Mill, the town that grew up around it-Fittonsville- and the man Robert “Firebug” Fitton who was responsible for its demise and lots of other property in the town of Cavendish. The talk will be following by a walk out to the site where the Mill, boarding house, and other structures once stood. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for walking on uneven terrain. FMI: margocaulfield@icloud.com 802-226-7807

OCTOBER 9 (SATURDAY): The Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC) 30th Annual Chili from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  The cook-off will be located at the traffic light on Depot Street.  Proceeds will benefit the Ludlow Rotary Charitable Fund to enable the LRC to continue its programs of local support.   Admission is $10.00 per person which includes chili, bread, ice cream and cider. Judges for the chili cook-off will include Alice Nitka, Brendan McNamara, and Anthony Segreto.

OCTOBER 17 (SUNDAY): Author talk with Archer Mayor at the Cavendish Library, 1 pm. Archer Mayor will discuss his new book to be released Oct 12th. Books will be available for purchase.

OCTOBER 20 (WEDNESDAY): Cavendish Library Book Club, 7 pm at Murdock’s on the Green. This month’s book is “Killing Lincoln” by Bill O’Reilly and Maretin Dugard. The conspiracy that so few know about. Snacks and wine are provided. No fee but donations are accepted.

OCTOBER 30 (SATURDAY): 5th annual Trunk or Treat sponsored by the weathersfield Proctor Library. Vehicle set up starts at 2 pm with treating from 3-5 pm at the Hosington Field, Perkinsville (on the ground of the 1879 Schoolhouse).

OCTOBER 31 (SUNDAY): HAPPY HALLOWEEN

DECEMBER 12 (SUNDAY): Christmas Ghost Walk-Proctorsville. 7 pm, meet at the Proctorsville War Memorial. Free and open to the public. FMI: 802-226-7807.

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    IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Cavendish Update 9/24/21: Fitton Mill/News/Events

VIEW THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE DAILY FOR THE LATEST NEWS You don’t have to be a Facebook subscriber to see this page.

Black River Good Neighbor Rummage Sale starts today and runs through the weekend.

9/24/21

1.    Cavendish Info

2.    Fitton: The Mill, the firebug and everything in between

3.    Covid update

4.    Events

1. CAVENDISH INFO

• Construction Report: Will post to the Cavendish VT Facebook Page as soon as it is received, which will most likely be later this morning.

• GMUSD Board Meeting Sept `16: The Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD) board meeting Sept. 16 heard recommendations for facility improvements for district schools based on a report by Energy Efficient Investments. According to the report, none of the schools (includes CTES and GMUHS) meet current filtration and dehumidification guidelines. CTES was in the best shape but needs a million dollar plus for repairs. Other issues discussed included proof of vaccination for GMUHS (only 75 of 370 students have provided proof of vaccination). To lift the mask mandate, 80% of students must be vaccinated. Once again Ken Saccardo asked the board to reverse the mask mandate. VT Journal Chester Telegraph

• Ten-digit dialing requirement starting Oct. 24th: Starting Oct. 24,  you will need to dial 10 digits for all calls, even those in your area code. This change is due to a new number-998- being created for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Before Oct. 24, customers should reprogram automatic dialing equipment and other devices now programmed with seven digits. Emergencies requiring immediate assistance- police, fire department, or ambulance, dialing should continue to call 911. FMI: FCC website

• Cavendish Library Programs: The Cavendish Library will be offering the following programs: Oct 2 (Saturday) Open house from 3-5 pm. Discover what your library has for you. Books, magazines, newspapers, videos, games, audible books, and today we have home-made APPLE CRISP w/ Vanilla Ice Cream

-Oct 17 (Sunday)- Author talk with Archer Mayor, 1 pm. He will discuss his new book to be released Oct 12th. Books will be available for purchase.

 - Oct. 20 Book Club 7 pm at Murdock’s on the Green. This month’s book is “Killing Lincoln” by Bill O’Reilly and Maretin Dugard. The conspiracy that so few know about. Snacks and wine are provided. No fee but donations are accepted. FMI 226-7503

• Senior Solutions Offers Tai Chi Instructor Training for Fall Prevention A two-day Tai Chi Level One Training, focusing on improving balance and preventing falls, will be held on November 4 and 5, from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm each day at Neighborhood Connections in the Mountain Marketplace, Londonderry, VT.   Senior Solutions will cover the full tuition of $300 as well as personal mileage for those attending, and the instructors will be Anne Bower and Laurie Knauer, Authorized Trainers from Tai Chi Vermont, Inc. For registration and questions, please contact Wendi Germain, Nutrition & Wellness Director of  Senior Solutions at  Phone/Text/Video: 802.755.7295, or WGermain@seniorsolutionsvt.org

2. FITTON-THE MILL, THE FIREBUG & EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN : At one time Spring Mill, better known as Fitton Mill, was located by the Cavendish Gorge. One of the largest employers in town, the area became known as “Fittonsville,” as boarding  house, tenements and even a school were built.

Operating for about 10 years, it came to an abrupt end when building after building was burned. However, these weren’t the only buildings in Cavendish, or surrounding towns, subject to arson. Believed to be the work of Robert Fitton, know locally as”Firebug Fitton,” he seemed to have some crafty ways to strike a match.

On October 3 (Sunday), the Cavendish Historical Society will host a walking tour of the Mill site, starting at 2 pm. Beginning at the Museum, an overview will be provided, and will proceed to walk to the site, which is in the woods and on uneven terrain in parts. Dress accordingly.

This program is open to the public and free, though donations are appreciated. For more information, call 802-226-7807 or e-mail margocaulfield@icloud.com

3. COVID UPDATE: Cavendish is up to 41 total cases, 2 for the most recent week. Cases for surrounding towns are on the rise as well. As expected, there are now cases in area schools resulting in some classes going remote. Schools include Chester, Ludlow and Weathersfield elementary schools. Springfield School District has set up a site in the interest of transparency and all four of the schools in their district have been impacted,. The Chester Telegraph posted an article that 10% of the TRSU students are now on remote learning.

Springfield Hospital has set up a drive-through testing site on the hospital campus free of charge for impacted students and families. This drive-through service is  located on the hill to the left of the Hospital’s main parking lot Friday 24th (8am-10:30am). No appointment is needed.

The Gill Home posted on Sept. 20 that they are once again open for visitation from 4-7 either outside or in the dinning room. FMI: 802-228-6850.

• Weekly Press Conference: The VT weekly case count has broken records and The Labor Day spike prompted Governor Scott to push vaccination, as he explained that this is an epidemic of the un vaccinated. Vermont’s un vaccinated account for about 80% of hospitalizations and 83% of ICU cases.

• Booster Shot Registration Begins Today: The VT Dept of Health issued the following statement last evening:  To accommodate expected demand, registration start dates for statewide clinics will be broken up by age groups. Each group can register starting at 8:15 a.m. over the next week, on the following days:

• 80 years of age and older – Friday, September 24

• 75 years of age and older – Monday, September 27

• 70 years of age and older – Wednesday, September 29

• 65 years of age and older – Friday, October 1

At this time, the booster shots are only approved for those who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. It is expected that expanded booster shots will be approved for both Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine recipients in the coming weeks.

Vermonters will be eligible to receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine if they previously received their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and meet the other eligibility requirements.

Additional information will be issued by the State following CDC's final action, including for those under age 65 with certain high-risk conditions. We await their complete guidance.

When you are eligible, you can get your booster dose anywhere that offers the Pfizer vaccine — a Health Department clinic, pharmacy, or health care provider. Find a map of locations at http://healthvermont.gov/MyVaccine. You can also call 855-722-7878.

Moderna has submitted initial data on its booster to the FDA, which contains half the amount of mRNA as the original shots. Clinical testing showed this booster, when given six months after the completion of initial immunization, prompted a strong antibody response to the coronavirus, including the delta variant.

Johnson & Johnson has released more information on a booster, finding that people given a second shot two months after the first one increased protection against moderate to severe disease from about 75% to as much as 100%. The company also noted that a second shot given six months after the first shot increases provides even better protection. Data suggests that waiting longer for the second shot provides stronger protection.

• By the Numbers: Tuesday’s Modeling  showed that after declining the prior week, VT’s 7 day average increased to a new high, with 1,509 new cases. The Labor Day spike has seen an increase in 27% of new cases. At least one child is now hospitalized. September’s data shows a low of 1,046 cases from Sept 2-9 (1,046 cases) but has steadily increased-Sept. 9-16 had 1,404 cases, while Set. 16-23 had 1,446 cases. There have been 24 deaths this month, with hospitalizations reaching a high this week on Tuesday and Wednesday with 48 cases, 19 of which were in the ICU. As of yesterday, those numbers have dropped to 40 hospitalizations with 14 in the ICU.

4.EVENTS

SEPTEMBER 24-26 (FRIDAY-SUNDAY): Black River Good Neighbor Services will hold its 25th Annual Fall Rummage Sale at Fletcher Farm, 611 Route 103 South in Ludlow, Friday & Saturday, 10 - 4 and Sunday, 10 - 2. Masks required. FMI: Krey Kellington at Black River Good Neighbor Services Thrift Store, 37B Main Street, Ludlow at 802-228-3663 or BRGNS@gmail.com.

SEPTEMBER 29 (WEDNESDAY): E Bike demonstration, 5:30 pm at CTES. Free and open to the public.

OCTOBER 2 (SATURDAY): Cavendish Community Library will be hosting an open house from 3-5 pm. Discover what your library has for you. Books, magazines, newspapers, videos, games, audible books, and today we have home-made APPLE CRISP w/ Vanilla Ice Cream FMI: 226-7503

OCTOBER 3 (SUNDAY): Fitton-the Mill, the Firebug, and Everything in Between. Starting at 2 pm at the Museum, there will be a talk on the Fitton (Spring) Mill, the town that grew up around it-Fittonsville- and the man Robert “Firebug” Fitton who was responsible for its demise and lots of other property in the town of Cavendish. The talk will be following by a walk out to the site where the Mill, boarding house, and other structures once stood. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for walking on uneven terrain. FMI: margocaulfield@icloud.com 802-226-7807

OCTOBER 17 (SUNDAY): Author talk with Archer Mayor at the Cavendish Library, 1 pm. Archer Mayor will discuss his new book to be released Oct 12th. Books will be available for purchase.

OCTOBER 20 (WEDNESDAY): Cavendish Library Book Club, 7 pm at Murdock’s on the Green. This month’s book is “Killing Lincoln” by Bill O’Reilly and Maretin Dugard. The conspiracy that so few know about. Snacks and wine are provided. No fee but donations are accepted.

DECEMBER 12 (SUNDAY): Christmas Ghost Walk-Proctorsville. 7 pm, meet at the Proctorsville War Memorial. Free and open to the public. FMI: 802-226-7807.

CA❤︎ENDSH VAXXING & MASKING TO PROTECT SELF & OTHERS

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