Cavendish Update 3/18/22: SB Mtg/Tag Sale/Telecommunications

VIEW THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE LATEST NEWS                   

3/18/22

1.    Cavendish SB Mtg

2.    Cavendish Info

3.    Town Wide Tag Sale

4.    Covid update

5.    Events

1. CAVENDISH SELECT BOARD MEETING 3/14/22: Cavendish Select Board (SB) meetings are available at the Okemo Valley TV website. Minutes are available at the Cavendish Municipal website and for this particular meeting, The VT Journal has also filed a report.

Discussed/Action Taken

• Approved the following:

-       The use of the town greens for the Annual Town Wide Tag Sale, July 30, 9-2

-       Liquor license applications for Singleton’s, Brook Farm Vineyard, Murdock’s, and Outer Limits

• Update on Cavendish Telecommunications: The state considers speeds less than 25/3 Mbgs to be underserved. By that definition, Cavendish would have a relatively small un/underserved population in comparison to other parts of the state- approximately 8% of the town’s 969 addresses (2% unserved and 6% underserved). While TDS, the town’s largest landline carrier, who also offers Internet, is planning to build out their network with fiber, they will begin with the most densely populated areas, waiting for money from the state to reach the area where many of the underserved live. There is currently no plan to reach the unserved, who are primarily in the northeastern section of the town covered by Consolidated Communications, which has provided landline service only to their catchment area. An in-depth report on Cavendish’s Telecommunications is available at the Cavendish Update blog.

• Town Meeting and Report: With a note of thanks to Jen Leak, the town report is completed and will be mailed out shortly. It is now available at the Town’s Website  and can also be picked up at the Town office. The hybrid Town Informational Meeting will take place at 7 pm on March 28th-In person at CTES multi-purpose room or via zoom. Voting, by Australian ballot, takes place on March 29th from 10-7 at the Proctorsville Fire Dept.

• Town Office Walkway: A request for proposal (RFP) will be developed this week to begin the replacement of the walkway, which is in serious need of repair.

• Old Town Garage Site: This is a top priority for summer, with work beginning as soon as weather permits. The goal is to turn it into a park. Soil testing will be needed before that can happen and town manager, Brendan McNamara is currently looking for testing funds. The fuel tank is being removed, along with the pole barns, and relocated to the current town garage site.

• Speed Ordinance: McNamara said he will have a draft by the next meeting

• Roads: A paving grant had been obtained and the priority will be Tarbell Hill followed by Whitesville Rd and High St.

-       SB member Sandra Russo requested that thought be given to speed limits in the village of Proctorsville. Digital signage has been discussed, but because Rt 131 is a state road, different procedures are required.

-       It was suggested that speed tests be conducted in both villages to better understand how fast drivers are going. Again the issue of it being a state road was called into question.

-       Concerns were raised about the quality of the sand on the backroads, if it is too fine, it makes the roads “greasy.” McNamara said that they review each batch with this year’s supply being of good quality approximately 90% of the time.

2. CAVENDISH INFO

• The Interstate bridge construction (Exit 8-131 Weathersfield) has recently resumed and is slated for completion October of this year. Periodically traffic on 131 will be one way. There will also be one lane traffic, in either direction, on I-91. Speed limits on I-91 is reduced to 55 MPH with fines doubling in construction zones. There is currently no impact on 131. FMI: Natalie Boyle 802/855-3893 or nboyle@eivtech.com

• Vermonters urged to remove bird feeders as bears emerge from hibernation earlier than usual

• Weston Playhouse rebrands itself, announces 86th season: With a new logo and an upbeat selection of presentations, the Weston Playhouse Theatre Company is rebranding itself as the Weston Theater Company as it enters its 86th season.

• Vt. DMV rolling out new inspection sticker system

• Canada relaxes border testing requirements for Covid: Fully vaccinated travelers will no longer have to take a Covid test before entering Canada starting April 1. 

• Why is Russia invading Ukraine? A Resource for Curious Kids: Kids around the world are asking questions about what is happening and what it means for them. NPR has put together a podcast as well as resources to help children and their parents learn more about war and ways families can help.

 

3. CAVENDISH 12th ANNUAL TOWN WIDE TAG SALE: Once again it’s time to start sorting items for the Annual Town Wide Tag Sale, which will take place on July 30 (Saturday) from 9-2.  Space is available for free on both of the town greens for Cavendish residents, property owners and businesses.

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.

WEEKLY DATA:

Cavendish & Surrounding Towns: Week Ending March 9. No new cases in Cavendish (178 total) or Ludlow (333).  Chester had 7 cases (646), while Springfield dropped significantly to 8 cases (2,045 total) and Weathersfield had 1 new case (267). Note that the state is discontinuing town counts.

State: According to the March 15 state modeling, Case and hospitalization metrics across the region and nationally improved this week. National forecasts anticipate these trends will continue in the coming weeks. CDC modeling predicts US COVID-19 fatalities will keep falling as these favorable trajectories persist.

The state is moving into a new phase of Covid-19-learning to live with the virus. According to  Commissioner of Health Dr. Mark Levine, “I want to emphasize that the virus is still here, and frankly will be with us for some time to come.” On Monday, new guidance went into effect, which includes:

• masks are optional, including schools, but with the  exception of health care and public transit settings;

• if you test positive, isolate for five days;

• if you have symptoms get tested;

• close contacts who are not boosted should get tested around day five; and

• get vaccinated and boosted.

Levine introduced new testing strategies on Tuesday, The state-run PCR testing clinics will begin to ramp down, and starting this week, Vermonters can make an appointment with the state to pick up either a rapid antigen test, or an rapid at-home PCR test, called a LAMP test. Learn more about the new testing program at the State’s website. Note that you can now get up to four free rapid take home tests for each appointment but only one LAMP per appointment.

As this week’s modeling report also noted, Global cases are up 11% this week, primarily driven by confirmed infections in Europe and Asia. These case increases are possibly due to a combination of factors, including low rates of immunity (Hong Kong, China), the Omicron BA.2 subvariant, and the lifting of COVID-19 mitigation measures.

Wastewater in the United States, including Vermont, is showing an uptick in Covid-19. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledged the increase after Bloomberg reported that a third of the agency’s wastewater sample sites showed a rise in Covid cases from March 1 to March 10. That was double what it was from Feb. 1 to Feb. 10, when the highly infectious omicron variant that had roared across the country during the holiday season was starting to wane, the Bloomberg analysis of CDC data found.

While numbers have continued downward, Wednesday and Thursday, March 16 and 17, saw an uptick in cases, 377 new cases in the last two days (114,709 total). There have been 3 new deaths, the first since March 7 (611 total). Hospitalizations have increased to 17 with 5 in the ICU.

Flags will be flown at half-mast on Saturday, March 19, to mark the second anniversary of the first Covid related in death in Vermont. Bob Kirkbride was a much loved member of the Okemo Valley community.

OTHER

• Vermont pharmacies aren’t likely able to participate in test-to-treat after all

• The White House says it's running out of money to cover COVID tests and vaccines

• COVID Surge in Western Europe Puts US Health Experts on Alert: Infectious disease experts are watching BA.2, the Omicron subvariant that appears to be more transmissible than the original strain. BA.2 is fueling outbreaks across Europe and is growing in dominance across the U.S.

5. EVENTS

MARCH 26 (SATURDAY) Noon-2pm at the Cavendish Library. The Senior Solutions team will be holding ‘open hours’ to answer any questions residents may have related to the 3SquaresVT food benefits and Fuel Assistance

MARCH 27 (SUNDAY): 1-2 pm Visit with an author: Howard Coffin, at the Cavendish Library. FMI: Kata at 802-226-7503

MARCH 28 (MONDAY): Hybrid Town Informational Meeting; 7 pm. In person at CTES multi-purpose room or via zoom.

MARCH 29 (TUESDAY): Cavendish Voting Day by Australian Ballot. 10-7 at the Proctorsville Fire Department.

APRIL 1 (FRIDAY): Cavendish Dog License renewal due

APRIL 5 (TUESDAY): Registrations for Free Easter Dinner due today. Call Angela at 802-356-3823 to reserve your free dinner(s).

APRIL 15 (FRIDAY): Town Office closed for Good Friday

APRIL 15 (FRIDAY)-APRIL 23 (SATURDAY): Passover

APRIL 16 (SATURDAY): Easter Jazz Concert at St James United Methodist Church Main St Proctorsville at 6PM.

APRIL 17 (SUNDAY): HAPPY EASTER

MAY 2 (MONDAY): Grant applications for the Cavendish Community Fund are due. FMI: Douglas McBride at 226-7142 or Peter LaBelle at 226-7250.

JUNE 1 (WEDNESDAY): CCCA’s Cavendish Calendar Photography Contest photographs are due today.  FMI: cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com.

JULY 30 (SATURDAY): Cavendish’s Annual Town Wide Tag Sale, 9-2.

    IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Cavendish Telecommunications 3/15/22

The state considers speeds less than 25/3 Mbgs to be underserved. By that definition, Cavendish would have a relatively small un/underserved population in comparison to other parts of the state- approximately 8% of total addresses.

Of the 969 addresses:

• 756 (78%) have access to Comcast. Covers most of Cavendish with the exception of the following- North Central (Brook, Town Farm, East, Moriglion Rd and South Reading Rd) and North West (parts of Davis Rd, The Hill, Parts of Heald and Twenty Mile Stream and Newton Rd)

• 192 are TDS only. 87% of the town is covered by TDS. Based on spring 2021 survey, 63% of TDS customers have the capability of meeting the state standard of 25/3. Underserved areas include: Hardscrabble, Newton Roads, Davis and Moriglioni Rd

• 21 (2%) are considered unserved. These are primarily in the Consolidated Communications catchment area in the Northeastern section of town. They are using cell coverage, satellite services and a little bit of VTel Wireless.

• 61 (6%) are underserved, having speeds less than 25/3

• VTel wireless is used by a few addresses, in some cases as a backup service to TDS.

In 2021 Legislation was enacted that created the VT Community Broadband Board (VCBB) to oversee the distribution of funds for broadband (approximately $150 M).  Funding was earmarked for CUDs, Communication Union Districts, and only for wiring fiber. This meant that cable companies-Comcast and Consolidated-were not eligible for these funds.

Cavendish did not benefit from this legislation as the town is not part of a CUD, and is unlikely to become one. However, the VCBB did approve independent companies that wire fiber, such as TDS, to apply for funding.

TDS has stated that they will begin wiring fiber in Ludlow, Cavendish, Weathersfield and Baltimore using their own money- $5.4 million-sometime this year. Note that TDS is launching network upgrades across the country using a combination of funding sources from TDS, the Federal Communications Commission’s Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM), and from several state broadband expansion grants. Also note that even with Connect America Funding, it took TDS over seven years to implement upgrades in our area, which improved service in certain places but had marginal impact in others.

In 2021, the TDS’s spokesperson stated in various meetings that the underserved areas would receive fiber first. However, a recent conversation with TDS found that they will be starting with the more densely populated areas and will be looking to VCBB to fund the more rural sections.

The VCBB has set aside a little over a half a million dollars for wiring Cavendish.

The Northeastern part of town that is covered by Consolidated, and has the largest group of unserved addresses, remains an issue. Rob Fisher of the VCBB has stated that ECFiber is interested in applying for funding to wire this segment of Cavendish, with the adjoining area of Weathersfield. He also noted that Consolidated may be interested.

Unfortunately, it appears that the under/un served parts of Cavendish will be the last to benefit from the funding controlled by VCBB. It is also not clear if the set aside funding is enough to pay for the upgrade to the TDS territory as well as to provide service to the un served parts of town. 

As far as cell service, the governor has proposed a $51.5 million program, with money from the federal Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, to deploy 100 cell towers to reach unserved wireless areas in Vermont. Administered by the Department of Public Service, the Critical Communications Infrastructure Program (CCIP) will fund the deployment of additional cell towers to expand mobile wireless voice and data coverage throughout Vermont. 

While many towns in VT are in favor of progress and technology, they don’t want cell towers in their backyard.

Cavendish Update 3/11/22: News/Events

VIEW THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE LATEST NEWS      

3/11/22

1.    Cavendish Info

2.    Covid update

3.    Events

Day light savings begins this coming Sunday. Move clocks forward an hour and check batteries in smoke and CO detectors.

Winter Storm Warning tonight 10 pm -Sunday 1 AM

1. CAVENDISH INFO

• Cavendish Town Managers Volunteers for CVFD and PVFD: Recently, Brendan McNamara has become a Probationary Firefighter for both Cavendish and Proctorsville Fire Departments.

• Amy Bohren has been hired as the new principal of CTES

• GMUHS basketball coaches praise this year’s teams, expect lessons learned to spill into next season

• SEVCA offers no cost tax prep service: The program, which offers no cost filing of both federal and Vermont state income taxes, is open to anyone who makes less than $57,000 per year. Drop off sites are located in Windsor, Westminster, and Brattleboro. FMI: SEVCA Website or call us 802-722-1603 or 800-464-9951

• Funding available to homeowners for failed wells or septic systems

• People’s United Bank acquisition wins federal approval

• Crown Point Physical Therapy Closing: As of May 1, Crown Point Physical Therapy in Springfield will be closed.

• Rabies Clinic: The Lucy McKenzie Humane Society is holding a rabies vaccination clinic for cats and dogs on Saturday, March 26 from 9-11 at 4832 Route 44, West Windsor VT. No appointment needed,
$20 per vaccination.  FMI: 802-484-5829

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.

WEEKLY DATA:

Cavendish & Surrounding Towns  For the week ending March 2: For the first time since September 11, Cavendish had no new cases of Covid (178 total). Ludlow had 2 new cases (333 total); Chester 3 (639 total); Springfield 46 (2,037) and Weathersfield 4 (266).

State: The the March 8 Modeling Report states As Vermont passes the two-year anniversary of its first reported COVID-19 case, the situation in the state continues to improve from the height of the Omicron wave. Over half a million Vermonters have also now been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Vermont is averaging 140 cases per day on a seven-day average—a 93% decrease since the Omicron peak. The pace of case decline has slowed both in Vermont and New England as infections reach more stable low levels. CDC modeling indicates cases are expected to remain low in Vermont, the Northeast, and across the United States throughout the month of March. Hospitalizations continue to see significant decreases: new hospital admissions are down 36% this week (down 78% from the Omicron peak); those currently hospitalized are down 21% this week (down 78% from the Omicron peak); and those currently in the ICU are down 42% this week (down 88% from the Omicron peak). The state has recorded 16 consecutive days of fewer than 10 Vermonters in the ICU for COVID-19. Most fortunately, the seven-day fatality rate is below one for the first time in two months as fewer COVID-19 deaths are occurring. Modeling forecasts COVID-19 deaths will decline steadily in the coming weeks.

 The one age group where cases have actually increased, by 18%, (7 day average) is in those 0 to 24 years of age. Significant decreases have occurred in other age groups, particularly for those 65+, which has decreased by 41%.

On Wednesday, the state reported 195 cases. Middlebury College is currently dealing a Covid outbreak, with 135 active cases. With vaccination rates of nearly 100%, 99% student body and 98% of staff, students are reporting either no symptoms or very mild ones.

While the state media briefings are focusing less on Covid, as this phase of the pandemic winds down, Health Commissioner Mark Levine reiterated the changes coming on March 14, masking no longer recommended, five day quarantine for those infected with Covid, testing recommended for close contacts, he stated, “The decision to wear a mask will be up to each person based on their own circumstances, personal risk assessment and health needs. “This will mean something different for everyone,” he said. “Note, these recommendations may not apply to nursing homes and other health care settings that need to follow federal guidelines, which still include masking. Levine made it clear that people should hold on to their masks as Covid most likely will be returning. He also noted that while the federal government recently announced a new test-to-treat program that would allow high-risk people to pick up antiviral treatments at certain pharmacies and health centers, so far, no pharmacies in Vermont would qualify for the program, and no federally qualified Vermont health center has been told if it will be participating. “The majority of Vermonters will still be able to both test and receive prescriptions for treatment at their primary care practices or other health care settings,” he said

Masks No Longer Required at School as of 3/14/22: Lauren Fierman, Superintendent of the TRSU, issued a statement on March 4 saying masks will no longer be required for students or staff, though those who wish to do so may continue to wear them.

TESTING/ KITS: The Government is offering a second round of free test kits. These can be ordered by going the USPS website or by calling 1-800-232-0233.

At Tuesday’s press conference, concern was raised about the expiration dates, as the first round of free test kits from the government expire in June 2022. Health commissioner Dr. Levin said he thought the FDA was revising the “use by” dates. In Feb., the FDA declared that a million rapid Covid 19 test kits in Florida were deemed usable past their “use by” date.  The shelf life of the tests was originally extended in April, and they expired in September 2021.

Some people are wondering why more test kits are being released now that pandemic winding down. As long as there are parts of the global population that are unvaccinated, expect to see new variants.

OTHER

• Striking new evidence points to Wuhan seafood market as the pandemic's origin point NPR

• Here's how to get free antiviral medicine if you test positive for Covid-19

3.EVENTS

MARCH 13 (SUNDAY): Spring forward. Daylight savings returns. Move clocks ahead one hour.

-       Free dinner and a movie, Monsoon Wedding, at the Cavendish Library, 1 pm

MARCH 14 (MONDAY): Cavendish Select Board Meeting, 6:30 PM at the Cavendish Town Office

MARCH 16 (WEDNESDAY) March 16: Book Club for Grown Ups, 7-8 pm at Murdock’s on the Green. FMI: Kata at 802-226-7503

MARCH 26 (SATURDAY) Noon-2pm at the Cavendish Library. The Senior Solutions team will be holding ‘open hours’ to answer any questions residents may have related to the 3SquaresVT food benefits and Fuel Assistance

MARCH 27 (SUNDAY): 1-2 pm Visit with an author: Howard Coffin, at the Cavendish Library. FMI: Kata at 802-226-7503

MARCH 28 (MONDAY): Hybrid Town Informational Meeting; 7 pm. In person at CTES multi-purpose room or via zoom.

MARCH 29 (TUESDAY): Cavendish Voting Day by Australian Ballot. 10-7 at the Proctorsville Fire Department.

APRIL 1 (FRIDAY): Dog License for Cavendish renewal due

APRIL 5 (TUESDAY): Registrations for Free Easter Dinner due today. Call Angela at 802-356-3823 reserve your free dinner(s).

APRIL 15 (FRIDAY): Town Office closed for Good Friday

APRIL 17 (SUNDAY): HAPPY EASTER

MAY 2 (MONDAY): Grant applications for the Cavendish Community Fund are due. FMI: Douglas McBride at 226-7142 or Peter LaBelle at 226-7250.

JUNE 1 (WEDNESDAY): CCCA’s Cavendish Calendar Photography Contest photographs are due today.  FMI: cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com.

    IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Cavendish Update 3/4/22: Election/Recycling/News/Events

VIEW THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE LATEST NEWS                      

3/4/22

1.    Tuesday Election Results

2.    Cavendish Info

3.    Recycling & Repurposing Your Spring Cleaning

4.    Covid update

5.    Events

1. TUESDAY’S ELECTION RESULTS: By a margin of 648 to 277, voters in the Green Mountain Unified School District (Cavendish, Chester, Baltimore and Andover) approved a $14,705,015 budget, which is $18,770 per equalized pupil. Of Cavendish’s 1,162 registered voters, only 118 voted on Tuesday.

Chester voters approved retail cannabis. Note that sales are limited to those 21 and up, with public consumption prohibited.

Cavendish’s Town Informational meeting will take place on  Monday March 28 in a hybrid format -7 pm, In person at CTES multi-purpose room or via zoom. Voting by Australian ballot will take place the next day, Tuesday, March 29 at the Proctorsville Fire Hall from 10-7. Town Meeting Warning

2. CAVENDISH INFO

• CTES Principal Position offered to Amy Boehrn: At Wednesday’s GMUSD board meeting, the board authorized Superintendent Lauren Fierman to negotiate a contract with Amy Boehrn as CTES's next principal. Boehrn is currently the director of Special Programs for Rescue Union School District in Northern California. According to her letter of January 28th, she has recently relocated to Killington VT with her family. Learn more about her background and references at the TRSU website.

• Black River 100% Campaign for Food, Fuel & Security: Three local organizations – Black River Good Neighbors Services, Senior Solutions, and the Black River Valley Senior Center – have come together to strengthen each household in our communities during the month of March.  Thom Simmons, Outreach Specialist for Senior Solutions, noted that “More than 60% of our local seniors who are eligible for food and fuel benefits do not participate in these programs. The Fuel Assistance program alone can provide up to $3,000 annually to help people with their fuel bills, and that’s a lot of money to be ‘leaving on the table’ during a Vermont winter. We want people to understand that participation in these programs helps strengthen local communities and their economies. More than 9 million dollars is added to the Vermont economy each month through the 3SquaresVT program alone, and that doesn’t even include the multiplying effect of those dollars throughout the community.” The Senior Solutions team will be holding ‘open hours’ to answer any questions residents may have related to the 3SquaresVT food benefits and Fuel Assistance programs at the following times and locations: BRGN Food Shelf Wed. March 16 & 30th 10 am to noon; Cavendish Library March 8 (Tuesday) 4-6 and March 26 (Saturday) Noon-2 pm.

• Cavendish Calendar Seeks Entries: The 2023 Calendar theme is “Wildlife in Cavendish.” The deadline to submit photos is June 1st. If you have a wildlife photo taken in Cavendish, and you are a Cavendish/Proctorsville resident or second home owner, submit your entry in one of the following ways: Mail to P.O. Box 605, Cavendish VT 05142, or email as an attachment to cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com.   All photos must be in landscape format. Print photos should be on 8”x10” non-glossy finish paper, digital photos should be minimum 3MB. All photos become the property of CCCA upon submission. All pictures received will be considered for publication. Actual photos may not be returned and all photos may be used in products created by the CCCA. FMI: cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com.

• CCF Accepting Grant Applications:  The Cavendish Community Fund CCF has announced that it is now accepting grant applications for spring 2022 awards. The Fund has given grants twice each year for the past fifteen years. Grants will be awarded for cultural, educational or artistic programs, projects or events that benefit the people of Cavendish in some fashion. Filing date is May 2nd. Applications can be made by letter that describes the organization that is applying, the project proposed and the overall budget, including the amount requested. It must also describe how the project will benefit the people of Cavendish. Application instructions can be obtained by emailing CavendishCommunityFund@gmail.com or by mailing to the Cavendish Community Fund, P.O. Box 154, Proctorsville, VT 05153. Projects for which funds are sought must directly benefit the Cavendish community in some way. A panel of local citizens reviews all applications and recommends grant awards based on the quality and feasibility of each proposal. Grants are not expected to exceed $1,000 each and will depend primarily on the number of applications received and the amounts requested. FMI: Douglas McBride at 226-7142 or Peter LaBelle at 226-7250.

• Upcoming Events for the Cavendish Library: March 8 (Tuesday): The Senior Solutions team will be holding ‘open hours’ to answer any questions residents may have related to the 3SquaresVT food benefits and Fuel Assistance 4-6 pm. March 16 (Wednesday): Book Club for Grown Ups, 7-8 pm at Murdock’s on the Green. March 27 (Sunday) 1-2 pm Visit with an author: Howard Coffin, at the Library.

• Free Easter Dinner: Proctorsville Fire Department, Ludlow Fire Dept. and Black River Good Neighbor are providing an Easter Dinner. Curbside Pickup at Ludlow Fire Dept., Saturday, April 16 from 12-2. Dinner includes ham, potatoes, gravy, corn, roll & dessert. Call Angela at 802-356-3823 by April 5 to reserve your free dinner(s).

• “Eight Oh Brew” Opening in Ludlow

• Dinner for Ukrainian Relief: The Ludlow Rotary Club and the United Church of Ludlow are combining efforts to raise money for humanitarian relief for the people of the Ukraine on Saturday, March 19 at the United Church, located at the corner of Elm and Pleasant Streets. Lasagna dinner (vegetarian and gluten free options) which will also include salad, breads and dessert. Take-out meals may be picked up at the church between 5 and 5:30pm while in-church dining will be available from 5:30 to 7. Pre-orders for take-out meals can be made by call 802-228-6275 or emailing Thomson131VT@gmail.com.  General donations are also appreciated.  They may be made at the Ludlow Rotary Club’s website, or mailed to Ludlow Rotary, PO Box 216, Ludlow, VT  05149.   Donations are tax-deductible.

• 2-year-old, 80-year-old die in crash on Rt. 103 in Chester

3. RECYCLING & REPURPOSING YOUR SPRING CLEANING: The first day of spring is not that far off, and the occasional warm day and bright sunshine maybe encouraging spring cleaning.  Use the following resources to sustainably rid your home of items that no longer work or you no longer need or want:

• A-Z Recycling and Waste Guide for Southern Windsor County

• Cavendish Transfer Station: Note Cavendish has Zero Sort Recycling; free composting (bring your food scraps); metal recycling; leaves, grass and other yard waste; free E-waste recycling (batteries, electronics, computers, TVs etc.)

• Free Cycle Springfield

• Shaws and area grocery stores will take plastic bags

• Medications: Ludlow Pharmacy and Ludlow Police have drop boxes for unused medications.

• Cavendish Facebook Market Place Cavendish

• Annual Cavendish Town Wide Tag Sale: July 30 9-2

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.

WEEKLY DATA: Note, school data has not been updated for the last two weeks.

Cavendish & Surrounding Towns  For the week ending February 23, Cavendish had 1 new case 178 total; Ludlow 2 (331 total); Chester 2 (636 total); and Weathersfield  2 (262). Springfield had a significant jump in cases from 38 the prior week to 81 (1,991 total) this week. In part this is attributed to an outbreak at the Springfield Correctional Facility.

State: The Governor’s weekly press conference was moved from Tuesday, Town Meeting Day, to Thursday. The big announcement was related to the state adopting the CDC’s new COVID risk guidelines particularly their mask wearing guidelines.

Due to Vermont’s size, the state will not be following the CDC’s county-by-county designation but rather are basing changes on hospital capacity and not number of new cases. “We’ll have to react accordingly as we always have, watching the data and hospitalizations and making determinations based on the information at hand. But we should take advantage of it while we can,” said Gov. Phil Scott.

As of March 14, the following changes will take place:

-       Those who test positive are recommended to isolate for 5 days.

-       Close contacts and not up to date on their vaccines should be tested but do not have to quarantine.

-       Lifting masking recommendations for all indoor public spaces

-       Optional masks in all schools and buses regardless of vaccination levels

-       COVID testing in schools will continue, but those will also be phased out over time.

 Moving to a “flu like” strategy, in the coming weeks, the state’s active response will shift. State-run testing and vaccination will be phased out, with at home testing and vaccinations from pharmacies replacing it. People will need to determine their own risk and act accordingly. “The decision to wear a mask will be up to each person based on their own circumstances and health needs,” according to State Epidemiologist Patsy Kelso.

The Modeling Report for March 2 states: COVID-19 cases in Vermont continue to decline, with the state averaging 163 cases per day on a seven-day average. This represents a 91% decrease since the Omicron variant peaked in Vermont in January 2022, with cases now at the same level as September 2021. CDC modeling predicts these favorable trends will continue in Vermont, the Northeast, and across the United States. Hospitalizations have also dropped precipitously as the Omicron wave subsides: new admissions for the virus have dropped by more than a third in the last week while the ICU inpatient census has fallen by half. Hospitalizations continue to be more common among older Vermonters: those over 65  are more than 17 times more likely to be hospitalized for COVID than those under 24. Unvaccinated adults are also at increased risk with quadruple the rate of hospitalization compared to their boosted peers. Deaths were unevenly distributed in Vermont during the month of February, with nearly 60% of the 57 fatalities occurring in the first half of the month. Modeling forecasts deaths will continue to slow in the coming weeks.

5. EVENTS

MARCH 8 (TUESDAY) 4-6 pm at the Cavendish Library. The Senior Solutions team will be holding ‘open hours’ to answer any questions residents may have related to the 3SquaresVT food benefits and Fuel Assistance

MARCH 13 (SUNDAY): Spring forward. Daylight savings returns. Move clocks ahead one hour.

MARCH 14 (MONDAY): Cavendish Select Board Meeting, 6:30 PM at the Cavendish Town Office

MARCH 16 (WEDNESDAY) March 16: Book Club for Grown Ups, 7-8 pm at Murdock’s on the Green. FMI: Kata at 802-226-7503

MARCH 26 (SATURDAY) Noon-2pm at the Cavendish Library. The Senior Solutions team will be holding ‘open hours’ to answer any questions residents may have related to the 3SquaresVT food benefits and Fuel Assistance

MARCH 27 (SUNDAY): 1-2 pm Visit with an author: Howard Coffin, at the Cavendish Library. FMI: Kata at 802-226-7503

MARCH 28 (MONDAY): Hybrid Town Informational Meeting; 7 pm. In person at CTES multi-purpose room or via zoom.

MARCH 29 (TUESDAY): Cavendish Voting Day by Australian Ballot. 10-7 at the Proctorsville Fire Department.

APRIL 1 (FRIDAY): Dog License for Cavendish renewal due

APRIL 5 (TUESDAY): Registrations for Free Easter Dinner due today. Call Angela at 802-356-3823 reserve your free dinner(s).

APRIL 15 (FRIDAY): Town Office closed for Good Friday

APRIL 17 (SUNDAY): HAPPY EASTER

MAY 2 (MONDAY): Grant applications for the Cavendish Community Fund are due. FMI: Douglas McBride at 226-7142 or Peter LaBelle at 226-7250.

JUNE 1 (WEDNESDAY): CCCA’s Cavendish Calendar Photography Contest photographs are due today.  FMI: cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com.

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