Cavendish Update 8/14/09 SB/Message/News/Events

This issue of the Cavendish Update is made possible by the Cavendish Community and Conservation Association (CCCA), a non-profit membership organization that is dedicated to the conservation of land and natural resources and to the preservation of historic sites within the context of sustainable economic growth. FMI: PO Box 605, Cavendish VT 05142 or 802-226-7736

The 8/14/09 Cavendish Update Contains
1. August Select board Meeting
2. Cavendish Related News
3. The Messenger to replace The Message
4. Cavendish Community Fund Thanks Supporters
5. Black River Good Neighbor Needs Donations and Volunteers
6. Upcoming Events

1. Aug. 10 Select board Meeting
The following items were discussed at Monday, August 10’s Select Board Meeting:

Water: The report for August is similar to July’s-the manganese (Man) level remains at a plateau of about 1.7 mg/L the manganese (Man) and has yet to fall to acceptable levels. The reduction was projected to take 7-8 weeks and it’s now closer to 12. The current level is well above the FDA standard of 0.05mg/L. The Health Advisory issued by the Vermont Department of Health remains in effect until levels are brought down to standard. The Health Advisory issued October 2006 states the following: “The Cavendish Public Water System has concentrations of manganese which exceed the Environmental Protection Agency and Vermont Department of Health lifetime Health Advisories of 0.3 mg/L. In 2005 and 2006, the levels of manganese in the Cavendish system were 2.5 mg/L and 2.1 mg/L, respectively.

Manganese is an essential element. However, most of the manganese needed on a daily basis comes from the food we eat. Long-term consumption of high concentrations of manganese in drinking water may cause adverse neurological health effects. Children and people with liver disease are more susceptible to the health effects of manganese. If you have specific health concerns, consult your doctor.”

The major flushing has been postponed in order to make sure the system is working properly, particularly reducing the need for so much air in the lines. The aggressive flush will result in ugly looking water so a notice will be sent prior to the flushing. Not only will notices be sent prior to flushing, but people can sign up for an e-mail notification by calling the town office 226-7292

Helipad: Richard Svec, town manager, provided the Select Board with three pieces of correspondence, regarding the building of a helipad for private use in Cavendish. In addition to a letter from the Cavendish Community and Conservation Association (CCCA), multiple residents signed one of the other three letters. All three letters encouraged the select board to continue to oppose the building of a helipad on private property, based on the findings of the Planning Commission, which said the project was not in compliance with the Town Plan. Svec said the town’s attorney is investigating the concerns raised by the attorney for David Coutu, the property owner who wishes to build a helipad. Ed Garrow, selectmen, stated that he has been hearing from a number of citizens and it’s equally divided between those who don’t have a problem with the project and those that do. However, he did note that those who aren’t opposed to the helipad, do want to see some ordinances around it, such as only flying in day light hours.

Proctorsville Side Walk Project: Svec reported that the project is moving along, in spite of problems with weather and one shipment of granite. He anticipates that the project will be completed by the end of September beginning of August. The work in the front of the school should be finished before the start of school in September.

2. Cavendish Related News
• Suspect in Cavendish Pipe Bomb Incident Appears in Court

3. The Messenger to Replace the Message
The following e-mail has been circulated to former advertisers in “The Message.”
This is from Joe Milliken and Robert Smith, the former co-editors of The “Message for the Week” and now, the new co-editors of “The Messenger,” which will produce its first issue on Wednesday, August 26. We are happy to announce that with The Messenger, we've been able to bring back a newspaper very much like the now deceased Message For The Week.

The new paper will have the same expansive coverage area throughout Southern Vermont - from Rutland to Brattleboro - and will also be direct mailed in the same fashion as The Message. We were also able to keep our entire Message staff intact as we move forward with The Messenger.

It has taken a great deal of work by several people to create this successor to The Message and if ever there was a time that we need support from our advertisers, this is certainly the time! The next few weeks will be crucial to the success of the paper, which is really YOUR paper and for your communities. So many people lamented the demise of The Message, now we really need your support as we move forward with The Messenger.

As most of you know, The Message was one of the bankruptcy casualties of Eagle Publications and the Twin State Valley Media Network, along with the Eagle Times, The Spectator and The Weekly Flea. However, we were able to keep in contact with all the employees of the former Message, who were all interested in staying together as a team and creating a new, Message-style Southern Vermont newspaper. A publication focused on positive local community and business news, local sports, the area's vast arts and entertainment scene, food and lifestyle features.

From the moment The Message's doors closed on July 9, there has been considerable interest in reviving a similar paper and if possible, bringing back the staff which had served as the face of The Message to the dozens of local communities we served. New Market Press out of Middlebury, Vt was one of the serious newspaper publishers that contacted us and over the course of a couple of weeks, we were able to work out an arrangement where nearly the entire editorial, sales and classifieds staff of The Message, plus The Message's former graphics designer, Adrian Newkirk, agreed to team up with New Market to create The Messenger.

The Messenger will have a "divided-by-towns" format similar to The Message, along with the familiar extensive local sports, arts & entertainment, food and home & garden sections each week. What we need now is help in getting the "message" out about how to contact us. Please email any press releases, announcements, photos etc. to The Messenger at news@messengervt.com

For anyone interested in advertising in The Messenger, please e-mail sales@messengervt.com. We really need your advertising support from the get-go. For sports, send your press releases and photos to sports@messengervt.com and to contact either of us personally, use joe@messengervt.com or robert@messengervt.com.

We did an extensive search for office space in our central Chester/Springfield/Bellows Falls distribution area, as the former Message site in Chester had already been leased. Our new location will be at 51 The Square in Bellows Falls, the former Bull's Eye Music store at the south end of The Square. It's a bright, interesting, street-level space in the middle of a vibrant community and we're very excited to launch this new endeavor there. We should be in the offices with new phone numbers and walk-in service within the next couple of weeks, so please drop in and say hi!

On behalf of our staff, we want to thank all of our readers for the great support we received during the past several weeks. With your help, we're determined to make The Messenger the best weekly paper in Southern Vermont!

4. Cavendish Community Fund Thanks Supporters
The Cavendish Community Fund officers and staff thank all individuals who attended the benefit dinner on August 1st at the Cavendish Inn for their generosity. The fundraiser was an unqualified success, both socially and financially. Attendees were treated to a wonderful dinner and even got to enjoy it outside on one of the nicest Saturday evenings in quite a while.

The Fund provides modest monetary grants for projects, programs and events of an educational or cultural nature in Cavendish. Since its inception in 2007 it has funded twelve programs ranging from an archeological dig and a movie series, to concerts on the Green and teacher training. Several recent recipients of grants spoke to the dinner guests to describe their experiences and to thank the fund for its support.

Without local support there is no way that these various events would take place. With the local support received this summer the Fund hopes to continue its tradition of semi-annual grants in the fall and in the spring. The Fund will accept grant applications at any time. Information on how to apply can be found at www.CavendishCCCA.org, or by calling (802) 226-7187. The next deadline will be announced soon.

5. Black River Good Neighbor Needs Donations and Volunteers
The following items are currently needed at the Food Shelf:
• Peanut Butter
• Jelly (Grape works the best for families)
• Pasta
Donations may be dropped off at the store Monday through Saturday 10AM to 4PM.

Also needed are volunteers to do trash duty. If you have a truck or SUV that can hold bags of trash to be taken to Ludlow’s Transfer Station and are willing to volunteer please call Audrey Bridge at 802-228-3663. This requires a once a month commitment and takes about one hour.

The Food Shelf and Thrift Shop is located at 105 Main Street in Ludlow and serves the communities of Cavendish, Ludlow, Plymouth, Proctorsville, and Mt. Holly.

6. Upcoming Events
August 15 (Saturday): 12th Annual zucchini Festival. FMI. 228-3238

August 17 (Monday): Bounty Day: The Grow a Row project will be collecting and freezing vegetables/fruit at CTES. Drop produce off from 5-8 pm. Kitchen helpers needed. Ann Thompson will work with the kids who show up (children need an adult to be with them though). If you only plan to drop off items, look for the Bounty Box by the back door to the kitchen near the teacher’s parking lot. FMI: Sara Stowell , Julia Gignoux, or Karen McNamera .

August 22 (Saturday): Cavendish Community Theater’s Production "All I Really Need to Know I Learned In Kindergarten,” 8 pm at the Cavendish Inn Barn on Main Street in Cavendish.

August 23 (Sunday): Duttonsville School Reunion. The Cavendish Historical Society will host a reunion and tour of the old school house, which is now the home and business of Dan Churchill. Opening remarks start at 1 pm with tours on the half hour. All are invited. FMI: 226-7807 or margoc@tds.net
• Cavendish Community Theater’s Production "All I Really Need to Know I Learned In Kindergarten,” 8 pm at the Cavendish Inn Barn on Main Street in Cavendish.