Cavendish Update 3/25/11 News/Events/Japan Relief

The 3/25/11 Cavendish Update Contains the Following:
1. Cavendish Related News
2. Local Japanese Relief Effort
3. Cavendish Town Elementary School Needs Your Junk!
4. CTES Principal Singing Saturday
5. Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Other Cavendish Women to Know
6. Dance Class Suggestions
7. Cavendish Events 3/25-3/31

1. Cavendish Related News
Despite Calls to Slow Down, NRC Grants VT Yankee Renewal: Federal regulators on Monday gave the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant a 20-year license renewal, despite calls for reconsideration following the nuclear disaster in Japan. Burlington Free Press

Hazardous Chemicals Pervade Everyday Products and Vermonters: When six Vermonters agreed to be tested for the presence of industrial chemicals in their bodies, they weren’t sure what to expect. The results proved eye opening for environmentalists – 40 chemicals tested for, on average, were found in each of the testees – but especially surprising for the participants themselves. Burlington Free Press

VT Fish & Wildlife to Hold Hearings on Deer Herd: Vermont's Fish and Wildlife Department is holding a series of public hearings on the state's deer herd. Officials will share the results of this past hunting season and discuss the outlook for the next season. Hunters took two percent more deer in the 2010 season than they did in 2009. There are five hearings, which all start at 7 p.m. The hearing closest to Cavendish will be held March 30 in Springfield, at Springfield High School. The Middlebury hearing will be streamed live by Vermont Public Television, viewable on the VPT website.

Paying to Read the Rutland Herald on-line: The Rutland Herald and the Barre-Montpelier Times Argus newspapers, owned by Vermont Community Media, went behind a "pay wall" on October 1. Charging is a trend-taking place both locally and nationally. The New York Times announced it will charge subscription fees of $15 a month, but the average reader might not notice. That's because the website allows you to click through 20 free articles each month. The Herald sees 2.4 million page views a month, that's down from 3.9 million before the pay wall, yet the paper's staff remains optimistic. Communications experts still see the newspaper industry in jeopardy even with the on-line subscriptions. While the news industry awaits an uncertain future, for now local papers say they're seeing enough support to continue the tradition. The Rutland Herald plans to release a newer version of its website in a few weeks. It also plans to revamp VermontToday.com-- a subscription-free community news site, which has been stagnant since September. WCAX

VT to Monitor for Radiation from Japan: The ongoing nuclear crisis at the Fukushima power plant in Japan has raised concern about radiation worldwide. Here in Vermont, the Department of Health installed a new station for monitoring radiation levels in Burlington. "We temporarily set up this monitor last week, in essence to get background readings in Vermont," said Bill Bress of the Vt. Department of Health. The radiation monitor will be permanently housed on the roof of the Department of Health building downtown. It will measure for the three different types of radiation: alpha, beta and gamma. WCAX

Woman Accused of Stealing from Riverside Pet Store Ludlow: A Belmont woman is facing charges after police say she stole nearly $80,000 from a Ludlow pet store. Donna Lee faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of embezzlement charges. She allegedly took the money over a three-year period from 2008 to 2011, while working as the manager of Riverside Pet Care. The store's owners say they grew suspicious after noticing discrepancies in their books. WCAX

2. Local Japanese Relief Effort
White and red bracelets are being sold at Crows Corner Bakery in Proctorsville. All proceeds go to the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Effort. Minimum donation of $5. If interested in helping to make the bracelets, e-mail margoc@tds.net

3. Cavendish Town Elementary School Needs Your Junk!
“The Junkman Cometh” to the Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) in early May thanks in part to grants from the Cavendish Community and Conservation Association’s (CCCA) Cavendish Community Fund and Velco.

Grammy Award-nominated Donald Knaack is The Junkman. He plays instruments he makes from 100% recycled materials. He also constructs Junk Music Playstations, sound sculptures made exclusively from recycled materials on which large numbers of people can simultaneously have a Junk Jam. Playstations have been constructed for schools, festivals and museums around the USA. Visit his web site at www.junkmusic.org to learn more.

In preparation for this event, CTES is starting to collect junk now. Your items (100% recycled material) will be turned into a musical sound sculpture Playstation. All K-6 students at CTES will help design, construct, and learn how to play this creation, and the Junkman's weeklong residency will end with a town-wide Junk Jam on Friday afternoon to celebrate its installation in the Music Garden/Outdoor Classroom behind the school.

We need to collect some of the following items to be used as framework on which smaller percussion materials will be mounted:

- 3 units of old painters scaffolding
- aluminum ladders, 100 running feet
- industrial frame
- metal table
- exercise machine frame
- playground frame
- exterior awning frame
- other ideas?

Got junk? Please contact us if you have any of the above items to contribute or know of someone who does.

Julia Gignoux (juliagignoux@gmail.com), George Thomson (gthomson@wswsu.org) or Lisa Ewald (thecoswalds@aol.com)

Please feel free to forward this announcement to community, friends, family and neighbors. You never know who has what stashed in their basement or barn.

4. CTES Principal Singing Saturday
Principal George Thomson, a member of Rutland Curbstone Chorus, will be performing Saturday, March 26 at 7 pm at the Ludlow Auditorium. It promises to be an outstanding evening of barbershop, Broadway and Stage, show tunes, doo-wop and a few surprises.

5. Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Other Cavendish Women to Know
These posts are made possible by the Cavendish Historical Society and are archived at the society's blog. In celebration of March being National Women’s History Month, this is the final post on Women in Cavendish History.

Arey, Harriet Ellen (Grannis), author, born in Cavendish, Vermont, 14 April 1819. Her father, John Grannis, was a member of the Canadian parliament at the breaking out of the rebellion of 1837, and was obliged to flee to the United States, where he afterward held positions of trust. The daughter became a schoolteacher in Cleveland, and a contributor to periodicals. She married Oliver Arey in 1848, and edited the "Youth's Casket" and the "Home Monthly." Her principal work is "Household Songs and other Poems" (New York, 1854). A copy of this book is available on line.

Bacon, Fanny and Carrie Spafford: Wrote, edited and printed “The Scribbler,” in the early 1900’s. Local writers could see their poetry, essays or short stories in print. This was produced once a month.

Baxendale, Imogene: She is the only female who name appears on the WWII plaque attached to the Civil War memorial in Cavendish. Baxendale was stationed in the Philippines and Japan during and after the war. She was the first woman to join the Legion of Guardsmen, a veteran’s organization in Bellows Falls. During WWII the women in Cavendish worked multiple shifts at Gay Brothers Woolen Mills, grew Victory Gardens, took turns manning the three spotter towers in town and “Did their bit and Knit” socks for soldiers.

Foster, Gertrude: First woman elected to the Cavendish Select board in 1918.

Haven, Florence: Founder of the Cavendish Chapter of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution)

Pollard, Erminie: Served in the Vermont Legislature in 1951-1952. She was the first woman on the Banking and Insurance Committee.

Pollard, Mary: A dietician in an Army Hospital on Ellis Island during WWI. She is the only female whose name appears on the WWI plaque attached to the Civil War memorial in Cavendish.

Skinner, Cornelia Otis: A great grand daughter of Cavendish native, the Reverend Warren Skinner, and daughter of the famous actor Otis Skinner, she spent summers at the family home in Proctorsville, which is now The Golden Stage Inn. Cornelia wrote numerous short humorous pieces for publications like The New Yorker. These pieces were eventually compiled into a series of books, including Nuts in May, Dithers and Jitters, Excuse It Please!, and The Ape In Me, among others. With Emily Kimbrough, she wrote Our Hearts Were Young and Gay.

6. Dance Class Suggestions
Ashley Hensel-Browning, who is from Cavendish and teaches at the Dance Factory in Springfield, sent the following note. Replies should be e-mailed to her at dancewithashley@gmail.com

Hi Cavendish Families:
My name is Ashley and I'm one of the teachers at the Dance Factory in Springfield. We're currently talking about what classes to offer for our spring mini-session (mid-May to the end of school) as well as for this summer (summer-long classes as well as shorter camps). We'd love to hear from any Cavendish families who are interested in dance classes for themselves or their kids!

The Dance Factory offers classes from little kiddos to adults so let us know what your young ones or YOU may be interested in doing with your moving bodies. We regularly offer ballet/pointe, modern, jazz, hip-hop, as well as some tap for experienced tappers. Other options include Latin partner class, bodywork, and choreography...

7. Cavendish Events 3/25-3/31
March 25 (Friday): Last day to order “soil saver” composters, recycling bins and kitchen pails for collecting food scraps from the Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management District.

March 26 (Saturday): Lace Knitting, 1-4 (2 part class) with Jocelyn Banzaia at Six Loose Ladies on the Proctorsville Green. FMI: 226-7373
• The Cavendish Library presents Dinner and a Movie from 1-4 pm in the library. The featured movie will be "Under the Tuscan Sun" and will include a generous tasting of food from the book of the same name by Frances Mayes. The program is free to the public but donations are welcome. FMI: Kata at 226-7503.
• Cavendish Baptist Church is holding their Sugar on Snow Supper March 26, 5:30-7 pm at the Church. Sponsored by the Helping Hands Class, tickets are $9 for adults, children 6-12 $5 and free for those under 6. The menu will include baked beans, ham, potato salad, jello salads, coleslaw, pickles, white and brown breads, homemade doughnuts, decaf coffee, tea and punch. FMI: 226-7724

March 27 (Sunday): Introduction to Knitting from 1-3:30 pm at Six Loose Ladies on the Proctorsville Green. This is a free class. Bring your own needles and yarn or purchase at the shop. FMI: 226-7373
• Facilitated Meditation from 4-5pm - quieting the mind - mindfulness and prayer - call Robin at 226-7736

March 29 (Tuesday): Bone Builders Class at the Cavendish Baptist-- Class from 10:15-11:45. FMI: Linda at Green Mountain RSVP & Volunteer Center of Windsor County at (802) 885-2083, or Anne Oakes or Andrew Ohotnicky at (802)228-5236, or Dot Ramsdell at (802)226-7870

March 31 (Thursday): Bone Builders Class at the Cavendish Baptist-- Class from 10:15-11:45. FMI: Linda at Green Mountain RSVP & Volunteer Center of Windsor County at (802) 885-2083, or Anne Oakes or Andrew Ohotnicky at (802)228-5236, or Dot Ramsdell at (802)226-7870
• Sit & Knit" at the Six Loose Ladies yarn shop, Pollard Building, Proctorsville Green, 2:00 -9:00 PM. Open to knitters, spinners, crocheters, hookers. Free. FMI: 226-7373