Cavendish Update: 2/21/14 News/Lightbulbs/Events

As dedicated as our fire fighting men and women are, let’s help to keep them home by taking the Proctorsville Fire Department’s advise: “With the new snow adding to what we already had we would like to remind you to check all your vent pipes to make sure they are clear. Make sure your CO detectors are functioning, and if they go off immediately call 911 and get out and stay out.”

Information can also be posted on the Cavendish VT Facebook Page.

The 2/21/14 Cavendish Update Contains the Following:

1. Cavendish Related News
2. Changing Light Bulbs: Which ones are best?
3. Mardi Gras Tickets Going Fast
4. Events

1. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

Julia Ford

Julie Ford Competes Today at Sochi: Julia Ford, whose family home is in Proctorsville, grew up learning to race at Okemo. Her brother Willie Ford is a Proctorsville Firefighter. Julie’s races today at Sochi. It will be covered by NBC between 8-11 pm. WMUR 

Vermonters Urged to Check Snow Loads on Roofs: Rain and mixed precipitation forecast for parts of Vermont on Thursday night and Friday are expected to add weight to snow pack. That extra weight could add extra pressure to house and barn roofs, and in some cases cause a roof collapse. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Department of Public Safety, and Department of Health are urging farm and homeowners to diligently monitor their roofs and clear off snow if necessary and if it can be done so safely. If there is a concern for personal safety while clearing a roof, a professional contractor should be called in to inspect the roof, or to clear the roof of snow. Press Release 

More Than 1,000 Vermonters Registered for Medical Marijuana: Eight months after the state’s first medical marijuana dispensaries opened, 1,017 patients have registered with the state to receive the drug, the Department of Public Safety told lawmakers this week. A fourth dispensary, Southern Vermont Wellness, is slated to open Tuesday in Brattleboro, officials said. The state’s other three dispensaries are in Burlington, Brandon and Montpelier. A bill in the Senate would add two more dispensaries and allow those businesses to offer home delivery of marijuana. The bill would also eliminate a statewide cap on the number of registered patients who receive marijuana from a dispensary. Press Release 

GMP Announces Greater Reliability, Shorter Outages: Green Mountain Power (GMP) announced that its customers experienced shorter outages and more reliable power service during 2013 according to a reliability report filed with the Public Service Department and the Public Service Board. Press Release 

Green Up Day May Get Trashed: For the past 43 years, volunteers have spent the first Saturday in May plucking litter from Vermont’s roadsides. Green Up Day has become an unofficial holiday in Vermont, one that embodies the environmental ethic of a state defined by its natural beauty. But it takes money to put on the event. And if lawmakers don’t come up with more of it soon, then those telltale green garbage bags that appear on the side of the road every spring could disappear for good. “We are now at a point where we really are facing the reality that if something positive does not happen, that after Green Up Day 2015, we will face planning an orderly shutdown of Green Up Day,” says Melinda Vieux, the president of Green Up Vermont. VPR 

Loons, Deer, Trout to Adorn VT’s Conservation License Plate: The catamount may be cute, regal and quintessentially Vermont, but he’s just not pulling his weight. Through public surveys, the loon, white-tailed deer and brook trout were chosen to replace the catamount and should start appearing on plates within about a year, said Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Patrick Berry. Burlington Free Press 

2. CHANGING LIGHT BULBS: WHICH ONES ARE BEST?

With Cavendish’s adoption of zero sort recycling, and partnering for a solar project, it seems fitting that other energy saving options be considered. So what about light bulbs?

Standard incandescent bulbs were once the norm coming in 40, 60, 75 and 100-watt bulbs. Because they lose 90% of their energy to heat, they are being phased out. However, incandescent bulbs still exist, and to meet energy requirements, manufacturers have added halogen gas to the incandescent bulb to save on energy. These bulbs use 28% less energy than their original counterparts.

CFLs (compact fluorescents) use 75% less energy than incandescents, have improved in quality and have dropped considerably in price. CFLs do contain a small amount of mercury and need to be disposed of properly.

LEDs, which use 80% less energy than incandescents, have an estimated life of more than 20 years. Until now, cost has been a deterring factor in their use. However prices are starting to drop significantly making this a very affordable option. Efficiency Vermont offers rebates on LED lighting and Home Depot offers a wide selection of bulbs, some of which have been significantly reduced in price.

For handy reference check out NPR’s Guide to Changing Light Bulbs.

3. MARDI GRAS TICKETS GOING FAST

Only a few dinner and dance tickets are left for the CCCA Annual Mardi Gras party/fundraiser on March 1. The good news is that if you missed getting a ticket, or you can’t make the dinner, you can show up at 7:30, pay $10 and still enjoy dancing to Yankee Chank, a Cajun/Zydeco band featuring Cavendish fiddler Bob Naess. Dinner starts at 6:30 with dancing beginning at 7:30. Dance instruction provided. The event is being held at Crows’ Bakery and Café on Depot Street in Proctorsville. FMI: Robin 226-7736

4. EVENTS

This week, the following activities will be taking place:

• Introduction to Dyeing with Wool (Feb. 22, Saturday): This two day workshop, for knitters, spinners, weavers and felters, will introduce the joys of custom dyeing using WashFast Acid dyes. The workshop will be at Six Loose Ladies. FMI: 226-7373

• CHS Annual Meeting/Screening The Vermont Movie (Feb. 23, Sunday): The Cavendish Historical Society Annual Meeting, will take place at 5 pm at the Cavendish Elementary School in Proctorsville. A potluck supper will be at 5 pm. The film Freedom and Unity: The Vermont Movie- A Very New Idea
Part One will be shown at approximately 6 pm. FMI 226-7807 or margoc@tds.net

• Schools reopen (Feb. 24. Monday): GMUHS and CTES will be back in session.

• Town Meeting Informational Forum (Feb. 25, Tuesday): CCCA will hold an informational meeting for Cavendish voters on the Tuesday before this year’s town meeting.  The forum will start at 6:30 p.m. at the Cavendish Town Offices on High Street in Cavendish. The meeting will address each of the issues on this year’s town meeting ballot, including both the town and the school proposed budgets.  For more information about Town Meeting, candidates and warnings, go to http://cavendishvt.blogspot.com/2014/01/cavendish-town-meeting-2014-candidates.html

FMI: 226-7736

• CCCA Presents: Health of the Vermont Deer Herd (Feb. 27, Thursday): Adam Murkowsky of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department will talk about the current, comprehensive review of deer management, and about results of the current public survey on the health of deer herds in Vermont. The program will start at 6:30 pm at the Parish Hall of Gethsemane Episcopal Church. (Depot St. Proctorsville). FMI: 226-7736

To learn more about upcoming events in Cavendish and surrounding towns go to:

• Events listed by month 

• Events listed by day 

To register an event: go to http://www.yourplaceinvermont.com/central-vermont-event-calendar/community/add/