Group raises over $150k for Irene victims

WILMINGTON — A group of Vermont businesses and homeowners has raised nearly $160,000 for a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping victims of Irene.

The money has been donated to the Deerfield River Valley Human Web. Spokeswoman Julie Lineberger said second homeowners and local businesses in the Deerfield Valley, including GS Precision, Mount Snow and the Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, contributed to the fund.

She said there have also been individual community members, such as a business person who set up a separate fund specifically for single mothers.

To date, the Human Web has granted more than $100,000 to help keep people in the Deerfield Valley, whether it was with rent or mortgage, heating costs, utilities, repairs and medical costs.

The fund is scheduled to close Dec. 31.

-- The Associated Press

Route 131 in Cavendish to re-open

The tiny town of Cavendish was devastated by Irene, and Route 131 was destroyed. The road was not supposed to be open yet but will be cleared for traffic tonight.

We have a before:

vyto starinskas/staff photo

And an after photo (from today):

vyto starinskas / staff photo

Irene fundraising

BARRE — Many people throughout Vermont, across the country and around the world have donated to charities that sprouted up to help the Vermont victims of Tropical Storm Irene’s floodwaters.
The largest charitable organization in the state has been the Vermont Community Foundation, which has established multiple relief funds since the storm hit Aug. 28. Through the Vermont Farm Disaster Relief Fund, the foundation has given a total of $604,500 in 122 grants to farmers statewide.

Read the full story by Jenna Pizzi in the Times Argus>>

Biologist: Batten Kill trout weathered Irene

ARLINGTON — A state fisheries biologist says habitat restoration work done to encourage the growth of the trout population on one of Vermont’s most famous trout streams held up well during flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Irene.

Over the last several years the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Green Mountain National Forest and other groups have worked to restore habitat on the Batten Kill through Arlington to protect the trout.

Some of the logs, rocks and other structures that were added to provide trout shelter from predators came through the storm with little damage.

Biologist Ken Cox says some of the logs are anchored with cables and some rocks collected material during the flooding that made them more robust.

The trout population is rebounding.

-- The Associated Press

Welch speaks on House floor for disaster assistance

Did you see Rep. Peter Welch's speech on the House floor yesterday?

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With a key House-Senate conference committee set to meet to determine how much disaster assistance Vermont will receive, Rep. Peter Welch on Thursday took to the House floor to make Vermont’s case.

The committee will begin meeting later this week. Welch is urging House leaders to support provisions in the Senate version of the bill secured by Sen. Patrick Leahy and approved by the full Senate earlier this week.

Rockingham will replace Bartonsville covered bridge

BELLOWS FALLS -- It's finally official: the town of Rockingham will replace the swept-away Bartonsville Covered Bridge with a new covered bridge.

The board voted unanimously in favor of the traditional wooden structure Tuesday night after cost estimates from an engineer showed that it was only slightly more expensive than a steel and concrete structure.

Nearly 6,700 apply for FEMA help post-Irene

The Federal Emergency Management Agency says it has received nearly 6,700 applications for disaster assistance in Vermont following Irene.
In spite of that, a FEMA spokeswoman said she’s sure there are people who have yet to register.
Vermont residents have until Nov. 15 to apply for assistance.
Federal officials have been advertising the number to call for assistance on hay wagons and cardboard sleeves for hot drinks, since billboards aren’t allowed in the state.

-- The Associated Press

Vermont Strong raises $60,000

In case you hadn't heard, a couple of Rutland area folks sat down after Tropical Storm Irene blew through and designed a t-shirt that became a sensation -- going viral on the Internet and becoming a fashion statement in the Green Mountain State and beyond.

Having promised to donate all proceeds from the sales of the shirt, they had no idea what they were about to achieve.

Today, at 3 p.m., the end result of all that volunteer work will come to fruition when they donate $60,000 to the Vermont Foodbank.

From their Facebook page, "Calvin Coolidge got it right when he said he loved Vermont "most of all because of her indomitable people." What started off as a dream has become a reality, and we owe that all to YOU, the "indomitable people" of Team Vermont Strong!"

Wow! $60,000!

That's a lot of t-shirts and a lot of effort for a good cause.

Waterbury board discusses abatements due to Irene

WATERBURY – The Waterbury board of abatement met Wednesday night for the first time since tropical storm Irene damaged more than 200 properties in the town.

At the meeting, which was held in the Thatcher Brook Primary School, the board decided to waive any penalties or fees for flood damaged properties that would normally be associated with delinquent tax payments.

Earlier during the meeting, the board heard from 12 property owners who attended the meeting and plan to apply for tax abatement.

A total of 32 requests for abatement have been made to the town so far since the storm, according to town clerk Carla Lawrence.

 

Marshfield Dam plan revised in response to criticism

MARSHFIELD - Officials from Green Mountain Power and Marshfield, Plainfield and Cabot were on hand on Tuesday for a meeting to iron out concerns regarding the emergency plan for the Marshfield Dam.
The meeting came after the towns complained that they were not receiving reliable communication during Tropical Storm Irene when the power company, which owns the dam, thought they may need to release water from the dam and required the towns’ fire departments to evacuate downstream residents.
Ultimately, GMP did not release water from the dam into the river, but it did raise serious concerns with town officials about the amount of communication and information received from GMP.
The group ultimately agreed, after a few hours of discussion and a trip out to the dam, that Green Mountain Power would update contact information for each town to improve communication.
“There was a lack of communication,” said Chris Martin, Marshfield Select Board chairman.
In Marshfield, the fire department didn’t receive information directly from GMP regarding how much water would be released and when; they were only told second hand from the state police that residents may need to evacuate.
“We didn’t have direct contact,” said Martin.