Times Argus Community News

Jul 06, 2023

Vermont’s resident Canada goose hunting season will be open Sept. 1-25

VTF&W

Vermont’s resident Canada goose hunting season will be held Sept. 1-25 to help control the population prior to the arrival of Canada geese migrating south according to Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. The season will be open statewide with a daily bag limit of five Canada geese in the Connecticut River Zone and eight in the rest of Vermont. Visit www.vtfishandwildlife.com for more information or call 877-306-7091 toll-free.

AROUND TOWN

FEMA has opened several Disaster Recovery Centers throughout Vermont to provide assistance for physical damage from recent storms and flooding for homeowners, renters, private nonprofits and businesses. Guidelines include:

— FEMA is supporting and coordinating with the state to help initiate recovery and meet immediate needs after a disaster, not to bring residents back to their pre-disaster condition.

— FEMA encourages people to apply for assistance. To find out what you may be eligible for, visit a Disaster Recovery Center for in-person help, where FEMA specialists can assist with applications, answer questions, and provide referrals to resources. To find a center near you, visit fema.gov/drc; visit DisasterAssistance.gov; download the FEMA App; or call 800-621-3362. Language translation services are available.

— The money FEMA provides to disaster survivors are grants and do not have to be repaid.

— Deadline to apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance is Sept. 12.

— FEMA Disaster Assistance will not affect benefits from other federal programs and is not considered taxable income.

WATERBURY — The Waterbury Arts Fest new dates are Friday and Saturday, Aug. 25 and 26, in downtown Waterbury. The Friday Night Block Party is a dance party with live music, beer garden, food trucks and dancing. The Saturday Arts Market has nearly 100 art exhibitors, live entertainment, children’s activities and a food truck court.

The Waterbury Arts Fest is sponsored by dozens of local businesses, led by VSECU as Grand Sponsor; Suburban Propane, Friday Night Block Party Sponsor; Fairfield by Marriott, Saturday Arts Market Sponsor; and Ben & Jerry’s, Stage & Entertainment Sponsor. The event is the primary fundraiser for Revitalizing Waterbury, whose mission is to preserve, promote and enhance the economic, social and historic vitality of Waterbury. Visit www.WaterburyArtsFest.com for more information.

AROUND VT

The University of Vermont Medical Center and UVM Health Network–Porter Medical Center have earned a 5-star quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which announced its annual hospital ratings in late July. The ratings are based on more than 45 quality measures over five categories: safety of care, readmissions after treatment of common conditions, patient experience, mortality, and timely and effective care. CMS reviewed data from the 2021 and 2022 calendar years for the ranking determinations.

UVM Medical Center — Has lower Medicare spending per beneficiary than state and national averages; costs the same or less than national averages for benchmark procedures; and typically, has lower rates of hospital-related complications than national benchmarks.

Porter Medical Center — Benchmark procedures cost the same or less than national averages. The cost of care for pneumonia patients is lower than national averages. Emergency Department wait times are shorter than the Vermont state average and in line with national averages.

This is the third consecutive year UVM Medical Center has earned a 5-star quality rating from CMS. UVM Medical Center and Porter Medical Center join 483 hospitals nationwide to earn the top CMS rating, and are two of only three Vermont-based hospitals to earn this rating.

BUSINESS

The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program announces its 2023 grant awards to working lands entrepreneurs, totaling $897,607.09 to support businesses improvements and improve water quality.

This year, 22 farmers were awarded $755,041.50 to invest in on-farm capital improvements that enhance water quality. Additionally, 16 farm and forest businesses were awarded $142,559.59 to complete projects that support business development and viability.

2023 Water Quality Grant Awards:

— Boyden Farm, Cambridge, $40,000 for a no-till planter with banding fertilizer system.

— Bridgeman View Farm, Franklin, $40,000 for a feed bunk.

— Bryce Farm Inc., Cambridge, $40,000 for a silage bunk, barnyard and lined pit.

— Cornerstone Dairy LLC, Barton, $40,000 for a manure injection system.

— Four Girls Dairy, Fairfield, $40,000 for a hay merger.

— John & Tammy Thibeault, Irasburg, $40,000 for a waste storage structure.

— L.F. Hurtubise and Sons Inc., Richford, $40,000 for a dragline system.

— McGarry Dairy, Enosburg, $30,175.00 for silage drainage.

— Morin Farm, Derby, $40,000 for manure storage.

— Nelson Farms VT LLC, Irasburg, $21,080.68 for a no-till drill.

— Rainville Bros. Dairy LLC, Enosburg, $40,000 for a feed storage pad.

— Richville Farms, Whiting, 40,000 for a replacement hoop barn.

— Riverview Dairy, LLC, Franklin, $40,000 for feed storage.

— Rogers Farmstead, Berlin, $40,000 for a composting manure storage barn.

— Sanders VI LLC, Swanton, $40,000 for cover cropping equipment.

— Sawmill Brook Farm, Greensboro, $40,000 for a covered barnyard & manure storage.

— Shadagee Farm, Craftsbury, $15,125 for manure loading modifications.

— SVTFarm, Wells, 17,009 for winter livestock shelter and compost site.

— Sykes Hollow Land and Livestock, Pawlet, $11,651.82 for organic fertilizer equipment.

— Sylvain Farm LLC, St. Johnsbury, $40,000 for a manure management system.

— Taconic End Dairy, Leicester, $25,000 for a dairy bedded pack system.

— Wolf Ridge Dairy, Alburgh, $35,000 for a no-till drill.

2023 Implementation Grant Awards

— Hunger Moon Farm, Enosburg Falls, $10,000 for laying flock winter housing.

— Mama’s Farm, Williston, $10,000 for a slaughterhouse and hoop barn.

— Cobble Creek Nursery, Bristol, $10,000 for a Brillion sure stand seeder.

— Hillside Farm & Pearce’s Pastured Poultry, West Glover, $6,787 for poultry infrastructure and farm store set-up.

— The Goat Project, Bennington, $9,301 for milking system upgrade and cheese-making education.

— Dorset Peak Jerseys, Danby, $10,000 for cow to sheep infrastructure retrofit.

— Levy Lamb LLC, West Pawlet, $10,000 for a sheep handling system.

— Maple Cedar View Farm, Derby Line, $10,000 for a dairy parlor and loose storage.

— Leaping Bear Farm, Putney, $10,000 for poultry processing equipment.

— Gevry Firewood LLC, Addison, $10,000 for firewood processor electrification.

— Stella14 Wines, Cambridge, $9,621.59 for wine processing infrastructure.

— Endless Tracks LLC, Jeffersonville, $5,834 for a log grapple.

— VT Vineyards, Underhill, $8,074 for vineyard efficiency equipment.

— Trout Lily Forestry Services LLC, Westford, $6,794 for maple tubing installation.

— Fort Waite Farm, Corinth, $8,074 for feed bunk efficiency.

— Dhaurali Goats, Colchester, $8,074 for chicken slaughter facility repair.

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