Free!
P.O. BOX 338 ELIZABETHTOWN, NY 12932 POSTAL CUSTOMER
74484
Take One
ECRWSS PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID DENTON PUBLICATIONS
Community News, Sports, Arts, Entertainment and Food for Rutland and Southern Vermont
Vol. 3 No. 36 • September 14, 2011
Disaster VOLUNTEERS TAKE LEAD DURING WATER CRISIS recovery By Lou Varricchio center now open in Rutland newmarketpress@denpubs.com
RUTLAND — The town of Rutland has been added to the list of disaster r ecovery center locations open to help V ermonters affected by Tropical Storm Irene. The recovery centers are staffed with disaster r ecovery specialists from various federal, state and local agencies and or ganizations who can answer questions about disaster assistance programs. The Federal Emer gency Management Agency’s individual assistance pr ogram covers expenses for temporary housing, home repairs, r eplacement of damaged personal property and other disaster-related needs, such as medical, dental or transportation costs not covered by insurance or other programs. Homeowners and renters may also be eligible for disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Some applicants may receive an SBA loan application after registering with FEMA. No one is obligated to take out a loan. But if they don’t complete the application, they will not be considered for other federal grants. Anyone who has a question about disaster loans may visit a disaster recovery center to speak with an SBA r epresentative. Staf f specialists ar e also available at the centers to answer other disaster assistance questions. Specialists at the recovery centers can refer applicants to voluntary a gencies a nd p rovide information to reduce damage in possible futur e disasters. Disaster of ficials encourage t hose a ffected b y the storms to register with FEMA befor e visiting a disaster recovery center
CENTER RUTLAND — As the Rutland area recovers from the Aug. 28 floods r esulting fr om T ropical Storm Ir ene, many city and county residents ar e still str uggling with a lack of drinking water . Other V ermont communities ar e also facing potable water shortages. Rutland of ficials said last week that they are working to r estore the community’s drinking water by the end of September. Last month’s flooding knocked out the city’s filtration system, but local r esidents like Scott T ommola are working around the problem. Tommola, a physical therapist at Advantage Physical Therapy in Center Rutland, began pr oviding individual water filters to neighbors and other Vermonters unable to access potable water. Tommola’s nonpr ofit 802 Relief organization is distributing water filters donated by Hydro-Photon Inc. of Maine. His wife Deana is also helping with the or ganization’s much needed errands of mercy. “With any disaster the first need is always clean water . We’re r eaching out to Vermonters one water filter at a time, Tommola said. Tommola also said that many Rutland-area w ells w ere c ontaminated with sewage and chemicals following Irene’s torrential rain. “802Relief ’s Mission for Hurricane Irene is to acquir e and distribute water filters to V ermonters who’s usual water supply has been interrupted,” Tommola said. “Why filters? Well, while it is true power is being r estored to the r emaining ar-
Photo courtesy of 802Relief
eas of Vermont, many r esidents ar e finding their well flooded with unsafe water and clogged with silts and sand. Each of the filters we ar e
distributing can filter 1,500 liters of water befor e the filter cartridge needs to be changed. If we can get people to make their own potable
water, think of the room that saves on supply vehicles for other critical supplies.” See WATER, page 8
Good news:
Covered bridges survive Pittsford’s 19th century bridges endure
By Lou Varricchio
newmarketpress@denpubs.com PITTSFORD — Contrary to news reports appearing on WCAX-TV and in the Rutland Herald, the Town of Pittsford did not lose a single one of its four, historic covered bridges to the Aug. 28 flash flood caused by tropical storm Irene. According to T own Clerk and T reasurer, is Helen McKinlay , “I guess someone, somewhere, just assumed we lost our bridges. Not tru e. All our covered bridges—the Hammond, Depot, Cooley, and Gorham bridges— are intact. They are survivors.” High water reached and covered the decking of three of the four 19thcentury bridges. The lowest bridges, the Depot and Cooley bridges, will pr obably be the last to dry out as the flood water recedes in the coming weeks. At right: Historic Cooley Covered Bridge in Pittsford: A survivor of the Aug. 28 flood. Photo by Lou Varricchio
See FEMA, page 8
THIS WEEK
Scott and Deana Tommola are Center Rutland residents providing volunteer leadership during the area’s ongoing drinking water crisis following the Aug. 28 floods. The couple are helping to distribute water filters to Vermonters without potable water following the disaster.
OPEN SUNDAYS 10-3
Parts • Sales • Service
Pets of the Week ..........2 Opinion ........................4 Sports ..........................7 Classifieds....................10 Auto Zone ....................11-12
$1,000 Gas Card or Discount of Equal Value thru Off Any In-Stock F-Series Truck Good 9/30/11 Route 7 South, Rutland, VT • 802-773-9168 or 800-906-6065 • www.fordvt.com • Mon. - Fri. 8-7, Sat. 8:30-5, Sun. 10-3
Visit Us Online at www.gmoutlook.com • Subscribe to our eEdition, simply go to www.denpubs.com/eEditions
Follow us on Facebook
74485
Local Flavor ..................5