Fungicide Contaminates Local Cannabis
The Vermont Cannabis Control Board has issued a warning that some Vermont-grown pot — sold at local dispensaries — contained a contaminant. It has since been recalled. The report is linked to a cannabis user who claimed “getting sick” after smoking the substance. The control board announced, “the flower was grown by Holland Cannabis, based in Derby, and that it tested above the limit for myclobutanil, a chemical used as a fungicide.” This specific strain was sold by the Capital Cannabis Company in Montpelier, and Zenbarn Farm dispensary in Waterbury. The control board has stopped the sale of Holland Cannabis plants at all retail shops until it can confirm the safety of the company’s product.
Police Help People Get in from the Cold
The city of Barre and the city of Montpelier not only had emergency warming shelters for the Feb. 3 cold snap, but also offered transportation if needed. Temperatures dipped into the double digits below zero Fahrenheit on Feb. 3 and 4. According to a Street Outreach Team member who wanted to be anonymous, officers went looking for anyone who was still outside on those nights. Sgt. Jeff Pearson of the Montpelier Police Department said officers gave one courtesy ride to two people to the Christ Church overflow warming center. “We are never opposed to getting people to services if they are in need,” he said, adding that he thought so much information on where to go for warmth helped prevent more people from needing unexpected rides. The person who answered the Barre Police Department dispatch line said there is no record of anyone needing a ride.
Art Commission Moves Ahead on Clothespin Sculpture
A new art installation will commemorate Montpelier’s historic role in clothespin manufacturing. The Montpelier Public Art Commission is moving forward on plans to install a large, three-piece sculpture depicting wooden clothespins at a downtown vacant lot. During their January meeting, commission members discussed concerns about the durability of the existing piece, according to a report. Commission members Rob Hitzig, Ward Joyce, and Jesse Jacobs went to see the sculpture and reported back that a piece needs to be replaced. The sculpture was created by local artists Ben Cheney, Jesse Cooper, and Chris Eaton of Flywheel Industrial Arts after seeing a sign for the now-closed U.S. Clothespin Factory. At their meeting Dec. 14, the Public Art Commission voted to make a $4,500 deposit toward the total $9,000 price of the sculpture, pending a signed contract and agreed-upon repairs.
City Gets $7,200 Historic Preservation Grant
The city of Montpelier was awarded a $7,200 grant on Jan. 19 to fund a historic resources scoping study. The project is being led by the Historic Preservation Commission. They intend to hire a historic preservation consultant to identify and document the city’s historic resources. The city expects to get the draft grant agreement from the Vermont Division of Historic Preservation within the next few weeks.
—compiled by Carla Occaso
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