News from Vermont: Dateline: St Johnsbury, VT The 7600 residents in this north central Vermont town have had their share of problems this summer. Severe summer storms have crippled the town’s infrastructure as almost 20 inches of rain in two months (similar amounts of rain have been reported throughout Vermont and New England) have washed out roads, inundated farm fields, destroyed airport runways, and have taken out numerous bridges on highways 2 and 5. Town officials are now blaming the bulk of the town damage not exclusively on the rain, but on five families of beavers living in the wetlands of the Passumpsic River. In a combined and coordinated effort to raise the level of their beaver ponds, the beavers have initiated a coordinated dam building program that in effect has sealed or blocked most of the cities drainage culverts. This has resulted in as much as six to eight feet of rain water washing over routes 2 and 5 during storms and literally taking out the bridges and roads and diverting the water into the beaver ponds. Many of the new dams were not discovered until the most recent storm over the weekend as the dams have been cleverly disguised or hidden inside culverts or drainage lines. Citizens of the town have mobilized against the beavers as costs to repair the town infrastructure are approaching $1mm. Vigilante groups are using stealthy night operations to clear the beaver dams and lower the pond levels. However, it has been noted that the five beaver families are nowhere to be seen. State law prevents disturbing the beaver lodges and beavers themselves. This reporter tried to contact road-kill expert Becky Sue Redneck, the woman now famous for throwing a dead raccoon at Burlington City Hall doors, for comment but receive no reply. Local residents have reported seeing Ms. Redneck in the area wearing what appear to be new fur hats, fur vests, and what appear to be fur leggings (however, many of the organic women in St Johnsbury and Montpelier do not shave their legs).
Posted on: Thu, 25 Jul 2013 11:52:04 +0000
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