Woodstock Early Bird Because the early bird gets the worm! email: EARLYBIRDTIPS@yahoo.com

We have strong evidence that the Town of Woodstock is recovering well  from its Critical Incident Flood Response as the  flood response  discussion disintegrated this week  to the perennial devilishly-thorny question of  Halloween candy on High and Maple Streets.

We hear the flood response meeting took a big  turn to the long-simmering question of how long the residents of High, Golf and Maple Streets will be asked by the town to “host” its annual evening  Halloween activities.  It’s a tradition that those streets are closed off by the Town  as a safe and welcoming location for kids to “trick-or-treat”. 

However, the High Street area has turned into a magnet for kids and parents from many surrounding towns who flock to Woodstock for dress-up and candy fun. Residents have,  de facto,  been asked (not consulted)  to open their doors and provide the goodies, even as the residential child population has dropped in the small neighborhood. While it’s always a festive and fun occasion, it is not without some grumbling about just who is  footing the bill.

In recent years, the Town of  Woodstock  has asked for candy donations to be dropped off with Woodstock Police for distribution to homes in the area. However, it is rarely enough candy for the hundreds who show up.

Discussions are ongoing but it appears some are  suggesting it might be time to end the Halloween on  High Street, Golf Avenue, Maple Street close-off.  That would ultimately be a decision for the Village Trustees.  We are sure Trustees appreciate input on this very important topic. 

 Have a few candy corn as you ruminate….

Good News Early Birds…the Frost Mills Free Parking Area should be ready to use by this weekend…or that’s what we’re hoping.

The Town of Woodstock has a plan in place to fill in and work on what is  now known commonly as “The Hole” off of Pleasant Street in the Village. The work will help replace the entrance to a free parking area  where the Kedron Brook blew its way through its banks. The road also provides access to a building used by the Woodstock Inn for employee housing. Work scheduled to begin tomorrow…

We’re hearing the suggestion that in the interim there is parking generall available in the area near Vail Field and possibly, pending approval, behind the library.

Woodstock Police Chief Robbie Blish confirms a third — and possibly fourth just over the line in Quechee – robbery from an unlocked home.

The latest wave of thefts has been in the last week — with two properties now hit  in West Woodstock  and a home in Woodstock Village. The thief or thieves have taken valuable  jewelry and small electronics and entered the unlocked homes during daylight hours.

Blish says he has pulled the police officer reports taken from different shifts and will be assigning a lead police investigator to the cases. Police will be going back to victims to find out if the have anything in common in terms of people who have done work in their homes or around their houses or if there is anything that might help develop a lead suspect.

In addition, if any residents  have  noticed jewelry or items missing from their homes, they should report the loss to Woodstock Police.  

The general population can help police by reporting any suspicious vehicles and a good description of occupants. If possible a license number would also be helpful to the investigation.

Police Chief Blish said today, “Just as we have discovered we are not immune from natural disasters, we are not immune from crime…”

Residents should lock their doors routinely and not leave keys easily available.

Although police have received some possible suspicious persons descriptions, there are not suspects at this time.