Stay Safe

TODAY MARKS A YEAR SINCE THE DECEMBER 18-TH STORM THAT CREATED DEVASTATING FLOODING AROUND THE NORTHEAST. THE STORM HIT MAINE. COVERED ALL OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. KNOCKING OUT POWER FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. IN NORTHERN NEW YORK… STATES OF EMERGENCY WERE DECLARED ACROSS FRANKLIN AND ESSEX COUNTIES. THE TOWN OF JAY HAD RESIDENTS EVACUATING. PARTS OF VERMONT WERE HIT HARD AS WELL. THIS WEATHER EVENT CAME JUST SIX MONTHS AFTER THE MAJOR FLOODING OF JULY 20-23. THAT’S NOT THE KIND OF WEATHER NEW ENGLANDERS ARE USED TO JUST A WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS. BUT NOW IT’S NOW A MONTH THAT KEEPS SOME VERMONTERS ON HIGH ALERT. YUNIER MARTINEZ IS LIVE IN WATERBURY. WHERE HE SPOKE WITH A COMMUNITY… STILL FEELING THE EFFECTS OF LAST YEAR’S DISASTER EXACTLY ONE YEAR AGO DECEMBER FLOODS TURNED LIFE UPSIDE DOWN FOR MANY VERMONTERS I SPOKE WITH ONE MAN WHOSE STORY CAPTURES THE RESILIENCE AND WORRY SHARED BY SO MANY 13;07;08;06 – 13;07;11;09 FOR SKIP FLANDERS IT’S BEEN A YEAR OF HARD WORK AND HARDER MEMORIES 13;08;18;29 – 13;08;25;27 Skip Flanders, Waterbury FLANDERS HAS CALLED THIS PLACE HOME FOR MORE THAN FOUR DECADES 13;08;40;10 – 13;08;43;28 BUT LAST DECEMBER THE FLOODS LEFT HIM AND HIS NEIGHBORS IN SHOCK AS SO MANY WERE RECOVERING FROM THE JULY 2023 FLOODS another round in DECEMBER DISASTER PUSHED neighbors on these TIGHT-KNIT STREETS TO THEIR BREAKING POINT 13;06;34;08 – 13;06;42;15 1 YEAR LATER… RECOVERY HAS BEEN SLOW BUT STEADY FOR RESIDENTS OF RANDALL AND ELM STREET 13;10;28;25 – 13;10;46;20 AND WHILE THE WORK CONTINUES… SO DOES THE FEAR OF POTENTIAL FLOODING BECOMING MORE FREQUENT 13;10;28;25 – 13;10;46;20 FOR SKIP AND MANY OTHERS THERE’S RELIEF THAT LAST WEEK’S FLOOD THREAT DIDN’T OCCUR BUT THE WORRY REMAINS ESPECIALLY DURING MONTHS LIKE DECEMBER AND JU