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Well attended forum explores future of education in Vermont

By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC Monday night’s forum on statewide education reform, sponsored by the Chester Democratic Committee, attracted about 40 people of many political stripes. And it was remarkable for  the extent to which members of the invited panel — also of different political persuasions — agreed on the problems and […]

Firings at federal heating program could impact more than 23,000 Vermont households

By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC Next winter could be a lot harder for hundreds of households in Windsor and Windham counties — and more than 23,000 statewide — if the federal program that provides seasonal and emergency heating assistance for low income households is not restored by the Trump administration. Last Tuesday, […]

Hands Off rally in Chester draws large, peaceful crowd

By Shawn Cunningham and Cynthia Prairie © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC A crowd of around 500 showed up on the Chester Green on chilly, gray Saturday to send a message to the Trump administration and that message was “Hands Off.” Protesters brought mostly hand-made signs that expressed the taxpayer-funded services and rights they wanted left […]

Spring ice storm knocks out power to thousands

By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC As temperatures rise and shards of ice fall from the trees they have bent or broken, a drizzle of rain continues to fall while power crews work to restore electricity to thousands of customers in our area. The freezing rainstorm, which began on Saturday morning, deposited ice […]

Chester board talks forest management, finishes annual appointments

By Shawn Cunningham © Telegraph Publishing LLC Last Wednesday’s Chester Select Board meeting was partly made up of the re-organizational housekeeping that follows each year’s March Town Meeting but also looked toward the future and the work that  the town needs to do. Windsor County Forester Hannah Dallas came before the board to discuss the […]

Brisk turnout for Chester housing development open house

By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC On a sunny, almost spring afternoon on Tuesday, more than 100 people gathered inside Chester’s Town Hall to attend an open house to gather the public’s opinion on ideas for developing a piece of land owned by the town for accessible and affordable housing. The presentation was […]

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  • Whiting to hold readings, screen film

    Whiting to hold readings, screen film

    Whiting Library announces a series of events featuring the book Gather by Vermont author Kenneth Cadow. Gather is this year’s Vermont Reads book, a statewide, one-book community reading program sponsored by Vermont Humanities. Free copies of the book are available while supplies last at Whiting Library, 117 Main St. A book discussion facilitated by Eric […]

  • Henry Homeyer: Start slowly to work up to spring gardening

    Henry Homeyer: Start slowly to work up to spring gardening

    By Henry Homeyer ©2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC It’s April, and spring has sprung. Or will soon. Winter always is a sneaky devil, coming back with hard frosts and even a foot of snow on occasion. There is much to do, but start slowly – not just for your back, which has been resting all winter, […]

  • Vietnam veterans honored at pinning ceremony

    Vietnam veterans honored at pinning ceremony

    By Shawn Cunningham and Cynthia Prairie © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC Neighborhood Connections in Londonderry hosted a Vietnam War Commemoration last Tuesday. The ceremony was one of the last to mark the 5oth anniversary of the war that ended in 1975. Such commemorations began in 2008. Tuesday’s commemoration included a pinning ceremony in which veterans […]

  • Three bands to play Heald Auditorium in Ludlow

    Three bands to play Heald Auditorium in Ludlow

    Get ready to rock! This April 5, three powerhouse bands are set to take the stage for an unforgettable night of music, energy and excitement you won’t want to miss. The Friends of Ludlow Auditorium  is sponsoring this musical treat at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 5 in the Heald Auditorium of Ludlow’s Town Hall.  […]

  • Springfield man held on arson, more than a dozen other charges

    Springfield man held on arson, more than a dozen other charges

    A Springfield man was arrested on Saturday morning on more than a dozen charges, including arson in connection with a fire that destroyed a home in Athens earlier that day. Vermont State Police say that Benjamin Stocker, 33, was arrested at his home in Springfield and was being held at Southern State Correctional Facility on […]

  • Pysanki Egg Decorating workshop at S. Derry Library

    Pysanki Egg Decorating workshop at S. Derry Library

    T he South Londonderry Free Library, 15 Old School St. in South Londonderry, will be hosting a Ukrainian Pysanki Egg Decorating Workshop from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 5. The event is free and geared toward adults and their families. Children 8 to 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Bring three […]

  • Whiting to hold workshops to boost digital skills

    Whiting to hold workshops to boost digital skills

    Whiting Library is among over 100 public libraries nationwide awarded funding by the Public Library Association  to increase digital literacy using Digitallearn.org resources, powered by a $2.7 million contribution from AT&T. The intent is to hold workshops to help public libraries to improve  basic digital skills among families and communities. All workshops will be held […]

  • Week of Young Child event at Riverside Middle

    Week of Young Child event at Riverside Middle

    The Springfield Area Parent Child Center and Edgar May Health and Recreation Center are pleased to announce the 32nd annual Week of the Young Child Family Festival and Touch-A-Truck 31from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 5. The event is free and open to the public. Join local children’s  educators and family support organizations for […]

  • Springfield Co-op shoppers donate to Project ACTION

    Springfield Co-op shoppers donate to Project ACTION

    Springfield Police Chief  Jeff Burnham, who also is chair of  Project ACTION, accepts a donation check from staff at the Springfield Food Co-op. The store raised $456 in January through its “Change for Change” program, where customers can “round up” their purchase, with the proceeds going to a local organization.  Project ACTION — Assembling Community […]

  • To the editor: Anti-trans rhetoric is dangerous and irresponsible

    To the editor: Anti-trans rhetoric is dangerous and irresponsible

    The U.S. has serious issues of economic struggle, hunger and climate-driven disasters. Yet if you look at conservative media, you think that the country is facing an existential threat from an army of transgender and non-binary individuals. Republican officials are pushing bills to deny trans rights and even criminalize someone for identifying as transgender. So […]

  • Applications available for Rotary scholarship for non-traditional students

    Applications available for Rotary scholarship for non-traditional students

    The Rotary Club of Springfield is accepting applications for the Janice H. McElroy Scholarship Program. A minimum of $1,000 will be awarded to a person who is at least 21 years of age and has completed high school or earned a GED. There must be at least a three-year gap between graduation and full-time college […]

  • Chester Townscape taking tree and shrub orders until April 16

    Chester Townscape taking tree and shrub orders until April 16

      Chester Townscape, an all-volunteer non-profit organization, is holding its Annual Tree & Shrub Sale to raise funds for its beautification projects. This event offers good-sized, proven trees and shrubs at below-retail nursery prices. This year’s selections are: Snow Showers Weeping Cherry Tree, Firelight Tidbit Hydrangea, Spice Baby Korean Viburnum, Oso Easy Ice Bay Rose, […]

  • Hands Off! protest against Trump admin to be held in Chester April 5

    Hands Off! protest against Trump admin to be held in Chester April 5

    If you’re a southern Vermonter who wants to protest the actions of the Trump administration, meet by the information booth across from the Chester Green on Main Street at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 5, and join the hundred-plus nation-wide “Hands Off!” protests taking place that day. You’ll be joining people in a dozen other […]

  • William Shelton Ballou, 85, formerly of Chester

    William Shelton Ballou, 85, formerly of Chester

    William Shelton Ballou, 85, passed away peacefully, on Tuesday March 4, 2025, in his beloved Rio De Janeiro apartment on Copacabana Beach, Brazil. He is predeceased by his father William Seth Ballou and mother Eleanor (Maxwell) Ballou. He is survived by his three daughters: Sarah Ballou Philippon (Daniel) of Chestertown, Md., Jennifer Ballou Vogt (William) […]

  • Cavendish board weighing road paving options; discusses police coverage

    Cavendish board weighing road paving options; discusses police coverage

    By Lorien Strange ©2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC Cavendish’s March Select Board meeting was also Sandra Russo’s first back on the board, having previously served from 2019 to the spring of 2023. Due to an agenda posting issue, the meeting was held on a Thursday instead of the typical second Monday of the month. After quickly […]

  • Andover Select Board agenda for March 24

    Andover Select Board agenda for March 24

    The Andover Select Board will hold its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday March 24 at the Andover Town Office , 953 Weston Andover Road. Below is the board’s agenda: 1. Call Meeting to Order. 2. Act on Agenda. 3. Act on Minutes of March 10th meeting. 4. Public Comment (Time allowance: Five minutes […]

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