Author Archive for Cynthia Prairie
Cynthia Prairie has been a newspaper editor more than 40 years. Cynthia has worked at such publications as the Raleigh Times, the Baltimore News American, the Buffalo Courier Express, the Chicago Sun-Times and the Patuxent Publishing chain of community newspapers in Maryland, and has won numerous state awards for her reporting. As an editor, she has overseen her staffs to win many awards for indepth coverage. She and her family moved to Chester, Vermont in 2004.
To the editor: TARPS thanks all for a great Fall Festival
The Animal Rescue and Protection Society had a successful time at this year’s Chester Rotary Club’s Fall Festival on the Green and would like to express our appreciation. Thank you to everyone who visited to our booth. We are happy to report that quite a few of our cats found new, loving homes plus we raised a lot […]
Changes in store for Lisai’s Chester Market
With Photo Gallery and Story Below By Cynthia Prairie I t’s obvious. Just look at the grocery carts. Most of the full-sized, difficult-to-turn models have been replaced by shiny sub-compact, double-decker ones that save energy as customers easily maneuver them through the aisles at Lisai’s. And there has been and will be more. Change that is. […]
Sun shines on 38th Fall Festival on the Green
A persistent high fog finally broke after noon on Saturday, Sept. 22, to bring out the crowds to the Chester Rotary’s Fall Festival on the Green. It remained a beautiful weekend almost up to the end, when clouds rolled in to cast a similar chill Sunday afternoon that had dampened Saturday morning. Within the two […]
An Old Home Day photo gallery
After a year’s absence, Chester Old Home Day and Fireworks 2012 kicked off Saturday afternoon Sept. 1 under bright skies and cheery faces. The event, put on with the help of the Chester American Legion Post 67, the Ladies Auxiliary and the Sons of the American Legion, featured dance music by Sound Investment, fried dough, […]
Public offers suggestions on zoning regs; 2nd hearing set
By Cynthia Prairie Concerns about enlarged minimum property size, noise limits, property uses and the enforceability of zoning language drew about 30 Chester residents out on Monday night, Aug. 20, for the first of four public hearings to be held to take comment on proposed changes to the town’s zoning regulations. The hearing was held […]
Old Home Day, fireworks; meet Paige Turner At Misty Valley
Chester Old Home Day Sept. 1 Chester Old Home Day is set for Saturday, Sept. 1, at the American Legion property, Route 103 South. Activities begin at 3 p.m. with food, games and prizes. Live music by Sound Investment will be staged outside from 4:30 to 7:30. And fireworks will begin as darkness falls!
More brain drain at the Chester Development Review Board
By Cynthia Prairie For the fourth time in five months, an experienced member of the Development Review Board is gone. Bruce McEnaney resigned two weeks ago, after he took a job at the Jeld-Wen plant in Ludlow. This once again leaves two vacancies on the five-member board and only one person – Harry Goodell – […]
E. coli levels drop at Chester sites; two remain above acceptable levels
The latest water tests taken on July 11 by volunteers of the Southeastern Vermont Watershed Alliance have found that E. coli levels have dropped at all six Chester area Williams River testing sites and are at acceptable levels at four — including two that were 10 times higher than acceptable levels. Click here for the […]
Festival Series ends evening performances; focus remains Arts-in-Education
By Cynthia Prairie The 28-year-old Green Mountain Festival Series evening performances will no longer be held. The GMFS board of directors announced on Wednesday, July 11, that the series was ending its annual performance lineup to focus on its Arts-in-Education program. In announcing the decision in an email, the board wrote, “For many years the […]
63 in Class of 2012 graduate from GMUHS
By Cynthia Prairie With all the anticipation that befits a coming adventure and the sadness of leaving a place of comfort, Green Mountain High School’s Class of 2012 graduated Friday, June 15, as the sun set behind the school. Graduation ceremonies took place on the front lawn, on a cooling evening warmed by friends and […]
Family Center gets DRB OK for move to larger digs
By Cynthia Prairie The Chester-Andover Family Center has been approved for a conditional use permit by the Development Review Board so that it can move into the former Curtis’ Bar-B-Q restaurant building at 908 VT Rt. 103 S. to set up its thrift shop and first-floor food pantry. The permit still needs to be formalized […]
Wunderle out at DRB; O’Neil, Westine to fill openings
By Cynthia Prairie As many expected, the Chester Select Board did not reappoint long-time Development Review Board member Scott Wunderle to another three-year term. Instead, the board on Wednesday, June 6 appointed Amy O’Neil and Carla Westine to three-year terms. The board also declined to fill a second alternate position, after Select Board member Derek […]
Bittersweet Family Day as CAES bids farewell to Plunkard
Becky Plunkard has been with Chester-Andover Elementary School for 19 years — it’s been so long that she had to look back in her records to check, she said. Secretary, paraprofessional, special education teacher, substitute teacher, mentor, Respect Club adviser, special events and after school activities coordinator. “I have kids that I remember when they […]
Rotary seeks families to host Thai student
The Rotary Club of Chester will be sponsoring a young woman from Thailand as the Rotary International Inbound Exchange Student for the school year 2012/2013, and is looking for host families for her. Host families will enjoy the benefits of having a teenage daughter to share their household with, together with an opportunity to learn […]
Select Board awaits legal opinion before filling DRB slots
By Cynthia Prairie The Chester Select Board may have intended to appoint two members and one alternate to the Development Review Board at its Wednesday, May 2, regular meeting, but a filing by attorneys for the Zaremba Group, which wants to build a Dollar General on Main Street, thwarted the plan. Zaremba, through attorney David […]
Fire leaves family of five searching for a new home
By Cynthia Prairie It was dinner time at the Picz home, a chilly April Saturday good for grilling out but eating in. At the grill, Greg Picz was the first to see the smoke crawling from the basement stairs. He yelled for his wife Angie and their three children to get out of the house – […]
15 from GMUHS inducted National Honor Society
One junior and 14 sophomores from Green Mountain Union High were inducted into the Flamstead Chapter of the National Honor Society Wednesday night at the school. The induction ceremony, lead by counselors Ally Oswald and Pamela O’Neil and chapter President Mark Harwood, was preceded by a dinner for inductees and their families prepared […]
Select Board appointment error throws Dollar General OK into question
By Cynthia Prairie Confusion on the part of the Select Board over when appointments to the Development Review Board are made could throw into question the DRB’s recent decision to allow a Dollar General store to be built, as well as other actions it may have taken since the beginning of March. (You can read […]
DRB approves Dollar General proposal
By Cynthia Prairie The Chester Development Review Board has approved the proposal for a 9,100-square-foot Dollar General store on a 1.4-acre empty parcel southeast of Main Street Pizza, former home to Zachary’s Pizza House. The decision was 3 to 2, and voted on Monday night, April 16. The DRB did place 35 conditions upon the […]
15 from GMUHS named to National Honor Society
Fifteen students from Green Mountain Union High School have been named to the National Honor Society, Flamstead Chapter, announced Ally Oswald, NHS adviser and GMUHS guidance counselor. The 91-year-old National Honor Society, with chapters in all 50 states, honors students who have “demonstrated excellence in the areas of Scholarship, Leadership, Service and Character,” according to […]
