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.
Easter Bunny arrives in Chester
The Easter Bunny hopped into Chester Saturday morning under blue skies and to the welcoming smiles of 75 kids and their parents, as the Chester Rotary once again hosted its Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Chester-Andover Elementary School. Chocolate eggs were spread like grass seed across lawn, garden and the Castle playground by Rotary members, […]
Jersey Girls to be featured at Beard Foundation Dinner in NYC
By Cynthia Prairie Chester’s own Jersey Girls Dairy will receive the honor of being featured by the James Beard Foundation at one of its rare Chef-Farmer Dinners, to be prepared by Chef Jason Tostrup of the Weathersfield Inn. The dinner, which will be held on June 4 at the foundation headquarters — the late James […]
Restoration brightens, gives accessibility to Stone Church
By Cynthia Prairie When congregants returned in January to the historic First Universalist Parish in the Stone Village after a four-month restoration project, they were met with jewel red carpeting and sunny yellow walls that draw eyes to the stunning stained glass windows. But the major aspects of the $270,000 project involved adding safety features […]
Whiting Library to institute late fees beginning April 2
For the first time in its 120-year history, the Whiting Library will begin charging patrons a late fee on any item not returned by the due date. The policy change takes place Monday, April 2. Each late item – whether a book, DVD, audiobook or CD – will be assessed 20 cents for each day […]
Vermont ranks 6th in nation for women
By Cynthia Prairie Vermont is the sixth best state in the nation for women to live in, according to a new poll by iVillage.com, an online community for women. Vermont’s neighbor to the west, New York, came in 7th, and its neighbor to the east, New Hampshire was listed as 10th. The No. 1 spot […]
DRB member speaks against Dollar General
By Cynthia Prairie Navigating a bumpy sea of issues – from the placement of catch basins to water connections for a sprinkler system to expected noise levels – the Chester Development Review Board held what it promised would be its final meeting last night, Monday, March 12, on a proposed conditional use permit to allow […]
Incumbents Bock, Jonynas returned to selectboard; school budgets pass
Photo on the Homepage: Christine Balch, Muriel Briggs and Sindy Pisha hand out ballots at Chester Town Hall on Election Day, Tuesday, March 6, 2012. Photo by Cynthia Prairie By Cynthia Prairie With 638 Chester residents voting by the time polls closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Tom Bock and Arne Jonynas were returned to office […]
Town, school district funding, resolutions approved at Town Meeting
By Cynthia Prairie With about 160 voters in attendance, an early 6 p.m. start, several failed article amendments and some lively discussions, Chester’s Town Meeting went off relatively smoothly Monday night. Voters first passed the Chester Town School District budget of $227,657 for early childhood and special education for those not in kindergarten, then tackled […]
Weather-related Schedule Changes to Chester Winter Carnival
The 2012 Chester Winter Carnival promises even more family fun with a bevy of indoor and outdoor activities, including an opening night dinner dance, and a scavenger hunt. But due to the dry weather, several events have been canceled, while the bulk of activities can still take place, Julie Pollard, who has been instrumental to […]
To the Editor: Meet with Rep. Leigh Dakin
Meet with Leigh Dakin, your State Representative for the Towns of Andover, Baltimore, Chester and a portion of North Springfield. This is an opportunity to ask questions about matters before the Vermont State Legislature in Montpelier or to discuss an issue of concern to you. Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012 – 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. […]
State puts halt to construction at Jack’s Diner
By Cynthia Prairie Construction has been silenced at Jack’s Diner since Wednesday, Jan. 25, when an assistant state Fire Marshal issued a stop-work order on the expansion efforts. Landon Wheeler, the assistant state Fire Marshal, said on Monday, Jan. 30, that he issued the order after owner Jacques Dodier failed to comply with requests for […]
Town Meeting reverts to Town Hall; Pellett runs for selectboard
Only 25 to 30 voters braved the icy roads on Monday night, Jan. 23, to vote at Green Mountain Union High School on two articles that will change the date and place of this year’s town meeting, Town Clerk Deb Aldrich said today. The meeting lasted for about five minutes, she added. On a quick […]
Chester in 2010: A Snapshot
We are mostly white, middle-aged and female and most of us live in a home that we either own or is owned by a family member. This is Chester 2010, according to the most recent figures from the U.S. Census, which are being released throughout the year. Among our population of 3,154 (up 110 residents […]
Residents Testify Against Dollar General
By Cynthia Prairie Monday’s hearing on the conditional use permit sought to allow construction of a Dollar General store was more emotional and contentious than previous ones, this time with several members of the Development Review Board expressing doubt about the project and more Chester residents testifying against it. Within the next two weeks, the […]
New Voices at Misty Valley Books
Misty Valley Books presents its 18th Annual New Voices Authors Weekend on Saturday, Jan. 28. Beginning at 9:30 a.m., everyone is invited to go cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing with the authors at the Grafton Ponds (843-2231) 2 p.m., join the authors for their readings and a reception. This year, to be held at the Vermont […]
Handmade Quilts for Sale at Family Center
Chester fiber artist Dorothy Riley Blomberg has donated eight colorful handmade quilts for sale to benefit the Chester Andover Family Center, 656 Depot St. The finely crafted quilts are suitable for a baby’s bed or as an artistic wall hanging. The quilts are on sale for $20 to $50 with all proceeds going to the […]
Town Meeting Place, Date Change Proposed; Correction
T he Chester Selectboard will be holding a meeting for the legal voters of Chester at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23, 2012 at the auditorium of Green Mountain Union High School to vote on two proposals: Article 1: To see if the Town will vote to change the date and time of the annual Town […]
Jack’s Diner Denied Conditional Use Permit
By Cynthia Prairie The Chester Development Review Board has denied a conditional use permit for the expansion of Jack’s Diner, 521 Main St. Town zoning administrator Michael Normyle said the permit was denied in late November on the grounds that Dodier “missed several hearings and has not been responsive, has not provided the requested information […]
Impact of Dollar General concerns Lisai
‘Lucky I didn’t see a meat counter or a deli,” said Lisai’s Grocery store owner Lonnie Lisai, after viewing the Dollar General’s interior plan Monday night, Dec. 12. “There’s a lot of overlap” between what his store offers and what a new 9,100-square-foot Dollar General would offer, he added. “About 90% (overlap) … aside from […]
