Author Archive for Karen Zuppinger
Karen Zuppinger in a freelance writer and Chester resident. Her work has appeared in Vermont Magazine and Assisi's Online Journal of Arts and Letters. She is a winner of America's Best Short Fiction Award.
Whiting Library gets $99,800 in USDA grants and loans for repairs, restoration
By Karen Zuppinger Chester’s Whiting Library has been awarded $99,800 in grants and loans from the U.S. Department of Agricultural Rural Development. The award, with $340,000 to several other towns and municipalities throughout Vermont, was announced Monday, June 23 at the library by Ted Brady, regional director of USDA RD for Vermont and New Hampshire. […]
Bittners’ antiques shop on Chester Main Street burns down
By Karen Zuppinger Around 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan.14, George and Mary Bittner were awakened by the urgent ringing of the doorbell. The Bittners, owners of the Yankee Ingenuity antiques barn, at 389 Main St. in Chester, found a stranger before them alerting them to the fact that their shop was burning down less than […]
Drywells, flooded street: Mountain View residents seek solutions
By Karen Zuppinger When Suzanne Waldren-Munukka and her husband David bought their home eight years ago in Chester’s Mountain View community, they noticed the roadside drain at the corner of Mountain View and Cross roads, right next to their corner home. They thought nothing of it. After all, the home has town water and sewer, […]
It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird, and a shame to miss this ‘Mockingbird,’ now at the Weston Playhouse
By Karen Zuppinger There are few things more Southern than sweet tea, molasses on hot buttermilk biscuits or Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Arguably one of the most influential novels of the 20th century, and one of the best film adaptations of all time, what could a stage production offer that the book and […]
Black River expands into meat processing with new 50,000-square-foot plant
By Karen Zuppinger SPRINGFIELD Springfield based Black River Produce recently opened a meat processing plant to meet a growing demand. The 50,000-square-foot facility is located in the old Ben & Jerry’s building in North Springfield Industrial Park, a few miles down the road from the company’s headquarters. The compound processes all natural beef, lamb and […]
Chester’s Cheyenne Prescott places 2nd in 10th Keene Idol
By Karen Zuppinger KEENE, N.H. Seventeen year old Chester resident Cheyenne Prescott is this year’s 2nd place winner of the 10th annual Keene Idol singing competition. Bested only by industry vet and former “The Voice” contestant, Michelle Brooks-Thompson, Prescott’s vocals and stage presence stood out on a night when all seven finalists brought their A […]
‘Next to Normal’ a next-to-perfect production that should not be missed
By Karen Zuppinger Weston Playhouse opened its second main stage production of the season with the 2010 Pulitzer Prize and 2009 Tony award winning musical Next to Normal. The story centers around Diana (played by Heidi Blickenstaff), her 18-year struggle with mental illness and its impact on her family. The production is next to perfect, […]
Select Board sets tax rate, talks asphalt sidewalks
By Karen Zuppinger At a busy July 3rd meeting, the Chester Select Board set this year’s tax rates, approved a $10,000 contract to create a new town government website, held a required public comment meeting on the replacement of repair and of sidewalks and approved applying for a loan to design upgrades to the drinking […]
Mary Bittner: making strides to fight leukemia
By Karen Zuppinger Mary Bittner is looking for a fight. Running along the Green Mountain Turnpike, the Chester resident is in training, preparing to battle a grueling half marathon in the fall on the hilly streets of San Francisco. But her fight isn’t with the streets of San Francisco. It’s with leukemia, a blood cancer […]
Pinnacle playset OK’d despite Suursoo’s fiscal objections
By Karen Zuppinger Expecting a pro forma go-ahead for an already-approved toddler playground project at the Pinnacle Recreation Area, Matt McCarthy and Julie Hance found themselves in a protracted tug of war with Select Board member Derek Suursoo at the June 19 Chester Select Board meeting. The project, when first presented to the board, was […]
Stormy Monday downs trees in Chester
By Karen Zuppinger Chester was hit with several storms on Monday, June 17 that produced hail and gusting winds strong enough to toss lawn furniture and topple trees, damaging roofs and fences. Charlea Baker returned to her River Street home to find an 80-foot-tall, 90-year-old Norway spruce crushing her neighbor’s fence. “I couldn’t believe my […]
Solar firm changes fence, number of panels for Trebo Road project
After making specific changes to its initial plans, Solar Renewable Energy Development LLC has presented a Memorandum of Understanding to the Chester Select Board in hopes of quick approval of the certificate of public good so that it could move ahead with its solar farm installation at Trebo Road off Route 103 North. The certificate […]
Noise levels, lot sizes continue to vex zoning reg process
By Karen Zuppinger The Chester Select Board continued its public review of the proposed Unified Development Bylaws (combining zoning, subdivision and flood prevention regulations) at its Wednesday, June 5th meeting. Although Article 4: Development Review Procedures was on the agenda, the board also chose to revisit the issues of minimum lots sizes and noise standards. […]
Alumni roll into town for weekend of golf, parties, parade and more
By Karen Zuppinger The Chester High School/Green Mountain Union High School Alumni Association kicks of its annual alumni weekend celebration on the morning of Friday June 7 with a golf tournament at Tater Hill Golf Club on Popple Dungeon Road. “This is one of our most popular events,” says association President Karl Lauren. “We often […]
Abandoned property, noise regulations of concern in proposed development regs
By Karen Zuppinger The Chester Select Board tackled details within Article 3 (General Use Standards) of the proposed Chester Unified Development Bylaws during its regular board meeting last Wednesday, seeking clarification on a number of sections. Select board member Arne Jonynas asked if Section 3.6 on Damaged Structures and their disposal applied to abandoned properties or […]
Airing of zoning proposals continue, Fire Department seeks uniform, training funds
By Karen Zuppinger Jason Rasmussen of the Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission attended last Wednesday’s Chester Select Board meeting, bringing along a video presentation to help explain some of the proposed changes to the Unified Development Bylaws. During this particular meeting, the Select Board was seeking public comment on Article 1, which establishes authority […]
Toddler playset in works at Pinnacle; CAES parents seek ‘Structure’ replacement
ON THE COVER: A new Pinnacle playset will be placed between the Pavilion and the ballfields, to the west of the tennis courts./ Photo by Karen Zuppinger. By Karen Zuppinger Chester may be getting two new playgrounds in the next two years, adding a new one at the Pinnacle for toddlers and possibly replacing the […]
Potential biomass traffic alarms Select Board; board responds to SoVerA letter
By Karen Zuppinger Speaking at the Chester Select Board meeting on Wednesday, March 20, Tom Kennedy, of the Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission, addressed the board’s concerns about the amount of truck traffic that may be driving through Chester as a result of a biomass plant proposed for North Springfield. Chairman John DeBenedetti said […]
Jamie Townsend: A bold ‘farmer artist’ outside and in
ON THE COVER: The front of R.B. Erskine’s has become an outdoor art gallery with the addition of artist Jamie Townsend’s work. “My customers really like them a lot,” says shop owner Mike Erskine. All photos by Karen Zuppinger unless otherwise noted. A photo gallery is set within the article. By Karen Zuppinger It’s a […]
Fire truck vote set; 4th solar firm presents farm plan
By Karen Zuppinger After addressing the issue at Town Meeting, the Select Board at its meeting on Wednesday, March 6, said it is moving forward with leasing a new fire truck. Town Manager David Pisha will send the contract to town attorney James Carroll for review. Barring any setbacks, the Select Board will vote on […]
