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Come out swinging: CAES parents, kids kick off ambitious plan for new playground

Come out swinging: CAES parents, kids kick off ambitious plan for new playground

By Cynthia Prairie ©2016 Telegraph Publishing LLC A group of parents, school staff and students have come together to begin working on a plan to replace Chester-Andover Elementary School’s well-worn 25-year-old playground known to generations simply as “The Structure.” The effort began several years ago when maintenance on the castle-like Structure began to get overwhelming […]

Fresh Air Fund committee attends annual conference

Fresh Air Fund committee attends annual conference

The Green Mountains volunteer committee attended the Fresh Air Fund’s annual Friendly Towns Leadership Conference  in early February in New York City. The committee is made up of Pat Meulemans of South Londonderry, Rebecca Hulett of West Pawlet and Rutland residents Joanne Pencak and Ingrid Gallo. Over the course of three days, volunteers participated in […]

All invited to enter video contest sponsored by Vermont Access Network

All invited to enter video contest sponsored by Vermont Access Network

The Vermont Access Network  is sponsoring its first-ever statewide video contest. The VAN Video Challenge will run from March 21 through April 1 and is open to all Vermonters. Overall winners will be chosen in each of three categories: up to grade 9, grade 10 through 12, and college/adult. Winners will be notified in late […]

For a crispy, cheesy side, puffy Irish boxty fills the bill

For a crispy, cheesy side, puffy Irish boxty fills the bill

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com Boxtys are prepared and cooked in many variations. Some enjoy this “must have” side as the classic Irish breakfast puffy and soft, while others enjoy it crispy. Being a Yankee, I enjoy crisp potato with my breakfast and, with the addition of cheddar cheese, I think you will be making this […]

Kids build a universe of worlds at annual LEGO contest

Kids build a universe of worlds at annual LEGO contest

The fifth annual St. Luke’s Episcopal Church LEGO contest drew 47 entries from 19 towns in Vermont and two towns in New Hampshire to the NewsBank Conference Center in Chester on Saturday. With construction categories from pre-kindergarten to seventh grade plus family entries, the clever uses of the little plastic blocks included large buildings, fantasy […]

Chester Rotary's Annual Ladd Scholarship fund-raiser set for March 19

Chester Rotary’s Annual Ladd Scholarship fund-raiser set for March 19

The 8th Annual Ladd Scholarship Auction, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Chester, will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 19 at the Fullerton Inn, 40 the Common in Chester. In the past seven years, this event has raised funds to provide 41 high school graduates $62,000 in tuition assistance for post-high school […]

A classic sweet bread with custard is perfect for Easter

A classic sweet bread with custard is perfect for Easter

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com T his classic Romanian Easter treat is something we can all enjoy on this special day. It’s a tender sweet, yeast bread enveloping a sweet and tangy New England-style Grape-nut custard, loaded with raisins and topped with crunchy Grape-nuts. If you can tie a braid, this recipe is for you. Nonstick […]

Comic ‘Baskervilles’ a howling success at Northern Stage

Comic ‘Baskervilles’ a howling success at Northern Stage

By David Lampe-Wilson ©2016 Telegraph Publishing LLC White River Junction’s Northern Stage serves up a huge helping of British silliness with The Hound of the Baskervilles, the 2007 comic adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic Sherlock Holmes novel. This featherbrained adaptation by Steven Canny and John Nicholson has a lot going for it, but […]

Take a break from the icy mud with adventures, amusements

Take a break from the icy mud with adventures, amusements

By John Hoover ©2016 Telegraph Publishing LLC Winter officially ends later this month as we begin the slow climb to the warmer temperatures of spring. Casting about for a theme that might convey a spring-like mood, but unable to come up with anything terribly original, I told my colleagues at Misty Valley Books to do […]

Coddle with dumplings is a St. Patrick's day feast

Coddle with dumplings is a St. Patrick’s day feast

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com Today’s recipe is Dublin Coddle with Soda Bread Dumplings,  just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. To prepare kale ahead of time, simply tear fresh kale to measure 1 cup and boil until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well, squeezing until dry. You can also use other cooked greens as well, […]

2016 Chester Fall Festival invites vendors;<BR ...>Dental survey to assess area need

2016 Chester Fall Festival invites vendors;
Dental survey to assess area need

2016 Chester Fall Festival seeking vendors Applications for the 2016 annual Fall Festival on the Green in Chester, Vt., are available.  The event will be held on Saturday and Sunday Sept. 17 and 18. High quality artists and craftspeople creating handmade work in New England are encouraged to participate.  Applications are due by April 1, […]

Cracked pepper sausage a spicy breakfast dish

Cracked pepper sausage a spicy breakfast dish

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com My inspiration for the following recipe? I have been in contact with certain members of the cast of The Waltons with the hopeful opportunity of writing a Walton’s Mountain cookbook. And the  first recipe that comes to mind? Sausage! I remember the episode where Martha Corinne comes to the mountain to cook […]

Here's a pickle you'll be happy to get yourself into

Here’s a pickle you’ll be happy to get yourself into

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com My children wanted the same kind of pickle chip that the fast food restaurants carry…. Go figure! My daughter, especially, loves the sour, salty, tangy thin sliced pickles found at most restaurants and, as a chef, I do know that most of these pickles are identical and come in 5 gallon […]

UPDATE -- 2016 Chester Winter Carnival schedule changes

UPDATE — 2016 Chester Winter Carnival schedule changes

UPDATED Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016 Due to the anticipated wind chill, the Winter Carnival Committee is postponing Saturday night’s events. These include the sculpture fire, bonfire and skate party at Cobleigh Field. The bonfire and skate party will now be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday Feb. 27.  The Broom Ball Tournament on Sunday, […]

BRGNS Thrift Store needs volunteers

The Thrift Store at Black River Good Neighbor Services is looking for volunteers to help take out the trash – literally. If you have a pickup truck or SUV, or don’t mind filling the back of your car with trash, and you can spare two hours once a month, BRGNS can use your help. The […]

Making whoopie (pie) for Valentine's Day

Making whoopie (pie) for Valentine’s Day

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com Here’s rare treat: A Valentine’s Day Whoopie Pie. Thank you to Sweetie Pie’s of Dexter, Me., for creating this one just for the Yankee Chef, and thus for our readers. The owner of Sweetie Pie’s was named 2016 Best New Baker as well as the winner of the premier of the […]

Scout learns ropes, 'Blind Date with a Book,' new large print books at Rock Library; seamstress work featured at artisans coop

Scout learns ropes, ‘Blind Date with a Book,’ new large print books at Rock Library; seamstress work featured at artisans coop

Boy Scout volunteers at Rockingham Library Liam Mallan, a Boy Scout from Springfield’s Troop 252, got an inside look at how libraries work when he volunteered at the Rockingham Free Public Library in Bellows Falls. Working with Youth Services librarian Sam Maskell, Liam contributed to the Collection Development project. Books that had old and outdated […]

Animal shelter self-quarantines to care for sick cats

Animal shelter self-quarantines to care for sick cats

Webster’s House cat shelter in Chester has voluntarily placed itself under quarantine last week after some of the animals have been found to have symptoms of bordetella — also known as kennel cough. Bordetella is very contagious to cats, especially in shelter situations but it is successfully treated with antibiotics. The affected animals are being […]

Flood Brook PE teacher honored at State House for prevention work

Flood Brook PE teacher honored at State House for prevention work

On Wednesday, Jan. 26, Mark Weikert, the physical education teacher at Flood Brook School, received a Prevention Champion Award at the annual Prevention Awareness Day at the State House in Montpelier. The event is held to help spread the word about how Vermont communities benefit from the work of the 24 substance abuse prevention  coalitions in the […]

Explore best-seller lists and see why they sell

Explore best-seller lists and see why they sell

By John Hoover © 2016 Telegraph Publishing LLC There are many best-seller lists — the New York Times, USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly to name a few. At Misty Valley Books we post the American Booksellers Association’s Indie Best-seller lists for hardbound and paperbacks. I asked the staff here to pick a best-seller to review […]