All Entries in the "Featured" Category
Chester board says ‘no’ to new zoning idea, asks for tweaks to the rest of the plan Emails, in-person contacts influence the decision
By Shawn Cunningham © 2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC If you have ever thought that talking to or writing your local officials is not effective, the Chester Select Board meeting of Nov. 6 might change your mind. Over the course of a couple of meetings, the board has been looking at something called “density-based zoning,” which […]
Analysis: Southern Windsor and the emerging Republican Party
By Cynthia Prairie ©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC While there was never any doubt that incumbent Democratic Sens. Alison Clarkson and Becca White and anointed Democratic candidate Joe Major would win election for the three seats for the Windsor District, the nascent Chester Republican Committee has made a formidable premier foray into politics while the Ludlow […]
No one injured as Sunday morning fire destroys Chester home
By Shawn Cunningham © 2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC A fire Sunday morning on Jewett Road in Chester destroyed a home and an outbuilding, but no one was injured as the homeowner escaped the building amid black smoke. According to Chester Police Chief Tom Williams, around 9:15 a.m. this morning, a motorist spotted smoke coming from […]
Local Republican Senate candidates make strong showing against north county Democrats Incumbents Clarkson and White, newcomer Major take Windsor Senate seats
By Shawn Cunningham © 2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC Republicans from Cavendish, Ludlow and Weathersfield showed electoral strength on Tuesday running for seats in the Windsor County Senate delegation against a slate of Democrats from the northern part of the county. And while they lost overall, their campaigns were a clear challenge to a longstanding majority […]
Many voters favor mail-in ballots, early voting amid brisk turnout at the polls
By Cynthia Prairie and Shawn Cunningham ©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC Turnout was brisk on this warm and breezy Election Day, in which Americans were choosing a new president and Vermonters were deciding on their gubernatorial and State House seats. Mail-in ballots at times rivaled or surpassed in-person voting in many of our south-central Vermont towns. […]
Republicans victorious in two of three local State House seats In Chester, incumbent Chase loses to newcomer Charlton
By Shawn Cunningham © 2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC Republican candidates found enough traction Tuesday to flip two local State House seats held by Democrats, while a Democratic candidate was victorious in a district that has been held by independents for a decade. Anger over higher school and property taxes — and a perceived dysfunction in […]
Amtrak service for Chester and Ludlow? One man has the vision Town Planner Preston Bristow asks you to weigh in on Vermont Rail Plan
By Cynthia Prairie ©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC Preston Bristow wants to see a passenger train run northwest through Chester. The Town Planner for Chester said while it might be years away, he’s getting the idea in front of town residents, Amtrak and the Vermont Agency of Transportation now to begin the process. “Many believe we […]
Brush fire in Ludlow burns 16.5 acres; fire crews continue to work fire today
By Cara Philbin ©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC A brush fire that broke out in Ludlow on Saturday afternoon burned 16 acres and required assistance from more than 15 area fire departments to contain the burn as wind continued to whip through the region. The fire continued to burn after dark on Saturday, when crews were […]
GM board votes to preview restructuring plan, overriding superintendent’s schedule
By Shawn Cunningham © 2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC In a bid to moderate reaction to an administration-generated restructuring plan for the three schools within the Green Mountain Unified School District, TRSU Superintendent Layne Millington said he would not reveal the plan until the next GM board meeting, on Thursday Nov. 21. But, following board member […]
No one injured, two condos destroyed in fire on Okemo Mountain
By Cara Philbin ©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC A fire that broke out Saturday night in Okemo Mountain’s Trailside Village community destroyed two condominiums and left a third heavily damaged, Ludlow’s Deputy Fire Chief Fran Kissell told The Chester Telegraph on Sunday. No injuries were reported, but Ludlow Town Manager Brendan McNamara, a volunteer firefighter who […]
Ed finance panel delays internal deadline for cost-containment suggestions Kornheiser calls commission timeline 'impossible'
By Shawn Cunningham © 2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC Anyone who watched the Sept. 30 meeting of the Education Finance subcommittee of Vermont’s Commission on the Future of Public Education might well have expected that this Monday’s session would see members hammering out a list of short-term cost containment ideas to present to the full commission […]
A Q&A with Charlton and Chase, candidates for Vermont House for Windsor-Windham District
©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC Heather Chase, the Democratic incumbent, and Thomas Charlton, a Republican newcomer to politics, are running against each other for a two-year term in the Vermont House of Representatives representing the cross-county Windsor-Windham District consisting of the towns of Athens, Chester, Grafton and Windham. Voting will take place on 9 a.m. to […]
Weston’s Wilder Library gets $650,000 grant for addition, upgrades to entire site
By Cynthia Prairie ©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Wilder Memorial Library in Weston has received a federal grant of $650,000 to support renovations to the 200-year-old brick structure and add 1,300 square feet of space in a new addition. The monies were awarded by the Vermont Department of Libraries, which was responsible for awarding $16.4 […]
First a lockdown drill, then a real lockdown at GMUHS as Chester Police investigate threat
By Cynthia Prairie and Shawn Cunningham ©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC A report of a person with a gun threatening to hurt people at Green Mountain Union High School may have been a hoax perpetrated by a group that has conducted similar swatting calls around the country, but the Chester Police weren’t taking any chances. “We […]
Education finance panel brainstorms cost containment
By Shawn Cunningham © 2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Education Finance subcommittee of Vermont’s Commission on the Future of Public Education met for the second time on Monday. In the first two hours of a three and a half hour meeting, the committee received presentations by the Agency of Education and the Vermont Tax Department. […]
Chester’s Festival on the Green celebrates 50 years of fun, family and the arts
© 2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Chester Festival on the Green started 50 years ago as the Sale on the Green. And while it has been through a number of changes of the years — including who manages it and what is sold — it has still become an iconic tradition for Chester and all […]
Future of Education panel narrows focus to engagement, short-term cost containment
By Shawn Cunningham © 2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC Two months into its work, the commission that’s charged with looking at the future of public education in Vermont is preparing to hold the first of a series of public sessions on Oct. 21, with a venue still to be identified. The sessions are intended to solicit […]
Derry goat farmer tests fenceless tech at Magic
By Shawn Cunningham © 2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC More than three quarters of the way up Magic Mountain on a sunny September afternoon, Aimee Braxmeier sets up a yell. From up one of the mountain’s steep ski trails – far enough to be out of sight – comes bleating of goats. After a couple more […]
Kicking off the school year in style with music and circus
By Shawn Cunningham © 2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC On a picture perfect Thursday evening, the Two Rivers Supervisory Union kicked off the school year in style with the West Philadelphia Orchestra and the Cirque Kikasse troupe performing on the playing field of Chester-Andover Elementary School with everyone in the SU’s communities invited. Playing Fields is […]
Chester GOP holds event for State House candidate Tom Charlton
By Shawn Cunningham © 2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC Around 40 people turned out in front of the Fullerton Inn in Chester on a cool, blustery Sunday afternoon to hear Vermont House candidate Tom Charlton speak on a wide range of topics including infrastructure, education and the state’s “clean heat standard.” But the event’s main message […]
