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First day of school goes smoothly despite changes, challenges

First day of school goes smoothly despite changes, challenges

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC The day that many have been waiting for and  — and somewhat dreading — arrived Tuesday as most Green Mountain District students reported to their classes to begin a strikingly different school year. By most accounts, the results were good and several parents said that their children […]

GMUSD schools seem more prepared for reopening than NEA statewide grades indicate

GMUSD schools seem more prepared for reopening than NEA statewide grades indicate

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC On Thursday, Sept. 3, the Vermont NEA – the union that represents public school teachers in the state – released a “report card” for “overall preparation for safe start of school” as the Covid-19 pandemic continues. The grades in the report came from representatives of the local […]

Suit claims Londonderry sold home via tax sale without proper notice

Suit claims Londonderry sold home via tax sale without proper notice

By Cherise Madigan ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Was a Londonderry home sold without the knowledge of its owner? That’s the question posed by a lawsuit filed against the Town of Londonderry that claims that a homeowner’s constitutional rights to due process and protection from the unlawful seizure of property were violated. Emanuel Contos of Glastonbury, […]

With low Vt. Covid cases, Scott focuses on school reopening, easing hospitality sector restrictions

With low Vt. Covid cases, Scott focuses on school reopening, easing hospitality sector restrictions

©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC With state K-12 schools set to open on Tuesday, Sept. 8, Vermont continues to lead the nation with the lowest positivity rate in the nation, as well as the lowest per capita case total in the country. Gov. Phil Scott said that Vermont’s low-Covid data continues to show why it’s possible […]

News analysis: Is GMUSD's 'no raises for anybody' stance in flux?

News analysis: Is GMUSD’s ‘no raises for anybody’ stance in flux? Two resignations point to disagreement

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing, LLC Two recent resignations appear to point to some dissension over the Green Mountain Unified School District’s position in bargaining with its teachers. Until recently, the board had taken a “no raises” stance due to the budget uncertainty brought on by the economic damage done by the Covid-19 […]

Derry dog owner addresses barking issue; board appoints Health Officer

Derry dog owner addresses barking issue; board appoints Health Officer

By Cherise Madigan ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC At a special session of the Londonderry Select Board on Monday, the board appointed a new Town Health Officer, heard from a resident whose dog’s barking was discussed by the board at its Aug. 17 meeting and went into executive session to discuss potential litigation. Cobble Ridge dog […]

State investigating Covid outbreak in Rutland County

State investigating Covid outbreak in Rutland County

The Vermont Department of Health is investigating a community outbreak of Covid-19 cases in Rutland County. The outbreak is associated with people who attended a private party at the Summit Lodge in Killington on Saturday, Aug. 19. To date, the Health Department has identified 14 cases among people who attended the event and their close […]

More Covid cases seen in southern Vermont

More Covid cases seen in southern Vermont As colleges reopen, state ups testing for returning students

©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Vermont Department of Health showed a total of 48 new Covid-19 cases this past week, slightly up from the 40 cases reported last week, for a total of 1,589 total cases, with a slight uptick in cases in southern Vermont. Chittenden County continues to lead the state in new cases […]

Weston Board grants Little School rent relief, continues fiber optic consideration

Weston Board grants Little School rent relief, continues fiber optic consideration

By Cherise Madigan ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Weston Select Board continued to address the local impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic at its Tuesday, Aug. 25 meeting by granting rent relief to The Little School for the remainder of 2020 and exploring the potential for fiber optic internet service in Weston — an increasingly valuable […]

TRSU schools continue to plan reopening, release parent handbooks

TRSU schools continue to plan reopening, release parent handbooks Home-schooling could remove $600,000 from GM District budget

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC With two weeks left before Vermont schools are scheduled to reopen, the Two Rivers Supervisory Union has issued handbooks for parents and students on what each of its two education options will look like when Sept. 8 arrives. But as with all things Covid-19, nothing is carved […]

Livestock dog's barking agitates Derry neighbors

Livestock dog’s barking agitates Derry neighbors

By Cherise Madigan ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC In the time allotted for public comment at the Aug. 17 meeting of the Londonderry Select Board, a disagreement over a barking dog on Cobble Ridge Road prompted the board to examine its potential role in community conflict resolution, state and local statutes regarding livestock guardian dogs, and […]

Local charitable organizations get creative with fund-raising during Covid-19

Local charitable organizations get creative with fund-raising during Covid-19

By Bruce Frauman and Cynthia Prairie ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Some of the high notes of the year for many communities are the events held by charitable and nonprofit organizations that attract hundreds — sometimes thousands — of attendees and help support everything from food and heating programs to college scholarships to medical needs. But […]

New Vt. Covid-19 cases drop this week, Gov. Scott puts $133 million into economic recovery

New Vt. Covid-19 cases drop this week, Gov. Scott puts $133 million into economic recovery

©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Vermont Department of Health shows there is a total of 40 new Covid-19 cases this week, down from the 53 new cases reported last week, for an overall total of 1,541. These numbers are based on data published on the Health Department’s daily dashboard, tracking cases reported from Friday, Aug. […]

Chester Zoning Administrator Normyle steps down; Hasbrouck named interim during search

Chester Zoning Administrator Normyle steps down; Hasbrouck named interim during search

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC With one member under the weather and another on vacation, the remaining three members of the Chester Select Board worked their way through a relatively light agenda that saw the public portion of the meeting end in about an hour. Town Manager Julie Hance told the board […]

Route 11 work continues, but Derry road side mowing delayed

Route 11 work continues, but Derry road side mowing delayed

By Cherise Forbes ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Board chair George Mora began the Monday, Aug. 17 meeting of the Londonderry Select Board, held via Zoom, by providing an update on the Route 11 paving project and, later, Board member Taylor Prouty explained why the town isn’t doing roadside mowing. Mora told the board that she […]

Chester breaks ground for public safety building

Chester breaks ground for public safety building

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Last week, after more than a decade of proposals and several unsuccessful votes, Chester broke ground for a new public safety building to house the Fire and Police departments as well as the town’s Ambulance Service approved by voters on Nov. 5, 2019. On Thursday, Aug. 13, […]

Scott frees towns to control gatherings, curfews

Scott frees towns to control gatherings, curfews Vermont leads states with lowest per capital Covid-19 cases

©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Vermont Department of Health reported 17 new Covid-19 cases on Friday, bringing the weekly total to 53 this week, nearly twice the weekly increase from last week, for a total of 1,501 total cases statewide. These numbers are based on data published on the state Health Department on its daily […]

T&G school reopening plans taking shape

T&G school reopening plans taking shape

  By Bruce Frauman ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Taconic and Green Regional School District Board, which includes Londonderry’s Flood Brook School, heard on Aug. 11 that planning for the opening of its five schools is still a work in progress. Bennington-Rutland Supervisory District Supervisor Randi Lowe, in her first appearance in that role before […]

Mail-in ballots during primary provide test-run for November General Election

Mail-in ballots during primary provide test-run for November General Election Landgrove claims top voter turnout in VT

By Cherise Forbes and Shawn Cunningham Voting looked more than a little different from past elections in many towns during Vermont’s Primary Election on Tuesday, Aug. 11, due to added precautions and new polling configurations in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, turnout kept pace with past years — even topping those in some communities […]

Weston board talks Little School work, fiber optic, shared health officer

Weston board talks Little School work, fiber optic, shared health officer

By Cherise Forbes © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Despite a busy day at the polls, the Weston Select Board began to explore the potential for fiber optic internet in the town and discussed the viability of a shared regional health officer, alongside continued discussion about the Little School grounds and a generator to be shared […]