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Scott closes child care centers to most starting Wednesday, COVID positives up to 17

Scott closes child care centers to most starting Wednesday, COVID positives up to 17 Urges private centers, orders others to care for children of 'essential persons'

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC It was a seemingly quiet day on the Vermont coronavirus beat with scarcely a peep from the any of the authorities involved in containing the pandemic. Until 6:57 p.m. when the Health Department sent out its daily update with numbers but no statement that the state had […]

Scott directs 'all schools' to be closed by Wednesday

Scott directs ‘all schools’ to be closed by Wednesday Districts must make 'continuity of education plans'

© 2020 Telegraph Publishing, LLC In a press release this afternoon, Gov. Phil Scott announced that in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be a Continuity of Education Plan for the orderly dismissal of all schools, and cancellation of all school related activities, no later than Wednesday, March 18. This directive, which will be […]

TRSU schools closed; Health Dept. did not recommend shuttering

TRSU schools closed; Health Dept. did not recommend shuttering Contact occurred at Cavendish Town Elementary

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC The schools of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union will be closed “until further notice” starting on Monday, March 16, according to an email sent on Saturday by Superintendent Meg Powden to families, teachers and staff of the six schools in the SU. The email states: “An individual […]

Local agencies prepare to confront COVID-19

Local agencies prepare to confront COVID-19

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC With one confirmed case of the coronavirus known as COVID-19 in the state of Vermont, most area towns and first responders are now beginning to organize their responses to this new health threat. The Vermont case  — a Readsboro man — tested positive and is hospitalized in […]

Derry board OKs new speed limits along Middletown Road

Derry board OKs new speed limits along Middletown Road

By Bruce Frauman ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC At the last meeting with Board chair Jim Ameden and member Bob Forbes before they would step aside for two newly elected board members, the Londonderry Select Board on March 2 approved speed limits on Middletown Road. After consulting online maps, the board voted to place a 40 […]

Cavendish library board disputes Powden email that it agreed to move from CTES

Cavendish library board disputes Powden email that it agreed to move from CTES

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Alittle more than 30 years after the ground breaking for construction of the Cavendish Fletcher Community Library, it was announced that that institution’s board had decided to vacate the building and move to the town Green. But the problem is that the board had never discussed that, […]

GM school budget passes despite large increase

GM school budget passes despite large increase Newcomer Wade elected to board along with incumbents Alexander, Fromberger, Lamphere

By Shawn Cunningham ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a Green Mountain Unified School District budget that represents a 9 percent increase over last year, but also includes a number of initiatives geared at giving students the additional educational opportunities promised in the Act 46 consolidation process. The $14 million budget funds […]

Gun resolution dominates Cavendish Town Meeting

Gun resolution dominates Cavendish Town Meeting

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Thirteen minutes was all it took for the residents of Cavendish — led by moderator Mike Ripley — to fly through the legal articles on the Annual Town Meeting Warning. But a non-binding resolution regarding the right to keep firearms sparked a discussion and vote that took […]

Few disagreements at Weston Town Meeting

Few disagreements at Weston Town Meeting But 'bathroom talk' dominates Wilder Library discussion

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC The post-Town Meeting lunch — prepared by the Little School — was scheduled for noon, but by 10 til 11,  with 24 of 25 articles decided, Weston Town Moderator Wayne Granquist was asking the 80 voters attending to either stay or return for the chili and cornbread […]

Holden, Dakin win Chester Select Board seats

Holden, Dakin win Chester Select Board seats Wade, Alexander eke out wins in close GM school board race

By Cynthia Prairie ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC It was inevitable that Chester voters on Tuesday would elect new members to its most important boards: The Select Board and the board of directors of the Green Mountain Unified School District which saw the only contested seats of the day. But the number of new members was […]

Annunziata, Fleming elected to Derry Select Board

Annunziata, Fleming elected to Derry Select Board Pro-cannabis resolution passes; 1% options tax defeated

By Bruce Frauman ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC The 2020 Londonderry Town Meeting on Tuesday elected two new new members of the Select Board, rejected a 1 percent local options tax, passed a non-binding resolution supporting cannabis related business and left both constable positions vacant. Vincent Annunziata was elected to a three-year term on the Select […]

Chester OKs spending articles at Town Meeting

Chester OKs spending articles at Town Meeting Large 2019 Highway Dept. deficit blamed on weather

By Cynthia Prairie ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC About 100 Chesterites filled the old wooden benches in the refurbished Town Hall Monday to vote on — and pass almost unanimously — 22 Articles, most to allocate funds for town equipment and non-profit organizations that serve residents. The first two of the 24 total articles will be […]

Budget passes easily, surplus hangs up Andover Town Meeting

Budget passes easily, surplus hangs up Andover Town Meeting

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC More often than not, Town Meeting Day meetings consist of a lot of quick approvals of important business and one or two relatively minor questions that take up the lion’s share of time. And so it was at Andover on Saturday, Feb. 29 as the Select Board […]

GM board gives 3 principals 2-year contracts coming out of questionable executive session

GM board gives 3 principals 2-year contracts coming out of questionable executive session Board member says SU 'ignored' audit committee's request

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC If the Green Mountain Unified School District board didn’t break Vermont’s Open Meeting Law last Thursday evening, they took it to the breaking point. The board entered the first of three executive sessions during the meeting using the exemption for “labor relations agreements with employees,” to discuss […]

Understanding ownership split for Springfield Hospital, clinics

Understanding ownership split for Springfield Hospital, clinics 'Working relationship' between the two to continue, CEO says

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC The interim CEO of Springfield Hospital says that that organization is not cutting its ties with the network of area clinics, as has been previously reported. Michael Halstead told The Telegraph in an interview last week that the changes that will occur when Springfield Hospital comes out […]

Derry board indicates support for speed limits along Middletown Road

Derry board indicates support for speed limits along Middletown Road

By Bruce Frauman ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC At their Feb. 17 meeting, Londonderry Select Board members Bob Forbes, George Mora and Tom Cavanagh all expressed support for imposing speed limits on Middletown Road. Based on engineering and traffic studies, Town Administrator Shane O’Keefe proposed a 30 mph speed limit from the intersection of VT Route […]

Meet the candidates for board of the Green Mountain Unified School District

Meet the candidates for board of the Green Mountain Unified School District

Three candidates are vying for two three-year positions on the board of the Green Mountain Unified School District: Incumbent Rick Alexander; Patty Davenport and Jeannie Wade. Marilyn Mahusky decided not to seek re-election this year, leaving that position open. Three weeks ago, The Chester Telegraph sent the candidates a series of questions for them to […]

Chester girl wins Gold Medal at Magic, heads to U14 State Championships

Chester girl wins Gold Medal at Magic, heads to U14 State Championships

Ava Anderson, 12, of Chester, a member of the Stratton Winter Sports Club team and recent U14 Gold Medal winner at Magic Mountain, will be racing in the Vermont Alpine Racing Association‘s U14 State Championships at Okemo Mountain, competing against young women from throughout Vermont. The U14 category is for those under the age of […]

Meet the candidates for Chester Select Board

Meet the candidates for Chester Select Board

Three candidates are vying for two one-year positions on the Chester Select Board: Incumbent Leigh Dakin, who won her seat last year in a write-in campaign; Scott Blair, who ran an unsuccessful write-in campaign last year; and Water/Sewer Commissioner Jeff Holden. Select Board member Ben Whalen deciding not to seek re-election. Board chair Arne Jonynas […]

Search begins for new Two Rivers schools superintendent

Search begins for new Two Rivers schools superintendent

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC With less than five months before Two Rivers Supervisory Union Superintendent Meg Powden is scheduled to step down, the TRSU board began discussing how it would conduct its search for her replacement. Powden resigned her position on Jan. 13,  just seven months into the first year of […]