All Entries in the "Featured" Category
TRSU central office, special ed. budgets OKd after three votes
By Shawn Cunningham © 2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC It took three tries and some testy exchanges, but the the board of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union wrestled its way to a slightly smaller budget than proposed on the night of Thursday Feb. 22. Three weeks earlier, it had rejected the SU budget by a wide […]
Johnny Seesaw’s razed to rise again
By Cherise Madigan © 2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC PERU After years of decay, the original Johnny Seesaw’s restaurant is gone, but in its place will rise a new restaurant that owners hope will reflect the personality of the previous owners and love that the surrounding community had for it. The revival is the result of […]
Chester begins zoning audit
By Shawn Cunningham © 2018 Telegraph Publishing, LLC As it continues to work on the required update of the Town Plan, the Chester Planning Commission is also embarking – with the help of planning consultant Brandy Sexton – on an audit of Chester’s zoning regulations. The first steps in the work were unveiled at a […]
Derry board OKs new Planning Commission member
By Bruce Frauman ©2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Londonderry Select Board met for a mere 23 minutes Monday night with the primary business of appointing a new member to the Planning Commission. Planning Commission chair Sharon Crossman introduced Mary “Mimi” Adams Lines to the Select Board and recommended her appointment. Lines said she knows “a […]
Weston Fire Dept. gets new tanker, hosts town-wide home safety equipment sale, giveaway
By Bruce Frauman ©2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC Under a slate-gray sky on a cold Saturday in early February, the Weston Volunteer Fire Department took delivery of a new tanker truck, a once-every-30-year event. Chief Brian Lundberg calls the tanker “water on wheels.” It holds 2,000 gallons with a 750-gallon per minute pump. The engine, which […]
Cleaning chemical mishap sends 5 VCS workers to hospital for evaluation
By Shawn Cunningham © 2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC Shortly before noon on Sunday Feb. 18, the Weston Volunteer Fire Dept. responded to a call that was initially described as smoke in a section of the Vermont Country Store. On arrival, the firefighters found chlorine gas instead. Five store employees were taken to the hospital for […]
Insufficient notice results in meeting postponement; TRSU budget must wait
© 2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC A meeting this evening in which the Two Rivers Supervisory Union was slated to bring a revised budget for both the central office and special education program was abruptly postponed just after 2:30 this afternoon. An email from the supervisory union said, “Please note the above meeting scheduled for tonight […]
GMUSD board picks Conn. curriculum director as GM principal
By Shawn Cunningham © 2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Green Mountain Unified School District board which — beginning in July — will oversee the education of children from Andover, Baltimore, Cavendish and Chester, chose a new principal for Green Mountain High School last night. After a two-hour deliberation, the board voted unanimously to negotiate a […]
Chester House innkeeper’s calm helps to save historic structure
By Shawn Cunningham © 2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC Chester Fire Chief Matt Wilson credits the Chester House Inn owner’s calm demeanor and knowledge of firefighting in helping firefighters extinguish a chimney fire that had spread into the walls and roof and could have been much worse. There were no injuries and everyone including pets made […]
UPDATE: Meet GM principal candidates tonight before panel vote, but where?
By Shawn Cunningham © 2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC If all goes according to plan tonight, the Green Mountain Unified School District board will choose one of the three finalists to replace Tom Ferenc as he retires as principal of the high school. And this afternoon will also be the only opportunity for parents and community […]
In Travelball circuit, high school girls make the pitch to colleges
By Shawn Cunningham © 2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC PUTNEY Major league pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Florida and Arizona later this week, but a group of middle and high school girls – including three from Green Mountain and three from Springfield – have already been working out since November. This is Travel […]
Derry board recommends cut in police funding, preps for town meeting
By Bruce Frauman ©2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Londonderry Select Board on Monday night voted to recommend that this year’s request for police funding be reduced to $50,000 from the current $86,000, when the issue comes before the voters at Town Meeting in March. Town Administrator Robert Nied said State Police Lt. Anthony French can […]
Ludlow re-vote fails, merger will go forward, BRHS to close by mid-2020
By Shawn Cunningham © 2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC A last ditch effort to keep Black River High School open fell short Tuesday night as the re-vote of the Ludlow/Mt. Holly merger failed. According to Ludlow Town Clerk Ulla Cook, the vote was 288 in favor of the merger and 231 against. Back on Nov. 28, […]
Chester Winter Carnival set for Feb. 16-Feb. 18, 2018
The annual Chester Winter Carnival will be held Friday, Feb. 16 through Sunday, Feb. 18 with events for children of all ages. The weekend kicks off with a free dinner and movie for children at Chester-Andover Elementary School and finishes up with a team Broom-Hockey tournament at the Pinnacle. See the full schedule of events […]
TRSU panel nixes Powden raise; full board rejects budget, demands clarity
By Shawn Cunningham © 2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC On Thursday night, the Executive Committee of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union deleted from the TRSU budget Superintendent Meg Powden’s 5.58 percent raise that would have taken her salary from $125,580 to $132,590. Later, the full TRSU board sent the entire budget back to the central office […]
Weston board ponders rising number of funding requests on ballot
By Bruce Frauman ©2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC Weston Select Board chair Denis Benson on Jan. 23, set off a long discussion when he proposed adding an article to this year’s Town Meeting warning that, starting next year, would remove organizations that are not based in Weston from the appropriations list on the warning. Instead, he […]
As Ludlow school re-vote nears, info meeting sparsely attended
By Shawn Cunningham © 2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC A little over two months ago, voters in Ludlow and Mount Holly went to the polls and approved – by wide margins – a merger that would keep their elementary schools open but close Black River High School by July 2020. But, in late December, a group […]
School Budgets: What goes into the central office assessment?
By Shawn Cunningham © 2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC In recent weeks, the finance committee of the new Green Mountain Unified School District deadlocked twice, refraining from recommending to the full board a budget put forward by the Two Rivers Supervisory Union. But the GMUSD board reluctantly approved that budget (with a token $30,000 reduction) noting […]
Chester Board approves budget after final cuts, appoints Master Plan group
By Shawn Cunningham © 2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC Having put the town budget back in the hands of Town Manager David Pisha to find savings across the town departments on Jan. 8, the Chester Select Board met on Jan. 17 to review the cuts and finalize the numbers. Due to smaller-than-expected surpluses (which could have […]
Sewer, water system for Derry? Town in preliminary mulling stage
By Bruce Frauman ©2018 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Londonderry Select Board has agreed to allow the town to participate in two studies with the aim of possibly creating water and sanitation systems in certain portions of town. Town Administrator Robert Nied, who introduced the studies at the Londonderry Select Board meeting on Jan. 22, said […]
