All Entries in the "Latest News" Category

Andover board OKs dollar amount for emergency services; tables ATV ordinance till Town Meeting Chester now must draw up contract for fire, ambulance
By Cynthia Prairie ©2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC During the calm portion of what turned into a headache-inducing meeting on Monday, the Andover Select Board decided that it would accept a $55,754.67 contract from the Town of Chester to provide emergency fire and medical/ambulance services, should one be offered. The price of service will fluctuate based […]

GM soccer teams look solid for playoff runs
By Christian Avard © 2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC It’s that time of year again where the Green Mountain Union High School soccer teams vie for Division III state championships. According to the boys’ and girls’ varsity coaches, both teams have a great shot at winning it all, but one thing for sure is that the […]

Chester board votes to offer emergency services to Andover If accepted, $55,755 annual fee would be $22,000 above 2021 contract
By Shawn Cunningham © 2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC On Wednesday night, the Chester Select Board voted to offer fire and ambulance coverage to the Town of Andover for 2022 at the cost of $55,754.67. That represents a 69 percent increase over the $33,000 that Chester charged Andover for fire, ambulance and dispatch in 2021. The […]

Andover Select Board agenda for Oct. 25
The Select Board for the town of Andover will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 25 at Andover Town Hall, 953 Andover Road, and via Zoom. (See below agenda to join via Zoom). Below is its agenda. 1. Call Select Board meeting to order. 2. Act on Agenda. 3. Act on Minutes: Act on […]

Vermont, Chester continue upward Covid trend Moderna, J&J booster shots now available
©2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC For the second straight week, Covid-19 numbers in Vermont and in Chester have reached new record highs, again bucking the national trend. Vermont saw a new case weekly total of 1,590 topping last week’s record of 1,526; Chester’s new Covid-case numbers again are well into double digits with 23 new cases, […]

Despite letter, Drew’s Organics production to resume in 2022, owners say Facility continues to run three shifts, seeks more employees
By Cynthia Prairie ©2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC The worldwide supply chain crisis has hit the Schlotterbeck & Foss food manufacturing facility in Chester, which also produces Drew’s Organics dressings and salsas. And despite a seemingly definitive letter to its retail customers and distributors saying that S&F is “discontinuing production” of Chester-based Drew’s Organics, a company […]

Chester Select Board agenda for Oct. 20
The Chester Select Board will hold its regular meeting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday Oct. 20, 2021 at Town Hall, 556 Elm Street and via Zoom. To join the meeting go to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81988842129 Below is the board’s agenda. 1. Approve Minutes from the October 4, 2021 Special Selectboard Meeting and October 6, 2021 Selectboard […]

Chester reports 19 new Covid-19 cases as state numbers rise
©2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC Despite national trends that are showing a decline in new Covid-19 cases, Vermont’s — and Chester’s — numbers are on the rise. Vermont saw a record-breaking new case weekly total of 1,526. The last weekly record of 1,454 was reached three weeks ago on Sept. 24; Chester’s new Covid-case number surged […]

Negotiations with Chester to begin as Andover residents weigh in on fire, ambulance Tensions cool as select boards seek to find an equitable route
Video by Cynthia Prairie/Video editing by Leah Cunningham ©2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC By Shawn Cunningham © 2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC More than 35 Andover residents attended the Andover Select Board on Monday night to voice their concerns over Chester’s decision to discontinue fire and ambulance service to the town at the end of this year. […]

Two Covid cases send 5th & 6th graders at CAES home
©2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC Chester-Andover Elementary School currently has two cases of Covid-19, causing the majority of the 5th and 6th graders to be sent home yesterday and today. According to Katherine Fogg, principal at both CAES and Cavendish Town Elementary School, they should be returning at the end of next week. CTES continues to […]

Chester Select Board to end contracting emergency services to Andover in 2022 Cites 'heightened animosity' and 'clear distrust' of Chester
By Shawn Cunningham © 2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC On Wednesday night, the Chester Select Board decided — after a one hour executive session — that the town would no longer provide its fire and ambulance coverage to Andover after the end of this year. When the board came out of the closed door meeting, board […]

Andover Select Board agenda for Oct. 11
The Select Board of the Town of Andover will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 11 at Andover Town Office, 953 Weston-Andover Road. Below is its agenda. 1. Call Select Board meeting to order. 2. Act on Agenda. 3. Act on Minutes: Act on the minutes from the September 27th meeting. 4. Public Comment […]

Chester emergency departments explain costs, training, services in Andover
By Shawn Cunningham © Telegraph Publishing LLC An informational meeting on emergency services between the Andover and Chester select boards Monday night was winding down when Andover board member Chris Walker slammed a travel mug on the table and walked out saying that the Town of Chester wasn’t listening and would force Andover to pay […]

Caretakers seek winter home for ‘Jersey 5’ Hope has cancer; nearby permanent lodgings sought for small herd
By Cynthia Prairie ©2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Andover folks who rescued the “Jersey 5” are currently seeking winter room and board for the small herd as they also deal with the news that the eye infection of one cow, Hope, was indeed caused by cancer that will likely recur. Two weeks ago, a disparate […]

Chester Select Board agenda for Oct. 6
The Chester Select Board will hold its regular meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 6 at Town Hall, 556 Elm St., and via Zoom. To access via Zoom: https://zoom.us/join Meeting ID: 819 8884 2129 or https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81988842129. Below is its agenda. 1. Approve Minutes from the September 15, 2021 Selectboard Meeting and September 24, 2021 Special Selectboard Meeting 2. Citizen […]

Weekly Update: Fewer CAES students remain in quarantine; state seeks better tracing method
©2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC Chester elementary school students have returned to in-person instruction this week, with only a handful of students in quarantine, according to Katherine Fogg, principal at both Chester-Andover and Cavendish Town elementary schools. The Springfield School District’s four schools were all closed on Monday to catch up with contact-tracing efforts, but were […]

Special Select Board meeting with Andover, Chester set for Monday Discussion to revolve around emergency services operations
The Chester Select Board will be holding a special meeting with the Andover Select Board at 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 4 at the Andover Town Hall, 953 Andover-Weston Road, in Andover. Below is its agenda. 1. Citizen Comments 2. Educational/Training Session with Andover on Emergency Services Operations – no action will be taken – […]

Andover community action spares ‘The Jersey 5’
By Cynthia Prairie and Shawn Cunningham © 2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC Andover neighbors and town officials came together this past week to get help for a single ailing Jersey cow then ended up with a small herd. The “Jersey 5” are now lounging and dining in a green field of high grass on an undisclosed […]

Chester greenhouse project in flux following multiple board resignations Current, former members hope efforts continue to completion
By Cynthia Prairie and Shawn Cunningham © 2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC An effort to erect an historic greenhouse in Chester and operate it as a community service is in the midst of an upheaval after three members of the six-member board quit in late August, citing a disagreement over what some say is the “scope […]

Visitors to new Public Safety Building treated to demonstrations, good eats and a real fire call
By Shawn Cunningham © 2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC Nearing the close of Sunday’s Open House for Chester’s new Public Safety Building – which featured demonstrations by both the Police and Fire departments – attendees got a chance to see a real-life response to a fire call. Click the link to take you down to the […]