About The Telegraph

Last Updated on February 19, 2023 by The Chester Telegraph

STAFF

Cynthia Prairie is founding editor and publisher of The Chester Telegraph. She also covers in-depth stories, breaking news and crime. She can be reached at cprairie@chestertelegraph.org.

Shawn Cunningham reports on Chester, Andover and Cavendish as well education and breaking news. He can be reached at scunningham@chestertelegraph.org. He began reporting for the paper in  2012.

Stacia Spaulding has been our stalwart Events editor since 2019 and manages most press releases. She grew up in Proctorsville, graduated from GMUHS and UVM and returned home after stints in Lincoln, Neb. and New Orleans. A science nerd and technical editor, Stacia can be reached at calendar@chestertelegraph.org.

Henry Homeyer, a perennial favorite, has been serving up his deep knowledge of northeastern gardening and easy writing style in his Notes from The Garden column in The Telegraph since November 2017.

Evan Chadwick is a Brattleboro lawyer and basketball coach who has been covering area sports teams for years. He has been freelancing for The Chester Telegraph since 2020.

The Chester Telegraph came to fruition following the creation of a website — www.chestervermont.org — that was funded in part by a grant from the USDA-Rural Development. The website and other campaigns were used to drive traffic into Chester, Vt., during the reconstruction of two major bridges in the spring and summer of 2011.

But it was also used to get important information out to the residents of Chester, second-homeowners and tourists. Chestervermont.org, which was taken down in fall of 2014 after serving its purpose, was filled with lots of information about the more than 100+ businesses — from art galleries to bookstores to inns and restaurants — and charitable organizations in town.  All that information has been transferred to The Chester Telegraph’s Regional Business Directory, as has an extensive Calendar of Events.

In August of 2011, soon after the two bridges were re-opened, the region was hit by Tropical Storm Irene. People from all over the world began to access Chestervermont.org searching for information about the destruction.

It was obvious that there was a great need for a regional news outlet that Chestervermont.org could not offer. Since the manager of Chestervermont.org — Cynthia Prairie — is a longtime newspaper editor, she began to use all of her knowledge to build The Chester Telegraph, creating the paper on a Solostream template. She’s incorporated all the best about online newspapering and tried to avoid all the worst.

The Chester Telegraph is our attempt to meet the need for a more complete reporting of the news and events that are happening in this region: Grafton, Andover, Chester, Weston and Londonderry

Why the ‘Telegraph?’

The logo created for Chestervermont.org incorporated the Chester Depot, a marvelously iconic symbol of Chester’s growth. In the history of the United States, telegraph lines were placed along railroad lines since rights of way had already been given. It just seemed apropos.

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Copyrighted material

All copy and images generated by any staff, freelance or contract employee for the use of The Chester Telegraph is deemed owned by The Chester Telegraph and is herein copyrighted to The Chester Telegraph. Republication, copying or reprinting for any use but personal is prohibited.

Cynthia Prairie
Editor