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  • To the editor: Some candidates have already proved their commitment to Chester

    To the editor: Some candidates have already proved their commitment to Chester

    Good politics starts at home, at the local level. If you are unable to run a campaign in a town of 3,000 souls without besmirching your neighbors, you don’t deserve to run, to take oxygen from those who truly want to serve the community. Your time would be better spent issuing apologies to all those […]

  • To the editor: No truth in the rumor

    To the editor: No truth in the rumor

    Neighbors, I want to take a moment to clear up something that has come to my attention. There’s a rumor going around that if I’m reelected to the Select Board, I will be part of a plan to fire our Town Manager, Julie Hance. That is, quite simply, a lie. There have never been any […]

  • To the editor: Fierman has proved she will be capable member of Chester Select Board

    To the editor: Fierman has proved she will be capable member of Chester Select Board

    Lauren Fierman would be an exceptional asset to the Chester Select Board. I have had the privilege of observing her professionalism, leadership, and commitment to our town since she came to Chester about eight years ago. She served as principal for Green Mountain Union High and, after a short period of time, proved her leadership […]

  • To the editor: Sens.  White and Clarkson say no to Voter ID, yes to out-of-state criminals voting in Vt.

    To the editor: Sens.  White and Clarkson say no to Voter ID, yes to out-of-state criminals voting in Vt.

    I am extremely disappointed in the two Windsor County senators, Becca White and Alison Clarkson, who sit on the Government Operations Committee. After admitting they received “a lot” of emails from constituents asking them to add a voter ID requirement to an elections bill, S.298, both flatly rejected their constituents’ requests, and refused to even […]

  • To the editor: Why I am running for the GMUSD and Chester Select boards

    To the editor: Why I am running for the GMUSD and Chester Select boards

    Friends and neighbors, I’m running to continue on the Green Mountain Unified School District Board and for a three-year term as Chester Select Board member because Chester is my home. My wife and I are both alumni of Green Mountain Union High School. We own a home and a business here, and now we’re raising […]

  • To the editor: Education reform must start where costs are growing

    To the editor: Education reform must start where costs are growing

    As Vermont debates education reform under Act 73, communities face tough questions about school size, consolidation and sustainability. These are conversations that demand honesty, transparency and a clear understanding of what drives costs. In the Two Rivers Supervisory Union, recent budget data across multiple fiscal years tells a consistent story: School-level budgets have remained relatively […]

  • To the editor: When the Pledge of Allegiance alienates Americans

    To the editor: When the Pledge of Allegiance alienates Americans

    At meetings of the Cavendish Select Board in January and February, we commented on its decision to say the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of its meetings. As a U.S. citizen, Vietnam era veteran and taxpayer, I have no problem with most of the Pledge, although reciting it can be a very cheap form […]

  • To the editor: Charlton focused on what is good for Vermont

    To the editor: Charlton focused on what is good for Vermont

    I’ve read four letters to the editor in The Chester Telegraph about Rep. Tom Charlton’s constituents conversation Friday, Feb. 6, which I attended. I will add that I am not a constituent but like to learn what is going on in Montpelier. Rep. Charlton spoke for close to two hours. The first 30 minutes focused […]

  • To the editor: Jonynas brings years of valuable service to Chester Select Board

    To the editor: Jonynas brings years of valuable service to Chester Select Board

    We are writing to express our strong support for Arne Jonynas as he seeks re-election to the Chester Select Board. During his time in office, Arne has demonstrated integrity, steady leadership, sound judgment and a deep commitment to the residents of Chester. Serving on a select board requires careful attention to budgets, infrastructure, public safety […]

  • Op-ed: The education governance debate is about more than maps

    Op-ed: The education governance debate is about more than maps

    By Jack Hoffman Vermont’s current education debate seems stuck on what to do first: Overhaul the governance structure and then reform the funding system, or do something about spending and then re-draw school district maps? Governance should be the priority, but it’s not about the maps. The first question is whether Montpelier is going to […]

  • To the editor: Benelli would serve Chester students, families on GM school board

    To the editor: Benelli would serve Chester students, families on GM school board

    Patricia Benelli, my former law partner, would be a thoughtful member of the Green Mountain Union School District board of directors. She is experienced in education as a former teacher and involved in many activities throughout the Chester community, including Justice of the Peace, Trustee of the Whiting Library and member of the Chester Board […]

  • Op-ed: How I became a conservative

    Op-ed: How I became a conservative

    By Madeline Bodin ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC I was standing in the cold and the rain on the lawn of the Vermont State House. I was clutching a sign that said, “Protect the US Constitution” in red, white and blue letters. I had colored in some of the letters to look like a flag. As […]

  • 'Snowshoeing for Seniors' starts Feb. 20 in Londonderry

    ‘Snowshoeing for Seniors’ starts Feb. 20 in Londonderry

    As the result of a new  Exercise is Medicine Community Wellness Grant from the Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Neighborhood Connections is offering a new program to help seniors learn the basics of snowshoeing at no cost to participants. Outings start and end at Viking Nordic Center, 615 Little Pond Road in […]

  • To the editor: Are requests for donations at Town Meeting too much?

    To the editor: Are requests for donations at Town Meeting too much?

    Town Meeting is Monday evening, March 2 at Chester Town Hall, 556 Elm St. It begins at 6 p.m. We have lived in Chester in the same house for 57 years. Living in Chester has been wonderful.  We had good jobs, a few in Chester and our children received an excellent education. The services in the […]

  • Candidates' Night forum in Chester on Tuesday Feb. 17

    Candidates’ Night forum in Chester on Tuesday Feb. 17

    © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC On Tuesday evening, Feb. 17, the Town of Chester will host an opportunity for voters to meet and hear from candidates running for seats on  the boards of the Whiting Library and Green Mountain Unified School District as well as the Chester Select Board. The candidate forum will take place […]

  • To the editor: De-escalation begins with those who hold the power

    To the editor: De-escalation begins with those who hold the power

    How we frame responsibility and fault in a crisis is critical to democracy. It shapes who we hold accountable and what changes we demand. When we talk about de-escalation, the first responsibility lies with those who are using state force with lethal consequences — not with civilians exercising multiple constitutional freedoms, including the First Amendment […]

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