Chester board hears that audits will show no deficits, reservoir dam recommendations
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC At last Wednesday’s meeting, the Chester Select Board got a bit of good news when Town Manager Julie Hance announced that there was no negative fund balance or deficit for 2024 or 2025. Back in January, Hance said that although the town received a clean audit for […]
GM budget passes by wide margin; Cavendish Elementary principal resigns
****Article updated at 5 p.m. Wednesday with quote from Superintendent Layne Millington.**** By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC On March 3 – Town Meeting Day – 1,013 residents of Andover, Baltimore, Cavendish and Chester went to the polls and by a margin of 37 votes defeated the budget proposal put forward by […]
Sage Jewelry takes root in new Chester location
By Cynthia Prairie ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC Michele Colby has finally found the storefront she has longed for. During the 16 intervening years, her children have grown and so has her business, Sage Jewelry and Gifts, now one of the two oldest retail businesses on the Chester Green. Just this past April, Colby finally moved […]
GMUSD budget re-vote informational meeting May 5
The Green Mountain Union School District will hold a informational meeting regarding the District’s school budget ahead of a May 12 re-vote at 6 p.m. on May 5, 2026 at Green Mountain Union High School, 716 Route 103 south in Chester and remotely via Zoom. Below is the board’s agenda: I. Call to Order II. […]
Judge clears way for Piri murder trial early next year
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC A Windham County Superior Court judge has denied a defense motion to dismiss second-degree murder charges against Jozsef Piri, paving the way for a five week long trial sometime early in 2027. Piri is accused of shooting and killing Roberto Fonseca-Rivera – a Boston truck driver – […]
GM board sends same budget back for May 12 re-vote
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC After a rough start to its Thursday, April 16 meeting, the Green Mountain Unified School District board gelled and decided unanimously to again put forward the budget that went down to defeat at Town Meeting Day, to set the re-vote date for May 12, then brainstormed ways […]
Latest News
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Windsor man sentenced to 4+ years as felon with firearms
A 31-year-old Windsor County man has been sentenced to 53 months in prison and three -
Chester board hears that audits will show no deficits, reservoir dam recommendations
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC At last Wednesday’s meeting, the Chester Select -
GM budget passes by wide margin; Cavendish Elementary principal resigns
****Article updated at 5 p.m. Wednesday with quote from Superintendent Layne Millington.**** By Shawn -
Part 2: Our first days on the Sahara Desert
In Part 2 of this four-part series from gardening writer Henry Homeyer’s memoir-in-progress, he tells -
Forum on education transformation bill set for May 11 at Springfield H.S.
Community members are invited to attend an upcoming educational forum focused on Vermont’s current education -
What to know about the GMUSD budget re-vote
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC In a little less than a week, -
Repeals of Act 181 portions zip through Legislature '...a lot of things went sideways ... but this solves the problem, for now'
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Vermont Legislature sometimes gets the reputation -
Sage Jewelry takes root in new Chester location
By Cynthia Prairie ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC Michele Colby has finally found the storefront she - More News
Community & Arts Life
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Springfield Rotary Club Food Drive May 16
Springfield Rotary Club is holding its annual “Fill the Cart from the Heart” Food Drive -
Explore the geology at Cavendish Gorge May 16
The Cavendish Gorge is a spectacular natural feature. Join Cheryl Cox, retired geologist and science -
Henry Homeyer: White flowering plants among spring favorites
By Henry Homeyer © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC I decided this year to do a -
Food Shelf at Family Center closed this week
The Chester Andover Family Center Food Shelf, 908 VT-103 in Chester, will be closed this -
Emily Margaret Band plays Chester Town Hall May 15
Emily Margaret Band takes the stage at Chester Town Hall, 556 Elm St., at 7 -
Mother’s Day program at South Derry Library May 9
South Londonderry Free Library, 15 Old School Road, invites children of all ages (and grownups -
MOOver announces MicroMOO May promotion
The MOOver is celebrating its microtransit services in Windsor and Springfield with a MicroMOO May -
Summer sand volleyball returns to Chester
Get ready to serve, spike and socialize as the Chester sand volleyball community gears up - More in Community & Arts Life
Business & Personal Finance
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Sage Jewelry takes root in new Chester location
By Cynthia Prairie ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC Michele Colby has finally found the storefront she -
Grace Cottage’s Claire Bemis, RN, honored by Windham Aging
Claire Bemis, RN, Grace Cottage’s Community Health Team Care coordinator, was recently recognized by Windham -
North Star Health to unveil accessible exam room at Charlestown location
North Star Health will host a ribbon cutting to celebrate a newly upgraded accessible examination -
Grace Cottage wins ‘Best Place to Work’ for fourth consecutive year
For the fourth consecutive year, Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital, 185 Grafton Road in - More in Business & Personal Finance
Commentary
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To the editor: Brickner says he’ll fight for housing affordability, a reformed Act 181
I am running for Vermont Senate in the Windsor District. When my wife and I -
Op-ed: Keep our schools to keep our town
By Carl Henshaw ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC At a recent Chester Planning Commission meeting, Kellen -
From the editor: Speaker Krowinski has an epiphany
By Cynthia Prairie ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC If you were having trouble putting your finger -
To the editor: GM schools face a disturbing trend of non-acceptance
The GMUSD superintendent suggests that the school board consider a “flag policy” and further suggests - More Commentaries
Education News & High School Sports
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GM budget passes by wide margin; Cavendish Elementary principal resigns
****Article updated at 5 p.m. Wednesday with quote from Superintendent Layne Millington.**** By Shawn -
Forum on education transformation bill set for May 11 at Springfield H.S.
Community members are invited to attend an upcoming educational forum focused on Vermont’s current education -
What to know about the GMUSD budget re-vote
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC In a little less than a week, -
College News
Grace Tyrrell of Cavendish, a member of Stonehill College’s Class of 2026, was recently inducted - More in Education
Obituaries
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June Swomley, 92, of Connecticut and Chester
June Kutchera Swomley, of Bloomfield, Conn., died on Monday, April 13, at the age of -
Jerry Friant, 94, of Shelburne, formerly of Landgrove
Ray J. (Jerry) Friant, of Shelburne, suddenly and unexpectedly entered eternity on Jan. 30, 2026, -
Kendall ‘Ken’ Crocker, 79, of Chester, Springfield and Florida
Kendall “Ken” B. Crocker Jr. set sail on his final voyage at home in Sebastian, -
Candlelight vigil for Phin Tillman of Grafton to be held at 5 p.m. today, Jan. 17
Phineas “Phin” Harvey Alexander Tillman of Grafton passed away unexpectedly on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, - More Obituaries
Other Recent Articles
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Andover Select Board agenda for May 11
The Andover Select Board will hold its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday May 11 at the Andover Town Office, 953 Weston-Andover Road 1. Call Meeting to Order. 2. Act on Agenda. 3. Act on Minutes of April 27th meeting. 4. Public Comment (Time allowance: Five minutes per visitor, 10 minutes per topic): Members […]
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Human remains found in Mt. Tabor forest
© 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC Human remains were found by hikers in the Green Mountain National Forest in Mt. Tabor, north of Dorset in Western Vermont, 10 days ago, according to the Vermont State Police. The identity of the dead person and the circumstances surrounding the death are unknown at this time. According to a […]
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Part 1: The 10-year desert journey begins
In this four-part series, gardening writer Henry Homeyer shares his “memoir in progress,” telling the story of traveling across the Sahara Desert in 1972. This led to a 10-year stay in Africa, including three years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon, two short contracts with the U.S. Agency for International Development and more than […]
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Chester Select Board agenda for May 6
The Chester Select Board will hold its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6 at Town Hall, 556 Elm St., and remotely via Zoom. Below is its agenda. 1. Approval of Minutes of April 15, 2026 Select Board Meeting 2. Citizen’s Comments 3. Old Business 4. Green Mountain Power Upgrades; Tim Jones 5. […]
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6K race in Chester aims to grow participation while supporting access to clean water
The “Global 6K for Water” will take place at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 16 in Chester. This event is part of a worldwide effort by World Vision to bring clean water to communities in need. The route will begin and end at Green Mountain Church, 469 Main St. in Chester. The event is open […]
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House Environment committee votes to move Act 181 repeal bill forward
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC By a roll call vote this morning (Thursday, April 30), the Vermont House Committee on the Environment unanimously approved a heavily revised version of Senate bill 325 and sent it on to the full House. The newly minted legislation, among other things, repeals Act 181’s Road Rule […]
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Rural Caucus hears update on Act 181 changes
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Vermont Legislature’s Rural Caucus — which recently sent a letter to House Speaker Jill Krowinski urging the repeal of portions of Act 181 — heard an update this morning from Rep. Rob North on the status of that move. North, of Ferrisburg, sits on the House […]
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Cavendish Fletcher Library’s Destination Imagination team headed to Global Finals
Cavendish Fletcher Community Library’s Destination Imagination Team won first place in its bracket at the state competition, which took place on March 21 in Barre, and qualified to compete at “Global Finals,” which will be held from May 21 through 24 in Kansas City, Mo. DI is a nonprofit organization whose team-building, student-led science and […]
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Windham Commission to host public meetings on draft Regional Plan update
The Windham Regional Commission will be hosting in-person and remote public meetings to present a draft of the Windham Regional Plan update. WRC helps 27 towns in southeast Vermont to provide effective local governance and address regional issues. The Regional Plan provides guidance on the future for the region and is used for WRC’s work […]
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Cavendish Bird Walk May 9; Cavendish Town Office staff gets dirty
The Cavendish Community and Conservation Association and the Mount Ascutney Audubon Society are holding their annual Bird Walk beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 9. This walk has been stewarded by Michael and Marianne Walsh of the Mount Ascutney Audubon Society and Ken Cox, who will guide the walk. Cox holds a degree in […]
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Grace Cottage’s family-friendly 5K run returns May 9
The 17th annual Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital’s Spring into Health 5K begins with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 9, on the Townshend Common, Common Road. Entrants can run, walk, roll, stroll or push a baby carriage for this fun, family-friendly event. Pre-registration is $20 per participant; registration on May […]
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Herrick’s Cove Wildlife Festival returns May 3
If you are a wildlife enthusiast itching for spring, check out the Herrick’s Cove Wildlife Festival on Sunday, May 3 at beautiful Herrick’s Cove on the Connecticut River, 4 Herrick’s Cove Road – off Route 5, Bellows Falls. The festival is presented by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, Ascutney Mountain Audubon Society and Great […]
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Green Up Day activities in the region
By Stacia A. Spaulding ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC Green Up Day has been held in Vermont each spring since 1970. The event is still going strong 56 years later, with tens of thousands of volunteers collecting hundreds of tons of trash annually from roadsides and waterways. This year, Green Up Day is Saturday, May 2. […]
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Neighborhood Connections launches Winhall 100% Campaign
From the end of April through the end of May, Neighborhood Connections will be undertaking a targeted effort to enable residents of Winhall to take advantage of several financial benefit programs to which they may be entitled. Through the Winhall 100% Campaign, Neighborhood Connections will help with advising, completing applications, handling delivery to the appropriate […]
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Derry cemeteries will reopen May 1
The Cemetery Commission of the Town of Londonderry has announced that cemeteries will open on Friday, May 1. Clean-up by the cemetery caretakers will begin shortly thereafter. All decorations that were added over the winter should be removed; any winter decorations remaining on May 1 will be disposed of. As a reminder, plantings are not […]
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Chester GOP to hold ‘Turn Vermont Red’ candidate event
On Saturday, May 2, the Chester Town Republican Committee will hold a “Turn Vermont Red” event at Terra Italian Steakhouse*, 8 VT Rte 100 in Ludlow. You’ll hear from conservative voices as well as candidates for U.S. House, Windsor County Senate and House of Representatives and Windsor County sheriff, as well as from some in […]
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