RSSArchive for April, 2020

Food, funds available through Black River Good Neighbors

Food, funds available through Black River Good Neighbors

As the Covid-19 crisis deepens and the economy worsens, the staff at Black River Good Neighbor Services in Ludlow continues to help the community with food and financial assistance. “We’ve closed the store, but the food shelf is operating to help anyone in need,” said Krey Kellington, Food Program director. “Several people have contacted the […]

Victim advocates unsettled by drop in help hotline calls during stay-at-home order

Victim advocates unsettled by drop in help hotline calls during stay-at-home order

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Advocates for victims of domestic violence are seeing a significant drop in the number of calls to help hotlines since the state mandated stay at home orders in mid-March. And they find that drop “unsettling.” On Monday, Vermont Public Safety Commissioner Michael Schirling said that overall 911 […]

Early spurt of gardens, seed sales, farm shares

Early spurt of gardens, seed sales, farm shares With social distancing regs, farmers markets remain in limbo

By Evan Chadwick ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Covid-19 crisis has spurred an early spike in sales of seeds and growing supplies as well as people signing up for Community Supported Agriculture, even while it has stymied this summer’s farmers markets. Jon Cohen, farmer and owner of Deep Meadow Farm in Ascutney, says that so […]

To the editor: Black River Independent School ready

To the editor: Black River Independent School ready

The time is now. We at the Black River Independent School are ready to make a big move. You have been hearing from us for three years now, in some form, about our mission to open an independent school in Ludlow, to serve any area student, tuition-free. A school whose independent status will allow full […]

Signs of the Times: A trip through Chester

Signs of the Times: A trip through Chester

© 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC During the last week of March, Cynthia Prairie and Shawn Cunningham of The Chester Telegraph took a drive around Chester taking photos of signs posted by various businesses and organizations. As of this writing, several of the signs are certainly outdated, since Gov. Phil Scott has ordered continued shutdowns of […]

Op-ed: Rep. Bock on aid for small businesses

Op-ed: Rep. Bock on aid for small businesses

By Rep. Tom Bock The Covid-19 pandemic is unlike any crisis Vermont has faced. This is a very stressful time for neighbors, as public safety measures have closed many of the businesses and institutions we rely on. I am committed to working with the Scott administration and our congressional delegation to make sure our community […]

Grace Cottage addresses physical therapy needs

Grace Cottage addresses physical therapy needs

The Department of Homeland Security and the state of Vermont have identified that physical and occupational therapy are essential components of healthcare services during the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, the outpatient rehabilitation licensed physical and occupational therapists at Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital in Townshend are continuing to welcome patients in a variety of ways: […]

Left in Andover: Walden ideal of enough as plenty

Left in Andover: Walden ideal of enough as plenty

By Susan Leader ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Each of my siblings was named after a special hero of my dad. These included Rosa Luxembourg, the Polish socialist, the brothers Gracchi, who were agrarian land reformers of ancient Rome, and the Irish patriot Robert Emmett. I was the exception to this rule. My parents’ lame excuse […]

Chester Chatter: A call from an old friend

Chester Chatter: A call from an old friend

By Ruthie Douglas ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Our town of Chester is a place to be proud. Most folks are following what our government has asked of us: Stay at home and don’t mingle in person. While those types of rules are hard for me to follow, in this instance I am doing as I […]

Henry Homeyer: Planting bulbs soon for summer blooms

Henry Homeyer: Planting bulbs soon for summer blooms

By Henry Homeyer ©2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC Wf you’re home from work and champing at the bit to DO SOMETHING, planting some bulbs now for summer blossoms might be just your ticket. I recently got some calla lilies and sword lilies and planted them in pots. Calla lilies (Zantedeschia aethiopica) come in various colors and […]

In reversal, health department recommends wearing masks

In reversal, health department recommends wearing masks But save medical grade masks for those on the front lines

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing, LLC Vermont’s Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine stepped out ahead of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today saying that Vermonters should wear cloth masks in public even if they have no symptoms. But his remarks were not without caveats and qualifiers. “At this moment in time, […]

Weston Playhouse cancels summer season

Weston Playhouse cancels summer season Intends to bring back three major productions in 2021

By Cynthia Prairie ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Weston Playhouse has canceled for the foreseeable future its summer theater season as well as all special events and concerts planned for the playhouse in downtown Weston and the nearby Walker Farm. Susanna Gellert, the executive artistic director of the Weston Playhouse Theatre Company, announced Thursday that […]

Governor's closure orders consolidated to one expiration date

Governor’s closure orders consolidated to one expiration date Further extensions of closures and other orders expected

© 2020 Telegraph Publishing, LLC I In a press release issued late this afternoon, the governor’s office has clarified that the expiration dates for previous orders have all been extended to April 15. This new order makes clear that any previous orders – including those closing bars and restaurants for dine-in service, and the Department […]

TRSU offers superintendent position to Fierman

TRSU offers superintendent position to Fierman

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Last night, the Two Rivers Supervisory Union board offered Green Mountain High School Principal Lauren Fierman a two-year contract to replace Meg Powden as superintendent beginning on July 1, 2020. Powden resigned from the post on Jan. 13 effective June 30, 2020, opting not to complete the […]

Northern counties continue to take brunt of Covid-19 cases

Northern counties continue to take brunt of Covid-19 cases

By Cynthia Prairie ©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Since The Telegraph last reported the number of Covid-19 infections in the state of Vermont on Tuesday, almost 100 more cases have been reported, taking that number from 293 to 389 today, Friday, April 3. The total number of tests for the virus statewide is 5,228, indicating that […]

Londonderry Select Board agenda for April 6

Londonderry Select Board agenda for April 6

The Select Board for the Town of Londonderry will begin meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, April 6. There will be no physical presence. To access the meeting remotely please follow these instructions:  Via web: https://zoom.us/j/289761009 (Meeting ID: 289 761 009); Via telephone: (929) 205-6099 (Meeting ID: 289 761 009). It is strongly recommended that […]

Hance named Chester town manager

Hance named Chester town manager Financially distressed urged to call town over taxes, bills

Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC In the 15 years that Julie Hance has worked for Chester town government, she has been assistant town clerk, assistant town treasurer, zoning administrator, executive assistant and assistant town manager. On Wednesday, April 1, the Chester Select Board unanimously named her town manager and gave her a one-year […]

State's Covid-19 modeling shows peak mid-April to early May

State’s Covid-19 modeling shows peak mid-April to early May

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC In a lengthy Zoom news conference Thursday afternoon, members of the Scott administration explained that modeling done to predict the course of the coronavirus in Vermont is showing that the isolation and distancing measures ordered by the governor are working and that the peak of the infections […]

More medical surge sites announced for Vermont

More medical surge sites announced for Vermont 50-bed medical trailers for Brattleboro, Mt. Ascutney

By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Scott administration today announced that two more medical surge sites will be established — one in Rutland and one in Essex Junction —  as the state prepares for a large increase in the number of Covid-19 cases. In a press release today, Gov. Phil Scott said […]

Police agencies search for missing Springfield man

Police agencies search for missing Springfield man Joshua Webster last seen in Chester in early March

© 2020 Telegraph Publishing, LLC Three police agencies are searching for a Springfield man who was reported missing to Hartford Police and was last seen in Chester. Joshua Webster, 39 of Springfield was last seen leaving a home on Regina Drive in Chester early in the morning on Saturday March 7. A relative reported him […]