Archive for 2025
Ellen M. McCullough, 80, of Chester
Ellen Marian McCullough (Levinson), of Chester, passed away at the age of 80 at Albany Medical Center in Albany, N.Y., on Dec. 26, 2025. Born on Feb. 14, 1945, in Detroit, Mich., Ellen lived a life full of warmth, curiosity and connection. Vivacious and feisty, she was endlessly chatty and deeply loving — a woman […]
Chester mulls a local option tax; neighboring towns already have them and like them
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Chester Select Board is nearing its deadline to decide whether to put before the voters in March a 1 percent local tax that would be in addition to the current state sales taxes charged on rooms and meals and served alcohol. We thought it would be […]
Ludlow Rotary donates to Mount Holly School, Chester Teen Center
In recent weeks, Ludlow Rotary Club awarded grants to Mount Holly School and the Chester Teen Center. The school ‘s music program was the beneficiary of a $3,000 grant to purchase risers for concerts, plays and other events. Previously, the school had to borrow risers from Ludlow Elementary School to use for its concerts. “This […]
VTel donates $5,000 to local food pantries
VTel donated $5,000 in December to 10 local food pantries across southern Vermont, supporting community food programs during the busy holiday season. The donation was distributed evenly among 10 organizations, with each food pantry receiving $500. December’s recipients are: Black River Good Neighbor Services in Ludlow, Chester-Andover Family Center, Grafton Community Church Food Pantry, Springfield […]
Pat Glabach receives Lions Club’s highest award
Pat Glabach received the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award on Nov. 11 at the Londonderry Area Tri-Mountain Lions dinner meeting held at The Red Slate Restaurant at Magic Mountain. It is the highest honor bestowed by Lions Club International and recognizes a member whose service goes above and beyond one’s typical duties. Glabach has been doing […]
Southern Vermont nonprofit acquires 341 acres Bull Creek Headwaters conserved for public access, wildlife habitat, healthy forest, flood reduction and clean water
The southern Vermont community-based nonprofit Bull Creek Common Lands has placed 341 acres of remote land in Athens and Townshend under the permanent protection of a conservation easement with the Vermont Land Trust. The conserved land is the headwaters of Bull Creek, which contains many wetlands and different forest types that are home to beavers, […]
Springfield Garden Club’s Holiday Market another big success
Springfield Garden Club’s Holiday Market, which was held on Friday, Dec. 5, proved to be a big hit. The club extends its appreciation to the the people who came and purchased handmade wreaths and arrangements. This is the garden club’s only major fundraiser, and the proceeds go toward its mission to “provide a social […]
Connecticut River Joint Commissions receives $40K grant from state of Vermont
Connecticut River Joint Commissions was recently awarded a $40,000 grant through the state of Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation. This grant funds CRJC’s work program from November 2025 until October 2026 and enables the continuation of its grassroots, locally focused work to preserve and protect the visual and ecological integrity and […]
Op-ed: Affordability permeates every issue: What to expect from the upcoming legislative session
By Sen. Joe Major As we enter the upcoming legislative session, Vermonters are sending us a clear message: Affordability must be front and center. Families, seniors, farmers and small businesses are all feeling the strain of rising costs, and they expect their elected leaders to respond with practical, responsible solutions. That is both our challenge […]
Op-ed: Does relocating Chester Festival fulfill board’s stated objectives?
By Nicholas Boke ©2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC I kept waiting for the part of the Dec. 11 Telegraph article Chester Festival, long held on the Green, to move to Legion field where the Chester Community Events board would describe the surveys and interviews they had garnered to make their decision. I’ve re-read the article several […]
Chester board hears objections to local option tax, appoints development panel members
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Chester Select Board last Wednesday looked at 2026 budgets for Public Works as well as the Water and Sewer departments and appointed four volunteers for a new economic development commission. But the continuing discussion of a 1 percent local option tax on rooms (hotel, inn and […]
Reading of ‘Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ at First Universalist on Sunday
The First Universalist Parish of Chester presents a reading of Barbara Robinson’s The Best Christmas Pageant Ever at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 28, in the church’s Community Room, 211 North St. in Chester’s historic Stone Village. Reading will be done by Nick Boke, Buffy Boke, Melody Reed, Darryl Kale and Bev Hart with projection […]
Learn ice fishing techniques from an expert
Have you ever wanted to learn how to ice fish or do you just need to brush up on your knowledge? Learn from Jim Fischer, Vermont Let’s Go Fishing certified chief instructor and a Chester resident, from 8 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3 at Knapp Pond #2, 1426 Knapp Pond Road in Cavendish. […]
MOOver welcomes two new board members
Southeast Vermont Transit, home of the MOOver bus service serving Windham and southern Windsor counties, announces the addition of two new members, filling out its nine-member Board of Directors. Trisha Paradis joins the board as the executive director of the Springfield Family Center. She has 18 years’ experience in the medical and human services fields. […]
To the editor: Family Center thanks all who helped make Empty Bowl Dinner a success
On behalf of the Chester-Andover Family Center, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make this year’s Empty Bowls event in early November possible. To all our attendees, sponsors, donors, and volunteers: your generosity, time, food, auction items, gift baskets and presence are what bring this event to life year after […]
To the editor: Thanks to the ‘village,’ another successful Senior Dinner is served
They say it takes a village to raise a child, but truth be known, it also takes a small town to prepare and serve a wonderful holiday meal to a group of Chester and Andover senior citizens. Many hands make light work, for sure. Thank you to the fantastic folks that made that dinner possible. […]
Cavendish board holds hearing on subdivision regs
By Lorien Strange © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC Cavendish’s Select Board kicked off its Monday Dec. 8 meeting with a public hearing for the proposed subdivision regulations. It’s a touchy subject for the town. The prospect of a quarry on a small, subdivided lot on Tierney Road stood at the center of a years-long controversy […]
Andover Select Board agenda for Dec. 22
The Andover Select Board will hold its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday December 22 at the Andover Town Office, 953 Weston Andover Road. Below is the board’s agenda 1. Call Meeting to Order. 2. Act on Agenda. 3. Act on Minutes of December 8th meeting. 4. Public Comment (Time allowance: Five minutes per […]
Agendas for Dec. 17 Chester Select Board and Water/Sewer Commission meetings
The Chester Select Board will hold its regular meeting following their meeting as the Town’s Water and Sewer Commission meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025 at Town Hall, 556 Elm Street and via Zoom. Below are their agendas. Water and Sewer Commissioners Meeting 1. Citizen’s Comments 2. 2026 Budget Discussion – Water Department […]
Fill your senses with the sights, sounds and smells of Germany’s Christmas markets
By Henry Homeyer ©2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC An impulsive decision in late November by my wife Cindy and I to explore German Christmas markets found us in Berlin visiting with an old friend. We also spent a few days traveling by rental car to Dresden, Leipzig and Naumberg, a walled medieval town that also has […]