Archive for January, 2026
Chester board approves budget and Town Meeting warning Hance explains response to questions of deficits
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC At last Wednesday’s meeting, the Chester Select Board finalized the March Town Meeting warning and the budget it will put before the voters on Monday, March 2. The board also heard from Town Manager Julie Hance regarding the question of budget deficits for the years 2024 and […]
Who’s on the March 3 ballot for offices in Andover, Cavendish and Chester?
By Shawn Cunningham ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC Monday, Jan. 26 at 5 p.m. was the deadline for candidate petitions to be turned in at Town Clerks’ offices all over Vermont. While some area towns — like Andover, Weston and Londonderry — nominate and vote town offices from the floor of their Town Meeting, others will […]
Small Chester group gathers in vigil for 2nd Minnesota killing Alex Pretti, 37, was shot by Border Patrol, echoing Renee Good's death
By Cynthia Prairie ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC He lived and died 1,300 miles to the west, in a climate familiar to all, in cold and snowy Minneapolis, Minn. No one at Monday night’s vigil on Chester’s Green knew him. But the 17 people who showed up in 19-degree weather during a late afternoon snow squall […]
To the editor: Scott speaks against ICE, but has nominated ‘ICE enabler’ for Supreme Court
While Gov. Phil Scott recently stated that Trump’s immigration crackdown may be “a deliberate federal intimidation and incitement of American citizens, ” he has nominated an ICE-enabler to a lifetime appointment to Vermont’s highest court, the Vermont Supreme Court. As we mourn the murders of Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and the thousands of victims of […]
College News
Vermont State University of Randolph Center announces the graduates of its Class of 2025. Those local students are: Suzanne Fontaine of Weston; Allan Poller of Springfield; and Brittany Priggen of Londonderry. Vermont State University also announces the students who earned placement on the President’s List for the fall 2025 semester. This highest academic honor recognizes full-time […]
Peru Fair ends but warm memories will live on Started in 1978, it grew to be a major southern Vermont attraction
By Shawn Cunningham and Cynthia Prairie* © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC After more than 40 years in, the annual Peru Fair’s 2025 edition was its last, organizers recently announced, much to the surprise of many vendors and fairgoers. The fair began as a tag sale in 1978 according to the organization’s website. In a Jan. […]
Financial probe leads to Windsor County Sheriff’s arrest on multiple sexual misconduct charges
© 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC Windsor County Sheriff Ryan Palmer, 39, of Windsor was arrested on Tuesday and charged him with multiple counts related to sexual misconduct as a result of a seven-month investigation by Vermont State Police. According to a VSP press release, beginning in July 2025, police received numerous anonymous tips alleging possible […]
To the editor: Politicians should pay the price for Good, Pretti’s deaths at the ballot box
On Jan. 13, amid widespread killings of demonstrators in Iran, President Trump posted on Truth Social “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price.” However, Trump justified the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis, falsely claiming she “willfully and viciously” […]
LWV’s next speaker to discuss gerrymandering
The League of Women Voters of Vermont, in partnership with Kellogg-Hubbard Library, presents the next installment in its free lecture series on Voting Rights and Access to the Ballot at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 11. Thomas Tai, Esq., staff attorney at the LWV of the United States, is the guest speaker. He provides legal […]
North Star Health welcomes director of Nursing
North Star Health welcomes Erinna Wichland, MSN, RN as director of Nursing. With more than two decades of experience in nursing and healthcare leadership, she brings a deep commitment to supporting care teams and ensuring that patients receive compassionate, high-quality care close to home. “I chose to join North Star Health because of our strong […]
Gravity + water + frigid temps = winter art
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC One of the joys of driving on Popple Dungeon Road every day in the winter is watching the evolution of self-creating ice sculpture at Peter Delaney’s place, where the blacktop ends and the gravel road begins. Each fall, Delaney brings out a wooden structure he’s created that […]
Op-ed: School choice fuels dreams for Vermonters
By Ross Powers Vermont’s ongoing and necessary discussion of education reform has had an unfortunate side effect: elevating the voices of people who are manipulating facts to fit their narrative. They want you to believe that Vermont’s independent schools are harming public education — particularly those that educate some of our most gifted student athletes. […]
Andover Select Board agenda for Jan. 26
The Andover Select Board will hold its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, January 26, 2026 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 January 12th meeting. 4. Public Comment (Time allowance: Five minutes per […]
Local Trump supporters mark anniversary of inauguration
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC As the sun was setting and the temperature was dropping below the mid-teens, a group of stalwart supporters of President Trump gathered on Chester’s Green late Tuesday afternoon to mark the one- year anniversary of his taking office for the second time. “We’re here in support of […]
Cavendish board budget eliminates recreation director, to move funds to sheriff services Decision made in early January draws public comment at Select Board meeting
By Lorien Strange ©2026 Telegraph Publishing Cavendish’s Jan. 12 Select Board meeting drew a small crowd, which bundled into the small entrance hall of the Town Office on Monday evening as the Board of Tax Abatement concluded its session later than scheduled. It was likely the biggest gathering Cavendish will see for a government meeting […]
To the editor: Area residents protest U.S. action against Venezuela
On Saturday afternoon, Jan. 17, more than 50 residents of Chester, Ludlow, Bellows Falls, Rockingham, Grafton and other neighbors braved the snowstorm to participate in the worldwide Global Day of Action: No War for Oil. We protested the Trump regime’s illegal military attack against Venezuela and threats of violence against Columbia, Cuba, Mexico, Iran and […]
Chester Select Board, Water Commission agendas for Jan. 21
The Chester Select Board will hold a meeting as the Water and Sewer Commission at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday Jan. 21 at Town Hall, 556 Elm Street and remotely via Zoom. The Select Board will hold a meeting directly after the Water and Sewer meeting. Below are the meeting agendas. Water and Sewer Commission 1. […]
Kids’ winter art program at Derry Library Jan. 24
The South Londonderry Free Library, 15 Old School Road, invites families to celebrate winter and the warmth of friendship with art teacher Casey Junker Bailey at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24. Children of all ages (and grownups too!) will make artwork inspired by the picture book The Most Beautiful Winter. The workshop is free […]
Roz Klezos named practice director of Ludlow Health Center
North Star Health is pleased to announce the appointment of Rosalind “Roz” Klezos as the practice director of Ludlow Health Center, 1 Elm St, in Ludlow. Klezos is experienced in clinical care, operations and team leadership and has a long-standing commitment to serving patients in the region. Klezos brings a broad and well-rounded healthcare background […]
Springfield Community Band seeking new members
After a successful Holiday Concert, the Springfield Community Band is seeking new members for its summer concert season. Musicians of high school age and up are welcome. The band plays all kinds of music, including jazz and tunes from movies and Broadway musicals, as well as traditional concert band pieces and music by contemporary composers. […]