Archive for March, 2026
To the editor: Seeking school board seat to support strong, equitable, accessible education
On March 5, I officially applied by email to serve on the Green Mountain Union School District Board seat left vacant by Casey Leahy’s resignation. I am seeking this opportunity because I believe that supporting a strong, equitable, and accessible public education system is one of the most important responsibilities a community holds. School boards […]
Whisper, internet campaigns fail as Jonynas, Roper, Fierman, Bailey win their Chester races Benelli, Ucci take school board seats, 18-year veteran Hance comes up short; school budget rejected
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC With an unusually large number of contested races and two instances of controversial election shenanigans, Chester’s results for Select Board and school board campaigns have been highly anticipated. In the end, Democrats had a blowout night with all of their candidates victorious and most by substantial margins. […]
Chester Select Board agenda for March 4
The Chester Select Board will hold its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday March 4, 2026 at Town Hall, 556 Elm Street and via Zoom. Below is its agenda 1. Reorganization of the Board 2. Approval of Minutes of February 18, 2026 Select board Meeting and February 18, 2026 Special Select board Meeting 3. […]
Election results for Andover and Weston
©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC At Andover’s Monday night Town Meeting, voters elected incumbent Melissa Gates Perry to another three-year term and incumbents Susan Leader and Chris Walker to one-year terms on the five member board. Voters also gave Jeanette Hazeltine another municipal hat-trick electing her as Town Clerk, Treasurer and Collector of Delinquent Taxes. Bill […]
College News
Bobby Stevenish III of Stratton has been named to the Dean’s List of St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., for the fall 2025 semester. Stevenish, who attended the Stratton Mountain School, is a member of the Class of 2026 and is majoring in political science. To be eligible for the Dean’s List, a student must […]
Chester votes down 1% Local Option Tax; Frank Kelley steps up as Town Moderator
By Cynthia Prairie and Shawn Cunningham ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC The proposed 1 percent Local Option Tax on meals, rooms and consumed alcoholic beverages that would have brought an estimated $60,000 annually into the Chester Housing Commission’s Housing Reserve Fund went down in defeat on Monday night by a vote of 59 to 76. In […]
To the editor: Chester school board hopefuls claim to be nonpolitical; don’t believe them
When I vote in Cavendish tomorrow, I’ll have several things in mind regarding the school budget and the school board. I cannot cast a vote for Chester’s representatives to the GMUSD school board, yet Chester votes have an outsized impact on the schools and towns in our district. In turn, your decisions impact the social […]
Political notes: Weekend with Bernie and the Chester GOP; now go vote
By Cynthia Prairie ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC It was a busy Saturday in Chester, coming off two political scandals — one a whisper campaign and one ignited by two MAGA trolls. The whisper campaign was apparently snuffed out when the main target — Select Board member Arne Jonynas — wrote a letter to the editor […]
To the editor: Understanding coercive behavior, abusive tactics and the misuse of personal images
Recent “politics” in our small town have revealed how easily a person’s photos can be used as tools of humiliation and control when someone chooses to weaponize them. From a psychological and ethical perspective, this is not “politics” or “drama.” It mirrors a pattern that are well-known in the study of family violence, coercive control, […]
Neighborhood Connections designated a Benefits Enrollment Center to aid Medicare beneficiaries
On Feb. 1, Neighborhood Connections has been designated a Benefits Enrollment Center by the National Council on Aging. It is 1 of 90 across the United States and one of only two in Vermont. BECs focus on connecting Medicare beneficiaries with limited incomes to core benefits, such as Medicare Part D Extra Help and Low-Income […]
Jerry Friant, 94, of Shelburne, formerly of Landgrove
Ray J. (Jerry) Friant, of Shelburne, suddenly and unexpectedly entered eternity on Jan. 30, 2026, just two weeks short of his 95th birthday. He leaves behind his wife of over 70 years, Emmy Lu (Reich), daughters Pamela Friant Foley (John) of Warren, N.J., Wendy Friant of Charlotte, Vt., son Douglas Friant, of South Londonderry, Vt., […]
West River Coffee hosts ‘Art at the Barn’ Opening Reception for photographer Musgrave
West River Coffee Barn, 2309 N. Main St. in Londonderry, announces the next installment of its “Art at the Barn” series, featuring photographer Evan Musgrave. An Opening Reception will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 5. The community is invited to come meet the artist, connect with neighbors and enjoy light […]