Author Archive for Cynthia Prairie
Cynthia Prairie has been a newspaper editor more than 40 years. Cynthia has worked at such publications as the Raleigh Times, the Baltimore News American, the Buffalo Courier Express, the Chicago Sun-Times and the Patuxent Publishing chain of community newspapers in Maryland, and has won numerous state awards for her reporting. As an editor, she has overseen her staffs to win many awards for indepth coverage. She and her family moved to Chester, Vermont in 2004.
POLITICAL NOTEBOOK: Spauldings at the GOP convo; Ameden elected to Derry Select Board; entire Planning Commission resigns; Windsor Republican candidates flock to school board meeting
By Cynthia Prairie ©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC James Ameden Jr. handily won Saturday’s election to the Londonderry Select Board, beating Steve Twitchell, 120 to 64 votes. Ameden, who ran on a platform that included empowering young people to take leadership roles and had a strong showing with political yard signs, will now fill the unexpired […]
Green Mountain Care Board to hold Healthcare Community Meeting in Springfield on July 16
©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC On Tuesday, July 16, the Green Mountain Care Board is holding one of 14 public meetings concerning options for hospital transformation and health system revitalization. This Healthcare Community Meeting for Springfield Hospital will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Springfield Town Library, 43 Main St. in Springfield and focus […]
Chester Democrats to hold Senate primary candidate forum July 16
©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC Five candidates running for the Democratic nomination for three Windsor County state Senate seats with be participating in a forum for Democratic Primary candidates organized by the Chester Democratic Committee. The event will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 16 at Chester Town Hall, 556 Elm St. […]
Green thumbs unite to spruce up Chester-Andover Family Center
©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Chester-Andover Family Center, 908 VT-103, got a refresh on Tuesday with an updated landscaping and new plantings thanks to the efforts of Chester Townscape, Terrigenous Landscape Architecture as well as Family Center volunteers. The groups worked for about three hours under the morning sunshine to replant the front beds and […]
Meditrina in Chester gets $110,000 in loans for wine bar, restaurant
©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC Meditrina, a 14-year-old wine, cheese and beer shop owned by Justin and Amy Anderson and located at 295 Main St. in Chester, has been approved for two loans worth $110,000 for its long-planned expansion for a wine bar and restaurant called The Meditrina Wine Bar. Earlier this week, the Springfield Regional […]
GM School District board agenda for June 20
The Board of Directors of the Green Mountain Unified School District will meet from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 20 at Green Mountain High School Library/Media Center, 716 Route 103 south and via Zoom. To join the meeting via Zoom, click here. Below is the board’s agenda. I. CALL TO ORDER: A. Roll […]
Morrow runs to replace Pajala in state House Crowded field for Windsor Senate primaries; Chase gets a GOP challenger
By Cynthia Prairie ©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC Chris Morrow of Weston, the former owner of Northshire Bookstore and a new member of the Weston Select Board, has announced that he is running to replace Kelly Pajala, an Independent, as state representative for the Windham-Windsor-Bennington district, which is made up of Andover, Londonderry, Weston and Winhall. […]
Editorial: Transparency, lots of public input make for a good zoning plan
By Cynthia Prairie ©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC Planning commissions in rural Vermont have tough jobs. They must balance the needs of residents with the state’s goals and regulations as well as current town plans, growth potential and visions for the future. And then they must endure the barbs of angry landowners — many of them […]
Nick Kekic, Chester glass artist, chosen for annual Smithsonian Craft Show D.C. show highlights finest North American crafts people
By Cynthia Prairie ©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC Chester glass blower Nick Kekic of Kekic Glass will make his first appearance with the Smithsonian’s 42nd annual Craft Show called ‘Creating Joy,’ to be held May 1 through 5 in Washington, D.C. He is one of 11 glass artists to exhibit among 120 in media such as […]
New name, mascot for GM? Not yet, but Principal Broadley is developing a plan
By Cynthia Prairie © 2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC John Broadley wanted to give the school mascot/name issue some breathing room before bringing it back up again. In December, shortly after the name “Chieftains” was voted down 6 to 3 by a vote of the board of the Green Mountain Unified School District, Broadley, the new […]
Chester voters approve $3.975 million for budget; $39,811 for social programs Ballot voting til 7 p.m. today; officers to be elected
By Cynthia Prairie ©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC The 60 or so Chester voters attending Monday night’s Town Meeting in person approved, with a few objections, to raising $3.975 million in taxes to fund the town budget, a budget that Town Manager Julie Hance said is “what it takes to maintain the services that we now […]
New group seeks public input on events for Chester Town Hall Upstairs at Town Hall to hold open house on March 13
©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC A small group of volunteers is spearheading an effort to bring back music, theater and arts events to the 2nd floor of Chester Town Hall, 556 Elm St., the refurbished theater space that seats 245 and is currently used mostly for Select Board and other government meetings. The group, known as […]
Bridge #20 on Route 121/35 in Grafton down to one lane during replacement
©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Vermont Agency of Transportation announces a single-lane closure on Bridge #20 over the Saxtons River along Vermont Route 121 in Grafton beginning Friday, March 1. VTrans is in the process of replacing Bridge #20, which is located on VT 121/35 East, just east of the intersection with Fisher Hill Road. […]
Kendall to remain in Andover GMUSD seat — for now
By Cynthia Prairie ©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC Scott Kendall, Andover representative on the board of the Green Mountain Unified School District, has decided to hold on to his seat for the time being after announcing his intention to resign last December. His intention to resign meant that the town of Andover was facing electing a […]
Chester Republican Committee launches inaugural candidates’ event
©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC After years of dormancy, the newly revived Chester Republican Committee held its first event on Sunday, drawing an audience of about 35 residents to hear from several “conservative-leaning” candidates running for Chester Select Board and the board of the Green Mountain Unified School District. The event was held at the Chester […]
Chester gets $47,000 grant to remove, replace ash trees
By Cynthia Prairie ©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Town of Chester has received a $47,000 federal grant that will allow it to remove more than 25 ash trees in the village in poor condition or subject to emerald ash borer. The grant also will allow the town to plant replacement trees and purchase a watering […]
Partisan candidates forum sparks concern in Chester New local GOP committee is hoping to grow dormant party
By Cynthia Prairie ©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC A Chester candidates forum that has excluded half the candidates running for contested seats on the Chester Select Board and the board of the Green Mountain Unified School District is drawing concern that it could be injecting partisan politics into local elections that have not seen them in […]
Chester, Springfield, Mt. Holly among S. Vt. towns to get community planning grants Chester to study possible new neighborhood on town land
By Cynthia Prairie ©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC Chester, Springfield, Mount Holly, Putney and Winhall are among 31 recipients totaling $673,391 in Municipal Planning Grants offer by the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development. Municipal Planning Grant program funds are awarded annually and support local community revitalization and planning initiatives. Since 1998, the program has […]
North, South Village wastewater plans proposed for Londonderry
By Cynthia Prairie ©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Dufresne Group of Springfield has recommended two community wastewater disposal systems for the North and South Villages of the town of Londonderry. Christina Haskins, a vice president and engineer with Dufresne, presented the engineering company’s findings and recommendations last Wednesday before a group of residents and business […]
Nine towns in S. Vermont to benefit from revitalization funds
©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC Gov. Phil Scott and the Department of Economic Development announced the fourth and final round of Community Recovery and Revitalization Program grant winners. The 40 approved projects are expected to support 1,810 existing jobs, enable the creation of 117 new jobs, build or rehabilitate 75 housing units, and add 60 new […]
