Author Archive for Shawn Cunningham
Act 181 is coming: How will it affect your property? Details of this Act 250 reform are being defined as law is rolled out
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC In 2024, the Vermont Legislature passed Act 181 that makes a number of changes to the state’s laws on land use with special attention to encouraging new housing in downtowns. But there may also be changes to the way rural land is treated and landowners should pay […]
Is Chester’s long-delayed sidewalk project in the Depot finally a go?
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC Children in second grade at Chester-Andover Elementary today had not been born when the Town received an $800,000 grant to build a sidewalk from Bargefrede Road at the lower portion of Depot Street to Town Hall. But after an eight-year delay that doubled the project’s cost, the […]
Chester Select Board agenda for Oct. 1
The Chester Select Board will hold its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday Oct. 1 at Town Hall, 556 Elm St. To join the meeting click here. Below is the board’s agenda: 1. Approval of Minutes from the Select board Meeting dated September 17, 2025 2. Citizen’s Comments 3. Old Business 4. Coin Drop […]
Chester board talks Class 4 roads, economic development and flags Bill Dakin retires after 40 years as Town Moderator
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC In a relatively short meeting last Wednesday, the Chester Select Board covered a lot of territory including looking at forming an economic development commission and further refining the language of a policy on the maintenance and use of Class 4 roads. Economic Development Commission Town Manager Julie […]
Chester planners consider bylaw change to allow LED sign for GM, but zoning glitch may preclude it
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing On Monday evening, Chester’s Planning Commission got down to work on an issue that’s been on its radar for a while. That being “electric message display” signs or EMDs. The idea of such a sign for Green Mountain Union High School has been raised at past planning meetings […]
Chester board talks optional sales tax, Class 4 roads and 40-year-old money
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC Last Wednesday’s Select Board meeting agenda was heavy with discussion and pretty light on action items. And for long-time Chester board watchers it was like old times with multiple comments from former members Derek Suursoo and Bill Lindsay. Three agenda items came in for substantial discussion: a 1 […]
‘Workers over Billionaires’ at Chester rally on Labor Day Peaceful protest follows organizers' rules
Drone video by Scott Wunderle By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC More than 200 people turned out on the Chester Green on Labor Day for a rally for workers’ rights and in opposition to the policies of the Trump administration. As a continuous stream of upbeat songs played on a large sound […]
In densely busy meeting Chester board picks sidewalk design
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC With the Chester Select Board meeting once a month – rather than twice – during the summer, meeting agendas can grow and sometimes bring together large and complex issues. Last Wednesday was a perfect example. The board held a two hearings, discussed and approved a zoning change […]
Area firefighters repurpose FEMA houses for skill building Chester homes on Route 11 now ready for demolition
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC Last Tuesday, two houses near the Williams River along Route 11 in Chester were put to one final use before they are to be demolished as part of a FEMA buyout. Dozens of firefighters from West Weatherfield, Ascutney, Proctorsville, Winhall and Chester took part in a hands-on […]
Curran inducted into Vermont’s Ag Hall of Fame Chester resident, Black River Produce co-founder earns Lifetime Achievement Award
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC Mark Curran’s life took an unlikely turn when the college philosophy major decided to take a year off and spend it as a carpenter and ski bum in Vermont. Little did the Pennsylvania native know that — 51 years later — he would be inducted into the […]
Chester to test pedestrian solutions for the Green
Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC Starting this week there will be some strange looking construction around the Chester Green as the town tries out some ideas for solving a few traffic problems in an attempt to make the area safer for pedestrians and cyclists. From Thursday, Aug. 28 to Thursday, Sept. 11, Local […]
Chester considering a local option tax to support new housing initiative
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC At its Wednesday, Aug. 20 meeting, he Chester Select Board again broached the subject of a local option sales tax as a way to begin a town-wide conversation on generating money to spur the development of affordable housing in town. Last January, as the board was finalizing […]
VSP seeks public help in Londonderry theft investigation
© 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC Police are looking for a man in connection to a “retail theft” from the Londonderry Village Market on Friday, July 18 but need help in identifying him. According to a Vermont State Police press release at about 9 a.m. on Monday, they received a report of a theft involving the […]
Archeologists dig in Chester, give sewer project a green light
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC For three days last week, a crew of highly educated and well-trained people toiled in the heat and humidity, digging holes and finding nothing of significance. And that constituted “mission accomplished.” The group were archeologists working for Hartgen Archeological Associates of Rensselaer, N.Y., and their job was […]
Welcome to Chester, with style
New Welcome to Chester Village signs have been sprouting up around town, offering a warm greeting and introduction to Chester. On the left is the Welcome sign along the Grafton Road near River Street. On the reverse is the Thank You for Visiting sign, which can also be seen in the right-hand photo, taken along […]
Large solar proposal in Chester gets a public airing
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC It’s ironic that a glitch in the video conferencing system at Town Hall delayed a meeting Monday about a large solar field proposed for 14 acres along Route 103 south in Chester, but Planning Commission members found a workaround and the presentation went on, albeit late. Thomas […]
Eagle Scout candidate works to raise funds for Cobleigh Field scoreboard
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC If Jacob Studin has his way, next spring people attending Chester Recreation’s softball games at Cobleigh Field will know the score, and he will have reached the pinnacle of scouting. For his Eagle Scout project, Studin, 15, decided to raise the funds to buy and install a […]
Chester’s National Night Out a big draw for families
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC While rain threatened late in the afternoon, Chester instead was graced with beautiful weather and a large turnout for its National Night Out on Tuesday night. The event took place at the Pinnacle recreation area and although it can be hard to count people in a venue […]
West River Coffee Barn comes to Londonderry after percolating for four years
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC Leaving the West River Farmers Market in Londonderry one Saturday in 2021, Kristin Nelson looked at the intersection of Routes 100 and 11 at the flashing light and thought to herself that something was needed to bring the area and the community together — right there. “Something […]
Chester planners invite public for presentation on proposed solar field
By Shawn Cunningham © 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC A large solar farm is being proposed for a cornfield off from Route 103 south, and the Chester Planning Commission is inviting the public to a presentation by the developers, Savage Solar Energy, on Monday, Aug. 11. Commission chair Hugh Quinn said the purpose of the meeting […]
