Author Archive for Shawn Cunningham
Billy Bob prevails in fierce match at Stone Hearth hot dog cookoff
By Shawn Cunningham © 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC With nine contestants vying for tube steak glory, Chef Billy Bob’s Big Easy was voted Top Dog of the sixth annual Hot Dog Cookoff held Sunday at the Stone Hearth Inn in Chester. The Free Range Restaurant’s Uncommon Reuben Dog took Best in Show. The event, which […]
AOT to Olsen: Interim paving on Rt. 11 to begin soon
© 2017 Telegraph Publishing, LLC State Rep. Oliver Olsen of Londonderry has shared an email in which Agency of Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn confirmed that work on the worst parts of Rt. 11 between Chester and Londonderry should begin shortly. “…if the weather holds, the contractor may begin paving this section of road on Thursday […]
Police arrest second burglary suspect
© 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC Vermont State Police arrested a Westminster man Thursday on multiple charges for burglaries that took place in July. On Tuesday, police arrested Chelsea Oviatte, 22 of Springfield, on charges that she had burglarized a number of businesses along Route 5 in Westminster, Putney and Brattleboro, but they were unable to […]
Chester board OKs ‘audit’ of town zoning regs
By Shawn Cunningham © 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC After a couple of years of controversy over Chester’s zoning regulations and the way they are implemented, the town’s Select Board at its Aug. 2 meeting gave the go-ahead to an “audit” of the town’s development statutes. Noting that the town’s zoning code is old and that […]
Judge continues $100,000 bail for Stocker; police cite witnesses in latest case
By Shawn Cunningham © 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC WHITE RIVER JUNCTION Windsor County Superior Court Judge Theresa DiMauro continued the $100,000 bail imposed on Ryan Stocker over the weekend as he appeared for arraignment Monday on new charges in the latest of five involving forced sexual contact over the last two years. Stocker, who plead […]
Lawsuit pending, Jack’s Diner owner re-emerges to seek DRB OK
By Shawn Cunningham © 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC Six years after Chester’s Development Review Board denied a conditional use permit for an expanded Jack’s Diner with apartments above it – and while the town of Chester is currently suing him for zoning violations – Jacques Dodier is back with a new application that will be […]
Battle of Bands set to cover medical expenses for Chester woman
By Shawn Cunningham © 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC After a near-death bout with infections, a Chester woman has a long road to recovery ahead and, this Saturday, members of the community will be holding a benefit Battle of the Bands at MacLaomainn’s Pub to help cover her large and growing medical bills. Just a few […]
Chester board OKs old waste district fund disbursement
By Shawn Cunningham © 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC With board chair Arne Jonynas under the weather and members Dan Cote and Heather Chase traveling, the July 19 Chester Select Board could have been canceled for lack of a quorum. But using a speaker phone — which is allowed by the state law that permits members […]
Weston Playhouse directing trio to step down next year
By Shawn Cunningham and Cynthia Prairie © 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC Thirty years after taking the reins as artistic directors at the Weston Playhouse Theatre Company, Malcolm Ewen, Tim Fort and Steve Stettler announced today that they will be stepping down after the 2018 season. The announcement came in a press release this morning. In […]
Volunteers prep for annual book sale
© 2017 Telegraph Publishing, LLC The weather was warm and sunny on Friday afternoon as a host of volunteers laid out scores of cartons of books sorted by topic ahead of the Wilder Memorial Library’s annual book sale. The event is a fundraiser for Weston’s public library and will occur under the tents in Farrar […]
Court allows supervised work hours for Chester sex assault defendant
By Shawn Cunningham © 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC WHITE RIVER JUNCTION Chester resident Ryan Stocker appeared before the Windsor County Superior Court Criminal Division twice this week, the second and third time he has come into this courthouse since he was charged in late June with two counts of sexual assault, On Tuesday, he appeared […]
Chester Planning Commission reboots with new members
By Shawn Cunningham © 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC Nearly five months after three resignations deprived it of a quorum, the Chester Planning Commission reorganized itself with four of its five seats filled on Monday, July 17. Newly appointed members Barre Pinske and Tim Roper were welcomed by commission chair Naomi Johnson who worked through introductions, […]
VSP investigates three Rockingham burglaries
© 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC Vermont State Police from the Westminster Barracks are investigating two commercial and one residential burglary in the town of Rockingham. This morning at about 6:18, police were notified of a break-in and burglary at the Cambridgeport store at 997 Saxtons River Road in Cambridgeport. Police say that overnight, someone broke […]
Derry area youths to contend for regional baseball titles
By Shawn Cunningham © 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC Two Manchester Youth Baseball teams will be heading to Massachusetts this weekend as Vermont state champions. In a tournament earlier this month, the 12-year-olds and under and 10-year-olds and under teams won the right to play in the regional competition of the Cal Ripken Baseball League. The […]
Rash of overnight burglaries along Rt. 30 keeps VSP busy
By Shawn Cunningham © 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC Four burglaries with similar circumstances and timing along Route 30 in West Townshend and Jamaica were reported to Vermont State Police today. Early this morning, the West Townshend Cafe reported that overnight, someone had pulled out a window air conditioner and crawled into the building through the […]
Conservancy nears goal to create access to Chester swimming hole
By Shawn Cunningham © 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC Less than a year ago, then-Chester Select Board chair John DeBenedetti asked Lydia Menendez how the Vermont River Conservancy would raise the money needed to buy 1.84 acres and a create public access to the Rainbow Rock swimming hole and give it to the town. “Magic,” quipped […]
Chester tax rates decline again; resident seeks to buy town land
By Shawn Cunningham © 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC Chester’s tax rates are dropping again this year as they have for several years. At its July 5 meeting, the Select Board set the non-residential tax rate at $1.9793 per $100 of assessed value and the homestead rate at $1.9274. Last year’s rates were $2.0182 and $1.9545 […]
Possible lightning strike destroys Chester home, storms wreak more havoc
By Shawn Cunningham © 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC Chester residents Dennis and Jan Rounds lost their Chester home to a fire in the early hours of Sunday. No one was at home at the time. Chester firefighters, who spent the early hours of Sunday morning extinguishing the house fire on Fenton Road, speculated that the […]
Photo Gallery: Green Mountain graduates 54 in class of 2017
By Shawn Cunningham © 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC On a warm, humid night with thunderstorms predicted, Green Mountain Union High School seniors, their families and friends gathered in the school’s gymnasium. “It’s hot,” said Principal Tom Ferenc,“but there’s a really good vibe here though.” Salutatorian Mackenzie Walton got a big laugh saying that he used […]
Missing Grafton man found less than a mile from home
By Shawn Cunningham © 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC Search and rescue teams from the Vermont State Police, New England K9 and Upper Valley Wilderness Response picked up the search for Thomas Brown, 84, of Grafton, on early Tuesday and within a couple of hours found the man “conscious and alert” at 198 Fire Pond Road. […]
