Author Archive for The Chester Telegraph
West River Farmers Market opens May 23 40 vendors to fill Williams Park in Londonderry
The West River Farmers Market will make its 2026 season debut from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 23. This vibrant market, one of the oldest and largest in the state with more than 40 vendors, is located at the Williams Park at the junction of Route 11 and Route 100 in Londonderry. […]
Windsor man sentenced to 4+ years as felon with firearms
A 31-year-old Windsor County man has been sentenced to 53 months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms. On Friday, May 8, Kyle Pickett, 31, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss in Burlington. According to court records, on Nov. 25, […]
Food Shelf at Family Center closed this week
The Chester Andover Family Center Food Shelf, 908 VT-103 in Chester, will be closed this week due to insulation work in the building. The Food Shelf is usually open from 1 to 7 p.m. on Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, but must close on Thursday, May 14 and Friday, May 15 […]
Forum on education transformation bill set for May 11 at Springfield H.S.
Community members are invited to attend an upcoming educational forum focused on Vermont’s current education transformation legislation, H 955. The event will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, May 11 at the Springfield High School Auditorium, 303 South St. in Springfield. The forum is designed to provide clear, up-to-date information on the […]
College News
Grace Tyrrell of Cavendish, a member of Stonehill College’s Class of 2026, was recently inducted into Lambda Epsilon Sigma, the honor society at the Easton, Mass., college. The organization recognizes outstanding juniors and seniors who have demonstrated an excitement for learning and sharing their knowledge. Also, Tyrrell was recently honored with a certificate of achievement […]
Chester Select Board agenda for May 6
The Chester Select Board will hold its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6 at Town Hall, 556 Elm St., and remotely via Zoom. Below is its agenda. 1. Approval of Minutes of April 15, 2026 Select Board Meeting 2. Citizen’s Comments 3. Old Business 4. Green Mountain Power Upgrades; Tim Jones 5. […]
To the editor: Brickner says he’ll fight for housing affordability, a reformed Act 181
I am running for Vermont Senate in the Windsor District. When my wife and I put down roots in Windsor County, we were looking for something that has become hard to find: a place to raise a family and belong to a real community. We found it here. For seven years I’ve served my neighbors, […]
Op-ed: Keep our schools to keep our town
By Carl Henshaw ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC At a recent Chester Planning Commission meeting, Kellen Appleton and Allison Hopkins from the Mount Ascutney Regional Commission shared a statistic that stopped me cold. Chester’s average age is rising one year for every two that pass. At that pace, within 30 years, our average resident will be […]
GMUSD budget re-vote informational meeting May 5
The Green Mountain Union School District will hold a informational meeting regarding the District’s school budget ahead of a May 12 re-vote at 6 p.m. on May 5, 2026 at Green Mountain Union High School, 716 Route 103 south in Chester and remotely via Zoom. Below is the board’s agenda: I. Call to Order II. […]
June Swomley, 92, of Connecticut and Chester
June Kutchera Swomley, of Bloomfield, Conn., died on Monday, April 13, at the age of 92. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, James “Jim” Swomley, in 2021. They both received wonderful care from the staff at Caleb Hitchcock, Duncaster’s Memory Care Unit, for a number of years. June was born in Bismarck, N.D., daughter […]
Andover Select Board agenda for April 27
The Andover Select Board will hold its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 27 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 April 13th meeting. 4. Public Comment (Time allowance: Five minutes per visitor, […]
From the editor: Speaker Krowinski has an epiphany
By Cynthia Prairie ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC If you were having trouble putting your finger on that one thing that bugs you about the Whiz Kids on the Winooski (aka the Vermont legislature) you only have to read the recent apologia of House Speaker Jill Krowinski concerning the ill-considered Act 181. But first, let’s recap […]
To the editor: GM schools face a disturbing trend of non-acceptance
The GMUSD superintendent suggests that the school board consider a “flag policy” and further suggests that the policy includes limiting classroom materials that do not relate directly to school curricula. At the most recent school board meeting a Chester resident suggested that classrooms should be inspected to see if they include LGBTQ+ or Black Lives […]
Part 3: Disability Rights: Building a Vermont for everyone
By Anne Henshaw ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC If housing, healthcare, and transportation determine whether disabled Vermonters can live in community, public education determines whether they were ever fully a part of their community to begin with. For many disabled children, school is their first public community. It is the first place where systems affirm their […]
Chester 8th grader takes a turn as a legislative page in Montpelier
Chester resident Shepherd Finch, an 8th grader and legislative page, leads the Pledge of Allegiance for lawmakers on his first day as a page prior to the legislative day beginning in Montpelier. Video provided by the Nick Caporaso family. ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC Eighth-grade Chester resident Shepherd Finch is getting an insider’s look at the […]
To the editor: At GMUSD board meeting, students inspire in defense of their educators
I am writing this letter as an individual, as a parent, and as a member of this community — not in my capacity as a member of the Green Mountain Unified School District board. The views expressed here are my own. On Monday evening, the board of the Green Mountain Unified School District held a […]
GMUSD board agenda for April 16
The Green Mountain Unified School District Board will hold its regular meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday April 16 at the Green Mountain High School 716 Route 103 south in Chester. Below is the board’s agenda: I. Call to Order 6:00 PM a. Roll Call – Confirming a Quorum II. Approval of Agenda a. Additions […]
Pomfret Select Board chair announces run for Windsor District Senate seat
Benjamin Brickner, chair of the Pomfret Select Board and a practicing attorney whose work includes regulatory and policy matters, has announced his candidacy for Vermont Senate in the Windsor District. He announced his candidacy on Monday at the Pomfret Town Hall, where he was to deliver remarks outlining his priorities for the district’s 25 towns, […]
Part 2: Disability Rights: Housing, healthcare and mobility challenge Vermonters
By Anne Henshaw ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC Thanks to the efforts of the Vermont Coalition of Disability Rights, the Vermont Legislature voted on a House resolution declaring Feb. 11, 2026, Disability Advocacy Day. Families, self-advocates, service providers and legislators gathered at the Vermont Statehouse under a shared call to action: disability policy is every policy. […]
To the editor: Rural Caucus members urge repeal of Tier 3, Road Rule in Act 181
Due to the widespread concern about the potential impacts of Act 181 (the reform of Act 250) I will be holding a discussion/Q&A at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 19 at the New American Grill, 5700 Vermont Rte 100, in Londonderry. Please join us. What is Act 181? And what are people concerned about? Act […]