Author Archive for The Chester Telegraph
Sheila K. Garaffa, 83, of Chester
Sheila K. Garaffa of Chester, formerly of Berkeley Heights, N.J., died at her home on Feb. 24, 2025. She was 83. Sheila was born on June 29, 1941 to Henry and Eileen Lewis of Kearny, N.J. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband of 39 years, Frank Garaffa, and her brother […]
To the editor: Come to Chester Housing Commission Open House; enter to win a sleigh ride!
Having had my first cup of coffee, I headed out to the barn to do Thursday morning’s chores. The first three days of last week had been busy: Town Meeting on Monday night, a Select Board meeting Wednesday night and, at the polls on Tuesday, I did hand out information about the Chester Housing Commission’s […]
College News
Makenna Milbauer of Grafton graduated with a BA in Psychology from the University of South Carolina Beaufort in Bluffton, S.C., in December 2024. The following local residents were named to the Dean’s List at Hamilton College, in Clinton, N.Y., for the fall 2024 semester. To be named to the Hamilton College Dean’s List, a student […]
To the editor: When Canadians hid American diplomats from Iran
Jan. 27th marked the 45th anniversary of the escape from Iran of six American diplomats during the Iran Hostage Crisis. The six Americans had eluded capture by the Iranian students who had overrun the U.S. embassy in Tehran. Fifty Americans were taken hostage. Canadian diplomats hid the six Americans for 79 days inside their embassy […]
To the editor: Vermont showed the world it stands with Ukraine
The last weekend videos about our brave little state standing with Ukraine were seen around the world. A heartfelt thanks from me and my compatriots to all Vermonters who have expressed their support for my native country after the shocking decision of the United States to side with Russia on the U.N. Security Council resolution […]
Chester Select Board agenda for March 5
The Chester Select Board will hold it regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday March 5 at Town Hall, 556 Elm St. and via Zoom. To join the meeting via Zoom click here. Below is its agenda. 1. Reorganization of Board 2. Adopt Rules of Procedure 3. Additions or Deletions to the Agenda 4. Approval […]
To the editor: GM Board incumbent Perlah seeks write-in votes
To the Residents of Chester, I am announcing my run as a write-in candidate for a three-year term as a representative from Chester to the Board of Directors of the Green Mountain Unified School District. I have been a member of the Green Mountain Unified School District Board of Directors for the past six years. […]
Andover Select Board agenda for Feb. 24
The Andover Select Board will hold its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday Feb. 24, 2025 at the 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 February 10th meeting. 4. Public Comment (Time allowance: Five minutes per visitor, […]
To the editor: Ignoring the poor, enriching the rich
I am ashamed of our president. On the one hand, he is trying to eliminate the United States Agency for International Development and reduce the help America gives to the world’s poor. On the other hand, he has proposed America lead in developing Gaza into a “Riviera of the Middle East,” for the enjoyment of […]
West River Farmers Market in Londonderry opens vendor application process
The West River Farmers Market, one of the oldest and most vibrant farmers markets in Vermont, now in its 32th year, is seeking farmers, artists, craftspeople and food vendors to apply for its 2025 summer season, which runs every Saturday from Memorial Day weekend to Indigenous People’s Day weekend. Vendors must grow, create or make […]
Chester Select Board agenda for Feb. 19
The Chester Select Board will hold its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday Feb. 19, 2025 at Town Hall, 556 Elm Street and via Zoom. To join the meeting via Zoom go to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81988842129 Below is the board’s agenda 1. Additions or Deletions to the Agenda 2. Approval of Minutes from the Select Board […]
To the editor: Public invited to address legislators’ Rural Caucus
This is not a typical legislative session because: the massive effort to improve the education system is dominating everything (no decisions have been made yet) and, the federal government’s changing funding policies are sowing uncertainty and making decision-making very difficult as we go into the budget process. That said, there is plenty of good work […]
To the editor: We don’t need a King Donald
Elon Musk and his 20-something year-old code writers are having a field day dismantling their favorite bogeyman, the Deep State, otherwise known as the Civil Service. Several million federal workers were bullied into accepting a questionable “deferred resignation” or face being summarily fired. Musketeers now have access to the Treasury Department’s payment system, which disperses […]
College News
Two local undergraduate students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute of Worcester, Mass., were named to the university’s fall 2024 Dean’s List. The criteria for the WPI Dean’s List differ from that of most other universities as WPI does not compute a grade point average. Instead, WPI students are named to the Dean’s List based on the […]
Op-ed: Clark sues to block Trump actions
By Charity Clark Vermont Attorney General In the chaos of President Trump’s first three weeks in office, I sued on behalf of Vermont to block unconstitutional or illegal actions. President Trump’s executive orders and early actions reflect his campaign promises and dark view of the state of the union. Unfortunately, at least three of these […]
Op-ed: Be brave little state, defend public education
By John Castle Gov. Phil Scott has provided his shock and aw-shucks proposal for rescuing taxpayers and claiming to improve education along the way. Finding renewed hubris with the “red wave” of new Republicans in the State House and Democrats running scared, Gov. Scott is seizing the opportunity with a misguided overhaul of our public […]
To the editor: Share Heat fundraiser for Family Center an encouraging community event
It was encouraging to participate in the Share Heat fundraiser at Vermont Vines last Saturday, where dozens of people came together to raise money for the Chester-Andover Family Center. As the press release in The Chester Telegraph explained, the money will be available to local residents who have trouble paying their heating bills. It was […]
To the editor: A teacher’s view: Vermont legislature needs to ban cellphones from schools
I am a science teacher at Green Mountain UHS in Chester. I urge you to support the Phone- and Social Media-Free Schools bill in the legislature (H.54 and S.21). When I first heard of such a bill, I thought it was over the top. But, I read the testimony from last session, reflected on my […]
To the editor: Cavendish Streetscapes’ flower boxes vandalized
What is wrong with this picture to the right? There is only one flower box instead of three along the Depot Street bridge in Proctorsville. The missing boxes were smashed and tossed into the frozen river and looking over the railing, you can see the evidence of this crime. With generous support from the community, […]
Mark Huntley, 68, of Cavendish
Mark Allen Huntley, 68, of Cavendish, passed from this life on Feb. 3, 2025 after a long illness despite his best efforts to the contrary. “…Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” Dylan Thomas Born on June 4, 1956, he was raised by Lucinda Shepherd in […]
