All Entries in the "Latest News" Category
Chester board talks changes in finances, tax collection, budget voting
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC With auditor Ron Smith attending the Wednesday, Sept. 2 meeting, the Chester Select Board again considered some big changes in the way the town handles its finances and tax collection and how the budget is approved. The board looked at a “fund balance policy,” and the idea […]
Facilitators chosen for Act 170 school merger talks to begin in October
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Vermont Learning Collaborative announced on Friday the names of the seven Act 170 facilitators who will guide school districts in evaluating the possibility of voluntary school mergers between now and Sept. 1, 2027. Any proposed mergers will be voted on by the communities involved in the […]
Musical fund-raiser to benefit new Grafton Community Nurse program
By Cynthia Prairie ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC A small group of Grafton musicians is holding a fund-raising concert in late September to help benefit Grafton’s nascent Community Nurse effort as well as to honor the memory of two nurses who answered the call when needed. At 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, soprano Tricia Suriani and […]
GMUSD board hears disappointment in response to bullying
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC Running to almost two full pages, the Green Mountain Unified School District board agenda for Thursday, Aug. 20 was another gargantuan lift for the evening. But Board Chair Lisa Sanders requested a number of changes that consolidated the agenda worked to move things along. Nevertheless, a big […]
The Ultimate Guide to the 2026 Chester Festival
© 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC Welcome to the 52nd Chester Festival, a weekend filled with friendly faces, fine crafts, wonderful arts, great food and superb music and entertainment for the whole family. This year’s festival will be bigger than ever with more than 100 vendors. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. […]
Chester Select Board agenda for Sept. 2
The Chester Select Board will hold its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday Sept. 2 at Town Hall, 556 Elm St., and remotely via Zoom. Below is the board’s agenda: 1. Approval of Minutes of August 19, 2026 Select Board Meeting 2. Citizen’s Comments 3. Old Business 4. Economic Development Loan; Bright Beginnings 5. […]
Teen lifeguard recognized for lifesaving at Pinnacle swimming pool Select Board continues look at town services
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC The average Select Board meeting is a series of requests to be heard, problems to work out and questions to answer. But once in a while there’s a lighter, more celebratory moment like the one in Chester last Wednesday. That’s when recreation Director Matt McCarthy presented 16-year-old […]
Millington pulls out of Washington Central superintendent race
By Shawn Cunningham and Cynthia Prairie ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Chester Telegraph has confirmed that Two Rivers Superintendent Layne Millington has withdrawn his name from consideration for the superintendency of the Washington Central Unified Union School District,for which he was one of two finalists. After hearing early Monday morning that Millington had dropped out, The […]
GMUSD Board agenda for Aug. 20
The Green Mountain Unified School District Board will hold its regular meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday Aug. 20, 2026 at the Green Mountain High School 716 Route 103 South in Chester and remotely via Zoom. Below is the board’s agenda: I. Call to Order a. Roll Call, Confirming a Quorum II. Agenda Additions or […]
Chester Select Board agenda for Aug. 19
UPDATED 11:30 a.m. Aug. 17 with No. 7 added. The Chester Select Board will hold its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday Aug. 19, 2026 at Town Hall, 556 Elm St., and remotely via Zoom. Below is the board’s agenda: Approval of Minutes of Aug. 5, 2026 Select board Meeting\ Citizen’s Comments Old Business […]
Millington is finalist for Washington Central superintendent’s job TRSU super looks to leave after two years on job, despite new contract
UPDATED WITH STATEMENT FROM LAYNE MILLINGTON By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC Two Rivers school Superintendent Layne Millington is a finalist to take over the Washington Central Unified Union School District in the East Montpelier area as it seeks to replace former Superintendent Steve Dellinger-Pate, who resigned unexpectedly in June. If hired, Millington […]
Braucht family leads effort for new playground at Cavendish Town Office
By Lorien Strange ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC Between the removal of Greven Field’s beloved baseball backstop and debates about the town’s recreation director position, fun and games have been a serious matter in this year’s Cavendish Select Board meetings. But things took a lighter tone on Monday night. Earlier this year, Cavendish 6th grader Olivia […]
Free steel drum concert to benefit Weston Playhouse, celebrate 140 years of the Green
Come to Weston’s Town Green from 4 to 6 p.m. on Saturday Aug. 22 for a special Blue Flames Steel Band Concert to celebrate 140 years of the Weston Green and to benefit the Weston Community Association’s restoration of the Weston Playhouse. The music is free but all funds collected will go toward the Playhouse. […]
Chester board hears wastewater treatment upgrade plan $7million project would increase capacity for building in village area
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC For as long as The Telegraph has been covering Chester town government, an upgrade to the town’s sewage treatment plant has been a problem on a distant horizon. Last Wednesday, Dufresne Group engineer Naomi Johnson told the Select Board — in its alter ego as the Water […]
Chase loses in state Dem Senate race as White, Major and Burrows head to the General Election Weyant takes Dem primary for Windsor Sheriff as Lake stumbles
By Shawn Cunningham © 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC While the August primaries in Vermont are often characterized by uncontested races and low turnout and summer vacations take their own toll, every few cycles something happens to pique voters’ interest and draw them to their polling places. Tuesday’s most contested races locally have been county-wide, with […]
Communities come together in concern after ICE arrests in Londonderry
By Cynthia Prairie ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC About 130 people jammed into the meeting space and anterooms of Neighborhood Connections on Saturday morning, Aug. 8 – while 20 others stood outside – to learn more about the arrests Friday in Londonderry by ICE of five immigrant workers and to hear of strategies that individuals and […]
Sheriff candidate Lake put on administrative leave by Bellows Falls Police
By Michael Donoghue Vermont News First Embattled Windsor County Sheriff candidate Joshua Lake has been placed on paid administrative leave by the Bellows Falls Police Department while an independent investigation is undertaken about his exaggeration about possible crimes, officials said. Bellows Falls Police Chief David Bemis told Vermont News First the move was made after […]
ICE arrests five Manchester residents in Derry
By Cynthia Prairie ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC Five Manchester residents were detained by ICE around 8:30 this morning as they were driving east along Route 11 in Londonderry apparently toward a job, according to Migrant Justice, a Burlington-based advocacy group. Little is known about the situation other than a convoy of six unmarked SUVs, also […]
Andover Select Board agenda for Aug. 10
The Andover Select Board will hold its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday Aug. 10 at the Andover Town Hall, 953 Weston-Andover Road. Below is the board’s agenda: 1. Call Meeting to Order. 2. Act on Agenda. 3. Act on Minutes of July 27th meeting. 4. Public Comment (Time allowance: Five minutes per visitor, […]
Prosecutors say Lake admitted he ‘exaggerated’ claim against wife Windsor Sheriff's candidate also had denied he said she brandished gun, harmed child
By Michael Donoghue Vermont News First and Cynthia Prairie ©2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC A Windsor County Sheriff’s candidate from Chester is denying that he ever made claims in a private conversation to a Walpole, N.H., police officer in December 2025 that his wife pointed a gun at him and that she also abused their child […]