All Entries in the "Featured" Category
One challenger in Select Board elections; voters face fiscal issues at Town Meeting
Just one non-incumbent is seeking a seat on the Chester Select Board, where three of the five terms are up for election: one 3-year term held by Bill Lindsay and two one-year seats held by Tom Bock and Arne Jonynas. Newcomer Tami Ravlin, a 40-year-old lifelong resident of Chester, is hoping to win a one-year […]
From the editor: Thank you for an exciting 1st year
One year ago, if you were interested in news about Chester, you might find the occasional story – fire, crime, accident or town government issue – in the Southern Vermont sections of the Rutland Herald or the Eagle Times. Or chances are, you turned to the blog at Chestervermont.org. But for the past year, The […]
New Bartonsville Covered Bridge opens
Photo Gallery by Cynthia Prairie It was a beautiful but freezing winter day that brought together many Vermonters to celebrate the opening of the new Bartonsville Covered Bridge. First, below is Susan Hammond’s famous video of the bridge collapsing. It helped bring attention to the efforts to rebuild it. Following that is the morning events […]
Chester among Windsor towns to vote on County Courthouse renovations
One issue that Chester voters will address on Tuesday, March 5 is whether to support a $2 million bond issue to upgrade the historic Windsor County Courthouse in Woodstock. Assistant Judges David Singer and Jack Anderson presented the issue before the Chester Select Board on Thursday evening, detailing the need for the renovations of the […]
Alternative plans spark strong objections from Dollar General developer, engineer
By Cynthia Prairie Speath Engineering and developer the Zaremba Group vigorously defended their site plan for a Dollar General store proposed for Main Street in Chester after the Windsor County Regional Planning Commission offered two alternatives during the continuation of the Act 250 hearing last Thursday. Click to view Alternative A and Alternative B. The […]
Life’s on track for 8-year-old racer and family
By Greg Hart Sports Editor You hold your breath as your son drives away for the first time. Excited, but anxious and nervous too, you’re happy as he takes yet another step toward independence. Your heart beats with a mixture of pride and fear as he picks up speed. It’s white knuckle time — yours […]
Act 250 hearing for Dollar General continues Thursday
Planning commission offers alternative plans The District 2 Environmental Commission has set Thursday, Jan. 17 to reconvene its Act 250 hearing on the proposed Dollar General project for a 1.37 acre parcel of land on Main Street across from the Country Girl Diner in Chester. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. on the 2nd […]
Sage Jewelry teams with Polish Pottery in bigger location
It was a chilly Saturday evening with snow, salt and sand still on the ground. But the move had to be done. Sage Jewelry, which for two years has sat snuggly inside the Moon Dog Cafe, on Main Street right off the Green in Chester, needed larger digs. Jeweler and owner Michele Bargfrede was teaming […]
Tis the Season: Unusual holiday gifts for every budget and everyone
By Cynthia Prairie There are few reasons to leave Chester to shop for that very special holiday gift for that very special person. Chester abounds with interesting items in all price ranges — if you know where to look. Whether the recipient is your spouse or lover, a child, your pets or friends who love […]
Holly Jolly beginning of Christmas season
The second weekend of Overture of Christmas featured a puppet show at VTica, gingerbread house judging, caroling, storytelling and a live Nativity Scene. The 27th annual event was topped off with the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus and the lighting of the Town Tree. Click on any photo below to launch the photo gallery.
Overture to Christmas kicks off with kids’ crafts and carolers
Alight snow fell over Chester on Saturday, Dec. 1, the first day of Overture to Christmas, now in its 27th year. Following an elfish breakfast at the American Legion, children and parents packed tables at Chester-Andover Elementary School to paint pottery ornaments, create lace and bead candy canes and decorate Christmas cookies. The St. Luke’s […]
Act 250 Commission hears Dollar General proposal, residents’ concerns
By Cynthia Prairie Emotion tinged the afternoon testimony of many of the 13 people who spoke against the proposed Dollar General store on Friday, Nov. 9 before an audience at Chester Town Hall that at one point numbering more than 50. One by one, Chester business owners, residents and a second homeowner — who had […]
Giving thanks … to the chef
By Becki Trudell The Thanksgiving holiday is centered around a huge meal and, of course, family. But with the big meal comes hours of preparation — and a great, big mess. Peeling potatoes, chopping onions, basting a turkey and the inevitable dirty pans and soiled tablecloths are not likely to put a damper on your […]
Election Day proves busy for Chester voters; preferences reflect most of state
By the time the 2nd floor polling place doors opened at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, a line of patient Chester voters snaked down the stairs, out the front door of Town Hall and into a chilly but sunny day that continued to draw a steady stream of voters to cast their ballots. While the […]
Family center volunteers open new pantry doors, thrift shop to open Nov. 20
UPDATE: The Thrift Shop will open officially at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20. After weeks of hard work by eager volunteers from all over the area, the Chester-Andover Family Center has finally opened the doors to customers of its food pantry and moved most of its thrift shop goods into its new site at 908 […]
Bridge building
Construction of the new Bartonsville Covered Bridge in Rockingham is moving right along, thanks to Cold River Bridges of Walpole, NH, the same company that rebuilt Chester’s two bridges along Main Street last summer. The latticework in “Town lattice truss” style bridge, named for its developer Ithiel Town, is being built from West Coast Douglas […]
Dollar General’s Act 250 hearing set, public invited to seek ‘party status’
After five months of quiet, Zaremba Group LLC – the developer of a proposed 9,100-square-foot Dollar General store on Main Street across from the Country Girl Diner – has filed an application for the Act 250 permit (project No. 2S0699-3) it needs to proceed with its plans. The District 2 Environmental Commission, headquartered in Springfield, […]
Chester to seek Village Center Designation
By Cynthia Prairie Leanne Tingay, coordinator of the Vermont Downtown Program, came before the Chester Select Board on Wednesday Oct. 3 to urge the board to get behind efforts within the town to achieve a state Village Center Designation. And from the enthusiasm that the board expressed following her presentation, it appears that the town […]
Chester is Prettiest Painted Place in Vermont; makes Top 60 in nationals
Chester has been named among the Top 60 finalists of the Prettiest Painted Places competition, held by the Paint Quality Institute, and the only finalist from Vermont, making it the Prettiest Painted Place in the state. Two other Vermont towns applied: Bellows Falls and Stowe. The PQI is a 23-year-old organization aimed at educating consumers, […]
Fire destroys Brooks-Lackie house, but memories remain
Photos by Bill Revill, Lew Watters and Kaitlin O’Shea. Story follows. By Cynthia Prairie An uninhabited house in the Stone Village burns down. Although few residents have ever seen the inside of it, many are moved to grief. Within minutes of posting photographs of the smoking ruins of the Brooks-Lackie House – or Kelley’s Tavern […]
