REGION – Below is a list of the top stories of 2024 that appeared in The Vermont Journal.
JAN. 13 –Local brewery celebrates third opening
PROCTORSVILLE, Vt. – The Outer Limits tap room finally opened its doors again on Friday, Jan. 13. The Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce welcomed the business back with a ribbon cutting ceremony. “This was our third opening,” owner Wesley Tice remarked. First was the grand opening in 2019, then they were shut down in 2020 during the pandemic, and now, back again after another disaster.
By Paula Benson
JAN. 22 – BFUHS junior captures back-to-back titles
WESTMINSTER, Vt. – Bellows Falls Union High School (BFUHS) junior and Bellows Falls resident Laura Kamel recently captured her second consecutive track and field, Division III State Championship in the discus. Her toss of 34.34 meters was tops in the state in her division at the Southern Vermont League Championship. Laura also placed eighth in the state in the javelin with a throw of 22.42 meters, and also competed in the high jump.
By Joe Milliken
JAN. 24 –Ludlow STR registry vote fails
LUDLOW, Vt. – A motion to create a short-term rental (STR) registry in Ludlow failed in a split 2-2 vote at the Wednesday, Jan. 24, special joint meeting of the Ludlow Selectboard and Village Trustees. In total, four members representing the Ludlow Selectboard, and two representing the Village Trustees, were present at the meeting, which constituted a quorum of both boards, allowing for votes to legally be taken.
By Nick Giberti
JAN. 29 – Layne Millington offered TRSU superintendent position
CAVENDISH, Vt.— After a three-month-long search process culminating in a public Meet the Candidates event on Monday, Jan. 29, the Two Rivers Supervisory Union (TRSU) Board has decided to offer the position of superintendent to Layne Millington, according to minutes TRSU shared with the Journal from their Feb. 1 regular meeting. Currently the superintendent of Orange Southwest School District (which covers the towns of Randolph, Braintree, and Brookfield), Millington will replace Lauren Fierman, who resigned during the Green Mountain Union High School mascot controversy.
By Lorien Strange
FEB. 2 – Newly-renovated Studio 92 hosts open house
BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – Studio 92, a new hair salon and art space located on The Square in Bellows Falls, officially opened their doors on Feb. 2. The owners, hair stylist Erica Daniels and artist Tim Wells, who met in Boston in 2020, had moved to Walpole in 2021, and after scouting around the area for a salon for Erica to work at, decided that opening her own salon was a better path to take. Then, while visiting nearby Bellows Falls, they wandered around and fell in love with the town.
By Joe Milliken
FEB. 20 – America’s oldest cheesemaker turns 100
MOUNT HOLLY, Vt. – In 1824, the Crowley family of Healdville, Vt., started producing handcrafted, raw milk cheese from their kitchen in the family farmhouse. The Crowley Cheese Factory was built by A. Winfield Crowley in 1882. While continuing to make their cheese by hand in small batches, they were able to increase production, and began shipping their product via the railroads to “the shores of Maine and the streets of Manhattan.”
By Paula Benson
FEB. 23 – Little Mexico serves up big flavor at Okemo Marketplace
LUDLOW, Vt. – Last July, restaurateur Oscar Torres was ready to move forward with opening his new venture, Little Mexico, in Ludlow, Vt. One week after signing the lease, Vermont experienced the epic July 2023 flood disaster, and the plaza took on a landslide of water, mud, and debris that filled the parking lot, flooded the shops, and left destruction in its wake. When Torres and his team were finally able to celebrate the restaurant’s grand opening in late February 2024, the space was a renovated, functioning work in progress.
By Paula Benson
FEB. 27 – Allen Brothers Market to go solar
WESTMINSTER, Vt. – Allen Brothers Market, a deli, bakery, farm stand, and garden center located on Route 5 in Westminster, has been awarded a $780,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Energy for America program to construct a solar array on a parcel of land that the Allen family owns in nearby Rockingham. The grant will cover roughly 50% of the project’s overall costs. This comes after the Allens had sold their fuel oil business in order to go with green energy.
By Joe Milliken
MARCH 9 – Proctorsville welcomes The Grafton Cheese Company
PROCTORSVILLE, Vt. – Grafton Village Cheese Company first began cheddaring in 1892. While the company has since expanded beyond its early roots, now producing an award-winning line of artisanal cave-aged varieties, the tradition of making handcrafted cheeses using premium raw milk from local, family farms continues. Recently, the village of Proctorsville became the latest home to the acclaimed cheesemakers.
By Paula Benson
MARCH 12 – Miss Bellows Falls update
BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – After having already received grants from the Preservation Trust of Vermont, the State of Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, and a Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant, Rockingham For Progress hired a project manager, Andrew Dey, and also brought in architectural designer Raphael Rosner of Austin Design Cooperative, to create the conceptual design of the renovation project. The project will include the restoration of the dining car itself, plus a redesign and rebuild of the kitchen, dining area, and bathroom addition to better support the successful operation of the diner.
By Joe Milliken
MARCH 19 – Vermonters make plans for rare total solar eclipse
PROCTORSVILLE, Vt. – The audience was standing room only on Tuesday, March 19, at the Cavendish Fletcher Community Library in Proctorsville. The crowd had gathered for the Eclipse 2024 presentation, given by astronomer Claudio Véliz, and sponsored by the Cavendish Community and Conservation Association (CCCA). A former astrophysics professor at Columbia University, Véliz has worked with NASA and the Hayden Planetarium, and was excited to dive into his presentation on Vermont’s potential front row seat to the April 8 solar eclipse.
By Paula Benson
APRIL 10 – Apple Blossom Queens share memories
REGION – In 1966, all the girls that wanted to be a part of Apple Blossom had an interview prior to being selected. Ultimately, 20 girls were chosen. Everyone wore white dresses, and they used their scarves as props. The escorts had top hats and canes, and, according to Kelly Flynn, “The escorts did a dance on their own. I remember they kept losing their top hats, which gave the audience a good laugh.”
APRIL 15 – Plymouth to revote on Bethany Birches tax exemption
PLYMOUTH, Vt. – The board approved the warning to hold a special meeting to host a revote on Bethany Birches being exempt from educational taxes for five years. The topic became heated, with resident Robert Lambert asserting that the issue had already been voted on. “In my opinion, we shouldn’t be voting again on this for five years.” Cappellini expressed, “Bob, your point is valid…but Vermont statute allows for this.”
By Shawntae Webb
APRIL 17 – New “Listen Local” radio show promotes local musicians, venues
PUTNEY, Vt. – Mitch Harrison, owner of Next Chapter Records in Putney, is now hosting a weekly radio show each Sunday, on WTSA-FM in Brattleboro. The concept of the new radio show is to promote a variety of music venues in the area, as well as the local artists and bands who perform at these venues. In a recent interview, Harrison was asked how the idea for this new radio show came about.
By Joe Milliken
MAY 1 – Chester tackles nuisance goats
CHESTER, Vt. – The Chester Selectboard met on the first day of May, for their first of two bimonthly Wednesday meetings. The central topic under discussion was the creation of a nuisance ordinance dealing with unrestrained livestock in town, stemming primarily from a recurring issue in the area of the intersection of Andover Road and Potash Brook Road.
By Nick Giberti
MAY 4 – Taylor Claflin crowned 66th Apple Blossom Queen
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – The 66th Apple Blossom took place at the Riverside Middle School in Springfield, Vt., on Friday, May 3, and Saturday, May 4, and Taylor Claflin was announced as this year’s queen. Her dancing partner was Matthew Winter. Members of her court were selected, and they are Lorelei Bertone, partnered with Logan Roundy; and Molly Tennis, partnered with Armando Stettner.
MAY 13 – Londonderry’s heated discussion on zoning bylaws
LONDONDERRY, Vt. – Board Chair Tom Cavanagh opened the May 13 meeting, stating that he found many changes that he’d like to make to the bylaws before the public hearing date should be set. As in the previous meeting, board members Melissa Brown and Martha Dale disagreed with Cavanagh, expressing their desire to move forward with the public meeting.
By Shawntae Webb
MAY 23 – New England Cider Donuts sets up a sweet shop in Ludlow
LUDLOW, Vt. – New England Cider Donuts celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, May 23. Memorial Day weekend brought a perfect two days of warm, sunny skies, and a steady stream of customers into the shop.
By Paula Benson
JUNE 3 – Cheshire Bridge Project delayed and revised after local pushback
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Town manager Jeff Mobus updated the meeting on the Cheshire Bridge Project, announcing that, after hearing feedback from residents and business owners about the negative impact a 34-week bridge closure would have on them, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) delayed the project and designed an alternative.
By Paula Benson
JUNE 17 – Chief Burnham reports on “bogus” bomb threat
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Police Chief Jeff Burnham was in attendance to report on an incident that had occurred earlier that day. The department received a 911 call of a reported bomb in a backpack at the bus stop on Main Street at the Springfield Food Coop. After collaborating with the fire department, state police, and officers from Chester and Weathersfield, it was confirmed the bomb was “bogus,” and Burnham was able to reopen Main Street to traffic.
By Paula Benson
JUNE 19 – Chester enacts revised STR ordinance
CHESTER, Vt. – The Chester Selectboard held their second monthly meeting on Wednesday, June 19, once again discussing two pending ordinances, and eventually enacting their long-discussed short-term rental (STR) ordinance. The STR ordinance has been through multiple rounds of revision and comment by both the board and Chester’s attorney Jim Caroll.
By Nick Giberti
JUNE 22 – Rockingham votes to move Town Meeting to Saturday
ROCKINGHAM, Vt. – The Town of Rockingham held a special town meeting at the Bellows Falls Middle School on Saturday, June 22, at 2 p.m., to give voters an opportunity to discuss and vote on whether to continue to hold the annual Town Meeting on Monday nights, or to move it to Saturday. With 45 “Yes” votes and 7 “No” votes, it was decided Town Meeting will be held on Saturday, beginning in 2025.
By Paula Benson
JUNE 28 – Local hockey player drafted by Boston Bruins
BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – Bellows Falls native Elliot Groenewold, a local student-athlete and son of David and Suzanne Groenewold of Springfield, was recently drafted by the Boston Bruins in the fourth round of the 2024 National Hockey League (NHL) draft. Groenewold is a left-handed-shooting defenseman.
By Joe Milliken
JUNE 28 – Shaw’s reopens in Ludlow
LUDLOW, Vt. – Nearly a year after closing, having lost all its inventory and sustained significant damage in the flood of July 2023, Shaw’s in Ludlow held its grand reopening on Friday morning, June 28, at 9 a.m. The long-empty parking lot was full to capacity, with many residents, town officials, Shaw’s employees, and members of the Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony.
By Nick Giberti
JUNE 30 – Ludlow Fire Chief Peter Kolenda retires
LUDLOW, Vt. – Retiring Ludlow Fire Chief Peter Kolenda waved as he exited the Ludlow Fire Station on Sunday, June 30, at 12 p.m. Kolenda was being honored with a boisterous “escort home,” sirens blaring and lights flashing in celebration of the chief’s last day on the job. Kolenda recently announced his retirement from the department, after serving the town for 25 years.
By Paula Benson
JULY 1 – Londonderry receives seven planning commission resignations
LONDONDERRY, Vt. – Board Chair Tom Cavanagh moved on to announce the resignations from planning commission members. He said there were “so many” resignation letters, “I’m not going to read them out loud.”
By Shawntae Webb
JULY 20 – Grafton Fire Department celebrates 100-year history
GRAFTON, Vt. – It was at a 1924 Town Meeting that the Grafton Fire Company was first officially approved. In 1925, the company took over a garage on Kidder Hill Road, where they housed a hand-drawn and hand-operated pumper. Built circa 1830, the pumper is on display at the Grafton Historical Society.
By Paula Benson
AUG. 12 – Springfield restricts firearms discharge in Hartness Park
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Initially, Springfield Trails & Rural Economy (ST&RE) had presented the selectboard with a request to ban hunting in the park. After reviewing state statutes, it was determined that a town does not have the authority to ban hunting, but they are allowed to regulate or prohibit the use of firearms and ammunition.
By Paula Benson
AUG. 24 – Blue Duck Deli opens after yearlong delay
LUDLOW, Vt. – The Blue Duck Deli, located at 117 Main Street, Ludlow, has recently opened, bringing a new flavor into town. After suffering a yearlong setback in opening due to the catastrophic flood in July 2023, Bex Prasse and Craig Kovalsky are looking forward to bringing their unique experiences to the culinary scene in Ludlow.
By Bridget Cunningham
AUG. 24 – Fourth annual Best of Vermont Summer Festival
LUDLOW, Vt. – The Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce hosted the fourth annual Best of Vermont Summer Festival on Saturday, Aug. 24, and Sunday, Aug. 25, at Okemo Field in Ludlow, Vt.
SEPT. 3 – Historic preservation commission receives Excellence Award
ROCKINGHAM, Vt. – A special meeting began at 5 p.m., where Laura Trieschmann, state historic preservation officer with the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation (VDHP), presented the Rockingham Historic Preservation Commission (RHPC) and coordinator Walter Wallace with the “first ever” Excellence Award.
By Paula Benson
SEPT. 18 – Chester holds rural zoning hearing
CHESTER, Vt. – Due to the concerns voiced about density-based zoning, the board recessed the hearing for a future meeting, asking Quinn and the planning commission to consider adding minimum lot size requirements to the new zones as an added layer of security against overly dense localized development.
By Nick Giberti
SEPT. 21 – 50th annual Chester Festival on The Green
CHESTER, Vt. – This year, the Chester Festival on the Green celebrated its 50th anniversary with even more fun and entertainment for the whole family.
OCT. 7 – Londonderry will not assist with FEMA process, O’Keefe resigns
LONDNDERRY, Vt. – At their Oct. 7 meeting, the Londonderry Selectboard discussed a trash compactor, the FEMA hazard mitigation grant program application processes, and the resignation of town administrator Shane O’Keefe.
By Shawntae Webb
OCT. 16 – DNA confirms rare sturgeon fish in Connecticut River
BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – During an ongoing study and investigation being led by the Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC), DNA from the endangered shortnose sturgeon fish has been detected for the first time in the Connecticut River, between Bellows Falls and Turners Falls, Mass.
By Joe Milliken
OCT. 23 – Cost cuts may be demise of the Rockingham Health Center
BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – North Star Health has struggled recently, and therefore it was decided to close and consolidate the Rockingham facility because it was simply the most expensive to operate. The Rockingham providers will be moving to other North Star clinics in Springfield, Vt., and Charlestown, N.H., and patients will be able to follow their current providers, or choose other area facilities that are accepting new patients.
By Joe Milliken
NOV. 4 – FEMA denies Londonderry elevation and flood-proofing projects
LONDONDERRY, Vt. – The FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program has reported to the Town of Londonderry that they are not going to fund elevation or flood-proofing projects. Their main priorities are buyouts. The homeowners at 74 Main Street, who previously submitted a preapplication for elevation, requested to move forward with a buyout application.
By Shawntae Webb
NOV. 4 – Ludlow reopens STR discussion
LUDLOW, Vt. – The board revisited the notion of a short-term rental (STR) registry, a topic which has been long-discussed in Ludlow and many surrounding towns. A 2-2 tie vote led to the abandonment of a previous STR registry effort in January, but since the recent Trailside fire at Okemo, town manager Brendan McNamara said he had been receiving “a lot of feedback from the public regarding the town and short-term rentals, and a rental registry.”
By Nick Giberti
NOV. 7 – Great Falls Regional Chamber of Commerce director retiring
BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – The Great Falls Regional Chamber of Commerce (GFRCC) recently announced that the organization’s popular executive director Deb Collier will soon be retiring from the position after seven years of serving our local community and its businesses with pride and enthusiasm.
By Joe Milliken
NOV. 18 – Resignation in Londonderry sparks public input
LONDONDERRY, Vt. – At the Nov. 18 Londonderry Selectboard meeting, town administrator Shane O’Keefe announced they received a resignation letter from Emmett Dunbar, cochair of the SoLo Master Planning Task Force. Rachel Febbie, a previous Williams Dam advisory committee member, also wrote to the town acknowledging Dunbar’s resignation.
By Shawntae Webb
DEC. 11 – Green Mountain’s Jake Walker named Coach of the Year
CHESTER, Vt. – In recognition of his triumphant season, the Vermont State Coaches Association (VSCA) honored Walker as Small-School Coach of the Year, and Overall Coach of the Year.
By Paula Benson
DEC. 14 – Mountain Munchkins opens in Ludlow
LUDLOW, Vt. – Dan and Ali Singleton have embarked on a brand-new venture – a passion project of sorts for Ali – a children’s boutique on Main Street in Ludlow called Mountain Munchkins. With an adorable logo designed by Wavy Grape Graphic Design Studio, Mountain Munchkins moved into the office on Main recently vacated by Huntley Financials.
By Paula Benson
DEC. 16 – Londonderry to hold exit interviews
LONDONDERRY, Vt. – At the Dec. 16 Londonderry Selectboard meeting, the board voted to hold exit interviews with individuals who resigned over the last six months, in order to get a better scope on what went wrong, and determine where the board can improve in the future.
By Shawntae Webb
DEC. 18 – Chester holds heated hearing on rural rezoning
CHESTER, Vt. – The Chester Selectboard hearing on rezoning the rural districts, held on Dec. 18, began with Planning Commission Chair Hugh Quinn explaining the changes made to the proposed Unified Development Bylaws since the previous hearing in late October. The tone of the meeting became increasingly tense as it unfolded.
By Nick Giberti
DEC. 21 – All aboard the Okemo Valley Holiday Express
REGION – All aboard the Okemo Valley Holiday Express! The Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce invites everyone to experience the magic of the season with a special train ride this Dec. 21 and 22.
DEC. 21 – Starry, Starry Night in Chester
CHESTER, Vt. – Visit Chester, Vt., on Dec. 21, from 4-7 p.m., for Starry, Starry Night. Follow the luminaries throughout town to over 20 participating businesses offering refreshments and special events.