Botelle Beat
Student Leadership From Bell to Bell By Lauren Valentino As principal of Botelle School, one of my greatest joys is watching our students grow into thoughtful, responsible and active leaders. Families, community members and visitors to our school often notice the dedication of our fantastic teachers and staff, but what they might not realize is […]
Signed, Sealed and Delivered
Having left her mark indelibly on the Norfolk Post Office, Kathy Bascetta retired on Sept. 30 after 23 years with the Postal Service. A visit to the post office–the center point for most of the Norfolk community—will not be quite the same without her. Let neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night […]
There’s Much More Than Water in There
Elementary school students from Norfolk, Barkhamsted, Colebrook and Hartland gathered on Sept. 25 at the Riverton Fair Grounds to learn about the history of the Farmington River and its role in shaping the regional environment. Here, Botelle students, including Daphne Rutolo, learned about the many insects and other creatures that call the river home.
It’s Only Natural
Putting the Garden to Bed By Jill Chase The idea of “putting the garden to bed for the season” needs a refresh. Previous generations of gardeners subscribed to the idea of cutting everything to the ground to make it all tidy before winter. This now feels a bit old fashioned. If there’s no real benefit […]
Following the Fall Migration—One Birder’s View
By Jude Mead Every fall, the skies become highways for millions of migrating birds, many of them traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles to reach their wintering grounds. From tiny warblers and sparrows to hawks, geese and nighthawks, birds rely on a remarkable combination of instinct, environmental cues and, in some species, experience to […]
Selectman’s Corner
Norfolk’s Bounty of Fall Activities By Henry Tirrell The busy summer activities continue to wind down as we head into what we hope is going to be a beautiful fall. Whether it is the Norfolk Land Trust trail race (Oct. 4), the Tour de Forest (Oct. 17), the Haystack Book Festival (Oct. 2-4), the town […]
Eye on Town Government
New Committees, Bridges Occupy Selectmen By Avice Meehan The Board of Selectmen (BoS) kicked off the Sept. 2 meeting with a report from Town Clerk Debbie Nelson on the effectiveness of extended summer hours and recommendations for how to manage the 2027 schedule. The BoS also addressed the value of creating ad hoc committees to […]
Nips in Norfolk
Tiny bottles, big concerns By Joe Kelly Fall has arrived in Norfolk with a nip in the air and, as always, plenty of “nips” on the streets. Strolling around town one can’t help but notice the small plastic bottles, often with enticing names—Fireball Whisky, Tennessee Honey, 99 Bananas, Pink Whitney—that once held 50 milliliters (1.7 […]
Hannafin Pays Penalty
By Joe Kelly Larry Hannafin has paid the penalty for failing to get his Norfolk tax payment postmarked on time. As reported in the September 2026 Norfolk Now, Hannafin deposited his annual property tax payment at the post office on July 31, a day before its due date, expecting it would be postmarked that day. […]
Former Miss Hall’s School Teacher From Norfolk Arraigned
On Sept. 10, Matthew Johnson of Norfolk was arraigned in Berkshire Superior Court on three criminal charges related to his time while working as a teacher at Miss Hall’s School in Pittsfield in 1993-94. Johnson was indicted by a grand jury on Aug. 20 on one count of assault with intent to rape and two […]
