Discovering Norfolk
In the Heart of the Village, Time Moves with the Sun By Jude Mead Nestled modestly behind the Battell Fountain on the Norfolk village green sits a sundial purchased by Mary Eldridge in 1904. Eldridge had also gifted the town with the Stanford White designed fountain that the sundial sits behind in 1889 in memory […]
Local Theaters Look to 2025 as Turning Point
More music at Infinity, live performances and film in North Canaan By Joseph Kelly To run a small theater in a rural area, it helps to be optimistic—as in gung-ho, grit-your-teeth, “if we build it they will come” optimistic. Just ask Lenore Mallett, an owner of North Canaan’s Colonial Theater. Or Tyler Grill, the CEO […]
Public Hearing Held on Net Town Budget of $8.24 Million
Annual town meeting set for May 12 By Avice Meehan Norfolk residents will be asked to approve a net town budget of $8.24 million for education and general government services at the annual town meeting scheduled for May 12 at Botelle Elementary School. The proposed budget—after adjustments are made for state aid and other revenues—represents […]
Haystack Woods Secures $4 Million
State funding gets affordable housing development off the ground By Joe Kelly A plan to build a campus of compact, affordable homes on 39 acres off Old Colony Road has cleared a major hurdle: the state of Connecticut has committed nearly $4 million to start construction. The state money, combined with a roughly $2 million […]
A New Ecosystem of Conservation Organizations for Norfolk
By Cheryl Heller People tend to conform to the boundaries that surround them, whether they are state lines or the social norms that shape behavior. But as Peter Senge, a systems scientist and author noted, “All boundaries, national boundaries included, are fundamentally arbitrary. We invent them and then, ironically, we find ourselves trapped within them.” […]
Radio Norfolk?
Resident Hopes to Develop a Community Station By Colleen Gundlach With internet radio and streaming services available, do people turn the dial to listen to old-fashioned radio these days? Norfolk musician, writer and content producer Michael Cobb answers that question with a resounding “yes.” Cobb, who was a disc jockey at the Berkshire School’s radio […]
Maple Syrup Season Faced Weather Challenges
By Jude Mead Boiling sap for maple syrup, a beloved natural sweetener produced in Norfolk, is a seasonal ritual this time of year and has a longstanding cultural tradition throughout New England. This year, the treasured tradition was under threat because unfavorable weather conditions posed significant challenges to maple syrup producers. Russell Russ, property manager […]
Proposed Cell Tower Generates Many Questions
Residents of Estey Road worry about impact By Avice Meehan More than 30 people, including concerned residents of Estey Road, turned out for a March 26 informational meeting about a proposal to build a 186-foot cell tower on property located off the isolated, rural road in South Norfolk. The meeting, held at the Botelle School […]
Eversource to Sell Aquarion, Alter Ownership Structure
Will ending PURA oversight mean higher water rates? By Joe Kelly Aquarion Water Company—and by extension Norfolk’s public water system—may be about to undergo a massive shift in ownership. Eversource Energy, which purchased Aquarion in 2017 but put it up for sale a year ago amid regulatory tensions and reversals in its wind energy investments, […]
Draft School Budget Shows Modest Increase
Annual cost for Botelle School is $2.7 million By Avice Meehan The Board of Education (BOE) is considering a budget of $2,762,690 for the upcoming fiscal year, which represents an increase of 4.29 percent over this year’s adopted budget of $2,649,086. The draft budget was presented at the Feb. 11 board meeting and will be […]
