Norfolk’s April 2024 Weather
Near Normal for a Change By Russell Russ April’s weather this year was fairly normal. It’s refreshing not having to say warmest or wettest on record. The month started off on the wintry side– normal for April—but temperatures rebounded and came in just a little above normal. We had only a handful of nice sunny […]
Notes from a French Kitchen
June is Cherry Time! By Marie-Christine Perry The two cherry trees I planted four years ago, a sour cherry and a sweet cherry grafted with 5 different varieties, have been in full bloom for the first time! I had small crops from the sour cherry every year—mostly eaten by birds the day before I was […]
Modest Tax Increase in a Difficult Year
By Susan MacEachron The Board of Finance approved a 2.5 percent increase in the mill rate for the fiscal year 2024/25 budget at its special meeting on April 23. To keep the tax increase below 3 percent, the significant increases in the education components of the budget were partially offset by a larger than usual […]
Eye on Town Government
Board of Selectmen April Meeting By Ruth Melville In the main item of business at the Board of Selectmen (BoS) meeting on April 3, First Selectman Matt Riiska raised the question of the Town of Norfolk’s 25-year $4 million loan from Dime Bank to pay for the reconstruction of Maple Ave and the new roof […]
Eye on Town Government
P&Z Approves Home Business By Susan MacEachron The Planning & Zoning Commission determined that a home-based dog training business could be approved for a zoning permit at its meeting on April 9. Annie Johnson introduced herself to the commissioners and described how she moved to Norfolk last year and wanted to start a dog training […]
Cook, for Goodness Sake!
Got a (Tofu) Piccata? By Linda Garrettson If anyone reading this thinks tofu will ruin an Italian recipe, listen up. These cutlets can hold their own in any Marsala, chicken parmesan or piccata recipe. Tofu has long been maligned with complaints that range from its texture to lack of flavor. However, tofu, made from soybeans, […]
Norfolk’s March 2024 Weather
Who’ll Stop the Rain? By Russell Russ For Norfolk and much of southern New England, March was another wet month and another winter month with very little snow. As many recent months have been, it was also fairly high ranking for warmth. March’s warmth brought an early end to this year’s maple syrup season and […]
The Shorter Nights of Summer
The Celestial Sphere By Matthew Johnson As we leave move into May we have a lengthening of daylight. April began with 12 hours and 45 minutes of daylight, and May will end with 15 hours and 4 minutes of daylight. This is a gain of 2 hours and 19 minutes as the Earth in its […]
P&Z Gives No to Parking Lot on Ashpotag
By Susan MacEachron Norfolk’s Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) has given the green light to construction of a drivewayand parking lot across the street from the sober house now operating on Ashpohtag Road. Mountainside Treatment Center in North Canaan, which runs the sober house as part of its extendedresidential treatment program, said the additional parking […]
With P&Z Approval, Firehouse Heads into Budget Review
By Joe Kelly After being scrutinized and approved by both Norfolk’s Wetlands and Planning & Zoning (P&Z)Commissions, the plans for a new Norfolk firehouse on Shepard Road are now undergoing a detailedbudget estimate. The architects of the firehouse, Silver Petrucelli and Associates of Hamden, are converting their sketchesinto detailed blueprints that can be used by […]
