New Committee Considers ARPA Funds, Town Budget On-Target

Eye on Town Government by Susan MacEachron Presenting to the Board of Finance on Nov. 9, First Selectman Matt Riisksa reported that he has formed a committee to advise on how the town could utilize the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds it received.  The committee consists of Susan Anderson, representing the Board of Finance, […]

Comet Leonard to Appear in the Norfolk Skies

The Celestial Sphere By Matthew Johnson We begin the month of December and continue into January with long nights, reaching a maximum on the evening of the winter solstice on Dec. 21—with 14 hours and 56 minutes of darkness and only 9 hours and 4 minutes of daylight. After the 21st, each day grows a […]

How Will the Covid Pandemic End?

The Body Scientific By Richard Kessin In an extraordinary 20 months, science has tackled the SARS-CoV-2 virus (the novel coronavirus that can lead to Covid-19) and made vaccines for adults and children. Scientists have developed monoclonal antibodies that help if given early, and we now have the first drugs that could stop infections or tilt […]

Kick-Starting a Healthy Eating Journey

Cook! For Goodness Sake By Linda Garrettson Everyone has a story, and mine relates to the great understanding that food is medicine. This is how it began… Twenty years ago, I bumped into Brett Hellerman at a party. He asked me how I felt. “Not so good, Brett,” I replied, while mentally listing the dozen […]

Seventh Warmest October on Record

Norfolk’s October 2021 Weather By Russell Russ October was another above normal month for both temperature and precipitation. The fall foliage season this year, for the most part, was not all that fantastic. There was some colorful foliage, especially early in the season in the swampy areas, but with many maples having issues with the […]

October EDC Meeting

Eye on Town Government By Ruth Melville Economic Development Commission co-chairs Libby Borden and Michael Selleck reported on suggestions from small business outreach consultant Betsy Paynter at the Oct. 14 meeting of the commission. Paynter, a consultant for the Northwest Connecticut Economic Development Corporation, had several suggestions for the Norfolk EDC, including renaming it the […]

Oct. 12 P&Z Meeting

Eye on Town Government By Susan MacEachron The Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) continued deliberations at its Oct. 12 meeting on the application for a new town road to access the proposed Haystack Woods development.  The commissioners discussed and agreed upon a number of changes to the text amendment for the Haystack Woods development and […]

Board of Selectmen Meeting

Eye on Town Government In their only official business at their Oct. 6 meeting, the Board of Selectmen voted to appoint Sandy Evans to the Norfolk Cemetery Committee. The other members of the committee are the first selectman, Matt Riiska, Phylis Bernard, Stan Civco and JoAnn Gundlach. The Cemetery Committee oversees the town’s three municipal […]

Artificial Intelligence Takes to the Ice

The Body Scientific By Richard Kessin My wife does not like clutter. When she sees 50 issues of Nature, the British science magazine piled on my desk, she gets a little peremptory. “Out!” she said. I decided on the dignity of an orderly retreat. I had been looking for subjects to write about in what […]

Warm and Wet — Again

by Russell Russ September was yet another nontypical weather month for Norfolk. It did not feel that warm or wet all month, but the final monthly totals told a different story. In a period of just about three days, remnants of a hurricane that landed on the Gulf Coast and then three weeks later a […]