Always At the Ready
By Joel Howard Like much of our state, Norfolk is made great because of the spirit of volunteerism that runs deep through the fabric of our community. And while I seek not to rank one kind of volunteerism as more valiant than another, there are among us those that perhaps stand taller in the fact […]
Revolutions Old and New
By Joel Howard A few years ago, I asked of a friend’s son what his plans were for Independence Day. This young man, who was about twenty years old, got a look of bewilderment on his face. I thought perhaps he hadn’t heard part of my question. “You know, the Fourth…,” I said in a […]
On Casting the First Stone
By Colleen Gundlach In my roughly nine years of putting pen to paper for Norfolk Now, I have expounded often on the diversity of the people of this town, and our capacity to interact with each other despite our differences. We are a community that works together to keep Norfolk a vibrant, caring place to […]
A Marriage Long in the Making
It could be argued that as pertains to civil rights, marriage equality has moved at Mach speed over the past eight years. It was in 2004 that Massachusetts became the first state to offer gay marriage licenses. In the ensuing years, six other states have followed suit, as has the District of Columbia. There are […]
Are the Kids All Right?
View from the Green By Lindsey Pizzica Rotolo At risk of sounding like an elderly person at the ripe old age of 36, I have to ask the question, “Are the kids today all right?” When I think back to my teenage years, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the most reckless thing anyone […]
Rolling Out the Welcome Mat
By Colleen Gundlach This past summer has been an unprecedented one for Norfolk in terms of vitality, excitement and community involvement. The Artswave! event created a groundswell of community pride, and opened the town’s borders to visitors who may never have experienced the scenic beauty nor been cognizant of the cultural vistas Norfolk has to […]
A Bird in the Hand
By Veronica Burns In a survey carried out two years ago as part of the ongoing Town Plan, residents of Norfolk indicated strong support for business operations that were compatible with the rural character of the town. The survey showed little or no support for development of strip malls, with 83 percent against big box […]
A Child’s Summer in Norfolk
By Rosanna Trestman As one can see by this issue’s lead story, grown-ups can expect a summer chock a block with summer entertainment in Norfolk. The Arts Wave! weekend, an impressive effort by any standards, comes on top of our annual program of student and professional concerts at the Music Shed, drawing classes and art […]
Coming Home
View from the Green By Lindsey Pizzica Rotolo While waiting to board a plane at Bradley Airport last month, I watched a couple of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq. I smiled as they greeted their families who were at the gate to meet them. Then I noticed one family who was standing just a few […]
Here Comes Summer
By Veronica Burns From the earliest times, the month of May has inspired poets and writers to expressions of wonder and wit. Emerging from its winter slumber, inspiration pours forth. Consider Milton, who wrote this particular verse in the 1600s. Now the bright morning-star, Day’s harbinger,? Comes dancing from the East, and leads with her […]
