New Hours at Town Hall

By Avice Meehan As of April 1, Town Hall will operate on a new schedule: it will be open for extended hours on Thursdays and closed on Fridays. The change was approved unanimously at the March 4 meeting of the Board of Selectmen. Except by appointment, Town Hall will be open from 9 a.m. to […]

Changes to P&Z Regs Considered

By Susan MacEachron The Planning & Zoning meeting on March 10 was dedicated to a discussion of potential changes to regulations governing accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and family compounds and camps. P&Z also considered a new regulation addressing blight. There were no decisions. P&Z commissioner Jordan Stern has suggested revisions to Norfolk’s ADU regulations at […]

Wetlands Weighs New Fees

By Susan MacEachron An in-depth discussion of the appropriate fees to charge for a wetlands permit consumed most of the Inland Wetlands Agency meeting on March 2. Wetlands Enforcement Officer Stacy Sefcik reported that a site meeting had been held to discuss tree removal on Mountain Road related to the upcoming bridge replacement and that […]

Regional Budget Vote Is May 4

The referendum on the Northwestern Regional School District No. 7 budget has been set for May 4 in Norfolk, Colebrook, Barkhamsted and New Hartford. If approved, the district budget would be $25.25 million for the 2026-27 school year, an increase of 1.74 percent over the current year. Norfolk’s assessment, based on the town’s anticipated enrollment, […]

Envisioning Botelle’s Future

The Board of Education and Superintendent Kevin Case will hold a series of community conversations beginning April 1 to help inform the future of elementary education in Norfolk. Additional conversations will be held on April 22 and May 20. All are from 7 to 9 p.m. at Botelle School. The project grew out of discussion […]

Norfolk’s Sweetest Season on Tap

Upwards of 85 people braved cold, misty weather on Sunday, March 22, for the pleasure of being wrapped in woodsmoke and maple-scented steam steam—an annual ritual at the Great Mountain Forest and other Norfolk sugar houses. Based on decidedly anecdotal observations, many were first timers. Property manager Russell Russ and forester Kate Regan-Loomis provided useful […]

Linda Anne Soltis Perkins

Linda Anne Soltis Perkins, devoted educator, public servant and deeply-rooted member of the Norfolk community, passed away on Feb. 28, 2026, at the age of 79. Born on Dec. 17, 1946, in Philadelphia, Linda’s bond with Norfolk began in her earliest years. As a young child she spent treasured summers here visiting her aunt and […]

William Stewart Patrick

William Stewart Patrick, 83, of Norfolk, peacefully left this earth on Sunday, March 15. The only “wonderful” child of Hugh Stewart Patrick and Caroline Edith Walke Patrick, “Bill” was born in Salem, Mass., on Oct. 6, 1942. He grew up in nearby Lynnfield and moved to Connecticut as a teenager. Bill graduated from North Haven […]

THE CELESTIAL SPHERE

Asteroid Comes to Earth, Artemis Takes to the Sky By Matthew Johnson The last two weeks of March witnessed exceptional astronomical events. At 9 a.m. on March 17, a meteor sped across the Cleveland, Ohio, sky at 45,000 miles per hour before splitting apart in a thunderous boom that shocked and frightened residents. NASA stated […]

BOTELLE BEAT

Building Our School Budget By Kevin D. Case, Superintendent of Schools Each year, Norfolk trusts us with two of its most valuable resources: its children and its tax dollars. Developing the annual school budget is one of the most important responsibilities we have as a school district. I would like to let you know how […]