Botelle Ushers in a New Year
The first day of school dawned cool and cloudy, but no one seemed to notice. Students arrived at Botelle Elementary School on Aug. 26 via bus, car and firetruck (complete with siren). Some students, like Daphne Rutolo who walked her older sister to the bus, will have to wait for the start of the pre-Kindergarten […]
A New Year, New Pathways
Northwestern Regional 7 expands opportunities for students By Virginia Coleman-Prisco As students and staff return to Northwestern Regional School District No. 7 (NWR7) middle and high schools for the 2026-27 school year, district leaders say the focus will be on strengthening student opportunities, preparing young people for an evolving workforce and building an even stronger […]
When Is a Check Really in the Mail?
By Joseph Kelly The United States Postal Service (USPS), longtime target of many complaints and butt of numerous jokes, may seem an unlikely source of metaphysical speculation. But this year the USPS added a new wrinkle to an age-old question: When can it truly and truthfully be said that “a check is in the mail?” […]
Steady as She Goes
Crews working on Norfolk’s new firehouse hoisted the “final” truss in place on Saturday, Aug. 29, as members of the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department, town officials and representatives of Newfield Construction watched from the sidelines. The truss, signed by key players in the major project, marks a symbolic milestone toward completion of the building. NVFD […]
Caring for Forests: Ethan Tapper’s Message of Stewardship
By Jude Mead Ethan Tapper recently spoke at the Church of Christ Congregational on the green about his work as a forester, author and advocate for the natural world. The evening centered on his 2024 book, “How to Love a Forest: The Bittersweet Work of Tending a Changing World,” which explores how forests function and […]
IT’ S ONLY NATURAL: Putting the Brakes on Bittersweet: a September Strategy
by Susannah Wood Over the last couple of years, Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) has increasingly taken hold on Norfolk’s roadsides. Anyone who has driven back and forth to New York City over the years has seen how, unchecked, the vines can envelope trees, girdle and kill them, and leave behind a wrecked woodland. A member […]
Woodman Spare that Tree—Or Don’t
The somewhat lopsided Japanese Zelkova tree that once stood near the entrance to Nor-folk’s Post Office on Station Place is no more. Likely planted some 30 years ago during Ar-thur Rosenblatt’s tenure as first selectman, the hardy tree fell victim to progress and the need to replace the adjacent sidewalk. The planned removal of the […]
COOK FOR GOODNESS SAKE! Continuing the 250th Celebration
by Linda Garrettson It’s September, and two months into my year-long celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Curiosity over the contributions to our American fare has not lessened. And everyone with a garden is begging me for recipes using the abundance of tomatoes and peppers. So, how does all that link together […]
Norfolk Then…
In the early 20th century, the Mountain Road bridge over Norfolk Brook had a rustic-style guard rail bordering the road and sidewalk. Characterized by the use of twigs, branches, and bark, the rustic style had been used in formal English gardens in the 1700’s and in this country was very popular in the second half […]
A Forest of Dreams
Planting the seeds of Norfolk’s wildlife habitat By Carol Goodstein A moose and her calf spotted in a Colebrook backyard. Black bears lumbering across Route 44 to Norfolk’s City Meadow. A ruffed grouse who, this summer, took up residence in the Norfolk Country Club parking lot. “This is what my grandfather envisioned,” recalls Betsy Gill, […]
