Keeping the Trick-or-Treating on Halloween in Norfolk
Covid changes the experience but not the fun by Kelly Kandra Hughes Last year on Halloween, Cecily Mermann, who lives on Emerson Street, sat on her front porch with her dog, Dodger, and greeted the multitude of trick-or-treaters making their way through the village of Norfolk. She enjoyed seeing the costumes, giving out handfuls of […]
Children’s Foundation Gives Botelle Students Chromebooks
New computers help with the transition to virtual learning Text by Ann DeCerboPhoto by Jonathan Barbagallo It would be an understatement to say that things were different for the 2019/20 sixth grade class at Botelle School than for previous graduating classes. Concerns over Covid-19 precipitated the start of remote learning in March 2020 and the […]
Local Family Takes Possession of Yale Farm Property
New owners plan to retain the unspoiled state of the land Text by Dave BeersPhoto by Savage Frieze Back in 2009, the great recession hit and the contentious prospect of a golf course development was dealt its final blow after six years of debate and permitting hurdles. The 780-acre property was put on the market, […]
Tropical Storm Isaias Tests Norfolk’s Resilience
Local emergency crews worked overtime in Eversource’s absence by Colleen GundlachPhotographs by Jonathan Barbagallo It was a storm to remember, and one that brought out the very best of the people of Norfolk. In the midst of incredible frustration, there was a spirit among the townspeople of working together to get through the inconvenient and […]
Teen Plans New Lifeguard Shed for Tobey Pond
By Wiley WoodPhoto of Ethan Perlman, top, by Savage Frieze Public beach adapts to Covid Ethan Perlman is in his second year as a lifeguard at the town’s public beach, so when he started looking for a project to earn his Eagle Scout ranking from Boy Scout Troop 19 in New Hartford, he quickly settled […]
The Gilson Movie Palace Reopens with Safety Protocols and Classic Films
By Clinton SosnaPhoto by Clinton Sosna “I’m a survivor. That’s what I do.” That’s what Alen Nero, the owner of the Gilson Cafe and Cinema in Winsted, tells customers and fans. Amid the uncertainty of these times, the Gilson reopened in mid-August with a weekend screening of “A Streetcar Named Desire.” The dinner theater carefully […]
Familiar and Ever So Slightly Askew
by Stephen MelvillePhotos by Savage Frieze In a pandemic summer that has greatly reduced the customary prominence of art and music in Norfolk, one bright spot briefly emerged this past month when Betsy Gill hosted a show of sculpture and installation by artist Sophie Eisner, daughter of longtime Berkshire residents Gil Eisner and Kate Wenner. […]
Census Takers Fan Out Across Norfolk
U.S. Census Bureau field agents, including four from Norfolk, are knocking on doors in this town and the surrounding communities to gather census data. They are part of an army of 165,000 enumerators nationwide, who are racing to complete data collection before the administration’s Sept. 30 deadline. Self-response rates in Litchfield County are at about […]
Shop Fresh, Shop Local
Farm stands replace farmers markets this summer Text by Ruth MelvillePhoto by Savage Freize While it was disappointing that Norfolk Farmers Market decided that it couldn’t safely open this summer, local farmers kept growing vegetables, raising cows and milking goats. You can still get vegetables, meats, and herbs and flowers from many of the market […]
Back to Schools
A tour of Norfolk’s one-room schoolhouses By Andra Moss It’s September and that means that school, whatever form it takes, is back in session. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, most American students attended a one-room schoolhouse within walking distance of their homes. In 1919 there were 190,000 one-room schools scattered throughout the American […]
