Old Colony Road (Truly) Closed
By Avice Meehan Residents of Old Colony Road no longer live on a high-speed shortcut around the state Department of Transportation retaining wall project on Route 44. Thanks to the recent installation of a gate on the Route 44 end of Old Colony Road, the steep and winding road is now open only to local […]
High or Low Tech?
New Strategies Considered for Speed Control in Norfolk By Avice Meehan First Selectman Matt Riiska often ends his monthly Norfolk Now column by asking people to slow down and observe the speed limit. But what exactly is the speed limit on town roads?“It is 25 miles an hour all through the town, on all town […]
Unexpected Pairings and Inspiring Juxtapositions at the Haystack Book Festival: “Worthy and Unworthy Lives”
By David G. Troyansky The Haystack Book Festival, now in its seventh year, has established itself as a venue for exciting unmoderated conversations between authors of recent books. Sometimes the pairings almost create themselves. This year, for example, Jean Strouse and Susan Galassi both examine art and patronage, Hampton Sides’ book on Captain Cook and […]
Out and About
Detailing West Lowe’s “Restomod” By John Buchanan Just in case not all Norfolk Now readers happen to be fluent in auto arcana, let’s start with a vocab lesson. Restomod (n.): a classic vehicle that has been restored with modern modifications. Granted, avid “Rod & Custom” and “Motor Trend” readers endlessly debate just how much mod […]
Norfolk Then…
This photograph by Marie Kendall was digitized from the glass plate negative she made with her view camera in the 1890s. By scanning the original negative, we are able to see the remarkable details of the scene such as the train in the background crossing the Litchfield Road overpass (look for the blur just below […]
Drilling for Stability
By Avice Meehan A German-made rig so tall that it is nearly even with the top of Center Cemetery—the BG 23 H made by Bauer Maschenin GmbH and can reach a maximum height of 72 feet—is being used by K2 Construction to install the foundations for the first of two retaining walls along Route 44. […]
City Meadow Update
Native Plants Begin to Show Their Colors By Avice Meehan Looking out from the height of Robertson Plaza, the expanse of City Meadow is marked by large patches of dead, brown vegetation and bleached plant stalks. Don’t be fooled. These are signs of progress: the result of selective herbicide treatment of phragmites, invasive cattails, mugwort […]
Goodfellas Driving Range Site Up for Sale
Highly visible site with varied topography By Joseph Kelly The 125-acre property off Route 44 in Colebrook that is home to the Goodfellas Driving Range is on the market. The land, which runs along Route 44 and Rock Hall Road, is owned by the Battistoni family.The listing by the Cohen Agency of Torrington describes the […]
View from the Lifeguard Chair
Two Tobey Pond lifeguards share their perspective By Jude Mead A new generation of lifeguards has stepped up to the challenge of keeping swimmers safe at Tobey Pond this summer. Youth lifeguards often balance school, family, social activities and summer jobs to take on the critical responsibilities of safeguarding the beach. Their dedication, training, and […]
When a Concert Pianist Improvises: Matan Porat To Craft Live Soundtrack to Film Gems of the Pre-sound Era for the Norfolk Music Festival Gala
By Andra Moss The Norfolk Festival switches reels from chamber music to the magic of silent film for its Saturday, Aug. 2 gala event “A Night at the Cinema.” Internationally acclaimed pianist and composer Matan Porat will perform live, improvised soundtracks for three silent era gems in the Norfolk Music Shed, starting at 8 p.m. […]
