• Norfolk’s Newest Neighborhood Puts Down Roots

    Haystack Woods lauded as a “model for the state” By Joe Kelly Norfolk’s newest neighborhood, the Haystack Woods affordable housing development, has officially come to life. A year ago, the 39-acre location—a former gravel pit off Old Colony Road—was little more than a muddy building site. Now construction of the 10, two- and three-bedroom homes […]

  • Winsted Church Auctions Tiffany Window for $1.25 Million

    Sale highlights women’s role in Tiffany designs By Joe Kelly When medieval architects found ways to build taller cathedrals, the techniques they developed also made possible the enormous stained-glass windows that we so enjoy today, such as at Chartres and Sainte-Chapelle in France and Canterbury Cathedral in England. American-made stained glass is more recent, dating […]

  • A Revolutionary Year

    1776 Norfolk explored in summer exhibition By Andra Moss Communities across the country are looking back with wonder at 1776, the year that 13 British colonies initiated a revolution that, against astonishing odds, led to the birth of an independent republic. In Norfolk, two curators have combed the Norfolk Historical Society’s (NHS) collection for colonial-era […]

  • SUMMER MUSIC: Familiar Quartets, New Composers at Yale Chamber Festival

    By Patricia Platt The Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, running from July 3 until Aug. 22, will present an exciting season of classical, innovative and international music. This summer, the Brentano Quartet, Shanghai Quartet, Ying Quartet and the Horszowski Trio are among those who will perform during weekend concerts and serve as artist-in-residence mentors to the […]

  • Botelle Students Move Up

    By Avice Meehan Four sixth graders bid farewell to Botelle Elementary School at a laughter-filled, but occasionally serious, ceremony on June 16 that was attended by family, friends and town officials. First Selectmen Henry Tirrell, a Botelle graduate whose mother and aunt taught at the school for many years, reminded the students that they would […]

  • Norfolk Rail-Trail Project Pedals Forward

    By Jude Mead After more than a decade of planning, permiting and redesign work, Norfolk’s long-await-ed Rails-to-Trails initiative has reached a major milestone, bringing the community closer to the creation of a new multi-use recreational trail along a historic railroad corridor. The project is the North Brook Trail, a planned three-quarter-mile ADA-accessi-ble pathway that will […]

  • LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Budgets, Beetles, Nips and More

    By Avice Meehan State Rep. Maria Horn came prepared to share details about the Connecticut budget (she is co-chair of the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee) and the progress that has been made toward paying down the state’s unfunded pension liability, increasing the rainy day fund (now up to $18 billion) and allocating more state funds […]

  • Noteworthy Natives: Coral Honeysuckle

    By Jill Chase Do you go to other people’s gardens and envy all the hummingbirds they have? I did. But then I realized I had completely overlooked one of their favorite plants: The native coral honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens. It was practically designed for humming-birds. Their long beaks and extra-long tongues are a perfect fit for […]

  • CELESTIAL SPHERE: Honoring an Astronomer and Patriot

    By Matthew Johnson As America celebrates its semi-quincentennial and the 250th year since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, this writer also celebrates the life of David Rittenhouse, an astronomer and political thinker who helped build the nation’s scientific infrastructure and informed its founding documents. The customary astronomical notes will follow at the end […]

  • Norfolk Then

    As we prepare for the 250th anniversary of our country’s independence on July 4, let’s look back 50 years to June 12, 1976, and the American Revolution Bicentennial parade in Norfolk. The parade was the largest parade ever held in Norfolk with almost everyone participating, many dressed in colonial garb. The Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department […]

  • GoodWorks Shares Plans for Infinity Hall

    Restaurant, more concerts coming to historic venue By Avice Meehan When Dave Rosenfeld walked onto the starlit stage at Infinity Hall, many of the more than 200 people gathered to hear what he had to say, were unsure about what to expect. The co-founder of GoodWorks Entertainment, which acquired the green Victorian gem of a […]

  • A New Tradition Begins for Litchfield County Choral Union

    Generations come together to refresh a century-long legacy By Jude Mead Music from singers young and old filled Battell Chapel on May 22 as the Litchfield County Choral Union (LCCU) joined the Torrington High School choir for a collaborative concert aimed at connecting generations of choral musicians. Organizers hope the successful event will become an […]

Articles

Norfolk Ambulance Offers Narcan Leave Behind Kits

Program endeavors to reduce opioid deaths in Northwest Corner By Brigitte Ruthman Addiction can be found in every nook and cranny and just about every small town in America, including Norfolk. However, there are remedies in the hands of first responder Emergency Medical Technicias (EMTs) and firefighters who are on the front lines of emergency […]

Stace Dillard and Hilary VanWright to Display Their Art at The Hub

By Virginia Coleman-Prisco Georgia O’Keeffe once observed that “I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way, things I had no words for.” Two local artists that similarly work from the heart will be exhibiting their work this month at the Norfolk Hub. Stace Dillard and Hilary […]

GMF Partnering with Yale School of Architecture

New research program explores sustainable forestry and building design By John Perkins What does forestry have to do with architecture? A lot, says Alan Organschi, senior critic at the Yale School of Architecture in New Haven, and director of Innovation Labs at Bauhaus Earth in Berlin, Germany. Organschi is also a design principal and partner […]

Keeping Us Informed

Town Website Plays Multiple Roles, Serving Multiple Audiences By Avice Meehan Over the past decade, Norfolk’s website has evolved from a project nurtured by the Coalition for Sound Growth (CSG) into a town-supported information hub that provides access to everything from agendas and minutes for town boards and committees to the seasonal operating hours for […]

Fresh, Healthy Dining Innovations Are on  the Menu at McMuckle’s Market

New eatery offers clean food for all tastes By Andra Moss Those who have vowed to eat healthier this year can get a delicious jump-start on that resolution with a visit to North Canaan’s newest dining establishment, McMuckle’s Market.  Chef and owner Matthew Sadowski offers guests his take on healthy grains and vegetable-forward fare that […]

West Lowe to Perform as Mark Twain at the Norfolk Library

Script made up of original Twain writings By Michael Cobb West Lowe is reviving his one-man show as Mark Twain for a Feb. 13 performance at the Norfolk Library. For those who have never seen Lowe as Twain, the actor embodies the writer by wearing period clothing and makeup, something he’s been doing for nearly […]

A New Kind of Recycling

Fire Department Gets New Truck, Gives Old One to Public Works Department By Ruth Melville The Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department has recently purchased a new 2023 Ford F-350 brush truck, with a 225-gallon water tank and a 6-gallon fire-fighting foam cell. This smaller truck is good for handling brush fires and accessing difficult to reach […]

The Guilded Artisan Has Closed

By Jude Mead As The Guilded Artisan closed its doors last month, owner Sean Sweeney reflected on the past years. “My vision for the guild was to support our incredibly talented artist community while providing a place for the people of Norfolk, as well as others, to enjoy the artist’s talents and our beautiful town. […]

Hundreds Attend Service for Avery Nelson, 23

Fatal Christmas Day crash on Smith Hill in Salisbury By Joe Kelly In even the smallest town, you may not get to know all your neighbors. But if you’ve lived in Norfolk at any time in the last 20 years, had school-age children or simply went for a swim at Tobey Pond, there’s a good […]

Let’s Go Caroling Together

It’s the holiday season, and time for an old-fashioned carol sing. Everyone is invited – all ages, singers, musicians and even those who sing off key. This is the gathering to celebrate down home, small town holiday season. Come to the Church of Christ Congregational for a horse-drawn hayride around Norfolk for caroling on Sunday, […]

The Changing Scene on Ashpohtag Road

How a dream house became a sober house By Joe Kelly People often buy homes that turn out to be too small.  But the opposite scenario—getting stuck with a house that’s too big—can be even more problematic. It’s never fun trying to unload a property that’s bleeding you dry with taxes, utilities and a jumbo […]

Norfolk Lions Club Ambulance Demonstrates a Typical Callout

What to Do in an Emergency By Ruth Melville Most Norfolk residents know that if they need emergency medical help, they can rely on the Norfolk Lions Club Ambulance (NLCA.) This all-volunteer service is available all day, every day, and there is never a bill to pay. But what can you do to help the […]