• Work to Resume on Route 44 and New Firehouse

    Warmer temps ensure concrete quality By Avice Meehan Two significant Norfolk projects that were put on hold because of below-zero temperatures this winter are expected to resume by mid-March: Reconstruction of two retaining walls along Route 44 and the construction of a new firehouse for the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department. Engineers for the state Department […]

  • Richard Byrne Retires as Active Firefighter

    After 58 years, veteran status By Joseph Kelly He was a young Navy veteran, about to be married and ready to start a family in his hometown when, in February 1968, his older brother convinced him to join the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department (NVFD). For Richard Byrne it was the start of an association that […]

  • Rock ‘n Roll House Party Circus Will Benefit Local Food Banks

    Three Grammy nominees to perform at Infinity Hall By Colleen Gundlach On April 11, Infinity Hall will be the setting for Rock ‘n Roll House Party Circus, a concert that will benefit Stock the Shelves, an outreach of United Way of Northwestern Connecticut. The Rock ‘n Roll House Party Circus will feature three Grammy nominees […]

  • Rom-Com Curling Film Released With Olympics

    To get the ice just right, filmmakers tapped Norfolk expertise By Joseph Kelly The underdogs who battle the odds—the washed-up boxer, the outclassed football team, the aging baseball slugger with one last homerun in him—are all Hollywood standbys. Ronald Reagan may be remembered as much for “win one for the Gipper” as he is for […]

  • How Botelle (Carefully) Uses AI for Learning

    By Avice Meehan For more than three decades, children visited the fictional town of Frog Creek, Penn., home to two children named Jack and Annie. With the help of a magic tree house, the pair are whisked away to distant places where they have adventures, solve problems and, perhaps, learn a thing or two. Like […]

  • Choral Singing Meets Bluegrass

    LCCU welcomes all ages to sing new styles By Andra Moss The Litchfield County Choral Union (LCCU) is entering its 127th concert year with decidedly youthful energy. Under the direction of Music Director Dr. Gabriel Löfvall, the LCCU will convene a youth choral festival in Norfolk in late spring; offer a series of choral seminars […]

  • Winter Weekend In Norfolk

    It was a cold and blustery weekend, but that didn’t stop the hardy from coming out on Feb. 21 and 22 for Winter WIN, the weekend for enjoying all things Norfolk in the winter season. The photos below show a story of a town that came together to strut its stuff for the world to […]

  • From Freeze to Flow: Extreme Temps and the Maple Syrup Season

    Reaching that ideal mix of natural conditions By Jude Mead The extreme cold and heavy snowfall this season has raised some concern among maple syrup producers. Reports of loud, cracking noises in wooded areas have set the stage for a phenomenon called “frost cracking.” During these periods of intense cold, the water and sap inside […]

  • Sit Right Back and You’ll Hear a Tale

    With Jude Mead at the guitar and with great enthusiasm, members of the Isabella Eldridge Club defied a threatened winter storm and entered Battell Chapel on Feb. 10 for a memorable performance of an episode of “Gilligan’s Island,” a daft 1960s television comedy. Despite the best efforts of the Professor (played by Marinell Crippen, left) […]

  • Cook For Goodness Sake

    America The Melting Pot By Linda Garrettson In celebration of the 250th anniversary of our Declaration of Independence, it seems appropriate to dedicate my food column this year to America, who we are, and what we eat. Get ready for some history lessons, and perhaps surprises that might enlighten you to what we call American […]

  • Be Careful, Very Careful

    An expert team from the Glass Source Stained Glass Studio spent nearly six hours in cold mid-January weather care-fully removing a cathedral stained glass window from Battell Chapel at the United Church of Christ before transporting it to their studio in Seymour for restoration. In this photo, Michael Skrtic balances one section of the window […]

  • The Week that Was

    First, frigid temperatures forced the relocation of Norfolk’s valiant Post Office staff to Winsted because of scheduled asbestos remediation, leaving box holders temporarily puzzled. Then, the big snow arrived on Jan. 25 and 26. Estimates vary widely: Russell Russ reported the official tally at the Great Mountain Forest weather station as 15.2 inches, but others […]

Articles

Tanker Crash Emergency Ends, But Recovery Stretches On

Cleanup likely to take at least a year Text By Ruth MelvillePhoto Courtesy of Verdantas Over 75 people gathered in Botelle School’s Hall of Flags on Nov. 15 to attend an informational meeting about the current state of cleanup after the gasoline tanker crash on Route 44.   Seated behind the long table across the front […]

The Quiet of a Norfolk Street Is Upended Overnight

Residents cope with aftereffects of tanker crash Text By Andra MossPhoto by Joe Kelly Some were awakened by sirens, others by an alert of a power outage, but on Saturday, Nov. 5, homeowners along Maple Avenue soon realized that something very significant had occurred when the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department (NVFD) appeared at their doors, […]

How a Seabee Ended Up Working in the Northwest Woods

From Persia to Pines Text By David BeersPhoto Courtesy of Great Mountain Forest On top of a bookshelf in Matt Gallagher’s Great Mountain Forest (GMF) office is a photo of him in military fatigues with former president George W. Bush in Kuwait. How does this framed photo reside in a forestry office in woodsy northwest […]

Northwest Corner Provides a Range of Transportation Alternatives

Need a Ride? By Avice Meehan By Avice Meehan Ask anyone who lives in Norfolk without a car, and they will tell you that the town-supported community van makes a major difference in their lives.   “My basic feeling is that if we didn’t have the Norfolk service, [life] would be very difficult,” says Sue Frisch, […]

The Norfolk Sewer District: Past, Present and Future

Text By Ruth MelvillePhoto Courtesy of the Norfolk Sewer District The Norfolk Sewer District is 125 years old, and thanks to the recent relining project, it is ready to continue processing the town’s sewage safely and efficiently for many years to come. On Nov. 19, Bill Hester, superintendent and chief plant operator of the Norfolk […]

Raising Sheep in New England Is Tough but Rewarding

Text By Jude MeadPhoto By Christain Stovall Raising sheep can be a rewarding experience. Some people raise them as pets because of their gentle personalities, but for the more serious shepherd, sheep provide a livelihood as well. For Christian Stovall, of Hidden Mountain Farm in New Marlboro, Mass., the main purpose for starting his sheep […]

Norfolk NET Joining Forces With UR Community Cares

Neighbors Helping Neighbors By Kelly Kandra Hughes When Norfolk NET began in 2017 as a grassroots organization to alleviate poverty in Norfolk, the organizers believed that fostering relationships would be a key for success. Since that time, they’ve launched several initiatives, such as the Gifting Board at the Hub, Norfstroms at the transfer station, community […]

Smoke and Water Arch Above Royal Arcanum Building

Norfolk’s firefighters train for the unthinkable Text By Brian HutchinsPhotos By David Beers On the morning of Sunday, Oct. 16, downtown Norfolk became the scene of an elaborate firefighting drill. To onlookers, it appeared that the Royal Arcanum Building was on fire—smoke poured out of an upper window as first responders wrangled multiple hoses into […]

The Mountain Road Bridge Project Is Finally Complete

In-depth negotiations maintain the beauty of the landscape By Leila Javitch At long last, the Mountain Road bridge is finished and motorists, bikers and walkers can enjoy the extraordinary views along the road, such as the hay field with the Virginia split rail fence and the Perkins house with its long driveway lined with glorious […]

Wild Turkey Restoration Has Been Successful in Norfolk

It’s Only Natural By Jude Mead Travel any road in Norfolk and you are certain to see a flock of turkeys. The eastern wild turkey is a large, majestic bird with adult males weighing anywhere between 15 and 25 pounds, and adult females weighing between eight and 12 pounds. They look similar in their appearance, […]

The Norfolk Transfer Station Is a Very Busy Place

Keeping everything flowing smoothly at the transfer station By David Beers Who is someone you see about once a week? He is reliably available for your weekly visit. While somewhat unassuming, he is quite approachable and eager to help. Your spouse, your mom, your dad, your kids – perhaps. Another possible answer is Jim Powelzyk […]

Cyclists Get a Big Assist From New North Canaan E-Bike Shop

Out and About By Andra Moss For most bicyclists in Norfolk, starting a ride from home involves hitting a sizeable hill sooner or later—or sooner and later, given the daunting topography of the Northwest Corner. How is it then, that so many riders of the non-millennial vintage have recently been spotted happily climbing Lovers Lane […]