• 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

A Different Kind of Beaver Dam

By Colleen Gundlach Beavers, the semiaquatic rodents that often change the structure of waterways with their dams, are seldom known to dam up a roadway. In Norfolk, though, one of these little animals was enough to block traffic in both directions at the Route 44 retaining wall project when it took a stand at about […]

Norfolk Land Trust Earns National Accreditation Renewal

The Norfolk Land Trust (NLT) has achieved accreditation for a third 5-year period from the national Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance (LTA). “The Norfolk Land Trust has always striven for excellence,” said Libby Borden, the organization’s co-president. “With the LTA ‘Seal of Approval,’ our members, donors, and everyone […]

Norfolk Palooza

Mark Your Calendars to WIN! Throughout the winter and spring, the elves of Norfolk have been hard at work thinking about ways to showcase Norfolk at its summer best and draw visitors to its manifold attractions. Keep your fingers crossed for good weather for the first weekend in August as “Weekend in Norfolk” gets underway […]

Litchfield County Choral Union to Perform July 27

Members of the Litchfield County Choral Union will gather for its 126th anniversary concert in the Music Shed at the Battell-Stoeckel Estate on July 27. This summer’s concert will be a particularly stimulating one with music chosen by music director, Gabriel Löfvall, to bring sunshine into dark times. The concert, entitled “And Still We Sing! […]

Voters Approve New Firehouse

By Avice MeehanVoters at a May 22 special town meeting gave the go-ahead for a new Norfolk firehouse in less time than it took for moderator Richard Byrne to read the resolution authorizing the $9.3 million building.The unanimous vote, with more than 100 in attendance at the Botelle School Hall of Flags at 7 p.m., […]

Reminder: June Is Renewal Month for Town Permits and Licenses

Before packing the car for Tobey Pond or hauling the last of spring cleaning to the transfer station, residents should be sure to update their permit stickers. New 2025-26 permits for the Norfolk Transfer Station must be purchased by July 1 and displayed on the passenger side of the vehicle. They are $100 for the […]

Route 44 Retaining Wall Project Making Progress

Completion expected by September 2026 By Avice MeehanThe Connecticut Department of Transportation has good news for Norfolk residents and travelers who use Route 44: The massive project to replace three retaining walls below and to the east of Norfolk’s historic Center Cemetery has a September 2026 completion date. CDOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto, who last worked […]

Haystack Woods Breaks Ground in Norfolk

Botelle Beat

Botelle BeatParticipatory Theater Inspires Clean Ocean Awareness By Lauren ValentinoMore than 20 years ago, the Grumbling Gryphons, a professional traveling children’s theater group from Cornwall, came to Botelle School and performed the play “The Ghost Net.” This week they returned and gave a repeat performance of the same play, wowing students, staff and family members […]

Wings Over Norfolk: A Look at Small-Town Bird Life

By Jude Mead Bird watching may seem like an old-fashioned pastime, but in recent years it has soared in popularity because it offers a peaceful way to reconnect with nature, requires minimal equipment, has zero cost of entry and is enjoyable. Whether it’s a robin hopping across a backyard or a hawk circling high above […]

Norfolk Then…

The Eldridge Gymnasium, now Town Hall, was built in 1892. This view of the rear of the building, then with an open veranda, features the vibrant multi-colored buff and beige Mission tiles of the roof, sadly removed. The Gymnasium quickly became a hub of activity. In addition to grass tennis courts in front, there were […]

Cell Tower Application Filed with Siting Council

Balloon test held over Estey Road By Avice Meehan The otherwise quiet Estey Road became a busy thoroughfare on April 18 as Tarpon Towers conducted a balloon test to help residents understand the potential visual impact of a 186-foot cell tower.  The application for the tower, which would serve Verizon Wireless, was filed with the […]