• 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

Dealing With a Loved One’s Legacy of Stuff

By Kelly Kandra Hughes “If we don’t start taking care of Mother Earth, she’s going to stop taking care of us,” says Norfolk resident Ann Moseley. These thoughts are forefront in Moseley’s mind these days as she recently went through the process of dealing with her father’s and stepmother’s belongings. They both passed away at […]

Norfolk’s Economic Development Commission Plans for the Future

Organization to concentrate on two key issues By Gordon Anderson According to the town website, the purpose of Norfolk’s Economic Development Commission is “to grow business revenues and to promote a wide variety of investment in the community. To achieve these goals, the Commission develops initiatives and encourages other governmental and volunteer groups to participate.” […]

Volunteers at Botelle School Enrich Student Learning Both Academically and Socially

By Kelly Kandra Hughes In 1998, Sergeant Richard Byrne retired from the Airport Division of the State Police. Looking for a way to spend his newfound free time, Byrne began volunteering at Botelle Elementary School, since his oldest granddaughter, Angelina Mary, was a student there. Twenty-one years later, Byrne is still active at Botelle. “It’s […]

Norfolk Hosts NHCOG 2019 Economic Development Summit

Attendees tour downtown before annual meeting By Ruth Melville The Northwest Hills Council of Governments (NHCOG) held its 2019 Economic Development Summit in Norfolk on Feb. 19. This annual gathering gives representatives of the 21 towns in the Northwest Corner a chance to assess how their region is doing—what gains, or losses, were experienced during […]

Cannabis: Coming of Age in 2019

By David Beers In early January, a store that sells recreational cannabis (marijuana) opened its doors in Great Barrington. The Theory Wellness dispensary is the first of its kind in our area, which makes it a much talked about destination. The recreational sale of cannabis is now legal in Canada and the states of Massachusetts, […]

Mountain View Green Retreat Offers Bio-Magnet, Massage and Reiki Therapies

By Colleen GundlachPhoto by Bruyce Frisch Imagine relaxing in a sun-drenched room overlooking the hills and valleys of Norfolk while a trained therapist works on revitalizing your spirit and relaxing your body. Soft music envelops the room while you recline in soft white linens. This is the reality to be found at Mountain View Green […]

Agricultural Education Program Provides Classroom Learning and Hands-On Skills

By Charlotte McDevitt There are many different activities that students can participate in when entering Northwestern Regional 7, and some programs will benefit them throughout their lives. One example is the Agricultural Education Program, or Ag. There are three different parts of the Ag program: Class and Lab, FFA (Future Farmers of America) and SAEP […]

Local Therapist Uses the Web to Teach Proper Movement Techniques

By Jude Mead “Remember what it felt like to be a kid, moving effortlessly and without pain? Correcting your movement is the first step in returning to this state.” These are the words of James O’Brien, a physical therapist and the founder of Perfecting Movement, LLC. O’Brien recently launched a new website, perfectingmovement.net, whose focus […]

Great Falls Brewing Company Now Serving Up Pints in Canaan Rail Station

By Jeremy WithnellPhoto by Clinton J. Sosna Great Falls Brewing Company in North Canaan opened its doors only this past December, yet it has already become a vibrant community hub in addition to a place to down a pint. Owner Chris Tripler says that has been his vision all along. Situated in the heart of […]

Summer Art Program Gets a New Start in Its 71st Year

New lecture series planned By Wiley WoodPhoto by A. Kim From mid-May to late June each year, Norfolk hosts the 26 undergraduates who attend the Yale Summer School of Art in Norfolk, but though they live in the houses of Norfolk residents, they go largely unnoticed. A few more young people may be seen walking […]

Affordable Condo Development Planned for Old Colony Road

State funds sought for 10 energy-efficient homes By Wiley Wood In 2015, Norfolk architect Kate Johnson won a statewide award for having designed an energy-efficient home. So efficient was the house that it was given a Home Energy Rating System Index of -12, meaning that the building generates more energy from the photovoltaic cells on […]

Pop-Up Makerspace Fosters Craft and Community

Making art while making friends By Ruth MelvillePhotos by C. J. Sosna The Hub has been host to a variety of public events since it opened its doors less than a year ago, but none has been as lively as the pop-up makerspace that took place on Jan. 26. This first-time event was organized by […]