• Proposed Manor House Expansion Draws Large Crowd

    Many differing views on effect of change in town center By Susan MacEachron Norfolk residents filled the Botelle School Hall of Flags on a very cold evening on Tuesday, Jan. 14, to attend the Planning & Zoning (P&Z) public hearing regarding a modification to the special permit granted in 1996 to the property known as […]

  • From All Angels

    Throughout the month of February, Garet&Co will be returning to Norfolk to present their third annual performance in the Battell Chapel, where each piece will be set in the round.  In this presentation, titled “From All Angles”, the audience will witness the translation of three of the works presented at their fall show.   “Can’t Keep […]

  • Norfolk Then

    Pictured here is the house built in 1898 by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Spofford as their summer home. The son of Ainsworth Spofford, Librarian of Congress, Charles Spofford was an electrical engineer, who would be hired in 1902 to manage London’s underground railway system, converting it from steam to electricity. The Spoffords engaged the architect […]

  • Sweets on the Green

    A Decade of Decadent Desserts By Andra Moss How is your naughty versus nice rating? Those needing to influence Santa with an especially impressive treat should grab their stockings and head to the Norfolk Historical Society (NHS) for the 10th Annual Cake Auction on Saturday, Dec. 7.     Now a Norfolk holiday tradition, the event was […]

  • Artist Tom Burr Brings His Torrington Project to an End

    Performances celebrate studio closing By Stephen Melville Norfolk resident and artist Tom Burr organized a day of performances and exhibition at his studio in Torrington on Oct. 26, marking an end to what he has called “The Torrington Project.” For the past three and a half years, Burr has rented a vast—15,000 square foot—former industrial […]

  • New Meanings for a Monument

    Light Shines on the Memorial Green By Joe Kelly On Monday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day, a crowd of about 100 gathered for the rededication of Norfolk’s World War 1 memorial, artfully restored under the auspices of the Norfolk Community Association. It was sunny. Temperatures in the low ‘60’s. Another day of no rain. Everyone talked […]

  • Norfolk Then…

    This 1920s postcard shows Memorial Green just after the War Memorial, designed by Alfredo Taylor, was built. It was Taylor’s wife Minna who first proposed that a memorial “heroes grove” be planted on the small lot of land known as the Triangle opposite the Catholic Church. The lot had been left empty with the demolition […]

  • Restored war memorial to be celebrated on veterans day

    plaque now honors all who served By Patricia Platt A World War I monument, designed by Alfredo Taylor and erected on Norfolk’s Memorial Green in 1921, bears the inscription, “for those who gave and those who offered their lives for liberty, the people of Norfolk have built this monument and crowned it with the Liberty […]

  • NLT Tail Ablaze with Runners

    More than 120 runners enjoyed perfect fall weather as they wound their way through picturesque Barbour Woods in the 11th Annual Norfolk Land Trust Trail Race. Some chose to add a challenging loop over Haystack Mountain, while the half-marathoners just kept moving on up—topping out at over 2,000 feet of elevation gain. *photo by June […]

  • Can you spot the Real Curler?

    There was movie magic ice to be made, and the pros of the Norfolk Curling Club were the first to get the call. In October, NCC’s Jon Barbagallo, Lou Barbagallo, Rachel Barbagallo, Mark Walsh, Harvey Chalmers and Phill West were hired by a production company to make curling ice at a Rhode Island hockey rink […]

  • Norfolk Then…

    This 1917 photograph is a timely reminder of the long struggle fought by many dedicated women for basic civil liberties, including the right to own property, hold public office, sit on juries, participate in public assemblies and vote. The group of 25 suffragists—20 women and five men—gathered on the porch following their meeting with Congressman […]

  • The chicken who wanted to be a star and other tales from a norfolk movie set

    By Andra Moss Secrets and small towns don’t often pair well, and Norfolk is a small town. Yet, for eight weeks this summer, a crew of nearly 100 people quietly transformed Tim and Paula Webster’s 1908 Norfolk farmhouse into a film set for a feature-length production, all the while staying under the local radar.  It […]

Articles

Big Challenges from Aging Town Infrastructure

Nine million dollars of work clouds Norfolk’s future By Kurt Steele Like many aging towns across America, Norfolk struggles to keep its infrastructure operational and up-to-date. The town’s public roadways, sewer system, and fire and EMS buildings need regular maintenance as well as periodic rebuilding. “There is nothing simple about repairing and improving our 43 […]

Snow Guns at Region’s Four Ski Areas are Working Overtime

Mohawk gets the jump on the other three by opening Nov. 29 By Lloyd Garrison After two winters of dreary weather that crimped attendance, the region’s four ski areas are brimming with confidence that this year will be different. For the first time in recent memory, weather forecasters are predicting an exceptionally long string of […]

Building Bridges Between Local Volunteer Groups

Nonprofits and Volunteer Commissions Play an Important Role in Town Life By Lindsey Pizzica Rotolo The Coalition for Sound Growth [CSG] was formed 11 years ago out of a need to provide a thorough, scientific study on the potential environmental impact of the proposed Yale Farm Golf Course. The group went on to spearhead the […]

Town Meeting On November 14, 2013

By Wiley Wood The Town of Norfolk has scheduled a Special Town Meeting at Town Hall on November 14 at 7 p.m., open to all citizens qualified to vote. Two issues will be voted on. The first concerns the reorganization of the regional planning commissions, a move mandated by the state to streamline state government. […]

Town Election Yields New Selectman

Voter Turnout At 26 Percent By Wiley Wood The results of Norfolk’s municipal elections were released by Town Clerk Linda Perkins on Wednesday, November 6. The town has a new selectman, Josh DeCerbo, who ran unopposed for the Republican seat made vacant by the departure of longtime selectman James Stotler. Sue Dyer will continue as […]

Plans For New Firehouse Shelved

Board of Finance To Seek Pension Bond Instead By Wiley Wood Reversing its endorsement of a new firehouse, the Board of Finance agreed at its October 8 meeting to delay plans to fund the facility for at least two to three years. Instead it will focus efforts on removing the town’s unfunded pension liability from […]

Botelle PTO Regroups After Theft

Former Treasurer Issued Warrant By Lindsey Pizzica Rotolo A warrant was issued on October 22 for the arrest of Vanessa Millard, the former treasurer of Botelle School’s Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), who allegedly stole roughly $13,000 from the organization over the past year. Connecticut state police called Millard’s home to ask for her surrender shortly […]

Selectman Jim Stotler Steps Down After Long Career Of Service To Norfolk

Stotler’s Name On Every Town Ballot For Past 26 Years By Colleen Gundlach Retirement doesn’t come easy to Jim Stotler. When his career at the Connecticut Department of Transportation ended in 1997, Stotler embraced a new career and more volunteer work. There is no sign that things will be any different now that he is […]

It’s a Tough Life For Beekeepers

By Lindsey Pizzica Rotolo Honeybees are not native to North America, but records show that colonies of the adept honey makers were shipped to Connecticut from England as early as 1644. Beekeeping in our neck of the woods is as old a tradition as we have, and one testament to our Yankee resolve, as beekeeping […]

Aija Moves Into Hardware Store Building Across Street

By Janet Gokay Why did the chicken cross the road? We put this question to Bella Erder, owner of Aija, the gift, jewelry and accessory store currently on the second floor of the Royal Arcanum Building downtown. On Nov. 1 she will be moving across the street to 6 Station Place, which has laid vacant […]

On Call With The Norfolk Ambulance

By Christopher Little Small as Norfolk is, residents in urgent need of help can count on a dedicated response from trained EMTs and drivers, all volunteers of the Norfolk Lions Club Ambulance. The editors have asked Deputy Chief Christopher Little to describe his experiences. Names and details have been changed. As in police work, an […]

Norfolk 2023! Event Draws Strong Community Support

By Wiley Wood When the doors of Infinity Hall opened at 9:30 a.m. on October 5, the staff of Norfolk Now wondered a little nervously why anyone would give up a perfectly good Saturday morning to wrangle about Norfolk’s future. In fact, just over 150 residents of Norfolk attended, and their reasons appeared to cover […]