Granby Drummer (https://granbydrummer.com/page/10/)
The Salmon Brook Historical Society was one of many organizations that played a significant role in this year’s 250th Anniversary celebration of our nation in Granby.
Please visit granby-ct.gov/senior-services or check your Center Life Newsletter for a complete listing of health services, support groups, clubs and ongoing activities.
September is National Senior Center Month—celebrate with us!
As summer begins to wind down, we’re taking a moment to reflect on all of the fun, growth, and connection that happened at the Farmington Valley YMCA this summer. Our camps were filled with field trips, swimming, games, friendships and plenty of opportunities for kids to try something new.
Wilkinson, Karen Shaw (Nutter), 74, wife of the late Victor Nutter, April 19
Odlum, Karen Mary Laubach, 76, wife of the late Jerome Odlum, May 30
Seven years ago, the National Park Service added the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook to the National Wild and Scenic River System, joining the previously designated Upper Farmington River.
The designation recognizes the rich biodiversity, cultural significance, geological features and recreational opportunities within the watershed.
Like the southern “kudzu” vine, Asiatic bittersweet spreads a drapery of death across thousands of acres in the northeast US. Bittersweet is an extremely vigorous woody vine that can grow 60 to 80 feet high, completely smothering small and medium sized trees and shrubs, wrapping tightly around and girdling trunks, covering and depriving leaves of light, weakening trees over time and often pulling them down.
The Granby Lions Club welcomed a record 15 new members at its New Member Induction and Annual Awards Dinner in June held at the Lost Acres Vineyard. The club boasts over 60 members and is one of the most vibrant clubs in Connecticut.
Twenty-five years ago today, a great tragedy occurred in our country. A terrorist attack caused the loss of nearly 3,000 people. This event changed us as a country—we became united against the enemy who had done so much harm.
First Selectman Mark Fiorentino congratulates Jessica Diglio on her appointment to fill a vacancy on the Board of Education at the Aug. 3 Board of Selectmen meeting.
On June 6, a dedicated team of volunteers gathered to install a native wildflower pocket-teaching meadow alongside the parking lot at the Granby Wildflower Meadow. Measuring 40’x10’, this space demonstrates that you don’t need acres of land to support a thriving diversity of pollinators and local wildlife.
Most non-profit organizations have big fundraisers each year. The Lost Acres Fire Department used to have a rummage sale in the first week of May. Now they have a car show, which is Aug. 1. The Granby Drummer has its Puzzle Slam in early February. The Salmon Brook Historical Society has its flea markets held twice a year in May and October.
On June 3, the Women’s Breakfast Group welcomed a returning favorite, Metro Bis Chef Chris Prosperi, who entertained with anecdotes about his life and career while he was creating Chocolate Panna Cotta.
Independence Day: The transfer station will be closed on Saturday, July 4. There will be no changes to curbside service due to the holiday.
It really feels like summer outside! I found this recipe and made it this weekend, so good that I made it a second time once it was gone.
Highlights from the meetings held on May 16th and May 20th, 2026
Mark Williams spoke to the Men’s Breakfast Group on June 12, fascinating attendees with Granby’s history.
When I was a little girl, we had a black rotary dial phone. It sat on a little table by a lamp in the corner of the living room. Nearby there were several large telephone books containing local, state and business phone numbers. We got new books every year. I still remember my phone number.
There will be a Democratic primary at Granby Town Hall on Tuesday, Aug. 11, with early voting, also at Town Hall, from Aug. 3 to Aug. 9. That primary will include candidates vying for Governor and for the 1st U.S. Congressional district.
As of June 15, there is no Republican primary scheduled for 2026.
The Granby UNICO Chapter celebrated its first Mario Dei Dolori Memorial Golf Tournament on June 5.
The Granby Council on Aging Coffee Hour is a free program held on the second Wednesday of each month from September through June and open to all senior citizens. Granby seniors are welcome to share their views about the town and its services, the town’s ongoing course of development, to raise any questions we might help to answer directly or to share our knowledge to identify the right person or agency in town to provide answers.
Every June, foxgloves bloom on the GLT’s Katan-Ensor Preserve in West Granby.
The Open House held by Granby’s Department of Public Works on May 16 attracted some young recruits!
In my column for the October issue of the Drummer, I explained how Granby practices direct democracy. This means you, the voters through the ballot box, choose your elected officials, approve the town’s annual budget, and periodically are asked to go to the polls to approve spending and funding for large capital projects. The process where voters approve spending and funding for large capital projects is called “bonding.”
The 2026-27 budget, which starts on July 1, PASSED by a vote of 1,425 to 1,026. The 2,531 voters who participated in the machine vote on May 18 were 30.4 percent of registered Granby citizens.
Many thanks to all who volunteered their time and talents to hold three 12-hour referendum sessions for the Town of Granby!
Like many towns across Connecticut, Granby held three budget referendum votes before passing it on the third try: 1,425 approving and 1,026 rejecting—58 percent to 42 percent. The first budget vote was rejected with nearly the reverse percentages, while the second referendum had a closer tally but still a No.
Senior pitcher Amanda Bristol added another remarkable achievement to her high school softball career on May 11, recording her 700th strikeout in a dominant performance against Rockville High School.
Granby Grange No. 5 held its Fourth Annual Duck Race on May 2, and organizers are calling the event another tremendous success for both the community and the preservation of the Grange’s historic hall.
On May 18, Amanda Bristol pitched a complete game for Granby Memorial versus the Ellington Knights. In the impressive outing, Amanda added eight strikeouts, yielding only two earned runs (and two unearned) in the 4-2 loss. Amanda has logged 149 strikeouts this season, which ranks 17th among high school pitchers in Connecticut in 2026.