Recent Stories

Merry baking—gifts from the heart

During the holiday season in Vermont, we watched the weather carefully hoping for snow but wary that family driving up for the holidays might not be able to make the trip.

Be safe this holiday season—and all year

According to the National Fire Prevention Association, holiday trees and decorations account for about 400 home fires annually. This results in approximately 24 deaths and over $13 million in property damage.

Christmas Eve

Once again, it’s Christmas Eve.

GRR will continue to grow and evolve

anby Racial Reconciliation (GRR) has big plans for 2024, and its members are hoping that Granby residents will take advantage of the learning, entertainment, community, understanding and connections to be experienced through multiple events.

Animal Talk

There is a new field in veterinary surgery that is exciting and growing called Interventional Radiology (IR) and Interventional Endoscopy (IE). These are useful tools in human medicine that are now being applied to companion animals.  I recently became aware of these new methods when my son (who is a veterinary student) worked for the summer as an IR research assistant at the Animal Medical Center (AMC) in NYC. The AMC is the first veterinary facility to offer a complete service in these te […]

July meetings resolved permit issues

July 14 Meeting The Planning and Zoning Commission heard three public hearings at its July 14 meeting and approved all special permit applications The owner of 163 Hartland Road requested a special permit for an accessory apartment for his mother, who will be living with him. The existing ranch-style home, constructed in 1959, contains 1500 square feet with three bedrooms and 1.5 baths. The accessory apartment will be located within a proposed addition of 560 square feet connected to the front […]

Grounds keeping is his specialty

By Shirley Murtha Have you noticed how attractive and well-kept Granby’s municipal properties are? Back in June and July, the “Blue Billow” and pink “Invincibelle” hydrangeas that border the main entrances to the Town Hall and Meeting Room were worthy of inclusion in Better Homes and Gardens. Plantings behind the police station and along the driveway next to it are also stunning, and not just in high summer. These delights are the work of one very special Public Works employee, Chris Lesiak. […]

Lost Acres Fire Department annual election/appointment results

by Tim Rickis The Lost Acres Fire Department held its annual meeting on July 14. The LAFD election results are: Chief – John Horr Jr. President – David Demchak Vice President – Bill George Jr. Treasurer – John Reek The Chief is responsible for assigning officers to ensure the safe and effective operation of the department. Chief Horr’s appointments for 2015-2016 are: Assistant Chief – David Sprafke Deputy Chief – Bill Lee Deputy Chief – Ti […]

DTC Scholarship awarded

The annual Granby Democratic Town Committee Scholarship was awarded to Kevin Bates during the Senior Awards ceremony held in June. Kevin will be attending the University of Connecticut, and has been accepted into UConn Special Program in Law. Each year the DTC scholarship is awarded to a deserving Granby Memorial High School senior that has demonstrated positive engagement in the political process and exemplifies the DTC mission of Making Granby a Better Community.  Kevin’s applicat […]

Open Farm Day 2015

Open Farm Day 2015– Saturday, Sept. 12 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Information is available on the website, www.granbyAG.org. Clark Farm at Bushy Hill 29 Bushy Hill Road, Granby Bushyhill.com In June of 2010 Allen and Becky Clark purchased the 75-acre orchard from Hal and Nora Law. Since then, the Clarks have continued to honor what the Law family began and now that the rehabilitation of the Apple Store and the Creamery has been completed, this farming family&rsq […]

September Activities

September Activities Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at the Granby Senior Center located within the Municipal Complex at 15 North Granby Road. Annual membership dues are just $5 for Granby residents and $10 for non-residents, due on Sept. 1. Please call 860-844-5352 for additional information. Special Opportunities All About Eyes with Primary Eye Care: Wednesday, Sept. 16, 10 a.m. Learn about the latest in cataracts, glaucoma, dry eyes floaters and eye lid surgery. No charge. T […]

Local girls compete in national pony event

By Andrea Bugbee Five members of the Granby Pony Club competed in the 2015 Pony Club National Championships East held July 22–26 at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Va. These members are: Emma Forster, 13, of Bloomfield; Teagan Lapuk, 15, of Granby; Kiera Roddy, 15, of Granby; Jenna Turrini, 16, of Southwick, Mass. and Faith Wang, 15, of Southwick, Mass. All riders in Pony Club Championships previously qualified by attaining top scores at regional rallies throughout the country. […]

Granby Ag hosts Open Farm Day


By Pam Burek The Granby Agricultural Commission is sponsoring a free Open Farm Day on Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be demonstrations, tours, or other activities with the farmer onsite and ready to answer any questions you may have. Highlights include a Hay Bale Toss with prizes for men’s, women’s and children’s winners at Maple View Farm. The Granby Pony Club will offer pony rides for a small fee at Lost Acres Vineyard and more. You can find the complete schedul […]

Granby Apple Fest

First Church of Granby AppleFest September 19 By Linda Betsch First Congregational Church of Granby (FCC) will host its fourth annual AppleFest on Saturday, September 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the church grounds, located at 219 North Granby Road (Rt. 189). All ages and stages are welcome at this fun-filled community event and will be held rain or shine, using  indoor and outdoor covered spaces. The event will feature over 30 vendor and craft booths, a tag sale of gently-used, hand-sel […]

Public Works

Transfer Station Extended Hours: The Transfer Station will be open on Wednesdays 8 a.m. until noon beginning Sept. 9. The extended hours will be in effect through Nov. 18. Trash Holiday: Monday, Sept. 7, Labor Day is a holiday for Paine’s Inc. and all trash/recycling pickups will be delayed by one day that week. Hazardous Waste Collection: The next collection of Household Hazardous Waste will be Saturday, Nov. 7, 8 a.m. to noon, at the Simsbury DPW, 66 Town Forest Road, Simsbury.   […]

2015 Grad Night Thank You

Thank You for making the Safe Graduation Party a success. The 2015 Safe Graduation Party was held June 18, the evening of graduation, at the YMCA in Granby. This fun-filled, substance-free event was open to all graduates from the Granby Memorial High School (GMHS). The event featured a photo booth, laser tag, chair massages, volleyball tournament with a best costume award, caricature artist, ping pong, magician, balloon artist, airbrush artist, plus a raffle where the grand prize was a Micros […]

Park & Rec News

Director: Tom Tyburski Office Hours: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Open 24/7 at www.GranbyRec.com for program registration. Telephone: 860-653-8947 Fax: 860-653-0173 Website: www.GranbyRec.com. We accept MasterCard/Visa/Discover for payments. Program/Trip Registration: All programs/trips are based on a first come basis and space availability and require advance registration; payment must accompany registration. Please register early to avoid disappointment. Scholarships: Recreational and leisure opportun […]

September Candidate Forum

Jaimee Kidd, center, served as an intern in the Registrars’ office. She is pictured here with Registrars Laura Wolfe (left) and Sarah Thrall (right). Submitted photo In honor of National Voter Registration Day, all the candidates on the November ballot have been invited to a candidate forum sponsored by the Registrars Office. This event will be held in the town hall meeting room on Monday, Sept. 28, at 6:30 p.m. The registrars are excited to be working with the Granby Memorial High School Civ […]

Town to participate in Clean Energy Pledge

By Shirley Murtha A representative from Eversource, formerly Connecticut Power & Light, attended the Aug. 17 meeting of the Granby Board of Selectmen to explain the company’s Clean Energy Communities Municipal Pledge proposal and encourage participation. Originally proposed in 2010 by CL&P, the pledge is a non-legally binding statement that the town will attempt to reduce its energy consumption by 20 percent by the year 2018. Eversource awards points for various energy-saving acts such […]

The Opening and Closing of School?

As students prepare for the first day of school, you can feel the excitement and anticipation of another school year. We extend a special welcome to families new to Granby and to students who will be joining the school system for the first time. As usual, the summer flew by! Summer activities included curriculum institutes for teachers; professional development for teachers and administrators; facility and technology enhancements; the launching of a new website; safety upgrades; the hiring of […]

African students learn entrepreneurship skills in Granby

Dave Emery (l.) discusses Granby agriculture with Benjamin Kobina Ebo Dadson, Walter Ford, Raya NanaAdjoa Fylla and Esther Korsah. By Marilyn Sponzo Granby recently played host to seven African students studying entrepreneurship through the Study of the U.S. Institutes for Student Leaders on Social Entrepreneurship. This is a five-week program sponsored by the U.S. State Department and hosted this year by the University of Connecticut’s Global Training and Development Institute. The […]

Farmington Valley VNA appoints new director

The Farmington Valley Visiting Nurse Association’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Nancy A. Scheetz, Advance Practice RN, Board Certified, as the agency’s new Executive Director. Ms. Scheetz is a Certified Clinical Specialist with the American Nurses Credentialing Center and is licensed as a Registered Nurse and an Advance Practice Registered Nurse in the State of Connecticut. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Fairfield University an […]

Local teacher works with non-profit to build school in Nigeria

For the past 6 years, local teacher and Granby resident Elaine Chagnon has worked with Africa Education Partnership (AEP), a non-profit 501(c)3 organization to help build a school in northern Nigeria. Since 2009, the group has raised over $200,000 to bring education to a place where few can obtain schooling, especially girls. The organization, with its home base at St. Peter’s Church in South Windsor, has worked with partner St. Paul’s Church in Akron, Ohio, to complete two classroo […]

Building a medical clinic in Uganda

Gordon and Nancy Crouch during their visit to Uganda. To Gordon’s right is Faith Mulira, the clinic founder, and her sister Sarah Kibuka, the contractor for the clinic and a villager, Sara. Submitted photo By George Lynch In 1995, while Nancy Crouch’s father lay in a hospital bed close to death, he indirectly caused the building of a medical clinic in Uganda. He had never been there, knew nothing about the country and probably couldn’t find it on a map. How this came about had to […]