Recent Stories

People

The annoying plague of ticks

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By John Violette, DVMSummer is finally upon us. Seems like it would never get here. The cold wet spring brought us the plague of ticks. None of us can remember such vast numbers of ticks on our dogs and on ourselves. They typically die down during the hot, dry summer months and return in the fall. Hopefully this is the case this summer and we can return to walking our dogs in the fields and forests of Granby. In the meantime, tuck your pant legs into your socks and give your dogs flea and tick p […]

Verse

2017 Drummer scholarship awarded

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Kathy Norris, president of Citizens for a Better Granby (CBG) presented the 2017 Drummer scholarship to Granby Memorial High School student Emily Brewer at the June 1 senior awards night. Emily will attend Hamilton College in the fall. […]

School & Sports

Granby student awarded Avon Arts scholarship

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By Rita BondGranby Memorial High School senior Soul Leavitt was among four Farmington Valley graduating students who were awarded scholarships by the Avon Arts Association during a reception at the Simsbury Public Library on June 4, during the opening of the annual Members’ Spring Show.Leavitt received the Avon Arts Association Award for Excellence. Jessica Shin, from Simsbury High School, received the Helen Kilgus Award. Kevin Barch, also from Simsbury High School, received the Robert Ron […]

School & Sports

A visitor from Mystic Aquarium visited Kelly Lane to say “thank you”

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By Amy Lupoli During the month of March the students, families and staff of Kelly Lane Primary School participated in the Pennies for Penguins fundraiser coordinated by Mystic Aquarium. The spare-change fundraiser was held in support of the South African penguin, a species at the highest risk of extinction in the animal kingdom. The wild population of the African penguin has declined by 70 percent over the past 10 years. Due to pollution and over-fishing, the penguins must travel farther an […]

School & Sports

Safe Dates Boot Camp

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The Town of Granby Youth Service Bureau offered its Safe Dates Boot Camp for the first time over winter break. Nine of the 10 middle-schoolers provided 100 percent positive reviews of the program, despite not being thrilled that they had been signed up to take the class in the first place! Safe Dates explores healthy and unhealthy dating relationships. An evidence-based program, it is proven to reduce dating violence for the teens who complete it. The 10 one-hour sessions have been con […]

School & Sports

Local workshops offer solutions to solar energy generation in Granby

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By David Desiderato “If you’ve ever thought about going solar, this is the perfect time,” Kent McCord told the crowd gathered for the second Solarize Granby Workshop on May 15. “Costs are down 70 percent compared to just five years ago, and we chose a great company—RGS Energy—for the Solarize Granby campaign,” he added.Solarize Connecticut is a statewide non-profit that helps towns choose high-quality installers, negotiate low group purchase prices, […]

Town/Govt

Municipal Complex roads named for retiring town manager

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The culmination of Bill Smith’s retirement party was the announcement that the two drives into Granby’s Municipal Complex, the development of which Smith had overseen, would be known as William F. Smith, Jr. Way. The crowd rose to applaud the announcement and honor its recipient.It was standing room only, with every seat in Holcomb Farm’s North Barn occupied and people two or three deep around the perimeter for the June 4 celebration honoring Smith’s almost 40 years of se […]

Town/Govt

New town manager selected

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John D. Ward of Vernon has been appointed as Granby’s new town manager, effective July 13. Ward will replace William F. Smith, Jr. who retired after 39 years.Ward has served as chief administrative officer for the Town of Vernon since January 2009. His responsibilities were very much the same as a town manager except he reported to the mayor and not a council or board of selectmen. He previously served on the Vernon Town Council and Board of Education. He was a practicing attorney from 199 […]

Town/Govt

Wilhelm Farm awarded U.S.D.A. grant

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By Shirley MurthaThe Wilhelm Farm on Rte. 189 in North Granby has been awarded a Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) of the United States Department of Agriculture for the period March 1, 2017 through September 30, 2019. The official title of the project is Wilhelm Farm: Demonstrations of Silvopasture and Other Agroforestry Systems. The NRCS demonstrations will include web pages, videos, fact sheets and onsite activities. They will be used by a […]

Focus on Education

Crafting the FY20 budget

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On March 6, I will present the FY20 Administrative Budget to the Board of Education. The budget is a spending plan that is responsive to the needs of the district, a Board of Finance budget guideline of 4 percent, a huge State budget deficit, and a proposed Governor’s budget that reduces $254K in State educational funding to Granby. 

Over the years, in response to the significant economic challenges, the district has taken steps to reduce its budget by realizing line-item efficiencies and closing a school.

People

Chamber of Commerce installs new officers and board of directors

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New Chamber of Commerce officers installed are (from l.): John Laudati, president; Mary Anne Guarco, past president; Todd Baily, director; Lindsay Allen, director; Annelise Hurley, director; Frank Schoenrock, treasurer; Kevin Riggott, director; Scott Riley, first vice president; Jamie Rice, second vice president, Brian Guarco, director; Bob Marx, director. Missing from photo are: Vicky Mosteanu, Meg Statile, Tim Baker, Kathy Ungerleider, and Tony Roda.

Town/Govt

Granby hosts forum on state’s fiscal stability and economic growth

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Granby was provided an opportunity at the town’s Senior Center, co-moderated by First Selectman Scott Kuhnly and Susan Patricelli Regan, to hear an exclusive presentation on the state’s fiscal status and challenges, given by Robert E. Patricelli, co-author of the document 2.0 Fiscal Stability and Economic Growth manifesto. Patricelli is the co-chairman on the State’s Fiscal Stability Commission along with Jim Smith, former president and CEO of Webster Bank.

PTO Corner

PTO Corner

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March is proving to be a busy month for the PTO. The spring session of our after-school chess program begins on March 4 and will meet on consecutive Mondays through June 3.

Youth Services Bureau

It’s not all Rainbows and Unicorns

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A confidential support group for tweens and younger teens who have experienced anxiety and depression will meet on Friday’s beginning March 19 from 5:45 to 6:30 p.m.

Each session will focus on reinforcing positive coping techniques using a framework of cognitive behavioral and mindfulness techniques. Art, music, meditation and other expressive activities will be included with guided discussions and sharing.

People

Prepping for Empty Bowls fundraiser

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GMHS student Madeline Peling glazes a bowl made by fellow student Brian Boyle (not pictured) for the annual Empty Bowls fundraiser to be held in the high school commons area March 22, from 5-7 p.m. The event is hosted by the National Honor Society.

School & Sports

GMHS production of Grease is March 15-17

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Granby Performing Arts at GMHS is back again, with this year’s spring musical: Grease by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey and in cooperation with Samuel French Publishing and directed by Nikki Currie-Huggard. It’s 1959, and Rydell High School’s senior class is in rare form.

Events

Hungry Heart dinner is March 23

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Waste Not Want Not Community Kitchen’s gourmet dinner is this month. Preparations are in progress for another fun evening with a gourmet dinner, silent auction and raffle.

Out of Town

Tension, Thread and Needles

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Cathy Racine from the Charlton Sewing Center will give a humorous lecture on “Tension, Thread and Needles” at the March meeting of the Farmington Valley Quilters. The meeting is Wednesday, March 20, at 7 p.m. in Eno Memorial Hall, 754 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury.

Out of Town

Storyteller’s Cottage launches charming tea room

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The Storyteller’s Cottage in Simsbury now offers a delicious variety of tea, coffee and pastries in its charmingly remodeled English Country Kitchen. During any of its standard operating hours, visitors may stop in and enjoy a romantic literary snack, either while chatting with friends, or while working on their writing projects (just like J.K. Rowling, who wrote the entire Harry Potter series while sitting in an Edinburgh cafe). 

Baked goods are provided by Popover’s Bistro of Simsbury, and are inspired by classic books and the favorite dishes of literary celebrities.  The variety changes from week to week, but guests may find dishes such as Hobbit Cake (a poppy seed cake that Bilbo loves), Turkish Delight (Edwin’s downfall in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe), or gingerbread cake made from Beatrix Potter’s favorite recipe. 

The Storyteller’s Cottage Tea Room is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

Out of Town

Women take flight at Air Museum

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The New England Air Museum will hold its annual Women Take Flight event on Saturday, March 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in commemoration of Women’s History Month and in conjunction with Women of Aviation Worldwide Week. Visitors of all ages are invited to celebrate women’s contributions to aerospace history through a variety of hands-on activities, special events, and lectures. 

This year’s keynote speakers include Shaesta Waiz, Founder and President of Dreams Soar, Inc. In 2017, Waiz became the youngest woman to fly solo around the world in a single engine aircraft when she completed a journey that took her to 22 countries in 145 days.