Recent Stories

The Arts

Good Company to present Putnam County Spelling Bee

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By Jessica PietrosantiGood Company Theater has started rehearsals for its hilarious fall production of 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. In a school auditorium, home of the Putnam Porcupines, six peculiar students compete in a spelling bee, guided by three adults who have their own personality quirks, as each character attempts to deal with the struggles of growing up. Nate Strick, Jason Maur, Luis Hilerio, Cliff Gibson, Danielle Lawrence, Julia Bussell and Karen Vinic rehearse fo […]

The Arts

Granby Artists annual open studio tour is Oct. 14-15

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By Debby ReelitzThe Granby Artists Association will hold its annual Open Studio Tour Saturday and Sunday, October 14-15, at home studios throughout Granby. In addition, Lost Acres Vineyard will host oil painter, Alexander Anisimov, on both days of the tour. Anisimov, a classically trained Russian artist, will be creating charcoal and sepia portraits for visitors. The portraits will take 15 to 20 minutes and cost only $25. Reservations are highly recommended and can be made at: 860-408-1671. […]

The Arts

​October Art show to support Granby Land Trust

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By Trish PercivalThe Granby Land Trust and the Granby Artists Association are in their 12th year of showcasing inspiring art for an important cause—to help protect the land, water, and wildlife of Granby. To date, the Land Trust has protected more than 2,500 acres of open space, forests, wildlife habitat, agricultural land, water buffers, ecologically sensitive areas, and scenic vistas in Granby.Celebrating New England’s Natural Beauty is the theme of this extraordinary juried show; […]

Great Outdoors

At House of Hayes, the cows are milking themselves

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By Shirley MurthaIf you weren’t among the many visitors to the House of Hayes dairy farm (Sweet Pea Cheese) on Open Farm Day, you owe it to yourself to drive over to observe the new robotic milking process. Seemingly out of a science fiction novel, the cows now milk themselves 24/7, relieving the Hayes family of the chore that used to take 3 1/2 hours twice a day.It takes just a little training to teach the cows to enter the milking station, which they happily do repeatedly to enjoy the gr […]

Fun & Rec

MeadowBrook residents adopt Phoebe the bunny

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With a special welcoming ceremony, MeadowBrook of Granby residents welcomed Phoebe the Bunny to their home. Phoebe has a long soft coat and loves to be held and brushed. She is calm and sensitive. She loves fresh vegetable and yogurt treats, and will bring smiles to the face of residents at MeadowBrook of Granby for many years to come. Dorothy Annulli and Director of Therapeutic Recreation Nicole Matson with Phoebe the bunny. MeadowBrook of Granby offers a wide variety of pet therapy […]

Fun & Rec

Youth Services Bureau: Fall is here!

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The Youth Service Bureau is looking for local students interested in picking up extra cash helping other community members stay on top of Fall clean ups. Call to register for the Youth Employment Service.StressRX, a program focused on teaching both relaxation techniques as well as targeted study skills, is still being offered. Check out the YSB website or Facebook page to find the dates the program will be offered throughout the school year.Takes a Village parent support group will be meeting th […]

Verse

Human of Granby

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Stanley HayesCo-owner with son and wife of House of Hayes farm(Sweet Pea Farm)Age: 59Where did the name “Sweet Pea Farm” come from?Years ago my wife acquired a herd of goats. At that time my mother used to grow Freezonian peas. Since every herd was given a name, hers became Sweet Pea because these goats liked to eat the sweet Freezonian peas. Our farm actually dates back to the 1830s and the Hayes families were some of the first settlers in Granby during the 1690s to early 170 […]

School & Sports

Let’s not throw out the baby with the bathwater

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By Alan Addley, Ed. D., Granby Superintendent of SchoolsLike many other Connecticut residents, my eldest son is currently planning to leave the state and relocate to North Carolina for a more prosperous future. Meanwhile, here we are again, another month has passed, school is up and running and, at the time of this article going to print, the State Legislature and Governor have still not been able to pass a budget. Given the Governor’s promise to veto the most recent Republican budget prop […]

School & Sports

YMCA 200 meter medley relay swim team crushes state record

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By Shawneen BuckleyThe Farmington Valley YMCA Tsunami Swim Team completed its summer season with stellar team and individual performances marked by individual, team and state records, state and regional championships, and national achievements. The successful May to August summer season, included short-course (25-yard pool) and long-course (50-meter pool) swim meets requiring exceptional commitment and dedication by coaches and team members.At the Connecticut Long Course Age Group Championships, […]

School & Sports

Rebecca rocks the Hall of Fame

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By Shirley MurthaBy all accounts, the acceptance speech given by Granby’s Rebecca Lobo was one of the best ever; certainly the best of that night, September 8, 2017. That was the night the women’s basketball player, now WNBA analyst, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. Accompanied by her family and escorted to the podium by her college coach, UConn’s Geno Auriemma, Lobo used humor and poignant stories to describe what this accolade me […]

Letter to the Editor

Veterans’ tribute concert

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I wish to thank the Granby Senior Center, especially Lori Blackburn, and the Valley Brook Community Church for the special veterans’ tribute concert featuring the Governor’s Foot Guard Band on Nov. 8.

People

McLean Hospice welcomes new volunteers

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McLean graduated ten new volunteers in October, adding to the dedicated team that supports the McLean Hospice program. The McLean Hospice Volunteer program currently includes 50 volunteers from varied backgrounds who want to contribute purposefully to the com- munity.

School & Sports

Wells students thank veterans

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November is a special time for Wells Road School, when we invite veterans who may be either family members or members of the community to come for breakfast and be a part of our assembly. The students practiced the official song for each branch of service, which they sang to honor guests on Nov. 12.

School & Sports

Safe Grad Night needs your help

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The GMHS Grad Night event, held at the Granby YMCA every year on graduation night, offers a free, funfilled, substance-free celebration. This can’t happen without volunteers to help with food, room set up, decorations and chaperoning.

School & Sports

PTO Corner

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The PTO Executive Board would like to extend heartfelt thanks to Kelly Lane and Wells Road families, teachers, staff, and administrators, as well as the Granby community at large, for supporting the PTO’s fundraising efforts with the 2018 Jog-a-Thon/Fall Fest. Over 200 families participated in the run on Oct.

Events

Farmington Valley Chorale holiday performances

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The Farmington Valley Chorale with Ellen Gilson Voth, artistic director, will perform excerpts from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio (Weihnachts-Oratorium) in two December concerts in Granby. The oratorio relates the Christmas story in dramatic style and contains many familiar themes that have been used by other composers in Christmas music settings.

People

McLean Home Care and Hospice recognized

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McLean Home Care and Hospice was named to the Top 500 of the 2018 HomeCare Elite, a recognition of topperforming home health agencies in the United States. For 13 years, HomeCare Elite annually identifies the top 25 percent of agencies and highlights the top 100 and top 500 agencies overall.