Recent Stories

Events

February Activities

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February ActivitiesUnless otherwise noted, all events take place at the Granby Senior Center located within the Municipal Complex at 15 North Granby Road. Please call 860-844-5352 for additional information.Commission on Aging: Monday, Feb. 13, 9:30 a.m. The Commission on Aging proposes and evaluates programs and services for the elderly in the community, and assists the town staff in the development, initiation, coordination and implementation of programs and services for the elderly. Meetings […]

Town/Govt

State uncertainty clouds FY18 budget picture

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Michael B Guarco Jr., Chairman, Board of FinanceOnce again Connecticut faces a $1.5 billion deficit in each of the next two fiscal years. How it is handled with respect to state aid monies allocated to the municipalities will have a significant impact on local operations and taxation. The reluctance on the part of the state to tackle real structural budget reform continues to just kick the can down the road. Every two years, the state legislature’s majority party leadership and the governo […]

Town/Govt

BOS student liaison a girl for all seasons

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By Shirley MurthaThis year’s student representative to the Granby Board of Selectmen is Kelly-Anne Moffa, a senior at Granby Memorial High School. Having attended the school for three-plus, she felt she could do a good job bringing the student perspective to the board while becoming more connected with the Granby community in general. She intends to become involved with government in the future, planning to study both environmental science and political science in college. Being the liaiso […]

Fun & Rec

wildcats hockey team and alumni jamboree benefits wounded warrior project

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By Nick BoormanThe Wildcats hockey’s first alumni jamboree to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project on Jan. 6 was a huge success. The rink was filled with current and former student athletes and fans from Suffield, Granby, and Windsor Locks. Thirty alumni played in the jamboree. The current players chose the Wounded Warrior Project as a charity because they wanted to help our military troops and veterans. The Wildcats Hockey Booster Club coordinated the event raising $941 for the Wounded War […]

Town/Govt

BOE begins budget process

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By Kim BeckerThe new year rings in the beginning of the budget process for the board of education. Superintendent of Granby Public Schools Alan Addley presented the BOE with the Plus One, a five-year budget projection.Given the sharp decline in state funding, including cuts to Education Cost Sharing and the Academic and Social Support grant, Granby will lose $180,000. This funding directly supported programs like all-day kindergarten, summer school, and integrated preschool. Though the board has […]

People

Honoring local Veterans – Granby Schools pay tribute

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Granby Schools held annual Veterans Day events on Nov. 11. Kelly Lane School, Wells Road Primary School and the Granby Memorial Middle School, held assemblies of their respective entire student bodies honoring several dozen Granby Veterans, some accompanied by family members. The veterans represented the services of World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam Conflict, and the Mid-East/Afghan Conflicts. Pictured is the tribute at Wells Road School.Photos by Lou Urban […]

The Arts

Awards given at annual Land Trust Art Show

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By Trish PercivalEach November since 2005, the Granby Land Trust and the Granby Artists Association have sponsored a juried art show. Thanks to the incredible generosity of the GLT’s friends, the show now offers a remarkable $5,000 in award money and the event has become something the community looks forward to each fall. This year, 178 pieces of original artwork were submitted; just 77 were selected to be in the show. Will Lustenader, an accomplished artist who teaches at Choate Rosemary […]

The Arts

Amahl and the Night Visitors comes to South Church

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By Laura Mazza-DixonOn Sunday, Dec. 4, at 4 p.m., the Bruce Porter Memorial Music Series welcomes the Hartt Opera Theater to Granby for a performance of Amahl and the Night Visitors, the enchanting mini-opera by Gian Carlo Menotti about a young boy and his mother who are visited by the Three Kings on their way to pay homage to the Child. Audience of all ages will appreciate the way the students of the Hartt Opera Theater bring this tender, lively, humorous and deep tale to life.Menotti wrote Ama […]

Town/Govt

BOE studies achievement gap issues

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By Kim BeckerThe Board of Education heard from new Director of Teaching and Talent Development Christopher Tranberg regarding new achievement gap data. The data was viewed by program: regular education students and special education students and by residence (Granby, Hartford, and Hartland). Because the 2014-15 report was given in the spring and the 2015-16 data was compiled early, little improvement was seen in the numbers. However, four areas bucked that trend are graduation rate, college cour […]

School & Sports

DAR Chapter presents Good Citizens awards

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The Abigail Phelps Chapter, of the NSDAR held its Good Citizens meeting in November to honor students and veterans. Karen DiMenna, Good Citizens Chair, introduced the three awardees, Shane SeeKamp, Simsbury High School, Morgan Pierce, Granby Memorial High School and Emily Farmer, East Granby High School. These outstanding students each received the NSDAR Good Citizens award by demonstrating the qualities of dependability, service, leadership and patriotism. Each student received an award and a c […]

Events

47th annual road race is May 5

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The 2018 Granby Road Race, presented by Murphy, Laudati, Kiel and Rattigan, LLC Attorneys at Law, celebrates its 47th year on Saturday, May 5, at 8:30 a.m. at Granby Memorial Middle School. Eight years ago, the Granby Road Race merged with the Farmington Valley YMCA as the organization’s premier fundraising event in memory of David Schupp, Jr.

The Granby Road Race offers both 5K and 10K races that are run on a combination of road and trails.

Events

Seth and Lucy Holcombe Preserve to open June 3

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Granby Land Trust volunteers have been hard at work readying the GLT’s new Seth and Lucy Holcombe Preserve for its official opening to the public on Connecticut Trails Day (June 3). The 154-acre property was bequeathed to the GLT by Seth and Lucy Holcombe, two loyal and generous friends of the Land Trust who shared a love of nature, a passion for outdoor recreation and a commitment to land preservation.

Town/Govt

Granby participates in Neighborhood Assistance Act Program

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The Connecticut Department of Revenue Services has announced the 2018 Connecticut Neighborhood Assistance Act Tax Credit Program that provides tax credits to businesses that make cash investments in qualifying community non-profit programs. Projects approved in the past have come from public service departments such as police, fire, ambulance, health service agencies, land trusts and more. Requests have included energy saving measures such as new windows, boiler replacement and fuel-efficient vehicles; programs for youth, parents and seniors.

Town/Govt

You are needed

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A Granby resident is needed to fill a vacancy on the Park and Recreation Board. If you are interested in serving your town on this board, call the Democratic Town Committee Chairman Jim Lofink, 860-810-0274; Republican Town Committee Chairman Mark Neumann, 860-653-9668; or Town Manager John Ward, 860-844-5300.

Letter to the Editor

East Street Decision

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I am angry and extremely disappointed with the actions of both the Town Manager and the Board of Selectmen regarding the property at 107 East Street. Please note that this anger is not directed at either the Vaughan or the Hayes families, who have both been subject to false accusations and animosity.

Letter to the Editor

East Street Decision

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There is only one way to move forward with respect to the broken RFP process regarding 107 East Street. The Board of Selectmen must invite Westmeadow Farm back to the RFP process and confirm that from this point on, the procedure will be governed by fairness.  At that point, Westmeadow’s proposal should go to a Town vote.

Letter to the Editor

Support for Webster

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As an “experienced” voter in Granby, I have consistently noted the lack of candidates for state office on our ballots. Amanda Webster plans to change that in November.

Letter to the Editor

Support for Webster

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It has been a privilege to watch Amanda Webster as a candidate for Connecticut’s District 62 representative. She has shown commitment to meeting with, talking with, and understanding the residents of the four towns she hopes to represent.

School & Sports

College Scholarship Deadlines

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Granby Lions Club – May 1

Community Scholarship Association of Granby – May 1

Citizens for a Better Granby (Granby Drummer) – May 1

Democrat Town Committee – May 4

Students should contact Ms. Caruso in the high school guidance department for applications.

Town/Govt

FY19 budget discussed at public hearing

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Between 75 and 80 residents attended the Public Hearing on the 2018-2019 budget held at the Granby Memorial High School auditorium on April 9. The $45,254,588 budget represents a 2.78 percent increase in expenditures over the current budget, leading to a 1.98 percent increase in the mill rate.

Town/Govt

Webster slate wins Granby Democratic caucus

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The Amanda Webster Slate was voted to attend the Democratic Connecticut House of Representatives convention this May by the Democratic voters of Granby. All registered Granby Democrats were invited to attend and vote for the slate of delegates pledged to their preferred candidate.

Town/Govt

Public Works

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Trash Holiday: Monday, May 28, 2018 – Memorial Day is a holiday for Paine’s Inc. All trash pickups will be delayed by one day the week after the holiday. Paine’s notifications: Did you know you can sign up for email alerts from Paine’s?  Don’t worry they won’t swamp your inbox.

School & Sports

Minutes • Board of Education Meeting April 4, 2018

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Congratulations to Addyson Earl, a 6th grader at GMMS, who was a finalist in a PBS talent competition that had over 1,000 entries. Middle school students Kylie Coxon, Galen Platt, Alexa Becker, Caelum Janski, Jason Brown, and Alec Jedamonov participated in a regional history day competition at Manchester High School and will advance to the state contest in April.

Focus on Education

Changing school start times

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The Granby Board of Education (BOE) recently charged the Superintendent of Schools to conduct an administrative study to explore the impact of different school start times on students’ wellness and academic performance and to assess the feasibility of the implementation of new start times for all Granby schools. In Connecticut, school districts such as Greenwich, Wilton, Guilford, West Hartford, and Simsbury have implemented, or are currently exploring, new start times.

Events

UNICO Italian club to host annual pasta dinner May 4

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The Granby UNICO Club will host its annual pasta dinner on Friday, May 4, on Manitook Lake at 70 Lakeside Drive, with continuous open seating from 5 to 8 p.m. The public is invited to enjoy a great home-cooked Italian meal featuring penne pasta with sauce, meatballs, sausage, salad, fresh bread and beverages. Dessert is a make-your-own ice cream sundae with ice cream donated by Grass Roots.

People

Burkhart-Wundt and Hall honored at Granby Chamber awards dinner

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The Granby Chamber of Commerce honored Jen Burkhart-Wundt as its Business Person of the Year and Jim Hall as Humanitarian of the Year at the Chamber’s 15th Annual Awards Banquet at Holcomb Farm in March. The chamber also recognized Evans Automotive as New Business of the Year and presented a special Community Service Award to Ralph Johnson upon his retirement as owner/operator of ABC Pizza.