Housy FFA performs well at UConn competition

FALLS VILLAGE —The Housatonic Valley FFA Chapter recently sent four career development event teams to the University of Connecticut to compete in forestry, equine judging, floriculture and nursery/landscape.These four-member teams participated in specific events related to their disciplines.The nursery/landscape team placed first in the state and fielded team members Christian Allyn (North Canaan), Nate Brooks (North Canaan), Gabriel Plunkett (North Cornwall) and Brian Saccardi (Sharon). Brooks, Allyn and Saccardi came in third, fourth and fifth, respectively, out of 40 state participants.The nursery/landscape team is excited to compete at the 85th FFA National Convention in October.The equine judging team placed second in the state and consisted of Marissa Larson (Cornwall), Nicole Mueller (North Canaan), Sam Rand (Salisbury) and Martina Sprague (North Canaan), with Sprague placing fourth individually.The floriculture team placed third in the state and consisted of Mackenzie Considine (Cornwall), Cheyenne Nettleton (Sharon), Nicole Waldron (Sharon) and Caitlin Webb (North Canaan), with Webb placing third individually.The forestry team placed eighth in the state and was made up of team members Matt Colby (Kent), John Haddon (Falls Village), Chris Jacquier (Sharon) and Kerry Underwood (Cornwall).

Latest News

Tuning up two passions under one roof

The Webb Family in the workshop. From left: Phyllis, Dale, Ben and Josh Webb, and project manager Hannah Schiffer.

Natalia Zukerman

Magic Fluke Ukulele Shop and True Wheels Bicycle Shop are not only under the same roof in a beautiful solar powered building on Route 7 in Sheffield, but they are also both run by the Webb family, telling a tale of familial passion, innovation and a steadfast commitment to sustainability.

In the late ‘90s, Dale Webb was working in engineering and product design at a corporate job. “I took up instrument manufacturing as a fun challenge,” said Dale. After an exhibit at The National Association of Music Merchants in Anaheim, California, in 1999, The Magic Fluke company was born. “We were casting finger boards and gluing these things together in our basement in New Hartford and it just took off,” Dale explained. “It was really a wild ride, it kind of had a life of its own.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Robert Cray’s soulful blues coming to Infinity Hall

Robert Cray

Photo provided

Blues legend Robert Cray will be bringing his stinging, funky guitar and soulful singing to Infinity Hall Norfolk on Friday, March 29.

A five-time Grammy winner, Cray has been inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and earned The Americana Music Awards Lifetime Achievement for Performance. He has played with blues and rock icons including Albert Collins, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton and many more.

Keep ReadingShow less