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Welcome to Granby01033.
I began this blog in 2006 as a means for improving the flow of information concerning the Town of Granby to people who live here or love it. As my blogging continued, I began expanding topics to include state news and politics, which, at that time, I knew nothing about. Because Granby news is sometimes scarce, I also cover state and national politics. I am also a frequent commentator on education.
With this new, Wordpress incarnation of Granby01033, I've added an events calendar and improved commenting functions. Press releases of events concerning Granby are always welcome. Organizations that frequently sponsor events should talk to me about becoming a contributor and posting announcements on their own. When I figure out how to display it effectively, I'll take commercial advertising.
That's about it for the blog.
And me? I'm sixth generation Granby. A high school English teacher. A doctoral student at UMass. And a blogger. My children are seventh generation. I live on Easton Street, which takes its name from my great-great-great grandfather Isaac Easton whose farmed ranged from the field on North Street across from Easton Street, west to Porter Street (and then south up Porter Street), and north to Batchelor Street. The foundation of Isaac and his son Herbert's sawmill can still be seen from Porter Street. The DeWitt family owns the most of farmland that comprised the original homestead. A cornfield on the corner of Easton and Porter Streets, now owned by the Sapowskys was also part of the farm.
My family has been involved in town politics for almost 100 years. My great grandfather Henry L. King was a tax collector until my great grandmother Irene Easton King caught him paying the taxes of one family who couldn't afford them. She was a founding member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish and the Granby Historical Society. My grandmother Esther King McCool held a variety of town offices; she was an assessor and also served on the Council on Aging. My grandfather John McCool served on the Board of Selectmen and the committee in charge of building Granby Junior-Senior High School.
My mother Maureen McCool Bail served as a Library trustee for 40 years. She and my father have worked on innumerable political campaigns over the years. She currently serves on the Council on Aging. My father served as town moderator for years. He was also on the planning board. When we still had party politics at the town level, he chaired the Democratic Town Committee. I've continued the tradition. I'm serving my second term on the Granby Housing Authority. I did a short stint as chair of the Democratic Committee Chair, but gave that up to my indefatigable friend Emre Evren.
Mark
