Belmont Votes: All The Election Info You Need

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Today, Tuesday, Sept. 9, most, but not all, Belmont voters will have the opportunity to cast ballots in state party primaries to select the candidates who will meet in the General Election in November.

Time

Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Who can vote

While legally registered to vote, not everyone can cast a ballot today, This is a political party primary which limits the election to those registered party voters. In Massachusetts, the two parties this election cycle are the Democrat and Republican. Unenrolled voters can vote by asking for one of the two parties ballots. Any one registered as a member of a minor party – the Pirate Party, for example – will not be allowed to take out a ballot.

You may be asked for ID

Did you fill out your town census form mailed earlier in the year? If you did not, then you are known as an “inactive” voter. Luckily, an “inactive” voter may still vote but first must provide adequate identification proving the voter’s identity and current place of residence. Usually a Massachusetts Driver’s License or State issued ID are sufficient.

Who’s running?

Find out here.

Transportation to the polls

The League of Women Voters of Belmont is offering rides to the polls from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call 617-771-8500 to schedule transportation.

Questions about or during voting

Most questions – including who is eligible to vote in Belmont – that arise during voting can be answered by the precinct warden at the polling station. Other questions should be addressed to the Town Clerk’s Office at 617-993-2600. 

Where do I vote?

Don’t know where to vote? Call the Town Clerk at 617-993-2600, or read or download the handy map included on this web page that includes a street directory.

Polling Places:

  • Precinct 1; Belmont Memorial Library, Assembly Room, 336 Concord Ave.
  • Precinct 2: Belmont Town Hall, Selectmen’s Meeting Room, 455 Concord Ave.
  • Precinct 3: Beech Street Center (Senior Center), 266 Beech St.
  • Precinct 4: Daniel Butler School, 90 White St.
  • Precinct 5: Beech Street Center (Senior Center), 266 Beech St.
  • Precinct 6: Belmont Fire Headquarters, 299 Trapelo Rd.
  • Precinct 7: Burbank School Gym, 266 School St.
  • Precinct 8: Winn Brook School Gym, 97 Waterhouse Rd (Enter at Cross St)

Rookie Coach Leads Belmont Boys’ Soccer Over Powerhouse Watertown

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Brian Bisceglia-Kane is undefeated for his coaching career.

OK, he’s been in charge of Belmont High School Boys’ Soccer for just one game. But that contest was the season opener against two-time Div. 3 final-four participant Watertown High School in which Belmont took home a 2-0 victory.

Not bad for a rookie head coach.

“This was a good test of our play but then every game has its unique challenges,” said Bisceglia-Kane, who was Belmont’s JV coach for six years before moving up to the top spot this campaign.

“[Watertown] have many quality players; it was the first game of the season so we had a lot of nerves to start the game, and it was super hot (temperatures reached 90 degrees despite a 10 a.m. start time) so conditioning was a factor. Luckily those three things worked out for our team. Hopefully, we will keep progressing,” said Bisceglia-Kane, who played collegiately at Brandies.

Belmont’s victory Saturday, Sept. 6 at Victory Field, was constructed on top of the foundation of simply outworking their opponents – winning most of the contested ’50/50″ balls – and a willingness to emphasize team play over individual skills. While several Watertown players were adept in dribbling with possession – and enjoyed showing it – Belmont relied on the skills of each player on the field.

As commentators noted at the recent World Cup in Brazil while many teams were known for their superstars, Germany’s – the eventual winners – “star is their team.”

Saturday saw “Die Mannschaft” Belmont style.

“I just think we did the simple things right like possession of the ball and variations of passes,” said Bisceglia-Kane, who teaches third grade at the Butler Elementary School.

The first half was a back and forth affair with a few good scoring chance for both teams with Belmont’s senior goalkeeper Peter Berens making a one-hand save on a blistering dipping shot from Watertown’s Roman Davis.

“A couple of fixes at half time and I though we were more aggressive forcing them into mistakes,” Bisceglia-Kane said.

That push was rewarded when Belmont senior Danny Rizzo was fouled in the box in the 53rd minute with senior Charlie Frigo slotted the ball by Watertown’s goalkeeper Joe Keikian.

Belmont got its second score three minutes later after the Marauders took the play to the Red Raiders. After sophomore Marvyn Dorchin had battled to win procession deep in the Watertown end, the ball ended up off Luke Gallagher‘s boot which was parried into the air by Keikian. As the ball came down, Belmont’s senior forward Norman Kilavatitu out jumped a Red Raider and headed the ball over Keikian and into the net.

While he won his inaugural game of his coaching career, Bisceglia-Kane deferred any self-congratulation to praise his players.

“All the credit goes to them for the off season training for the hard work in the pre-season. They are probably the fittest group of guys I’ve seen in Belmont,” said Bisceglia-Kane.

Belmont’s next game is Tuesday, Sept. 9 against Melrose at 3:45 p.m.

Frosh Scores Five as Belmont Girls’ Soccer Blitz Watertown in Opener

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Wasn’t it once when high school freshmen were nervous types that were pretty much hopeless during the first week of school?

Someone from Watertown should have told Belmont High School’s Carey Allard that observation before the Belmont High School Girls’ Soccer season opener on Saturday morning, Sept. 6 as the 9th grader scored five goals (including the game’s first four in an eight minute stretch in the first half) and added an assist in the Marauders’ 10-0 blitz of arch-rival Watertown High School.

In the past two years, entering Belmont High School freshmen has made big impressions on their sports: in 2012 cross country’s Leah Brams and swimmer Jessie Blake-West while last year Annemarie Habelow in field hockey, Jalyn Hinton in basketball (who has since transferred to The Governors Academy) and Julia Cella on the track left their marks.

And it was a (hot) day to remember for the lanky frosh. While some will explain the score away as occurring against an inexperienced and undermanned Watertown squad – the visitors suited 13 players to 21 by Belmont – Allard proved quickly that she had a nose for the ball, scoring from the wing, in close, on the break and at the end of a pass.

Allard’s willingness to take a shot was the reason long-time Belmont Head Coach Paul Graham to select Allard as one of three freshmen on the varsity squad.

“[Allard] has got the speed to get to the ball, and that’s important,” said Graham in the pre-season.

While the headlines of the first game will be Allard’s to savor, the contest also unveiled a varsity that gained markedly in skill and poise over the past season, one which the Marauders miss the playoffs for the first time in 20 years and just a year after winning the Div. 2 North sectionals in 2012.

“I think the whole team is playing better,” said Graham, who is nine wins away from reaching 300 victories. “I’m very pleased today.”

With a back line anchored by senior Lucia Guzikowski and the midfield captained by fellow senior Lizzy Frick – two of the 11 12th graders on the team – the Marauders played effectively both a quick passing inside game in addition to laying the ball off to speedy wingers.

“Frick and [sophomore] Ava [Colasin] are doing a great job in the middle and getting the ball up the field.

In addition, Graham’s wish for more scoring opportunities this season has been answered as four Marauders other than Allard scored –Guzikowski, Flick, senior midfielder Alex Dionne and junior forward Kristin Gay.

“We’re crashing the goal something that we didn’t do last year. We got a goal on a scramble in front and from the corner. It’s encouraging,” said Graham.

Next game is Tuesday, Sept. 9 at Melrose, which lost to Winchester, 3-1, in its first game.

 

See the Future of Belmont Center Monday at 7 PM at Town Hall

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After nearly four years of discussion, meetings and designs, an overview of the Belmont Center Reconstruction Project will be presented to Town Meeting members and residents this evening, Monday, Sept. 8, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Belmont Town Hall auditorium at the corner of Pleasant Street and Concord Avenue.

Documentation of tonight’s presentation can be found here.

The proposed $2.6 million project is seen as improving vehicle and pedestrian traffic in and through Belmont’s business hub. The completed design – set to be finished by the end of the year – is expected to call for a new street pavement, sidewalks and crosswalks, an increase of 10 parking spaces, a new green-space common in front of the Belmont Savings Bank as well as the implantation of a modern Parking Management Plan with electronic meter parking.

The current proposed plan calls for construction to begin by mid-April 2015 with a completion date of Halloween, Oct. 31, of next year.

Just how the project will be paid for remains up in the air with a proposed financial package made up of state grants and town funds. It’s anticipated the funding will be finalized at the Fall Special Town Meeting which is scheduled for this November.

Parking is available in the Town Hall lot, along Concord Avenue, Moore Street and Pleasant Street as well as in the Claflin Street Municipal Parking Lot in Belmont Center.

Residents, business owners and Town Meeting members can email questions in advance of the meeting to selectmen@belmont-ma.gov .

For more information, contact the Board of Selectmen/Town Administrator’s office at 617- 993-2610.

Need a Ride to the Polls? Call, E-mail Belmont’s League of Women Voters

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The Belmont League of Women Voters will once again provide rides to the polls on Tuesday, Sept. 9 so residents can vote in the Massachusetts Primary Election.

Rides will be available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. to any of the eight precinct polling stations in town. To arrange a trip, either call the league at 617-771–8500 or e-mail: Rides @ BelmontLWV.org

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. There are contested races for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, Attorney General, Representative in Congress Governor’s Councillor and District Attorney.

The Week Ahead: Election Tuesday, ‘The Butler’ at the Beech Friday

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• The Massachusetts State Party Primary Election takes place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You have to be a declared voter of one of the parties or unenrolled to participate. The Belmontonian will have all the information you need to vote on the site Tuesday morning.

• Besides the Belmont Board of Selectmen at 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 8, the Community Preservation Committee  meets at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10, while the Energy Committee will assemble at 8 a.m. on Wednesday. The Historic District Commission is meeting on Thursday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m.

• Did you know that Isolina Gianino, an experienced tailor, does alterations, zipper replacements and other restorative measures at reasonable prices at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St? She’ll be there on Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. until noon.

• The Belmont League of Women Voters will be holding a league meeting from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 11 in the Flett Room of the Belmont Public Library.

• Local musician Liz Buchanan performs original songs and traditional favorites for little ones on Friday, Sept. 12, from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Belmont Public Library’s Assembly Room.

• The Senior Book Discussion Group will meet Friday, Sept. 12th at 11 a.m. at the Beech Street Center to discussed “Seize the Day” by Saul Bellow.

• The Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St., will be screening the film “The Butler” at 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12. The film tells the story of an African-American whose 34 years of service as a butler in the White House reflects a period of unparalleled change in American history.

Belmont Field Hockey Battles Watertown Tough in Opening Game

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Belmont High School Field Hockey Head Coach Jessica Smith said she preferred to play a strong team to begin the season “as a way to know early where we stand.”

On Friday, Sept. 7, on one of the hottest days of the summer, you couldn’t select a tougher challenge: playing the four-time consecutive state champions, Watertown High School, at their home ground at Victory Field.

(Oh, by the way, Watertown hasn’t lost a game in the past four years.)

And while Belmont kept the game close for three-quarters of the game, three goals – including a penalty shot – in the final 16 minutes resulted in a 4-0 loss giving the Belmont squad an outstanding team to compare to during the season.

“Now I see what we need to work on,” said Smith after the game.

Despite the score, Smith was encouraged with the team’s play and growing composure against the Red Raiders playing on an artificial field where the temperature reached three digits.

“Coming into the game, I thought we could look like cones on the field, but we didn’t. We were a true opponent. We made them play hard,” said Smith.

“We are great at making the transition from defense to midfield but when it goes to the offense, we slam on the brakes,” due to a very young offensive line, said Smith, who is entering her 11th year leading the Marauders

“Coming into your first game against Watertown is tough, they had to be a little shocked as they do a lot more in practice. But they held it together well,” she said.

The most dominate player on the hot turf Friday afternoon was Belmont’s sophomore leader Annemarie Habelow, who moved from her familiar role in the attack – she led Belmont in scoring last year in her freshman campaign – to the center back position. Her dominate stick skills deadened Watertown’s attack in the middle of the field, forcing it to play the wings that Belmont mostly contained by sending multiple players on the Red Raiders attackers.

“She is by far the most poised player on the field today. She has such a set of free hits, she conceptionally knows where to put the ball, and she’s a great leader,” said Smith.

As for the remainder of the season – the first with Belmont in Division 1 – Smith believes her team will grow as a team through the season, especially upfront.

“Let’s hope [Watertown] is the toughest team we meet this year. We are meeting teams in the next weeks that haven’t had great records recently so it will be a great chance to practice things,” said Smith, who took her team to the playoffs last year.

Belmont Home of the Week: 115 Winn St.

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Here is a “win-Winn” for a buyer looking for charming rather then bigness in Belmont.

(Realtors: feel free to use “win-Winn” when you are advertising a listing on the street.)

The six-room Cape-style at 115 Winn St. is your typical WWII construction, a mere 1,267 sq.-ft. (most condos in town have about the same space) so it’s a bit tight. But unlike a townhouse or a top-floor condo, you’ll have a HOUSE on a mostly quiet street (you will hear the MBTA commuter trains come by in the early morning and late night) on your own lot that includes a deck.

On the ground floor, there is a fire-placed living room, a formal dining room, an updated kitchen, a den with a bow-front window overlooking the yard and half bath. The den’s 70’s inspired-walls will remind you of the Beatles’ song, “Norwegian Wood,” complete with exposed knotted-wood panels installed on an 45-degree angle. Not to everyone’s taste, to say the least.

The second level has two bedrooms and full bath, the basement has a family room which can also be used as a third bedroom with access to a full bath.

Additional features include hardwood floors, a one-car garage, the afore mentioned deck, it is a short walk to the Winn Brook Elementary, Joey’s Park, municipal tennis courts, public transportation, Belmont Center and all major routes out of town.

Price: $649,000.

Listed by Barbara Nolan of Coldwell Banker, 617-901-6900

Belmont Volleyball Drops Home Opener to Bedford

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After a straight-set win over Div. 1 hosts Waltham High on Wednesday, Sept. 3, the Belmont High School Volleyball Marauders came close to doubling this season’s victory tally against visiting Bedford High Friday, Sept. 5.

But Belmont’s lack of a go-to player – one who can pick up a side out or score a point with raw power when needed – showed up in a big way in the final set as Belmont (1-1, 0-1) found itself quickly on the wrong side of a 10-1 deficit as the team fell to the Buccaneers in a tight five-set match, 3 to 2 (25-16, 20-25, 22-25, 25-22, 4-15).

“Our team started off strong because we had confidence from our game on Wednesday and [Bedford] was trying to organize themselves in the first game,” said Jen Couture, who is in her fourth year as Belmont’s head coach.

“[Bedford has] some extremely powerful hitters … and that’s the first time we’ve really seen that this season. We were doing a great job of adjusting but they ended up having more fire power,”  said Couture, who took the team to the post-season last year.

“Our passers were digging great and we were getting lots of touches and blocks and our center was running all over the place,” she said.

“But even though we are working hard, we have to just get our shots a little harder because if we don’t have that velocity we have to make it up with perfect placement,” Couture noted.

Leading the way against Bedford was junior Faye Reagan, the team’s “opposite” –  the player who is placed opposite of the setter in the rotation and located on the right side in the front and back row – “playing excellent defense and hitting good spots and I don’t think she missed a serve the entire game,” said Couture.

Leading the service game for Belmont were junior Kabita Das and senior Becki Sandvos who both bring a precise power hitting game that opponents are finding a handful. Each player went on runs against the Buccaneers, reeling off multiple points in the game.

As for finding its own scoring threat, “we have people who are getting there,” said Couture.

“We have players who can put up a strong hit but no one who is an automatic,” she said.

Hazardous Thunderstorms On the Horizon Saturday for Belmont

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After a morning of summer weather, Belmont residents should prepare for stormy weather Saturday afternoon, Sept. 6.

The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook for Belmont and all of Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire as “a line of showers and thunderstorm will sweep across the region” after 2 p.m. and lasting to 10 p.m.

“There … is a low probability of a very brief, weak tornado,” warned the Service which issued the report at 3 a.m. Saturday.

Torrential rainfall will occur with the strongest storms resulting in a very localized flash flood threat in come areas. A few of the thunderstorms may become severe producing locally damaging wind gusts and perhaps an isolated report of large hail.

If the power does go out, call Belmont Light’s emergency number: 617-993-2800. Don’t call 911.