This Week: Cooking Tasting, Valentines for Veterans, Transition to College

January 25, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Pasta e Fagioli.

On the government side of “This Week”:

The Board of Selectmen is meeting on Monday, Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. in Town Hall to extending the trash contract and open and discuss the Special Town Meeting warrant.
Community Path Implementation Advisory Committee will hold a meeting updating the committee’s work from 8 a.m. to 9. a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at Town Hall.
The Warrant Committee meets at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 27 at the Chenery Middle School to discuss its recommendation on the Special Town Meeting and review the four-year financial model.
Precinct 5 Caucus to elect a new Town Meeting Member when it meets at the Beech Street Center at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 28.

• Music & Movement with Rubi, a movement and music program recommended for ages 3 to 5 (but 2-year-olds are welcome) will be held in the Flett Room on Monday, Jan. 25. There will be two sessions: 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

• The Burbank Elementary School grade 3 and 4 band, orchestra and chorus will perform at the school on Monday, Jan. 25 at 9 a.m.

• ESL Conversation Circle for beginners takes place on Monday, Jan. 25 from 10 a.m. to noon in the Belmont Public Library’s Flett Room.

• Girls Who Code will meet on Monday, Jan. 25 from 4:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. in the Assembly Room of the Belmont Public Library.

• Belmont Boosters is meeting Monday, Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. in Room 113 at Belmont High School.

• Pre-School Story Time at the Benton Library, Belmont’s independent and volunteer-run library, at 10:30 a.m on Tuesday, Jan. 26. Stories and crafts for children age 3 to 5. Parents or caregivers must attend. Siblings may attend with adults. Registration is not required. The Benton Library is located at the intersection of Oakley and Old Middlesex.

• The Wellington Elementary School grade 3 and 4 band, orchestra and chorus will perform at the school on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 9 a.m.

• There will be a free Cooking Demo and Tasting on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at noon in the Assembly Room of the Belmont Public Library. It will include the preparation and tasting of the traditional and simple Italian Pasta e Fagioli (pasta with beans) to be followed by sharing of ideas on how to create other healthy and low-budget Italian dishes using legumes. Sponsored by the Belmont Food Collaborative.

• Learn iPad Basics on Wednesday, Jan. 27, from 11 a.m. to noon in the Young Adult Room of the Belmont Public Library. Register by calling the Reference Desk at 617-993-2870.

• Teen Book Club will discuss Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom on Tuesday, Jan. 26
7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Young Adult Room of the Belmont Public Library. Snacks will be provided. If you have any questions, please e-mail Kylie Sparks at ksparks@minlib.net or call 617-993-2873.

• The Winn Brook Elementary School grade 3 and 4 band, orchestra and chorus will perform at the school on Wednesday, Jan. 27 at 9 a.m.

• Valentines for Veterans program will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 27 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Assembly Room of the Belmont Public Library. Come make valentines that will be given to U.S. military veterans. For children of all ages.

• The Belmont High School Speakers Series presents: “The College Transition: Embracing Challenges” on Wednesday, Jan. 27 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Belmont High School Little Theatre. Stephanie Pinder-Amaker, PhD and Catherine Bell from McLean Hospital will speak and take questions from the audience. This is free and open to the public.

• The Butler Elementary School grade 3 and 4 band, orchestra and chorus will perform at the school on Thursday, Jan. 28 at 9 a.m.

• Storytime for 1’s – for walkers and toddlers under 24 months – will be held Thursday, Jan. 28, 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Belmont Public Library’s Flett Room. We’ll share simple stories, songs, and nursery rhymes, and end with time to play.

• Everyone is invited to Chinese Storytime which will take place in the Flett Room of the Belmont Public Library from Thursday, Jan. 28, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• Literacy Playgroup is a parent and child group that supports child’s language and literacy development on Friday, Jan. 29, 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Flett Room of the Belmont Public Library. You’ll play, read, sing and take home new ideas. Presented by educators from the CFCE grant program; for children age 4 and under.

• Midterms are over so it’s time to celebrate; Belmont High will hold its semi-formal, all school dance at Belmont High School on Friday, Jan. 28.

Sports: Belmont Girls Hoops’ Holds Garden Party at Chelmsford’s Expense

January 25, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont High wins at the Good Sports Invitational.

On the biggest stage this season, Belmont High’s Girls’ Hoops put together its best and most complete game as a suffocating defense and clutch shooting powered the Marauders by a strong Chelmsford High Lions squad, 50-36, on the parquet court of the TD Garden, Sunday, Jan. 24, at the Good Sports Invitational.

In a game which Belmont Head Coach Melissa Hart used her entire bench (10 Marauders would grace the score sheet) allowing each player an opportunity to play on an NBA court, Belmont stayed with its Division 1 opponents in the first half before clamping down on the Lions shooters in the second half, limiting the Merrimack Valley Small Conference leaders to a total of 14 points in the final 16 minutes.

“We had some really good moments on the floor,” said Hart, whose team now stands at 8-3.

“The girls really communicated well in a big new place and nerves didn’t seem to be a factor,” she said.

Leading the Marauders was its senior co-captain center/forward Sarah Stewart who controlled the action in the paint (in front of the basket) with her rebounding against taller opponents, blocking and harassing shots and hitting a series of timely baskets including an offensive put-back as time expired in the third quarter to up Belmont’s the lead to 10.

“My coach said it starts with defense and that’s what I focused on, on boxing out and just being a bigger person on the court both mentally and physically,” said Stewart who finished the morning with 8 points.

“When you do defense first, the offense will come with it,” she said.

Stewart’s dominance gave her teammates room to find space to score near the basket. After going “Oh-for” (no points) two nights before against Wakefield in a disappointing loss (42-38), sophomore Jenny Call responded by scoring a game-high 19 points, 12 in the second half on drives to the hoop and from range with a pair of threes.

Quarterbacking the offense was sophomore point guard Carly Christofori, who scored 12 points while picking herself off the floor after driving to the basket.

Belmont got out to a fast start, going up 12-4 in the first four minutes. But the Lions used three-point marksmanship and pinpoint passing, took the lead in the second quarter behind Chelmsford’s 1,000 points senior captain Claire Markey (10 points) and center Annie Donahue, who had 9 of her 11 points in the first half.

The Lions took a six-point lead, 22-16, midway through the quarter which saw Hart used her role players. And while the Belmont starters sat, their teammates chipped into the lead while wearing down the Chelmsford five. A mid-range basket by freshman Jane Mahon (2 points), a hoop from Call and a three-pointer from Christofori at the buzzer finished off a 7-0 run and secured a 23-22 halftime lead for the Marauders.

“I think our depth actually helped by playing everyone. We were able to run so much, and while the game was close, we had fresh bodies out there, and that helped in the second half,” said Hart.

The second half saw Belmont slowly pull away from the tiring Lions as the Marauders took control of all aspects of the game. A spinning hook by sophomore Greta Propp (2 points) gave Belmont a 6 point lead with just under two minutes to play in the third and Stewart’s buzzer beater upped the advantage to nine, 39-30, with eight minutes to play.

While the Lions got within six points (41-35) midway through the quarter, Call would respond with a three-pointer and going 4-4 from the charity stripe to close the deal.

For Belmont, it was a rare occasion not just to play on the same court as the Boston Celtics, but to celebrate a victory in the Garden.

“At first, the adrenaline was really crazy. Just being here was unreal, so it was nice to see familiar faces in the crowd instead of random people,” said Stewart.

Sold in Belmont: What Would $785K Get You in Oregon? Nicer, Bigger, Better

January 23, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont (left) and Lake Oswego. No contest.

A recap of residential properties sold in the past seven-plus days in the “Town of Homes”:

• 48 Middlecot St., Brick and shingle ranch (1953). Sold: $785,000. Listed at $749,000. Living area: 1,423 sq.-ft. 6 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 52 days.

The one residential sale last week in Belmont is a fairly standard post-war ranch-style single family. The house on Middlecot Street in the heart of Winn Brook, that sold about $100,000 over its assessed value, has a treadbare feel to it – just look at the wear patches on the kitchen flooring and door frame. In addition, there’s a thrown together vibe through out the interior, from the hidious 1970s paneling in the basement to the mismatching bathroom detail.

So, is the best $785,000 can get you? Or better yet, what can you get in communities that resemble our “Town of Homes”? It didn’t take long to find one; a 45 hour, 3,088 mile road trip due west.

Lake Oswego, Oregan is an upscale suburb of Portland (Portlandia!) known for its residential character. It has an outstanding school district that attracts aging hipsters who decide they would rather invest in a pricy home then stay in their artsy Portland loft and spend a fortune on private school fees. Its impressive downtown (it’s a harbor!) and shops supports a population of 36,000 with a per capita income of $53,000, compared to Belmont’s $57,000.

So here it is: for $758,000 this remodeled Craftsman Bungalow could have been yours. It’s so pretty, a late example from 1930 that was lovingly restored and renovated. The fireplace’s decreative surround, wood floors and the traditional four-over-one windows are all nice touches. Along with a landscaped yard, you get 1,000 additional square feet, two full bathrooms and nice-sized bedrooms.

Just for comparison, the Craftsman basement is thought out in color scheme and arrangement while the Belmont cellar is just creepy.

Why can’t we have nice things?

BREAKING: MBTA Rejects New Belmont Commuter Rail Station, But Waverley’s Future Still Up in the Air

January 22, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker 1 Comment

Photo: The future of the Waverley Station remains up in the air.

The MBTA has rejected plans to construct a modern commuter rail station along South Pleasant Street to replace the century-old stop in Waverley Square, State Sen. Will Brownsberger told the Belmontonian this afternoon, Friday, Jan. 22.

“They heard the concerns from commuters and residents and have abandoned the idea,” said Brownsberger.

In a subsequent note on his web page, Brownsberger said the “MBTA was able to report today that they have concluded categorically that they will not pursue a new station located between Waverley and Belmont Center.”

The decision comes after residents and town officials at a Nov. 16 public meeting with MBTA officials voice considerable opposition to the plan initially presented to Belmont in September to construct a $20 million state near the North America Central School Bus depot at 1000 Pleasant St., a few hundred feet from Star Market.

The MBTA advanced the new station plan as a solution to a decision by the state’s Architectural Access Board that earlier ordered the transportation authority to improve access to the Waverley Square commuter rail station in the near future which would allow handicap citizens to take public transportation.

But today’s decision does not assure the future operation of a Waverley Square station, which is currently in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act access requirements.

With the estimated cost of a Waverley Station upgrade – which lies several dozen feet below the street grade and would require – at $35 million, and with less than 120 passengers using the station on weekdays, closing the station remains a possibility.

However, said Brownsberger, “they are still working on defining the options for Waverley station itself given the requirements of the AAB.”

“The MBTA is going over its capital budget and we will know within a month,” said Brownsberger.

“The MBTA has been devoting considerable attention to internal conversations about how to resolve the questions created by the AAB’s ruling related to Waverley,” said Brownsberger on his web page.

Planning Board Awaits ‘Groundhog Day’ Meeting on Cushing Village

January 22, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Groundhog Day, the movie.

Some may find it ironic that the developer of Cushing Village, the troubled retail/residential/parking project at the corner of Common Street and Trapelo Road, will be before the Planning Board on Groundhog Day, Tuesday, Feb. 2.

Wry laughter reverberated through the Board of Selectmen’s room when the Planning Board’s Karl Haglund mentioned the confluence at the board’s Tuesday, Jan. 19 meeting. It was not lost on most people the long-stalled development reminds many of the classic 1993 film of the same name in which Bill Murray finds himself repeating the same day (Groundhog Day) over and over again.

Only here, it is the board and residents who had been reliving the same issues and promises from Cushing Village’s developer, Chris Starr of Smith Legacy Partner Series, since July 2013 when the Planning Board approved a special permit and design and site plan review to allow construction to start on the 164,000 sq.-ft., three building project.

All that is missing is hearing Sonny and Cher sing, “I’ve Got You, Babe” that starts each new/same day in the film.

Cushing Village and its future were part of the Planning Board’s agenda this week as the body received a written update from Starr’s development team, a board request made earlier in the month after Smith Legacy failed to meet a series of “hard” deadlines it had committed to meet in December.

This second update, dated Jan. 19, was revealing for its lack of specifics and the acknowledgment that Starr is using the two abandoned buildings on the site as his main collateral to secure construction financing. It also avoided mentioning Starr purchasing the municipal parking lot adjacent to Trapelo Road, which is a key to moving the project forward.

“I’m surprised that we still haven’t heard the target date about the closing (on the parking lot) given that we heard many times that the date was close, and all but one document was needed the last time they were here in December,” said Planning Board member Barbara Fiacco.

“I was expecting this update to address the closing date issue,” said Fiacco.

Even the supposed good news of finding potential tenants for the troubled project, there is a concern the news is not as bright as it appears.

For the second time in as many weeks, Starr said his search for a “small-format food store anchor tenant” is “progressing” yet could not confirm that a lease was close to being signed.

“We are in discussions with a financially strong, experienced, market[-]leader that prides itself on providing fresh, high-quality prepared food and other necessities in a small format store,” wrote Starr, saying the store will take up 15,000 sq.-ft.

While announcing the signing of two leases – a store and a restaurant – to fill the 38,000 sq.-ft. retail space, Starr refused to detail the who, what, and how long of the potential occupants.

The restaurant, dubbed “Arigna”, is only described as taking 5,000 sq.-ft. Starr does not name the owner or the type of establishment, although there is some indication that it would be in the Irish pub category as Arigna is the name of a small coal mining town in Ireland. The only other establishment with that name is in Pawtucket, RI.

And while heralding the signing of a “major national tenant,” Starr claims “confidentiality.” While noting the national brand coming to the site, it will likely be a small outlet. Saying the three retail operators will take up 22,400 sq.-ft. and the restaurant and market using 20,000 sq.-ft., the national tenant would be in the 2,400 sq.-ft. range. Some popular commercial uses for that space requirement includes reduced-sized bank branches or a 7-11 convenience store.

Even if Starr can close on three leases, the retail component will only be 60 percent of capacity, with 15,000 sq.-ft. remaining “vacant.” In comparison, two under-construction commercial buildings in nearby Watertown have sold out their retail space which is in the 25,000 sq.-ft. range. Starr has stated that “construction financing has hinged in the past on our retail pre-leading activity.”

But it was Starr’s explanation why demolition has not yet begun that raised the eyebrows of some board members and those in the audience. He revealed the two abandoned and dilapidated buildings on the site, the former S.S. Pierce & Co. and the First National/CVS, is the development company’s “current bank collateral for our mortgage.”

“While our current bank [Wells Fargo] bank might allow us to perform selective small-scale demolition, we don’t think doing a portion of he demolition destruction will help move [along] the project,” said Starr.

“I was surprised that they are only revealing now that the existing, mostly vacant buildings are the collateral for their existing mortgage because part of the agreement they made was to do the demolition on an early timetable,” said Haglund. “Maybe he was optimistic moving on to the closing.”

Starr said he expects to close on the parking lot on or before Feb. 2.

Obituary: Vinny DiGiovanni; Owned Hillside Garden

January 21, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker 1 Comment

Photo: Vinny DiGiovanni.

The final time Dante Muzzioli saw Vincent DiGiovanni was the day before his friend passed away.

“I knew Vinny since I was four years old and, along with my father, inspired me and made me who I am today,” said the Belmont businessman and long-time Belmont High School Boys’ Hockey Coach.

Muzzioli said he was able to tell DiGiovanni of his love for the lifelong Belmontian and the quiet, honest way he lived his life.

“He taught me the biggest lesson of my life, that hard work is the great equaliser, that you are not entitled to anything,” Muzzioli said.

“I saw a man who lived his life through perseverance and that’s why I admired him,” he said.

DiGiovanni, the owner of Hillside Garden & True Value at 280 Blanchard Rd., who spent his entire 95 years in Belmont, passed away on Tuesday Jan.19, 2016 surrounded by his family.

“My heart is heavy but make no mistake, Vincent went to heaven, I’m sure of that,” said Muzzioli.

Known just as “Vinny” to generations of gardeners and frustrated handymen, DiGiovanni’s dedication and hard work made his little supply store a success.

“He was there every day, getting to know the customers. He knew where everything was in his store. There wasn’t a time when he wasn’t around the store,” said Stephen Rosales, a former member of the Board of Selectmen.

When age caught up to him, DiGiovanni would continue to man the key-making machine, cutting and buffing duplicates that performed better than the original.

Born in 1921 into a house that would soon be filled with nine brothers and sisters – Guy, Rocco,”Skippy,” Anna, Tony, Mary, Louis, Joe and Charlie – he attended Belmont schools graduating from the High School in 1939. When war broke out in 1941, he quickly joined the U.S. Army Air Corp, serving in China, Burma and India until the hostilities ended in 1945.

Coming home, DiGiovanni did two things: start his gardening and supply business and marry his lifelong business partner and best friend, Antonette Mazzola. They were married for 64 years when Antonette died in 2010.

Soon after opening, Hillside became the “go to” store for gardening and household needs. DiGiovanni was known both for the quality of his supplies and material he sold.

“In our house, we always went to Vinny’s, not Hillside Supply,” said Ellen Cushman, Town Clerk and lifelong resident. “He grew all his flowers and plants from seed. I still go to pick up my Memorial Day geraniums from him,” she said.

And there was DiGiovanni’s key-making skills, which Cushman said he “had a real art for.”

The reason his duplicate keys worked so well “is because he took pride in everything he did,” said Rosales.

That attention to detail was just part of his character.

“[Vinny] was so generous. A really lovely, soft-spoken man who would greet patrons with a real idea of customer service, like the old days,” said Cushman.

“If someone can say, ‘what a good guy. He conducted himself with integrity, people liked him and he liked people,’ that’s not a bad way to go,” said Rosales.

As he said his goodbye to his friend, DiGiovanni told Muzzioli how proud he was of him.

“I wasn’t his kid, his son, but he found the time to tell me that,” said Muzzioli.

DiGiovanni was the devoted father of Anne Carignan of Bedford, Alice DiGiovanni of South Portland, Maine, Joseph DiGiovanni of Ipswich, Mary DiGiovanni of Waltham, Gerard DiGiovanni of Belmont, Joan Klos of Ipswich, Rose McBride of Amesbury, and Carol Calabro of Acton. He is predeceased by Vincent DiGiovanni Jr. He leaves behind many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, his surviving brother and sisters and a community of friends.

Visiting hours will take place in St. Joseph Church, 130 Common St., on Thursday, Jan. 21 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Joseph Church on Friday, Jan. 22 at 9 a.m. Burial, next to his wife, will take place at Belmont Cemetery after Mass.

Instead of flowers contributions in his name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or St. Vincent DePaul Society, 18 Canton Street, Stoughton, MA 02072 or Pine Street Inn, 444 Harrison Ave. Boston, MA or to the charity of your choice.

Sports: Two Late Goals Gives Boys’ Hockey Thrilling Tie against Reading

January 20, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont’s assistant captain senior Evan Biette celebrates the first goal vs. Reading.

The Belmont High Boys’ Ice Hockey may have kept their fans on the edge of their seats until late in their home match with Reading Memorial High on Saturday, Jan. 16.

And with less than six minutes to go, two team captains sent the Belmont supporters leaping out of those same seats as the Marauders (4-4-2) roared back from two goals down to tie Rockets, 3-3, in an afternoon mantinee thriller at the Skip.

“For our guys, we’ve been waiting for a turning point where they realize they can win against the top teams in the league. And I have been waiting for them to respond like this and I’m hoping that we have tuned that corner,” said Belmont’s first year Head Coach Fred Allard.

Senior forward Dave Bailey’s shot from the right of the goal beat Reading’s junior goalie Devon Bruzzese on the power play with 3 minutes 51 seconds left in the game to secure the valuable one point to the one loss but five tie Rockets (3-1-5). The play started with a smart reaction on the blue line from junior defender Adam Cronin who found fellow defender, big Kevin Quick, who set Bailey up with the tough angle shot.

Bailey’s goal came 98 seconds after senior co-captain Cole Michael got the Marauders within a goal with a shot by Bruzzese’s glove from a great assist by sophomore linemate Steve Rizzuto.

Belmont was able to stay in the game in large part due to the smooth and steady goaltending of junior Cal Christofori who was helped by a few cross bars saves. While the Rockets were able to pepper Christofori in the first two periods, many of the shots were from distance due to the hard work from senior defenders co-captain Trey Butler and assistant captain Evan Biette to deny Reading’s forwards from collecting passes inside the slot.

It was Biette who put Belmont on top, 1-0, against the run of play with 2:48 left in the first period who, like Bailey, scored from a tight left side shot.

Reading’s top players which brought the Rockets back in the second period as junior Matt Thomson and junior speedster Kevin Tobin scored; Thomson pushing the puck past a prone Christofori who appeared to have made the save and Tobin showing some skating magic on the power play.

After Belmont went down by a pair early in the second, the Marauders appeared to be on the assent, just missing out on a second goal mid-way through the final 15 minutes from a quick whistle as the puck was bouncing around the goal mouth before rolling in.

Saying it “is a great group who now have to believe in themselves,” Allard said the team has one goal for the season; 20 points.

“We’re ten points from qualifying for the [MIAA post-season] tournament,” said Allard. “We have 20 points on the [drawing] board [in the locker room] and we are knocking the points off towards that goal which will be a return to the tournament in five years. It’s that simple. Keep knocking the points off until where at zero.”

‘We Have Work To Do’: Challenges Continue As Belmont Honors MLK

January 20, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: State Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry.

While many national political figures have decided to ride the popular wave of refusing to assist the refugees from a chaotic world, State Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry will not stand silent.

“When Dr. King said the measure of a man is not where he stands in a moment of comfort and convenience but where he stands at times of challenges and controversy,” she told a full house during her keynote speech at the 22nd annual Martin Luther King Day Breakfast held on Monday, Jan. 18 in the Belmont High School cafeteria.

We face these choices every day, said Forry.

“It is the choice of an elected official to remind us that this country welcomes all people, especially those who seek refuge in a time of war or terror because it is the right thing to do,” she said to the applause of those in attendance at the yearly event which serves as a fundraiser for the METCO Support Fund which provides services to those students who travel from Boston to attend Belmont schools.

Samari (left) and Merly Winklaar performing at the MLK Breakfast.

“We have work to do,” declared Forry, as she spoke of the lasting legacy of King and how his life continues to influence the pursuit of civil rights in today’s America.

Forry told the crowd King knew that equality could not be won through violence but by boycotts, marches, and peaceful demonstrations.

“But today we see both,” she said, pointing to events in Baltimore and Fergeson, Missouri, where violent actions “have overshadowed, but no silence the peaceful calls for change from demonstrators from across our country.”

Follen spoke about her upbringing in a Haitian household and recognize the struggle of both an African-American and first-generation immigrant family, and how through hard work she would be speaking Monday as the state senator from the First Suffolk District.

“Only in this country could this happen,” she said.

She spoke of falling in love and marrying an Irish Bostonian (Bill Forry, editor and publisher of the Dorchester Reporter, Boston Irish Reporter and Boston Haitian Reporter), of raising four children in a multicultural household in their Dorchester home.

Forry said it was ten years ago that she ran and won a state House seat from Boston, serving for eight-and-a-half years a district that encompassed urban neighborhoods and suburbs including Milton where she worked with Belmont’s current school district superintendent John Phelan.

During that time she sought to bring urban and suburban leaders to the table “although we think there is nothing in common, there is always common ground.”

In 2013, she won the election to succeed Tom Finnerian whose state senate seat includes South Boston, the bastion of opposition to racial desegregation in the 1970s and 1980s.

One of her first challenges was that, as South Boston’s state senator, she would host the long-standing St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast, a political roast that was until 2014 the bastion of Irish-American men. Soon after winning the seat, Boston City Council President Bill Linehan and some press outlets said only a South Boston native should host the event.

“But the thing those guys didn’t know realize is that I’m the real ‘Black Irish,’” Forry said. And while the incident was hurtful, she had her champions including the former state senators William “Billy” Bulger and current US Rep. Stephen Lynch, who spoke up and declared that “Of course she’s going to host it.”

“I saw the best of my friends and supporters during that period. They did not stand silent. They stood with me and … that they would be there for me,” she recalled.

Forry said moments like that when she feels like lashing out, “I remember Dr. King’s words. ‘Love is the only force capable of turning an enemy into a friend’.”

“We have an opportunity in these times of challenges and controversy to work to realize King’s dream. As a nation, we have already come far, but there is so much more we can do,” she said, including advocating for diverse education, supporting growth in local businesses to lift families out of poverty along with creating jobs and combat income inequality.

“We have work to do,” she said.

Waltham Hotel Owner Proposing Boutique Inn at Pleasant and Brighton

January 19, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker 7 Comments

Photo: A rendering of the proposed Belmont Inn Suites at the corner of Pleasant and Brighton streets.

A Waltham entrepreneur has pulled permits with the Office of Community Development to renovate the former Mini-Mart Market at the corner of Pleasant and Brighton streets into a “luxury boutique hotel” similar to ones he both ran and is proposing in Waltham.

Mike Colomba is seeking to create a two-story “The Belmont Inn Suites” at 334 Pleasant St. consisting of 18 guest rooms, a cafe for guests, a fitness room, a business center and management offices on the 14,400 sq.-ft. site, according to documents at Town Hall.

Colomba is scheduled to come before the Zoning Board of Appeals on Tuesday, Feb. 2 to present the proposal. If the ZBA approves four special permits – on various setbacks and height variances – the hotel will be the first in Belmont in decades.

This month, the ZBA narrowly denied special permits to transform the abandoned service station across Brighton Street into a Dunkin’ Donuts after hearing from neighbors who complained about possible increase traffic and noise issues.

The project will not be new construction but a “complete exterior renovation” to create a building that is “a veritable gem” in what Colomba calls an “up and coming commercial area” in Belmont.

The hotel will have 19 parking spaces and “lush” landscaping.

The view from Pleasant Street of the proposed Belmont Inn Suites.

Brighton-based Rojas Design, Inc. created the designs. The architectural and landscape firm is owned by former Belmont Selectman Andy Rojas.

Colomba, who owns the restaurant Brelundi on Felton Street in Waltham and recently sold the Crescent Suite Hotel in the same town. He is currently proposing to build a 45-room hotel on the 200 block of Moody Street in Waltham.

A Youtube presentation by Waltham News Watch with Colomba describing Crescent Suite Hotel is below:

Colomba could not speak when reached on Tuesday, Jan. 19 but will be giving interviews on the concept later in the week.

In his permit documentation, Colomba said: “[T]he transformation (of the site) will improve the property values for the entire neighborhood.” His past hotel projects generated room, meals and sales taxes for the hosting community while noting that a lodging project “will not overload school and generates less traffic” than other uses at the location.

“My hotels are quiet and respectful” of the surrounding neighborhoods, said Colomba.

Town Seeking Election Workers to Help During ‘Busy’ 2016

January 19, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo:

It will be a busy 2016 for voters in Belmont with four planned elections. And the Belmont Board of Registrars and Town Clerk are committed to administering fair, open and efficient elections.

To do this the Town Clerk’s office rely on the dedicated services of the more than 100 election workers and we’re always looking for more top-notch Belmont voters to join this group. Election workers play a vital role in the democratic process. To properly staff polling locations, we need to add to our pool of election workers for the upcoming 2016 elections:

Tuesday, March 1: Presidential Primary Election
Tuesday, April 5: Annual Town Election
Thursday, Sept. 8: State Primary Election
Tuesday, Nov. 8: Presidential General Election.

Applicants must be registered to vote in Belmont. Training is provided before each election. You’ll learn how elections actually work while earning $10 an hour.

There are typically two shifts on Election Day: 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1 p.m. to approximately 9 p.m. Workers are not required to work every election; you let the Clerk’s office know which dates and shifts you are available.

“It’s a great way to meet new people, and learn about elections from the inside,” said Town Clerk Ellen Cushman.

Interested? Visit the election workers page on the Town Clerk’s site or email to townclerk@belmont-ma.gov

The Belmontonian

Belmont's Independent Media Outlet Covering the 'Town of Homes'