In Match Of Unbeatens, Belmont High Field Hockey Sprints Past Winchester, 3-0

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Photo: Puppy pile for Belmont’s second goal with sophomore Emma O’Donovan taking the prize.

In an early season matchup of the creme of the Middlesex League Liberty crop, Belmont High Field Hockey provided Friday afternoon that team speed is dangerous for opponents as the Marauders ran past defending league champions Winchester High, 3-0.

“It’s all the 400s [meter] runs I make them do,” said Belmont Head Coach Jess Smith as her team, ranked 15th in the Boston Globe Top 20 poll, remains undefeated at 4-0-0 while Winchester, ranked 6th in the Globe poll, drops to 2-1-0.

“We knew we were good but to beat someone like [Winchester, which last year made the Division 1 North finals] makes it’s not just talking. The win makes it ‘legit,'” said Smith.

Senior co-captain and wing Morgan Chase, junior midfield Katie Guden and sophomore forward Emma O’Donovan scored in the first half as the Marauders kept the majority of possession for most of the first 30 minutes.

For Smith, the victory was a combination of her player’s quickness and their commitment to ball movement.

“I think our speed is killer,” she said. “We have athletic kids, we are super aggressive all over the field, and our passing is extremely good,” said Smith. “No one can run faster than a ball so if we can keep passing it up the field that quickly, we’re gonna get into the [scoring] circle faster than their backs.”

The Marauders’ team up-tempo pace showed as it took away passing lanes in the middle of the field. Belmont also took the majority of 50/50 balls as well as stealing the ball on man-to-man clashes with Belmont’s senior forward and co-captain Jordan Lettiere, the prime suspect in many of those heists. 

Along the back line, junior Meaghan Noone effectively shut down Winchester’s right side attacks. Junior Emma Donahue was once again a significant presence in the middle as sophomore Hayley Koenigsberg kept Winchester’s outstanding senior forward Claire Moloney-Kolenberg in check off the left wing in the battle of the great German/Dutch surnames.

“You just have to get psyched up, getting really low to stop their good girl. And I’m thinking about trying to get it back up to the midfielders,” said Noone. 

Quarterbacking the midfield, three-year varsity starter Guden’s stellar stick handling skills allowed Belmont to keep the pressure on Winchester’s midfield and backs.

“My game plan just get it in the [scoring] circle early, play as aggressive as I want to play, and look to pass it because it’s not a one-person game,” said Guden.

Junior Molly Calkins earned the solo shut out in her first varsity start as the Marauders’ goalkeeper.

“I was so nervous when [Smith] said I was going to start, I said ‘Oh no!’ But once we got onto the field, we all just worked together and communicated really well,” said Calkins who stopped four shots.

Smith and the team face a crowded week of games, four in five days, with an away game Tuesday at an excellent Lexington team the highlight. But for now, Smith is reluctant to change anything about the squad.

“We have this great lineup, the players work really well together, they’re confident and their speedy. That’s how we are going to approach every game, with confidence and speed,” she said.

A Bit Of Oktoberfest At Cushing Square Annual Fall Festival

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Photo: On tap at the Fall Festival

Today is the first day of Oktoberfest in Munich and Belmont’s Cushing Square is joining into the swing of things with the opening of a beer garden at the Cushing Square 2nd Annual Fall Festival which will be held on  to 

7th Wave Brewery of Medfield, known for its taproom that will fill growlers like popular breweries on the West Coast, will be filling glasses with samples from its stock for a $10 admission to the garden which will be separated from the rest of the festival, which remains a very family-friendly event with rides, animal events and booths from local stores.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

  • 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.: Amusement rides
  • Noon – 4 p.m.:  7th Wave Brewery Beer Garden at CLC Cafe
  • 12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m.: Rain Forest Reptile live show
  • 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.: Cambridge Open Air Circus stilt walking classes.
  • 1:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.: Animal Craze petting zoo 
  • Noon: Dog Costume Show sponsored by Belmont Savings Bank 
  • 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m.: Cash Cube sponsored by Belmont Savings Bank

Yard Sales In Belmont; Sept. 22-23 Kendall Garden Neighborhood Sale

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Photo: Yard sales in Belmont.

Yard sales in the Town of Homes on the first weekend of summer.

127 WASHINGTON ST Saturday, Sept. 22 9 a.m. noon
12 STANLEY RD Saturday and Sunday,

Sept. 22,23.

 10 a.m. 3 p.m.
18 LORIMER RD Saturday and Sunday,

Sept. 22,23.

 10 a.m. 3 p.m.
59 LORIMER RD Saturday and Sunday,

Sept. 22,23.

 10 a.m. 3 p.m.
11 VERNON RD Saturday and Sunday,

Sept. 22,23.

 11 a.m. 3 p.m.
12 HURD RD Saturday, Sept. 22 8:30 a.m. 3 p.m.
88 LORIMER RD Saturday and Sunday,

Sept. 22,23.

 9 a.m. noon
10 VERNON RD Saturday and Sunday,

Sept. 22,23.

 10 a.m. 3 p.m.
11 LORIMER RD Saturday and Sunday,

Sept. 22,23.

 10 a.m. 3 p.m.
11 LORIMER RD Saturday and Sunday,

Sept. 22,23.

 10 a.m. 3 p.m.
112 BROOKSIDE AVE Saturday and Sunday,

Sept. 22,23.

 8:30am 3 p.m.
137 CLAFLIN ST Saturday, Sept. 22 8:30 a.m. noon
154 MILL ST Saturday, Sept. 22 8:30 a.m. 4 p.m.
4 VERNON RD Saturday, Sept. 22 10 a.m. 3 p.m.
4 VERNON RD Saturday, Sept. 22 10 a.m. 3 p.m.
4 VERNON RD Saturday, Sept. 22 10 a.m. 3 p.m.
149 WASHINGTON ST Saturday, Sept. 22 9 a.m. noon
60 SELWYN RD Saturday, Sept. 22 9 a.m. 1 p.m.
53 SELWYN RD Saturday, Sept. 22 9 a.m. 3 p.m.
11 BROOKSIDE AVE Saturday and Sunday,

Sept. 22,23.

 9 a.m. 2 p.m.
20 JACKSON RD Saturday, Sept. 22 9 a.m. 2 p.m.
16 VERNON RD Saturday and Sunday,

Sept. 22,23.

 10 a.m. 5 p.m.
18 HURD RD Saturday and Sunday,

Sept. 22,23.

 9 a.m. 3 p.m.
85 BROOKSIDE AVE Saturday and Sunday,

Sept. 22,23.

 9 a.m. 3 p.m.
41 HURD RD Saturday, Sept. 22 9 a.m. noon
624 PLEASANT ST Saturday, Sept. 22 10 a.m. 5 p.m.
82 LORIMER RD Saturday and Sunday,

Sept. 22,23.

 9 a.m. 4 p.m.
18 LORIMER RD Saturday and Sunday,

Sept. 22,23.

 10 a.m. 3 p.m.

 

Driver Charged in Fatal Pedestrian/Vehicle Crash In Belmont

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Photo: Sachi Thanawala.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Belmont Police Chief Richard McLaughlin announced today, Friday, Sept. 21, that Raymond O’Brien, 45, of Medford has been charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in connection with an August 28, fatal collision in Belmont that took the life of Belmont resident Sachi Thanawala.

Based on the preliminary investigation it was determined that the defendant was not in possession of a valid driver’s license and subsequently not permitted to operate a motor vehicle. The defendant had previously been licensed to operate in Massachusetts; however, that license had expired in 2004.

This charge is an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty, according to the DA’s office.

On Aug. 28, at approximately 8:25 a.m., Belmont Police responded to a report of a motor vehicle crash involving a pedestrian at the intersection of Lexington and Sycamore streets. Upon arrival, authorities located Thanawala, 39, of Sycamore Street, who had sustained serious injuries. Thanawala was transported to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center where she died on Aug. 30. O’Brien, who was operating the vehicle, a 2015 Ford Transit Van, remained on scene.

Through their investigation authorities learned that the decedent was crossing the street at the intersection when the defendant allegedly turned left striking her.

This is an ongoing investigation being conducted by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, the Belmont Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section. The prosecutor assigned to this case is Assistant District Attorney Taylor Makson. 

Letter To The Editor: Belmont Should Not Place Fear-Based Regs On Burgeoning Industry

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Photo: Sample jars at an existing retail operation.

To the editor:

The debate surrounding retail marijuana arises fears of the “undesirable people” that would be brought into town, fear of kids having access to marijuana, and scares about kids seeing marijuana in the window of a store (despite the fact that retailers are not allowed to display any product in the window, or have any signage that indicates that marijuana is sold there). Parents understandably do not want their kids to smoke pot. Thankfully, marijuana will not be any more present in your life, or any kids’ life if you vote ‘no’ to the Special Election Question on Tuesday, Sept. 25. 

Marijuana already exists in Belmont. The contents of the marijuana that kids currently have access to are not regulated whatsoever. Furthermore, the existence of retail marijuana has the chance to dry up the black market for a substance that is generally easier for American children to get than alcohol, which is regularly exposed to children in restaurants, stores, and advertising. 

Much of the conversation regarding this bylaw focuses on the number of retail establishments that would be allowed. I definitely don’t think that there is a market for more than two retail stores in Belmont at the moment. There should be as many establishments as the market demands, and therefore no premature limitation on what is allowed. If a no vote passes, it is highly unlikely that there will be more than two establishments in the foreseeable future.

My primary concern is that there is no logical reason to block cultivators, product manufacturers, or testing facilities. These facilities create jobs, many of which require advanced education and training and pay well. We should allow a burgeoning industry that will create quality employment opportunities in town. 

Good policymaking is evidence based. We should reject regulation that stifles economic development and doesn’t have any foreseeable social or environmental externalities. I would challenge that there is no benefit to voting for these regulations other than to appease personal biases, unfounded fears, and blatant misunderstandings of the implications of this policy. Voting no will allow for increased tax revenue in town, more quality employment opportunities for residents, potentially reduce the market for marijuana on the street, and allow adults to consume marijuana in the safest possible way if they choose to do so.

Jeremy Romanul

Trowbridge Street

DA IDs Belmont Resident Killed In Watertown Square Pedestrian/Tow Truck Accident

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Photo: Location in Watertown of the accident that took the life of a Sycamore Street resident.

The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office has identified a Belmont resident as the person killed when a tow truck ran her down just outside Watertown Square on Wednesday, Sept. 19.

Benita Horner, 68, of Sycamore Street was pronounced dead at the intersection of Galen and Nonantum streets after Watertown Police responded to a reported road rage incident around 11:20 a.m, said the office of Middlesex DA Marian Ryan.

Horner, who moved to Belmont from Quincy in 2010, listed her occupation as a cashier in the town’s 2018 census. 

She is the second Sycamore Street resident to have died in a vehicle-pedestrian accident. Less than a month ago, Sachi Thanawala, 39, was killed after being hit by a commercial van at the intersection of Lexington and Sycamore streets in Belmont.

Horner’s son, Philip Horner, 38, was arrested at the scene after attacking the tow truck driver, Thomas P. Fogerty, 60, of Quincy, stabbing him five times. The driver is hospitalized in critical condition.

Horner, which press reports said lived in Belmont with his mother, was charged today, Thursday, Sept. 20 in Waltham District Court with armed assault with intent to murder, according to the county DA. He is undergoing a 20-day psychological evaluation at a secure facility.

New Clay Pit Path Set To Open Mid-November; Vets Memorial A Bit Later

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Photo: Work has already begun on the new path around Clay Pit Pond.

It’s been more than two years after Town Meeting gave its OK, but finally, a premier Belmont recreation spot will soon have a new surface that the public will be able to use by Thanksgiving.

In fact, work on the Clay Pit Pond Intergenerational Walking Path had begun by contractor Ronald A Marini Corp. of Auburndale before the contract was signed by the Board of Selectmen on Monday, Sept. 17. The path’s route has been dug up and the ground is being prepped for the installation of the surface material

Marini, a firm Belmont Conservation Commission Agent Mary Trudeau said specializes in municipal parks and creating pathways, submitted the low bid of $388,000 which was accepted by the Selectmen.

The path will be permeable with a crushed stone top – quarried locally in West Roxbury – with drainage along the landscaped route.

Once completed, the path will “feel like you’re walking in a country meadow,” said Trudeau.

The path will stop where the proposed new high school will be built, but discussions with the school’s designers are for possible ways of “sharing” the area along the pond’s edge as a walkway, thus completing the path around Clay Pit. 

“It’s all very exciting,” said Trudeau.

While the contract signed by the board was for the path, in fact, the job includes work on the proposed Veterans Memorial at the Pond. “We really 

Glenn Clancy, director of the Office of Community Development, noted that the path and the Veterans Memorial were using Community Preservation Act funds – $216,550 for the path and $103,000 for the memorial – with an additional $68,450 being donated by the Belmont Veteran Memorial Fund to cover additional expenses not originally contemplated.

While the Veterans Memorial will take somewhat longer to complete – the low black granite markers for each of the conflicts Belmont residents are being made – “possibly the bulk of the work on the intergenerational path which will include hydroseeding the site will be completed by Veterans Day, Nov. 11,” said Trudeau.

Sports Quick Hits: Volleyball On A Streak; Girls’ Soccer Rebounds; Boys’ Soccer’s First Fall

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Photo: Jane Mahon doing what she does best; control the net.

A brief snapshot of the latest in Belmont High sports.

Volleyball on Record Streak; Mahon Sets Second Career Mark

Belmont High Volleyball is on a record streak at the start to the 2018 season. The Marauders’ 3-0 win over Lexington (25-21, 25-18, 25-22) on Monday, Sept. 17, ups Belmont’s record to 5-0, the best start in the program’s history and ties the longest win streak which occurred in 2014. The squad will host 4-2 (4-1 in the league) Winchester at 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 21 at the Wenner Field House.

Senior co-captain Jane Mahon broke the team’s career blocking record in the Lexington match. This achievement goes along with her team kills career record, both which will increase with 14 games still remaining in the regular season.

Girls’ Soccer Rebounds Against Lexington, 5-0

After Saturday morning’s frustrating defeat to Woburn, losing 3-2 after leading 2-0 at the half, Belmont Girls’ Soccer (3-1-1) took out its frustrations on visiting Lexington, scoring five times against the Minutemen. Senior forward Ella Gagnon continues her hot scoring with a pair of goals and an assist with senior wing Morgan Krause and sophomore Jenna Thomas – scoring in consecutive games – rounding out the goals. Senior goalie Chloe Tingos earned the shutout. Middlesex Liberty leader Winchester (5-0-0), ranked 9th in the Boston Globe’s Top 20 poll, will host the Marauders’ on Thursday, Sept. 20 at 4 p.m.

First defeat for fast starting Boys’ Soccer

After a smart 4-0 run to start the season, the Belmont Boys’ Soccer team (4-1-0) took a trip to Lexington where its lack of offensive punch – 7 goals in those four games – came back to haunt them falling to the 4-1-0 Minutemen, 3-0, on Monday. Despite the loss, Belmont senior keeper Tomas Griffin was named a Player of the Week in the Globe, noting he “helped the eighth-ranked Marauders (4-1) record shutouts of Middlesex League rivals Stoneham and Woburn.” Another tough scrap to come on Thursday, Sept. 20, when the Boys greet Winchester (4-1-2) to the Harris at 4 p.m.

Tzom Kal: Yom Kippur Begins Tuesday at Sunset

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Photo: The painting is a detail of “Jews Praying in the Synagogue on Yom Kippur” by the 22-year-old Maurycy Gottlieb c. 1878.

Yom Kippur, also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year for the Jews.

Yom Kippur begins at sundown on Tuesday, Sept. 18.

The day’s central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services. Yom Kippur completes the annual period known in Judaism as the High Holy Days or sometimes the Days of Awe.

High School athletic events and after-school activities are typically curtailed for the one day holiday.

Three years ago, the Belmont School Committee approved a pilot program to close school for one day in observance of the Jewish High Holidays beginning in the 2015-16 school year. A year later, after complaints from residents who declared the policy disruptive to the educational process and did not reflect the growing diversity within Belmont’s schools, all religious holidays were removed from the school calendar. 

Students Effort Has Belmont Food Pantry On The Move; Next Stop, Town Hall

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Photo: The Town Hall entry to what will become the home of the Belmont Food Pantry. 

After journeying from site and site over the years, the Belmont Food Pantry will be moving to Belmont Center as the quarter-century non-profit has found a new, and hopefully permanent home in Belmont’s Town Hall.

The pantry, which began in December 1992 in the former Waverley Fire Station, will occupy its new location on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, said Town Administrator Patrice Garvin at Monday’s Board of Selectmen meeting.

The space, a small office that once housed the town’s Retirement Board and an IT training room, is located on the ground floor of Town Hall. There is an exterior door on the Concord Avenue side that once was the entry to the Town Clerks Office before the building was renovated in 1999.

According to Laurie Graham, a pantry director who attended the selectmen’s meeting, said it was two Belmont High School student’s, Rebecca Salame and Olivia Bible, who both envisioned and began the process of ending the pantry’s unwanted wanderlust.

The pantry has been on the move since it left at the fire station in 2005 to Belmont High School. It would occupy the ground floor of the former Belmont Municipal Light Department building across from Town Hall beginning in 2009 and remained there for three years before heading back to the high school in 2012. Its final move was to Mt. Hope Christian Church on Lexington Street in 2016. 

Last year, Salame and Bible chose food injustice as their capstone project in Belmont High teacher Jamie Shea’s Global Leadership class, with a focus on the food pantry, which serves 200 residents on a regular basis.

“After speaking with several people involved in the pantry they realized that we were not short on volunteers, food or monetary donations but rather the biggest challenge was space,” said Graham. The students met with Selectman Adam Dash on finding a more permanent spot for the pantry.
“At the end of that meeting, the [Selectmen] … directed [Garvin] to see if she could find a space we could use. About a week later she told us there were two potential spaces; one at Town Hall as well as another spot in the Department of Public Works yard,” said Graham.
“[The pantry directors] looked at both and it was determined that the Town Hall site was the better, and really the only viable option. The location is good and it is a hugely important move to have the town really having more active participation in the Pantry,” she said.
“It is not as big as the space that we had at the High School, but then again nothing has been since then,” said Graham.