Proposed Traffic Changes In Wellington Area Under Discussion at Public Meeting

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Photo: Map of changes being proposed in the Wellington neighborhood.

With the building of the Belmont Middle and High School well underway, the impact of the new building on a number of neighborhood streets will be significant. One area that have identified were traffic and transportation challenges will occur are those streets adjacent to the Wellington Elementary School including School, Orchard, Goden.

The High School Traffic Working Group is hosting a public meeting on Thursday night, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall to discuss a proposed trial period of recommended changes to traffic patterns. The recommendations by the group are:

  • Create a one-way section of Goden Street between School and Orchard, allowing the intersection of Goden and School to be squared up instead of offset.
  • Create a four-way stop at Orchard and School streets.
  • Create a four-way stop at Orchard and Goden streets.
  • The pair of four-way stops are dependent on acceptance of the one-way on Goden.

The group’s consultant, BSC Group Consulting, will be at the meeting to explain the recommendations and answer questions.

High On The Hogs: Linemen Propel Marauders To First Win With Victory Over Lex

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Photo: Belmont High’s Senior RB Chad Francis romps for 233 yards and a pair of touchdowns including this from 34 yards.

All hail the hogs! Will Shelley, Reid Carlson, Ryan Hoffman, Brett Westgate, Isaiah Gullage, Andrew Kwon, Matt Crisafi and Derrick Brown.

As a nor’easter swept over Harris Field, the Belmont High Marauders’ relied on its big experienced linemen on both sides of the ball to secure the program’s first victory of the season, 28-12, against the Lexington High Minutemen in front of a small, but dedicated group of fans under the wet and windy Friday night lights, Oct. 11.

“I’m just so proud of these guys and the coaches. We’ve never quit believing in what we have here,” said Belmont Head Coach Yann Kumin whose team stands at 1-3. “We kept saying that there’s a lot of football left to play.”

The offensive line created lanes along the edge for senior RB Chad Francis to romp for 233 yards on 28 carries and a pair of long (34 and 53 yards) second quarter touchdowns. The dominance of the “O” line was evident in the third quarter as Belmont held the ball for nine minutes on the first drive of the second half.

“We took a long look at what they were doing defensively and all of a sudden we said the Lexington defense looks a lot like Medford defense from [2016]” against which Belmont’s Ben Jones set a school record of 334 yards in the ’16 season opener.

The coaching staff installed a two-back formation and “simplified the blocking for the Hoggies and we got them going,” said Kumin as the team rushed for 311 yards.

But it was on defense that Belmont showed its class, shutting out for three quarters a Lexington offense which scored 56 against Arlington the week previous. Belmont defense would register eight sacks (led by Brown who was a terror in the first half) a fumble recovery (after a strip of Minuteman QB Nick Perez by junior Brennen Westgate) and an interception in the end zone at the end of the first half by senior Justin Rocha.

“We have been in games against tough opponents for the last two weeks,” said “Q.” “We knew that if we played physical defense that we were going to be able to put a stop to the Minuteman offense.”

“The entire defense did a great job from the line to the [defensive backs],” said Kumin, noting the play of senior linebacker Ryan Santoro who got into the Minuteman backfield to disrupt several plays.

Belmont started the scoring with senior RB Cedrick Toussaint sprinting over the left end for a 24 yard touchdown with 1:35 left in the first quarter.

Up 21-0 at the half, Belmont’s final scoring drive was highlighted by a 49 yard run by sophomore Tyler Arno who took the handoff from QB (and older brother) Avery Arno and raced down the left side to the Lexington 1 yard line.

“We call him “Baby Arno” so when he went on the run, I just couldn’t look because it made me so nervous,” said Kumin.

Santoro would finish the drive with a one yard plunge.

While Lexington would reach the end zone twice – including an 85-yard kickoff return by Mason Hatfield immediately after Belmont’s final score – but the game wasn’t much in doubt after Hoffman and Kwon sacked as the Marauder offense would run out the clock in the final four minutes.

Belmont is on the road on Friday, Oct. 18 to play a one-win Arlington team.

But “Q” is not looking past the SpyPonders.

“Any opponent on any given week, we have to do our job to beat them. I don’t care what the record says.”

Concert In Two Places; The First In Belmont Saturday,​ Oct. 12

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Photo: Paul-André Bempéchat

The public is welcomed to hear renowned Franco-Canadian pianist Paul-André Bempéchat perform Haydn, Schubert, and Chopin on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m at The First Church, 404 Concord Ave.

The recital celebrates 30 years of partnership between The First Church and the Unitarian Church of Désfalva, a remote, ethnically Hungarian village in the Transylvania region of Romania. Bempéchat will travel to Désfalva later in October to perform the same program for the villagers.

The recital is free with contributions welcome to benefit the education fund for high school and college-bound students in Désfalva. A reception will follow.

What To Know When The Lights Go Out In Belmont

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Photo: Downed trees could cause electric outages.

Falling trees and and broken branches could cause electric outages throughout Belmont as the region is buffered by a fall nor’easter.

National Weather Service forecasters said that “strong to damaging winds” with maximum gusts of up to 40 miles per hour are expected to peak Thursday afternoon into the evening, especially along the coastline of Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The winds are expected to diminish Friday into Friday night.

Below are telephone numbers to keep at the ready during the storm:

Belmont Light (to report outages): 617-993-2800.

The Town of Belmont EMERGENCY HOTLINE: (617) 993-2698.

Unless it is an emergency, do not call 911.

Stormy Weather: Farmers Market Cancelled Thursday Due To ‘Nor’easter’

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Photo: Not this week.

The Market bell will not be ringing in Belmont tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 10. Blame it on stormy weather.

“The Belmont Farmers’ Market for Oct. 10 has been canceled due to the nor’easter coming in,” according to Hal Shubin of the Belmont Food Cooperative.

“The forecast calls for rain and strong winds all day, with gusts up to 40 mph. That makes it unsafe for our vendors, shoppers and volunteers.”

The storm will move slowly and close enough to the Massachusetts coast this week to bring several coastal impacts to the Eastern Seaboard, including rough surf, coastal flooding, heavy rain and strong winds, according to the Weather Channel.

There are three more dates this season: Oct. 17, 24 and 31. The Market is on Thursdays, in the parking lot in Belmont Center, from 2 p.m. to 6 pm.

Boys’, Girls’ Soccer In Final Sprint For Preseason Placement

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Photo: Belmont High defender Micheal Ciano (#5) vs. Reading.

With records hovering in the .500 range – usually the minimum requirement for entry for postseason play – both Belmont High soccer teams in the final two weeks of the season need to grab as many points before them.

Boys’ Seeking Scoring Punch, Found It Against Wakefield

Belmont High Boys’ Soccer Head Coach Brian Bisceglia-Kane knows exactly what his Marauders need to do to win games: Get that first goal.

“We’re still trying on working to start strong because every game that we’ve scored first we went on to win and when we don’t, we don’t win,” said Bisceglia-Kane as his team stands at 5-4-1 with the strength of the Middlesex League schedule waiting for the Marauders in the final six games of the season.

Not just scoring first but scoring has been a large millstone hanging around the team’s neck. Since a 3-0 defeat to Winchester on Soccer Night in Belmont and before its game with Wakefield, the Marauders scored a single goal in four games that included a pair of 1-0 defeats with a grand total of eight goals in the season.

“I always tell the guys though that the best teams that we play and the worst, as long as we are competing hard, it will be razor thin who’ll come out on top. We play in a highly competitive league where the margin from top to bottom is almost nothing,” he said, noting while last year state finalist Arlington outplayed Belmont earlier in the season, “we beat them 1-0. It’s just that close.”

Bisceglia-Kane said while he continues to tweak the lineup up front, he doesn’t see much weakness with his back line – led by Micheal Ciano and Noah Meyer Herron – or the midfield which he said is moving the ball well with combination passing and solo runs. It’s just finding the net that remains an issue.

“We continue to put ourselves in a good position [to score], it’s just getting more chances in front of the goal,” he said.

On Monday, Oct. 7 against Wakefield, the goal drought came to an end as Sr. Jon Brabo scored the hat trick with midfield stalwart Will Hoerle adding a single tally as the Marauders took it to a winning Warrior team, 4-0 at Harris Field.

Scoring first just past midway through the first half by Brabo unassisted, the Marauders would score 13 minutes into the second from Hoerle via Ali Noorouzi before putting the game to bed with a pair from Brabo a minute apart with 14 minutes left with the final score assisted by Gabe Ditommaso. Senior goalkeep Finbar Rhodes picked up his fourth clean sheet of the season.

It will be a hard row to hoe over the next week for the Marauders as they play three consecutive games on the road; first off to a struggling Burlington squad before meeting a pair of undefeated teams, Lexington and Winchester.

“I really think we have a good chance at the playoffs. This team has been really enjoyable to coach because they really put everything on the line.

Girls’ Soccer Seeking Consistency As Postseason Looms

It’s been a topsy turvy series of games for Belmont High Girls’ Soccer. After being outplayed by Arlington (2-0 loss), the Marauders squeaked by a rebuilding Woburn team, 1-0, before crushing Watertown, 7-0. So it would appear trip to a Newton North for a match on grass on a sunny, autumnal Saturday afternoon against a one-win squad would be just what Belmont would need to pad its record.

Au Contraire! Belmont would walk off the pitch after a lackluster effort carrying a 1-0 loss back to Belmont. The Marauders’ long time Head Coach Paul Graham was at a loss for words on what had just happened.

Belmont High’s Kiki Christofori (#22) vs. Newton North

“I just don’t know,” he said.

So what chances did the Marauders have traveling to take on a rejuvenated Wakefield team that had not lost a home game in the season? How about a 2-1 victory thanks to a brace by jr. forward Kiki Christofori to push Belmont’s record to 6-4-1 with six matches remaining.

The Belmont Girls’ have an easier task to making the playoffs as they face a number of teams with weak records (Burlington) and which it has already beaten earlier (Reading and Woburn). The team will be relying on senior midfield general Marina Karalis and sophomore goalie Bridgette Martin to steady the team and provide the necessary leadership on the field.

Belmont Fire Holds Open House Wed. Oct. 9

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Photo: Belmont Fire Open House on Wednesday, Oct. 9.

The Belmont Fire Department is holding a free Open House, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at the BFD’s headquarters, 299 Trapelo Rd. Sponsored by the Dedham-based pizza chain Papa Gino’s, the open house is aimed at teaching families fire safety and prevention practices.

“This event allows us to reach out to the community and arm local families with fire safety tips and procedures,” said BFD Chief David Frizzell. “Our open house allows families to get together and better prepares them to react if a fire does start.”

Commemorating October being National Fire Safety Month, attendees will receive safety tips such as “stop, drop and roll,” learn how to plan escape routes and how to crawl safely through a smoke-filled room. In addition, Papa Gino’s will provide free pizza and children’s fire safety activity sheets.

2019 Belmont Serves Up New Afternoon Volunteering Opportunities

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Photo: A lot to be done during Belmont Serves

Belmont Serves has expanded the opportunities for residents to help their community.

Now in its 11th year, the annual volunteering event to make the town a better place for all will expand into two shifts: 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and noon to 4 p.m. held on Monday, Oct. 14, the Columbus Day holiday.

The event is piloting a second shift after hearing from some residents that mornings are filled with family responsibilities, said Jennifer Hoyda, president of the Belmont Religious Council which sponsors the event.

Individuals and families will be able to select a project at the start of the day, complete the entire project, “and then come together for some pizza and ice cream to celebrate a job well done,” she told the Belmont Select Board on Monday, Oct. 7 which endorsed this year’s day of giving.

“What’s really special about this day is it’s super family-friendly so young kids can sort food or do some gardening work,” she said.

The event will be headquartered at First Church Unitarian Universalist, 404 Concord Ave. Typically between 200 to 300 residents will participate with middle and high schoolers receiving community service hours, said Hoyda.

Individuals and families will be able to select a project at the start of the day, complete the entire project in one morning of work, and then come together for some pizza and ice cream.

For all projects (including advance distribution of grocery bags), residents should use the on-line registration form to register and select a preferred project.

This year the sponsors will be distributing 7,000 brown paper bags to households around town to fill with groceries and sundries for the Belmont Food Pantry.

“You can help make a real difference in our town, have some fun, and meet others who share a willingness to serve the community,”

Service Projects

This year’s projects are still being finalized, but will likely include:

  • Door-to-door food drive for the Food Pantry
  • Conservation projects at town properties like Rock Meadow and Lone Tree Hill on former McLean property.
  • Clay Pit Pond clean-up and improvements
  • Elementary School gardening projects

More projects will be added, and are suitable for a wide range of ages and skill levels.

Schedule of Events

  • 8:30 am – All volunteers sign-in at First Church UU and enjoy some light breakfast. (Donations to cover food costs are appreciated.)
  • 9:00 am – Service projects begin
  • noon – Service projects end, return to First Church UU for pizza and ice cream celebration.
  • 1:00 p.m. – AfternoonService projects begin; once completed, you can head directly home.

Project Descriptions

Door-to-door collection for the Food Pantry— Teams of volunteers will be assigned to specific routes, collecting bags of groceries left at doorsteps for delivery to the Food Pantry. These grocery bags are distributed door-to-door throughout the town during the week before Belmont Serves day. This project in the past has yielded between 1,500-2,000 of groceries. This year we hope to do even better!

Conservation projects at town properties like Rock Meadow and Lone Tree Hill (former McLean property): Volunteers will help clean trails and brush. Dress accordingly and bring gloves, rakes and shovels with your name on them if you have them.

Claypit Pond clean-up: Volunteers will work on pruning existing shrubs, cutting/removing invasives, and picking up trash and debris.

Elementary School grounds: Help with gardening, and distributing wood chips in garden areas. If you can bring shovels and gardening tools, that would be helpful. Be sure to put your name on the tools you bring.Sign up today!

WHAT TO WEAR: Clothing suitable for outdoor activities. Wear long pants and long-sleeve shirts, with jackets and/or sweatshirts if it gets cold. On the conservation and planting/weeding projects, expect to get dirty and possibly encounter poison ivy. On the painting project, you will most likely get paint on your clothes, so dress appropriately.

WHAT TO BRING: A refillable water bottle. Work gloves (for all outdoor work projects).

We need a few metal rakes, pruning shears, loppers (including those with extendable arms, for cutting off high branches), shovels and gardening trowels. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO PUT YOUR NAME ON ANY TOOLS THAT YOU BRING.

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, Oct. 8.

The day’s central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 24-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.

Belmont schools have advised teachers to should be aware of the holiday when assigning homework and tests as students will be attending religious services. In addition, Belmont High athletics joins many school districts in suspending games for the two days of the holiday’s observance.

Field Hockey Can’t Get By Watertown (Again) As Team Prepares For Two Critical Matches

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Photo: Emma O’Donovan is fouled by the Watertown goalie resulting in a penalty stroke goal by Emma Donahue for Belmont’s goal.

You could hear the sharp “thud” of the ball struck by Belmont High midfielder Emma Donahue off a penalty corner hit the back of the Watertown net across the entirety of Victory Field. It was just the start Belmont had dreamed of against the perennial Div. 2 state finalists: Five minutes into the game played during a downpour and the Marauders on the front foot in its match with the Raiders.

But rather than a celebration (or disappointment from the Raiders’ perspective), players, officials, coaches and just about everyone just … stopped. The ball had immediately ricocheted out into the field and for that second, it appeared everyone questioned what happened. A goal? Maybe?

When the officials made no indication one way or the other, the Raiders took the ball down the field and the game continued as if the entire sequence had been washed away in the rain. (The officials said they believed the ball had hit the right post.) What should have been the momentum Belmont needed to defeat Watertown for the first time in over a decade was not to be as the Marauders would fall to the Raiders, 3-1, on Wednesday, Oct. 2.

For Belmont Head Coach Jess Smith, the game came down to little advantages that Watertown had over the Marauders.

“I felt like they moved the ball a little bit better than we did today and a better sense of where the next pass should go,” said Smith.

The weather played havoc and resulted in the Raiders’ first goal as Belmont’s all-star defender Meaghan Noone lost her stick during a check which allowed Watertown to outman Belmont in front of the net and allowed for a scoop shot for a goal in close. The Raiders would double its margin off a penalty corner.

Donahue – who is a niece of Watertown’s Hall of Fame Coach Donahue – would get her goal on a penalty stroke after a foul by the Watertown goalie on Belmont’s top scorer Emma O’Donovan to bring Belmont within one, 2-1, four minutes into the second half. And the Marauders were a touch of a stick from knotting up the match a minute later when a screamer squeaked by the Raiders’ goalpost.

But that flurry would the best Belmont could muster as Watertown put nearly everything in its defensive coverage while taking advantage of overlapping the player with the ball.

The final Raider tally came from a penalty corner midway through the half.

Smith said especially in the second half her team wasn’t playing its typical game that relays on moving the ball upfield with medium to short passes and long solo runs. “We were trying to beat the other players with our sticks rather than passing it.”

Belmont would recover nicely the next day, Thursday, Oct. 3 when a rejuvenated Wakefield squad arrived at Harris for a game under the lights. Coming into the tussle on a seven-game winning streak, the Warriors had the first shot on net in the opening minutes.

MVP Candidate Katie Guden

Then Belmont reverted back to the crisp passing, dominating defense squad with senior co-captain Katie Guden showing why she is a candidate for Middlesex League MVP by dominating the pitch. Three goals in the first 13 minutes that included a pair by Guden iwth one an end to end solo rush that ended with a goal from more than 10 meters on the run.

It was a game that role players made their mark on the field including senior Ilana Gut who scored her first goal of the season while Ellie McLaughlin got back on the scoring sheet, joining her fellow sophomore Molly Dacey who tallied a brace.

Belmont won 6-0 for its seventh shut out in 10 games, as goalies Molly Calkin and Kendall Whalen shared the victory.

After a match with Burlington on Monday, Oct. 7, the Marauders will have back-to-back matches with squads at the top of the Middlesex Liberty league table with a trip to Lexington (9-2-1) on Friday, Oct. 11 at 3:30 p.m. then an early (10 a.m.) morning contest on the Monday Holiday with Winchester (8-2-0) at Harris.

It’s a second meeting with both opponents – Belmont battled the Minutemen to a 1-1 tie and beat the Sachems, 2-1, in a comeback win at Winny – with a league title on the line with a pair of victories securing a banner (or what will hang in the Wenner Field House once the construction is sorted out.)