In Person Early Voting: Saturday, Oct. 17 To Friday, Oct. 30 At Town Hall

By Leave a Comment

Photo:

According to the Town Clerks webite, In-Person Early Voting begins in Belmont on Saturday, Oct. 17, and lasts until Friday, Oct. 30. Registered voters can come to Town Hall to cast their ballots; it is the only location where early voting for the 2020 Presidential election will take place.

The schedule for Early In-Person Voting is:

  • Saturday, Oct. 17, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Sunday, Oct. 18, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Monday, Oct. 19, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Oct. 20, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Oct. 21, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Thursday, Oct. 22, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Friday, Oct. 23, 8 a.m. to noon.
  • Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Sunday, Oct. 25, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Monday, Oct. 26, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Oct. 27, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Oct. 28, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Thursday, Oct. 29, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Friday, Oct. 30, 8 a.m. to noon.

Early In-Person voting ends at Noon on Friday, Oct. 30.

League Women Voters Hosting Congressional Candidates Forum Tuesday, Oct. 13, 7:30PM

By Leave a Comment

Photo: The forum

Several chapters of the League of Women Voters are joining together to host a candidates forum for the Fifth Massachusetts Congressional District featuring incumbent US Rep. Katherine Clark (Democrat) and her challenger Caroline Colarusso (Republican).

The forum will take place virtually on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m.

Viewing Options:

Zoom Webinar Live: TinyURL.com/5thCongForum
Live Broadcast: Belmont Ch 8 (Comcast) or Ch 28 (Verizon) Livestream: BelmontMedia.org/watch/govtv
Shared with Cable Access Stations across the District Recordings available on demand: BelmontMedia.org and LWV websites

The forum will be conducted according to LWV guidelines. After a brief opening statement from the candidates, a League Moderator will ask questions submitted from LWV members and the public, followed by closing statements from the candidates.

League chapters from Arlington, Belmont, Boston (Cambridge Unit), Framingham, Lexington, Melrose, Natick, Sudbury, Waltham, Wayland, Weston and Winchester participated in the forum.

Below is important information on the voting process:

Voting – checkregistration: Vote411.org/check-registration
Ballot application: MailMyBallotMA.com
Track ballot: TrackMyBallotMA.com
Early Voting: Oct. 17–30, Locations and times: MassEarlyVote.com
Deadlines: Registration — Oct. 24; Vote-By-Mail application — Oct. 28.

Ballot: must be postmarked by Nov. 3 and be delivered at local election office by Nov. 6.

Be an informed voter: Visit the LWV Voter Guide for information on all candidates at VOTE411.org.

This Year, Belmont Serves Is Closer To Home Then Ever Before

By Leave a Comment

Photo: This year’s Belmont Serves poster

This year, Belmont Serves – the town’s day of community service held on the Columbus Day holiday – will be staying close to home.

The organizers of the annual event – the Belmont Religious Council – is asking that people chose one or several service projects (see below) to do on your own, with your family, pod, neighborhood or service group. Take a picture or a quick video and share with the community the good that is happening in Belmont.

Here are some recommended service projects for you to chose from:

  • Print out a Belmont Serves Bingo Card and plan out a few service ideas with the kids! (A completed card could get you an ice cream! Details on the card)
  • Clean up trash on your street, at your park
  • Ask neighbors what you can do to help-yard work, change light bulbs etc..
  • Plant some flower bulbs for your family or neighbor
  • Go on a walk/run in your neighborhood and say hello to all those who cross your path
  • Hold a car wash and give proceeds to the Belmont Food Pantry
  • Support a local business
  • Painting Kindness Rocks/Hope Rocks and place them near your sidewalk
  • Clothing drive for Cradles to Crayons
  • Thank you notes for front-line workers
  • Book Exchange – donate in your neighborhood
  • Belmont Helps will have a Free Mask table in Belmont Center on Monday, Oct. 12 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

High School Service Hours

Belmont High School students have community service requirement and this weekend is a great time to dedicate to getting some hours banked. In order to get credit, send your filled out form and a picture of your post or service to belmontserves@gmail.com and we will verify your service and endorse your form!

Post and Share your service

By sharing your service to your networks, you share the good feelings of humanity with those near and far and fill feeds with kindliness and love.

Instagram: Tag your share with @belmontserves (we will reshare to our followers!) and #belmontserves2020

Facebook: tag your share #belmontserves2020

Email: send your picture or short video to belmontserves@gmail.com and we will share it on Instagram and you may even get in the local paper!

What’s Open, Closed On Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day In Belmont

By Leave a Comment

Photo: “Portrait of a Man, Said to be Christopher Columbus” by
Sebastiano del Piombo (1519) credit: Wikimedia Commons

Columbus Day, which is celebrated annually on the second Monday of October, is a federal and state holiday that commemorates the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the Americas in 1492. It is also a day to honor the contributions of Italian-Americans to the American experience.

Increasingly, communities are honoring Indigenous Peoples’ Day, a holiday celebrating Native American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures in opposition to the celebration of Columbus Day.

Curb side trash and recycling pickup will be delayed by one day due to the holiday.

What’s Closed:

  • Belmont Town offices and Belmont Light are closed.
  • US Postal Service will not deliver mail and post offices are closed.
  • Most banks; although some branches will be open in some supermarkets.

What’s Opened:

  • Retail stores
  • Coffee shops
  • Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts
  • Supermarkets and convenience stores
  • Establishments that sell beer and wine are also allowed to be open.

MBTA: Operating on a Sunday schedule. See www.mbta.com for details.

Halloween Is Coming … And Belmont Wants You To Be Safe Trick Or Treating

By 1 Comment

Photo: Don’t be too scared about Halloween this year

On a night filled with spooks and horrors roaming the streets, who could have thought the most terrifying act of Halloween 2020 would be sticking your hand into a bag of candy?

With a truly scary coronavirus pandemic continuing to stalk the global community, Belmontians are asking if tricks or treats should even be held this year. It turns out if they follow a few bits of sage advice, the undead, witches and ghouls can still have fun on Halloween.

Wesley Chin, director of Belmont’s Health Department, told the Belmont Select Board Monday, Oct. 5 as it’s getting closer to Oct. 31, there has been “more and more requests for guidance with respect to how to safely participate in Halloween.”

Chin first noted that Halloween is not an “official” town sanctioned event so his department is reluctant to ask the Select Board to either cancel or approve of Halloween taking place.

Rather, the Health Department is making some common sense recommendations for residents of all ages to follow which will minimize the safety risk. The step to take to ensure a safer holiday:

  • Continue to social distance and avoid traveling in large groups or parties (A casualty of prohibiting large gatherings is the cancellation of the annual Halloween Party at Town Hall.)
  • Wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth.
  • Practice good hygiene such as using hand sanitizer often.
  • Rather than give out candy, put them in small bags on a table for tricks and treaters.
  • Residents can also decide not to participate this year. Just keep your porch and indoor lights off during prime tricks or treats time, advice Chin received from Belmont Police Chief James MacIsaac.

Chin has released a chart showing those and other ways to have a fun time being spooked.

“I guess that every resident will have to decide for themselves how to approach this with any guidance you can offer,” said Select Board Chair Roy Epstein. “It’s tricky.”

And treaty.

Letter To The Editor: Parents Appreciate The Work Of Teachers In Age Of Pandemic

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Thanks

Dear teachers, administrators, and staff of the Belmont Public Schools:

There has been a lot of talk and hand-wringing about the various plans for education in this age of pandemic. We would like to acknowledge that you are caught in the crossfire and that you are nevertheless performing an exceptional service in unprecedented times.

Many of us chose to live in Belmont because of its schools. Over the years, we have been impressed by the professionalism, dedication, and perseverance that you demonstrate every day. The move to remote schooling has also shown us that you have great resilience and
flexibility. We have been enjoying hearing our kids engaged during this time at home thanks to your efforts.

Many of us have chosen to keep our children remote during Phase 2 to help protect their health and yours. This choice was difficult and each family approached it differently, but whatever our decisions on the matter it is no reflection of our confidence in you. Some of us are transitioning to hybrid, but appreciate this remote time as a rewarding experience for our kids. This is a time of learning for all of us, thanks to our amazing teachers.

We recognize that many of you are struggling with the same decisions regarding your own health and safety. We know that these are very difficult choices to make, and we support your decisions. We hope that the schools will be able to make appropriate accommodations where needed.

We would like you to know that parents support and appreciate you and your work. We are glad to have our children in your care. We look forward to the day that the schools can safely open to all children, but we are very much aware that this will not happen soon. Until then please know that we feel you are doing an admirable job and that our children’s needs are being met.

Charles and Patsy Bandes, Butler grades K and 2
Amy & Dan Kirsch, Winn Brook grade 4 and Belmont High grade 9
Amy Frasco, two students, Wellington
Angela & Elshad Kasumov, Wellington grade 1
Diane & David Gold, Burbank Kindergarten
Claus and Barbara Becker Belmont HS and Butler grade 3
Kim and Chris Foster, Burbank grade 4 and Chenery, grade 6
Katy and Rob Yang, Winn Brook grade 1
Vikram and Parul Khemka, Winn Brook grade 1 and grade 4
Kimberly Blinn
Aaron Pikcilingis & Laura Burnes, Wellington grade 3 and Chenery grade 6
Lisa and Mark Murakami, grades 2 and 4 Burbank
Carolyn Stella, Belmont HS parent

Belmont Under High Wind Warning Wednesday

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont is under the weather today

The National Weather Service has placed Belmont under a High Wind Warning effective from 2 p.m. this afternoon, Wednesday, Oct 7 until 2 a.m. Thursday morning.

Residents can expect steady west winds between 20 to 30 mph with gusts between 50 to 60 mph which could result in trees or large branches coming down causing scattered power outages. Travel will be difficult especially for high profile vehicle such as trucks and buses.

People should also avoid being outside in forested areas and around trees and branches. If possible, remain in the lower levels of your home during the windstorm, and avoid windows. And use caution if you must drive.

Belmont Light’s number to report power outages is 617-993-2800. Do not call 911 for a non-emergency call.

Sports: Girls’ XC Takes The Wrong Way Home; Golf Opems With The W; Field Hockey’s Hard Start

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont High’s Isabel Burger

It was looking like a promising start to the shortened season for Belmont High’s Girls’ Cross Country. Senior Isabel Burger surged in the final half mile to win going away the first dual meet against Lexington on a crisp Saturday morning Oct. 3.

Lexington’s first runner came by 15 seconds back. Lexington runners then came in third, fourth and fifth. “I know we had runners who were better than those runners,” said Belmont Head Coach Melissa Tkacs.

When each of Lexington’s seven runners in the first wave of the varsity race had crossed the finish line of the 3.1 mile race in Lexington’s Hastings Park with nary a Belmont Harrier insight, “I knew something was not right,” said Tkacs especially when the second Belmont runner across the lin started two-and-a-half minutes after the first wave.

Thankfully, about 12 minutes after their expected arrival time the team began appearing from the Bermuda Triangle known as the Lexington cross country course.

So what happened? It appears that the Belmont runners behind Burger where told to run a half mile loop not the one time as they were supposed to but two extra times resulting in the “Lost Six” logging 4.1 miles. The runners said that a course official kept sending them back on the loop.

Due to the incorrect instructions, the Minutemen took the meet, 20-41.

“The results won’t reflect what the girls are capable of,” said Tkacs. “They ran hard even though it was an extra mile and that a lot of extra running to do.”

“We’ll rally and do better at the next meet,” she said.

There has been conversations Belmont runners will return to the course to run and receive a time for the race.

Golf Hopes To Repeat Opening Win Against Always Tough Lexington

Belmont High’s golfers got off to a smart start in defense of its Middlesex League crown by defeating Arlington High’s SpyPonders, 41-31, at Winchester Country Club on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Head Coach Jeff Shea will lead his charges against visitors Lexington on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 3:30 p.m.

Field Hockey Discovers The Old Ways Won’t Work

Belmont High Field Hockey has long been known as a team that used precise passing and pressuring defense to reach the post season 13 times in 14 years.

But under the new rules – reducing the numbers of players on each team from 11 to 7, no penalty corners and social distancing between players among others – its once strengths have diminished to a more wide open game that a single player can dominate.

Against Belmont in the season opener on Saturday, that one player was Lexington’s Maddie Devine. Last year’s Middlesex League co-MVP who will be heading to BU next year, Devine quarterbacked a quick team that found space all over the field playing a long ball game.

“We went into the game with an offensive mindset because we looked good in practice,” said head coach Jess Smith. But early in the game, Lexington was able to send midfielders into the offensive end, creating odd man breaks where two or three Minutemen would be defended by a single Belmont back line player.

“No matter how much you practice, it’s only in the game where you saw how important long passes and speed have become,” said Smith.

Needing to quickly adjust their game, Belmont would revert back to playing as if it was 11 players against 11 with a reliance on short connecting passes. “But that’s wasn’t going to work,” said Smith.

It wasn’t pretty at the end as Belmont and Smith suffered its worst defeat since Smith arrived in 2004, losing 8-0.

“We’ll have to work on our defense and learn to adjust. But we’re just not there just yet,” said Smith.

Soccer: Girls’ Hang On For 3-2 Win In Season Opener; Boys’ Looking For Offense In Shutout Loss

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont High’s Katelyn Sawyer (9) and Grace Kane (3) in action against Lexington

Belmont High Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer squads got their respective seasons underway this past weekend.

Girls’: Belmont Hangs On To Secure Opener Victory

The Belmont High Marauders showed what a senior laden team can do best as it took maximum advantage of the opportunities given them to take home a 3-2 opening day victory against the host Lexington High Minutemen.

“I’m happy with the results because we lost twice of them last year. So that was a big one for us,” said of Belmont’s long time head coach Paul Graham.

The senior strike partnership of Kiki Christofori and Jenna Thomas joined sophomore midfielder Kiley Meringer with goals in the inaugural game of the shortened 10-game season.

Christofori scored midway though the first quarter off a hard shot that hit the Minuteman goalie’s shoulder and bounced in. Meringer lofted a floater that caught the goalie off her line and settled in at the 7:30 mark of the second quarter. Thomas slotted a shot that snuck into the net five minutes into the third to give Belmont a 3-0 lead.

It turned out that each goal was needed as the Minutemen grew stronger – they hit the crossbar twice in the game – as the game progressed led by its talented junior forward Kirsty Carnan who was a handful for the Marauders backline, a group that won Graham’s praise.

“I have to say my four defenders really played well, Graham said describing the workrate of sophomore Sabrina Spalls, senior Grace Kane – who moved from the midfield – and returning stalwarts junior Ally Landers and senior Ashley Green.

“You know they were very very strong, they’re tough to beat up,” said Graham who acknowledged senior Rachel November was a standout controlling the middle of the field.

Senior Abbie Moran kept a clean sheet in the first two quarters with a fine stop of a Carnan shot on her near side post. Junior Bridget Martin was busy for the entire second half giving up a Carnan goal in the final minute of the game to cut the margin of victory to one.

Belmont will host Lexington this Saturday, Oct. 11 at Harris Field at 4 p.m.

Boys’ Lacked Punch On The O Side Of The Ball Falling 2-0

While it was perfect fall weather to play a game – sunny in the upper 60s – it was a frustrating game for the Belmont High Boys Soccer as a lack of offense punch left the Marauders empty handed on the scoresheet falling to Lexington High Minutemen, 2-0, in the home and season opener on Saturday, Oct. 3 at Harris Field.

While Belmont’s midfielders and defenders kept the Minutemen at bay for the first two quarters, the Marauders – under new head coach Jean M Carlone Laforgue – couldn’t find the right combination of passes that would spring their forwards for clear shots.

Senior midfielder Ali Noorouzi had Belmont best chance when, in the second quarter, he ran onto a probing pass to the right of goal but couldn’t lift the ball over the on rushing goalie.

Noorouzi was Belmont’s Man of the Match whose work rate allowed the Marauders to hold the majority of possession in the first half. Senior center back Lars Gustav Bauerle controlled the turf in front of junior goalie Damon Reyes. Up front, senior forward Will Kivalatitu was the most threatening to the Minutemen backline.

Lexington where able to end the stalemate at 14:20 in the third through senior Lynn Jueppner from junior Eric Edmonds on a nice build up on the left wing. The same combination hit in the fourth as Jueppner got the brace from a strike in close between a pair of Belmont defenders at 14:26 in the fourth.

The remainder of the game saw Belmont attempting to find a way around a Lexington team packing the middle with little to show for their attempts.

Belmont visits Lexington at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10.

Q&A: Nearly Cancelled, FBE’s Apple Run Found A Way To Start The Race

By Leave a Comment

Photo: The FBE Apple Run is underway

The start of the Foundation for Belmont Education’s Apple Run 5K/2K race is … anytime the runners want it to be.

From today, Friday, Oct. 2 until midnight, Oct. 12, participants will take to the 3.1 mile course racing against each other virtually due to the continuing coronavirus pandemic. Runners are racing in a number of traditional individual time categories in addition to team contests, best costumes and a slowest racer competition.

Race registration here

Read the latest information on the race here

With the Brendan Home Run ending in 2019, the Apple Run – formerly the Dan Scharfman 5K – is the largest athletic event in Belmont in sponsored by the Foundation in support of technology at the Belmont public schools.

Paul Roberts, this year’s race director, talks to the Belmontonian about transforming the race into a virtual contest and way it was important to have it take place despite all the external pressures no to.

Question: The FBE Apple Run 5K/2K is the largest athletic event in Belmont and one of the Foundation’s major fundraisers. What were your plans as race director for the second running of the race when the pandemic put a halt to all large gatherings back in March?

Roberts: When COVID first hit, we weren’t even in the planning stages for the 2020 race yet. FBE was actually ramping up for its annual Spring Gala, which is our biggest fundraiser, and which ended up getting cancelled. At the time I remember thinking that ‘surely things will have sorted themselves out by October’ and that we’d be able to do the race per usual: in person, sponsor booths, Donna Ognibene’s workout, DJ Paul Madden, the whole bit. That turned out not to be the case, however. 

Question: Was there ever a thought of cancelling the event like so many other organizations did?

Roberts: We did discuss cancelling the event, of course, or postponing it. A couple of things pointed us towards a virtual event. First: the race is an outdoor event and one that – just looking at the race piece of it – doesn’t require face to face or close contact. Second: we had seen other yearly race events “go virtual,” so we knew that was an option. Finally, we really felt like it was important to the community to keep this fall tradition alive. We understood that it was going to be a different year, regardless. But we felt like the more we could do to keep things the same, the better. With that in mind: we decided to plan for a virtual event and even to stick to our Couch to 5K program, though in virtual format, also.

Question: So when and how did the virtual race concept started in earnest?

Roberts: I’d say the virtual event was on the table all along. We had a kick off meeting back in the May timeframe and basically the three options were: cancel, do some form of in-person event (circumstances allowing) or do a virtual event. What we did then was to reach out to the Town Administrator Patrice Garvin and Wesley Chin at Belmont Health Department and get their thoughts on the feasibility of an in person event: whether we might do a smaller event or whether we could structure the day of in such a way to keep people physically distanced. Essentially the guidance was: no races of any size until we have a vaccine. We were pretty sure that wasn’t going to be October, so at that point we made a commitment to doing the run virtually.

Question: What has been the response from the community? 

Roberts: The response has been tremendous. We had 340 runners as of Thursday, which is far above what we were expecting. The Foundation has also been really touched by the continued support of our sponsors:

  • CitySide Subaru, our Platinum Sponsor again this year,
  • Belmont Orthodontics, 
  • Shant Banosian/Guaranteed Rate, 
  • John Rogaris,
  • Belmont Center Business Association,
  • Belmont Chinese American Association.

Donna Ognibene at Triogo stepped up and will record a virtual workout for all our runners. These are very difficult time for small businesses and families, so this support has been really inspiring. 

Question: You have included a few special extras to the race.

Roberts: We decided to take advantage of the virtual format to have some fun with our prizes. Because runners have 10 days to do the race, rather than an hour, we wanted to recognize and celebrate all the fun and funky ways people can do the Apple Run – running it multiple times, running it in a funny costume (not exactly a new thing), doing the race slooowly and so on. We’re also going to be celebrating runners all through the week on social media.

Question: Explain the importance of the race to the technology fund and also as a community event during a pandemic. 

Roberts: The Apple Run has become one of the Town’s biggest annual events and one of the FBE’s most popular traditions. The race has raised more than $150,000 for the FBE and its Innovative Teaching Initiative. With all of the challenges and new costs that COVID has created for the community and our public schools, having an organization like the FBE becomes even more important. We think its critical right now to provide a bit of normalcy for the community. We’re really looking forward to seeing Apple runners out on the streets in the coming days!