Happy (?) New Year, Belmont; What’s Closing Early on the 31st And Open On The First Day Of 2022

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Photo: Fireworks over the Boston Common at 7 p.m. Take the T! (Credit: Estormiz, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons)

A Happy New Year, Belmont. We all deserve having something to celebrate, even if most of us will be doing it alone or with a smigin of the folks you wish you could as we try to be Omicron-avoidant.

Unlike a week ago on Christmas, there is a bit more options available for those seeking a strong cup of coffee, some aspirin or just resupplying the pantry.

Closed:

  • Town offices
  • Federal offices
  • Belmont Public Library
  • US Postal Service, Belmont Center and Waverley Square closed on Jan. 1. (Regular hours on the 31st.)

MBTA

On New Year’s Eve: For everyone looking for a cheap and reliable way to attend First Night 2022 in downtown Boston to participate in the First Night Procession (at 5:50 p.m.) or attend the Family Fireworks display over the Boston Common (7 p.m.), here is what you need to know.

Subway trains will run on a Saturday schedule, but with increased service after 3 p.m.

Buses will run on a Saturday schedule. 

Commuter Rail will run on a weekday schedule, and will hold the last train on each line after midnight: The final train on the Fitchburg line will depart North Station at 12:50 a.m.

New Year’s Day

 Commuter Rail will run on a weekend schedule. 

 Buses and subways will run on a Sunday schedule.

Dunkin’ Donuts

• The store at 353 Trapelo Rd. in Central Square (the one at the intersection of Beech Street) is running regular hours on both days: 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. The shop at 350 Pleasant St. is open until 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the First while the site on at 53 Church St. will, as always, stay hold regular hours 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. on the 31st and 1st.

Starbucks

• The location at 110 Trapelo Rd. in Cushing Square will close early at 1 p.m. on 12/31 and open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the first.

Star Market

The supermarket at 535 Trapelo Rd. will be operating slightly shorter hours: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on both days with the pharmacy open until 5 p.m. on the 31st but closed on the 1st.

Craft Beer Cellars

Located at 87 Leonard St., the store will be opened until 9 p.m. They will be closed on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

CVS Pharmacy

• The store at 264 Trapelo Rd. will be open regular hours from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. The Pharmacy will be open from 9 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday.

• The Belmont Center location at 60 Leonard St. is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on both days with the pharmacy open until 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the day.

Winter Advisory; Icy Roads and Sidewalks For Tuesday’s Morning Commute

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Photo: Ice coated roadways, sidewalks and stairs expected Monday night and into Tuesday morning

The National Weather Service in Boston issued a Winter Weather Advisory from 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 27 until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 28 warning of freezing rain with ice accumulations of up to one-tenth of an inch of a light glaze coating sidewalks and roadways in Belmont and throughout Massachusetts.

The NWS calls for residents to plan plan on slippery road conditions that could impact the Tuesday morning commute.

“Slow down and use caution while traveling,” the service advises.

Belmont Records First Covid Death In 9 Months As Positive Cases Spike

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Photo: The latest update of Covid in Belmont

A resident died two week ago due to the Covid-19 virus, the first Belmont victim since March, as the number of positive cases in town and across the nation are approaching all-time highs over the holiday season.

The death occurred during the week of Dec. 10-17, the first fatality linked to the coronavirus since March 19 when two Belmontians succumbed to the virus.

The deaths comes as the number of positive Covid cases have skyrocketed to near record numbers not seen since the worst days of the pandemic in January 2021. Belmont recorded 106 new positive cases in the week ending on Dec. 24, up from 61 in the pervious week. There has been 1,741 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Belmont since the first cases in the pandemic were reported in March 2020. Currently, Belmont and Middlesex County remains at “high risk” for the spread of Covid according to guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“I wish I could say we’re in a better place but we continue to in the wrong direction like much of the states,” said Wesley Chin, Belmont’s Health director, pointing to the Omicron variant of Covid-19 which is sweeping across the country. The Washington Post reported top US health officials warned that the country “will probably see record numbers” of cases as the new variant “spreads rapidly.”

Of the new cases in Belmont, 57 percent are breakthrough which is an infection that occurs to a fully vaccinated person, said Chin. A further 8 percent of those infected involve those who have received a booster, or third, shot.

The one piece of good news during this surge is that hospitalizations of those infected is quite low. “This month we’ve learned of two hospitalizations,” said Chin, with most people being able to be treated at home with mild to moderate symptoms.

“The takeaway message is it seems like the booster shots are helping, so we want to encourage people to get their … shots,” said Chin.

The Health Department is holding a “booster” clinic on Tuesday, Dec. 28 at Beth El Temple Center geared for students between 16 and 17 years old who are now eligible for the shot.

What’s Closing Early On The 24th; What’s Open And Closed Christmas

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Photo: Christmas Lights (Credit: mattbuck, Wikimedia)

A Merry (as much as you can make it) Christmas, Belmont. While a second year of surging Covid numbers has once again dampened the season’s festive spirit, Dec. 25 is a day of gift giving and reflecting on cheerful times from past years around the dinner table before decamping to watch the latest holiday movie on the Hallmark Channel, a slew of professional sports events – the NHL being the exception – or just relaxing with family and friends.

For those who don’t celebrate the day, several fine Chinese restaurants will be open and, if you want to risk it, some great movies are premiering on the big screen on the 25th – “A Journal for Jordan” (which will make you cry), “American Underdog” about St. Louis Rams QB Kurt Warner, and Director Paul Thomas Anderson’s love letter to 1970s SoCal, “Licorice Pizza.”

And if you have a “need” to get out of the house, here are a few places around town closing early Christmas Eve and open on Christmas.

Christmas Eve early closings:

  • Star Market at 535 Trapelo Rd. closes at 6 p.m. The pharmacy closes at 5 p.m.
  • CVS: The store at 264 Trapelo Rd. is closing at 10 p.m. (the pharmacy at 6 p.m.) and 60 Leonard St. at 9 p.m. (with the pharmacy shutting its doors at 4 p.m.)
  • Starbucks at 110 Trapelo Rd. in Cushing Square will close at 1 p.m.
  • Dunkin’ at 353 Trapelo Rd. and 52 Church St. are closing at 9 p.m. The store at 350 Pleasant St. will shut it down at 6 p.m.
  • Craft Beer Cellar at 87 Leonard St. in the Center will be open ’til 5 p.m.
  • US Post Offices at 405 Concord Ave. and 492 Trapelo Rd. are closed on Christmas Eve.
  • MBTA buses and subway lines will run on a Saturday schedule.

Christmas Day

Dunkin’

  • The Dunkin’ at 353 Trapelo Rd. proclaims it is “Open on Christmas.” So it’ll be operating from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m.
  • The 52 Church St. location in Waverley Square and the operation at 350 Pleasant St. will be closed on Christmas.

Starbucks

  • The “Cushing Village” location at 110 Trapelo Rd. will be closed.

CVS Pharmacy

  • The store at 264 Trapelo Rd. will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • The operation at 60 Leonard St. in Belmont Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Christmas.
  • The pharmacies at both locations will be closed.

Star Market

  • Belmont’s supermarket located at 535 Trapelo Rd. is closed for the day.

If you are looking to get around on the MBTA:

  • The Fitchburg/South Acton Commuter Line will operate a Sunday schedule while buses that operate in Belmont will also be on a Sunday schedule.

Belmont Town Offices Closed Dec. 27, 31; Library Shuts For Christmas Eve

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Photo:

The holiday hours for town departments and buildings has been set with departments closing at noon on Christmas Eve, Friday, Dec. 24 and reopening on Tuesday, Dec. 28.

The town offices will be closed on Friday, Dec. 31 for the New Year’s Holiday with departments opening bright and early Monday, Jan. 3, 2022.

The Belmont Public Library will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 24 and 25. It will by closed for New Year’s on Friday, Dec. 31 and Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022.

Letter To The Editor: Thank You From Belmont Helps

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Photo: Belmont Help has assisted more than 600 Belmont residents

To the editor:

It’s the end of a long and challenging year, and what a year for Belmont Helps it was! Under the umbrella of the Belmont Food Collaborative, Belmont Helps has been fortunate to assist several households with meals, grocery orders, phone buddies and more. Our volunteers have tirelessly helped our neighbors in need while our team leaders have been behind the scenes coordinating, fundraising, as well as working on initiatives to Brighten Belmont.

We are filled with gratitude for the volunteers and partners that join our efforts so we can be there for those in need.  We would like to especially thank Mark and Angie Gregor for providing Belmont Helps with a year-end fundraising match of $5,000 and are happy to report that we’ve met and exceeded this goal, which will help to keep us strong for the year ahead! Huge thanks to Belmont Helps Leads Julie Wu, Martha Loftus and Abigail Klingbeil for the countless hours spent responding to requests for help, speaking with families about their needs, arranging to fulfill those needs and providing referrals to other town-based services; and to Anne Lougee and Fiona McCubbin for accounting for every dollar spent and received.  Thank you also to the many other leads and volunteers that have contributed to our work since we began. It takes a village, and we are very thankful to this one.

Belmont Helps is here if you find yourself needing assistance this upcoming year. We have succeeded in helping families in need due to the generosity and willingness of the many in our community who step up to help when needs arise! 

Cheers to a happy holiday and a healthier new year. Connect to us for help, to donate, or to volunteer at http://www.belmonthelps.org/ or leave a message with us at 617-993-0163

Amy Kirsch and Shana Wang

Belmont Helps Co-Chairs

Get Into The Christmas Spirit With Brass On Belmont Center Thursday, Dec. 23 @ 3PM

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Photo: Come hear Christmas carols on Belmont Center Thursday (Credit: Kreuzschnabel/Wikimedia Commons, Licence: Cc-by-sa-3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/legalcode)

If you’re looking to jump-start the holiday spirit – with so much going on around the world, who could use a shot in the arm – here’s an event that you don’t have to go too far to attend.

The Lokensgard Blechbaser Brass Ensemble, a group of talented amateur brass players, will be playing a selection of holiday music on the “Delta” at 2 Leonard St. (a block from Town Hall) on Thursday, Dec. 23, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Laura Tracey – she’s the tuba player – said the group consists of between seven to nine members (three from Belmont) who play every week in locations such as Davis Square in Somerville, Arlington Center and Spy Pond.

“Just like an hour at a time, playing some Christmas carols and we’d love to do that in Belmont,” Tracey told the Select Board on Monday. “If you’ll have us, we’d love to play on Thursday afternoon.” The board said yes.

So come down to the center on Thursday, do some last minute shopping and hear the sounds of the season.

Vaccine Clinic/Booster Shots For Students, Young Adults on Dec. 28; Covid Surge Testing Jan. 8-9

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Photo: Belmont will be providing booster shots and testing in the coming weeks for the youngest residents in town. (credit: Spencerbdavis, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0)

“Booster shots help,” said Adam Dash, chair of the Belmont Select Board at its Monday, Dec. 20 meeting. And along with Covid testing can mitigate the surge of the coronavirus’ Omicron variant.

But as Dash noted, “Getting the booster shot has been difficult” as people clamber for the chance to get their third dose of the vaccine. As for testing, home Covid kits have all but sold out in most stores while state health officials said daily testing sites have handled between 75,000 to 135,00 people for the past week with waits typically running two hours and more. The line at a free testing site in the Cambridgeside Galleria in Cambridge extended up and around the three mezzanine levels.

So here is some welcome news: Belmont will be providing booster shots and testing in the coming weeks for some of the youngest town residents.

The Health Department is holding a pediatric vaccine clinic on Tuesday, Dec. 28 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Beth El Temple Center at 2 Concord Ave. “This clinic is going to be geared primarily towards 16- and 17-year-old who are recently eligible for booster shots,” said Wesley Chin, Belmont’s health director.

  • Individuals 5-11 can sign up to receive their first or second dose of the pediatric Pfizer vaccine
  • Individuals 12+ can sign up to receive their first or second dose of the adult Pfizer vaccine, or Moderna if they are 18+
  • Individuals 16-17 can also sign up to receive a Pfizer booster shot*
  • Individuals 18+ can also sign up to receive either a Pfizer or Moderna booster shot*

Register for a vaccine appointment here: https://www.appointmentquest.com/scheduler/2180061935?schedule=belmontvaccineclinic

For the second time after a holiday, Belmont and Lexington will be holding joint Covid testing clinics for their residents.

The testing in Belmont will be held on Jan. 8 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Chenery Middle School; Lexington will hold its on Jan. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Lexington public school administration building gymnasium, 146 Maple St. Residents of either town can

Call the Health Department with any questions at 617-993-2720.

Restrictions On Side Streets To Control HS Student Parking Start Jan. 3

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Photo: Concord Avenue adjacent to the new Belmont Middle and High School

The Belmont Select Board on Monday, Dec. 20, approved a four-week trial plan to force the majority of high school students who drive to the new Belmont Middle and High School off of side streets and back to parking on the main thoroughfare that runs by the facility.

The proposal will take place from Monday, Jan. 3 to Friday, Jan. 28 afterwards the plan will be reviewed and extended, ended or revamped.

Advanced by the Traffic Working Group – Middle and High School, it comes after town officials heard an earful from local residents concerning throngs of high school pupils who found the best parking spaces to the building was right off the main road.

“One of the purposes of the proposal is to restore the status quo of students not parking on side streets,” said Martin November, a task force member who led the effort.

The high school’s parking plan for seniors and juniors is a temporary one itself as there will be no student parking on site until the middle school wing is built. One hundred spaces along the north side of Concord Avenue was allocated to students by the school through a lottery. The spaces are in two sections along Concord Avenue from Underwood Road to the Belmont Public Library with another 90 off-street parking spaces linked to a new skating rink that would be built on the west side of Harris Field.

But soon after the September opening of the new high school wing complaints from homeowners started that their streets were teeming with cars during school hours; parking close to driveways and intersections, creating pinch points where traffic can travel and making deliveries and trash collection much more difficult. When they did call to complain, police response was slow due to current staffing levels.

An October survey conducted by residents on behalf of the working group found approximately 120 student cars coming daily to the school with 56 parking on Concord, six on Goden Street, 12 on Oak Street, approximately 20 in the Orchard/Orchard Circle/Stone Road loop and 20 occupying the jug handle site opposite the library.

November told the Select Board’s Mark Paolillo and Roy Epstein – Select Board Chair Adam Dash recused himself from the discussion and vote as he lives on Goden Street – that students, some who possess reserved passes for the coveted 100 lottery spaces, were parking along adjacent roadways such as lower Orchard Street for a simple reason: it’s less of a trek to the school than parking on Concord Avenue closer to Harris Field and the skating rink.

“We do want them back on Concord (Avenue),” said Paolillo.

The proposal will consist of four steps:

  • Identify the side streets to be targeted.
  • No parking from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on school days unless the vehicle has a town-approved placard.
  • Commercial vehicles and those on public business will be exempt.
  • Residents will receive a placard that exempts them from the parking ban.

And the targeted streets are:

  • Goden Street below School
  • Oak Street
  • Orchard Street below School
  • Trowbridge Street
  • Underwood Street
  • Baker Street
  • Concord Street east bound (the southside of the roadway) from Cottage Street to Louise Road.

No parking signs will be placed on cones and on existing posts on the targeted streets.

MLK Community Breakfast Will Zoom To Belmont On Jan. 17

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Photo: Rahsaan Hall is the keynote speaker at the 2022 annual MLK Community Breakfast which will once again be a virtual event

Belmont’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Breakfast, historically intended to bring the Belmont and Boston communities together in a program of unity around Dr. King’s legacy, will once again take place via Zoom on Monday, Jan. 17, 2022 at 9 a.m.

This year’s keynote speaker, Rahsaan Hall, director of the Racial Justice Program at American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Massachusetts, has chosen this year’s theme to be “The Arc and the Pendulum: The Long Journey toward Racial Justice.”

In this role, Rahsaan helps develop the ACLU’s integrated advocacy approach to addressing issues of racial justice. Through legislative advocacy, litigation and community engagement, the program works on issues that impact communities of color and historically disenfranchised communities. Rahsaan also manages the ACLU’s What a Difference a DA makes to educate residents about the power and influence of distract attorneys.

Adam Dash, Belmont’s Select Board chair, looks forward to the annual Belmont MLK event. While he
misses the in-person breakfast where people can mingle and meet, he looks forward to the perspective
each speaker brings to the presently virtual event.

“We can’t talk about race too much” and how the speaker forces local candidates for office to confront issues. Dash recalls how “blown away” he was by the MLK breakfast where former METCO students returned to give their accounts of what a difference the METCO program had made in their lives.

The Belmont Human Rights Commission, in conjunction with Belmont Against Racism and Belmont Media Center, will be the lead sponsor and organizer. The Commission is dedicated to fighting discrimination in all forms; increasing awareness of issues regarding diversity and discrimination in our community; and responding to allegations of discrimination.

Advanced registration can be found at Eventbrite at: https://bit.ly/MLKBelmont2022 For more information about this event, please contact the Commission at belmont.hrc@gmail.com or call 617-993-2795.