Lightweights? Hardly as Arlington-Belmont Crew Light Fours Score Second at Nationals

Photo: The A-B Crew light fours which came in second in the Youth National Championships in Sarasota, Fla on June 14. 

They took four boats and two dozen high school rowers 1,400 miles to Sarasota, Florida to compete against 1,700 of the best young rowers at USRowing 2015 Youth National Championships held last weekend in the Sunshine State.

And the Arlington-Belmont Crew Club didn’t travel all that way last weekend without demonstrating its rowing prowess against some of the most established schools and clubs from across the country.

In only their second trip to the nationals, the club – in only its tenth year – returned home with some impressive silverware in their carry-on. 

In the finals held Sunday, June 14, the A-B crew’s Lightweight Varsity Boys Fours with cox win came in  second, signifying being the second best boat in the country, trailing only the Cincinnati Junior A’s as the quartet traveled the 2,000-meter course in 6 minutes and 43.1 seconds.  

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Arlington-Belmont Crew’s Lightweight Fours; (from left) Trevor Corning, Brendan Mooney, Coach Mark Grinberg, Andrea Abanto (cox), JD Tiffany and Eryk Dobrushkin.

The Mark Grinberg-coached boat included cox Andrea Abanto, Brendan Mooney, JD Tiffany, Eryk Dobrushkin and Belmont’s Trevor Corning.

In addition to the light fours, Arlington-Belmont crews made impressive showing against dozens of teams from across the country: 

  • Lightweight Varsity Girls Eights finished 11th (Ellie Cayer (cox), Catherine Tiffany, Callie Abouzeid, Sara Hamilton, Sarah Osborn, Abi Judge, Alena Jaeger, Lizzie Ferrante and Julia Blass),
  • Lightweight Varsity Boys Eights was 13th (Julian Green (cox), Dylan Ryan, Trevor Brown, Owen Niles, Tony Chen, Steven Chen, Anthony DiFranco, Devin Bemis and Adam Cronin) and
  • Heavyweight Varsity Boys Fours was 14th (Brenna Sorkin (cox), Alexander Gharibian, Liam Lanigan, Adrian Tanner and Max Halliday).

This Weekend: Score a Home Run Sunday, Book Sale at the Benton, Summer in the Gallery

Photo: The start of the Brendan’s Home Run.

• The 14th annual running of “Brendan’s Home RunTM” 5K Race & Walk will take place on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 21, at 10 a.m. at the Belmont High School’s Harris Field. The walk begins at 9:30 a.m., the race at 10 a.m. with youth races for kids a few minutes after the runners leave the field. The annual event raises funds to enhancing youth development, and has been instrumental in the support of key initiatives that perpetuate the best core values of healthy parent-child relationships. The race is sponsored by Belmont Savings Bank, Fitness Together Belmont and the Belmont Dental Group.

• The Benton Library, Belmont’s independent and volunteer-run library, is holding its monthly Saturday Book Sale, this Saturday, June 20, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Bring the family and make selections from our recently acquired sale books; all proceeds benefit the library. Borrow from the collection. Use our Wi-Fi. The Benton is open on the third Saturday afternoon of every month.

• “02478” is the summer exhibition of the Belmont Art Association is now being shown at the Belmont Gallery of Art, located on the third floor of the Homer Building which is in the Town Hall complex off Moore Street. The gallery is open Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The show offers an opportunity to meet many of the artists—both amateur and professional—who live and work in our community. Showcasing work by BAA members, the exhibit includes work in a wide variety of media from painting, drawing, printmaking and collage, to sculpture, ceramics, textiles, and photography. Founded in 2013, the Belmont Art Association’s mission is to “create a community of and for Belmont-based visual artists by sharing information and resources and creating opportunities to display their work.” For more information about the organization visit its website.

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Sold in Belmont: A Modern Day ‘Tara’ in Ol’ Belmont

Photo: 1 Sumner Lane.

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

1 Sumner Lane, It’s a mansion (2014). Sold: $3,200,000. Listed at $3,400,000. Living area: 6,440 sq.-ft. 14 rooms, 6 bedrooms, 5.5 baths. On the market: 246 days.

47 Moraine St., Contemporary condominium (1998). Sold: $685,000. Listed at $614,000. Living area: 1,963 sq.-ft. 8 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 3.5 bath. On the market: 50 days.

15 Marlboro St. #2, Second-floor condominium (1906). Sold: $485,000. Listed at $449,900. Living area: 1,054 sq.-ft. 6 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 46 days.

• 15 Marlboro St. #3, First-floor condominium (1906). Sold: $439,000. Listed at $429,900. Living area: 1,001 sq.-ft. 5 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 46 days.

 124 Brighton St., Garrison Colonial (1940). Sold: $742,000. Listed at $699,000. Living area: 1,632 sq.-ft. 6 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 52 days.

• 35 Gilbert Rd. #2, Condominium (1925). Sold: $635,000. Listed at $599,000. Living area: 1,907 sq.-ft. 8 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 2 bath. On the market: 67 days.

• 41 Clairemont Rd., Brick English Tudor-style (1942). Sold: $1,550,000. Listed at $1,599,000. Living area: 3,512 sq.-ft. 8 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 2-full, 2 partial baths. On the market: 92 days.

• 73 Lincoln St., Colonial (1928). Sold: $850,000. Listed at $899,000. Living area:1,900 sq.-ft. 8 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 85 days.

The new mansion built on the recently laid out Sumner Lane (so new that it’s not on any maps) was likely inspired by the manse where Mr. Burns of “The Simpsons” reside. Can’t you see the new owner of this 6,000-foot HOUSE stepping out onto the portico proclaiming, “Release the hounds” onto any misguided residents who ventures onto to street to see this “big boy.”  

The roadway was initially going to be called “Strawberry Lane” but that name was dropped for this site off Concord Avenue and that’s a good thing. I think they wanted a connection with John Lennon but that would have been Strawberry Fields. 

I will give the developer and architect this: they found the proper place to put an oversized residential  building in Belmont, on 3/4 of an acre out in the edge of the woods. Its size actually gets absorbed into the landscape.

Not that the actual building has any architectural connection to New England, and the developer actually plays up on that fact. 

“The rolling lawns and graceful old trees will give you a feeling of the old south,” proclaimed the promotional material.

How ironic that they situation a new antebellum “Tara” on a street named after the Abolitionist senator from Massachusetts! How delicious! 

But wait, there’s more: 

“This stately brick front home will remind you of being in Colonial Williamsburg offering incredible views of conservation land and peeks of the Boston skyline. Imagine sitting on your front porch admiring the incredible Copper Beech tree that dates back to the Revolutionary War.”

What? Now its like the Lee Mansion in Virginia? 

Why didn’t the developer just say, we’re taking a standard design from successful big houses we built around Atlanta here in Belmont. When you’re paying $3 million plus, historical context be damn. 

Three New Police Officers Sworn In By Town Clerk, Two Others Promoted

Photo: The new hires: (from left) Officers Michael Santoro Jr., William Watkins  Jr., and Marco D ’Andrea.

Marco D ’Andrea, Michael Santoro Jr. and William Watkins Jr. were sworn in today, Thursday, June 18, by Belmont Town Clerk Ellen Cushman as the the most recent police officers to join the ranks of the Belmont Police Department. 

The officers attended the distinguished and stringent six-month Boston Police Academy and graduated on June 17, along with 64 of their classmates, according to Belmont Police Chief Richard McLaughlin. 

Forty-one of the new officers will join the ranks of the Boston Police Department and 23 are headed to cities and towns in Massachusetts.  Boston’s Mayor Walsh and Police Commissioner William Evans addressed the graduating class.  

“We are very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to send our recruits to the nationally recognized Boston Police Academy,” said McLaughlin.

In addition to Belmont Police personnel, the swearing in was attended by Belmont  Town Administrator David Kale, Assistant Town Administrator Phyllis Marshall and family and friends of the officers.

In addition to the swearing in of the three new officers, Belmont recognized recently promoted Mark Hurley and Marc Pugliese. Hurley was promoted to the rank of lieutenant from sergeant and  Pugliese was promoted from patrol officer to sergeant.

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Pictured: L-R Sgt. Marc Pugliese, Lt. Mark Hurley, Asst. Chief James MacIsaac, Chief Richard McLaughlin, Officer Michael Santoro Jr., Officer William Watkins Jr., Officer Marco D ’Andrea.

Battle of the Bands A Knockout Opener for Payson Park Music Festival

Photo: Will Goldsmith (right) of “The Nutrition Facts” at Payson Park Music Festival’s Battle of the Bands.

Will Goldsmith, the guitarist for the rock trio “The Nutrition Facts” (“The name is subject to change” he said) is bouncing around the stage like a pro during his band’s set during the Battle of the Bands at the Payson Park Music Festival; grimacing, windmilling, jumping up and down with beat like a mini-Angus Young – the lead guitarist of ACDC which happens to be Will’s guitar inspiration. 

“I picked up [the guitar] because I thought it was cool and I wanted to be cool,” said the Newton resident who attends the The Meadowbrook School in Weston. 

“I love it, it’s really fun,” said Goldsmith, who finished the set with a series of serious chops and a fist pumping in the air. 

Oh, by the way, he’s 11. As in elementary school. E-lev-en. 

Goldsmith’s band was one of four outstanding groups which rocked Payson Park before a packed grounds – Payson-palooza? – on Wednesday, June 17, the opening act of the festival celebrating its 25th anniversary. 

“It’s fun and great to see the kids play,” said Tomi Olson, the founder and director of the festival.

“It’s a great start to the summer. It’s nice to be able to come out and hear music outside. It’s revitalizing,” she said. 

For the second year, the season began with groups made up of high school, and this year, middle school (and with the case of Goldsmith, even younger) students who proved that you’re never too young to rock. 

The Dominoes from Newton are made up of sixth grade classmates from the Charles Brown Middle School, fronted by standout soloist Abby Matthews, who is just a year older than Goldsmith.

Since getting together a year ago, “we are really so much better,” said Matthews who captured the crowd with covers from Katy Perry and Adele. 

“It’s really exciting to be here in front of these many people,” she said, which included the group’s parents who were just as enthusiastic just listening to their kids. 

Along with Radium, made up of members of the Waltham High School Show Band (which finished the sets with a James Brown cover that was a show stopper) was Belmont’s own Free Shipping, a sophomore quintet that had considerable support of several female classmates in the audience taking Instagram photos during their set. 

“I follow them everywhere,” said Chloe Brown of Belmont. “They work hard and they have a good vibe.” 

And the band, fronted by Jasper Wolf, with Tino Decoulos (guitar), lead guitar Nico (Bono) Albano, Aidan Hamell (guitar and keyboard) and drummer Tommy Slap, was named the night’s winner – receiving a $250 gift certificate from the night’s sponsor Belmont Savings Bank – with a set that was both smooth and edgy.

Laurie Slap, the drummer’s mom and School Committee Chair, said her son’s playing was “sensational” and the band “is a testament of the great music program we have in Belmont.” 

Asked about having a drummer in the house since third grade, Slap said “I like [Tommy’s] playing.”

Protest Raises Awareness of METCO Cuts Impacting Belmont Schools

Photo: The protest outside Belmont High School on Wednesday, June 17.

For 12 years, since first coming to the Wellington Elementary School as a first grader, Rashunda Webb has been a young woman on the move.

As a METCO student, she traveled from Dorchester to Belmont initially on a bus for her early years before switching to public transportation. While she attended Belmont High School, it took Webb a good 90 minutes on MBTA buses and subways to get to school and then back home.

Yet she said without benefits of graduating from one of the best open enrollment high schools in the country, “I don’t think I would have had the chance of attending the college I’ve been hoping to,”  said Webb, who is matriculating at New York University this fall as a nursing student.

And while she succeeded in using the opportunity METCO gave her, Webb wants to see others from her neighborhood take the same route she did.

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Rashunda Webb of Dorchester and Belmont High School.

“There are many, many kids who want to come here,” Webb told the Belmontonian. 

But the program Webb took advantage of is battling to maintain it funding level to where it can remain a viable option for other students from Boston.

“The budget cuts are closing the doors to the same opportunity I was privileged enough to experience,” said Webb at an informational protest rally at the entry to Belmont High School at Underwood Street and Concord Avenue on Wednesday, June 17. 

“That is why we are here today, that METCO will no longer open those doors of opportunity if we don’t speak up,” said Webb.

Holding bed sheets with “Protect METCO” and “The fight for equality is your responsibility,” written on them, a small but dedicated group of recent graduates and current students – each taking time away from finals preparation – sought to raise the issue that they believe has not received the attention or coverage it deserves. 

While many cars and students gave curious looks at the group, other beeped their horns and gave a supportive wave. 

“We’re looking to gain support in Belmont with this protest,” said Joe Fitzgerald, a 2014 Belmont High grad who coordinated the protest. Currently, 119 students from Boston attend Belmont schools in the first through twelfth grades. 

METCO – which stands for Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunities – is a voluntary integration program founded in 1966, provides a suburban public school education for African-American, Hispanic, and Asian students from Boston.

The program is currently in a tug of war between Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker’s budget which attempts to close a $768 million deficit. His budget cuts the METCO line item by $1.2 million to $17.9 million in fiscal 2016 while over in the House of Representatives, they propose to restore METCO funding to $20.14 million, a million dollars greater than last fiscal year’s amount. 

If the cuts are approved and passed, Belmont could see a resulting reduction in METCO of $54,000, a sizable hit for the program, Fitzgerald said. It could result in a drop in the over number of students attending Belmont schools and could result in siblings of current METCO students not provided an easier avenue to follow their brothers or sisters to the same schools. 

“We want to gain the democratic voice we need to bring more people into the debate, so it’s not just a debate between two or three higher ups but of the community which wants this program continue at adequate levels,” said Fitzgerald. 

‘Anything Goes’ Behind the Scenes Stars Honored at Theater Guild Awards

Photo: Belmont High’s Sara Nelson and Nomi Vilvovsky with their “Best Stage Management’ award from the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild. 

They are the unsung heroes back stage at a play or musical; providing actors their cues, oversee the tech crew, assist the director, making sure props are either off or on stage while keeping the show moving.

And for a production with as many moving parts – dancers, singers, actors, musicians – as this spring’s Belmont High School Performing Arts Company production of the Cole Porter musical “Anything Goes,” stage managers Sara Nelson and Nomi Vilvovsky, along with assistant managers Sophia Lubarr, Georgia Sundahl and Eli Dearden, where like jugglers being thrown an ever increasing number of balls to shuffle, with the expectation they would keep all of them in the air.

This past Monday, June 15, Nelson and Vilvovsky were honored for their organization and professional mastery by being awarded “Best Stage Management” in the High School Division at the annual Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild awards ceremony held in Boston. 

More than 70 Middle and High School productions were adjudicated by professional theater artists and educators and awards were given in a number of technical and performance categories.

“The award is a recognition not just of our strong team of student stage managers, but also the level of cohesion in all elements of the production: scenery and set changes, lighting, props, costumes, sound, actors and musicians,” noted Ezra Flam, “Anything Goes” producer and director.

In addition to the Stage Management Award, BHS PAC received nominations – which went to the top five schools in each category – for Best Dance Ensemble, Best Specialty Ensemble (the Sailors in the show) and Best Supporting Actor, Henry Dalby, as Moonface Martin.

Big Pot Bust By Belmont Cops on Watertown Line

Photo: The pot and cash seized by Belmont Police after a traffic stop on the Watertown line. 

Editor’s note: The article comes from a press release from the Belmont Police Department.

On Tuesday, June 16, just before 12:30 p.m., Officer Matthew Benoit of the Belmont Police Traffic Division was conducting traffic enforcement at the intersection of Belmont Street and School Street on the Watertown line.  Benoit observed a Honda Civic with an expired registration sticker drive past him. Benoit stopped the Honda and was able to confirm that the registration was expired.  

Benoit described the operator of the vehicle, Peter Primes, 43, of Sycamore Street, Watertown, as “visibly shaking and very nervous.” Benoit issued Primes a citation and informed him the Honda would be towed from the roadway. 

In accordance with department policy, Benoit conducted an inventory search of the vehicle prior to towing.  Benoit’s search of the vehicle turned up four one pound vacuum sealed bags of marijuana, seven bags containing 11 ounces of marijuana and eight bags containing 130 grams each of marijuana. In addition to the drugs, Benoit discovered $116,453 in cash inside the vehicle. 

Benoit arrested Primes and charged him with possession to distribute a class D drug and diving an unregistered Motor Vehicle. 

No Need for Modulars at Belmont Schools in Coming School Year

Photo: Newton’s Oak Hill Middle School recently used eight modulars to fill a temporary space need, adding 4,800 sq.-ft. to the district’s footprint.

During the worst of the record snow fall in February, it appeared a certainty that many of Belmont’s six schools would see small villages of modular structures spring up in the fall to meet the need of housing the explosion of students – 317 in the past five years – entering the district.

But under the warmth of summer skies, the outlook for temporary classrooms moving into spaces adjacent the schools has diminished so much that the district will be able to handle the current enrollment within the footprint of the half-dozen schools, Belmont Superintendent John Phelan told the Belmont School Committee at its June 9 meeting.

But Phelan said he could only make that assurance for the upcoming 2015-16 school calendar. After that, with a projection of more than 800 additional students entering the district over 10 years by the 2018-19 school year, the school department will need to work closely with the town’s Capital Budget Committee to discuss options on meeting classroom demands.

“We will form a committee to meet this fall to re-examine and solidify our enrollment projections and brainstorm short- and long-term solutions,” said Phelan, saying the group will consist of school committee members and town officials including those serving on Capital Budget.

But the need for temporary classrooms will not be necessary in the coming school year, said Phelan. Each of the schools were able to “create” space to be utilized for learning;

  • The four elementary schools will use existing space and the increase in full-time equivalent staffing to expand programming to meet the rising enrollment; 
  • A computer lab at the Chenery Middle School will be retrofitted into classroom space to accommodate the increase in students; and 
  • The High School will use the existing modular classrooms units in the back of the school adjacent the commuter rail tracks. As of now, there will be no need to move the Belmont Food Pantry which is located in two of the rooms. 

Yet if enrollment trends continue as predicted in recent models, “we will need to discuss our options with the School Committee and the Capital Committee,” said Phelan. 

In the past two years, Belmont town and school officials have used the idiom that the school district has been “bursting at the seams” with the rapid increase in student enrollment – 330 more students – since 2009.

In February, Phelan noted that skyrocketing student rolls would likely require the district to consider using modular classrooms – single-story prefabricated buildings most notably used in Belmont to house Wellington Elementary students as the new school was being built.

A report on enrollment commissioned by former Belmont Superintendent Dr. Thomas Kingston in 2013 bluntly stated the Chenery Middle School “does not have enough space to support the current level of student enrollment” and won’t be able to fit the large classes funneling from the four elementary schools in the next five years.

The solution “will result in the need for modular classrooms” by the beginning of the 2016-17 school year at the school located on Washington Street. 

Nor is the situation at the aging Belmont High School any better. The school is currently “out of space,” said the report, with 31 rooms shared by two teachers and four rooms by three teachers.

Modular classrooms are growing in popularity in many school districts to meet space demands. Modulars can be brought onto a site and set up in a matter of days, with lower annual utility and operating costs then a permanent building. 

Newton’s Oak Hill Middle School recently used eight modulars to fill a temporary space need, adding 4,800 sq.-ft. to the district’s footprint.

 

 

Due to Scheduling Kerfuffle, Belmont Center Petition Delivered Through the E-Mail

Photo: Parking in front of the Belmont Savings Bank is at issue in the petition delivered to the Board of Selectmen Monday.

Paul Roberts is not just frustrated with what he perceives as the Board of Selectmen overreaching its authority in altering the design plans for the $2.8 million Belmont Center Reconstruction Project even as construction had begun, he also had to deal with faulty dates on the town’s web page.

“They have inaccurate, outdated info on the Board of Selectmen’s web page,” said Roberts, who was prepared on Monday, June 15, to submit his petition asking the board to restore the Project’s original design which features a “town lawn” in front of the main branch of Belmont Savings Bank on Leonard Street.

The only problem was that the Board of Selectmen were not holding office hours at 6 p.m. as its page stated on the Belmont-ma.gov site.

“It’s too damn hard to figure out what[’s] happening and when in this town,” said Roberts, a Cross Street resident and a Town Meeting Member from Precinct 8.

So rather than presenting his Petition with 430 signatures from Belmont residents and business owners calling for the restoration of the original design, Roberts put the package into a PDF file and zipped it over to the three selectmen via e-mail.

You can see the petitions at the end of the article.

Roberts promises he’ll hand deliver a printed copy to the board at the Selectmen’s scheduled Monday, June 22 meeting.

As for the Selectmen, while one acknowledged receiving the package, its contents were yet to be read.

“[Roberts] did e-mail us something, but I have not seen the petition. I just got it,” said Selectman Chair Sami Baghdady at another public meeting Monday night. 

What is facing the selectmen is a growing number of residents angered by the board’s vote to approve two major changes to the approved Reconstruction Project’s design – now known as Plan A – proposed by a small faction of residents led by long-time homeowner Lydia Ogilby.

The revised design, Plan B, restores the current layout of parking in front of the bank as well as continue a cut through between Moore Street and Concord Avenue. Those changes would effectively end the hope of many of establishing a town green (or lawn) into Belmont Center as a central gathering area.

Roberts and those who signed the petition are asking for the board “to respectfully reverse a decision you made at a special hearing in May that installed a new, heretofore unseen and untested plan created at the last minute by your office in the place of Plan A.”

Roberts has joined others who believe the original designed was vetted and approved by a Special Town Meeting in November 2014 which approved the $2.8 million project’s financing.

“Reinstating Plan A will respect the work of the Traffic Advisory Committee, the wishes of Town Meeting and – as this petition suggests – the wishes of the voting public,” says Roberts letter.

The petition’s signatories represent “the full spectrum of Belmont politics” including Town Meeting members, the Warrant Committee, and the Traffic Advisory Committee which created the program. It also includes some pointed quotes from neighbors.

“Plan A” was the approved plan. It was an excellent plan. The last-minute substitution of another plan, which bypassed a multi-year town-wide process, by a small group to effectively undo the good works done by many people over many years is a shameful act and should not be allowed to happen.” said resident Andrew Bennett.

Roberts hopes the Board of Selectmen will conclude that since any further changes to the project’s blueprint could actually delay the reconstruction schedule. the board will open discussion on his petition at 7 p.m. at Monday’s meeting “so that we may resolve this issue as soon as possible.”

Town Center Green Space Signatures – NonResidents

Town Center Green Space Signatures – Residents