Sports: Field Hockey’s Noone Commits to Holy Cross; Keene State’s Habelow Honored

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Photo: Senior Suzanne Noone, with Marauders’ Head Coach Jessica Smith.

Accolades for a pair of former Belmont High School Field Hockey players in the past two weeks.

Senior co-captain Suzanne Noone who finished a stellar three-year varsity career in the Marauders midfield signed a letter of intent on Friday, Nov. 14 to play field hockey with Div. 1 Holy Cross in Worcester beginning in 2015.

The two-time team MVP scored 22 goals and 39 assists as a Marauder while being named a two-time first team All-Middlesex League. She will join her sister, sophomore Catherine, on the Crusader team that plays in the Patriot League.

“I’ll really excited to play with my sister at Holy Cross where my father played baseball,” said Noone.

“But I’ll have to get into shape in the spring and summer for college field hockey so I’ll be working out a lot,” said Noone.

“Suzanne has the ability to play in the midfield or on the forward line. Her presence on the field and passing game continue to improve. A very hard worker off the ball,” said Holy Cross Head Coach Zowie Tucker.

Noone is well aquatinted with another student-athlete who signed with Holy Cross. Watertown’s all-star Emily Loprete – who never lost a game in her high school career – not only played against Noone on the pitch but was a teammate last year and this coming season on the combined Watertown/Belmont high school ice hockey team which will be a strong contender for the state Div. 2 title.

On the college side of the ledger, Keene State College senior defender Melissa Habelow was selection to the 2014 Longstreth/National Field Hockey Coaches’ Association Division III New England West Region First Team.

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Habelow was named to the LEC All-Conference First Team this season and selected to the Second Team in 2013.

“I think her offseason training really helped her this year,” said Owls’ Head Coach Amy Watson. “She came back ready to play and I think that made a world of difference. This was by far Melissa’s strongest season as she was key for us on both the offensive and defensive end.”

Habelow anchored the top defensive unit in the conference, ranking first with eight shutouts and in goals against average of 1.15. Habelow also contributed on the offensive side as a specialist on penalty corners, registering nine goals, including four game-winners and five assists for 23 points and ranked tied for third in the LEC with seven defensive saves.

The Owls finished the year 19-5, which included a 15-game win streak, an undefeated LEC season, a second consecutive LEC Championship and NCAA berth.

Both Noone and Habelow played for Belmont High’s current Head Coach Jessica Smith.

This Week: Stringarama Monday, Turkey Day Game, a Pair of Holiday Fairs

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• No, it’s not a convention of physicists discussing string theory; it’s all about string players as student musicians ranging from elementary school through 12th grade will participate in the 40th annual Stingarama taking place  Monday, Nov. 24, at 7 p.m. at the Belmont High School auditorium. The ensembles will be under the direction of Margot Reavey and Laura Messina.

• Music & Movement with Rubi, a movement and music program recommended for ages 3 to 5 (but 2 year olds are welcome) will be held in the Flett Room on Monday, Nov. 17.  There will be two sessions: 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

• A joint meeting of the Belmont Municipal Light Board (made up of the Belmont Board of Selectmen) and the Municipal Light Advisory Board will convene on Monday, Nov. 24, at 11 a.m. at the Beech Street Center to discuss and possibly vote on solar distributed generation, a plan which would essentially provide a subsidy to residents who invest in and maintain solar energy systems that are connected to the Belmont Light distribution grid. If the gang does not vote on Monday, the Light Board meets again on Tuesday, Nov. 25 

• Pre-School Storytime will be held at the Benton Library, Belmont’s independent and volunteer run library, on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 10:30 a.m. Stories and crafts for children age 3 to 5. Parents or caregivers must attend. Siblings may attend with adults. Registration is not required. The Benton Library is located at the intersection of Oakley and Old Middlesex.

Belmont resident and Civil War expert Al Smith comes to the Beech Street Center to tell the story, “Abraham Lincoln: The Final Funeral” on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. The tragic assassination and burial of our 16th President contains elements of mystery, romance, and even comedy. He passed away the day after he was shot on April 14, 1865, but he did not enter his final resting place until 35 years later; Sept. 25, 1901.

• For anyone – investors, advertisers, competitors – seeking a bit more information about businesses, the Belmont Public Library is holding “Mind Your Business! Introduction to ReferenceUSA and Business Insights: Essentials Databases in the Library’s Assembly Room on Tuesday, Nov. 25 from 7 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. It’s a chance to learn how to make lists of businesses using ReferenceUSA and perform company research.

• The annual Thanksgiving Day Football Game between Belmont and Watertown high schools is back at Harris Field for this year’s match as the Marauders (3-7) under first-year head coach Yann Kumin take their three-game winning streak against the 8-2 Red Raiders. The game starts at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 27. Game day tickets are $8.

• Belmont is a great small business town. This Saturday, it’s time to give back. Since 2010, Small Business Saturday has been helping small businesses do more business a day after Black Friday. Don’t forget that twice as much of each dollar spent at a local shop or restaurant stays within the town in wages, taxes and money spent on goods. 

There will be a pair of holiday craft fairs this weekend:

• The 13th Annual Crafts Fair at the Beech Street Center will take place on Saturday, Nov. 29. More than 40 vendors will be selling gifts, toys, cards, holiday ornaments, dolls, jewelry, scarves, sweaters, quilts, knitted goods, and other hand-crafted items, many of them one-of-a-kind. Sponsored by the Friends of the Belmont Council on Aging, the proceeds from table rentals and sale of donated goods go to support the Council on Aging’s programs, services, and scholarships. Cost is $1 – children under 12, free. Public invited.

• The Belmont VFW at 310 Trapelo Road – across from the Belmont Fire Department – is holding the Winter Light Arts Festival on Sunday, Nov. 30 from noon to 4 p.m. Put together by Joanna Brooks and Sharon Nahill of Oak Hill Pottery, there will be works by sculptors, potters, jewelers, fabric artists, painters, photographers and graphic artists.

Cityside Subaru ‘Shares the Love’ with Foundation for Belmont Education

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Belmont’s Cityside Subaru has selected the Foundation for Belmont Education as its first local non-profit organization to benefit from the Subaru “Share the Love” fundraiser, a national initiative by the car manufacturer that has donated more than $25 million to local charities across the U.S. during the past four years.

Under the program, consumers who purchase or lease a new vehicle can select the Foundation as their charity of choice, and Subaru will donate $250 to the foundation, which supports educational excellence and enrichment in the Belmont public schools. The “Share the Love” event began Friday, Nov. 20 and runs through Friday, Jan. 2, 2015.

The FBE is one of five charities that area residents can choose to give to and the only local option; the remaining four are national charities selected by the car manufacturer.

Subaru is aiming to raise $10 million this year for charities across the U.S., double last year’s donation. Over the past four years, the Share the Love program has raised $25 million. Cityside Subaru has contributed approximately $260,000 to that effort.

“We are excited to be able to provide local residents with an opportunity to directly give back to their community through Subaru’s Share the Love program,” said Rick White, Cityside’s general manager and co-owner. “We are proud to be part of the Belmont community, and are pleased that through this innovative fundraising initiative we can show our support of its fantastic school system.”

In partnership with the Belmont Public School system, the Foundation for Belmont Education supports the community’s interest in ensuring that educators and students alike are given the best tools, technology and training that foster innovation and love of learning. The FBE’s partnership with Cityside Subaru is reflective of how the Belmont community is coming together to support innovative curriculum enrichment across the school system.

Named Subaru Dealer of the Year in 2010 by DealerRater.com, Cityside Subaru is located at 790 Pleasant St. (Rt 60). www.citysidesubaru.com.

Students: Get Your Turkey Game Tickets at the School Store

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Tickets are currently on sale at the Belmont High School’s School Store for the annual Belmont v. Watertown Thanksgiving Day Football game.

The school store is located in the Belmont High School Café. The store is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. But be advised: the store will be closing at 10 a.m. on Wed. Nov. 26th

Pre-sale ticket prices are student $4, adults $6.

All tickets the day of the game are $8.

Sold in Belmont: Is the Hill Losing Some Luster to ‘Friendlier’ Homes?

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Photo: A classic Colonial on Benton Road that sold for seven figures. 

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

• 14 Frederick St. Two-family (1930), Sold for: $690,000. Listed at $699,000. Living area: 2,459 sq.-ft. 11 rooms; 5 bedrooms, 3 baths. On the market: 47 days.

• 95 Bow Rd. Classic Colonial (1928), Sold for: $1,265,000. Listed at $1,250,000. Living area: 2,874 sq.-ft. 11 rooms; 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths. On the market: 47 days.

• 10 Cutter St. Colonial “box” (1905), Sold for: $710,000. Listed at $689,000. Living area: 1,646 sq.-ft. 7 rooms; 4 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 34 days. (A former House of the Week.)

• 80 Somerset St. Custom European-style home [the town calls it a colonial] (1924), Sold for: $1,500,000. Listed at $2,100,000. Living area: 3,116 sq.-ft. 7 rooms; 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths. On the market: 179 days.

• 19 Benton Rd. Classic Colonial (1925), Sold for: $1,194,000. Listed at $1,149,000. Living area: 3,040 sq.-ft. 8 rooms; 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths. On the market: 57 days.

• 26 Clifton St. English-brick Tudor (1920), Sold for: $1,085,000. Listed at $1,190,000. Living area: 2,675 sq.-ft. 9 rooms; 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 86 days.

It’s good to be friendly.

And last week, that notable attribute was evident in real estate with the four Belmont homes that sold for seven figures. 

Up on Belmont Hill, a pair of houses hidden from public view (long-driveways and heavy vegetation) on large lots a distance from nearby residences took a couple of haircuts from their original list prices after spending some time sitting on the market.

Down in the hinterlands, two classic Colonials sitting steps from the street in typical neighborhoods located near bus lines and the town’s business center and other amenities were bought up for a premium after being listed for less than two months. 

Coincidence? Maybe. Or is the latest generation of homebuyers who can make the financial leap into high-end homes seeking a more communal living arrangement, wanting to be close to schools, libraries, pools and fellow residents. A recent report shows that many up-market buyers are no longer seeking celebrity-like seclusion but rather a lifestyle that allows the kids to walk down to school or the Benton Library and foregoing the second/third vehicle for public transportation.

A decade ago, the houses on Benton and Bow roads would never have been considered the equal of the duo on the Hill. Today, they are, and more.

Wintery Blast Off to Official Groundbreaking of New Underwood Pool

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The juxtaposition at the official groundbreaking for the new Underwood Pool was as glaring as the brilliant morning sunshine on Friday, Nov. 21.

Residents, business leaders and town official attended the ceremony heralding the building an outdoor summer time pool complex wrapped in parkas and scarfs while wearing gloves, boots and hats to brave one of the coldest days since last March.

Yet the cold, blustery conditions – it took several fire department personnel to keep the large American flag hoisted from the town’s ladder truck from blowing away – did not place a damper on the enthusiasm of the celebration.

“The pool is dead; long live the pool,” said Adam Dash, vice chair of the Underwood Pool Building Committee before the open pit where the century old pool once sat. If all goes to plan – the weather will determine when opening day will occur – the area will be teeming with residents using two brand-new pools this coming summer.

“Thank you all for coming here to witness this historic event; the first time in a 102 years that we’ve had a ground breaking for an Underwood Pool in the town,” said Dash

The history of the new pool complex replacing the historic facility built in 1912 is well known, beginning two years ago through the urging from Peter Castinino, the retiring director of the town’s Department of Public Works, funded via a Community Preservation Act funds, Town Meeting funding and a debt exclusion in April 2014, the sudden need to raise $400,000 after a contractor abandoned the project which was successful in October due in large part to the generosity of the Belmont Savings Bank Foundation which donated $200,000 and the work of building committee member Ellen Schreiber.

“Things like this don’t happen too often so this is a real Red Letter Day for the town of Belmont,” said Robert Mahoney, president and CEO of Belmont Savings.

“This will always be the Underwood Pool but I think this  is the People’s Pool. More than 450 families contributed to our matching grant to make this happen, from as small as $10 to $25,000. It’s a people’s effort and I’d like to congratulate all of us to make this happen,” said Mahoney.

Helen Baker, a descendant of the Underwood family that deeded to the town the land which the pool was located, thanked the bank’s “generous gift” and the other donations making the project possible.

In addition to the Underwood relatives, the town recognized DPW workers who “worked tirelessly to make sure the pool opened each season even after it exceeded its useful life,” said Belmont Board of Selectmen Chair Andy Rojas.

Finally, with wind chill temps in the mid-teens, the officials and residents who worked to make the project a reality took shovels in hand to “break ground” at the site.

Hopefully, the wardrobe for the pool’s ribbon cutting will be strictly summer attire.

42 for 42: Chenery Football Ends Season a Success On and Off the Field

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Forty-two students arrived on a sweltering August afternoon to the Chenery Middle School playground for the first day of football practice.

Two-and-a-half months later, 42 now experienced and tested players ended the first season of middle school football in Belmont in several decades with a big win over Watertown, 22-8, played at Victory Field on Nov. 5.

“The big news was that we began and ended the season with the same number of kids,” said Chenery Head Coach James MacIsaac. 

“They showed a lot of dedication and grew as a team after each game,” said MacIsaac.

The season had its ups – playing on Harris Field vs Melrose, winning more games than they lost – and downs – losing at home – but above it all, the players spent the season improved their fundamental football talents on the field and learned life skills on the sidelines.

“I received a great deal of positive feedback and the kids all seemed to have fun,” said MacIsaac.

The 2014 Chenery Middle School football team included:

Ryan Hoffman, Mitchel Pereira, Joe Salvi, Peter O’Connor, Matthew Crisafi, Carlos Osgood, Robert Dolan, Jared Edwards, Frank Castagno Jack Hannibal, Avery Arno, Nareg Stapanian, Tommy Cranson, Tim Starr, Connor Estok, Rhaki Joseph, Sohail Hajri, Jake Parsons, Jason Santos, James Nally, Owen Strakowski, Joseph LaFauci, Brett Westgate, Connor Shea, Michael Alexander, Dijuan Moore, Ryan Santoro, Zachary Hubbard, Willy MacIsaac, Merrill Barnes, Parker Lutz, Emanual Clark, Thomas Brugger, Drew Finn, David Brennan, Joey Hurley, Brendan Noonan, Rafael Alejandre, Aiden Dowling, Demetri Stathadikis, Nathan Rose and Brendan Logan.

The coaching staff included MacIsaac, Robert Walker, Kevin Shea, John Arno and Mike Carew.

A New Belmont High Around the Corner? A ‘Senior Study’ Suggests Good Odds

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Is a “new” Belmont High School just around the corner?

While a decision by the state authority which supplies critical funding which assists municipalities in the construction of school buildings is about a month away, a hint of heightened interest in Belmont’s plan to revamp the increasingly threadbare building on the banks of Clay Pit Pond is an indication, the state is taking a hard look at the Belmont School District’s 2014 Statement of Interest application for a new high school.

And if a letter from a Cape Cod educator is correct, Belmont’s odds of receiving a favorable nod from the state has increased considerably to begin the long process of constructing a 21st century school.

Two days before Halloween, on Oct. 29, a team of architects and engineers associated with the Massachusetts School Building Authority conducted a “senior study” of the 44-year-old brick and concrete structure, asking a lot of questions of school and town officials while poking around the building.

Belmont is one of about two dozen locations around the state where senior studies have been conducted since September, according to the Building Authority’s Facebook account.

“The Building Authority selects applications from within the Statement of Interest ‘bucket’ and choose some for a [senior] study,” Belmont’s superintendent of schools John Phelan told the Belmontonian after the meeting of the Belmont School Committee on Tuesday, Nov. 18.

“We want to review every SOI as part of the review process,” said Massachusetts School Building Authority spokesman Dan Collins. 

While the Authority and District are remaining quiet on the reason Belmont was selected for the study, a letter from the head of another school district seeking the same MSBA funding was more forthcoming.

In a letter to a Brewster town official dated Oct. 27, 2014, Robert Sanborn, the superintendent/director of the Cape Cod Regional Technical High School, said the MSBA conducted a senior study at the Harwich-based school earlier in the month.

“At the meeting, we were informed [by the MSBA] that out of one hundred and eight SIOs submitted, Cape Cod Tech was one of twenty-five (25) schools designated for a senior study,”

“From the 25, a substantial percentage of districts will be recommended to move forward with an invitation into the MSBA eligibility period,” wrote Sanborn.

If the same number of districts, 13, are accepted for reimbursement funding by the MSBA as was in 2013, the odds of Belmont’s SOI being selected has increased considerably.

For more than a decade, the Belmont School District has faithfully submitted a SOI to the MSBA appealing for state funds to begin the renovation of Belmont High School and the construction of a new 35,000 sq.-ft. science wing.

The projected cost of a “new” Belmont High School building is estimated by the district at between $90 and $100 million. For a comparison, the cost for the renovation of and new structures at Winchester High School is $101 million in construction costs (the entire project is pegged at $130 million) with the state providing a grant of $44.5 million.

Each year since the early 2000s, Belmont has received only the yearly, “Thanks, try again next year” response from the authority.

But for the first time, the MSBA decided to conduct a more extensive review of not only the SOI but of the existing school building.

A “senior study“ is requested by the MSBA for “some of the district identified priority schools for which a Statement of Interest has been submitted,” according to the authority’s website.

The study allows the authority to perform several types of assessments depending on the school building deficiencies noted in the district’s SOI. The study also includes reviewing the SOI and all supporting documents as well as dig into historical enrollment trends and the educational programs provided at the school.

The visit (which is not a mandatory part of the senior study) includes a tour of the school by experienced architects and engineers who examine both the condition of the building as well as programmatic issues – such as evidence of overcrowding in classrooms and design features – that affect the delivery of the district’s educational program.

Before touring the school, the MSBA team interviews the superintendent, principal, facilities manager and other school personnel on areas such as confirming information about school building deficiencies as stated in the SOI and obtain a close-hand look at the current campus and see how that adversely impacts a student’s education.

“The MSBA’s goal is to collaborate with the district to find the right-sized, most fiscally responsible and educationally appropriate solution to the facility’s problems,” said the website.

“The information acquired during the study will help the MSBA determine the next steps in the process,” said Collins.

Despite dispensing hopeful answers, Collins made clear being selected for a study “certainly doesn’t signal that your SOI will be accepted this cycle.”

With a cap of $250 million per year over the next five years, only one-in-eight SOI’s targeting extensive renovations or a new school are accepted each year, said Collins.

Mrs. Claus is Coming to Belmont’s Annual ‘Turn on the Town’ Dec. 4

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After 23 years arriving alone, Santa is bringing the Mrs. along for this year’s business trip to Belmont.

Mrs. Claus will join Santa at the Belmont Savings Bank on Thursday, Dec. 4 during the Belmont Center Business Association’s 24th annual “Turn on the Town” celebration. The holiday festivities will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. along Leonard Street in Belmont Center.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive and light the tree adjacent the Bellmont Cafe at approximately 6:20 p.m., before riding their sleigh to the bank’s headquarters at 2 Leonard St. to pose for free photos from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

“It is a true pleasure to be again sponsoring Belmont’s Turn on the Town this year, and we look forward to contributing to the continued success of this annual tradition,” said Bob Mahoney, President and CEO of Belmont Savings Bank.

“This year, we are thrilled to be offering free kiddie train rides. They are the latest example of the wonderful ways this event continues to grow and engage with the Belmont community.”

Returning this year, the Bank’s “Santa’s Helper Contest” offers youngsters a chance to ride in the Sleigh with Santa and Mrs. Claus from the tree lighting to the Bank’s Belmont Center branch. The winning family will also be first in line to have their photo taken with Santa and his wife inside the Bank’s branch. Parents may enter their children to win on a landing page on belmontsavings.com/santashelpers.

Outside the branch, Bank employees will be handing out hot chocolate. Inside, the Bank’s executive garage will be a petting zoo.  Additionally, Belmont Savings will be handing out glow sticks inside the branch. There will also be stocking giveaways inside the bank lobby with gift cards and products from Local Rewards partners.

Residents are encouraged to celebrate the season of giving and bring non-perishable food items or unwrapped toys to be donated to the Belmont Food Pantry.

Belmont Fire Log: A Pair of Incidents Where You Could Have Used Too Many Cooks

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Not on the menu
Nov. 10 – A few minutes past 5 p.m., workers at a restaurant on Belmont Street called the Fire Department for a little bit of assistance; the water pump in the establishment’s basement shut down causing sewage to back up in the eatery. The owner told fire personnel he had a similar issue with the pumps in the past. Lucky for everyone, there was no water “or other associated issues” in the basement as the town’s Highway Division of the DPW was called to respond.
Up in smoke
Nov. 12 – A few minutes after 11 a.m., Engine 1 and Ladder 1 took off towards Lexington and Trapelo for a reported motor vehicle fire. Once they arrived, fire crews found a hot and smoldering vehicle owned by the company doing the paving work along Trapelo. Luckily, the driver and passengers go out of the vehicle on their own and a member of the police force extinguished the fire prior to the BFD’s arrival. Engine 1 personnel used a water extinguisher to cool off the remaining hot spots in the engine compartment and under the dashboard.

No burning around the house

Nov. 14 – A bit past 8 a.m., Engine 1 was sent to a Moraine Street house for a reported fire against the building. The crew discovered a contractor burning wood in a barrel. He was told to put it out.

Very, very, very well done

Nov. 15 – A quarter past 6 p.m., the entire Belmont Fire company was sent to an apartment building at the corner of Trapelo and Mill Street for a reported smoke and possible fire. There was, in fact, a fire but it was restricted to a tenant’s failed attempt to cook dinner.

A neighborly gesture

Nov. 15 – At half past 7 p.m., a fire crew was sent to a house on Walnut Street after the homeowner locked themselves out. Happily, a neighbor had a second set of keys so there was no need to climb ladders or break a window.

Almost famous last words: “Let’s go out to eat instead”

Nov. 15 – At a quarter ’til 9 p.m., all companies were dispatched to a two-family on Lewis Road after a call came in of smoke in the structure. Sure enough, the Engine 1 crew found heavy smoke on the first floor with several alarms sounding. Knocking in the front door, they quickly located the smokey source; the remanent of a dinner on the stovetop. Apparently, someone forgot the first rule of cooking; remember that you’re cooking something. The stovetop was shut down, the burnt pots removed from the building and Ladder 1 and Rescue 1 ventilated the place with two big exhaust fans. Then guess who showed up? Our forgetful tenant! Tom was told to notify the landlord about that broken front door.