Here are this weekend’s yard/moving/garage sales (and a free item giveaway event) happening in the 02478 zip code:
• 673 Belmont St., Saturday, August 16 and 17, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• 267 Waverley St., Saturday, August 16, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Here is information that will confirm that summer is nearly over: the biennial State Elections are just around the corner as Massachusetts voters this year will select several important statewide political officials including a new Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General and Treasurer along with members of Congress and the state legislature.
If you want to be part of the process, Belmont Town Clerk Ellen Cushman is ready to register residents to vote in the Sept. 9 State Party Primary and the Nov. 4 General State elections.
Any Belmont resident who is 18 years or older and a citizen of the United States can register to vote. In order to be eligible to vote in the upcoming elections, voter registration must be received or postmarked by the following dates:
The Belmont Town Clerk’s office will be open until 8 p.m. on the deadline days.
Registered To Vote in Another Town
If you were a registered to vote in another town or state, you’ll need to register as a voter in Belmont in order to vote here.
Voter registration and changes to party affiliation, name or address (within Belmont) documents are available at the Town Clerk’s office in Belmont Town Hall, 455 Concord Ave. or online at the Town Clerk’s web pages.
Absentee Ballot Application
Forms for individuals who qualify to receive an absentee ballot due to absence from Belmont on Election Day or physical disability preventing the voter from going to the polling place or religious belief. A voter may request a ballot in writing to the Town Clerk but the request must include the voter’s signature.
A tip of the hat to Belmont resident and author of the Blogging Belmont website Paul Roberts for this information. Newly-installed Belmont School District Superintendent John Phelan has been holding coffees with residents through the summer with the next date on Monday, Aug. 18 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Conference Room in the School Administration building located in the Town Hall complex in Belmont Center.
Phelan, who has a quarter century of experience as a teacher, principal and an assistant superintendent in the Boston and Milton Public Schools, has been organizing the forums to hear from parents and community members to help get up to speed on the issues of concern to community members while formulating a plan for the district going forward.
If you can’t attend Monday’s coffee, more are expected to be scheduled in September. In addition, residents can make an appointment to meet with Phelan individually by calling Cathy Grant at 617-993-5401.
More a rain delay than a rainout, the concert by 4 Guys in Tuxes at the Payson Park Music Festival only had to be held back 24 hours wait as the lads will hold their performance this evening, Thursday, Aug. 14 at 6:30 p.m.
The concert will take place at the Payson Park Playground at the corner of Payson Road and Elm Street.
Residents should know that dressing in their own tuxedos is strictly optional.
A Belmont musician from Zimbabwe and a new vendor are in the spotlight this week on Market Day in Belmont on Thursday, Aug. 14.
Belmont Farmers Market is held each Thursday, 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. through October. It’s located in the Belmont Center municipal parking lot at the corner of Channing Road and Cross Street.
Belmont’s own Solomon Murungu (Babawapepukai) will bring to life the culture, folklore and wisdom of the Shona people of Zimbabwe using the mbira, a musical instrument from southern Africa made of wood with staggered metal keys. Visitors are encouraged to join in and try the various mbira instruments on display.
On the shopping front, Farmers Market shoppers will get a chance to meet new vendor; Matt’s Amazing Smokehouse from Sudbury. Mike Baumann started his company last year in which he smokes fish “with a touch of class” using only local ingredients to offer a fresher, healthier, and tastier smoked fish. There is plenty of salmon (cajun, teriyaki, lemon dill and even salmon bacon!) on his menu as well as smoked bluefish pate.
In season today is basil, beets, blueberries, broccoli, carrots, chard, cilantro, collards, cucumbers, garlic, kale, leeks, lettuce, mint, mizuna, parsley, peaches, peppers, scallions, summer squash, tomatoes, turnips, yu choi and zucchini.
Along with the regular vendors and Matt, occasional vendors this week are Bedford Blueberry Goat Farm, Sara Ran Away with the Spoon, Soluna Garden Farm and Turtle Creek Winery
The food truck will be Benny’s Crepe Cafe. Expect them around 3 p.m.
In the events tent:
It will be a stormy Wednesday for Belmont as heavy rain and thunderstorms cascade over eastern Massachusetts for the majority of the day, according to the National Weather Service.
A flash flood warning has already been issue from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. for Wednesday, Aug. 13 as there a good chance the region will see upwards of two inches of rain before the system clears after midnight on Thursday. Residents who live in low-lying areas should take care of the pending weather event.
The heaviest rain will arrive in the afternoon accompanied by thunderstorms after a period of fog in the morning.
Showers and thunderstorms will continue until midnight, then there will a chance of showers until it clears out for a sunny Thursday.
The 12th edition of the annual Meet Belmont is just around the corner. This year’s event will be held in two weeks, on Tuesday, Aug. 26 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the cafeteria at Chenery Middle School, at the corner of Washington Street and Oakley Road.
Meet Belmont is an opportunity for all residents – newcomers to those who have lived here for decades – to come together to discover what the town has to offer:
• Learn about town departments, local government, schools
• Get information about recreation and arts programs
• Find community organizations and activities that interest you
• Register to vote.
Meet Belmont is sponsored by the Vision 21 Implementation Committee and co-sponsored by the Belmont Public Schools with support from Belmont Car Wash and Belmont Light.
For more information, email: meetbelmont@gmail.com
Half-used paint, mothballs, antifreeze and insecticides are just a few of the common household products that are hazardous waste that most residents have in their homes or garages.
Belmont residents looking to clear their homes of these harmful chemicals will have an opportunity this Saturday, Aug. 16 as the Belmont Health Department is registering households that will allow them to haul the material to Lexington’s Minuteman Hazardous Products Facility site at no cost.
Once you sign up by calling the Health Department at 617-993-2720, the department will mail the required “free ticket” to residents to enter the Minuteman facility. Because the next pickup date is this Saturday, the department is requesting anyone interested in utilizing the service to call them “ASAP.”
Here is a list of acceptable and unacceptable materials as well as a video.
Most people know the Beech Street Center as the home of the Council of Aging, where events and concerts take place and, for one day, a center of attention on election day 2012.
It is also known for a number of the neighbors as a place to stash their cars overnight.
But beginning on Wednesday, Aug. 13 and running through Sunday, Aug. 17, the lot will be closed so the parking area can be resurfaced for the upcoming winter season.
Belmont Police wants to public to know that any vehicles left on the site after 11 p.m, on Wednesday will be towed.