Meeting/Vote On Winn Brook Tennis Court Expansion, Wednesday, Feb. 10

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Photo: Design of the two proposals for courts at Winn Brook

The Belmont Recreation Commission will host a second public ZOOM meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 6 p.m., via Zoom, to discuss and solicit feedback on the Community Preservation Act (CPA) request to add additional tennis court/courts at Winn Brook Playground.

The court/courts would be added in the area between Joey’s Park playground and the existing tennis courts, to add one to two additional courts. See designs below.

There is a need for additional court/courts to meet the requirements of the Belmont High School tennis program that will utilize the Winn Brook courts for practices and matches. The additional court/courts will also add to the available courts for the public when not being utilized by the High School program.

Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87474795595?pwd=M1Z1TXVmS2ZCT1ZzQml6TDI0YVUyQT09
Passcode: 481165
iPhone one-tap:
US: +19292056099, 87474795595#,,,,481165# or +13017158592,,87474795595#,,,,481165#
Or Telephone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215
8782 or +1 346 248 7799
Webinar ID: 874 7479 5595
Passcode: 481165

Belmont, US Remembers Lives Lost To COVID On Tuesday

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Photo: Chairs will be placed in honor for those who died of COVID-19

On Tuesday, Jan. 19, the town of Belmont joins the country in remembering and honoring the lives lost to COVID-19 by placing 74 empty chairs – for the number of deaths in Belmont – on the property of First Church in Belmont, Unitarian Universalist, 404 Concord Ave.

Belmont will be joined by cities and towns across the country at 5:30 p.m. at a brief ceremony that will conclude with the ringing of church bells.

The town hopes you might observe this from a safe distance and wearing a mask while walking by the intersection of Concord Avenue and Common Street.

What’s Open/Closed on Martin Luther King’s Birthday

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Photo: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. is a federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January.

King was the chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. The campaign for a federal holiday in King’s honor began soon after his assassination in 1968. President Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed three years later. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.

What’s opened/closed on Monday:

Town and state offices: Closed

Trash pickup: Monday pickups are delayed by one day.

Registry of Motor Vehicles: Closed.

Federal offices: Closed.

Banks: Closed, but individual branches in other retail operations, such as supermarkets, may be open.

Post offices: Closed; no regular mail delivery.

Retailers: Open

Liquor Stores: Open

MBTA: Subways, buses and The Ride in Greater Boston will operate on a Saturday schedule. MBTA commuter rail and ferry service will run on a regular weekday schedule. Details are available at mbta.com/events.

Belmont World Film’s Family Festival Set To Start Jan. 15

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Photo: Scene from The Bears’ Famous Invasion of Sicily

The 18th annual Belmont World Film’s Family Festival will take place completely online, enabling audience members to view these wonderful films in the comfort and safety of their own homes.

Fifteen different film programs, three workshops on model making of either Gromit or Shaun the Sheep, and a Junior Film Critic Workshop led by Joyce Kulhawik and the Boston Globe’s Ty Burr, plus several live Q&A’s with filmmakers! Check out the entire festival at www.belmontworldfilm.org

The 2021 Belmont World Film’s Family Festival

Once you start a film, you will have 48 hours to finish it. All but three film programs (“Fahim, the Little Chess Prince”, “Forward” and “Hungry Bear Tales”) are available for streaming for the full 10 days – Friday, Jan. 15 at 10 a.m. to Sunday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. The only other timed events are the workshops and the Q&As with filmmakers.

Space is limited in the workshops, so make sure you sign up in advance.

A scene from “Jackie & Oopjen” (2020)

The Family Film Festival – held around the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday in mid-January – is a must-attend event for families with children ages 3-12, offering some of the world’s most significant films for children that provide a window into the lives of children around the world as well as filmmaking workshops that will entertain and enrich your children’s lives. Since most films are based on international children’s books and feature subtitles, it helps children develop a love of books and helps increase reading fluency.

FBE Virtual Spelling Bee & Trivia – Saturday, February 6, 2021

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Photo: The bee and trivia event will be held virtually

The upcoming Foundation for Belmont Education Spelling Bee & Trivia event promises to be an afternoon and evening of fun from the comfort of your own home on Saturday, Feb. 6.

The Bee & Trivia format will utilize both Zoom and Kahoot! and will be divided into two fun-filled segments: a Family Bee from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and a Teen and Adult Bee from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. While there will still be spelling, both Bees will now include trivia questions too, with surprise hosts, half-time entertainment, and both segments will be eligible for an assortment of fun prizes!

Registration opens on Jan. 19-29, at www.fbe-belmont.org/bee

One member of your team should register the entire team – you will need all the names of the team members and your team name upon registration. We ask that teams be limited to four or the size of your family. The fee per team is $40. Scholarships are available, please contact The Bee Keeper at beekeeper@fbe-belmont.org for information.

For additional information about the FBE Virtual Spelling Bee & Trivia and the FBE, please visit www.fbe-belmont.org. Thank you for your continued support of the Foundation for Belmont Education. Together, we are making a difference in the Belmont Public Schools.

Questions? Email beekeeper@fbe-belmont.org

Boston Globe’s Renee Graham To Speak Virtual At Belmont’s Annual MLK Breakfast

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Photo: Martin Luther King Breakfast

Belmont’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Breakfast will be held virtually on Monday, Jan. 18, at 9 a.m. through the Belmont Media Center.

The featured speaker, Renee Graham, Boston Globe associate editor and Op Ed columnist, will address the question: Rejecting ‘Normal’, Embracing Radical Change: Can we build a democracy that finally lives up to its ideals?

Graham reflects articulately and powerfully in her column on many contemporary issues – from voter suppression, to institutional racism, to LGBTQ issues, to politics, and to other social justice issues.

The event is co-sponsored by the Belmont Human Rights Commission, Belmont Against Racism, and Belmont Media Center.

To register, go to Eventbrite at: bit.ly/Register-2021MLK  For more information, contact Belmont Human Rights Commission or by email to Belmont.hrc@gmail.com or call 617-993-2795.

The event is free of charge but donations to the Belmont METCO Support Fund are greatly appreciated. Contributions may be made by cash or check to Belmont Against Racism, re:METCO Support Fund, PO Box 649, Belmont 02478 or on line at belmontagainstracism.org at the “donate” button.

XMas Tree Pickup Starts Jan 4; Special Cardboard Drop-Off Set For Jan . 9

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Photo: Residents have two weeks to have their trees collected.

Belmont’s Department of Public Works has announced the times and dates for a pair of yearly seasonal services: picking up your Christmas trees and collecting your cardboard.

Curbside Christmas tree collection starts on Monday, Jan. 4, and ends on Jan 14. Trees will be collected on your trash day for those two weeks. Trees need to be free of ornaments, bags, wiring, lights, and stands. After those two weeks, residents will need to call Waste Management (800-972-4545) for a bulky pick-up by noon the day before your trash day. 

Cardboard Drop-Off will take place on Saturday, Jan. 9 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the DPW yard located at 37 C St. off of Waverley Street.

There will be a $5 fee per vehicle.

Contact information will be required for contact tracing purposes. 

The DPW is encouraging contactless payment by requiring pre-registration and payment for the event. Please use the attached link for pre-registration. https://belmontma.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=29888

  • Prior to arriving at the event, all residents who have not paid on-line, should be ready with a check (payable to the “Town of Belmont”) or cash, and on a separate sheet of paper, provide the town contact information including your name, address, and phone number.
  • Cardboard will only be accepted from pickup truck beds, trunks, and the back of SUVs. The DPW will not accept cardboard from the seats of vehicles handed to us by residents.
  • Any resident who attempts to or exits a vehicle will be asked to leave.
  • Residents will be required to wear a mask.
  • All town personnel working will be wearing masks and gloves.

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

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Photo: Well, there was a lot to cry about to Santa this year.

Merry Christmas, Belmont. While for many there is little to actually celebrate this difficult time, Dec. 25 will be a day to reflect on the past year around the dinner table before decamping to watch the latest holiday movie on the Hallmark Channel or basketball contest on whatever platform you prefer. 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 – Wonder Woman 1984, News of the World and Promising Young Woman.

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: 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.)
  • Both Starbucks locations are closing at 5 p.m.
  • The Dunkin’ locations at 353 Trapelo Rd. and 52 Church St. are closing at 9 p.m. The store at 350 Pleasant St. will shut down at 7 p.m.
  • Craft Beer Cellar at 51 Leonard St. in the Center will be open ’til 7 p.m.
  • US Post Offices at 405 Concord Ave. and 492 Trapelo Rd. are closing at noon.

Christmas Day

Dunkin’

  • The Dunkin’ at 353 Trapelo Rd. has a sign on the door proclaiming “Open on Christmas.” So it will be open 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 Belmont Center store at 47 Leonard St. and 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 are likewise running on a Sunday schedule.

Have Yourself A Gusty Little Christmas: High Wind Watch, Possible Outages Over Holidays

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Photo: High wind watch this Christmas (Photo credit: DPA)

Santa Claus may show up later than usual Christmas Eve as ol’ St. Nick and his reindeer will be fighting against a nasty Nor’easter about to slam into Belmont and southern New England on Dec. 24 and into Christmas.

The National Weather Service issued a High Wind Watch starting Thursday after dark and lasting through Friday afternoon as a storm heads up the Atlantic coast bringing mild temperatures – highs in the mid-50s Christmas – along with winds between 20 to 30 mph with gusts reaching 60 mph.

“Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines,” said the NWS in its press release of Dec. 23.

“Widespread power outages are possible” and “[t]ravel could be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles,” the statement read.

If the Christmas lights should go dark, call Belmont Light at 617-993-2800 to report the outage. Do not call 911 if losing power is not an emergency.

Support Local Artisans and Charitable Organizations through Holiday Shopping

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Photo: Santa can come with social action holiday gifts to give.

The Social Action Holiday Gift Fair has been an annual tradition of the First Church in Belmont, Unitarian Universalist for many years. This year it looks very different, but the opportunity remains the same: You can do holiday shopping and benefit others at the same time.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kg6886gKTPxwqfPQ-i5FM4JQERfDlakL6ESvf9XHI8I/edit

This year, given the economic devastation wrought by the pandemic, choosing to do your holiday shopping this way is more important than ever. Buy gifts for everyone on your list by choosing from an array of products featuring the work of both local and international artisans and craft makers. All proceeds from your purchases will benefit the participating organizations.