Belmont Candlelight Vigil Supporting Charlottesville Monday, 7:30PM

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Photo: Candlelight memorial in Charlottesville (WTVR)

A candlelight vigil will take place Monday, Aug. 14 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. at First Church Belmont, Unitarian Universalist on Concord Avenue across from Belmont Center that organizers are calling Belmont Stands in Solidarity with Charlottesville.

The campaigners are asking the Belmont community to stand together against the violence and hate that occurred over the weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia after clashes between white supremacists and members of the alt-right and counter protesters left three people – a counter protester and two Virginia State Police officers – dead.

This event is nonpartisan; all are welcome.

Belmont Yard Sales: Aug. 12-13

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Photo: Yard sales in Belmont.

Here are this weekend’s yard/moving/garage sales happening in the 02478 zip code:

• 65 Clark St., Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 12 and Aug. 13, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

• Lexington Street (at Riply Road), Saturday, Aug. 12, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

• 117 Maple St., Saturday, Aug. 12, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

• 70 Oxford Ave., Saturday, Aug. 12, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

• 4 Worcester St. Apt. 1, Sunday, Aug. 13, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Paving On Cross, School Streets To Make Friday’s Commutes A Pain

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Photo: Road closing for paving.

On Friday, Aug. 11, paving contractor E.H. Perkins will begin work on the binder course on Cross Street between Brighton and Lake streets in the morning and the top course of asphalt on School Street between Temple and Washington streets in the afternoon, according to Belmont Police.

Road closures and delays are expected during construction hours between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Cross Street and 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on School Street.

On both Cross and School streets, vehicular access to homes in these sections will not be available, overnight parking on adjacent roads will be allowed. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your patience.

Residents and commuters are advised to seek alternate routes for both locations, the BPD suggests.

For any questions or concerns about the project, contact Ara Yogurtian, assistant director in the Office of Community Development, at 617-993-2665.

Cushing Square Fall Festival Slated for Sept. 23

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Photo: Moonshine Hollar at last year’s festival.

Mark Saturday, Sept. 23 on your calendar when you can head over to the corner of Common Street, and Trapelo road as the Cushing Square Merchants Association holds its third Cushing Square Fall Festival.

“I think this will be really great for Cushing Square. I think it needs a boost,” Mary Westcott Thomajan, owner of two Westcott Mercantile stores in Belmont and president of the 25-member Merchant Association, told the Belmont Board of Selectmen which approved her application on Monday, Aug. 7.

For the past two years, a much smaller version of the festivities dubbed the “October Festival” took place in front of Thomajan’s store in the first weekend of October. But with the completion of the Trapelo/Belmont Corridor roadway reconstruction earlier in the year and the 167,000 square-foot Bradford development underway, “it’s time to promote the square and the businesses.”

On the 23rd from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Common Street will be closed from Trapelo to the crosswalk at Palfrey Road – Payson Road will stay open – and a small portion of one way Cushing Avenue adjacent to the UPS store. 

There will be approximately 25 table spaces for local stores and if there are any empty spaces to encourage businesses from outside the square to participate. Visitors can expect local eateries to dish out their specialties and stores to set up shop as well as bluegrass music and activities such as stilt walking classes. 

While there will be four or five of the same kiddy rides which take place in Belmont Center in May, “we are not trying to mimic [Town Day] but wants to keep it locally grown,” said Thomajan who has received help organizing the event from Gerry Dickhaut, owner of Champions Sports Goods in Belmont Center and chair of the Belmont Center Business Association which manages the annual Town Day celebration.

“To have a fall event and a May event in Belmont should work well,” she said.

“This sounds exciting,” said Selectman Adam Dash. “You guys have put up with so much with construction; this is the least we can do.”

Payson Park Will Host ‘Battle of the Bands’ Wednesday, Aug 9

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Photo: Payson Park Music Festival’s 4th annual Battle of the Bands.

The Payson Park Music Festival will host the 4th annual Battle of the Bands concert featuring local youth rock bands. The show will be held Aug. 9 at 6:45 p.m. at Payson Park at the corner of Elm and Payson.

The Belmont Savings Bank once again is sponsoring this popular community event.
Bands will compete for first place which will be decided by an audience vote. So be sure to come out and support our local musicians. 
Participating Bands Include:
  • Circus Trees
  • Chesley Road
  • Fourshadow
  • Xhosa
  • Waltham Show Band
Check out videos of these bands on the Belmont Savings Bank Facebook page. The video with the most likes will win the Favorite on Facebook award at the concert.
Balloons, snacks, and beverages will be available.
The full Payson Park Summer Music Festival Schedule can be found here.

Belmont Purple Heart Recipients To Be Honored Monday

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Photo: This year’s poster.

Belmont will observe its wounded veterans at the 2017 National Purple Heart Day Observance and Recognition Ceremony on Monday, Aug. 7, according to the town’s Veteran Service Officer, Bob Upton.

The ceremony will take place on the front steps of the Belmont Public Library, 336 Concord Ave.,  at 10 a.m. with guest speaker Belmont resident US Marine Corp Colonel Michael J. Callanan who served as an Operations Officer in Iraq as well as USMC Battalion Commander in Afghanistan.

The public is invited to attend this event and to join with us in honoring and showing our appreciation to our Purple Heart recipients on this important occasion.

The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the United States armed forces who are wounded by an enemy and posthumously to the next of kin in the name of those who are killed in action or die of wounds received in action.

Chartered by Congress in 1958, the Military Order of the Purple Heart is composed of military men and women who received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds suffered in combat. Although membership is restricted to the combat wounded, the organization supports all veterans and their families with a myriad of nation-wide programs by Chapters and National Service Officers.

Belmont Yard Sales: Aug. 5-6

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Photo: Yard sales in Belmont.

Here are this weekend’s yard/moving/garage sales happening in the 02478 zip code:

• 1 Chester Rd., Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 5 and Aug. 6, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

• Lexington Street (at Riply Road), Saturday, Aug. 5, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

• 4 Worcester St., Sunday, Aug. 6, 9 a.m. to noon.

Belmont Yard Sales: July 29-30

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Photo: Yard sales in Belmont.

Here are this weekend’s yard/moving/garage sales happening in the 02478 zip code:

• 64 Becket Rd., Saturday, July 29, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• 76 Dean St., Saturday, July 29, 9 a.m. to noon.

• 8 Francis St., Saturday, July 29, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

• 9-11 Lawndale St., Saturday and Sunday, July 29 and July 30, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

• 19 Linden Ave., Sunday, July 30, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• 5 Lodge Rd., Saturday, July 29, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• 290 Orchard St., Saturday, July 29, 8:30 a.m. to noon.

Belmont Resident In Running To Co-Own Big League Ball Club

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Photo: The hapless Miami Marlins.

What does a former-Presidential candidate, New York Yankee’s greatest shortstop, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, a Yale-educated baseball-obsessed New York city art dealer, Pitbull (not the dog), a basketball GOAT (not the animal), HOF pitchers and Belmont’s own Tagg Romney have in common?

Not much? Au contraire!

They are all in a battle royale to become part of America’s national past time as owner(s) of the Miami Marlins. And in one week’s time, we’ll know if Romney will be a part-owner of a Major League Baseball team.

With a July 31 deadline by Major League Baseball looming, the competition between two or three sets of bidders is a free-for-all who will spend millions take control of one of the most miserable franchises in recent baseball history.

The Grennsbrook Way homeowner and private equity manager and life sciences investment fund owner Wayne Rothbaum are bidding approximately $1.1 billion to buy the Marlins from art dealer to the New York elite Jeffrey Loria who many in sports circles consider the worst professional sports owner in the US for rarely investing in the product on the field. 

Since making their initial offer a few months ago, the Romney/Rothbaum tandem has added a truly incongruous mix co-partners to strengthen the their team including former Florida governor and Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush, Pitbull – the popular Miami DJ – three great former starting pitchers (Tom Glavine, Dave Stewart, Al Leiter) and the CEO of Shoney’s (some kind of Southern regional restaurant chain) David Davoudpour.

For Romney, being owner would be a return to the sports business, having been head of marketing for the Los Angeles Dodgers before becoming vice president of onfield marketing at Reebok.

Romney will need the help as they are up against Yankees superstar Derek Jeter, who is the personal favorite of Loria, who is a big Yankees fan. Two months ago it appeared that Jeter along with his partner Jeb Bush – yup, the same Bush – to beat out the Romney/Rothbaum team with a $1.2 billion offer. But when Jeter struggled to finance the bid, Jeb pulled out. Since then, it is reported that Jeter traded a Bush for a GOAT: basketball superstar Michael Jordan has joined the Jeter squad that includes its own slew of money men.

Add to the mix is Florida cable-laying tycoon Jorge Mas who is making a late run for the team, yet there is evidence he is not as enthusiastic about the bid as the other two.

The sale process began in February when members of Jared Kushner’s family engaged in talks to purchase the franchise. The Kushners abandoned their pursuit of the team when the price peaked at $1 billion. 

Any sale will require the approval of Major League Baseball.

 

Brownsberger To Co-Host Airplane Noise Discussion Tuesday in H2Otown

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Photo: Aircraft taking off from Logan International Airport.

Belmont State Sen. Will Brownsberger will join State Rep. Jon Hecht, and Watertown elected officials in a community meeting to discuss the ongoing issue of noise from aircraft leaving Boston’s Logan International Airport that fly over Belmont and surrounding municipalities. 

The meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 25, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Apartments at Coolidge School, 319 Arlington St. in Watertown.

“Your legislators and municipal officials and several volunteer organizations have been working hard to address this increase for the past few years,” said Brownsberger.

Speakers include Myron Kassaraba, Belmont’s MassPort Community Advisory  Committee Member, will talk about a recent study on reducing airplane noise and Andrea Adams, Watertown Senior Planner who will discuss the history of the issue.

Brownsberger, Hecht and Watertown District Councilor Angeline Kounelis will then discuss legislative efforts to help decrease the sound coming from passenger aircraft over Belmont and  Watertown.

The meeting will conclude with a public discussion.