Turn Out to Turn On the Town’s Center This Thursday

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Photo: Santa and a tentative fan.

Belmont Savings Bank and the Belmont Center Business Association are hosting the 26th annual ‘Turn on the Town” holiday tree lighting on Thursday evening, Dec. 1.

The night’s events – including the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus on a Belmont Fire truck at 6:20 p.m., food, singing and a petting zoo – will take place on Leonard Street between Channing Road and Alexander Avenue from 5:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

After turning on the lights on the holiday tree located next to the Bellmont Cafe, the Claus’ will head over to the Belmont Savings Bank – the event’s main sponsor – headquarters at 2 Leonard St. where children (and adults and a few pets) can have free photos taken with Jolly Ol’ St. Nick.

In this season of giving, RE/MAX Leading Edge is sponsoring the annual Belmont Food Pantry Drive where it will match any cash/check donations that they collect for the Belmont Food Pantry with a matching gift to the Foundation for Belmont Education. RE/MAX will be collecting donations in front of Il Casale at the former fire stationaa

Join Plymouth Church’s Great Holiday Cookie Bake Off This Saturday

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Photo: A classic from the Great British Bake Off Show (credit BBC)
 
Calling all bakers; here is your opportunity to claim the title of cookie champ of Belmont. 
 
On Saturday, Dec. 3, Plymouth Congregational Church will be hosting a Christmas Cafe and Holiday Cookie Bakeoff from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Boston Foodies photographer and blogger Tiffany Lopinsky – who has more than 80,000 Instagram followers – will take on the Mary Berry role as the special guest bakeoff judge along with the public for the cookie tasting.
 
Professional and amateur bakers may submit entries here before noon, Friday, Dec. 2. Winners will have photos of their cookies posted on Boston Foodies.
 
Food offerings include home baked breads, luncheon with soup, sandwiches and salad and cookie tasting for dessert. Lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the church, located at 582 Pleasant St.
 
Kids crafts and games will be available from 10 a.m. to noon. Kids can make a gift for someone special for $2. Boy Scouts will be selling wreaths at the Cafe entrance.
 

Belmont Savings’ ‘Turkey Brigade’ Made Deposits at Local Branches

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Photo: (from left) Belmont Savings’ Hal Tovin, COO; Sam Murphy, executive customer support; Katie Conachy, branch manager; and Bob Mahoney, president and CEO.

On Tuesday, Nov. 22, Belmont Savings Bank President and CEO Bob Mahoney under the guise of Plymouth Pilgrim took his annual Thanksgiving tour of the bank’s branches in Belmont, Waltham, Watertown, Cambridge and Newton as he and his “Turkey Brigade” delivered turkeys to employees for the holiday.

The turkeys were fresh from Bob’s Turkey Farm in Lancaster, Mass. Turkeys that colleagues opted to donate went to the Waltham YMCA.

Belmont High Musicians, Singers Selected To High Level Ensembles

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Photo: Musicians from Belmont.

After recent outstanding performances, Belmont High School music students were selected to appear in senior district festivals, recommended for state-wide ensembles and accepted to a national regional chorus, according to Arto Asadoorian, director of visual & performing arts for the Belmont Public Schools.

“Congratulations to all of the students listed above for the hours of practice that led to this honor, to the teachers whose dedication and expertise helped to guide them, and to their families for their continual support and encouragement over the years,” said Asadoorian.

“It is rare for a school district to have so many music students achieve at such a high level,” said Asadoorian.

  • Belmont High School vocalists Mary Galstian, Georgia Parsons and Connor Quinn were accepted to perform in the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) All-Eastern Festival, in April in Atlantic City. This festival selects the most accomplished musicians from high school programs in the east coast to perform together during this four day event. 
  • On Saturday, Nov. 19, 128 students from Belmont High School auditioned for the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) Northeast Senior District Festival, which takes place in January at UMass Lowell. Students who are selected to perform in these ensembles are recognized as the most outstanding vocalists and instrumentalists in the region. This year, 51 students from Belmont High School were accepted, and that 20 of those students received All-State Recommendations. This allows them the opportunity to audition for the MMEA All-State Festival later this winter. The following students were accepted to perform in the Senior District Festival. (*denotes All-State Recommendation).
  • Idris Abercrombie            Trombone
  • Charlotte Alexin                Bassoon
  • Merrill, Barnes                  Chorus
  • James Boyle                       Chorus
  • Samantha Casey               Trombone
  • Jessica Chen                      Viola
  • Ben Crocker                       Chorus
  • Ziyoung Cui                        Violin
  • Eleanor Dash*                   Trumpet
  • Justin Dong*                      Clarinet
  • Joia Findeis                        Viola
  • Mary Galstian*                  Chorus
  • Chris Giron                         Bassoon
  • Hisako Gutterman*          Trombone
  • Anthony Haddad*             Jazz Bass
  • Sammy Haines*                 Chorus
  • Eva Hill                                Chorus
  • Wonyoung Jang*               Euphonium
  • Eliza Jones*                        French Horn
  • Nate Jones*                        Jazz Trombone
  • Daniel Klingbeil                 Cello
  • Elizabeth Knight*              String Bass
  • Daniel Lay                           Violin
  • Oliver Leeb*                        Chorus
  • Raffi Manjikian                  Chorus
  • Kevin Martin                      Chorus
  • Andrew Mazzone               String Bass
  • Linnea Metelmann*          French Horn
  • Matthew Miller                  Clarinet
  • Tina Noonan*                     Chorus
  • Alex Park*                           Jazz Trumpet
  • Georgia Parsons                 Chorus
  • Calvin Perkins*                  Trumpet
  • Olivia Pierce                       Chorus
  • Audrey Quinn                     Violin
  • Connor Quinn                    Chorus
  • Paul Rhee                            Violin
  • Josh Ryan                           Chorus
  • Becca Schwartz                  Chorus
  • Lila Searls                           Alto Saxophone
  • Ned Searls                           Trumpet
  • Edward Stafford*              Chorus
  • Ian Svetkey                         Chorus
  • Gillian Tahajian                 Flute
  • Walker Thomas*               Trumpet
  • Evan Wagner                     Trumpet
  • Amanda Wan                     Violin
  • Alan Wang                          Bass Clarinet
  • Alex Wilk*                          Viola
  • Amy Wu*                            Oboe
  • Yanzhe Xu*                        Bass Clarinet

“This level of student recognition is a testament to the commitment our school district and community have made to music education over several decades, and should serve as a source of pride for the entire town,” he said.

 

Belmont Garden Club’s Holiday Garden Tour on Saturday, Dec. 3

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Photo: Arrangement for the holidays.

This Saturday, Dec. 3, the Belmont Garden Club is hosting a Holiday House Tour from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m..

Five Belmont homes will be beautifully decorated for the season with greens, floral and craft designs by club members. Come and enjoy a self-guided tour filled with creative and inspiring ideas.

Advance tickets are on sale for $35 at Champion Sporting Goods or by calling 617-484-4889. On the day of the tour, tickets may be purchased for $40 at the Belmont Public Library from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. where all ticket holders can pick up tour maps. 

The Holiday House Tour is Belmont Garden Club’s biggest fundraiser for the year with proceeds supporting civic programs such as community plantings, hospital therapy with the residents of Belmont Manor, college scholarships and the Woodland Garden at the Belmont Public Library.  

For more information please visit the club’s website.

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Veterans’ Day Exercise Schedule at Belmont Public Schools

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Photo: Belmont veterans.

The Belmont Public Schools will be holding its annual Veterans’ Day exercises on Thursday, Nov. 10 with visits by Belmont and area residents who have served their country to town schools. 

Thursday’s schedule:

  • 8:45 a.m.: Continental breakfast at Chenery Middle School. 95 Washington St.
  • 9 a.m.: Program at Chenery Middle School
  • 9:45 a.m.: Butler Elementary School program.
  • 10:30 a.m.: Wellington Elementary School program.
  • 11:30 a.m.: Luncheon at VFW Post, 310 Trapelo Rd., sponsored by Bob Upton, the town’s Veterans’ Services Officer. 

Nearly 400 Cast Ballots on First Day of Early Voting in Belmont

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Photo: Tom Dolan of Clifton Street casts the first early election ballot in Belmont.

Just before 8 a.m., Monday, Oct. 24, Greg Poulos and his daughter, Linnea, entered Belmont Town Hall on a mission: To vote.

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Greg and Linnea Poulos, first in line to vote.

The Poulos’, who live on Oak Avenue, joined 386 of their fellow residents Monday who took advantage of the new state law allowing for early voting for the first time in Massachusetts, according to Belmont’s Town Clerk Ellen Cushman who spoke before the Belmont Board of Selectmen Monday evening.

The Commonwealth now joins more than half of the states in the US who allow voters the chance to cast ballots ahead of election day, said Cushman, who said the Secretary of State’s office predicts about 15 percent of the electorate are expected to take advantage of the changes to voting early. In Belmont, that would be between 2,700 to 3,000 voters.

For residents, the main reason for voting early was expediency.

“I want my vote to count early,” said Greg. “I didn’t want to deal with lines, and I like the convenience of it.”

For Linnea, a student at UMass Amherst, she’ll be in western Massachusetts in 15 days. Usually, she would have picked up an absentee ballot from the Town Clerks office, “but this makes it much easier [to vote].”

“I need to get this over with. I need this to be done,” said Clifton Street’s Tom Dolan, who joined the Poulos’ and School Committee member Andrea Prestwich as the voting early birds.

As eight o’clock arrived, the group was ushered by a gaggle of poll workers through a three-step process that sent them on a tour of various room on the first floor of Town Hall: picking up a ballot, then being verified as a registered voter and finally casting their votes in a specialty constructed ballot box.

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“We always like to throw the party and have people come,” said Cushman, excited to see a steady stream of residents coming to vote.

Cushman said her office has been working to create a comprehensive plan since the law was passed in 2014. Her office has hired approximately 115 poll workers to speed the process. 

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Cushman said Belmont has extended hours on most weekdays and on Saturday. The town has also set aside parking in the Town Hall lot for early voters, and the building will be staffed by poll workers to make the process as conflict-free as possible.

Belmont is one of 34 communities award with a gold medal by the Massachusetts Election Modernization Coalition for going far beyond the minimum requirements in terms of hours and availability.

The first voter to finish the process was Dolan who slipped his ballot in the box – after it was checked for a second time to see that it was empty. 

“Seamless, every easy,” Dolan said of the process. “Probably do this again next time.”

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Penultimate Market Day of Season Today, Thursday

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Photo: Market Day in Belmont

It’s your next to last chance to shop at Belmont’s freshest market as the penultimate Farmers Market Day of the 2016 season takes places this afternoon, Thursday, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

And his mid-fall market includes pumpkins that can be used for pie filling, seeds or Jack-o-lanterns, gourds, potatoes and loads of apples.

Occasional vendors Chrissy’s Crumble, Turtle Creek Winery, Underwood Greenhouses, Valicenti Organico, and Warren Farm and Sugarhouse will be at the market today.

Schedule of Events
2 p.m.: Tasting by The Vintage Tea and Cake Company
4 p.m.: Storytime with the staff of the Belmont Public Library
4:30 p.m.: Music by The Hoot Owls

The market is located in the rear parking lot behind Belmont Center on Claflin Street.

Belmont Town Clerk Announces Early Presidential Voting Dates, Hours

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Photo: Town Clerk Ellen Cushman registering Belmont High School students allowing them to vote in the 2016 Presidential Election. 

Recent changes to the Massachusetts General Laws gives all registered voters the opportunity to cast a ballot for the Presidential and State Election before the Nov. 8 Election Day, according to a statement from Belmont Town Clerk Ellen Cushman. 

The new law permits voters to cast ballots during the designated period of Early Voting from Oct. 24 and Nov. 4. Those times includes Saturday, Oct. 29 and night hours until 8 p.m.

“In Belmont, we are excited to offer this opportunity to our registered voters, an expanded, accessible schedule of hours at one central location, Belmont Town Hall, for this ‘no excuse’ vote-ahead option,”
said Cushman. 

Unlike absentee voting that is available in every election only to those voters who will be absent from Belmont, or have a physical disability preventing the voter from going to the polls or with a religious belief preventing the voter from going to the polls on Election Day, Early Voting is available to anyone.

No advance application is necessary to vote in person; voters can decide the date and time to cast their ballot in person at Town Hall during the Early Voting hours. Once the voter has cast an Early Voting Ballot, that voter may not vote at the polls on Election Day or receive an absentee ballot. 

Only residents who were registered to vote by Oct. 19, are eligible to vote in this year’s Presidential State Election. To find out whether and where you are already registered, and where to vote or to inquire about absentee voting, visit www.123Voter.com

Visit the Belmont Town Clerk’s pages on the Town of Belmont website to explore elections information.

Early Voting for Belmont Voters will be available ONLY at Town Hall, 455 Concord Ave., and only on the following schedule of dates and hours: 

  • Monday, Oct. 24; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Oct. 25; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Oct. 26; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Thursday, Oct. 27; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Friday, Oct. 28; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Saturday, Oct. 29; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Sunday, Oct. 30; No Early Voting Hours
  • Monday, Oct. 31; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Nov. 1; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Nov. 2;  8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Thursday, Nov. 3; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Friday, Nov. 4; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Pick the most convenient date and time for you and give Early Voting a try. It’s always advisable to have your ID with you when you go to vote either on election day or for Early Voting,” said Cushman.

“Written, signed absentee applications and Early Voting applications that request us to mail you a ballot are also available, online or at the Town Clerk’s office at Town Hall.  If you have questions or need additional information, email the Town Clerk’s office at townclerk@belmont-ma.gov or phone us at 617-993-2600,” she said.

“We’re here to help,” said Cushman.

 

Yearly Belmont Library Fall Book Sale This Weekend, Oct. 15-16

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Photo: Patrons of the Friends of Belmont Library’s book sale.

If you love books but not looking to pay and arm and a leg, this is your weekend to stock up on fiction, non-fiction, children’s and every other sort of book as the Friends of the Belmont Public Library holds its annual Fall Book Sale this weekend.

The sale takes place on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 16 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Assembly and Flett rooms at the library, 336 Concord Ave.

A Preview Library Friends Book Sale for Friends members takes place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 14.

The sale’s proceeds allow the Friends to purchase museum memberships, bring authors and demonstrations to the library while adding to the technology available to patrons.