A Lens into the Lives of the ‘Disempowered’ at the Gallery of Art

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In a partnership with Belmont’s McLean Hospital and the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University, the Belmont Gallery of Art is holding an opening reception this evening, Jan. 8 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for its latest exhibit, “Photovoice: A Lens into Our Lives.” The exhibit runs from today, Jan. 8 to Jan. 31.

The gallery is located on the third floor of the Homer Building in the Town Hall complex at 19 Moore St.

Photovoice is a public research process that gives cameras to people who have been disempowered, to take photographs of their communities. These photos are narrated with the goals of promoting critical dialogue and knowledge of personal and community issues and to promote possible solutions to policy makers.

The exhibit was created as part of a “peer-led anti-stigma program” which was implemented at Waverley Place, the community program of McLean Hospital located in the heart of Waverley Square at 12 Church St., and was developed by BU’s Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation.

Hours for the show are Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Belmont’s King Breakfast Focus on Cost of Non-Engagement on Race

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Belmont’s 21th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Breakfast will take place on the King Holiday, Monday, Jan. 19, at Belmont High School, beginning at 8:45 a.m.

WGBH Senior Investigative Reporter Phillip Martin will present the keynote address, “What If We Do Nothing?:  Ferguson and the Cost of Non-Engagement.”

“The Human Rights Commission is very pleased to work with the Belmont Schools, Belmont Against Racism, the Belmont Religious Council, the Belmont METCO Program, Belmont High’s Belmontian Club and its many other partners in presenting the 21st annual MLK Community Breakfast,” said Barbara Watson, chair of the Belmont Human Rights Commission.

The annual breakfast draws anywhere from 250 to 400 attendees.

The breakfast serves as a critical fundraising event for the Belmont Schools’ METCO Support Fund, a fund established by Belmont Against Racism and managed by the Belmont School Department, providing financial support to many Belmont METCO related activities, including late-day transportation for high school students from Boston who participate in extracurricular activities at the High School.

The breakfast is a very special event in Belmont, said Watson.  It brings together people of all ages, Belmont residents, Boston residents who participate in, or are associated with, Belmont’s METCO program, town officials and administrators, town agencies, including the Police and Fire Departments, businesses, community leaders and volunteers and representatives of church groups, as well as others in surrounding communities, who are interested in gathering to celebrate and promote the values of Dr. King.

In addition to the Belmont Human Rights Commission and Belmont Against Racism, sponsors and conveners include, among others, the Belmont Religious Council, the Belmont School Department, Belmont High School, Belmont High School PTO, Belmont High School Belmontian service club, Belmont METCO program, Belmont Disability Commission, Vision 21, Chenery Middle School PTO, League of Women Voters, Belmont Gay Straight Alliance Committee and Belmont Special Education Advisory Commission.

The event receives support from many local businesses and individuals, including Quebrada Bakery.

Businesses and individuals who are not able to attend the Breakfast but would like to contribute to the Fund are asked to send their checks to:

BAR

PO Box 649

Belmont, MA 02478

Burrrrr: Bundle Up Tonight as Temps Will Feel 24 Degrees Below Zero

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It’s gonna get cold tonight. Dangerously so.

The National Weather Service issued a Wind Chill Advisory at 4 a.m. cautioning residents that bitterly cold wind chills that will feel like – 24 degrees from 5 p.m. today, Wednesday, Jan. 7 to 10 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8.

“Dangerously cold wind chills will result in frostbite or hypothermia if precautions are not taken,” says the advisory.

Winds will pick up during the day and reach between 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph with temperatures ranging from 5 to – 5 degrees.

“If you are heading outdoors, dress in layers and wear a hat and gloves,” notes the advisory.

 

Grove Street Playground Ready to be Redressed

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It’s been sized and appraised. Now, how should the Grove Street Playground be dressed?

This month, the town will formalize a contract for a landscape architecture firm – familiar with Belmont – to begin the  creation a master plan for the 10-acre site on the Cambridge-townline used by numerous youth sports groups, residents and neighbors.

David Kale, Belmont’s town administrator, told the Belmont Board of Selectmen at its Monday, Jan 5 meeting the town was finalizing a contract with Dedham-based Activitas Inc. to create a master plan for the playground.

Currently, the playground is one of the most used in the town. With three dedicated ball fields, Grove Street is the base for youth baseball in Belmont. The soccer field in the lower section is used from early spring to late fall by Belmont Youth Soccer. In addition, the park has four tennis courts, a basketball court (used as a backdrop for a political ad by Maura Healey, the incoming state Attorney General) and a new playground. After any significant snow fall, the playground becomes a place many smaller children first learn to sled.

Yet the evolution of the playground from an open space to a location for many athletic facilities was completed with little planning. Responding to the concerns of residents and neighbors, the Capital Budget Committee submitted in June for Town Meeting approval $30,000 toward the creation of a comprehensive plan to determine if there are efficiencies in land use.

During the fall, a survey was conducted to provide a detailed overview of the playground and its current uses.

Activitas is best known in town for creating the Belmont Athletic Facilities Study as well as managed last year’s Belmont High School Track and Harris Field renovation.

Kale said the firm will hold public meetings to hear from athletic groups, residents and those who live close by for opinions and ideas.

“Anyone interested in Belmont parks should attend those meetings,” said Belmont Selectmen Chair Andy Rojas.

Belmont Joining Smart 911 Network

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Many Belmont residents own smartphones. Smart watches are just around the corner.

And beginning in the next few weeks, Smart 911 will be available to every Belmont resident.

That’s the word from Belmont Police Chief Richard McLaughlin after he presented what was an upgrade to the town’s existing 911 system to the Belmont Board of Selectmen at its Monday, Jan. 5 meeting.

“We want to get as many people as possible onto the system,” said McLaughlin, calling it “an enhancement to community policing.”

Smart911 – currently being used by the Massachusetts State Police, in Watertown, Medford, Chelsea and Stoughton and on the campuses of Boston College and MIT – allows citizens to create a Safety Profile at www.smart911.com for their household that includes any information they wish first responders to have in the event of an emergency.

“It is all voluntary; residents can provide as much or as little information to the system,” said McLaughlin, adding the profile is secured, and password protected. The company – Rave Mobile Safety of Framingham – also verifies the information every six months to keep it up-to-date.

When a citizen makes an emergency call, their Safety Profile is displayed to one of the two Belmont dispatchers located at the Police headquarters on Common Street, allowing them to send the appropriate response teams with the right information for those making the call.

“Right now, we only have the phone number and address. We don’t know what to expect,” said McLaughlin.

Police, fire and EMTs can be aware of a greater amount of information that is not known under the current system: fire crews can arrive at a house fire knowing how many people live in the home and the location of bedrooms including children’s rooms, EMS can be advised of allergies or specific medical conditions and police can have the photo of a missing child in seconds rather than minutes or hours.

McLaughlin said that the system can include all phones used at the location including cell phones, emergency contacts, vehicle identification and even the number of pets.

The chief said an added benefit is the personal information is “portable” which allows it to be used in other communities served by Smart911.

“Let’s say you are in Orlando [Florida] and need to contact 911, [the dispatchers] there will have the callers information because the caller is using a cell phone that is linked to the system,” said McLaughlin.

Outstanding restraining or protection orders can not be placed into the system by residents, said McLaughlin, indicating that local police are informed of those court-issued judgements.

The Smart911 system costs $9,000 annually – $4,500 for each dispatcher – with a three-year contract. The town will begin promoting Smart911 through its website and through social media in the upcoming weeks.

The Selectmen gave their support for the town to join Smart911.

“This is exciting for our community,” said Chair Andy Rojas.

Trapelo/Belmont Reconstruction Begins In Cushing Square with Project Nearly Half Complete

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Traveling from Belmont’s Cushing Square to the Cambridge town line will be filled with delays, lane closures and dodging very large mechanical vehicles as the Trapelo Road/Belmont Street Reconstruction project begin its downhill descent towards completion as today, Tuesday, Jan. 6, an excavator digger tore into the center of Trapelo at Common Street. 

The current work includes installing traffic signal conduits and drainage along Trapelo Road as weather permits.

The nearly $17.1 million reconstruction of the main artery running through Belmont between Cambridge and Waltham is 41 percent complete, according to the latest update from Ronald Strangfeld, the resident engineer with the state’s Department of Transportation (MassDOT) which is financing and managing the project.

Begun in October 2013, the multi-section project started at the Waltham line and headed easterly.

This latest segment of the project, from Common Street to Payson Road, is scheduled to be completed by early June 2015.

According to the current MassDOT timeline, the entire project should be finished in September. This summer, landscaping is scheduled to begin which will include the planting of 200 new trees.

Belmont Boys’ Basketball Ups Physical Play to Stall Rockets, 58-41

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With the grind of league play upon them, the Belmont High School Boys’ Basketball team took to the court on Friday, Jan. 2 against hosts Reading Memorial High School with the objective to get a bit more physical out there.

After suffering its first defeat of the season to a good Billerica team on Monday, Dec. 29, the squad hoped to move bodies around the court to allow the Marauders’ scoring duo of senior center Adam Kletchner and senior point guard Ben Lazenby a bit more room to hit their shots and, consequently, making it harder for the Rockets – just off winning a holiday tournament – offensively.

It worked; as Belmont (4-1) handled the Rockets (2-4), 58-41, in which Lazenby shouldered the bulk of the scoring lost with junior scoring guard Matt Kerans (bandaged hand) and 6th man Cole Bartels sitting on the bench.

“I liked what I saw. They showed a more physical side” of their play, said Belmont Head Coach Adam Pritchard.

The key to the win was the duel role Lazenby took, not only leading the offense but also taking shots usually handled by his partner Kerans. Lazenby finished the game with 21 points which included hitting four three point shots but only going 3 for 10 from the charity stripe.

Pritchard noted that Lazenby was not only doing double duty on the offensive end, “he’s also guarding their best backcourt player. His work rate is very impressive.”

Following Lazenby on the scoring sheet was Kleckner (20 points) who was Mr. Steady, scoring four, six, six and four in each quarter while making it difficult for the Rockets down low.

“Kleckner is Kleckner; he’s getting the job done, especially now when he need him to step up,” said Pritchard.

While no other Belmont player hit more than a single basket, the team’s defense was a marked improvement from Monday’s loss, lead by seniors Jaemar Paul (3 points from the line) and Seth Altman (an important 3 pointer early in the game to put the Marauders’ in the lead) and junior big man Justin Wagner (2 points), each contributing to the defense on the night.

BREAKING: Studio Cinema ‘Unlikely’ to Reopen as Theater

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The co-owner of the Studio Cinema, the historic landmark in Belmont’s Central Square, said it was “unlikely” the town’s nearly century-old movie theater will be in the business of showing films if current tensions with town departments can not be resolved.

“I am trying very hard to reopen it but, as of now, it’s only about a 10 percent chance that that will happen,” James “Jim” Bramante – who is co-owner of the Studio with his brother, David – told the Belmontonian.

The Bramante brothers also own the popular multi-screen West Newton Cinema in Newton.

The Studio, at 376 Trapelo Rd., has been shut for the past two weeks and its website only informing residents and movie goers that the theater “is closed for technical problems until further notice please keep in touch.”

Those technical issues, according to Bramante, regard town regulations involving several departments including those related to the fire department’s annual inspection of the building.

Bramante would not go into details about the specific issues, only to say that town officials appear unwilling to give the operation “grandfather” status from new town regulations.

“I have real concerns that I can fulfill the obligations the town requires me to do and remain a viable business,” said Bramante.

Town officials are playing their cards close to the vest, only indicating that all departments are working collectively to resolve any remaining issues to allow the operation to open for business.

In fact, Bramante did apply to the Belmont Town Clerk’s Office last year for a business license to run a theater at the existing location.

But Bramante, who bought the theater in Belmont and West Newton with his brother 30 years ago due to their love of movies, said it all comes down to the money needed to make the repairs and upgrades.

“It always comes down to cost,” he said. “We try hard to make this a success, but it has always been an uphill battle,” said Bramante.

The theater is one of the rare remaining venues that was built to show silent films that has remained a single-screen operation in New England and the US. The building opened in 1919 as The Strand at the corner of Trapelo Road and Beech Street as the area surrounding Central Square was being developed into residential housing.

At the height of its popularity in 1941, the theater – with its new name the Studio – had 700 seats and was operated by the national chain, Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp.

Bramante said he and his brother have not envisioned another use for the property – he said the building “is beautifully situated to remain a theater.”

“Right now we are working to find a reasonable solution but that’s hard to see coming,” he said.

 

Oh, Christmas Tree, You Can Place It On the Curb Beginning this Week

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Today, Jan. 5th, is Twelfth Night, which marks the end of the Christmas holiday (it’s the night before Epiphany, the day when the nativity story says the three wise men visited the infant Jesus), which in the past was a time of revelry and merry making.

And with the end of the holiday comes another tradition: the dumping of the family Christmas tree onto the curb.

And starting today, the Belmont Department of Public Works will collect your Christmas trees at the curb for regular trash pickup on the designated trash day during the first two full weeks of January.

Belmont Girls’ Basketball Puts on Defensive Clinic Blanking Reading

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Photo: The scoreboard is correct as Belmont shutout defending Middlesex League champions, Reading, 15-0, in the first quarter to win going away, 50-19. 

The scoreboard clock in the gym at Reading Memorial High School showed two minutes remaining in the second quarter after the Belmont High School Girls’ Basketball team racing to a 23-point lead.

The score: Belmont 23, Reading 0.

The game wasn’t even that close.

In a masterclass of shutdown basketball, the Marauders’ smothered the four-time Middlesex League champions, 50-19, on Friday, Jan 2.

Only a deep three-point shot from Reading guard Michelle Downey (her only basket of the game) with less than two minutes in the half prevented the shutout.

“I think I can remember when we were shut out for a quarter but I have never seen a team nearly keep another team scoreless for a half,” said Belmont Head Coach Melissa Hart who appeared a bit surprised by the level of intensity from a team that features 9th graders and seniors on the court.

Hart pointed out other factors hampering the defending champions: it is an inexperienced team, their point guard – the equivalent of the quarterback – was on crotches while the refs pocketed their whistles to allow for a bit more physical contact during the game.

But it was the Marauders who dictated how the game would be played and its foundation was a relentless defense.

Throughout the game, Belmont (3-1) used its athleticism and tight covering of their opponents to suffocated the Rockets (1-5) offense, reducing it to outside shots as the 30-second shot clock ran down. The Marauders – particularly freshman Carly Christofori (5 points), senior Sophia Eschenbach-Smith (2 points), Irini Nikolaidis (4 points) and junior Samari Winklaar (2 points)– were dogged in running down opponents, diving for balls, reaching in to disrupt Reading’s dribbles and stepping into passing lanes.

When Reading missed shots, Belmont’s veteran low-post players, junior forward Sarah Steward (2 points) and seniors Elena Bragg (8 points) and Linda Herlihy boxed out the opponents to take down the rebound.

Even after half time, the team stepped up their game, scoring the first four times they touched the ball in the third quarter while preventing Reading from scoring for the first four-and-a-half minutes of the second half, leading at the time, 37-3.

Emblematic of that defensive mindset, despite leading by more than 30 points in the final minutes of the game, Steward was sent heavily to the floor after stepped in front of a Reading player driving to the basket to create a charging foul against the Rockets.

The resulting pressure produced opportunities on the other end of the court. Several times, Christofori and Eschenbach-Smith drove near the basket before dishing off the ball to Herlihy to put in a season’s high 16 points to go with three blocks and numerous rebounds.

In addition to winning the battle down low, Belmont upped its total from mid-range baskets, hitting a number of jumpers (Bragg opened the game’s scoring from outside) including a three-point shot from Christofori. The game allowed several bench players to play some significant minutes including senior guard Kayla Magno and junior Ani Maroyan (1 point each), junior point guard Meghan Ferraro (a nice 2 point basket) and sophomore guard Mary Kate Egan, who scored a career high 5 points in the fourth quarter to lead all scorers in the final eight minutes.

“This was a real team win,” said Herlihy, giving credit to the intensity the team brought to the floor.

“It’s great that we are coming together as a team. It makes scoring easy,” said Herlihy.

Belmont will need to show the same defensive skills on Tuesday, Jan. 6 as they take on one-loss Arlington at Wenner Field House at 7 p.m.