Letter to the Editor: Trick Or Treating For UNICEF

By Leave a Comment

Photo:

To the editor:

What is UNICEF and what is “Trick or Treating for UNICEF”?

UNICEF stands for United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund whose focus is to help the children in need whether they are going through poverty, violence, or lack of health. 

One way UNICEF gets donations to support children is through Trick or Treating for UNICEF. Millions of kids around the world are in need of medicine, food, or even just some clear water so your donation would be very important to us!

The Belmont High School chapter of UNICEF will be collaborating with the Daniel Butler School and the Chenery Middle School this Halloween. Butler and Chenery students will be trick or treating around Belmont with little orange boxes to collect change for UNICEF’s Trick or Treat. 

How Can You Help?

Trick-or-Treaters will come by with little orange boxes to collect donations. Please have some change ready along with Halloween candy. Even a few cents can go a long way!

History

Trick or Treating for UNICEF was invented by Mary Emma Allison in 1949. She was inspired when she saw a UNICEF booth collecting funds for undernourished children around the world. The first time she did Trick or Treating for UNICEF, she collected $17 and donated it to UNICEF. 

Eighteen years later, President Johnson declared Halloween to be UNICEF Day. Afterwards, Trick or Treating for UNICEF spread throughout the whole country, and even into some other countries such as Canada and Mexico. Donation boxes would be distributed to millions of trick or treaters every year. This program has raised more than $188 million worldwide, immensely helping those in need.

Whom Does the Money Go To?

Money donated to Trick or Treating for UNICEF is proudly funded to children in need of medicine, nutrition, water, and education. A little money can go a long way!

  • $5 can provide children with 13 doses of measles vaccine 
  • $15 can provide a child with clean and safe water for a year
  • $50 can provide 35 malnourished children with lifesaving nutrition for a day
  • $165 can provide a bicycle to deliver medicine to children

Put yourself in the shoes of these children and image how they could live without health and education. It’s really tough for them so we will appreciate any donations we can get to help these children all we can.

Maggie Yu

Belmont High School chapter of UNICEF

Belmont’s Tiny Connection to The Lives of Thai Royalty

By 1 Comment

Photo: Princess Srinagarindra with her children including the future King Bhumibol Adulyadej (center)

If you look next to the elevator on the first floor of Belmont Town Hall, you’ll find a plaque with photos and documents that tell the tale of Belmont’s brief connection to a land half a world away.

It begins with an engagement between a commoner and a prince in, of all places, Hartford, Conn. Sangwan Talapat, who would become the Princess Srinagarindra and mother of two kings of Thailand, was living in the Connecticut capital while preparing to study nursing on a royal scholarship, when Prince Adulyadej of Siam – who first met Talapat and other Thai students on their arrival to the US the year before – fell in love with the 18-year-old country girl. (As a young orphan, Talapat was taken under the wing of a sister of a King of Siam and was presented to court.)

By July 1919, Adulyadej asked Talapat marry him. Once the engagement occurred, Adulyadey asked his bride to be to move closer to him. He was residing in Cambridge, studying public health at Harvard, the first prince to travel abroad to study. It was arranged for her to move to Cambridge and live with the Williston sisters, Emily and Constance, who would tutor her in algebra, Latin, French, and English .

But since her rooms would not be ready until the fall, it was determined that Talapat would reside for the summer with close friends of the prince. That couple was Dr. Norton Kent and his wife who lived in a brick Colonial at 49 Cedar Rd. in Belmont.

screen-shot-2016-10-14-at-3-19-08-pm

49 Cedar Rd. as it looks today.

From July to September, 1919, Talapat lived on Cedar Road, wrote letters to friends and family of the engagement and was visited by Adulyadej. She and the Kents also took a long summer excursion to northern New Hampshire.

By September, Talapat had left for Cambridge and soon was married to the prince. He would continue his studies at Harvard and then MIT while Talapat took classes at Simmons. Despite his royal heritage, they lived simply in a two bedroom flat at 329 Longwood Ave. in Brookline. They soon had three children: a daughter and two sons, the youngest named Bhumibol born in December 1927. 

The prince died in 1929 and Talapat (who would live to be 95 years old before dying in 1995), then known as Mom Sangwan, took the children to Switzerland to be educated. But only six years later, the oldest son, Ananda, would become King of Siam after the abdication of his uncle. By 1946, Ananda was killed in what was called an accidential shooting accident and Bhumibol became King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). He would rule for more than 70 years before dying Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016. 

Belmont Voters Reject Minuteman Funding As District Passes New School Plan

By 1 Comment

Photo: Belmont Town Clerk Ellen Cushman reading the results from the special district referendum.

It wasn’t even close.

Belmont voters rejected by a near three-to-one margin a $100 million-plus funding plan for the construction of a new $145 million Minuteman Tech Regional High School on Tuesday, Sept. 20, part of a special district-wide referendum held in the 16 member communities which make up the Minuteman School district.

The “Minutexit” decision by Belmont residents now clears the way for a Special Town Meeting in October where the legislative body will decide whether or not Belmont remains in the newly constituted 10 member district.

For one of the leading “no” proponents, the vote total spoke volumes on Belmont residents reluctance to pay for what many believe is far too big a building to house the 33o student who attend from district cities and towns.

“I was not expecting such a large margin [of victory],” said Belmont Selectmen Chair Mark Paolillo, who arrived at Belmont Town Hall Tuesday night to hear the results announced.

According to Town Clerk Ellen Cushman, Belmont resident voted down the funding measure 2,327 to 901, 72 percent to 28 percent.

While Belmont said no, an almost equal majority of district voters came out for the plan of borrowing $101 million to build a modern structure house 635 students. 

The final vote in the district’s 16 communities was 12,158 in favor and 5,320 against. 

The special district-wide referendum was called by the Minuteman School Committee after Belmont’s annual Town Meeting rejected the funding proposal, the only district community to do so. 

Paolillo said he and the selectmen will issue a warrant for a special town meeting, already penciled in for Oct. 19, to vote on remaining or exiting the district. Advocates for leaving will need to garner a 2/3 margin to formally break ties with Minuteman. 

“I never wanted to leave the district, but when we could not convince the Minuteman leadership to revisit the size of the school and the long-term funding formula, we had no other choice but to reject this plan,” said Paolillo.

Weekend Helicopter Mystery Solved: Blame It On Hollywood

By 3 Comments

Photo: An internet photo of the low-flying helicopter flying over parts of Belmont over the weekend

It was something out of  film “Apocalypse Now”: A low-flying helicopter was buzzing parts of Belmont and neighboring Watertown starting around 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 2.  For more than an hour, the helicopter would circle over one neighborhood then buzz close to the ground only to hover again.

When residents called into Belmont Police, they were told the copter was “conducting night photography over Belmont.”

Then early Sunday morning, Sept. 4, before 6 a.m. the same helicopter winged its way over the town staying around for more than an hour, waking up many residents who were left asking the same question: what was really going on? Speculation included the flights being part of the airport’s noise abatement program and spraying for mosquitos.

For some Belmontians and other citizens, the truth a bit darker and was not being explained.

“Something isn’t right,” commented Mark McIver on the Belmontonian Facebook page. “I feel the BPD didn’t even know about this bs until they witnessed it and heard complaints.” … “Big brother does whatever he wants and the local boys report what they are told. Wake up people…”

“Sounds fishy..” wrote Edward Cartwright. 

Thanks to the Watertown News and its great editor, Charlie Breitrose, the mystery of the low-flying copter has been solved.

And you can blame it on Hollywood.

According to the News, after fielding a substantial number of calls on Friday and Sunday, Watertown Police began an investigation by taking down the identification number of the tail of the helicopter. The ID led to Norwood Airport and the helicopter which is owned by Wings Air, out of White Plains, N.Y.

“We were finally able to track down an employee who told us that they were contracted by CBS Films to do overall air shots for the ‘Patriots Day’ movie,” according to Watertown Police Chief Michael Lawn.

The film, which stars Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Bacon, J.K. Simmons (as Watertown Police Sgt. Jeffrey Pugliese) and John Goodman, chronicles the events of the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 and the gun battle and manhunt of the Tsarnaev brothers. The film will have a limited release on Dec. 21 with a wide release on Jan. 13, 2017.

And it appears that the production crew may not have had the best understanding of the towns in the region.

“[Wings Air] stated that they filed their flight plan with [Federal Aviation Administration] and also contacted Malden Police Department for some reason but never contacted Watertown PD,” said Lawn. “We expressed our displeasure for this and they were extremely apologetic for causing this alarm and disturbance.”

The good news is that the overhead filming is complete, and the company has returned to New York.

“I will follow up [Tuesday, Sept. 6] with CBS Films and make sure they know how we feel and make sure this does not happen again,” Lawn said.

Above It All: Night Road Paving In Belmont Center [VIDEO]

By 1 Comment

Photo: A still from a video of the night paving in Belmont Center.

To see up close the paving of Leonard Street and its connecting roads over the past few nights has been to experience the cacophony and heat produced by massive machines as they grind and lay out a new top coat surface for Belmont Center.

But viewed from the air, the same action has an expansive grace, as the equipment appear more accessible and the entire operation has an elegance not before seen.

The video is by Belmont resident Lucas Tragos who last weekend received a national video award for a 22-minute sports documentary on the 2015 Belmont High School football team. His recent aerial video of Boston and Cambridge has been receiving great reviews.

Screen Shot 2016-08-25 at 6.39.04 AM

Location, Location: When Temps Hit 100, Lemonade Stands Out By The Pool

By 2 Comments

Photo: It’s where you place your business that counts in the lemonade trade.

When temperatures in Belmont reached triple digits on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 14, what better place to be than the Underwood Pool?

And a pair of entrepreneurial brothers thought, what better place to make a few dollars on this very hot weekend than in front of the pool at the corner of Concord and Cottage with the quintessential summer refreshment: lemonade.

For Burbank kids Maayan and Shilo, the location and weather could not have been better for sales – at 50 cents a glass – as they serviced a steady stream of customers, both young and older. (Editor’s note: It was very good lemonade, to boot.)

And if it got any hotter? 

“We’ll go into the pool,” said Shilo. 

IMG_4211

Two words: Customer service.

Belmont, Most Of Eastern Mass Under Heat Advisory Until Saturday

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Hot.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency has issued a Heat Advisory for most of the state away from the coastline for the next two days.

With temperatures expected to be in the 90’s in Belmont with high humidity, please follow the precautions listed below, to avoid a heat-related emergency.

Drink Plenty of Fluids

During hot weather, you will need to increase your fluid intake. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.  (Note: If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask how much you should drink while the weather is hot. Popsicles, watermelon, cantaloupe and fruit salads all contain water. Avoid caffeine and alcohol whenever possible.

Wear Appropriate Clothing and Sunscreen

Choose lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Use a sunscreen product rated at least SPF (Sun Protection Factor) 15 and apply it to all exposed skin at least 30 minutes before going out into the sun.

Stay Cool Indoors

Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned place. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to the shopping mall or public library – even a few hours spent in air-conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat.

Monitor Those at High Risk

Although anyone at any time can suffer from heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others.

  • Infants and children up to four years of age are sensitive to the effects of high temperatures and rely on others to regulate their environments and provide adequate liquids.
  • People 65 years of age or older may not compensate for heat stress efficiently and are less likely to sense and respond to change in temperature.
  • People who are overweight may be prone to heat sickness because of their tendency to retain more body heat.

What are heat cramps?

Heat Cramps occur after vigorous activities like running or playing tennis. Their signs are painful abdominal spasms and cramps in major muscles such as the legs and abdomen. Cramps subside with rest, cooling down and plenty of water.

What is Heat Exhaustion?

Heat Exhaustion has many symptoms:

  • fever,
  • heavy sweating,
  • fainting,
  • rapid pulse,
  • low blood pressure,
  • clammy skin,
  • ashen skin tone, and
  • nausea.

Overexertion and not drinking enough water is the usual cause.

To treat it, go indoors with a fan or air conditioning or to a shady spot, apply cool clothes, immediately lie down with your legs elevated, loosen tight clothes, and drink cool water or sports beverages.

What is Heat Stroke?

Heat Stroke (Sunstroke) can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical help. The symptoms include not only those associated with heat exhaustion, but also very rapid pulse and breathing, delirium, unconsciousness, and lack of perspiration to cool the body.

Remember, to prevent a heat illness:

  • Avoid direct sun from late morning until 4 p.m.
  • Limit vigorous exercise or chores to early morning or late afternoon
  • Dress in light colored, loose-fitting clothes
  • Continually drink plenty of water or juice
  • Avoid caffeine or alcohol
  • Eat light meals

The following Town Facilities are available to residents to visit for a place to cool off:

    The Council on Aging               The Belmont Public Librar

266 Beech Street                              336 Concord Ave.

                      Thursday, Aug. 11: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.                           9 a.m. – 9 p.m.

                       Friday, Aug. 12: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.                               9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

                           Saturday, Aug. 13: Closed                                      9 a.m. – 1 pm

For More Information:

Please contact the Belmont Health Department at 617-993-2720 or the director at abraun@belmont-ma.gov if you have any questions. You may also visit this site. 

Belmont Light Asks To Ease Up On Electrical Use During Heat Wave

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Sunny hot days ahead.

Belmont Light and its partner, Woburn-based energy efficiency firm Sagewell, are informing customers that today, Thursday, Aug. 11, and Friday, Aug. 12, are expected to be high electricity use days due to continued high temperatures across New England. 

And the town’s electrical utility is asking residents and customers to help it save energy and money by reducing electricity consumption between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Because Belmont Light is municipally-owned, all savings are passed onto ratepayers. 

Belmont Light is asking consumers to employ at least two of six actions to reduce the town’s peak electricity consumption including:

  1. Adjust the air conditioner a few degrees warmer and turn off the AC in rooms that are not in use. Adjusting the thermostat by two or three degrees makes a big difference.
  2. Don’t cook with an electric stove or oven.
  3. Shift laundry and dishwasher use until after 6 p.m.
  4. If you have an electric hot water heater, wait to bathe or use hot water until after 6 p.m.
  5. Run pool pumps or use hot tubs before 2 p.m. or after 6 p.m.
  6. Shift other electricity use to before 2 p.m. or after 6 p.m.

Every bit of electricity reduced during peak times will help Belmont mitigate rising electricity costs. If you have any questions or would like advice on how to decrease peak energy consumption, contact Sagewell’s Belmont Light Peak Reduction Program at:
support@sagewell.com or 617-963-8141.

Expect Possible Severe Weather For Most Of Monday Afternoon

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Boomers are heading this way. 

The National Weather Service in Taunton has issued a “Special Weather Statement” this morning that most of New England, including Belmont, could see severe thunderstorms arriving sometime this afternoon.

The report released at 3:35 a.m., Monday, July 18, stated a line of thunderstorms is expected to cross southern New England between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. that “may bring damaging winds, hail, torrential rainfall and frequent lightning.”

The one saving grace for the Boston region is that the greatest risk for the stormy weather is western and north central Massachusetts and northern Connecticut. 

The NWS advises anyone with outdoor plans to “keep an eye to the sky and get indoors when you first hear thunder.”

“Wait at least 30 minutes until the storm passes to resume outdoor activities.” 

Belmont To Hold Vigil For Peace And Community Tuesday, July 12

By 1 Comment

Photo: Candlelight vigil in Belmont.

Belmont’s social justice and faith communities will come together on Tuesday for an observance of reflection after weeks of violence in the US and around the world.

Co-sponsored by Belmont Against Racism, the interfaith Belmont Religious Council, and other local community groups, the Belmont Vigil for Peace and Community will occur on Tuesday, July 12 at 8 p.m. at the St. Joseph Catholic Church courtyard facing Common Street. Parking is available in the St. Joseph parking lot off School Street.

“In the face of so many recent tragedies across our country and the world, it is important for local communities to come together and reflect on peace and understanding,” wrote Belmont Religious Council’s John Robotham announcing the vigil.

“From Turkey to Dallas, to Orlando, St. Paul and beyond, there has never been a greater need to respect our differences, affirm the value of every life, and seek common ground,” he said.

The brief candlelight service will include members of many different faith communities in town, local community organizations and representatives from the Belmont Police Department. The service will conclude after sunset at 8:30 p.m.