First Sign Of The Holidays: Town OKs Lions Club Christmas Tree Sale Starting Nov. 25

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Photo: Let’s get a tree!

The first inkling of Christmas has arrived in Belmont as the Select Board approved the Belmont Lions Club’s 65th annual Holiday Tree and Wreath Sale to take place at the War Memorial Delta across from the MBTA commuter rail station at 1 Common St.

The sale, which began in 1957, will begin the day after Thanksgiving, Friday, Nov. 25, at approximately 2 p.m. While the final day will be on Christmas Eve, Saturday, Dec. 24, it will actually closes when the last tree and wreath is sold which occurs well before the final day.

Lions’ Co-President Tom Hevey said despite inflation and the high cost of transportation, tree prices will see only small increases from last year.

In addition to the tree sale, the club is making a donation of holiday tree lights that will be added to two
mature trees on the Delta, to be installed by Belmont Light.

As one of the largest retailer of Christmas trees in the area, the Lions Club sale includes wreaths, mantle pieces, baskets and many other holidays items. The trees come from the same farm in Nova Scotia since 1957, has been supplying the club.

Belmont Goes Electric Set For Saturday, Sept. 17 At The Chenery

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Photo:A STIHL® Electric Blower(credit: STIHLUSA)

Join Belmont Light, Sustainable Belmont, and the Belmont Energy Committee for ‘Belmont Goes Electric!’ a joint home and garden electrification event on Saturday, Sept. 17, at 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Chenery Middle School, 95 Washington St.

Events will include:

  • Test drive or ride along in a number of All-Electric and Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles from dealers and residents.
  • Talk with a representative from the handheld power equipment firm Stihl about battery operated yard equipment, including leaf blowers, lawn mowers, and more.
  • Discover the benefits and affordability of going electric in your home, garage, and yard, including rebates from Belmont Light.
  • Talk to current owners of EVs, cordless yard equipment, and heat pump systems about their experiences.
  • Sustainability-focused groups will be in attendance.

Election Results: Quarter Of Belmont Registered Voters Placed Ballots in State Primary

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Photo: Belmont Town Clerk Ellen Cushman retrieving the final ballots in the town’s drop box

Despite the day-long rain and coming off a Monday holiday that tapped down the number of in-person voting, Belmont still saw more than a quarter of registered voters cast ballots in the 2022 state primary election on Tuesday, Sept. 6.

Just a hair short of 5,000 votes were registered (4,995) with the bulk coming from early and mail-in votes as more than 3,600 residents requested ballots using the “I Want To Vote!” postcards (see photo below). A good number of residents also utilized the drop box outside the Town Hall over the weekend and up until the last minute of voting at 8 p.m. when Town Clerk Ellen Cushman fished out the last of the ballots with her smart phone being used as a flashlight.

With the added options to vote and the need for ballots to be couriered over to the respective precincts to be counted, the night’s tallying took a considerable time with the final results coming in well past 10 p.m.

“We’ve discovered we have a lot more to do” now, said Cushman as she sent three volunteers with the last batch of votes to the town’s eight polling stations.

In the election results – you can find them here – Belmont was a bellwether among those towns known for past progressive voting patterns. In one of the competitive races closely followed by voters, Democratic candidate for state Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell received 59 percent of Belmont’s tally, a significant upgrade from her 50 percent she garnered statewide in her win.

In the Democratic state auditor’s race, Belmont voters backed the more progressive Chris Dempsey over Methuen state senator Diana DiZoglio, 59 to 40 percent, while state-wide DiZoglio bested the transportation advocate, 54 to 46 percent.

On the Republican side of the ledger, the Donald Trump-backed Geoff Diehl – who won the primary for governor over challenger Chris Doughty, 55 to 45 percent – could only muster 44 percent of Belmont voters (and less than 400 actual votes) to Doughty’s 56 percent.

Early Voting For Primary Election Underway In Belmont, Ends Sept. 6

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Photo: Belmont Town Hall is open for voting business

Early election balloting is currently underway in Belmont for the state primary election taking place on Tuesday, Sept. 6. There is no advanced application required to beat the rush on Sept. 6.

Early voting began on Saturday, Aug. 27 at Town Hall (the only location being used for early voting) and will continue until Noon, Friday, Sept. 2.

The hours for early voting are:

  • Monday, Aug. 29, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Aug. 30, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Aug. 31, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Thursday, Sept. 1, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Friday, Sept. 2, 8 a.m. to Noon.

Mail-in ballots are also being received at Town Hall. According to Town Clerk Ellen Cushman, 3,600 of Belmont’s nearly 18,000 registered voters sought to vote via mail. They also can place their mail-in ballots into the secure dropbox at the Town Hall entrance. Cushman asks that mail-in voters to send their ballots in asap to avoid missing the Tuesday, Sept. 6 deadline.

Residents who will be out-of-town on Sept. 6, gave a religious or medical reason why they can’t come to their polling station can ask for an absentee ballot.

And voters who prefer the traditional method can show up at their local precinct between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 6. Bring your ID to the polling station; you may be asked for it if you didn’t fill out the annual town census.

•Are you already registered to vote in Massachusetts? Check the website below to confirm whether you are registered and where you are registered. www.sec.state.ma.us/voterregistrationsearch/

•If you are not already registered or you need to change your address and you have a valid Massachusetts Driver’s License or ID Card, you can register to vote online. You must be a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years old on Sept. 6. Go to www.RegistertoVoteMA.com. Paper forms are available in the Town Clerk’s office.

Winter Storm Warning For Belmont: 5″ to 8″ Of The White Stuff On Friday

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Photo:

Belmont and communities inside the Route 128 corridor are under a Winter Storm Warning as between five to eight inches of snow is expected on Friday, Jan. 7.

The warning, issued at 3:24 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 6 by the National Weather Service, forecasts heavy snow from 1 a.m. to 7 p.m. in portions of eastern and southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Travel could be very difficult, warned the service, as hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute.

“If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency,” reads the press release. The latest road conditions for the state can be obtained by calling 511.

Register Now For Belmont’s Cardboard Drop-Off Extravaganza On Dec. 18

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Photo: It’s all about the drop-off

The Belmont Department of Public Works is getting ready for the much anticipated Dec. 18 Cardboard Drop-Off to be held Saturday, Dec. 18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the DPW Yard off Waverley Avenue on C Avenue.

And here is the pre-registration link

And don’t dawdle signing up! The drop-off is one of the most popular holiday events in town. You don’t want to forget this!

BHS Performing Arts Company Presents ‘The Servant Of Two Masters’ For Fall Play

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Photo: From the poster of The Servant of Two Masters presented by the BHS PAC on Nov. 18-20.

The Belmont High School Performing Arts Company is presenting its fall play, THE SERVANTS OF TWO MASTERS, on Thursday, Nov. 18, Friday, Nov. 19, and Saturday, Nov. 20 in the high school’s Black Box Theater.

Written by Italian playwright Carlo Goldoni in 1746 and revised in 1789, The Servant of Two Masters is a comedy for audiences of all ages. Based on the traditional Commedia dell’arte, the play features physical comedy, wordplay, music, slapstick gags, wild costumes, candy colored scenery, and a madcap plot that will leave your head spinning.

Tickets are $12 for adults, $7 for children and $5 for BHS students/staff. Tickets can be purchased online, and advance ticket purchase recommended as these performances sell out.

Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., with a special 2:40 p.m. performance on Friday just for BHS students/staff.

Details about the show and ticket sales at bhs-pac.org

As we invite audiences back into our schools, here are some guidelines for those who plan to attend theater events this year:

  1. MASKS WILL BE REQUIRED for all audience members.
  2. Food/drinks will not be allowed in performance spaces.
  3. The size of our Black Box Theater means that there is not a guarantee of distancing for audience members. We encourage family units to sit together, but at sold out shows, you will be seated directly adjacent to others.
  4. Some students performing on stage for theater events will be unmasked. These students have been required by the Belmont School Committee to be vaccinated.
  5. Anyone experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19 should not attendperformances. You can reference the BPS Student Symptom Checker here.

We appreciate your compliance with these requirements. 

Mend Belmont: An Opportunity To Be Heard On Race, Inclusion On Tuesday, 7 PM

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Photo: The poster for Mend Belmont

The Select Board, Human Rights Commission, and the Diversity Task Force are sponsoring a webinar series called  Mend Belmont. It is a public forum to discuss race and inclusion in Belmont. It will be a place to be heard. The forum will be moderated by Robert T. Jones.

The first night of the series is Tuesday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m.

Please click the link HERE to join the webinar by computer, tablet or smartphone.

Or Telephone, call:

1 312 626 6799 or 1 929 205 6099

When prompted, enter: 819 4570 8806 #

When prompted, enter: #

Watch it LIVE in Belmont on BMC GovTV, Ch. 8 on Comcast or Ch. 28 on Verizon

Watch from anywhere online: belmontmedia.org/govtv

Belmont To Honor Purple Heart Recipients Saturday At Vets Memorial

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Photo: Poster of 2021 annual Purple Hearts Day ceremony to be held on Saturday

The town of Belmont will hold its annual Purple Heart Day ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 7 at 10 a.m. at the Belmont Veterans Memorial located at Clay Pit Pond.

The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, the Purple Heart is the oldest military award still given to U.S. military members. 

Belmont’s Veterans Services Agent, Bob Upton, will make the welcoming remarks followed by the National Anthem and an invocation from Bob Butler, pastor of the Open Door Baptist Church.

Opening remarks will be delivered by Adam Dash, chair of Select Board, followed by guest speaker Paul Mutch, Sergeant Major USMC (Ret.)

First West Nile Virus Case Of Summer Confirmed In Belmont

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Photo: The infection cycle for the West Nile virus. (Credit: CDC.com)

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced on July 15 that West Nile virus has been detected in mosquitoes collected from Belmont.

WNV is most commonly transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. The mosquitoes that carry this virus are common throughout the state and are found in urban as well as more rural areas. While WNV can infect people of all ages, people over the age of 50 are at higher risk for severe infection. 

By taking a few, common sense precautions, people can help to protect themselves and their loved ones:

Avoid Mosquito Bites

  • Apply Insect Repellent when you go outdoors. Use a repellent with DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus [p-methane 3, 8-diol (PMD)] according to the instructions on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30% or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age.  Permethrin products are intended for use on items such as clothing, shoes, bed nets and camping gear and should not be applied to skin. 
  • Clothing Can Help reduce mosquito bites. Although it may be difficult to do when it’s hot, wearing long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin.
  • Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours – The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitoes. When risk is increased, consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning. If you are outdoors at any time and notice mosquitoes around you, take steps to avoid being bitten by moving indoors, covering up and/or wearing repellant.

Mosquito-Proof Your Home

  • Drain Standing Water – Many mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by either draining or getting rid of items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools and change water in birdbaths frequently. 
  • Install or Repair Screens – Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having tightly-fitting screens on all your windows and doors.

Information about WNV and reports of current and historical WNV virus activity in Massachusetts can be found on the MDPH website at: www.mass.gov/dph/mosquito.