Well-Known Belmont Middle School Educator Charged With Possession Of Child Abuse Images

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Photo: Leon Dyer

A well-known Belmont Middle School educator will be arraigned Monday, July 27, on two counts of possession of images of child abuse in Cambridge District Court.

According to a press release from the Massachusetts State Police, Leon Dyer, 45, of Belmont was arrested Saturday, July 25, following an investigation by the State Police Cyber Crime Unit’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Crime Scene Services and the Belmont Police Department.

The investigation remains active, according to law enforcement. 

In a message to the community, Belmont Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jill Geiser said the district’s “primary concern, as always, is the well-being and safety of students. We have no information at this time to suggest that this individual engaged in any inappropriate conduct with BPS students, on BPS property, or otherwise in connection with his employment with BPS.”

Geiser said Dyer is not permitted on school property, and his school-issued technology accounts have been suspended.

“We are working with the Belmont and State Police and will share information with the BPS community whenever we are able. We aim to be as transparent as possible throughout this process,” she said.

One month shy of his 19th anniversary with the district, the Ohio native spent his entire career at the Belmont Middle School. A popular technology teacher, Dyer lent his time running extracurriculars; the best known of these was the yearly eighth grade class trip to Washington, DC. 

Dyer was described as a jack of all trades in the district: he worked as the district’s athletic department’s equipment manager, helped edit the middle and high school yearbooks, assisted in running the student council, and established the middle school’s soapbox derby team. In the winter quarter, Dyer would be on the road most weekends managing wrestling tournaments in New England and the Mid-Atlantic region. He singlehandedly pulled off the Brendan Grant Memorial Wrestling Tournament, which had its most successful meet with 23 teams and 650 athletes in January.

Dyer has been active with the Belmont Educators Association, the teachers and instructors union, working his way into a senior leadership role. He would spend his summers working at a camp in Middleboro. 

The reaction among fellow teachers was one of shock and disbelief.

“It’s just so sad,” said an educator. 

Town Changes July 4th Cooling Center From Beech Street Center To Public Library

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Photo:

The Morrissey Hall Community Room of the Belmont Public Library, 336 Concord Ave., will be open to provide air-conditioned relief on Saturday, July 4 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The

The library location replaces the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St., as the cooling location in town. In addition, the Underwood Pool, adjacent to the library on Concord Avenue will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat watch because of a prolonged period of dangerous heat and humidity. Dangerous heat continues into the Saturday holiday with heat indexes reaching 98F to 115F.

Persistent exposure to high heat and humidity may cause illness. All residents are encouraged to drink plenty of fluids, stay in air-conditioned buildings, avoid direct sunlight, and check on relatives and neighbors. 

What’s Open/Closed On July 3 And Independence Day

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Photo: John Trumbull’s painting, Declaration of Independence, depicting the five-man drafting committee of the Declaration of Independence presenting their work to the Congress.

Saturday, July 4, the country observes the 250th anniversary (that would be the semiquincentennial) commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 (The document was signed on July 2nd). 

Massachusetts’ own John Adams, who signed the Declaration and was the nation’s second president, said the Fourth should be celebrated the day with “Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.” 

Saturday also marks the 200th anniversary of Adams died on July 4th, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the document’s adoption. It also marks the bicentennial of the death of the declaration’s chief author, Thomas Jefferson, the third president.

Here is what’s closed and open on the 4th of July.

Open on July 3rd

  • Massachusetts state government offices and the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). Unlike federal employees, the state does not observe Saturday holidays on the preceding Friday, so normal weekday state operations proceed.

Closed on July 3rd

  • Belmont Town Hall, the public library, Benton Library, and town offices.
  • Federal government offices.
  • US Postal Service: Both Belmont post offices are open.

Open on the the 4th of July

  • Underwood Pool: Open to members and those purchasing day passes.
  • Retail stores: Open at owner’s discretion
  • Supermarkets: Star Market on Trapelo Road in Waverley Square is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., but the pharmacy will be closed.
  • Coffee shops: Starbucks and Dunkin’s on Trapelo Road will operate regular hours. The Dunks on Pleasant and Church will also be open.
  • CVS: 89 Leonard St. (Belmont Center) Store 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Pharmacy 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • CVS: 264 Trapelo St. Store 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Pharmacy 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Closed on the 4th of July

  • USPS offices in Belmont.

For those who will be traveling using public transportation, the MBTA is running on the following schedule on the 3rd and the 4th

  • Subway will run on a modified Saturday schedule until 3 p.m. After 3 p.m., the subway will run on a weekday schedule.
  • Bus and the RIDE will run on a Sunday schedule.
  • Commuter Rail will run on a weekend schedule. After 8:30 p.m., bikes will not be allowed on board on trains. The last train from Boston’s North Station on the Fitchburg line, which serves Belmont and Waverley commuter stops, will depart at 11:40 p.m.
  • There is no fare after 8:30 p.m. on all lines.

Where to see fireworks celebrations near-ish to Belmont:

Belmont Farmers Market Reduces Hours Thursday, Closing At 4 PM

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Photo: The Farmers Market will close easly this Thursday due to the expected high heat temperatures.

The extreme heat wave blanketing Belmont and most of the US east of the Mississippi River will force the Belmont Farmers Market to cut its Thursday operating hours in half for the safety of vendors, volunteers and patrons.

The market will open at its usual 2 p.m. time and run until 4 p.m., closing two-and-a-half hours early.

Temperatures are expected to hit highs in the 100s F and high 90s F on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Due to the heat, there will be no activities at the Events Tent.

The Farmers Market takes place every Thursday at the Belmont Center parking lot, 10 Claflin St.