OneLoveOneBelmont…
Saturday March 11th Beech Street Center 3pm-5pm. Learn about opportunities to participate in the community. Free Pizza and Soft drinks. Donations to Belmont Helps and Belmont Food Pantry appreciated. RSVP bit.ly/OneLoveOneBelmont
Huge News…
The Payson Park Music Festival has landed one of New England’s top bands. The Twisted Jukebox Band will perform live Wednesday July 16th at 6pm. This event is free to the Public. It will likely be a full crowd as the band returns to the Stage. Pre-gaming destination will be announced later this year.
More Huge News….
Bob and Eloise McGaw have a new addition to their family. Daughter Kaitlin just came home with a “Grammy”. Kaitlin is co-founder of the “Alphabet Rockers”. Their album “The Movement” won best children’s album this year.
Lt. Kristen Daily Belmont Police Department…
Will be holding a discussion on how to identify and avoid scam artists and identity theft. The discussion will be Friday, March 10th at 1:15pm. For details call (617) 993-2970.
Friends of Belmont Library … “Putt and Pint”
The Friends of BPL will be hosting a mini golf fundraising event with cash bar Friday, March 10th from 6pm-9pm. Yes, the Library is set up as a mini gold course. Townie Talk was unable to confirm if legendary BPL Trustee and holder of the only perfect score in organized mini golf will be attending. The red headed phenom was currently unavailable according to his publicist.
Last Week’s Sex Trivia Answers…
The 70’s swingers would congregate at a “hot tub” on Washington Street.
The “cuddling” neighborhood was in the Benton/Payson Park neighborhood.
“Ashley Madison” was the hacked website for married people looking for side action.
Racial Bias at BHS…
A recent incident at BHS has opened pandora’s box at BHS. The current administration has no choice but to voluntarily resign and push for POC as replacement’s (People of Color).
The incident… during an assembly with a focus on race, a student allegedly airdropped a photo that included a derogatory term to Black people. The school says it was unable to locate the source (hard to believe and more likely didn’t want to). What followed was a Q+A session with students and parents that led to the following response from Principal Taylor. I will show the specific Q+A and I believe the info is on the BHS website. Why should they voluntarily resign? See my response highlighted below.
- The Belmont High School report card from the MA DESE shows that Black students were twice as likely to be disciplined as white and Hispanic students. Black students are also almost three times as likely to be chronically absent than white students and are 17 times more likely to not meet MCAS standards. What do high school administrators have to say about this?
The report demonstrates that racism runs deep and is intricately woven into the fabric of our institutions. This is not a record that we are proud of which is why it is so important for all of us (administrators, teachers, staff, and students) to remain committed to creating a more equitable school and district.
Effectively, The BHS Administration sets the tone for the school. Teachers and Staff follow suit or are quickly replaced. The current administration sees racism as institutional at BHS therefore by default no matter how hard they try their white bias can never go away since its inherent in them because they are white. Therefore, it is clear white administrators need to step aside and advocate for people of color as their replacements. This is the only logical conclusion if we are to agree with their conclusion that BHS is institutionally racist. Will they?
Tournament Updates…
BHS Girls Hockey lost 4-1 to Malden Catholic in the first round of the State Tournament. Katya Pisuk scored the lone BHS goal and Senior netminder Bridget Gray made 30 saves in the loss.
BHS Girls Basketball ran into a determined Central Catholic squad and entered the final period knotted at 33. Central led by Shea Montague and Kerri Finneran were just too much and pulled away for the 52-42 victory. Belmont’s Mia Ferrari led the team with 10 points.
BHS Boys Hockey blanked Chelmsford 4-0 at the skip to advance to the round of 16 against Catholic Conference and last years tourney spoiler Xaverian Sunday at Noon in Canton. The team showed signs of returning to the form that works… strong disciplined defense with relentless offensive pressure and over achieving penalty and power play performance. Late season losses put Belmont in a terrible bracket with more potholes than a Belmont Street as Belmont will need to get by both Xaverian and Catholic Memorial before what could be the greatest game in Belmont History in a semi-final match with Arlington. They will need incredible discipline and energy just to get by Xaverian so we will see.
You can’t make this up category…
The privileged parking neighborhood (Goden Street) just keeps piling on. No this isn’t about wanting the HS parking lot ripped up even though we lack adequate parking. The latest is they want the TAC (Traffic Advisory) to make Goden and Oak one-way streets during School hours to reduce traffic flow. This would mean Parents dropping off kids at Chenery would be majorly inconvenienced and forced either to take Common or Bright Rd for drop offs. Can you smell the privilege?
Concord Ave bike lanes/striping…
More TAC news and more reason Lizzy Dionne will either be a dose of common sense or Dash impersonator when it comes to cyclist bias.
The TAC met with the SB last week and discussed the latest on the bike lane restriping.
- The feedback has been 69% in favor 30% opposed although no one believes that.
- Traffic speeds appear to be slowing but it’s strictly an opinion.
- SB Epstein has noticed no change in cyclist usage pre to post striping.
- 2 Cyclists incidents since inception (same as in 2017,2020,2021 none in 2019, 1 in 2018)
- 1 car rear ended due to new striping
- 2 emergency responses delayed/impacted because of new striping.
- No study on how many cyclists actually use the path.
- A new swing lane proposal having cyclists cross over Concord Ave just prior to the bridge was shown. Big Fat No on that one.
The COA (Council on Aging) vote was that the new striping is “dangerous” to Seniors. Seniors represent 30% of Belmont’s population and frequent the Post Office and Library along Concord Ave.
SB Dash believes it should be harder for drivers to enter and exit at the post office.
While not a cyclist himself he favors most traffic calming solutions. Seems to prioritize cyclist safety over pedestrian and vehicle safety as it relates to Concord Ave.
SB Epstein believes the post office area is problematic. Opposes the “Swing Lane”
Thinks different areas require different solutions.
SB Paolillo had occasional comments but no clear direction on his support for either.
One of the big hitters (Anne Paulsen) and probably the most outspoken cyclist supporter in the State Legislature when she served viewed eliminating the new striping as denying the children the right to bike to school and called out the BHSMS committee to support the striping.
Townie Talk says put forth a non-binding resolution to the voters and go back to the old way.
Belmont Public Library Trustees
Are looking to add a new Assistant Library Director at $95k or so. That didn’t sit well with the Board.
They are also seeking $87k from the CPC to renovate old artifacts from the current Library to the new Library. This would not be the original Veteran memorial as that was included in the original price.
Rat poison kills American Eagle.
An American Bald Eagle died last week from rodenticide poisoning in Arlington MA. Who is to blame?
Some would say the people who put out the poison. Some would say those responsible for attracting the rats by not securing their trash barrels or by having compost barrels and chicken coops. Could be those who don’t pick up their dog poop or those who go to parks and toss their trash in overflowing bins. In other words the answer is a lot of people can and should do better. Rats are a clear and present danger to public health and this loss of America’s most symbolic wildlife is a wake-up call.
Belmont Trivia….
This 6’10 BHS Hoopster had a father who played at BYU, a cousin who played for the Celtics, and himself went on to play at Duke. Name the player and his cousin?
Name that Year? The class play was “Jesus Christ Superstar”. Boys Basketball won the State Championship at Boston Garden and Boys Indoor track won the State Championship. “Cheers” aired its final episode and the classic “DAZED AND CONFUSED” was released.