Burbank Elementary School

Was rated the second-best Elementary School in Massachusetts by US News and World report. Belmont was rated the #3 suburb of Boston to live in. People should be driving over here now with $1.7 million in cash to scoop up my house before it triples in value. 

ABC “The View”

The mainstream media is in free fall after losing the trust and respect of most Americans. CNN is looking to eliminate its overpaid on-air talent. MSNBC is losing viewers faster than a Kamala dude can spell Starbucks. Now we find out ABC is desperate for a Trump voter to add to the cast of “The View”. Patrick Young and I are front runners for the job, but he is leading because my good looks would distract the mainly female audience. That and the fact I use the term female put me at a disadvantage. 

Journalistic integrity…

An avid reader of TownieTalk02478 has suggested we have a “sex pool” except in this case it’s an office pool predicting who among Belmont is paying for the deed.  All I need to do is create a list of 50 Belmont men who think they are important and then let others bet on whether those people are on the actual list of 28 men the DA is charging with soliciting prostitution. As Belmont’s most respected and leading news and opinion site I can’t in good faith do that with insider information and all. I can say that like the Dean’s list you won’t find my name on that list. 

Speaking of lists… 2024 

The year 2024 in Belmont will be remembered for the attacks on free speech and diversity of opinion by those in power. The Select Board with Chair Liz Dionne, Matt Taylor, and Roy Epstein have turned democracy upside down. Town Moderator Mike Widmer also shares some blame for failing to allow open criticism in a Town in desperate need of transparency or give the Belmont Police a chance to defend Civil Service prior to our vote. My advice is less gavel and more listening even when its criticism. 

Let me make a list of some voices… not all… that have had their voices stifled and or been demeaned for not toeing the line. 

Who is next… look for the Police and Fire Chiefs to go from strong to weak as they lose hiring ability and for the Town Clerk to be an appointed position vs elected.  

Holiday season has arrived… 

You now have permission to wear those classic Holiday sweaters, the more the better, and I mean everywhere… work, church, school, wakes, and job interviews.  You can eat pumpkin pie, drink egg nog and watch a ton of holiday classics. 

I have watched five holiday classics this month… 

Belmont Savings Bank Foundation 

just handed out some “beer money” to a couple projects in Town. The Donald J Trump Library is getting $2 million, and the “Skip Vigs” Skating rink is getting $1 million. Both buildings have advanced to the framing process. In other news, Corbett Pond will not be open for skating this winter as the library took the pond over for storage of construction material, debris and parking. The Corbett family is considering selling naming rights to their pond to Belmont Savings for $1.5m. 

Belmont MBTA community housing shocker!!!!

There are those who think and then there are those who know. TownieTalk readers know. Common sense would say any zoning change that can add 1,600 to 2,200 new housing units (15-20% increase in our housing stock) would be a massive disruptive change that impacts the entire Town. Our already overburdened Town services, school system, congested roads, and rat problem will go from bad to chaotic.  

Now those who think but don’t know will say it’s just a zoning change and not much will come from it. Those who know will point to Lexington MA…. 

“Lexington has seen seven applications for new developments under its MBTA Communities zoning, for a combined total of 960 proposed housing units. The town’s Planning Board has so far approved two of those projects.” Boston Globe

Less than one year from approving the change and Lexington has 960 units proposed. Does anyone with common sense think developers won’t come aggressively into the #3 rated suburb of Belmont and scoop up and aggressively build. Can you picture dozens of Beatrice circle developments in whatever zones get approved? Total transformation of Belmont to an urban community and it will happen fast and furious like Lexington. 

The only way to stop this insanity is for residents to contact their Town Meeting members and ask them to reject all MBTA Act proposals at next week’s Town meeting and wait until the State Supreme Court rules on the Town of Milton’s challenge to the legality and enforceability of the unfunded MBTA community act mandate. 

Select Board members talk the talk on public safety but don’t walk the walk and it’s making you less safe.

Imagine former Select Board member, Mark Paolillo, walking through the Center and waving to a Police officer. The officer being a professional, waves back but in his head is thinking wow there goes the guy who shafted me. Trust me it’s not a stretch to say many feel that way about Mark since his speech at Town Meeting on Civil Service withdrawal. 

While it’s not fair to blame one person for the public safety crisis that exists in Town… it is fair to point out those who added kerosene to the fire. Last November, Mark Paolillo stood before Town Meeting and gave his blessing to remove the Belmont Police from Civil Service without collective bargaining. It was a huge blow to fairness and oddly Paolillo citing his family ties to law enforcement said, “Trust Us” and assured us the negotiations with the Police Unions would be “fair and balanced”. It was dumbfounding as all leverage would be removed from the Police, and they would be negotiating with the same Town administrator that was called out by 7 Union heads in a letter to the Select Board for her alleged demeaning behavior, but Mark was willing to put his integrity and legacy on the line and stand by it.

Prior to the vote we had 3 police vacancies. We now have 9 with two officers transferring to Waltham and one to Burlington. We have 4 new officers in the academy that hopefully will graduate and start patrolling in May of 2025 and we have another 3 candidates offered positions, but we don’t know if they will accept the offers or even make it to the academy. In simple words, we have an exhausted workforce that feels dismissed and demeaned by Town leadership and has no incentive to remain in Belmont. This is happening at a time they are greatly needed for their professionalism and experience to help mold the new officers coming. It’s insane when you have a staffing issue that you would make things worse by provoking existing employees, but this is current Belmont Town leadership.   

The Town Administrator and Select Board have decided their offer is the best the Town will do and since the Police have no leverage the Town will enact it. The offer is a one time $2,000 bonus. Comparative to other Towns that fairly negotiated the change out of Civil Service that is absurd and demeaning but that is apparently what Mark Paolillo, and the Select Board consider “Fair and Balanced” barring a town meeting intervention. I fully expect the Police Union to file suit against the Town for 1^st amendment and fair labor violations. The whopping $74,000 the Town is paying out in bonuses will be surpassed in weeks on lawyer fees. 

At the recent Select Board meeting, Town Meeting members like Paul Roberts and I spoke up about the dire public safety emergency facing the Town and how the Town needs to fix it now. Chair Liz Dionne wanted nothing to do with it, slammed the gavel, and moved onto more pressing needs like an update from the recreation commission on the number of trick or treaters at Town Hall. At the end of the meeting, I scoured the parking lot to look for the clown car. They must have walked instead.  

So, what does Mark Paolillo do now? He could weasel out and say he is just one voice and be “that guy” or he can “man up” and fix things by offering an amendment to return the Police to Civil Service until a collectively bargained replacement is negotiated. He faces the classic are you a “man of the people” or “elitist” dilemma.  

You can’t make this up… Part 1

Massachusetts voters eliminated the MCAS as question 2 passed. Already, MCAS 2.0 is being discussed that would include grading students on being a “Global Citizen”. The Socialists continue to ruin public education. Global citizens don’t believe in American exceptionalism or capitalism. Just what we need is a generation of dead beats.  

Part 2…. 

Massachusetts Congressman Seth Moulton had a moment of honesty and shared he didn’t want his daughters being trampled on the playing field by men/boys or biological men/boys. It is an opinion shared by a large majority of Americans and Moulton is by no means transphobic. Didn’t matter as members of the Salem School Committee and City Council, his own staff manager, the Poly Sci Dept. head at Tufts University and his own State congressional delegation attacked Moulton for speaking his truth. Boy has the Democratic party changed over the decades. 

Part 3… 

A Melrose high school teacher allegedly wrote: “Happy Veterans Day to any Vet who didn’t vote for Trump.” “Otherwise, I hope your Veterans Day is filled with tears and PTSD,”. 

A Millbury School Committee member resigned after a social media post: telling Trump supporters she hopes they choke on a “piece of (expletive) covered in broken glass.” 

Black students in Stoughton MA received text messages saying they have been “selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation” as part of a nationwide hate campaign randomly targeting black students. The texts imply the new Trump presidency will have “executive slave catchers”.  It is reported the texts were sent through a service called “Text now” that supposedly offers untraceable burner phones. Hard to believe the FBI doesn’t know who is behind this hate fearmongering and its politically inconvenient.  

Precinct 7 

Jeff Liberty and Bill Trabilcy both volunteered to fill an empty seat on Town Meeting in precinct 7. Such a shame as I thought both were reasonably smart. Now at least one of them is going to be ruined by the insanity of Town meeting. Make sure your cellphone is fully charged at all meetings as you will quickly figure out who to tune out and will need a distraction.

Election Update…

The GOP completed the trifecta winning the House. President Trump is already paying dividends as Countries and Businesses adapt to America First policy. He has also started nominating a solid cabinet ready to “drain the swamp” and restore peace.  Unfortunately for President Trump, the American media will now start to honestly report on how atrocious the economy really is and start printing revision after downward revision. His task is monumental and for the sake of America let’s hope he can deliver.  

BTW… if you are moving to Canada, you will need $200,000 in your bank account and a job in hand. Imagine if the US followed the same process. 

Happy Thanksgiving. 

We are down to just two more issues. 

Cheers, 

PJ Looney

Townie Talk 02478

“AMDG” “Never Forget” “Never Again”

TownieTalk02478

We are getting close to the end of TownieTalk. Even if we didn’t win the local battles, we at least put them on record for history to judge. Democracy is constantly being challenged on the local level and TownieTalk still has three major stories ahead. Thank God, on January 5^th, the American people voted to restore Democracy to our Country. American exceptionalism is back. We can all feel good about preserving our freedom and knowing that peace through strength is returning. 

Local Election recap…

The residents in Belmont came out to vote with about 75% voter participation. Ellen and her team did a great job with no major complaints. My suggestion of having a keg at Town Hall to encourage early voting in person was rejected as it was too manly for Kamala Dudes who would feel unwelcome.

BTW… when dogs are neutered, they wear the cone of shame. When men are neutered, they become Kamala dudes. There is a Kamala Dude sign up in Belmont. Poor guy. Hope he has some frozen peas. 

To the results… 

POTUS

Harris 75%, Trump 20%, and 74 residents voted for the Socialist party. Surprisingly, the once vocal pro-Palestinian crowd in Town did not show up or lost their values and ended up voting for Harris. 

State Rep. Don Rogers won. Good news is we won’t hear his name again for two years. Warren and Brownsberger both won as well. 

Question 1

Belmont voted Yes as did the State. Now we can find out who is benefiting from housing and feeding the illegal immigrants. $1 Billion can fund many new summer homes on Martha’s Vineyard for friends of the Maura Healey administration. 

Question 2

Belmont voted Yes and the State said No. This was a smart vote by Belmont residents because once you eliminate standards you have no real way to judge performance. The MCAS will remain for now (only the graduation requirement was eliminated) but since it has no consequence the students will not take it seriously. The State could have addressed the small population of capable students who had challenges with the test by amending the graduation requirement to those who failed being given the opportunity for one-on-one educational observation instead. This tells you the goal of the vote was not about addressing the problem but rather redefining education away from the fundamentals most parents expect children will be taught. 

Question 3

Belmont voted Yes and the State voted Yes. This enables rideshare employees to unionize. This was a toss-up. Will It hurt or help employees? The answer is to be determined.

Question 4

Belmont voted No and the State voted No. This had to do with mind altering mushrooms and allowing people to grow their own. 

Question 5

Belmont voted No and the State voted No. When a base pay raise is rejected by the same employees it supposedly would benefit then you know something is wrong. 

Question 6

64% of Belmont voters have endorsed universal healthcare. Great news is now with President Trump winning in a landslide they will get their wish by moving to Canada. 

The U.S Election…

President Trump 312 Kamala Harris 226

Trump wins popular vote (ahead by over 4.7 million votes)

GOP wins Senate

GOP likely to hold Congress

Landslide win for America First…

As reported by TownieTalk in our Sept 11^th edition, Trump was going to win in a landslide and boy did he ever. Winning the popular vote by millions. His blowout victory is an undeniable mandate for mass deportations and a secure border, less interventionism in foreign conflict, less Woke extremism, and a stronger US economy built around manufacturing and putting America first. 

Winners…

American democracy. American citizens and those immigrants who come here legally, the middle class, union workers, military personnel, Blacks and Hispanics. The 1^st, 2^nd, 10^th, 14^th amendments and hopefully the repeal of the 22^nd . Women wanting a female President but accepting that it shouldn’t be an “empty vessel”.  Also, if you can’t pronounce Kamala that’s Ok because the next time you see her, it will be on a TV commercial with John Kerry, Al Gore and Mike Dukakis promoting timeshares in Canada. Saturday Night Live will benefit from bringing back once alleged murderer Alec Baldwin. 

More winners… Robert Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Nick Bosa, Joe Rogan, Patrick Mahomes, Harrison Butker, Riley Gaines, Capitalism, Freedom, and never forget Lakin Riley (RIP). 

Biggest Winners… Hunter Biden, Mayor Adams, and January 6^th protesters. Pardons on the way. 

Josh Shapiro and Andy Beshear just became huge frontrunners for 2028 unless we extend Trump’s new term to 6 years making up for the Russian hoax. 

Losers…

Globalists, Elites, Progressive Dems, Never Trumpers, Celebrities, Mainstream media.

Iran, antisemites, Mexican Drug Cartels, men in women sports, DEI, Antifa, Big Pharma

Big losers

Joe Biden           75 million garbage Americans rejected your empty vessel replacement. 

Dems             The DNC spent well over $1.2 billion and ended up $20m in debt to lose in a landslide

Jack Smith         You are fired! History will not judge you kindly.

Adam Schiff      Heard the weather is hot in Guantanamo Bay

Dr. Fauci            Time to fake an illness to avoid prosecution

Tim Walz           Even Minnesota hates him. 

Mark Cuban      Women are weak and dumb… 

Nancy Pelosi     Forced out a President who lost his mind to replace him with Kamala who has no mind

Chris Christie    NJ almost voted for Trump. Must be lonely begging for anyone to interview or hire you

Larry Hogan      Charlie Baker is looking for friends to join his book club. 

Oprah             Too many photos with Epstein, Weinstein and Diddy to be a moral leader. 

Michael Moore Lost touch with the working class

James Carville Lost touch with reality 20 years ago. 

Huge losers

Democrats        GOP traded Liz Cheney to the DNC for Elon Musk. No backsies

Liz Cheney         Is there anyone less likeable? Seriously.

Barack and 

Michele             As relevant as a Blockbuster video store now.  

Jimmy Kimmel   The “Juggies” man is now the Kamala dude poster boy (tears and all). 

The Media A huge thank you to the mainstream media. Without their condescension, dismissiveness and lecturing it would have been less of a blowout. MSNBC, CNN, New York Times, Boston Globe and others have shown how not to treat people. It’s almost like the Belmont Select Board and Town Administrator could be editors or anchors of those institutions. (Credit to Jeff Bezos for realizing that the mainstream media is despised and not trusted by most Americans and taking baby steps to reduce the unhinged bias. TownieTalk02478 is for sale and could bring instant credibility to the Post).

The View How can we ever repay you for inviting Kamala on to your low IQ show and asking her that famous question “What would you do different”. America owes you deeply for exposing the empresses lack of clothing. 

The Diddy Eminem, Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Cardi B, Glo Rilla, Lebron James all came out for Kamala. I can’t wait till the new FBI heads starts releasing names of all the celebs present during these “Freak Offs”

Distraught Progressives

You worry too much. There will be no national abortion ban. Not only that but more Red States like Missouri and Montana are constitutionalizing access to choice with some restriction in their charter. Even 57% of Floridians want to extend the period for choice. In other words, it was a lie to scare you just like Project 2025.  

Unless you wanted WW3, you should be happy we have an administration that doesn’t want war or believe our troops should be the World’s peacekeepers. Close to 2 million Russians, Ukrainians, Jews, and Palestinians have died over the last 4 years because of American weakness. 

We have a $700m MBTA deficit that will be passed onto T riders and residents. We spent $1 billion on illegal immigrants last year in Massachusetts alone.  If we get rid of our sanctuary state status, we will save 100’s of millions. If we keep it, we will be inundated even more as illegals flee non-sanctuary states. 

If you are thinking of leaving the US… please do. It will help reduce rents and housing costs for the rest of us. Canada really doesn’t want you. Same with Spain, Australia, and Ireland. Nigeria and Haiti have nice climates and could use your money. 

All Harris/Walz t-shirts will be sent to Africa along with Dallas Maverick champions jerseys.   

Cheers, 

PJ Looney

Townie Talk 02478

“AMDG” “Never Forget” “Never Again”

MBTA Communities Act

This November, Belmont Town Meeting will be tasked with evaluating two proposals to bring Belmont into compliance with a State forced mandate that is currently being challenged in the State Supreme court and one in which members of the court are questioning not only the guidelines set forth in the act but whether the act is even enforceable. In other words, the Court is likely to render this act unenforceable. The act takes power away from Towns and enriches developers. It also threatens massive tax hikes on Towns with low commercial tax base like Belmont.   

Town Leaders must answer three critical questions prior to any TM debate

1. Shouldn’t an issue that will likely have a massive negative impact on the quality of life for all who currently live in the Town… essentially changing Belmont from a Suburban community into an urban community… and stressing already stressed Town services, Schools, and roads be decided by a Town-wide vote instead of Town meeting which studies have shown is not representative of the whole Town demographic? 

2. Why didn’t the Belmont Select Board challenge the State mandate? The Select Board put their personal reputations on the line saying “trust us” with this override and they would grow the commercial tax base to 10%? This MBTA act does the opposite of what was promised and will shorten the period this last override was promised to last.

3. Conflict of interest. Over the summer, Alisa Gardner-Todreas, COO of MetroWest Community Development, was appointed to the Belmont Planning Board. At face value that is a solid appointment, but as with everything in Government, there will come times when a person may need to recuse themselves from topics and discussions due to conflict of interest such as with the current MBTA 3A act. Did Ms. Gardner-Todreas recuse herself from all MBTA community housing act discussions? If not, isn’t the whole process tainted?

Belmont does have guidelines for those serving on committee’s regarding conflicts of interest. The most recent I can find is dated July 22, 2021, and available online under the Town Clerk Tab… Committee Handbook on page 23. “Massachusetts General Laws Pertinent to Committees, Boards, and Commissions”. Under that is a section on Ethics (Conflict of Interest) and under that specifically it states… 

“You may not take any official action affecting your own financial interest, or the financial interest of a business partner, private employer, or any organization for which you serve as an officer, director, or trustee” 

The role of Belmont Town Meeting members is to be a “checks and balance” and the process to date on this subject has been flawed and biased. There is a lot of money at stake for developers should this pass and there is a massive loss of local control should it pass. I will be voting NO across the board and believe residents should have an expectation for answers to all three questions from all three Select Board members. They are welcome to email townietalk02478@gmail.com with their response. 

Judith Feinleib

She has a well written article out on Belmont Senior Tax relief. (spoiler – not happening and somewhere Reardon, Laverty, and Murphy are saying Told you so Roy). https://www.facebook.com/jfeinleib

Belmont Health Alert

Role up your windows when driving by the new Library construction site on Concord Ave and the road construction site on Mill Street. Otherwise, you could ingest harmful construction dust in both locations. 

I have had a resident complaint that these sites are supposed to be watered down to avoid the harmful dust storms, so I just drove by the Library and an MBTA bus caused nearly brown out conditions. 

Town Hall voting 

Early in person voting has started at the Belmont Town Hall. On Saturday, I voted as myself and then on Monday, I voted as Paul Roberts and on Tuesday as Matt Taylor. Unfortunately, on Wednesday I tried voting as Anne Mahon, and they asked for ID. I called them sexist, racist, and genderist but they still wouldn’t let me vote. This was probably the first and only time Roberts and Taylor voted for President Trump. Where I think Anne is a hidden Trumper. Kidding aside… it was fast and easy, and you still have several more opportunities. 

Transgender news

This is a huge and troubling story. The New York Times reported that a study on using “puberty blockers” has been held back as the authors are concerned it will be used for political reasons. The study started 11 years ago was designed to look at whether giving “puberty blockers” to pre-teens and teens would help their mental state. (Gender questioning teens are believed to have a higher rate of suicidal thoughts). The study did not find any significant mental health benefit after using puberty blockers. Now, this is only one study, although it was highly anticipated due to its size and longevity and a couple other recent studies reached similar conclusions. No single study should be overweighted but hiding the data is detrimental to physicians and parents trying to weigh the benefits and potential harm of treatments for children.  Science should be data driven and not driven by political bias especially when involving children’s health.    

October Surprise

Simple… Black men, Hispanic men, and Union workers abandoning the Democratic party after decades of false promises and being taken for granted now supporting President Trump under which they were thriving and felt he was a strong leader who put them first. 

A close second was Kamala embracing Liz and Dick Cheney. Can you imagine after decades of calling the Cheney’s Evil personified the liberals in Town are welcoming her to the Administration? Insane 

TownieTalk02478 Electoral Map

Trump 302  Harris 236  (270 needed to win)

I have Harris winning Wisconsin and Virginia although both are in play. 

Election shocker: Popular vote is about even 

MA State shocker: The Abandon Harris coalition will vote Jill Stein, and she could end up with 14% of the MA vote. Harris still wins handily but the message is sent as Stein is only expected to get about 6%. 

The Last week…

Trump had his best week of the year. His appearance working the fry machine and takeout window at McDonalds was second only to Ben Affleck on the Dunkin commercial. It showed his soft and fun side. It reminded Americans that Trump loves McDonalds and was no stranger to it. It was a middle-class American moment filled with fun, happiness, and humor. He then went to the Pittsburgh Steelers game and received a thunderous standing ovation with the crowd shouting “USA, USA”.  This is the week that sealed the election win for him. 

The week for Harris was bad. She held interviews with three major outlets and dumbfoundingly refused to answer any questions about her specific policies and how she might be different than the current Biden/Harris administration. The media is desperately waiting for her to break from Biden and begging her to stop focusing on Trump and start giving voters a reason to vote for her. On top of that she thought traveling with warmonger Liz Cheney was a good idea. She and her surrogates insulted Black and Hispanic men calling them everything from misogynistic to even racist for not supporting her. To make matters worse, the women at the center of the domestic violence allegation against her husband, Doug Emhoff, went public confirming he hit her so hard her head spun around and confirming he has a dark side which goes back to his treatment of the family’s former nanny he impregnated. This mainstream media is treating this like the Hunter Biden laptop, so you know the allegation passes the sniff test. Same with Kamala working at McDonalds. I can’t think of many 60-year-olds that couldn’t find several people to confirm a job they supposedly worked at in college. Worst sign for Kamala was swing state US Senators running ads praising working with President Trump.   

The day after… 

Belmont Kamala supporters are going to feel anxious and distressed, and many will again tease they will move to other Countries but in the end, they know with Trump back in office we can expect… 

World Peace.

Shorter waits for medical care/More affordable housing

Lowe prices 

Less crime and less locked shelves at stores

A return to made in the USA

Energy Independence

Freedom of religion, speech and an end to the weaponization of Government

Lower inflation

A general feeling of Winning

Haha

Q: How are politicians like diapers?
A: They both need to be changed regularly, and for the same reason.

Cheers, 

PJ Looney

Townie Talk 02478

“AMDG” “Never Forget” “Never Again”

League of Women Voters (LWV)… racist event?

To most Boomers and Gen X, brown bagging meant bringing your lunch to school or work versus buying a meal. I was blessed to have a mom, who made very good peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on Wonder bread. Unfortunately, our snack was Fig Newtons or Nilla wafers while privileged friends had Twinkies and Ring Dings.  Anyways, I digress. What is the outrage? Well, as Belmont’s award-winning  journalist, the LWV’s poor choice of nomenclature needs to be called out.  

The League of Women Voters is hosting a “Brown Bag event” this Friday to discuss the MBTA Communities Act which forces housing density on Towns ill equipped to support it and takes zoning power away from local communities. According to woke sources… it is grossly improper to use the term “brown bag” as it alludes to the Brown Paper Bag test which according to Wikipedia is a racist and colorist practice of comparing a person’s skin color to the color of a brown paper bag. Those whose skin color was darker than the bag would be denied privileges afforded to White people. 

Now I am not comparing the LWV to Mayor Michelle Wu who openly had a reverse brown bag test to attend a holiday party as I believe the LWV is just not aware of how insane “cancel culture” has become where Wu thrives on racism. We do however live in a Town that fed into and amplified Mendelian thinking (Wellington mascot replacement) and a Town that officially denigrated Columbus Day by applying modern day revisionism to 15^th Century Life. So, it would be a missed opportunity not to point out the insanity of wokeness.  

Senior Center/REC and COA

The pow-wow with Donelan, Dionne, Garvin and Senior Citizens turned out to not be the picnic hoped for. (BTW, pow-wow and picnic are also cancelled words). There is a follow up meeting scheduled for today and an odd twist has developed still being vetted on my end. The COA has one job and that is to look out for the best interests of Seniors which is at odds with the Town Admins current consolidation plan of the Senior Center and Rec department.

We have been down this path before of different goals between appointed boards and Town leaders…. as in the Claypit path. The Conservation Commission had negotiated with the BHSMS building committee that they could use  1/3^rd of the Claypit walking path to stage materials during construction under the condition the path was fully restored at the finish. The conservation commission was treated like bilge at a meeting in which they were bullied to not only accept the work wouldn’t be done as promised but also to accept there was no commitment to prioritize or find funding to restore it. Imagine these folks volunteered to be treated this way. 

Belmont High Boys Soccer

The BHS Boys soccer team entered the week ranked in the Top 20 in eastern MA. The Girls are also on path for post season play. The girls recently topped Arlington 1-0 while the boys got spanked by Arlington.  

Belmont Rumor…

Four residents are interested in challenging Roy Epstein for his seat on the Select Board this April. TownieTalk02478 has been looking into the backgrounds of all 4 before the scrubbing begins. There is a possibility that an additional seat will be added depending on Town Meeting. Obviously, there is mutual agreement that the Town is on the wrong track and there may be agreement on the need for a new Town Admin. Belmont Government always had a large role for residents willing to volunteer their expertise/services, but the current board seems to see residents with opinions as counterproductive to their goals and the TA as a tool to silence them. 

Town Hall for early in person voting. 

In person voting is the only 100% certain way to know your vote is counted. Mail in ballots can get lost and or have signature challenges. 

The November Election Questions…

Question 1 asks voters whether the auditor should be allowed to investigate the state legislature, overseeing and evaluating at least some of its activities

Polling indicates a large majority of voters are voting YES to allow the State Auditor to audit the State Budget. Somewhat shocking that this isn’t already being done and makes you wonder what they are hiding. YES, seem reasonable

Question 2 Eliminating the MCAS graduation requirement.

Currently, prior to graduating, High School Seniors need to pass the 10^th grade MCAS. A YES vote would eliminate the requirement but not the test itself. 700 out of approximately 73,000 students did not graduate due to the inability to pass the 10^th grade level test. 

I am a NO on this one. A HS degree must have some value. Get rid of the graduation requirement and Teachers will likely focus even more of their time on the educational haves at the expense of the have nots. 

Question 3    A Union for Uber and Lyft Drivers   

Not easy on its face. A YES vote could be counterproductive as the cost of Uber and Lyft is getting to the point that consumers may stop tipping which could have a more adverse impact on drivers than any benefits it derives. At the same time there is not enough transparency for Drivers in what users are paying. 

I’ll flip a coin on this one.

Question 4 would allow a group of naturally occurring psychedelic drugs — psilocybin, psilocyn, mescaline, DMT, and ibogaine — to be grown, shared, used at home, and offered by licensed professionals in a more clinical setting.

A simple No. 

Question 5  The minimum wage for tipped workers 

Tipped workers can make as little as $6.75 an hour minimum wage versus the $15 minimum wage. A YES vote would force restaurant owners to increase that wage to $15 an hour by 2029. 

This is an easy NO. President Trump has promised to eliminate income tax on tips for those in the service industry. Most tipped workers make far more than $15 on average per hour in tips. Increasing the wage leads to an increase in menu prices, a decrease in customers, and a threat that consumers will stop tipping (tipping is somewhat of an American tradition but give someone a reason and it will go away quickly). 

Question #6  non-binding vote in support of Single Payer healthcare.

100% NO. If you want single payer healthcare, then join the armed services. You see they have single payer healthcare as in the VA system. The VA is known for horrendous quality of care. Not convinced then move to Canada. You will get good treatment if you can live in pain long enough to receive it. Need an MRI (a year or so). Surgery after the MRI (another year or so). 

Our healthcare system is already in tatters after Obamacare added millions to the healthcare rolls. I literally watched a woman with a hole in her neck in which her trachea was visible wait an hour in the emergency room to be seen. This is what happens when you increase demand with a shrinking supply of medical professionals to serve them. 

Massachusetts news of note….

Drake Maye debuts…

He wasn’t great and he wasn’t awful. With a better team he may be a top 20 QB. Time will tell. 

Secretary Galvin…

When you are the Secretary of State and responsible for election integrity you shouldn’t withhold voter roll information. Not only is it against the law… it raises legitimate concern over what you are hiding. 

US News of note

FBI lays an egg…

The FBI tried to hide a recent revision to its 2022 violent crime statistics in the footnotes. The agency previously reported violent crime fell by 2.1% in 2022. In fact, violent crime rose by 4.5% in 2022. This is a major revision which like the faulty Bureau of Labor Statistics downward jobs revision of 818,000 screams of election interference. These are just two of the examples why trust in Government is at an all-time low. Either it’s intentional or incompetent but the result is the same. 

Reparations…

Kamala Harris was pressed on reparations and passed. Townie Talk supports reparations involving any current owners of slaves being forced to compensate those slaves they benefited from. So, if you held Nike or Apple stock we are coming after you. Inconvenient truth is slavery may have ended in the United  States 160 years ago, but it is alive and well in other Countries as you read this, and most people are benefiting from it. This is a great reason to bring back manufacturing to the USA that has worker protection laws.

2024 Election Update   

As of press time, I have the election as Trump 296 to Harris 226 with Nevada and Wisconsin to close to call. 270 is needed to win. Trump is winning the online betting platform at 54.9%.

Another bad week for Kamala Harris. Interestingly, Harris is not putting on an act with her hard to follow word salad answers. Her Howard University yearbook quote was: 

“The thing that Howard taught me is that you can do any collection of things, and not one thing to the exclusion of the other. You could be homecoming queen and valedictorian. There are no false choices at Howard.”

Week in review…. 

President Trump

Survived the week without being shot at. 

Gave multiple two-hour campaign speeches.

Announced he would move to eliminate Federal Taxes on Social Security income. 

His VP Vance called out Martha Raddatz for implying it is no big deal that Venezuelan gangs were occupying a handful of apartment complexes in Colorado. 

Actor Dennis Quaid endorses Trump citing illegal immigration and increasing crime as reasons California is becoming unlivable. 

NASCAR Driver Danica Patrick endorses Trump

VP Kamala Harris

“Wouldn’t change anything” about the last four years in office, The View Sonny Hostin

Proposed tax cuts/incentives for Black people.

Posed for a 2^nd Vogue cover while Hurricanes ravaged the South. 

Proposed giving first time home buyers $25,000 (Seriously… everyone can now increase their ask price)

Proxy, Bill Clinton says that Lakin Riley, the 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia, would be alive today if the illegal immigrant who entered the Country in 2022 had been vetted.  

Barack Obama tells Black men not to think and just vote for Kamala. Implying they are misogynists.

Actress Jennifer Garner says men who vote for Kamala are sexy.  

VP candidate Walz went Pheasant hunting but didn’t know how to load his rifle.

President Joe Biden praises Governor DeSantis on cooperation in Hurricane planning.

US House Rep. Raskin (D) refuses to say he will certify the 2024 election results if Trump wins. 

FWIW… 

Massachusetts will vote for Kamala Harris by a fair margin. Don’t waste your breath arguing with friends and neighbors in a State that has no impact on this election unless you are doing it for sport. Upset over Harris or Trump signs… Why? They don’t matter. I see Massachusetts as Harris at 60%, Trump at 29% and third party at a whopping 11% (mainly  protest votes against Biden/Harris for GAZA policy). 

Some Great news for America and the World…

Elon Musk: Space-Ex successfully caught a returning rocket booster into its base station. A huge accomplishment. They also launched a rocket to Jupiter. Check back in 2029 for details. 

Nuclear Energy: Great news for clean reliable energy fanatics. SMR’s and small reactors are gaining steam with both the US government and Data Center firms. Companies like  OKLO, a Sam Altman (OPEN AI founder) backed company and Kairos are advancing quickly in the desperate need to increase America’s surging electricity need. 

Cheers, 

PJ Looney

Townie Talk 02478

“AMDG” “Never Forget” “Never Again”

Autumn in New England; there is really nothing like it. There is a distinct moment when the  air shifts, cooler and crisper, signaling that summer has officially passed. Leaves change  color and pumpkins sprout on porches. A walk around Belmont, the Town of Homes, on a  sunny fall day is a beautiful thing.  

And every four years, lawn signs touting a presidential candidate join the leaves, pumpkins,  and Halloween decorations. It is part of American culture, a simple and benign expression  of free speech as guaranteed in the constitution. Yet many people have told me I am brave  for displaying TRUMP*2024. Brave? I know firefighters, soldiers, police officers, and first  responders who are truly brave. I know adventurers and athletes who put themselves at  risk to explore their boundaries. That takes guts and I think they are brave. If Belmont  residents must be brave to express themselves, then something is wrong with Belmont. 

In the few weeks that my TRUMP*2024 sign has been on display, the reaction has been  more positive than negative. Yes, one female runner passing by saw the sign and, without  breaking stride, raised her hands above her head and shouted, “Go Kamala, F*** Trump”.  Not a lot of people can run, shout and maintain stride so I applaud her fitness. It does seem  however, a good example of Trump Derangement Syndrome. It was a stunningly beautiful  autumn day, she has the good fortune to be out running on a weekday, and she stains it.  Then again, her right to free expression, no matter how base, is protected. 

Ironically, in the evening of the same day, another woman rang our doorbell and introduced herself. She said “I saw your sign and had to stop by. I have lived here for several years, and  I feel so alone.” Indeed, our town has become so proud of its tolerance that it is intolerant  of any dissenting opinion and is quick to shun. 

The last time more Belmont voters supported the GOP candidate than the DEM candidate  was 1980. Since then, the gulf has grown to a very unhealthy 80 – 20 ratio.

Looking at this data while considering the “you are brave” comments, what should one  conclude? That 80% feel empowered to commit acts of vandalism and violate someone’s  constitutional rights? I certainly hope not, although when political lawn signs have been  vandalized in the past, it is the “red” ones that suffer the abuse.  

So, “How can you vote for Trump?”, you ask. Well, to be honest, he’s never been my cup of  tea, my first choice, or the image of a President that I favor. Nevertheless, I am casting a  vote for humanity and world peace. The planet is closer to nuclear war now than at any  time since the Cuban Missile Crisis (classified events not withstanding). The push for  NATO expansion is a misbegotten gambling with our lives. Similarly, enabling Iran and  weakening Israel has brought war and misery to the Middle East with a broader war or  nuclear exchange possible any day now. I am also voting for a secure border, enforcement  of immigration laws, Title IX, women’s sports, and free speech. If the collaboration  between government agencies and big tech to control the narrative doesn’t scare you, then  the gross misapplication of the law in the last 4 years should. Between inflations and  foreign policy, things haven’t been this bad in America since the Carter administration, and on election day in 1980, Belmont voted for Reagan. I have no delusions of Trump winning  Belmont, but I expect to see more Trump supporters being brave in the remaining weeks  without fear of molestation. 

Credit: Belmont Media Center

 “Hatred of President Trump so intense that it impairs people’s judgment”

Fareed Zakaria on Trump Derangement Syndrome

Readers are in for a treat as I share a “letter to the editor” that reeks of TDS. But first…

Slow local news cycle…

The Ramen Noodle restaurant is still on track for the old Trinktisch location

The Dunk tank raised $1,200 to help with Belmont residents in need. 

Donelan, Dionne, and Garvin did a damage control meeting at the Senior Center with the takeaway being Garvin’s actions were dismissive (a theme that continues).  

Milton MA. is suing the Mass attorney General over the MBTA Communities act which has stripped local zoning control away from the Town. Prayers that Milton wins otherwise Belmont will lose its suburban charm and all the override money will be spent handling new students from high-rise’s.

The Town may soon have 5 Selectman which is something I opposed in the past but support now. The petition was turned into Ellen this week.   

RATS… making their way to Washington Street from Grove Street in large numbers. It’s an epidemic in Town that seems to be ignored. Get rid of your compost piles, secure your trash lids, lose the bird feeders, and it may be time to say goodbye to backyard chickens.   

School has been open for 5 weeks. Time to retire the signs. Has that Lawn Trash feel now. 

Don’t ask. 

Much more going on in the World….

The Mideast is on fire…… remembrance

October 7^th, 2023

A year and a day ago, Israel and Saudi Arabia were on the verge of a historic peace deal put in place by President Trump. The next day, Hamas funded by Iran murdered 1200 mostly civilians including babies. Raped and dismembered. They took 250 hostages from infants to elderly and including Americans. In a coordinated response likely indicating knowledge of the attack in advance… Pro Hamas groups immediately marched on US College campuses blaming the victims. American Jews quickly found out their allies in politics were in fact antisemites in hiding. The attack wounded America permanently. 

Today on what should be a day of mourning instead is a “week of rage” by college protesters.  

Patriots…

The blame for the collapse of the New England Patriots franchise falls on one man. That man is Bob Kraft. He became as toxic as Jerry Jones is to Dallas. He started to believe he was the reason for the team’s success and became more active. He wouldn’t let Belichek spend money on top tier free agents. He is rumored to have forced Belichek to trade Garropolo creating a permanent wedge between Belichek and Brady. He was all in on picking Mac Jones. Hired Mayo as a HC when he had no real experience. All in on PATS to take Drake Maye when a trade down for two picks was more critical to build the OL and WR corps. Our season is over in early October. 

Illegal Immigration shocker…  

Yes, Nantucket is having a bad time with illegal immigrant pedophiles and rapists. No, it shouldn’t be a surprise. US Immigration and Customs enforcement (ICE) says that among those NOT in detention, there are 425,431 convicted criminals and 222,141 with pending criminal charges. This includes 62,231 convicted of assault, 13,099 convicted of homicide, 2,521 kidnappers, and 15,811 with sexual assault convictions. No surprise we are seeing an influx of Venezuelan gang activity in the US. The United States is not safe when our borders are not secure, and it’s become much worse the last 4 years as Trump policies were reversed under Kamala’s watch.

Bad week for Harris but does it matter…

Doug Emhoff is not a role model as much as the liberal media wants him to be. He admitted to knocking up his children’s nanny while married and paying her off after the Daily Mail reported the story. A new story reported by the same outlet says Emhoff violently beat his then girlfriend in 2012 outside a black-tie event in Cannes. Emhoff hasn’t denied the story. The ex-girlfriend has not denied it and three of her friends are on record saying it happened and with receipts to back it up. All are Democrats. 

Then her VP comes across as a complete doofus during the debate. How bad was it… Saturday Night Live now has its modern day “Dan Quayle” in Tim Walz. Brutal is an understatement as Walz say he is friends with school shooters and makes mistakes as to his military rank and whereabouts during the Tiananmen Sq uprising. 

The worst part of her week was clearly Joe Biden telling America that every decision he made she was right by his side and involved. Probably why Kamala has closed the gap with President Trump when the question is what words you associate with the candidate. 8% associated Trump with the word “Lie” while 6% said Harris. 

And then the cherry on top… as Hurricane Helene has become Kamala’s Katrina. The lack of effective response combined with taking the time to announce $195 million in Lebanon humanitarian relief when Americans are without power, food, and hundreds are still missing after the storm. FEMA has given $45m to Helene efforts. So American tax dollars are being spent 4-1 for foreigners over citizens in the Biden/Harris Admin. On the same day it became known that Biden/Harris spent 21-1 more on illegal immigrants ($66 Billion) in 2023 than Homeless Veterans ($3 Billion). If you don’t understand America first outrage after reading that then you never will. 

Now for your reading entertainment and full transparency…. An anonymous letter to the editor unedited minus one line that was removed for libel. The letter is ironic in so many ways… the lies underlined and the hate that they so much want to imprint on another is their own.  

And there you have it. I know not all Harris supporters are as ill-informed as the above letter writer appears to be. Some just have different views that align better with Biden/Harris policy. Some may feel they were better off these last four years vs the prior four. My advice to the letter writer is to get better informed. Try reading the Boston Globe and then reading the NY Post. You will see how different each will report on the same story, and you will see what they choose to print vs what they ignore. After that try researching online. If you believe say Trump has never criticized “Putin” then do a google search to see if there is any evidence he has. Hint… there is. I know you are reading TT regularly which should help you grow as a person but you need to open your mind… Townie Talk is always open to sharing opposing views and opinions but, in the future, you need to put your name on it.

Cheers, 

PJ Looney

Townie Talk 02478

“AMDG” “Never Forget” “Never Again”

The Mission of the COA Board is to “enhance the quality of life for seniors“. The COA Board is “appointed by the SelectBoard to oversee programs and policies of the COA.”  (COA Mission Statement)

The proposed merger was recommended by the Town Administrator at the May 2024 Select Board meeting. (See SB presentation )  At the next COA Meeting, despite the brevity of time, a SubCommittee was established for the purpose of analyzing and evaluating the “proposed merger”, scheduled for Fall 2025, after the Library leaves.   The subcommittee has met twice since then.

At the dedication of the Beech Street Center several years back the SelectBoard promised that it would be used for the sole purpose of seniors until 2049. This promise was made to the seniors, and the Friends of COA  whose involvement with and dedication to this cause, advocated and raised money for the Beech Street  Center.  

I have assembled the information below for the COA Board’s review of this matter. 

First it must  be noted that  the timetable for the “proposed merger” has been moved up to NOW from the Fall 2025, as originally advised.  Fall 2025 was to coincide with the time when the Library was scheduled to leave.   I believe it is also important to consider the brief turnaround time provided to make these changes.

 Since being told that the”proposed merger” would not take place until after the Library vacated (Fall 2025),  a Human Services Administrative Coordinator, COA/Recreation  (Closing date: 7/25/2024.) has been hired . This new position is listed on  the”proposed merger.”  new organization chart 

The former Recreation Asst Director is now the Asst Human Services director.

Comparing the new “proposed merger” organization chart  (COAorg charts) to the current organization chart, it appears that there are more administrative positions which, by their nature, are more costly, than the current positions.

Secondly, Enhanced Communication is one of the reasons suggested for the “proposed merger”. (See SB presentation).  Yet the “tall ” organization proposed  compared to the existing “flat” organization chart of the current  COA model  creates more people to go through for decision making, discouraging communication.  Note below the accepted Human Relations concern of  Tall Organizations.

Disadvantages of Tall Organizations

“Organization is less responsive to change and can be expensive to run, due to high wage costs (many managers) restricted freedom and authority for staff members.”

What’s a Tall Organization and Is It Out of Fashion? – Functionly

Other claims of the “proposed merger” are Best Practices.

The Best Practices document (COAbestpractices) has been compiled by former Directors of the COA.  It is what the COA has used throughout the Board’s tenure, so it is  questionable whether the”proposed merger ” would have any significant advantage.It  “presumes that the COA Director has an advanced degree in some area of human services along with significant experience with the aging population.”  Topics include:  Communication Programming, delivery of Social Services, delivery of Core Services, Transportation and Nutrition, and Involvement with other agencies. It concludes with ” the Director’s primary purpose is to support, advocate for and implement policies and programs that enhance the quality of life for seniors in the Town.”

Also below is a compilation of other Human Service programs in communities comparable to Belmont.  It is notable that only 1 of the 9 Human Services departments  includes Recreation.

• Somerville – https://www.somervillema.gov/departments/health-and-human-services
• Newton – https://www.newtonma.gov/government/health-human-services/social-services
• Worcester – https://www.worcesterma.gov/hhs
• Bedford – https://www.bedfordma.gov/195/Health-Human-Services
• Natick – https://www.natickma.gov/1050/Human-Services
• Arlington – https://www.arlingtonma.gov/departments/health-human-services
• Ashland – https://www.ashlandmass.com/229/Department-of-Prevention-Human-Services
• Lincoln – https://www.lincolntown.org/132/Council-on-Aging-Human-Service
• Littleton – https://www.littletonma.org/226/Elder-Human-Services

Finally I am disturbed by the actions of Town Administration toward Former employees, Board members, Real Estate Owners and members of the community, including  Town Treasurer (Floyd Carmen), Town Retirement Board (Tom Gibson), Assessors Board (Reardon, Laverty and Patrick Murphy), COA Directors ( Nava and Dana), Chair of the Planning Board (Jeff Birenbaum), Member of the Warrant Committee (Marie Warner AND CFRB) and Real Estate owner,( Locatelli).

The Board may also remember that as a Board we asked at our  February  meeting to schedule the annual potluck luncheon that we have always had for the Staff.  We were advised that the Staff had concerns that we were critical of them.  Having spoken with COA staff I have never found any reluctance to communicate their concerns.  Town Administration’s  behavior of vilifying and slandering former employees, Board members and members of the community  is not suggestive of an intent to serve the community.  By extension, this “proposed merger” has questionable merit.

I can report with high certainty that President Donald Trump will be the 47^th President of the United States. I know this will cause extreme anxiety and angst among a certain category of Belmont residents, but the reality is immigration and inflation have caused irreparable harm to most Americans and no celebrity endorsement, media cover up, or even a Hurricane can change the outcome. This is no secret to the inner circles of the DNC. They are now fearful of losing both the House and Senate by large numbers and trying to figure out somehow to motivate their voters. The tricky part is the “divide and conquer” approach successfully used by Democrats has imploded. For example, Latino’s now favor Donald Trump over Kamala Harris, and their top issue is Illegal immigration. How bad is it… Gloria Romero (the former California State Senate leader) is now changing parties and voting for Trump. She cited Democrats failure to embrace school choice which is devastating inner city children. 17% of African Americans support President Trump. That number is more than twice what he won in 2016 and is astronomical for a Republican candidate. Black voters in Chicago vow to flip the city Red over illegal immigrants taking their jobs and the cities resources. What about our Jewish friends who typically vote the Dem ticket… Shabbos Kestenbaum sees American Jewry facing an existential crisis with Harris in charge and is encouraging Jews to Vote Trump. 

Democrats can cite Dick Cheney for endorsing Harris but of course that is because Trump declared he will end the Ukraine War ASAP which doesn’t sit well with war mongers like the Cheney’s who profit from the $250 Billion wasted in Ukraine. Taylor Swift will garner some votes but will suffer the same fate as Oprah after she tarnished her image by endorsing a candidate. Bernie Sanders did the Dems no favors when he replied to Meet the Press Host Kristen Welker: “She (Harris) has previously supported Medicare for All, now she does not. She’s previously supported a ban on fracking, now she does not. These, Senator, are ideas that you have campaigned on. Do you think that she is abandoning her progressive ideals?”

Sanders replied: “No, I don’t think she’s abandoning her ideals. I think she is trying to be pragmatic and do what she thinks is right in order to win the election.”

Probably the most telling reason why President Trump will win in a landslide comes from the most relevant Kennedy left. RFK Jr said:

There’s been an inversion now where the Republican Party has become the party of the common man, of working people, of the middle class, and the Democratic Party has become the party of Wall Street, the Military Industrial Complex, Big Pharma, BigAg, Big Tech, the Big Banking…  — Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) September 8, 2024

In a progressive Town like Belmont with such group thought this will be unwelcome news. Fear not though because you have the chance of a lifetime…

This Sunday September 15^th from 3pm-3:15pm in Belmont Center at the Town Day dunk tank you will have the chance to dunk a Trumper. Not just anyone… but Townie Talk himself. The caveat being you need to pay to play (all proceeds go toward providing food to Belmont residents in need) and there is some skill and athleticism involved. 

I am pretty sure on November 6^th , the Town won’t be providing cry baby rooms at the BHS like in 2016, so this is your chance. 

Who should come… if we look at who the few Harris voters likely are :

As Dana Bash indicated “low testosterone men” 

Women with hairy legs and armpits.

Pro Hamas high school and college protesters.

Obviously, Marxists, Socialists, and Communists. 

Adults who still feel the need to tell you where they went to college.

People who block aisles in Supermarkets. 

As for my fellow Townies… you will have the opportunity to dunk some interesting characters. You can tell the progressive one’s by their floaties. End of the day… we have many residents that need help. Devastating inflation in critical expenses like food and rent mean difficult choices for so many these days. This is a good opportunity to show some appreciation to our fellow Townies in need. Just tape the second half of the game and put the beers on ice. 

Cheers, 

PJ Looney

Townie Talk 02478

“AMDG”, “Never Forget”, “Never Again”

If you have ESPN…

This Thursday, ESPN is broadcasting the Vlasic Pro/Celeb Pickleball Classic in New Jersey. Belmont resident, Ann Reynolds, a top 10 nationally ranked pickleball player, is paired with Country singer Carrie Underwood. The match is being aired at 7pm. Reynolds has been known to dominate the pickle ball courts in Massachusetts causing many opponents to switch back to tennis. 

Huge disappointment for Belmont Center… 

The real estate developers who purchased CVS with the intent of building a boutique hotel with rooftop bar ended up selling the property after being informed the expected timeline for approvals etc was 3.5 years. The ownership group turned around and sold the building to a non-profit LLC that is religiously affiliated and has built houses of worship in prior transactions. The Church of Raelism would be the first of its kind in Massachusetts.  

Claypit water samples…

Claypit Pond has long had rumors about what is in the water. Now we have some facts. The Pit was formally a dig site for the Parry Brothers brickyard. It was later abandoned and in 1933 the Town built a culvert and diverted the Wellington brook into the area creating today’s pond. Water sampling tests by MASSDEP have for years shown high levels of e-coli and fertilizers leading officials to ban the consumption of fish at the pond. The latest testing showed continued contaminant as well as a high concentration of 11-nor-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid.  The latter is otherwise known as byproduct of THC found in human urine and waste. Belmont Police are working with MASSDEP to trace the waste back to the source (somewhere around Prospect Street and surrounding areas). So, if you see police dogs in your neighborhood don’t flush it down the toilet. 

BHS Fall Sports controversy

What was expected to be a solid year for girls’ field hockey took an unexpected turn as close to a dozen boys tried out for the team. Apparently, an article shared with a boys’ baseball team parent caused the surge in interest.  The article “Why men in skorts make better cricket players” was published in the European Journal and looked at the linkage of male professional cricket players and having played field hockey in secondary school. Only 8 of the Belmont boys made the final cut and now the athletic director is scrambling for XXXL skorts. Even after this shocking development…. Belmont is still rated below perennial All-USA Watertown. 

Belmont Center Bridge Tunnel right of way

The debate over who has the right of way at the Belmont Center railroad bridge tunnel intersection continues. The best answer is there is no right of way. It is supposed to be treated as you would a four-way intersection (yes, 4 even though one is technically one way) and in those cases the first one in is the first one out. After that it comes down to a game of chicken, how well insured you are, your ability to verbally abuse an offender without being recorded, your prioritization of cyclist in the food chain, and what mood you are in. 

School Committee debates $36,021 for rubbers…

Last week’s school committee meeting was one for the ages. After finding out that Kamala Harris choice for her running mate was Tim Walz, some on the board felt Belmont should follow Walz lead. Walz known for his “stolen valor” lie about carrying a weapon in combat is also known as “Tampon Tim” in Minnesota for mandating free tampons in 4^th – 12^th grade Boys restrooms. After consulting with the equity staff, it was determined that tampons, condoms, and deodorant should be provided free of charge in boys and girls rooms as well as at the nurse’s office. The estimated cost was over $36,000 and the vote was pushed off to a later date.  

Brutal jobs revision… for US citizens

The Labor Department released a dose of reality to the media that falsely has been claiming the economy is strong while most Americans are living in fiscally strenuous times. 

The BLS restated a years’ worth of jobs growth reducing the growth total by 818,000 jobs which is the worst since the 2009 Banking crisis. That meant the monthly gains went from 242,000 to 174,000 jobs. Little known is those numbers count individuals working multiple jobs as individual jobs. In other words, if you do a side gig with door dash or uber in addition to working a full-time job, the BLS counts that as 2 or 3 jobs and we know plenty of people working multiple jobs to survive so the number is inflated as to how many are benefiting. Additionally, the number of job openings dropped by 4 million down to 8.2 million from 12.2 million in 2022 again explaining the validating poor economic views many have. 

Here is the worst part… The number of jobs that native born Americans held dropped by 300,000 from May 2023. Guess where most new jobs went? If you guessed to illegal immigrants and H1B visa’s then you win half a chicken dinner (inflation adjusted). Instead of buying tampons for boys’ bathrooms maybe we should pay for counseling for the recent high school and college grads who are just realizing that the Democratic party prioritizes non-citizens and Hollywood elite over them. Of course, the Dems that gave us runaway inflation, crime, open borders, war mongering, homelessness, and told you to take on massive amounts of debt for an education that is less likely to land you a job than a person crossing the border with no education is now telling you that “Joy and Hope” is going to fix all the ills they created. 

Free Beer at the “The Wellington”

I heard from a friend that the Wellington is offering “Free Beer Tomorrow”. That friend keeps going and they keep telling him to come back tomorrow. BTW kudos to The Wellington for keeping the beer fridge and tap temperature low. Colder the better. 

TownieTalk rejects hostile takeover…

TownieTalk has rejected a hostile takeover by a consortium of Blogging Belmont, The Belmontian, and The Belmont Voice. The consortium was struggling to find readers from many key market categories such as Under 18, 18-34, 35-65, Seniors, attractive people, smart people, highly intelligent people, athletic people, beer and wine drinkers, creative people, and those who like to have fun. The only categories the consortium had solid readership from was bike lane enthusiasts, Select Board members, and mask enthusiasts. The deal fell apart when the consortiums bank account took a hit when dogecoin lost half its value recently.

“Lemons for a cause”?

Ever the entrepreneurs, Jimmy and Nick are at it again. After an expensive and poorly timed restaurant adventure failed, the duo is now into Lemonade and in a big way. The boys have purchased a couple dozen lemonade stands and will be looking to franchise their game changing idea this Fall. Both Men are big defenders of the planet. Their newly patented idea is to sell organic lemonade using recycled water and no cups. This would have a net zero carbon rating and is sure to have customers lining up for a taste. I know you are wondering how they can possibly make organic lemonade. Nick told me that they have a deal with Country Time for the mix. Jimmy collected dozens of “rain barrels” from homes in and around  Belmont and promised to return them empty. A friend of theirs showed them how to insert drain spouts into the barrels. The product will launch this Fall and will be $1 for as much as you can hold in your mouth from a pour. Franchise opportunities will come later.   

TownieTalk02478

No, I have not lost my mind. Due to an elitist demand for more, more, more… Townie Talk was not able to post an April Fool’s edition. Instead, the focus went to trying to appeal to the good will in people to consider their neighbors on fixed incomes and struggling financially before passing a massive override.  Alas, greed is a powerful vice, and Belmont today is more representative of the Sol Gittleman descriptive “25 men, 25 cabs, Red Sox team”. Neighbors could care less.  

Although all the news briefs have elements of truth, only the horrific jobs report is true. 

Cheers, 

PJ Looney

Townie Talk 02478

“AMDG”, “Never Forget”, “Never Again”