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Wellesley seeks new planning director

Rick Brown is retiring in March after 36 years on the job. He’ll be a tough act to follow, with involvement in such projects as Wellesley Center and Linden Square among his accomplishments. If you’d like a shot at replacing him as Wellesley’s planning director and enacting your idea to put a dome over Hunnewell Field to ensure future fireworks displays don’t get rained out, or whatever, here’s the start of the job posting from the town web site.

Under the general policy direction of the Planning Board, the Planning Director is responsible for the municipal planning activities of the Town.  The incumbent directs and administers the municipal planning, zoning and subdivision control programs within the Town as delineated by state statute and the Town’s Bylaws.  The Director serves as the Town’s principal professional adviser and resource on planning and development issues, and is responsible for recommending, preparing, and implementing the policies, programs, plans and studies needed to guide both the short-range and long-range development of the Town and address planning and land use issues and opportunities facing the Town.

In with the new, out with the old

Wellesley’s business scene saw lots of changes in 2008, as Roche Bros. swapped from one side of Linden St. to the other and an assortment of other businesses opened and closed, some squeezed by the tough economy.

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Newcomers included Miss Michelle’s Center for the Performing Arts, Sweet Beads, Qdoba, DTOX, Panoply Day Spa, Kenzie Kids and Massage Envy. California Pizza Kitchen will open soon in Linden Square, along with the Gelato Cafe. Beal Bank on Linden St. still has a sign in its window threatening that the financial outfit is opening in fall of 2008.

Among those bidding farewell were Kel’s, Camera Place, Vidalia’s, Talbots Kids, East Gallery, Smatterings, Hazel and Grace, and Jasmine Sola. Your Baby Naturally held the distinction of saying hello and goodbye this year.

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Camera Place shuts down Sept 30 2008
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Owl sighting, almost

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Was so excited to spot this owl in the rafters of the Wellesley Farms train station, until realizing it was phony, probably there to keep pigeons from decorating commuters.

Madoff’s Wellesley victims

Been keeping an eye out for whether any Wellesleyites got duped by alleged thief Bernard Madoff, and while we haven’t seen any on the big lists, Wellesley’s Spaulding Rehabilitation Center and Wellesley College did show up on a list of organizations that had received donations ($5,000 apiece for these two) last year from the Carol and Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation. That foundation had $145 million invested through Madoff that they won’t be getting back, meaning Spaulding, Wellesley College and other recipients of the Shapiro Foundation’s generosity are among those who will feel the trickle down effect of the Madoff scheme.

Wellesley and wacky wine laws

Wellesley rated a mention on the Enobytes web site’s “Top 10 Wackiest Wine Laws That Still Exist” posting (thanks to BobD from the Wellesley Wine Press for passing along)

6. In many states, it is illegal to carry an alcoholic drink from the bar to a table. In some states its illegal to sit at a bar (standing room only) and in other states, you have to be seated to be served! I remember being in Wellesley, MA and saying to a bartender, “You must be a really be a bad bartender, they took away all your seats”. I cant’ keep up with all these wacky state laws!

Of course Wellesley does have some bar stools these days, such as at Blue Ginger and the Cottage, though patrons are encouraged to order food if they want a drink.

Wellesley Centennial quilt

This cozy collection of Wellesley landmarks created in 1981 can be seen at Wellesley Free Library’s local history room.

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Merry Christmas from The Swellesley Report

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Wellesley artist is creative every day

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With the new year approaching fast, you might wanna take up Wellesley artist Leah Piken Kolidas on her challenge to be Creative Every Day. Her recent creativity included taking part in the ongoing Do Not Leave Unattended project in which people mail around notebooks, decorate them with art and words, and highlight them on the web.

Wellesley Townsman parent sues Boston Globe parent

The Globe actually wrote its own story about Gatehouse’s no-chance bid to put a stop to the Globe’s scheme to wipe out the Townsman’s parent company via new online websites targeting Newton, Needham, Waltham and sooner or later, Wellesley.

Management and other employees of Gatehouse are in a tizzy because the Globe has been borrowing rather liberally from the Needham Times and other pubs to fill its new websites. Bloggers and local media have been buzzing about the controversy since last month, but until now, the Globe hadn’t acknowledged the dispute to our knowledge.


Another Wellesley teardown

Yep, this gingerbread house just doesn’t deserve to live. Thinking the Community Preservation Commission isn’t going to rescue this one.

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