Help chart the course for Wellesley Public Schools (no pressure, though)

February 2, 2023 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

We just helped the Wellesley Public Schools chart a course for its future and you can, too, by taking part in the WPS Strategic Planning Survey. Access the survey here.

The WPS Strategic Planning Survey will be open until Friday, Feb. 10, 5pm.

The Strategic Planning Survey is open to all those invested in the future of the Wellesley Public Schools including parents and guardians, teachers and staff, current 8-12 grade students, alumni, and Wellesley residents. It is available in five languages.

It takes about 15 minutes to complete multiple choice questions on about a dozen topics such as academics, communication, diversity, equity, school bus use, the MCAS test; extracurriculars, residents’ feelings on exploring the concept of adding universal preK to the Wellesley Public Schools, the importance of school rankings (such as those put forth by national news sources and ranking services), and more.

Most sections include room for respondents to elaborate on their bubble-filling choices with a few sentences.

The survey is part of the WPS Strategic Planning process that has been underway since fall 2022. The results from the survey will help guide the vision and direction for the district for the next five years.

Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Business Buzz: PopUpBagels postpones sale, but delay might not be long; State settles with auto dealer’s parent; Alta Strada is back

February 2, 2023 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

The latest Wellesley, Mass., business news:

PopUpBagels plans pop-up sale… might it stay?

(Update: 12pm on 2/2): A Redding, Conn., bagel maker dubbed PopUpBagels was planning to do a 1-day pop-up at Capt. Marden’s on Linden St., in Wellesley on Saturday, Feb. 11, but now say it’s pre-ordering slated for Feb. 2 has been postponed until further notice as it sorts things out with the town. A town official indicated that once some permitting paperwork is taken care of, the sale could take place without much delay.

Their standard pricing appears to be $38 for a dozen bagels and 2 schmears based on sales in other communities. So yeah, at least twice that of say, a Bruegger’s (Bruegger’s bailed from Wellesley in 2020, leaving a bagel hole in town.)

PopUpBagels Founder Adam Goldberg says “We chose Wellesley because they chose us. Several of your residents have had our bagels while passing through Connecticut and have repeatedly reached out to us to come set up there for a day or more.”

The business planned to bake its bagels on site at Capt. Marden’s… and could be enticed to set up shop in town on a more permanent basis.

“Yes, we are seriously considering Wellesley as a permanent location for us. But please understand that we are not your every day bagel shop. We do not make sandwiches or salads or sell single bagels. All of our bagels are made fresh to order and sold only by the dozen paired with weekly creative schmears…” Goldberg says.

PopUpBagels has some well-known investors, and has grabbed the attention of The New York Times and others.

State settles with Wellesley auto dealer’s parent over deceptive & discriminatory pricing

From the Office of the Attorney General:

Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced that her office has reached a $350,000 settlement with Hometown Auto Framingham, Inc. to resolve allegations that the company engaged in the unfair, deceptive and discriminatory pricing of “add-on” products sold to Black and Hispanic consumers.

The assurance of discontinuance, filed in Suffolk Superior Court, alleges that Hometown Auto, which operates two car dealerships located in Wellesley [editor’s note: Wellesley Mazda on Rte. 9] and Danvers, charged Black and Hispanic consumers higher prices for “add-on” products in comparison to white consumers. “Add-on” products are extra goods or services sold to a consumer who purchases or leases a car; these include products like guaranteed asset protection (GAP) products, paint protection products, tire and wheel protection products and remote starters.

“Consumers need to know that their race or ethnicity will have absolutely no effect on the type of service they receive from Massachusetts auto dealerships or the prices they will be charged,” said AG Campbell. “My office is committed to protecting consumers from predatory and discriminatory practices that stand in the way of upward mobility, and we will continue our advocacy to ensure all consumers are being charged for services equally and fairly.”

Read entire press release.

Alta Strada is back to cooking up Italian classics

Alta Strada in Wellesley Square has welcomed back customers after a brief closure for kitchen and dining room upgrades.

For more on over 50 Wellesley restaurants, check out our Where to Eat page.

Or maybe shake things up a bit and discover Where to Eat in Natick.

Wellesley sports: Reidy field due for new scoreboard; 8th grader Bella Gopen wins tennis title; Super Sox fan; Wellesley lax all-stars in A Shot for Life games

February 1, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The latest Wellesley, Mass. sports news:

Reidy field due for new scoreboard

Wellesley Youth Baseball & Softball is seeking to replace the scoreboard at Reidy Field that was installed in 2007 when the field was renovated.

“We have been nursing our old scoreboard along since 2016, but it finally ‘bit the dust’ in 2021,” says organization admin Ann Williams.

The new board wouldn’t have any “fancy bells and whistles,” but would just include the basics such as home and away scoring, balls, strikes, etc. The hope is to have it in place by opening day, April 24.

The subject is on the Natural Resources Commission agenda for its Feb. 2 meeting.

ALCubs_17Champs-1000x429 — The Reidy Field scoreboard all lit up in better days (2017)

8th grader Bella Gopen wins tennis championship

With her recent United States Tennis Association New England 14-and under Sectional Championship win, Wellesley Middle School 8th grader Bella Gopen has become one of the top young players around.

Gopen didn’t just win the Sectional Championship this year—she dominated at the Jan. 13-15 event at Concord’s Thoreau Club. The Wellesley resident made the finals a year ago as a first-year 14-and-under player, so expectations were high. She handled it by not dropping a set.

Gopen started hitting the ball around with her mom at the age of 8. Now 14, Gopen has been playing USTA competitive tennis since she was 11, and is competing both regionally and nationally.

This past December, she traveled to Tuscon to play in the USTA Winter Nationals LI, where she and doubles partner Sasha Miroshnichenko (Southlake, Texas) reached the quarterfinals of the girls 14 doubles.

“I love the competition aspect of tennis and problem solving on the court,” Gopen says. “I also love my tennis friends who understand the hard work and sacrifice this sport entails to do well.”

Strengths for Gopen are her consistency and “patience to move the ball until I get the right one to be aggressive and put away with my forehand or at net.” Running down balls and playing tough defense are also signature skills.

Off the court, Gopen loves to cook and hang out with her friends and family.

Super Sox fan Lynne Smith gets AARP’s attention

Wellesley’s Lynne Smith, she of the eye-catching Red Sox outfits, is among the fans over 50 highlighted in an AARP online magazine article. While others obsess over Harry Styles or The Sopranos, Smith (and husband Gary) are huge Sox fans, and Lynne wears her devotion on her sleeve and pretty much everywhere else.

“A few years ago, the Red Sox made me a special ambassador, and I can go anywhere in the park. It’s a magical place, and fans like to get their picture taken with the Hat Lady. I once calculated that I’ve been in about 10,000 photos,” she tells AARP.

Lynne Smith, Fenway Hat Lady, Wellesley — Wellesley’s Lynne Smith, with ex-Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley

Wellesley lacrosse all-stars tapped to play in A Shot for Life game

Wellesley residents Charlie Hazard (Belmont Hill) and Avery Mather (Dana Hall) have been selected to participate in a lacrosse all-star game dubbed A Shot for Life that raises funds for the Mass General Cancer Center. A Shot for Life events also include other sports, including baseball, softball, basketball, and soccer.

This cause is of special interest to Mather, whose mother Heather says Avery’s grandmother has been successfully treated at MGH. “So this lacrosse fundraising seemed like the perfect confluence of interests for her.”

The Clash Against Cancer games will be played later in February (the girls’ game is on Feb. 26 at Union Point in Weymouth).

More: Wellesley’s 2023 Boston Marathon charity runners

2 chances to meet Wellesley’s town-wide office candidates

February 1, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

You have 2 upcoming chances to meet Wellesley’s town-wide office candidates for the Annual Town Election on Tuesday, March 7:

Sustainable Wellesley’s Conversation With The Candidates: Monday, Feb. 13

Sustainable Wellesley is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that focuses on climate and other issues related to protecting the environment.

It will be holding a Conversation with the Candidates on Monday, Feb. 13 from 7-9pm at the Wakelin Room at the Wellesley Free Library. Come hear where candidates stand on issues related to sustainability.

The League of Women Voters of Wellesley’s Meet the Candidates Night: Thursday, Feb. 16

The League of Women Voters of Wellesley’s Meet the Candidates Night will be held virtually on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7pm. Learn about candidates for town-wide office and hear their positions on issues of importance to the town. The event will be live-streamed, broadcast live on Comcast 8/Verizon 40, and will be recorded for on-demand viewing.

The League is a nonpartisan political organization which does not support or oppose candidates.

Voters are invited to submit questions for candidates by email: lwvwellesley2@gmail.com by 5 pm on Feb. 15. Questions will be screened for lack of bias, relevance, and applicability to all candidates for each office. Similar questions may be consolidated.

There will be no print version of the League’s Election Guide this year. The Guide will be posted by February 16 to the League’s Election Guide platform, vote411.org, where voters can also find personalized election information on how and where to vote. Information about The Meet the Candidates Night event, the Election Guide and other election-related material may be viewed on the League’s website, and on the Town Clerk’s website.

Separately, League of Women Voters of Wellesley members Skye Jacobs (Wellesley High ’24, Town Meeting member) and Ivy Wang (Wellesley High ’24, Town Meeting member) organized a voter registration event at Wellesley High School. Two of the first-time voters will be turning 18 only a few days before the election.

One student said, “I’m too young to vote but my parents rely on me to research the candidates for them.”

students registration — Skye Jacobs (left, standing), Ivy Wang (right, standing). Seated in background: Volunteers Amelia Cookson and Katie Passanisi. Foreground: 2 students registering to vote. (Photo courtesy of the League of Women Voters of Wellesley)

Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

We visited the Wellesley RDF for some aromatherapy—seriously

January 31, 2023 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Right now, the Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility is the most fragrant place in town. In a good way. When we stopped by to deal with our weekly transfer station chores, we inhaled the freshest, most invigorating pine-y aroma as we separated glass from cans, and chipboard from newspapers (whatever those are). As we rounded the corner en route to the trash compactor, we found the scent source. A mountain of discarded Christmas trees towered over the adjacent leaf litter and grass clippings. It was at once both beautiful and sad.

We’re always on the lookout for a bargain to share with our readers. The Wellesley RDF’s self-serve aromatherapy treatments are hot (and free) right now.

Next time you’re at the RDF breathe in the fresh smell. I’m telling you, it’s as restorative as forest bathing. It’s OK to get out of your vehicle and admire the trees. Consider thanking them for their holiday-time service and for all the happiness they brought to Wellesley families.

Just don’t try to walk through the “forest.” Wandering around the yard waste disposal area is strictly against RDF rules. Apparently tripping hazards outweigh the potential health benefits. But you may gaze upon the scene and inhale…exhale. When you’re later asked why you exude such serenity, just smile. Only you need to know about the RDF pine tree pile, the cheapest aromatherapy option out there.

Never say we don’t have a nose for news.

Wellesley RDF hours

Monday-Wednesday, 7am-noon
Thursday-Saturday, 7am-3:45pm
Sunday-closed (Sunday hours will resume in April)

Please support our independent journalism venture

Wellesley Choral Society’s Feb. 4 concert inspired by Silver Screen

January 31, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The Wellesley Choral Society‘s next concert, “Music from the Silver Screen,” will take place on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 7pm at the Wellesley Hill Congregational Church (Sanctuary), 207 Washington St. in Wellesley.

The music performed will be a mix of movie themes, classical and popular songs, and Broadway show tunes found in film. Selections from such films as Amadeus, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Guys and Dolls, South Pacific, Disney productions, and many more will be presented. The WCS is led by Edward Whalen, music director, and will be accompanied on piano by Hisako Hiratsuka.

The event, while traditionally in a pops/cabaret style with refreshments, will be in concert form with no refreshments served this year due to COVID protocols. There will be a sing-along and silent auction (cash or check only, please). Masks are required for audience and singers.

The Wellesley Hills Congregational Church is accessible and there is ample free parking. Tickets may be purchased online or at the door: general admission $20, seniors and students $15, ages 12 and under are free. The Society has donated a limited number of free tickets to the Council on Aging at the Tolles Parsons Center, 500 Washington, St., Wellesley. Please call 781-235-3961 to see if tickets are still available.

Become a Swellesley supporter

Wellesley Town Meeting has full plate: Stormwater fund, equity audit, a Hardy helper & more

January 30, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Wellesley Town Meeting, when it meets starting on March 27 at the middle school in person for the first time since pre-pandemic days, will have 47 articles and who knows how many motions to decide upon.

You can wade through the articles yourself below, plus get a richer understanding by checking out the Advisory Committee’s hearing on the articles on Thursday, Feb. 9.

We saw no big surprises on the warrant, though plenty for Town Meeting to chew on.

While about half of the articles come from the Select Board, the Board of Public Works will keep Town Meeting busy with a handful as well. These include approval for funding an Enterprise Stormwater Utility Fund to enable Wellesley to more fairly pay for handling stormwater in light of increased rules for doing so. This effort has been in the works for the past couple of years. The fund will result in yet another bill for property owners, though the Department of Public Works has tried to soften the blow for many by pointing to a set-up that will result in colleges and other big property owners paying more for such services than they have under the current system. Also on tap from Public Works is an article to fund a huge project to reconstruct, rehab and repair Weston Road this summer.

Article 17 pairs adoption of an anti-racism and anti-bias resolution and funding of a $100K equity audit. The audit will establish a baseline to understand how racism and unconscious bias might affect town polices and practices, and help to develop a path forward to address such issues.

Town Meeting may or may not be asked to approve more funding for the Hardy Elementary School construction project, as the latest bidding amounts, per School Committee member Melissa Martin at a recent meeting, have come in lower than expected. More data will become available between now and Town Meeting, but to play things safe, Article 19 from the School Committee and Permanent Building Committee has been included on the warrant. (See also: “Hardy School in Wellesley within budget—for now”).

There’s 1 citizen petition on the warrant, and it seeks to pause installation of new field or court lights on public land until a committee is formed to analyze the costs and benefits associated with adding lights. A private fundraising effort to cover the cost of light installation at Hunnewell track & field is well underway after a contentious decision-making process regarding light installation. The Natural Resources Commission last year approved a School Committee plan to add lights.

Other articles deal with topics such as greener building standards, more accessible public housing, a big battery storage system, extending the term of office for the moderator from 1 year to 3, and putting more teeth into wetlands violations.

Download (PDF, 1.1MB)

The Swellesley Report