Since 2005: More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.
The Wellesley Health Department is offering lots of free activities from April 6-10, some in partnership with local businesses, to celebrate National Public Health Week.
Highlights include:
What’s more, she and partners Aum and Auy have taken a deep dive into the Japanese cuisine they will serve at Charm, which begins its reservations-only soft-opening month on April 4 at 555 Washington St., the former longtime location of Lemon Thai. They all headed to California ahead of opening the restaurant to train with an experienced Japanese chef, and he in return paid the restaurant a visit before it opened to ensure the kitchen was set up properly to prepare ramen, gyoza, and other menu selections. The co-owners learned the importance, for example, of how precise measurements really do make a difference in how their food will taste.
Trahan and team found their Wellesley spot at the start of 2025 and have been readying for their opening since. One not-so-secret weapon for Charm is Trahan’s husband, Paul, a custom carpenter by trade who gutted the space and rebuilt the interior with unique, well, charm. Among the immediate eye-catchers at the nearly 50-seat restaurant, as we saw during a sneak peek in March, are display shelves populated with manga comic book figurines. Trahan says she has so many they plan to sell them to customers at some point.
Charm’s fun decor also features a mural that those in the know realize includes cartoon depictions of the owners’ pre-teen daughters. Trahan’s rascally son also makes a cameo in the painting, launching a paper airplane from above in the work done by one of her kids’ teachers.
All of this provides the backdrop for the food, which can be eaten there or taken out. As the name of the restaurant indicates, Charm serves ramen and rice—a plethora of rice bowls are an option for those on gluten-free diets.
Trahan has visited the Wellesley area frequently to see family, and was struck by a lack of ramen options available. That’s in large part what inspired her to focus Charm on the popular Japanese noodle soup dish. “We all love ramen,” she said about herself and her business partners.
My lunch mates gobbled down Tonkotsu Ramen, served in a thick broth with pork chashu, and Veggie Ramen, featuring seasoned tofu. Ramen bowls range in price from about $15-$20.
The ramen bowls were plenty filling, but the Charm team also shared a sampling of more and more appetizers. As something of a gyoza connoisseur, the first thing I did was ask for the pan-fried pork variety, while Iris opted for the veggie/greenish version. I loved the gyoza that Lemon Thai once served, but Charm’s edition was perhaps the best I’ve had, both light and flavorful. Iris loved the veggie option, and was surprised to learn it included cabbage, which they said they’re usually not a fan of.
Trahan made a point that Charm makes its gyoza fresh on site, whereas most such dumplings are bought frozen by restaurants and heated up, leaving them doughy.
For dessert, Charm offers a selection of mochi ice cream, including green tea, black sesame, mango, chocolate, and strawberry. Another fun finisher is taiyaki, a warm and crispy fish-shaped pastry with creamy custard inside, and served alongside ice cream.
Charm is offering a colorful roster of sodas, teas, an alcoholic beverages. A rainbow of Asian snacks are also displayed at the counter.
The restaurant brings something fresh and new to town, and we expect it to be a hit with locals, including college students.
More: Where to eat in Wellesley (sponsored by black & blue Steak and Crab)
Wellesley Executive Director Meghan Jop said toward the end of her presentation on Annual Town Meeting’s opening night this week that “Town Meeting is a year-round engagement.” True enough, though there are some things you only see at Town Meeting itself, and we saw them early on.
The game plan at the outset of the March 30 session of the town’s legislative body at Wellesley High School was to bump Article 2 (“receiving reports of the Select Board on the Town-Wide Financial Plan and Five-Year Capital Budget Program”) to Tuesday night. Article 2 would serve as a table setter for Article 8’s motions on fiscal year ’27 town and school budgets, separated this year for the first time in decades.
But Town Meeting member Marlene Allen early in the meeting raised a point of order, citing town bylaw 19.16.2.d, which calls for an oral report on the Town-Wide Financial Plan ahead of Town Meeting considering any appropriation-related articles. She called this year’s edition of the plan “exceptionally informative,” but only useful before appropriations are considered. Kaplan responded to the point of order, which he thanked Allen for giving him a heads up about. But he denied the action requested, determining that Article 2 would remain on the next night’s agenda—a few appropriations-related articles slated to be discussed on Monday would be left open until after the Town-Wide Financial Plan was presented, and then those other articles would be closed.
But this wasn’t over.
Kaplan moved on to Article 3, the consent agenda. This was supposed to be the easy one, even though the consent agenda this year was beefier than usual at more than a dozen motions. Under the consent agenda, whose motions are selected based on them being seemingly straightforward and non-controversial, Town Meeting gets to vote on a bunch of stuff in one fell swoop.
Once in a while, a Town Meeting member will rise to request an item be taken off the consent agenda to allow discussion. This time around, Town Meeting member Michael D’Ortenzio rose to ask that motion 3 (HR Department Supplemental Appropriation) under Article 7 be withdrawn. Then then stayed at the mic and asked, one by one, that a total of 10 motions be removed from the consent agenda for later discussion.
All that prompted Kaplan to announce that an earlier indication from him that he expected Town Meeting to wrap in three nights should be amended, and that members should plan to be available for a fourth session on April 7.
It also led to Select Board Chair Marjorie Freiman moving that Article 3, the consent agenda, be “laid on the table” so that Town Meeting could take up Article 2 on Monday night after all. Town Meeting supported that motion by a 163/23/5 vote, and on to Article 2 it was.
Over the next hour, Freiman, Jop, and David Kornwitz (chair of the Retirement Board) went over the Town-Wide Financial Plan, Five-Year Capital Budget Program, and funding for pensions and other post-employment benefits (OPEB).
Freiman kicked things off, introducing the Town-Wide Financial Plan, which sums up the budget process, presents the current year operating budgets and drivers, and looks ahead to three upcoming budgets. “It is the town’s key financial narrative document,” she said, adding that the town is keeping reserves at higher-than-usual levels given the state of the market.
The plan also lays out numerous significant capital projects requested by boards and committees (school air conditioning, reconstruction of Morses Pond recreational facilities, PFAS remediation, and more) and their impact on debt and tax bills, plus the status of reserves. “We need to be realistic about what we need and what we can afford,” said Freiman, after citing Boston Globe reporting on big override votes in peer communities in the face of rising operating and capital costs. Wellesley has created a Town-wide Capital Planning Committee that beginning this spring will begin work on presenting an annual comprehensive capital planning proposal to the Select Board.
“The Select Board is responsible for informing Town Meeting members fully of the upcoming budget and capital project planning. It is each Town Meeting member’s responsibility to evaluate proposals in a town-wide context over the course of many years, to weigh the merits of each proposal, understand that debt exclusions or overrides may be the only method of funding certain projects or operating expenses, and determine taxpayers’ ability and willingness to fund each one as proposed,” she said. Like Jop later, Freiman stressed that people in town will need to pay attention and get involved in budget-related plans throughout the year.
Jop said creation of the Town-Wide Financial Plan starts right after Annual Town Meeting ends, and then incorporates actual financial results as they become available over the summer. Wellesley has had a strong FY26 financially, thanks in part to strong interest earnings, as it plans for FY27 and beyond. The town is coming to Town Meeting with an overall proposed budget of about $226m that’s balanced and delivering largely level services during a year with many union contracts to seal. While health care costs are a killer, Wellesley is feeling good about its participation in the West Suburban Health Group, which is seeing relatively low rate increases. In out years, Wellesley could be looking at debt exclusions to pay for big capital projects, but also can look forward to declining costs for pensions and OPEB, as Kornwitz detailed during his presentation.
Wellesley has the “absolute best funded retirement and retiree health systems in the Commonwealth” thanks in large part to town decisions made earlier in the 2000s to pre-fund OPEB, giving it a head start on other municipalities, Kornwitz said. He dove into details of the board’s guiding principles that have paid off over the years, including mitigating major downside investment risk. “We believe it’s okay to sacrifice some upside potential to reduce risk and volatility of the plan, especially as it’s getting closer and closer to full funding…,” he said, adding that “actuarial smoothing techniques” are used to provide stability.
In distilling Kornwitz’s presentation, Jop spoke of how the town in years to come will be able to pull hundreds of healthcare policies from its operating budget to be covered by the OPEB trust.
Jop wrapped up by discussing capital and debt, and detailed more than $2m in planned free cash spending on projects outlined in later articles like the Weston Road and Linden Street intersection redesign and DPW campus/Municipal Service Building feasibility study.
Town Meeting members had just a couple of questions for the presenters, then the motion was approved.
Following the presentations under Article 2, D’Ortenzio returned to the mic and withdrew his consent agenda withdrawals under Article 3. He explained that he made the original withdrawal requests because he had agreed with fellow member Allen’s earlier point of order about Article 2, and thought that the presentations and questions following them on Monday night were helpful.
The consent agenda motion passed by a vote of 173/2/0 after another Town Meeting member requested just one item be removed for later discussion.
Town Meeting ended with a few motions under Articles 5 and 6. In short, town employees, including the town clerk, are getting paid.
More: Town Meeting scorecard
Moderator Mark Kaplan started off Town Meeting with a little history lesson about the role town meeting played in the American Revolution, in recognition of the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. John Hancock, Kaplan relayed, got his start as moderator of the town meeting—the only form of local government at the time—in Boston. “I certainly didn’t know that and wonder that means for the future for me,” Kaplan quipped. Town meetings had an important influence on the development of the Declaration of Independence.
An annual practice at Town Meeting is to honor past members and other major town contributors who have died.
Five people—William Charlton, Richard Macintosh, Laurance Fitzmaurice, Nancy Saunders, and Jane Kettendorft—were honored.
Moderator Kaplan tested the electronic voting system by asking a test question: Will the Red Sox make it to the World Series? The vote: 104 yes, 77 no, 7 abstaining.
The Sox have their home opener slated for Friday, April 3. No Town Meeting session that day.
Thousands turn to The Swellesley Report daily to keep current on Wellesley:
Easter falls on Sunday, April 5 this year, and a happy one to those who celebrate the holiday. Wellesley has many houses of worship that observe Easter, as well as the solemn holy days leading up to what is considered the most important, fundamental holiday in Christianity.
First Church of Christ, Scientist
8 Rockland St, 781-235-1114
MetroWest Baptist Church
42 Elmwood Rd. 781-235-6025
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
79 Denton Rd., 781-235-7310
St. John the Evangelist Parish (Catholic)
9 Glen Rd., 781-235-0045
St. Paul Parish (Catholic)
502 Washington St., 781-235-1060
Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley Hills
309 Washington St., 781-235-9423
Wellesley Congregational (Village) Church
2 Central St., 781-235-1988
Wellesley Hills Congregational Church
207 Washington St., 781-235-4424
Wellesley Friends Meeting (Quaker)
26 Benvenue St., 781-237-0268
Influential in a very different capacity was Isaac Sprague IV (1811-1895), father of Wellesley’s beloved benefactor. The elder Sprague was a career artist and botanical illustrator. He famously worked alongside John James Audubon, accompanying him on an 1843 expedition up the Missouri River.
This lithograph depicting the White Bay flower was completed by Isaac Sprague IV and appeared in the 1882 book “Flowers of the Field and Forest,” a collection of Sprague’s watercolors juxtaposed with text penned by the Reverend A.B. Hervey. Also known as Gordinia, White Bay flowers are striking blooms with rounded white petals and a center of yellow stamens that grow forth from large shrubs native to Florida and Georgia.
Accompanying Sprague’s illustration was an excerpt from the William Cullen Bryant poem “Among the Trees,” a romantic exploration of the relationship between humans and nature. In Reverend Hervey’s note on the flower, he revered Sprague’s artistic ability and carefully observant eye, writing that “Mr. Sprague has reproduced the beauty and elegance of the flower so faithfully that I need not attempt a further description of it in words.”
The lithograph was donated by Albion Billings Clapp in 1958. Its frame is original to the donation, though we are not sure when exactly it was created. It has since been restored.
As April’s object of the month, the lithograph reminds us of spring’s bloom and is a pleasant and eye-catching representative of Sprague’s talent. However, the illustration also shows the importance of artists in disseminating scientific knowledge and study of our natural world. “Flowers of the Field and Forest” would have been used as an educational tool at the time of its publication. It is also a fascinating example of Victorian literature and study. The unusual combination of popular poetry, detailed scientific watercolors, and conversationally written scientific fact would be seen as odd in today’s publishing world, but perfectly common 150 years ago!
Every month, the Wellesley Historical Society highlights an object from its collection. These objects capture Wellesley stories, both those well-known to us and those yet uncovered. Historic artifacts symbolize and convey important narratives, whether that is the hard-working craftsman behind a piece or a written document that shaped the town’s future. As such, the Wellesley Historical Society collections capture the entirety of Wellesley as a town, from significant happenings to sentimental mementos.
Morgan Stevenson-Swadling is Director of Exhibits & Collections at Wellesley Historical Society.
From Adam Blumer, Wellesley Middle School Social Studies Department Head:
Across the state, all 8th graders take part in Civics Action Projects, where student groups pick an issue they want to work on at the school, local, or state level and develop strategies to try to make change happen. As part of this, we teach students how to create simple surveys to get data on how people feel about their topic and their possible goals/strategies for change. While this is still very much a developing skill, students benefit from getting rich data from an authentic audience to help shape their ultimate proposals at our Civics Fair.
With this in mind, please consider helping out our 8th graders with their Civics Action Projects. If you want to fill out any (or all!) of these surveys, please fill them out by Tuesday, April 7.
Thank you! If you have any questions about the surveys or the Civics Action Project, please contact Adam Blumer, WMS Social Studies Department Head, at blumera@wellesleyps.org
| Topic/General Subject | Target Audience | Link to Google Form | Team | Civics Teacher |
| Homework for WMS students | Parents of WMS students | Click here | W | Taylor |
| Air conditioning at WPS | Parents of WMS students, members of the wider Wellesley community | Click here | W | Taylor |
| WMS start time | Parents of WMS students, members of the wider Wellesley community | Click here | W | Taylor |
| Increasing voter turnout in Wellesley (A) | Parents of WMS students, members of the wider Wellesley community | Click here | M | Chute |
| Improved pediatric medical services for families in financial need | Parents of WMS students, members of the wider Wellesley community | Click here | M | Chute |
| Increasing voter turnout and awareness in Wellesley (B) | All students and Parents of WMS students, members of the wider Wellesley community | Click here | M | Chute |
| Creating positive change at Morses Pond by hosting a fishing tournament | All students and Parents of WMS students, members of the wider Wellesley community | Click here | M | Chute |
| Creating a financial literacy elective class at WMS | All students and Parents of WMS students, members of the wider Wellesley community | Click here | M | Chute |
| Increasing voter turn out in Wellesley | Parents of WMS students, members of the wider Wellesley community | Click here | M | Chute |
| Using unused land in Wellesley | All students and Parents of WMS students, members of the wider Wellesley community | Click here | M | Chute |
| Rising sea levels in Massachusetts | All students and Parents of WMS students, members of the wider Wellesley community | Click here | M | Chute |
| WMS Ropes Course Redesign | All students and Parents of WMS students, members of the wider Wellesley community | Click here | M | Chute |
| Food insecurity in Massachusetts | All students and Parents of WMS students, members of the wider Wellesley community | Click here | M | Chute |
| Beautifying WMS and schools | All students and Parents of WMS students, members of the wider Wellesley community | Click here | M | Chute |
| Youth employment | 8th and 9th graders | Click here | W | Taylor |
| Composting in Wellesley | Wellesley residents | Click here | W | Taylor |
| Trash Pickup | Wellesley residents | Click here | WMS | Eichner |
| Passing Periods | WMS Students & Teachers & Parents | Click here | WMS | Eichner |
| Litter | Wellesley community | Click here | WMS | Eichner |
| Lunch Tables | WMS Parents | Click here | WMS | Eichner |
| Voter Turnout | Wellesley Residents (Electorate) | Click here | S | Hardwick |
| Centennial Park Development | Wellesley Community | Click here | S | Hardwick |
| Financial Literacy Classes in WPS | WPS Community | Click here | S | Hardwick |
| Recess at WMS | Parents of WMS students | Click here | W | Taylor |
| Pollution in Wellesley | Wellesley Community | Click here | S | Hardwick |
Wellesley residents turnout out in big numbers as part of the 3rd major round of country-wide “No Kings” rallies since June 2025. The events started up shortly after Donald Trump was inaugurated into his second term as president in Jan. 2025.
Protesters were there to stand up against what they said were the authoritarian policies of the Trump administration, the need to protect democracy, and to speak against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
ICE raids were on the minds—and placards—of many. “It’s the violence and the lawlessness against people that I object to,” said a member of the crowd who did not want to be named.
Wellesley police were on hand and would occasionally ask people to keep the sidewalks clear.
Against the backdrop of Wellesley’s historic Town Hall, an estimated 600-700 people, some costumed, put in a showing and enjoyed the support of drivers who honked horns as they passed through the busy Washington Street strip. No counterprotests were in evidence at the event.
The peaceful protest was supported by groups including the League of Women Voters of Wellesley; Neighbors United Indivisible; Immigration Justice Group at Temple Beth Elohim; UU Wellesley Hills; World of Wellesley; Wellesley College Young Democratic Socialists; and Wellesley College Democrats.
Many “No Kings” rallies were held in the area, including in Natick, Newton, Needham, and Boston.
News reports say that this was the biggest outcry yet, with over 3,000 organized events from small towns to big cities that drew an estimated 8-9 million people.
White House officials and Trump supporters have been widely quoted as disparaging the protests and saying that they are of no concern to the administration or those who agree with the president’s policies.
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Wellesley’s Annual Town Meeting starts on Monday, March 30 at 7pm at the Wellesley High School, and hopes are for the lighter-than-usual warrant of articles to be discussed and voted over just a few nights. Wellesley Media will be live streaming and recording the sessions; anyone can also attend the meetings, even if not a Town Meeting member (you need to sit in the back if you’re not a member).
The final list of motions has been published, and indicates that a bunch of motions are either now under the consent agenda or won’t be brought forward after all. Motions are the items within articles on the warrant that Town Meeting votes on. Representative Town Meeting is Wellesley’s legislative branch.
The appointed Advisory Committee, which has been vetting articles and making recommendations on motions in recent months, has issued its report to the town.
The warrant this year is heavy on Board of Public Works-sponsored articles, including one about a feasibility study (costing $858k from free cash) for an overhaul of the Department of Public Works and Municipal Light Plant campuses. (Wellesley Town Meeting is something of a Super Bowl for consulting firms bidding on study contracts.)
Weston Road/Linden Street intersection redesign, Hunnewell Field irrigation improvements, and more are on the public works list for Town Meeting.
All eyes will also be on Article 8, with motions split out this year for town and school budgets. This approach was raised at last year’s Annual Town Meeting, with one argument for it being that the omnibus budget is just too darn for Town Meeting members to get their heads around. The Select Board got behind taking the split approach for 2026.
To get perhaps a sneak preview of discussion of this topic at Town Meeting, turn to the March 11 Advisory Committee session, about 35 minutes into Wellesley Media’s recording. Advisory recommended for favorable action on Article 8, Motion 2 (town budget) by a 12-0 count (with one abstention), but only 9-3 (with an abstention) for the roughly $97m public school system budget, a level services budget that met the Select Board’s increase guideline of 3%. Issues such as administrative vs. student facing positions, rising costs vs. falling enrollment, school performance, the continued need or not of neighborhood elementary schools, and general transparency were discussed. (See Advisory report to Town Meeting and in particular the “Executive Summary – Wellesley Public Schools’ Financial Model Overview and Context” document for more background.)
