• Contact Us
  • Events calendar
Entering Swellesley
Pinnacle, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

  • Advertise
  • Wellesley Square
  • Deland, Gibson Insurance Athlete of the Week
  • Camp
  • Private schools, sponsored by Riverbend
  • Business index
  • Contribute
  • Eat
  • Schools
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Embracing diversity
  • Kids
  • About us
  • Events
  • Natick Report
  • Seniors
  • Letters to the editor
  • Guidelines for letters to the editor
  • Live government meetings
  • Raiders sports schedules & results
  • Fire & police scanner
  • 2023 Town Election
 
Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

Happy 15th birthday to us: The Year in Swellesley

January 2, 2020 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

Nothing ever happens in Wellesley. Except it does.

We’ve enjoyed another full year of sharing your stories, breaking news and watching it go viral, and weaving in our personal adventures.

Wellesley Town Hall
Wellesley Town Hall

 

With the Swellesley Jrs. aging out of the Wellesley Public School system, Mrs. Swellesley turned her attention to The Swellesley Report as her full-time job. Our goal for 2020, our 16th year publishing, is to have Mr. Swellesley do the same.

Thank you to everyone who sent news tips and financial contributions to Swellesley in what has by far been our top year for readership and reader support. And huge thanks to all of our advertisers, who help to make Swellesley possible from a financial standpoint.

Swellesley highlights this year included:

  • The silly but sensational tale of people swiping the Old Town Road signs in Wellesley, and the town deciding to stop replacing them until singer Lil Nas X fever dies down. Yes, this went viral, with everyone from CNN to the New York Times picking it up from here.
    Old Town Road
    Old Town Road sign (Google Maps)

     

  • Answering your questions about stinky streets, harder-to-use mailboxes, EEE mosquito spraying, measles, an abandoned $6.5M home, political signs, and Truly Yogurt’s change in ownership.
  • The opening of the Boston Sports Institute, which generated one of the year’s feel-good stories–the introduction of sled hockey to town. Plus lots of new or refurbished sports fields in town, big upgrades on the way for the softball fields, and a brand new boardwalk with a vernal pool view.
Wellesley boardwalk
Wellesley Ecocampers make use of the vernal pool overlook.

 

  • The ongoing school building plans, town hall renovations,  possible Wellesley Square re-imagining, possible changes at Morses Pond, and all those housing developments. Plus the comings and goings of Wellesley town officials, including Wellesley Public Schools’ hiring of its first diversity director. Not to mention, Wellesley now has a Unified Plan.
  • The Wellesley Veterans’ Parade, fireworks and other Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend activities.
  • Celebrating residents’ accomplishments in academics, the arts, business and sports. We tracked police and firefighter activity (including a fire at Hunnewell Elementary School). We helped to get the word out about community events and charitable endeavors. We mourned the loss of residents we loved or knew of and respected.
  • The ins and outs for local businesses, with White’s Bakery,  Loyal Companion and The Shade Store among newcomers, and Upper Crust, Village Market and Florijn among those leaving.
  • More automation coming to town, including at Roche Bros. in the form of self-checkout lanes, and at Wellesley Free Library in the form of an automated book handling system. Town Meeting members even voted electronically the last time around. Based on what we saw at the excellent, every-other-year STEM Expo, more automation is on the way.
  • Entertainment news, from a Wellesley resident being chosen to appear on “The Bachelor “TV show and to the release of “Knives Out,” a movie shot in part in Wellesley in 2108. And watch out Elton John.
lynne smith elton john
Lynne Smith: Wellesley’s Rocket Woman

 

  • Babson College scoring a $50M donation, and moving its giant renovated globe to a new park as part of the school’s centennial celebration. Anita Hill spoke at Wellesley College.
  • Bowing down to 2019 WHS seniors for pulling off a brilliant year-end prank designed to grab attention but not land anyone in jail or off a college’s acceptance list.
wellesley high senior tailgate
WHS surprise tailgate

 

  • We enjoyed the general weirdness and wonderfulness around here, from a reed pump organ being left at the Wellesley dump to the Thanksgiving Day football game skirmish that grabbed more attention than the Raiders’ strong season to a unique buck carving from a diseased tree on a residential lot.
organ wellesley
Estey organ left at Wellesley RDF (photo courtesy of Hilary Prus)

 

Wood carving, Overbrook Dr., Wellesley

 

On a more personal note:

  • Mr. and Mrs. Swellesley followed their true calling as supermodels for a Wellesley Free Library photo exhibit.
Wellesley Wednesdays, Beth Shedd
The Swellesleys made the cut for Beth Shedd’s Wellesley Wednesdays by Beth Shedd

 

  • Mr. Swellesley and one of the Swellesley Jrs. educated and entertained throngs of students with their yo-yo spectacular at Wellesley High Seminar Day.
  • Things got tense after Mr. Swellesley mistakenly brought library books to the dump.
  • Mrs. Swellesley spoke or held court at locations including the Council on Aging.
  • We were fortunate to have intern Lara Smith contributing throughout the summer.
  • Mr. Swellesley showed his artistic side with an exclusive Pollen Art Exhibit.
  • Mr. and Mrs. Swellesley melded minds with fellow independent online news publishers at a conference in Nashville, where the Grand Ole Opry gave us a shout-out.
  • Mr. Swellesley survived a flying shovel.
  • Mrs. Swellesley listened to her inner Marie Kondo, and our kitchen will never be the same (for a few months).
  • Beyond Wellesley, we took you to Boston Calling, the Woods Hole Film Festival, and more.

We finished the year by ringing the Salvation Army bells in Linden Square to help raise funds for local initiatives. We saw dozens of people we knew during our shift, and thanked many we didn’t know, but they all reminded us of the magical stuff we have here.

elsa in wellesley square

support swellesley

print

Filed Under: Beyond Wellesley, Books, Dump, Education, Houses, Humor, Kids, Media, Outdoors, Sports, Technology, Town Meeting, Uncategorized

Comments

  1. Katherine (Gig) Babson says

    January 3, 2020 at 6:53 am

    Congratulations on 15 years of keeping our community informed on a daily basis!
    The stories, the photos, even the ads, are help to remind us what a fine community we have.
    Please keep up all the very good work.
    Thank you very much!

    Gig Babson

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Linden Square, Wellesley
Riverbend, Natick

Tip us off…

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

 

Advertisements

Wellesley Square, Wellesley Merchants
Wellesley, Jesamondo
Beacon Hill Athletic Club, Wellesley
Fay School, Southborough
Sexton test prep
Feldman Law
Wellesley Theatre Project
Volvo
Cheesy Street Grill
Mature Caregivers
Admit Fit, Wellesley
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
Never miss a post with our free daily Swellesley Report email
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide

You can subscribe for free, though we appreciate any contribution that supports our independent journalism.

Click on Entering Natick sign to read our Natick Report

Entering Natick road sign

Most Read Posts

  • Letters-to-the-editor day in Wellesley—important election-time updates
  • Wellesley business buzz: Board business liaison phased out; Help ID top business leaders of color; Hospital taps new president
  • Business buzz: Nantucket wine bar to boast Wasik's cheeses; Needham Bank has new Wellesley branch manager; Thanks to new sponsor Beacon Hill Athletic Clubs
  • Wellesley Veterans Parade will be one big wonderful Tea Party
  • Does Wellesley need a new traffic light? Slow down before you drive to any conclusions

Upcoming Events

Jan 31
9:00 am - 11:00 am Recurring

Coffee and Conversation with the Wetlands Administrator and Staff

Jan 31
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Families Eat Together online presentation

Feb 1
11:59 pm

Deadline for Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club grants application

Feb 3
10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Sara Campbell winter warehouse sale

Feb 4
10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Sara Campbell winter warehouse sale

View Calendar

Popular pages

  • Wellesley’s 7 official scenic roads

Recent Comments

  • David B on Does Wellesley need a new traffic light? Slow down before you drive to any conclusions
  • LADY WELLESLEY on Wellesley police officer injured in crash at intersection of Grove and Benvenue
  • Peggy Heffernan on Wellesley police officer injured in crash at intersection of Grove and Benvenue
  • Beth Dublin on Wellesley police officer injured in crash at intersection of Grove and Benvenue
  • Erika on Where to buy the Wellesleyest stuff in Wellesley

Links we like

  • Danny's Place
  • Great Runs
  • Jack Sanford: Wellesley's Major League Baseball Star
  • Tech-Tamer
  • The Wellesley Wine Press
  • Universal Hub
  • Wellesley Sports Discussion Facebook Group

Categories

  • 2021 Town Election (24)
  • 2023 Town Election (2)
  • Animals (428)
  • Antiques (49)
  • Art (592)
  • Beyond Wellesley (52)
  • Books (376)
  • Business (1,557)
  • Camp (10)
  • Careers/jobs (53)
  • Churches (82)
  • Clubs (236)
  • Construction (300)
  • Dump (130)
  • Education (3,189)
    • Babson College (252)
    • Bates Elementary School (18)
    • Dana Hall School (36)
    • Fiske Elementary School (11)
    • Hardy Elementary School (47)
    • Hunnewell Elementary School (46)
    • MassBay (57)
    • Schofield Elementary School (26)
    • Sprague Elementary School (19)
    • St. John School (2)
    • Tenacre Country Day School (11)
    • Upham Elementary School (35)
    • Wellesley College (613)
    • Wellesley High School (996)
    • Wellesley Middle School (204)
  • Embracing diversity (84)
  • Entertainment (814)
  • Environment (772)
  • Fashion (144)
  • Finance (15)
  • Fire (173)
  • Food (358)
  • Fundraising (641)
  • Gardens (164)
  • Government (604)
    • 2020 Town Election (47)
    • 2022 Town Election (15)
  • Health (866)
    • COVID-19 (203)
  • Hikes (6)
  • History (400)
  • Holidays (440)
  • Houses (162)
  • Humor (47)
  • Kids (867)
  • Law (8)
  • Legal notices (10)
  • Letters to the Editor (71)
  • Media (72)
  • METCO (4)
  • Military (13)
  • Morses Pond (109)
  • Music (580)
  • Natick Report (30)
  • Neighbors (280)
  • Obituaries & remembrances (86)
  • Outdoors (655)
  • Parenting (63)
  • Police (778)
    • Crime (395)
  • Politics (554)
  • POPS Senior Profile (10)
  • RDF (6)
  • Real estate (344)
  • Religion (138)
  • Restaurants (340)
  • Safety (155)
  • Scouts (2)
  • Seniors (127)
  • Shopping (163)
  • Sponsored (6)
  • Sports (1,012)
    • Athlete of the Week (12)
  • STEM (108)
  • Technology (165)
  • Theatre (397)
  • Town Meeting (23)
  • Transportation (240)
  • Travel (17)
  • Uncategorized (1,244)
  • Volunteering (350)
  • Weather (179)
  • Wellesley Election 2019 (21)
  • Wellesley Free Library (280)
  • Wellesley Holiday Gift Guide (2)
  • Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend (20)

© 2023 The Swellesley Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login