• Contact Us
  • Events calendar
Entering Swellesley
Pinnacle, Douglas Elliman, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report

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

  • Advertise
  • Contribute
  • Subscribe
  • Eat
  • Wellesley Square
  • School news
  • Private schools, sponsored by Riverbend
  • Public Schools, sponsored by Sexton
  • Camp
  • Kid stuff
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Business news
  • Embracing diversity
  • Letters to the editor
  • Guidelines for letters to the editor
  • Fire & police scanner
  • Worship
  • Live gov’t meetings
  • Events
  • About us
  • Wellesley snow plowing services
 
Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

About The Swellesley Report (Wellesley, Mass.)

This page was updated October, 2023.

We strive to provide a central source of news (through original reporting and links to other news reports) and information about Wellesley, Mass., for residents, those who work here and visitors. While our focus is on Wellesley, we also venture beyond town borders to cover restaurants that might be of interest to you, as well as cultural events such as the In Between Days music festival, plays in Boston, and nearby vacation getaways.

We welcome your story ideas, photos and pitches, though keep in mind that just because something is in the form of a press release doesn’t make it news…

We accept comments on posts, but we moderate them, usually within 24 hours of receipt. We reject those that are rude, redundant, obviously from professional commenters, etc. We may disallow comments on certain posts from the outset or turn off comments for certain posts if things are getting too heated.

We launched Swellesley in December 2005 mainly out of a sense of civic duty and in the spirit of exploring the possibilities of online community journalism. We did begin selling ads in 2011 because people came to us, begging & pleading. So Swellesley is now a small business. Also, because we had so much free time on our hands, we launched Natick Report in 2020.

Why The Swellesley Report?

We’ve been asked this question more than a few times since starting this site. Not that people don’t get the name; it’s more that they wonder if we might be rubbing some people the wrong way by using the term “Swellesley”. We probably are, though we haven’t had any direct complaints.

Nevertheless, we went with the name for a few reasons, the most obvious of which is that it’s pretty easy to remember, which is so important in this day of online searching.

For those who are offended, consider that it could be a lot worse. At least we didn’t stoop to Welle-sleaze.

Also, think about other towns in Massachusetts and the nicknames their towns are stuck with: Braindead (Braintree); Trashland (Ashland); Slummerville (Somerville); or even Snoot-on (Newton). I’m not even going to touch Athol and Nantucket. Then there’s my personal favorite: No Reading (North Reading).

A web site operator in another town told me a few months back that he was showing our site to a longtime member of the media who said: “It’s funny the first time.”

Well, at least we know we got one laugh.

Behind The Swellesley Report

Wellesley residents Deborah and Bob Brown.

Deborah Brown has a background in editing and teaching, and is active in town via a gardening club, through arts projects, and as an advisor for the Wellesley Conservation Land Trust.

Mrs. Swellesley votes, 2022
Mrs. Swellesley votes, 2022

Bob Brown has been a professional reporter and editor since the mid-1980s,  serving as news editor of a high tech business magazine/Web site called Network World from 1989-2017. He left his rather time-consuming part-time gig in mid-2023 as a managing editor and content strategist working on the state’s Mass.gov website. So now Bob is all Reports, all the time.

He’s active in town, having coached baseball and basketball, and serving on the town’s Trails Committee and Wellesley Historical Society board.

July Jubilation, Bob Brown
July Jubilation, 2019. Bob Brown (left)

The content on our site is also contributed by other guest authors and photographers, and as far as we’re concerned, the more of that the better.

Contact info:

Bob Brown (co-editor): theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Deborah  Brown (co-editor, including restaurant/play reviews): deborahcb100@gmail.com

Website design/tech support:  Tech Tamer

“The most important things in life are the connections you make with others.” Tom Ford Welcome to my 2018 Instagram and Facebook challenge…. Wellesley Wednesdays! In this series of weekly posts I will be featuring people I encounter in my hometown of Wellesley, Massachusetts. The common thread will be their photo in the context with which I know them, along with their answer to a specific question. I hope that you will enjoy seeing and reading about some of the beautiful people who make our town special to me. My “first” post of the series are the brilliant and clever Deborah and Bob Brown. Humble, savvy, curious and kind, these two are the faces behind the always helpful and pertinent news blog, “The Swellesley Report.” They met with me a week ago and when asked, “What makes Wellesley swell to you?”, they answered: “It’s Swell that there’s always something going on in Wellesley. The news is there, just waiting to be covered. Thanks Wellesley!” And when I inquired further, “What brings you joy in doing it?” their answer was: “Our joy is in getting out there and discovering every corner of the town and meeting the people who make it run.” So there you have it….their joy is in connection, and I have to say, so is mine. Happy New Year Wellesley! Here’s to more connections in the year to come! #wellesleywednesdays #bethsheddphotography #swellesleyreport #connection #joy #week1

A post shared by Beth Shedd (@beth_shedd) on Jan 2, 2018 at 9:11pm PST

Advertisements:

Linden Square, Wellesley
Details, Wellesley
YMCA Needham

Tip us off…

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

Advertisements

Wellesley Merchants
Wellesley, Jesamondo
Fay School, Southborough
Sexton test prep, Wellesley
Feldman Law
Wellesley Theatre Project
Volvo
Prepped and Polished Boston Tutoring and Test Prep
Papa Wheelies, Wellesley
Cheesy Street Grill
Admit Fit, Wellesley
charles river chamber
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Subscribe to our email newsletter

Fill out simple subscription form.

Our newsletter is free, though we appreciate any financial support for our independent journalism venture.

Follow Swellesley on Google News Showcase

The Swellesley Report has been selected to be highlighted on Google News Showcase. Please follow us there.

Most Read Posts

  • Wellesley Public Schools share enrollment update: Some ups, lots of downs
  • Get your Wellesley Thanksgiving dinner delivered by Feast & Fettle
  • Wellesley Police mourn passing of Officer Lamars Hughes
  • Wellesley Special Town Meeting night #2: Library Board wins 1, loses 1; Inclusionary zoning changes approved; ADU motion fails
  • Wellesley business buzz: Hedi's Furniture heads out of town; Unique salon opens; Lax store plots move

Click on Entering Natick sign to read our Natick Report

Entering Natick road sign

Upcoming Events

Nov 17
10:00 am - 11:30 am

Select Board office hours

Nov 18
9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Jewelry, Tools, and Toys Sale at UU Wellesley

Nov 18
9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Wellesley Marketplace annual shopping event

Nov 18
7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra 20th Anniversary Concert

Nov 19
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Babson College, film screening of “The Greatest Showman”

View Calendar

Recent Comments

  • Je'Lesia M. Jones on Wellesley Police mourn passing of Officer Lamars Hughes
  • John Harkavy on Wellesley Police mourn passing of Officer Lamars Hughes
  • Lesli on Wellesley Police mourn passing of Officer Lamars Hughes
  • Pete Leone on Wellesley Police mourn passing of Officer Lamars Hughes
  • Rose on 200 Pond Road senior living proposal on Wellesley/Natick line coming to Planning Board

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

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