The Belmont Voice

News

Schools FY2027 Budget Proposal Includes Staffing Boost for Special Education

Belmont Public School’s proposed budget includes a boost in special education staffing, totaling $74.4 million, a 5.3% increase over fiscal year 2026. According to Superintendent Jill Geiser, the district plans to reduce its contract services in favor of adding 1.5 psychologists, two board certified behavioral analysts, and four additional behavioral support staff. The district will also add two special education teachers and two professional aids. In addition, six classroom aid positions will be converted into behavioral support staff positions. “I…

News

Grant for electric buses awarded to Belmont

Belmont received a $1.8 million grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MCEC) to help…

News

BPS Contract Talks to Resume Under State Mediation

Contract negotiations between the Belmont Public Schools (BPS) and the Belmont Education Association (BEA) are…

News

Department Restructuring in Pipeline for FY27 Budget

The $35 million budgeted each fiscal year to support municipal services may see a roughly…

Lifestyle

Etiquette Classes Emphasize Empathy and Confidence

When Emily Post’s “Etiquette” was first published in 1922, it advised against hiring butlers with…

Business

Business

Real Estate Transactions for Jan. 28, 2026 to Feb. 6, 2026

Real estate transactions in Belmont for Jan. 28, 2026 to Feb. 6, 2026. Includes five properties with prices ranging from…

Business

Real Estate Transactions for Jan. 14, 2026 to Jan. 23, 2026

Real estate transactions in Belmont for Jan. 14, 2026 to Jan. 23, 2026. Includes five properties with prices ranging from…

Business

Food, Community Meet at Bellmont Caffe

A few minutes after the bread vendor arrived at Bellmont Caffè, owner Rachid Smairi and his staff were discussing the…

Business·News

Marking a Year on Leonard Street, SALT is Thriving

A dip in the ocean—that was always the cure, as far as Patty Grady’s grandmother was concerned. “My grandmother always…

Business·News

Alcoholic Beverage Policy Amended to Expand Business Potential

Municipal budgets—which fund the services residents rely on—depend heavily on multiple sources of revenue, from property taxes and state aid,…

Arts

Arts

Low-Vision Actress Embodies Resilience in ‘Wait Until Dark’

Belmont resident Eliza Barmakian ran through her blocking during a Saturday morning rehearsal at the Greater Boston Stage Company with…

Arts

Cultural Council Distributes Annual Grants

Eye-catching, colorful public art has been brightening Trapelo Road (among other streets) since 2020. Now, thanks to a vital grant…

Arts·Lifestyle·News

Using the Arts to Confront the Racism That’s Not Always Seen

Inside Belmont High School’s Black Box Theater on Friday, Feb. 27, music and poetry will take on a subject some…

Sports

Sports

Belmont Ski Racing Achieves Team Milestone

The Belmont High School ski team reached a milestone this winter: For the first time in program history, it qualified…

Sports

Kelleher Brothers Link Belmont to Olympic Gold Medal-Winning USA Ice Hockey

On two different days in February, palpable tension mounted at the Milano Santaguilia Ice Hockey Arena. The United States and…

Sports

Belmont Well-Represented in D2 Rugby National Title-Winning Vermont

Roman Legere said he learned a lot of important lessons competing for the Belmont High School rugby team and listed…

Lifestyle

Lifestyle·News

Chinese American Association New Year Gala Marks 10th Anniversary

As the Belmont Chinese American Association (BCAA) marks its 10th anniversary this year, current and former leaders remain dedicated to offering inclusive events “by the community, for the community,” said Michael Gao, a member of the Board of Directors. The…

Lifestyle

One Belmont Resident’s Lifelong Quest to Empower, Preserve Democracy

When 9-year-old Frances Moore Lappé opened the front door to her Fort Worth, Texas, home in 1953, FBI agents stood on the porch. Her parents had co-founded the city’s first…

Lifestyle

LEGO Robotics Team Wraps First Season With Ringing Success

Christmas lights glowed across the wooden floor of First LEGO League Robotics Team Head Coach Sterling Crockett’s living room, where five members of the Cyber Guardians of Huntrix gathered recently…

Lifestyle

Holiday Squirrels Star in Belmont Team’s New Book

While angels and stars are traditional Christmas tree toppers, for Clover and Pumpkin, only a golden acorn would do. The fluffy-tailed rodent pals scamper their way through “A Squirrely Christmas,”…

Lifestyle

Belmont Couple Creates Their Own Road Story

When you ask people for their favorite vacation story, likely the most common answers focus on the commonplace, such as a great meal, a great museum tour, or some other…

Opinion

Generations: Language Fluency Hones Mental Acuity

by Elissa Ely

After the gold watch and the farewell luncheon, some of us turn to the next worry: cognitive loss. Experts (and…

Garden Gems: Regional Group Spreads Native Plant Seeds to Support Pollinators

by Jenny Angel

Back in COVID times, many of us discovered new activities in quarantine. Some of us learned a new craft or…

Generations: Are Urgent Cares Really Urgent?

by Junyoung Hong

Back in September, I learned more about the American health care system than I probably ever wanted to, all because…

Ask Lisa: Reconnecting With Your Teenager

by Lisa Gibalerio

Is it possible for parents to engage their teen children in real conversations? One parent wrote me: We have two…

Latest Articles

News

School Committee Notes, Feb. 24, 2026

March 6, 2026

Clothing Drive Student Advisory Council representative Andrew Ge announced the high school student senate’s clothing drive collected about 2,700 items of clothing. The clothes will be donated to the nonprofit Cradles to Crayons. Chenery Roof Funding Superintendent Jill Geiser and Town Administrator…

News

Zoning for Hotels Receives Town Meeting Approval

March 6, 2026

Town Meeting members voted Thursday night to approve the Center Gateway Overlay District, creating the chance a hotel may be built on Concord Avenue. The vote was 196-52 with six abstentions. Because the Gateway District Overlay did not have a residential requirement,…

News

BEA Votes No Confidence in School, Town Officials

March 5, 2026

Teachers in red apparel filled desks and lined the walls of a Chenery Upper Elementary School classroom Wednesday evening to notify the Select Board of the union’s recent vote of no confidence in school and town officials. Speaking before the Select Board,…

News

Town Meeting Approves Belmont Center Overlay District

March 5, 2026

After a lengthy and contentious debate Wednesday night, Town Meeting ultimately approved the Belmont Center Overlay District, 165-87, with 10 abstentions. With its passage, the town can begin accepting project applications Nov. 1, 2026. “I think it’s an excellent plan which… is,…

News

State Earmarks Cash for Legal Aid

March 3, 2026

The fiscal year 2027 state budget earmarked $5 million to create a program providing legal assistance to people facing deportation. According to state Rep. David Rogers, that money is now being spent. Twenty-four attorneys are working with people facing federal immigration action.…

News

Woman Killed in Trapelo Road Crash

March 2, 2026

A 77-year-old woman died Saturday morning after being struck by a vehicle on Trapelo Road between Beech and Hull streets, according to police. According to Belmont Interim Police Chief Mark Hurley, Belmont Police, along with the Massachusetts State Police, are investigating the…

News

District Attorney Shares Fraud-Awareness Tips

March 2, 2026

With aggressive scammers targeting seniors, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan offered no-nonsense advice during a Feb. 19 Zoom meeting with the Belmont Woman’s Club. A member of the nonprofit organization herself, the longtime law enforcement official answered questions from members on how…

News

Select Board Notes, Feb. 23, 2026

February 28, 2026

Cardboard Event Residents are invited to bring cardboard for recycling to the Department of Public Works yard on March 7, free of charge. The event comes in response to some missed pickups in town, according to Select Board Vice Chair Taylor Yates.…

Sports

Belmont High School Sports Roundup, Feb. 27

February 27, 2026

Girls basketball –The girls basketball team didn’t play this week as they prepare to face No. 9 Needham in the first round of the MIAA tournament on Feb. 27. The Marauders (13-7) are seeded 24th. Boys Basketbal l–The boys basketball team captured…

News

Overlay Votes on Deck at Town Meeting

February 27, 2026

The highly anticipated votes on the Belmont Center Overlay are just days away. There are two overlay proposals on the warrant for the special Town Meeting, which begins March 4. Article 2 would shift zoning along Leonard Street, and Article 3 would…

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Obituary: Miriam Warso Weil

Miriam (Rebecca) Warso Weil, 68, died March 5, 2026, surrounded…

Obituary: Kenneth Stalberg

Kenneth “Ken” Stalberg, 73, of Belmont, violinist, violist, teacher, and…

Obituary: John S. Davagian II

John S. Davagian II, of Concord, passed away peacefully on…

Obituary: Ella Elizabeth Johnson

With profound sadness, we share the loss of Ella Elizabeth…

Obituary: Michael Bedout Chesson

Michael Bedout Chesson, 78, died peacefully on Dec. 14, 2025,…

Latest Articles

News

Schools FY2027 Budget Proposal Includes Staffing Boost for Special Education

March 10, 2026

by Shealagh Sullivan

News

Grant for electric buses awarded to Belmont

March 10, 2026

by Shealagh Sullivan

Belmont received a $1.8 million grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MCEC) to help fund electric school buses, according to a release from MCEC. The grant is part of the fourth round of the state’s School Bus Deployment Program, an initiative…

News

BPS Contract Talks to Resume Under State Mediation

March 9, 2026

by Shealagh Sullivan

Contract negotiations between the Belmont Public Schools (BPS) and the Belmont Education Association (BEA) are set to resume March 9 under state mediation, just over a month after the BEA voted to move to a work-to-rule job action. “I think that it’s…

News

Department Restructuring in Pipeline for FY27 Budget

March 9, 2026

by Mary Byrne

The $35 million budgeted each fiscal year to support municipal services may see a roughly $100,000 increase in FY27 over the current fiscal year, as Town Administrator Patrice Garvin looks to restructure several municipal departments. “We’re able to do a lot with…

Lifestyle

Etiquette Classes Emphasize Empathy and Confidence

March 7, 2026

by Julie M. Cohen

When Emily Post’s “Etiquette” was first published in 1922, it advised against hiring butlers with mustaches and included advice on proper finger bowl use, among other now outdated passages. However, the doyenne of manners also made remarkably relevant statements on human behavior…

Arts

Low-Vision Actress Embodies Resilience in ‘Wait Until Dark’

March 6, 2026

by Contributor

Belmont resident Eliza Barmakian ran through her blocking during a Saturday morning rehearsal at the Greater Boston Stage Company with her lines memorized and her guide dog, Zinga, resting peacefully at the stage manager's feet. She did not feel nervous. Like the…

News

School Committee Notes, Feb. 24, 2026

March 6, 2026

by Shealagh Sullivan

News

Zoning for Hotels Receives Town Meeting Approval

March 6, 2026

by Jesse Floyd

Opinion

Generations: Language Fluency Hones Mental Acuity

March 6, 2026

by Elissa Ely

After the gold watch and the farewell luncheon, some of us turn to the next worry: cognitive loss. Experts (and plenty of non-experts) have laundry lists of preventive strategies. They pop up in newspaper columns, podcasts, the psychology section of the bookstore,…

Elections·News

Michael Crowley, Candidate for Moderator (incumbent)

March 5, 2026

by Contributor

I am running for re-election as Belmont town moderator because Town Meeting works best when it reflects the full community—when participation is broad, decisions are transparent, and our local government stays focused on solving problems. Over the past year, my priority has…

Elections·News

Adam Dash, Candidate for Moderator

March 5, 2026

by Contributor

“I pledge to foster a legislative branch that runs smoothly, fairly, and represents all.” My journey began last spring. After every Town Meeting session from May through October, a flood of fellow Town Meeting members reached out to strongly urge me to…

News

BEA Votes No Confidence in School, Town Officials

March 5, 2026

by Mary Byrne

News

Town Meeting Approves Belmont Center Overlay District

March 5, 2026

by Mary Byrne

Arts

Cultural Council Distributes Annual Grants

March 5, 2026

by Julie M. Cohen

Eye-catching, colorful public art has been brightening Trapelo Road (among other streets) since 2020. Now, thanks to a vital grant from the Belmont Cultural Council, the Belmont Art Association (BAA) and several other town organizations have money to continue their missions. The…

Opinion

Garden Gems: Regional Group Spreads Native Plant Seeds to Support Pollinators

March 5, 2026

by Jenny Angel

Back in COVID times, many of us discovered new activities in quarantine. Some of us learned a new craft or tended sourdough cultures, while others turned to outdoor pursuits. I was decidedly in the second camp; I remember posting a photo of…

Sports

Belmont Ski Racing Achieves Team Milestone

March 4, 2026

by Ignacio Matorras

The Belmont High School ski team reached a milestone this winter: For the first time in program history, it qualified as an official team at the state championships. To be considered a team, at least three male or female athletes need to…

Sports

Kelleher Brothers Link Belmont to Olympic Gold Medal-Winning USA Ice Hockey

March 4, 2026

by Greg Levinsky

On two different days in February, palpable tension mounted at the Milano Santaguilia Ice Hockey Arena. The United States and Canadian Olympic hockey teams, men and women, had both reached the end of regulation, tied in games that would decide gold medals…

News

State Earmarks Cash for Legal Aid

March 3, 2026

by Jesse Floyd

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