The Belmont Voice

Latest Articles

News

Unions and Town Clash Over How to Solve Police Shortage

October 1, 2023

Belmont Police Chief James MacIsaac has struggled for years to fill the four vacancies plaguing the department. The staffing shortages have led to forced overtime, low morale and patrol officers switching into specialty positions. That doesn’t even count one officer out on…

News

Belmont Residents Frustrated by Back-to-School Traffic

September 24, 2023

Julie Ebin turned in her seat at Belmont Books’ Black Bear Café when she heard the word “traffic.” The Arlington resident, whose child goes to school on the Belmont-Cambridge line, has noticed a significant difference in the morning commute with the start…

Lifestyle·News

Grazing for Conservation: Sheep and Goats Unite to Tackle Invasive Species in Belmont

September 17, 2023

On a sweltering summer morning, six adult female sheep graze the meadow alongside the Belmont Victory Gardens at Rock Meadow Conservation Area, a portion of the Western Greenway between Trapelo Street and Winter Street. The hum of an electric fence fills the…

Lifestyle

Food Insecurity Spikes in Belmont

September 17, 2023

Belmont is often considered a well-to-do town with a median household income just over $150,000 per year. Yet in recent years, the town has seen a dramatic increase in the number of households receiving benefits to help put food on the table. …

Arts

Scenes from Porchfest 2023

September 17, 2023

Belmont’s Porchfest was held on September 9, 2023. Here are photographs from some of the locations. SLIDESHOW BLOCK BELOW CURRENTLY NOT WORKING…

News

Payson Park Gets a Makeover

September 10, 2023

Thanks to the Community Preservation Act (CPA), Payson Park is finally getting a makeover with improved safety, accessibility features and a brand new playground. The estimated $1 million project is funded through the CPA, a pool of tax money devoted to outdoor recreation, affordable housing, and…

News

Unsung Gardeners Keep Payson Park Green

September 10, 2023

Driving by Payson Park this summer, it is hard to miss the construction going on at the park. The Recreation Department hopes that the newly renovated park will be open by the end of the year. But on the perimeter of the…

News

Belmont’s New Superintendent Sets Agenda Amid Budget Shortfalls

September 4, 2023

Dr. Jill Geiser is in the middle of her “entry planning”— meeting with principals, curriculum directors, and district staff, reviewing testing reports, identifying students who need extra support, and preparing for a new school year with a new district configuration. She has…

News

Belmont Opens State-of-the-Art Middle School

September 2, 2023

The much anticipated Belmont Middle School — part of the $295 million project that combines grades seven through 12 — will officially open with the start of the school year on Wednesday, September 6. Those walking through the 450,000 square-foot building will immediately notice…

Business

Former Deputy Sheriff Breathes New Life into Teddy’s Kitchen

September 2, 2023

There’s a new sheriff in town in Cushing Square. At the corner of Common Street and Trapelo Road, a Deputy Dawg-like cartoon figure — holding hot dogs instead of revolvers — welcomes visitors to Teddy’s Kitchen. The new logo comes with the…