Wellesley's Spring Town meeting may be over...but only for now. Selectmen will call town meeting members back later this Spring, in June to take up the issue of the purchase of the church land on Route 9 from the Archdiocese of Boston. When Town Moderator Peg Metzger calls the June 13 Wellesley Town meeting to order, she will get right down to business, which will entail the town's purchase and plans for a recreation center. This will likely be the final town meeting to be held in Wellesley's Middle School auditorium. Metzger is not positive, but is hopeful that the 2013 annual town meeting, …

If you think that high school is tough in 2012, you ought to stand in the shoes of a small group of dedicated students with a true thirst for knowledge. Try carrying a full course load AND agreeing to take on even more. That’s what members of Wellesley High’s Academic Decathlon Team do. Each year, working with their advisor, students with a love of learning, compete in the annual competition that tests their mettle, guts and their intellects.  Wellesley’s 2012 academic team placed a proud second-place in the state wide Academic Decathlon final held on March 3 at Westwood High School.  The …

Moving to a town like Wellesley can be isolating for newcomers, but fear not: there are lots of ways to get your family involved in life here. Many new residents join the Newcomers Club as a way of learning the ropes and meeting neighbors. For parents, especially new moms, there's no better spot to start than the Wellesley Mothers Forum. Become a member at this organization and receive the benefits of a social network, plus events and activities that include monthly lectures and seminars from October to May each year. More than 400 Wellesley mothers take part each year. Members can access an …

Last week, former Governor Mitt Romney received the most votes in Wellesley's Presidential Preference Primary. Who will "top the ticket" and garner a victory in this year's Wellesley elections? We won't know until everything is counted Tuesday night.  This year, Wellesley voters go to the polls in a down economy, with an eye toward fiscal restraint. According to state law Wellesley had to get busy re-drawing its voting lines. Due to the new census, Wellesley added an eighth voting precinct last year, it's first new precinct in 50 years. It means voters in the newly formed Precinct H will come…

Think that Wellesley is just an "OK" place to live? Think again. According to Boston Magazine's latest issue, it’s the best place, if you're looking for a comfy spot in the suburbs of Boston. In fact, Wellesley beats out places like Concord, Weston, Brookline and Lincoln. The chart touting the town's shops and restaurants highlights Gretta Luxe, Isabel Harvey and E.A. Davis, and restaurants like Blue Ginger, Alta Strada and The Cottage as being good reasons to live here. The magazine says we have "everything from English gardens to a sandy pond beach," and it is right.  There are plenty of …

What a point of pride this week's opening of a brand new, $115 million dollar public school should be for our town. Thanks to a lot of hard work, and after only five years, more than 1,000 students will walk through the doors of a new structure built for learning in the new millennium. Wellesley's accomplishment is no small feat. A new school, arriving within budget and completed in nearly six months less time than originally expected! Congratulations to a town that avoided the mistakes that led to the most expensive public school in Massachusetts history in the city of Newton. While Newton's…

It's St. Valentine's Day, and while the religious calendars no longer observe this saint's day, lovers everywhere are expected to at the very least acknowledge one another with professions of affection, great and small.   This so-called "holiday" is great for businesses. Valentine's Day sales reached $17.6 billion last year; this year's sales are expected to total $18.6 billion, according to NPR.org, which published findings from market research firm IBIS World. Certainly Hallmark and American Greetings win the day.  In Wellesley, there are creative ways to spread the love to local …

Last fall, Patch asked neighbors to weigh in on what business they would like to see attracted to wonderful Wellesley Square.  Things in the square haven't been wonderful lately, and many favorite stores closed their doors in 2011. We have said goodbye to Rugged Bear, Betsy's, Clark's  and Ann Taylor in the square. Different Drummer said goodbye to Wellesley, while Neena's Lighting moved to Linden Square. Remember Cooleys-Marco Polo, Kaps and other sentimental favorites in the square? Thanks to the Wellesley Community Art Project, storefronts have been looking lively while the area makes its …

Living in a college town, does have its advantages. Did you think I was referring to Boston? Think again. Wellesley is a "college town" too, and last week's visit by former Secretary of State Madeline Albright to her alma mater got me thinking about all of the ways the local colleges enhance life here. If listening to the former Clinton Administration official discuss the merits of multilateralism is not for you, Wellesley's Botanic Garden and the campus Tropical House offer up a mid-winter respite for the weather-weary. In fact, there are so many things to do in town thanks to our college …

Your police department wants to be your friend. Even on Facebook. Over the past few months, the Wellesley Police Department has utilized lots of social media for getting important information out to residents and neighboring towns. In addition a revamped website showcases the daily work lives of department personnel, and offers a glimpse of the job, its duties and responsibilities. In photos updated regularly, police can be viewed at firearms training, directing traffic, responding to accidents and emergencies, and road closures. Thanks to efforts by Wellesley Officer Scott Whittemore, photos…

Thank you, MassDOT for giving us plenty of warning as you work to replace the Rockland Street Bridge. Thanks for pushing back the date of closure, too. I need time to ponder how my driving around town will be impacted. I often cross the bridge half a dozen times in a day. That means, I'm either not planning trips around town very well, I have too many children with too many activities, or I keep forgetting an errand in either Wellesley or Linden Squares! Thanks too, for the very attractive footbridge that I know will come in handy for commuters who require daily train station access, bikers, …

Are you a fan of resolutions?  Especially the kind everyone talks about when the calendar changes? Sure, it's great to resolve to be a better person, eat right, exercise more, reduce, reuse and recycle.  But, I guess I do not appreciate being told that the time has come to get all of these things correct. The resolution climate that often comes with January props up many businesses. Fitness centers, fitness trainers and nutritionists see a bump. Even the federal government offers tips to the "resolve-challenged," by making it's OWN list of the most popular resolutions. I wonder: how does the …

I saw a graduation for a physical education course at the high school last week called "Power Up." In name alone, the uninitiated might not know what the course is all about. As it turns out, parents in attendance got quite an eye-opener about how students are learning self-defense. One after one, students defended themselves in simulated assaults that looked and sounded authentic.  In conjunction with IMPACT Boston, students learn about keeping themselves safe and how to strike back, when and if it becomes necessary. Watching teenagers defend themselves against the well-trained IMPACT …

Teenagers, especially those lucky to live in a variety of Metrowest towns like ours, seem to want for very little these days. Between cell phones that keep them in constant touch with friends (family too) and electronics and gadgets of all sorts, it can be a challenge to find what they'd enjoy for a holiday present. Sure some have their lists: girls love the latest fashion trends, boots and jackets are nice. I know of several teens who have asked for trips, exotic pets and even a home renovation project, saying "Mom, Dad, let's re-do the basement!" In these tough economic times, you may be …

The Linden Store has known about it for years. In fact, owners have alerted other businesses in the two squares, Linden and Wellesley, to prepare for the onslaught. If it's the first Wednesday of the month, it's a half day at the public schools. And that means large groups of tweens from the middle school and teens from the high school spending time and money and increasing foot traffic considerably. The next half-day is tomorrow, Dec. 7. And what do students enjoy? Eating out mostly, so it is not uncommon to see long lines at Starbucks, Peet's Coffee, Bruegger's and The Linden Store when …

It's that time of year, and giving is on the minds of many. If you're like a portion of our family, it's a lot of fun to forgo gifts and try something different. Each year, the younger members of the family select a charity and we get together to make a group donation to a worthy cause. Nothing feels better.  Everyone from Grandma on down participates. The adults don’t seem to mind that they won't be unwrapping a holiday gift, and a sense of relief replaces the anxiety that can often accompany annual gift-giving. (OK, so we may cheat a bit and include some small gifts for the kids). The …

Soon, Wellesley's 1938 high school building will be part of the town's history and a shiny new structure will take its place. But first, the town will pause to reflect on the history of the old place, along with recalling the learning, growing and achieving that goes on each day. This week marks the start of the "Turn Out the Lights" festivities for saying goodbye. High school students will hear from a long list of alumni at a panel tonight. They will hear about how Wellesley High helped spark and then fuel their passions, and sent them on their ways to a variety of fascinating careers. And, …

Are you a local shopper? It's easy to be one in Wellesley and coming up a week from Saturday it's a national holiday of sorts for those who enjoy spending dollars nearby. Yes, we have "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday." Now comes "Small Business Saturday", on Nov. 26. Its name says it all: shop small! If you're going to shop anyway, then stimulate the local economy. American Express is offering an incentive too. Shoppers are eligible for $25 back if they register their card via the Facebook page. The list of "small shopping" in Wellesley is big. Several small businesses rely on the holiday …

Students at Wellesley High School got an important message during a school-wide assembly last week. Telling the tragic story of her daughter's death after leaving a party, Kathi Meyer struck a chord with many students who went home to share the story with their families. The Plainville mother speaks publicly about the mistakes and bad judgement that led to the death of her 17-year-old daughter a couple of times a year, and last week, she told Taylor's story to students at Wellesley high school. Our teen came home wanting to discuss the impact of the talk and how it made her feel. If you haven…

I'm not one of those folks hoarding incandescent light bulbs, but I do know people who are trying to save them. Maybe they don't like change! Countries all over the world, including the U.S. are in the process of eliminating production of the traditional bulbs by 2014.  We are all moving toward LED light technology. The European Union has been a few years ahead and traditional light bulbs are now banned in many European countries. Maybe you are preparing your Wellesley home for the changeover and you want to get the mercury out of the light bulbs in your house now, rather than waiting for the…