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More than you really
want to know about Wellesley, Mass. We're discreet. Please send tips, photos,
ideas here.
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Saturday, May 27, 2006
"Once a backstabber, always a backstabber."
 So says Suzanne Bates, president of a management consulting firm in Wellesley. She was offering up advice on how to deal with untrusty colleagues in a New York Times careers column.
More here.BB
Meat merger
John Dewar & Co., which operates gourmet food stores in Wellesley and Newton, is joining with
T.F. Kinnealey, a fellow Boston-based meat seller. John Dewar, a former Wellesley resident who started his business in 1978,
uttered the time-honored mantra of those forging mergers: "It's business as usual." More in the MetroWest Daily News.
BB
Guess where Wellesley ranks on housing affordability list
 MIT's Center for Real Estate has released a new index for gauging housing affordability. MIT says its index takes into consideration factors that other affordability measures don't, such as the
impact of an area's job accessibility, open space and its school quality. And while Wellesley fares well on such
measures (except for open space), it still is among the state's 40 least affordable towns by MIT's count. Belmont, Brookline
and Lincoln are among the communities keeping Wellesley company on that list. Avon and Dracut are among the most affordable.
The Center for Real Estate breaks down its research in a few ways, including affordability to
2-person and 4-person households, where Wellesley is listed as having 3.8% and 6.5% of its total housing stock deemed affordable.
BB
Friday, May 26, 2006
Hunnewell School has its fun
 Students, families and staff congregated on Hunnewell School grounds Wednesday for the school's annual Fun Fair, which had
been postponed from the week before because of the threat of rain. Sunny skies Wednesday enabled fair-goers to enjoy rides,
food and games, including a very popular dunking booth featuring Hunnewell dads and special guests such as 5th grade teacher
Blair Anstey (below left).
Now you see this Hunnewell dad.... now you don't.
BB
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Local woman bonds with war widows in Afghanistan
Wellesley's Patti Quigley, whose husband Patrick was killed in one of the 9/11 attacks, recently traveled
to Afghanistan to meet with war widows. The Beyond the 11th charity started by Quigley and Needham's Susan Retik led to the interaction with the Afghani women. More here.
Remembering Felix Juliani, "Mr. Wellesley"
The Townsman gives tribute to Felix Juliani, who died this week at the age of 93 after decades
of service to the town in a host of capacities, from longtime Town Meeting member to Selectman to founder of groups such as
the Council on Aging and Youth Center. Some called him "Mr. Wellesley" and there is an art gallery at Mass
Bay Community College named in his honor.
"Wellesley has lost a legend," said former state Sen. David Locke.
Read more here.
Wellesley horse rider excels
 Wellesley High freshman Kara Jackson last month competed in the Interscholastic Equestrian Association finals in
Wilmington, Ohio, and came in second in the country in her division. Read more in this Globe article.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Gubernatorial candidate Reilly doesn't exactly pack 'em in while stumping in Wellesley
 The Jewish Advocate reports on Attorney General Tom Reilly's recent talk at Wellesley Hills' Temple Beth Elohim, which is hosting a series of candidate presentations. The paper says about 20 people braved drizzly weather to hear and quiz
the Democrat, who pulled on heartstrings by recounting his childhood in Springfield. He also relayed how powerful a visit
to Israel was for him and discussed his role in investigating the Catholic church sex scandal. As governor, he said one big
challenge would be keeping down health care costs, according to the article. He proposed more investment in the commuter rail
to pave the way for more affordable housing in the sticks, according to the Advocate. The article also says
he supports the death penalty in certain situations: He wouldn't mind seeing the proposed wind farm off Nantucket Sound get
the chair, for example. More here. BB
Elm Bank Reservation: You grow some, you lose some
 Keeping the Elm in Elm Bank, the reservation recently planted more than a dozen Elm trees along its paved loop (picture, left). They look no worse for
the wear from this weekend's windy storm. The same can't be said about scads of trees, including some big ones, across the
park, both along the paved and dirt trails (see below).BB
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Got plaque envy?
 Ever wonder what it takes to get one of those fancy plaques that you see on some of the older houses in town? If your home
was built before 1881, the town's year of incorporation, you're eligible for one (though it'll cost you about $50).
Contact the Historical Commission for details.BB
Men invade Wellesley College campus (well, OK, they were invited to speak)
The Wellesley News reports on a panel discussion recently held on campus to give Wellesley College
students a chance to explore what the heck goes on inside men's heads. One attendee came because: "I haven't been in contact
with guys since I left high school..." Another concluded: “I learned that guys are jerks, but they are
also nice at times.” Educate yourself here.
BB
Whistleblowers wanted: Stormwater hotline makes debut
The Department of Public Works Engineering Division has created an e-mail hotline so that residents can report suspected illicit dumping or discharges to the town's stormwater drainage system.
On the no-no list: oil, paint and yard waste. On the go-for-it list: individual car washing, uncontaminated water from
flooded basements.
BB
Monday, May 22, 2006
Washington St. paving this week; town investigating failed resurfacing of other roads
Washington St. paving starts Wednesday, May 24 at 8am and is expected to take place for at least 2 days.
Paving will start at the Church St. end of the project. More here.
Separately, the Department of Public Works issued a notice to residents living on a handful of streets, including Fiske, Hillside and River, that an investigation is underway
to determine why road resurfacing done last summer and fall failed to work out. Asphalt has begun disintegrating and potholes
have emerged, according to the DPW. The town is working with the contractor it used as well as an engineering firm to determine
why the repaving failed and what can be done to fix the situation. It has yet to be determined when new construction will
take place.
BB
Babson commencement speaker urges students to give immigrants hope
 George Feldenkreis, chairman and CEO of PerryEllis International, had this to say to graduating
students Saturday during his address: "In this age of uncertainty, become beacons of hope
for immigrants...be proud of your heritage of freedom, fairness, and justice." He left Cuba in the 1960s to get away
from Fidel Castro. More from Feldenkreis on the Babson blog.
(Feldenkries, left, with Babson Dean of Faculty Fritz Fleischmann on his right. Photo from Babson.)
Babson blog focuses on women and business
From Babson College: Babson College has established the Babson Women’s Business Blog as a forum for
issues and findings related to business in general and women in particular. The blog is located at http://www3.babson.edu/cwl/blog/
Unfriendly Wellesley?
A fellow Wellesley Blogger writes in the "Diana Chronicles" of "The Myth of Friendly Suburbia."
She laments the loss of closeness among neighbors, citing her own experience and that of a friend who recently moved to Natick.
From what I can see, though, it really depends on where you live in town and how much effort you put into
it. When we moved into our house we hosted an open house a few weeks later, inviting people on the block by stuffing
flyers inside their screen doors. We got to know dozens of neighbors by name right away and got into the loop of regular get-togethers
that neighbors in our mixed Natick and Wellesley hood hold. The houses are pretty close together where we live, but I
imagine in neighborhoods where the homes are spaced further apart that hobnobbing with the neighbors is probably tougher.
We've also met dozens of families through our kids' schools and have developed friendships with the parents.
The "Diana Chronicles" also mentions that when walking on the town's trails no one smiles or says hello.
I find just the opposite when I run on these trails. Almost everyone smiles or says good morning. And it's not like I'm all
that friendly looking...More from the "Diana Chronicles" , including her thoughtful take on last week's voting in Wellesley (Be friendly: Leave her a comment.)
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Upham Elementary School collecting gently used sports goods
The school is collecting gear June 5-June 10 in preparation for its annual sports sale in the fall (Oct.
21). For drop-off arrangements, contact Gina Francis (781) 235 9873 or Sally Hotchin (781) 489 5016.
Parade sneaks in before rain
Change in plans for Wellesley's 125th
The parade is on, but the fireworks, music and picnic in the park have been postponed til June 4 due to
predicted rain. More here.
BB
Latest on library closings
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