The Choice of Weston Selectman Was Not Even Close

The official tally in the election race for selectman was, as a Bruins fan would say, a “squeakah” with a difference of only 21 votes.

LETTER: Vote Sandalls and Boshart

The follow is a letter to the editor.

The following is a letter to the editor. Please vote on May 11th for Bill Sandalls for Selectman and Harvey Boshart for Moderator, based on facts, not personal attacks. Your votes can affect our town policies and public discourse for years to come, for better or worse. In last Thursday’s Town Crier, Christopher Houston produced a 952 word pile of bile last week attacking Sandalls’ previous public letters and columns over the past year without quoting from any of them. Sandalls has attended most Selectmen’s Meetings and other municipal gatherings over the past two years, and cited facts and figures in each letter in both the Crier and Weston Patch unlike Mr. Houston, who ignored Sandalls’ service on the Finance, School & WTMAC bodies. Most …

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Letter: Planned Police Station is Well Studied, Right for Weston

Leslie Glynn and Ed Coburn address questions raised in another letter about the proposed new police station for Weston. They say the planned station is needed and appropriate.

A letter last week raised questions about the work of the Police Station Study Committee that we wanted to address.  The statement that “no minutes were kept, no taxpayers were invited, and public opinion was not sought” is completely incorrect.  All 23 meetings of the committee were posted and open to the public in accordance with state open meeting laws, and residents including students from the high school on a class assignment attended many of those meetings. Minutes are kept of every meeting of the committee and posted to the town’s website. On two occasions the committee presented the Board of Selectmen with progress reports in meetings that were open and televised. There were also presentations to the Finance Committee and the PBC. …

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Letter: Boshart Explains That He has 'Respect for All'

Weston Town Moderator candidate Harvey Boshart presents his thoughts on the race so far.

I would like to take a moment and elaborate on some of the issues that have been raised by the other candidate over the past few weeks relating to my candidacy as moderator in the May 2013 Town Election. A recent letter to the editor from one of my opponent’s supporters suggested that I am against transparency in the committee appointment process. This is false. I have challenged my opponent’s idea of holding public meetings to vet potential committee appointments because I do not believe it is consistent with the moderator’s role. One of the moderator’s primary obligations is to maintain neutrality in the exercise of his or her duties. This obligation distinguishes the moderator from any other elected official or participant in the …

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What Do You Think About Gov. Patrick’s Travel Ban?

Do you agree with the governor's decision or was it too drastic?

All non-emergency drivers were ordered off the roads on Friday when Gov. Deval Patrick issued an executive order banning travel during the blizzard. (Editor's note: The ban is lifted statewide as of 4 p.m. Saturday.) Patrick's executive order is being praised by some and bashed by others, reported The Boston Globe. While former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, who was in charge of the commonwealth during the Blizzard of ’78, praised the governor’s move, others called the order “tyrannical” and say the strict ban and hefty fines were too much, according to The Globe. Those caught violating the ban would face up to a year in jail and a $500 fine. What do you think? Do you agree with the governor’s decision or do you think the travel ban …

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Weston: What Were the Best Super Bowl Commercials?

Which were the best Super Bowl commercials of 2013? Which were the worst?

  Millions of sports enthusiasts around the world and in Weston watched Super Bowl 47 on Sunday. Likely, many tuned in just to watch Super Bowl commercials, just like they do every year. According to Ad Age, CBS essentially sold out its ad inventory for Super Bowl XLVII at prices averaging between $3.7 million and $3.8 million. More from Ad Age: The usual coterie of big sponsors is more or less on board again —hello, Pepsi! hello Bud Light! — accompanied by opportunistic, smaller brands that want to make a big splash, such as Century 21 and GoDaddy.com, both of which are also returning to the game. In addition to Ms. Patrick and Mr. Fogle, celebrities and pseudo-celebs on the ad roster will include Willem Dafoe, Amy Poehler, Bar Refaeli, …

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Letter: Weston Election Season Off to an 'Ugly' Start

This letter to the editor was submitted by Isabella Jancourtz.

Election season in Weston has started early in a really ugly way. Outgoing moderator Wendy Spector just sent out a poison pen group e-mail urging Weston voters to believe her misrepresentations about Bill Sandalls and promoting Tom Crane as our next moderator. She is asking voters to add their names to Tom's yet to be launched campaign website (conveniently providing an interim link to her own) as a supporter, before either gentleman has even announced that he is a candidate. Wendy says about Bill, "I believe his real motivation is to reduce Weston's support of our schools and natural resources."  In fact, as she well knows because she attended many meetings of the Weston Town Meeting Advisory Committee where the budget process was …

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TELL US: Are You Ready for Thanksgiving?

It's a little less than a week to Thanksgiving 2012. Are you prepared?

Most people plan Thanksgiving well in advance, but with so much time spent on the elections this year, Thanksgiving has kind of sneaked up on us. Would you believe Thanksgiving, and with it the traditional start of the holiday season, is one week from yesterday? If you haven't started planning for Thanksgiving yet, you're already in trouble, according to the website Epicurious. It suggests a six week prep time if you want to do the holiday justice. Are you prepared for Thanksgiving? And more importantly, in what has been a very contentious year, what is it that you can be most thankful for this year? Share your thoughts in the comments field below.

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Patch Picks: 5 Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dishes

Food ideas for people whose Turkey Day involves no turkeys.

  In one week, we'll be doing the Thanksgiving scramble: Running to the inlaws' house, hitting the store for some last minute cranberry sauce, or checking on the bird in the oven every five minutes. What some consider the best meal of the year, fit for kings and gluttons, is centered around meat. Not all of us, for varying reasons, choose to eat meat, though. What is one supposed to prepare for those who don't eat turkey on Turkey Day? The answer is easy, and the options are many. Whether you're cooking for a vegetarian guest, or are a vegetarian yourself, Patch helps you out this week with five tasty recipes for a vegan/vegetarian Thanksgiving. 1. Tofurky: Funny sounding name, seriously tasty substitute. What you need: 1 Tofurky Roast (…

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Letter to Editor: Questions Yet to Be Answered on Josiah Smith Tavern Project

One local resident says the Board of Selectmen should do more to gain public input on the process.

The following is a letter to the editor submitted by Weston resident Isabella Jancourtz: Our long journey toward a decision on the re-use of the Josiah Smith Tavern and Old Library may be drawing to a close.  Urbanica, a South Boston architectural firm, has presented an intriguing design proposal for this under-utilized space. It includes condominiums in the Old Library, a Bed and Breakfast in the Tavern and in the Barn there would be a small restaurant plus continued use at minimal cost by the Women's Community League and the Weston Historical Society.   Urbanica's Kamran Zahedi, a long-time Weston resident, has stepped up to the challenge and presented an almost-perfect possible solution. I say "almost perfect" because that huge mall-…

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