Westwood Minute's Roundup of Local News from 2021

Dear Readers,

When I started Westwood Minute in mid-April of this year, I had a goal of providing an instantly accessible, up-to-date, source of information every day for Westwood area residents. Since then, Westwood Minute has published over 300 articles and over 150 events of interest to the community. Below is a look back at some of them.

Some stories and ideas were contributed by residents, businesses, and government leaders. Contributions, comments and postings to Westwood Minute are greatly appreciated. For example, contributor Eric Wright provided a four-part article on test taking tips. Community submissions as comments or articles or story leads are always welcome. The more this platform is used by the community, the more useful it becomes for all users.

I am incredibly grateful to Westwood Minute’s advertisers, monthly supporters, subscribers and followers. With each new addition of one of these, there comes an extra boost of energy and encouragement to continue on this enterprise of providing local and hyperlocal news to our community. Many thanks for your support.

I’m looking forward to sharing the news in 2022, and invite you to continue to share yours, too. Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year.

Darlene

Here’s a look back at Westwood Minute’s coverage in 2021:

Photo by Darlene Wong Cancell. Waiting area for people at a mass vaccination clinic after getting COVID-19 vaccination shot.

April 2021

Remember the difficulty and trepidation in getting your first COVID vaccination shot? See Getting Vaccinated at a Mass COVID Vaccination Site (April 15, 2021)

Real estate remained surprisingly robust, despite the pandemic and all the talk of socially isolating. See Buying Real Estate in Westwood Right Now (April 23, 2021)

Nature provided a spectacle for our entertainment once, and then again. . . at least for those who could stay up late enough for it. See Pink Supermoon a Spectacle that Doesn't Disappoint (April 27, 2021) and A Very Well Credentialed Moon Over Westwood (May 26, 2021).

Voters learned about the candidates for Westwood's Select Board. See Meet the Candidates for Westwood's Select Board (April 24, 2021). Westwood Minute promptly reported the results. See Unofficial Town Election Results - Gotti Wins Select Board Seat (April 28, 2021).

Photo by Darlene Wong Cancell. An angler weighs his catch with Department of Recreation Program Manager Joe Bertone.

May 2021

The Fishing Derby was one of many in-person, annual events that returned in 2021, after taking a year off. See Biggest Catches and Surprise Visitors at Westwood Recreation's Fishing Derby (May 8, 2021)

Westwood Minute was the first local news outlet to report South Shore Habitat for Humanity's decision to build a house in Westwood. See South Shore Habitat for Humanity House Coming to Burgess Avenue-Highview Street Neighborhood (May 3, 2021) and SouthShore Habitat for Humanity Breaks Ground for Westwood House (May 17, 2021)

Westwood Minute shared news in pictures and in a recurring Photo Gallery series. Here is the first of them. Reasons Why I Love Living in Westwood (May 28, 2021)

Photo by Amy Cook. Shalom Corner prepared to open its doors.

June 2021

Westwood Minute began reporting on Select Board meetings. You may not be able to sit through an hour-long or more meeting, but you can read an article in a few minutes. See Will Westwood Become Destination for Cutting Edge Cancer Treatment? (June 8, 2021)

Sheehan School students received a letter from the President of the United States. See President Joe Biden Corresponds with First Grade Class (June 11, 2021)

Shalom Corner opened, helping to fill a gap in childcare options left by the closure of Mothers’ Morning Out. See Westwood's New Early Education Center Begins Enrollment (June 25, 2021)

Photo by Darlene Wong Cancell. Volunteers get to work on installing a floor to Westwood's Habitat for Humanity house.

July 2021

Westwood saw two local high school sport teams crowned state champions. See Coach Spatola on Recipe that Makes This Year's Winning Girls' Lacrosse Team (July 6, 2021) and Congratulations, Xavarian Hawks - Div 1 Baseball State Champs! (July 6, 2021)

Progress continued with volunteers building Westwood’s Habitat for Humanity House. See Westwood Residents and Volunteers Provide the Ultimate Welcome to New Neighbors (July 15, 2021)

Westwood’s Planning Board began wrestling with how to create a district of multi-family housing by right. It also debated how to comply with state law encouraging solar installations. See Delicate Balance Required in Easing Zoning Restrictions: Ground Mounted Solar and Multifamily Housing (Updated) (July 22, 2021)

The Summer Olympics, and a Westwood fencer, were a welcome diversion from the pandemic.  Westwood's Olympian Andrew Mackiewicz Takes on a Triple Gold Medalist at the Tokyo Olympic Games (July 31, 2021)

Photo by Darlene Wong Cancell. In this picture, Marissa Sheehy, owner of Busy Paws Pet Supply, happily anticipates opening the doors to her new shop.

August 2021

Dover residents faced ongoing water discoloration and pressure problems. Dover Residents Demand Answers, Solution to Persistent Water Problem (Updated 8/8/21)

Residents learned that among the new tenants of Islington's redevelopment would be a locally owned pet store. See New Pet Supply Store Coming to Islington This Fall (August 11, 2021)

As schools prepared to reopen, Westwood Minute reported on what students and families could expect. What to Expect when Westwood Schools Resume Sept. 1 (Updated) (August 29, 2021)

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Westwood Community Chest Co-Presidents Kristin Styer (left) and Elaine Beattie (right) accept the Hometown Hero Award for WCC.

September 2021

A local non-profit was honored as a Hometown Hero by Boston 25 News. Westwood Community Chest Awarded Hometown Hero Award in Upcoming Boston 25 News Zip Trip Broadcast (September 1, 2021)

Westwood Minute’s weekly reports on activities of Westwood Police revealed a pattern of locker room thefts. See Locker Room Thief Grabs Rolex, Credit Cards, Leaves Cash at Lifetime Fitness (Sept. 13, 2021)

Westwood Day returned with all activities. See Westwood Day Photos (September 25, 2021)

Photo courtesy of Gabriel D. A small group of pro-lifers demonstrated on High Street in Westwood on September 26, 2021.

October 2021

Religious communities banded together for a Mini Walk for Hunger that resulted in breaking fundraising records. See Interfaith Mini Walk for Hunger Organizers Invite Community Participation in 12th Annual Walk (Sept. 28, 2021) and Photo Gallery: 12th Annual Interfaith Walk for Hunger, Part 1 (Oct. 21, 2021)

Residents debated the issue of whether to fund and construct a new elementary school. See Opinion: A Minority View on Borrowing for the Proposed New Hanlon-Deerfield School (October 3, 2021)

Activists held demonstrations for two different causes - pro-life and inclusiveness. See Local Catholics Hold Pro-Life Demonstration in Westwood (Oct. 9, 2021) and Inclusive Westwood Organizes Demonstration in Islington (Oct. 29, 2021)

Westwood’s two, small elementary schools received top honors and national recognition. U.S. News & World Report Ranks Westwood's Martha Jones School Best Elementary in MA, Deerfield Makes Top Ten (Oct. 15, 2021)

Westwood residents overwhelmingly voted in favor of constructing, funding, and raising taxes for a new, consolidated Hanlon-Deerfield elementary school. See Westwood Voters Pass School Funding Article for Hanlon-Deerfield School: 873 in favor to 153 opposed (Oct. 18, 2021) and UNOFFICIAL RESULTS: Voters Approve Debt Exclusion Override to Fund New Hanlon-Deerfield School (Oct. 26, 2021)

RAY award recipients received recognition, posing for pictures with masks on. This Year's Recognize a Youth (RAY) Award Recipients are Honored (Updated) (Oct. 25, 2021)

Photo courtesy of The Skating Club of Boston. Westwood resident Grace McMurray and Team Excel Collegiate performs on the ice.

November 2021

A month after testing, Westwood’s water supplier notified customers of elevated levels of TTHM, a disinfection byproduct, in drinking water. Dedham-Westwood Water District Reports Elevated TTHM in Water (Nov. 5, 2021)

Residents persevered and found ways to hold their traditional, annual events outdoors, despite the chill of autumn. See Photo Gallery: Westwood Artists November Marketplace (Nov. 6, 2021) and Scouts Prepare for November 20, 2021 Westwood Food Drive (Nov.13, 2021)

An electrical outage affected over 500 customers in the Westwood area. Eversource Outage Affects 548 Westwood Area Customers (Nov. 13, 2021)

Medfield rejected a new elementary school project that, like Westwood’s project, would also have been eligible for MSBA funding. See Medfield Voters Reject Funding New Elementary School Construction (Nov. 15, 2021)

Westwood’s Field Hockey Team won its first state championship. See Westwood Field Hockey Wins First Ever State Championship (Updated) (Nov. 20, 2021)

Westwood Minute continued its Getting to Know your Neighbor
series of articles. See Getting to Know Your Westwood Neighbor: Rev. JT Hills, New Pastor at First Parish of Westwood (Updated) (Nov. 28, 2021)

A new skating facility opened in Norwood, with a Westwood resident performing in a program that included world champions. See Westwood Resident Performs at Skating Club of Boston's Star-Studded Grand Opening, Hosted by Scott Hamilton (Updated) (Nov. 29, 2021)

Photo by Darlene Wong Cancell. Dedham-Westwood Water District crew works on repairs to water main break of December 14, 2021 near 22 Winter Street in Westwood.

December 2021

Planning Board narrowed its choices for siting the state’s required multi-family housing district. Planning Board Determines Top 2 Locations for Siting Multi-family Housing District (Dec. 5, 2021)

A water main break, initially thought to affect as many as 90 homes, had a much smaller scope. DWWD Completes Winter Street Main Break Repairs in 4 Hours (Dec. 13, 2021)

The Westwood Ringers returned to their traditional, yearly in-person holiday performance after a virtual performance in 2020. Westwood Ringers Return to Live Performance in Sunday's Free Handbell Concert (Dec. 13, 2021)

The historic Fisher School was vandalized, and police caught a hit-and-run driver. See Police Log: Vandal Defaces Historic Fisher School, Middle School Safety, Catching a Hit-and-Run Driver and More (Dec. 21, 2021)

The Library Trustees announce that Islington Branch Library has a planned reopening in January. Islington Branch Library Reopening Date Tentatively Set for Late January 2022 (Dec. 22, 2021)

Westwood’s Human Rights Task Force drafted a statement in support of diversity, equity and inclusion that Select Board signed onto. Select Board Adopts DEI Statement, Discusses Financial Update, Votes to Enter Opioid Settlement (Dec. 24, 2021)

The Office of Congressman Jake Auchincloss, representative of towns including Dover, Needham, and Medfield, continues sharing national news, to which Westwood Minute adds a local perspective. MA Reps. and Senators Advocate for American Rescue Plan Act Reimbursements to Local Governments (Dec. 27, 2021)

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