Government

City Council, School Committee Bid Farewell to Departing Members

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City Councilor John Airasian, and School Committee member Lily Rayman-Read. Two Watertown elected officials served their final meetings in December, and each was bid farewell by their colleagues. City Councilor At-Large John Airasian departs the Council after two terms (four years), and Lily Rayman-Read finished two-four year terms on the School Commmittee. John Airasian

The City Council bid Airasian farewell at its Dec. 9 meeting with a proclamation in honor of his years of service to the community.

Entertainment

A Trip to Armenia Inspired Watertown Native’s First Novel

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Cris Patvakanian wrote “In the Shadow of Mount Khustup” after visiting Armenia in 2023. A trip to his homeland of Armenian in 2023 changed Cris Patvakanian’s life, and the experience became the inspiration for his first novel. Growing up in Watertown, Patvakanian was an active member of the Armenian community but a visit to the area where his family came from, Syunik — the southernmost region of Armenia — was eyeopening. He visited the cities of Goris and Kapan. “I had never been there before, and it was a transformative experience meeting the resilient people there, especially after the 2020 Armenia-Azerbaijan war and all the hardships the veterans and families face now as they now live on the border with Azerbaijan since the ethnic cleansing of Nagorno Karabakh,” Patvakanian said.

Around Town

New Year Week Hours for Watertown City Hall, Library and Senior Center

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The New Year is approaching fast, and Jan. 1 won’t be the only day when Watertown City department hours are impacted. See details about City Hall, the Senior Center, the Library, and other office hours this week in the announcement from the City of Watertown. New Year Holiday Hours

Please be aware of the New Year Holiday hours for City of Watertown Buildings and Departments. On December 31, 2025, the Department of Public Works offices will be closed at 11 a.m., City Hall, Parker Building, and Senior Center, closed at 12:30 p.m. (the Inspectional Services and Zoning and Code Enforcement offices at the Parker Building will be closed at 11:30 a.m.).

Around Town

Watertown Armenian Church Remembers 2 Family Members Killed in Car Crash

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Arie Orchanian and Anie Manoushagian. Arie Orchanian and Anie Manoushagian, the victims of a car accident after a family member’s funeral, were remembered by members of the church that they attended for years. At Saturday’s service, Pastor Aram Bedrossian of the Armenian Memorial Church in Watertown, said Arie Orchanian, 32, and his aunt Anie Manoushagian, 80, had been members of the congregation for decades. “[Orchanian] was a pure man and a good man,” Bedrossian said, according to the report by WCVB Channel 5. “He always wanted to do the good thing.