Letters

LETTER: Chamber Encourages Council to Adopt Local News Day Resolution

By |

The following letter was sent to City Council President Mark Siders by the Charles River Regional Chamber:

Dear Council President Sideris,

On behalf of the Charles River Regional Chamber, I write to urge the Watertown City Council to designate April 9 as Local News Day. Local media play a pivotal role in our community — reporters hold municipal leaders accountable, spotlight neighborhood concerns, celebrate local achievements and keep residents informed in ways no national outlet can. Without strong local journalism, civic life suffers. Waltham’s City Council recently passed a resolution joining a national movement to recognize April 9 as Local News Day, reconnecting residents with trusted local outlets, and sustaining local journalism for generations to come. Watertown should do the same.

Around Town

Find Out About Proposed Solar Project at Gore Place During Developers Meeting

By |

A Public Information Meeting for the Gore Place Agrivoltaics project will be held on Tuesday, March 31 at 6:30 p.m.

The following notice was provided by the City of Watertown:

Notice is hereby given that the Petitioner will be holding a Public Information Meeting related to Gore Place Agrivoltaics on March 31, 2026. Project Description and Location

The Gore Place Agrivoltaics project proposes new uses for the easternmost 10 acres of the property. This will be a multi-phased project. The first phase will include installing solar panels on roughly 3 ½ acres on the southern portion of the parcel. This installation will also be used as pastureland for sheep, so there will be fencing similar to the other pasturelands at Gore Place.

Government

Watertown Hires New Assistant City Manager for Community Development & Planning

By |

The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

Watertown City Manager George Proakis announces that Kennan Rhyne, AIA, AICP, will be the City’s new Assistant City Manager for Community Development and Planning. Rhyne is an experienced municipal planner and architect who brings to Watertown an impressive background of leading and contributing to complex planning projects across the region. She most recently served as Principal of her own consulting firm since 2023, where she advised the cities of Boston, Lowell, Quincy, and many other cities and towns on projects related to land use planning, zoning, urban design, and public policy. Rhyne previously served as Deputy Director for Comprehensive Planning in Boston’s Planning and Development Agency, including a stint as Interim Director of Planning in 2022. During her time with the City of Boston, she conducted extensive planning studies that addressed housing needs, economic development, climate resiliency, transportation, and open space.

Around Town

Hibernians Invite Public to Ham-O-Rama on March 28

By |

The Ancient Order of Hibernians will host Ham-O-Rama on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at Hibernian Hall, 151 Watertown St., Watertown. There will be four rounds and 160 chances to win, a 50/50 raffle, raffle baskets, and other items.

For more information contact laohwatertown@gmail.com.

Around Town

Eco Fest Returns to Watertown in May with Family-Friendly Fun

By |

The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

Save the date for Eco Fest, Watertown’s second annual sustainable resource fair: Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Commander’s Mansion, located at 440 Talcott Ave. Eco Fest is a family-friendly event where our community can access a variety of programs and resources available to make their homes and lives more sustainable. This year’s event will feature a vendor tent, clothing swap, e-bike test rides, kids’ activities, an EV showcase, and more. Also consider signing up for the Community Paddle (registration on Watertown’s recreation website) in the morning before making your way over to the Mansion for some learning, fun, food, and community. Check out the Eco Fest website, watertownecofest.com, to learn more about this year’s programming and how to participate!

Schools

Watertown Students Make Dean’s List at Several Colleges During Fall Semester

By |

Students hailing from Watertown made the dean’s list at UMass Amherst, Holy Cross, Georgia Tech, St. Lawrence, Tufts, Simmons, St. Michael’s, and Emmanuel. See the announcements provided by the colleges and universities, below. Holy Cross

College of the Holy Cross congratulates the students named to the Fall 2025 Dean’s List for outstanding academic achievement during the spring semester of the 2025-26 academic year.

Elections

LETTER: As State Sen., Daniel Lander Will Fight for More Permanently Affordable Housing

By |

For the first time since 2011, we have two candidates for State Senate whose records and priorities we can actually compare. 

On State Legislature transparency, the rights and opportunities of the most marginalized, consistent support for State House staff to unionize, and his “fighting head on” approach to our dire housing affordability crisis — I am sure of where Daniel Lander will be leading us as State Senator. 

He will be at the forefront of the fight for more permanent affordable housing and, because he understands its urgency, it will remain one of his top priorities. And he understands that while more market rate housing is vital, alone it will not help affordability. Daniel’s track record shows his commitment and ability to get down to brass tacks and work on many fronts so that people can afford to live where they choose. For example, Daniel will actively advocate for social housing in Massachusetts — publicly owned, mixed-income developments built in partnership with housing authorities and nonprofit developers. Models like Willow Park right here in Watertown show how this works, giving cities the tools to create permanently affordable housing for low- and middle-income households.

Entertainment

“The Mushroom Cure” to Play Mosesian Center for the Arts April 10–11 for Special Live Filming

By |

The following announcement was provided by “The Mushroom Cure”:

Writer and performer Adam Strauss will present his acclaimed solo show “The Mushroom Cure” at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown, Massachusetts, on April 10 and 11, 2026. The performances will be filmed to create a feature film of the live show, executive produced by bestselling author Michael Pollan and journalist Hamilton Morris. The Mushroom Cure is the true story of Strauss’s quest to cure his severe obsessive-compulsive disorder with psychedelics. The show has received widespread critical acclaim for both its emotional depth and humor, with The New York Times writing that it “mines a great deal of laughter from disabling pain” and the Chicago Tribune calling it “arrestingly honest and howlingly funny.”

Each performance will include a post-show conversation. On Friday, April 10, Strauss will be joined by Hamilton Morris for a discussion on psychedelics and mental health.