Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/page/3/)
Watertown City and State officials appeared before a joint committee at the State House on Jan. 27, 2026, to discuss the City’s Home Rule Petition. Pictured, from left, Steve Owens, George Proakis, John Lawn, Earl Smith, and Mark Sideris.
The City of Watertown’s effort to prevent a tax hike for residential property owners, which could be as high as 18%, cleared a major hurdle when it was approved the the House of Representatives on Beacon Hill.
Watertown residents will see an increase of 4.5% in both the water and sewer rates for the fiscal year that began on July 1, 2026, which is slightly higher than forecasted a year ago. However, the future increase could be significantly higher than projected due in part to an error made calculating future year revenues.
The Watertown Police Department is considering purchasing a drone like this one made by Paladin Drones (Photo from Paladin)
An automated drone is one of the new technologies being considered by the Watertown Police Department. On July 9, the City Council’s Public Safety Committee held a hearing to ask questions and hear from the public about the possible use of a drone.
Those looking to join other soccer fans in Watertown to catch the World Cup Final have two choices of venues to catch Sunday’s big game.
Three Watertown groups will co-sponsor a stand out on July 17 in Watertown Square as part of “Good Trouble Lives On.” (Photo by Joshua Touster)
Three Watertown groups will be taking part in local events as part of “Good Trouble Lives On.” See information provided by Indivisible Progressive Watertown, below.
Boston College High announced last honor roll, which included several students from Watertown. See the announcement from the school, below.
Tons of open houses to visit in Watertown over the weekend, including some new listings.
An image from “Late Fall.” The film was made by Watertown’s Abigail Jean Lucas, left, who acted in the film along with her son, Leander.
A short film shot during the Pandemic, whose cast includes a Watertown filmmaker and her son, made its world premier in Ireland in May and will be part of several film festivals around the United States.
Will Brownsberger
The following announcement was provided by the Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund:
The Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund has endorsed Will Brownsberger for re-election as Suffolk and Middlesex District State Senator, a credit to his commitment to the environment and climate action. Issues of environmental justice, public health, transportation, and energy policy are inextricably linked. Because of this, we need leaders at every level of government who will call for ambitious action.
A new series — Fiesta Saturdays — debuts at the Mosesian Center for the Arts on Saturday. Learn how to make prints with the sun on Sunday. Catch the two World Cup quarterfinals at watch parties in Watertown. Take a tour of Gore Mansion and hear about the wallpaper on Friday. Kids Music at the Library on Sunday.
The 2010 Reenactment of Signing of Treaty of Watertown at the Edmund Fowle House. (Courtesy of Historical Society. of Watertown)
In the days after the former 13 colonies declared their independence from Britain 250 years ago, Watertown had a moment. The town outside Boston became the center of government in Massachusetts, and two historic firsts took place right near Watertown Square. However, these occasions got lost in the ether somewhere between George Washington and George H.W. Bush. It took some people with long memories to rekindle the connection between Watertown and the indigenous tribes on both sides of the Canadian border. This July 18th, Watertown will celebrate the 250th anniversary of these historic moments with the descendants of those present in 1776.
The following announcement was provided by the Armenian Museum of America:
Join authors Rouben and Liz Simonian for an immersion into Art and Architecture, Geography and Genealogy through Rouben Simonian’s memoir of an Armenian architect’s legacy, “Uncharted Canvas: A Journey through Beirut, Brussels, and Beyond.”