Sports

Watertown Rolls in First Field Hockey Tournament Game

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The Raiders scored early and pulled away late in the MIAA North Section quarterfinal against Newburport Friday afternoon. Watertown won 4-0, with two goals coming from sophomore Kourtney Kennedy. She started the scoring less than 5 minutes into the game with a blast of a shot from over 10 yards away from goal that whizzed past Newburyport goalie Jade Carpenter. After getting off to fast start, the Raiders had trouble getting a second tally. “They had a lot of players piled back there,” said senior midfielder and co-captain Allie Doggett.

Around Town

Watertown Resident Named a Beth-Israel Deaconess Trustee

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Watertown’s Phyllis Barajas has become a member of the Trustee Advisory Board of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Barajas was appointed as a trustee at BIDMC’s Annual Meeting. Trustee Advisory Board members serve as advisors to the Board of Directors and officers of BIDMC. Trustee advisors serve on committees of the Board of Directors and identify and involve potential supporters and resources for programs and facilities of the medical center, among other responsibilities, according to an announcement from the medical center. Barajas founded and serves as chief executive officer of Conexión, a 10-month leadership and executive mentoring experience for mid-career Hispanic-Latino professionals, according to the announcement.

Government

Budget Has Increase for Schools, Town and $2 Million Shortfall

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The good news in the Fiscal 2016 budget is the increases for schools and town departments, and the bad news is the town must find more than $2 million by April to fund the budget. Town Manager Michael Driscoll unveiled the preliminary budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015 at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting. The budget includes $119.08 million, which is $5.6 million and 4.7 percent more than the current fiscal year. “We have two issues – a challenge of $2.085 million and we have got to submit a balance budget in April,” Driscoll said. “Either revenues can go up or expenditures can go down – or a combination of the two.”

While the town faces a shortfall, Driscoll said he used conservative projections when drafting it.

Around Town

Find Out How to Help Family of 6 Displaced by Fire

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A fire struck a home on Amherst Road Sunday around noon, and while the fire did not destroy the home the family of six living there will be displaced for several weeks. A fundraising effort has been set up to help the Harsh family. The family has four children, ages 6 to 17, and three of the children are currently staying with friends, according to the GoFundMe.com page set up by Ida Mae Stone, mother of Angela Giard Harsh. Watertown Firefighters responded to the fire that hit the rear of the home. “A quick aggressive attack by truck and engine companies limited the damage to the outside of the structure,” an account on the Watertown Fire Department Facebook page reads. The family lost many possessions and need additional help, according to Stone.

Development

East End Residents Create Survey on Development in the Area

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Some significant developments have been proposed in East Watertown, and some area residents are interested in what people think about the projects. Developers seek to build a CVS/Pharmacy at the corner of Arlington and Mt. Auburn streets at the site of a gas station and the Elks Club (see more here). Another project has been proposed at the former GE Ionics site on Grove Street where an office building will be renovated and a multi-story garage is proposed (read more here). Both projects are on the agenda for the Nov.

Police/Fire

Man Arrested After Attempting to Steal Tons of Nail Polish

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Watertown Police arrested a man who tried to make off with dozens of bottles of nail polish from Stop & Shop. When the man who allegedly tried to steal the items entered the supermarket on Watertown Street on Oct. 24 at 8:48 a.m. an employees recognized the man. He was suspected of taking items on previous occasions, said Watertown Police Lt. Michael Lawn. “The man was seen placing nail polish in his backpack,” Lawn said.

Around Town

Experts Discuss How to Make Communities Friendly to All Ages

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Two people who work toward having communities friendly to all ages and allowing people to “age well” will give a presentation in Watertown on Nov. 5. The “Age-Friendly Communities” event will be presented by Watertown Community Foundation, WatertownTogether, and the Marshall Home Fund. The free event is open to the public, and will be held at the auditorium at the Apartments at Coolidge School, 319 Arlington St. in Watertown from 7-9 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov.

Around Town

Committee Recommends Calming Traffic on Church Street

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In an effort to make Church Street safer, the Town Council’s Public Works subcommittee recommended that a traffic table, like those near Watertown Middle School, be installed at Palfrey Street. Residents of the area complained to the Council that the intersection is dangerous and has frequent close calls and many accidents, too. Aaron Caine lives near the corner of Church and Palfrey streets and said there are close calls on a daily basis at the intersection, and about once a week there cars screech to a halt trying to avoid a collision. WorldTech, a firm hired by the town to study traffic in the area, did a traffic study and made recommendations. They did not recommend a stop sign, but did say a speed table could be installed.