Charity

See the Fashions from the Mt. Auburn Hospital Auxiliary Show

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The latest fashions were on display at the Mount Auburn Hospital Auxiliary’s Annual Spring Benefit Fashion Show and Luncheon. Take a look at some of the outfits. The clothes provided by Perceptions of Concord Center were showcased at the Oakley Country Club on April 30. The event raised money that will help Mount Auburn Hospital upgrade clinical facilities, recruit and retain the best physicians and nurses, acquire the latest in medical technology, and support the hospital’s mission to teach the medical leaders of tomorrow. Sylvia Whitney, of Watertown, and Ruth Pratt, of Lexington organized the event.

Government

Fire Chief: Adding Paramedics to Department is a Quality of Life Issue

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The move to have the Watertown Fire Department handle paramedic service in-house is a matter of quality of life, said Fire Chief Mario Orangio. The Fire Department will hire four paramedics with a grant from FEMA, and some current members of the Fire Department will train to in advanced life support so the Watertown can provide its own paramedic service (read more here). Right now the town uses Armstrong Ambulance, which is based in Waltham. When Watertown runs its own ambulances the response time will be cut down. “The best thing is it will save time,” Orangio said.

Schools

Watertown’s League Champs Celebrated at School Committee

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Watertown High School enjoyed an amazing winter sports season – perhaps the most historic winter in school history – and the success was celebrated this week at the School Committee meeting. Four teams displayed five banners earned this winter on the basketball court and ice hockey rink. Watertown High School Athletic Director Michael Lahiff said this is the first time in his memory that four teams – boy’s and girl’s basketball and boy’s and girl’s ice hockey – have won the Middlesex League title. “It may be the first time in Middlesex League history,” Lahiff said. “I don’t know.

Government

Watertown Class Sizes May Not Shrink Under Proposed Budget

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Keeping class sizes small is one of the School Committee’s goals each year, but Superintendent Jean Fitzgerald said the budget may prevent lowering class sizes. The School Committee requested a $42 million budget, which would be $6 million more than Fiscal 2014 and would pay for 22 new teachers. The budget proposed by Town Manager Michael Driscoll  last week gave the schools a $2.267 million, or 6.18 percent, increase. Fitzgerald said the first priority will be filling the positions that will keep Watertown in compliance with state and federal mandates, including special education and English as a second language. After that, class size and other needs “may go unresolved,” Fitzgerald said Monday night.

Around Town

2 Celtics Make a Special Visit to the Watertown Boy’s & Girl’s Club

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The Watertown Boy’s & Girl’s Club welcomed some special visitors Friday when a current and a former Boston Celtics player stopped by. Current Celtics guard Phil Pressey and former Celtic and Boston College great Dana Barros shared their tips for eating healthy when they stopped by the club. Students used fruit and toothpicks to build some desserts that were both attractive and good for you. Pressey told the students that he has to work hard and eat and drink the right things to get ready for games. “The night before I am drinking all the water, eating all the pasta and trying to do the right things so when the game starts I have the right amount of energy,” Pressey said.

Business

New ‘Vape’ Store Opens in Watertown

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Users of e-cigarettes now have a local spot to get the equipment and supplies. 

New England Vaping Company opened at 100 Main St. in Watertown in mid-April. The small storefront has a about 60 flavors from three suppliers to use with e-cigarettes, said Heleen Venter, who co-owns the store with her husband Jamie Richard. “Some people come in with very particular tastes and others come in and try them all,” Venter said. While e-liquids are easy to find on the internet, Venter said that people get more information coming into the store.

Government

See What Concerns and Ideas Residents Have About the MBTA

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Crowded buses and new ways to pay bus fares came up as issues facing users of public transportation at the first Watertown Task Force on Public Transit meeting. Forty people came out to the meeting on May 1 at the Watertown Free Public Library, which was organized by Sustainable Watertown. Frequent MBTA bus riders run into over-crowded buses – to the point that buses cannot pick up passengers – and bunching of buses so they come one right after another, said Joe Levendusky, an East End resident, who moderated the first meeting. “The solutions that were most commonly suggested were a) more buses on the routes and  b) better real time management of the route,” Levendusky said. People would like to see easier access to the Charlie Cards.

Police/Fire

Fire Department Douses Small Fire in Watertown

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The Watertown Fire Department put out a fire that started in mulch beds at a condominium building on Coolidge Avenue Sunday afternoon. The fire occurred outside the Charles River Towers at 151 Coolidge Avenue at about 4:45 p.m. Sunday, according to reports. The fire did not damage the building.