Police/Fire

Suit Filed Against Welders for Fire That Killed 2 Boston Firefighters

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Owners of the building where the fire that killed two Boston Firefighters – including a Watertown native – are suing the company that was doing welding on the site. The nine-alarm fire in the Back Bay killed two firefighters – Lt. Edward Walsh, who grew up in Watertown, and Firefighter Michael Kennedy – and injured many more. The suit was filed by an attorney for the estate of Michael J. Callahan which owns 298 Beacon St., targets the owners of 296 Beacon St., Oliver Realty LP; welding company D & J Iron Works of Malden; and company owner Guiseppe Falcone. The suit claims that the welders did not take proper precautions to prevent a fire and did not get a permit to do the work, according to a story on WCVB’s website (click here to see more). A witness said in an affidavit that he went to the area when he got report of the fire and that he saw welders packing up their truck and leaving the scene, according to a report in the Boston Herald.

Letters

Education Foundation Opposes Creation of New Fundraising Group

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A Town Council subcommittee has floated the idea of creating a new non-profit group to raise money for the Watertown Schools, but members of the Watertown Education Foundation say they fill that role. Education Foundation President Amy Donohue made an appeal at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting to let her group continue what it has been doing, and asked for the help of the Council, the School Committee and other officials in town. After she spoke, Councilor Tony Palomba, who brought up the idea of creating a new group at the Education and School System Matters subcommittee meeting, said the proposal was just a draft designed to start discussions aimed at finding new ways to add funding to the Watertown Public Schools. (Click here to see more on the proposal for the new group and other strategies to get more school funding). He suggested inviting the Education Foundation and other groups that raise money for the school (including the Watertown Community Foundation and the Friends of Watertown Music) to discuss fundraising strategies.

Police/Fire

Timing Equipment Stolen from Watertown Police 5K Race

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Race organizers put down electronic timing equipment for the Finish Strong 5K Road Race on the anniversary of the Watertown Manhunt, but when they went  to retrieve it, the equipment was gone. The race raised money for charities that helped the Boston Marathon Bombing victims and local school and community groups. (Click here to find out more about the race). RaceWire, which ran the timing of the race organized by the Watertown Police Supervisor’s Association, had left a generator and red mats with bib timing devices in it on Arlington Street near Merrifield Avenue for the start of the road race, said Watertown Police Lt. Michael Lawn. “They went to set up the finish line, and when they went back it was gone,” Lawn said.

Around Town

Peace Pole to be Erected at Watertown Library

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A pole will be “planted” Saturday outside the Watertown Free Public Library to promote harmony and collaboration. The eight sided pole will have the word Peace written on it in the eight most common languages in Watertown, said Town Councilor Tony Palomba. There are 50 languages spoken in Watertown and others will be recognized on the base of the pole. Along with the pole, a planter will be installed. The flowers were donated, Palomba said, and the area will be taken care of by the library staff.

Police/Fire

Watertown Police Log: Shoplifters Busted and More

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests

April 7, 10:02 p.m.: Police received information that a man wanted on a warrant was at a home on Sycamore Street. A 25-year-old Watertown man was arrested on a warrant out of Woburn District Court. April 8, 6:30 p.m.: A man was spotted at Stop & Shop on Watertown Street placing a large amount of groceries into a reusable bag and then tried to leave the store. The total value was $238.48.

Boston Marathon Bombing

Couple Uses Plates to Protest Watertown Manhunt

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Artists Mike Mandel and Chantal Zakari experienced the Watertown Manhunt first hand and they did not like what they saw, and they expressed their feelings by creating commemorative plates. While most such porcelain items show a scene of beauty or something happy, the center of the plates created by the married couple features pictures of SWAT teams, armored vehicles and police searching houses. The pair was featured on WBGH’s “Greater Boston” television program. See photos of the plates by visiting WGBH’s website (click here). Read more in a story by WGBH by clicking here.

Sports

See Results for Watertown Runners in the Boston Marathon

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Watertown was well represented in the 118th Boston Marathon, with 76 runners plus others from the Watertown Police and Fire Departments running, and it was a day for the women. The top runner from Watertown was Kath Hardcastle, who had a net time of 2:45:42. She was the 36th fastest woman in the entire race and 32nd in the women 18-39 category. Second was Nicole Casey with 2:58:23, and third (and top male) was Daniel Gulas at 2:59:21. Women took six of the top 10 places for Watertown runners and 12 of the top 20.

Around Town

Boston Marathon Entries from Watertown Soar in 2014

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The number of Boston Marathon entrants from Watertown has spiked a year after the bombing at the finish line and events that culminated in the shootout with and stopping of the bombing suspects in town. In 2012, 38 Watertown residents ran the 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Copley Square in Boston (Ed. Note: I could not find the 2013 numbers but they were similar). This year 76 town residents are running, according to the Boston Athletic Association. In addition, a dozen Watertown Police officers (including 5 from the list of town residents) and one Watertown Firefighter are running the race.