Police/Fire

Police Log: Suspect Chased Down at Mall, Counterfeit Bill Used

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

May 26, 3:36 a.m.: An officer observing traffic on Galen Street spotted a car go through a red light. The car was pulled over on California Street and the officer detected an odor of alcohol on the driver’s breath. Field sobriety tests were performed and a 32-year-old Waltham man was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and failing to stop at a light. The officer also discovered the driver did not have a license, so he was charged with unlicensed driving.

Schools

Congratulations to the Watertown High School Class of 2014!

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After four years of hard work Watertown High School’s seniors celebrated their graduation Friday evening at Victory Field. The grads, their parents, friends and others heard from Valedictorian Edward McCormick, Salutatorian Alice Elbakian and class president Erik Antonellis. The senior class paid tribute to teacher of the year Joanna Honig, the Above and Beyond the Call of Duty winning teacher Dan Wulf, and retiring teachers Phillip Henry and Mike Ferullo. The Watertown High School Class of 2014:
James Walter Aguilar
Adam James Albano
Alexander Wiliam Alcindor
Hussein Gawdat Alhady
Vitaly Allakhverdov
Lara Georges Al Massih
Nicholas Anthony Amedio
Nisarg Amin
Syed Danyal Amin
Erik Michael Antonellis
Rubens Carvalho Araujo
Kaitlin Jeanne Arsenault
Kevin Thomas Arsenault
Katerina Athanasopoulos
Daniel Austin-Manning
Anna Avram
Matthew William Henry Banks
Joseph McLaughlin Bannon
Ida Silva Barsoumian
Julia Marie Basile
Stephen Aram Bedrosian
Marva Begum
Francesca Rae Belli
Alistair Connell Bennie-Underwood
Mary Patricia Breen
Alexander Matthew Bresnee
Zachary Mason Buchanan
Shannon Marie Cafua
Anet Tiffany Calisir
Catherine Anne Camelio
Issabella Nina Carton
Santos Ariel Castillo
Ramon de Oliveira Castro
Angela Marie Chase
Issa Habib Chehab
Arlin Cimen
Lisdeivy Clavijo
Jamie Peter Collette
Gabriella Noel Coppola
Edgar Josue Cosajay
Calvin Whittier Cox
Connor Ryan Crowley
Kaylee Marie Cruz

Daniel Tyler D’Amico
Lauren Ashley Daley
Patrick Owen Dawson
Tiana Marie Delulio
Brandon Roberto Delgado
James Stephen DePamphilis
Anthony Joseph DiFonte
Kevin Joseph DiPietrantonio 
Trace Ace Dodge
Matthew Samuel Donnell
Gregory Harry Dorian
Alan Yervant Doumanian
Rafael Dutra
Alice Elbakian
Stephen Robert Emerton
Shawna Theresa England
Natalie Vartuhi Eskici
Mana Farhani-Monfared
Vanessa Nicolle Fernandez
Mayquai Jhonnatan Ferreira 
    Bueno Fiuza
Dante Antonio Flori
Khayden Elijah Fontaine
Michelle Foun
Cesar Fulcar
Sarah Ann Gallant
James Edward Garbier
Andrew Daniel Gellerman
Angelika Mkrtchi Gevorgyan
Tiffany Rose Ghazarian
Nicholas John Giunta
Jessica Nicole Godfrey

Timothy James Hairston
Casey Rose Halle
Adrine Harutunyan
Brianna Elizabeth Hayes
Kenneth James Sabin Hecht
Kelly Gallagher Horan
Caillie Young Hughes
Monica Amanda Iarossi
Danilo Sales Ibner
Arpine Israelyan
Marianna Janikian
Meri Kalashyan
Anthony Michael Kapotsis
James Gregory Kapotsis
Andrew Thomas Kay
Talar Maria Kaya
Joseph Frederick Kelland
Danielle Antoinette Keuchkarian
Sophia Georgia-Mary Keuchkarian
Omar Amer Khudari
Francesca Mary Korte
Gregory John Koutroukas
Rebecca Shir Krieger
Rajat Kumar
Youki Filf Kuwahara
Jessica Rose Lampasona
Leonardo Leitner
Luke Andrew Leitner
Dennis Men-Chi Li
Melissa Loumi
David Anthony Lucas
Danielle Alice MacDonald
Kars Ann Macri
Hagop Majarian
Kavita Mannan
Christina Francesca Mazzeo
Edward McCormick
Mira Grace McElroy-Howard
Nsan Melkonyan
Kaylean Elizabeth Mendez
Ryan Blair Morrissey
Edgar Dundu Mutebi

Thansuda Namsena
Sabrina Nebiye
Laura Fearn Nieske
Juan David Nieto-Lopez
Toriana Shanice O’Brien
Abdulraheem Habis Obyat
Kevin Robert Ohnemus
Lucas Gontijo Oliveira
Natalia Gabriela Ortega
Cody Orvik
Haig Ozcan
Grammatiki Christina Papadopoulos
Peter Gregory Patsios
Arsen Aram Patvakanian
Danielle Violet Perez
Michael Vincent Petrillo
Kevin Scott Ponce
Amanda Sarah Porter-Collins
Elisa Margaret Portz
Hamad Rehman
John Junior Richard
Morgan Lee Robinson
Thomas Paul Robinson
Ayah Hassan Roda
Jessica Lyn Rodriguez
Kathryn Joanna Rooney
Kyle Robert Rooney
Evan Michael Rose
Heidi Jaqueline Rush
Jacqueline Hope Russo
Marisa Amber Russo
Liana Marguerte Sandell
John Arlo Sudder
Zachary Leon Williams Seek
Fawad Ali Shah
Deidre Alice Shanahan
Camille St. Lot Sheehan
Il Chul Shin
Ari Garo Shirinian
Anja Skelic
Ashley Anne Smith
Hayley Nancy Smith
Nicholas Lawrence Soares
Dennis Alexander Solis
Michael Thomas Stinehart
Stefania Iordanova Stoyanova
Lea Marie Strangio
Bryan Francis Sturtevant
James Francis Swinchoski
Ahmad Moustapha Taha
Christian Guillermo Tapia
Samuel Christopher Tenkerian
Eric Patrick Tirrell
David Vahe Vehapetian
Ashlee Rose Wisniewski
Skylier James Wright
Vardin Yeghiyan
Chloe Gales Zeytoonian

Government

Extra $1 Million Could Mean Reducing Class Sizes in Watertown Schools

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The School Committee will request an additional $1 million in funding from the town to cover special education costs and hire teachers to reduce class sizes. Superintendent Jean Fitzgerald said the schools need $653,000 to raise the funds for special education in Fiscal 2015 up to the amount spent this year in Fiscal 2014. The money is needed along with the $750,000 the Town Council has approved for the Special Education Stabilization Fund. “We need the additional $653,000 to get to the base, and then if we go above that we can go to the stabilization fund because we will be in extraordinary times,” Fitzgerald said. “If we don’t do that, then we are already in extraordinary times.”

Around Town

Rain Does Not Dampen Opening of Watertown Farmers Market

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Despite the a rainy day, many eager shoppers hit the opening day of the Watertown Farmers Market at the Arsenal on the Charles on Thursday. Fresh vegetables, nuts, preserves, ice cream and Tex Mex food were among the offerings at the Farmers Market. Market Manager Kate Weinstein said she got brisk business. “We’ve got a really good turn out for the first day, even with the rain,” Weinstein said. A recent Community Health study found that many residents wanted a farmers market in town, said Steve Magoon Watertown Director of Community Development and Planning.

Obituaries

OBIT: Mary Sullivan, Worked at Verona, Advocated for Anti-Hazing Law

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A Funeral Mass for Mary C. (Whyte) Sullivan will be celebrated on Monday June 9, 2014 in the Church of St. Patrick, Watertown at 9 a.m.

Mrs. Sullivan was born in Waltham, a daughter of the late John P. & Mary C. (Bowes) Whyte. Mary was born and raised and spent 50 years in Watertown. She graduated from Watertown Hugh School, Class of 1959. Mary worked at Verona Restaurant for years as well as for FEMA for 25 years and worked tirelessly and was extremely instrumental in the passing of the 1984 Anti-Hazing law in Massachusetts.

Government

Child Sex Abuse Law Pushed by Local Reps Moves Closer to Approval

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After years of pushing for a child sex abuse law, a bill on Beacon Hill has moved closer to being passed than ever thanks in part to the work of two local legislators. The law would extend the statue of limitations for civil law suits to be filed by victims of child abuse. Last week, the House gave initial approval of the bill that came out of the Committee on the Judiciary, which is co-chaired by State Sen. Will Brownsberger, D – Belmont, (who represents Watertown). Brownsberger has been a champion of the bill in the senate. On the House side, State Rep. John Lawn, D – Watertown, has worked hard on the bill.

Police/Fire

Man Arrested After Altercation at Super 8 Motel

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A Framingham man faces multiple charges after police responded to an altercation at the Super 8 Motel. On May 27 at 11:03 a.m., police responded to a domestic incident at the motel. Keith Herring, 24, of 101 Phelps Road in Framingham, allegedly grabbed his girlfriend’s throat, slammed her head in a door and took her cell phone, according to Watertown Police Lt. Michael Lawn. Police arrested Herring and charged him with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, domestic assault and battery, intimidating a witness, attempted murder and larceny over $250, according to police.

Obituaries

OBIT: Former Watertown Police Officer Chuck Lenaghan Jr.

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A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in the Church of St. Patrick, Watertown for retired Watertown Police Officer Charles William “Chuck” Lenaghan, Jr. on Saturday, June 7, 2014 at 10 a.m.

Mr. Lenaghan was born in Cambridge, a son of the late Charles W., Sr. and Rita (Brogan) Lenaghan. He passed away at the Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge on Tuesday morning June 3, 2014 after a short illness. He was 67. Chuck graduated from St.