Around Town

Restaurant Closing After More Than 2 Decades Serving Italian Dishes in Watertown

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Porcini’s restaurant will close in mid-January after over 20 years serving diners in Watertown. The owners for the restaurant on School Street put up a “Closing Letter” on the restaurant’s website announcing the decision. They cited difficulties of doing business during the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the reasons for the decision, in which they thanked their loyal customers and dedicated staff. The letter reads: “It saddens us to have to announce today that Porcini’s Italian Restaurant will be permanently closing our doors after 23 years of service on Saturday, January 14, 2023.” The past 3 years have been devastating to our business, as we have struggled through the results of the COVID pandemic.

Government

State Legislature Allowing Watertown to Charge Developer Fees to Fund Affordable Housing

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Wikimedia Commons / ChensiyuanMassachusetts State House. City officials will be able to charge new developments a fee that would go toward creating affordable housing in Watertown after receiving approval from the state level. The City Council requested special legislation to be passed that allows them to charge linkage fees of up to $18 per square foot for commercial projects over 30,000 sq. ft. that require zoning relief.

Police/Fire

Watertown Man Arrested for Role in Fatal Crash in Rhode Island

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A 25-year-old Watertown man faces multiple charges after he was involved in a motor vehicle accident that killed a man on New Year’s Eve. Christopher Vincent, 25, of Watertown, was driving in Lincoln, Rhode Island, when he lost control and struck an attenuator, according to the report by Boston Channel 25. The accident occurred around 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 31. The passenger in the vehicle, William Molloy, 22, of Ashland, died from his injuries.

Government

Finalists for City Auditor Will be Interviewed at Council Meeting

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Two finalists for the City Auditor will be interviewed by the City Council this week at a special meeting. The Council will hold the interviews at a public meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 4 at 6 p.m. The meeting will be both in person in the Council Chamber in City Hall and remote. The finalists are Donna Tuccinardi and Charles Doherty. They will be taking over from long-term City Auditor Tom Tracy, who retired in 2022 after working in Watertown for 30 years.

Government

How to Spend Federal ARPA Funds Will be Discussed by Council Budget Committee

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Watertown City Hall

The City of Watertown will receive several million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and the City Council’s Committee on Budget and Fiscal Oversight will be discussing what to do with the funds. Watertown will receiving approximately $10.5 million of ARPA funds, according to an estimate by the Massachusetts Municipal Association. The money could be spent in a number of areas, including public health, water and sewer infrastructure, public broadband networks, paying essential workers, and making up revenue lost due to the pandemic. The Council has already heard a recommendation from the Department of Public Works to spend half of the money on water and sewer infrastructure to make improvements and also keep rates down in future years. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, Jan.