Unity Award Goes to Group Behind Film Series, New Scholarships Announced

Watertown Cable AccessThe winners of the 2023 Unity Award, Epiteo Evans and Kara Salvi, who founded Race Reels in Watertown. Most years the annual Unity Award goes to an individual who has made a difference in Watertown, but this year the committee gave it to a group that screens films locally that spark conversations about issues facing the community and the nation. On Jan. 9, the pair behind Race Reels, Epiteo Evans and Kara Salvi, received the Unity Award at special event. The pair was also highlighted in the Unity Breakfast video celebration, which was presented by the World in Watertown.

Armenian Museum Extends Major Art Exhibition Through February

Some of the pieces in Armenian Museum of America’s “On the Edge: Los Angeles Art 1970s-1990s from the Joan and Jack Quinn Family Collection.” From top left: Laddie John Dill, “Portrait of Joan, 2016,” hand blown and colored glass tubing, argon gas with mercury transformer, 60; Joe Fay, “Joan, 1984,” Prismacolor on Arches paper, 34” x 26; Gregory Wiley Edwards, “Expanded Resonance, 1992,” acrylic on canvas, 46″ x 69 3/4. If you have not caught one of the biggest art exhibits in Watertown, you have more time to see the show featuring artists like Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Frank Gehry. The Armenian Museum of America has extended its exhibition, “On the Edge: Los Angeles Art 1970s-1990s from the Joan and Jack Quinn Family Collection,” through Feb. 26, 2023. The exhibit includes 125 works in a variety of media by more than 75 artists.

Watertown Police Recover Missing Football Signed by Brady, Bledsoe

Watertown Police DepartmentThe missing football signed by three Patriots, including Tom Brady, was recovered after an undercover investigation. A football autographed by some New England Patriots legends went missing from a Watertown business about a month ago, but the ball was intercepted by police when the thief tried to sell it online. The ball that was signed by Tom Brady, Drew Bledsoe and Damon Huard belongs to local plumbing business J.C. Cannistratro. During a recent move, however, the ball went missing. On Wednesday, detectives from two police departments recovered the ball.

Group that Sends Care Packages to Military Personnel May be Grounded by Change in Mail Rules

For 20 years, Operation American Soldier has been sending out a piece of home to men and women serving in the U.S. Military overseas from Watertown, but the pipeline of care packages appears to be coming to a sudden halt with a change in rules for shipping packages to military bases. Co-founder Wendy Rocca recently learned that the flat-rate boxes used to send the care packages will soon no longer be available, and the rates will be much higher. “It was $15.30 (per box) at the Christmas-time rush. It was $14 and change for the rest of the year,” Rocca said. “Now we do not have the flat rate.

Watertown High Grad Plays on NCAA Title Winning Soccer Team

Watertown’s Julio Fulcar finished up his college soccer career at Syracuse with a win in the National Championship game

When the Syracuse University men’s soccer team lifted the championship trophy in December, one of players celebrating was Watertown’s own Julio Fulcar. The Watertown High School graduate played for the Orange for five years, including this year as a graduate student. This season, Syracuse won the soccer National Championship for the first time in school history, finishing 19-2-4, and won the ACC regular season division, and the ACC tournament. Watertown News caught up with Fulcar, who said that being able to achieve the team’s ultimate goal was a very special experience. “It is difficult to describe the feelings one feels when they know they are a part of a real team but it is an unforgettable feeling, one I have been fortunate enough to feel twice now; the high school basketball team from 2018 echoes many of the same sentiments I had this past fall at Syracuse,” Fulcar said. 

Syracuse AthleticsWatertown’s Julio Fulcar kicks the ball in a game against Louisville.

4 Watertown Athletes Garner Boston Globe All-Scholastic Honors

Charlie BreitroseWatertown senior co-captain Maggie Driscoll shoots the ball in the 2022 State Final. Driscoll was named the Div. 3 Player of the Year by the Boston Globe. The Fall season had many highlights for Watertown High School teams — including a state championship and a rivalry victory at Fenway Park. For their role in the successful season, four Raiders received All-Scholastic honors from the Boston Globe.