Around Town

Watertown Police Take Children to Shop With a Cop at Target

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Charlie BreitroseMembers of the Watertown Police Department took a group of kids from the Watertown Boys & Girls Club shopping at Target. One afternoon last week, the aisles of Target were filled with children looking for toys, clothes and other gifts. The kids were accompanied on their holiday shopping trip by members of the Watertown Police Department as part of the annual Shop with Cop program. The children, who came from the Watertown Boys & Girls Club, anxiously awaited the trip, said Peter Gardula, Director of Mission Advancement at the Watertown Boys & Girls Club. “They’ve been looking forward to doing this the last three or four days,” Gardula said.

Around Town

City Council Urges State to Remove Watertown Dam

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Charlie BreitroseThe Watertown Dam near Watertown Square slows the flow of the Charles River. A group is advocating removing the dam. The City Council sent a letter to State officials in support of removing the “Watertown DCR Dam” from the Charles River, near Watertown Square. The Council cited climate resilience, rebuilding the population of fish species in the Charles, and the opposition of the dam by indigenous people in the letter. While the dam is located on a stretch of the river in Watertown’s city limits, the Charles and its shores are controlled by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

Sports

Watertown Girls Basketball Looks to Build on Foundation Set by Prior Teams

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Catherine WilliamsThe 2022-23 Watertown High School girls basketball team. Watertown High School’s girls basketball team will have to replace a couple big contributors from last season, but Head Coach Pat Ferdinand said he wants to build on the foundation the team built last year. Gone are 1,000+ point scorer Taylor Lambo and long-time starter Ellie Monahan, who were part of last year’s team that won a State Tournament game before falling to the eventual State Champion, St. Mary’s. The 2022-23 season got off to a good start on Tuesday night.

Around Town

Free COVID Tests Available from the Watertown Health Department

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Health Department:

Before you gather for the holidays, plan ahead and get FREE COVID-19 antigen test kits which are available in Watertown City Hall. Stop by the Health Department on the first floor in City Hall at 149 Main St., Watertown and pick some up! City Hall Hours:

Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Please note that City Hall closes at noon on December 23, and is closed on December 26, 2022, and January 2, 2023. Information about the Health Department can be found here.

Government

Watertown Will Buy Walkers Pond Property After Council Approves Deal

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Leo MartinWalkers Pond, on the Westside of Watertown, will be purchased by the City of Watertown for open space. Watertown will expand its public open space and take control of one of the few wetlands in the city limits after the City Council voted to approve the acquisition of the Walkers Pond property. The vote came Tuesday night, and City Manager George Proakis said the deal to buy the property on the Westside of town could be completed within the next week. The 6.67-acre parcel will be purchased for $11.25 million. Leo Martin, chair of the Watertown Conservation Commission, thanked the Council for the final approval, adding that Council President Mark Sideris and former Town (and City) Manager Michael Driscoll “put up with him” as he continued to push for the acquisition of the property.