Around Town

Drivers Can Now Park at Watertown Parking Meters Using Cellphone App

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People parking at meters in the Watertown will have the option of using a cellphone app to pay. The City of Watertown announced it has started using the Passport parking app. “Drivers can now use their smartphones to pay for and manage parking sessions, as an alternative to coins and credit cards,” the City’s announcement said. “After downloading the free Passport parking application, users create an account with license plate number and credit card, then enter the zone number marked on the meter and nearby signage.” The minimum charge is $1, plus a 25 cent service fee, said Senior Transportation Planner Laura Wiener.

Around Town

Young Basketball Players Return to Summer Camp for First Time in Years

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Charlie BreitroseYoung basketball players attended a camp run by Watertown High School coaches and players this week. School might be out, but the gyms at Watertown High School and Watertown Middle School have been full of youngsters this week. They joined WHS’s basketball coaches for a week-long basketball camp, and there is another program next week. The summer basketball camps have been around for many years, said Watertown boys basketball coach Steve Harrington, who runs it along with Watertown girls basketball coach Pat Ferdinand. The program has been on hiatus for a few years.

Around Town

Cannabis Company with Local Dispensary Settles After AG Finds it Withheld Tips

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Bud’s Goods, which recently opened a location in Watertown, will reimburse employees at other locations after the Attorney General’s office found that the company had withheld more than $30,000 in cash tips. The complaint alleged that the company withheld $33,000 in tips from employees working at its store in Abington and Worcester in 2021. Bud’s Goods opened its Watertown location on May 20, 2022. Some of the money was reportedly used to buy food for employees, or was given to them as up to $60 in store credit. The person who made the complaint said the money was put in a lock box and employees were never told how much in tips went into the box.

City Council

Watertown Seeking Permission to Purchase Property in Waltham

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Leo MartinWalker Pond, on the Westside of Watertown, is one of the town’s hidden wetlands. A portion sits in Waltham, and the City Council is exploring purchasing that property. The City Council voted to start the process to enable the City of Watertown to purchase a piece of land that lies just over the border in Waltham that could be part of an open space resource. City Council President Mark Sideris said Tuesday night that Watertown is considering purchasing a property that includes a portion of Walker Pond (also called Walker’s Pond), a small body of water on the western edge of Watertown. The pond is one of the few in Watertown, and has been discussed as a possible open space resource in the City.

Schools

Watertown Exploring Variety of Options for Vocational Education

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The group exploring vocational and technical education options for Watertown students has found a variety of possibilities, but the ad hoc committee has not come up with recommendations yet. Watertown could look to join a vocational high school district, join into an agreement with another community that has a vocational program, expand the number of offerings at WHS, or use a combination of those options, said School Committee member David Stokes, who chairs the Vocational Technical Ad Hoc Committee. “It seems like we haven’t gotten very far, but we have done a whole lot,” Stokes said. “We are farther along than a lot of people think, because we haven’t produced anything yet, but it is coming shortly.” The committee was formed after students seeking vocational or technical education programs struggled to get into Minuteman High School in Lexington.

Around Town

New Marker Recalls Former Home of First Jewish Dairy Farmers in Watertown and the State

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Charlie BreitroseHistorical Society of Watertown member Bob Bloomberg glances at the new historic marker near the former location of the Shick House. The marker was dedicated on June 26. A shiny, new blue sign with gold lettering now sits feet away from where a farmhouse stood for about 170 years. The historical marker is the only reminder of the home owned by the family that ran the first Jewish-owned dairy in Massachusetts and of Watertown’s rich agricultural history. The Historical Society of Watertown unveiled the new marker for the Shick House on Sunday afternoon.

Arrests

Police Log: Man Arrested for Driving Recklessly, Safe Stolen from Home

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

June 13, 3:34 p.m.: A car was forced into a parked car by another driver, who fled the area. A Honda SUV was driving east on North Beacon Street near the Toyota dealership. A Volkswagen tried to pass her and went over the double yellow line. Another vehicle was coming the other direction, so the VW swerved back and collided with the Honda, forcing it into a parked Lexus sedan.