Sports

WHS Sports: Heartbreaking End for Girls Track, Girls Hoops Looking for Home Tourney Game

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Charlie BreitroseSophomore Elsa Ryan raced in the 600 meters and was part of the 4 x 800 relay. BOSTON — Celebration turned to consternation for Watertown High School’s girls track team on Thursday night. The 4 x 800 relay team crossed the line in second place at the MIAA Div. 5 Indoor Track Championships, but minutes later the Raiders were informed they had been disqualified. Charlie BreitroseThe Watertown girls 4 x 800 relay team celebrates after finishing second at the MIAA Div.

Around Town

Comprehensive Plan Update Includes Focus on Improving Watertown Square

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Watertown Square

When Watertown Business Coalition Co-President Bob Airasian mentioned that a city square or town center usually being “a place where people like to go,” it was greeted with a chuckle by many at a gathering this week. “It shouldn’t be a place that you are trying to avoid,” Airasian continued, “and when you are running a business in a place like that, I’m not an economist but, that can’t be good for business.” City officials want to change that, and will soon kick off a process to plan for the future of the area, and the entire City. During the WBC’s coffee connect, Watertown Planner Larry Field talked about the updating of Watertown’s Comprehensive Plan. New City Manager George Proakis said at Tuesday’s City Council meeting that he has made no secret that he wants to make adopting the new document a priority of his first few months on the job.

Entertainment

One Book, One Watertown Pick Inspires Free Music, Dance, & Discussion at Watertown Library

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Library:

In December, the Watertown Free Public Library (WFPL) selected Big Girl by Mecca Jamilah Sullivan for the City’s One Book, One Watertown community read. As usual, extra copies flew off the library shelves. Now, with a full month of free performances, discussions, and guest talks coming up, the Library is drawing on the themes of the book to ask the community to reflect and wonder, who is permitted to take up space? It’s a question that resonates on many levels. Big Girl is a lyrical coming-of-age story that traces the personal and artistic awakening of Malaya Clondon, set to the rich soundtrack of 1990s Harlem. While the world at large seeks to shrink her body, her Blackness, her queerness, her desires, and her neighborhood, Malaya dares to imagine space for her to be her full self.

Government

City Manager Gives Outlook on Watertown’s Budget, Philosophy on Contract Negotiations

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Watertown City Manager George Proakis. This week, School officials announced an agreement on the Watertown teachers’ contract, but even when that is signed Watertown has six unions on the municipal side yet to be settled. This week, the City Manager revealed his philosophy when approaching these negotiations and how the City budget could impact the talks. He released a memo to the City Council outlining the contracts and the Watertown budget at Tuesday’s Council meeting. While making the budget, Proakis said he and his team are following the Council’s budget priorities, which include creating walkable neighborhoods and small business programs, improving infrastructure, using green vehicles, and upgrading parks and playgrounds.

Around Town

Library Running Technology Classes in Spanish, Bibiloteca Ofrece Clases de Tecnología en Español

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The Watertown Free Public Library will offer a series of technology classes in Spanish. The classes were made possible through the Public Library Association Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive, supported by AT&T. In November and December, the Library worked with the Watertown Housing Authority to offer a set of classes. All four classes will be held at the Watertown Library, 123 Main St., Watertown, in the Lucia Mastrangelo Room on the second floor. The schedule of classes can be seen below:

Clases de Tecnologia Gratis en WFPL

Los Básicos del Internet

Martes, 21/2/2023 | 19:00 | en WFPL | Mejora tu confianza en buscar y navegar en la web.

Sports

Watertown High Grad Attends NCAA Convention Representing Simmons University

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Emily Sideris

Former Watertown High School field hockey player Emily Sideris, who now manages Daly Field for Simmons University, recently got to participate in her first NCAA Convention. Sideris attended the national collegiate athletics event in San Antonio during the week of Jan. 11-14, where new legislative proposals for governing the NCAA and college athletics were discussed, the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year was awarded, and other issues were touched on during small-group discussions, such as mental health, student-athlete experience. She also met different members of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference, in which Simmons competes. 

The convention took place before former Governor Charlie Baker took over as NCAA President. 

Sideris enters her second year as the Manager of Daly Field Facilities and Athletic Operations at Simmons University. Daly Field is located across the Charles River from Watertown in Brighton.

Schools

Teachers, Watertown Schools Reach Agreement on Contract

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Watertown teachers will soon have a new contract. The Watertown Educators Association and the School Committee announced Tuesday that a settlement had been reached, and it must now be ratified by the union and then approved by the School Committee. Details about the contract have not been released. At the most recent School Committee meeting union representatives spoke about some of the areas they sought more from the district, including salaries in line with neighboring districts and guaranteed parental leave for both parents of a newborn. Teachers went to work to rule in late January to show their displeasure with the fact they were working without a contract and wanted a contract that would put them on par with other districts in the area.