Around Town

Watertown Porch Pick Up Collects 1500 Pounds of Food for Food Pantry

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Watertown Food Pantry Coordinator Kathy Cunningham looks as some of the food donations from the November Porch Pick Up. (Contributed Photo)

The Watertown community stepped up at a time when many in town face cuts in their SNAP benefits. The monthly Porch Pick Up program collected around 1,500 pounds of food for the Watertown Food Pantry. Kathy Cunningham, coordinator of the Watertown Food Pantry sent out a thank you on social media on Nov. 1.

Elections

Do You Know Where to Vote? It May Have Changed in 2025

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On Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, Watertown voters will chose members of the City Council, School Committee, and Board of Library Trustees, but many voters will cast their ballots in new locations this year. People who voted in schools in the past will have different polling locations in 2025. The change was due to schools having more strict security, accessibility, and parking. See more about the candidates here.

Police/Fire

Middlesex District Attorney Meets With Watertown Police in Effort to Cut Down Shoplifting

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Charlie BreitroseMiddlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan met with Watertown Police to focus on the rise in shoplifting in the area. Here she is pictured at an event where spoke at the Watertown Senior Center. Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan joined a regular meeting between Watertown Police and security from local stores to find ways to curb the amount of shoplifting in town, and to prevent incidents from becoming more serious. Since 2022, the number of shopliftings in the City has steadily risen, with the vast majority occurring at the Watertown Mall and Arsenal Yards. In 2022, the WPD responded to around 400 shoplifting incidents, and in 2024 the number rose to 774, according to statistics collected by Watertown Police.

Obituaries

OBIT: Joseph Murgo, 85, Banker, Past Watertown Rotary President

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Joseph Murgo

Joseph A. Murgo, 85, of Lexington, formerly of Waltham and his hometown of Watertown, passed away peacefully on Oct. 28, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. Murgo graduated from Watertown High School in 1958. He had a long banking career, including at time at Watertown Savings Bank at the end of his career. He also served in leadership roles for many local organizations, including President of the Watertown Rotary Club, Vice President of the Watertown Belmont Chamber of Commerce, and was a member of the Watertown Sons of Italy.

Government

Council Still Considering Options for Rebuilding Middle School After Long Discussion

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Watertown Middle School (Courtesy of Watertown Public Schools)

The City Council drilled down on what factors would determine whether to do a full renovation/rebuild of Watertown Middle School, or to do more basic repairs now and a bigger project later. After more than two hours of deliberation on Tuesday night Councilors had not made a decision and some key questions remain unanswered. The City Council heard from City and school officials, as well as Watertown’s project management firm for school building projects. City Manager George Proakis outlined the financial implications of each option, and some of the hurdles that lay in the paths of even the lowest cost options. In 2024, the City Council had a similar discussion, and decided to make a new Middle School a priority.