Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/author/cbreitro/page/302/)
See this week’s open houses across Watertown. $465,000 – 164 Galen St. Unit 15, Condo – Mid-Rise, 950 Living Area Sq. Ft., 4 Room, 2 Bedroom, 1 Full Bathroom, Open Houses: Saturday 12-1:30 Sunday 12-1:30
$559,000 – 131 Coolidge Ave. Unit 323, Condo – High-Rise, 1,290 Living Area Sq.
Watertown Town Hall
The Charter Review Committee was given something to think about at the end of Tuesday’s meeting: a proposal to look at changes to the current form of government this year, but hold the next review a few years down the road to allow for an in-depth look at whether Watertown should make major changes to its government. The question was posed by Michael Ward, one of the Town’s consultants from the Collins Center at UMass Boston. He also put out the idea of removing the Town Council from the next Charter Review Committee. Town Council President Mark Sideris, who chairs the Charter Review Committee, said there would be no discussion of the proposal on Tuesday, but wanted the Committee members to have time to think about the proposal so they could discuss it at the next meeting on March 16. In the proposal, Ward suggested that the next Charter Review be held in four years (or possibly three or five) rather than waiting another 10 years.
The following letter was provided by the superintendents of school districts in the Middlesex League, including Watertown’s Deanne Galdston. Dear Commissioner Riley:
On Friday, February 26th, the Middlesex League Superintendents discussed your announcement for a full return of elementary students to in-person learning by April 2021. Currently, our districts are engaged in conversations about what a full return might look like, as is appropriate to the local context. There is nothing that we want more than for all of our students and staff to return to schools full time; however, your declaration without a thoughtful plan only exacerbates the challenges we face in schools and belies the current reality of the situation in which we find ourselves. We are nearing the first anniversary of the Middlesex League Superintendents’ decision to close schools on March 12, 2020, which predated the Governor’s school closure order a day later.
Three men suspected of stealing packages from an Arsenal Street apartment complex were arrested when Watertown Police caught them with a car full of boxes. Shortly before 10 p.m. on Feb. 24, Watertown Police received a call from a resident who saw a blue BMW backed up to the loading dock at The Gables apartment building, said Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. “The caller thought it was suspicious due to the late hour, and it is not common for a passenger car to be in the shipping area,” O’Connor said. “He saw a person make several trips in and out of the building, each time coming out with packages, and placing the packages in the trunk of the vehicle.”
Employees from Watertown’s Target store volunteer in the community, and they seek placed to lend a hand. The following announcement was sent out by Watertown Target:
Hi Everyone! Target’s goal each month is to volunteer out in the community and give back. We are looking to fill up our calendar for the year and wanted to reach out and see if anyone was looking for volunteers in any way. March is Women’s month and we would love to tie that into a volunteer event in some way if we could.
Watertown’s COVID-19 cases dropped below 100 for the fist time since before Thanksgiving. Also, the list of those eligible for the vaccine will soon include teachers, and those looking for vaccines have a new option in the area. The town had 89 cases over the previous 14 days according to the Mass. Department of Public Health’s most recent report on Feb. 25.
Get kids back in school full time — that was the message to Watertown Public School officials from the vast majority of parents and the School Committee on Monday night. Many parents discussed how negative an experience remote learning has been for their children, with students falling behind academically and some not engaging in class at all. Others said their children have shown signs of depression and despair due to not being in school with their classmates. Superintendent Dede Galdston spoke about the district’s planning to reopen the schools for all in-person learning, and said planning has started to make that happen by sometime in April, but she said concerns remain about whether it can be done safely. She mentioned planning for how to hold lunches with social distancing requirements and added she hopes to have all teachers vaccinated by the time students return.
Watertown’s Rico DePaolis, center, will make his professional boxing debut on March 13. He is shown here with Matt and Mark Nolan, who own the gym where he trains. For several years, Rico DePaolis pursued a career in college basketball coaching, but now the 30-year-old has set his athletic sights on the boxing ring while he looks to start a career in firefighting. The Watertown native will make is professional boxing debut on March 13 in Windham, N.H. DePaolis has a 3-1 record as an amateur, with three victories by stoppage. “I am fighting a gentleman from New York who has a lot of experience in boxing and MMA,” DePaolis said.