Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/author/cbreitro/page/307/)
A few properties are hosting open houses around Watertown. $459,000 – 231 Coolidge Ave. Unit 411, Condo,838 Living Area Sq. Ft., 4 Room, 2 Bedroom, 1 Full Bathroom, Open House: Sunday 11-1
$1,499,000 – 87 Summer St. Unit 87A, Condo – Townhouse, 3,045 Living Area Sq.
Town officials gave a big “shout out” to the members of the Watertown Health Department for all the work they have done during the pandemic, including the recent free COVID-19 testing and vaccinations. This week, the first members of the general public, age 75 and older, got the vaccine from the Health Department, and Town Manager Michael Driscoll said more vaccinations will be done next week. The Town will also continue to offer free COVID-19 testing through the end of February. Town Council President Mark Sideris took time during Tuesday’s Town Council meeting to thank the Health Department. “I wanted to give a shout out to our Health Department, which has gone above and beyond for just about a year to make this community as safe as possible during the pandemic,” Sideris said.
An alert resident helped police catch a man who had broken into an East Watertown church. The Watertown Police received a call on Feb. 6 just before midnight about a person banging on a door at the Greek Orthodox Church/Hellenic Cultural Center on Bigelow Avenue, said Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. “When we arrived, officers observed a glass door on the Bigelow Avenue side of the building completely shattered,” O’Connor said. “As officers approached the shattered door they heard noises from inside the building.
The number of COVID-19 cases continued to drop, and the number of recent cases dropped to its lowest point since the beginning of December. According to the latest Mass. Department of Public Health report, Watertown has had 157 cases over the prior 14 days. The number dropped by 78 from the previous week’s report. The last time the Town had fewer cases over the previous 2 weeks was the Dec.
David Coffin will lead the Chantey Sing on the Revels Facebook site. The following announcement was sent out be Watertown-based Revels:
Join us for a rousing Chantey Sing us as we explore the history and traditions of sea chanteys! WHEN: Friday, February 19 at 7:30pm ETWHERE: On Facebook Live – www.facebook.com/therevels/live
Join us Friday, February 19th at 7:30pm ET on Facebook Live when Revels Artist-in-Residence and master chantey man David Coffin leads a rousing chantey sing with special guest, maritime musician, educator, and chantey expert, Celeste Bernardo. Making a cameo appearance will be Revels North Artistic Director Nils Fredland. Through the course of the evening we will explain but mostly SING many different forms of chanteys; capstan/pumping/windlass, halyard, long and short haul chanteys, to name a few.
Watertown School leaders have begun equity and anti-racism training, and more staff members will soon be working with the group hired after the reports of racial harassment in the Watertown Schools went public. School leadership recently went through a two hour training on becoming a culturally proficient leader, which is part of a 10-hour course, said Superintendent Dede Galdston. On Monday, Galston introduced Dr. Kalise Wornum of KW Diversity, which is conducting the training and working with the district on related issues, at the School Committee meeting. She also updated the committee on efforts to hire someone for the newly created Director of Equity and Inclusion position. Wornun has been working with schools on these issues with colleges and public schools for three decades.
Watertown’s Kourtney Kennedy, who plays at UConn, made the Big East’s preseason All-Conference team. The Big East Conference named former Watertown High School field hockey star Kourtney Kennedy to its preseason All-Conference team. Kennedy, a senior back for the Huskies, was one of four UConn players named to the pre-season All-Big East team prior to the start of the season, according to the announcement from UConn Athletics. Normally a fall sport, field hockey was delayed until mid-February due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a junior, Kennedy scored a career-high three goals and added three assists.
The landing page for the Town of Watertown’s cell phone app. Website upgrades, building social media presence and high-tech billboards are some of the ways which the Town of Watertown is trying to reach residents. Complaints about the ease of accessing information about local government has come from residents and elected officials alike. The website has been a particular focus of the dissatisfaction. The Town of Watertown added personnel specifically to work on technology issues, hiring Chief Information Officer Chris McClure in the fall, and the Town will soon be hiring another person focused on social media and the website.