Government

New State Restrictions Reducing Restaurant, Retail Capacities; Impacts Gatherings, Surgeries

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Gov. Charlie Baker, with Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito. Massachusetts will have a post-Christmas tightening of COVID-19 restrictions that will reduce capacities of restaurants, businesses and other places, as well as cutting the size of allowed gatherings and stopping elective surgeries. The new set of COVID-19 restrictions will take effect on Dec. 26, 2020, Gov. Charlie Baker announced on Tuesday. The new order cuts the capacity of many businesses to 25 percent, including restaurants, retail, offices, health and fitness, theaters and indoor recreation.

Schools

Creation of Position Focused on Racial Equity and Diversity Approved by School Committee

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The School Committee approved the creation of a new Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion position in the Watertown Public School administration on Monday night. The person will lead the district’s effort to ensure equity for students in the Watertown schools, but Superintendent Dede Galdston said he or she will not be the only one working on the issue. “It is about having somebody there in a full-time position that can keep us moving, hold us accountable, make sure the plans that we create — not that they create — are actualized,” Galdston said. “And really pinpoint and targeting the support that we need in terms of professional development, in terms of family engagement, in terms of hiring and recruitment and retainment (of staff members of color). They are going to be able to keep us going and keep us in the right direction.” 

School Committee members spoke in support of creating the new position.

Around Town

Health Director: Watertown Experienced Thanksgiving COVID-19 Bump

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A sharp increase in COVID-19 cases seen in recent weeks in Watertown was due in part to people getting together for Thanksgiving, said Watertown Health Director Larry Ramdin. More than 100 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Watertown by the state Department of Public Health in the most recent weekly report, and the percentage of positive tests also grew. At the Dec. 16 Watertown Board of Health meeting, Ramdin said that most of the new infections were within family units, and some were sports related. “Many of it we are ascribing to people returning home from regions where there were a high number of cases.

Around Town

Teen’s Stolen Scooter Replaced by Watertown Police

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A teenage boy from Watertown had his motorized scooter stolen from his place of work recently, but he didn’t have to go without wheels for very long. Darius, 19, reported his scooter missing one day after working at Home Depot. The teen had saved up to buy the scooter by working at the store. When the Watertown Police heard about the incident they bought him a replacement scooter through the WPD’s Sonny Whooley Foundation, which provides gifts to children during the Holidays, according to Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. See more details, and an interview with Darius and one of the officers who gave him the scooter in this WHDH Channel 7 report.

Real Estate

Nine Watertown Properties Were Sold This Week

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Three multi-families, a single family home and a condo were sold this week. $575,000 – 50 Dartmouth St. Unit 50, Condo – 2/3 Family, 1,110 Living Area Sq. Ft., 6 Room, 3 Bedroom, 1 Full Bathroom

$1,225,000 – 44 Marion Road, Single Family – Detached Victorian, 2,415 Living Area Sq. Ft., 7 Room, 4 Bedroom, 3 Full & 1 Half Bathroom

$1,100,000 – 39 Spruce St., Multi-family Home – 2 Family – 2 Units Up/Down 3,464 Living Area Sq.

Arts

New Rep Director Leaving to Head Mass. Cultural Council

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Michael Bobbitt will take over as New Repertory Theatre’s Artistic Director in August 2019. Michael Bobbitt, the artistic director of New Repertory Theatre, will be leaving the company to become the new executive director of the Mass. Cultural Council. Bobbitt took over New Rep in July of 2019, and left his mark in his time in Watertown — increasing audiences, revenues and leading company’s anti-racism efforts in the wake of the George Floyd’s killing. Prior to that, he had already started efforts to stress the importance of diversity, inclusion and equity at New Rep.

Even during COVID-19, New Rep brought theater to town with its Historical Moving Plays, which were performed on the streets of Watertown.

Entertainment

A Double Dose of Small Saves Christmas Comics

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Cartoon by James DeMarco

James DeMarco grew up in Watertown and became a goaltender at age 5. It’s his life’s passion to stand between the pipes and keep the puck out of the net. Combining this with the love of cartooning Small Saves emerged in 1991 and took on a life of his own. “To play goal–then come home and draw Small Saves — is my ideal definition of a good day.”