Police/Fire

Police Log: Man Who Broke Into Gas Station Identified, Police Catch Shoplifter

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. There were no arrests this week. Incidents

March 23, 3:42 p.m.: A shoplifter was seen at Home Depot taking merchandise. He was known to security from previous shoplifting incidents and this time he was seen putting power tools in a large tote bag and leave without paying. He took a Milwaukee impact driver kit worth $169 and a Milwaukee Sawzall that cost $249.

Sports

Nine Watertown High School Athletes Named Winter Middlesex League All-Stars

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A belated look at the Watertown High School students who stood out during the winter season. Nine Raiders were selected as Middlesex League All-Stars. Boys Basketball: Devon Breen and Gevork Karapetyan

Girls Basketball: Taylor Lambo

Girls Ice Hockey: Elizabeth Loftus and Margaret Driscoll

Wrestling: Jason Santos and Leah Knipper-Davis

Indoor Track: Kai Landry and Rose Muldrew

Note: the boys ice hockey team did not play in the Middlesex League this year.

Business

One Watertown Institution Reopening After COVID-19 Break, Another Scaling Back; Latest Case Numbers

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Donohue’s Bar & Grill reopened after two weeks off due to the Coronavirus outbreak. A mainstay in the Watertown restaurant scene will be reopening after a couple weeks off during the Coronavirus outbreak, while a popular local market will be closing for in-store shopping. Over the weekend, J.D. Donohue announced that Donohue’s Bar & Grill will begin serving meals and alcohol for take out and deliver starting on Monday, April 6. “We closed after St. Patrick’s Day to give staff and kitchen staff and myself time to be quarantined,” Donohue said.

Government

Town Holding Select Meetings Virtually, Budget May Have to be Presented Remotely

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Since the social distancing requirements were put into place in Massachusetts due to COVID-19, there has only been one meeting held in Watertown. One more meeting is scheduled this week and others may be held this month with members participating remotely. On Thursday, April 9, the Historical Commission will hold a meeting, which will be conducted remotely and residents can attend by videoconference or call in with comments during public hearings. The first meeting held during the COVID-19 outbreak was a March 23 School Committee meeting, where committee members and the public joined using the Zoom app. There were some complaints of people not being able to hear, and concerns that they could not participate.

Business

Watertown Business Coalition Wants to Know How it Can Help Local Businesses

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The Watertown Business Coalition will be gathering information to help the local business community weather the difficult times brought on by the Coronavirus, and it wants to know what areas to touch upon. The group has put together a survey about what subjects should be covered and how they should be presented. See the announcement sent out on Saturday below:

Happy Saturday, Business Community! Please take 1 minute and fill out this quick survey to help inform how we support all of you during this time. Stay tuned for many ways to connect virtually.And of course, Stay Strong Watertown!

Police/Fire

Blaze in Watertown Square Knocked Down by Watertown Firefighters

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The Watertown Fire Department responded to a fire just a block from the Central Fire Station early Saturday morning, and put out the blaze before it spread. The fire occurred at 85 Main St., in an office building next to the Santander Bank, while the Fire Station is at 99 Main St. “It was a working fire and came in at 2:07 a.m.,” said Fire Chief Bob Quinn. “The fire was contained to one room and we were alerted by the alarm system.” 

The cause of the fire is under investigation at this time, Quinn said.

Around Town

Gov. Signs Bill Allow Towns to Delay Property Tax Deadlines, Take Out/Delivery Alcohol from Restaurants; Cases Jump 1,400 in Mass.

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Gov. Charlie Baker signed legislation Friday that gives cities and towns the ability to relax property tax deadlines and also allows restaurants to sell beer and wine for take out or delivery. The restaurants must already have a license to sell alcohol to take advantage of this new provision, according to the story on WCVB Channel 5. The person receiving the alcohol must be 21 or older and an alcohol must be part of an order that includes food. The bill also allows municipalities to delay the due date for property tax by one month. The City of Springfield has already delayed its property tax deadline from May 1 to June 1, according to Masslive.com.