Business

Watertown’s First Marijuana Dispensary Gets Approval from ZBA

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Watertown’s first recreational marijuana dispensary received approval from the Zoning Board, but Town officials will be keeping an eye on lines and traffic at the facility in East Watertown. 

On Jan. 22, the Zoning Board of Appeals approved the special permit requested by Natural Selections to make changes to prepare for adult-use marijuana sales. 

When sales will begin at the dispensary in a building at the rear of the 23 Elm St. is not certain. Chief Operating Officer Aidan O’Donovan said medical marijuana sales will begin when the state’s Cannabis Control Commission gives approval. The group hopes to be on the CCC’s agenda in February.

Schools

Three High School Principal Finalists Coming to Watertown This Week

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The three finalists to fill the Watertown High School principal position will be visiting the school this week, and the public can meet them and attend the interviews. The three finalists are Jennifer Hamilton, a dean at Cambridge Rindge & Latin; Joel Giacobozzi, assistant headmaster at Boston Latin, and Matthew Poska, principal of Beverly Middle School, said Watertown Superintendent Dede Galdston. Longer bios of each candidate can be seen below. The finalists were chosen from 16 candidates that were interviewed by the WHS Principal Screening Committee last week, Galdston said. The 17-member committee was led by Assistant Superintendent Theresa McGuinness and included parents, teachers, two School Committee members and a pair of students.

Business

Network at the Watertown Business Coalition’s Coffee Connect

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The recently formed Watertown Business Coalition invites those interested in connecting to the local business community to its Coffee Connect. Learn more about the newly formed Watertown Business Coalition, network with local professionals, and enjoy some free coffee and snacks. The Watertown Business Coalition invites the following groups to the Coffee Connect:

• All in the Watertown Business Community • Watertown Residents who own a business in or out of town • Entrepreneurs seeking Networking Opportunities • Former Members of Watertown-Belmont Chamber of Commerce • Those looking to connect with business owners in Watertown

The Coffee Connect will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 12 from 8 a.m.–9 a.m. at the New Repertory Theatre Administrative Offices, 400 Talcott Ave., Building 131, 3rd Floor, Watertown, MA 02472

Register to let us know you are coming by clicking here

Around Town

Assisted Technology Lab Opens at Carroll Center for the Blind

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The new device lab at the Carroll Center for the Blind features popular devices ranging from Apple’s iPad Air to iRobot’s Roomba Robot Vacuum. Through a partnership with the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association, The Carroll Center for the Blind in Newton recently launched an assistive technology device lab to help individuals with vision loss to better understand and learn how to effectively use various devices that have the power to help them retain their independence. The open-concept device lab offers access to a wide spectrum of over 18 different popular devices for use by all of the Center’s program participants. Most smartphones and other devices now come with several built-in accessibility options. Plus, there are a wide assortment of other mainstream and specialized applications available to download which support independence for people with low vision or blindness. Both free and paid mobile applications like Aira or Microsoft’s Seeing AI provide the ability to narrate the world through your smartphone camera—reading out street signs, printed text, and identifying objects and people.

Charity

Watertown Schools Collecting Gift Cards, Donations for Fire Victims

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After the devastating fire that displaced 31 Watertown residents on Friday, the Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs) at the schools in town leapt into action to collect items to help those affected. The parent-teacher groups at the town’s three elementary schools, the Middle School and the High school all started collections over the weekend. “I am beyond overwhelmed with the response we have received to our call for donations!!!” wrote School Committee member Lily Rayman-Read on Facebook. “****A HUGE shout out to all the PTOs and the WHS PTSO for their incredibly hard work on organizing and setting everything up for donations.

Beacon Hill

OP-ED: Details of Mass. Senate’s Climate Change Bills

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State Sen. Will Brownsberger

The following piece was provided by State Sen. Will Brownsberger, who represents Watertown, Belmont and parts of Boston:

The Senate Ways and Means Committee just released a bold, thoughtful and comprehensive package of bills designed to accelerate our move away from fossil fuels. The package is being well-received by many environmental leaders and I look forward to voting for it very soon. Back in 2008, I had a hand in passing the Global Warming Solutions Act which set the state on a course to reducing greenhouse gas emissions 25% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. The present package recognizes the latest science and amends the GWSA to set a stronger long-term target – net zero emissions in 2050. 

The package makes the planning process stronger by making the emission reduction targets more detailed: It requires definition of stringent short and medium term targets for each sector of the economy.  It also requires more timely reporting on progress. The package mandates that the Secretary of Environmental Affairs implement “market based compliance mechanisms” to achieve emission reduction goals. “Market based compliance mechanisms” include carbon fees and cap-and-trade systems that put a price on carbon emissions. Most economists believe that this is the most effective kind of approach to transforming our economy – letting people and businesses make their own price-informed choices in the market as to how to reduce emissions.

Police Log

Police Log: Harasser of Company Vice President ID’d, Man Busted Trying to Scam Store

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrest

Jan. 13, 2:05 p.m.: A man was spotted going through the self-checkout at Home Depot and scanning some items but not the more expensive ones. Store security saw the man picking up two items and scanning only the cheaper one and then put both into the shopping bag. The cheaper item was a 15-amp three-way switch worth $3.48, but he did not scan the 20-amp circuit breaker, which cost $49.97.

Police/Fire

Cause of Four-Alarm Fire in Watertown Determined by Fire Department

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Fire blazed on the side of a home on Robert Ford Road Friday. The four alarm blaze damaged 12 units in the Watertown Housing Authority complex. The fire that damaged 12 units on Robert Ford Road on Friday appears to have started due to an electrical problem, according to the Watertown Fire Department. Watertown Deputy Fire Chief Tom McManus said the investigation into the four-alarm blaze lead to the basement of the building at 62 Robert Ford Road. “It appears to have started with a short circuit in the basement,” McManus said.