Police/Fire

Watertown Firefighter Graduates from Boston Fire Academy

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Firefighter Ryan Hoey graduated from the Boston Fire Department’s fire academy this week. He is shown with Watertown Fire Chief Bob Quinn. Watertown Fire Chief Bob Quinn announced that Firefighter Ryan Hoey graduated from the Boston Fire Department’s fire academy. “I wanted to let you know that today Firefighter Ryan Hoey graduated from the Boston Fire Department Regional Metro Fire Recruit Training Academy,” Quinn said. The academy was run by Boston Fire department to train new firefighters in the Metro Fire departments.

Government

Watertown Looking into Creating Rental Assistance Program

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Watertown Town Hall

Watertown officials will be exploring how the Town may create a rental assistance fund to help people who need help with security deposits in order to afford an apartment or other rental housing. The proposal came from the the Council’s Human Services subcommittee, which met more than a dozen times over the past year to look for ways to increase the amount of affordable housing in Watertown. The Council approved the recommendation to ask the Planning Department to draft a proposal for tenant-based rental assistance program, or programs, including how it could be appropriately funded and staffed. Councilor Tony Palomba, who chaired the Human Services Committee, said that Waltham has a rental assistance program. “The program is very successful in Waltham, and I am sure it will be successful in Watertown.”

Around Town

Rotary Club Invites Seniors to Annual Cookout at Sons of Italy

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The Watertown Rotary Club will hosts its annual Senior Citizen Cookout on Oct. 6, 2019. The free event features food, music and entertainment and will be held at the Sons of Italy Hall, 520 Pleasant St., Watertown from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Doors open at 11:30 a.m.

Food includes hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza. There will be prizes, give aways and more. Entertainment will be provided by Disc Jockey “Rock’n'” Richard Picceri and Miss Maria’s School of Dance.

Entertainment

New Rep’s Artistic Director Brings Enthusiasm to Watertown-based Stage Company

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Michael Bobbitt took over as New Repertory Theatre’s Artistic Director in August 2019. New Repertory Theatre’s new Artistic Director, Michael Bobbitt, has only been in Watertown for a couple months, but he has already started to become a familiar face around town. When meeting Bobbitt, you cannot miss his enthusiasm and his friendly and positive personality. Watertown News recently caught up with him at one of his new favorite spots, Red Lentil in East Watertown. Bobbitt trained as a dancer in his native Washington, D.C., and in New York City.

Around Town

Town Warns of Potential Electricity Scams; Confusion Over New Program

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Watertown’s new electricity program has launched, but the program’s manager has heard reports of confusing and even concerning messages that residents have received. Most Watertown residential electrical customers and some small businesses, have transitioned to the new Watertown Electricity Choice program.The change was made automatically, so residents do not have to sign up for anything. The program is part of the electricity aggregation program which communities are allowed by State Law to create. One of the aims is to get more electricity produced by renewable, or “green,” sources such as solar, wind and hydroelectric. The program offers choices of increasing the amount of renewable energy to 100 percent, reducing to the rate that others in the State receive, 14 percent, or opting out of the program all together.

Arrests

Police Log: Man Wanted for Nighttime Break-in at Mall, Water Heater Shoplifted

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

Sept. 13, 2:30 a.m.: Police spotted a woman they knew was wanted on a warrant getting out of a car on Robert Ford Road. She was detained and taken to the Police Station. The 36-year-old Watertown woman was arrested on the warrant from Waltham District Court for driving with a suspended license and driving without a valid inspection sticker.

Real Estate

See This Week’s Watertown Home Sales

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Five propertied in Watertown were sold this week. $527,500 – 276 Westminster, 5 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, Cape single-family home

$592,000 – 45 Buick St., 6 room, 3 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, Cape single-family home

$706,000 – 21 Waverley Unit 21, 5 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full & 1 half bathroom, Townhouse condo/townhouse

Sponsored by:

$940,000 – 42 Westminster Ave., 2 unit, 15 total room, 5 total bedroom, 2 Family – 2 Units Up/Down multi-family home

$693,000 – 31 Harrington St. Unit 31, 5 room, 3 bedroom, 3 full & 1 half bathroom, Townhouse condo/townhouse

Football

Watertown Football’s Powerful Offensive Output Continues Against Cambridge

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Watertown defeated Cambridge Rindge & Latin Friday night, 41-19 in an away non-league game. Last year, pictured, here, the Raiders fell to the Falcons at Victory Field. Watertown High School’s offensive output kept on rolling in week two of the 2019 season, as the Raider beat host Cambridge Rindge & Latin 41-19 on Friday night. The non-league game, played at Russell Field in Cambridge, once again featured running back Mason Andrade. He carried much of the offensive load, along with quarterback Brendan Cook.