Government

Watertown Declares Snow Emergency for This Weekend’s Storm

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A snow plow clears snow from a parking lot. The Town of Watertown has declared a snow emergency beginning Saturday evening. See details below. The following announcement came from the Town of Watertown:

A winter weather event is predicted with 8-10 inches of snow accumulation in our area. The Superintendent of Public Works has declared a snow emergency effective 6:00 p.m. Saturday January 19, 2019, and will remain in effect until further notice.

Around Town

Get Out Your Skates, Watertown’s Outdoor Ice Rink is Open

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A family enjoys some skating at Watertown’s Outdoor Ice Rink at Casey Park. Watertown’s outdoor skating rink has opened for the winter and has already been popular with residents young and old. The ice rink is located at Casey Park, on Watertown Street south of the Charles River. Recreation Director Peter Centola announced that the rink is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless the ice is being resurfaced. “We are on to day 6 of the Casey Ice Rink and the conditions are the best ever thanks to the great work of our DPW and Recreation staff,” said Centola, who also took some videos at the rink on opening day (see below).

Real Estate

Watertown Has Several Open Houses Over the Weekend

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Take a look at this week’s list of open houses in Watertown. $849,900 – 188 Summer St. Unit 2, 7 room, 3 bedroom, 4 full & 1 half bathroom, Townhouse condo/townhouse, Open House: Sunday 12-2

$699,000 – 92 Beechwood Ave. Unit 1, 5 room, 2 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse, Open House: Saturday 1-2:30

$689,900 – 22 Hillcrest Circle Unit 22, 5 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, Low-Rise condo/townhouse, Open House: Saturday 12-1:30

$859,900 – 50-52 Beechwood Ave., 2 unit, 12 total room, 6 total bedroom, 2 Family – 2 Units Up/Down multi-family home, Open House: Saturday 1-2:30

$925,000 – 342-344 School St., 2 unit, 10 total room, 6 total bedroom, 2 Family – 2 Units Up/Down multi-family home, Open Houses: Saturday 1-3 Sunday 1-3

Sponsored by:

$1,260,000 – 254-256 Sycamore St., 2 unit, 14 total room, 5 total bedroom 2 family, Open House: Saturday 11:30-1:30

$659,000 – 254 Sycamore Street Unit 1, 6 room, 2 bedroom, 2 full & 1 half bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse, Open House: Saturday 11:30-1:30

$649,000 – 256 Sycamore Unit 1, 7 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse, Open House: Saturday 11:30-1:30

 $559,000 – 37 Hillcrest Circle Unit 1, 4 room, 2 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse, Open House: Saturday 12-2

Cell Antenna

Town Council Looking at Ways to Regulate Cell Network Antennas

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An illustration used in an addendum to AT&T’s application showing the amount of RF fields at different distances around a cell antenna. The White arrow shows the less than 0.5 percent shown

New rules passed by the FCC limit how much control local governments have over cellular antennas going up in their communities, including using health risks to deny applications, but the Watertown Town Council is looking at ways of regulating them. Tuesday night, the Council’s Public Works subcommittee discussed ways to control what the cell antennas look like and how close they can be to homes. The subcommittee also looked at the cell antenna installations as a way to require better utility pole installation and maintenance in Watertown. The Council called the meeting after the Town began receiving applications to install antennas for cell carriers’ new 5G networks.

Snow Storm

Snow Storm Forecast to Hit Watertown Area This Weekend

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A storm with snow, sleet and possibly ice will roll through the area on Saturday evening into Sunday of Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend. A Winter Storm Watch has been issued for all of Massachusetts by the National Weather Service. Up to six inches of snow is possible in the area, according to the NWS warning, and ice accumulation is possible. The storm follows the coating of snow expected to fall Friday morning. WBZ Channel 4 weather forecasters anticipate snow to start around 8 p.m. on Saturday and the heaviest snowfall overnight.

Around Town

Watertown Makes Top 100 Safest Cities in America List

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The Charles River from Watertown Square

A survey of communities around the United States found that Watertown was the 91st safest city in America, according to a recently released report. The NeighborhoodScout website’s survey looked at the likelihood of someone being the victim of a crime. Watertown was the 91st safest city with a the chance of being the victim of a crime 1 in 95. The study looked at cities of 25,000 or more people, based on the total number of property and violent crimes per 1,000 residents. Crimes include burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, murder, rape, armed robbery, and aggravated assault.

In the top spot was Lake in the Hills, Ill., with a 1 in 333 chance of being the victim of a crime.

Police/Fire

Police Find Drugs on Driver Found Passed Out at Wheel

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A Watertown man faces several charges, including drug possession, following an arrest that started when he was found passed out behind the wheel of a running vehicle. On Jan. 9, 2019, at 5:11 p.m., Watertown Police received a call about a vehicle blocking the intersection of Ralph Street and Grant Avenue. When officers arrived they saw a man passed out behind the wheel of a Ford F-250 pickup truck with the motor running and in gear, said Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. “It took several attempts banging on the window and yelling and he did not respond,” O’Connor said.

Around Town

Watertown Updating Plans to Deal With & Reduce Impact of Natural Disasters

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Flood waters went above the sidewalk at Arlington and Mt. Auburn streets during a heavy rain storm in 2014. The storm also cause flooding of homes in spots in Watertown. Watertown officials have been working on not just preparing to react to but also to reduce the impact of natural disasters that could befall the town. Watertown created a Hazard Mitigation Plan in 2012, and not is in the process of updating it.