Schools

Two Watertown High School Students Named National Merit Commended Students

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Two Watertown High School seniors received recognition from National Merit Program for being among the top scorers on the PSAT. Nathan Follett and Robert Leonard were named Commended Students in the 2019 National Merit Program, based on their scores on the 2017 PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test), Superintendent Dede Galdston announced at this week’s School Committee meeting. Approximately 1.6 million students took the PSAT in 2017, and the top 50,000 were identified by the National Merit Program. “They are approximately in the top 3 percent of students in the nation,” Galdston said. School Committee Chairman John Portz added, “Congratulations to both of you.

Belmont

Thanksgiving Game: Watertown Falls at Belmont

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Watertown and Belmont face off in the 2018 Thanksgiving Day football game in Belmont at 10:15 a.m.

The 2018 Watertown-Belmont football game features the most evenly matched teams in several years. 

The Thanksgiving Day game begins at 10:15 a.m. at Belmont’s Harris Field. Follow the action live here:

Final Belmont 33, Watertown 20. 147 left 4th, O’Connell runs for 12 yard Touchdown,  Belmont leads 33-20. 340 left 4th,  Watertown turns it over on downs at the Belmont 48. 26-20 Marauders

6 min left 4th, Watertown strips Belmont and takes over at 50

843 left 4th.

Police/Fire

Watertown Man Busted for Distributing Crack Cocaine

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A Watertown man faces charges of distributing crack cocaine after being arrested in a bust by Watertown Police detectives working with a drug task force. 

After a two-month investigation, police got an arrest warrant and search warrant for 49-year-old Sean Williams of Watertown. On Nov. 15, 2018, at 1:15 p.m. police executed the warrant on Belmont Street, across from St. Patrick’s Cemetery, said Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. Watertown Police, working with the Suburban Middlesex County Drug Task Force, searched the home and found a large clear plastic bag containing smaller plastic baggies which contained a white substance, O’Connor said.

Around Town

Winter Parking Ban Starts Soon, Includes Earlier Removal Time for Vehicles at Some Lots

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With Thanksgiving coming up, that also means the winter overnight street parking ban will soon begin in Watertown, but this year drivers will have to move their vehicles earlier from some parking lots. 

On Monday night, the School Committee officially approved a change to the hours people can park in school parking lots. The rule change was made so that the lots will be ready for the opening of school, said School Committee member Eileen Hsu-Balzer. “It used to be you had to clear cars by 7 a.m., now it is 6 a.m.,” Hsu-Balzer said. “The reason they need to move by 7 a.m. is students are already arriving at school and the plows have not had the opportunity to work on the lot.” School Committee Chair John Portz said he expects that people will comp

\[=-lain about the new hours.

Schools

Town Council Approves Funding for Study & Schematic Design for New High School

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A significant hurdle was cleared on the path to building a new, or renovating the current, Watertown High School when the Town Council approved $1.6 million in funding for the project’s feasibility study and schematic design. 

Last week, the Town Council unanimously approved the funding for what is the end of the first of eight modules required by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), said Superintendent Dede Galdston. The high school project was accepted into the MSBA’s process in December 2017. Since that time school officials have been taking the necessary steps, including creating a school building committee (the same one as for the 3 elementary school projects), documenting maintenance practices, and setting an enrollment. Galdston said, when completed, the high school will be able to accommodate 720 students. Currently the high school has about 660 students.

Around Town

Watertown’s Police and Fire Chiefs Appear on Watertown Cable’s ‘Inside Watertown’

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Watertown’s Police and Fire Chiefs appeared on the latest episode of Watertown Cable’s Inside Watertown. Co-hosts Charlie Breitrose and Bob Airasian spoke to Police Chief Michael Lawn and Fire Chief Robert Quinn about some of their department’s efforts to reach out to the community and connect with residents. Chief Lawn spoke about the Citizen’s Police Academy, the Cops and Rec programs for kids and other ways police officers are trying to get out of their cruisers and interact with the public. The Fire Department has a variety of programs for the public, too. Chief Quinn spoke about how firefighters visit Watertown’s schools to teach fire safety and meet with seniors to put up free smoke detectors.

Sports

Two Watertown Field Hockey Players Sign Letters to Play in College

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Two members of the Watertown High School field hockey team will continue playing the sport when the move on to college next year. 

Monday afternoon, Gabby Venezia and Catherine Connors signed letters of intent to play in college. Venezia will be playing at Holy Cross, while Connors will join the team at Stonehill College. Watertown Head Coach Eileen Donahue thanked Venezia and Connors for their leadership this season, along with fellow co-captain Olivia Lampasona, Venezia and Connors were good examples to their teammates, Donahue added. “Both played any position they were asked to play, they always put the team’s needs ahead of individual needs,” Donahue said. “They only knew one way to play, it was to play all out.”

Cell Antenna

Residents Fired Up Over Proposed Cell Phone Antennae in Watertown

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Residents came out to express their concerns to the Town Council about proposed cell phone antennae in two locations in Watertown. The concern is not just about possible health concerns from having a cell antenna near homes, but also about the new regulations that make it more difficult for communities to deny new cell phone antenna locations. Keenan Brinn, representing ExteNet — which is petitioning for the antennae — said the company seeks to put up one antenna on a utility pole at 141 Palfrey Street and one on a pole at 550 Arsenal Street. The company also seeks to put one near the main intersection of Watertown Square, in the vicinity of Charles River Road, but that falls under the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s jurisdiction. “ExteNet is interested in building out the fifth generation cellular network, otherwise know as 5G,” Brinn said.