Choking

Watertown Man Honored For Saving Woman Choking on Food

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Daniel Petkiewich has worked at Not Your Average Joe’s in Watertown for three and a half years, and when he realized a diner was choking on food he leapt into action to save the woman’s life. 

The Watertown Police Department honored Petkiewich for his heroic actions with a certificate and a special coin on Wednesday. He learned choking safety techniques when he was a manager at Joe’s for a time. Petkiewich also credits his training as a member of the U.S. Army. “I was in for 11 years, active and Reserve,” Petkiewich said. “We were trained, but not usually for that type of choking.”

Entertainment

New Book Seeks to Inspire the Youngest Children to Build Friendships, Love Nature

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A new book for infants and toddlers, written by a woman who grew up in the area, seeks to inspire friendships and embraces nature. 

Amy (Airasian) Fathers’s book The Squirmy Wormy helps young ones learn about the fun aspects of the varying seasons and serves to inspire their own adventures in the natural world. The author grew up in Belmont and the daughter of of Paul Airasian, former Co-Owner of Eastern Clothing of Watertown; Interim Director of Watertown/Belmont Chamber of Commerce; and Co-Host of the cable show Inside Watertown. She had the idea for the book when her son was born in 2015, but made the dream of authoring a children’s book a reality at the beginning of this year by diving head first into the publishing process. “I wanted to write a book that inspires kindness and love and teaches children to build lasting friendships while enjoying the simpler things in life,” Fathers said. Fathers’ describes the book as a fun and engaging tale of three friends — Squirmy, Squeak and Andy — who, despite being different, have forged a tight bond of friendship that helps them weather any season.

Schools

Grades at Some Watertown Schools Full; Students Face Heat in First Week

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The school year has begun in Watertown, and preliminary enrollment figures put classes at the town’s elementary schools at or under the class size guidelines, but some are right at the limit. Superintendent Dede Galdston gave the enrollment figures to the School Committee last week, just days into the school year. The Watertown Public School’s class size guideline calls for classes of no more than 20 for kindergarten and first grade, 22 for second and third grades and 24 for fourth and fifth. As the opening of school approached, there were some grades which worried Galdston. “One area of concern, originally, was kindergarten numbers,” Galdston said.

Real Estate

Seven Watertown Homes Sold This Week

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Check out all the homes that sold in Watertown. $897,000 – 23-25 Adams St., 2 unit, 13 total room, 5 total bedroom, 2 Family multi-family home

$700,000 – 1000 Belmont St., 6 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full & 1 half bathroom, Cape single-family home

$450,000 – 35 Purvis St., 6 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, Bungalow single-family home

$470,000 – 131 Coolidge Ave. Unit 525, 4 room, 2 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, Mid-Rise condo/townhouse

Sponsored by:

$435,000 – 151 Coolidge Ave. U:408, 4 room, 1 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, High-Rise condo/townhouse

$726,000 – 188 Boylston St. Unit 2, 7 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full & 1 half bathroom, condo/townhouse

$860,000 – 298 Waverley Ave., 2 unit, 12 total room, 5 total bedroom, 2 Family multi-family home

Police/Fire

Watertown’s New Fire Chief Remembers Fallen Colleagues; Wants a Progressive, Safe Department

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Watertown’s new Fire Chief said he will continue the tradition of his predecessors and work to make the department progressive and well trained while ensuring members of the department are safe and healthy. He also remembered a pair of recently lost members of the Watertown Fire Department. Robert “Bob” Quinn officially became the Chief of the Watertown Fire Department Thursday afternoon, after being sworn in in front of a packed room in the Watertown Library’s Watertown Savings Bank Room. After being introduced by Town Manager Michael Driscoll and taking the oath from Town Clerk John Flynn, Quinn said: “It is certainly a very proud moment in my career becoming chief of this great Department. I look forward to serving the citizens of Watertown in this role.”

Football

Watertown High School Scores Season Opening Win Over Arlington Catholic

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Watertown High School opened the 2018 football season on a high note, scoring a touchdown on the first play, and triumphed over host Arlington Catholic Thursday night. 

The game, played at Hormel Stadium in Medford, was delayed by weather, but once the game started, the action began rolling, with senior running back Mange Camara scoring three times. Watertown junior running back Karim Monroe scored on a 64-yard run on the first play of the game, putting the Raiders up 7-0. The Cougars got within one point in the first quarter, but Camara answered by returning the kickoff for a touchdown to put the Raiders up 13-6 with 4:12 left. Arlington Catholic got within one at the end of the first quarter. Then Camara scored again, this time on a 74-yard run to put Watertown up 20-12 at half.

Around Town

Watertown Boys & Girls Club Reopening Soon, Hosting Grand Opening

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The Watertown Boys & Girls Club’s renovation is nearly complete and the club will soon reopen, and have a grand opening celebration. The Club will have an open house and grand opening on Saturday, Sept. 22 from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. The event will feature the Boston Red Sox World Series Trophy from 12-3 p.m. Attendees can see the trophy and pose for photos with it. The Watertown Boys & Girls Club will be opening its after-school drop-in program on Monday, Sept. 24.