Government

Watertown’s Veterans’ Agent Seeks to Create Memorial to Town’s Vietnam Veterans

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The Town of Watertown has memorials to veterans of several wars, including World War I, World War II and Korea, but not for Vietnam. Watertown Veterans’ Agent Mark Comeiro wants to change that. 

Watertown has around 600 Vietnam veterans, Comeiro said, but nothing to honor them. “The Vietnam Memorial would be for all Vietnam veterans of Watertown — killed in action, combat, Vietnam era,” Comeiro said. “It wouldn’t have names on it. It would be stone representing our Vietnam veterans of Watertown.

Sports

WHS Sports: Raiders Spring into State Tournament in Multiple Sports

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Watertown High School’s athletic successes continued into the spring season, with four teams earning spots in the state tournament. 

Softball

The Raiders’ softball squad will host a home game in the MIAA Div. 3 North Tournament. Coming in with a record of 12-8, Watertown earned the 12th seed and will host Winthrop at Hosmer Field in a preliminary round game on Friday at 4 p.m.

The team enters the tourney on a hot streak. After tough first half of the year, the Raiders won 9 of their last 11. The winner of Friday’s game will take on No.

Arsenal on the Charles

Athenahealth CEO, Co-Founder Steps Down, Sale of Company May be Near

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Jonathan Bush, CEO, president and co-founder of Athenahealth, has stepped down, and the Watertown-based company may be sold, company officials announced Wednesday. 

Reports surfaced last week of complaints against Bush acting inappropriate with female employees at an industry, and in late May it was reported that he had physically assaulted his now ex-wife more than a decade ago. Bush is a nephew of former President George H.W. Bush. At the same time, the health care technology company has been the target of activist hedge fund Elliot Management Corp., which made an offer to purchase the company for $160 a share. The fund contends that Athena had been mismanaged. On Wednesday, Athenahealth officials released a statement announcing Bush’s departure.

Around Town

Boston University Selects Watertown Native as its Next Head Hockey Coach

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Watertown native Albie O’Connell will take the reigns of the Boston University ice hockey team. 

O’Connell has strong ties with BU, working behind the bench at BU for the past four years, the last three as associate head coach. He also played for the Terriers from 1995-96 to 1998-99, and served as captain during his senior year. “Simply put, this is the opportunity of a lifetime,” O’Connell said in the announcement on GoTerriers.com. “I’d like to thank (BU Athletic Director) Drew Marrochello, President Robert A. Brown and senior vice president Todd Klipp for entrusting me with a program that means the world to me. “BU has given me so much and I want each player that puts on our jersey to feel the same way I do. Returning here four years ago was an amazing feeling, and I look forward to continuing the momentum that this program has enjoyed recently and carrying on the incredible BU hockey legacy.”

Around Town

Watertown High School Strives to Bring Attention to Faded Banner Honoring WWI Veterans

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Hidden in plain sight at Watertown High School is a banner dating back 100 years, made to honor the town residents who went to serve in World War I, as well as, those who died in the “War to End All Wars.” The banner is located in a glass case, not far from the top of the central staircase on the second floor of the high school. It caught the interest of Kraig Gustafson, the AP U.S. History teacher and the district’s grade 6-12 Social Studies Coordinator. He also wanted to do something to honor others who served in the military at that time and since then. Once bordered with bright red with a white center and hundreds of stars some of which form the letters W-H-S, the banner now appears in different shades of gray.

Cancer

Watertown Fire Department Making Efforts to Avoid Risks of Cancer

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The past 18 months have been a difficult for the Watertown Fire Department, with two deaths within the department, and Fire Chief Bob Quinn wants to take steps to prevent further tragedies. In March 2017, Firefighter Joe Toscano collapsed and died from heart failure while fighting a fire. Then in October, Fire Chief Mario Orangio died after months battling pancreatic cancer, which is one of the types of cancer which firefighters are more at risk of getting. This year, Quinn has put an emphasis on the health and safety of his firefighters. This includes strength, conditioning, nutrition, stress managment, as well as reducing the risk of on-the-job cancer.

Around Town

Council Subcommittee Exploring Ways to Expand Affordable Housing in Watertown

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The Town Council’s Human Services Committee will hold a series of meetings looking at ways to increase the amount of affordable housing in Watertown. 

The town has not met the state’s goal of 10 percent of the housing units in town being available to rent or buy at an affordable rate. The committee will invite in experts in the area of affordable housing to help them get an idea of where Watertown stands, strategies used by other communities, and what would work in town. The committee will hold meetings at 7:15 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month each month in Town Hall, besides July, thorough the end of the year, said Councilor Tony Palomba, chair of the Human Services Committee. During the first meeting in May the committee heard from Chair of the Watertown Housing Partnership Fred Reynolds about the current state of affordable housing. He said at the last count Watertown was at about 6.9 percent affordable housing.

Around Town

Town Holding Flag Day Ceremony & Flag Retirement Ceremony

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Watertown’s veterans groups will hold a flag retirement ceremony to mark Flag Day on June 14. 

Last year, the town held a Flag Day ceremony for the first time in many years. During the event, flags that have become worn or tattered will be retired and incinerated during a special ceremony involving Watertown’s veterans. The ceremony will be held at Ridgelawn Cemetery on Thursday, June 14, 2018, beginning at 6:00 p.m., said Watertown Veterans’ Agent Mark Comeiro. “This event is open to the public as it would be an honor to have the residents of Watertown attend this prestigious and very special event,” Comeiro said. If you have any questions, please call the Veterans Office at 617-972-6416.