Arrests

Police Log: Man Follows 2 Women Home, Man Tries to Steal PlayStation4 Consoles

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
Dec. 26, 3:30 p.m.: A man arrived at Best Buy in an Uber to pick up two PlayStation 4 game consoles which he had ordered and paid for online. He went out and put them in the Uber vehicle, but went back into the store and took two more PlayStation 4 game consoles, worth $299.99 each, and tried to leave without paying. Security tried to stop the man, who left the two consoles he did not pay for, but he grabbed the other two out of the Uber and ran away.

Around Town

Snow Cleanup Continues for Watertown DPW After Storm Drops More than a Foot

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With a storm that lasted most of Thursday, and dropped North of a foot of snow, Watertown’s Department of Public Works crews have been busy the last couple days. 

Snow totals in the area show that more than a foot of snow fell in Watertown. The National Weather Service reports that West Newton got 15 inches and it measured 13 inches in Arlington. The storm was a tough one to handle, said DPW Superintendent Gerry Mee. “It was not the biggest accumulation but because of the cold temperatures and intensity of the storm it was very difficult,” Mee said. The snow emergency and all-day parking ban will remain in place for now because roads have been narrowed by the snow, Mee said.

Real Estate

New Watertown Open Houses for the New Year

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A number of new properties are having open houses this weekend in Watertown. $629,000 – 70 Edenfield Avenue Unit 70, 6 room, 3 bed, 2 bath 2/3 family, Open House: Sunday 12-1:30

$499,000 – 40 Waltham St. Unit 2, 6 room, 3 bed, 1 bath 2/3 family, Open Houses: Saturday 12-1:30 Sunday 12-1:30

$529,000 – 24 Franklin St. Unit 24, 4 room, 2 bed, 1 bath low-rise, Open Houses: Saturday 11-1 Sunday 11-12:30

Sponsored by:

$509,000 – 37 Copeland St., 5 room, 2 bed, 1 bath bungalow, Open House: Saturday 1:30-2:30

$641,000 – 49 Bradford Road Unit 1, 6 room, 2 bed, 2 bath 2/3 family, Open House: Sunday 12-2

Schools

Watertown Public Schools Closed Again Friday Due to Foul Weather

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The Watertown Public Schools will be closed Friday, Jan. 5, 2018, due to the cold temperatures and windy weather in the forecast. 

The Watertown Public Schools put the following announcement on Facebook at about 5:07 p.m. on Thursday:
Due to the challenges of the storm today and the bitter cold and wind in the forecast for tomorrow, all Watertown Public Schools will be CLOSED tomorrow, Friday, January 5. While the storm is predicted to let up a bit later on this evening, it has been challenging to keep up with the snow removal due to the forceful winds and the rapid rate of snowfall. The bitter cold and wind tomorrow along with the snow-filled streets and sidewalks will create challenges for our students and staff to get to school and therefore out of great concern for the safety of our students and staff, the decision to close school tomorrow was made. Be safe and stay warm!

Government

Town Council President Sees Development, Communication & Schools as Priorities for New Term

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As the new Town Council term begins, Watertown Council President Mark Sideris looked toward the next two years and said that some of the major focus will be on traffic, development and communication with the public, as well as the upcoming school building projects. Newly elected Town Councilors, School Committee members and Library Trustees were sworn in by Town Clerk John Flynn on Tuesday night at the Mosesian Center for the Arts. After his swearing in, Sideris addressed the audience in the theater at the Arts Center. Development has been a big issue for several years, and Sideris said he would like to take a new approach at looking at new projects in town, from those completed, to those under construction and projects just getting started. “I will be working with the Community Development and Planning Department to coordinate a field trip to visit the sites that have been developed,” Sideris said.

Government

Town Councilor Kneels in Prayer During Pledge of Allegiance at Watertown’s Inauguration

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At the Watertown Inauguration on Tuesday, one of the newly elected Town Councilors stood out by kneeling during the Pledge of Allegiance. Caroline Bays, who was elected to her first term as Councilor-At-Large in November, said she knelt in prayer during the Pledge. She then stood for the National Anthem. Bays said she was kneeling in support of those who have had their freedoms curtailed. “The Pledge of Allegiance states that we are a nation which stands for liberty and justice for all,” Bays said in a statement.

Around Town

The Impact of the Opioid Crisis Discussed on Latest Episode of Inside Watertown

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The most recent episode of Inside Watertown focuses on the opioid crisis in Watertown, what is being done to slow it and where people can turn for help. Lt. Daniel Unsworth from the Watertown Police Department and Pete Airasian, one of the founders of Watertown Against Addiction, spoke with hosts Paul Airasian and Charlie Breitrose about how opioids have increased in town and efforts to curb the influx locally. They also covered ways people can seek treatment for opioid use and other drugs and alcohol. Watch the episode in January on Watertown Cable’s Public Channel on the following days times: Sundays at 8 p.m., Tuesdays at 3:30 p.m., Thursdays at 10 a.m. and Fridays at 9 p.m.

Or, watch anytime on the WCATV website by clicking here: http://watertown.vod.castus.tv/vod/?video=d3bb4910-ad99-465d-bafd-86cafd006c01&nav=programs/Inside%20Watertown

Government

CPA Tax Appearing on Tax Bills for First Time, Some Can Get Exemption

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Watertown homeowners noticed a new line on their property tax bills, the one for “CPA Tax.” The new tax is on all bills, but some residents can qualify for an exemption on the new tax. The tax is the surcharge for the Community Preservation Act, which was passed by voters in 2016. The money raised by the tax will go into a fund earmarked for projects related to affordable housing, open space/recreation and historic preservation. The CPA adds a 2 percent tax surcharge.