Around Town

Watertown Residents Join Counter-Protest to Boston “Free Speech Rally”

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A group from Watertown joined the counter-protesters at Saturday’s Free Speech Rally in Boston Common a week after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., ended in violence. Members of Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment headed to Roxbury Crossing to take part in the march to Boston Common, and met other Watertown residents at the counter protest. The aim of the march was to protest the racism, religious hatred and violence that has been rising throughout the country in recent months, as well as countering the “Free Speech Rally,” said Sue-Ellen Hershman-Tcherepnin, a member of Watertown Citizens. “Along the route, everyone among us and around us was inspired by the massive turnout, the positive spirit and the mutual support that was everywhere in evidence,” Hershman-Tcherepnin said.

Sports

Highlights of the Watertown Summer Basketball League Semifinals

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The semifinals series in the Watertown Summer Basketball League have concluded and the finalists are Donohue’s Kaos Club and HBC. See highlights of the games that take place in the court behind the Watertown Boys and Girls Club, in Saltonstall Park. Game 2 of the best-of-three finals series takes place Wednesday night at 7 p.m. and if needed, the third game will be Thursday at 8:30 p.m.

Here are the semifinals highlights:

Donohue’s Kaos Club topples top seeded Zards

HBC eliminates Made Men on the way to the finals

Around Town

DCR: Construction of Pedestrian Bridge Over Charles River is on Schedule

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While little activity has been seen in recent weeks around worksite where the pedestrian bridge over the Charles River is being replaced, Department of Conservation and Recreation officials expect the bridge to be finished and opened on schedule. The Joseph Thompson Pedestrian Bridge in Watertown Square is expected to open by the end of 2017, according to DCR officials. Some work around the bridge, including landscaping and plantings, may not be finished until the spring of 2018, according to the DCR. The abutments of the bridge have nearly been completed on both banks of the Charles, but the bridge must still be built. It is in the prefabrication process and is scheduled to be delivered and installed in November, according to DCR officials. Residents will see more construction activity leading up to the installation of the bridge.

Sports

Watertown Hockey Player Selected Women’s Professional League Draft

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Watertown’s Lauren Kelly was selected by the Boston Pride in the 2017 NWHL Draft. Kelly, who plays defense, was taken by the Pride in the fourth round and was selected 16th overall in the National Women’s Hockey League draft on Aug. 17. She is going into her senior year at Northeastern this fall. The Pride enters its third season in 2017-18, and plays its home games at Warrior Ice Arena – the Boston Bruins’ practice facility – in Brighton. Players are typically drafted before their senior year, but finish playing in college before joining their NWHL teams.

Last year, Kelly scored two goals and had eight assists for the Huskies, and played in all of the team’s games.

Police/Fire

Police Seek Suspect in Car Theft From Watertown on Tuesday Morning

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A car was stolen from Arsenal Street in Watertown early Tuesday, and crashed it a few miles away. 

The theft was reported to Watertown Police by a car transport truck driver at 2 a.m. on Tuesday, according to Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. The truck driver was picking up multiple vehicles from Lexus of Watertown when the 2013 Volkswagen was stolen. “The vehicle was left running and the suspect jumped in and fled at high rate of speed into Brighton, crashing on Western Ave.,” O’Connor said. “The vehicle was totaled.” The suspect left the scene of the accident and the driver did not get a good look at the suspect.

Around Town

Eclipse Viewing Party Draws Hundreds to Watertown Park

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The place to be in Watertown Monday afternoon was in the field behind Town Hall, which was swarming with people wanting to catch a glimpse of the eclipse of the sun – even if it was just partial in Massachusetts. Hundreds of people showed up for the event at Saltonstall Park near Watertown Square. While not the 100,000 that showed up in Madras, Oregon for the total eclipse, Watertown’s event had a buzz of excitement. The Watertown Free Public Library handed out special dark glasses at Saltonstall Park that allow people to watch the eclipse without damaging their eyes, but they ran out a couple of hours before the eclipse reached its peak. Some people brought their lawn chairs so they could relax as they watched the event, while children ran around on the field in between glimpses of the moon moving across the sun.

Government

Watertown Woman Honored for Educating More Than a Million About Substance Abuse

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A Watertown resident who turned her addiction to alcohol into an inspiration for a theater troupe that both educates about substance abuse and helps those in recovering from the disease. She was recently honored after she announced her retirement. 

Lynn Bratley started Improbable Players in 1984. Over 34 years, the group has educated people about substance abuse with real stories from real people. The group has featured over 200 young actors in recovery who performed with the Players, and reached more than a million people from elementary schools to senior centers, according to Bratley. Recently Bratley announced she would retire as executive and artistic director of the troupe in September, and she was honored by the Watertown Town Council, which declared Aug.

Police/Fire

Still Time to Sign Up for the Watertown Police Citizens Academy

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Once against this fall the Watertown Police Department will host the Citizens Police Academy, and you can still sign up. The academy is free and meets one evening a week for eight weeks, starting Monday, Sept. 18. To see the application materials click here. Watertown Police Chief Michael Lawn wrote the following informational letter:

As the Watertown Police Department advances its community policing efforts, it is important to have citizen-police interaction and cooperation.