Around Town

Watertown Rotary Club Holds Wine Tasting at Plumbing Museum

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Dozens gathered at the Plumbing Museum for the Rotary Club of Watertown’s Wine Tasting Fundraiser. The event raised $6,500 before expenses, said Rotary President Lilia Weisfeldt. The money will go toward the charitable causes supported by Watertown Rotary. From 2006 to 2016 the club handed out more than $300,000 to causes in the community, including:

• Watertown Families in Need

• Cancer Research

• Watertown Food Pantries

• Watertown Public Library

• Watertown Public Schools Programs

• Watertown Boys & Girls Club

• Watertown Human Services Agencies

• Arts & Theater Sponsorships

• College Sponsorships for Watertown Residents

• Flags on Main St, Mt Auburn St and Arsenal St

• Rotary Foundation – Polio Eradication

• International Aid (Disaster Relief, Clean Water, etc)

Boston Marathon

See How Watertown Runners Fared in the 2017 Boston Marathon

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Watertown had 33 runners take on and complete the 121st Boston Marathon, and three finished in under three hours. The top runner was 28-year-old Eric Wyler, who finished 364th overall and was the 336th male finisher. Watertown’s best female runner was Deborah Downs, who was the 281st fastest woman in the race. Jason Dunklee finished 177th in the men’s 40-44 age group. Here are the results for all the finishers from Watertown.

Around Town

2017 Boston Marathon: Road Closures, MBTA Impact and Prohibited Items

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People planning to go out to watch the Boston Marathon should be aware of certain restrictions this year, as well as road closures and impacts on users of the MBTA. The Boston Athletic Association (BAA) and Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) announced that spectators along the course may have to go through security checkpoints and released a list of restricted items, including backpacks, suitcases or rolling bags. Spectators can have clear plastic bags containing personal items.

Part of the 2017 Boston Marathon Spectator Guidelines announcement said:

Spectators along the course are discouraged from possessing any of the items listed below. Possession of any of these items may result in delays when passing through security checkpoints and enhanced screening. Weapons or items of any kind that may be used as weapons, including firearms, knives, mace, etc.

Chicken & Rice Guys

Chicken & Rice Food Truck Permit Suspended in Watertown Due to E. Coli Outbreak

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Due to an E. coli outbreak the food serving license for The Chicken & Rice Guys food truck has been suspended by the Watertown Health Department. Ten people have been hospitalized and 15 have been sickened by E. coli which state officials say came from food from The Chicken & Rice Guys, according to a story in the Boston Globe. Symptoms of an E. coli infection can be bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps and dehydration. In the most serious cases it can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome which can shut down the kidneys and lead to death. The Chicken & Rice Guys have three restaurants in Boston (including one in Allston), one in Medford and a commissary in Somerville and a fleet of food trucks.

Sports

See the Watertown Athletes Running the 2017 Boston Marathon

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Thirty-six Watertown residents will be taking on the 121st Boston Marathon on Monday, April 17. The number of local entrants is up from last year’s 31. The highpoint for local runners came in 2014, the year after the Boston Marathon Bombings, when there were 72 Watertown entrants. You can watch the Marathon on WBZ Channel 4 starting at 9 a.m. and running to 5 p.m. (the race will be rebroadcast on Channel 38 at 8 p.m.) Find other entrants here. Here is the list for 2017:

Kelsey Barry, 28

Meghan E. Binder, 33

Philip B. Cawkwell, 27

Amy Conner, 42

Kerry Coyne, 36

Rachel S. Dill, 29

Jessica C. Doggett, 24

Deborah Downs, 40

Jason Dunklee, 42

Anna P. Fang, 24 F

Samuel Fogel, 25

Jesse Frye, 28

Codey D. Gillum, 31

Daniel F. Gulas, 40

Doria V. Habib, 33

Kathy Hardcastle, 35

Kathryn C. Healy, 30

Barbara Herbst, 44

Jason Hoffman, 36

Tracy L. Jennings, 39

Kai Kharpertian, 28

Jovia R. Manzie, 26

Caitlin McCourt, 36

Jamie C. McKay, 30

Sean E. McManus, 37

Danielle M. Nugent, 29

Maurin A. O’Grady, 41

Aaron J. O’Neal, 28

Thomas S. Pacheco, 44

Robert C. Parrella, 28

Cassandra Rice, 28

Lindsay A. Snow, 30

Kun Song, 40

Matt Turnbull, 38

Scott Wakefield, 48

Eric Wyler, 28

Police/Fire

Police Log: Man Scammed by Fake IRS Agent, Three Tires Slashed

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
April 3, 7 p.m.: Police went to Warren Street to serve a summons and while they were there, they discovered the man was also wanted on a warrant. Police arrested the 49-year-old Newton man on the default warrant from Waltham District Court for traffic offenses. April 7, 5 p.m.: An officer patrolling on Bridge Street spotted a grey Toyota Camry without an inspection sticker. The vehicle was stopped and the officer learned the driver did not have a license.

Development

Planning Board OKs Southside Apartments, Some Concern Over Town-Owned Parking

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The Planning Board gave its support for the proposal to transform a Southside commercial building into an apartment complex on Wednesday night. The proposal changed a bit from the one presented at the January community meeting. The number of units have shrunk from 49 to 45 and the roofline design has changed to look more like it has been historically. When owner Kamran Shahbazi first purchased the building it was occupied by Cortiva Institute massage school, but soon afterward the school pulled out, as did many of the other businesses that relied on the school. Instead of looking for another tenant for the building, he decided to turn it into a residential one.