Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/author/cbreitro/page/700/)
The staff at Toyota of Watertown got into the Christmas spirit this year and collected enough toys to fill a truck! The dealership gathered so many toys that they filled the back of a Toyota Tacoma when they delivered them to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots drive, said Adam Skolnick, general manager of Toyota of Watertown. “It fabulous for the kids!” he said.
The Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts is excited to announce the return of First Day… on the Second! The second annual event takes place on January 2nd from 11am to 2pm and features live performances from Magician Evan Northrup, Saxophonist Tim Hall, and a Broadway Sing-Along. The Center will also host Visual and Performing Arts workshops for children to experiment with paint, paper, collage, performance, movement, and more! This event is free to the public and open to families with children of all ages (donations gladly accepted).
The Raiders had All-Stars in every fall sport in 2016, and 19 Watertown High School students were chosen by the Boston. Globe as the best in the Middlesex League. For football the list is the EMass Div. 3 All-Stars named by the Boston Globe.
Girls cross country: Emily Koufos and Elizabeth Powderly
Boys cross country: James Piccirlli
Field hockey: Jonna Kennedy, Kourtney Kennedy, Maddie Leitner, Sydney Poulin, Gabby Venezia and Olivia Venezia
Football (Boston Globe’s Emass Div.
While stores are open for last minute shopping on Christmas Eve, most thing shut down for Christmas. The holiday will be observed by government offices and many businesses on Monday, Dec. 26. Closed on Christmas
Retail Stores
Liquor Stores
Supermarkets
Convenience Stores
Bars
Banks
Municipal, state, federal offices
Libraries
Post offices
The MBTA’s subways, buses, and commuter rail on Sunday schedule. Hingham and Charlestown commuter boats will not operate.
Churches around Watertown will hold services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to celebrate the birth of Christ. Armenian Memorial Church, 32 Bigelow Ave., Watertown: Christmas Eve Service 5:30 p.m., Christmas Day Service 10:30 a.m.
Belmont-Watertown United Methodist Church, 421 Common St., Belmont: Christmas Eve Services, 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., Christmas Day Service 10:30 a.m.
Church of the Good Shepherd, 9 Russell Ave., Watertown: Candlelight Christmas Eve Service, 5 p.m., Christmas Day Service, 10 a.m.
The First Baptist Church of Belmont, 129 Lexington St., Belmont: Christmas Eve candle light service at 5 p.m., Christmas morning service at 10 a.m.
First Parish Church, 35 Church St., Watertown: Christmas Eve Services 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., Christmas Day Service 10:30 a.m.
Grace Chapel Watertown, 525 Main St., Watertown: Christmas Eve Candlelight Services 3-4 p.m. and 4:30-5:30 p.m., Christmas Day Service 9 a.m.
Redeemer Fellowship Church, 111 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown: Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, 6 p.m., Christmas Day Service 10 a.m.
Sacred Heart Parish, 770 Mt Auburn St, Watertown: Christmas Eve 4 p.m., Christmas Day 7:30 a.m. & 10 a.m.
St. James Armenian Church, 465 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown: Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 6:30-8:30 p.m., Christmas Day Services Morning Service 8:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy 10 a.m.
St.
The School Master Plan presented to a joint meeting of the School Committee and the Town Council provided some insight into Watertown’s schools, but opened many more questions.
The Master Plan incorporated the work of the Master Plan Steering Committee, which included parents, staff and elected officials, as well as, input from three community meetings and interviews with school staff and administrators, said School Committee Chairman John Portz.
Representatives from SMMA, the firm hired to create the master plan, included cost estimates for three different options for improving the schools. Option 1 would be bringing the schools into good working conditions, but would not make major changes to the current configurations. Option 2 would renovate the schools and would make some changes inside so the buildings can handle 21st Century education, with more group and project learning and flexible spaces. Option 3 would be to build brand new buildings.
The Watertown High School field hockey team grabbed three spots on the 2016 Boston Herald’s All-Scholastic team.
Watertown senior Kourtney Kennedy and her sister Jonna, a junior, made Herald team, along with junior Sydney Poulin. The Kennedy sisters also made the Boston Globe’s All-Scholastic team. Kourtney will graduate with four state titles and no loses during her four years as a Raider. She scored the game winner in this year’s State Final against Oakmont. Next year she will play at UConn.
Like anyone who lived in Watertown during the Boston Marathon Bombings and the aftermath, there was no surprise in how the “Patriots Day” movie turns out, but what was unexpected was the feeling I had leaving the theater with the feelings of April 2013 stirred up by the movie. The film starring Mark Wahlberg chronicles the events of the bombing, the search for the suspects, and the shootout and manhunt in Watertown. It hits theaters in the Boston area Wednesday, Dec. 21, and will play nationwide in January. Director Peter Berg and the makers of Patriots Day said at a press conference last week that they focused on getting the movie right, and making it realistic.