Charity

Watertown Woman Running Falmouth Road Race for Brain Injury Association

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The Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts team will run in one of the “best non-marathon races in the country” to raise funds to support its mission as Team BIA-MA competes in the New Balance Falmouth Road Race on Sunday, Aug. 21, 2016, BIA-MA announced. The annual seven-mile race attracts an estimated 11,000 racers from across the globe — 10 of these participants form Team BIA-MA, each with their own personal connection to BIA-MA and brain injuries: Julia Doucett (Watertown) runs for the survivors that have touched her heart during her work as a brain injury rehab therapist; Julie Marlowe (Woburn) runs for her son, a brain injury survivor; Janelle Hickey, (Roslindale) runs for her mother, a survivor who has been supported by BIA for over 20 years; Courtney Farrell (Hopedale) runs for her sister, who suffered a brain injury during a cheerleading performance; Katie McNamara (Clinton) runs for her mother and other survivors no longer able to run; Matt Martino (Lynnfield) runs for his brother, a brain injury survivor; Andrea Zuchora (Westborough) runs for her mother, and all mothers and daughters affected by brain injury; Beth Pusey (Holden) is part of the BIA-MA staff hoping to help further the organization’s mission. Charles Bostwick (Westborough) and JoAnne Young (South Easton) complete the 2016 Team BIA-MA. While the Falmouth Road Race was not intended to be a charity race, their “Numbers for Nonprofit” program allows organizations like BIA-MA to race and raise funds through FirstGiving, the race’s official fundraising partner. Donations to Team BIA-MA support leadership, support services, advocacy, and prevention and education programs.
“We’re so thankful for all of our volunteers and particularly those who run Falmouth,” said Nicole Godaire, BIA-MA Executive Director.

Schools

UPDATED: Parents Bringing Petition Calling for Vote on Superintendent to Wednesday’s Meeting

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The beginning of school is around the corner, but the Superintendent is facing an uprising of parents upset with the way she has handled some major decisions over the past year. 

Wednesday night, a group of parents will deliver a petition signed by parents asking for the School Committee to take a vote of confidence for Superintendent Jean Fitzgerald. School Committee Chairman John Portz said there will not be a vote on the Superintendent at Wednesday’s meeting. That would have to be put on the agenda. That can be done by Portz, as chairman, or by other members of the School Committee, he said. Fitzgerald responded to the petition with a letter on the Watertown Public Schools website, saying “I take the concerns of my community very seriously and work hard to ensure their voices are heard.”

Development

Garage, Building on Arsenal St. in First Phase of Arsenal on the Charles Project

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Developers of the Arsenal on the Charles complex wasted little time before submitting plans for the first phase of the renovation of the former U.S. Army facility on Arsenal Street. Designs for the first phase of the renovation of the Arsenal on the Charles were submitted to the Watertown Planning Department just three weeks after complex owners, Athenahealth, received approval of their master plan for the area. The first phase contains the large new parking garage on the west side of the complex, as well as a new building that will have space for retail and commercial uses and a small park. The new building, known as Building 2, is a three-story 30,372 square foot building that will face Arsenal Street on the west side of the complex. The proposal includes a public plaza in front of the new building

The 1,534-space, 7-level garage is key to the project, which would increase the number of employees in the Arsenal on the Charles by 1,000 up to 4,500.

Real Estate

See the 5 Watertown Properties That Sold This Week

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These five properties sold this week in Watertown, see details here. $360,000 – 32 Whites Ave. Unit D37, 4 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, Mid-Rise condo/townhouse

$462,000 – 238 Arlington St. Unit 238, 7 room, 3 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse

$740,000 – 23 Appleton St., 7 room, 4 bedroom, 2 full & 1 half bathroom, Gambrel /Dutch single-family home

Sponsored by:

$460,000 – 199 Coolidge Ave. Unit 303, 5 room, 2 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, Mid-Rise condo/townhouse

$359,000 – 5 Repton Place Unit 5408, 3 room, 1 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, Mid-Rise condo/townhouse

Around Town

Those Killed in Vietnam, Gold Star Families Honored at Moving Wall Ceremony

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Four decades after the end of the Vietnam War, tribute was paid to those killed in Southeast Asia and their families during the opening ceremony for the Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall at Gore Place, Thursday night. Hundreds of veterans, family members and patriotic residents turned out for the ceremony at the estate that straddles the Watertown-Waltham line. The ceremony celebrated the visit of the half-size replica of the Vietnam Wall. For many this was the type of honor they felt the Vietnam era veterans deserved at the time. More than 9 million people served during the Vietnam Era, 2.7 million served in country, and more than 58,000 were killed or are missing in action.

Real Estate

A Million Dollar House Among This Week’s Watertown Open Houses

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See all the open houses to see weekend, including a couple pricy ones! $699,000 – 14 Spruce St. Unit 14, 7 room, 4 bed, 2 bath 2/3 family, Open House: Sunday 12-1:30

$1,250,000 – 56 Russell Ave., 9 room, 4 bed, 4.5 bath victorian, Open House: Sunday 1-2:30

$650,000 – 17 Bailey Road Unit 1, 7 room, 3 bed, 2 bath 2/3 family, Open Houses: Friday 11-12 Saturday 12-1:30 Sunday 12-1:30

$689,000 – 125 Coolidge Ave. Unit 201, 6 room, 2 bed, 2 bath mid-rise, Handicap Access/Equipped, Open Houses: Saturday 12-2 Sunday 12-2

$699,000 – 790 Belmont St. Unit 1, 6 room, 3 bed, 3.5 bath townhouse, Open House: Sunday 12-2

$699,000 – 792 Belmont St.

Schools

Watertown Parents Start a Petition Asking for Vote of No Confidence for Superintendent

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A group of Watertown parents have started a petition asking for the School Committee to take a vote of no confidence for Watertown Superintendent Jean Fitzgerald. The petition, which would also be sent to the Town Council, was started on Change.org, and as of 5:45 p.m. had 20 supporters. The first paragraph of the lengthy petition reads:

“We, the undersigned Parents of children who are attending or have attended Watertown Public Schools, and community members who share similar concerns, have composed this letter to express our dissatisfaction with the current superintendent, Jean Fitzgerald.” The organizers, who were not named in the petition, wrote that “it is the petitioner’s’ position that the Superintendent has acted inefficiently, incompetently, and with conduct unbecoming of a Superintendent.” This, the petition says, is enough to terminate and dismiss Fitzgerald under her contract.