Entertainment

Tremedal Concert Series Starts on March 19 with a Twin Bill

By |

Tremedal will kick off its 2016 Coffeehouse Concert series this month with an evening of music featuring two musical acts. The concerts are at First Parish Church in Watertown, and the first one includes David Dodson and John & Rachel Nicholas. The concert will be on Saturday, March 19 at 8p.m. at First Parish Unitarian Church, 35 Church St., Watertown. Proceeds from the events help students from Watertown’s Sister Community in El Salvador, Nueva Esperanza, attend high school and college. Three concerts have been planned.:

Sat., Mar.

Arsenal Street Corridor

State Study Finds Buses Overcrowded, Traffic Slow on Arsenal Street

By |

The buses that serve Arsenal Street are overloaded at peak times, and are delayed by traffic gridlock in Watertown Square and going over the bridge into Brighton. 

These are a couple of the findings of a study of Arsenal Street currently being done by the Massachusetts Department of Transit (MassDOT) in an effort to improve the corridor that will add many more jobs, housing units and retail stores in the next several years. The area is served by the MBTA’s 70 and 70A buses. MassDOT officials recently came to Watertown to present their preliminary findings (see the presentation here). The Arsenal Street Corridor is served by the 70 and 70A buses and includes 5,710 residents, 2,740 households and includes 6,630 jobs, according to the study. The study looked at commuting patterns, and found:

Watertown residents commute to: Boston (27%) Watertown (18%) Cambridge (11%) Waltham (6%) Newton (5%)
Those working on the Arsenal Street Corridor come from: Watertown (17%) Boston (16%) Waltham (8%) Newton (4%) Cambridge (4%)

Buses
In prior public meetings about the area, many have complained about crowded buses and transit running behind schedule.

Boys Basketball

WHS Sports: Boys Basketball Season Ends, 2 Teams Seek Tourney Runs

By |

Watertown’s boys’ basketball team looked like it might pull off a big upset in the Div. 3 North Section quarterfinal Saturday night, but ultimately fell short. 

The eighth-seeded Raiders (11-11) traveled to top-seeded North Reading (19-2) and had the Hornets on the ropes. Watertown held a 16-point halftime lead and was up 40-26 with four minutes left in the third quarter. North Reading, however, turned it around and won 61-53, ending the Raiders season. See photos from the game here.

Real Estate

Four Homes Around Watertown Sold This Week

By |

See the four homes that sold this week in Watertown. $319,000 – 29 Aldrich Road Unit 1, 4 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, Low-Rise condo/townhouse

$354,900 – 66 Olcott St. Unit 66, 5 room, 3 bedroom, 1 full & 1 half bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse

Sponsored by:

$680,000 – 5-7 Mangano Court, 2 unit, 10 total room, 4 total bedroom, 2 Family multi-family home

$445,000 – 3 Repton Cir. Unit 3201, 4 room, 2 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, Mid-Rise condo/townhouse

Police/Fire

Police Log: Strange Man Approaches Middle School Students

By |

The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
Feb. 25, 7:10 p.m.: An officer patrolling in Watertown Square spotted a car run a red light going from Mt. Auburn Street to North Beacon Street. After stopping the vehicle, the officer checked the driver’s record and found he had a suspended license.

Girls Basketball

Watertown Cruises to Win in First Round of Girls Basketball Tournament

By |

The Watertown girls basketball team had two weeks off before its Div. 2 North Section quarterfinal against Danvers, but the Raiders showed no signs of rust as they rolled to a 52-33 win Friday night. 

Watertown (18-3) sprinted out to an 18-6 first quarter lead. Raiders’ head coach Pat Ferdinand said things went well from the beginning, even if it was not the way he drew it up for them. “I think that we started off really really hot, hit some jump shots, but it almost took away from what we wanted to do offensively,” Ferdinand said. “It almost came too quickly.

Obituaries

OBIT: Pauly Mullen, 24, Worked in Construction, Loved the Outdoors

By |

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in the Church of Saint Patrick, Watertown on Monday March 7, 2016 at 9 a.m., for Paul Michael “Pauly” Mullen. Pauly, a son of Yvonne Mullen-Eldredge and her husband Steve A. Eldredge of Watertown and the son of Paul Bitsoli past away suddenly on Tuesday, March 1, 2016, he was 24. Born in Waltham, he was brought up in Watertown, graduating from Minuteman High School in Lexington, class of 2010. Pauly worked outdoors as a landscaper and did construction. He loved the outdoors, especially riding four wheeled ATV’s. He had an affinity for sports, children, and pets especially dogs.

Government

State Legislators Get and Inside Look at Perkins School for the Blind

By |

State representatives and senators from around Massachusetts got a closeup look at what goes on at Perkins School for the Blind this week on Legislator’s Day. 

The Watertown-based school and Massachusetts Association of 766 Approved Private Schools (MAAPS) invited elected officials with students who attend the school to visit campus on Tuesday. Among those who attended were Watertown’s state representatives – John Lawn and Jonathan Hecht – as well as Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo. They got to meet students and visit classrooms to see what Perkins students are learning. Perkins School for the Blind does not just teach students the academic subjects, Power said, they also teach students how to live independently after they leave Perkins. “Every class session includes social skills, self-determination and assisted technology,” Power said.