Entertainment

Eliza Dushku’s ‘Dear Albania’ Documentary Airing on WGBH Thursday

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If you have not caught Eliza Dushku’s documentary film about the trip to her ancestral homeland of Albania, WGBH will air it Thursday night. 

The hour-long film, Dear Albania, will air at 9 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 4 on Channel 2 in Boston. The Watertown-native made the film with her brother Nate. Dushku spoke with Watertown News about her film, other project and her work to help those fighting addiction in early January when Dear Albania debuted on PBS. Read the piece by clicking here.

Around Town

Town Offering CPR, First Aid Trainings – See the Schedule

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The Town of Watertown is offering CPR and First Aid trainings beginning in March. All CPR classes are held at the Watertown Police Department Community Training Room, 552 Main St. 2016 CPR/AED First Aid and BLS Healthcare Provider Schedule:

Wed., March 30, 1-5 p.m. Adult and Child CPR/AED (First Aid)
Thur., April 21, 1-5 p.m. Adult and Child CPR/AED (First Aid)
Wed., April 27, 1-5 p.m. Adult and Child CPR/AED (First Aid)
Wed., May 25, 1-5 p.m. Adult and Child CPR/AED (First Aid)
Tues., June 14, 2-6 p.m. Adult and Child CPR/AED, First Aid
Tues., June 21, 2-6 p.m. Adult and Child CPR/AED, First Aid
Tues., June 28, 2-6 p.m. Adult and Child CPR/AED, First Aid
Fri., Aug. 26, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. BLS Healthcare provider (renewal)

Click here for a registration form. Please see additional information on registration form.

Development

RMUD Ready for Public Hearing After Subcommittee Votes on Amendments

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The Regional Mixed Use District proposal is ready for the Town Council to weigh and vote next week after a subcommittee finished wading through dozens of proposed amendments on Tuesday night. The proposal would majorly overhaul of the zoning rules for the area near the east end of Arsenal Street, including the town’s two malls, along with other properties on Arsenal Street, plus parts of Elm Street and Coolidge Avenue. Basically, it would change the zoning form industrial to mixed use, which allows for residential, commercial and office project. Tuesday, the Economic Development and Planning Subcommittee finished its fourth meeting reviewing the proposal and debating which amendments to the zoning to recommend be adopted by the full Town Council. On Monday, Feb.

Schools

Watertown’s Lauren Kelly Helps Northeastern Reach Beanpot Final

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Northeastern came back to win the first round of the women’s Beanpot Tournament Tuesday with the help of a goal from Watertown native Lauren Kelly. The Huskies trailed Boston University 1-0 after the first period, but took the lead on Kelly’s goal with 14:47 left in the second period of the game at BU’s Walter Brown Arena, according to the report on GoNU.com. Northeastern won the game 3-2, and will have a tough test in next Tuesday’s final against undefeated and No. 1 ranked Boston College, which beat Harvard 8-0 in the other first round game. The final will be at BU on Feb.

Cunniff School

Cunniff School Taking Drastic Measures to Relieve Crowded Classrooms

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Facing classes as large as 28 students, the teachers and staff at Cunniff Elementary School have turned the school’s art and music rooms into classrooms to split off a set of students and relieve crowding at the Westside school. Principal Mena Ciarlone told the School Committee Monday that the Cunniff has experienced unusual mid-year growth, and mostly in the upper grades – third through fifth. “The past two weeks we have noticed an increased enrollment, two stories each week in the upper grades.,” Ciarlone said. “Enrollment became a worry and class sizes were extremely high.” One of the fourth grade classes has 28 students and the other had 26.

Boylston Properties

Subcommittee Supports Tall Building at End of Arsenal Street in RMUD

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The details of the proposed Regional Mixed Use District, or RMUD, were hashed out by a Town Council subcommittee, and councilors voted to allow the possibility of a tall building being built on top of what is now the Miller’s Ale House. The vote came from the Economic Development and Planning Committee, which met Thursday to continue to make their recommendations for possible amendments to the proposed major zoning change. The full Town Council will discuss and vote on the RMUD at a meeting scheduled for Monday, Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. in Town Hall. The possibility of building a building of 10 stories or even higher is one of the most controversial parts of the zoning proposal.

Around Town

Firm That Created Watertown’s Design’s Guidelines Wins Top Award

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Gamble Associates received a top award from the Boston Society of Architects for its work on the Watertown Design Guidelines and Standards at the recent BSA Awards Gala. The Cambridge-based firm is headed by David Gamble, a Watertown resident. The Design Guidelines and Standards set out a vision for development in Watertown’s main squares and the major roads in town. Gamble Associates received the Honor Award in the Campus and Urban Planning category, which is the highest honor. It was the only project to get the Honor Award for Urban Planning.