Around Town

Church, Community Gardens Hosting Potluck With a Purpose

By |

The Church of the Good Shepherd and Watertown Community Gardens are teaming up to put on a special potluck meal. The groups sent out the following announcement:

Please join us for a very tasty celebration of the harvest! The next Real Meal is Sunday, October 18 at 5 pm at Church of the Good Shepherd, 9 Russell Ave. Bring something you grew, something made from local produce, or a family recipe. Please invite your neighbors, friends, and especially people who are new to Watertown and wanting to connect with others.

Schools

Watertown Schools Have Plan to Improve the Few Lower MCAS Scores

By |

Watertown’s students performed better or the same as the state average on the most recent MCAS test, except for in middle school science. The district has already started rolling out ways to improve those results. Watertown students fared better than the state average on the 10th grade MCAS math test with 82 percent compared to 78 percent for the state in the Proficient or Advanced categories, which are passing scores. The 10th graders were just below the state average on the MCAS English Language Arts (ELA) with 90 percent passing, compared to 91 for the state. In fifth grade math, Watertown was above the state on the MCAS, with 52 percent passing compared to 51 percent for the state.

Elections

LETTER: Teachers Union President Endorses School Committee Candidates

By |

Editor,

I am writing to express my support for the incumbents in the School Committee race; Eileen Hsu-Balzer, Michael Shepard and Julie McMahon. Thanks to their hard work, together with the rest of the School Committee members, the Watertown school district is in a much better place than it was four short years ago. In 2011, contract negotiations between the Watertown Educators Association (WEA), the School Committee and School Administration were at an impasse and teachers had been working without a contract for two years. Teachers were working to rule, and frustration on all sides was high. After the election, two new voices joined the discussion – Ms. McMahon and Mr. Shepard – and both sides resumed negotiations.

Police/Fire

Watertown Police to Talk About How Laws and Ordinances Effect You

By |

Find out about how criminal laws, traffic laws and city ordinances impact your life at a special presentation by the Watertown Police Department. On Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 6:30 p.m. the Watertown Police will present “About the Law: Why Did They Do That?” at the Watertown High School Auditorium, 50 Columbia St. Participants will have a chance to ask members of the Watertown Police Department about laws and ordinances.

Government

State Transportation Officials Start Study of Arsenal Street Corridor

By |

The Mass. Department of Transportation (MassDOT) began looking at ways to improve the Arsenal Street Corridor with a stakeholder meeting last week. Working with Watertown-based engineering firm, VHB, MassDOT will evaluate existing and future multimodal transportation conditions along the Arsenal Street corridor in Watertown and also regionally, according to Town Councilor Cecilia Lenk, who attended the first meeting. The study will develop alternatives to improve transportation conditions with a primary focus on the bus service along Arsenal Street. Transportation alternatives will also be examined and evaluated, Lenk added.

Obituaries

OBIT: Edith D’Ambrosio, 97, Long Time Watertown Resident

By |

Edith M. D’Ambrosio (Cafarella) of Watertown, died on Oct. 2, 2015, at the age of 97.  

Beloved wife of the late Domenic “Dick” D’Ambrosio.  Devoted mother of Gay-Ann Draper and her husband Kenneth of Clermont, Fla. and Charles D’Ambrosio and his wife Marisa Serafini of Wayland.  Loving “Nonni” of Christine Draper Camargo, Denise Draper Trant, Alex and Lia D’Ambrosio. Great-grandmother of Carlos Andrew and Isabella Camargo and Hannah Draper. Dear sister of Marion Zanco of Watertown, the late Mary Valenti and Thomas Cafarella. Funeral from the MacDonald Rockwell & MacDonald Funeral Home at 270 Main

Street, Watertown on Wednesday, Oct.

Election 2015

Watertown Group Hosting Two Town Council Candidate Forums

By |

Sustainable Watertown announced that it will be sponsoring its first series of candidate forums for Town Council Candidates on Oct. 18 and 19. The forums will focus on issues that fall within Sustainable Watertown’s mission, such as development, environmental sustainability, public space, urban design and transportation. The organization’s Steering Committee decided that one of the most important tasks that it could undertake was to give the voting public an opportunity to hear the candidates’ positions about sustainability and quality of life issues. “Many Watertown residents care deeply about the issues for which we advocate, but often they are given less attention than some of the more obvious municipal topics.

Election 2015

What Question Would You Ask the School Committee Candidates?

By |

There’s a hot race for School Committee on the Watertown Town Election ballot, with five people running for three seats. What issue would you like to hear their opinions on? The candidates will take part in two School Committee Candidate Forums hosted by the Watertown Education Foundation and Watertown News. The organizers are gathering questions from Watertown parents and residents. What is the biggest issue facing the Watertown Schools?