Sports

Watertown’s First Track All-American Being Inducted into Hall of Fame

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The Watertown High School Athletic Hall of Fame wrote up this profile of one of the 2015 inductees. The ceremony will be held on Oct. 17. 
Nick Goodman, ’03, never ran track at WHS until the spring of his sophomore year. 
“Try it.  You’ll like it,” his dad told him for a couple years. Even his JV basketball coach told him to “try it. You’ll like it.” 
So, he tried it, and he never looked back. Actually, Goodman didn’t have to look back, because no one could catch him. Nick was truly a three season track superstar, one his coach, Tom Wittenhagen, calls “the best runner I’ve ever coached and I’ve coached over 1,500 of  ‘em.” 
After that first season of outdoor track, he was named a Middlesex League all-star, the first of six straight seasons with such honors. The 6’ 2” powerhouse would have run the table and had seven total for his career had it not been for an injury during his senior spring season. Wittenhagen further explained that “the seniors came to me very early in pre-season and asked, who is that?” when talking about the runner who blew them away on the track. 
The first time he tried running a mile, he did it in 4:48. By the time he was a senior Goodman cut his time by an incredible 15 seconds down to 4:23. Goodman was a natural, but humbly stated that “I was only looking for something to excel at. I wasn’t very good at soccer in the fall or basketball in the winter, so I figured I’d give running a shot.” 
He first ran cross country the fall of his junior year. By the time his senior year rolled around, he was so dominant that he never lost a League race, and was the Class “C” State Champion. Similarly, he first tried winter indoor track as a junior.  As a senior in the winter of ’02-’03, he was named a Division 4 All-Star, a Globe All-Scholastic as the top 1,000 yard runner in the State while setting a school record of 2:30, and earned All-American status in the mile while placing fifth at the Indoor High School Nationals, and set another indoor school record with a time of 4:17. 
Goodman was the first All-American in the 67 year history of the sport at WHS. In outdoor track the spring of his junior year, Nick set the outdoor school record in the mile with a time of 4:23 and placed seventh in the All-State meet. 
Upon graduation, the dynamic Goodman took his diverse talents to Boston Univeristy, where he earned Rookie of the Year during his first foray in indoor track. In the fall of his junior year, he was the MVP of the Terriers Cross Country team. As a senior, he helped set the still standing BU school record in the indoor distance relay. Nick Goodman excelled indoors, outdoors, and was adept at several different distances. He was multitalented, and extremely driven. A true three season wonder.               
Tickets are now available for the Watertown High School Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet to be held at the Hellenic Cultural Center on Saturday Oct. 17.  Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. The cost is $45 per person, or $50 at the door.

Around Town

Two Million Dollar Listings, Plus Dozens More Within the Stratosphere

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Dozens of properties are having open houses in Watertown this week, check out the wide variety. $489,900 – 48 Springfield St. Unit 48, 7 room, 3 bed, 1 bath 2 family, Open House: Sunday 12-1:30 p.m.

$469,000 – 11 Broadway Unit 11, 7 room, 3 bed, 1 bath detached, Open House: Sunday 1:30-3 p.m.

$509,900 – 224 N. Beacon St. Unit 224, 8 room, 3 bed, 2 bath 2/3 family, Open House: Sunday 1:30-3:30 p.m.

$389,900 – 5 Repton Circle Unit 5213, 5 room, 1 bed, 1.5 bath mid-rise, Open House: Sunday 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

$699,900 – 700-702 Belmont St. 2 unit, 12 total room, 5 total bedroom, Open House: Sunday 1:45-3:15 p.m.

$689,000 – 55 Kondazian St., 2 unit, 11 total room, 5 total bedroom 2 family, Open House: Sunday 2-3:30 p.m.

$499,000 – 6 Frank St, 7 room, 4 bed, 1 bath colonial, Open House: Sunday 12-1:30 p.m.

Sponsored by:

$479,900 – 93 Spring St.

Around Town

UPDATED: Camera Crews Spotted Around Town for Film on Marathon Bombing

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Crews shooting a documentary on the Boston Marathon Bombings have been spotted in town in the area of the Watertown Shootout. A film company called Break Thru Films is working on the film for HBO. Crews were seen walking around the area of Dexter Avenue and Laurel Street, where the Tsarnaev brothers got into the shootout with Watertown Police, on Thursday. With them were retired Watertown Police Chief Ed Deaveau and retired Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis, according to Eastside resident Bob Erickson. The crews also interviewed residents in the area of the shootout, according to Assistant Town Manager Steve Magoon.

Police/Fire

Police Arrest Man Suspected in a Series of Break Ins Around Town

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After a string of break-ins in the Watertown Square area, Watertown Police caught their suspect in the act this week. Churches and a restaurant reported being broken into and having cash and valuables stolen over the prior week. Watertown Police got a break in the case when one of the places broken into caught the suspect on surveillance video, said Police Lt. Michael Lawn. They recognized the man on the video as Wilbert Stith, a 51-year-old homeless man, who has been seen in the area recently. On Sept.

Government

Town Wants to Hear from Residents about Winter Hill Park

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The Town of Watertown wants to hear from residents about what they want to see from the town’s newest park. 

Conservation Agent Christopher Hayward sent out the following announcement:

On October 7, 2015, the Watertown Conservation Commission will be having an informational discussion on Whitney Hill Park, (the wooded area in back of Victory Field and the Department of Public Works Facility on Orchard Street. The meeting will be held in the Lower Hearing Room of the Town Administration). Building at 7:30 p.m.

In 2013 the Town Council voted to make Whitney Hill an official town park. As part of that vote the Council requires the Conservation Commission to prepare and submit to the Town Manager, each year prior to Dec. 31, a recommended plan for maintenance and educational activities for Whitney Hill Park.

Around Town

Refugee Crisis Will be Discussed at Upcoming Watertown Meeting

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An immigration expert will come to speak at the October meeting of Watertown Citizens for Peace Justice & the Environment. Watertown Citizens sent out the following announcement:

At the September monthly meeting of Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice & the Environment, there was widespread concern about the refugee crisis as it is unfolding in Europe, and what we can or should do here. We are fortunate to bring Eva Millona, Executive Director of Mass Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Colaition (MIRA) to provide information and answer questions. All are welcome, not only Watertown residents. Please join us this Sunday if you are looking for a way to help.

Election 2015

LETTER: John Airasian on the Election, The Council and the Fire Issue

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Dear Editor,

I cannot emphasize enough how important I believe it is to re-elect the following seven incumbents:

Mark Sideris, Council President; Councilors at Large Susan Falkoff and Aaron Dushku; District Councilors Angeline Kounelis – District A, Cecilia Lenk – District B, Vincent Piccirilli – District C and Ken Woodland – District D.

Like everyone I am happy that the fire issue is now behind us with he adoption of a revised, more equitable agreement for the town and the residents. However, I think there are a few more things to say and also a lesson for all of us to learn. Everyone knows and appreciates what a fine job the Watertown Fire Department does. And everyone has a friend or neighbor on the department. So it is not surprising they had some support in the community.

Food

See Who Were Named Watertown’s Top Bakers at the Faire on the Square

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Bakers from Watertown fired up their ovens to create their entries for the Faire on the Square baking contest, and the judges have spoken. The competition was fierce, nine bakers entered and competed for the title of top “apple pie baker 2015.” Each pie was individually scored by points of one through ten for their appearance and their taste. Three prizes were awarded to the bakers/pies with the most points. The top three bakers in the 2015 version of the contest were: First Prize – Chris Shepard, Second Prize – Jamie Mobed and Third Prize – Peggy Hayes. The event was graciously hosted by volunteers – Tammy McKenna and Charlene McGann, and the esteemed four volunteer judges were Marilynne Roach, Jean Agrillo, Shane McKenna and Joyce Kelly.