Development

ZBA Approves Major Apartment Complex, Park Must Be Planned

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The major apartment complex with a retail section on Arsenal Street at Irving Street received final approval from the Watertown Zoning Board of Appeals, but a small park remains to be designed with the help of the community. Known as Elan, the project being developed by Greystar will have 282 apartments and more than 10,000 square feet of retail space. The retail will be on the west end of the complex, and face other stores in the next-door apartment/retail complex being constructed by Hanover/Cresset across a shared driveway. Developers made a few changes to the plans approved by the Planning Board in May. The project features a glassed-in bridge connecting the east and west buildings.

Police/Fire

UPDATED: Firefighters Say Town Manager’s Statement on Contract Was ‘Deceiving’

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{Updated: The previous version of this story incorrectly stated the number of years the Watertown Firefighters have not had an agreement. It has been nearly six years}

The Firefighters responded to Town Manager Michael Driscoll’s statement about the fire contract negotiations, saying his words were deceiving and that they had been willing to give up parts of their contract. 

At the June 9 Town Council, Driscoll responded to the statements made by Local 1347 – the Watertown fire union – and their supporters about the prolonged contract negotiations. The firefighters have been working nearly six years without a contract agreement. During the Public Forum at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting, Al Morash – secretary of the Fire Union – said that Driscoll’s statement was “deceiving.” Paul Lafauci, a firefighter who took part in the negotiations, said that he started to go through the statement to highlight inaccuracies.

Boston Marathon Bombing

Watertown Police Chief Reacts to Tsarnaev’s Apology

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Watertown Police Chief Edward Deveau said he was disappointed by the apology of convicted Boston Marathon Bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, adding that his words “rang hollow.” Tsarnaev finally spoke publicly during the sentencing hearing on Wednesday in Boston Federal Court. He was officially sentenced to death by Federal Court Judge George O’Toole who said “Tsarnaev he had embraced a cruel God, heeded the jihadist ‘siren song’ and engaged in “monstrous self-deception” to carry out the bombings,” according to CNN. In his statement Tsarnaev apologized and admitted to carrying out the bombing. He also referred to how he became award of the victims.

“I am sorry for the lives that I’ve taken, for the suffering that I’ve caused you, for the damage that I’ve done — irreparable damage …”

Around Town

Community Spirit Awards Presented to People Who Have Served Watertown

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The Community Spirit Awards went to 17 members of the Watertown community who have worked to help the youth in town and make it a better place. On Monday, June 22nd, at Arsenal Park, the Wayside Multi-Service Center/ Watertown Youth Coalition (WYC) hosted the annual Community Spirit Award picnic to honor Watertown community members who:

serve as a positive influence or mentor to others in Watertown
show courage to address challenging issues that affect youth and the community
actively take steps to improve the Watertown community

“We applaud these spirit award recipients and the people that nominated them. Watertown is a wonderful community with so many caring adults looking out for the interest of the youth living here!” the Wayside/WYC announcement said. The 2015 Community Spirit Award Recipients:

Andrew Allegro (Watertown Middle School)
Bob Galante (Lowell School and Pequossette Summer Program)
Rebecca Grossman (Watertown Youth Coalition Peer Leader)
Kraig Gustafson (Watertown High School)
Michael Hayes (Watertown High School Hockey)
Laura Kehoe (Right Turn)
Detective Mark Lewis (Watertown Police Department)
Chris Lowry (Friends of Watertown Music)
Wendy Morrissey (Watertown Against Substance Abuse)
Cris Patvakanian (Watertown Youth Coalition Peer Leader)
Larry Raskin (World in Watertown)
Greg Salvucci (Watertown Youth Baseball)
Arlene Smith (Watertown Family Network)
Ernie Thebado (Recreation Department)
Christopher Thigpen (Benchmark Recovery Center)
Lt. Daniel Unsworth (Watertown Police Department)
Wil van Dinter (Watertown Health Department)

Additionally, the organizers thanked to Ralph Vitiello, General Manager of Not Your Average Joe’s restaurant in Watertown, who previously served as co-chair for the Watertown Youth Coalition’s Steering Committee.

Police/Fire

A Man Wielding a Gun Robbed a Watertown Business

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A Watertown gas station was robbed at gunpoint by a man wearing a mask and dark clothing. 

On June 20 after 9 p.m. a man robbed Belmont Street Auto Service on Belmont Street in Watertown, said Watertown Police Sgt. Tom Grady. “A worker was approached by an African-American male, average build, wearing a black and white mask, a black winter hat, a black jacket, black pants and white sneakers,” Grady said. An unknown amount of cash was taken from the gas station. “The suspect fled on foot toward Arlington Street,” Grady said.

Around Town

Watertown Boys & Girls Club Celebrates With Field Day and Cookout

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Members of the Watertown Boys & Girls Club celebrated the end of the year by playing games, and grabbing a bite to eat at a cookout. 

The members have had a quite a year, said Executive Director Renee Gaudette, as she cooked hot dogs for the kids. “It is a special end of the year event to get kids excited about what they accomplished this year and to get excited for summer,” Gaudette said. Along with activities at the club, the Boys and Girls Club members went to Central Rock Gym to climb walls, visited HATCH – the Watertown Free Public Library’s maker space, and Kimura Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Members also put on events such as a Hawaiian Night, put on a Thanksgiving meal, held movie nights and had a car wash, said Izzy, a sixth-grader at Watertown Middle School and president of the Torch Club – a leadership group at the the club. Club staff had a wide range of activities planned, including seeing which team can carry water in cups across the basketball court to fill a bucket, moving an Oreo cookie from their forehead to their mouth without using their hands and picking up Skittles with a straw and moving them into a cup.

Around Town

DCR Looking for Lifeguards for Watertown’s Dealtry Pool

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Lifeguard positions are available at Dealtry Pool in Watertown this summer. 

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation sent out the following announcement:

With the opening of pools across the state this weekend, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is currently seeking applicants for lifeguard positions for many of the state’s pools and beaches, including Dealtry Memorial Pool in the City of Watertown. DCR lifeguards are professional rescuers who are trained to both prevent injuries from occurring, and to respond in an emergency to help save a life. “The Department of Conservation and Recreation works hard to ensure that our state’s pools and beaches are as safe as can be, and that starts with the training of our lifeguards, who are certified in lifesaving practices and procedures,” said DCR Commissioner Carol Sanchez. “I encourage anyone interested, especially someone in the Watertown area, to apply to become a lifeguard for the state this summer.”

The current wage for a lifeguard position is $13.26 an hour. The agency also provides CPR and lifeguard certification at no cost to trainees.

Food

National Magazine Includes Watertown Chef as One of Its Best New Chefs

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A national food magazine has discovered what fans of Watertown’s Strip T’s restaurant have known for many years – the talent of chef Tim Maslow. The chef behind the new Strip T’s, 93 School St. in Watertown, and Ribelle in Brookline was named one of Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs of 2015. Maslow trained at the French Culinary Institute in New York City and worked with celebrity chef David Chan at Momofuku Noodle Bar and Momofuku Ssäm Bar, also in the Big Apple. He got his start in the restaurant business, however, working in his father Paul’s sandwich shop.