Around Town

HBO Production Seeks Residents’ Videos from Watertown Shootout, Manhunt

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You can help contribute to a feature-length documentary film about the Boston Marathon Bombings and the shootout and manhunt in Watertown. 

Break Thru Films will produce the documentary, known right now as the Boston Project, for HBO and seeks personal stories and footage taken by residents. “The film will be a sensitive and in-depth exploration into the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings and the subsequent Watertown shootings, told through personal stories of the survivors and citizens of Boston,” said the announcement from Break Thru Films.

Filmmakers are working closely with local universities, running clubs, churches and other local groups, along with the Boston Globe. They hope to find unseen footage from the Marathon, during the bombing at the finish line, the days after the bombing and, of course, the Watertown Shootout, manhunt, lockdown and capture of the Boston Marathon Bombing suspect. The footage and photos can be in many forms.

“If you have any personal footage or artifacts (photos, video, recorded telephone/Skype/FaceTime calls, etc.) taken on personal devices of the Marathon and the 5 days following (set up; the race; bombings; aftermath; lockdown; Police and SWAT house searches, shootings or arrest in Watertown), please contact us at bostonproject@breakthrufilms.org,” the announcement said. Break Thru Films Producers Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg have worked on award winning and nominated films including “Joan Rivers – A Piece of Work” (U.S. Documentary Prize for Best Editing at the Sundance Film Festival), “Knuckleball!”

Schools

Friends of Watertown Music Seeking Instrument Donations

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If you have a musical instrument that you are not using, the Friends of Watertown Music can help you find a home. On Thursday, June 18, the group will be accepting musical instrument donations at Watertown Middle School, 68 Waverley Ave. “You can help by pulling that lonely saxophone or trumpet out of the back of the closet and bringing it to the Middle School next Thursday evening. All instruments for either the band or strings program will be accepted, and you will be given a receipt for your donation,” the Friends’ announcement said. Contact Friends of Watertown Music at hellowatertownmusic@gmail.com with questions or if you would like to help.

Boston Marathon Bombing

Police Chief Wanted to Get Through Marathon Trial Before Retiring

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The timing of Watertown Police Chief Edward Deveau’s retirement announcement, coming just weeks after the trial of the Boston Marathon Bomber wrapped up, was no coincidence. Deveau announced last week that he will retire after 14 years as chief and 32 years on the force. “I would have started to think about (retiring) if April 19 (2013) didn’t happen,” Deveau said. That day will loom large in the minds of all Watertown residents, but Deveau had as close a view to what happened as anyone who was not part of the shootout with the Tsarnaev brothers. After the firefight, which included homemade bombs, Deveau was part of the team making decisions during the subsequent manhunt and capture of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in a boat on Franklin Street.

Development

Town Council Meeting to Consider Watertown Design Standards, Guidelines

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About nine months of work, meetings and debate, Watertown’s new standards for developments in town will be considered for final approval by the Town Council. The Council scheduled a public hearing on June 30 at 6:30 p.m. in Town Hall on the proposed changes to the Zoning Ordinance that have been proposed as part of the design standards. The Council will also consider adopting a separate set of design guidelines. Guidelines help spell out how the town wants developments to be built and the standards are the language of the guidelines folded into the town’s zoning bylaws, said David Gamble, the consultant hired by the town to help create the new set of rules. The Council voted to create the standards and guidelines to help the town handle the influx of new development in town, particularly along Arsenal Street.

Around Town

Watertown Groups Hosting Healthy Aging Forum at Coolidge Apartments

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The next Watertown Healthy Aging Forum will take place on June 24 at the Apartments at Coolidge School. The event on Wednesday, June 24, 2015 from 7-9 p.m. (6:30 sign-in) at the Auditorium at the Coolidge School Apartments, 319 Arlington St., Watertown. The event is open to the public. Learn lessons from 5 towns where many people live to 100
We’ll view and discuss Blue Zones* videos
What key steps can all of us, youngsters – middle aged – or older, take to live healthier, longer lives? Can Watertown apply these lessons?

Government

Meet State Rep. John Hecht During His Upcoming Office Hours

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Watertown residents will have two opportunities to speak with State Rep. Jonathan Hecht in June. He will hold office hours on Monday, June 15 from 5-6 p.m. in the Raya Stern room in the Watertown Public Library and Thursday, June 18 from 8:30-9:30 a.m. in the small conference room on the third floor of Watertown Town Hall. Constituents are invited to meet with Rep. Hecht to discuss pending legislation or any other issue of concern to them. Anyone unable to attend these office hours can call Rep. Hecht at 617-722-2140 to schedule a meeting at another time.”

Schools

See Which Teachers Were Honored at the Watertown High School Graduation

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Several teachers received awards and recognition during the graduation ceremony for the Watertown High School Class of 2015 on Friday. Honorees included teachers at the high school and other schools around the district. The big award – Teacher of the Year – went to WHS music teacher Daniel Jordan, who was nominated by the faculty and staff at the high school. He has been a teacher at the high school for more than 20 years, and leads the band in concerts at the school, at athletic events, and special ceremonies such as the WHS Memorial Day Ceremony, said WHS Principal Shirley Lundberg

Jordan is always happy to collaborate with other teachers at the school. “I am really speechless,” Jordan said.

Government

Hearing Planned for Trees Scheduled to be Cut Down

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Watertown Tree Warden Christopher Hayward will hold a hearing about trees that are due to be cut down. Residents are welcome to attend and give comments about the trees. 

The hearing will be held on June 17, 2015 at 11:30 a.m. in the Watertown Administration Building (Town Hall), Lower Hearing Room

Here are the tree locations, diameter of the trunk and type of tree being discussed at the hearing:

8 Westland Road, 4”,  Oak

32 Lowell Ave., 15”, Norway maple

69 Lowell Ave., 17”, Norway maple

85 Lowell Ave., 18”, Norway maple

26/28 Fifield St., 22”, Norway maple

The hearing announcement adds:

Please note that you do not need to attend the Tree Hearing to be heard. If you cannot attend but are for or against the removal of any of the trees listed and want your thoughts to become public record, please email the Tree Warden at chayward@watertown-ma.gov. Your concerns will be read into the public record at the hearing. Your email must be received by me by 10:30 a.m. on June 17, 2015. If you have any questions, please contact Christopher Hayward at the email listed above or at 617-972-6426.