Sports

20 Athletes Ran Marathon in Memory of the Armenian Genocide

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More than 20 runners in the 119th Boston Marathon, including one from Watertown, proudly honored the history and legacy of the Armenian Genocide, which marked its centennial just four days after the internationally famous race on Friday, April 24, 2015. Each of the runners wore a specially designed emblem on race day to call attention to the genocide’s 100th anniversary and to salute how Armenians have not only survived but thrived in the generations that have followed, according to the announcement from the Armenian Genocide Commemoration group. This program was coordinated by the The Knights of Vartan, Ararat Lodge of Cambridge. While planning the events for the commemoration of the genocide’s centennial on April 24, it occurred to its members that the Boston Marathon was a perfect opportunity to raise awareness. Member Ron Sahatjian of Lexington started looking for runners of Armenian descent who were taking on the marathon this spring.

Entertainment

Watertown’s Arsenal Center Hosts Family Arts Day on Saturday

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Celebrate the arts on Saturday at the Arsenal Center for the Arts at the free Open Arts Day. The day will include live music, art and theater workshops. The family-friendly, free event takes place on Saturday, May 2, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The drop-in open house features visual and performing arts workshops taught by the skilled arsenalARTS & Watertown Children’s Theatre staff. Participants can experiment with Clay (handbuilding and pottery wheel), Printmaking, Mixed-media and other art activities for the whole family. This year’s event will also feature a very special outdoor Steamroller Printing Project where artists will carve printmaking plates, ink them up, and then roll over them with an industrial steamroller, donated for the day by the Watertown Department of Public Works, create Relief print masterpieces! Watertown Children’s Theatre will present workshop performances of two student-written plays selected by a panel of local judges, as well as an encore performance of The Main Street Kids’ Club: A MathStart Musical, which had its Boston Premiere at the Arsenal Center in March.

Development

Residents Invited to Learn About Proposed Eastside Hotel

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A community meeting will be held to give the latest update on the hotel proposed to go on Elm Street on the Eastside of Watertown. Elm Hospitality LLC will host the presentation and discussion of the revised project design for the new hotel proposed to be built at the former Atlantic Battery Site at 80 Elm St., Watertown. The meeting will he held on May 7, 2015 starting at 7 p.m. at the Coolidge School Apartments Function Room, 319 Arlington St. in Watertown. When developers made the first presentation for the hotel in January, they said it would have 102 rooms and would be an “upper, mid-range” hotel.

Government

Homeless Advocates Call for More Affordable Housing in Area

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More affordable places to live in are will help relieve the growing problem of homelessness in and around Watertown, said participants in the forum called “The Many Faces of Homelessness.” The community forum, held at Belmont’s St. Joseph’s Parish, was organized by the TriCommunity Coalition to end Homelessness – a joint effort by groups in Watertown, Belmont and Waltham. Watertown has a good stock of affordable housing, with 745 affordable units under the Watertown Housing Coalition, said executive director Brian Costello. It can take several years to get into the housing, Costello said, and and getting worse.

Entertainment

11-Year-Old Watertown Boy Will Play at NYC’s Carnegie Hall

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Watertown’s Joe MacDonald, a 11-year-old student at Cambridge Montessori School, has been selected for the 2015 Middle School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall. He will perform as a violinist at Carnegie Hall in June 2015 with the Honors Junior Orchestra. Participation in one of the three Honors Ensembles is limited to the highest rated middle school performers from across North America and select schools internationally, according to the announcement from The Honors Performance Series. Joe auditioned this fall for the Honors Performance Series and was accepted after a review by the Honors Selection Board. Acceptance to the elite group is a direct result of the talent, dedication, and achievements demonstrated in his application and audition recording.

Business

Local Groups Can Apply for 3, $10,000 Grants from Belmont Savings

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The Belmont Savings Bank Foundation announced a $30,000 grant competition as part of its charitable giving initiative in Watertown. Local residents will nominate charities that will then be eligible for a donation based on voting. Through the initiative, the Belmont Savings Bank Foundation will invest $10,000 into three programs located in Watertown. Applications should include efforts for health, education, affordable housing or youth programs. The nomination deadline is May 20, 2015. Following May 20, all approved organizations will have a 20-day period to drive voting which will take place on the Foundation website.

Sports

See Photos from Watertown Little League Opening Day!

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Watertown’s Little League baseball and softball players got some inspiring words to help start the season on Opening Day on Saturday at Casey Park. Police Chief Edward Deveau told the players how he used to play baseball growing up in Watertown. “I played sports my whole life and it got me on to college and started my career,” Deveau said. “I played at Bemis Park, so it is a great honor to be here.” Dominic Ricci, the senior vice commandant of the Marine Corps League Shutt Detachment also welcomed the ballplayers.