Charity

Relay for Life Will Welcome Inspiration for a Hit Book and Movie

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Attendees of the Relay for Life in Watertown will hear from the family that inspired the bestselling book and hit movie “The Fault in Our Stars.” This year, the Relay for Life Watertown Newton Waltham will be held at Victory Field in Watertown on May 30 from 3 p.m. to 10 a.m. on June 1. During the event’s Luminaria Ceremony, which honors and remembers those lost to cancer, at approximately 9 p.m., guest speaker Lori Earl, the mother of a young cancer patient whose battle with the disease inspired the powerful 2014 romantic drama “The Fault in Our Stars,” will address the crowd and share her personal story, according to an announcement from the American Cancer Society. Sign up to participate in the Relay for Life or donate by clicking here.

Schools

School Committee Member Wants System for Electives at WHS More Fair

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Getting into elective classes at Watertown High School can be challenging, and some freshmen do not get any of their choices, but one School Committee member wants to change that. 

During a discussion of the Watertown High School handbook, School Committee member Julie McMahon said students can list their top five choices for elective classes, but some unlucky WHS students don’t get any of their classes. She who has a freshman at the high school. “Electives are the things that children are attracted to,” McMahon said. “They may be interested in video, but it might be filled.” The “luck of the draw” freshman year has a snowballing effect later, she said.

Police/Fire

Watertown Police Enforcing Seat Belt Laws During Click It or Ticket Event

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From May 11 to May 25, the Watertown Police Department will team up with Massachusetts State Police and more than 191 eligible local police departments statewide to promote seat belt usage through increased traffic enforcement. 
Watertown will take part in the national Click It or Ticket (CIOT) seat belt enforcement mobilization, which is funded by a federal grant administered through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Highway Safety Division (EOPSS/HSD), according to an announcement from the Watertown Police Department.  
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2013 there were 21,132 passenger vehicle occupants killed in traffic crashes across the United States.  49 percent of the people killed (10,458) were unbelted. “Watertown is focusing our enforcement efforts on safety belts to increase usage and save lives,” said Watertown Police Sgt. David Sampson. NHTSA reports that the national seat belt usage rate is 87 percent. Massachusetts is lagging behind at 76.6 percent. During the five-year period from 2009 to 2013, Massachusetts had a lower rate of restraint use among fatally-injured passenger vehicle occupants than the rest of the nation.      
“Officers will issue citations to anyone traveling without a buckled seat belt or transporting unrestrained children. The goal is not to hand out tickets, but to keep the public safe. A seat belt is the best defense against impaired, distracted, and aggressive drivers,” said Sgt. Sampson.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Employee Caught Stealing from Business and More

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
April 27, 9:58 p.m.: Security at the Watertown Street Stop & Shop spotted a man put several items into a shopping cart and walk toward the entrance. He was stopped and had $598.78 worth of groceries. The 25-year-old Newton man was arrested for larceny over $250. April 28, 3:13 p.m.: A woman was spotted putting several items of clothes into her pocketbook and more items between her pocketbook and her body.

Environment

LETTER: Watertown Residents Can Join Neighborhood Solar Program

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Dear Friends and Neighbors,

It is with great pleasure that Neighborhood Solar II is launched. Green Cambridge is partnering with Neighborhood Solar to help promote this program in Cambridge. Right now, Massachusetts has excellent solar incentives and the federal government is giving a 30 percent tax credit through 2016. The goal of Neighborhood Solar is to combine these incentives and tax credits with the best solar prices and the best solar quality and craftsmanship. With this in mind, and based on the success of Neighborhood Solar I, SunBug Solar has agreed to be the installer.

Around Town

Panel: Tough Love Can Help Addict Come to Grips with Their Illness

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Addiction to heroin and other opioids has risen in New England, and with tragic results, including in Watertown. Thursday night, a panel of people looking to help people overcome substance abuse shared their knowledge, including one sentiment that all agreed – tough parenting can help addicts get the treatment they need. Those who attended the event, “Watertown Community Drug Education,”at Watertown Middle School, heard powerful personal testimonies of those who have overcome addition and parents of addicts in recovery. Watertown resident Chris Thigpen, and Northeast Region business development director for the Benchmark Recovery Center, organized the event to share his knowledge as an addict in longterm recovery about what it takes to overcome addition. Opioid addiction has risen at an alarming race in Watertown, with fatal consequences, said Watertown Police Lt. Daniel Unsworth.

Schools

Dancing With the Stars Brings in $20,000 for the Watertown Education Foundation

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The Watertown Education Foundation (WEF) raised $20,000 at its second annual, “Dancing with the Stars” event held on Friday, May 1 at the Hellenic Cultural Center. This year, Kendra Foley, a Hosmer School parent, took home the trophy for her upbeat Bollywood number, performed with her partner, Harrison Wright of Arthur Murray Dance Studio, Boston. They received a perfect score of 30 from the judges. Armand Keuchkarian, Watertown Middle and High School parent was awarded the Fan Favorite trophy, for his performance with Avalon Dance & Fitness’ Beth Canuel. “More than 400 people attended the event this year; that is almost double the number of last year’s attendees,” said Amy Donohue, WEF co-president.