Schools

What Should be Watertown High Schools’ New Mascot?

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Watertown High School students will soon choose a new mascot, and perhaps even a new nickname. 

For years the WHS teams have been called the Red Raiders or just Raiders, but since around 2007 the school has not had a mascot or logo on its uniforms and other places. Before that the school used a cartoon-like image of an American Indian. “There hasn’t been a mascot since I got here,” said Superintendent Jean Fitzgerald. “There is a ‘W’ on any clothing I have. The kids miss having a mascot.”

Police/Fire

Police Log: Man Arrested for OUI and Leaving Scene of Accident

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
April 24, 6:26 a.m.: Police served a warrant from Middlesex Juvenile Court on a 14-year-old boy from Watertown for threatening to commit a crime. April 26, 11:37 p.m.: A Grandview Avenue heard a crash and looked out to see a black sedan leaving the are after hitting a parked car. Police found the driver side of the parked car heavily damaged. Several minutes later a car was found in a driveway on King Street with heavy passenger side damage and the engine was still warm.

Charity

Watertown Man Raising Money to Help People in His Village in Nepal

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A Watertown man is looking to his neighbors in his current hometown to help neighbors in the village where he grew up that suffered major damage in the earthquake that hit Nepal. 

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake has killed more than 7,000 people, injured 14,000 and left much of the Himalayan nation devastated. The United Nations estimates that 300,000 homes were destroyed in the quake. Watertown resident Samrat Sengupta has started a GoFundMe.com fundraiser to help his village, Setidovan, Shyangja – located about 140 miles outside of Kathmandu. “There has been no news coverage or any media presence in my village because it is remote and it is small,” Sengupta wrote on his page. “Due to the damages to the roads and landslides, my village has not had access to any medical or housing assistance.

Obituaries

OBIT: Ida Elizabeth Pallone, 88, Watertown Resident

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Pallone, Ida Elizabeth of Watertown died on May 2, 2015, at the age of age 88. She was the beloved daughter of the late Philip & Philomena (Zaccagnini) Pallone. Devoted sister of the late Mary, Ralph, Antoinette, Dominic, Carmine, Rocco and Nicholas Pallone. Also loved by many nieces and nephews. Funeral from the MacDonald Rockwell & MacDonald Funeral Home at 270 Main St.

Design Guidelines

Planning Board OKs Design Standards, Debates Which Projects it Should Cover

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The Planning Board gave its endorsement to Watertown’s design standards and guidelines, but made some changes to what size residential projects the to apply the new rules for what can be built in town. Thursday evening, the Planning Board held the second public hearing on the design standards, and voted 3-0 to approve the new rules. Members of the town’s Planning Department made some changes to the original proposal which was discussed on March 31 (click here to see the new draft). One of the proposed changes was to a apply the rules to residential projects of 10 units or more. The original proposal called for applying the rules to projects of four units or more.

Environment

Watertown School Welcomes a New Tree for Arbor Day

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Students at Cunniff School returned from Spring Break to find a new addition to the school – a dwarf apple tree. 

The tree was planted as part of Watertown Tree Warden Chris Hayward’s Arbor Day program. Trees have been planted at schools around town for the past several years, Hayward said. “The tree will get about 12 feet tall and 8 feet wide,” Hayward said. “And it will bear fruit.” On Friday, the whole school came out to the courtyard to see the new tree and get an Arbor Day gift of their own.

Letters

LETTER: Thank a Nurse During National Nurses Week 2015

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Dear Editor,

As a registered nurse with 57 years of experience, I want to let readers know that May 6th through the 12th is National Nurses Week 2015. During this week, national celebrations are occurring to thank nursing professionals for their tireless efforts in caring for patients in all clinical areas. In fact, On Wednesday May 6 nurses will gather at Fenway Park and be honored in a pregame ceremony. Massachusetts’ 120,000 plus active registered nurses compassionately provide excellent health care to all the citizens of our Commonwealth. The vital contributions of nurses is paramount to the success of our health care system in improving lives of Americans.

Police/Fire

WBUR Series Tells the Story of a Former Watertown Cop Murdered in Her Home

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A two-part story about the murder of a former Watertown Police officer whose murder remains unsolved, will air on WBUR 90.9 FM on Monday and Tuesday. Gail Miles was Watertown’s first, black female officer and she was killed under mysterious circumstances in December 2011 in her Roxbury home. The killing remains unsolved. Her career in Watertown was not always a smooth one, as she sued the department claiming she had been the victim of discrimination. In late 2001, Miles received $150,000 in a settlement out of court, and the settlement contained a stipulation that Watertown Police complete a mandatory officer training program aimed at preventing sexual and racial harassment, according to a Boston Globe report at the time of her death.