Government

Town Council Approves Improvements at Church Street Intersection

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The intersection of Church and Palfrey streets will get a new look after the Town Council approved improvements to the intersection which has had more than its share of accidents and near misses. Tuesday, the Council voted to implement the recommendations of World Tech – the town’s traffic engineering consultants – and do it “as soon as possible.” One change will be a raised traffic table, like the ones installed recently near Watertown Middle School on Waverley Avenue. Recommendations include:

Construct a raised intersection with textured pavement
Relocate crosswalks closer to the intersection
Install “Raised Intersection Ahead” warning signs
Conduct limited tree trimming

Residents living near the intersection, about five blocks off Main Street, came to the Public Works subcommittee earlier this year to ask about changes to the intersection because it has become so dangerous. (Click here to see more).

Real Estate

Check Out the Latest Watertown Home Sales

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Home sales continue to be healthy in Watertown even in late November. $308,000 – 85 Bradford Road Unit 85, 5 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse

$237,500 – 2 Winthrop Street Unit 3, 4 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, Low-Rise condo/townhouse

$490,000 – 194 School Unit 194, 8 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse

$361,000 – 22 Homer St Unit 1, 4 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse

Government

See How Much Watertown Property Taxes Will Rise

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Watertown property owners will see a increase in their property tax bills, but the overall average is bigger than most people’s reality, Town Assessor Francis Golden told the Town Council Tuesday. Residential property taxes will rise on average 6.25 percent, but he said that number includes the new apartment buildings on Pleasant Street and Waltham Street. “The 6.25 increase is the largest since I’ve been here,” Golden said. “The apartments are skewing that, so it is not realistic for most.”

For most people – 97 percent of homeowners – the increase will be around 3.28 percent, Golden said during his tax presentation (click here to see details). The Town Council approved the tax rate, as well as a shift of the tax burden from residential property owner to CIP taxes (Commercial/Industrial and Personal Property).

Around Town

See Photos from the Donohue’s Turkey Trot

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Dressed as turkeys, giraffes, Indian chiefs and more they came out in record numbers in record numbers for the ninth annual Donohue’s Bar & Grill Turkey Trot Thursday morning. The 5K run that has become a Thanksgiving tradition in Watertown raises money for the Watertown Boy’s & Girl’s Club and the Watertown Education Foundation. Donohue’s owner John Donohue said the field of runners and walkers for 2014 was the largest ever. The race was lead by the Watertown High School field hockey team, fresh off winning its sixth straight state title.

Sports

Watertown Rolls Over Belmont in Snowy Thanksgiving Game

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Watertown High School’s football players started the Thanksgiving feast early by rolling out to a quick lead over rival Belmont and never looking back. Watertown ran the ball all game, often ripping off five yards or more at a time, despite a snow-covered Harris Field in Belmont. The Raiders prevailed 34-13. “I really think the game was controlled up front at the line of scrimmage especially with the snowy conditions,” said Watertown Coach John Cacace. “Since the weekend when we got the forecast we knew it was going to be sloppy.

Around Town

Watertown Boy Scouts Lend a Hand This Thanksgiving

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This year, members of Watertown’s Cub Scouts and Boys Scouts Pack 30 gathered at local grocery stores for a food drive to benefit residents of Watertown. By the end of the day on Nov. 22, 17 boys had collected hundreds of pounds of food to benefit Saint Patrick – St. Vincent de Paul’s Food Pantry and Watertown Food Pantry, according to the announcement from the Watertown Boy Scouts. Not only did the Cub Scouts gather nonperishables at Star Market in Cambridge on Saturday afternoon, they eagerly stocked the Saint Patrick’s shelves into the evening.

Police/Fire

Police Arrest Man Who Hit Two Men with Bottle at Party

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A man who allegedly attacked to party goers with a bottle faces assault and battery charges after Watertown Police arrested him on Nov. 23. The incident took place at a birthday party on Walnut Street on the evening of Nov. 22, between 10 and 11:30 p.m., said Watertown Police Lt. Michael Lawn. The suspect was identified as Efrain Perez Gomez, 42, of Watertown.