Government

LETTER: Town Unions In Support of Firefighters

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Recently, the Watertown Town Council voted against a third party arbitrator’s award. This award would have settled a contract with our firefighters, who have been working without a contract for over five years. Prior to the vote, a majority of the councilors stated, “…that it would not be fair to other unions in Watertown…” as a reason not to settle the contract. We are writing to set the record straight and state that a false assumption has been made in the logic that (all) the other unions in Town would be offended if the Town settled with the firefighters. To be clear, the Watertown Educators Association, the Police Association, the Police Supervisors, the Town Hall Associates, the Custodians and Food Service Workers support the Town of Watertown accepting the arbitrator’s decision and thereby settling the firefighters’ contract.

Sports

Current, Former Watertown Field Hockey Players Among Nation’s Best

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Watertown High School field hockey players, from past and present, earned the highest recognition for their play – they were named All Americans. Two members of this year’s Raiders team, which captured its sixth straight state championship, made the list of top high school players in the nation as named by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA). Allie Doggett made the First Team Harrow Sports/NFHCA All-American Team. The senior scored 24 goals and added 18 assists this year, finishing her career at Watertown with 62 goals and 67 assists. She also was named to the Boston Globe and Boston Herald All-Scholastic teams and was co-Div.

Entertainment

Exhibit Features Work of Armenian Artist from Watertown

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The Thompson Gallery at CSW announced “Talin Megherian—Kiss the Ground,” the second exhibition in a five-part exhibition series that examines and celebrates contemporary Armenian art, organized to overlap the centennial memorialization of the 1915 Armenian Genocide. The series explores Armenian culture from different vantage points; yet intersect on themes of memory, loss and celebration. The second exhibition in the series focuses on the abstract-narrative paintings of Talin Megherian (Watertown, MA) and her interest in the stories and traditions of the Armenian people, compromised by the atrocities of the 1915 Armenian Genocide. Megherian’s work explores collective Armenian memory, the memories of her family and Armenian women in particular, through eclectic and colorful abstractions that are lavishly bejeweled by images of Armenian artifacts, historical events, and literary references. “There are tragic stories from both sides of my family,” said Megherian.

Police/Fire

Police Log: 2 Teens Caught Breaking Into Cars, OUI Bust on New Year’s

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests

Dec. 29, 6:39 p.m.: Police served a warrant on a Belmont Street resident and arrested a 47-year-old Watertown man on three warrants. Dec. 30, 3:59 a.m.: A resident reported two people breaking into cars in the area of Warren Street and Elmwood Avenue after seeing someone in his car that was parked in his driveway.

Government

Don’t Miss Your Last Chance to Get a Flu Shot!

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The Watertown Health Department is offering one last flu clinic for residents. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that this flu season will be more severe that recent years, according to the Watertown Health Department. “While earlier reports from the CDC indicates that the flu vaccine is less effective this year, it still decreases the severity of the flu and recommend people, especially those with chronic health issues to get vaccinated,” said Watertown Public Health Nurse Wil van Dinter. The Watertown Health Department scheduled an additional Free Public Flu and Pneumonia Clinic at the Watertown Free Public Library on Wednesday, Jan. 14 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

One of the best ways to try to avoid the flu is good hygiene, van Dinter said. “Wash your hands often with soap and water; avoid touching your nose, mouth or eyes; and practice cough etiquette by coughing or sneezing into your arm, not your hands,” he said.

Development

Residents Say Irving Street Project is Good, But Needs Work

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The proposal to build a complex with nearly 270 apartments and retail space got some good reviews from residents, but they said more work is needed for the project that would go at the corner of Irving and Arsenal streets. Tuesday night, representatives from Greystar and Oaktree FX – developers of the former Pirolli brick yard – presented the latest version of the project. Some major changes have been made to the project, which is serving as a test case for the town’s design standards and guidelines. Like the project, the standards and guidelines are still being developed. One of the highlights of the most recent version is the “jewel box” bridge that spans the two buildings in the Greystar project, dubbed Elan Watertown.

Around Town

Commander’s Mansion Chosen a Favorite by Wedding Couples

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Watertown’s Commander’s Mansion received good news to start 2015 – winning an award from a national wedding website. The historic home in the Arsenal on the Charles won the WeddingWire Couple’s Choice Award for 2015. “The Couple’s Choice Award recognizes your business as being  among the top 5% of wedding professionals nationwide,” said the announcement received by the Commander’s Mansion. Facility Manager Tammy McKenna said the award is a big honor. “This is the first time for this award for us – we are super excited,” McKenna said.

Real Estate

Multiple Open Houses This Week in Watertown

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Homebuyers, you have several open houses to check out this weekend in Watertown. $499,000 – 33 Hunt St., 2 unit, 9 total room, 3 total bedroom 2 family, Open Houses: Saturday 12-1:30 p.m. Sunday 12-1:30 p.m.

$485,000 – 94 Stoneleigh Road, 3 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom colonial, Open House: Sunday 12-1:30 p.m.

$925,000 – 75 Summer St. Unit 75, 3 bedroom, 3 full 2 half bathroom townhouse, Open House: Sunday 12-2 p.m.

Sponsored by:

$634,000 – 23 Hearn Street Unit 1, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom townhouse, Open House: Saturday 12-1:30 p.m.

$529,000 – 12 Wilson Ave Unit 12, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom 2 family, Open House: Sunday 11 a.m.-2 p.m.