Business

Watertown Bicycle Store Wins National Award

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The store that started as a small bicycle on Galen Street nearly 40 years ago has been named one of the top bicycle stores in the nation. 

Farina’s, located on Galen Street near Watertown Street, was named one of 2014 America’s Best Bike Shops by the National Bicycle Dealers Association. Stores across the nation can apply, and the criteria for the award include customer service, business practices, bicycle advocacy, employee training and community service, said Paula Farina Pollis, one of the co-owners along with her brothers Anthony and Michael. “We are thrilled to be ranked among the top stores,” Farina Pollis said. “This year less than 300 shops fell into this category out of more than 4,000 bicycle retailers.” The process is long, and included essay questions and having a secret shopper come into the store.

Sports

WHS Sports: Soccer, Field Hockey Win and Cross Country Preps for States

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The Raiders continued their tournament success this week with both the boy’s soccer and field hockey teams moving on. The boy’s soccer team defeated Wakefield on Monday evening with a game-winning goal by Roman Davis. He also had an assist on the first goal, according to the Boston Globe report. The past two years, Watertown (9-5-5) made it to the state semifinals (and made it to the state final two years ag0). The team faces a tough challenge in their next game when the Raiders take on the top seed in the North Section Div.

Business

Liquor License Debate Gets Murkier for Town Council

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Three Town Council subcommittees met last week to shore up the details of the town’s request to the State Legislature for more liquor licenses, but by the end of the meeting Councilors had not made a decision. At a previous meeting, the members of the Rules & Ordinances, Economic Development & Planning, and Public Safety subcommittees, discussed asking for 15 new licenses. Five would go to approved projects or existing locations. The other 10 would be divvied up among different areas of town. Last week, however, the group was not sure how to handle the forthcoming requests for liquor licenses from the Arsenal Project (formerly Arsenal Mall) for new restaurants.

Elections

LETTER: Residents Explain Why They Support Coakley for Governor

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Dear Friends and Neighbors,

We are supporting Martha Coakley for Governor on Tuesday, November 4. We hope you will too. Martha has been a dogged and courageous force for fairness and progressive values throughout her public service career in Massachusetts. She has consistently protected women’s access to reproductive health services and fought for equal pay for equal work.  She challenged the Defense of Marriage Act and won and she went after predatory lenders and kept over 30,000 families in their homes. However even beyond her clearly progressive record, there is another critical issue facing us now: the growing inequality of wealth in our Commonwealth and across America. How we deal with this now will impact us all, rich and poor, for many years to come. The growing gap between haves and have-nots is an urgent moral and political issue, but there is also a growing chorus of economists who contend that the accelerating hollowing-out of the middle class in America will have a severe negative impact on the long term health of our economy and our society. Policies that support the growing concentration of wealth actually weaken our economy.

Police/Fire

Police Log: String of Broken Car Windows and More

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

Oct. 20, 4:54 p.m.: An officer ran the registration of a Nissan Altima and found the owner had an outstanding warrant. The officer also discovered the driver had a suspended license. The 46-year-old Somerville woman was arrested on the warrant from Cambridge District Court for traffic offenses and a charge of driving with a suspended license.

Real Estate

Check Out the Latest Watertown Home Sales

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These homes sold this week. See where they are and how much they sold for. $655,000 – 626 Belmont Street, 10 room, 4 bedroom, 2 full & 1 half bathroom, Colonial single-family home

$425,000 – 475 Arsenal St. Unit E, 5 room, 2 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, condo/townhouse

$454,000 – 20 Myrtle St. Unit 20, 5 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full & 1 half bathroom, Townhouse condo/townhouse

Sponsored by:

$430,000 – 30 Prospect Street, 5 room, 3 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, Cape single-family home

$460,000 – 18 Hudson Street, 5 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full & 1 half bathroom, Colonial single-family home

Government

Town Council Unhappy With Leaning Pole in South End

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A couple blocks off Galen Street on Morse Street sits a utility pole that has irked members of the Watertown Town Council. The pole is actually a double pole – where an old pole fell or is about to fall and a new one is put up but where the old one has not been removed. The Town Council has worked with Watertown’s State Reps to try to get the utility and phone companies to remove these double poles more quickly. The one on Morse Street is more than just an eyesore, however, said Town Councilor Cecilia Lenk, who represents the South End. “It’s at a severe angle and appears to be about to come down in a storm or hit by a truck,” Lenk said.

Sports

Watertown Plays a Thriller of a Football Game With Swampscott

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Victory Field was filled with thrills and excitement on Halloween night, but it could be a night that haunts the Watertown’s football team. The Raiders (7-1) hosted Swampscott (4-4) in the Div. 4 North section quarterfinal. Watertown with the first undefeated regular season since 1977 and looked poised to keep rolling when they took the first possession and scored a touchdown. Quarterback Nick Giordano kept the drive alive by scrambling and hitting Zach Rimsa on a 3rd and 9 play.