Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/author/cbreitro/page/976/)
Four members of the Watertown Police Department who took on the Boston Marathon Bombing suspects will received medals of honor at the State House. On Wednesday Nov. 19 at 10 a.m. the medals will be handed out at the 31st annual Trooper George L. Hanna Memorial Awards for Bravery ceremony. Sgt. Jeffrey Pugliese, Sgt.
The Planning Board heard from plenty of concerned residents about plans to transform the corner of Mt. Auburn and Arlington streets into a CVS/Pharmacy. The proposed store and parking lot would replace the gas station at the corner, the Elk’s Club and a small office building in Coolidge Square. The project would include a 13,000 square foot store – slightly larger than the one in Watertown Square – and would have an entrance on the corner and another in the back parking lot. It would add landscaping along Arlington Street and in the parking lot.
The area along the Charles River, east of Watertown Square has a snazzy new look featuring places to sit, look over the river and to appreciated the natural surroundings. Travis Mazerall, the project designer from Sasaki Associates, recently led a tour of the park near the intersection of Charles River Road and Irving Street has been turned into place that can be enjoyed by everyone, including the blind and visually impaired. The path includes wires hung across posts every 20 feet, or so. “Some have indicator beads about the size of a fist, that tell the user what is around, such as if there is a bench across from it,” Mazerall said. The project is being built by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), but is funded by a mix of local non-profits, foundations and some money from the town.
Watertown has a spot in the state final – a familiar place for the Raiders who are on their way to their sixth straight MIAA Div. 2 field hockey state title bout. In Tuesday afternoon’s state semifinal at Reading Memorial High School, Watertown (22-0) faced a field hockey foe which could move the ball upfield and create offensive pressure, but the result was the same as all the games this year – a shutout win for the Raiders. “I’m extremely proud of them. They worked so hard out there and they stayed strong and stayed together,” said Watertown coach Eileen Donahue.
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Neighborhood Solar is very happy to pass along the following information:
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) would like to provide an important update regarding the Commonwealth Solar II rebate program. As MassCEC has previously indicated, the Commonwealth Solar II rebate program is scheduled to sunset permanently at the end of funding Block 20. Launched in January 2010, the program has helped to jump-start the small-scale solar market in Massachusetts, and has grown along with this segment of the industry. To date, the CSII Program has awarded over 10,000 rebate applications for over 62 MW of solar capacity, facilitating the investment in solar of over $314 million by home owners and business owners across Massachusetts. As a result of higher-than-anticipated demand associated with the end of this program, the $3 million that was initially allocated for Block 20 is fully subscribed as of today (October 30, 2014). Given the funding depletion has happened earlier than expected, MassCEC has today obtained approval from its Board of Directors for an additional $3 million in funding to ensure the orderly close-out of the program.
This is the final funding allocation for the Commonwealth Solar II Rebate Program, which will sunset at the end of the fourth quarter 2014, or when the additional funds are fully reserved, whichever occurs earlier. So, in addition to the 20% discount that Neighborhood Solar is offering (through December 31, 2014), the 30% federal tax credit (through 2016), the 30% state tax credit capped at $1,000 (through June 2015), and the SRECS that are still in place although vulnerable, there is the above additional rebate program available on a first-come, first-serve basis (through December 31, 2014). If there was ever a time to install solar, this is it.
For the past year, people who need help heating their home, finding an affordable place to live or getting some extra food have someone to turn to – Danielle DeMoss. DeMoss has served as Watertown’s Social Services Resource Specialist. The position was approved by the Town Council last year, and has been funded by a town charitable fund and local non-profit groups. Since late October 2013, DeMoss has helped 315 residents and received more than 1,200 phone calls asking for assistance. She works with more than 30 town departments, community organizations and churches.
Watertown’s football bounced back from their first loss of the season with a decisive win over visiting Saugus on Friday night.
The Raiders’ lacked a passing attack, but still racked up more than 300 yards of offense. Senior Austin Farry scored three touchdowns and sophomore Zachary Rimsa added two more in the 33-15 win, according to the report on WickedLocal.com. Watertown improved to 8-1 and will play Weston this week. The site and place is to be determined. Boy’s Soccer
Watertown has been a outstanding tournament team the last two years – reaching the state final in 2012 and the semifinals in 2013.
Watertown was dealt a blow with the approval of the referendum to prevent the gas tax from changing with the consumer price index. We in Watertown will suffer as a result because public transit will suffer: the MBTA won’t have a reliable source of funding even to keep pace with inflation, just at the moment when we all need better T service more than ever. But we can do things as a community that will actually improve our transportation future. In Watertown, we experience daily that the MBTA is overstretched and underfunded, that traffic congestion is overwhelming, and infrastructure is outdated. Service on the T’s Watertown bus lines was never stellar, but it has deteriorated.