Letters

LETTER: City Should Hire Independent Polling Group to Gauge Public Opinion on Major Issues

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On June 9, two of us – Watertown residents Bruce Coltin and Josh Rosmarin — spoke at the City Council’s public forum to present our case for the City to commission a polling organization to better determine where residents stand on major issues. Here are the texts of our two-minute comments. From Bruce Coltin:

For almost every local election that I can remember, I falsely believed that that election would be the breakthrough election – the one where voters would turn out in record numbers. In Watertown, non-voters have been an overwhelming majority to the tune of about 75%. In our most recent election, the percentage of non-voters rose to just under 80%.

Government

Closures in Watertown for the Juneteenth Holiday

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The City of Watertown’s facilities will be closed Friday for the Juneteenth holiday. See more information from the City of Watertown, below. City Hall, the Parker Building, Department of Public Works Offices, the Senior Center and the Watertown Free Public Library are closed on Friday, June 19, 2026, in observance of Juneteenth.Please be aware that due to the Juneteenth holiday on Friday, trash and recycling pickup will be delayed one day after the holiday. The pickup schedule for the week is Monday, June 15-Thursday, June 18, 2026, and Saturday, June 20, 2026. A holiday postpones pickup by one day.

Entertainment

Grab a Scoop of Ice Cream and Support the Watertown Arts Market

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Support the Watertown Arts Market (WAM) and get a tasty treat during an upcoming ice cream fundraiser. See more details provided by WAM, below. The Watertown Arts Market is holding a benefit night at Ben & Jerry’s Arsenal Yards on Monday, June 22nd from 6-8 p.m. During this window, 20% of sales will benefit the Watertown Arts Market, scheduled for Aug. 8th! 

Launched in 2021 by the Watertown Business Coalition to support local artists, the Watertown Arts Market is now in its sixth year as a city summer staple. Organized by volunteers and city partners such as the Watertown Cultural Council, this free, family-friendly event features 100+ artist booths, live music, interactive activities, and local food.

Elections

State Senate Candidate Endorsed by Working Families Party

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Daniel Lander. The following announcement was provided by The Lander Committee:

Daniel Lander announced today that his campaign was endorsed by the Working Families Party, demonstrating his commitment to building a status quo that fights for working people in Massachusetts. The endorsement highlights Daniel’s vision for a Massachusetts where everyone can build a good life. “I am so honored to earn the endorsement of the Working Families Party. This endorsement makes it clear that I am the only candidate in this race who will stand up for working people in Massachusetts and fight to challenge the broken status quo on Beacon Hill.

Around Town

Watertown Group Protests Bank for Link to ICE Detention Centers

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Some of the protesters at Watertown’s De-ICE Citizens Bank Campaign on June 13. (Contributed Photo)

The following article was submitted by Indivisible Progressive Watertown:

On Saturday, June 13, Indivisible Progressive Watertown hosted its third stand out this year in front of the East Watertown Citizens Bank branch at 630 Mt. Auburn St. Twenty-five people gathered to protest Citizens Bank’s connections to ICE prisons. 

In addition to holding signs and passing out flyers to passersby and customers, attendees also “chalked the walk” with related messages. The stand out was part of a National Week of action organized by the De-ICE Citizens Bank coalition https://www.de-icecitizensbank.org/ to call attention to the role Citizens Bank plays in financing CoreCivic and the GeoGroup, two private prison companies running ICE Detention Centers. The GeoGroup is the owner of Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey, where inmates are participating in hunger and labor strikes. https://www.aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/hundreds-at-delaney-hall-join-detained-people-across-country-in-hunger-strike-against-inhumane-conditions. 

As a result of the abuse at Delaney Hall, Jersey City has withdrawn $265 million from Citizens Bank https://jcitytimes.com/jersey-city-to-pull-millions-from-bank-over-ice-detention-financing/. If you have an account with Citizens Bank and aren’t ready to close your account, you can sign the De-ICE Citizens Bank Not with our Money Pledge: https://www.de-icecitizensbank.org/take-action.

Government

Lawmakers Discuss Changes to Health Care System, Including State Rep. John Lawn

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State Representative John Lawn spoke on a panel about primary care reform at the 2026 Health Equity Trends Summit at UMass Boston on June 2. (Photo credit: Piper Brown Photography)

Watertown State Rep. John Lawn joined a panel of lawmakers speaking about trends in health care in a time when federal policies are changing the system. See more information in the announcement from Health Care Compact, below. The Health Equity Compact convened Massachusetts policymakers and leaders at its 2026 Health Equity Trends Summit on June 2, 2026, at UMass Boston, where new approaches to advancing health equity for marginalized communities were discussed at a time when restrictive federal policies are limiting and reshaping access to coverage and care. 

The daylong Summit featured notable speakers and panelists pressing for health systems change and deepening community investments by creating alignment on possible pathways to progress, including supporting enactment of “An Act to Advance Health Equity” and other legislation, protecting health care access for recently uninsured individuals, reforming primary care, and promoting community health workers. The event concluded with a move to action, providing health leaders with tangible next steps for activating the topics in their respective communities across the Commonwealth.

Charity

Watertown Community Foundation Challenge to Raise $25,000; Gifts Doubled Until June 26

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Community Foundation:

The Watertown Community Foundation has launched a matching gift campaign to raise $25,000 in community donations and unlock up to $25,000 in matching funds. Through June 26, 2026, all gifts to support the work of the Watertown Community Foundation will be matched dollar for dollar — thanks to WCF’s Board of Directors. “With rising prices, we can see that people are struggling,” said Lauren Coughlin Unsworth, Board Co-President, Watertown Community Foundation. “When you give by June 26, your gift will go twice as far to help. Thanks to the leadership and generosity of our Board of Directors, we were able to offer this matching fund to respond to need at a critical time.”

The Watertown Community Foundation uses gifts from community members to fund grants to nonprofits and programs that serve people who live and work in Watertown and has awarded a total of $136,000 so far in 2026.

Letters

LETTER: In Support of a Compromise Rent Control Bill

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By Tony PalombaCity Councilor At-Large

As an At-Large City Councilor in Watertown Massachusetts I am acutely aware of the housing storage that Massachusetts is facing – both for those who wish to purchase a home and who would like to rent. We also know that the cost of homeownership and renting is continuing to climb. The burden of these two factors makes it difficult to provide low-income and moderate-income residents with affordable housing. In Watertown approximately half of our residents are renters, 39% of whom are “cost burdened”, meaning that they spend more than one-third of their income on housing. The median income for Watertown renters is $105,360 with many renters having an income of about $77,000.