Environment

Charles River Group Discussing How Towns are Preparing for Extreme Weather

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The Watertown Dam on the Charles River. The Charles River Watershed Association and Communities Responding to Extreme Weather will host a virtual event focused on building resilience across the Charles River Watershed. The groups included the following description:

Adapting to the impacts of climate change is a daunting task but many local cities and towns are facing this challenge head on. Having the best possible information on the impacts of climate change locally can help guide effective local investment and appropriate regulatory changes. The fifteen communities that are part of the Charles River Climate Compact (CRCC) have teamed up to develop a Charles River watershed flood model.

Around Town

Hatch in February: YardArt, Zine Month & More

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Library:

Hatch Makerspace is located at 20 Summer Street in Watertown, MA. An extension of the Watertown Free Public Library, it is a public workshop with space, equipment, and materials available for your use. For more information contact Liz Helfer, Hatch Coordinator: ehelfer@watertown-ma.gov | 781-795-2309

Make It BIG: YardArt Ideas and How to Make ThemTuesday, February 2, 6pm

Push back against this dreary winter by creating something in your yard, porch, or doorway – a structure, an art project, a contraption, or anything that pops to mind. Anyone can participate – no fees and no age requirement. Your creation should be family-friendly and viewable from the street or sidewalk.

Around Town

Zoom Knitting, Pet Lovers Group Part of This Week’s Senior Center Virtual Programs

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Watertown Senior Center

The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Senior Center:

Programs for Week of January 25, 2021

Join us via Zoom for the following programs. Call for access info: (617) 972-6490. New participants always welcome in every program! We hope you’ll join us

Monday:   10:00 AM, Art Class with Dawn Scaltreto12:30 PM, Chair Yoga with Diane2:00 PM, New! Zoom Knitting

Tuesday:     12:30 PM, Tai Chi & Meditation with Marie2:00 PM, Line Dancing with Bradley

Wednesday: 10:00 AM, New! Pet Lovers Group 11:00 AM, Exercise with Joanna2:00 PM, Death Café with Richard Davis

Thursday:        9:00 AM, Pilates with Marina Z.10:30 AM, Talk with Tom: Coffee & Casual Conversation2:00 PM, Zoom Film Review with Debi Block

Friday:            10:00 AM, Exercise with Shannon Lee Jones     12:00 PM, Seated Strength & Balance with Pearl1:30 PM, Mellowtones Chorus with Anne Silverman

Senior Shuttle Bus Update

The Watertown Senior Shuttle Bus is back on the road for grocery shopping! Due to COVID-19, the bus is limited to 4 riders plus the driver.

Around Town

Watertown Residents Can Apply for Scholarships to BB&N Summer Camp

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The Watertown Recreation Department sent out the following announcement:

The Watertown Recreation Department is pleased to announce the offering of a limited number of scholarships for Watertown families whose children would like to attend the Buckingham Browne & Nichols Summer Camp. Each candidate must have a demonstrated and documented need for financial assistance or has a special circumstance that is considered exceptional. The Town of Watertown is grateful to the Buckingham Browne & Nichols School for offering this outstanding opportunity. The camp options are identified at https://bbnsummer.com/, and scholarships arefor any of their programs.

Each child may attend two weeks of camp and if awarded the scholarship will be in the amount of $200.00 each week toward the cost of the camp.This scholarship is available for Watertown residents only. We will begin to consider applications starting February 1, 2020 and accept them until June 1 or until all slots are filled, whatever occurs first.

Entertainment

Check Out Small Saves’ Man Cave in This Week’s Cartoon

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James DeMarco grew up in Watertown and became a goaltender at age 5. It’s his life’s passion to stand between the pipes and keep the puck out of the net. Combining this with the love of cartooning Small Saves emerged in 1991 and took on a life of his own. “To play goal–then come home and draw Small Saves — is my ideal definition of a good day.”

Schools

See the Deadline for Applying to Minuteman High School

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Students from Watertown looking to get into Minuteman High School must send in their application by the March 15 deadline. The town is not one of the nine member communities, so students cannot apply for the priority deadline. Minuteman sent out the following announcement:

The priority deadline for students living within Minuteman High School’s nine member communities to apply for admission for next school year is Monday, February 15, 2021.  

Minuteman’s nine member communities are Acton, Arlington, Bolton, Concord, Dover, Lancaster, Lexington, Needham, and Stow. Visit https://minuteman.org/admissions to apply or obtain more details about the admissions process. View a video tour of Minuteman High School. 

To meet the February 15 priority deadline, member-town student applicants should have submitted an online application, recommendation form, the last two years of school records (grades, attendance, conduct), and have conducted an interview with a representative from Minuteman.

Government

Watertown RMV Extends Designated Hours for Seniors

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Mall:

The designated RMV senior service hours, which began on September 2nd , 2020, will be continued through January 2021. For those who are 75 and older, the Registry of Motor Vehicles offers weekly Wednesday service hours that are in place to offer an option to senior citizens to practice proper “social distancing” protocols to keep customers safe. Individuals who are in this age group are required by Massachusetts law to renew their state driver’s license in person. To make a reservation to renew at an RMV Service Center please visit Mass.Gov/RMV and select the Seniors License Renewal option to Make/Cancel a Reservation transaction tab. For those who are an AAA member, they may renew their license/ID at an AAA location.

Charles River

State Provides Grant to Protect the Charles River

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The Charles River from Watertown Square

The following announcement comes from the Mass. Department of Environmental Protection:

Building on its commitment to protect and improve water quality across the Commonwealth, the Baker-Polito Administration announced nearly $300,000 in grants to five multi-community stormwater coalitions across the Commonwealth to help local cities and towns meet existing and upcoming stormwater management requirements. 

“The Baker-Polito Administration is committed to protecting water quality across the Commonwealth and these funds will make a real difference in the 228 communities that will benefit from these projects,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides. “The stormwater collaboratives funded today will share resources, creative ideas and watershed protection strategies that have a proven record of success.”

“Stormwater is a significant source of water pollution across the state and is a complex issue that requires innovative ideas and cooperative solutions,” said Commissioner Martin Suuberg of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). “MassDEP is pleased to provide funding that will lessen the costs of permit compliance locally, while we continue to work closely with communities and stormwater coalitions to provide critical technical assistance.”

The projects, selected by MassDEP, were awarded to the Statewide Stormwater Coalition, Neponset River Watershed Association, Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, Charles River Watershed Association, and Massachusetts Maritime for Buzzards Bay Stormwater Collaborative. The funding awarded by the Baker-Polito Administration will enable Massachusetts municipalities to expand their efforts to meet Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit requirements and reduce stormwater pollution through coordinated partnerships that emphasize resource sharing. There are 260 Massachusetts municipalities subject to the current MS4 permit, issued jointly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and MassDEP, which took effect on July 1, 2018.