Police/Fire

Watertown Man Sentenced to Prison for African Sports Ponzi Scheme

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The following announcement was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts:

A Watertown man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for defrauding investors who believed they were financing lucrative sports ventures in Africa. Adrian Kawuba, 34 was sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 27 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Kawuba was also ordered to pay restitution of more than $625,000, forfeiture of more than $2.2 million and to pay a special assessment of $400. In December 2023, Kawuba pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud. 

Kawuba told his victims that he would invest their money in short-term financing of youth sports ventures in Africa and elsewhere and that he would personally guarantee their investments. In fact, Kawuba did not invest any of the victims’ funds.

Government

Patriots Day Will Impact City Hall, Library, Senior Center and More

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by Charlie BreitroseMembers of the Watertown Colonial Guard reenactment group march in the 2018 Memorial Day Parade. Patriots Day is Monday, April 15, and the holiday will impact facilities in the City of Watertown. The City sent out the following information:

Watertown City Hall, Parker Annex, Senior Center, Department of Public Works Offices, and the Watertown Free Public Library are closed on Monday, April 15, 2024 in observance of the Patriots Day holiday. Please note that trash and recycling pickup will be delayed one day. The pickup schedule next week is Tuesday, April 16 through Saturday, April 20, 2024.

Around Town

OP-ED: Watertown Square Zoning Needs to Do More for Affordability

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Just about everyone agrees on the need for more affordable housing in Watertown. It’s one of the biggest challenges faced by our neighbors today. Families can’t find space to grow, older residents can’t downsize, working- and middle-class families are being forced out. There isn’t enough housing overall — but, in particular, there isn’t nearly enough affordable housing. The Watertown Square redesign process offers an incredible opportunity to encourage more dedicated affordable homes in our city.

Around Town

MBTA Announces Services for Monday’s Boston Marathon

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The MBTA announced service information on Monday, April 15, the day of the 2024 Boston Marathon. Every year, the MBTA prepares for the Boston Marathon across all departments in many ways. It supports the annual event with increased service to accommodate spectators and runners, acknowledges the crucial role of public transit during this celebratory time, and expresses sincere appreciation for its ridership and dedicated workforce. Behind the scenes, a dedicated team of MBTA leaders from various departments, including operations, track, signals, and safety, will be monitoring the system throughout the day, ready to troubleshoot any unforeseen issues that may arise. The MBTA’s Security team will have representatives in the Unified Coordination Center, located at the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency’s headquarters in Framingham, which serves as the central hub for public safety operations on race day. The Transit Police Department will also continue to monitor the system with robust support available as needed. Additional staff and Transit Ambassadors will be strategically positioned throughout the system to assist with passenger flow and answer any questions or concerns from riders. Riders are encouraged to hold handrails and use care and caution while traversing stairs and escalators due to anticipated crowding and high ridership. Additional porters will also proactively identify and address cleaning needs throughout the system, from sweeping floors and disposing of trash to maintaining restrooms and replenishing supplies.

Entertainment

Gandzaran/Treasury Exhibition Spotlights Armenian Museum of America’s Art Collection

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Courtesy of Armenian Museum of AmericaMartin Barooshian (1929-2022), “Gomidas Vartabed 4/50,” c. 1970-1979, signed color intaglio etching, 24×22, donated by Haig Der Manuelian. The following announcement was provided by the Armenian Museum of America:

The Armenian Museum of America in Watertown has recently opened its latest exhibition in the Adele and Haig Der Manuelian Galleries, “Gandzaran! Notable Selections from Our Collection.” The show is curated by Ryann Casey, and co-curated by Gary Lind-Sinanian and Elias Trout.  “Gandzaran!” showcases 39 works by 24 artists from around the world. It is scheduled to run through August 4, 2024. In recent centuries, Armenian fine art often focused on illuminations, reliquaries, and other pious objects, the most significant of which were secured and hidden in the gandzaran (գանձարան), or treasury, of a monastery. These treasure vaults were designed to protect religious works, which would be displayed periodically for the faithful, then returned to the vaults to be preserved for the ages.

Around Town

OP-ED: Watertown Square Plan — A Broader Perspective

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By Linda ScottWatertown Resident

I was driving through Forest Hills recently and stopped to take a few pictures of new buildings. Here is the front of the property. As you can see, this yellow and gray building appears to be six stories. Also note that there are step backs and blocks of color to produce the “visual interest” that was mentioned at our meeting. Photo by Linda Scott

I drove up the small street in back of it, and here it borders a small one and two family neighborhood with a mix of one and two storied homes.

Around Town

Watertown Group Hosting Event Called “Ireland and Palestine: Occupation, Resistance, Hope”

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The following announcement was provided by Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment:

Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment will sponsor a lecture and dialogue entitled, “Ireland and Palestine: Occupation, Resistance, Hope” featuring Paul Pelan, Professor at Boston University and native of Belfast and Souhad Zendah, Professor at Tufts University and native of Gaza. WHEN: Sunday, April 14, 5 p.m.

WHERE: Church of the Good Shepherd, 9 Russell Ave. For more info: watertowncitizens@gmail.com

Around Town

LETTER: Embrace the Opportunity to Revitalize Watertown Square

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Watertown Square needs an overhaul. For the almost 50 years, I have lived here, Watertown Square has been in decline. There is the Library, the Farmer’s Market, festivals, and a succession of destination restaurants that hint at the town center it could be. But it needs more. 

To thrive as a commercial district, Watertown Square needs to fill its storefronts and spaces with a variety of businesses, services, and venues for all times of day at a scale that requires lots more people and foot traffic. The MBTA Communities Act has given us an opportunity to plan for more people at the same time we plan for a more vibrant, livable and walkable city center. 

I had the experience just a few years ago of knocking on doors all over Watertown for the Community Preservation Act. I heard over and over again that housing was the most pressing concern – even from those who seemed well housed. I know that most of the people with whom I had front door conversations are not going to make the WS meetings or find their way to the many portals for comments. But I feel a responsibility to speak up for them and to bring the depth and breadth of this need to the discussion. From my perspective planning for more housing, more pedestrians, bicycling, and transit and a better balance with cars and the natural environment are the keys to a Watertown Square rebirth. I have spoken up at public meetings over developments and city projects for decades. I have experienced being shut out and shut down. The Watertown Square planning process has been different. I have felt listened to and respected as I never have before. 

In turn, I have experienced a new appreciation for the many moving parts of any plan, the expertise that is being brought to bear and the difficult trade-offs and balances. There are lots of areas around design and balance to be discussed and debated, but let’s keep our eyes on the promising vision.