Government

Fair Housing in Watertown Meeting Planned After Study Found Housing Discrimination

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The Human Rights Commission & Affordable Housing Trust are hosting an event in response to the recent West Metro Homes Consortium report which found housing discrimination present in Watertown, as well as in every other community surveyed. See the information provided by the City of Watertown. Join us at the Fair Housing in Watertown Meeting on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. virtually via Zoom, at: https://watertown-ma.zoom.us/j/91712481602. (The public may also join the virtual meeting audio only by phone: 877-853-5257 or 888-475-4499 (Toll Free) and enter Webinar ID: 917 1248 1602)

Sophia Suarez-Friedman of the Wayside Multi-Service Center will talk about what she has learned helping individuals and families find housing in Watertown. Elizabeth Brusie and Cliff Cook will co-moderate and discuss steps the city can take to combat housing discrimination.

Letters

LETTER: Resident Shares Experience With Mediums

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Watertown resident Fred M. Grandinetti has been writing about popular culture figures since 1983. His recent article takes a different approach. In the March 2025 edition of Paranormal Underground, Grandinetti details his and his mother’s experiences of being read by mediums.

Grandinetti’s piece reads:

The week funeral services were being held for my grandmother Joan Rivers had on her talk show a gentleman who had written a book titled, We Don’t Die. The author was George Anderson, a medium with the ability to communicate to those who have passed on. The Masonic Temple in Watertown, at one time, had medium’s days on Saturday mornings. I read Anderson’s book while having readings. I concluded mediums were like plumbers: some great, others not so much.

Entertainment

See This Week’s Small Saves 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.”

Government

Council Update: City Logo Not Going Ahead, Capital Projects Funded, Support for Community Media Bill

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On April 22, 2025, the City Council voted to approve funding for capital projects, heard from the City Manager about the City logo, heard about the re-organization plan, set limits for revolving funds, and supported a bill on Beacon Hill about Community Media Programming. See the highlights of the meeting provided by Municipal Policy Analyst Doug Newton. City Council Newsletter 

Please see below for the city council’s newsletter for its meeting on April 22, 2025. You can view the video recording of the meeting here. President’s Report

The council president informed the council and the public that four visioning sessions have been held discussing what might be needed in designing the middle school which have been very informative.

Government

Watertown Democratic Town Committee Holding Caucus

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Town Democratic Committee:

It’s time to elect delegates at our Watertown caucus for the MassDems Convention! If you are a registered Democrat you are invited to our caucus. Whether you want to be a delegate or just want to vote for a delegate, this is a great way to become involved in the MassDems and have a voice in our message. You will meet other Democrats and learn about what the Democratic Town Committee is doing in our community. WHEH: SUNDAY, MAY 4, 2:00—3:30 PM

WHERE: Lucia Mastrangelo Room (2nd floor), Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main St, Watertown, MA, 02472

The convention will be at the MassMutual Center in Springfield on September 13, 2025.

Letters

LETTER: Let’s Prioritize Housing Affordability in Our FY 2027 City Budget!

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I was profoundly disappointed that the housing affordability crisis was not addressed in the City Manager’s Budget Presentation at the City Council meeting on April 8. Although Mr. Proakis is open to and advocates for a range of solutions to our housing affordability crisis, during his presentation he did not acknowledge the crisis and did not prioritize housing affordability – as a City and for the new Human Services Director. At the meeting, City Manager Proakis correctly positioned the City Council, the community, and staff to consider how economic uncertainty and likely far-reaching government cuts will impact municipal funding. It will also impact residents’ ability to remain housed. In light of the current economic threats, we should make sure that we’re giving serious thought to priorities for Fiscal Year 2027; and talking to our City Councilors about it.

Weather

Weather Forecast: Rain and Shine This Week in Watertown

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Eastern Massachusetts wraps up April with a dynamic spring pattern — mild and dry conditions to start, followed by a soaking Saturday, a brisk cooldown Sunday, and a return to sunshine and warmth early next week. A strong frontal system brings widespread rain and a few thunderstorms on Saturday, followed by cooler, drier air and gusty northwest winds on Sunday. The start of May looks bright and pleasant as high pressure builds in, with sunshine and spring warmth dominating Monday through Wednesday. A weak front may introduce a chance of showers by Thursday or Friday, but confidence on exact timing remains low. Overall, it’s a week of changing skies and temperatures —a classic New England spring.

Around Town

Learn All About Fungus at the Watertown Library! Events for All Ages

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Free Public Library:

The library that brought you Space Week is landing back on planet earth. May 5-8, the Watertown Free Public Library (WFPL) is hosting its first-ever Fungus Week! Community members of all ages are invited to learn more about our most underrated bio kingdom: fungi! During Fungus Week, children will have a chance to learn “How Trees Talk” with the help of fungus. Grades 6–12 will be able to observe mushrooms growing in enclosed habitats in the Teen Room, and adults can register to learn the principles of fermentation, mushroom identification, and more.