Police/Fire

Watertown Firefighter Graduates from Massachusetts Firefighting Academy

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Watertown Firefighter Christopher Filder graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy on May 7. The following announcement was provide by the Watertown Fire Department and the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy:

Firefighter Christopher Fidler graduated from the Massachusetts Fire Academy Training 10 week training program on May 7, announced Watertown Fire Chief Robert Quinn. 

“Firefighter Fidler will return to work (this) week to serve the citizens of Watertown,” Quinn said. “We are very excited to have him back.” The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy provided the following information about the training that Fidler and the other graduates received:

State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey and Deputy State Fire Marshal Maribel Fournier announced the graduation of 34 firefighters from 15 fire departments completed the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s 50-day Career Recruit Firefighting Training Program on May 7, 2021. Class #291 trained at the Stow campus and Class #BW10 trained at the Bridgewater campus.

Entertainment

Small Saves Cartoon: Good News and Bad News

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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.”

Homepage Featured

LETTER: Group of Parents Support Using Moxley as Site for Temporary High School

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Ai3 ArchitectsA view from Columbia Street of what the new Watertown High School could look like. Last week, the Town Manager announced that the new Watertown High School would be paid for within the confines of Proposition 2 ½, and will NOT require a debt exclusion vote by the community. This is truly an astonishing, unprecedented commitment by Watertown. Thank you to the Town Manager and the Town Council for creating this remarkable opportunity. This is a project that will be transformative for our entire community.

Schools

LETTER: Reconsider Using Moxley Field as the Site for the Temporary High School

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Ai3 ArchitectsA rendering of what a two-story modular building could look like on Moxley Field. It would be the temporary location for Watertown High School while a new school is constructed. The following letter was originally sent to the School Building Committee and the Town Council:

The architectural firm working on behalf of the Watertown High School project provided the recommendation to build a temporary high school on PFC Richard Stephen Memorial Playground on Westminster Avenue. It is dedicated to our fallen hero who gave his life in Vietnam. Richie played on this field.

Around Town

LETTER: Watertown School Committee Thanks Teachers During Educator Appreciation Week

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From The Watertown School Committee:

Teachers do a job that many do not fully understand, yet everyone knows and hopefully has loved a teacher or two throughout their lifetime. This year we asked our educators to do the unthinkable — to become experts on remote education seemingly overnight, to pivot between plans, learning styles, modalities and pedagogy without everything that usually goes into making those types of switches. And our educators of WPS did not miss a beat. From the first day of the shutdown last spring, until the moment this is being read, WPS educators have put students first, have reached into their hearts, their minds, and their depth of knowledge to provide the very best educational experience for all WPS students. While they faced uncertainty and anxiety that we all faced with this pandemic — they stepped up, and they calmed their students, reassured parents, and found ways to both build relationships with students virtually, and provide a rigorous and joyful learning experience as best they could.

Around Town

Residents Can Sign Up for Vaccination Clinic Hosted by Watertown Health Department

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The Watertown Health Department announced it will be hosting a J&J Janssen Covid-19 Vaccination Clinic. Clinic attendees will be required to provide proof of Watertown residency. The COVID-19 vaccine clinic will take place on 05/13/2021 from 12:30pm-3pm at Hibernian Hall at 151 Watertown St, Watertown, MA 02472. Registration for the clinic can be done by following this link: https://www.maimmunizations.org//reg/6151230932

This clinic is by appointment only and no walk ins will be accepted.

Around Town

Watertown Group Invites Public to Join Mother’s Day Walk for Peace

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The group from Watertown Walks for Peace participated in the 2019 Mother’s Day Walk for Peace. This year the group will host a short local walk. The following information was provided by Watertown Walks:

The Boston-based Mother’s Day Walk for Peace this year is online, but we are walking in Watertown! For those of us who yearn for the company, shared purpose, and exertion of the “Walk” part of the Mother’s Day Walk, Watertown Walks for Peace has organized a short non-virtual inperson walk. 

We will meet at the Church of the Good Shepherd for a brief outdoor gathering led by the Rev. Andrew Goldhor and walk together to the MLK mural at the Boys and Girls Club finishing in time to return home for the 9 AM Broadcast. JOIN US at 8 AM Sunday May 9 at The Church of the Good Shepherd (corner of Mt Auburn and Russell).

Around Town

Recreation Department Hosting Open Forum, Updating Summer Programs, Park Projects

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Charlie BreitroseFilippello Park. The Watertown Recreation Department will host its Open Forum meeting virtually on May 4 at 7 p.m. on Zoom. See how to join below. The following agenda was provided by the Recreation Department:

The Recreation Department is offering this zoom meeting to give our residents an opportunity to listen to updates and ask questions regarding the following items.

• DPW Parks: Awesome job, use parksrec@watertown-ma.gov for issues • Spring Session in process: Going well • Ideas for Summer Session: Status of Pequossette / other programs • Employment opportunities now available, apply today • Face Covering, COVID19 Protocol and Requirements: Still in effect • Groups need to have permit: Respect for rules, regulations and guidelines o Concerns: COVID protocol, goals returned, 1 minute tidy (cleanup), dogs, use the time you have permitted, bikes, grooming / tarps, parking • Filippello (Grove) Light Installation status / Filippello (Arlington) Fence • Arsenal Park (Phase A) in Process, Planning for (Phase B) • School Building Committee Meeting: Use of Moxley Field • Social Media / Notify Me / Recreation Website Topic: Recreation “Open Forum”

Meeting Time: May 4, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87566749242?pwd=RVEzN2RPcDFaTHlsd2hEdSt6c09nUT09

Meeting ID: 875 6674 9242 Passcode: 479373

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Meeting ID: 875 6674 9242 Passcode: 479373

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