Around Town

Tour the Charles River Near Watertown Square and Learn About a Proposal to Remove the Watertown Dam

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Charlie BreitroseThe Watertown Dam near Watertown Square slows the flow of the Charles River. A group is advocating removing the dam. A group that has been studying the removal the Watertown Dam to improve the environment for fish and to protect against a potential failure will give a public tour of the area on Saturday. The following announcement was provided by the Charles River Watershed Association:

Watertown Dam Site Walk – Saturday, October 2nd, 10-11 a.m. Meet at the Watertown Dam Overlook Parking at DCR Dealtry Pool Lot, 64 Pleasant St., Watertown, MA. Come for a walk along the Charles River Reservation and learn about the opportunities to remove the Watertown Dam to improve fish passage, climate resilience, and eliminate the threat of dam failure.

Around Town

Watertown Church Invites Public to Blessing of the Animals

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Church of the Good Shepherd. The following announcement was provided by the Church of the Good Shepherd:

The Church of the Good Shepherd invites all animal lovers to join us for the 2021 Blessing of the Animals. 

All animals and their people — including pets, stuffed animals, and photos of pets (the dearly departed or who can’t be present) — are welcome to join us for a special blessing by the Reverend Andrew Goldhor. This annual ritual observing the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi will be held twice this year: outside the church on Sunday, October 3 at 12 noon (after the 10 a.m. worship service), and indoors on Thursday, October 7 at 7 p.m. (prior to the Hidden Brook contemplative prayer service). At the indoor blessing people will be masked and observe social distancing.

Transportation

Many MBTA Paratransit RIDE Trips from Logan Airport Will be Free

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The following information was provided by MassDOT:

The MBTA announced Sept. 29 that paratransit RIDE trips that originate from all Logan Airport terminals and end within three-quarter miles of the MBTA’s subway system will be free beginning Friday, October 1, 2021. This service complements the free transit service offered to riders on the fixed-route system from the airport. As the MBTA continually assesses transit equity, and to bring parity for the T’s paratransit riders, the MBTA is now offering free RIDE service for trips from Logan Airport to points on the fixed-route subway system. These RIDE trips from any Logan Airport terminal will be free beginning October 1 and will remain free as long as SL1 services from Logan Airport to South Station are free.

5k4Kids

Wayside Running 5K4Kids Fundraiser, Find Out How to Register to Run or Donate

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The Wayside Multi-Service Center, based in Watertown, will be participating in a 5K walk and run to raise money to provide services to the community. The organization sent out the following information:

Wayside Multi-Service Center in Watertown promotes mental and emotional health by providing opportunities for youth to develop strong, positive relationships with caring adults. What we raise will go towards supporting:

The Watertown Youth Coalition Peer Leadership Program where high school youth work on projects to promote positive coping skills, mental health and wellness, and youth substance use prevention, though projects such as our Address the Stress Instagram Campaign (https://www.instagram.com/w2b2youthwellnesscollaborative/).The Social Services Resource Specialist Program provides a central access point to connect residents to vital social services including fuel, food, housing and counseling resources.Counseling is provided for young people and their families who need support dealing with a variety of mental health needs.Youth and Adult Mental Health First Aid Trainings are offered to enable adults to help adolescents or adults experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis.Enrichment Programming and Outreach in Public Housing where children participate in weekly after school activities including creative arts, cooking and community service projects. See more information at the Wayside Multi-Service Center website: https://www.waysideyouth.org/aboutus/ourservicesoverview/services/waysidemetroboston/waysidewatertown/waysidemulti-servicecenter/

The following information was provided by Wayside:

The Wayside virtual 5K4Kids takes place between Oct. 16-23, 2021.

Around Town

LETTER: Resident Endorses Candidate for District A Town Councilor

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Dear Editor,

At age 76 years old, this is the first time I have ever written a letter to a newspaper editor. I’m writing today to urge my East End neighbors to vote on November 2 for District A Town Council candidate Nicole Gardner. At a time when local and national political engagement has never been so important, Nicole brings 35 years of corporate leadership experience to our town and neighborhood. I know that she’ll work hard to address issues that matter to me, like affordability, housing and business development, expanding green spaces, and sustainability. To learn more about Nicole’s accomplishments and commitments, I recommend visiting her website, nicoleforwatertown.com.

Schools

Public Invited to Take a Tour of the New Cunniff Elementary School

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Charlie BreitroseA view of the length of the new Cunniff Elementary School, with the cafetorium/gym entrance extending out at the end. Construction at the new Cunniff Elementary School is nearly complete, and the public will get a chance to take a look around the building before it opens. The following announcement was provided by the Watertown School Building Committee:

The School Building Committee will be hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony and an open house at the new Cunniff School on Oct. 5, 2021. Ribbon cutting will be at 4 p.m. followed by an open house to tour the school until 7 p.m.Everyone is invited to attend this very exciting event.

District D

LETTER: Former Westside Councilor Endorses Candidate Running for His Old Seat

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I write today to enthusiastically endorse Emily Izzo to be the next District D Town Councilor! Emily is a lifelong resident who attended Watertown public schools. I have known her for decades and cannot think of someone better suited to be a Town Councilor and represent the west end. Not only is Emily uniquely qualified to serve (she is a municipal finance law attorney), her motivation to serve is as humble as it is pragmatic. She grew up here, loves this Town and wants to use her talents in this very field to continue making it the great place it is today.

Angel Flight Northeast

Watertown Ford Recognized for Philanthropic Service by Angel Flight Northeast

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Angel Flight NortheastHeather, Kerry, Shawn, Gerry, Larry & Kevin from Watertown Ford show the certificate received from Angel Flight Northeast. The following announcement was provided by Angel Flight NE:

Watertown Ford received the Angel Flight NE’s Outstanding Partnership Award for its commitment of providing essential Ground Crew services to support patients and families in need. Since 2020, the Ford Motor Company Fund has been supporting Angel Flight NE’s mission of coordinating free air transportation for children and adults to access life-saving medical treatment. Since its founding, Angel Flight NE has scheduled more than 103,000 patients/passengers’ flights who have been flown more than 14 million miles. A vital component of Angel Flight NE’s mission is its Ground Crew services that provide free ground transportation to and from airports and medical facilities for our patients, which Watertown Ford is actively participating in.