Around Town

Boston Tea Party Participant from Watertown Honored with Special Grave Marker

By |

Boston Tea Party Ships & MuseumSpeaking at the ceremony for the placing of the grave marker for Watertown’s Samual Barnard on June 18 were Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum Creative Manager Evan O’Brien; Marilynne Roach, President – Historical Society of Watertown and Jonathan Lane, and Revolution 250 Coordinator – Massachusetts Historical Society. The following information was provided by the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum:

The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, in partnership with the Historical Society of Watertown; the City of Watertown, MA, and Revolution 250, a consortium of organizations working together to commemorate the 250th anniversaries of the events that led to American Revolution, will place a commemorative marker at the gravesite of known Boston Tea Party participant, Samuel Barnard, in the Common Street Cemetery (founded in 1754) in Watertown for the first time on June 18, 2022. Massachusetts Patriot Samuel Barnard was born in Watertown, MA on June 19, 1737 and lived in Watertown his entire life. He was a blacksmith and a farmer and married Elizabeth (née Bond) in Watertown, on March 4, 1773 with whom he had five children. After his involvement in the infamous Boston Tea Party, Barnard went on to serve in the American Revolutionary War.

Around Town

Watertown Community Foundation Awards $127K in Spring Grants

By |

The Watertown Community Foundation (WCF) has awarded grants totaling $127,000 to initiatives in two categories.  

One: WCF’s Program Grants are award grants designed to help organizations that serve Watertown develop new or continue existing programs with an educational focus (broadly defined). These are programs that operate outside of the Watertown’s public schools. 

Two: WCF’s Institutional Grants are designed to help institutions central to the Watertown community by providing funds to maintain critical programming and retain paid staff.  Grants under this program impose neither restrictions on the use of funds nor any program requirements.   

Eligible organizations apply for a maximum of $5000 for program grants and a maximum of $7500 for Institutional grants.  The grants are funded by the Foundation’s Watertown Arsenal Education Fund. WCF Grants Chairwoman Mary Ann Mulligan explains, ” WCF continues to receive record numbers of applications and this year was no exception.  The depth and breadth of our community-based organizations is remarkable. We are happy to have the resources to support the diversity and creativity of these initiatives.”

WCF grantees agree.

104 Main Street

LETTER: Time to Draw Line on Big Developments, Create a Historic District on Main Street

By |

Local Communities in Square Miles

Boston 89.63Newton 18.16Waltham 13.76Cambridge 7.1Belmont 4.7Watertown 4.12

Watertown. It’s small. It requires thought. In a small area like ours, every decision that’s made makes a profound difference. Many of us have raised concerns about losing the essence of our community, what made us unique and desirable … small but big; bustling and densely populated and diverse, but with a real home town, neighborly feel.

Cartoon

Cousin Tony Comes to Visit Small Saves in This Week’s Cartoon

By |

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.”

Around Town

Farewell for Two Recreation Employees to be Held at City Hall

By |

The Watertown Recreation Department will say good bye to two employees who will be leaving the department. They will be honored at a celebration to be held on Friday, June 17 in City Hall. The event is free and open to the public. Recreation Director Peter Centola sent out the following announcement:

After close to 5 years as Recreation Supervisor, Jim Coutoumas will be moving on to greener pastures as Assistant Director of Recreation in Canton. We are grateful for Jim’s outstanding service to our department and our Watertown Community.

Schools

School Committee: See What Happened at the June 6 Meeting

By |

By Kendra Foley, Watertown School Committee Chair

The School Committee met on Monday, June 6, 2022. We started the meeting by celebrating and thanking our WPS retirees. As part of the teaching and learning showcase, members of the WHS Robotics Team, known as the KwarQs, demonstrated the robot they built for competitions this year (their most successful year to date!). The team is an extracurricular group that teaches engineering, teamwork, and leadership skills while spreading the interest of STEM education throughout the Watertown Community. Their robot was impressive and the students were full of joy and curiosity!

Frank Pepe Pizzeria

Pepe Pizza Celebrating 97th Anniversary with Big Deal, Donations Accepted for Local Food Pantry

By |

Frank Pepe Pizzeria NapoletanaFrank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana will offer 97 cent small pizzas during its 97th anniversary celebration. The following information was provided by Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana:

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana (“Pepe’s Pizza”), an iconic New Haven-based eatery known for its signature coal-fired pies, will kick off summer with an exclusive promotion at its Watertown location at 24 Eldridge Avenue. 

To celebrate the brand’s 97-year legacy, from Friday, June 24 through Sunday, June 26, Frank Pepe’s of Watertown will offer customers one small, single topping pizza for 97-cents from 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. (in-store only). During these days, the Watertown Food Pantry will have a donation table set up at the restaurant with a check presentation on Friday, June 24. Jennifer Kelly, granddaughter of the late Frank Pepe, will be in town for the summer kick-off and available for interviews on Tuesday, June 21, and Wednesday, June 22. She can offer first-hand accounts of the brand’s history and share stories about growing up in the New Haven restaurant. She can also provide behind the scenes insight to Pepe’s unique cooking method, the “choreography” of how the “Pie men” work the “peels” and other signature elements of the Pepe’s experience.