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LETTER: ‘Thank You for Your Service’ from Watertown Veterans’ Services Officer

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I remember exactly where I was on 9-11-01. Similarly, I recall exactly where I was when I wastold I’d be going on my first deployment to Afghanistan. I was an aviation IT Marine who was chosen to teach the Afghanistan National Army (ANA) how to maintain HMMWVs and operatein convoys. 

I was 21, suddenly in charge of the training and support of over 100 ANA soldiers alongside fiveMarines and five interpreters. We accomplished a lot of great things on that deployment; weimproved the training and their fleet of vehicles; and even got a literacy program established tobuild create better ANA soldiers. In Marine Corps terms: we left things better than we foundthem; and we served to protect the service members to our left and our right.

Arts

Hear Local Authors & Get Books Signed at the Watertown Arts Market

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Watertown writers Kathleen Spivack, Lawrence Kessinich, and DeWitt Henry will appear at the Watertown Arts Market as part of the Watertown Lit Squad’s contribution. The Watertown Lit Squad gathered some of the Town’s authors, who will give readings and sign books at the Watertown Arts Market. The Watertown Arts Market will take place on Saturday, Aug. 21 from noon to 5 p.m. at Arsenal Park. The Watertown Lit Squad provided the following announcment:

THE WATERTOWN LIT SQUAD PRESENTS READINGS, BOOK SALES, AND SIGNINGS BY WATERTOWN AUTHORS AT THE FIRST WATERTOWN ARTS MARKET AUGUST 21, ARSENAL PARK

Longtime Watertown resident, Kathleen Spivack has published in over 300 anthologies and magazines, including The New Yorker, Poetry, The Atlantic Monthly, The Paris Review, and Harper’s.

Business

Chamber Announces New Name Reflecting Focus on Communities Along Charles River

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The following announcement was provided by the Charles River Regional Chamber:

The Newton-Needham Regional Chamber has changed its name: It’s now the Charles River Regional Chamber. The rebranding aims to solidify the chamber’s position as the voice for businesses and nonprofits in Greater Boston’s western inner suburbs. The change follows the 106-year-old business association’s recent expansion into Wellesley and previously Watertown. “We wanted an inclusive name that reflects our mission, our identity, our history and our future,” said Chamber President & CEO Greg Reibman. “We selected the Charles River because the river flows directly through each of the communities we represent: Newton, Needham, Watertown and Wellesley.

Government

LETTER: Planning Board Member Explains Comments Made at the July Meeting

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Dear Honorable Town Councillors and fellow Planning Board members:

I am writing to you all today in regards to some comments that I made at the July 14th Planning Board meeting, which have apparently caused some consternation amongst several members of the Watertown community at large, and for which I would like to set the record straight:

First of all, I would like to be absolutely clear on the fact that I take public feedback on proposed projects very seriously — in fact, on several occasions during Planning Board meetings, I have expressed my preference to hear comments from the public BEFORE board members add their thoughts and questions, because these comments often influence my own. I always make every effort to read all of the letters and e-mails that are forwarded to us by Planning Staff, even when they are “form letters” where only the author’s name and address are altered, but the text is otherwise identical. My objection, in this case, was to the expectation of having to read dozens of messages that arrived in my Inbox on the afternoon of the meeting, within hours of the meeting start time, which is why I expressed my strong preference to have some sort of “cut-off” time for e-mailed public comments, prior to the meeting. I have no objection whatsoever to hearing any and all public comments, either in person or read into the record from e-mails, live at the hearing.   

As for the letter from 3 members of the WE3C that I read aloud at the meeting, my intent in reading that particular letter was to voice my frustration which was exacerbated by a comment made by a community member on the Zoom call, and for that I apologize to all of you and to the community at large — I realize that, as a member of this board, I need to have a “thicker skin” when it comes to situations like these. In summary, I can assure you that I take my role as a Planning Board member quite seriously, and always value the feedback of members of the public, so long as it is expressed in a respectful manner. I am proud and honored to represent my community on this board, and I hope that people have found my decisions to be fair and thoughtfully considered, even if they do not necessarily agree with the outcomes. Sincerely,

Jason D. Cohen

Watertown Planning Board

Vice-Chair, Community Preservation Committee

New Plan for Arsenal on the Charles Approved by Planning Board, Millions in Mitigation Projects to be Done

Entertainment

Watertown Cultural Council Seeks Grant Proposals for 2021-22, Application Accepted Starting in September

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The Watertown Cultural Council (WCC) seeks new grant proposals from organization, schools, and individuals who wish to provide arts, humanities and interpretive science programs for the Watertown community in 2021-22. Proposals for community-oriented arts, humanities, and interpretive science projects are due on the Mass Council website by October 15, 2021 at 11:59 EST. Application forms and more information are available online beginning September 1 at www.massculturalcouncil.org. For additional WCC guidelines, priorities and complete information on past Watertown Cultural Council grantees, contact the WCC or go to Grants application at watertownculturalcouncil.org. The WCC supports both in-person and virtual programming in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences for the Watertown community — including exhibits, festivals, field trips, short-term artist residencies, or performances in schools, workshops, and lectures.

Letters

OP-ED: The Police Chief and The Missing Data

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We take a lot for granted. It’s human nature to live each day believing that what we regard as normal will stay that way. We often cling to this belief even when we know, deep in our gut, that change is inevitable. It’s one thing to deal with change that happens gradually, allowing time to digest it. Even that can be disturbing, but when change comes all at once and seemingly out of the blue, we are likely to find it jarring.

Around Town

LETTER: Is There a Way for Watertown to Avoid Losing a Gem like Russo’s?

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To the Editor:

I just saw on line that Russo’s is closing. This store has been a cherished family-owned retailer for more than 70 years, and we are deeply grateful to Tony Russo and his family and to their wonderful employees for their dedication and hard work – and for all their contributions to our community. We wish Tony and his family a happy, healthy, and well-deserved retirement. And we wish the Russo’s employees all the best as they face an uncertain future when Russo’s closes. Russo’s is a gem.  What will happen to Watertown when it is gone??!!! I think that all the Russo’s customers — and this includes shoppers from all across metropolitan Boston, not only Watertown — view Russo’s as a unique resource for excellent reasonably-priced produce and fruit, a great bakery, and wonderful source of cheeses and prepared foods — plus plants and gardening supplies and Christmas trees. For many of us, Russo’s is a weekly destination for shopping and for seeing neighbors. Many say that Russo’s has a positive effect on Watertown property values. And I and many others fear that the loss of Russo’s would be a blow to the character of our city.

Around Town

Marshall Home Fund Seeks to Fill Job

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The following announcement was provided by Marshall Home Fund:

Fund Administrator for Watertown Non-profit Foundation

The Marshall Home Fund, a private, non-profit charity that provides grants to benefit Watertown’s older adults, is seeking a part-time Administrator. The Administrator will have the following responsibilities:   

Coordinating the grant application process and supporting grantees Supporting board members and committee chairsPromoting the work of grantees and MHFOffice administration

​Qualifications:

The successful candidate will: 

Possess excellent organizational and interpersonal skills; Be proficient in Microsoft Office applications including Excel, as well as Zoom meeting technology;Be knowledgeable in general office procedures and able to take accurate meeting minutes;Demonstrate a high level of maturity as well as discretion, tact, and diplomacy in communicating with grantees, board members and the wider community, verbally and in writing;  Be self-directed, comfortable working independently, and able to prioritize tasks. At least two years of college, with a minimum of three years experience in administrative, computer-related, or similar office work is desired.  A demonstrated interest in the welfare of older people/ and/or experience with human services will be most helpful. ​Salary: $10,000 – $15,000 annually, depending on experience

Start date: October, 2021

Openings: 1 part time position (approximately 7 to 10 hours per week)

​Location:   Watertown, MA

To apply:  Please send a letter of interest and resume to Carole Katz, Co-President, Marshall Home Fund katz.carole@gmail.com. Carole can be reached by phone at 617 285-6143.