Around Town

First Memorial Lecture to be Held in Honor of Sue Kuder, Social Justice Advocate Who Died in 2020

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Sue Kuder

The following announcement was provided by the event organizers:

First Parish Watertown will host the first Sue Kuder Memorial Lecture on Thursday, May 20th, at 7:00pm.  This event will be a conversation with Beverly and Barbara Smith moderated by Thalia Y. Carroll-Cachimuel. 

Beverly is a current resident of Watertown and Thalia was raised in Watertown. Sue Kuder was a Watertown resident and local advocate for social justice before her death in 2020. Beverly, and her twin sister, Barbara Smith are founding members of the Combahee River Collective. To learn more about their work to build Black feminism and work for social justice see links below.  

All are welcome to this free virtual presentation. Please Register Here to receive the link to the lecture: https://fpwatertown.breezechms.com/form/1b516a

Here are some links with  more information on the Combahee River Collective and the work of Beverly and Barbara Smith, https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/combahee-river-collective-statement-1977/

https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/until-black-women-are-free-none-of-us-will-be-free

Entertainment

Mosesian Center for the Arts Reimagines Historic Building, Programming & Benefit

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The following announcement was provided by the Mosesian Center for the Arts:

After having to cancel last year’s Annual Benefit and Mosesian Awards, board and staff members at the Mosesian Center for the Arts have been working diligently to plan this year’s event. “The benefit will be held virtually,” reports Executive Director Darren Farrington, “but that won’t diminish the spectacle and enjoyment.”

The event theme is REIMAGINE, in recognition of reimagining its programming virtually over the past year, reimaging its staff and how and where they work, and reimagining the design of their space itself. Housed in an 1894 industrial workshop of the former United States Army Arsenal, the fifteen-year-old arts center will undergo a major renovation to its lobby and classroom spaces this year. “Because of all of the changes, we’re using this benefit to tell a story,” Farrington says. “It’s the story of this building and of the Mosesian Center for the Arts, through video segments about the history of the space and about all of the arts programs that we host here now.”

Event highlights will include a short documentary film titled From Armaments to Arts about the history of the building; a conversation with architects on redesigning historic spaces, moderated by GBH Executive Arts Editor Jared Bowen; visits from companies that regularly perform at MCA, including Watertown Children’s Theatre, New Repertory Theatre, Boston Midsummer Opera, Flat Earth Theatre, and Earfull; new music from Boston-based power pop band JATK; a virtual exhibition of reimagined artworks; and the reveal of the concept designs for the lobby renovations.

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.