Schools

Minuteman Student from Watertown Wins Medal at SkillsUSA Competition

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A Watertown student was one of more than a dozen from Minuteman High School who won medals at a recent SkillsUSA Massachusetts competition. The school sent out the following announcement:

Minuteman High School students recently competed against 13 other high schools and were awarded 18 medals in the SkillsUSA Massachusetts District 3 Competition for demonstrating knowledge in their career technical area of study, employability skills and safety. Minuteman brought home six gold medals, seven silver, and five bronze. Twelve students of the 18 students will advance to the SkillsUSA MA States competition to be held in late April at Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School. The winners are listed below, those with asterisks will continue onto the state level competitions:

Competition: Advertising Design

GOLD: Ariana Calder, Design and Visual Communications career major, grade 12, Lancaster*

Competition: Auto Service Technology

BRONZE: Ryan Breen-Aronson, Automotive Technology career major, grade 10, Arlington

Competition: Cabinetmaking

GOLD: Olivia O’Neill, Carpentry career major, grade 10, Lexington*SILVER: Annie Brosnan, Carpentry career major, grade 10, Arlington*

BRONZE: Caleb Begley, Carpentry career major, grade 10, Arlington

Competition: CNC Milling

GOLD: Ellie Vail, Advanced Manufacturing career major, grade 12, Arlington*

SILVER: Jonathan Corbett, Advanced Manufacturing career major, grade 12, Watertown

Competition: CNC Turning

GOLD: Henry Price, Advanced Manufacturing career major, grade 12, Brookline*

BRONZE: Bradley Winters, Advanced Manufacturing career major, grade 11, Lexington

Competition: Commercial Baking

SILVER: Alex Findeis, Culinary Arts career major, grade 10, Belmont*

Competition: Culinary Arts

SILVER: Josh Formaggio, Culinary Arts career major, grade 10, Acton*

Competition: Early Education

BRONZE: Maria DaSilva, Early Education and Teaching career major, grade 11, Arlington

Competition: First Aid

SILVER: Sophia Magdeleno, Health Assisting career major, grade 10, Stow*

Competition: Plumbing

SILVER: Harrison Hathaway, Plumbing and Heating career major, grade 11, Newton*

BRONZE: Marc-Andre Noel, Plumbing and Heating career major, grade 10, Medford

Competition: Robotics and Automation

GOLD: Gabriel Herbertz, Robotics and Automation career major, grade 12, Stow*

GOLD: Peter Loschen, Robotics and Automation career major, grade 12, Winchester*

Competition: Welding

SILVER: Nathan Doherty, Metal Fabrication and Welding career major, grade 12, Lancaster*

Minuteman’s Faculty Advisors for the SkillsUSA Club are Denise D’Ambrosia, teaching assistant, and Clifford Keirstead, carpentry teacher.

Around Town

Watertown Winter Overnight Parking Ban Ending Early

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Watertown’s winter overnight parking ban will be ending early, announced Watertown Police Chief Michael Lawn. The parking ban usually runs through the end of March, but in 2021 it will end on March 22. The Town of Watertown sent out the following announcement:

Police Chief Michael Lawn would like to inform you that Watertown will lift enforcement of the all night parking ban effective Monday March 22, 2021 at 12:00 pm.  

The Department of Public Works, Police Department and Fire Department would like to remind motorists that keeping the streets clear allows for road repairs, street cleaning and easy access for public safety vehicles. To that end, all Departments encourage residents to make full use of off-street parking when it is available.

Business

Learn How to Mix Drinks & Network at Watertown Business Group’s Social Mixer

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Business Coalition:

The Watertown Business Coalition is PUMPED to invite you to the first ever virtual WBC social! We will be mixing drinks, sharing stories, and talking about a year like no other! Featuring: 

Mixing demo and sipping contest with our own Michaela Ritcey of Watertown’s beloved Ritcey’s East!Local business owners John Airasian of Eastern Clothing, Lora Pike of Pure Barre, Jan Taylor of Get Lively Health & Fitness, and more, all who will share stories of riding the crazy Covid wave in their respective businesses over the past 12 months.All of YOU!  Join the party and join the discussion. When:

Next Thursday, March 25, at 5:30pmZoom link will be provided – register today!BYOB! Click here to register

Entertainment

Celebrate the Spring Equinox With the Annual Revels Spring Sing

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The following announcement was provided by the Revels:

Announcing Revels Spring Sing: A Free Family Celebration of the Vernal Equinox, Sunday, March 21 at 5:00pm ET on Facebook Live! Spring is in the air! That means Revels is gearing up for our annual celebration of the Vernal Equinox! This year’s Spring Sing, part of our 2021 #RevelsConnects performance series, will take place on Sunday, March 21 at 5:00 pm ET on Revels Facebook Live page: www.facebook.com/therevels/live. Revels launched Spring Sing more than 25 years ago to celebrate the spring equinox in song and poetry. This year’s theme is “Renewal” and includes song and poetry with uplifting and hopeful energy and excellent singalong potential. In addition, two young poets will be reciting their own poems, written expressly for this year’s Spring Sing.

Around Town

Senior Events Include Public Safety Coffee, COVID One Year Later, New Exercise Class

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Watertown Senior Center

The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Senior Center:

Programs for Week of March 22, 2021

Join us via Zoom for the following programs. Call for access info: (617) 972-6490.New participants always welcome in every program! We hope you’ll join us! Monday:   10:00 AM, Art Class with Dawn Scaltreto12:30 PM, Chair Yoga with Diane2:00 PM, “COVID-19: One Year Later” with the COA Staff 

Tuesday:     10:00 AM, Public Safety Coffee12:30 PM, Tai Chi & Meditation with Marie2:00 PM, Line Dancing with Bradley                               

Wednesday:9:00 AM, Pet Lovers Group

The Pet Lovers Group will host Dr. Dawn Binder, Owner of Cushing Square Veterinary Clinic in Belmont, who will talk about adopting 

senior pets, how to take care of senior pets, bringing new pets into the home, and answer your questions as part of “Ask a Vet”. Please join us and don’t forget to include your pets.10:00 AM, New! Exercise with Shannon Lee Jones2:00 PM, Zoom Knitting Group

Thursday:        9:00 AM, Pilates with Marina Z.10:30 AM, Talk with Tom: Coffee & Casual Conversation2:00 PM, Zoom Trip to Italy!

Entertainment

The Team Gets New Jerseys in This Week’s Small Saves Cartoon

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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.”

Schools

Find Out About Wellbeing of Watertown’s Youth at Virtual Town Hall Meeting

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Youth Coalition:

A Town Hall Meeting about the wellbeing of Watertown’s Youth will be held on March 31 at 6:30 p.m.

The event is hosted by the Watertown Youth Coalition and Wayside Youth and Family Support Network in partnership with Watertown Community Foundation & Watertown Public Schools. Register by visiting: https://zoom.us/…/tJEtduyoqD0oE9H8HoibNMWq1ZZ3dJlwxx7f

Government

OP-ED: Proposed Noise Ordinance Effectively Bans Lawn Mowers, Leaf Blowers

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The Proposed Noise Ordinance Effectively Bans All Residential and Commercial Leaf Blowers/Lawn Mowers & Will Have Significant Other Negative Effects on Watertown Residents

On September 12, 2017 (yes 2017), the Town Council was asked to consider an issue brought up by the then Health Director regarding the Town’s noise ordinance. The reason? A resident, who lives next to the Commander’s mansion, claimed the landscaper who cuts the grass around the mansion was violating Watertown’s noise ordinance by cutting the grass too early in the morning. The Health Department disagreed. They reasoned that the noise ordinance, in its current form, exempts domestic lawnmowers and although the ordinance did not explicitly mention exempting commercial lawnmowers like the ones used outside the mansion, such a strict interpretation would likely place all commercial landscaping equipment in violation of the ordinance and result in a complete ban of such activity (whichclearly was not the intent of the ordinance).