Around Town

Charles River Food Co-op Seeks to Fill 2 Contract Positions, Volunteers

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The Charles River Food C0-op announced that it seeks to fill two contract positions, and outreach coordinator and a grant researcher. The group looking to start a food store that will be owned and operated by members also seeks volunteers. See the information provided by the Co-op below. We now have two open contract positions for paid part-time work for the co-op. Please contact info@charlesriverfood.coop for more information or if you are interested in applying.The Outreach Coordinator will play a vital role in expanding and deepening the CRFC’s relationship with the local community.

Around Town

New Home for Watertown Summer Recreation Program, Registration Open

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Watertown Recreation’s summer program will be in a new location for 2025. See more information in the announcement from the Recreation Department below. We’re excited to announce that the Pequossette Summer Recreation Program will be held at Lowell Elementary School for summer 2025! With Victory Field just a short walk away, plus on-site fields and playgrounds, campers will have even more opportunities for creative outdoor play and activities. We can’t wait for another amazing summer — hope to see you there!

Around Town

OP-ED: Housing Group Recommends Steps to Address Housing Discrimination in Watertown

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Last week, the WestMetro HOME Consortium, a partnership of 13 regional communities of which Watertown is a member, released the results of a fair housing audit study that it conducted from March 2023 to January 2025. The Consortium worked with Suffolk Law’s Housing Discrimination Testing Program to test the prevalence of illegal race- and income-based discrimination in the housing market, pairing an applicant with a white alias with another with a “racially identifiable” Black, Hispanic, or Asian alias, or an applicant who posed as someone offering to pay market rate with one who posed as a housing voucher recipient. The study’s results are sobering, to say the least. In 65 tests of race-based discrimination (conducted across the Consortium’s 13 communities), applicants of color experienced discrimination 22 percent of the time. In 69 tests of income-based discrimination, voucher holders experienced discrimination a whopping 35 percent of the time.

Around Town

Watertown Savings Bank’s 26th Annual Customer Choice Awards Supports Local Non-Profits

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For the 26th year, Watertown Savings Bank invites customers to support their favorite local non-profit in the Customer Choice Awards. See the announcement from WSB below. Watertown Savings Bank’s 26th Annual Customer Choice Awards is underway. Local residents and WSB customers are invited to vote for their favorite local non-profit organizations in Arlington, Belmont, Lexington, Newton, Waltham, and Watertown. As part of this Awards program, Watertown Savings Bank will donate a total of $100,000, with the top prize being $15,000.

Around Town

OP-ED: Stand Up for Great Public Schools for All Kids

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By Shaunna Harrington

President Trump is gunning to weaken our K-12 public schools, and that should outrage all of us in the Commonwealth. Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Education announced all education institutions must eliminate DEI programs in 14 days to maintain federal funding. 

The Trump administration wields DEI as a bogeyman to scare people into believing it is causing grave injustices. But the bogeyman is no longer frightening when we talk about what diversity, equity and inclusion actually mean in our K-12 public schools in Massachusetts. 

Our commitment to diversity means we make sure kids from non-majority groups do not feel invisible, excluded, devalued, or unsafe. It means we celebrate multiple cultural traditions and teach kids to respect people different from themselves. We express our commitment to diversity in anti-bullying policies.

Government

Council Newsletter: CPA Projects Approved, Memorialization Committee, Intersection to be Named for Gorky

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Watertown City Hall

The Watertown City Council voted on using Community Preservation Act funds on two projects, naming an intersection for an Armenian immigrant and artist, and discussed creating a Memorialization Committee. See more in the City Council Newsletter provided by the City of Watertown. City Council Newsletter: February 11, 2025 Meeting

Residents can view the recording of the February 11th meeting here. 

President’s ReportCouncil President Mark Sideris thanked the Department of Public Works as well as other city staff for their handling of last weekend’s snowstorm.He expressed gratitude for residents who have signed up for alerts through Everbridge and encouraged more residents to do so. This will ensure they receive notices of snow emergencies and other emergencies in the city on their cell phones. Residents will not be contacted frivolously, only for emergencies.

Around Town

Mount Auburn Street Project for Week of Feb. 18-22 Delayed

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UPDATE (Feb. 19) Mount Auburn Street Construction Work Paused for Week of February 18 – February 21, 2025. The Below Work Anticipated to Restart on February 24, 2025

The Mt. Auburn Street renovation continues this week with installation of drainage, a traffic signal, and tree protection, as well as soil testing. See details below provided by the City of Watertown.

Entertainment

Watertown High School Musical, “Anything Goes,” Hits the Mosesian Center Stage

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This year’s Watertown High School Musical, “Anything Goes,” will go on stage at the Mosesian Center for the Arts from Feb. 28 to March 2. See the information provided by the school below. Come enjoy an evening of live musical comedy performed by the students of Watertown High School. Anything Goes is a story of laughter and love with a little intrigue to boat (boot!). The show is presented in two acts with a 15-minute intermission.