Schools

MassBay College Offering Virtual Info Sessions for Prospective Students

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MassBay Community College Admissions Office is now offering all information sessions and events, previously held in-person, as virtual events. Recognizing the seriousness of social distancing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, as well as the need of many to move to remote services, the College has moved to an online format to speak and interact with prospective students. A MassBay admissions counselor will contact anyone already signed up for an information session with instructions on how to join in virtually. “We were able to seamlessly shift to hosting information sessions online on March 16 to ensure students still had the opportunity to learn about all of MassBay’s programs,” said MassBay Director of Admissions, Alison McCarty. “We have found that prospective students are enjoying the online format with the ability to submit questions freely and have them answered right away. The feedback has been extremely positive as people are looking ahead to where they might be studying in the summer or fall.

Coronavirus

OP-ED: Mass. Legislature Passes Bill for Moratorium on Evictions, Foreclosures

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State Sen. Will Brownsberger

The following piece was provided by State Sen. Will Brownsberger, who represents Watertown, Belmont and parts of Boston:

The legislature enacted (Friday) a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures. We should not put tenants or homeowners out on the street while we are trying to enforce social distancing. The bill is not a rent or mortgage holiday. It does not extinguish the obligations of renters or borrowers. Those lucky enough to avoid job loss during the COVID-19 recession should continue to make their regular payments.

Cartoon

Small Saves Gets a New Set of Hockey Cards in This Week’s Cartoon

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Cartoon by James Demarco

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

Free Produce Deliveries Available for SNAP/HIP Customers

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Farmers Market:

Mass Food Delivery is offering SNAP/HIP customers a variety of options to access Farm Fresh food with FREE delivery to your door. (free delivery for SNAP eligible customers only)

See information here https://massfooddelivery.com/

Are you looking for a way to access your $40 HIP benefit? Mass Food Delivery is offering a 15 lb. mixed produce box of fruits & vegetables (a$40 value). Delivered to your door FREE with a HIP transaction.

Around Town

Registry of Motor Vehicles Extends Deadlines for Renewals of Registrations, Licenses

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The following information was provided by MassDOT:

The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is announcing today it will be implementing further extensions to the renewal timelines for expiring motor vehicle inspection stickers, passenger plate registrations, professional credentials, and licenses and permits, including Commercial Driver’s Licenses and Commercial Driver’s License Permits (CDLs / CLPs). While the RMV has previously announced 60-day extensions for most credentials, passenger plate registrations and inspection stickers expired or expiring in March and April, today’s action will apply the same 60-day extension to those expiring in May. Those with March 2020 expirations impacted by the first 60-day extension, will have an additional 60-day extension applied. These additional extensions under Governor Charlie Baker’s declaration of a State of Emergency the week of March 9th, replicate the ongoing measures the RMV is taking to reduce the need for customers to physically visit an RMV Service Center or one of its business partners’ facilities, allowing for ‘social-distancing’ by decreasing non-essential travel and customer volume. The new changes to expiration extensions are now in effect as follows:

All non-commercial driver’s licenses, ID cards, and Learner’s Permits that expire in May 2020, will now expire in July 2020 and do not need to be renewed at this time. This extension will also apply to those whose expired March 2020 credential was already extended by 60 days.

Letters

LETTER: Full Time Forestry Supervisor Key to Protecting Watertown’s Tree Canopy

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On behalf of Trees for Watertown, I want to publicly thank our DPW, and in particular Bob DiRico — who is Acting Forestry Supervisor on top of his already-full-time job as Supervisor of Parks and Cemeteries — for the care they’re taking of our town trees during this extended period both without a full-time Forestry Supervisor/Tree Warden and now with reduced DPW staffing because of the pandemic. As we all know we had a very severe windstorm yesterday. Watertown’s tree canopy took a real beating. Our DPW did a tremendous job responding to this. Bob DiRico and his support team were up until 11:30 last night working on clearing the worst of the damage and already were at it again early this morning.

Around Town

Watertown Library Creates One-Stop COVID-19 Info Webpage

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The Watertown Free Public Library has created a one-stop guide for information about COVID-19 and related issues, including unemployment, where to get food assistance and people’s physical and mental health. See more information in the announcement sent out by the library below:

There is so much information about the COVID-19 pandemic available, sometimes it can feel overwhelming. To help Watertown residents navigate this confusing time, the Watertown Free Public Library has developed a COVID-19 Resource Guide, a “one-stop shop” website that makes it easy to find the latest health guidance and assistance programs available. View the Watertown COVID-19 Resource Guide here: watertownlib.org/covid19guide

In Watertown, there are many resources available to those who are struggling with physical and mental health concerns, unemployment, and food insecurity. Now, as so many lives and livelihoods are turned upside-down by the COVID-19 pandemic, those resources are more valuable than ever. 

WFPL’s Resource Guide covers food security, financial assistance, housing assistance, elder care, scams, community engagement and more.

Government

State Sen. Brownsberger Co-Hosting Online Town Hall on COVID-19

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State Sen. Will Brownsberger

State Sen. Will Brownsberger and State Rep. Dave Rogers will be hosing a Town Hall meeting online Thursday night. The following announcement was provided by Sen. Brownsberger:

State Representative Dave Rogers and I will host a Zoom Town Hall on Thursday, April 16 at 7:00 PM to discuss the state’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic and answer questions submitted by viewers.  

To join the Zoom Meeting, please use the information below:

Link: https://zoom.us/j/94791210043

Meeting ID: 947 9121 0043 

The Town Hall will also stream live on the Belmont Media Center website and Facebook page.  

Will BrownsbergerState Senator — 2nd Suffolk and Middlesex DistrictBack Bay, Fenway, Brighton, Allston, Watertown, Belmont