Around Town

Registration Open for the Sheriff’s Youth Public Safety Academy

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Children interact with local first responders during the Middlesex Sheriff’s Youth Public Safety Academy. Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian has announced registration for the popular Middlesex Sheriff’s Office Youth Public Safety Academy (YPSA) will open at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, March 4, 2020. Now entering its 21st year, YPSA is an educational, low-cost summer camp option for Middlesex County families. The camp is open to children ages 8-12 and is held at the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office Training Academy in Chelmsford.  Last year, more than 1,000 youngsters participated in the program. YPSA is comprised of six, one-week camps, beginning the first full week of July (6-10) and running through the second week of August (10-14).  Transportation to and from designated bus stops, as well as breakfast and lunch are provided daily, with a graduation ceremony held each Friday in Chelmsford. Participants are not required to reside in one of the communities with a designated bus stop, but will be picked up and dropped off at those locations.

ASL

Watertown Children’s Theatre Presenting Sensory-Friendly, ASL Interpreted Performance of “Frozen Jr.”

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Watertown Children’s Theatre will present Frozen Jr. at the Mosesian Center for the Arts from March 20-22, and there will be a special sensory-friendly/ASL interpreted performance. The special performance is March 21 at 2 p.m. Frozen Jr. will be on the stage March 20, 7 p.m., March 21 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and March 22 at 2 p.m.

Watertown Children’s Theatre provided the following information about the special performance:

Watertown Children’s Theatre is working to make their programming even more inclusive. WCT, which has been a part of the Watertown community for over 35 years, has always been committed to programming that is welcoming and inclusive, stating in its mission the goals to be a cultural and educational resource for the community by providing opportunities for all children to appreciate and participate in the performing arts and to provide a range of theatre experiences for children of diverse cultures and different ages.  

American Sign Language is part of the history of WCT, and was integrated into performances for many years. When Arlene Velleman, long time WCT ASL instructor, came back to perform for WCT’s 35th Anniversary, she saw the opportunity to bring her skills and those of her students at Waltham High School back into the WCT community. WCT and the entire Mosesian Center for the Arts community were excited to explore the possibility and a new collaboration was born with last winter’s production of Peter Pan Jr. featuring ASL interpretation and a sensory-friendly performance. 

This winter’s production of Frozen Jr., featuring a cast of K-6th graders, will also feature one special performance that includes not only American Sign Language, but a number of other features that invite more community members into the experience.

Around Town

Tour Watertown’s Historic Edmund Fowle House in March

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Edmund Fowle House, home of the Historical Society of Watertown. The Historical Society of Watertown announced that the historic Edmund Fowle House will be open for tours on Sunday, March 15, 2020. Visitors can also view the special exhibit. Tours of the 1772 Edmund Fowle House, 1 to 4 p.m., March 15, 2020 at 28 Marshall St., Watertown. Hosted by the Historical Society of Watertown , with the last tour at 3:15 p.m.

Visitors can also view the exhibit: “Franklin Jones, Watertown Artist.”

Adults: $5; Students/Seniors: $3.

Election 2020

CANCELLED: Learn About Rank by Choice Voting at Forum in Watertown

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The organizers of this event announced on March 13 that they have cancelled it due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The following information was provided by Progressive Watertown:

In 2020, Massachusetts voters will be voting on a ballot measure to decide whether the state should use rank-by-choice voting. A group supporting the passage of the ballot measure will host a meeting on Sunday, March 15 from 3-5 p.m. in Watertown. Learn about what rank-by-choice voting is and how it works at the forum. The event is hosted by Progressive Watertown.

Around Town

Library Planning Events & Activities Inspired by the 2020 One Book, One Watertown Novel

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Free Public Library:

This March, the Watertown Free Public Library will offer a wide range of special programs and events inspired by Lara Prescott’s debut novel The Secrets We Kept. Called “a gorgeous and romantic feast of a novel” by The New York Times, Prescott’s debut is the Library’s One Book, One Watertown community read selection for 2020. The Secrets We Kept is set during the height of the Cold War and weaves a thrilling tale of secretaries turned spies, inspired by true events. Throughout, the novel offers plenty of fodder for discussion with interwoven themes of love and duty, cultural propaganda, the politics of “women’s work,” and the threat of totalitarianism. The Watertown Free Public Library invites all Watertown residents to read along and explore the world of Prescott’s novel through a series of events designed to bring the community together.

Entertainment

Small Saves Faces the Prospect of a Replacement Goalie in This Week’s Comic

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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.”

Infratstructure

OP-ED: Democratic Presidential Candidates — Talk about the Elephant in the Room

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A lot of money was raised and spent on the 2015 Watertown Election. Seven-hundred and thirty billion dollars is an enormous sum, but that is the amount needed to restore America’s infrastructure – to repair our bridges, renew roads and sidewalks, expand transit systems, mitigate the effects of the climate crisis, and much more. And it is the sum that Democrats in the House of Representatives are proposing to allocate for renewal. (Globe, 1/30 “Democrats unveil $760b infrastructure plan”) They hope that Republicans and President Trump will join them in passing legislation to help cities and states address what everyone agrees is a national shortfall. As a City Councilor for the Town of Watertown, I can attest to the need for federal help in funding infrastructure improvements.

Around Town

Free Blood Pressure Clinic Provided by Health Department

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The Watertown Mall provided the following information:

Free Blood Pressure Screening! On the first Friday of every month, the Watertown Mall has a free blood pressure screening. Screenings are sponsored by the Watertown Health Department. This month screening takes place Friday, March 6 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Location: back hallway, near Target, across from Carter’s. About the Watertown Mall

Watertown Mall is wheelchair accessible and accessible by MBTA Bus routes 70 and 70A.