Around Town

January at the Senior Center: Tax Tips, Transportation, Hearing Loss & More

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Watertown Senior Center

The Watertown Senior Center has a wide variety of events and activities happening in January, including tax information, a program about hearing loss, a group where you can discuss death with no agenda, and ways to get around town. The following are highlights from the Watertown Senior News:

Letter from the Director

Another year has come and gone and we look forward to continuing our good times together in 2020! We begin the year by welcoming our new Case Worker to the Senior Center team. Jenya Kruglyansky comes to us with a wealth of experience in elder services and is eager to meet you. She is available for assistance with housing, food stamps, fuel assistance, MassHealth and other emergency needs.

Around Town

Holiday Hours for Area Post Offices

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The U.S. Postal Service sent out the following announcement:

Post Offices across the commonwealth will be open for business on Tuesday, December 24, however most will close at noon so that our employees can enjoy the holidays with loved ones. Post Offices in Everett, Falmouth, Framingham, Haverhill, Hyannis, Lexington, Mattapan, Medford, Needham, Norwood, Plymouth, Quincy, Roxbury, Waltham, West Roxbury, Woburn and Worcester will remain open until 3 p.m. and Fort Point Station at 25 Dorchester Ave. in Boston will be open until 5 p.m. Post Offices will be closed on Wednesday, December 25, with the exception of our Fort Point Station, which will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

While only Priority Express and other overnight committed packages will be delivered on Wednesday, full retail and delivery operations will resume on Thursday, December 26. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

Around Town

January at Hatch: Binding, Laser Cutters, and Many More Workshops

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See what’s happening in January at the Watertown Library’s makerspace — Hatch. Hatch sent out the following information:

Hatch Makerspace is located at 20 Summer Street in Watertown, MA. An extension of the Watertown Free Public Library, it is a public workshop with space, equipment, and materials available for your use. Hatch hours: Monday-Thursday, 1-9 p.m. | Friday-Sunday 1-4 p.m.

Hatch will close at 5pm on 12/31/2019 for New Year’s Eve

Hatch will be closed on 1/1/2020 for New Year’s Day

Hatch will be closed on 1/20/2020 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Hours are updated regularly online: watertownlib.org/hatch

Workshop spotlight

Art Studio – Stab Binding Learn how to make a stab binding, starting with the basic pattern, then advance to other variations! More about the artist: www.yibinliang.com

Upcoming Workshops & Events

1/5, Laser Cutter 101

1/6, Tools For Makers

1/10, Art Studio: Stab Binding

1/11, Sewing Basics: Soup Bowl Cozy

1/13, Vinyl Cutter 102

1/13, Intro to 3D Printing

1/15, Laser Cutter 101

1/18, Intro to the Sewing Machine

1/20, Intro to 3D Modeling for Kids 1/20, Intro to 3D Modeling for Adults

1/25, Inkscape 101

1/27, Arduino 102

1/30, Intro to Soldering

Visit wfpl.eventbrite.com to register >>

Drop-Ins

Drop-ins are weekly themed sessions that are designed to give you insight into the subject matter.

Schools

See Which Groups Got Education Grants from the Watertown Community Foundation

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The Watertown Community Foundation announced it has awarded grants totaling $34,385 to initiatives supporting Watertown Public Schools. Grantees were notified this week just before the end of the 2019 school year. Grants will be implemented in spring of 2020 and or fall of 2020. 

The funds distributed through the School Based Grant Program focus on solely on Watertown’s public schools to support activities that improve instruction and learning.  

2019-2020 Education Grants  

21 School based grants totaling $34,385 were given for: 

WHS College VisitsWHS Robotics TeamWHS SPEAK ProgramWHS WCAMP – Watertown College Application Mentoring ProgramWHS/WMS/General Public Undocumented and Unafraid: Lessons from a DreamerWHS/District Musical Instrument Purchase and Repair ProgramWMS One School One BookWMS Grade 8 Dynamic Earth Heat Flow Traveling Program through Museum of ScienceWMS Garden/ Nature Club Spring /Fall 2020WMS 7th Grade Thematic Social StudiesWMS 3Doodle Modeling in Middle School Technology Education and EngineeringLowell -Grade 1 – Discovery Museum Traveling Science Workshop -SoundCunniff- Grade 5 – 10 Oculus Go Devices for Virtual Field Trips and Immersive EducationLowell PreK -5-Len Cabral Storytelling AssemblyLowell- K -Force and Motion Workshop presented by the Discovery MuseumCunniff ESL -After-School Enrichment Activities for ESL StudentsDistrict Grade 3- Gore PlaceDistrict PreK-5 – Purchase of the book One World, One Day, by Barbara KerleDistrict Pre-K- Districtwide Pre-K Science EnrichmentHosmer Gr. 5- The Courage Campaign: Movement & Self-Discovery WorkshopHosmer – International Week 2020

For questions, please contact Jan Singer at jan.singer@watertownfoundation.org.  

The Watertown Community Foundation, a public, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, works to build and sustain a vibrant, close-knit community in Watertown – now, and for future generations. To accomplish this, WCF raises funds from individuals, families, businesses, and foundations; awards grants to nonprofits and community projects; and builds networks of donors, grantees, program participants, and stakeholders. 

WCF Board of Directors 

David Siegel and Darshna Varia, Co-Presidents; Robert Airasian; Albrik Avanessian; Emily Barclay; Eleanor Donato; William B. Ford; Ashley Morris; Mary Ann Mulligan; Antonia O’Hara; Anthony Paolillo; Maria Panaggio-Phillips; Lora Sabin; Robert Shay; Elaina Themistos; Lauren Coughlin Unsworth; and Kathryn White.

Entertainment

Small Saves Joins a New Team

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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.”

Obituaries

OBIT: Evangelia Kounelis, 101, Watertown Resident

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Evangelia Kounelis, Dec. 12, 2019. Evangelia Kounelis, September 3, 1918 – December 17, 2019. Evangelia (Balouri) Kounelis was called by the Lord on December 17, 2019 at the age of 101 years young, plus 105 days. Until her final moment, she was lovingly attended to in her Watertown home of over 55 years, by her only child, Angeline “Angie” Maria B. Kounelis.

Around Town

Police Chief Announces Temporary Suspension of Winter Parking Ban

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Watertown residents will get a brief reprieve from the winter parking ban, the Watertown Police announced. Watertown Police Chief Michael Lawn sent out the following announcement:

Watertown –

With the Holidays fast approaching, the Watertown Police Department recognizes the need for additional overnight parking to accommodate visiting family members and friends. Chief of Police Michael P. Lawn wishes to announce that effective December 22, 2019 officers will temporarily stop enforcing the All Night Parking Ban – barring any snowfall that would require plowing or sanding. Should there be a snow event please refer to the town website for available off street parking locations. Chief Lawn still encourages all homeowners to use available off street parking during the overnight hours.

Government

OP-ED: Details of Au Pair Ruling, Constituent Meeting

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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:

For my constituents with concern or interest in the new Au Pair Ruling, I’m holding a discussion meeting: Saturday, December 21, 2019 at 12:30PM – 2 p.m., Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room, Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main St, Watertown, MA 02472 (See below for more details on the ruling)

A federal appellate court ruling has created a difficult situation for some families who rely on “au pair” arrangements for their child care. The ruling upheld the application of the Massachusetts Domestic Workers Bill of Rights to au pair arrangements. In an “au pair” arrangement, a young person comes from another country to live with a U.S. family. In return for room and board, they provide child care. In many cases, they are treated very well, often as a family members.