Around Town

Senior Center Hosting Holiday Party, Has Help with Medicare & More in December

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Watertown Senior Center

From the holiday events to help with Medicare Parts A and B to getting help with shoveling snow this weekend, the December edition of the Watertown Senior News is filled with information. From the Director

Season’s Greetings! The Watertown Senior Center will be offering some great programs in December that you won’t want to miss! We will be hosting the ever-popular Holiday Boxwood Trees event with Ernie Berardinelli; and local artist Dawn Scaltreto will be leading her final Zen Art workshop using vibrant alcohol inks to create stunning abstract artworks. On Dec.

Charity

Three Watertown Groups Get Mini-Grants from Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation

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The following announcement was provided by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation:

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation has announced that three Watertown non-profit organizations were awarded a total of $1,500 from the Foundation’s Community Spirit 9/11 Mini-Grant program. The organizations receiving funds are:

Alzheimer Association ($500)Armenian Library and Museum of America ($500)Families First Parenting Program, Inc. ($500)

To commemorate those Harvard Pilgrim members who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, Harvard Pilgrim and the Foundation created the Community Spirit 9/11 Mini-Grant program. This program allows each Harvard Pilgrim employee to award a $500 grant, completely funded by the Foundation, to the local charity of his or her choice each calendar year. Since this community grants program began in 2002, Harvard Pilgrim employees have directed more than $6.5 million to thousands of organizations throughout Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

Schools

Watertown High School Robotics Invites Public to Open House

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The Watertown High School Robotics Team will be hosting an open house in December. The Watertown High School Robotics Team sent out the following announcement:

You’re invited to an Open House on December 14, 2019  from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Watertown High School, 50 Columbia Street, Watertown, MA. Come meet the team, learn about Watertown High’s robotics program, drive one of our robots and see our new shop, practice field and training space. Enjoy our silent auction, 50/50 raffle, theme basket draw & other fun activities. Looking forward to catching up with our student and mentor alums, sponsors, supporters, school professionals and community members.

Government

OP-ED: Details of Hands Free Cell Phone Bill Being Considered at State House

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State Sen. Will Brownsberger

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

On Nov. 18, House and Senate conferees filed their report on the hands-free cell phone safety bill. The bill is virtually certain to be approved by both branches and to become law shortly. The new hands-free rules will take effect in late February 2020, but violations will be handled with warnings through March 31, 2020. Under the new law, you can talk to your cell phone, but you cannot touch or even look at it while driving, except in true emergency.

MassDOT

Thanksgiving Week Travel Tips from MassDOT

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The following announcement was provided by MassDOT:

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is encouraging members of the public to plan ahead for the Thanksgiving holiday travel period by recognizing that traffic volumes and the number of travelers on public transportation will be higher than normal. Drivers and transit customers should use the appropriate resources to make informed decisions on route and timing of travel, and check public transportation service schedules. “Thanksgiving is an incredibly busy time for travel, whether on the roads, in the skies, or on public transit,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. “The get-away rush will be starting Tuesday and we encourage everyone to think ahead, have a plan and exercise patience with each other.”

The MassDOT Highway Division is taking several steps to ensure safe and efficient travel on roadways, shutting down scheduled construction activities effective at 5 a.m., Tuesday, November 21. Scheduled construction will resume at 5 a.m., Monday, December 2. “The top priority during the Thanksgiving travel period is safety,” said Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. “Before heading out, travelers should evaluate weather conditions so smart decisions can be made about when to leave and return from trips. We want everyone to safely arrive at their destinations to be able to celebrate the holiday with their family and friends.”

MassDOT strongly urges all drivers to minimize distractions by turning off or putting away cellphones, traveling the posted speed limit, driving sober and devoting full attention to what is ahead on the road. MassDOT encourages travelers to make an extra effort to be courteous on the roads and report to law enforcement any reckless driving.

Around Town

LETTER: Former Town Councilor Urges Support of Town/BB&N Fields Agreement

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A drawing of the proposed playing fields that BB&N School wants to build on Grove Street. The land currently belongs to Mount Auburn Cemetery. Dear friends and neighbors,

As many of you may have heard, the Mount Auburn Cemetery’s property on Grove Street is up for sale. Just next door to Filippello Park, the site is currently being leased by the Mount Auburn Hospital for employee parking. Most bidders on the lot are looking to build lab/office or residential space there. This means more cars on Grove Street and no chance at expanding our open and green space in Watertown. There’s also a historic home on the site called the Shick House which isn’t likely to be saved under that scenario. The Shick family once operated a dairy farm from that house in the mid 1900’s. The Trustees of the cemetery have a fiduciary responsibility to be responsible stewards of the cemetery’s assets for the long-term and have chosen to liquidate the asset. They’re going to make the responsible choice for their institution and one can hardly blame them.

Entertainment

Watertown Library Hosting Four Free Winter Concerts

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The historic facade of the Watertown Free Public Library. The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Library:

The Watertown Free Public Library’s Winter Concert Series kicks off on Sunday, Dec. 8. This year, the library has booked an eclectic lineup featuring a string trio, a banjo virtuoso, a singer/songwriter, and a local swing and blues band. Concerts are free and open to all.