Letters

LETTER: Believe it or Not With the Second Term

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Dear Editor,

Shall we start a BELIEVE IT OR NOT WITH THE SECOND TERM

President Donald Trump introduced on April 3, 2025 a gold “Trump Card” Featuring his face onthe front. The $5 million “gold card” program is aimed at wealthy immigrants (note not Migrants) seekingU.S. residency. The announcement aboard Air Force One, offers “green card-plus” privileges toindividuals who invest $5 million in American businesses. It will replace the existing EB-5 visaprogram, which required lower investment amounts and job creation. The initiative is set to become available in less than two weeks.

Entertainment

Small Saves Balances School with Hockey in This Week’s Comic

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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.”

Entertainment

Tickets Available for the 2025 Sheepshearing Festival at Gore Place

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Photo from Gore Place

Tickets are now available for Gore Place’s annual Sheepshearing Festival. See more info about the event and opportunities to volunteer in the announcement from Gore Place below. Get Ready for Another Unbaahhlievable Sheepshearing Festival! Mark your calendars and save the date: our Annual Sheepshearing Festival will be held on April 26, 2025! Advance tickets are available NOW! Since 1987, this annual event has entertained guests with music, 100+ craft and fiber artists, demonstrations of traditional shearing and herding dogs, and historic re-enactors on the beautiful grounds of this historic, 50-acre estate. The Festival will also feature hands-on activities for children and adults, and food vendors onsite. See Our Sheepshearing Festival Webpage to Stay In-the-Know About This Year’s Event!

Letters

OP-ED: Watertown’s Budget —Action Expresses Priorities

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By Linda ScottWatertown Resident

PART 3: Action Expresses Priorities (Mahatma Gandhi)

So, I went through the budget papers for Fiscal Year 2026. To make this a little shorter, I’ve abbreviated goals, etc. For the exact documents that I am outlining below, Click here and choose Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Policy Guidelines. An important note on transparency: I will be adding my opinions and questions to these pages. They’ll be in italics.

Business

Watertown Lab Building Wins Environment & Energy Leader Top Project Award

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66 Galen Street (Courtesy Photo)

The following announcement was provided by Catalyze:

Catalyze, a fully integrated developer and Independent Power Producer (IPP) of distributed renewable energy assets, announced that its 66 Galen project has been named a Top Project of the Year in the Environmental Impact category by the 2025 Environment + Energy (E+E) Leader Awards Program. Catalyze has received recognition from the E+E Leader Awards for three consecutive years. The company previously won a Top Project of the Year award for its Amherst Community Solar Farm in 2024 and a Top Product of the Year award in 2023 for its integrated platform, REenergyze®. 66 Galen is a state-of-the-art life science facility in Watertown, MA, jointly owned by Davis and Boston Development Group (BDG), featuring modern, purpose-built offices and laboratories. Catalyze enhanced the facility by installing 252 kWdc of rooftop-mounted solar panels, a 125 kW energy storage system, and 15 EV charging ports on-site.

Entertainment

Local Art Gallery Hosting Show During YardArt 2025

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Watertown gallery Storefront Art Projects is participating in YardArt 2025, the community-wide celebration of creativity and fun in front yards, porches, and windows around town. The exhibition called Dancing in the Dark, Resistance, Persistence and the Pursuit of Happiness runs through April 5-26. See details in the announcement from Storefront Art Projects below. YardArt 2025 with: Paul Angiolillo, Cat Bennett, Donna Calleja, Marieju Dawe, Dianne Jenkins, Mauryn Kkira, Michelle Lougee, Hakim Raquib, Maggie Stern, Charles Suggs and Ellen Wineberg 

April 5-26

Reception Saturday, April 5, 1-4 p.m.

It’s YardArt month in Watertown. They can’t cancel spring!

Letters

OP-ED: Watertown’s Budget — What Are the Priorities?

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By Linda ScottWatertown Resident

PART 1: Watertown’s Days of Plenty

Over the last few years, there’s been a sort of “Boom town” attitude toward what we could afford here in Watertown. Despite the folks who said,”Don’t you think that we should slow down here? We’ve been here before, and this bubble is likely to burst sooner than later.” Those voices were drowned out and ignored. As one worried resident said, “When the downturn comes, it’s going to get ugly around here!”

You know when you have an uneasy feeling? Call it what you like … intuition, sixth sense, foreboding, “the jitters.” Well, lately I’ve been feeling uneasy and unsettled about the potential financial and policy direction of our City.

Around Town

Watertown Walks Return, Each Feature City, Health, Arts & Business Themes

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The following information was provided by the City of Watertown’s Live Well Watertown:

WEEKLY WATERTOWN WALKS are back! Weekly programs will take place every Thursday, from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. (10 a.m. in July & August) and include movement, conversation, and opportunities to connect, interact, and explore the greater community. The walking portion of these programs will be approximately 30 – 40 minutes, and we encourage attendees to walk at a comfortable pace. 

Each month will feature city happenings, health and wellness, arts & culture, and community/business assets (some walks are in collaboration with the Watertown Public Arts & Culture Committee and Watertown Business Coalition). SIGN UP HERE for reminders and check our website calendar for walk details and updates. Walks will not take place if it’s raining or if there is a heat advisory. 

April Walk Schedule

April 3 ~ Tyler Cote, Community Engagement SpecialistWalk with Tyler and chat about creative engagement! Share feedback and suggest ways the city should consider engaging with residents.