Government

Find Out When You Can Meet with Watertown State Rep. Jonathan Hecht

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Representative Jonathan Hecht will hold office hours twice in Watertown this month, he announced. Constituents are invited to meet with Representative Hecht at the following times and locations:

 

Monday, September 11, 5:30-6:30 pm

Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main St, Raya Stern Trustees Room

 

Thursday, September 21, 8:30-9:30am

Watertown Town Hall, 149 Main St, 3rd Floor hallway

 

Anyone unable to attend these office hours can call Representative Hecht at 617-722-2140 to schedule an appointment at another time.

Around Town

Recreation Department Has Free Tickets for Boston College Football Game

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The Recreation Department has free tickets for Watertown residents to attend the Boston College football game on Sept. 9. The Recreation Department sent out the following information:

Boston College vs. Wake Forest Home Opener Invitation

Saturday, September 9 at 1 p.m.

Request football tickets by clicking the link below, compliments of Boston College for BC Football’s home opener. All tickets are on a first come first served basis.

Around Town

Mosquitoes in Watertown Test Positive for West Nile Virus, Tips for Avoiding Them

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The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) has notified the Watertown Health Department that mosquitoes in Watertown have tested positive for West Nile Virus, the Watertown Health Department announced. The Watertown Health Department sent out the following release:

This is not a surprise since most of the geographic area around Watertown has had species of mosquitoes testing positive. This is also consistent with having warm and intermittent wet weather. How can you prevent these mosquitoes from breeding on your property? The East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project indicates that “homeowners should be aware that once a container is inundated with rainwater in the summer, it becomes a likely site for a mosquito to lay eggs on the water surface.

Labor Day

Track Labor Day Travel Conditions on State’s Website, App

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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) encourages Labor Day travelers to make informed decisions, utilize all the available technology tools including www.mass511.com, and use public transportation if possible to reach destinations. MassDOT sent out the following announcement:

“We advise everyone who will be traveling during the Labor Day weekend to plan ahead, check traffic conditions before setting out onto the roadways, and make smart decisions regarding the best mode, route and time to travel,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. “This is a great time to use www.mass511.com to view live drive times and traffic cameras or register to receive travel alerts, download our innovative GoTime mobile app, and visit www.mbta.com to view schedules and information on public transit.”

MassDOT is taking several steps to ensure safe and reliable travel for all citizens who utilize transportation systems across the Commonwealth and will be shutting down scheduled roadway construction for the Labor Day travel period effective atnoon, Friday, September 1, per MassDOT’s long-standing policy for holiday weekends. Scheduled road work will then resume at the start of normal business hours on Tuesday, September 5. “We know from past experiences there are higher traffic volumes during the Labor Day weekend, and members of the public should make smart, informed decisions and do their part to reduce congestion and promote efficient transportation,” said Acting Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver.

Letters

LETTER: Resident Wants to Draw the Line & Preserve Green Areas at Victory Field

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I remember once reading a critique of biological conservation in Japan. Conservation policy favored compromise: a development would be proposed, it would be opposed due to adverse environmental impacts, and the outcome typically permitted some of the development to proceed, at some cost to environmental quality. This incremental increase of both development and its resulting degradation of environmental assets had worked well to diffuse contention in a populous nation that prized social harmony. Developers got less than they bargained for, conservationists reduced the damage to natural resources. But such a policy was beginning to expose its flaw – the environment we share with all people and other species is a finite resource, and human activity can threaten the very survival of its values.

Entertainment

Mosesian Arts Earfull Series Combines Writers of Literature, Song Writers

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The Mosesian Center for the Arts announced the Earfull Fall 2017 Series – three evening events of literature and music with “Writers Reading and Songwriters Singing.”

The Mosesian Center sent out the following information:

Earfull events will take place September 19, October 17, and November 14 in our Black Box Theater, 321 Arsenal Street in Watertown, and feature world renowned authors and musicians reading and performing some of their latest works. September 19th 

Authors: Michael Patrick MacDonald – All Souls: A Family Story from Southie, Easter Rising: An Irish American Coming Up from Under 

Ben Mezrich – Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions, The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, a Take of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal, Once Upon A Time in Russia

Musicians: Weakened Friends – Listen and Muck and the Mires – Listen

October 17th

Authors: Shari Goldhagen – In Some Other World, Maybe, Family and other accidents, 100 Days of Cake

Julia Glass – Three Junes, And the Dark Sacred Night, The Widower’s Tale, A House Among the Trees

Musicians: Kim Taylor – Listen and Julie Rhodes – Listen

November 14th

Authors: Marianne Leone – Knowing Jesse: A Mother’s Story of Grief, Grace, and Everyday Bliss, Ma Speaks Up: And a First Generation Daughter Talks Back

Claire Messud – The Woman Upstairs, The Emperor’s Children, The Last Life: A Novel

Musicians: Merrie Amsterburg – Listen and Abbie Barrett Band – Listen

The brainchild of Boston Musician and Author Jen Trynin and bookstore connoisseur Tim Huggins, Earfull first launched in the Fall of 2001 with the concept that, given a conducive environment, book people will appreciate being exposed to live music, and rock people will realize how cool it is to hear great authors reading their work aloud! EARFULL aimed to provide that environment, combining prominent author readings with established singer-songwriters in the hopes of broadening the appreciation of and audiences for both. After a brief hiatus from multiple sold-out seasons of the series, the Mosesian Center for the Arts brought the beloved programming back for a second season to a whole new audience. Mosesian Center Members have access to a limited number of pre-sale tickets Friday, August 18 at 12pm, and tickets to the General Public will go on sale Monday, August 21, at 12pm.

Around Town

LETTER: Library’s Hatch Makerspace Has New Home, New Coordinator

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Nearly three years ago, the Watertown Free Public Library hosted a DIY Halloween Costume Bootcamp in a retail space at the Arsenal Mall, marking the opening of Watertown’s first public makerspace, Hatch. Since then, Hatch has flourished with programs, events, and, most importantly, a growing community of makers. Fast-forward to today, and Hatch has moved into its new space at the Residence at Watertown Square, hired a full-time coordinator [Liz Helfer], built up a dynamic group of volunteers and encouraged creativity among its users. Library staff have worked hard to bring this opportunity to the community, but the work would have never happened were it not for a network of generous organizations and people. First on the list is the Arsenal Project who hosted Hatch, rent and utility free, since October 2014.

Police/Fire

Watertown Children Graduate from Middlesex Sheriff’s Youth Public Safety Academy

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The Middlesex Sheriff’s Office (MSO) concluded the sixth and final week of the annual Youth Public Safety Academy (YPSA) on Friday, August 18, with a graduation ceremony at Chelmsford High, the Sheriff’s Office announced. Over 160 cadets, ages 8-12, from Burlington, Hudson, Cambridge & Watertown spent five days learning from members of the MSO, as well as local police and fire officials.  This is the 18th year of the YPSA program. “This program makes a real difference in the lives of Middlesex County families,” said Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian. “Not only do hundreds of youngsters get to have a fun and safe summer experience, but more importantly they get to know the members of their local police and fire departments who they come to trust.”

The Youth Public Safety Academy is offered as a low-cost, educational camp for county residents. The camp runs in six, one-week sessions and graduates hundreds of cadets each year.