Mass Pike

MassDOT Holding Series of Meetings on Toll Plaza Removal, Electronic Tolling

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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced four public meetings to update the public on the status of the implementation of All Electronic Tolling and the progress of demolishing existing toll plaza infrastructure and reconstructing the roadway. Representatives of MassDOT will discuss the construction progress in 23 work zones, timeline for completion, what to expect as the project moves into the spring and summer months and other issues. These public meetings will be to receive feedback from users of I-90, (the Massachusetts Turnpike), and neighboring communities and to provide interchange specific information about what the traveling public can expect during 2017. All meetings will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and are scheduled as follows:

• Wednesday, January 11 – Westborough Town Hall, 34 West Main Street
Plaza Focus: Sturbridge / I-84, Worcester/Auburn/I-290, Worcester/Rt. 146, Worcester/Millbury, Westborough/I-495, Framingham, Natick/Rt.

Around Town

Watertown Youth Coalition Gets Grant to Map Tobacco in the Community

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The Watertown Youth Coalition Peer Leaders, part of  Wayside Multi-Service Center, have been awarded a $2,000 mini-grant from The 84 Movement, which helps mobilize young people across Massachusetts to take action to protect their communities from the influence of the tobacco industry, WYC announced. The grant is one of ten awarded this year to youth groups from across the state. Previously, WYC Peer Leaders have received funding from The 84 to support surveys about pricing and availability of flavored cigars in Watertown, as well as use of different tobacco products by Watertown High School students. During a survey administered last spring, WYC Peer Leaders learned that of those students who had ever tried a tobacco product, 74.8% first tried an e-cigarette product. Over 63% of students felt it was “easy” or “somewhat easy” to get flavored tobacco products, providing explanations such as “Most stores sell them” and “You can go to the store and buy it.” 52% of students who got flavored tobacco products within the last 30 days got their products from Watertown.

Transportation

Registry of Motor Vehicles Offering Driving Tests in 26 More Languages

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The MassDOT Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) announced it has begun offering the automated learner’s permit knowledge test in 26 additional languages.  Customers can take their passenger vehicle (Class D) and motorcycle (Class M) learner’s permit tests using a new, automated, and web-based system which randomly generates the test questions and answers. Foreign language tests previously were offered in paper versions.  In addition to English and Spanish, the test is now available in Arabic, Armenian, Burmese, Chinese simplified, Chinese traditional, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Gujarati, Haitian/Creole, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Laotian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Serbo-Croatian (Latin), Thai, Urdu, and Vietnamese.  These languages align with the statewide Language Access plan, which identifies those languages most commonly spoken by Massachusetts residents.  Somali and Tagalog/Filipino will be offered beginning the last week of December. In addition, the RMV will be offering an automated American Sign Language (ASL) test to customers in early 2017. Registrar Erin Deveney explained, “By updating our technology and expanding our language offerings, we’re improving service delivery for all of our customers.  These improvements will minimize waits at service centers and shift the focus of our service staff from inefficient test administration processes to helping customers.”

The user-friendly touch screen saves customers time, allows for fast and automated test scoring, prevents cheating and fraud through question randomization, and offers ample data capabilities to assist with identifying future business improvements. This implementation is state-wide, with the exception of the Chicopee, Haverhill, Natick, and Roslindale Service Centers that do not offer permit tests.  The RMV will continue to monitor customer requests and evaluate the need to add more languages to the automated testing system.

Charity

Watertown Senior Home Donates More Than 50 Toys to Boys & Girls Club Members

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The Residence at Watertown Square, owned at operated by LCB Senior Living, LLC held a toy drive for the Watertown Boys and Girls Club’s annual holiday party, the center announced. Owned and operated by LCB, the Residence at Watertown Square is located at 20 Summer Street in Watertown and offers Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care residences to seniors. Each year in December, the Watertown Boys and Girls Club holds a holiday party for children in the community, where toys donated from local residents and business are given as gifts to children from low-income families who attend the event. Laurie Gaines, one of the Sales and Marketing Directors at the Residence at Watertown Square, coordinated a toy drive to gather gifts for children who attend the holiday party. The toy drive was open to associates and residents at the Residence at Watertown Square, where over 50 toys and gifts were donated.

Around Town

CatholicTV to Broadcast Pope Francis’s Christmas Mass

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On Saturday, December 24 at 8 p.m., the CatholicTV Network will broadcast Christmas Mass from St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, presided over by Pope Francis, the Watertown-based network announced. The Mass will be rebroadcast on Christmas Day at 7 a.m.

Mass with Pope Francis is part of CatholicTV’s 72-hour Christmas marathon beginning on Christmas Eve at 12 a.m. The marathon also includes a live broadcast of Pope Francis’s Christmas message, Urbi et Orbi, on Christmas Day at 6 a.m. The Pope’s message will be rebroadcast the same day at 3:30 p.m. and 11 p.m., and on 12/26 at 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. A full schedule of Christmas programming is available online. Tune in to CatholicTV for Christmas Mass with Pope Francis on 12/24 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 25 at 7 a.m. CatholicTV is available on cable, CatholicTVLIVE.com, Roku, Apple TV, or your mobile device.

Obituaries

OBIT: Grace Helsmoortel, 79, Multitalented, Brought Out the Best in Others

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Frances Grace Helsmoortel of Watertown, MA, formerly of Allston passed from this life surrounded by her family and was welcomed into her new eternal home on December 20, 2016 at the age of 79. She was the daughter of the late Kenneth Edison and Audrey Florence (Russell) Doyle. Frances had a zeal for life, loved people with fervor and served God with humility. Her kindness and gentleness were known to all, in keeping with her devotion to Jesus Christ and God’s written word. She took the Great Commission seriously and brought many people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.