Government

Gov. Baker, Legislature Extend Tax Filing Deadline Due to Coronavirus

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Massachusetts State House. Gov. Charlie Baker announced that Massachusetts income tax deadline will be pushed back three months in response to the the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak. The agreement between the Governor’s office and the State Legislature pushes the deadline to file taxes from April 15 to July 15, 2020. Taxpayers do not have to file anything to qualify to the extension. The change comes a week after the Federal Income Tax filing deadline was extended.

Business

Watertown Lifts Construction Ban, Reusable Bags Banned; Town COVID-19 Cases up to 24

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The latest orders from the Governor and Town officials changed the situation for construction projects and reusable shopping bags. The measures come a day before the largest jump in positive tests for the Coronavirus in Massachusetts. On Friday, the Mass. Department of Public Health announced 823 new positive tests and 10 more deaths. The total cases in the Bay State rose to 3,240, 24 of which are in Watertown.

Department of Public Works

LETTER: Residents Thankful for Quick Response by Public Works Employees

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A Watertown Department of Public Works snow plow. To the Editor:

We are writing to thank the Watertown Public Works Department, and to commend two of its workers for the outstanding service they recently provided to us. On Sunday, March 22 our sewer line became blocked. We attempted to unclog it with no success. About 6:30 p.m. we called the DPW to see if it would be possible for someone to come by the next morning.

Around Town

Watertown Health Department’s Tips for Staying Healthy During COVID-19

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Health Department:

The purpose of this notice is to remind our Residents here in Watertown of specific provisions and procedures that can be put in place in light of the New Coronavirus (COVID-19). We as a Health Department take great pride in the safety and well-being of our residents. To ensure we continue to operate this high standard and protect our community, we HIGHLY recommended the following guidelines:

RECCOMENDATIONS

Recommendations that may help you and your fellow residents during this time: Practice everyday preventive actions now. Remind everyone in your household of the importance of practicing everyday preventive actions that can help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.Staying home from work, school, and all activities when you are sick with COVID-19 symptoms, which may include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing.Keeping away from others who are sick.Limiting close contact with others as much as possible (about 6 feet).Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue.Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily (e.g., tables, countertops, light switches, doorknobs, and cabinet handles) using a regular household detergent and water. o If surfaces are dirty, they should be cleaned using a detergent and water prior to disinfection.

Child Care

Gov. Baker Extends School, Child Care Closure Until Early May

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Massachusetts State House. Gov. Charlie Baker announced Wednesday that K-12 schools and non-emergency child care facilities in the Bay State will remain closed until May 4 as a precaution due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The announcement came as the number of cases of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) jumped by 679 in Massachusetts in one day. In Watertown the number went from 12 to 15. Also, the Mass.

Coronavirus

Town Council, School Building Committee Meetings Cancelled During Coronavirus Outbreak

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Watertown’s Town Hall. Watertown’s Town Council and the School Building Committee will not be meeting until at least April 7, due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Town Council President Mark Sideris sent an email to Councilors alerting them that for now, they will not be meeting, even using video conferencing. The message reminded the Council that the March 24 Council meeting would not be taking place. “I cancelled the council meeting scheduled for (Tuesday) as there was nothing pressing that could not be dealt with at a later date,” Sideris said in the message.

Around Town

UPDATED: Confirmed COVID-19 Cases Up to More Than a Dozen in Watertown, Parks Still Closed

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The sign posted at Watertown parks and fields reminding people that they are closed due to the Coronavirus. The number of Watertown residents who have tested positive for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has reached 15, as of Wednesday. Also, Town officials remind residents that parks and fields remained closed in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. The number of confirmed cases in town was published on the Town’s COVID-19 web page. The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts has increased significantly over the past six days.

Government

See the Results of Sen. Brownsberger’s Poll on the State’s Coronavirus Response

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State Sen. Will Brownsberger

A majority of people who took State Sen. Will Brownsberger’s poll on Massachusetts’ response to the Coronavirus said they don’t think the state has gone far enough to stop the spread, would be willing to shelter-in-place for a few weeks and believe they are financially secure for a year. Brownsberger, who represents Watertown, Belmont and parts of Boston, put up the poll over the weekend, and asked four questions. “The surprising result of the survey is that willingness to increase social distancing appears, at least in this sample of people engaged in the community, to have only modest relationship to age, zipcode, financial security or current working arrangement,” Brownsberger wrote in his post about the poll results. The first question, about Massachusetts’ response to COVID-19, found that 54 percent of the 3,259 people who took the poll said the state “did not go far enough,” 42 percent said they state is getting it just right, while 3 percent checked “We have gone too far.” Note that the poll went up before Gov. Baker’s order to close non-essential businesses and the stay-at-home advisory.