Around Town

Watertown’s First Medical Marijuana Dispensary Ready to Open, Awaits State’s OK

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Natural Selections, Watertown’s first medical marijuana dispensary, will be opening soon. Inside a building tucked behind a retail building and next to a hotel, sits a bright, modern showroom with glass cases displaying products that has not been available in Watertown previously — marijuana and related items.

Watertown’s first medical marijuana dispensary is ready to open for business, it is just waiting for the OK from state officials, said Alex Hardy, Chief Operating Officer of Natural Selections. “We are 100 percent ready to rock and roll,” Hardy said, standing in the retail area of the dispensary at 23 Elm St. The dispensary is located in a building in the back of the property on Elm Street, just off Arsenal Street (and near the Residence Inn by Marriott). During discussions at the Town Council, Planning and Zoning Boards, the issue of parking was raised.

Business

Watertown Restaurant Holding Grand Opening at Arsenal Yards

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Staff at City Works Eatery & Pour House are ready to welcome diners at the Watertown location. The following announcement was provided by Bottleneck Management:

After the COVID-19 pandemic stalled its opening to the public, Bottleneck Management announces the official grand opening of City Works Eatery & Pour House at 91 Arsenal Yards Blvd. on Wednesday, July 22 at 4 p.m.

City Works was scheduled to open its doors in Watertown on March 13 after its First Draft soft opening event raised $4,338 for the Greater Boston Food Bank. Four months past its original opening date, City Works in Arsenal Yards remains a vibrant and energetic restaurant with a focus on classic American food and an expansive beer and beverage list. With a spacious interior (8,429 square feet), three 110” HDTVs and 12 65” HDTVs, and outdoor patio (1,172 square feet) with socially distanced tables, semi-private dining areas, and over 90 craft beer handles and eight wines on draft, City Works offers something for everyone this summer. “It’s so exciting to be able to officially open our doors, bring our employees back on, and begin serving our guests in Watertown, safely and in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and our local authorities,” says Angela Zoiss, Vice President of Marketing for Bottleneck Management.

Around Town

Five Homes Sold in Watertown This Week

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Three single families and two condos were sold this week in Watertown. $880,000 – 176 Common St., Single Family – Detached Colonial, 1,880 Living Area Sq. Ft. 7 Room, 3 Bedroom, 1 Full & 1 Half Bathroom

$1,000,000 – 31 Merrill Road, Single Family – Detached Colonial, 1,956 Living Area Sq. Ft., 7 Room, 3 Bedroom, 2 Full & 1 Half Bathroom

$680,000 – 122 Winsor Ave.

Around Town

Watertown Library Now Offering Scheduling for Curbside Pickups, Placing Holds

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Bags prepared to be delivered to patrons of the Watertown Library as part of the curbside pickup program. The Library is now offering scheduled pickups and putting holds on items.

The following information was provided by the Watertown Library:

The Watertown Free Public Library’s curbside pickup service is growing more popular with every passing week. Since WFPL launched the service on May 11, Library patrons have placed over 3,000 pickup orders for books, DVDs and other materials. On busy nights, as many as 200 book bags are delivered to patrons in the Library parking lot. In order to meet the growing demand for this service, WFPL is making some changes to the curbside pickup process.

Around Town

Watertown Residents Can Apply for Rental Assistance

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Watertown residents struggling to cover their rent due to the COVID-19 outbreak can apply for rental assistance of up to $1,000. The Watertown Community Foundation has teamed with MetroWest Collaborative Development and Wayside Youth & Family Network to provide rental assistance for families who are behind (or arrear) in rent. The assistance will be awarded on a first-come-first-serve basis. The Watertown Community Foundation received funds from the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund, said Executive Director Jan Singer. “Our grants from MA COVID-19 Relief Fund have gone directly to MetroWest Collaborative Development, who is administering the program,” Singer said.

Around Town

Watertown Scout Collecting Winter Clothing for Eagle Project

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A Watertown scout will be collecting winter clothing as his Eagle Scout project, and the items will be delivered to people in Peru. Patricio Pino is a Life Scout with Watertown’s Troop 30, and he decide to organize the winter clothing drive in hopes of reaching the rank of Eagle Scout. Life Scout is the second highest rank in the Boy Scouts, with Eagle being the highest. “My Eagle Project is a collection drive for winter clothing of any condition and size which will be (dropped off) at collection bins between July 17th and 27th,” Pino said. “These collections will then travel with me to Peru or be shipped there to be distributed with the help of Scouting in Peru to people in need.”

Around Town

West Suburban YMCA Providing Free Meals for Children

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The following information was provided by the West Suburban YMCA:

The West Suburban YMCA has partnered with the Metrowest YMCA to participate in Summer Eats, Massachusetts’ Summer Food Service Program. The federally funded nutrition program provides free, healthy meals to all children ages 18 and under when school is not in session. The program is administered by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education with support from the Child Nutrition Outreach Program at Project Bread.    

Meals are available for pick-up at the West Suburban YMCA in Newton, Monday through Friday from 12:00 – 1:00 pm (lunch) and 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm (snack) through September 4, 2020. Kids and teens who wish to pick up a lunch or snack should check in at the Y’s Welcome Center.   

This is the Y’s second year participating in the program.  In 2019, the Summer Eats program distributed 2,310 lunches and 4,991 snacks to youth in the community over the course of 8 weeks. 

These free lunches and snacks are available to campers at the Y’s onsite day camp, Camp Pikati. Camp Pikati, as well as the off-site day camp Camp Chickami, are currently running and open for registration.  Both camps are adhering CDC, state, and local guidelines to ensure a safe and happy summer.    

According to the USDA, nearly 10% of Massachusetts households experience food insecurity. This year’s COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to layoffs and reductions in hours for many Americans, has underscored the importance of programs that address food insecurity in our communities.  During the school year, many families stretch their food budget by applying for free or reduced-price school meals for their children. Frequently, these families find it difficult to absorb the additional meal costs when school is not in session. The Summer Meals Program helps to fill the gap left open during the summer months for these families. When children have reliable access to food during the summer, they can return to school ready to learn.

Around Town

Scholarships Available for Summer Recreation Programs from Community Foundation

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Community Foundation:

The Watertown Community Foundation’s (WCF) Community Resilience Fund, created to respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 emergency and similar crises, has announced a $10,000 grant to the Watertown Recreation Department. The fund is for scholarships for families in need who want to participate in the summer 2020 program. 

“WCF is committed to ensuring every Watertown child that wants one has a camp experience this summer,” said WCF co-president Darshna Varia. “As there were no planned camps for kids in Watertown for this summer, the foundation discussed trying to help the town find a way to give some relief to families and get some outdoor activity for children. With the RecreationDepartment’s announcement of the Parks Adventure Program, we found a perfect partnership.”

“It’s been a long tough spring and now there may be a little relief for families during the summer mornings,” added Peter Centola, Director of Watertown Recreation. Any family in need of financial assistance can contact PCentola@watertown-ma.gov.

Online registration here.