Around Town

LETTER: Watertown Group Calling for End of Hostilities in Palestine & Israel

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The Peace and Common Security Working Group of Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment and Massachusetts Peace Action will be sponsoring a Standout for Humanitarian Aid, Ceasefire, and Negotiations. We seek an end to the hostilities and killing in Palestine and Israel. Killings and oppressions by whatever means in the Middle East are unjustifiable. This includes murder, taking of hostages, holding political prisoners, bombing of civilian targets, blockades, unlawful annexations of land, harassments by illegal settlers, and withholding of humanitarian aid. The current position of most American politicians who support the Israeli government unconditionally is equally unjustifiable.

Around Town

Watertown Social Services Resource Specialists Given Latino Excellence Awards at State House

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Wayside SSRS Clincians Maysa Ramos (second from left) and Sophia Suarez-Friedman (second from right) received Latino Excellence Awards from at the State House. Also pictured are State Rep. Steve Owens (right) Kimberley Hutter, Sen. Will Brownsberger’s District Director. (Courtesy of Wayside)

Watertown’s two Social Service Resource Specialists, Sophia Suarez-Friedman and Maysa Ramos, recently received the Latino Excellence Awards at the State House. Both work for the Wayside Youth & Family Support Network Multi Service Center, and their positions are funded by the City of Watertown. Every year, the Massachusetts Black & Latino Legislative Caucus hosts its Latino Excellence Awards to honor Latino leaders, agents of impact, and change makers who contribute to our communities.

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LETTER: Watertown Affordable Housing, an Inside Story, Part One

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By Linda ScottWatertown Resident

I have a quick transcript from a Watertown Affordable Housing Trust meeting, where Brett Buehrer, Senior VP of O’Connor Capital Partners (New York) is discussing plans that his company has for a very large apartment building on Main Street, where the Post Office is currently located. There is an initial discussion with the Trust. Buehrer comes back a few minutes later to discuss something that he “forgot.”

Affordable Housing Trust Meeting October 16, 2023:

Brett:We’re making progress with the Post Office. I was wondering if you guys would be willing to write a letter to the Post Office in support of affordable housing. We’re working to relocate them and hopefully bring them back into a new building.

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Watertown Scouts Collecting Food for the Watertown Food Pantry

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Watertown Scouts will be collecting items for the Watertown Food Pantry. (Courtesy of Watertown Scouts)

The following announcement was provided by Watertown Scout Pack 30 and Troop 30:

Help Scouts feed Watertown

Pack 30 and Troop 30 scouts are flyering their neighbors this week, hoping to collect bags of groceries from doorsteps Nov. 18. It’s part of a drive we call Scouting for Food, and we’ll collect tons of food for the Watertown Food Pantry, the largest one-day drive serving our community. Didn’t get a flyer?

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James Beard Award Winning Chef Cooking in Watertown Indigenous Food Week

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The following announcement was provided by the Pigsgusset Intitiative:

Starting on November 16 and for one week only, diners can sample award-winning Indigenous cuisine prepared according to recipes by Mashpee Wampanoag Chef Sherry Pocknett, 2023 winner of the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Northeast. Branch Line restaurant in Watertown will feature Chef Pocknett’s butternut squash soup, corn cakes, and cranberry chutney as part of Watertown’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration and in recognition of Native American Heritage Month. In 2022, Branch Line hosted the first Indigenous Food Week with Chef Pocknett. Chef Pocknett will travel to Watertown to collaborate with Branch Line’s new Executive Chef, Michael Morway, and his staff on Thursday, November 16th. She will talk about the 12,000 year history of the Mashpee Wampanoag and describe her deep connection to food and cooking.

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Watertown Hosting Senior Health & Wellness Fair This Week

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On Nov. 15, 2023, the Watertown Department of Senior Services will host the Health and Wellness Fair at the Commander’s Mansion. The event includes free presentations, fitness demonstrations, health screens, a raffle, giveaway as and many vendors! The event takes place from noon to 3 p.m., and doors open at 11:40 p.m. Seating is limited, and the event is wheel chair accessible with a elevator. Watertown’s Commander’s Mansion is located at 440 Talcott Ave., Watertown, MA 02472

See the list of events and vendors below:

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Watertown Veterans Honored at Ceremony, City Plans to Create Square for World War II Vet

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Watertown veterans gathered to celebrate Veterans Day at a breakfast at the Shutt Detachment. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Watertown’s veterans organizations came together at the Shutt Detachment on Saturday to celebrate Veterans Day, and the City will likely soon be permanently honoring a Watertown man killed in World War II. The annual Veterans Day breakfast drew members of the veterans groups in town, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Marine Corps League, and the AmVets. Watertown Veterans Services Agent Patrick George noted that people from almost all the branches of the military were represented. “The only one we don’t have is Space Force and I think they are all still in bootcamp, so we are not going to have any Space Force veterans just yet,” George said.

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Watertown Girl Attends BC Football Game with Team IMPACT

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Leah, from Watertown, attended a recent Boston College football game with Team IMPACT. (Courtesy Photo)

The following information was provided by Team IMPACT:

On Saturday, Oct. 28, members of the Team IMPACT family came together in collaboration with Empower at Boston College’s Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill for a fun, heart-warming tailgate and pre-game for the kids and their families. 

Team IMPACT matches children facing serious illness and disability with college sports teams, creating a long-term, life-changing experience for everyone involved. Six special families, including one from Watertown, will be in attendance for the tailgate and recognized on-field just prior to kickoff! Leah and her family were recognized before the Boston College football game on Oct.