Around Town

Watertown Community Foundation to Celebrate 20 Years of Community Giving

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Community Foundation:

Since 2003 The Watertown Community Foundation has put funds to work in Watertown to address local needs to make positive change. Started with funds from the sale of the Arsenal property and grown by local giving and grants, a small group of Founders envisioned a community fund dedicated to sustaining a vibrant community. Twenty years later, the Foundation has given more than $3,000,000 in grants to improve the lives of the people who live and work in Watertown. “During 20 years of grant giving, the Foundation has built on a practice of giving to meet need at the street level. We started with Block Party grants to bring neighbors and neighborhoodstogether.

Around Town

Our History: Stephen P. Mugar, Created Modern Grocery Shopping at Star Market

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Star Market on Mt. Auburn Street circa 1920 (Courtesy of the Watertown Free Public Library)

The following story is part of a series on local history provided by the Historical Society of Watertown. The article first appeared in the Historical Society’s July 2014 newsletter “The Town Crier.” The following information was presented by the late Pam Pinsky, former Vice President of the Historical Society of Watertown

In October of 2005 the Friends of Mount Auburn Cemetery and the Historical Society of Watertown joined together to give a guided tour of the gravesites of several notable people who once resided in Watertown. The lives of our Watertown notables were recalled by members of the Historical Society Council and Historical Society volunteers. When you go to the supermarket, you buy meat that is pre-packaged in shrink wrap; your onions come in mesh string bags; items are unit-priced (e.g., a 13 ounce can of coffee is unit-priced per pound so that you can compare the value against other coffees packed in 12 ounce cans); when you check out, you can have your purchases packed in paper bags; and often times, your bags are put in boxes and sent out on conveyor belt. All of these innovations that we take for granted were developed by Stephen P. Mugar at 28 Mt.

Around Town

Watertown’s New Library Director to Start Work in September

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Kim Hewitt has officially been named Watertown’s new Library Director. (Courtesy of the Watertown Library)

The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Free Public Library:

The Watertown Free Public Library Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Kim Hewitt has been named as its new library director. In her role, Ms. Hewitt will lead the way in helping the library accomplish its mission of connecting people to ideas, information, education, creative opportunities, and to each other. She starts her new role on Sept. 11, 2023.

Around Town

LETTER: A Miyawaki Forest for Watertown!

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The Miyawaki Forest in Danehy Park in Cambridge. (Courtesy of Watertown Miyawaki Team)

This spring, a group of Watertown residents — known as the Watertown Miyawaki Team — met to develop a Miyawaki Forest. These forests are named for Akira Miyawaki (1928-2021), a Japanese botanist with a passion for trees. Traveling around his country, he noticed groves of large, mature trees growing near Shinto temples. He was surprised the trees were so healthy, in spite of growing close together.

Around Town

Registration Open for Donohue’s Turkey Trot, Prize for Referring Most Runners

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Charlie BreitroseThe Donohue’s Turkey Trot will be held on Thanksgiving for the 18th time in 2023. The following announcement was provided by Donohue’s Bar & Grill:

As in past years, we’ll have a team competition with prizes for the largest team and the fastest team. We’ve also got an amazing prize for the person who refers the most runners into the race: FREE Donohue’s chicken wings for a year! All runners are entered into our post-race raffle, which includes over 50 six-packs of beer and bottles of wine! Pre/post-race breakfast opens at 8 a.m.

5K Race starts at 8:30 a.m.

Free Kids Fun Run starts at 8:35 a.m.

Free Breakfast for Everyone! Runners and spectators are welcome to join us for a free post-race breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage, and bacon.

Around Town

City Seeks Input on How Park Renovation, Hosting On-Site Meeting

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

The City is looking for your input on an overall vision plan for How Park and a focused Phase 1 renovation of the playground. Come visit the park, at the corner of Pleasant and Bacon Streets, from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, rain or shine, to speak with the design team and City staff to learn more about the project. We want to hear your ideas and thoughts about the park to shape the playground renovation and future phases of renovation! 

There will be two more public meetings to share your thoughts: one at the end of September or beginning of October, when the design team will share initial concepts based on your feedback, and a final meeting in November to show the community’s preferred overall design concept and more details about the Phase 1 playground renovation.

Around Town

Watertown Attorney Makes List of Lawyers to Watch in America

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Alexandra Mansfield of Watertown made the 2024 edition of the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. She is an associate in Mirick O’Connell’s Litigation Group

The following information was provided by Mirick O’Connell Attorneys at Law:

Alexandra N. Mansfield, of Watertown, was included in the 2024 edition of the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America™ for her work in Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction, and Litigation – Intellectual Property. 

This is her third year listed. Mansfield is an associate in Mirick O’Connell’s Litigation Group and she focuses her practice on business litigation. She has substantial experience in the areas of business, construction, and intellectual property disputes. See all the attorneys with Mirick O’Connell Attorneys at Law who were named to the Best Lawyers List by clicking here.