Around Town

Challenger Baseball Program Has Allowed All Watertown Children to Play Ball for 10 Years

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The players and buddies in the Watertown Challenger Baseball program, which is for players with physical and mental challenges. (Photo courtesy of Watertown Challenger Baseball). Ten years ago, Watertown Youth Baseball added a program that allowed children with a physical or intellectual challenge to get on the field and play ball. And each year, participants in the Challenger Baseball program get to play in an special event sponsored by NESN where they play similar programs from other communities around Massachusetts. The program got rolling in 2013, but had to take a few years off during the Pandemic, said Greg Salvucci, a past president of Watertown Youth Baseball and Softball.

Around Town

Victory Field Closing for Most of Summer to Replace Artificial Turf

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown hosts Belmont in the annual Thanksgiving Football Game at 10:45 a.m. Thursday. The football and baseball fields at Watertown’s largest athletic complex will be closed this summer. The artificial turf surface that was installed in 2011 will be replaced. Most of the rest of the complex will remain open. Recreation Department Director Peter Centola sent out the following letter about Victory Field:

Good Morning,

Our Victory Complex Artificial Turf Field will be closed Monday June 12 to Wednesday, August 16, 2023, for the purpose of replacing our artificial turf field.

Around Town

Lt. Gov. Hears from Local Businesses at Chamber Event, Pushes for Housing, Job Training & Free PreK

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Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, right, spoke at the Charles River Regional Chamber’s Spring Business Breakfast where Joe Prestejohn (left), owner of Cabot’s Ice Cream, was honored. (Photo courtesy of Charles River Chamber

NEEDHAM — Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll stressed the importance of small businesses to make communities places where people want to live when she spoke at the Charles River Regional Chamber, but she added that Massachusetts faces challenges that could hurt business big and small such as the cost of housing, lack of qualified and even the cost of childcare. Driscoll also heard directly from business owners about some of the things that make it more difficult for them to thrive. She gave the keynote address at the Chamber’s Spring Business Breakfast on June 2. During the event, held at the Sheraton Boston Needham Hotel, the Chamber also honored Joe Prestejohn, the retiring owner of a Newton institution — Cabot’s Ice Cream & Restaurant.

Around Town

Raiders Baseball Team Looks Back on Successful Season After Exiting Tournament

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Photo by Brianna WilliamsThe Raiders season ended in the MIAA Div. 3 Round of 32, but the Raiders had one of their best seasons in years. FOXBOROUGH — Watertown senior captain Casey Williams pitched a complete game with five strikeouts, but the Raiders fell by a run to Foxborough in the MIAA Div. 3 Tournament on Tuesday. For the Round of 32, 38th seed Watertown High School traveled to face the sixth seeded Warriors. Along with strong pitching, Watertown had strong field work from senior captains Johnny Cacace, Robbie Iannetta and Daniel Tattrie. 

However, Foxborough took the lead early in the first inning by scoring a run.

Around Town

See the Award 2023 Watertown Historic Preservation Award Winners

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Members of the Historical Society of Watertown and Boston Tea Party pose with their 2023 Historic Preservation Awards. (Photo courtesy of the City of Watertown)

The Watertown Historical Commission awarded the 2023 Historical Preservation Awards at a ceremony held at Gore Place’s Carriage House on May 18. Awards honor individuals, organizations and projects that have shown leadership in historic preservation in Watertown. 2023 Watertown Preservation Awards

Watertown Free Public Library Reference Staff

The Richard E. Mastrangelo Memorial Award

Awarded to the Watertown Free Library and its reference staff for serving as a great historic research resource

Sheppard Ferguson

Citizenship Award

Awarded to Sheppard Ferguson for photographing and indexing the City’s historic markers

Boston Tea Party Ship

Community Spirit Award

Awarded to the Boston Tea Party Ship for installing a final resting place marker commemorating Samuel Barnard, a Watertown participant in the 1773 Tea Party

Students from the Jewish Community Day School accepted the Historic Preservation Award. (Photo courtesy of the City of Watertown)

Jewish Community Day School

Service to Youth Award

Awarded to the Jewish Community Day School for its Watertown Museum Pop-Up project on Watertown history

Marshall Place–CASCAP

Architectural Preservation Award

Awarded for the Marshall Place restoration project, led by CASCAP, preserving this 1874

Second Empire building

Mt.

Around Town

2 Watertown Business Coalition Events in June: After Hours Mixer & First Walk ‘N’ Talk

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The Watertown Business Coalition will be hosting an after hours networking event at Donohue’s Bar & Grill, and will kick off the new Walk ‘N’ Talk series with a walk beginning at Arsenal Yards. The WBC Summer Kickoff After Hours will be held on the Donohue’s patio! 

“What a great excuse to invite friends, neighbors and co-workers to visit the East End’s favorite patio! We welcome WBC Members, Non-Members and those who live and/or work in Watertown!” the WBC announcement said. The event will be on Wednesday, June 14, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided, and there will be a cash bar.

Around Town

Watertown Teaming with Belmont for 2 Day Juneteenth Celebration

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This year’s Juneteenth Celebration will expand to include not just two communities but will be held over two days. The annual celebration hosted by the Watertown Citizens for Black Lives. For the third year in a row, Watertown’s Juneteenth Celebration will be held in the Watertown Free Public Library. That will take place on Saturday, June 17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. On Sunday, June 18, the celebration moves to Belmont’s Beech Street Center and Town Field from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Juneteenth began as a celebration of the day in 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people were freed. It has grown into a broader celebration.