Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/category/more/aroundtown/page/246/)
Greetings:
Today, we say farewell to a friend and colleague, Michael J. Driscoll. In happiness and sorrow; Michael offered his favorite traditional Irish blessing, from an ancient Celtic prayer. “May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.”
More than a dozen open houses in town this week. 39 French St. #39, $1,349,000 4 bedroom 5 bathroom 3,112 sq. ft. Townhouse, Open House: Sunday, Feb 19 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
49 Waltham St.
Dear, Editor
As I recently read a letter about the advantages of Medicare Advantage, I feel compelled to respond as to why it’s actually harmful to its participants. Medicare Advantage was brought about in 1997 under the neoliberal Clinton administration to basically privatize this public good under the misguided belief that the free market would actually be cheaper and more efficient. As most people know and history has proven, this is a poor way to run a healthcare program. One just has to look at the state of the American healthcare industry to realize how capricious, inefficient, and inane it all is. On average people who are enrolled on Medicare Advantage spend 3 percent more on healthcare while receiving far less care while the insurance companies shirk their responsibilities wherever they can to help fatten their profit margins.
The Watertown Free Public Library will offer a series of technology classes in Spanish. The classes were made possible through the Public Library Association Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive, supported by AT&T. In November and December, the Library worked with the Watertown Housing Authority to offer a set of classes. All four classes will be held at the Watertown Library, 123 Main St., Watertown, in the Lucia Mastrangelo Room on the second floor. The schedule of classes can be seen below:
Clases de Tecnologia Gratis en WFPL
Los Básicos del Internet
Martes, 21/2/2023 | 19:00 | en WFPL | Mejora tu confianza en buscar y navegar en la web.
The Watertown Community Foundation (WCF) announces the 2023 application process is now open for Youth Sports Leagues Grants. These grants provide funding to eligible organizations to offer scholarship support to Watertown youth from kindergarten to high school. Examples of programs eligible for Youth Sports Leagues Grants include:
• Baseball/Softball• Football/Cheerleading• Soccer• Basketball• Lacrosse• Hockey
WCF Youth Sports Leagues Grants will help pay for sports registration fees or equipment for student athletes who otherwise cannot afford to play. “Many children cannot participate in organized sports due to the cost and some of the volunteer youth league coaches assume the added burden of paying player’s fees themselves.” said Mary Ann Mulligan, WCF Board Co-President. The goal is to help reduce financial barriers and allow more Watertown youth to participate in team sports.
(The author has responded to some of the comments from the original Op-Ed posted on Feb. 8, 2023, see them after the letter:)
First, I want to thank the watertownmanews and the Historical Society of Watertown and Joyce Kelly, in particular, for this Saturday’s trip into Watertown’s past. It seems sometimes that the City of Watertown is engaged in such a head spinning rush to blandness and “anytown-ness” that in the words of Joni Mitchell, “We won’t know what we’ve got till it’s gone.”
In June 2022, Clyde Younger and I presented a proposal that would require a study of old buildings on Main Street, and one in particular (104-106 Main), to see if a local historic district was appropriate. The City Council, without much discussion, unanimously voted down our proposal for a study, one councillor even remarking that there are no old buildings on Main Street. Having been turned down for a historic study of one of the oldest and most historic cities and on one of the oldest and most historic streets in North America, I decided that I would do a study myself.
Charlie BreitroseVictory Field is home to Watertown High School’s football team, along with the field hockey, girls and boys soccer, boys and girls lacrosse, and baseball teams.
On Feb. 6, the School Committee supported the recommendation to replace the artificial turf surface at the field most used by Watertown High School’s athletic teams, however some did so with strong reservations because it would be a different type of artificial turf. The artificial turf field at Victory Field is nearing the end of its recommended life. The City plans to replace it with another artificial turf, but with an organic material between the plastic blades of grass. The final decision on whether to approve the project will come from the City Council, and the funding would come from the City’s budget, not the Schools.
The following announcement came from the City of Watertown:
There is an Upper Saltonstall Project Community Meeting on Thursday, February 23, 2023 at 5:30 PM. Please join us via ZOOM https://watertown-ma.zoom.us/j/81177139425
For additional information, please contact Bob Dirico at rdirico@watertown-ma.gov or 617-972-6420.