Around Town

Temporary Suspension of Watertown’s Winter Parking Ban Over the Holidays

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Clipartpanda.com

The Watertown Police Department announced a temporary suspension of enforcement of the overnight parking ban over the holidays. The City sent out the following announcement:

Effective December 23, 2021, enforcement of the All Night Parking Ban will be temporarily suspended – barring any snowfall that would require plowing or sanding. Should there be a snow event please refer to the City website for available off-street parking locations. 

Police Chief Michael Lawn encourages all homeowners to continue using available off-street parking during the overnight hours. Enforcement of the All Night Parking Ban will resume on January 3, 2022.  

Have a safe and healthy holiday season.

Around Town

OP-ED: Keep Health Care Workers in Mind, System Strained by More Than COVID

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State Sen. Will Brownsberger

The following piece was provided by State Sen. Will Brownsberger, who represents Watertown, Belmont and parts of Boston:

Please keep our health care workers in mind as you make decisions about what COVID risks to take over the coming weeks. As of Tuesday, December 14, there were 1411 people hospitalized with COVID in Massachusetts, of which 326 were in the ICU and 176 were intubated. That is well below the level in the first April 2020 surge when hospitalizations peaked at almost 4,000, yet for a combination of reasons, the hospital system is feeling a lot of strain. Steve Walsh, President of the Massachusetts Hospital Association testified at a hearing on December 16 about the state of the hospital system. He made the following points in his testimony:

Like many employers across the country, hospitals are having difficulty recruiting staff — nurses and behavioral health specialists are most in demand, but all hospital jobs are hard to fill.Caregivers are exhausted and burnt out — many are leaving for other fields or retiring.In the early days of COVID, it was possible to recruit travel nurses — acute surges were happening in only a few states.

Around Town

Alzheimer’s Association Hosting Luminary Walk of Hope in Watertown

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The Alzheimer’s Association Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter will host the Luminary Walk for Hope on Dec. 20 from 7-8 p.m. at Victory Field in Watertown. The Alzheimer’s Association sent out the following information:

As we prepare for the Winter Solstice, we invite you to join us for a luminary lighting and walk of hope for the first survivor. Enjoy a musical performance and hot chocolate bar as we honor those living with dementia as well their caregivers, and remember all of those we have lost. This is a FREE outdoor event, all are welcome!

Around Town

Free Audio Tour of Gore Place Available Using Cellphones

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The following information came from Gore Place:

Gore Place is offering a new audio tour of the 50-acre estate in Waltham and Watertown. The tour entitled, My Farm at Waltham will be available, year-round, free of charge. Accessed by phone, the audio tour describes the information on interpretive panels which can be found on six key points of the property. The panels tell the story of Christopher and Rebecca Gore’s 250-acre farm, the people who worked the land, and the animals they raised. The audio tour and interpretive panels are available dawn to dusk, year-round, except during special events. Check the museum’s website for availability. The audio tour was funded, in part, by a grant from the Watertown Cultural Council and Waltham Cultural Council, which receive support from the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

Around Town

Watertown-Based Pathfinder International Names New Board Chair

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The following announcement was provided by Pathfinder International:

Pathfinder International is pleased to announce that Collin Mothupi will serve as the organization’s new board chair. Mothupi has been on Pathfinder’s board of directors since 2017 and is the first Pathfinder board chair born and raised in sub-Saharan Africa, where the organization operates many of its programs.

Born in Uganda to a South African political exile imprisoned for activism against the apartheid regime, Mothupi spent his early life as a refugee in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. During that time, he worked as a child actor and an environmental activist as a founding member of Roots & Shoots, a Jane Goodall Institute youth organization. “Pathfinder’s work in the countries where I grew up exemplifies the power of community-driven programs to the health and well-being of Africans,” said Mothupi. “Pathfinder programs are unique in the humanitarian aid sector as they truly reflect the interests, culture, history, and voices of the people they serve.

Around Town

Entries Wanted for Watertown Holiday Lighting & Decorations Contest

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Enter the Watertown Holiday Decorations and Lights Contest and win money for yourself and your favorite local charity. Which house in Watertown has the best holiday display? If you think it is your home, enter the Watertown Holiday Lighting & Decoration Contest. The winner will receive a $250 American Express gift card and $250 for your favorite Watertown charity or non-profit organization. Homes will be judged on the following criteria:

Unique design and creative use of lights and decorationsStoryline or themeDisplay and placement of decorations, animated objects, etc.Overall presentation

Judges will not enter the home or walk in the yard.

Around Town

Boston’s Prudential Center Turned Blue for Perkins School for the Blind This Month

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The Prudential Center sports a blue top and towers over Boston’s Back Bay skyline. The following announcement was provided by Perkins School for the Blind:

Earlier this month, Perkins School for the Blind lit up the Back Bay skyline as part of the Prudential Center’s Annual 31 Nights of Light program. Each night during December the Prudential Tower shines bright to celebrate local Boston-area organizations. Perkins selected Dec. 3, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, to shine a light on the 240 million children around the world with disabilities.