Around Town

LETTER: Is There a Way for Watertown to Avoid Losing a Gem like Russo’s?

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To the Editor:

I just saw on line that Russo’s is closing. This store has been a cherished family-owned retailer for more than 70 years, and we are deeply grateful to Tony Russo and his family and to their wonderful employees for their dedication and hard work – and for all their contributions to our community. We wish Tony and his family a happy, healthy, and well-deserved retirement. And we wish the Russo’s employees all the best as they face an uncertain future when Russo’s closes. Russo’s is a gem.  What will happen to Watertown when it is gone??!!! I think that all the Russo’s customers — and this includes shoppers from all across metropolitan Boston, not only Watertown — view Russo’s as a unique resource for excellent reasonably-priced produce and fruit, a great bakery, and wonderful source of cheeses and prepared foods — plus plants and gardening supplies and Christmas trees. For many of us, Russo’s is a weekly destination for shopping and for seeing neighbors. Many say that Russo’s has a positive effect on Watertown property values. And I and many others fear that the loss of Russo’s would be a blow to the character of our city.

Around Town

Marshall Home Fund Seeks to Fill Job

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The following announcement was provided by Marshall Home Fund:

Fund Administrator for Watertown Non-profit Foundation

The Marshall Home Fund, a private, non-profit charity that provides grants to benefit Watertown’s older adults, is seeking a part-time Administrator. The Administrator will have the following responsibilities:   

Coordinating the grant application process and supporting grantees Supporting board members and committee chairsPromoting the work of grantees and MHFOffice administration

​Qualifications:

The successful candidate will: 

Possess excellent organizational and interpersonal skills; Be proficient in Microsoft Office applications including Excel, as well as Zoom meeting technology;Be knowledgeable in general office procedures and able to take accurate meeting minutes;Demonstrate a high level of maturity as well as discretion, tact, and diplomacy in communicating with grantees, board members and the wider community, verbally and in writing;  Be self-directed, comfortable working independently, and able to prioritize tasks. At least two years of college, with a minimum of three years experience in administrative, computer-related, or similar office work is desired.  A demonstrated interest in the welfare of older people/ and/or experience with human services will be most helpful. ​Salary: $10,000 – $15,000 annually, depending on experience

Start date: October, 2021

Openings: 1 part time position (approximately 7 to 10 hours per week)

​Location:   Watertown, MA

To apply:  Please send a letter of interest and resume to Carole Katz, Co-President, Marshall Home Fund katz.carole@gmail.com. Carole can be reached by phone at 617 285-6143.

Around Town

Russo’s Market Will Be Closing, Owner Announces Retirement

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An institution in Watertown will be closing later this year when Russo’s market closes its doors after more than 100 years since it started business as a farm. The announcement was sent out by the store on Sunday, Aug. 15, on Facebook, and a statement was also posted on the Russo’s website. A Facebook post said that Tony Russo will be retiring later this year. He recalled working with his grandparents on the farm and his father and uncle at the wholesale warehouse.

Around Town

Watertown Residents Can Dispose of Medical Sharps at Upcoming Collection Event

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Health Department:

Household sharps collection will take place on Saturday, August 14, 2021 9:00 a.m. – noon at 149 Main Street, Watertown Town Hall Parking Lot at Rear of Building. Watertown Residents may bring the following items on collection days: Used Needles, syringes, and lancets, stored in sturdy puncture proof containers. Unused capped needles, syringes and lancets in original packaging. Unused EpiPen’s in original containers. Locked sharps containers.

Around Town

Court Finds Watertown Company Violated Fair Labor Standards, Retaliated Against Employee

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The following announcement was provided by the U.S. Department of Labor:

An employee who worked for two Massachusetts construction contractors was within his rights when he complained to his supervisor about not receiving overtime pay and requested the wages he was due. The two companies responded with a campaign of retaliation, pressuring the worker to withdraw his overtime complaint. They convinced other individuals to follow and threaten the worker’s family, and told other employees they might lose their jobs because the worker requested overtime pay that was legally due. An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found that the contractors’ actions violated the anti-retaliation provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The department’s Office of the Solicitor filed suit against the defendants and obtained a temporary restraining order in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in October of 2020.

Around Town

Watertown Church Welcomes New Priest, Returns to In-Person Services

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The Rev. Andrew Goldhor and former Good Shepherd Deacon the Rev. Ken Schmidt offer outdoor communion on Easter, April 4, while services were still being held remotely. The Church of the Good Shepherd provided the following piece:

On July 18th the Church of the Good Shepherd held its first in-person worship service since the pandemic began. The Reverend Andrew Goldhor officiated at the service, which included communion and was characterized by mask-wearing, socially distanced seating, and humming to hymns rather than singing. 

Rev. Goldhor, who prefers to be called Andrew, was appointed Priest-in-Change at Good Shepherd in October of 2020. He succeeds The Very Rev. Amy McCreath, who left Good Shepherd in 2018 to accept the position of Dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston. Andrew has been leading Zoom services at 10 am on Sundays since his arrival. Current in-person services are also streamed online and can be found at www.goodshepherdwatertown.org.

Around Town

Nike Opening New Store in Historic Building at Arsenal Yards

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NikeInside the new Nike Unite store at Arsenal Yards. One of the most visible spaces at Arsenal Yards will be filled by one of the biggest names in athletic clothing and gear. The new Nike Unite Watertown store opens Saturday, Aug. 7, in one of the buildings that was part of the original Watertown Arsenal. “As part of the Nike Unite concept, which reimagines our factory store vision, Nike Unite Watertown is a 15,998-square-foot home court for local Nike members, serving as our most valuable destination for sport and product inspiration in the communities we serve,” said the announcement from Nike.

Around Town

Celebrity Chef Opens New Orleans Inspired Restaurant in Watertown

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Charlie BreitroseThe patio seating outside Buttermilk & Bourbon is part of Chef Jason Santos’ vision of bringing a taste of New Orleans to Watertown. One of Boston’s celebrity chefs brought his New Orleans inspired cuisine to Watertown, where he had his first opportunity to build a restaurant from scratch. Buttermilk & Bourbon officially opens on Monday, Aug. 9, but chef and owner Jason Santos hosted an opening night celebration on Aug. 5 at his newest location at Arsenal Yards.