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Paddle and Run the Charles River Virtually in 2021, Event Hosted by Charles River Watershed Association

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Charles River Watershed AssociationThe Run of the Charles paddle race will take place virtually in 2021, with participants paddling live but on their own schedule. A run will also be held. The following announcement was provided by the Charles River Watershed Association:

We are excited for you to join us for this year’s Annual Run of the Charles with a virtual twist! While we had high hopes to do our beloved event in person, we have put together a fun and interactive event to get you out on the Charles enjoying the sights and sounds of Spring. We look forward to keeping the competition alive! Run of the Charles: Boston’s Premier Paddling Race, Sunday, April 25 – Sunday, May 23 www.charlesriver.org

RUN OF THE CHARLES PADDLE RACE

For this year’s paddle race, individual paddlers and teams have the option of four different routes, some taking you to areas of the Charles where you may have never paddled before!

Around Town

Arsenal Yards Kicks Off Outdoor Fitness Series Featuring Local Instructors

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Head to Arsenal Yards for an outdoor fitness series this spring and summer. The following information was provided by Arsenal Yards:

With summer just around the corner, Arsenal Yards invites area residents and visitors to get outside and break a sweat as part of its spring and summer outdoor fitness series. In partnership with local Watertown and Greater Boston fitness studios, guests can visit Arsenal Yards’ River Green Sunday through Wednesday for a variety of fitness classes taking place from April to September.  

While the past year has made it difficult for many to workout indoors and in gyms, Arsenal Yards is thrilled to invite the Watertown community onto the River Green for unique outdoor, socially distant fitness experiences. With classes ranging from yoga and barre to boot camps and cardio kickboxing, participating studios include Pure Barre Arsenal Yards (coming soon to Arsenal Yards), Kick it by Eliza, Monique from Burpees to Bubbly, Artemis Yoga, Get Lively: Health & Fitness and Ballroom in Boston. All classes must be reserved online in advance, and a small donation is requested to hold each spot. Online registration opens one week prior to the date of the class. All classes support a local community organization which will change each month; proceeds raised during the month of April will be donated to support the Watertown Food Pantry. 

“We’re so excited to partner with local Watertown and Boston studios for the return of our outdoor fitness series, which was hugely popular last year,” said Jessica Reed, Marketing Director at Arsenal Yards. “With Pure Barre coming soon to Arsenal Yards and the warmer weather approaching, we couldn’t think of a better time to invite visitors and the Watertown community to come together to enjoy these classes out on our River Green, while also giving back to some of our favorite local community organizations.” 

Available classes for April follow below, and visitors are encouraged to check out the Arsenal Yards Events Calendar for additional classes to be added for upcoming months: 

• Tuesday, April 20th at 5:30 PM with Pure Barre Arsenal Yards • Wednesday, April 21st at 4:00 PM Bootcamp with Get Lively: Health & Fitness • Sunday, April 25th at 10:30 AM with Artemis Yoga • Monday, April 26th at 5:30 PM with Kick it by Eliza and a live DJ • Tuesday, April 27th at 5:30 PM with Pure Barre Arsenal Yards  • Wednesday, April 28th at 6:15 PM with Ballroom in Boston, Line Dancing 

The health and safety of guests, staff and instructors is of the utmost importance to Arsenal Yards. Masks are required for the duration of each class. Participants will be separated by at least 6 feet and will be assigned a socially distant location upon check-in. There is limited capacity for each class, which will be strictly enforced.  

Classes will be held outside on the River Green, located near Shake Shack. Parking is available in the free red or purple parking garage, along with the surface parking area near City Works. For more information about Arsenal Yards, visit  www.arsenalyards.com.  

ABOUT ARSENAL YARDS 

Along the Charles River, in the heart of East End Watertown, Greater Boston’s next great neighborhood is emerging.

Around Town

Watertown Citizens Group to Hear from Joint Groups Looking at Police Reform at April Meeting

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The following information was provided by Watertown Citizens for Peach Justice and the Environment:

The Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment will hold its April Monthly Meeting on Wednesday April 21 at 7:00 pm, online. The April monthly meeting of Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment will feature presentations by the Watertown Joint Police Reform Group. The group comprises an alliance of three local teams: Uplift Watertown, the Kingian Response Team, and Watertown Citizens for Black Lives (a working group of WCPJE). The Police Reform group will present updates on multiple projects that seek to bring more accountability, transparency, communication and trust between the Watertown Police Department and our community. Following the presentations there will be ample time for questions and general discussion.

Around Town

See What’s Going on This Week at the Watertown Senior Center

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Watertown Senior Center

The following information was provided by the Watertown Senior Center:

Programs for Week of April 19, 2021

Join us via Zoom for the following programs. Call for access info: (617) 972-6490. New participants always welcome in every program! We hope you’ll join us! All Watertown Senior Center Programs via Zoom. Call (617) 972-6490 for details.

Around Town

Sunrise Watertown Holding March for Environment on Earth Day

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A sign being made by a member of Sunrise Watertown, a youth-led environmental organization. A group made up of youth from Watertown will march on Earth Day to push for legislation at the state and local level to benefit the environment. Organizers sent out the following information:

This upcoming Earth Day, Sunrise Watertown plans to take action and lead a march from the middle school, past town hall, and to the square. Their goal is to educate the town on the climate crisis while simultaneously putting pressure on the town council to declare a climate emergency and enact more decisive legislation to combat the crisis. Sunrise Watertown plans to stage a few speeches and read an op-ed which was authored by its own members and will be about the town councils lack of action concerning the climate emergency.

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Adult Autism Support Center Expands Services to Watertown

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The following information was provided by Lifeworks:

Lifeworks, a nonprofit human services provider that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, announced that it is expanding its community-based autism services to include adult autism support in 40 communities in the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Boston Metro Region, in addition to its existing youth and family autism services in Newton and parts of Norfolk county. Lifeworks will establish an Adult Autism Support Center within its West Roxbury office that will help individuals and families navigate available autism-related services, provide workshops and caregiver training, and participate in enriching social and recreational activities. “It’s a privilege to expand our autism support services in the DDS Metro Boston Region,” said Daniel Sullivan, Vice President of Quality and Community Services at Lifeworks. “We look forward to providing our comprehensive supports and services as we establish new community connections and partnerships.”

As part of this effort, Lifeworks will appoint an Assistant Director of Adult Services, add two new adult autism support specialists, and form new collaborations with advocacy organizations, employers, law enforcement and other community partners. Lifeworks has a long history of providing autism supports and its Family Autism Center based at its headquarters in Westwood has grown to serve nearly 1,000 individuals in the Newton/South Norfolk area. Under its new DDS contract, Lifeworks will now provide Adult Autism Support Center services in the following DDS areas:

• Greater Boston – Boston, Brookline, Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop

• Charles River West – Belmont, Cambridge, Somerville, Waltham, Watertown

• Middlesex West – Ashland, Dover, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Marlborough, Natick, Northborough, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, Wayland, Westborough

• Newton/South Norfolk – Canton, Dedham, Foxborough, Medfield, Millis, Needham, Newton, Norfolk, Norwood, Plainville, Sharon, Walpole, Wellesley, Weston, Westwood, Wrentham

Lifeworks will now support the entire age range of individuals with autism: the family program supports children and youths and the adult program supports those ages 18 and older.

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Watertown COVID Cases Creep Up for Third Week, Nearly 40% of Residents Got First Vaccination Shot

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Watertown’s COVID-19 cases continued to increase for the third straight week. according to the Mass. Department of Public Health report, and nearly 1-in-5 Watertown residents have at least started the vaccination process. The Town had 93 cases over the previous 14 days, according to the state’s report from April 8, a dozen more than the previous week. The positive test rate also rose for the third straight week, from 1.48 percent on April 1 to 1.72 percent on April 8.