Around Town

Monthly Meeting Coming Up for Caregivers, Loved Ones of People with Mental Illness

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The following information was provided by NAMI:

The virtual NAMI Family Support Group will be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm using zoom.us so the next one will be on Tuesday, July 14. We will offer this until we are able to meet in person again. This group is for caregivers of persons with mental illness. See namimass.org for information regarding peer groups for people themselves experiencing a mental illness.    

To get the information to enter this group, we need your email address. Please email us at info@naminw.org, and add your phone number in case we need to reach you.  

Around Town

Police Log: Suspect Caught With Items Taken from Vehicles, Man Busted for Stealing Plants

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests

None

Incidents

Between June 22 and June 28, the Watertown Police Department received six reports of an unemployment scheme. The residents report that they got letters about their unemployment applications, but they had never filed for benefits. Unemployment fraud can be reported to the Department of Unemployment Assistance by clicking here. June 22, 6:04 a.m.: Police were called when a witness saw someone trying to get into the window of an Audi SUV on Waverley Avenue.

Around Town

Watertown Recreation Offering Summer Programs for Kids and Adults

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The Watertown Recreation Department will be offering summer program offerings beginning on July 13th. Registration will begin on Tuesday July 7th at 9:00 a.m. and will be on a first come, first serve basis. Please review the following brochure for specific opportunities. Kids Programs

Park Adventure Program

Join the Watertown Recreation Department for a half day summerprogram for all Watertown children. Activities will range from arts & crafts,sports, drama, and many other activities geared toward their interests and age. Monday – Friday, July 13th – August 28th

Entering Grades K – 8 Fall 2020

1 Week Sessions 9:00am – 12:00pm

Fee: $100.00

Sessions: Monday – Friday

1) July 13 – July 17 2) July 20 – July 24 3) July 27 – July 314) August 3 – August 7 5) August 10 – August 146) August 17 – August 217) August 24 – August 28

Program Locations:

Arsenal Park Grades K-2, Grades 3-5Filippello Park Grades K-2, Grades 3-5Casey Park Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8Moxley Park Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8

Youth Tennis

Youth tennis classes will be offered during the summer months.Participants will be taught many tennis skills including forehand,backhand, serving, and scoring.

Around Town

Watertown’s School Meal Pickups Extending Through Summer

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The Watertown Public Schools will continue to provide free breakfasts and lunches through the summer, but will be distributing meals on different days. Since the shutdown of schools due to COVID-19, the Watertown School Nutrition program has been giving out meals from the parking lot at Watertown High School to families in need. The program is funded through a Federal grant provided to districts in Massachusetts. During the school year the meals were distributed three days a week, and more than 200 families took part. Over the summer they will be handed two days a week — Tuesdays and Fridays.

Around Town

This Week’s Senior Center Online Events Include a Conversation, Tai Chi & Art

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Watertown Senior Center

The Watertown Council on Aging/Senior Center has been offering fitness, art and discussion programs via Zoom! Please call the Senior Center at (617) 972-6490 for program information and Zoom access. Link to Watertown Senior News: https://www.watertown-ma.gov/150/Activities-during-COVID-19. Page with links to Museums (July Issue) can be found here: https://www.watertown-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/29678/LinksToMuseums_July-2020

Week of July 6, 2020 – July 10, 2020

Monday, July 6 

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM, Chair Yoga with Diane

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Art Class with Dawn Scaltreto                                                            

Tuesday, July 7 

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM, Tai Chi and Meditation with MarieWednesday, July 89:30 AM Book Club Zoom 

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Exercise with Joanna

Thursday, July 9

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM, Conversation with Tom12:30 PM – 1:30 PM, Discussion with the Museum of Russian Icons (Session 1 of 2) 

Friday, July 1012:00 PM – 1:00 PM, Seated Strength and Balance with Pearl1:30 PM – 2:30 PM, Sing with the Mellowtones and Anne Silverman 

For more information, call the Senior Center at (617) 972-6490. Although the building is closed to visitors, staff members are here to help with Zoom program access and any other service issues and assistance needs you may have, including taxi rides to local medical appointments, SHINE counseling and Case Worker assistance.

Around Town

Burials at Local Cemeteries Spiked During COVID-19 Surge in Massachusetts

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Gravestones at Mount Auburn Cemetery. Two of the largest cemeteries in Watertown saw a huge increase in the number of burials during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak in Massachusetts. At the Town-operated Ridgelawn Cemetery, the number of burials almost doubled compared to a year ago, according to Jesse Myott, Department of Public Works Director of Administration & Finance. “The last few months we have seen a significant increase in — not to be cold, but — cemetery operations,” Myott told the Town Council last week. “It is nothing like anything that any of our senior staff has ever seen, and we have a number of 10 and 20 year veterans.

Around Town

Gov. Approves Opening of Gyms, Museums, Cinemas & More in Phase 3 of COVID Reopening

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Gov. Charlie Baker, with Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito. Beginning Monday, July 6, gyms, movie theaters and museums will be allowed to reopen as part of Phase 3 of Massachusetts’ COVID-19 reopening plan. Also allowed will be weddings and professional sporting events, but both have significant limitations. Gov. Charlie Baker announced the beginning of Phase 3 Thursday afternoon, and said residents of the state have done a good job slowing the spread of COVID-19. He added that Phase 3 will not start in the City of Boston until Monday, July 13.

Around Town

Library Fines Eliminated in Watertown, Current Fines Removed

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The Watertown Free Public Library will no longer be charging fines for late materials. The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Library:

The Watertown Free Public Library has abolished overdue fines for most materials. At their May 5 Board Meeting, the Library Board of Trustees voted unanimously to recommend Town Manager Michael Driscoll eliminate library fines. As a result, fine elimination was included in the FY21 budget which was approved by Town Council on June 29, 2020. 

Beginning July 1, fines will no longer be charged for items that are returned late. This applies to any Watertown or Minuteman Library Network (MLN) item checked out at the WFPL.