Around Town

Library Hosting Event on Talking With Your Kids About Racism

By |

Watertown Free Public Library

The following information was provided by the Watertown Free Public Library:

How do you talk to kids about racism? Racism has always been aggressively present in the United States, but in today’s heated political moment, it is especially vital that caregivers and educators feel prepared to discuss race and racism with the children in their lives. 

On Sunday, Oct. 6 at 2 p.m., the Watertown Free Public Library invites area caregivers and educators to participate in a workshop led by Boston-area nonprofit Wee The People. Many adults find it daunting to broach discussing racism with children, but this workshop is specifically designed to develop strategies and tools to begin the conversation about the complexities of race, racism, and racial difference. This workshop is open to all caregivers and educators and does not require registration. 

Wee The People is a social justice project offering dynamic race and equity programming for kids, parents, caregivers, and educators.

Around Town

Rotary Club Invites Seniors to Annual Cookout at Sons of Italy

By |

The Watertown Rotary Club will hosts its annual Senior Citizen Cookout on Oct. 6, 2019. The free event features food, music and entertainment and will be held at the Sons of Italy Hall, 520 Pleasant St., Watertown from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Doors open at 11:30 a.m.

Food includes hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza. There will be prizes, give aways and more. Entertainment will be provided by Disc Jockey “Rock’n'” Richard Picceri and Miss Maria’s School of Dance.

Around Town

Watertown Youth Coalition Seeks Community’s Input

By |

The following information was provided by Watertown Youth Coalition:

WYC would like to hear from all Watertown residents about how we can best support you in taking responsibility for the wellness of our youth and community. Youth wellness is at the heart of community wellness. Please come share with us about your passions, concerns and ideas for welcoming, educating and supporting our wonderfully diverse community! Hot topics these days are vaping, youth substance misuse prevention, mental health, acceptance, racial justice and equity, LGBTQIA+ and social justice, intersectionality, legalization of marijuana, underage drinking, screen time, managing stress and supporting overall wellness. Which are most important to you?

Around Town

Town Warns of Potential Electricity Scams; Confusion Over New Program

By |

Watertown’s new electricity program has launched, but the program’s manager has heard reports of confusing and even concerning messages that residents have received. Most Watertown residential electrical customers and some small businesses, have transitioned to the new Watertown Electricity Choice program.The change was made automatically, so residents do not have to sign up for anything. The program is part of the electricity aggregation program which communities are allowed by State Law to create. One of the aims is to get more electricity produced by renewable, or “green,” sources such as solar, wind and hydroelectric. The program offers choices of increasing the amount of renewable energy to 100 percent, reducing to the rate that others in the State receive, 14 percent, or opting out of the program all together.

Around Town

OP-ED: Education Reform Bill Would Provide More Funding

By |

State Sen. Will Brownsberger

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

Friday, the legislature’s Education Committee released the Student Opportunity Act, a very significant education reform bill. It is an especially promising bill because the House and Senate leadership teams are already in agreement on all of its details. 

The bill targets more aid to communities with the highest concentrations of low income students, but schools in every community will benefit. The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) computes a budget for each school system in the state, known as the “Foundation Budget.” DESE also computes an amount that the school system should be able to contribute towards that budget. The state then sends the difference between what the community can afford and the Foundation Budget as education aid. Unfortunately, the Foundation Budget computation has not kept up with rising school costs. On average, communities need to spend approximately 30 percent more than the Foundation Budget to run their schools. The poorest communities in the state are unable to spend at that level and are therefore spending much less than the more affluent communities in the state.

Around Town

Watertown’s Big Celebration, the 20th Faire on the Square, is Around the Corner

By |

Charlie BreitroseA crowd gathers to watch a dancing group perform at the 2018 Faire on the Square. Watertown Square will be filled with music, flying acrobats, dancers, ponies, kids rides and hundreds of booths during the annual Faire on the Square. The 21st annual event will be held Saturday, Sept. 28 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Saltonstall Park (next to Town Hall). The Faire will feature 160 exhibitors, including local businesses, organizations, sports groups and Town Departments, said Dan McCarthy of DM Productions, chairman of the Faire Planning Committee, who also ran the entertainment for years.

Around Town

Tufts Health Plan Foundation Appoints New Board Members

By |

The following information was provided by Tufts Health Plan Foundation:

Tufts Health Plan Foundation welcomed Benjamin Perkins, Jo Ann Simons, Mary Skelton Roberts and Kristin Lewis to its Board of Directors, broadening its leadership and expertise in community. The Foundation, which recently celebrated its first decade, works collaboratively to make communities great places to grow up and grow old. “Our board brings diverse, lived, professional expertise to our work, but most importantly a passion for community,” said Thomas P. O’Neill, III, who chairs the Tufts Health Plan Foundation board of directors and serves on the Tufts Health Plan board. Nora Moreno Cargie, president of Tufts Health Plan Foundation and vice president for corporate citizenship at Tufts Health Plan, added, “We know our new members’ insights and wisdom will advance our mission and enrich this very important work.”

An avid social-justice practitioner, intellectual, and creative thinker, Benjamin Perkins is the vice president of Health Equity Strategies for the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. He has extensive experience in public health and health disparities and inequities.

Around Town

Get a Look Inside Watertown Cable at the Annual Open House

By |

The following announcement was provided by Watertown Cable Access:

Come on down to WCA-TV on Saturday, October 19th for our annual fall open house. From 12 pm to 4 pm, you will be able to take a tour of our studio space, learn about what kind of video production workshops we’re offering, and learn about many other ways to get involved here at Watertown’s only cable access station. We can get you started on everything you need to put together your own television program. You’ll be able to meet with our staff, some of our volunteers, and board members. We’ll answer any questions you have!