Around Town

Support Group for Family of People Living with Mental Illness

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The following announcement was provided by NAMI:

Family Mental Health support group: NAMI Family Mental Health Support Group is a free, structured, confidential peer-led support group for the families of individuals living with mental illness.  

A support group will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 7:30 – 9 p.m. at the Newton Wellesley Hospital, at 2014 Washington Street in Newton 02461, on the second floor of the main building in the Bowles Conference Center, Room Bowles 1. Parking will be validated. This is organized by the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI).

Around Town

Community Preservation Committee Wants to Hear from Public

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The following information was provided by the Community Preservation Committee:

The Community Preservation Act (CPA) in Watertown raises funds through a 2% percent surcharge on local property taxes and a variable annual distribution from the MA Community Preservation Trust Fund. There are four eligible project funding categories: community housing; open space; outdoor recreation; and historic preservation. It is mandated that 10% of funds generated annually must be designated to each category. Please note funding for open space and recreation is a combined category. Up to 5% may be used for administration and the remaining 65% may be allocated among the project categories.

Around Town

Watertown Journalist, Teacher Being Honored at South by Southwest

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John Vitti, center, will receive a Community Service Award at the South by Southwest festival in March for his work with school newspapers in Watertown and many other communities. Here he is shown with students on Watertown Splash, the newspaper at Watertown Middle School. John Vitti’s professional life has been all about journalism, and since his children’s elementary school days he has shared his love and knowledge for reporting with students in Watertown. An editor with the Boston Globe, Vitti helped create the school newspapers at all five of Watertown’s public schools, and his venture now stretches more than 125 schools around the Boston area. For his work, he will receive a Community Service Award at South by Southwest Conference in Austin, Texas, in March.

Around Town

Boys & Girls Club Running a February School Vacation Program

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Boys & Girls Club:

Looking for a fun time for your kids during February Vacation Week? Registration is open for Watertown Boys & Girls Club February School Vacation Program. The program is offered Tuesday 2/18/20 thru Friday 2/21/20 from 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. for youth ages 7-13. The cost is $45.00 a day and thanks to a generous grant from Watertown Community Foundation, healthy lunch is included! All youth attending the program must be a member and registered for the program.

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Developer Defends Watertown After Globe Article Poo Poos Town as Biotech Destination

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An illustration of the biotech tower planned for Arsenal Yards. It appeared as part of an ad taken out by Boylston Properties defending Watertown as a biotech destination after a Boston Globe article that said Kendall Square is the place to be. The owners of Arsenal Yards leapt to the defense of Watertown after a Boston Globe published an article about biotech bigwigs snubbing the town as a place to set up business. The Jan. 26 Boston Globe article interviewed biotech execs and investors who said that Cambridge’s Kendall Square remains the place to be.

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February at the Senior Center Includes a Valentine’s Breakfast, Tax Help and Exercise Classes

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Watertown Senior Center

The Watertown Senior Center has a variety of exercise classes, a Valentine’s Breakfast and Speed Dating this month, and much more. See details below in the Senior News, provided by the Watertown Senior Center. Greetings from the Director

Greetings! Although winter may seem cold and dreary, there is warmth and fun happening at the Watertown Senior Center and we encourage you to join us! Friday’s Chair Volleyball Team has been meeting for a few months now and invites new players each week.

Around Town

Free Blood Pressure Screening Available in Watertown

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The Watertown Mall provided the following information:

Free Blood Pressure Screening! On the first Friday of every month, the Watertown Mall has a free blood pressure screening. Screenings are sponsored by the Watertown Health Department. This month screening takes place Friday, Feb. 7 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Location: back hallway, near Target, across from Carter’s.

Around Town

Assisted Technology Lab Opens at Carroll Center for the Blind

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The new device lab at the Carroll Center for the Blind features popular devices ranging from Apple’s iPad Air to iRobot’s Roomba Robot Vacuum. Through a partnership with the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association, The Carroll Center for the Blind in Newton recently launched an assistive technology device lab to help individuals with vision loss to better understand and learn how to effectively use various devices that have the power to help them retain their independence. The open-concept device lab offers access to a wide spectrum of over 18 different popular devices for use by all of the Center’s program participants. Most smartphones and other devices now come with several built-in accessibility options. Plus, there are a wide assortment of other mainstream and specialized applications available to download which support independence for people with low vision or blindness. Both free and paid mobile applications like Aira or Microsoft’s Seeing AI provide the ability to narrate the world through your smartphone camera—reading out street signs, printed text, and identifying objects and people.