Around Town

Middlesex DA Marian Ryan Visiting Senior Center to Warn About Winter Scams

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Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan will speak at the Watertown Senior Center about avoiding scams.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan will spread awareness about winter scams when she visits the Watertown Senior Center this month. The event will be on Jan. 30, 2019, at 10 a.m. at the Senior Center, 31 Marshall St., Watertown. This forum will educate participants about common scams that target senior citizens during the winter months. Scam-related topics include:

Home HeatingSnow RemovalRoof ServiceChimney CleaningFurnace CleaningVehicle MaintenanceTree Service

Please call to register, 617-972-6490.

Around Town

Event at Library Focuses on African Americans’ Experience in Mass. in the Past and Today

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The latest event in the Watertown Free Public Library’s Democracy Talks series will focus on The African American Trail Project. The event will be held Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, at 7 p.m. in the Watertown Savings Bank Room. The Library provided the following information:

The African American Trail Project is a city-wide organizational network and community-based archive that maps African American and African-descended public history sites across greater Boston. Housed at Tufts University, the project aims to develop African American historical memory and intergenerational connections through research, exhibits, and community engagement.

Around Town

Get Out Your Skates, Watertown’s Outdoor Ice Rink is Open

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A family enjoys some skating at Watertown’s Outdoor Ice Rink at Casey Park. Watertown’s outdoor skating rink has opened for the winter and has already been popular with residents young and old. The ice rink is located at Casey Park, on Watertown Street south of the Charles River. Recreation Director Peter Centola announced that the rink is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless the ice is being resurfaced. “We are on to day 6 of the Casey Ice Rink and the conditions are the best ever thanks to the great work of our DPW and Recreation staff,” said Centola, who also took some videos at the rink on opening day (see below).

Around Town

OP-ED: Blow Me Down! Popeye turns 90!

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The first drawing of Popeye the Sailor, by E.C. Segar, appeared on Jan. 17, 1929. The following piece was written by Watertown resident and Popeye aficionado Fred Grandinetti:

On January 17, 1929 Olive Oyl’s brother Castor was looking for a mariner to run his ship. He came across a pipe smoking swab and asked “Are you a sailor?” The reply was “Ja think I’m a cowboy?” and Popeye was born.  In 2019 the spinach eater celebrates his 90th birthday.

Around Town

Watertown Makes Top 100 Safest Cities in America List

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The Charles River from Watertown Square

A survey of communities around the United States found that Watertown was the 91st safest city in America, according to a recently released report. The NeighborhoodScout website’s survey looked at the likelihood of someone being the victim of a crime. Watertown was the 91st safest city with a the chance of being the victim of a crime 1 in 95. The study looked at cities of 25,000 or more people, based on the total number of property and violent crimes per 1,000 residents. Crimes include burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, murder, rape, armed robbery, and aggravated assault.

In the top spot was Lake in the Hills, Ill., with a 1 in 333 chance of being the victim of a crime.

Around Town

Watertown Yoga Studio Celebrating 3 Years With Donation Based Classes

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The following information was provided by Artemis Yoga:

Artemis Yoga in the east end of Watertown is celebrating its third year of business this weekend, Jan. 19 and 20 with two days of donation-based “free” classes as an opportunity to give back to the community. 

“The staff and I at Artemis Yoga are grateful to the community that has supported our growing small business over the past three years and one of our goals of the Celebrate Open House is to give back to the community that has helped us build such a vibrant, welcoming place in the east end,” Liz Padula, the studio’s owner, said. “Yoga helps to set a foundation for life no matter your age and so we selected the Watertown Boys & Girls Club for our donation-based raffle as the Club is doing amazing work setting the foundation for their members and in particular the new Teen Center supported by the Great Futures Campaign is providing some amazing resources for our future leaders right here in Watertown. We invite the community to join us this weekend for a fun weekend of celebration!” The Celebrate Open House takes place on Saturday and Sunday Jan. 19 and 20 and classes for all levels from kids to gentle/chair yoga plus specialty classes such as introduction to meditation and yoga will be offered.

Around Town

Watertown Community Foundation Awards nearly $30,000 in School Based Grants

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The Watertown Community Foundation has awarded grants totaling $29,288.21 to initiatives supporting Watertown Public Schools. Grantees were notified just before the end of the 2018 school year. 

Grants will be implemented in spring of 2019 and or fall of 2019.  This latest round of grant making brings the Foundation’s 2018 grant distribution to $148,883. The funds distributed through the School Based Grant Program focus on solely on Watertown’s public schools to support activities that improve instruction and learning.  

2018-2019 Education Grants  

20 Watertown Education Grants totaling $29,288.21 were given to: 

Friends of Watertown Music Purchase and Repair Program District Program for This is Gore Place – 2 nd  year of local history project for third graders.  Growing and Sustaining School Garden ProgramsCunniff School for In-School Enrichment Programs Lowell School Discovery Museum Light and Laser Traveling MuseumHosmer School for International Week, Science Night, Math Olympiad, After School Learning by Design, Hosmer Connections -Motivating Materials for Purposeful Play, Hosmer Welcome ProgramWatertown Middle School for Voice and Choice in Verse, Garden Project, Social Studies Education-Using Google Cardboard, Watertown WeekWatertown High School for Courtyard Update, SPEAK Project (Sharing Personal Experience and Knowledge), College Field Trips, LEAP School Supplies Store, Graduation Night Party

For questions, please contact Jan Singer at  jan.singer@watertownfoundation.org.  

The Watertown Community Foundation, a public, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, works to build and sustain a vibrant, close-knit community in Watertown – now, and for future generations. To accomplish this, WCF raises funds from individuals, families, businesses, and foundations; awards grants to nonprofits and community projects; and builds networks of donors, grantees, program participants, and stakeholders. 

WCF Board of Directors 

David Siegel and Darshna Varia, Co-Presidents; Robert Airasian; Albrik Avanessian; Emily Barclay; Eleanor Donato; William B.  Ford;  Ashley Morris; Mary Ann Mulligan; Anthony Paolillo; Maria Panaggio-Phillips; Lora Sabin; Robert Shay; CL Tian; Elaina Themistos; Lauren Coughlin Unsworth; and Kathryn White.