Around Town

Group Discussing Creating Space for Civil Discourse on Divisive Topics at Library

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The following announcement came from the Watertown Free Public Library:
With hate crimes on the rise and inflammatory rhetoric dominating social media, the Watertown Free Public Library and Watertown Community Conversations are partnering to create a space for civil discourse on potentially divisive topics. The partnership begins Thursday, December 6 as a part of the library’s Democracy Talks series. The topic is a thorny one: Inequality and Public Policy. Sara Chaganti, Senior Research Associate at the Institute on Assets and Social Policy at Brandeis University, will kick off the conversation by discussing the role of public policy – both current and past – in driving inequality. She will show that inequality is not simply an unfortunate by-product of the free market, but is also driven by a series of policy decisions.

Around Town

Tree Lighting Ceremony Coming to Watertown Square Soon!

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The Town of Watertown, Watertown Savings Bank, and the Rotary Club of Watertown are pleased to announce that the eighth annual Tree Lighting event will be held on Friday, December 7 in Watertown Square, according to an announcement from the organizers 

A reception will follow at the Watertown Savings Bank (WSB) main office in Watertown Square. Santa Claus will arrive to the Square by fire truck at 5:15 p.m.; the tree lights come on at 5:30 p.m.; and the reception to follow immediately after at WSB, where attendees will enjoy refreshments, holiday music, and visit with Santa Claus.  Parking will be available at WSB after 5 p.m.

“We’re really excited for this year’s tree lighting, and to continue with this wonderful holiday tradition,” said Kelly Cronin, WSB’s Community Relations Manager. This year, Dan McCarthy/DM Productions will be outside in the Square with holiday music and a special guest of their own beginning at 4:30 p.m. Watertown Rotary will also have refreshments out on the Square. Thank you to all who make this event possible: Russo’s for donating the tree; Watertown Police for providing a police detail; Watertown Fire for transporting Santa Claus; the Pleasant Street Watertown Stop & Shop and Watertown Dunkin’ Donuts for refreshments. For more information, please contact WSB’s Community Relations Office at 617-928-2336.

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Learn About Computer Coding from Panel of Experts at Watertown Library

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Find out about computer coding during the “Ask a Coder” event at the Watertown Free Public Library on Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m.

The Watertown Library provided the following information:
If you’ve ever considered a career in coding, or simply wondered what goes into building and running the technology you use, this is your chance! A panel of professional developers and software engineers will reveal how they got started, describe their work, offer advice for those looking to break into the field. Bring your questions! Our panelists:
Rebecca Dornin: Senior Software Engineer at Charles River Analytics with additional tech experience at Harvard; M.S. in Software Engineering
Owen Cunningham: Principal Software Engineer at GMO with additional tech experience in the fields of insurance, marketing, healthcare, law, and aerospace; self-taught
Tai Dailey: Front-End Engineer at O’Reilly Media with additional tech experience at Northeastern, Boston.com, CVS; volunteer with the nonprofits Girl Develop It and Black Girls Code; (second) B.S. in Web Design and Interactive Media
WHERE: Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main St., Watertown, in the Watertown Savings Bank Room

Around Town

Hundreds Run the 13th Annual Donohue’s Turkey Trot Despite Arctic Conditions

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Fifteen minutes before the 2018 Donohue’s Turkey Trot was scheduled to begin, Bigelow Avenue was nearly deserted. As race time approached, however, hundreds of runners emerged from Donohue’s Bar & Grill for the Thanksgiving morning 5K on the streets of Watertown. Despite temperatures in the low teens, 567 runners ran the 20th edition of the race. Many ran in duffle coats, others in head to toe furry costumes, and many had turkey headwear. One brave runner came out in shorts.

Around Town

Winter Parking Ban Starts Soon, Includes Earlier Removal Time for Vehicles at Some Lots

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With Thanksgiving coming up, that also means the winter overnight street parking ban will soon begin in Watertown, but this year drivers will have to move their vehicles earlier from some parking lots. 

On Monday night, the School Committee officially approved a change to the hours people can park in school parking lots. The rule change was made so that the lots will be ready for the opening of school, said School Committee member Eileen Hsu-Balzer. “It used to be you had to clear cars by 7 a.m., now it is 6 a.m.,” Hsu-Balzer said. “The reason they need to move by 7 a.m. is students are already arriving at school and the plows have not had the opportunity to work on the lot.” School Committee Chair John Portz said he expects that people will comp

\[=-lain about the new hours.

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Watertown’s Police and Fire Chiefs Appear on Watertown Cable’s ‘Inside Watertown’

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Watertown’s Police and Fire Chiefs appeared on the latest episode of Watertown Cable’s Inside Watertown. Co-hosts Charlie Breitrose and Bob Airasian spoke to Police Chief Michael Lawn and Fire Chief Robert Quinn about some of their department’s efforts to reach out to the community and connect with residents. Chief Lawn spoke about the Citizen’s Police Academy, the Cops and Rec programs for kids and other ways police officers are trying to get out of their cruisers and interact with the public. The Fire Department has a variety of programs for the public, too. Chief Quinn spoke about how firefighters visit Watertown’s schools to teach fire safety and meet with seniors to put up free smoke detectors.

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CatholicTV Network Announces Initiative in Response to the Church’s Sexual Abuse Crisis

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The following information was provided by CatholicTV Network:
The CatholicTV Network announced today its launch of a 6-month initiative called Together We Rebuild in response to the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church. From now until Easter Sunday, 2019, CatholicTV will focus on penance and prayer for the healing and restoration of the Church. Each month of the campaign will be guided by a theme related to rebuilding and will include corresponding programming and resources such as video series, blogs, magazine articles, and social media initiatives. On November 11, CatholicTV and its viewers will begin a Novena of Penance and Prayer for the healing of abuse victims and the purification of the Church. Those nine days of prayer will culminate in a 12-hour Day of Penance and Prayer broadcast live from CatholicTV’s Chapel of the Holy Cross on November 19.

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Watertown Residents Gather to Honor Veterans Day, Bid Farewell to Veterans Agent

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Watertown’s veterans gathered Sunday morning to mark Veterans Day. They also bid farewell to the town’s Veterans Services Officer. 

The celebration of those who are serving and who have served in the United States Military was held at the Pvt. Charles Shutt Detachment of the Marine Corps League on Mt. Auburn Street. Along with the annual events to mark Veterans Day, those gathered bid farewell to Mark Comeiro, who has served as the town’s veterans agent since 2015.