Around Town

Watertown Youth Coalition Hosting Community Spirit Awards

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The Watertown Youth Coalition will honor people committed to the health and well-being of Watertown’s youth and families during the the Community Spirit Awards. Honorees are nominated for a Community Spirit Award for having done any of the following:

Served as a positive influence or mentor to a Watertown Youth Coalition member or to others in the community
Had the courage to address challenging issues that affect youth and the community
Has actively taken steps to improve the Watertown community (in big and small ways)

It will be at Arsenal Park, 485 Arsenal St., Watertown, on Monday, June 11 from 6-7:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Food will be provided. Please RSVP if you are planning to attend. RSVP for Event

Around Town

Sail in to Summer with a Family Activity at the Watertown Mall

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Mall:

The Watertown Mall, located at 550 Arsenal Street, Watertown, will be hosting
Watertown Families Together’s “Sail Into Summer” event on Thursday, June 21, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.

Are you looking for something fun to do to get out of the heat? If so, look no further than the Watertown Mall! Children and their caregivers are invited to join us for a fun morning that will take them out of the sun by attending our “Sail Into Summer” event on June 21, 2018. Sponsored by Watertown Families Together and led by Arlene Smith, this event consists of summer-themed stories, sing-alongs, and crafts. The event will start at 10:00 a.m. and it will take place in the back hallway, near Carter’s.

Around Town

Watertown High School Strives to Bring Attention to Faded Banner Honoring WWI Veterans

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Hidden in plain sight at Watertown High School is a banner dating back 100 years, made to honor the town residents who went to serve in World War I, as well as, those who died in the “War to End All Wars.” The banner is located in a glass case, not far from the top of the central staircase on the second floor of the high school. It caught the interest of Kraig Gustafson, the AP U.S. History teacher and the district’s grade 6-12 Social Studies Coordinator. He also wanted to do something to honor others who served in the military at that time and since then. Once bordered with bright red with a white center and hundreds of stars some of which form the letters W-H-S, the banner now appears in different shades of gray.

Around Town

Council Subcommittee Exploring Ways to Expand Affordable Housing in Watertown

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The Town Council’s Human Services Committee will hold a series of meetings looking at ways to increase the amount of affordable housing in Watertown. 

The town has not met the state’s goal of 10 percent of the housing units in town being available to rent or buy at an affordable rate. The committee will invite in experts in the area of affordable housing to help them get an idea of where Watertown stands, strategies used by other communities, and what would work in town. The committee will hold meetings at 7:15 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month each month in Town Hall, besides July, thorough the end of the year, said Councilor Tony Palomba, chair of the Human Services Committee. During the first meeting in May the committee heard from Chair of the Watertown Housing Partnership Fred Reynolds about the current state of affordable housing. He said at the last count Watertown was at about 6.9 percent affordable housing.

Around Town

Town Holding Flag Day Ceremony & Flag Retirement Ceremony

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Watertown’s veterans groups will hold a flag retirement ceremony to mark Flag Day on June 14. 

Last year, the town held a Flag Day ceremony for the first time in many years. During the event, flags that have become worn or tattered will be retired and incinerated during a special ceremony involving Watertown’s veterans. The ceremony will be held at Ridgelawn Cemetery on Thursday, June 14, 2018, beginning at 6:00 p.m., said Watertown Veterans’ Agent Mark Comeiro. “This event is open to the public as it would be an honor to have the residents of Watertown attend this prestigious and very special event,” Comeiro said. If you have any questions, please call the Veterans Office at 617-972-6416.

Around Town

Watertown Farmers’ Market Adds Nearly a Dozen New Vendors for 2018

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The Watertown Farmers’ Market begins Thursday, June 7, and will feature many new vendors, including bakeries, ice cream, composting and bicycle checks. Many vendors will appear each week at the Farmers’ Market, others biweekly, and guest vendors will not be there each week but will make periodic appearances. The market is open from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays through June 7 to Oct. 18, 2018, rain or shine. The market will close at 6 p.m. after Labor Day.

Around Town

Dedication of New Mural Featuring MLK’s Nonviolent Teachings Coming Soon

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This week, a mural focusing on the nonviolence teachings of Martin Luther King will be dedicated. The ceremony outside the Watertown Boys & Girls Club will be attended by a friend of MLK and Civil Rights leader, who teaches nonviolent conflict resolution. The effort to spread Martin Luther King Jr.’s commitment to nonviolent conflict resolution started in Watertown several years ago. In 2016, the Watertown Public Schools trained students and teachers in the Kingian philosophy and welcomed Dr. Bernard Lafayette, a friend of MLK who helped him in his Civil Rights efforts. Lafayette will return to town on Thursday, June 7, 2018, for the dedication of the mural next to the basketball courts outside the Watertown Boys & Girls Club.

Around Town

Strange Substance Seen Flowing into Charles River from Storm Drains

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A Watertown resident caught on video a strange looking substance flowing out of storm drains into the Charles River on June 2. He could not identify what it was and was frustrated by efforts to report the outflow. 

The resident, David, lives near the Charles River and spotted the floating, beige or yellowish substance in the water Saturday afternoon. See video below. “It was a dark color and was floating on the surface of the water,” David said. The substance was coming out of two of the storm drain pipes and going the water.