Around Town

OP-ED: Sen. Brownsberger Reflects on the Recently Completed Legislative Session

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The following piece was provided by State Sen. Will Brownsberger:

When the going gets tough, you see what people are made of. I liked a lot of what I saw this year in the legislature and I got closer to my colleagues as we shared difficult choices. I will never forget the day-long meeting we had in December to grapple with the first news of the tragic scandal involving former Senate President Rosenberg and his husband. Every senator was vocal, emotional and forthright.  We had different instincts on how to handle the situation.  Some put their foot down for immediate action. Others favored investigation before drawing conclusions.

Around Town

Recreation Department Announces Parking Information for Users of Filippello Park

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Watertown Recreation Director Peter Centola provided the following information:

As a follow-up to the Filippello Park (Grove) renovation update, which was distributed on July 27, I would like to provide more specific instructions for parking beginning Monday, Aug. 6. The entryway to Filippello Park (Grove) will be closed beginning Aug. 6 due to the renovation of this area. Renovation will continue until approximately mid-November.

Around Town

Storm Rolls Through Watertown After Spawning Tornado Saturday Morning

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A severe thunderstorm that produced a tornado in Central Massachusetts Saturday calmed down by the it hit Watertown, dropping only rain

The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed a tornado struck Webster, damaging some buildings in the downtown area of the town in southern Worcester County. The NWS had issued a Tornado Warning for parts of Worcester County and Southeast Middlesex County which expired at 10:45 a.m.

Watertown was under a flash flood warning from the NWS.

Around Town

Group Hosting Meeting for People With Family Members with Mental Illness

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The following information was provided by the National Alliance for Mental Illness:
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, August 14, 7 to 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. This is organized by the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI).

Around Town

Watertown Group Hosting Event to Remember Hiroshima & Nagasaki

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The following announcement was submitted by Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice & the Environment:
Please join us for a remembrance of the nuclear attack on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the U.S. in 1945 killing over 210,000 and causing misery for thousands of survivors. Sunday, August 5, 2018
7:30 p.m. – Silent Vigil – Watertown Square
8:00 p.m. – Music and Testimonials
8:30 p.m. – Launching of the Candle boats – Watertown Dock
Recommit to the Iran Nuclear Agreement
The Iran Nuclear Agreement of 2015 is a major step in stemming the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Reached after years of difficult negotiation, the agreement stands as an example what diplomacy can achieve. The United States’ decision to withdraw from the agreement is in sharp contrast to this diplomatic achievement. For the sake of the world and in memory of the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki the U.S. must recommit to this historic agreement.

Around Town

August at the Library: Crafts, Small Business Tips, Computer Classes and (of Course) Reading

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August is filled with activities at the Watertown Library, with activities for kids and adults, cooking demonstrations, classes and more. Watertown Free Public Library provided the following information about events at this month:

C.R.A.F.T.: Collage Coasters*

Sunday 8/26 | 3 p.m.
Lucia Mastrangelo Room
CRAFT is a series of free DIY workshops for adults. We will provide supplies and instruction for you to Create Random Amazing Free Things. Bring your friends for an afternoon of inspiration, fun, and creativity. This month we’ll be making collage coasters!

Around Town

Main Street to Remain Closed for Oil Spill Cleanup, Will Reopen This Weekend

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The spill of mineral oil over the surface of Main Street will take a few more days to clean up, meaning the stretch of road will remain closed through Saturday at the earliest, said Watertown Public Works Superintendent Gerry Mee. 

The oil must be cleaned off the road surface, and the remaining oil (from the casing of an Eversource electrical line) must be removed before the line can be repaired. The process is a lengthy one, Mee said. “They have to freeze the line above and below the point where it broke to stop the last oil from leaking out,” Mee said. “The freezing process takes 24 hours.” To clean the road, sand is put down followed by Speedy Dry, which soaks up the oil, and then the area must be power brushed and swept up, Mee said.

Around Town

Construction at Filippello Park’s Grove Street Entrance has Begun

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The Watertown Recreation sent out an update about the construction project at Filippello Park:
We are pleased to announce the renovation of the entryway of Filippello Park (Grove Street) has begun. The initial work will include mobilization and light demolition and preparation of the site. Perimeter fencing has already been erected, however access to the fields, tot lot areas and picnic areas has been maintained until Monday, August 6 when the entry way as well as the parking lot will be closed and secured.  This area will remain closed until the end of the project, which will be mid November. There will be no access to the east end of the park during construction. Through the generosity of the Mount Auburn Cemetery and Mount Auburn Hospital, the adjacent parking lot on Grove Street will be available to the users of the facility Monday through Friday evenings and on weekends with pedestrian access to the fields.