Around Town

Senior Center Has Medicare Enrollment, Harvest Party in October

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Head to the Senior Center this month to find out about Medicare Open Enrollment, the Harvest Party or plenty of other activities. 

The Watertown Council on Aging/Senior Center sent out its October Newsletter:

Some of our OCTOBER 2017 events include:
October Notes from the Director

October is a busy month at the Senior Center and we hope you will join us for an informative program or fitness class. If you haven’t visited in a while, stop in and say hello, grab a cup of coffee, browse our lending library, and share in some conversation with others in the lounge. Perhaps you’ll try your hand at chess or cribbage, or bring your laptop and surf the web on our free WiFi. If you or a friend cannot make it to the Center, give us a call and let us know how we can help. It’s that time again!

Around Town

Watertown Boys & Girls Club Hosting 14th Annual 5K Road Race

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The Watertown Boys & Girls Club sent out the following announcement:

Register today for Watertown Boys & Girls Club’s 14th Annual 5K Road Race. The race will take place on Sunday, November 5 at 10 a.m. starting at the Club (25 Whites Avenue, Watertown). There will be a 1K Fun Run for ages 0-10, refreshments, raffles, music, and more! Don’t miss this fun family event. Pre-registration: $25.00 (by October 30)

Week of registration: $30.00

All proceeds benefit youth programming at Watertown Boys & Girls Club.

Around Town

OP-ED: Library’s Girls Who Code Program Addresses Important Need

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Eight months ago my wife and I welcomed our daughter, Harriet, to the world. She has filled our suddenly sleepless lives with so much joy—and with some anxiety too. Like most parents, my wife and I worry about whether we can give our daughter all the tools she’ll need to lead a fulfilling life. Whether Harriet becomes a car mechanic, a small business owner, or a college professor, she is going to need a basic literacy in computer programming. Fluency in computer languages like HTML and CSS will soon be the low bar for employment in many industries.

Around Town

Candlelight Vigil Remembers Those Lost to Substance Use, Supports Those Recovering

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For the third straight year, a group trying to end the plague of opioid addiction held a candlelight vigil for the family and friends of those who have lost people to their substance use including several more Watertown residents who died this year. Pete Airasian, a recovering addict who helped start Watertown Overcoming Addiction with Wendy Clark Morrissey (who lost her brother to opioids), said he was grateful for the big crowd in the lower hall at St. Patrick’s Church Wednesday night. The losses, however, are tough. “It is sad, but they always say it gets worse before it gets better,” Airasian said.

Around Town

Watertown News Poll: People Most Concerned About Traffic, Development

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Residents are most concerned about traffic/transportation and development, a poll conducted by Watertown News at Saturdays Faire on the Square found. 

People were asked “What concerns you most in Watertown Today,” and participants could check one or more of these five issues, and could write in their own issue:

Schools
Development
Traffic/transportation
Heroin/opioids
Property Taxes
Or, add their own write-in issue

A total of 28 ballots were cast at Saturday’s Faire on the Square, and the top issue, with 19 votes, was Traffic/Transportation. A close second was Development, which received 16 tallies. Next was Schools, with 11 votes. Heroin/Opioid use in Watertown received 9 votes, and Property taxes got 8 votes. Four people wrote in their own issues: Open Space/Recreation, Public Events, Gentrification and the Elderly.

Around Town

Contest for Students to Find the Biggest Trees in Watertown

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Trees for Watertown, a citizens group dedicated to protecting and advocating for trees, is sponsoring a contest for children to find the biggest trees in Town. The group sent out the following announcement:

Calling All Kids – Become a Tree Winner!! Six gift cards to be awarded for finding the largest trees in Watertown of: Ginko, Maple, Oak, Sycamore, White Pine, Linden

If your tree is the largest three in that category you will win a $15 gift card to Belmont Books. Contest Rules:

You must be a student in grades K-8

Location of tree, species name of tree, and your name and grade should be emailed to jane.s.holden@gmail.com

Mt. Auburn Cemetery Trees are not allowed

Members of Trees for Watertown will verify winning entries

All emails must be sent by Oct.

Around Town

Hatch Makerspace Settling Into New Home in Watertown Square

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Watertown Free Public Library officials hope to transform a small storefront in Watertown Square into a place where residents can be creative and learn some new skills. 

The spot on Summer Street, just off Mt. Auburn Street, is the new home of the Hatch Makerspace. For the first couple years of its existence it was located in the Arsenal Mall, but now it is right on the street in the heart of the town. Assistant Library Director Caitlin Browne said in the old location Hatch would get people from all over – Cambridge, Boston as well as Watertown – but the new spot should draw a lot of town residents or those working in town. “We love it.

Around Town

Find Out About Workshops, Volunteering at Watertown Cable Access

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Watertown Cable Access Corp. (WCA-TV) will be having an open house on Wednesday, October 25th from 6 pm to 9 pm. Residents of Watertown are invited to come check out Watertown’s own cable access station to take a tour of the studio and learn about workshops and volunteer opportunities, WCA-TV announced. Interested in getting involved in Watertown’s only cable news program? Our news crew will have a “pop up newsroom” where you can pitch story ideas or find out how to get involved with Watertown Weekly News.