Around Town

Watertown Resident Honored for Her Humanitarian Work

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Watertown’s Donna Hicks of the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University received an award from North Suffolk Community Services. (Courtesy photo)

The following announcement was provide by North Suffolk Community Services:

Nonprofit human services provider North Suffolk Community Services (NSCS) honored Watertown resident Donna Hicks, Ph.D., of the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University, during its 64th Anniversary Connection Celebration held at the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor Hotel in East Boston. 

Dr. Hicks received the Humanitarian Award for her most recent book “Leading with Dignity: How to Create a Culture that Brings Out the Best in People,” as well as her peace work. 

She has worked on conflict resolution in the Middle East, Sri Lanka, Northern Ireland and Columbia, and has taught courses in the subject at Harvard, Clark, and Columbia universities. 

Around Town

Our History: Mills Along the Charles River in Watertown

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Aetna Mills

The following story is part of a series on local history provided by the Historical Society of Watertown. It was written by Paul Brennan, former President and former Vice President of the Historical Society for the October 1998 Historical Society newsletter, “The Town Crier.” When Paul was President, he lived in the Fowle House for 5 years and in December 2000 was named the “Town Historian” by the Town Council. AETNA MILLS

On September 27, 1995, Paul Brennan, President of the Historical Society, greeted the members of the Senior Center for the sixth time in about a year for yet another much anticipated historic tour of a long-forgotten treasure of our town, the Aetna Mills. After a question and answer period in the Senior Center, the group of thirty members boarded the shuttle and traveled down to the banks of the Charles River to view one of Watertown’s early industrial influences of the 18th and 19th century. Tour group from the Senior Center in the museum at Aetna Mills (Courtesy of Paul Brennan)

The large complex of red brick buildings located at the corner of Bridge and Pleasant Streets is now owned and occupied by The Boston Scientific Corporation (Editor’s 2023 Note: Boston Scientific is no longer in this location).

Around Town

Prices Will Change Soon for Watertown Electricity Choice Customers

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The City of Watertown provided the following information:

Prices for Watertown Electricity Choice will move to market levels when the current contract with NextEra Energy Service ends and a new, 36-month contract with Direct Energy Services, LLC, takes effect in December. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

The electricity market and regulatory costs have changed since the NextEra contract was signed, and the new prices are rising slightly to reflect current market conditions. The new Direct Energy prices will be higher than current prices but are lower than Eversource’s current residential Basic Service price of 16.078 cents/kWh, which is in effect until December 31. However, because Eversource’s price is not known beyond that date, future savings cannot be guaranteed. The new prices for each option are as follows:

Standard – 13.74 cents/kWh

100% Green – 15.90 cents/kWh

Basic – 13.45 cents/kWh

Active participants in Watertown Electricity Choice will be automatically enrolled in the new price for their current program option in December unless they opt out or change to a different option.

Around Town

Share Your Opinions About Watertown Square in City’s Survey

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The City of Watertown has released a survey about Watertown Square for residents and people working and doing business in town. Watertown recently launched the planning effort to redesign Watertown Square and beyond, including the roadways, transportation, the pedestrian experience, the business districts, open space and recreation, arts and culture, and the environment. City officials and the consultants working on the redesign want to know about what people think about the present and future of Watertown Square. “Your responses to this survey will help define the focus and key issues for the planning process,” the survey reads. Take the survey by clicking here.

Around Town

Watertown Students Raise Money to Support the Armenian Relief Society

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The Armenian flag flies outside St. Stephens Armenian Apostolic Church located on Artsakh Street in East Watertown. (Courtesy of St. Stephen’s Church)

Watertown High School’s Armenian Club raised more than $1,100 to donate to the Armenian Relief Society in the wake of the ongoing conflict in Artsakh. The Armenian Weekly reported that the students held a bake sale recently to raise money to help people impact in the region, also known as Nagorno-Karabakh, which has displaced over 100,000 Armenians from the region.

Around Town

OBIT: Lillian O’Bannon, 95, Raised in Watertown, Worked as Bank Switchboard Operator

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Lillian “Lil” O’Bannon

Lillian “Lil” O’Bannon, unexpectedly passed away on October 19, 2023 at the age 95 after a sudden illness. She was born January 3, 1928 and was raised in Watertown. In the early 70’s she moved to Malden to be closer to her daughter and went to work for Century Bank in Medford as their Switchboard Operator.  

Over her 20+ year career at the bank she became highly regarded and received awards for her exemplary service. She was always very independent and carried herself with grace, leaving a special impression on many people she came in contact with over the years.