Around Town

Seniors Invited to the Council on Aging’s Farewell Summer BBQ

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Join us at the Council on Aging (COA) Farewell Summer Barbecue (BBQ) for Watertown Seniors and their companion, presented by the City of Watertown, Department of Senior Services, Police Department, Fire Department and the Friends of the COA on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, from 3 PM – 6 PM. This is FREE for Seniors and will include BBQ grilled food and refreshments, live music, outdoor seating, parking available, Fire Truck and Police Utility Vehicle Showing, Officers on Bike and Fire Safety Convos. Call 617-972-6490 ahead of time if you need a ride. This is a rain or shine event with the BBQ catered meal served inside and the option to sit outside if the weather permits.

Around Town

LETTER: Library Trustee Candidate’s Priorities for the Next Term

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Teddy Kokoros seeks a second term on the Watertown Board of Library Trustees. Dear Residents of Watertown,

My name is Theodore (Teddy) Kokoros and I am seeking reelection to the Watertown Free Public Library Board of Trustees. I want to begin this letter by expressing my gratitude to all the staff at The Watertown Free Public Library for their unwavering dedication and hard work. I’ve constantly been impressed by their dedication throughout my initial tenure as a trustee. Over the past few years, we encountered unforeseen challenges, with the most prominent being the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Watertown Resident Named as a Big Brother of the Year, Has Volunteered for Five Years

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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts Names Xin Peng a Big Brother of the Year (Courtesy of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts.)

The following information came from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts:

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts (BBBSEM) has named Xin Peng, 29, of Watertown, as one of the agency’s 2023 Big Brothers of the Year. He is one of nearly 4,000 volunteers, referred to as Bigs, for the nonprofit who are committed to developing caring and life-altering one-to-one mentoring relationships with children. Peng was matched with his mentee, or Little, Alex Braga , in July 2018. Braga’s parents enrolled him in the nonprofit’s signature community-based program, for which adult mentors, referred to as Bigs, are paired with youth and meet for two to three hours, a couple times a month on outings of their choice, in order to provide him with the one-to-one attention he deserved as they were focused on caring for his younger brother with autism transition to a residential program. At the time, the 9-year-old was shy and hesitant to try new things.

Around Town

LETTER: Is it Too Late to Save Adult Medical Rehab Center?

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At 51 Water St., just across the river from downtown Watertown, several local services have been available to the Watertown community, including a large adult day care service and, notably, the Community Rehab Care group. (For orientation, 51 Water St. is the area facing Nonantum Road, behind the bus turn-around and near the MBTA lots.)

Community Rehab Care provides (in their own words): “community-based outpatient rehabilitation and support services to adults and children with neurologic, musculoskeletal, or orthopedic injuries or illnesses.” That covers everyone from children to adults to elderly, who must deal with anything from serious car, sports, or other accidents, to strokes, brain-surgery, post-cancer or post-Covid problems — and much else. As I know from personal experience, the professionals there are dedicated, very busy, and relatively convenient for Watertown residents who need their help. But very unfortunately, the part about convenience is about to change, quite a bit. Up to this past year, relatively easy access to 51 Water St. was possible, though not without a quirk or two having to do with traffic and lane closures on Galen and blockage on Water St.

Around Town

Section of Charles River Trail to be Closed for Repair Work

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Charlie BreitrosePart of the path along the Charles River will be closed Aug. 7-11 so the trail can be resurfaced. The Department of Conservation and Recreation announced that part of the trail along the Charles River will be closed this week. The following announcement was provided by the DCR:

On Monday, August 7, 2023, through Friday, August 11, 2023, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will continue to implement a closure of the Watertown Riverfront Park Trail between Watertown Square and the Perkins School for the Blind and in the City of Watertown from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. to accommodate trail resurfacing work that was delayed due to weather. Additionally, Charles River Road (eastbound) and the southern sidewalk between Paul Street and Bay Street may be closed intermittently to accommodate the movement of construction equipment. Fencing and signage will be posted for the duration of the work.