Around Town

Our History: Charles Brigham Left an Indelible Impression on Watertown

By |

Photo courtesy of the Watertown Free Public LibraryTom Gavin and Charles Brigham in front of Mr. Brigham’s house on Garfield Street

The following article is from the Historical Society of Watertown’s April 2000 newsletter, TheTown Crier. The piece is being republished as part of the series on local history appearing each Saturday on Watertown News. I’m sure many of you Watertown history fans remember the “Echoes” column that Sigrid Reddy Watson wrote for several years for the Watertown TAB/Press beginning in 1997. Her well-written columns have helped to educate the community on several historic aspects of Watertown and is sorely missed by history-buffs and newly interested Watertown history-aficionados alike. The author, Sigrid Reddy Watson.

Around Town

Watertown Facilities Closed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day

By |

Charlie BreitroseA closeup of the section of the Kingian Nonviolence Mural featuring Martin Luther King. In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day Watertown municipal facilities will be closed, and trash and recycling will be impacted. The City of Watertown announced that City Hall and the Senior Center are closed on Monday, January 16, 2023 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday. Also, the Watertown Free Public Library’s list of holiday closures includes Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Trash and recycling collection will be delayed by a day the week of Jan.

Around Town

Watertown Business Coalition Hosting Coffee Connect at Local Business Fixture

By |

The Watertown Business Coalition will be hosting a coffee connect on the morning of Jan. 18. The group sent out the following information:

Come out and network with members of the Watertown business community, local non-profits and others on Wednesday, Jan. 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

This month’s Coffee Connect will be hosted by a business that has been a fixture in Watertown for decades — Eastern Clothing. Hear from owner John Airasian, who is also a Watertown City Councilor.

Around Town

See How to Tune Into Watertown’s Annual MLK Day Unity Breakfast

By |

Clementina Chery will be the keynote speaker at the 2023 Watertown Unity Breakfast. The following information was provided by the Unity Breakfast Committee:

The Watertown Annual MLK Day Unity Breakfast will be held virtually on Monday, January 16, 2023 at 10 a.m. You are invited to join together to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders and to celebrate our commitment to an inclusive and diverse community. Our Keynote Speaker this year is Chaplain Clementina Chery, the founder, President and CEO of the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute (LDBPI), a center of Healing, Teaching, and Learning for families and communities impacted by trauma, grief and loss. She is an inspiring speaker whose vision is to create and sustain an environment where all families can live in peace and to transform how we respond to violence. In addition to the Unity Breakfast’s traditional essay contest, which recognizes outstanding essays by high school and middle school students, in 2023, two Visionary Awards will be given to high school or middle school students who present their compelling vision for a more just and equal future in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr and other civil rights leaders.

Around Town

Grant Will Allow Wayside to Enhance Internship Program

By |

The following information was provided by the Wayside Youth and Family Support Network:

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Human Health Services (EOHHS) has awarded Wayside Youth and Family Support Network with a grant award of $580,500 under the Home and Community Based Services (HBCS) and Human Services Workforce Development Grant Program. This grant funds increasing stipends for master level interns during their internship and the costs associated with these recruitment efforts for two years. Wayside, like many human service agencies, looks to enhance our workforce as the demand for our services continues to outpace our ability to recruit and hire top talent employees, especially those who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color (BIPOC). The demand for youth and young adult mental health services has dramatically increased due to the COVID-19 global health pandemic. Wayside continues to rapidly expand its services and geographic catchment areas.

Around Town

Our History: A Look Back at the Flu Pandemic of 1918 in Watertown

By |

This is the first of a series of stories on Watertown history that originally appeared in the Historical Society of Watertown’s newsletter:

The following story was written by David J. Russo, for the January 2012 Historical Society newsletter, “The Town Crier”. At the time, David was the Historical Society Recording Secretary and Chair of the Watertown Historical Commission. Watertown’s Flu Pandemic of 1918

This fall we’ve been reminded to get our annual flu shot. Our public health officials advise that the minimal inconvenience and pain of the shot is far better than the malady itself. As one who has had both a flu shot and the flu, I would heartily agree.