Development
Consultant Will Help Draft Changes to Watertown’s Zoning
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The Town Council agreed to hire a consultant to figure out how Watertown’s zoning should change to encourage development in town while preserving its neighborhoods.
TREATY DAY 250: Pact Signed in Watertown in 1776 Remains Alive 250 Years Later
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Members of the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet tribes traveled to take part in the celebration fo the 250th anniversary of the Treaty of Watertown (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)
Hundreds packed a theater in Watertown on Saturday to celebrate an event that took place 250 years before. The town was the site of the signing of the United States’ first treaty with a foreign nation — the Treaty of Watertown. Descendants of the signers of the document from the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet tribes emphasized that the agreement that was forged as a wartime alliance also created friendships and provided rights and protections for the signers that are still important in 2026.
UPDATE: Vehicle Strikes Pole on Main Street, Knocks Out Power in Area – Repairs to Take Until After 9 p.m.
A pole struck by a vehicle lies on top of power lines on Main Street. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)
A vehicle struck a utility pole on Main Street, snapping it in half and cutting off power for several hundred customers on Monday around noon.
Watertown Tax Relief Legislation Approved by House, Moves to Senate
Watertown City and State officials appeared before a joint committee at the State House on Jan. 27, 2026, to discuss the City’s Home Rule Petition. Pictured, from left, Steve Owens, George Proakis, John Lawn, Earl Smith, and Mark Sideris.
The City of Watertown’s effort to prevent a tax hike for residential property owners, which could be as high as 18%, cleared a major hurdle when it was approved the the House of Representatives on Beacon Hill.
Water & Sewer Rates Increasing More Than Expected Due to Error in Calculations
Watertown residents will see an increase of 4.5% in both the water and sewer rates for the fiscal year that began on July 1, 2026, which is slightly higher than forecasted a year ago. However, the future increase could be significantly higher than projected due in part to an error made calculating future year revenues.
More Headlines
Possible Purchase of Police Drone and Guidelines for Use Discussed by Council Committee
A Pair of World Cup Final Watch Parties in Watertown
Wada Hoppah Charles River Ferry Boat Has Hit the Water — See a Video and Photos
Around Town
Watertown Residents Complete Middlesex Sheriff’s Youth Public Safety Academy
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Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian recently congratulated cadets from Watertown for completing the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office Youth Public Safety Academy.
Development
Garage Presents a Sticking Point in Athenahealth’s Plans for Arsenal Complex
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The new owner of the Arsenal on the Charles, athenahealth, has a grand vision for revitalizing the complex, but one feature may stand in the way of getting approval from the Town Council – a seven story parking garage.
Development
Volkswagen Project Gets Approval from Planning Board
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Plans to turn the Sullivan Tire store into a Volkswagen used car facility took a step forward Wednesday night when the Planning Board approved the special permit for the project.
Elections
LETTER: Watertown Resident, Doctor Endorses Warren Tolman for AG
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To the Editor:I am a physician trained in pediatrics, a father of a young son and a concerned resident of Watertown. I am writing to urge your readers to support Warren Tolman for attorney general because he supports common-sense gun reform. The recent untimely death of James Brady, killed many years later by an assassin’s bullet, makes the subject of gun reform more poignant than ever.
Police/Fire
Road Rage Incident Escalates Until Police Arrest Two Men
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A road rage incident that began in Waltham ended when multiple men got out of their cars in Watertown Square and began threatening each other in front of police officers.
Government
Watertown’s Second Dog Park Could Be Built on the East Side
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Dogs may have their day on the East Side of Watertown with the Town Council looking at building the town’s second facility for pooches.
Elections
Warren Tolman’s AG Campaign Supported by a Kennedy
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Warren Tolman got an endorsement from the first family of Massachusetts politics recently when a Kennedy announced his support of the Watertown Democrat’s run for Attorney General.