Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/page/6/)
Charlie BreitroseMiddlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan met with Watertown Police to focus on the rise in shoplifting in the area. Here she is pictured at an event where spoke at the Watertown Senior Center.
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan joined a regular meeting between Watertown Police and security from local stores to find ways to curb the amount of shoplifting in town, and to prevent incidents from becoming more serious.
The City of Watertown sent out the following announcement:
The City of Watertown’s Human Services Department, with support from the Watertown Community Foundation, is excited to announce the kick-off of a Community Food Drive, on November 4, and continuing through December 2025. The City is taking steps to ensure the impacts of food insecurity are mitigated amidst the federal changes to SNAP, in addition to the freeze on those benefits beginning November 1.
Watertown Middle School (Courtesy of Watertown Public Schools)
The City Council drilled down on what factors would determine whether to do a full renovation/rebuild of Watertown Middle School, or to do more basic repairs now and a bigger project later. After more than two hours of deliberation on Tuesday night Councilors had not made a decision and some key questions remain unanswered.
Watertown sophomore Ave Anderson, right, celebrates scoring against Swampsott in the State Tournament Round of 32 at Victory Field on Wednesday. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)
Watertown Field Hockey knows who they are and what is expected of them. When they lose (and that’s rarely) it’s big news. If they win, but by only a certain margin, it’s news. When they give up a goal, for goodness sake, it’s news. It’s an understatement that the weight of expectation is heavy. But you would never guess that it affects those who put on the uniform and play for Coach Eileen Donohue. They simply buy in and practice hard and play hard and believe that they will be rewarded for the commitment and the sweat and the effort.
The City of Watertown wants to hear from residents about how they want the newest open space parcel to be used. A meeting about the future of Walker Pond was held in August to gather input and the City will host the second meeting on Nov. 6. See information provided by the City, below.
The Little Local Conversations podcast is hosted by Watertown’s Matt Hanna. In the series, Hanna discovers and connects the people, places, stories, and ideas of Watertown. Through Nov. 26, people who become “little local friends” are eligible to win prizes from Watertown businesses and venues. See details below.
Charlie Breitrose
The following announcement was provided by Housing for All Watertown:
To inform voters on housing issues during the upcoming Municipal Election, Housing for All Watertown has collected detailed questionnaires from all eleven candidates running for City Council this November, including at-large and district council candidates, in both contested races and uncontested races. We’re grateful to the candidates for providing thoughtful responses to our questions about their vision for housing in Watertown, how they will support affordable housing and in-fill development, what they would do to streamline permitting for homeowners, and much more.
(UPDATED on Oct. 21, 2025 at 2:20 p.m.: The first version incorrectly noted that the whole 24 acres of the proposed project were sold. Only 550 Arsenal Street were sold).
Plans to turn the Watertown Mall and other properties on the north side of Arsenal Street into a life science campus appear to be over after the owners of the property sold to a Newton-based development firm.
The City of Watertown invites children to visit two City buildings for some trick-or-treating on Oct. 28. See more information in the announcement from the City of Watertown, below.
Panelists for Breaking the Silence on Domestic Violence, clockwise from top left: Wendy Murphy, Peter Koutoujian, Rita Cleary, and Lauren Nackel.
Domestic violence can strike any community, illustrated recently by the double murder/suicide in Watertown that took the lives of a young mother and an elderly friend. The community is invited to a free Domestic Violence Awareness Month event in Watertown. The event aims to break the silence and create a safe space for education, dialogue, and access to resources and support. See more details in the announcement from the Armenian Relief Society Cambridge “Shushi” Chapter and the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Center
The Watertown City Clerk’s office seeks poll workers for the upcoming Nov. 4, 2025 election. See more details in the announcement from the City of Watertown, below.
As first-time candidates running for Library Trustee, School Committee and City Council in Watertown’s 2025 November Election, we are often asked, “What does that role do?” It’s a fair question, and it gets to the heart of why local elections — and your vote, in particular — matter so much.