Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/page/864/?fbclid=IwAR1wR7XDX4kAWceRgAR58782208Wrbk5xzMTVQ3WdQXYwcOSvVAKESaHMk0)
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.
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.
The Watertown Police Department is considering purchasing a drone like this one made by Paladin Drones (Photo from Paladin)
An automated drone is one of the new technologies being considered by the Watertown Police Department. On July 9, the City Council’s Public Safety Committee held a hearing to ask questions and hear from the public about the possible use of a drone.
Those looking to join other soccer fans in Watertown to catch the World Cup Final have two choices of venues to catch Sunday’s big game.
A Watertown Middle School student reported being harassed online and by phone after putting up posts supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. The incidents were reported by a Boston news station, and the Watertown Public Schools response includes a virtual public forum to address the issue.
Residents can drop off food items during the upcoming “drive-thru” donation days at a local Food Pantry.
The winner of the 2020 Watertown Mall Scarecrow Contest, the Waltham YMCA’s “Fred Haymaker Playmaker.”
The Watertown Mall announced the winners of the 2020 Scarecrow Contest.
The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department.
Two condos and two single family homes were purchased this week.
Charles Lenox, a Watertown barber, joined the all-Black 54th Massachusetts Infantry in the Civil War.
The name of Charles Lenox, an African-American man from Watertown who fought in the Civil War, has become more well known this fall after his life was the focus of New Rep Theatre’s first Moving Play.
Cartoon by James DeMarco
James DeMarco grew up in Watertown and became a goaltender at age 5. It’s his life’s passion to stand between the pipes and keep the puck out of the net. Combining this with the love of cartooning Small Saves emerged in 1991 and took on a life of his own. “To play goal–then come home and draw Small Saves — is my ideal definition of a good day.”
Watertown artist Chantal Zakari talks about some of the photos from the Watertown Arsenal in her exhibition at Kingston Gallery in Boston.
What used to be the U.S. Army’s Watertown Arsenal teems with activity these days, as two major construction projects — transforming the place that used to make and develop military weapons into commercial and lab/office complexes. A Watertown artist has used the labors at the Arsenal, historic and current, as the inspiration for her new exhibit on display now in Boston.