Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/page/883/?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 screenshot of the parent petition asking for the Watertown Schools to reopen earlier.
The Watertown Public Schools will not be moving to a hybrid model with a mix of in-person and remote learning, until Oct. 26 at the earliest, but a Hosmer Elementary School parent has started a petition asking officials to reconsider.
The following information was provided by Arsenal Yards:
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the new City Works in Arsenal Yards hosts Hops for Hope this October. Here’s how it works:
Gigi’s Pizza Co. has opened on the westside of Watertown, featuring and extensive menu which also includes sandwiches, burgers, salads and wings.
Watertown School officials responded to the letter from state education officials asking them to reopen the schools to in-person learning, saying the Town’s school will remain on their schedule to have students return to elementary schools in late October and to secondary schools in November. Meanwhile, Gov. Charlie Baker announced the relaxing of some of the state’s COVID-19 rules.
To the Editor:
Watertown has been lucky to have a relatively low rate of COVID-19 infection and death. Our elected officials and administrators have worked diligently on our behalf. Among the safety measures instituted is a ban on door-to-door solicitation during the crisis.
The Watertown Fire Department’s newly created assistant fire chief position has been filled by a 14-year veteran of the WFD who hopes build connections with residents and serve the community well.
The following information was provided by the Watertown Library:
This October, The Watertown Free Public Library (WFPL) is hosting Graphic Novel Month: a teen-centric celebration with virtual programs for grades 4–12. Why all the fuss? The Library believes that graphic novels and comics are not only fun; they are works of art, often great literature, and a significant part of pop culture.
Flag of Artsakh
Recent attacks on ethnic Armenians by Azerbaijan were called “reprehensible” by Congresswoman Katherine Clark, whose district includes Watertown.