Around Town

Watertown’s Goose Dog is on the Job!

By |

City of WatertownVee, Watertown’s goose control dog, has arrived in town! Vee, the dog brought to Watertown for geese control, has arrived in town and has already gotten down to work. The Watertown DPW’s Parks/Cemetery Supervisor Bob DiRicco and his wife picked Vee up at the training facility in Leesburg, Virginia, and drove her back to Watertown over the Patriots Day Weekend. On Tuesday Vee started work. City of WatertownVee and the DPW’s Bob DiRico visited City Manager George Proakis in City Hall Tuesday.

Schools

Watertown Superintendent Given Raise, Makes Salary Close to Average for Comparable Districts

By |

Watertown Superintendent Dede Galdston. Watertown Superintendent of Schools Dede Galdston received a 3 percent raise from the School Committee, which will put her around average for comparable school districts. The raise makes her salary $193,636.91 for Fiscal Year 2023, which runs through the end of June. The Superintendent deserves the raise, said City Council President Mark Sideris, who works with her on three boards. “I believe that that is a very reasonable request and I believe that from where I sit in positions on the School Building and School committees and the City Council, we have a superintendent who goes above and beyond constantly,” Sideris said.

Sports

See How Watertown Runners Finished in the 2023 Boston Marathon

By |

The fastest Watertown runner in the 2023 Boston Marathon finished in under 2:45 and broke the top 1,000 runners, and the fastest woman was in the top 900 female participants. Ryan Abo completed the 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Copley Square in 2:44:14, and was the 988th fastest overall and 940th fastest male runner. Erin Jaffke ran the course in 3:11:56, which made her the 875th fastest woman in the 127th Marathon. Deborah Downs ran the 76th fastest time for female runners age 45-49, finishing in 3:17:34. Peter Tagge’s time of 4:00:17 was 251st ranked in male runners age 65-69.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Scammer Posed as Customs Agent, Car Stolen from Gas Station

By |

The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrest

April 8, 6:43 p.m.: A shoplifter at Target grabbed a bike buggy, left the store without paying and fled. Police received a description, and they located the man walking toward the bike path behind Target. He had hidden the buggy behind a dumpster near the path, but officers found it and returned it to the store. Police also determined the man was wanted on a warrant from South Boston District Court for possession of a Class A drug, possession of a Class B drug, and intent to distribute a Class B drug.

Sports

Watertown Pro Hockey Player Earns League Award for Perseverance, Sportsmanship

By |

Boston PrideBoston Pride defender Lauren Kelly won the Premier Hockey Federation’s Denna Laing Award. The following announcement was provided by the Premier Hockey Federation:

The Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) has announced that defender Lauren Kelly of the Boston Pride has been selected as the Denna Laing Award recipient for the 2022-23 regular season. The award was determined by Denna and her family and goes to the player who most exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the sport. “Selecting the winner of this year’s Denna Laing Award was extremely difficult because there were many deserving candidates, each traversing their own adversity with relentlessness and a positive attitude,” said Laing. “This year’s winner, Lauren Kelly, has garnered the respect of her coaches, teammates, opponents, officials, and fans.

Around Town

Watertown Man Running First Marathon in Honor of Friend Lost to Gun Violence

By |

Shane Garey, left, will be running the Boston Marathon for the first time. He is on the West End House Dawnn for Peace Team. On Monday, Watertown’s Shane Garey will run his first Boston Marathon, and will do so to raise money for a youth center named for a friend of his who died from gun violence. Garey grew up in Brighton, and said the Marathon has always been one of his favorite occasions. “I’ve always wanted to run it, growing up in Boston.

Around Town

Planning Board Wants Some Changes to Main St. Project, Developers Trying to Work with Post Office

By |

An illustration of the project at 104-126 Main St. submitted to the City. Designed by Icon Architecture. The Planning Board saw the plans for the major project on Main Street for the first time Wednesday night, and asked designers to tinker with the design after they had questions about the retail space and the pedestrian passage between Main and Pleasant Street, as well as the height of the building. The 104-126 Main Street project proposed by O’Connor Capital Partners is six stories tall and includes 143 apartments in five stories and 6,201 sq.

Government

Linkage Fee Approved by City Council, Developers Have Longer to Make Payment

By |

Charlie BreitroseWatertown City Hall

The City Council approved a linkage fee on large developments that would be used to create affordable housing in Watertown. The ordinance also spreads the fees into two payments and the City can consider offers of housing units or land in lieu of the fee. Before they deliberated and voted, the Council heard from people advocating for changes to the proposed ordinance. Charles River Regional Chamber President Greg Reibman, who represented multiple developers who do business in Watertown, asked to delay the start of the fees until 2024, and phase in the amount starting with $5.56 per sq. ft.