The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
June 23, 5:02 a.m.: A worker at a construction site on Arsenal Street spotted a man walking around inside the fence who did not appear to belong. Police were called and when they spoke to the man he said that he was fixing the fence. Officers confirmed that he did not work there, and there were numerous “no trespassing” signs. At first the man provided a false name and date of birth.
People parking at meters in the Watertown will have the option of using a cellphone app to pay. The City of Watertown announced it has started using the Passport parking app. “Drivers can now use their smartphones to pay for and manage parking sessions, as an alternative to coins and credit cards,” the City’s announcement said. “After downloading the free Passport parking application, users create an account with license plate number and credit card, then enter the zone number marked on the meter and nearby signage.” The minimum charge is $1, plus a 25 cent service fee, said Senior Transportation Planner Laura Wiener.
Watertown Youth CoalitionThe Watertown Youth Peer Leaders pose with the staff from the Watertown Youth Coalition after the peer leaders received their awards at the 2022 Community Spirit Awards. For the first time since 2019, on June 8, the Watertown Youth Coalition along with Wayside Youth and Family Support Network hosted their yearly Community Spirit Awards ceremony and reception at Arsenal Park in Watertown. The event was put together by Watertown Youth Coalition (WYC) Peer Leadership Advisor, Zhane Goode, and WYC Program coordinator Stephanie Sunderland, who had to miss the ceremony due to unforeseen circumstances. Zhane, who has been working with all of the honored students for a few years, was very happy to finally be able to hold the awards in person and noted that the students were especially excited to get to celebrate together with their friends and family. For Zhane herself, she began her work at the WYC during the pandemic, so she said it was really nice to see everyone all together as a community.
The event has not been held in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was attended by many members of the community, including the honorees, those who nominated them for spirit awards, and families, friends, and other Watertown citizens who came to celebrate their achievements.
Charlie BreitroseYoung basketball players attended a camp run by Watertown High School coaches and players this week. School might be out, but the gyms at Watertown High School and Watertown Middle School have been full of youngsters this week. They joined WHS’s basketball coaches for a week-long basketball camp, and there is another program next week. The summer basketball camps have been around for many years, said Watertown boys basketball coach Steve Harrington, who runs it along with Watertown girls basketball coach Pat Ferdinand. The program has been on hiatus for a few years.
Leo MartinWalker Pond, on the Westside of Watertown, is one of the town’s hidden wetlands. A portion sits in Waltham, and the City Council is exploring purchasing that property. The City Council voted to start the process to enable the City of Watertown to purchase a piece of land that lies just over the border in Waltham that could be part of an open space resource. City Council President Mark Sideris said Tuesday night that Watertown is considering purchasing a property that includes a portion of Walker Pond (also called Walker’s Pond), a small body of water on the western edge of Watertown. The pond is one of the few in Watertown, and has been discussed as a possible open space resource in the City.
The group exploring vocational and technical education options for Watertown students has found a variety of possibilities, but the ad hoc committee has not come up with recommendations yet. Watertown could look to join a vocational high school district, join into an agreement with another community that has a vocational program, expand the number of offerings at WHS, or use a combination of those options, said School Committee member David Stokes, who chairs the Vocational Technical Ad Hoc Committee. “It seems like we haven’t gotten very far, but we have done a whole lot,” Stokes said. “We are farther along than a lot of people think, because we haven’t produced anything yet, but it is coming shortly.” The committee was formed after students seeking vocational or technical education programs struggled to get into Minuteman High School in Lexington.
Charlie BreitroseHistorical Society of Watertown member Bob Bloomberg glances at the new historic marker near the former location of the Shick House. The marker was dedicated on June 26. A shiny, new blue sign with gold lettering now sits feet away from where a farmhouse stood for about 170 years. The historical marker is the only reminder of the home owned by the family that ran the first Jewish-owned dairy in Massachusetts and of Watertown’s rich agricultural history. The Historical Society of Watertown unveiled the new marker for the Shick House on Sunday afternoon.
The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
June 13, 3:34 p.m.: A car was forced into a parked car by another driver, who fled the area. A Honda SUV was driving east on North Beacon Street near the Toyota dealership. A Volkswagen tried to pass her and went over the double yellow line. Another vehicle was coming the other direction, so the VW swerved back and collided with the Honda, forcing it into a parked Lexus sedan.
