Adam Patterson

Watertown Boys Basketball Team Holds On to Beat New Mission, Heads to Final Four

By |

Charlie BreitroseWatertown’s boys basketball team celebrates booking a trip to the MIAA Div. 3 Final Four after beating New Mission 64-57. After watching a 20 point lead whittle down to five, the Watertown High School boys basketball team kept its cool and finished off New Mission in the MIAA Div. 3 Round of 8 State Tournament game Saturday night, 64-57. Seventh- seeded New Mission (11-4) dug a little into the lead in the third quarter which ended with the Raiders holding a 15 point lead, (47-32).

Around Town

Watertown Library Now Offering Pickup from Lockers 24/7

By |

Watertown LibraryWatertown Library staff show off the new lockers available to patrons. They can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Watertown Library provided the following announcement:

Lockers at the Library? That’s right. The Watertown Free Public Library (WFPL) is launching a new outdoor pickup option which will make it easier for anyone to pick up materials twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Basketball

Frantic Comeback Gives Watertown Girls Basketball Team Victory in Tourney Over Norton

By |

Charlie BreitroseWatertown senior Sophia Garapetian celebrates after hitting the go-ahead layup with under eight seconds left in the State Tournament game against Norton. A State Tournament game that was neck and neck most of the way appeared to be slipping away for the Watertown High School girls basketball team, falling behind six points with about two minutes left. But, the team and the WHS Gym came to life as the Raiders closed the game and senior Sophia Garapetian completed the comeback with a drive straight down the lane. When the final buzzer sounded, Watertown’s players came together on the court to celebrate their 54-52 win over Norton in the MIAA Div. 3 Round of 16 game, and kept their season alive.

Schools

School Committee Approves Making Masks Optional in Watertown Schools

By |

Almost two years to the day after schools shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Watertown students will be able to go to class without wearing a face mask. Monday night, the School Committee approved Superintendent Dede Galdston’s plan to make masks optional and a set of metrics to decide if they will be required in the future. Galston noted that March 13, 2020 was the date that school in Massachusetts closed in the beginning of the Pandemic, and two years later students will be able to choose not to wear a mask. She also stressed that teachers and staff will emphasize that students will be respected and accepted regardless of whether or not they choose to wear a face mask. The change in mask rules will be finalized this week, Galdston said, after the latest student and staff testing results are received.

Around Town

Watertown’s Eliza Dushku Attends White House Signing of Bill That Ends Forced Arbitration in Sexual Assault, Harassment Cases

By |

FilmBuffEliza Dushku, left, from the 2015 movie “Jane Wants a Boyfriend,” which co-starred Louisa Krause. Watertown’s Eliza Dushku visited the White House last week to attend President Biden’s signing of a bill that ends forced arbitration in cases of sexual assault and sexual harassment in the workplace and to allow survivors to file lawsuits in court against perpetrators. Dushku has been outspoken about issue since she went public with her experience on the set of the CBS show Bull, where she said she was sexually harassed by the show’s star. In November 2021, she was one of several women who testified before the House Judiciary Committee. After the signing, Dusku sent out a Tweet saying: “FORCED arbitration FOR sexual harassment & assault is officially OVER!”

When she testified before Congress, Dushku said that now when her name is brought up, it is not for her acting, producing or other work.

Arrests

Police Log: Driver Strikes Building & Faces OUI Charge, Arrested Shoplifter Had Multiple Warrants

By |

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

Feb. 18, 9:32 p.m.: An officer patrolling on Arsenal Street near the Watertown Mall spotted a bus with the “Call Police” sign flashing on it. The bus was pulled over and the officer spoke to the driver, who explained there had been a verbal disturbance between two passengers. One of the passengers had gotten off the bus, but police got a description.

COVID-19

Superintendent to Ask School Committee to Make Masks Optional for Students

By |

Superintendent Dede Galdston will recommend that the School Committee allow mask wearing for students to be optional, as long as the COVID-19 cases trend continues “in the right direction.” Currently, students must wear a face covering in the classroom at all times, and during breaks and lunch, except when eating or drinking. The presentation will be made at the School Committee’s meeting on March 7, Galdston said in an announcement. She noted that unlike past vacations, the district did not see an increase in cases after February break. “Based on our pool testing and parent/staff reporting, we only have six known active COVID cases in the district,” Galdston said in the announcement.

Building for the Future

Watertown High School Project Gets Approval from State

By |

Ai3 ArchitectsAn illustration of what the outside of the new Watertown High School will look like. The plan to build new Watertown High School passed the last major hurdle when the state approved the project on Wednesday. The Massachusetts School Building Authority voted to approve the project on March 2. The new school will be built on the same location as the current school, and architects projected the cost at $201 million at the Dec. 15, 2021 School Building Committee meeting.