Sports

JIM’s VIEW: Don’t Let the Score Fool You, Watertown Dominates in Tourney and Advances to Elite 8

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Watertown junior Kaylee Master scored two goals in the State Tournament Round of 16 Tuesday against Gloucester. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Watertown Field Hockey followed up their MIAA State Tournament Round of 32 win over Swampscott last week with a low-scoring, yet dominant performance Tuesday afternoon at Victory Field by the score of 2-0 over 12th seeded Gloucester. The fifth seeded Raiders await their Round of 8 opponent, which they’ll know by Wednesday evening. If fourth-seeded Medfield wins, Watertown played its last home game of 2025 on Election Day. If Nauset Regional can pull off the huge upset, Watertown will be gifted one more home game. Watertown senior Ava Lamacchia shoots at the Gloucester net in the State Tournament game at Victory Field. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Many an inferior opponent have packed in their defense in an attempt to clog up the shooting lanes and make it hard for the Raiders to score. Tuesday was another example of that strategy. Gloucester had a good goaltender who made a number of fine saves, but credit the many defenders who either blocked or deflected potential scoring chances. 

Senior Sophia Setouhi fights for the ball against Gloucester in the Round of 16 game.

Elections

Incumbents Returned to City Council, School Committee and Library Trustees, See Who Else Was Elected Tuesday

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There will be one new face on the City Council, one on the School Committee and two on the Board of Library Trustees after Tuesday’s Watertown Municipal Election. Watertown voters re-electedJohn Gannon with 3,418 votes, Tony Palomba (3,389), and Caroline Bays (3,030) in the race for Councilor At-Large, and first-time candidate Theo Offei (2,999) won a seat. Former Auditor Tom Tracy also challenged for a seat and got 2,232 votes. Vincent Piccirilli won another term with 1,042 votes for District C City Councilor. He defeated challenger Andres Guzman (307).

Around Town

Community Food Drive Being Run by Human Services Department, Watertown Community Foundation

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The City of Watertown sent out the following announcement:

The City of Watertown’s Human Services Department, with support from the Watertown Community Foundation, is excited to announce the kick-off of a Community Food Drive, on November 4, and continuing through December 2025. The City is taking steps to ensure the impacts of food insecurity are mitigated amidst the federal changes to SNAP, in addition to the freeze on those benefits beginning November 1. The City is asking those who are able to donate nonperishable food items at one of the several food donation drop-off locations found around Watertown starting on November 4. All food donations will support the food pantries in Watertown and families who are in need.  Food donation drop-off locations include:

Watertown City Hall (149 Main Street)

Watertown Police Department (552 Main Street)

Watertown Free Public Library (123 Main Street)

Watertown Fire Station (564 Mt.

Police/Fire

Middlesex District Attorney Meets With Watertown Police in Effort to Cut Down Shoplifting

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Charlie BreitroseMiddlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan met with Watertown Police to focus on the rise in shoplifting in the area. Here she is pictured at an event where spoke at the Watertown Senior Center. Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan joined a regular meeting between Watertown Police and security from local stores to find ways to curb the amount of shoplifting in town, and to prevent incidents from becoming more serious. Since 2022, the number of shopliftings in the City has steadily risen, with the vast majority occurring at the Watertown Mall and Arsenal Yards. In 2022, the WPD responded to around 400 shoplifting incidents, and in 2024 the number rose to 774, according to statistics collected by Watertown Police.

Government

Council Still Considering Options for Rebuilding Middle School After Long Discussion

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Watertown Middle School (Courtesy of Watertown Public Schools)

The City Council drilled down on what factors would determine whether to do a full renovation/rebuild of Watertown Middle School, or to do more basic repairs now and a bigger project later. After more than two hours of deliberation on Tuesday night Councilors had not made a decision and some key questions remain unanswered. The City Council heard from City and school officials, as well as Watertown’s project management firm for school building projects. City Manager George Proakis outlined the financial implications of each option, and some of the hurdles that lay in the paths of even the lowest cost options. In 2024, the City Council had a similar discussion, and decided to make a new Middle School a priority.

Police/Fire

Thief Steals $9,000 in Donations to Watertown Church

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Firefighters stand in the shadow of St. Patrick’s Church after Lt. Edward Walsh’s wake. Photo by Charlie Breitrose

Approximately $9,000 in donations were taken from St. Patrick’s Church, according to an announcement by the Watertown Police Department. The theft at the church located at 212 Main St., occurred at about 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct.

Around Town

Nearly 2,500 Watertown Residents Set to See Food Benefits Frozen, Local Assistance Efforts Underway

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With a freeze on SNAP benefits set to start Nov. 1, 2025, food drives for local food pantries are being planned. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Starting Nov. 1, 2025, nearly 2,500 Watertown residents who receive federal food assistance funds will likely lose hundreds of dollars in SNAP benefits. Food pantries, non-profits and other groups in the City are gearing up to try to fill the gap.

Around Town

See the Art Making a Former Lumber Yard into a More “Pleasant Landscape”

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Vitoria Regia said “Charles River and the Joseph Thompson Bridge” was inspired by an area of the river she finds very soothing. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Six new banners like the fence line around a former industrial property on the Westside of Watertown. The images were created by local artists and will be displayed around for the foreseeable future. “Transitions” by Cynthia White is an abstract piece which she thought fit into the theme of A Pleasant Landscape. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The project was organized by the City of Watertown to make the area look a little nicer, said Liz Helfer, the City’s Public Arts & Culture Planner.