Entertainment

Easter HymnSing to be Hosted by Revels Singing Group Via Zoom

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The Watertown-based Revels singing group will host an Easter HymnSing live on Zoom on April 4 at 5 p.m.

Revels provided the following information:

Free to the public! Celebrate Easter with Revels and join us for a short HymnSing at 5:00 PM ET on Easter Sunday! Connect with friends and family from near and far by singing together safely over Zoom. We will sing a handful of traditional Easter hymns and David will also allow time for families to arrange themselves on the Zoom screen so you can sing together with your loved ones. This event is FREE to the public.

Around Town

Slight Increase in Watertown COVID Cases, Free Testing, Vaccine Info

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The number of COVID-19 cases in Watertown increased for the first time since January. The Town’s cases over the previous 14 days was 73 according to the Mass. Department of Public Health report of March 25, which is 14 higher than the previous week. The last time Watertown had more cases than the previous week was in the Jan. 21 report, when there were 295 cases (the highest number of cases in one week for Watertown).

Charter Review

Watertown Charter Review Update: Important Upcoming Meeting, Info on Process

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Watertown’s Town Hall. The following information was provided by Watertown Forward:

Important Upcoming Events and Opportunities to Weigh In

The next Charter Review Committee meeting on April 6 is particularly important. This will be a special Public Forum at which CRC members will hear the arguments and opinions of Watertown residents on what overall government structure they want — a Council/Manager (present form) or a Mayor/Council form of government. The CRC is expected to vote on the question — after any members of the public who want to offer their views have a few minutes to speak. Watertown Forward is hosting a virtual meeting in advance of the CRC meeting, where people can learn about the two options.

Arrests

Police Log: Man Arrested After Crashing Moped, Electric Scooters Stolen

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

March 21, 6:51 p.m.: Police got a call reporting a blue moped being ridden erratically on Main Street near Church Street. When officers arrived they found the moped on the sidewalk in front of Santander Bank, and the rider was in back of the bank. Police found gouges in the sidewalk and minor damage to the moped. They determined the driver hit the fire hydrant and the rider fell off the moped.

Around Town

Police, Fire & DPW Put on Parade for Young Watertown Cancer Survivor

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Young cancer survivor Noah McManus thanks the Watertown Police, Fire Department and Department of Public Works for putting on a parade outside his home on Friday. A 3-year-old Watertown boy had some special visitors Friday to help him celebrate the news that he has a clean bill of health after more than a year of cancer treatments. Noah McManus waved to the police cruisers, fire trucks and Public Works vehicles that drove by his home Friday afternoon. He watched dozen of vehicles roll past with his parents and older brother Lucas and baby sister Lilah. “This is more than we expected,” said Noah’s mother, Jessica.

Around Town

Watertown Resident Named Vice Chair of EPA Board, Fellow of Scientific Association

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Dr. Barbara Beck. Watertown resident Barbara Beck, a longtime member of the Board of Health, received two recent honors involving her work in toxicology. Recently she was elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and was also appointed to serve as vice chair of the Science Advisory Board of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Becoming an AAAS fellow was a recognition by Beck’s peers. “It is really an honor. It doesn’t involve any activities,” Beck said.

Government

Watertown’s Capital Budget Includes School Projects, Park Improvements & Mt. Auburn St. Funds

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Watertown Town Hall

Town Council approved $22.2 million in projects and equipment purchases as part of the Fiscal Year 2022 capital spending plan, including funds for the elementary and high school building projects, improvements to Town parks and the Mt. Auburn Street reconstruction. The plan has 33 items on it. The Town Council’s budget policy is to spend between 7.5 and 8 percent of the total Town budget on capital spending. Council Vice President Vincent Piccirilli, who is chair of the Budget & Fiscal Oversight Committee, said the figure would represent 14.02 percent of the projected Town expenditures, or 7.11 percent without the $10.9 million earmarked for the school building projects.

Schools

Watertown Schools Requiring COVID Pool Testing for Students Attending In-Person

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Watertown students who attend school in-person will be required to be part of the district’s COVID-19 pool testing when they return to five-days-a-week classes. The School Committee approved the requirement on Monday night. Superintendent Dede Galdston said that the move will help keep students and staff safe. “We have all the strategies in place to prevent infections, but it is a highly infectious disease and our students are not vaccinated yet,” Galdston said. “Let’s do what we can across the board to keep our students and our community safe.”