Around Town

Demolition of Hosmer School Will Begin Soon

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A map of the area around Hosmer Elementary School, including the traffic plan for the fall. The section of the school in the dark green area will remain after the rest of the school, to the left, is demolished this summer. The demolition of a portion of Hosmer Elementary School will begin on Monday, July 27. Project Manager Thomas Finnegan, from Hill International, sent a letter to school and town officials, and others, updating them about the reconstruction project. The auditorium and cafeteria will be torn down as part of the demolition work, which will take about four weeks.

High School Project

Forum on Watertown High School Planned; Building Committee Doesn’t Like Renovation Option

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A mockup of what Watertown High School could look like if the current school was renovated and expanded. A new gym would be built on the Phillips School site, and a parking garage would go on the corner near Barnard Avenue (bottom right). An option of renovating and expanding the existing Watertown High School got bad reactions from the School Building Committee Wednesday night. The committee also saw more details of building a new school on part of the Victory Field complex. The planning for rebuilding or renovating the high school will be discussed further during a virtual Community Forum to be held on Wednesday, July 29 at 6 p.m. During the forum, the public will have a chance to voice its opinions on the options.

Schools

Two Watertown High Students Receive Newspaper Awards

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Watertown’s Sarah Vail and Toni Carton received Headliners in Education Honors for their work on the Raider Times. Headliners in Education honored two Watertown High School seniors for their work in high school journalism, and presented them with $500 awards. Sarah Vail and Toni Carlton each received Headliner in Education Honors, and were the first two to garner the awards from the non-profit organization which supports journalism in schools. The group received official approval to be a 501 3(c) non-profit organization in March. The same month, founder John Vitti, a Boston Globe editor who lives in Watertown, received a Community Service Award from SXSW (South by Southwest), which came with seed money for Headliners in Education.

Around Town

Watertown Library Partially Reopening Next Week, Will Have Hours for At-Risk Patrons

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Watertown Free Public Library

The Watertown Library sent out the following announcement:

The Watertown Free Public Library will reopen to the public on Monday, July 27. Using the Library will be a very different experience until coronavirus is no longer a major health concern. We are very excited to invite our patrons back. Unfortunately, we cannot offer all of the services that so many have been able to depend on, but it won’t be forever. This is what we can do for you now until the time comes that is safe to resume our regular services.

Around Town

This Week at the Farmers Market: Blueberries, Microgreens & More

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The Watertown Farmers Market provided the following information:

It’s that time of year – summer fun is in full swing! The weather is warm, lots of grilling and time outdoors. The market is filled with beautiful produce including sweet corn, summer squash, and other goodies to bring home to your table. This week we continue to enjoy our summer favorite: delicious blueberries! Loaded with antioxidants, blueberries can be used in both sweet and savory dishes.

Around Town

Watertown’s First Medical Marijuana Dispensary Opening Soon

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Natural Selections, Watertown’s first medical marijuana dispensary, will be opening soon. Inside a building tucked behind a retail building and next to a hotel, sits a bright, modern showroom with glass cases displaying products that has not been available in Watertown previously — marijuana and related items.

Watertown’s first medical marijuana dispensary will open for business on Tuesday, July 28 at 10 a.m. Alex Hardy, Chief Operating Officer of Natural Selections, said the facility is prepared to welcome patients. “We are 100 percent ready to rock and roll,” Hardy said, standing in the retail area of the dispensary at 23 Elm St. The dispensary is located in a building in the back of the property on Elm Street, just off Arsenal Street (and near the Residence Inn by Marriott). During discussions at the Town Council, Planning and Zoning Boards, the issue of parking was raised.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Serial Shoplifters Spotted at Target, Resident Caught in Rent Deposit Scam

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Arrests

None

Incidents

July 6, 6:02 p.m.: The manager of the General Market on Waverley Avenue discovered that someone paid with a counterfeit $100. A man came in to cashed in some lottery tickets and purchased new scratch tickets. He owed $10 and gave a $100 bill to the person at the register, who gave back $90. Later the manager realized it was a fake bill. The suspect is described as an African-American man, around 20 years old, wearing a black sweatshirt with “Air Jordan” on the front, a black baseball hat, dark pants and a white medical mask.

Police/Fire

Watertown Man Arrested in N.H. Child Pornography Investigation

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The eight suspects arrested in a child pornography investigation in Nashua, N.H., including Juan Correa of Watertown (bottom, left)

A Watertown man faces charges of possession of a “Child Sexual Abuse Image” after being arrested by police in New Hampshire. Juan Correa, 31, of Ladd Street in Watertown, was arrested by Nashua Police on July 15 on a charge of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Image, police announced. He was released on personal recognizance bail, and he will be arraigned in Hillsborough County Superior Court South on Aug. 20. The arrest was one of eight made in an investigation by the Nashua Police Department and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force focusing on child exploitation during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Nashua Police.