Around Town

Watertown Recreation Offering Summer Programs for Kids and Adults

By |

The Watertown Recreation Department will be offering summer program offerings beginning on July 13th. Registration will begin on Tuesday July 7th at 9:00 a.m. and will be on a first come, first serve basis. Please review the following brochure for specific opportunities. Kids Programs

Park Adventure Program

Join the Watertown Recreation Department for a half day summerprogram for all Watertown children. Activities will range from arts & crafts,sports, drama, and many other activities geared toward their interests and age. Monday – Friday, July 13th – August 28th

Entering Grades K – 8 Fall 2020

1 Week Sessions 9:00am – 12:00pm

Fee: $100.00

Sessions: Monday – Friday

1) July 13 – July 17 2) July 20 – July 24 3) July 27 – July 314) August 3 – August 7 5) August 10 – August 146) August 17 – August 217) August 24 – August 28

Program Locations:

Arsenal Park Grades K-2, Grades 3-5Filippello Park Grades K-2, Grades 3-5Casey Park Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8Moxley Park Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8

Youth Tennis

Youth tennis classes will be offered during the summer months.Participants will be taught many tennis skills including forehand,backhand, serving, and scoring.

Around Town

Watertown’s School Meal Pickups Extending Through Summer

By |

The Watertown Public Schools will continue to provide free breakfasts and lunches through the summer, but will be distributing meals on different days. Since the shutdown of schools due to COVID-19, the Watertown School Nutrition program has been giving out meals from the parking lot at Watertown High School to families in need. The program is funded through a Federal grant provided to districts in Massachusetts. During the school year the meals were distributed three days a week, and more than 200 families took part. Over the summer they will be handed two days a week — Tuesdays and Fridays.

Around Town

Burials at Local Cemeteries Spiked During COVID-19 Surge in Massachusetts

By |

Gravestones at Mount Auburn Cemetery. Two of the largest cemeteries in Watertown saw a huge increase in the number of burials during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak in Massachusetts. At the Town-operated Ridgelawn Cemetery, the number of burials almost doubled compared to a year ago, according to Jesse Myott, Department of Public Works Director of Administration & Finance. “The last few months we have seen a significant increase in — not to be cold, but — cemetery operations,” Myott told the Town Council last week. “It is nothing like anything that any of our senior staff has ever seen, and we have a number of 10 and 20 year veterans.

Around Town

Gov. Approves Opening of Gyms, Museums, Cinemas & More in Phase 3 of COVID Reopening

By |

Gov. Charlie Baker, with Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito. Beginning Monday, July 6, gyms, movie theaters and museums will be allowed to reopen as part of Phase 3 of Massachusetts’ COVID-19 reopening plan. Also allowed will be weddings and professional sporting events, but both have significant limitations. Gov. Charlie Baker announced the beginning of Phase 3 Thursday afternoon, and said residents of the state have done a good job slowing the spread of COVID-19. He added that Phase 3 will not start in the City of Boston until Monday, July 13.

Around Town

Library Fines Eliminated in Watertown, Current Fines Removed

By |

The Watertown Free Public Library will no longer be charging fines for late materials. The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Library:

The Watertown Free Public Library has abolished overdue fines for most materials. At their May 5 Board Meeting, the Library Board of Trustees voted unanimously to recommend Town Manager Michael Driscoll eliminate library fines. As a result, fine elimination was included in the FY21 budget which was approved by Town Council on June 29, 2020. 

Beginning July 1, fines will no longer be charged for items that are returned late. This applies to any Watertown or Minuteman Library Network (MLN) item checked out at the WFPL.

Fiscal Year 2021

Council Approves Town Budget Which Includes 2nd Mental Health Specialist for the Police

By |

Funding for a second mental health clinician was added to the Watertown Police Department as part of the $152 million Town Budget approved by the Town Council this week. Town Manager Michael Driscoll announced the addition of $45,000 for the clinician at Monday night’s Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2021 budget. The move was made after the Council’s budget hearing held on June 24, when several people requested the Town ad more mental health professionals and to do so by reducing the Police Department’s budget. Driscoll said the new position would be funded using money left in the Town’s Free Cash fund at the end of Fiscal Year 2020, so it did not come out of the WPD’s budget. After last week’s meeting, Driscoll spoke with Watertown Police Chief Michael Lawn about adding another clinician, who would also work with the WPD’s jail diversion program.

Police/Fire

Lightning Strike Damages Watertown Home, Sets it on Fire

By |

A lightning strike during the strong storm that hit Watertown Sunday put a hole in the roof of a home near Watertown Square and set the structure on fire. The June 28th storm caused some flooding in areas of town, but Watertown Fire Chief Bob Quinn said the lightning strike was the only fire that the department had to respond to during the foul weather. “It was a freak of luck the way it worked out,” Quinn said. “We are thankful that the people who were in the house were fine.” Residents called 911 after their three-story, two-family home at 130 Mt.

Elections

See Who Rep. Hecht Endorsed to Succeed Him in the State House

By |

Democratic activist and Democratic State Committee member Steve Owens is running for the State Representative seat that Jon Hecht will be leaving. State Representative Jonathan Hecht has endorsed Steve Owens in the raceto fill the 29th Middlesex seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, according to a statement released by the Steve Owens Campaign. The Representative is stepping down and not seeking re-election in this year’s primary. “I first met Steve Owens in 2005 when I was a Town Councilor in Watertown. We both worked on Deval Patrick’s Gubernatorial campaign where I got to see first-hand the type of leader Steve is.