Around Town

Volunteers at the Senior Center Fill 100s of Plastic Eggs for the Brigham House Easter Egg Hunt

By |

Volunteers filled plastic eggs for the Easter Egg Hunt at Brigham House. Pictured, from left, Mary Ann Di Luzio, Maria Monahan, Theresa Cameron, Jo Balboni, and Paula Mahoney. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Tables full of volunteers at the Senior Center filled pink and yellow plastic eggs with candy in preparation for an intergenerational event at one of Watertown’s assisted living homes. On Monday, about 30 volunteers filled 250 eggs, and with another round on Tuesday, said Arlene Smith, who organized the event. “I enjoy filling the eggs,” said Jo Balboni, a volunteer who has two granddaughters.

Sports

Nine Watertown Athletes Named Middlesex League Winter All-Stars, One Named MVP

By |

Watertown junior Will Carty was named Middlesex Freedom MVP, as well as being All-Conference for the 2024-25 boys basketball season. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Several Watertown High School athletes received League All-Star honors, including members of the boys and girls basketball teams, boys and girls wrestling, and boys ice hockey. See who made the list in the announcement from the Watertown Public Schools, below. The Middlesex League has announced its All-Star rosters for the 2024-2025 winter sports season, with nine Raiders athletes taking home All-Star or All-Conference honors across five sports. 

Boys Basketball:

Will Carty (Freedom Division MVP and Middlesex League All-Conference)

Aiden Didovic

Olivier Labossiere

Girls basketball:

Caroline Andrade

Adrianna Williams

Boys Ice Hockey:

Domenic Moynihan

Boys Wrestling: 

Brady Gleason (Middlesex League All-Conference)

Jimmy Strestha

Girls Wrestling:

Tessa Master (Middlesex League All-Conference)

Government

City Manager Speaks About the City Budget, Staffing, Streets & Watertown Square in Local Podcast

By |

City Manager George Proakis spoke about development in Watertown, adding staff to the City government, the state of Watertown’s streets, and more on the Eye on Watertown podcast. He was joined by Assistant City Manager for Community Development and Planning Steve Magoon. Co-hosts Clyde Younger and Charlie Breitrose spoke with Proakis and Magoon on March 31 at the Watertown Cable podcast studio. Proakis shared some details about the future of the Sterritt Lumber site, recently purchased by the City. He also talked about his leadership style.

Entertainment

Two Plays Coming to Watertown in Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s 2025-26 Season

By |

The 2025-26 season for Actors’ Shakespeare Project features three plays, two of which will go on stage at Watertown’s Mosesian Center for the Arts. See details in the announcement from the theater company below. Actors’ Shakespeare Project is proud to announce our 2025-26 Season line-up. We hope you’ll join us for three masterpieces of literature that invite audiences and artists to reflect on how narratives shape identity, and how art can dismantle the walls that confine us.These three productions form a tapestry of defiance: Macbeth exposes the mechanics of control. Little Women redefines who gets to tell their story. Gem of the Ocean reclaims marginalized histories.Our current season — wrapping up with A Midsummer Night’s Dream this month — has been one of our biggest and most successful yet, with our momentous move to Watertown ushering in a new era for ASP, and new opportunities on the horizon.The best way to help ASP continue to build on this success is becoming a subscriber today. Subscribers never pay ticket fees, can switch their seats at any time free of charge, and save up to 30% on single ticket prices.

Sports

Gold Kings Hockey Teams Lifts Trophy, Cliched First Title in Watertown With Comeback Win

By |

The Boston Gold Kings celebrate scoring in Game 2 of the PPSHL Finals. The Gold Kings won the game 5-4 against Salem. (Photo by John Merritt)

Two goals in the third period capped a dream playoff run by the Boston Gold Kings, who won Game 2 of the finals 5-4 over the Salem Sasquatch and clinched the team’s first title in its second year of existence. The Gold Kings lifted the Power Play Senior Hockey League (PPSHL) trophy on home ice at the John A. Ryan Arena on March 29. The semi pro team now seeks to keep improving and hopes to see the league add more competition, said Cameron Labrecque, the Gold Kings’ General Manager & Director of Hockey Operations.

Police/Fire

Watertown Police Arrest Man Suspected of Having Child Pornography

By |

A Watertown man faces charges of possession of child pornography after an investigation by Watertown Police. Police, working with the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force searched a home in West Watertown on Wednesday and took Patrick Athridge into custody. Watertown Police posted the following announcement on social media on April 3, 2025 at 12:30 p.m.:

Chief Justin Hanrahan announces that on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at approximately 6:00 PM in the West End of Watertown members of the Watertown Police Department, in collaboration with the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, executed a search warrant in Watertown. As a result of the investigation, Mr. Patrick Athridge was taken into custody and charged with possession of child pornography. Mr. Athridge is scheduled to be arraigned later today in Waltham District Court.

Around Town

Armenian Photo Archive Celebrates 50 Years; Runs Exhibit Space in Watertown, Holding Event the Library

By |

A photo from the Project Save archive, which preserves the Armenian experience. (Courtesy of Project Save)

Project Save, the photo archive that has preserved original photographs, the stories, identities, and histories of the Armenian diaspora celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025, and has opened an exhibition space in Watertown where the public can view changing exhibits. A temporary exhibition is now on display at the Watertown Library. The organization began in the 1960s when founder Ruth Tomasian was living in New York City. It was officially registered in 1975.

Government

Gov. Healey Concerned About Impacts of Federal Funding Cuts & Tariffs, Sees Housing as State’s Biggest Challenge

By |

Gov. Maura Healey speaks with Charles River Chamber President & CEO Greg Reibman during the Chamber’s Government Affairs Forum on March 31. (Photo by Leise Jones)

NEWTON — Gov. Maura Healey worries about the uncertainty in the economy created by policies coming out of Washington, as well as federal funding cuts negatively impacting some of Massachusetts’ biggest industries, she told an audience at the Charles River Regional Chamber event on Monday. Other challenges to maintaining one of the strongest economies in the United States includes creating more housing and the cost of energy, Healey said at the Chamber’s Government Affairs Forum at the Newton Marriott. Congressman Jake Auchincloss also appeared at the event. Massachusetts receives the most NIH (National Institute of Health) funding per capita, but that funding — some of which is used for life science research and development — may be at risk if cuts are made by the Trump Administration.