Around Town

Council Approves Replacing Victory Field Turf with New Artificial Turf in Divided Vote

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Charlie BreitroseThe City Council voted to replace the artificial turf at Victory Field with a new artificial surface. A new artificial turf surface will replace the current one at Victory Field’s stadium and baseball area. Victory Field’s turf is used by seven Watertown High School teams — football, field hockey, boys and girls soccer, baseball and boys and girls lacrosse — along with Recreation Department programs, youth sports teams, and informal use by residents. City Councilors approved the decision to put a turf surface with organic material between the plastic blades of grass in a split vote on Tuesday night. Before their decision the Council heard an hour and 20 minutes of comments from the public, with opinions on both sides but more supporting replacing the surface with new artificial turf.

Around Town

Youth Sports Program Comes Together to Remember a Hockey Mom & Raise Money

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Charlie BreitroseMothers from the Watertown Youth Hockey skated a lap of honor in memory of their friend Jami Curley at John A. Ryan Arena. Recently, the Watertown Youth Hockey community came together for their annual fundraiser, and also paid tribute to a hockey mom who recently lost her battle with cancer. The Skate-a-thon took place on Feb. 14 at John A. Ryan Arena. During the event, young hockey players did 50 turns around the ice.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Car Left on Cinderblocks After Wheels Taken, Multiple Mail Fishing Scams

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

Feb. 16, 3:10 p.m.: Police received a report of a vehicle with a man who might be intoxicated inside on North Beacon Street. When officers arrived, they found a vehicle with two wheels up on the sidewalk, partially blocking the driveway to MacDonald Academy of Martial Arts. The man inside showed signs of intoxication, including an overwhelming odor of alcohol, glassy and bloodshot eyes, and there were several empty Jim Beam nips bottles in the vehicle.

Around Town

Share Your Memories of the Shootout & Capture of the Boston Marathon Bombers

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The aftermath at Laurel Street at Dexter Avenue after the Watertown Police faced the Boston Marathon Bombers. It’s hard to believe that in April it will be an entire decade since the day the Watertown Police faced the Boston Marathon Bombers in the East End, the shelter-in-place during the hunt for the remaining suspect, and the ultimate capture of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in a boat in the yard of a house on Franklin Street. Watertown News is collecting the stories and photos of people who saw it firsthand, those who lived in town at the time, and even people who didn’t reside here, but remember that day. My Memories

In 2013, I was working for the Patch, and remember awakening not to the sound of gunshots, but to the dings of my cellphones as reporters and editors shot texts back and forth. Imagine my surprise when I realized the Bombers had been tracked down to my town!

Sports

State Tourney: Watertown Boys Hockey Highly Seeded; Girls & Boys Hoops Get Home Games

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Charlie BreitroseThe Raiders had strong support from its fans at the TD Garden in the 2022 State Final. This year the Raiders are the fifth seed. Watertown High School’s boys hockey team will seek a second straight trip to the Garden as the fifth seed in the MIAA Div. 3 State Tournament. The girls and boys basketball teams will host a home game in the State Tourney.

Around Town

Group Seeks to Create Cultural District in Town, Likely in Watertown Square

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Watertown Square could become part of the City’s proposed cultural district. The center of Watertown may become a cultural district, which would allow the area’s arts and culture groups, restaurants and businesses to be promoted as a destination for people in and around the city, and even for tourists. Receiving approval to be a cultural district is a multi-step application process, concluding with approval by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, said Liz Helfer, the City’s Public Arts & Culture Planner. The application must include a partnership of representatives from arts and culture institutions, artists, and someone from the City. Helfer is part of the group putting together the proposal for the Cultural District.

Police/Fire

Man Faces Charges After Stabbing Dog That Attacked His Dog

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A Watertown man faces criminal charges after he allegedly stabbed a dog that was attacking his dog and would not release it. On Feb. 13, just before 6:30 p.m., police received a report of a fight between two dogs at Filippello Park. When they arrived the two owners, one who had a dog about 20-25 pounds in size, and the other had two dogs that were 40-50 pounds each. The men had been walking along a path in the park when the altercation happened, said Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor.

Around Town

Watertown Resident Running First Marathon for Boston Children’s Hospital

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Watertown’s Stephanie Barker will be running her first Boston Marathon in 2023, and is raising money for Boston Children’s Hospital. Watertown’s Stephanie Barker will be running her first Boston Marathon in 2023, and will be raising money for a cause that helped her when she was young. Barker Raised more than $10,000 for Boston Children’s Hospital. If not for their services, she may not be running the marathon, at all. “I was born with hip displacement — they weren’t in the sockets when I was born,” Barker said.