Police/Fire

Firefighters, Police, Others Honored for Saving Girl’s Life, 3 Firefighters Sworn In

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Charlie BreitroseThe Watertown Firefighters, Police, and civilian employees who helped save the life of 11-year-old Rachel Patterson, pose with the Patterson family. Several awards were presented at a ceremony on Oct. 18. A dozen people received awards for their part in saving the life of a girl in July who was not breathing. Also during the ceremony the three newest members of the Watertown Fire Department officially received their badges.

Around Town

Video Series Will Give Inside Look at Watertown Police, Features Dozens of Officers

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A series of videos debuting this week will give people an inside look at the Watertown Police Department, and allow them to get to know some of the officers and others working for the WPD. Behind the Badge, which will be available on the Watertown Police social media accounts, has been more than a year in the making, said Dan McCarthy, who co-produced the series with Mark Chambers. McCarthy and his production team spoke with more than 20 officers, and conducted more than 30 interviews, including civilian employees, McCarthy said. The 10 episodes will be about 7 to 10 minutes long, and each has two features along with a mini feature. “Some of the features include an in depth look at the dispatch for police and fire, the canine, the (Student Resource Officer), we go out on the road with Don Pham and the motorcycle unit” McCarthy said.

Around Town

Historic House Reopens to the Public, Features New Sign & Labels for Pieces Inside

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Charlie BreitroseMembers of the Historical Society of Watertown celebrate the official unveiling of the new sign at the Edmund Fowle House. On Sunday, the public got a chance to look inside one of Watertown’s oldest homes for the first time since the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020, and the Historical Society celebrated the debut of a couple of new features. A new sign sits next to the Edmund Fowle House on Marshall Street. The home is the second oldest in Watertown, after the Browne House in West Watertown, and it was the site of the signing of the first treaty signed by the United States with a foreign power, the St. John’s (a.k.a. Maliseet) and Mi’kmaq Tribes of Nova Scotia, the Treaty of Watertown, in 1776.

Homepage Featured

Police Log: Man Caught Taking Liquor had 4 Warrants, Fraudulent Check Cashed for Nearly $9,000

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

Oct. 7, 6:13 p.m.:  Employees at Ricci’s Liquors on Main Street spotted a man shoplifting. The man took a bottle of Jack Daniels off the shelf, hid it under his jacket and left the store. One of the employees followed the suspect down the street and the police were called.

Around Town

Watertown Connector Shuttle Links Pleasant Street to Harvard Square, Serves Residents & Employees

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Charlie BreitroseThe Watertown Connector’s Pleasant Street shuttle pulls into Watertown Mews, the first stop during morning runs to Harvard Square. Watertown’s newest public transportation option made a special run on Wednesday to show Town officials and residents what it is like to ride the Watertown Connector Pleasant Street Shuttle. The Watertown Connector began running on Pleasant Street the day after Labor Day, and has given more than 150 rides on the route that goes down the westside corridor, to Watertown Square and on to Harvard Square. The shuttle makes four runs in the morning and four in the afternoon and evening. Rides are free for residents of apartment complexes and employees of businesses that contribute to the Watertown Transportation Management Association (TMA).

Around Town

FY2022 Budget Looks Stronger Than Expected, Next Year’s Budget Includes High School Project With No Override

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Town Manager Michael Driscoll submitted his final preliminary budget to the Town Council on Tuesday before retiring in early 2022. Town Manager Michael Driscoll presented his 29th, and final, preliminary budget to the Town Council on Tuesday night. The Town’s financial outlook is positive, with significant increases in property taxes and from inspection fees. The current fiscal year, FY2022, came in nearly $7 million above the budget approved in the spring of 2021. The majority of the increase, Driscoll said, came from inspection fees, which were $5 million more than projected.

Government

Changes to Watertown’s House Districts Proposed, Residents Can Give Input During Hearing

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Wikimedia Commons / ChensiyuanMassachusetts State House. Every 10 years Massachusetts Legislative districts are adjusted and changes are proposed for both of Watertown’s House Districts. The Senate District may change, but the new boundaries would not impact the town. On Friday, Oct. 15, a virtual public hearing will be held to get testimony from the public and residents can submit written comments.

Business

New STEM Education Fund Will Provide Grants to Watertown Teachers, Funded by Local Companies, WCF & Life Science Cares

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Community Foundation and Life Science Cares Boston:

Life Science Cares Boston is collaborating with the Watertown Community Foundation and four Watertown-based life science companies to launch the Watertown STEM Education Fund, a special effort to fund science, technology, engineering & math programming in the Watertown Public Schools. Four corporate contributors — Arranta Bio, C4 Therapeutics, Forma Therapeutics & Landmark Bio — and Life Science Cares have committed a total of $15,000 in funding for teacher-driven requests for supplemental materials, books, equipment, special events and speakers, student programs and experimental school or district-wide initiatives. The fund builds on the Watertown Community Foundation’s annual school-based educational grants program and will increase total funding for the foundation’s grants this fall. “This exciting new partnership and funding commitment will expand our ability to support Watertown teachers through our annual education grant program. Each year we receive far more grant requests than we can fund, particularly in the area of science and technology. This STEM Fund will truly transform our grant giving capacity and provide teachers and our schools with more resources to support students in the classroom,” said Jan Singer, Watertown Community Foundation Executive Director.