Police/Fire

Police Log: Man Threatened While Using ATM, Facebook Marketplace Scam

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

Jan. 5 1:15 a.m.: A officer patrolling in Watertown Square spotted a vehicle without an inspection sticker, which also had a missing front license plate. The officer obtained the plate number from the back license plate and ran a query that found that registered owner had a warrant out for his arrest. The vehicle was pulled over on Arsenal Street and the 22-year-old Waltham man was arrested on the warrant from Dedham District court for traffic offenses.

Arsenal Yards

Arsenal Yards Warming Winter With Outdoor Fireside Dining

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Fire pits will provide some warmth for outdoor diners at Arsenal Yards this winter. The following announcement was provided by Arsenal Yards:

Winter has officially gotten warmer at Watertown’s Arsenal Yards with Fire Side hangouts on the River Green. Based on the success from the holiday season, the Fire Side winter experience is back. Guests can now reserve their own socially distanced, outdoor propane fire pit to make outdoor dining from Arsenal Yards’ restaurants – including Ben & Jerry’s, Chipotle, City Works Pour House & Eatery, Frank Pepe, Garbanzo and Shake Shack – a little bit cozier. Arsenal Yards is also hosting special hangouts throughout the winter featuring live musicians and DJs during certain timeslots. Following an incredible response in December, Fire Side kicks off again on Friday, January 15, with the return of Pat Dowling, a Boston-based performer who uses a loop pedal to layer singing, beatboxing and guitar to create a full band sound, as the first performer.

Around Town

Watertown Musician Uses Pandemic to Record First Solo Album

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Watertown’s Daniel Radin recorded his debut solo album, “Good Things” in his home basement. He used the name Lake Saint Daniel for his latest project. Watertown’s Daniel Radin usually spends a lot of time on the road touring with his rock band, but his performance schedule was cut short by the Pandemic. He made the most of his time at home by recording his first solo album. Recently, Radin received a grant from Passim’s Iguana Music Awards to help pay to put out his new album, Good Things, which he put out under the name used for his most recent project — Lake Saint Daniel.

Alexandria

Harvard, MIT Investing in Biotech Manufacturing Center in Watertown

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A biotech manufacturing center will be created in this building in the Arsenal on the Charles. The Massachusetts Center for Advanced Biological Innovation and Manufacturing is a joint effort between Harvard, MIT, area hospitals and biotech firms.

Harvard University is coming back to the Arsenal on the Charles, this time teaming with MIT, local hospitals and corporate sponsors to create a biotech manufacturing center in the former U.S. Army Arsenal. The new center will be called the Massachusetts Center for Advanced Biological Innovation and Manufacturing, and will be located in 40,000 sq. ft. of a building located off North Beacon Street in the complex.

Police/Fire

Man Acting Suspiciously Toward Girl Reported at Watertown Park

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A mother called Watertown Police after a man appeared to be filming her young daughter and acting suspiciously at Fillippello Park. The incident occurred at about 11:50 a.m. on Jan. 7, and was reported shortly before 3 p.m. that day, according to Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. The woman said she was at the tot lot in the East End park with her 2-year-old daughter at the time. “While she was she there, she became aware of an adult male who appeared to be filming, FaceTiming or something else on his phone and she felt he was filming her child,” O’Connor said.

Around Town

UPDATE: Dozens of Pairs of Shoes Donated by Watertown Native, Rec. Dept. Will Distribute

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Watertown native Robert Marra with Peter Centola, who was Marra’s fold coach at WHS and is now Director of Watertown’s Recreation Department. Marra donated 60 pairs of shoes to the Town, which will give them away to residents. (Updated Jan. 13, 2021 at 8:45 a.m.)

Watertown residents can get a free pair of shoes thanks to a Watertown native who wanted to help his hometown. Robert Marra works and lives in Ashland now, but he grew up in Town.

Government

Charter Review Committee Hears How Other Local Governments Work from Mayors & a Manager

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Watertown Town Hall

The group looking at whether to make changes to how Watertown’s government works heard from chief executives from three communities: two mayors and one town manager. At the Jan. 5 Charter Review Committee meeting, the members were joined by three panelists: Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, Woburn Mayor Scott Galvin, and Jamie Hellen, Town Administrator in Franklin, which has a similar set up to Watertown with a “strong manager.” Each spoke about the strengths and weaknesses of their governments. Hellen said that one of the strengths of Franklin’s council/manager form of government is that he as an appointed executive can take the heat off the elected council for some of the more contentious decisions.

Arrests

Police Log: Juvenile Busted on Gun Charges, Pizza Place Broken Into

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

Dec. 30, 3:50 p.m.: Target security spotted a woman going into two vehicles in the parking lot before entering a third vehicle, which she drove away. Security got a license plate and description, and gave it to police. It was determined that the vehicle had been stolen from Boston.