Around Town

City Council Urges State to Remove Watertown Dam

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Charlie BreitroseThe Watertown Dam near Watertown Square slows the flow of the Charles River. A group is advocating removing the dam. The City Council sent a letter to State officials in support of removing the “Watertown DCR Dam” from the Charles River, near Watertown Square. The Council cited climate resilience, rebuilding the population of fish species in the Charles, and the opposition of the dam by indigenous people in the letter. While the dam is located on a stretch of the river in Watertown’s city limits, the Charles and its shores are controlled by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

Sports

Watertown Girls Basketball Looks to Build on Foundation Set by Prior Teams

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Catherine WilliamsThe 2022-23 Watertown High School girls basketball team. Watertown High School’s girls basketball team will have to replace a couple big contributors from last season, but Head Coach Pat Ferdinand said he wants to build on the foundation the team built last year. Gone are 1,000+ point scorer Taylor Lambo and long-time starter Ellie Monahan, who were part of last year’s team that won a State Tournament game before falling to the eventual State Champion, St. Mary’s. The 2022-23 season got off to a good start on Tuesday night.

Government

Watertown Will Buy Walkers Pond Property After Council Approves Deal

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Leo MartinWalkers Pond, on the Westside of Watertown, will be purchased by the City of Watertown for open space. Watertown will expand its public open space and take control of one of the few wetlands in the city limits after the City Council voted to approve the acquisition of the Walkers Pond property. The vote came Tuesday night, and City Manager George Proakis said the deal to buy the property on the Westside of town could be completed within the next week. The 6.67-acre parcel will be purchased for $11.25 million. Leo Martin, chair of the Watertown Conservation Commission, thanked the Council for the final approval, adding that Council President Mark Sideris and former Town (and City) Manager Michael Driscoll “put up with him” as he continued to push for the acquisition of the property.

Sports

New Crew Looks to Continue Watertown Boys Basketball’s Success

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Catherine WilliamsThe 2022-23 Watertown High School boys basketball team will look to continue its sucess. During introductions at the Raiders Hoop Night on Saturday, the Watertown High School boys basketball team had a new cast of headliners, but they hope to build on the success of last year’s State Finalist team. All five starters from a year ago graduated, but Watertown Head Basketball Coach Steve Harrington believes the 2022-23 Raiders will have success. The Raiders tip off their season Tuesday night when they host Arlington at 7 p.m.

“We lost ton of experience, leadership, playing time — the whole ball of wax,” Harrington said. “Luckily, we are filling it with a great group of guys who waited their turn.”

Police/Fire

Father and Son from Watertown Convicted of Lottery Scheme

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The following announcement was provided by the U.S. Department of Justice:

A father and son were convicted by a federal jury Dec. 9 in connection with a “ten-percenting” scheme in which they cashed winning Massachusetts state lottery tickets on behalf of the ticket holders to avoid taxes and receive tax refunds.    

Ali Jaafar, 63, and Yousef Jaafar, 29, both of Watertown, were convicted of one count of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count each of filing a false tax return. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for April 11, 2023 and April 13, 2023 for Ali Jaafar and Yousef Jaafar, respectively. Mohamed Jaafar, another of Ali Jaafar’s sons, who was also involved in the scheme, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service on Nov.

Sports

“Inspirational” Watertown Field Hockey Team Honored by School Committee

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown field hockey players celebrate a goal in the State Final win over Sandwich. The Raiders won back-to-back titles, and WHS’s 20th overall. After winning the State Championship for the 20th time, Watertown High School’s field hockey team received praise from the School Committee, and the players were called inspirations who represent the community well. The Raiders completed an undefeated, untied season on Nov. 19, defeating Sandwich in the MIAA Div.

Schools

Vocational Committee’s Draft Recommendations Urge Students to Apply to Medford

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Medford High School and Vocational Technical High School

A committee looking at vocational education options for Watertown students recently created a set of draft recommendations, including that Watertown students apply to Medford’s vocational program and to continue to examine whether the City should join the Minuteman Vocational High School district. The Ad Hoc Career, Vocational, and Technical Education (CVTE) Committee has been meeting for months, and the chair, School Committee member David Stokes, presented the draft report to the School Committee on Dec. 5. The draft report, and the recommendations, will be discussed at the CVTE Committee meeting on Monday, Dec. 12.

Around Town

Preliminary Plans Submitted for Multi-Story Garage at Transformed Watertown Mall

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Alexandria Real Estate EquitiesA conceptual drawing of the garage that may go at 480 Arsenal Way, and would be part of the “Watertown Mall Transformation.” The first step in the redevelopment of the Watertown Mall, and neighboring properties, appears to be the construction of a multi-level parking garage. It would be part of a complex that includes life science buildings, retail, and second parking garage. Alexandria Real Estate Equities submitted preliminary plans to the Watertown Planning Department for a 700-vehicle garage that would be built at 480 Arsenal Way. It is part of what developers are calling the “Watertown Mall Transformation Project.”