Around Town

LETTER: Industrial Noise Pollution from Watertown Impacting Newton Neighbors

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Dear Watertown News editor,

I’m writing to ensure that you, and your readers, are aware of an issue at Watertown’s border. Industrial noise pollution is dominating the Charles River and the residential neighborhoods it borders. Those of us most affected have formed an association and reached out to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection seeking immediate help in ensuring the installation of noise-mitigation devices such as sound blankets and fan silencers. The corridor of Pleasant Street along the Charles River has seen an expansion of noise-generating ventilation fans, chillers and evaporators among the commercial buildings directly on the Charles River. The businesses that directly border the Charles River and regularly generate noise include Griffith Properties, 580 Pleasant Street; Charles River Automotive, 594 Pleasant Street; and Arranta Bio/ReciBio, 650 Pleasant Street.

Around Town

LETTER: Seeking a Place for a Little Library in Memory of Eliza

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Eliza Ruth Aidoo passed away on Oct. 6, 2021. Her uncle wants to put up a little library in her honor somewhere in Watertown (Courtesy of James Munroe-Ellis)

On October 6, 2021, my 17-month-old niece Eliza Ruth Aidoo passed away tragically due to complications of a serious illness. She spent her whole life in the hospital. Because of Covid, I was only able to meet my niece once.

Government

LETTER: Time to Involve Residents in Planning of Watertown’s Future

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At the Nov. 3 District D “Meet the new City Manager” meeting, a resident made a request that I’ve heard very often around the City. Could the Planning Department please give us the big picture of the City and not just the various pieces? This could answer many questions that residents have. I thought that was an excellent idea, and trying to expedite this process, I worked with some residents to demystify the biggest missing piece for people who live in Watertown, the increasing role of the Life Sciences Industry in our community.

Government

OP-ED: Residents First Watertown Biosafety Committee Leaves Her With Questions

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I noticed that the Biosafety Committee was meeting on October 6th and decided to “zoom in,” curious to know what it was all about. Besides the many buildings being erected all over the City, this seemed like it would be the next step: how does the City vet our new corporate neighbors? This seemed like the place to find this out. On the agenda were three companies:

Arcaea, LLC (155 Arlington Street), which works on cosmetics

AutoIVF, Inc (200 Dexter Ave.). which, obviously is in the IVF business

Abata Therapeutics (100 Forge Road…Arsenal Yards), which was working on diabetes 1 and multiple sclerosis.

Election 2022

LETTER: Resident Sees Question 1 as a “Money Grab”

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It seems that politicians never have enough money and work hardest to come up with easy ways to get it. In addition to the taxes we already pay, and the $7 million Watertown has received from the lottery as Unrestricted General Government Aid in fiscal year 2022, there never seems to be enough money. In their latest “how can we get more money” scam, politicians have targeted people with taxable income over $1 million. Apparently, those people aren’t paying their fair share. Be careful when issues are framed in an ‘us vs them’ context.

Around Town

LETTER: Resident Wants Congressional Candidates to Debate

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Dear Editor,

In reading recent local publications including this one, I’ve noticed something troubling. Recent articles of Caroline Colarusso and her supporters are calling on our 5th Mass. District Congresswoman Kathrine Clark to debate the issues that surround the upcoming election. Mrs. Colarusso has challenged Clark to five debates with little or no conditions attached. That’s not the troubling part of it. The troubling part of it is that Kathrine Clark and her team have not responded to most or any debate requests.

Around Town

LETTER: Missing Russo’s, Striving to Create Food Co-op

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It’s been one year since Russo’s announced they were closing. Over 365 days have passed with our community lacking one of Boston Metro West’s best sources for produce, baked goods, and plants. As I stood in the checkout line on their last day — laden with too much cheese and veggies — my mind raced, thinking of the 200 people who would be without jobs soon, wondering why Watertown needed yet another lab facility for a biotech company instead of a market. My kids would no longer be able to prowl through the Christmas trees stacked up outside each December. My wife would need to find a replacement for the especially spicy maror (horseradish) that would make us tear up at Passover.

Around Town

LETTER: Thank You Watertown, and an Invitation to Get Involved

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Dear Watertown Citizens,

I’d like to thank those citizens of Watertown who have taken the time and effort to stay involved in City issues and governance. It takes some effort to get on this swiftly moving train, as I’ve learned in the past six months. I invite you to get involved. For starters, pick something small. You might even find it gratifying!