Around Town

Volunteers Sought to Place Flags at Veteran’s Graves for Memorial Day

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The Watertown Veterans’ Services Office sent out the following information:

Watertown will hold its annual Flag Marker disbursement at Veterans Gravesites on Wednesday May 23, 2018 beginning at 5:00 p.m.

If anyone would like to volunteer to assist in this honorable event, please meet at Ridgelawn Cemetery, Watertown or call the Veterans Office at 617-972- 6416. In the event that it rains, we will shift the date to the following day, Thursday May 24, 2018 at 5:00 p.m.

Around Town

Watertown Memorial Day Parade Shines Despite the Drizzly Weather

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The steady drizzle on Memorial Day did not dampen the patriotic spirits of people who came out to cheer on Watertown’s annual parade on Monday. 

Featured speaker Cynthia Talbert, a retired captain in the U.S. Navy,  reminded those at the ceremony after the parade that Memorial Day weekend is not all about cookouts, sales and a long weekend. “I am reminded of the simple inscription on the Korean War Memorial – Freedom is Not Free,” Talbert said. “It is important to remember why we are here. We hope every war puts and end to all wars, sadly that is not the reality.” Finding a way to inspire men and women to join the military is important, said Talbert.

Around Town

See Who Will be Marching in Watertown’s Memorial Day Parade

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Watertown’s Memorial Day Parade will be held on Monday, and will include some special guests, including the family of fallen Watertown Firefighter Joseph Toscano. The parade begins at noon on Monday at the corner of Mt. Auburn and Arlington streets, and ends in front of Town Hall on Main Street. Following the parade a ceremony will be held at Saltonstall Park, next to Town Hall. Here are the participants in the 2017 parade:
Watertown Police Department
Waltham American Legion Band
Gold Star Mothers (Watertown Ford)
25th Marines Honor Guard
Shutt Detachment
Naval Sea Cadets
Middlesex Sherriff’s Office Honor Guard
New England Band Drum Corp
Family of Fire Fighter Joseph Toscano
Watertown Fire Department
The Honorable Few (motorcycles)
Merrimack Valley Military Vehicle Group
Ancient Order of the Hibernians
AOH Drum and Pipe Band
DAV Van (Dennis Gill) Amvets Post 14
Watertown Son’s of Italy
Watertown Provincial Guard
North End Marching Band Of Boston
Watertown Town and Local Officials
Watertown Savings Bank
The National Lancers
Recreation Department
Blue Bells
DM Productions (DJ Dan McCarthy)
Scouts of Watertown (Troop 30)
Girl Scouts of Eastern Mass.

Around Town

Watertown Has a Long List of Events During Memorial Day Week

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This year’s Memorial Day activities include veterans visiting schools, pacing of wreaths and the ever popular Memorial Day Parade. Watertown Veterans Agent Mark Comeiro announced the schedule for Memorial Day Week. 2017 Memorial Day Week Activities:

Placing of Flags:

WEDNESDAY: 24 May2017 at 5:00 pm:  Meet at Ridgelawn Cemetery

*RAIN DATE THURSDAY MAY 25, 2017*
Flags will be placed at veterans’ graves at all Watertown cemeteries by Veteran organizations and Volunteers
FRIDAY 26 MAY 2017: Veterans School Visitation:
8:45 a.m. – Lowell Elementary School
9:00 a.m. – Watertown High School
9:30 a.m. – Cunniff Elementary School
10:00 a.m. – Watertown Middle School
11:00 a.m. – Hosmer Elementary School
SUNDAY 28 MAY 2017: Morning Services and Dedications:
7:00 a.m.   – Cottage Street Cemetery
7:10 a.m. – Coolidge Square POW/MIA Monument
7:15 a.m.  – Arlington Street Cemetery
7:30 a.m.    – WWI Memorial Stone – (front of Shutt Detachment)
7:45 a.m.    – Common Street Cemetery
8:00 a.m.   – Charles River Float
8:10 a.m. – World War II Memorial Stone (front of Town Hall)
8:30 a.m.   – Saltonstall Park
 
8:55 a.m.    –  Moxley Field (AMVETS Post 14)
9:10 a.m.    –  Ridgelawn Cemetery
9:30 a.m.    – St. Patrick's Cemetery
10:00 a.m. – Veteran’s Mass at St. Patrick’s Church
MONDAY 29 MAY 2017: Parade:
10:30a.m – 11:30a.m. – Parade Check-in at TUFTS Parking lot
12:00p.m. – Parade Begins
(A Memorial Day ceremony will be held at Saltonstall Park, next to Town Hall following the parade.)

Around Town

Public Welcome to Help Place Flags on Veterans’ Gravesites for Memorial Day

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Watertown will hold its annual Flag Marker disbursement at Veterans Gravesites on Wednesday May 24, 2017 beginning at 5 p.m., Watertown Veterans Services Officer Mark Comeiro said. If anyone would like to volunteer to assist in this honorable event, please meet at Ridgelawn Cemetery, Watertown or call the Veterans Office at 617-972- 6416. In the event that it rains, we will shift the date to the following day, Thursday, May 25, 2017 at 5 p.m.

Around Town

Memorial Day Parade Cancelled by Weather

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The Watertown Memorial Day Parade has been cancelled due to the expected bad weather. The Watertown Police sent out an auto call announcing the cancellation of the annual event. The forecast calls for a 90 percent chance of rain and a 60 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Transportation

MassDOT Has Technology to Help You Avoid Traffic on Memorial Day Weekend

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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced it is encouraging the public this Memorial Day Weekend to take advantage of technology tools for drivers, to travel during low volume times on major roadways, and to make note of service hours at Registry Branch Offices and for the MBTA.   

In recent years, the heaviest traffic on roadways is observed during Thursday, Friday, and Monday afternoons and early evenings.  Drivers are encouraged to make travel plans accordingly and if possible on those days to avoid the hours between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Traffic is especially heavy on I-90 at the I-84 interchange at Exit 9 in Sturbridge on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend and at the I-90 Exit 11A, I-495 interchange, which handles vehicles headed south to Cape Cod and north to New Hampshire and Maine. For traffic and road conditions, drivers may use new technology to make decisions:

Customers may dial 511 and select a route to hear real-time conditions,
Visit mass511.com, a website which provides real-time traffic and incident advisory information,
Access MassDOT traffic cameras. Customers may visit www1.eot.state.ma.us/ in order to view traffic camera images covering portions of Route 3, Route 6, Route 28, and parts of  I-90, I-91,  I-93, and I-95. Download the Ridewise app. Customers may use Ridewise to obtain travel times for various routes including Route 3, Route 6, I-93 and portions of I-90.  The app is available on Android and iPhone.

Around Town

This Week’s Observances of Memorial Day Around Watertown

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Watertown’s veterans groups have a whole host of activities planned to observe Memorial Day. 

WEDNESDAY, May 25, 2016 at 5 p.m.: Meet at Saint Patrick’s Cemetery and Ridgelawn Cemetery

(RAIN DATE THURSDAY MAY 26th, 2016)

Flags will be placed at veterans’ graves at all Watertown cemeteries by Veteran organizations and Volunteers

THURSDAY, May 26, 2016: Veterans School Visitation:

9:30 a.m. – Cunniff School

FRIDAY, May 27, 2016: Veterans School Visitations:

9 a.m. – Watertown High School

9 a.m. – Lowell School

10 a.m. – Middle School

10 a.m. – Hosmer School

SUNDAY, May 29, 2016: Morning Services and Dedications:

8 a.m. – Cottage Street Cemetery

8:15 a.m. – Coolidge Square POW/MIA Monument

8:30 a.m. – WWI Memorial Stone

8:45 a.m. – Common Street Cemetery

9 a.m. -Charles River Float

9:15a.m. – WWII Memorial Stone

9:20 a.m. – Saltonstall Park

9:30 a.m. – Ridgelawn Cemetery

9:45 a.m. -St. Patrick’s Cemetery

10:00 a.m. – Memorial Service at St. Patrick’s Church

MONDAY, May 30, 2016: Morning Dedications and Parade:

10:30a.m – 11:30a.m. – Parade Check-in at TUFTS Parking lot

12:00p.m. – Parade Begins (A ceremony will take place at Saltonstall Park after the parade)