Around Town

Watertown Violin Teacher Featured in Little Local Conversations Podcast

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Watertown’s Nicole Kootz teaches violin and viola. Watertown’s Nicole Kootz teaches violin and viola and discussed what the Suzuki Method and Alexander Technique are in the “Little Local Conversations” podcast. In “Little Local Conversations,” discover the people, places, stories, and ideas of Watertown. Creator and Watertown resident Matt Hanna has conversations with various businesses owners, community leaders, creatives, and other interesting folks in Watertown to learn about what they do and get to know a bit about the people behind the work. 

Hanna wrote:

“Meet Nicole Kootz! She runs Bright Strings Studio here in Watertown where she teaches violin and viola lessons using the Suzuki Method and Alexander Technique.

Around Town

Watertown Librarian Talks About the Library’s Little Known Features on Local Conversations Podcast

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Watertown Library’s Allie Fry shares some offerings of the library that you may not know about in the fifth episode of the Little Local Conversations podcast

In Little Local Conversations, discover the people, places, stories, and ideas of Watertown. Creator and Watertown resident Matt Hanna has conversations with various businesses owners, community leaders, creatives, and other interesting folks in Watertown to learn about what they do and get to know a bit about the people behind the work. 

Watertown Library’s Programming Librarian Allie Fry. Hanna wrote:

“Meet Allie Fry! She’s the Programming Librarian at the Watertown Free Public Library. We talk about what attracted her to the library here in Watertown (she’s from the Midwest), the lesser known programming for adults that the library offers, and all the other great stuff about the library.”

Around Town

Podcast Spotlights the Creator of the Program that Brings Life Science Lessons Into the High School

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Merle Kummer

The fourth episode of Little Local Conversations podcast spotlighted the work of Merle Kummer, the founder of a unique program that brings together members of life science community with students at Watertown High School. In Little Local Conversations, discover the people, places, stories, and ideas of Watertown. Creator and Watertown resident Matt Hanna has conversations with various businesses owners, community leaders, creatives, and other interesting folks in Watertown to learn about what they do and get to know a bit about the people behind the work. 

Hanna wrote:

“Meet Merle Kummer! She’s the co-founder and president of CoLAB: High School STEM Collaboration. We talk about her movement from Kendall Square to Watertown to seek a more connected community, how CoLAB came to be and the unique ways it engages high schoolers in the possibilities of STEM work, and she shares a bit about the life science sector here in Watertown.”

Around Town

Watertown Podcast Speaks With New Executive Director of Gore Place

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In the third episode of Little Local Conversations Watertown’s Matt Hanna spoke with Gavin Kleespies, the Executive Director of Gore Place. In Little Local Conversations, discover the people, places, stories, and ideas of Watertown. Hanna has conversations with various businesses owners, community leaders, creatives, and other interesting folks in Watertown to learn about what they do and get to know a bit about the people behind the work. 

Gavin Kleespies

Hanna wrote:

“Meet Gavin Kleespies! He’s the new Executive Director at Gore Place. Listen to learn more about Gore Place and some of its little known history (including steam-powered build-it-yourself cars) and a bit of insight into what it’s like to be an executive director.”

Around Town

Little Local Conversations Podcast Featuring Jan Taylor, Owner of Get Lively Fitness Studio

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Jan Taylor, owner of Get Lively Health & Fitness Studio

Watertown’s Matt Hanna has spent the last several months getting to know people living and working in Watertown, and has produced more than 20 episodes of Little Local Conversations. In the second episode of the podcast, he spoke with Jan Taylor, the owner of a local fitness and health studio. Hanna wrote:

“Meet Jan Taylor! She’s the owner of Get Lively Health and Fitness and she’s here to make people smile while they exercise. Listen to learn more about her business journey from basement to full blown fitness and lifestyle studio and more of her personal story.”

Around Town

Podcast Focuses on People, Places & Stories of Watertown

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Matt Hanna has spent the last several months getting to know people living and working in Watertown, and has produced more than 20 episodes of Little Local Conversations. He provided the following information about his ongoing project:

Hi there! I’m Matt Hanna, a Watertown resident of 14 years now, and I want to share with you a little project I’ve been working on to dig a little deeper into the people, places, stories, and ideas of Watertown. Matt Hanna

I’ve always enjoyed living here and over the years in the city I’ve gotten married, had a kid, been a stay-at-home parent, sheltered in place, worked, and volunteered and I’ve experienced the city in all the ways those different life stages and points of view have brought me. But it wasn’t until quite recently that I started to truly appreciate how wonderfully unique Watertown is and especially how many amazing people have shaped and are shaping the city, in big ways for everyone to see, and in smaller, but no less important ways within smaller communities.