Around Town

Chanukah Candles Light the Dark Night at Chabad Watertown’s Fourth Annual Celebration

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Rabbi Dovid Zaltzman lights a candle on the ice menorah during the fourth annual Chanukah Celebration at Arsenal Yards. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The flames of the candles on the big outdoor menorah shone through the dark and frigid night during Monday’s Chabad Watertown’s fourth annual Chanukah Celebration at Arsenal Yards. Dozens braved the 20 degree weather to enjoy some hot chocolate and doughnuts, catch gelt dropped from a Watertown Fire truck’s ladder, and watch a man twirl flaming sticks, eat fire, and blow fireballs. The fire dancer shoots a fireball during the Chanukah Celebration at Arsenal Yards. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Held on the second night of Chanukah, Chabad Watertown invited City Manager George Proakis, along with Watertown Police Chief Justin Hanrahan and Captain Dan Unsworth to light the service candle, in the middle of the ice menorah.

Business

Perkins Students Learn Life Skills Working at Local Businesses & Organizations

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Perkins School for the Blind student Hugh helps Watertown Savings Bank sort coins as part of a work experience partnership. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Students from Perkins School for the Blind have the opportunity to expand their education by leaving campus and learning on the job by working for businesses and organizations in and around Watertown. The school has developed partnerships with multiple employers, including Watertown Savings Bank and the Mount Auburn Cemetery, where students spend time each week. Hugh, a student at Perkins, heads over to the main branch of Watertown Savings each week to help the bank manage all the coins that come into the bank. “My job is I go behind the bank and behind to where they kept the coins, then open up the rolls, and then put it into a machine, so they count it and then sort it into a bag,” Hugh said.

Sports

Five Watertown Wrestlers Place in First Tournament of Season

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Watertown senior Jimmy Shrestha finished second at the Wakefield Lisitano Tournament over the weekend. Here he competes at the 2025 State Meet. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The Watertown wrestlers had a successful return to the mats when five Raiders placed in the top five at the Wakefield Lisitano Tournament on Dec. 13. Jimmy Shrestha and Hagop Shabazyan each finished second, while Fahad Khan and Billy Werra placed third, and Ruben Kostanyan got fifth place, said Watertown Wrestling Coach Kevin Russo.

Schools

Watertown’s Special Education Program “Needs Assistance” According to State Report

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For the first time, the Watertown Public Schools’ Special Education program has failed to earn a grade of “Meets Requirements” from state officials. The School Committee heard a report about the shortfalls and possible solutions at its Dec. 8 meeting. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) calculates a score for each school district based multiple factors including the outcomes for students with disabilities (graduations rates, MCAS, inclusion in regular classrooms), compliance with Special Education regulations, and other factors such as staffing and funds spent on special education. Watertown received a score of 31 out of a total of 45 points, or 69 percent, which falls into the “Needs Assistance” category.

Government

Flock Cameras: City Manager Working Out Details of Contract for License Plate Reading Devices

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Watertown’s contract with the Flock Safety company for eight license plate reading cameras was signed in September, but City officials are working on changing the section covering when data will be shared with other law enforcement. Meanwhile, a neighboring community terminated its contract with Flock, and another is determining its own policy for using the cameras. At Tuesday’s City Council meeting City Manager George Proakis provided a further update about the Flock cameras. During the previous Council meeting, on Nov. 25, he said that the data from the cameras, which take photos of plates but do not have a live feed, will be used only as part of an ongoing investigation.