Elections

State Rep. Candidate Debate to be Hosted by Watertown News, Watertown Cable

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In the first of two debates for races in the Sept. 1, 2026 State Primary, the candidates for 10th Middlesex State Representative will appear in a live televised debate on Watertown Cable Access Television. The debate is co-sponsored by Watertown News. State Rep. John Lawn and challenger Alison Leary, who is a Newton City Councilor, will be in the Watertown Cable studio for the debate on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026 at 7 p.m. The moderator will be Watertown Cable Anchor Jim Vershbow.

Real Estate

More Than a Dozen Open Houses Around Watertown

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Watertown home seekers have 14 open houses to visit over the weekend of July 24-26. 10 Purvis St. #10, $1,225,000, 3 bedroom 3 bathroom 1,893 sq. ft. Condo, Open houses: Friday, July 24 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM Saturday, July 25 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Sunday, July 26 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM

12 Bennett Road, $699,900, 3 bedroom 1 bathroom 1,184 sq.

Entertainment

WEEKEND FUN: Arts Pop Up, Watertown Children’s Theatre, Pair of Art Exhibits, Music & Theater Performance, Screening of “Hamilton”

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“DEMOCRACY IS A VERB AND SO IS LOVE,” by Julia Csekö is on display at exhibits at the the Mosesian Center for the Arts. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The Watertown Arts Market is still a couple weeks away, but you can see several artists and listen to live music at the Arts Pop Up on Saturday. The Mosesian Center for the Arts is featuring a pair of art exhibits. The Watertown Children’s Theatre presents an electropop opera on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On Friday, Mount Auburn Cemetery presents a performance of music and theater.

Around Town

TREATY DAY 250: Pact Signed in Watertown in 1776 Remains Alive 250 Years Later

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Members of the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet tribes traveled to take part in the celebration fo the 250th anniversary of the Treaty of Watertown (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Hundreds packed a theater in Watertown on Saturday to celebrate an event that took place 250 years before. The town was the site of the signing of the United States’ first treaty with a foreign nation — the Treaty of Watertown. Descendants of the signers of the document from the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet tribes emphasized that the agreement that was forged as a wartime alliance also created friendships and provided rights and protections for the signers that are still important in 2026. The City of Watertown joined with the Historical Society of Watertown, and members of Maliseet, Mi’kmaq tribes, as well as representatives of the Massachusett Tribe, whose territory includes Watertown, to plan a grand celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Treaty of Watertown on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at the Mosesian Center for the Arts. Around 50 members of the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet tribes came down from Maine, and parts of Canada for the Treaty celebration.

Police/Fire

UPDATE: Vehicle Strikes Pole on Main Street, Knocks Out Power in Area – Repairs to Take Until After 9 p.m.

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A pole struck by a vehicle lies on top of power lines on Main Street. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

A vehicle struck a utility pole on Main Street, snapping it in half and cutting off power for several hundred customers on Monday around noon. The utility pole sits at the corner of Main Street and Pilgrim Road. The top half of the pole fell on top of nearby wires. “It’s an ongoing issue,” said Watertown Police Lt. Kevin McManus.

Government

Watertown Tax Relief Legislation Approved by House, Moves to Senate

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Watertown City and State officials appeared before a joint committee at the State House on Jan. 27, 2026, to discuss the City’s Home Rule Petition. Pictured, from left, Steve Owens, George Proakis, John Lawn, Earl Smith, and Mark Sideris. The City of Watertown’s effort to prevent a tax hike for residential property owners, which could be as high as 18%, cleared a major hurdle when it was approved the the House of Representatives on Beacon Hill. On July 8, the House unanimously approved the bill called “An Act relative to property tax classifications in the city of Watertown for fiscal year 2027 and subsequent fiscal years.”