Government

Watertown City Manager, Municipal Leaders Urge Swift Resolution to Trash Strike

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Watertown DPWWatertown trash and recycling pickup has been uncollected since July 1 when workers at Republic Services went on strike. Watertown City Manager George Proakis joined several mayors, town managers, and town administrators urging company Republic Services to come to a deal to end the strike that has stopped trash and recycling collection since July 1, 2025. The letter also identifies weaknesses in the company’s response to the situation, including slowness of deploying backup resources and lack of communication. See the letter below. Dear Members of the Republic Services Leadership Team,

We write to you as municipal leaders from across the region and as customers of Republic Services, regarding the ongoing work stoppage caused by stalled union negotiations.

Around Town

Q&A with Laura Kurman Who is Retiring from Wayside Multi Service Center After More Than 30 Years

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Laura Kurman retired as Executive Director of the Wayside Multi Service Center in June. She worked there for more than three decades. (Courtesy of Wayside Multi Service Center)

For more than three decades, Laura Kurman has been working to help those in need in Watertown. She retired as Executive Director of the Wayside Multi Service Center at the end of June, and looked back on her time. Kurman spoke with Watertown News Editor Charlie Breitrose in her office at the house on North Beacon Street that serves as the offices for the Wayside Multi Service Center in early June.

Around Town

Watertown Rotary Members from Past and Present Gather to Celebrate 100th Anniversary

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The Rotary Club of Watertown celebrated 100 years with a dinner on June 24. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

WALTHAM — For a century, the Rotary Club of Watertown has been coming together to make the community a better place, and put service above self. The Club has a variety of events, including hosting the Senior Citizen Cook Out for more than 30 years, awarding scholarships to Watertown High School students, and hosting the Dancing With the Stars event. Watertown Rotarians from as far back as the 1980s joined current active members on June 24 to celebrate the Club’s 100th anniversary at an event held at Stazione di Federale in Waltham. Longtime Rotarian, and emcee for the evening, Paul DerBoghosian said that Watertown’s club was founded 25 years after the first Rotary Club was founded when Paul Harris brought a group of people together in Chicago to make their community and our world a better place together.

Around Town

Potential Trash Collection Strike Could Impact Watertown Residents

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Watertown DPWWatertown trash and recycling toters. UPDATE: Due to the strike trash and recycling pickup in Watertown will be cancelled on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. See more here. Watertown residents may feel the impact of a looming strike by employees of the company that picks up trash and recycling around the City. The contract between Republic Services and Teamsters Local 25 ends on June 30, 2025, and a strike could occur if a new deal is not reached.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Suspect Kicked Officer While Being Arrested, Man Threatened Customer with Piece of Glass

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. June 14: At 2 a.m. Officer Khalil Mafhoum spotted a pickup truck stopped in traffic at Galen Street and Nonantum Road and the driver was asleep behind the wheel. The vehicle was running and the brakes were on. The driver seemed confused when he was awakened and did not know where he was. Police detected a smell of alcohol.