Around Town

Chamber, Local Restaurants Team Up for Gift Card Give Back in Response to SNAP Uncertainty 

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The following announcement was provided by the Charles River Regional Chamber:

More than 20 local restaurants are teaming up this November to help combat food insecurity. Between now and Nov. 26, when you purchase a gift card from a participating restaurant up to 25 percent of the sales will be donated to Spoonfuls, Inc. — a Newton-based nonprofit food recovery organization that rescues fresh, healthy food and delivers it directly to local food pantries, shelters, and community programs statewide. The Gift Card Give Back program is organized by the Charles River Regional Chamber and its member restaurants in response to uncertainty about the suspension of the SNAP program and the overall growing food insecurity. “The quick response from our restaurant community has been inspiring, especially at a time when so many of these businesses are facing challenges of their own,” said Charles River Chamber President and CEO Greg Reibman.

Schools

German International School of Boston Opens Campus in Watertown for Preschool to Grade 3

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A ribbon cutting for the opening of the German International School of Boston’s new Preschool to Grade 3 campus in Watertown was held on Oct. 14, 2025. (Courtesy of GISB)

The following information was provided by the German International School of Boston:

German International School Boston (GISB) officially opened its doors to 134 students in preschool through grade 3 this Fall at a newly renovated school building at 46 Belmont Street in Watertown, MA. The school building was inaugurated by the Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany Dr. Sonja Kreibich at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 7, 2025. State Representative Steven Owens and Watertown District A City Councilor Nicole Gardner joined the GISB Board of Trustees, the Facility Committee, parents, friends, donors, and staff to celebrate the milestone.

Elections

LETTER: Housing for All Watertown Candidate Event Round Up

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On Sunday, October 26, Housing for All Watertown hosted a housing forum featuring the five candidates for Watertown’s four at-large city council seats: Caroline Bays, John Gannon, Theo Offei, Tony Palomba, and Tom Tracy. Forty Watertown residents heard the candidates discuss their visions for housing policy in Watertown (see the video recording of the forum here), and we were encouraged to see broad consensus on the importance of addressing our city’s critical housing shortage, even if the paths to get there varied across candidates. What united the candidates was clear. The high cost of housing is a core issue for many voters in Watertown, and building more housing — and especially affordable housing — is an urgent moral imperative. Several of the candidates told moving personal stories about their own housing journeys, whether it was an experience facing discrimination from a landlord, going hungry in order to pay the rent, or needing to devise creative housing arrangements to keep family nearby. 

Candidates also shared a strong condemnation of the results of this year’s fair housing audit study, which found that Watertown residents face rampant race- and income source-based discrimination.

Elections

LETTER: On Representation

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Dear Watertown Residents, 

With this year’s election we’re fortunate to choose from a group of candidates who bring to the table relevant experience, compassion, and a genuine interest in our community’s well-being. Not every city can make this claim. Over the last several weeks voters and candidates discussed topics including Watertown Square redevelopment, the middle school building, elementary school aftercare, school cell phone policies, library funding, and others. A topic with much less air time, but of great interest to many in the City, is diversifying our boards and commissions – elected and otherwise – and making them representative. 

When you ask people what they love about Watertown, they’ll often say its diversity and close-knit feel. 

We have diversity. These are the facts: nearly one third of Watertown residents – and close to half of all Watertown Public Schools (WPS) students – are racially and ethnically diverse, not to mention people from culturally diverse communities identifying as White (e.g., Armenian).

Entertainment

A Small Saves Halloween Cartoon!

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James DeMarco grew up in Watertown and became a goaltender at age 5. It’s his life’s passion to stand between the pipes and keep the puck out of the net. Combining this with the love of cartooning Small Saves emerged in 1991 and took on a life of his own. “To play goal – then come home and draw Small Saves — is my ideal definition of a good day.”

Around Town

Community Food Drive Being Run by Human Services Department, Watertown Community Foundation

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The City of Watertown sent out the following announcement:

The City of Watertown’s Human Services Department, with support from the Watertown Community Foundation, is excited to announce the kick-off of a Community Food Drive, on November 4, and continuing through December 2025. The City is taking steps to ensure the impacts of food insecurity are mitigated amidst the federal changes to SNAP, in addition to the freeze on those benefits beginning November 1. The City is asking those who are able to donate nonperishable food items at one of the several food donation drop-off locations found around Watertown starting on November 4. All food donations will support the food pantries in Watertown and families who are in need.  Food donation drop-off locations include:

Watertown City Hall (149 Main Street)

Watertown Police Department (552 Main Street)

Watertown Free Public Library (123 Main Street)

Watertown Fire Station (564 Mt.

Around Town

Centre Street Food Pantry Expands Hours in Response to Pending SNAP Cuts

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The following announcement was provided by Centre Street Food Pantry:

Centre Street Food Pantry, a nonprofit regional food relief agency that serves residents of Brookline, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown and Wellesley, has announced its response to the pending cuts to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Access Program) and other hardships created due to the government shutdown. Centre Street will expand its hours, provide additional Thanksgiving items, and stock as much food as possible to provide fresh produce, dairy and meal-making groceries to those in need. Centre Street typically serves 1,100 households a month (each a unique visit) and is preparing to serve upwards of 1,500 households starting in November – an increase of 35%. To meet the anticipated increase in families seeking food in November, Centre Street will be: 

Extending its weekly Tuesday service days to include an additional half hour for those who cannot make an appointment. Extending its Saturday service day by one hour.

Obituaries

OBIT: Nicholas Avtges, 93, Lifelong Watertown Resident, Gained Notoriety for Visiting Wife During COVID Using Bucket Truck

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Nick Avtges

Nicholas E. Avtges of Watertown, MA passed away peacefully on October 29, 2025. He was 93. Beloved husband of the late Marion (Moskos). Devoted Father of Suzanne M. Avtges and her husband Robert R. Plourde, Nicholas E. Avtges , Jr. and his wife Kathleen, Christopher J. Avtges and his wife Tabetha and the late Michael E. Avtges. Loving Papou of Nicholas E. Avtges, III and fiance Alexa Girard and Sydney E. Avtges, Thomas C. Avtges and Hunter M. Avtges.