Around Town

Snow Emergency Declared for Sunday’s Winter Storm

By |

The City of Watertown has declared a snow emergency for the snow storm forecast to drop five inches or more on the area. See details in the announcement sent out by City officials. The City of Watertown has declared a Snow Emergency starting at 4:00 PM on Sunday, January 19, 2025, due to expected snowfall. The Snow Emergency will remain in effect until further notice. On-street parking is banned, and vehicles left on the street are subject to be towed.

Sports

Watertown Field Hockey Coach Named National Coach of the Year

By |

Watertown Field Hockey Coach Eileen Donahue has been named national coach of the year. Here she speaks to the Raiders during a 2024 State Tournament game. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The Watertown Public Schools provided the following piece:

Watertown High School field hockey coach Eileen Donahue has been named the field hockey Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations, adding another award to her Hall of Fame career. Donahue, who was honored as the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association Coach of the Year for field hockey in December, has molded the Watertown Raiders field hockey program into one of the most decorated high school athletics programs in the United States. Her 22 state championships are the most in Massachusetts field hockey history.

Entertainment

Cartoon: Follow the Latest Adventures of Small Saves

By |

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.”

Schools

Roadway Near High School to be Closed Temporarily for Construction

By |

The following announcement was provided by Vertex, the City’s project management firm for the Watertown High School project:

Please be aware starting Tuesday 1/21/25 through Friday 1/24/25 (weather-depending), one lane of Columbia Street will be closed between Common and Robbins to allow repair work to previously installed electrical conduits at the pole on the opposite side of the street from the new school. 

This temporary closure will occur daily from 7AM – 5PM, and then re-open.  Access to and from all residents’ homes will be maintained throughout this closure period. We ask that residents please not park along Columbia between Common and Robbins for these few days to allow working room and equipment. There will be a police detail to assist with traffic as needed. Please see the graphic (above) to better illustrate the area being affected. 

Additionally, the project construction site will be open on Monday 1/20/25 – the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday.  The team will abide by the City ordinance will not start construction until 8am. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Laurie Soave, On Site Contact Telephone: 781.565.8688 Email: Lsoave@vertexeng.com

Government

LETTER: The Origins of the Latest Assault on the Watertown Winter Parking Ban

By |

By Linda ScottWatertown Resident

This will be a short one. About 10 months ago, this appeared on Reddit:

Watertown Winter Parking Ban update

TLDR: Watertown Councilor Tony Palomba is working to petition and amend the winter parking ban. Email him at councilorpalomba@gmail.com to sign the petition, share your feedback, and learn more. “Hi Folks, I am sending this email to those of you who have contacted me regarding the Winter Parking Ban (Ban) at some point in the last year and a half. My apologies of the long delay in coming up with a way to get this important issue in front of the City Council for a public hearing and vote.

Schools

Perkins School Launches Online Academy for Continuing Education & Professional Development

By |

The following announcement was provided by Perkins School for the Blind:

Perkins recently launched Perkins Academy, an online continuing education and professional development platform for educators, dedicated to unlocking learning for children with disabilities. The natural extension of Perkins’ mission to help students with disabilities find their place in the world, Perkins Academy will offer remote, on-demand learning opportunities for educators. 

With 95 percent of students with disabilities in public schools, there’s an increased demand to share Perkins know-how across the country with public and private school teachers. Perkins Academy will deliver highly specialized training to educators that goes beyond the resources of many public schools. This past year, Perkins’ Watertown campus educated over 200 students locally, and over 1,000 across the state. The online learning modules will help disseminate the knowledge gained from their work in Massachusetts to teachers and families.

Around Town

Wayside Distributed Gifts to More than 50 Families in Watertown

By |

Some of the many gifts donated for families and children to Wayside in Watertown. The holiday season at Wayside Youth & Family Support Network was filled with generosity, community spirit, and joyful celebrations as programs across Wayside locations came together to bring warmth and support to local families and youth. As we reflect on these moments, we are reminded of the power of community to bring hope, joy, and comfort to those in need. Thank you to everyone who made this holiday season so special for the Wayside community! These efforts were made possible by the dedication of Wayside’s staff, volunteers, local businesses, faith groups, and community members.

Around Town

Mount Auburn Cemetery Seeks Applications for 2025 Artist in Residence

By |

The Mount Auburn Cemetery’s Artist in Residence Program is turning 10 years old, and applications are being sought for the 2025 residency. The Cemetery provided the following information:

Since 2021, we have awarded smaller one-year residencies to a cohort of local artists to work on projects at Mount Auburn. Each artist is creating works or programs unique to and inspired by Mount Auburn. Artists also have the option to use their residency as a planning grant for a larger project to be completed the following year. Learn more about our Artists-in-Residence in this recent feature from Watertown Cable Access News

Artist-in-Residence Application

Award amount: $500 – $4,000

Application due date: February 1, 2025

Notification date: March 1, 2025

Project start date: April 1, 2025

End date: March 31, 2026

Read the application for more details:

2025 Mount Auburn Cemetery Artist-in-Residence Application