Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/category/more/)
Jane O’Connor
Jane Elizabeth (McCarthy) O’Connor, 79, of Watertown, passed away peacefully on February 28, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, March 6, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. at the Church of St. Patrick, 212 Main Street, Watertown. Visiting hours will be held in St. Patrick’s Church on Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend.
The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Community Foundation:
Starting March 2, the Watertown Community Foundation will launch the inaugural grant cycle for its Education and Youth Development Grant Program. It will fund programs that contribute to the overall well-being of Watertown’s youth — academically, socially, emotionally and physically. The Foundation seeks to fund initiatives and create access to opportunities that foster skill-building, creativity, leadership, confidence and resilience, while creating pathways for all young people to thrive. Eligible non-profits and public entities that serve Watertown’s youth are invited to apply from March 2 – March 23, 2026. For more information, visit here.
Cunniff third grade teacher Erin Hallisey and Maureen Murphy, a special education teacher at the Lowell, are running the 2026 Boston Marathon. Erin is raising money for the Boston Public Library, while Murphy is raising money for the Newton Firefighters Children’s Fund and they will be hosting a fundraising event in March.
“John Brewers has graciously offered to host a fundraiser event for us. Twenty percent of any dine-in/take out orders made between 3 p.m.-7 p.m. on March 12 with proceeds be donated to both organizations!” Murphy said. Hallisey and Murphy provided the following information about the organizations:
The Boston Public Library Fund provides financial support to keep the BPL “free to all.”
The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Library:
The Watertown Free Public Library’s One Book, One Watertown selection for 2026 is How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz. The award-winning author — also known for her novel Dominicana — will visit the Library for an author talk and book signing on March 24. Registration for Cruz’s talk opens Monday, March 2 at 9 a.m. Mark your calendar and plan to register early through watertownlib.org/onebook or by calling the Library at 617-972-6436. ASL and CART services will be provided at the author talk event. Following the conversation, there will be time for book signing, and books will be available for purchase from All She Wrote Books.
The following announcement was provided by the Jewish Watertown Action Network:
Jewish Watertown Action Network (JWAN) invites you to attend our upcoming program, “Antisemitism in Massachusetts: Progress and Path Forward,” on Thursday, March 5 at 7 p.m. at the Watertown Free Public Library.
This event will feature two members of the Massachusetts Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism. Established by Governor Maura Healey, this historic commission—the first of its kind in the nation—was created in response to the alarming rise of antisemitism across the Commonwealth. The Commission’s recommendations, released in December 2025, were unanimously approved by its members and have received strong support from leading Massachusetts officials, including Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren and U.S. Representatives Katherine Clark, Seth Moulton, and Lori Trahan. These recommendations outline meaningful, practical steps to address antisemitism in our schools, communities, and public institutions. We are honored to welcome Rob Leikind, Regional Director of the American Jewish Committee of New England, and David Friedman, Executive Vice President for Legal Affairs of the Boston Red Sox, who both served on the Commission.
A rendering of the latest proposal for Walker Pond, presented at a Community Meeting on Feb. 5, 2026. (Courtesy of City of Watertown)
Landscape architects presented a vision for Walker Pond, Watertown’s newest outdoor space, where visitors would have different experiences in various parts of the park on the westside of town. The meeting on Feb. 5 was the third one for Walker Pond, and designers presented the preferred design, known as Forest Park.
On-street parking will be prohibited during the Snow Emergency for the storm that could drop more 18 inches of snow on Watertown. Several City facilities will be closed Monday, and trash and recycling will be impacted by the storm. Watertown falls near the area where WCVB Channel 5 forecasts 18 inches of snow. The National Weather Service issued a Blizzard Warning from Sunday at 4 p.m. to Monday at 7 a.m. with sustained winds of 25 mph and gusts up to 54 mph. It will be the first blizzard in the area for four years, according to WCVB.
The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Free Public Library:
The Boston Globe and Minuteman Library Network, which includes the Watertown Free Public Library, recently announced a partnership providing their cardholders with access to Boston Globe digital content. This new collaboration continues The Boston Globe’s extensive work with library systems across Massachusetts. Through the partnership, Minuteman Library Network cardholders can sign up for a 72-hour digital pass to Globe.com, accessing Boston Globe journalism, puzzles and games, podcasts, videos, Globe Magazine, and more. A maximum of 500 passes are available on a first come first serve basis, allowing cardholders from across more than 40 member libraries to access Boston Globe content and the Globe E-Paper, as well as an archive of articles extending back through The Boston Globe’s 153-year history.
Just last year, The Boston Globe announced an expanded partnership with Boston Public Library. With the Globe’s collaboration with Minuteman, MetroWest communities outside Boston, including Westwood, Natick, Cambridge, and Newton, will be able to offer free access to The Boston Globe to library members.
“At Boston Globe Media, we are always exploring new ways to deepen our connection with the communities we serve in Massachusetts,” said Josh Russell, Vice President of Print Operations at Boston Globe Media.
Watertown’s first Civics Academy drew such good reviews that in its second year it will be even longer so that participants can learn even more about how local government works and city departments function. In 2026, the City of Watertown’s Civics Academy will be seven weeks, said Tyler Cote, the City’s Community Engagement Specialist and one of the Civics Academy organizers. “Last year, we did six (weeks) and, to be honest, we ran over just about every single week on time,” Cote said. “Part of that was there’s so much to cover. Our students asked so many questions last year that we wanted to maybe give more space and time for questions, and then also allow more time for activities.”
