Around Town

LETTER: Thank You to the Community for a Fabulous Watertown Helps Out

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Dear Editor,

Wow! Watertown, you knocked Watertown Helps Out (WHO) out of the park! The Watertown Community Foundation has organized WHO for 12 years and this was the best one yet. Watertown residents, community partners, corporate sponsors, students, and city leaders came together in an extraordinary month of community service. Together, we logged more than 1,000 volunteer hours dedicated to 40 different projects directly supporting 20 nonprofit organizations across our city.

Around Town

Wayside Receives Grant to Support Health & Substance Use Prevention Program

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The Wayside Multi-Service Center is located on North Beacon Street in Watertown. (Courtesy of Wayside)

The following announcement was provided by Wayside Youth & Family Support Network:

Wayside Youth & Family Support Network has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the Cummings Foundation to support the launch of its Seeds of Wellness pilot program within the organization’s Multi-Service Program. Wayside is one of 150 nonprofits selected through a highly competitive process from 959 applicants as part of the Cummings Foundation’s annual grant program, which distributed $35 million this year. The funding will be provided over three years. The Seeds of Wellness pilot will enhance Wayside’s Multi-Service Center existing mental health and substance use prevention services by creating opportunities for youth to connect with nature, build resilience, and strengthen relationships with trusted adults through community volunteers.

Around Town

Sidewalk Work Continues in Coolidge Square This Week

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The process of removing, reconfiguring, and pouring new sidewalks in Coolidge Square continues during the week of June 15, 2026. See more details in the announcement from the City of Watertown, below. Sidewalk Grading & Forming

Sidewalk fine grading will take place at School Street and Hillside Road. Sidewalk forming will take place between Winsor Ave. and Hillside Road.

Environment

Watertown Area in Level 3 Critical Drought

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The Mass. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs announced that the region that includes Watertown has reached Critical Drought levels. See more information in the announcement from the City of Watertown, below. During the month of May, the state of Massachusetts received between 1-3 inches of rain, which was 1.3 to 3 inches below normal. Rivers and streams throughout the region are running below normal levels, even if they may have seen a slight increase right after a rain event.

Obituaries

OBIT: James “Larry” Coe, 80, CPA in Watertown Sq., Singer & Lover of Classical Music

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Larry Coe

James Laurence “Larry” Coe of Watertown, Massachusetts passed away peacefully on June 5, 2026, at the age of 80. Larry was born in New Rochelle, New York and grew up in Columbus, Ohio. He was preceded in death by his father, Donald R. Coe, mother Nancy H. Coe Hill, and brother Donald R. Coe. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Doris, daughters Julie (Ben) and Maggie (Eckehard), son Peter (Caitlin), and four grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters-in-law Susan Coe and Jean Culver (Kevin), along with nephews and nieces.

Around Town

Effort to Start Food Co-op Half Way There, Board Starting to Seek Sites

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The effort to bring a food co-op to the Watertown area reached a major milestone recently, and has gained momentum in its effort to open a retail store. The Charles River Food Co-op surpassed the 1,000 member mark, which is a “big deal,” said Sam Garwin, president of the Co-op’s Board of Directors. “Two-thousand represents the number of people where, if we had that many people who were on a regular basis shoppers at our store, that would bode very well for the long-term success of the store,” she said. “So 1,000 means we’re halfway there, which is amazing.” A co-op is a business that is 100% owned by its co-op shareholders.

Around Town

Watertown Group Joining De-ICE Citizens Bank National Week of Action

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Twenty-five people came out to the Indivisible Progressive Watertown No Ice-Citizens Bank Protest in Watertown on March 7, 2026. (Photo by Joshua Touster)

The following announcement was provided by Indivisible Progressive Watertown:

Nearly two-thirds of Americans believe U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has gone “too far” in its immigration crackdown and are making communities “less safe.” But how can they voice their concerns with ICE and the Trump administration? One action they can take is to go after the companies that are supporting and abetting the government’s aggressive immigration crackdown. One of these companies is Citizens Bank, a major financial institution with 1,000 branches in 15 states, most of them in the Eastern US. On Saturday, June 6, the De-ICE Citizens Bank Coalition will hold a National Day of Action to protest the billions of dollars of financial support the bank has provided to prison companies operating dozens of ICE immigration detention centers across the country.

Around Town

Registration Open for Boys & Girls Club Mugar Memorial Golf Tournament, Sponsorships Available

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The Watertown Boys & Girls Club will hold the 2026 Stephen P. Mugar Memorial Golf Tournament on Monday, Aug. 3. Registration is open for golfers and the club seeks sponsorships in an effort to raise up to $80,000 in matching funds. See more details in the information from the Club, below. Since its inaugural tournament in 1978, the Watertown Boys & Girls Club annual golf tournament has been the cornerstone of the Club’s fundraising calendar.