Around Town

Watertown Elected Leaders and Community Activists Endorse Daniel Lander for State Senate

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Daniel Lander. The following announcement came from the Landers for Senate Campaign:

Daniel Lander announced that his state senate campaign had been endorsed by a slate of elected and community leaders in Watertown. These leaders include elected school committee members, labor activists, and democratic party leaders. They are supporting Daniel’s vision for a more progressive Massachusetts that will take on the status quo and fight the affordability crisis while standing up to the Trump administration. “I am so grateful to have earned the trust and support of so many amazing leaders in Watertown,” said Daniel Lander, Candidate for State Senate, “These leaders and so many others in Watertown have organizing to take on our some of our state’s most pressing issues: building affordable housing, protecting our immigrant neighbors, and making sure every child gets an incredible education.

Around Town

Youth TV Production Workshop Offered by Watertown Cable

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The following announcement was provided by Watertown Cable Access Television:

WCA-TV’s Youth Workshop is back this summer for children between the ages of 9 to 14. Our students will learn the basics of video production, from scriptwriting to editing. By the end of the Workshop, students will have produced a film. This Workshop will run Monday-Wednesday from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. during the weeks of July 20th and 27th. This Workshop is free of charge to all students thanks to a generous grant from the Watertown Cultural Council.

Environment

Watertown Swap Shop Returns, Eco Fest & Composting

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Solid Waste and Recycling Committee:

The Watertown Swap Shop re-opens for its second season this Saturday, May 2. The Swap Shop is located at the Recycling Center, 76 Stanley Ave., Watertown. The Swap Shop will be open on the first Saturday of each month, May to November, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., except July when it will be open on the second Saturday. Bring your no-longer needed small items in good condition to the Swap Shop and/or take up to eight items home with you. No clothing or textiles. For a full list of what you can donate, Visit: Swap Shop | Watertown, MA – Official Website

Want to know more about what Watertown is doing to address climate change? Come to Watertown’s Eco Fest on May 9th, which will include a clothing give away of clean used clothes donated by Watertown residents. https://www.watertownecofest.com

Watertown offers Free Curbside Composting with Black Earth for households of fewer than 8 units. Composting food scraps is a great way to reduce your waste and contribute to making Watertown a more climate resilient community. To learn more about how to join the free composting program, visit: https://www.watertown-ma.gov/885/Free-Curbside-Collection-Program. 

Compostable food scraps can also be dropped off at the Recycling Center between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Around Town

Watertown Eco Fest will Feature Sustainable Vendors, Demonstrations & Activities for All Ages

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The second annual Watertown Eco Fest will feature activities including electric bike test rides, vendors of sustainable products, activities for kids, and more. The event, hosted by the City of Watertown, will also include representatives from City departments and community organizations focused on sustainability. Eco Fest will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 9 at the Commander’s Mansion, 440 Talcott Ave., Watertown. Watertown Sustainability Planner Mia Kania said Eco Fest the City created Eco Fest after the City Council approved the Resilient Watertown Climate and Energy Plan. “It started last year, which was right after we had expanded the Sustainability Team, essentially doubling,” Kania said.

Obituaries

OBIT: Michael Donovan, 38, Advocate for Children with Autism & Other Challenges, Devoted to Family & Friends

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Michael Donovan

The Donovan, Lazarus, Zinsmeyer, and Eurich families are devastated to share that Michael Maurice Donovan passed away on March 20th, 2026, from complications related to Marfan Syndrome. At only 38 years of age, this loving husband, son, brother, cousin, uncle and friend left us much too soon, but he will stay with us in rich memories. 

In his toddler years, Mike had long blonde hair and an irresistible, mischievous grin. Later at Shady Hill School, he found his quiet but razor-sharp wit, which he hid behind a subtle smile and a spark in his eyes until the moment came for the perfect quip. From an early age, Mike also possessed something that many of us still search for: the ability to completely and comfortably be himself. This gave him a quiet charisma and unflappable kindness that is hard to describe but impossible to forget. 

As a teenager, he became a leader on the lacrosse, soccer, and basketball teams at Beaver Country Day School, where he also uncovered a passion for English literature that stayed with him through his time at Occidental College.

Around Town

Watertown Historical Society Event Focuses on True Crime Story from Colonial Times

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The Historical Society of Watertown will host a talk about a historical true crime, and host its annual meeting on Sunday, May 3, 2026 at 2 p.m. at the Watertown Library. See more information provided by the Historical Society, below. Annual Members Meeting with Election of Board Members Immediately following slide show and talk by historian Marie Daly: “Incident at Rock Meadow — True Crime Story of Ruth Sawtell & Thomas Loveran.”

Location: Watertown Free Public LibraryWatertown Savings Bank Meeting Room123 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472

In 17th century Watertown, Zachariah Smith fled charges of unlawful relations with neighbor Ruth Sawtell. The ensuing repercussions of his subsequent murder contributed to the outbreak of King Philip’s War. Three years later, an assignation with another neighbor made Ruth Sawtell a repeat offender, and the scene of their crime was the “Great Rock” in Rock Meadow.

Around Town

Group from Watertown Joining the Mother’s Day Walk for Peace

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The following announcement was provided by Watertown Walks for Peace:

Join the Watertown Walks for Peace Team on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 10th, and support the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute’s Mother’s Day Walk for Peace in Dorchester. This year is the 12th consecutive year that the Watertown team will participate in the 5K Walk for Peace. For those who would like to walk with us, there will be a bus leaving Watertown at 7:30 a.m. and returning to Watertown by noon. Sign up here to walk, donate, or take the bus to Dorchester.  

–> Sign up to walk, or donate. –> Sign up for a free bus which will depart from First Parish in Watertown at 7:30 a.m. (returning by noon), or meet us at Fields Corner at 8am. Whether you walk, donate, or both, you’ll be part of a strong, hopeful community working for peace. 

The Peace Institute was founded by Chaplain Clementina Chery, the mother of Louis D. Brown, after her son was shot and killed in 1993 by random gunfire. The Peace Institute has become an inspiration and model for breaking the cycle of violence for all of those affected by gun violence in Boston and beyond. A donation to the Peace Institute helps to provide vital services to families and communities affected by murder and trauma with dignity and compassion. 

The Peace institute and its partnership with the city of Boston has helped to make Boston one of the safest cities in the U.S. and is a model around the world. It embodies the hopes we all have for a better future for all. To learn more: https://ldbpeaceinstitute.org/

Come be inspired by the words of Massachusetts leaders, join a welcoming community of supporters, and help the Watertown team surpass its past fundraising success in raising over $6,000.

Around Town

Parts of School Street Closed This Week as Part of Mt. Auburn Street Project

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This week drivers can expect detours and lane closures along Mt. Auburn Street, including a complete closure of a block of School Street. See more information provided by the City of Watertown, below. Milling and Paving

Milling (removal of the top layer of pavement) and paving will occur on Mount Auburn Street between Boylston Street and Chauncy Street and on School Street between Porter Street and Adams Avenue. Detours will be in place for this work.