LETTER: Thoughts on Watertown’s Housing Production Goals

Dear Editor,

Wednesday evening, May 7th  the Eye on Watertown Podcast had the pleasure to have as our guests Josh Rosmarin and Jacky van Leeuwen, Members of the Steering Committee of Housing For All Watertown. 

Housing for All Watertown’s mission is to build a broad coalition of residents to advance local policies and projects in order to expand housing options. My understanding is their  focus is on finding solutions to current housing challenges for both current and future community members. Advance in the mission statement for Housing for All Watertown is used in the context of pushing forward policies and projects that expand housing options. The group has also been involved in efforts to combat ethnic – and income-based discrimination in Watertown’s housing market. We found that Expanding Affordable Housing has been in the forefront of their efforts and has pushed for more affordable housing units as part of the MBTA Communities Act Plan which aims to increase housing near transit hubs. The Housing for All Watertown’s group and its approach has been deemed by many as one of the most ambitious housing advocates in the state.

Weather Forecast: Rainy Days to be Followed by Sunny, Warmer Stretch

Eastern Massachusetts is in for a classic spring rollercoaster this week, beginning with a dreary, windswept rain event on Friday and Saturday before transitioning to a prolonged stretch of dry, sunny, and increasingly warm weather. A slow-moving coastal low brings widespread rain and gusty onshore winds to end the workweek. Conditions improve gradually through the weekend, and by Sunday, high pressure takes over — ushering in sunshine and a steady warming trend. Expect highs in the 50s and 60s to start, climbing well into the 70s and even low 80s by midweek. Patience will be rewarded.

OBIT: Maria Ann Littleton, 100, Active in the Community, Loved to Travel

Maria Ann Littleton

Maria Ann Littleton, 100 years old, of Belmont and Watertown, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully, surrounded by the love of her family. Born in Watertown to Italian Immigrants, Carmela and Pasquale DiGiacomo, she was the oldest of six children. 

Maria lived a full and vibrant life. She loved her active roles in the community with the Belmont Street Baptist Church, the League of Women Voters, the Belmont Women’s Club, the Belmont Library, and volunteer work at Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Town Polls. Maria enjoyed attending cultural events and musical programs. She loved to travel, especially to Italy to visit family. Maria loved driving her Alfa Romeo back and forth to Key West and was a club member.

Watertown Group Will Hear from Student Advocating for Nuclear Disarmament

The following announcement was provided by Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice, and the Environment:

Please join us on Saturday, May 17 to hear Maria Udalova from Students for Nuclear Disarmament speak about why she is passionate about nuclear disarmament, why young people understand the necessity for disarmament, and how they take action to achieve a world without nuclear weapons. 

The program will take place at 3:00 PM in the Lower Meeting Hall at the Church of the Good Shepherd at 9 Russell Ave., Watertown. Ms. Udalova is a senior at Brookline High School and leads her school’s Students for Nuclear Disarmament (SND) Chapter. She is also a member of the SND. 

Locally, Ms. Udalova has organized student lobbying efforts at the State House on climate and disarmament legislation, led educational initiatives on nuclear disarmament, and spearheaded disarmament policy efforts in Brookline. She has spoken to students and civil society groups, emphasizing the critical role of student engagement in nuclear disarmament. Students for Nuclear Disarmament is a national, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to raising awareness among Gen-Z about the threat that nuclear weapons pose to humanity.  We unite young people to urge the U.S. government to pursue common-sense nuclear weapons policy. You can learn more at students4disarmament.org. The program on May 17 is sponsored by the Peace and Common Security of Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice, and the Environment. The Working Group has collected 450 signatures to put a back from the Brink (https://preventnuclearwar.org/) nuclear disarmament resolution in front of the City Council via a Citizen Petition which will be submitted to the City Clerk at sometime this summer. If passed by the City Council, Watertown would join 21 Massachusetts cities and towns who have passed similar resolutions. The working group has developed education resources, organized a number of public programs on the existential threat of nuclear weapons and the need for nuclear disarmament, and taped a program on WCATV titled “Ending Nuclear Weapons” focused on the contradictions of nuclear deterrence.

Latest Local Podcast Episodes Feature Assistant City Manager & Creative Chat with Arts Organizer

Recent episodes of the Little Local Conversations podcast featured Watertown’s Assistant City Manager for Community Development and Planning, Steve Magoon, as well as, the most recent Creative Chats with artist and arts organizer Kristen Kenny. In Little Local Conversations, host Matt Hanna discovers and connects the people, places, stories, and ideas of Watertown. Podcast guests include community leaders, business owners, non-profit organizers, artists and creatives, and other folks doing interesting and important work in the city. Hanna provided the following information about the episodes:

Steve Magoon

Meet Steve Magoon! He’s the Assistant City Manager for Community Development and Planning for the City of Watertown.

Celebration of Watertown Cultural District to be Hosted by Watertown Business Coalition

Watertown recently received approval for a Cultural District in Watertown Square. The public is invited to a celebration of the new cultural district on May 21. See more information provided by the Watertown Business Coalition. In celebration of Watertown’s recent Cultural District designation there will be an after-hours event on Wednesday, May 21, at Bar ‘Cino, 47 Main St. in Watertown.

Marshall Home Fund Hosting 20th Anniversary Celebration & Grant Award Ceremony

Marshall Home Fund will celebrate 20 years and award grants at a ceremony on May 15. See more information in the MHF announcement. This special occasion will bring together past and present Board members, grant awardees, and community stakeholders who have played a vital role in advancing the Fund’s mission: to support programs that enhance the health, safety, independence, and quality of life for Watertown residents aged 55 and older. Thursday, May 15th, 2025, 4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

First Parish of Watertown, 35 Church St, Watertown, MA 02472

For more information email us at: admin@marshallhomefund.org

We thank the Watertown Savings Bank for it’s support of this event.

Watertown’s First Eco Fest to be Held May 10 at the Commander’s Mansion

The City of Watertown will be hosting the first Eco Fest on Saturday. See more information in the City’s announcement below. Come to Eco Fest on Saturday, May 10, 2025, from11am-2pm at the Commander’s Mansion, 44 Talcott Ave, to learn more about how you can reduce your energy use and support clean energy by talking to vendors and sitting in on our speaker sessions! For a complete list of vendors and activities, visit watertownecofest.com

Resilient Watertown Eco Fest Will Have Info on Making Life Greener, Fun for the Whole Family