Around Town

O’some Cafe Taking Over Cafe in the Watertown Library

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Watertown LibraryThe Watertown Free Public Library. The Watertown Free Public Library Board of Library Trustees shared the following announcement:

The Red Leaf Café will be leaving its location in the Watertown Free Public Library on September 30, 2024. Thank you to Donald Bleech for his dedicated service to this community during the past 15 years. Donald has been a fixture in our library, and he will be missed. There will be an interruption to cafe and vending services beginning October 1, 2024.

Around Town

Watertown Receives Grant to Focus on Cutting Vehicle Trips to & from Recent Developments

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The Watertown Transportation Management Association (TMA) and the City of Watertown received a joint grant to assist efforts to cut the number of motor vehicle trips to and from work or residential developments. Gov. Maura Healey announced the Watertown grant and 17 others as part of Climate Week. The Watertown TMA and the City of Watertown will receive $78,788 from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to enhance Transportation Demand Management (TDM) implementation and monitoring by increasing staff time focused on monitoring the organizations in Watertown required to participate in TDMs.

Since 2017, new developments with 10 or more residential units or 10,000 sq. ft. or more of commercial and/or industrial space must create a TDM.

Around Town

Fit-Z’s Bar and Grille Will Close at the End of September

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Fit-Z’s Bar and Grille, a fixture on the Westside of Watertown since 2007, will be closing at the end of September. Co-owner Jim Fitzgerald wrote the following post on Facebook on Sept. 15. “I’m sure that most of you have heard that we are selling the bar . It looks like our last night will be Monday September 30th.

Around Town

Improvements to Saltonstall Park to Start Soon, Includes Permanent Stage

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Work will soon begin on the improvements to Saltonstall Park. (Courtesy of the City of Watertown)

The following information was provided by the City of Watertown:

We are excited to announce that the Saltonstall Park Improvements Project will begin in the second week of October, 2024. Construction will continue from Fall 2024 to Spring 2025 and the upper Saltonstall Park work area will be closed to the public during this time. The project includes upgrades to the walkways, stairs, and the installation of a new permanent stage. Further information can be found on the Saltonstall Park webpage.

Around Town

Watertown Will Celebrate 3rd Annual Indigenous People’s Day

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The following announcement was provided by the Pigsgusset Initiative:

Watertown’s 3rd celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day will be held on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, from 12:00 to 4:00 PM at the Hosmer Elementary School, 1 Concord Road, Watertown, MA.  The free event will feature Indigenous musicians, artists and vendors. Performers include: Nettukkusqk Singers, a traditional women’s singing and drumming group composed of Deborah Spears Moorehead (Wampanoag) Fine Artist and Music Performer, and Music Performers Pam Ellis (Nipmuc), Jasmine C. Moorehead (Wampanoag) and

Jacquelyn D. Moorehead (Wampanoag); Red Hawk Singers and Dancers (Mashpee Wampanoag); Teddy Hendricks (Mashpee Wampanoag, Nipmuc), storyteller; and Maria Hendricks (Assonet & Mashpee Wampanoag), actress appearing as Sipu and the Master of Ceremonies for the event.  Sipu is the main character in New Repertory Theatre’s presentation of the Indigenous historical play Listen to Sipu by Mashpee Wampanoag playwright Mwalim *7).   

Artisans Darius Coombs and Eleanor Coombs (Mashpee Wampanoag) will be demonstrating how to create wampum and corn husk dolls.  Participants will be able to make their own corn husk dolls. Sonya Avant (Mashpee Wampanoag) will be selling delicious Indigenous food.  Indigenous vendors include: Deborah Moorehead (Indigenous art) and Leslie Tuplin (Native Solutions).  Belmont Bookstore will be selling books by and about Indigenous people. This event is funded by generous grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and Watertown Community Foundation together with funding from Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice & the Environment, Watertown Savings Bank, Stone & Skillet and donations from individuals.  

Members of the community-based Pigsgusset Initiative, a working group of Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment, are organizing the event.  Members of the organizing committee include Stephanie Stonefish Ryan (Lenape), Kim Kublius, Jacqui Gross and Jennifer Wolfrum.  

Supporters of the event include: the Cuniff, Hosmer and Lowell Diversity and Belonging Councils, First Parish Watertown, Watertown Boys and Girls Club, Watertown Free Public Library, Watertown Public Arts and Culture Committee, WHERE ARE ALL THE BLACK PEOPLE?, and World in Watertown.

Around Town

Watertown Violin Teacher Featured in Little Local Conversations Podcast

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Watertown’s Nicole Kootz teaches violin and viola. Watertown’s Nicole Kootz teaches violin and viola and discussed what the Suzuki Method and Alexander Technique are in the “Little Local Conversations” podcast. In “Little Local Conversations,” discover the people, places, stories, and ideas of Watertown. Creator and Watertown resident Matt Hanna has conversations with various businesses owners, community leaders, creatives, and other interesting folks in Watertown to learn about what they do and get to know a bit about the people behind the work. 

Hanna wrote:

“Meet Nicole Kootz! She runs Bright Strings Studio here in Watertown where she teaches violin and viola lessons using the Suzuki Method and Alexander Technique.

Around Town

Saltonstall Field Shut Down Due to Poor Conditions

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

The Watertown Department of Public Works (DPW) and the Watertown Recreation Department have concluded that the Saltonstall Field must be shut down immediately due to poor field conditions resulting from overuse and inclement weather. The turf grass will not recover unless it is allowed to rest. With aeration/seeding/fertilization/topdressing to be done over the next month, we expect the field to fully recover for Spring 2025 sports. Please note that goals will be locked during this period and the field will be monitored. Non-permitted use, which includes dogs and golf, is strictly prohibited.