Around Town

LETTER: Save the Trees, Watertown Should Pass a Stronger Protection Ordinance

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When we moved to Adams Avenue 26 years ago, one of the most appealing aspects of the property were the tall trees, many of them 100 years old, providing delicious shade in summer while housing our furry and feathery friends. This week, our neighbors announced to us that in order to rebuild their garage, they intend to remove the black cherry tree that stands taller than our three story house. It is rooted on our property line, along with a crab apple tree, which they also intend to remove. Ever since we heard the news, we have been coping with the impending  doom of losing such a vital part of our immediate natural surroundings. The tree has been the place where our bird feeders hang, where raccoon families forage for berries, where the squirrels fly from branch to branch, where the woodpeckers search underneath the bark for tasty morsels. Our cities rely on the mature neighborhood tree canopy to mitigate the effects of climate change. They provide the shade that is needed to prevent the heat beating down in summer from radiating back at us. The roots are vital in preventing the soil from eroding, and instrumental in preventing flooding. As a society, we are beginning to understand how vital it is to care for our trees. Those focused on expanding the built environment have been too flippant in eliminating shade trees from our city. Nature takes decades to build them up, only to be chain sawed from a cherry picker in a single day.

Around Town

John Airasian’s Family Remember His Love for His Family, His Business & His Community

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John Airasian

This week, Watertown said goodbye to a man who devoted his life to three things: family, business, and the community. Thousands lined up in the cold weather for his wake on Tuesday, and on Wednesday hundreds sat in the pews at St. Patrick’s Church for the funeral of John S. Airasian. While he served on many community organizations through the years — the Watertown-Belmont Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club of Watertown, the Arsenal Reuse Committee, and the Traffic Commission — many they will remember Airasian for his friendly demeanor, desire to help others, and his love of his hometown. His three sons — Pete, Bob, and John — remembered their father during Wednesday’s funeral service.

Charity

LETTER: Food Pantry Thanks Community for Its Support; Even With SNAP Restored the Need is Not Over

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It has been a whirlwind of a month at the Watertown Food Pantry, as we faced one of the greatest obstacles in feeding our clients that we have encountered. We’ve been through COVID, the fall of our ceiling, and, at this moment, the emergent loss of our space, but the loss of life-saving SNAP benefits for our clients was devastating, personal, and emotional to all of our volunteers who care so much for our clients. And yet, they showed up, handed out as much as they could, with sympathy, empathy, and love to all who came through our doors. My heartfelt thanks and gratitude goes out to all these unsung hero’s, without whom, we could not do what we do. And to our Watertown Community — you always come through for us!  Thank you for all your donations of food! Thank you for all your monetary donations! Thank you for your words of support!

Around Town

Nominations Wanted for the 2026 Unity Award

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Charlie BreitroseA closeup of the section of the Kingian Nonviolence Mural featuring Martin Luther King. The following announcement was provided by the World in Watertown:

Presented by World in Watertown, the UNITY AWARD is given each year at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Unity Breakfast to recognize individuals or groups who are making significant contributions to civic life in Watertown. Who in Watertown is putting Dr. King’s vision into action? Nominate them for the Unity Award! Perhaps your hero is an individual, or a group who have worked hard to make our community more welcoming and inclusive, who demonstrate a commitment to the foundational principles of racial, social, and economic justice, and who strive to achieve fair and equal treatment for all who live or work in Watertown?

Around Town

Senior Center Teams with New Veterans Services Officer to Honor Watertown Veterans

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Watertown Veterans Services Officer Jay Terminiello introduced veteran and Council on Aging member Russ Arico, the featured speaker at the Senior Center’s Veterans Luncheon. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The Senior Center hosted dozens of veterans and other guests on Monday to pay tribute to Watertown’s current and former military servicemen and women the day before Veterans Day. The featured speaker at the event was a member of the Army Corps of Engineers in the Vietnam War, Russ Arico, who is currently serves on the Watertown Council on Aging. “Watertown residents have served this country from its inception, creating this country and right up until today,” said Arico. He highlighted one Watertown family, the Ovoians, who had members who landed at Normandy in World War II, two brothers who served in Vietnam, and a member of the next generation who took part in the first Gulf War.

Around Town

Watertown Community Foundation Distributes $7,000 in Donations to Food Pantries

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Tia Tilson, Executive Director, Watertown Community Foundation, delivers a donation check for the Watertown Food Pantry to Jenna Bancroft, Director of Human Services, City of Watertown. The Watertown Community Foundation announced the donations received in the first days of the drive to support local food pantries. The drive runs through December. See details in the announcement from the Watertown Community Foundation, below. The Watertown Community Foundation received $7,000 in donations to support both of Watertown’s food pantries to date.

Around Town

LETTER: The Infractions …The Election … The Aftermath

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By Linda ScottWatertown Resident

First, I’d like to thank all of the candidates for office for putting themselves out there. It’s a grueling process, and I appreciate your efforts. And congratulations to those who were elected. Let’s wish them all great success in these challenging times. Their success is our success.