Around Town

Podcast Focuses on People, Places & Stories of Watertown

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Matt Hanna has spent the last several months getting to know people living and working in Watertown, and has produced more than 20 episodes of Little Local Conversations. He provided the following information about his ongoing project:

Hi there! I’m Matt Hanna, a Watertown resident of 14 years now, and I want to share with you a little project I’ve been working on to dig a little deeper into the people, places, stories, and ideas of Watertown. Matt Hanna

I’ve always enjoyed living here and over the years in the city I’ve gotten married, had a kid, been a stay-at-home parent, sheltered in place, worked, and volunteered and I’ve experienced the city in all the ways those different life stages and points of view have brought me. But it wasn’t until quite recently that I started to truly appreciate how wonderfully unique Watertown is and especially how many amazing people have shaped and are shaping the city, in big ways for everyone to see, and in smaller, but no less important ways within smaller communities.

Around Town

Tour the Historic Commander’s Mansion in August

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Charlie BreitroseThe Commander’s Mansion in Watertown. The following information was provided by the Commander’s Mansion:

Watertown’s Commander’s Mansion will be holding free public guided tours in August. Receive a complete tour of the property that was part of the U.S. Army Arsenal, led by the Mansion’s summer intern. The tour includes all all rooms on the first and second floors, plus the grounds, including the lawns, grape arbor, and veranda. Friday, Aug.

Around Town

Local Man Hopes to Find a Kidney Donor for Himself or Another Person in Need

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James Pagounes, second from right, seeks an organ donor before his kidneys fail. He is shown here with his family: wife, Joanne, and sons Othon, Kimon, and Iraklis. (Contributed Photo)

James Pagounes first learned he had something wrong with his kidneys when he got an abdominal ultrasound 15 years ago. “The doctor said, your stomach looks fine, but the guy looks and finds that my kidney has a problem,” he recalled. “It’s been declining ever since then.

Around Town

LETTER: Boys & Girls Club Planning to Expand, Obstacle Hindering Its Efforts

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The Watertown Boys and Girls Club is expanding, building a New Foundation

The Board of Directors, Executive Director Gary Beatty and staff of the Watertown Boys and Club are delighted to announce an expansion of the space we use in our building and our programming for the children and families of Watertown. 

We are building a new foundation for the growth of our Club in Watertown. New Foundations — the project name — is our more than $1.6 M project to completely renovate the ground floor of the building.  The result will be a beautiful space that will house a brand new licensed childcare program — the first of its kind at the WBGC and the only one in Watertown–to provide licensed after-school childcare for up to 85 children. This will enable us to help meet the growing need for quality after-school care for children in K-3 in Watertown. I am writing to share an update on our project.  In the past year we hired an architect, Bloom Architects, agreed on a design, developed drawings and bid documents, bid the job out and awarded the bid. We have signed a contract with Groom Construction. Groom was the low bidder (by over $100K) and have been very responsive and easy to work with. We are excited to be working with them. Construction is due to start in August and is expected to finish around the end of the year. We are ready to move ahead, but we can’t.  The barrier is First Path Daycare.

Around Town

Free Mass Save Energy Assessments Available for Small Businesses & Non-Profits

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

The City of Watertown is partnering with Mass Save on their Main Streets Program, a small business energy efficiency initiative. Through Main Streets, Mass Save connects small business owners with approved contractors who offer no-cost energy assessments to discuss upgrades that will lower energy use and reduce costs. Starting July 29, 2024 energy experts will be in the community meeting with businesses, non-profits, and houses of worship, scheduling no-cost energy assessments and answering questions about energy-efficient equipment upgrades and other improvements. Many of the upgrades qualify for Mass Save incentives and interest-free financing to offset the cost of the improvements. Stay tuned for a formal press release with more information and contacts.

Around Town

Mighty Squirrel Biergarten Returns to Arsenal Yards

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Mighty Squirrel Brewing Co.Mighty Squirrel Brewing will be serving its creations at the biergarten at Arsenal Yards. The following announcement was provided by Arsenal Yards:

Arsenal Yards is thrilled to announce the return of the Mighty Squirrel pop-up biergarten on the River Green! Join us for an unforgettable series of bi-weekly events featuring live music from talented local performers. Mark your calendars for these special dates: July 25th, August 8th, August 22nd, September 5th, and September 19th, from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM. The biergarten operates on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive early to secure your spot.