Around Town

LETTER: Open Letter of Gratitude to Former WHS Coach John Barbati

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By Mark RoopenianWatertown High School 1976

Coach Barbati,

No one has impacted my life and who I am today more than you. You taught me toughness, perseverance, preparation, poise, work ethic, and most importantly, that nothing is impossible. You saw something in me that I didn’t even see in myself. How else could a skinny Armenian kid headed to Bates College get a full football scholarship to Boston College? Because you cared enough to put your hard-earned reputation on the line with BC Head Coach Joe Yukica.

Around Town

LETTER: Install Turf at Victory Field Oval, Field House Should be Part of Renovation

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Dear current and past friends of Watertown, as well as future families of all athletes! Phases 2 and 3 of the Victory field track, which includes turf in the oval, along with new tennis and basketball courts, are up for final consideration. Almost 20 years ago, I stood in front of the community along with Councilor Vinny Piccirilli and the full Council of Watertown expressing the importance and benefits of a field turf facility encompassing the football and baseball areas. The design and implementation of Phase 1 of the Victory Field complex has been nothing short of spectacular for our athletes, our physical education department, and for the recreational activities of the entire community. In addition, since the installation of the field turf in Phase 1, the technology and safety of the turf installed at that time have improved considerably.

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Watertown Veterans Day Breakfast & Closings for the Holiday

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Watertown will hold a Veterans Day celebration on Monday, and Municipal departments will be closed in observance of the holiday. Veterans Day Breakfast

Watertown’s Veterans Services Office will host the 2024 Veterans Day Breakfast at the Marine Corps League Shutt Detachment, 215 Mt Auburn St., at 11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 11. There will be a small ceremony starting around 11 and breakfast will be served immediately afterwards. Closings

Watertown City Hall, Parker Annex, Department of Public Works Offices, Senior Center, and the Watertown Free Public Library, will be closed on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in observance of Veterans Day.

Around Town

Plans for Victory Field Track Renovation Presented, Some Call for Artificial Turf Field

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The Victory Field Phase II project includes renovation of the track, courts, and the driveway in the complex. Six years after a committee issued recommendations for the renovation of the track and courts at Victory Field, the project will be moving forward. However, some at the meeting on Wednesday where the plans were presented called for making the field inside the oval artificial turf to allow for more use by high school and youth sports teams.

Another area of concern raised at the meeting held at Lowell Elementary School, was that the project does not solve the lack of a changing area for female athletes at Victory Field. The 75 Percent plans for Victory Field Phase II are based on the recommendations of the Victory Field Ad Hoc Committee, which issued a report in June 2018. In 2019, designers from CDM Smith presented the 25 percent plan, and underground testing was conducted.

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Organizers of Watertown Dragon Boat Team Seeking Participants for 2025

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Join the Watertown Dragon Boat Team – rowers, volunteers, sponsors are wanted. See more information provided by the Watertown Dragon Boat Team, below. Whether you’re an experienced paddler or a first-timer, we welcome all enthusiasts to be part of this unforgettable experience of teamwork and cultural celebration. If rowing isn’t your forte, there are still numerous ways to be part of this cultural celebration:

Volunteers/Organizers: We welcome individuals interested in contributing their time and skills to assist in organizing this landmark event. Contact us at caawatertown@gmail.com to express your interest.

Around Town

Food Assistance Benefits Will be Cut in December, Groups Calling for State to Restore Funds

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Recipients of food assistance in Massachusetts will see their benefits that can be used to buy fresh produce cut beginning in December, but there are efforts to ask the Governor and Legislature to restore the funding the in the State Budget. Stephanie Venizelos, the City of Watertown’s Community Wellness Program Manager, said that the Massachusetts Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) will be reduced to $20 per household. The program is available to recipients of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). “Recently, DTA and MDAR announced the following changes to the HIP program beginning on December 1, 2024, due to insufficient funding in the MA state budget. The HIP benefit structure will be reduced to $20 each month, and the maximum HIP benefits a household can earn will be $20 a month for all households, regardless of size.