Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/page/18/)
The Watertown Public Schools may ask the City to tap the Special Education Stabilization Fund created several years ago for a rainy day. The 2026-27 School Budget may be stormy, as the district faces a shortfall of $2.5 million as of Monday’s School Committee meeting. Other ways to make up shortfalls may include reinstating athletics and extracurricular fees.
Watertown City Hall
Watertown residents were not overcharged on the CPA surcharge on their tax bills, City officials said, but bills in fiscal year 2025 looked different from other years, leading to the appearance that they were calculated differently.
A rendering of the new Watertown High School from Ai3 Architects.
After originally hoping to open Watertown’s state-of-the-art new high school after spring break, Watertown Superintendent Dede Galdston said that the school will not host classes until the fall of 2026.
The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department.
The following announcement was provided by Light of Palestine:
On Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m., a star-studded ensemble will perform in Watertown’s second annual Light of Palestine concert. Proceeds will support Anera, a U.S.-based nonprofit with no political or religious affiliations. Anera provides humanitarian aid to families in Gaza.
The Rotary Club and the Watertown Business Coalition will host the fourth annual Holiday Mixer and Toy Drive on Dec. 9. See details provided by the WBC, below.
A new light show is featured on Bigelow Chapel for SOLSTICE in 2025. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)
SOLSTICE returns to Mount Auburn Cemetery beginning Friday, Dec. 5 with some new features and a different theme in 2025.
Watertown’s Mosesian Center for the Arts is hosting the New England Watercolor Society 2025 Regional Juried Show, and the opening reception and awards ceremony will be held Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, from 2-4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. See more details in the announcement from the MCA, below.
An MBTA Bus at the Watertown Yard.
By Mark Pickering
MBTA service in Watertown has been in decline for years – even as neighboring communities have seen theirs maintained or even improved. Watertown has the worst MBTA service of any community bordering it and all of Boston’s neighborhoods.
Dear Editor,
As a resident of Watertown, I am hopeful that Congresswoman Clark will join Senators Markey and Warren and Congressmen Jim McGovern, Stephen Lynch and Richie Neal in cosponsoring an important resolution to the U.S. Congress that addresses the incredibly dangerous situation in the world right now: the threat of nuclear war.
This is a packed Watertown weekend with winter and holiday events. On Saturday afternoon there will be an art sale at the Mosesian Center for the Arts with a wide variety of arts including ceramics, paintings, ornaments and jewelry. It’s great for shopping locally and supporting our artists. Saturday evening at Gore Place there will be a dramatic reading by Johnny Kinsman of A Christmas Carol including musical accompaniment by Justin Ouellet and Ann Moss, both local musicians. On Sunday there is a hands-on intergenerational Lego building activity at the Jewish Community Day School, it’s a challenge to build the world’s tallest Chanukiah! Later Sunday afternoon at the library, you can go relax after all the holiday activities with a winter concert given by the Vivace Music School Faculty. No need to leave Watertown this weekend to find some holiday cheer!
Raccoon
A resident reported being attacked by a raccoon on Arsenal Street, Watertown Animal Control warns. See more information, below.