Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/page/4/)
On Monday, the School Committee adopted a resolution which states that the Watertown Public Schools have a “strong commitment to protecting the rights of immigrant students and their families.”
The Snow Emergency will run through Tuesday morning, meaning on-street parking is prohibited overnight. The City also reminded residents that snow and ice must be removed from sidewalks after the end of the storm.
Watertown firefighters put out a fire in a chimney on Mt. Auburn Street. (Photo from the Watertown Fire Department)
The Watertown Fire Department used special equipment to battle a fire that started in a chimney on Sunday on Mt. Auburn Street, and also sent out a warning for residents with fireplaces.
The City of Watertown and the Watertown Public Schools announced closures on Monday due to the snow storm beginning Sunday and continuing into Monday, which could drop up to 2 feet of snow on the area. See details below.
UPDATE (Jan. 18, 1:30 p.m.): The start of Monday’s Unity Breakfast will be pushed back an hour and will now begin at 9:30 a.m., organizers announced Sunday. Spots are still available for the annual event at the Hellenic Cultural Center. See more info below.
While the majority of the Mt. Auburn Street Project has paused for the winter, drainage work continues on small portions of the roadway. See details in the announcement from the City of Watertown, below.
Three condos and a pair of two-family homes were sold this week.
The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Boys & Girls Club:
Watertown Boys & Girls Club is delighted to announce that registration is now open for its 2026 Club Adventure Summer Camp, a full-day summer camp program providing fun, safe, and enriching programming for youth ages 7–12 years.
James DeMarco grew up in Watertown and became a goaltender at age 5. It’s his life’s passion to stand between the pipes and keep the puck out of the net.
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.
The following announcement was provided by the Charles River Watershed Association:
Join CRWA staff and City of Watertown officials for an in-depth conversation about stormwater — what it is, how stormwater pollution impacts the Charles River, and the major challenges municipalities face in managing it.
By Linda ScottWatertown Resident
Looking at Trends
Looking back on the past few years, I see a trend:
1 – The Watertown Square Planning process was a plan to rezone our city core. The MBTA state Law that mandated zoning for 1701 new housing units was a major part of this process, and yet a plan for 1,701 didn’t even reach our councilors’ desks, not to mention the community. After community input for 1,701 units, the City came back with a plan for 6,320 units and effectively defined Watertown Square as an area that extended west on Main to Lexington Street and up Galen, almost to the Mass Pike. The City ultimately “settled” for a number just over 3,000 (3,133) units. The response from our City government when this bait and switch was pointed out?