Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/page/5/)
Noah Kahan, from his Facebook page.
Watertown got a shoutout in Noah Kahan’s latest album “The Great Divide.” The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter said he enjoyed the time he spent living in town.
The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:
The City’s Parker Building at 124 Watertown Street will be temporarily closed from May 2-12, 2026, to undergo electrical service upgrades in the building.
A study of the Watertown Public Schools’ special education found a number of areas of concerns, including a lack of uniformity, a need for better communication with families, and a distrust among parents of students in the program.
Restaurants in Watertown will not longer be able to automatically include packets of plastic utensils with takeout or deliver orders. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)
A new ordinance approved by the City Council prohibits restaurants from automatically including plastic utensils with takeout orders, however customers can request these items when they order or pick up their food.
The Charles River Regional Chamber’s Spring Business Breakfast will be on Friday, May 15, 7-9:30 a.m. at the Sheraton Needham. See details in the announcement from the Chamber, below.
The Boston Renegades, who practice in Watertown, got to play at Fenway Park for the first time on April 12. The beep baseball team has members who are visually impaired and others who are not, all of whom wear blindfolds. (Photo by Jim Vershbow)
BOSTON — Bravery. It comes in all shapes and sizes. Among the bravest, in my opinion, are those individuals who are forced to live their lives visually impaired. Sight is a precious thing, and not having it is one of the cruelest things you could inflict on any human being. Yet, over the years so many incredible techniques and equipment have been devised and developed to allow the visually impaired community to do things that those of us with sight take for granted. One of those things is the opportunity to play the great sport of baseball, more commonly known to the visually impaired community as Beep Baseball.
The following information came from the City of Watertown:
The Watertown Swap Shop will be open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the First Saturday of every month unless otherwise noted (weather depending) from April through October. The hours of operation will be dependent upon the availability of volunteers to oversee the program. Closed during the winter months.
The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Citizens Refugee Support Group:
The Watertown Citizens Refugee Support Group (WCRSG), a working group of Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment (WCPJE), is pleased to announce the receipt of a 2026 Essential Needs Grant from the Watertown Community Foundation.
Raider, the Watertown Police Department’s comfort dog when he was a puppy, with Officer Anna Margaryan. (Courtesy of the City of Watertown)
Raider, the Watertown Police Department’s comfort dog, will be celebrating his second birthday, and the public is invited to the party. See details provided by the WPD, below.
Good morning councilors and city leadership,
I’ve written in the past, requesting common-sense noise ordinances for Watertown. We still get woken up by 5 a.m. dumpster maintenance on Pleasant St. and the systems on top of labs and other buildings still dominate the river landscape along Watertown.
Caroline Bays
City Councilor At-Large Caroline Bays will host her annual meeting on April 27, 2026 at the Watertown Library
Dear Watertown Community Members:
As parents and residents of Watertown, we have closely followed the discussions of the Watertown Public Schools (WPS) PED Task Force regarding personal electronic devices (PEDs) in our schools. While we understand the initial hesitation some feel regarding a complete ban, the more we examine the data and the neurobiology of our children, the clearer it becomes: a full, bell-to-bell ban for grades 9-12, including passing time and lunch, is not just a restrictive policy, but a necessary step to protect our students’ mental health and academic futures.