Obituaries
OBIT: Joseph Murgo, 85, Banker, Past Watertown Rotary President
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Joseph Murgo
Joseph A. Murgo, 85, of Lexington, formerly of Waltham and his hometown of Watertown, passed away peacefully on Oct. 28, 2025, surrounded by his loving family.
Watertown Unveils Visitors Guide Ahead of Busy Summer of 2026
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The cover of the Watertown Visitors Guide, produced by the City of Watertown.
Watertown’s history, activities, dining and more have been highlighted in the new Watertown Visitors Guide. The City of Watertown produced the four-page booklet in anticipation of a busy summer in Greater Boston.
Council Approves FY27 Capital Items With Funds for Street Repair, Park Projects and the New Middle School
The City Council approved 36 items from the Capital Improvement Program for the Fiscal Year 2027 budget, including road repairs, some money for the Middle School project, park projects, and requests from the Fire and Police departments.
LETTER: Watertown Grieves Civil Rights Leader Bernard Lafayette Who Helped Spread Dr. King’s Teachings to Town
Dr. Bernard Lafayette and Watertown Kingian Nonviolence Trainer Holly Cachimuel, who is a former Watertown teacher.(Photo by Chuck Dickinson)
The death of legendary civil rights icon Dr. Bernard Lafayette on March 5 resonates deeply throughout the city of Watertown. “Doc” first came here for several days in 2016, at the behest of former Watertown Middle School teacher Ruth Henry. Henry had trained in Kingian Nonviolence Conflict Resolution under Dr. Lafayette. Lafayette had promised Martin Luther King, Jr. before his 1968 assassination that he would spread King’s nonviolence teaching and practice around the world.
Detailed Designs of Middle School Being Created to See if City Can Afford a New School
A vision of what a new Watertown Middle School could look like created by Ai3 Architects and presented to the School Committee in June 2025.
Architects have started creating detailed designs for a new Watertown Middle School to determine how much a new school would cost, and that information will be used by the City to see whether Watertown’s budget can handle a project expected to cost significantly more than $100 million.
More Headlines
What New Industries Might be Attracted to Watertown, Changes to the Square Discussed by City Manager
Several Owls Visit Mount Auburn Cemetery During Long-Running Program Hosted by Owl Enthusiasts & Rescuers
School Committee Votes on Watertown Middle School Start Time for 2026-27
Real Estate
Nearly 3 Dozen Open Houses in Watertown This Week
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See all the open houses around town over the first weekend of November.
Government
Council Still Considering Options for Rebuilding Middle School After Long Discussion
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Watertown Middle School (Courtesy of Watertown Public Schools)
The City Council drilled down on what factors would determine whether to do a full renovation/rebuild of Watertown Middle School, or to do more basic repairs now and a bigger project later. After more than two hours of deliberation on Tuesday night Councilors had not made a decision and some key questions remain unanswered.
Sports
JIM’S VIEW: Watertown Begins Defense of Div. 3 State Title With a Strong Performance vs. Swampscott
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Watertown sophomore Ave Anderson, right, celebrates scoring against Swampsott in the State Tournament Round of 32 at Victory Field on Wednesday. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)
Watertown Field Hockey knows who they are and what is expected of them. When they lose (and that’s rarely) it’s big news. If they win, but by only a certain margin, it’s news. When they give up a goal, for goodness sake, it’s news. It’s an understatement that the weight of expectation is heavy. But you would never guess that it affects those who put on the uniform and play for Coach Eileen Donohue. They simply buy in and practice hard and play hard and believe that they will be rewarded for the commitment and the sweat and the effort.
Police/Fire
Thief Steals $9,000 in Donations to Watertown Church
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Firefighters stand in the shadow of St. Patrick’s Church after Lt. Edward Walsh’s wake. Photo by Charlie Breitrose
Approximately $9,000 in donations were taken from St. Patrick’s Church, according to an announcement by the Watertown Police Department.
Elections
LETTER: Statement from City Councilor At-Large Candidate
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My name is John Gannon, and for three terms, I’ve had the honor of representing Watertown as your city councilor at-large. I’m now running for re-election this coming Tuesday, November 4.
Elections
LETTER: Trick or Treat from the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA)?
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Yesterday I received a second postcard from the MTA. They appear to have a lot of money to burn on their candidate endorsements. For those who are unfamiliar with the MTA’s agenda, please review the 2025 Watertown Educators Association Candidate Questionnaire and the support materials at:https://docs.google.com/forms/u/0/d/e/1FAIpQLSf30p8erVdxVlgShgKeq2ljGBj8GVqvHyCm4lvmMY6Q78J5tQ/viewform?usp=preview&urp=gmail_link&pli=1
Around Town
Final Watertown Swap Shop of the Year This Saturday
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Residents can donate and pick up items at the Watertown Swap Shop. The program had to be cancelled multiple times during the Trash Strike, but the Solid Waste and Recycling Advisory Committee, and Watertown Faces Climate Change added one opportunity for residents to take part. See details below.