Police/Fire

Watertown Police Seeking Man Seen Stealing Packages from Doorsteps

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Police seek to identify a man who they believe has been going around town taking packages soon after they were delivered to homes in Watertown. The suspect is described as a Hispanic male, 20 to 30 years old, 5-foot-8-inches tall, with a beard. Three time over the past week packages were taken by a man fitting that description, said Watertown Police Lt. Ken Swift. On July 25 at 10 a.m., a woman on Emerson Road heard her dog barking and she looked out the window to see a man talking to a FedEx driver. “She realized it was her package that was being given to the man by the FedEx driver,” Swift said.

Around Town

Retired Recreation Director Thanks Mentors, Reflects on Nearly 50 Years Working for City

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Recreation Director Peter Centola celebrates his retirement with his family. Pictured from left, daughter Leanne, mother-in-law Irene Samourian, Peter, wife Karen, daugther Tory, and son Philip. (Contributed Photo)

Recently-retired Recreation Director Peter Centola likes to tell people worked in Watertown for 48 years. He got his start in the mid-1970s but had a break in the middle, and at one point didn’t expect to return. Following his retirement at the end of June after 15 years as Recreation Director, Centola spoke recently with Watertown News about his time as Recreation Director, his mentors, the programs and facilities he helped build, and things left unfinished.

Around Town

Podcast Focuses on People, Places & Stories of Watertown

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Matt Hanna has spent the last several months getting to know people living and working in Watertown, and has produced more than 20 episodes of Little Local Conversations. He provided the following information about his ongoing project:

Hi there! I’m Matt Hanna, a Watertown resident of 14 years now, and I want to share with you a little project I’ve been working on to dig a little deeper into the people, places, stories, and ideas of Watertown. Matt Hanna

I’ve always enjoyed living here and over the years in the city I’ve gotten married, had a kid, been a stay-at-home parent, sheltered in place, worked, and volunteered and I’ve experienced the city in all the ways those different life stages and points of view have brought me. But it wasn’t until quite recently that I started to truly appreciate how wonderfully unique Watertown is and especially how many amazing people have shaped and are shaping the city, in big ways for everyone to see, and in smaller, but no less important ways within smaller communities.

Around Town

Local Man Hopes to Find a Kidney Donor for Himself or Another Person in Need

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James Pagounes, second from right, seeks an organ donor before his kidneys fail. He is shown here with his family: wife, Joanne, and sons Othon, Kimon, and Iraklis. (Contributed Photo)

James Pagounes first learned he had something wrong with his kidneys when he got an abdominal ultrasound 15 years ago. “The doctor said, your stomach looks fine, but the guy looks and finds that my kidney has a problem,” he recalled. “It’s been declining ever since then.

Schools

Installation of Geothermal Wells to Begin Soon at Watertown High School, Will Take 4-5 Months

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The following information was provided by Vertex, the project management firm for the Watertown High School project:

Starting the week of August 5th, you can expect to see the mobilization of geothermal well drilling rigs at the new Watertown High School Building Project. This is an exciting milestone for the project, as the before mentioned geothermal wells will aid in the project’s goal of being a net-zero energy building. The geothermal wells, once installed, will provide heating and cooling to spaces in the new high school including the gymnasium, the auditorium, and other community spaces throughout the school. The project expects these drilling rigs to be on site for approximately 4-5 months to complete 14 wells to approximately 900 feet deep. What to expect in the coming months, starting the week of August 5th:

–  Geothermal Well Drilling Rigs on site from 7AM-5PM

–  Equipment will be located on the corner of Columbia and Common Streets within the construction fence.

Schools

Wage Increases, Bonuses Proposed for Staff of Extended Day Program

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The Extended Day program run at Watertown’s elementary schools serves 400 students, but officials have struggled to find and keep staff to run the after-school program. Extended Day is operated by Watertown Community Education, which is a self-sustainingdepartment of Watertown Public Schools. Its funding comes from tuition and fees, rather than from taxpayer dollars. The program is able to accommodate more than 90 percent of the demand, but there is a waiting list of 38 students for this fall. In a memo to the School Committee, Debi Cornelius, Director of Community Education, wrote:

“The challenges our community faces with after-school care are not unique to Watertown.

Police/Fire

Watertown Police Seek ID of Driver of Car in Hit-and-Run Involving Dog

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Police seek help identifying the driver of a car that was in a hit and run incident in Watertown involving a dog that occurred last week just down the street from Cunniff School. The Watertown Police Department provided the following information on its social media:

Watertown PD is attempting to identify the owner of the attached MV that was involved in a Hit and Run accident, involving a dog. This incident occurred on Thursday July 18, 2024, at approximately 5:30PM. The vehicle was traveling East on Warren St. by King St.

Around Town

Vendors & Sponsors Can Register for the 2024 Faire on the Square

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Watertown’s biggest celebration returns for its 25th year in September, and vendors and sponsors can sign up now. The City of Watertown provided the following information:

The 25th Anniversary of Watertown’s Faire on the Square is scheduled for Saturday, September 21, 2024 from 12-5 p.m. at Saltonstall Park. Vendor registration is open through August 30, 2024. Visit www.faireonthesquare.com to learn more and register! Sponsorship opportunities for the Faire on the Square are now available!