Sports

Belmont Rolls Over Raiders in 101st Annual Thanksgiving Game

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A Watertown defender gets pressure on the Belmont quarterback in the 2023 Thanksgiving game. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The 1o1st edition of the annual Thanksgiving game was a one-sided affair, with Belmont celebrating a 47-0 win over Watertown at Victory Field on Thursday. The Raiders tried different combinations of quarterbacks and running backs to try to get the offense going, but when the ball fell incomplete in the end zone as time expired, Watertown remained scoreless in the rivalry game. Even though there was no doubt about the game’s outcome, Watertown fought for points until the final moments of the game. As the final minute disappeared off the clock, the Raiders moved the ball down field with a pair of passes from Gnai Concannon-Garvin to Lucas Pizzuto.

Around Town

Housing Tops Charles River Chamber’s List of 5 Key Issues Facing Business in the Region

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During the Charles River Regional Chamber’s annual Fall Business Breakfast, the Chamber laid out the areas of focus for the next five years, and housing came to the forefront. During the event, held at the Boston Marriott Newton, John Rufo, Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, said that much has changed since the organization last put together a strategic plan in 2019. The latest plan has five areas of focus: transportation; childcare for the workforce; climate change; diversity, equity and inclusion; and housing. Creating more housing in the area is key, Rufo said. “I think about people who don’t have security in housing, and don’t have safety in housing,” Rufo said.

Government

City Responds to Complaints About Highland Ave. Road Project

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Crews work on Highland Street over the summer as part of the ongoing road reconstruction project. A combination of weather and challenges with contractors have delayed a major road project in Watertown, said City Manager George Proakis, but there are steps being taken to prevent such delays. Last week, for the second meeting in a row, City Councilors got an earful from residents dissatisfied with various aspects of the Highland Avenue project. Many complained about the lengthy amount time that the project has taken to be completed (and more work still remains), and that sidewalks are often left torn up for an extended amout of time. Others said their driveways have been narrowed after years of having wider entrances, and some were upset about the safety of school children crossing at Copland Street to get to Cunniff Elementary School and at Lexington Street heading towards Watertown Middle School.

Sports

Watertown Field Hockey Team Withstands Newburyport Comeback to Win Thrilling State Final

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Watertown senior Molly Driscoll and the Raiders celebrate with the 2023 MIAA Div. 3 Field Hockey Championship Trophy. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

WORCESTER — Sometimes a moment leaves you grasping for words, unable to form full sentences. Several feelings flowing all at once — triumph, exhilaration, pride, a sense of relief, and pure joy. All you can do is just scream and give the nearest person a big hug.

Schools

Groundbreaking Ceremony Celebrates Start of Construction of Watertown’s Net Zero Energy High School

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Groundbreaking for the new Watertown High School included the City, School, and State officials. From left, Deputy City Administrator Emily Monea, WHS Principal Joel Giacobozzi, Superintendent Dede Galdston, City Council President Mark Sideris, State Rep. John Lawn, State Sen. Will Brownsberger, State Rep. Steve Owens, MSBA CEO Jim MacDonald, and Assistant City Manager Steve Magoon. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

A celebration many years in the making took place in Watertown Thursday to mark the beginning of the creation of an asset that will last for generations: the new Watertown High School. Superintendent Dede Galdton said she recalls the wheels already being in motion when she arrived in the district in 2017 when she was told the goal was to build a new, state-of-the-art high school, along with three elementary schools. “We are just so excited to begin the work, not that the work hasn’t been going on for the last five or six years, but the actual demolition and rebuilding of this beautiful place,” Galdston said.

Sports

Watertown Field Hockey State Final Bound After Close Win Over Sandwich

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The Raiders celebrate after defeating Sandwich 1-0 in the State Semifinal. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

HINGHAM — In a battle of heavyweight field hockey programs, Watertown emerged victorious, 1-0, after a 60 minute struggle in the MIAA Div. 3 State Tournament Semifinal that went down to the final moments Wednesday night. For the third straight year, the Raiders battled Sandwich deep into the tournament. In 2021 and 2022 the clash came in the State Final, and this year it came one round before.

Around Town

Schedule for Watertown Square Design Workshops Released

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The City of Watertown released details of the Watertown Square Area Design Charrette, and what times the public can come and participate over the three days. The City sent out the following information:

We are excited to share this invitation to attend one or more of the working group sessions at the Watertown Square Area Design Charrette on November 29 and 30, 2023. Each session will focus on a key issue in developing a Watertown Square Area Plan; these sessions are in addition to the drop-in opportunities and general meetings scheduled during the three-day charrette. All working group sessions will be held on the 2nd floor at 64 Pleasant Street. 

A charrette is a collaborative planning process during which an interdisciplinary team of planners, designers, transportation experts, city officials, residents, business owners, other interested people, and most importantly you, work together to create a shared design vision of a particular area. 

The charrette will start Tuesday evening, November 28, 2023 (6:30pm – 8:30pm), with an existing conditions analysis, feedback from the Kitchen Table Conversations (KTCs), and a summary of results from the Polis survey (you can participate in the Polis at https://pol.is/6vbuxzxrff through November 17, 2023).On November 29 and 30, 2023 (during the morning and afternoon), the project team and City staff will invite input from the community and interested groups through the working group meetings, as the team sketches options for Watertown Square’s challenges. On the second evening, there is an “interim progress drop-in session” for members of the public to see and informally discuss the day’s work. During the final evening (November 30), the consultant team will present scenarios that will inform the next phase of our project and vision of Watertown Square.

Government

Council Approves 2024 Tax Rates & Bills Will Go Down for Watertown Homeowners

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Charlie BreitroseA lot of money was raised and spent on the 2015 Watertown Election. Like Haley’s Comet or a cycle in baseball, a rarely seen event took place at the Watertown City Council meeting on Tuesday night: property taxes went down. Watertown homeowners will see a drop of around $1,000 in their annual taxes this year. The drop was primarily due to the Legislature passing special Home Rule legislation to allow Watertown to close a loophole in the law governing how much of the tax burden can be shifted from residential properties to commercial, industrial and personal (CIP) properties. The tax rate on residential properties dropped from $13.58 per $1,000 in assessed value in Fiscal Year 2023 to $11.70 in Fiscal Year 2024, said City Assessor Earl Smith.