Around Town

Mutual Aid Group Delivers Air Conditioners in Watertown During Heat Wave

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Eddy Cole installs an air conditioner provided free by the Watertown Neighbors group. (Courtesy of Eddy Cole)

As the temperatures rose to dangerous levels in the first week of July, a group in Watertown leapt into action delivering air conditioners to those who need them, and which had been donated by other residents. The air conditioner redistribution is a project run by Watertown Neighbors, a mutual aid effort of the Watertown Rapid Response Network. Last year, members of the RRN — that formed to assist immigrants in town — looked for areas where the group could make a difference and fill a need in the community, said Watertown resident Allison Eck. “We thought that basically AC units was a place where we could provide real value and fill a real need, which is the goal of mutual aid,” Eck said.

Entertainment

Watertown Woman’s Film About the Pressures of Parenthood Showing at Several Film Festivals

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An image from “Late Fall.” The film was made by Watertown’s Abigail Jean Lucas, left, who acted in the film along with her son, Leander. A short film shot during the Pandemic, whose cast includes a Watertown filmmaker and her son, made its world premier in Ireland in May and will be part of several film festivals around the United States. Bringing “Late Fall” to the screen has been a long, meandering journey for Abigail Jean Lucas. The 18-minute film focuses on a young couple with a toddler facing the challenges of parenthood while making ends meet.

Around Town

A Celebration 250 Years in the Making: Watertown’s Treaty Day 2026

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The 2010 Reenactment of Signing of Treaty of Watertown at the Edmund Fowle House. (Courtesy of Historical Society. of Watertown)

In the days after the former 13 colonies declared their independence from Britain 250 years ago, Watertown had a moment. The town outside Boston became the center of government in Massachusetts, and two historic firsts took place right near Watertown Square. However, these occasions got lost in the ether somewhere between George Washington and George H.W. Bush.

Entertainment

Local Artists & Musicians Coming to Pair of Art Pop Ups in Watertown Square in July

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The Watertown Arts Market is still about a month away, but on two weekends in July there will be pop-up arts markets in Watertown Square featuring local artists and musicians. The Watertown Business Coalition, the City of Watertown and the Watertown Cultural Council teamed up to put on the Art Pop Ups in the heart of Watertown Square. On Saturday, July 11 and 25 from 3-7 p.m. several artists will have tables, and musicians will play on Merchants Row, the space next to CVS (27 Main St.)

Local visual artists will have original artwork for sale, and live acoustic musicians will entertain. The Art Pop Ups are free and open to all. “This pop-up experience is the perfect way to spend a summer afternoon!”

Around Town

Woman Donates Hospital Wing, Dedicates it to Memory of Her Mother Who Lived in Watertown

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Marsha Moeller, center, cuts the ribbon at the Helen Caloggero Women’s and Family Center in California. The center is named after her mother who grew up in Watertown. (Photo from Providence St. Joseph Hospital)

A health center in California that provides services to women and families was dedicated to and named for a woman who grew up in Watertown. Marsha Moeller donated funds to build the Helen Caloggero Women’s and Family Center at the Providence St.

Around Town

Watertown Woman Creates Historic Boston Book from Her Huge Postcard Collection

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With a collection of tens of thousands of historic post cards, Watertown’s Kathryn Alpert had a wealth of choices for her new book “Lost & Found: Historic Boston in Post Cards.” Watertown News spoke with Alpert about the creation of her book. Alpert worked in public relations for years, and was able to get a piece about one of her biggest clients, Tweeter, on the front page of the Wall Street Journal in the 1990s. Then she started a greeting card company in the early 2000s. She is also a member of the Ephemera Society, which focuses on historic items, mostly paper items.

Her 206-page softcover book contains more than two-hundred colorful vintage postcards of historic Boston.

Schools

Special Education: Director of Student Services to Step Down, Plans to Improve Program Discussed

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Watertown’s Director of Student Services will be stepping down before the beginning of school in September. The announcement came after parents of students in the special education program aired their complaints at the second straight School Committee meeting. A group of more than 100 parents also signed a petition requesting that the School Committee take a vote of no confidence for the Director of Student Services, who oversees the special education program. At the meeting on July 22, members of the School Committee requested that the Watertown School administration make special education its priority. Some committee members also asked for the creation of a subcommittee to focus on special education so that they can hear directly from parents, students and others.

Weather

UPDATED: Temps to Hit 100 in Watertown This Week, See How to Stay Cool

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(UPDATED July 2, 8:55 a.m.: The library will be open until 7 p.m. Friday.)

With temperatures forecast to reach 100 degrees this week, the City of Watertown has compiled a list of places to keep cool during the heatwave. The National Weather Center has issued an Extreme Heat Warning from July 1 at 10 a.m. to July 4 at 8 p.m. As of Tuesday at 11 a.m., the forecast highs are 95 degrees on Wednesday, 100 degrees on Thursday and Friday, and 95 degrees on Saturday, which is Independence Day. With high humidity expected, the high “feels like” temperature will be over 100 degrees from Wednesday to Friday, topping out at 109 degrees on Thursday. The City of Watertown put together information during the heatwave at watertown-ma.gov/warm-weather-updates. The City provided the following information:

Watertown is expecting very hot temperatures this week with high humidity.