Entertainment

Armenian Museum Hosting Exhibition of Arshile Gorky’s Work, Many Never Shown Publicly

By |

Arshile Gorky, “Self-Portrait,” 1923–1924, will be part of the MA–The Armenian Museum of America’s exhibition, “Arshile Gorky: Redrawing Community and Connections.” The following announcement was provided by the Armenian Museum of America:

The Armenian Museum of America recently announced the opening of a landmark exhibition, Arshile Gorky: Redrawing Community and Connections, on December 11, 2025. This is the first exhibition of Gorky’s work in an Armenian museum, and it caps off a series of programs initiated by the “100 Years of Arshile Gorky” Committee in the City of Watertown. The exhibition is curated by Kim S. Theriault, author of Rethinking Arshile Gorky published byPenn State University Press, and it is sponsored by the JHM Charitable Foundation. “We aimed high in the planning of this show dedicated to an Armenian artist who immigrated to Watertown in the aftermath of the Genocide, like so many of our compatriots,” explains Executive Director Jason Sohigian.

Government

Three Watertown Football Players Honored for Helping to Catch a Drunken Driver

By |

(Screenshot from Boston 25 News)

Three sharp-eyed and quick thinking Watertown High School football players were honored for their effort that helped police locate and arrest a drunken driver. On Oct. 14, the City Council approved a proclamation honoring Riaz Khan, Joel Montoya, and Boran Akisik. On Sept. 25, the three were on their way home after practice witnessed a hit and run incident at the intersection of Palfrey and Pearl streets.

Government

City Manager Outlines What it Would Take for Watertown to Afford to Rebuild the Middle School

By |

Watertown Middle School (Courtesy of Watertown Public Schools)

The City Council must soon decided on how to proceed with Watertown Middle School’s renovations: completely redo it or do basic repairs. The catch is a complete renovation (or rebuilt) would required cutting funds planned to go to other areas. City Manager George Proakis outlined what it would take for the City to afford to completely renovate or rebuild the Middle School during his Preliminary Budget Overview for the Fiscal Year 2027 City budget. A big caveat in this plan is the Legislature approving Watertown’s Home Rule Petition that would provide tax relief to residential property owners, and would prevent tax increases of 11 to 18 percent next year (see details here). A feasibility study on the building a new middle school found that the cost of the full project was $112 million, which was well above the $87 million that the City budgeted for the project.

Government

Budget Forecast: State Legislation Will Have Big Impact on Watertown’s FY27 City Budget

By |

For several years, Watertown’s City has operated comfortably on a budget built on the 2.5 percent property tax increase allowed by the State and the added tax revenue from new developments. A mixture of economic uncertainty and the unknown of whether the State Legislature will approve Watertown’s tax relief request means residents could face a major tax increase next year. City Manager George Proakis presented the Preliminary Fiscal Year 2027 Budget to the City Council on Monday night, which has total forecast expenditures of $226.2 million and includes a shortfall of at least $3.6 million. He also told the Council that his aim is to “maintain options and flexibility” in the City’s budget. He stressed the budget figure is an estimate, adding that the numbers are based on the approval of the Home Rule Petition submitted by Watertown to the Legislature.

Around Town

Watertown’s Project Save Hosting First Full Exhibition This Fall & Conversations on Photography

By |

Astrig Agopian’s “Like There’s No Tomorrow”

The following announcement was provided by Project Save:

Project Save Photographic Archive, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit dedicated to preserving the global Armenian experience through photography, announced today its lineup of fall programming, including its first major exhibition in the organization’s gallery and archive space, and two events in its popular “Conversations on Photography” series. French-Armenian photojournalist and documentary filmmaker Astrig Agopian’s multimedia exhibition Like There’s No Tomorrow will open at Project Save on Nov. 13, 2025 and run through Jan. 17, 2026. The exhibit focuses on the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, a region Armenians have inhabited for millennia and whose cultural heritage has endured centuries of upheaval.

Around Town

Watertown Library Releases Five Year Strategic Plan, See Details

By |

The Watertown Free Public Library. (Courtesy of WFPL)

The Watertown Free Public Library approved a new Strategic Plan in the summer of 2025, and the public is invited to look at the finalized plan. See the announcement from the library, below. Read more about the Watertown Free Public Library FY 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, with an update from Library Director Kim Long (Hewitt):

Hello and happy fall! In June, the Library Trustees voted to approve WFPL’s new Strategic Plan for FY26-2030.

Schools

Superintendent Reviewed Areas Where Watertown Fared Well in the State Accountability Results & Areas that Need More Focus

By |

Watertown had some highlights from the 2025 MCAS test and other accountability measures, including being recognized for the results in some areas, but school officials also identified areas that need more work. Superintendent Dede Galdston presented a report on the 2025 Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) accountability results at the Oct. 6 School Committee meeting. The accountability presentation included results of the MCAS tests, as well as measures such as absenteeism and the results of the ACCESS for students who come into schools not speaking English as their primary language, called English Learners. Last week, the Watertown Public Schools announced that Watertown was one of 63 districts across the state that the state DESE recognized for returning to pre-pandemic achievement levels in grades 3-8, and one of 41 recognized for meeting or exceeding achievement levels in math.