Government

Watertown Police Could Get Drone; Department is Nearly Fully Staffed; Officer’s Will Get AI App

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A drone will likely be the latest high-tech addition to the Watertown Police Department, but the City Council had questions about where data collected will be stored and who will have access. Watertown Police Chief Justin Hanrahan described the budget request during the May 6 Fiscal Year 2027 budget hearing. He also talked about staffing and a new AI program that will be used by WPD officers. The drone, which costs $49,396, would be dispatched to an area where a crime or incident like an auto accident is reported, Hanrahan said. “You can get to pretty much anywhere in the City in two minutes, and it’ll give us real time live feed of what’s taking place,” Hanrahan said.

Around Town

Third Watertown Porchfest is Bigger Than Ever With 200+ Performances

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Porchfest returns to Watertown for the third year on May 16. (Photo from Watertown Porchfest)

The third year of Watertown Porchfest is the biggest yet, with in excess of 200 performances at more than 80 locations around the City on Saturday, May 16 from noon to 6 p.m.

Organizers have published a map with the performance locations and the list of bands on the Watertown Cultural District at watertownmaculture.com/watertown-porchfest. Homes around town will turn their porch, driveways or front yards into stages this year. Joining them are the Watertown Free Public Library, First Parish Church, Gigi’s Pizza, Branch Line, and Gore Place. In addition there will be five block parties where the street will be blocked to traffic.

Business

Space for Existing Chinese Restaurant & New Retailer Included in Plans for Watertown Mall

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A rendering of National Development’s plans to renovate part of the Watertown Mall. The green sign is where Joyful Garden will move, and the red sign is a new retailer. The new owners of the Watertown Mall showed plans to revamp part of the mall, which include creating a new space for a popular restaurant and creating space for a new retailer. National Development, a Newton-based national real estate development and management company, purchased the property from Alexandria Real Estate in 2025 with plans to make improvements. The renovations will focus on the area between Target and Best Buy, which will include the Registry of Motor Vehicles, a 31,000 sq.

Food

Watertown Has a New Beer Garden, Restaurant Moving to Bigger Digs, Another Makes Globe

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Mighty Squirrel Brewing opened its new biergarten at Gore Place. (Photo from Mighty Squirrel)

There’s plenty going on in Watertown’s food and drink scene, with a new beer garden, a restaurant headed to a bigger space, and a newish restaurant getting the attention of regional media. Beer Garden

Attendees of the Sheepshearing Festival had the chance to enjoy a beverage from Mighty Squirrel Brewing. Now the brewery has teamed up with Gore Place for an ongoing partnership. The biergarten officially opened on Friday, May 8, and will be open Thursdays 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Fridays-Sundays 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. though October.

Schools

Governor Stops by Watertown High School to Give a Teacher Appreciation Week Gift

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Gov. Maura Healey, right, presented Watertown High School teacher Liz Mundy with flowers and a proclamation on May 7. (Screenshot from the Watertown Public Schools’ Instagram)

Watertown High School teacher Liz Mundy received some special gifts on Thursday as part of Teacher Appreciation Week: flowers and a proclamation delivered personally by Gov. Maura Healey. Healey said she wanted to honor Mundy, a science teacher who was Massachusetts STEM Teacher of the Year. A video of the visit was posted on the @massgovernor Instagram account. “It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, so I stopped by Watertown High to surprise Ms. Mundy, the STEM Teacher of the Year!

Around Town

THE DISH: Ritcey East’s Max Ritcey Talks About Fish Taco, Lending a Helping Hand & More

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Ritcey East owner Max Ritcey presents a fan favorite: fish tacos. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The Dish is a new collaboration between Watertown News and the Little Local Conversations podcast which takes a deep dive into a favorite dish from a local restaurant and beyond. Watertown’s Ritcey East has become a favorite place for people looking for comfort food, a cocktail, and enjoy it in a laid back, fun atmosphere. One of the most popular menu items, the fish tacos, also harkens back to owner Max Ritcey’s culinary roots, and has strong family ties. Ritcey’s fish tacos are simple, but burst with complex flavors.

Schools

WHS Seeing More Students from Diverse Backgrounds in Advanced Classes

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The sign for the temporary Watertown High School at PFC Richard Moxley Field. (Courtesy by City of Watertown)

The students taking Advanced Placement classes at Watertown High School have become more diverse, and more students come from low-income backgrounds. The total number of students in AP classes increased, too. On Monday, the School Committee heard a report from the WHS AP Pathways Working Group, which presented the outcomes of efforts to expand access to advanced courses and make the process more transparent. Casey Andrews, the Grade 9-12 English Language Arts Coordinator, presented the data.

Schools

Student Cell Phone Ban During School Day Approved by School Committee

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The School Committee approved a Personal Electronic Device (PED) Policy that prevents students from using or having access to a device — such as a cell phone or tablet — during the entire school day, including during lunchtime and breaks. The PED Policy came out of the PED Task Force, which studied the subject and provided a recommended policy to the School Committee. The policy was approved at the May 4 School Committee meeting. The Policy reads: “The Watertown Public Schools (WPS) personal electronic device (PED) policy aims to improve students’ social/emotional health and development, student engagement in academics, the overall school social climate, and students’ connectedness to the school community.” The Personal Electronic Device (PED) policy reads, “subject to the exceptions outlined below, students may not access or use any PED for the entire duration of the school day, and PEDs should be off or in silent mode from the first bell of the school day until the end of the day while in the school building.”