Schools

Students at Jewish Day School Create Traveling Holocaust Museum

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One of the suitcases that are part of the Unpacking History – a Mobile Holocaust Memorial created by students at the Jewish Community Day School of Boston in Watertown. (Courtesy of JCDS)

Students at the Jewish Community Day School of Boston, located in Watertown, packed years of facts, artifacts and personal experiences into six small suitcases and a jewelry case to create a traveling Holocaust museum. The project, called “Unpacking History – A Mobile Holocaust Memorial,” is the creation of the eighth-graders at the JCDS. Each of the suitcases has a different theme, with one about the rise of Nazis in Germany in the 1920s and 1930s, another about roles played in the Holocaust by companies which are still familiar brands, propaganda, stories of Jews living in Germany at the time, photos, and more. Some of the displays have audio and even video components.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Pair Arrested for Pulling Knife During Fight, Two Shoplifters Also Face Drug Charges

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. June 6: A man went into Target and took $58.19 in bath, health and beauty, and grocery items.

June 6: A package was taken from a home on Oliver Road. FedEx delivered the box containing a 15-inch MacBook computer valued at $1,400 at 2:30 p.m. It was gone when the resident returned home. The report was taken by Officer Sean Bowler. June 6: A shoplifter took five pairs of men’s shoes from Marshalls valued at $250.

Entertainment

A Quiet Hub of Documentary Power: Four Filmmakers Shaping Stories in Watertown

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Watertown filmmaker Lisa Olivieri shoots part of her documentary film “Recovery City.” (Contributed Photo)

Watertown may not resemble Hollywood. There’s no giant white sign on a hill, no people in knock-off Elmo suits trying to hassle tourists for photos, no bus tours of famous people’s driveways. But believe it or not, Watertown has its own little Hollywood row. Four filmmakers here are documenting stories of family, recovery, civic life, and identity.

Around Town

Boys & Girls Club Unveils Space Where New After School Program for Grades K-3 Will Be Housed

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The public got their first look at the new space at the renovated space at the Watertown Boys & Girls Club. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The Watertown Boys & Girls Club recently unveiled the newly renovated space on the bottom level of the clubhouse, which will serve as home to the new KidConnect After School Program. On June 12, the Club welcomed the public to take a look around the space that will be a key space for the Club, said WBGC Executive Director Gary Beatty. “We’ve called it the new foundations, that has been the project that has brought this space to life, because we are in the bottom of our building — it’s the lower levels — but it really is creating a foundation for the future of our organization,” Beatty said. “We have a really proud and storied past, and now we’re looking into the future to decide how we’re going to continue to support the kids in our community, the families in the community who have been so reliant on what we do here at the Boys & Girls Club every day.”

Sports

Watertown High Jumper Leapt to Top Level for Final Year of Her Collegiate Career

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Watertown’s Abbi Peterson competed in the high jump for Boston College this year, after four years at Bridgewater State. (Photo by Cian McCormack)

Watertown’s Abbi Peterson began high jumping in middle school, and her career competing in the event took her through Watertown High School and then to the NCAA Div. III level, where she competed against at nationals. This spring, she completed a bonus year, which she spent jumping at the top college level for Boston College. Peterson excelled while at Watertown High School, placing fifth at the Indoor New Englands in 2019 as a senior, and she made it to the New Balance Outdoor Nationals that spring where she jumped 5-foot-3-inches.

Around Town

Water Customers Can Access City’s Water Meter Customer Portal

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Residents can now check on their water usage on the City’s Water Meter Customer Portal. See more details provided by the City of Watertown below. Watertown’s Water Meter Customer Portal is LIVE! Residents can now track their water usage every day on the customer portal, where you can set usage thresholds and receive alerts.All you need to sign-up is your email address, water meter account number (which can be found on your most recent water bill), and a cell phone number if you wish to receive alerts (optional)! Visit the Water Meters page to learn more and sign-up. This portal is accessible for those with the new smart water meters that were installed as part of the City’s water meter replacement project, which began in 2023.Sign up today with your water account info to easily stay on top of your water usage.For questions about the new portal, your water meter account number, or how to sign-up, please call 311 in Watertown, or 617-715-8660.

Entertainment

Mosesian Center Celebrates 2 Decades of Being Watertown’s Focal Point for the Arts

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Guests decorate a picture of the Mosesian Center for the Arts at the 20th Anniversary Celebration. (Photo by Danielle Drapeau)

It’s been two-decade a rollercoaster ride, but the Mosesian Center for the Arts made it to 20 years in large part to its current interim executive director. Hundreds filled the arts center on May 22 for the 20th Anniversary Celebration, enjoying theater, music, comedy, food, and each other’s company. The idea for an arts center began when the City of Watertown was reimagining what could be done at the former U.S. Army Arsenal. In 2001, the City signed a 99-year-lease for the front part of Building 312, and the Arsenal Center for the Arts opened in 2005.

Government

City Council to Get Raises in 2026, Councilors Approve Most of Blue Ribbon Committee’s Recommendations

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown’s City Hall. The City Council will receive a raise of nearly 70 percent next year after members approved three of four recommendations from a committee of residents that studied Council compensation. The Council considered the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Committee at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Linda Scott, one of seven residents who served on the Blue Ribbon Committee said that the group considered two basic questions: Is it time for a City Council salary adjustment? And, if yes, what is a fair number?