Police/Fire

Police Log: Man Arrested for Having Child Pornography, Credit Card Scam Foiled, Drink Thrown at Food Delivery Driver

By |

The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. April 1: Police received a report of a disturbance between a food delivery man and a customer. A Warren Street resident ordered food on GrubHub and when the driver arrived he asked the resident for a confirmation code. The resident said he requested a contactless delivery, and did not have a code. The driver said the resident got upset and threw a fountain drink in his face.

Government

Watertown Will Add Human Services Department in FY26 Budget; City Faces Uncertain Financial Times

By |

Watertown City Hall

Watertown’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget includes the addition of the Human Services Department, and City Manager George Proakis said that the budget is “being produced at atime of significant uncertainty.” The proposed FY26 budget of $223.66 million is $7.08 million or 3.27 percent above the revised FY25 budget, Proakis said during Tuesday’s City Council meeting. The budget maintains the full funding of City pensions, stays on track for funding OPEB (other post employment benefits), supports stabilization funds for affordable housing, open space, and Watertown Square, and it maintains the City’s strategic reserves, Proakis said. The education budget increased by 3.5 percent, and the public safety budget (Police and Fire departments) are being funded at record levels. The major addition to the City government is the creation of Human Services Department as part of implementation of the Health and Human Services Plan.

Schools

Watertown School’s DEIB Director Aims to Create Spaces Where Folks Can Connect

By |

Now in her second year in the role of the Watertown Public School’s Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, Dr. Ceronne Daly said she approaches her work with a goal to build connection not just between her and students, but between families. Her work incorporates programs that started before DEIB began, and she seeks to make it part of what students and families experience in the Watertown Schools. “We’re not doing DEI as an add-on,” Daly stresses. “This work is woven into our strategic plan. If we stopped calling it DEI tomorrow, we’d still be doing restorative practices, still fostering student voices, still building inclusive curriculum.”

Around Town

Volunteers at the Senior Center Fill 100s of Plastic Eggs for the Brigham House Easter Egg Hunt

By |

Volunteers filled plastic eggs for the Easter Egg Hunt at Brigham House. Pictured, from left, Mary Ann Di Luzio, Maria Monahan, Theresa Cameron, Jo Balboni, and Paula Mahoney. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Tables full of volunteers at the Senior Center filled pink and yellow plastic eggs with candy in preparation for an intergenerational event at one of Watertown’s assisted living homes. On Monday, about 30 volunteers filled 250 eggs, and with another round on Tuesday, said Arlene Smith, who organized the event. “I enjoy filling the eggs,” said Jo Balboni, a volunteer who has two granddaughters.

Sports

Nine Watertown Athletes Named Middlesex League Winter All-Stars, One Named MVP

By |

Watertown junior Will Carty was named Middlesex Freedom MVP, as well as being All-Conference for the 2024-25 boys basketball season. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Several Watertown High School athletes received League All-Star honors, including members of the boys and girls basketball teams, boys and girls wrestling, and boys ice hockey. See who made the list in the announcement from the Watertown Public Schools, below. The Middlesex League has announced its All-Star rosters for the 2024-2025 winter sports season, with nine Raiders athletes taking home All-Star or All-Conference honors across five sports. 

Boys Basketball:

Will Carty (Freedom Division MVP and Middlesex League All-Conference)

Aiden Didovic

Olivier Labossiere

Girls basketball:

Caroline Andrade

Adrianna Williams

Boys Ice Hockey:

Domenic Moynihan

Boys Wrestling: 

Brady Gleason (Middlesex League All-Conference)

Jimmy Strestha

Girls Wrestling:

Tessa Master (Middlesex League All-Conference)

Sports

Gold Kings Hockey Teams Lifts Trophy, Cliched First Title in Watertown With Comeback Win

By |

The Boston Gold Kings celebrate scoring in Game 2 of the PPSHL Finals. The Gold Kings won the game 5-4 against Salem. (Photo by John Merritt)

Two goals in the third period capped a dream playoff run by the Boston Gold Kings, who won Game 2 of the finals 5-4 over the Salem Sasquatch and clinched the team’s first title in its second year of existence. The Gold Kings lifted the Power Play Senior Hockey League (PPSHL) trophy on home ice at the John A. Ryan Arena on March 29. The semi pro team now seeks to keep improving and hopes to see the league add more competition, said Cameron Labrecque, the Gold Kings’ General Manager & Director of Hockey Operations.

Police/Fire

Watertown Police Arrest Man Suspected of Having Child Pornography

By |

A Watertown man faces charges of possession of child pornography after an investigation by Watertown Police. Police, working with the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force searched a home in West Watertown on Wednesday and took Patrick Athridge into custody. Watertown Police posted the following announcement on social media on April 3, 2025 at 12:30 p.m.:

Chief Justin Hanrahan announces that on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at approximately 6:00 PM in the West End of Watertown members of the Watertown Police Department, in collaboration with the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, executed a search warrant in Watertown. As a result of the investigation, Mr. Patrick Athridge was taken into custody and charged with possession of child pornography. Mr. Athridge is scheduled to be arraigned later today in Waltham District Court.

Around Town

Armenian Photo Archive Celebrates 50 Years; Runs Exhibit Space in Watertown, Holding Event the Library

By |

A photo from the Project Save archive, which preserves the Armenian experience. (Courtesy of Project Save)

Project Save, the photo archive that has preserved original photographs, the stories, identities, and histories of the Armenian diaspora celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025, and has opened an exhibition space in Watertown where the public can view changing exhibits. A temporary exhibition is now on display at the Watertown Library. The organization began in the 1960s when founder Ruth Tomasian was living in New York City. It was officially registered in 1975.