Sports

High School Sports to Look Much Different During 2020-21

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The Raiders celebrate a first quarter touchdown against Burlington at Victory Field. Many details remain up in the air for high school sports this school year, but some things are already clear: there will be no Thanksgiving Day football game and no field hockey state championship for Watertown this year. The COVID-19 pandemic will have a great impact on Massachusetts high school sports, particularly on the fall season, which will have no state tournaments in 2020 (tourneys in other seasons have not been decided yet). Also, the football season will be delayed until early 2021. The MIAA announced those and other details about high school sports last week.

COVID-19

Early Voting Lighter in Watertown, Mail-In Ballots Pouring In

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Voting in 2020 will look quite a bit different due to the COVID-19 outbreak, with safety measures for in-person voters and many ballots coming in by mail or hand delivered to Town Hall. Midway through the early voting period for the Sept. 1 State Primary, the numbers of people voting is significantly down, said Watertown Town Clerk John Flynn, but thousands of mail-in ballots have come in. The primary includes the race for U.S. Senate for both Democrats and Republicans, and for the Dems there is a race for State Representative. Click on the links to see more about the candidates for the 29th Middlesex race (Pcts.

Business

Watertown Savings Reopening Branches with Social Distancing Requirements

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The following announcement was provided by Watertown Savings Bank:

Dear Customers,

On behalf of the entire team at Watertown Savings Bank, we would like to take a moment to say thank you again for your understanding and support over the last several months. Now that all Watertown Savings Bank locations have reopened, we look forward to continuing to help with any of your banking needs in a safe, comfortable, and convenient way! Ways to Bank With WSB

WSB Branch Lobbies

All WSB branch lobbies are open for branch teller services. Please schedule an appointment with Customer Support for more involved banking services such as new account openings. With our customers’ and employees’ health in mind, we are following the mandatory safety standards:

Requiring everyone to wear a face covering.

Around Town

Rising COVID-19 Cases Concerns Watertown Health Director

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An upturn in the new COVID-19 cases concerns Watertown Health Director Larry Ramdin, who worries that the state may go back into more strict shutdown rules if the trend gets worse. During the first week of August, Watertown had its first COVID fatality reported since the second week of May, bringing the total to 24. For the first time in several weeks, the number of new positive COVID-19 cases is into the double digits in Watertown, and the state numbers are growing by around 2,000 a week. “People are going on vacation, it is summer, there is a little complacency,” Ramdin said. “People are going to social gatherings, they are not social distancing, not wearing face coverings, expose themselves.”

Business

Arts Community Invited to Town Hall Hosted by Watertown Business Coalition

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The Watertown Business Coalition invites the arts related businesses and organizations, people working in the arts and others to a virtual Town Hall meeting to discuss strategies to get through the pandemic shutdown. “We need to support each other as a community to make it out of these leaner times for the arts/media/entertainment industry,” the announcement said. The event will be held on Friday, Aug. 28 at 9 a.m. Those invited to take part include:

Watertown-based arts related business or organizationWatertown residents who are in the Arts, Entertainment or Media fieldsLocal businesses that are dependent on their interaction with the Watertown community

To find out more and RSVP click here.

Around Town

Long-Time Watertown Square Restaurant Closing This Week

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The DPW discovered a culvert deep under Watertown Square that was not on any plans. An institution in Watertown Square for more than three decades will close its doors this week. Stellina Restaurant, at 47 Main St., announced that it will serve its last dinner service. “After 34 years in Watertown, Stellina will close after Saturday August 22. Please join us for our last week,” the restaurant’s website announced.

Schools

See How the Watertown Schools Preparing to Return In-Person When Possible

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Lowell School in Watertown. When the school year begins, Watertown Public School students will start off learning from home, but officials have designed a plan to transition back to in-person learning without drastic changes to students’ schedules. Thursday night, the School Committee approved the “Bridge to Hybrid” plan proposed by Superintendent Dede Galdston. Under the plan students will start in remote learning, but Galdston said it will be more structured, and teacher focused than the spring. Meanwhile, the schools will be prepared to welcome back students while complying with COVID-19 heath and safety guidelines.

Around Town

Many Watertown Bus Routes Will See Service Changes in Fall

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The 71 bus will have increased service beginning Aug. 30. It is one of several MTBA routes serving Watertown that will see changes. Several bus routes serving Watertown will see changes in service beginning August 30, including increased service on the 70 and 71 buses. Other routes begin operating on a limited schedule, or route, one will have increased weekend service and one will continue to be suspended.