Cal Benn

A three-day festival celebrating South Asian theater, languages and cultures will return to Watertown this month. The South Asian American Theater Festival is scheduled for Sept. 18-20 at the Mosesian Center for the Arts. Now in its fifth year, the festival will feature short and full-length plays exploring subjects including war, the environment, love, identity, superstition and philosophy. Sankha Bhowmick, artistic director of Off-Kendrik, said the festival uses live theater to showcase the...

The Watertown City Council has approved $990,000 in Community Preservation Act funding to advance the Walker Pond improvement project. The funding will pay for the project’s next phase, including design development, construction drawings, cost estimates, environmental and engineering work, wetland permitting and construction bid services. Plans call for preserving Walker Pond primarily as a passive recreational space while adding improvements such as walking paths, boardwalks, recreational...

The Watertown School Committee is creating a new subcommittee focused on oversight of Student Services following months of criticism and concerns from families. At its July 27 meeting, the committee approved the creation of an ad hoc School Committee Subcommittee on Student Services. The group will monitor progress on the district’s special education plan, including its four priorities: collaboration and family engagement, high expectations and practices, training and skills development, and...

Watertown, MA - The Watertown Police Department is exploring a first responder drone program that officials say could improve emergency response times while enhancing the safety of both the public and first responders. Police Chief Justin Hanrahan presented the proposal during a July 9 meeting of the Committee on Public Safety, explaining that the autonomous drone could be dispatched to emergency scenes before police officers or firefighters arrive. The drone would provide responders with a...

The Watertown Human Rights Commission convened a special meeting earlier this month to address community concerns following recent ICE detainments and ongoing discussions surrounding special education. During the meeting, commissioners approved a statement in response to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling related to immigrant protections and discussed the commission's role in responding to human rights complaints brought forward by residents. The conversation also explored how the commission...

Residents got their most detailed look yet at the proposed new Watertown Middle School during the June 17 School Building Committee meeting. Architects from AI3 presented updated designs featuring a new main entrance on Bemis Street, expanded outdoor learning and play areas, modern STEM classrooms, a two-story student commons, and flexible academic spaces designed to support collaborative learning. The revised site plan also improves traffic circulation, increases parking, and enhances...