Tuesday, December 31, 2019

17th Annual City of Salem Bonfire

Bonfire
Event Date: 
Friday, January 3rd, 2020 - 6:00pm to 7:00pm

City of Salem's 17th Annual Christmas Tree Bonfire
Friday, January 3, 2020 - Dead Horse Beach at Salem Willows - 6:00 p.m.

(Rain/Snow/Wind Reschedule Date: Saturday, January 4th)
check www.salem.com for rescheduling information

Bring your Christmas tree with you that evening, drop it off at the beach after January 2nd or leave it out for curbside pickup beginning December 30th

(FYI – Citywide Christmas Tree Curbside Collection will also take place as scheduled December 30-January 4th & January 6–10, 2020)

Please don't forget to remove all decorations and lights from your tree

Friday, December 27, 2019

Watertown Arts Master Plan Forum

How can we create the conditions for public arts to thrive in Watertown?

What are some strategies for designing an inclusive and democratic public arts program and process?

Who should be involved in supporting and carrying out these strategies?

Join the Town of Watertown’s Public Arts Master Plan Advisory Committee on January 9 for a workshop exploring how we can shape a public arts program that speaks to Watertown’s community values.

You’ll have the opportunity to learn about inspiring examples of public art programs both here in Massachusetts and around the country. You’ll also engage in small group discussions where you’ll have an opportunity to weigh on preliminary recommendations for how the Town of Watertown can manage, fund, and maintain a public arts program starting in 2020.

Whether you’re a new or lifelong resident, a student, a teacher, a local business owner, or an artist, your input is vital and will help inform the Town’s decisions about how the town’s public art program will be managed and funded.

Dinner refreshments provided. Free childcare and interpretation and translation services are available upon request.

Your participation is important to us. Call (617) 933-0713 or email
ispinola@mapc.org for accommodations. Advance notice (10 business days) is necessary for certain accommodations.

RSVP LINK: mapc.ma/watertownjan9

When:
January 9, 2020
6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Location:
Watertown Free Public Library
123 Main St,
Watertown, MA 02472
Watertown Savings Bank

Meeting Room
FREE and open
to the public
Light dinner refreshments
provided.

Free childcare available up

Library Announces Choice for One Book, One Watertown 2020

Watertown, Massachuestts - The Watertown Free Public Library is pleased to announce Lara Prescott’s debut novel, The Secrets They Kept as our selection for One Book, One Watertown 2020. Copies of the book, including large print, playaway, ebooks, and e-audiobooks will be available at the Library in January, across from the
Reference Desk. A full schedule of March programs will follow.

“A gorgeous and romantic feast of a novel anchored by a cast of indelible secretaries.” - The New York Times

“Enthralling… This is the rare page-turner with prose that’s as wily as its plot.” - Vogue

During the cold war, the CIA pursued an initiative known as “cultural diplomacy.” Operating on the
premise that “great art comes from true freedom”, the agency seized on painting, music, and literature as powerful tools for promoting the western world’s values behind the Iron Curtain. In 1955, the CIA
recruited secretaries from the typing pool, and charged them with acquiring the manuscript for Boris
Pasternak’s controversial Doctor Zhivago, ensuring it was published in the West, and then translated into Russian and leaked back into the Soviet Union.

The Secrets We Kept is the thrilling tale of secretaries turned spies, of love and duty, and of sacrifice-- inspired by the true story of the CIA plot to infiltrate the hearts and minds of Soviet Russia, not with
traditional propaganda, but with a timeless love story: Doctor Zhivago. This novel paints a captivating and often charming portrait of another time, while managing to positively shimmer with significance in today’s political clime.

We look forward to community conversations about literature as propaganda, the value of women’s work, breathtaking fashions of the 1950s, the love story of Boris and his mistress Olga (the inspiration for Lara), the dangers of totalitarianism, and so much more. As always, we invite you, your friends, and families, to read the book during the cold and dark of January and February. We’ll host programs in March to bring the community together to engage about this lovely debut.

For more information about One Book, One Watertown visit: watertownlib.org/onebook

About the Watertown Free Public Library
The Watertown Free Public Library provides access to a wide variety of popular materials, resources,
services, and programs that fulfill the informational, cultural and recreational needs of Watertown and
surrounding communities.

Salem for All Ages and AARP holding Home Fit seminar

January 8, 10 a.m., Mayor Jean Levesque Community Life Center, 401 Bridge Street, Salem

Salem, Massachusetts - Salem for All Ages and the Massachusetts AARP will hold a free Home Fit seminar on Wednesday, January 8th at 10:00 a.m. at the Mayor Jean Levesque Community Life Center at 401 Bridge Street in Salem. Based on the AARP’s popular Home Fit Guide, the presentation will offer smart solutions for making your home comfortable, safe, and a great fit for you.

This free presentation, in conjunction with the Home Fit Guide, will offer room-by-room solutions that range from simple do-it-yourself fixes to larger improvements that are more involved and require skilled expertise, but are well worth the expense. The presentation will be led by Andrea Cordis of the occupational therapy program at Bay Path University.

Andrea Cordis has been an occupational therapy assistant for over fifteen years. In that time, she has worked in skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehab, home health care, community-based and inpatient mental health and now works with occupational therapy students at Bay Path University. She has been a volunteer for AARP since 2015, presenting Home Fit throughout the state. Andrea is also involved in the Car Fit program through AARP, AAA and AOTA.  She is a Car Fit Instructor and the MA State Coordinator for Car Fit.

The vast majority of people age 50 and older want to stay in their homes and in their community for as long as possible. When the Salem for All Ages action plan was developed in 2016, a survey of Salem seniors found that 91% said it was important to them to be able to remain in Salem and 98% said it was important to them to be able to live independently in their own home. The AARP Home Fit Guide and this seminar were developed to help people stay in the homes they love by turning where they live into a “lifelong home,” suitable for themselves and anyone else in their household.

City of Salem 2020 Inauguration to Organize City Government for 2020, Monday, January 6, 2020 at 10:00 A.M.

MEETING NOTICE AND AGENDA
CITY OF SALEM 2020 INAUGURATION
TO ORGANZIE CITY GOVERNMENT FOR 2020

“Know Your Rights Under the Open Meeting Law, M.G.L. c. 30A ss. 18-25, and
City Ordinance Sections 2-2028 through 2-2033.”

The City of Salem 2020 Inauguration will be held on Monday, January 6, 2020
at 10:00 A.M. to be held in the City Council Chambers, 93 Washington
Street, Salem. The purpose of this meeting is to organize City Government for
the year 2020.


Very Truly Yours,
ATTEST: ILENE SIMONS
CITY CLERK

Watertown Recreation Open Forum Meeting

Date:
January 7, 2020
Time:
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location:
Lower Hearing Room
Address:
Town Hall
149 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472

PATRIOTS PRESENT PATRIOTS DIFFERENCE MAKER OF THE WEEK AWARD TO RICHARD COHEN FROM SOMERVILLE, MASS.




FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (Dec. 27, 2019)  Nine years ago, the Kraft family and the New England Patriots Foundation introduced a season-long theme called Celebrate Volunteerism. The main focus of the initiative was to recognize community volunteers and to promote the importance of volunteering.

Since its inception, New England Patriots players, coaches and alumni have donated tens of thousands of hours to giving back to their New England communities. During their weekly off day, Patriots players volunteer throughout New England to support children and families in need. Patriots season ticket members have also teamed with Patriots players to better their communities.

Throughout the 2019 season, the foundation will continue its Celebrate Volunteerism initiative by teaming with nonprofit organizations to educate fans about the need for volunteering, highlighting deserving volunteers from across the region and seeking to inspire Patriots fans to become lifelong volunteers. The foundation will present a weekly “Patriots Difference Maker of the Week” award, which recognizes deserving volunteers who go above and beyond to support their New England communities.

“Volunteerism is at the heart of giving back and bettering our communities,” said Patriots Chairman

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Watertown Square Improvements Project Public Meeting

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

The Town of Watertown isredesigning Watertown Square to improve mobility and safety for all users. At this public meeting, the project team will present three conceptual plans for discussion. For more information, go to www.WatertownSquareImprovements.com.

Date:
December 3, 2019
Time:
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Time Details:
6:30 PM Open House 7:00--8:30 PM Presentation and Discussion
Location:
Perkins School for the Blind, Grousbeck Center
Address:
55 Beechwood Avenue
WatertownMA 02472
Email:

Recycling Resources for Salem Businesses Workshop


November 19, 8:30-10am, City Hall Annex, 98 Washington Street, Salem

When:  Tuesday November 19, 2019, 8:30am – 10am
Where: Salem City Hall Annex, Large Conference Room, 98 Washington Street, Salem

This free workshop is open to all businesses, institutions, landlords and property managers in Salem interested in learning more about recycling and other waste diversion strategies. Representatives from the Salem Health Department and Salem Solid Waste & Recycling Department will provide an overview of Salem Board of Health Regulation #7, municipal recycling requirements and resources. RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts (RecyclingWorks) will describe the free services that are available to help your business implement or expand its recycling program. 

RecyclingWorks is a free recycling assistance program funded by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). RecyclingWorks has helped hundreds of businesses and institutions across the state maximize recycling, reuse, and food waste diversion opportunities. 

RecyclingWorks technical assistance is free, flexible, and always tailored to meet your specific organization’s needs.

During this event, RecyclingWorks will discuss:
Attendees will have the opportunity to network with representatives from other local businesses and recycling service providers. This workshop will also be broadcast via webinar for those that cannot attend in person. To request free recycling or food waste diversion assistance, call the RecyclingWorks hotline at (888) 254-5525 or email info@recyclingworksma.com.

Light refreshments will be served.  Please RSVP by phone at 978-741-1800 or by email at health@salem.com.
We hope you will be able to attend this important event and we look forward to seeing you on November 19th

New Watertown High School Project 1st Community Forum

NEW HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT
1ST COMMUNITY FORUM
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 19th
AT 6:30PM
TO BE HELD AT WATERTOWN HIGH 
SCHOOL
The Watertown High School Building Committee will be holding its first community forum to discuss the planning and process around the proposed new high school project. The Committee, Owner’s Project Manager, and Architect will review the timeline for the project as well as the process for how a decision will be made on the preferred option.

A portion of the forum will be devoted to an interactive discussion with all interested attendees to gather input about what a 21st century high school for Watertown should look like. All citizens are invited to attend.

Lawrence Christmas Tree Lighting


Friday, December 13, 2019

Lawrence, Massachusetts - Join Mayor Dan Rivera for our wonderful and favorite tradition - the annual Christmas Tree Lighting in City Hall! The Christmas Tree Lighting is an important event that brings our community together every holiday season and we are thrilled to be able to entertain your children and families. Our Tree Lighting will be followed by hot chocolate and cookies and you can expect a fun surprise from SANTA himself.

Date:
December 13, 2019
Time:
5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Location:
Lawrence City Hall
Address:
200 Common Street
LawrenceMA 01840
Contact:
978-620-3019