By John Swinconeck, Town Correspondent

Massachusetts state Senator Karen Spilka has one more reason for supporting Ed Markey's campaign for U.S. Senate. If Markey wins the seat vacated by John Kerry in the special June 25 election, Spilka said she will run for Markey's seat in the U.S. House.

"I'll make a formal announcement that I'm a candidate, once I can call him 'Senator Markey,'" Spilka said in an interview Thursday. "I'm working very hard to get Ed elected, and I believe he will be elected."

Markey, a Democrat representing the Fifth Congressional District, is leading Republican Gabriel Gomez in the race, 41 to 35 percent, according to a WBUR poll.

Efforts to reach Markey's campaign office for comment Thursday were unsuccessful.

Spilka is on a growing list of potential candidates for Markey's seat if he wins the Senate race. Others are Middlesex County Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian, state Senators William Brownsberger of Belmont and Katherine Clark of Melrose and state Representative Carl Sciortino of Medford, all Democrats.

Spilka said she has a strong track record in "fighting for the little guy" during her time in the Massachussets legislature, first as a member of the house, then as senator representing the Second Middlesex and Norfolk District, comprising Ashland, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medway, and Natick.

If elected, Spilka would represent communities from Holliston to Winthrop.

Among her accomplishments, she cited the overhaul of the Children Engaged in Services, or CHINS, law, for handling children who consistently get in trouble at home or at school, including runaways and students who are habitually truant.

She said she also helped change state law to allow communities west of Boston to create or join existing regional transit authorities.

Spilka said she would be able to work in the U.S. House, an often fractious and partisan body. "My background is in conflict resolution," she said. "People are tired of hearing about conflict, bitterness, and divisiveness."

She was elected to the Massachusetts House in 2001, before becoming sworn in as Senator in 2005. In January, she was promoted to Majority Whip after previously serving as Assistant Majority Whip since January 2012. She also serves on the Joint Committee on Rules, the Senate Committee on Ethics and Rules, and the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy.

Spilka lives in Ashland with her husband, Joel S. Loitherstein. They have three children and three dogs.

Contact John Swinconeck at johnswinc@gmail.com. Follow @johnswinc on Twitter.

By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

Watertown Chief Ed Deveau said Tuesday that the events that unfolded during the week of the Boston Marathon bombings will cost the police department upwards of $250,000 – but he hopes the town won’t have to bear the cost.

Deveau said he expects over $250,000 in overtime and equipment charges stemming from the incident, though he cautioned the final numbers “are not even close to being completed yet.”

Deveau said the department is working with the federal and Massachusetts emergency management agencies for reimbursement.

“Based on our involvement in the Boston bombings and then with everything coming out to Watertown, we’ve created a credible amount of increased monies in overtime and equipment,” Deveau said. “We’re working with FEMA and MEMA to try and get those costs covered.”

He also said that “it is our hope” to make sure the town would not have to pay any additional expenses related to the Boston Marathon events.

Late on the night of April 18, the two Boston Marathon bombing suspects came to Watertown after hijacking a car, and engaged in a shootout with police. As events unfolded, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was shot fatally and run over by his younger brother, Dzhokhar, 19, who was attempting to escape. Dzhokhar was captured the next evening in a boat parked behind a house on Franklin Street in Watertown, after a massive manhunt.

Communities around the region are beginning to tally the costs of the huge police response during the week of the bombings. In Milton, police estimated they spent $23,000 on officers related to the marathon bombings and manhunt.

In Watertown, officials hope that federal and state money could help alleviate the town’s financial responsibilities: Watertown’s police budget has been continually shrinking over the past decade, leading the now 65-person department to cut eight officers in as many years, Deveau said.

And as the town’s police budget hearing scheduled for Tuesday, June 4 looms, Deveau said he hopes the town-wide support shown since the events will be reflected in the accounting books.

“I think it’s a dialogue we need to have moving forward,” Deveau said of the events affecting budget decisions. “We all recognize the bombing in Boston has changed the landscape. Boston, Cambridge, and Watertown need to look at their police services, and see if they need more staffing.”

Next fiscal year’s public safety budget in Watertown is proposed at $15.9 million, compared to last fiscal year’s $15.5 million, according to town documents.

Deveau also noted that the creation of the Watertown Police Foundation, which takes contributions and also profits from the police-specific "Watertown Strong" shirts, will help the department fund much-needed police training sessions and community outreach programs.

“I’m hoping the foundation will be able to give us a shot in the arm, and help get our officers back into the specialized training that we’ve missed in the last five to seven years after state cuts,” he said.

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By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

Watertown police will speak to local residents in a community forum May 29 about the events that unfolded locally last month involving the Boston Marathon bombing suspects.

The event, organized by the Watertown Police Foundation, will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Watertown High School, according to the foundation.

Watertown police officers will share the limited information that they are allowed to release about the events of the firefight, where Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev sustained fatal wounds, and the subsequent manhunt for his brother, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. They will also talk about the follow-up investigation.

Police will also try to answer written questions submitted from the audience.

The forum is also designed to give Watertown residents an opportunity to show their gratitude for the local police force.

Officials from the Watertown Police Foundation, which was formed in reaction to the April 19 events to raise money to support the police department and Watertown community, will also speak to residents, giving them advice and resources as locals recover from the incident.

"The short-term objective of the foundation is to support both the Watertown Police Department and the citizens of Watertown as we all try to return to normal after these traumatic events," said organization officials in a statement.

Foundation officials said their long-term goal is to foster and strengthen the bond between police and Watertown residents through programs like the Police Athletic League, where police play sports with kids and teenagers, and drug prevention programs for schools.

The foundation will also support the police department by funding certain education, training and other programs that the police cannot afford due to budget constraints.

Money raised from the police-specific "Watertown Strong" shirt, which features a Watertown Police insignia, benefit the foundation.

For more information about the Watertown Police Foundation, visit the organization's website.

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Photo courtesy of the Arsenal Center for the Arts

Local children sing along with the center's old-timey band Crazy Neighbors, led by New Repertory actress Paula Langton, at the Open Arts Day event earlier this month.

By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

Nearly 500 people attended "Open Arts Day," a free open house at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown earlier this month, showing a strong display of community following the events of the Boston Marathon bombings and subsequent manhunt occurring locally, according to organization officials.

The May 4 event, which was geared toward families, included art activities like making clay pots, designing paper kites, and other sorts of art projects. Some dressed up in Watertown Children's Theatre costumes and had their picture taken on a fanciful set. Others partook in quilting demonstrations, three art exhibits, and music entertainment, including the New Repertory Theatre's Camelot cast and the old-timey band Crazy Neighbors, organizers said.

However, the harrowing events of April 15 and the week that followed were still at the forefront of the celebration. Many who attended signed a large white banner thanking Watertown law enforcement and first responders. Residents added comments like "Your bravery will never be forgotten. Stay strong!" and "Incredible YOU!"

Still, many enjoyed the art activities and summer camp previews the art center's staff provided, officials said.

“Since we opened our doors in 2006, we have truly become the multi-disciplinary arts center that the founders envisioned, filled with the energy of people attending performances, creating art, acting, singing, dancing and participating in workshops and classes,” said Sharon Glennon, executive director of the center, in a statement. “The greater Boston community has been incredibly supportive of the Arsenal Center for the Arts, so it gives us pleasure to reciprocate by hosting Open Arts Day - a free, fun way for families to experience the arts."

The open house was funded in part by grants and donations from Belmont Savings Bank, the Watertown Cultural Council, and the Waltham Cultural Council.

The Arsenal Center for the Arts is located at 321 Arsenal St. in Watertown. For more information on the center and the programs, performances and services it provides, visit the organization's website.

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By Matt Rocheleau, Town Correspondent

The MBTA says riders will soon be able to receive faster, more reliable, and more informative alerts, via text and e-mail, notifying them about service delays and disruptions and planned changes.

The revamped “T-Alerts” notification system will launch June 4.

Riders can register for the new service today at www.mbta.com.

The more than 50,000 subscribers of the existing “T-Alerts” system must sign up for the new system to continue to receive alerts. The old system, which launched in 2007, will be discontinued.

The T plans to remind current subscribers that they should sign up for the new system by sending them alerts starting Friday.

Under the new system, alerts will continue to be posted to the T’s website, “with visual enhancements made to page layout and format for clarity, ease-of-use, and reader-friendliness,” the public transit agency said in a statement Thursday.

Text message and e-mail alerts will have more “reliable delivery times” through a new partnership between the T and GovDelivery, a digital communication management company.

“Service alerts and notifications will be clearer and more detailed with additional information regarding specific trip times, service schedule changes, and distinct directional, branch, and station communications,” the statement said.

Like the old system, the new T-Alerts allows riders to tailor which alerts they receive. Riders can choose to be sent alerts about a mix of subway, commuter rail, and boat lines, bus routes and elevators and escalators within the system.

Customizing is easier under the new system and allows some additional flexibility when signing up, including letting customers pick certain times of the day for when they want to receive alerts, T spokeswoman Kelly Smith said.

T officials also hope the new notification system will pave the way for third-party software developers to create new smartphone applications and websites around the “T-Alerts” system, Smith said.

Such apps could allow riders even more options for customizing how they receive alerts, she said.

Smith said the T will make new tools available to third-party developers later this month.

“Based on past experience we expect to see some innovative, useful and interesting applications of that information on smartphone apps and websites,” she said in an e-mail.

The new “T-Alerts” system “is built around data structures that enable sharing, encouraging innovative third-party development,” the T’s statement said. “It uses emerging standards introduced by Google in 2011.”

Developers interested in creating software applications around “T-Alerts,” can visit developer.mbta.com.

E-mail Matt Rocheleau at mjrochele@gmail.com.
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By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

Drivers, it's time to buckle up: The Watertown Police Department will join 120 other local police departments and state entities in a two-week push to enforce seat belt laws locally starting next Monday.

The 2013 national "Click It or Ticket" campaign kicks off May 20 and runs through June 2, around when summer finally settles in and locals begin celebrating the warm weather and seasonal holidays, police said.

“As we kick off the busy summer driving season it’s important that everyone, including passengers, buckles up every time they go out, both day and night,” said Watertown police Sergeant David Sampson in a statement.

Various other local police departments will join the campaign, partnering with Massachusetts State Police and the state's public safety department, police said.

According to the US Department of Transportation, 54 percent of people killed in passenger car crashes in Massachusetts during 2011 were not wearing seat belts. The data also mirrors national trends: over half of the 21,253 car passengers killed in 2011 nationwide were unbelted at the time of the crash.

The national transportation department estimates that nearly 12,000 lives were saved across the country because of seat belts.

“Seat belts save thousands of lives every year, but far too many motorists are still not buckling up," Sampson said.

Police also warned that although the campaign runs for only two weeks, officers have been and will be enforcing seat belt law year-round.

According to Massachusetts law, drivers can be fined $25 for each person in the car not wearing a seat belt or federally-approved child restraint, barring any exclusions due to disability. Drivers can only receive the seat belt fine when stopped for a traffic violation.

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By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

A Watertown police officer will embark on a 200-mile foot race through Vermont this month to raise money for Richard family members from Dorchester, who were deeply affected by the Boston Marathon bombings in April.

In an email forwarded to Boston.com, Watertown police officer Brandon O'Neill called the race "epic" and a challenge, but noted that the race and the fundraising efforts would also be rewarding.

"I will be racing this race in memory of the young victim of the Boston Marathon bombing, 8-year-old Martin Richard, and in honor of his 6-year-old sister, Jane Richard," O'Neill said in an email sent to fellow Watertown police officers. "Jane was severely injured during the bombing, losing one her legs. All funding will be given to Jane Richard for her future activities and recovery, and any fund she wishes to create in the near future."

The race, which will begin May 30 and has a 72-hour time limit, is hosted by Peak Races, an organization that seeks to push people to their physical limits with extreme races and camps.

"This will be my biggest challenge to date, but most importantly will be my most rewarding at the finish," O'Neill wrote.

O'Neill told police officers that he would accept pledges in the denomination of 50 cents per mile. Any donation checks should be made payable to "Jane Richard" and sent to the Watertown Police Department, he said.

For more information, contact the police department at 617-972-6500.

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By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

Watertown town officials will begin a month-long series of budget hearings this week to set the next fiscal year's financial plan, and are encouraging residents to attend the meetings and express their opinions.

Watertown Town Manager Michael Driscoll's proposed general budget is set at $107 million, plus $15 million for the separate water and sewer budget.

Driscoll's proposed budget states that Watertown receives $80.5 million in property and commercial taxes and about $10.5 million in state aid - assuming it will stay level-funded. The remaining $16 million of Watertown's budget would come from car taxes, various town fees, program reimbursements, and transfers from other town accounts.

Driscoll was unavailable for comment.

Town Council members will hold various individual department hearings before they hold a final cumulative public hearing on Tuesday, June 11, and then will vote on the final budget that same night. The final hearing is slated to begin around 7:15 p.m. at Town Hall.

Meanwhile, the individual hearings will start tonight at 8 p.m. at Town Hall. The schedule of budget overview is as follows:

Tuesday, May 14 at 8 p.m.

• Budget Overview by Town Manager
• Veterans
• Health
• Community Development and Planning

Saturday, May 18 at 9 a.m.

• Library
• Council on Aging
• Recreation
• Purchasing
• Town Hall Maintenance
• Town Clerk
• Elections
• Personnel
• Information Technology
• Town Manager
• Town Auditor
• Town Council
• General government budgets/miscellaneous

Tuesday, May 21 at 6 p.m.

• Retirement benefits
• Fire Department
• Emergency management
• Treasurer/Collector
• Parking lots and meters
• Capital improvement program

Tuesday, May 28 at 8 p.m. (following Town Council meeting)

• Town Attorney
• Water/Sewer enterprise budgets
• Department of Public Works

Tuesday, June 4 at 6 p.m.

• Assessors
• John A. Ryan Municipal Skating Rink
• School Department
• Police Department

For more information and to view more documents and presentations prepared by the Town Manager, visit the town's website.

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By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

Watertown officials announced this month that they have launched a website intended to gather public input on drafting the town's comprehensive plan.

The plan will outline the town’s vision for growth over the next 10 to 20 years, and is the first of its kind in Watertown in the past 25 years, officials said.

Now, Watertown has paired up with MindMixer, a startup that helps organizations and local governments gather ideas from their community. The newly-launched feedback website, envisionwatertowncompplan.com, allows residents to contribute new ideas, second or expand on ideas they like, and vote in an instant poll.

Locals can also submit links, maps, photos and videos to make their point when submitting ideas.

The website can also be accessed in different languages (powered by Google) by clicking “Select Language” in the left hand column.

The next scheduled public forum to discuss the plan is slated for Monday, May 20 at the Watertown Middle School, 68 Waverly Ave.

More information on the plan can also be found at vhb.com/watertowncompplan.

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By Brock Parker, Town Correspondent

Road closures and traffic delays are expected in Cambridge and Boston and several neighboring communities Sunday as more than 40,000 people are expected to participate in Project Bread’s 20-mile Walk for Hunger.

The walk to raise money for hunger relief and prevention will start Sunday, May 5, at 7 a.m. at the Boston Common, and will lead to several road closures in the area, including the closing of Charles Street between Boylston and Beacon streets between 6 a.m. and 6.p.m. The outbound side of Commonwealth Avenue from Arlington Street through Kenmore Square will be closed from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m., and other streets around the Boston Common and Kenmore Square will also be closed. The route map can be found here and a full list of the street closures and traffic restrictions can be found here.

In Cambridge, Memorial Drive will be closed between Fresh Pond Parkway and Western Avenue from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, and other closures, parking restrictions and traffic delays are expected.

In Brookline, the outbound side of Beacon Street will be closed between St. Mary’s and Carlton streets from 7 a.m. to noon.

In Newton, Exit 17 from I-90 Westbound will be closed from 10 a.m. until the heavy flow of walkers subsides around 2 p.m. and other closures and delays are expected.

In Watertown, Greenough Boulevard will be closed between North Beacon and Arsenal Streets will be closed to vehicles from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.