Watertown Daily Briefing

Here’s a quick look at what’s happening around Watertown and Codington County this weekend.

Public safety: Early-morning SUV fire

Watertown Fire Rescue crews were called out early Thursday morning to a vehicle fire on 16th Avenue Southeast. Firefighters arrived to find an SUV with flames and heavy smoke coming from the engine area.

Crew members quickly brought the fire under control before it could spread. The incident is a reminder to keep vehicles a safe distance from buildings and to call 911 right away if you see smoke, especially during cold snaps when vehicles are under extra strain.

Community: Heroes Behind the Badges blood drive returns

A familiar winter tradition is back in town next week as local police, firefighters and healthcare staff team up for the Heroes Behind the Badges blood drive.

The event is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, February 11–12, with one of the main collection sites at Prairie Lakes Healthcare System in Watertown. Organizers say donations will help keep blood supplies strong for area patients through the heart of winter.

Residents who are healthy and eligible to donate are encouraged to sign up ahead of time or watch for local registration information from the city and hospital.

Sports: Shamrocks tweak roster, hit the road

The Watertown Shamrocks junior hockey team made a midseason move Friday, trading forward Vincent Curasi to the Kenai River Brown Bears in exchange for future considerations. Curasi has appeared in more than two dozen games for Watertown this season.

While the roster changes, the schedule rolls on. The Shamrocks are in Bismarck this weekend for back-to-back road games against the Bobcats on Friday and Saturday night, looking to build on recent home wins over Minot.

High school spotlight: Gymnastics state qualifier in town

High school gymnastics fans will have a chance to see some of the state’s best today, as the Class AA state team qualifier meet is held at Watertown High School.

Competition is set to begin this afternoon, with the host Arrows among the teams on the floor. Admission is open to the public, offering a good indoor option for families looking for something local to do on a cold February Saturday.

Sources

• https://www.watertownsd.us/163/Fire-Rescue
• https://watertownsd.us/CivicAlerts.asp?AID=92&ARC=104
• https://www.prairielakes.com/
• https://www.prairielakes.com/news/releases/heroes-behind-the-badges-2022-blood-drive/
• https://watertownshamrocks.com/category/news/
• https://www.kynt1450.com/2026/02/06/local-sports-friday-february-6-2026/