Good morning, Hopkinton!

For those new to the site, this post is a daily update we call Hopkinton Today. We’ll have a quick recap of yesterday’s news, highlights for the coming day and a video or two to brighten your day.

The oft-delayed Hayden Rowe/Chestnut Street intersection improvement project moved closer to completion yesterday, as workers repaved the road. The project, which began almost two years ago, provides the intersection with new, full-service traffic lights and a widened roadway, allowing for dedicated turn lanes. The primary cause for the delay, according to the town, was Verizon’s lack of urgency to relocate and reconnect a utility pole.

After numerous delays, the Hayden Rowe/Chestnut Street intersection was repaved Tuesday, one of the final steps in finishing the project. PHOTO/JERRY SPAR

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation announced yesterday that the main day use parking lot at Hopkinton State Park is open, and the DCR encouraged people to explore the 1,500 acres of Hopkinton State Forest (while maintaining proper social distancing, of course). Last week the state had announced that there would be reduced parking at all state park properties in an effort to prevent overcrowding during the anticipated height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hopkinton Parks & Recreation is offering another free online program from local effectiveness expert/author Kevin Stacey called “How to Be Mentally Tough in Challenging Times.” The Zoom session, scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m., will teach people how to pay more attention to what they can control — internal reactions and mental activity. According to the description: “Challenging times are stressful. It’s important to acknowledge that. But let’s minimize the self-created and self-inflicted stress.”

Video of the day: Just in case you have nothing better to do, here’s seven minutes of dogs reacting to magic tricks.

Music video of the day: Here’s Patty Smyth and Scandal with “Goodbye to You.” Enjoy.