Good morning, Hopkinton! Welcome to the daily update we call Hopkinton Today — a quick recap of yesterday’s news, highlights of what’s on tap, and a photo of the day.
Bear sightings could be linked to recent heatwave
Ring camera footage sent into the Hopkinton Police Department shows a black bear in the driveway of an Upton resident near the border of Hopkinton.
Bear sightings that occurred in Hopkinton recently likely were the result of extreme heat, according to animal control.
“I think the reason [residents] were seeing them when they saw them was because it was so hot they were coming down to the lake,” said Bill Proctor, the town’s animal control officer.
Two bear sightings were logged by the Hopkinton Police Department last month. The first sighting occurred on June 24 at 7:31 a.m. on Huckleberry Road. The second was reported at 1:47 p.m. the following day.
“[The bear] was looking for water to cool off,” Proctor claimed.
According to CBS News Boston, June 24 was the start of a record-setting heatwave. Temperatures in Boston rose to 102 degrees, the warmest June day ever recorded in the city.
The HPD has not logged another bear sighting since. Proctor also reported that he received no reports of damage related to the animal’s presence in town, which may confirm his idea the bear was looking for a water source.
“He could be long gone or he could still be around, nobody knows,” Proctor said when asked about where the bear may have gone and if it would return. He also noted that bear sightings are rare.
“In all the years I’ve been doing this, we haven’t had a lot of bear sightings in town,” he said.
Proctor went on to say he didn’t anticipate any issues with the animals unless residents were bothering them. He recommended residents keep their distance and make sure they don’t leave out food that could encourage the bears to stick around.
“If you see them, leave them alone,” Proctor warned. “Stay away from them.”
Latest News
The Department of Public Health and the Department of Conservation and Recreation are warning residents to be aware of a potentially harmful algal bloom in the upper reservoir of Hopkinton State Park.
The Department of Public Works will begin work on sidewalks on Grove Street and Hayden Rowe Street starting Wednesday.
This week’s Real Estate Transactions list shows 11 sales, including one for over $3 million.
The Hopkinton Women’s Club is holding its Charity Golf Event on Aug. 25 at Shining Rock Golf Club in Northbridge.
Town meetings tonight include the Elementary School Building Committee (6).
Photo of the Day
The sun illuminates a patch of grass in a local neighborhood.
PHOTO/AMIT JAGDALE
Are we supposed to be reporting bear sightings to the police? We had one on Erika Drive on June 23 (came from the MassDOT property off West Elm).