A staff member at Hopkinton Middle School has been arrested on "criminal charges related to child pornography," according to an email Friday from Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh. The email, which was sent to district families, indicated that the individual was a...
Jerry Spar
Independent Thoughts: Town clerk hopeful for more ‘sane’ election season
Early in-person voting for the Nov. 5 election begins this Saturday (Oct. 19) and runs for two weeks (check the town website for specific hours). Correspondingly, the conspiracy theorists are back with unfounded accusations and occasional threats. On a positive note,...
Independent Thoughts: Seniors, disabled have help with paying real estate taxes
It’s no secret that many longtime Hopkinton homeowners are struggling to remain in town, hampered by the increasing residential tax rate. What also should not be a secret is that assistance is available thanks to donations from residents and businesses in town. The...
Independent Thoughts: Family Day highlights busy September calendar
September is a special month in Hopkinton, as community events ramp up following a slow summertime. This year is no exception. The calendar is dotted with annual events such as PolyArts (at the Town Common), Blooms, Brews & BBQs (at Weston Nurseries) and the...
State primary election: Despite support in town, Kramer comes up short for Governor’s Council
In a small turnout, Hopkinton voters supported incumbents as well as resident Muriel Kramer in Tuesday’s state primary election, although it wasn’t enough to carry Kramer to a win. Kramer, the town's former Select Board chair, was running in the Democratic primary for...
Early in-person voting ends Friday
Early in-person voting at Town Hall ends Friday, as residents cast their ballots in the state primary election. Regular voting will take place next Tuesday (Sept. 3) from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. at Hopkinton Middle School's Brown Gym. Town Clerk Connor Degan on Thursday said he...
Independent Thoughts: HHS makes call for student phone ban
Hopkinton High School students will have a few adjustments when they return to school Aug. 28. The most notable: Cell phones will be “away and off for the class period,” according to Principal Evan Bishop. In the past, teachers could choose to allow students to keep...
Independent Thoughts: Residents do their part to rescue injured owls
It’s been a rough summer for owls in Hopkinton. Most recently, on July 20, one got caught in a soccer net on Cherry Lane, in the Legacy Farms North development. Just over a week later, a resident found an owl next to Lake Whitehall hanging from a fishing line,...
Independent Thoughts: Students to plant pollinator gardens
Bees, butterflies and moths might be an annoyance to many people, but a pair of local high school students understand the importance of these insects to aid in the balance of nature. Brother-and-sister duo Shaurya and Suhani Patni will lead a project to plant...
Town Common flag flap gets some clarity: Thin Blue Line flag not meant to offend
The Town Common flag mystery is not completely resolved, but there is an explanation for why the Thin Blue Line flag had been hanging off the gazebo. It was placed there by longtime gazebo volunteer custodian Mike Whalen, who shared that he did not mean for it be...
Legacy Farms food investigations continue; accused residents deny charges
The Health Department’s efforts to limit illegal food distribution in the Legacy Farms neighborhood continues, and while some offenders have closed up shop, others have continued to operate in the shadows, Health Director Shaun McAuliffe said. However, two residents...
Arena-DeRosa to serve as grand marshal of July 4 Horribles Parade
The organizers of the July 4 Horribles Parade announced that state Rep. James Arena-DeRosa will serve as grand marshal. "We are happy and encouraged that state Representative Arena-DeRosa has accepted our invitation, and we hope that all members of our town will come...
Independent Thoughts: Islamic Society settles in at Elm Street location
When the Community Covenant Church vacated its building at 2 Elm Street, across from the Price Chopper plaza, and put it up for sale, the timing was right for the Islamic Society of Greater Milford. ISGM had been struggling to find a suitable location for its growing...
Independent Thoughts: Frederick Douglass event recognizes orator’s legacy
When Frederick Douglass spoke at Hayden Rowe Hall in Hopkinton on April 29, 1842, as part of a Massachusetts Antislavery Society event, the formerly enslaved man was just starting a career that would make him famous and take him around the world. Two centuries later,...
Abate reelected as head of Hopkinton teachers union
Hopkinton Middle School English teacher Becky Abate was reelected as president of the Hopkinton Teachers Association on Tuesday. Abate, who has been HTA president since 2017, received 169 votes, while Hopkinton High School English teacher Michael Franchock received...
Town counsel: Brennan case headed to arbitration barring Select Board action
At Tuesday’s Select Board meeting, town counsel walked members through different scenarios regarding the Tim Brennan situation. Brennan, who was terminated from the Hopkinton Police Department by the Select Board on Feb. 8, filed a grievance and is taking his case to...
Town cracks down on unlicensed food distributors in Legacy Farms
Editor's note: This story was updated twice, first to correct that the Dogwood Way residence was being used to distribute only mangoes and to include a comment from the homeowner, and a second time to include a comment from the second homeowner insisting she has no...
Independent Thoughts: Jagdale turns to AI to produce children’s book
Hopkinton resident Amit Jagdale, known to readers of the Independent website for his fantastic photos from around town, is venturing into the world of book publishing. Together with his daughter, Siya, a Hopkinton High School junior, Jagdale published a book for...
Annual Town Election: Specimen ballot
Annual Town Election is Monday, with polls open at Hopkinton Middle School's Brown Gym from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. In the only contested race, voters will elect two individuals to fill the open spots on the Select Board. There also are eight ballot questions, with voters to...
Town Meeting Day 3: Voters narrowly reject MBTA Communities Act
Hopkinton Town Meeting on Wednesday narrowly rejected adoption of the MBTA Communities Act zoning bylaw, joining several communities that have defied the state. Following about 40 minutes of debate during the third and final day of Town Meeting at the Hopkinton Middle...