There has been a lot of publicity in the last few years regarding the threats to our ecosystem due to a decline in the bee population. Hopkinton Girl Scouts want to make sure that message is front and center. And it is, at the trailhead on Hopkinton’s Center Trail...
Jerry Spar
Dumas delivers on race day with inspiration from mother
The 125th Boston Marathon — the first to be held in the fall instead of April — went off with no major issues Oct. 11. It was successful from a number of angles, including for local charity runners. Annie Dumas, a 23-year-old physical therapy doctorate student who...
School Committee votes to lift mask mandate at HHS for 3-week trial period
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrgXVw-FeD0 In a 3-2 vote, the School Committee on Thursday decided to adopt a trial period during which time COVID-vaccinated students at Hopkinton High School can remove masks inside the building. The trial period will run from Nov....
DPW director: New testing indicates higher PFAs levels in water; public information meeting next Tuesday
Department of Public Works Director John Westerling, appearing before the Select Board at Tuesday’s meeting, provided an update on the issue with level of contaminants in the town’s water supply, indicating that another test showed even higher levels. “The second...
Health director: Schools should keep masks for now; ‘Halloween is not canceled’ despite uptick in cases
In his COVID-19 update at Tuesday’s Select Board meeting, Hopkinton Health Director Shaun McAuliffe noted the town is in the midst of a surge in cases and suggested the schools should continue to enforce mask use until younger children get vaccinated and teachers get...
Select Board roundup: Beloin new police officer; Priefer selected for Planning Board; precinct map approved
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFAjB-OEMhs At Tuesday's Select Board meeting, Shannon Beloin was unanimously approved as the town’s newest police officer. Beloin worked the past five years in Provincetown, including a stint as a school resource officer. She...
Independent Thoughts: Pastor Bob leaves legacy at FCCH
Bob Cloutier — known for decades at Faith Community Church of Hopkinton as Pastor Bob — gave his final sermon in October 2019 and talked about heaven. Cloutier had received treatment for prostate cancer in 2019 before he returned to the podium. He said that when he...
Photos: Boston Marathon start area
Monday's 125th running of the Boston Marathon had a different feel to it, with the annual race taking place in October...
Dick Hoyt’s legacy lives on in Hopkinton
Dick Hoyt voiced optimism prior to the last Boston Marathon in 2019 that he might return to pushing his quadriplegic son, Rick, in the race that helped build the legacy of Team Hoyt. Tragically, Dick Hoyt did not live to see another Boston. The 80-year-old passed away...
Porter promoted to deputy police chief, thankful for support of town
Prior to being approved by the Select Board on Tuesday as the new deputy police chief, John Porter shared his story of overcoming a rough childhood with the help of the Hopkinton Police Department. Porter said he was the child of an abusive father and was fortunate...
Independent Thoughts: Garabedian got it started for HCA
When Dora Garabedian moved to Hopkinton in 1988 with her husband, Tom, and three young sons, she quickly became involved in the schools. A proponent of the arts, she coordinated visits from artists and musicians in order to share her passion with the town’s youth. She...
BAA execs update Select Board on logistics for Boston Marathon
Tom Grilk and Jack Fleming from the Boston Athletic Association paid a visit to Tuesday's Select Board meeting to thank the town and share details about the Oct. 11 Boston Marathon. “Without Hopkinton, there is no Boston Marathon,” said Grilk, BAA president and CEO....
Hopkinton Drug under fire for promoting ivermectin
Hopkinton Drug has generated some publicity for a billboard advertisement the Main Street business had been running on Route 9 in Westborough, but it’s likely not the kind of attention the company sought. The advertisement, which was replaced earlier this week, read:...
Health director: Frustrated residents should ‘take a civil tone’ when dealing with COVID team
Hopkinton Health Director Shaun McAuliffe, in his update to the Select Board on Tuesday night, praised his COVID-19 response team and said the staffers do not deserve to have residents treat them rudely while they are doing their jobs. “Right now they are recognized...
Business Briefs: Bond elected president of Mass. Bar; Source Consulting on Inc. 5000 list
Hopkinton’s Thomas Bond was elected president of the Massachusetts Bar Association for the 2021-22 membership year, which began Sept. 1. “If you’re a lawyer in Massachusetts, there is no better home for you than the Massachusetts Bar Association, regardless of who you...
Dalay, Sunkara capture titles at 13th annual Hopkinton Tennis Tournament
The 13th annual Hopkinton Tennis Tournament was held over the weekend at the Hopkinton High School courts. In the advanced men's singles division, Ben Daly repeated as champion after rallying in the final to beat Alex Samoiloff, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. In intermediate men's...
Independent Thoughts: Community EMS program has healthy goals for town; Green Committee hosts Cleanup Day
Elder residents — and anyone with an elder relative — should be well aware of how important it is to safeguard against falls. As the body becomes more fragile, falls can become much more serious, and they often lead to other complications. With that in mind, and with...
MassDOT announces paving work will close I-90 ramp to I-495 Wednesday night
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced that paving work on the I-90 eastbound Exit 106 off-ramp to I-495 in Westborough and Hopkinton will require a ramp closure from 10 p.m. Wednesday (Sept. 15) until 3 a.m. the following morning. During...
Select Board roundup: Town ‘moving in the right direction’ vs. COVID; Miller sworn in as fire chief
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVpieiXkJB0 Health Director Shaun McAuliffe, during his update at Tuesday’s Select Board meeting, said the next few days will be telling, as people return to work and school after Labor Day weekend. “We’re all monitoring our rates...
When 9/11 hit home: Zarba-Campbell forged new life after losing husband
Sheila Zarba-Campbell was living a quiet life in Hopkinton on Sept. 11, 2001, the day al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked and flew two planes into the World Trade Center in New York, killing almost 3,000 people and injuring thousands more. The world changed that day as...