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...
Jerry Spar
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...
Town Meeting sends message to Select Board: Bring back Sgt. Brennan
Supporters of fired Hopkinton Police Sgt. Tim Brennan got a major moral victory Tuesday at the Hopkinton Middle School auditorium, as Special Town Meeting overwhelmingly supported a citizens’ petition to direct the Select Board to reappoint Brennan. The vote was...
Independent Thoughts: With new song’s release, Hwang takes followers behind scenes
When we last checked in with Ryan Hwang one year ago, the Hopkinton High School 2023 graduate was headed west to the University of Southern California, where he had secured one of a few coveted spots in a music production program. Now nearing the end of his freshman...
Superintendent: ‘Racially motivated incidents occurred in our schools’ Monday
Hopkinton Public Schools Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh emailed the school community Tuesday to share that there two two "racially motivated incidents" Monday. "We are writing to report that two separate and racially motivated incidents occurred in our schools...
Mannan’s accusations of racism lead to war of words with local website
Hopkinton continued to deal with divisiveness over the past couple of weeks, as an accusation of racism by a Select Board member led to support from many, while others questioned his integrity. During the public comment portion of the April 16 Select Board meeting,...
HHS 7th in state in U.S. News rankings
In its 2024 rankings of high schools nationwide, U.S. News and World Report places Hopkinton High School 250th. HHS is the seventh-ranked high school in the state. Five of the Massachusetts schools ranked ahead of Hopkinton are charter or exam schools: Boston Latin...
DA will not file charges for improper release of alleged rape victim’s information
The Northwestern District Attorney’s Office on Thursday announced that no charges would be brought for the improper release of identifying information about an alleged sexual assault victim from Hopkinton. The individual accused former Hopkinton Deputy Police Chief...
Independent Thoughts: Give items new lives at Recycle and Reuse Day
The Sustainable Green Committee’s effort to make Hopkinton a more environmentally friendly community continues Sunday, April 28, with its annual Recycling and Reuse Day. The drive-in event, run in partnership with Green Team Junk Removal and Eversource, will be held...
Clancy set for Boston Marathon push
If you’ve seen a runner pushing dumbbells around town in a wheelchair and wondered why, there’s a good explanation. For his first Boston Marathon, Hopkinton’s Kevin Clancy will be pushing a quadriplegic relative, Chad Larivee, competing as a duo participant. During...
Boston Marathon Notebook: Video crew calls Parmenter home
When the Boston Marathon began using Hopkinton for its start line in 1924, local septic tank services company J.C. Parmenter already was four years running. A century later, both are going strong. And Parmenter, as it has for about 25 years, will continue to play a...
New elementary school to be named Charleswood
Following a 20-minute discussion at Thursday’s meeting, the School Committee voted to name the town’s new elementary school Charleswood, paying tribute to the Charles River, which starts in the area. “I like the idea of keeping Charles in the name just because it was...
Spring storm brings snow, delays school start
Thursday's storm brought a mix of rain and snow that led to slushy going on local roads and forced the schools to delay their openings. "Given the slick nature of the roads this morning, we are going to implement a two-hour delay," Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh wrote...
Independent Thoughts: Suspended veterinarian lashes out at state board
A story in this newspaper in January detailed Hopkinton veterinarian Margo Roman’s latest battles with the Massachusetts Veterinary Board, which suspended her license last year. In past emails to her clients, Roman had advised people to use ozone therapy —...
Herr jumps into race for Select Board
During Brian Herr’s last meeting as a member of the Select Board, on May 18, 2021, it was the board's first in-person meeting since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Herr was gifted an engraved wooden chair and sent off with effusive praise from his fellow members,...
Independent Thoughts: Doughnuts, deli, pizza — new offerings hit town
Earlier this month, we learned of the plans for the building that previously housed Hopkinton Drug — a mixed-use development including retail and residential units. And proposals have emerged for the redevelopment of the Center School property. While we wait to see...
Local athletes shine at Korbey 3v3 Basketball Tournament
The annual Mary Korbey 3v3 Tournament returned to Hopkinton High School and Hopkinton Middle School on Sunday, drawing 66 teams from Hopkinton and beyond. The event is a fundraiser for the Mary Korbey Scholarship Fund, named for a popular youth basketball coach and...
Hopkinton couple arrested, charged with multiple counts of fraud
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Massachusetts announced this week that a Hopkinton couple who operate a roofing and construction company in Framingham were arrested and charged in connection with separate schemes to defraud their workers’ compensation insurance...