Friends and co-workers launched a fundraiser for former Hopkinton resident Luke Moschini, who was seriously injured in a utility vehicle accident this past weekend. A member of the Hopkinton High School Class of 2014 — he played football and basketball and was a...
Jerry Spar
HHS has 5 COVID cases in past 2 days; state updates reopening deadlines
An email Wednesday from Hopkinton High School principal Evan Bishop to HHS families indicated three members of the HHS community tested positive for COVID-19. This comes on the heels of an email Tuesday noting there were two cases. This makes a total of seven known...
Independent Thoughts: Rec XC skiing program perfect fit for pandemic
Cross-country skiing has seen a boost in popularity during the pandemic, for obvious reasons. It’s an outdoor sport that naturally lends itself to social distancing. For Hopkinton Parks & Recreation, that made it a perfect addition to its lineup of winter...
Hopkinton named safest midsize city in Massachusetts in new analysis
The website AdvisorSmith named Hopkinton the safest midsize city in Massachusetts in a study released Thursday. According to the site, midsize cities are defined as having between 10,000 and 50,000 residents (Hopkinton is around 19,000). There are 153 cities in this...
Marathon Fund Committee offers scholarships
The Marathon Fund Committee will award 10 scholarships of $1,000 each to graduating high school seniors who are residents of Hopkinton. Applications are available at the town manager’s office in Town Hall, at the Guidance Department at Hopkinton High School, on the...
Town leaders present visions, goals at ‘All Hands’ meeting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW90y4WwJcE Town department leaders presented their visions, goals and budget asks and took questions from elected officials during the town’s “All Hands” meeting Wednesday night, a warmup for the May 3 Town Meeting. “One of the...
Select Board roundup: Main Street Corridor Project construction crews to use Marathon Way as staging area
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cbKOMNhZAY&feature=youtu.be The Select Board voted unanimously Tuesday to allow Main Street Corridor Project construction crews to use Marathon Way — the short road that runs between the Town Common and the Doughboy statue,...
Health director looks to clear up ‘misunderstanding’ related to school COVID responsibilities
Health director Shaun McAuliffe, appearing before the Select Board at Tuesday's meeting, said he wanted to make clear the roles and responsibilities for his department and the School Department as it relates to following individuals with COVID-19 exposure. "I’m...
Planning Board roundup: International Marathon Center special permit OK’d
Editor's note: Check back Tuesday for a recap of the Planning Board's discussion about its solar articles for Town Meeting. The proposed International Marathon Center, planned for a spot on town-owned land at 53 East Main Street, took another step forward Monday when...
HHS Science Fair highlights students’ perseverance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVi5R1FJIsw&feature=youtu.be The Hopkinton High School Science Fair was moved online this year, and according to lead organizer Kristen Murphy, the students showed great resolve and creativity to make this year’s event special in...
Timlin race to be virtual again in ’21
Organizers of the Sharon Timlin Memorial Event, normally held outside Hopkinton High School, are planning for a virtual event again this June due to the ongoing pandemic. While last year the event committee had to scramble to transition the event online, this year the...
Health department, schools push forward on reopening plan following announcement from state
Health director Shaun McAuliffe, during his update to the Select Board on Tuesday, said he is conferring with school officials regarding a reopening plan following an announcement from state officials earlier in the day pushing districts to return to full-time...
Select Board removes proposed firearm restriction amendment for this year but plans to revisit it
The Select Board voted unanimously Tuesday not to take action on the proposed amendment to the general bylaw that deals with the discharge of firearms, a proposal that was widely and loudly panned by local hunters. While the board is passing on the proposal for this...
Select Board roundup: CFO requests additional funds so town can ‘stand up to Eversource’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZh198kfKxU&feature=youtu.be At Tuesday’s Select Board meeting the board continued to hear from department leaders regarding the Fiscal Year 2022 budget. Chief financial officer Tim O’Leary requested an additional $30,000 for...
Independent Thoughts: Tennis an extreme sport for Hopkinton’s Sivaraman
Anyone who regularly watches the Hopkinton Planning Board meetings knows that board member Sundar Sivaraman plays a lot of tennis. It often comes up when the group plans a site walk for a Saturday morning, which is Sivaraman’s prime tennis time. It would be reasonable...
ZAC sends proposed tree-cutting bylaw to Planning Board
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd2ZggiNT7w&feature=youtu.be The Zoning Advisory Committee on Monday made some final tweaks to its proposed tree-cutting bylaw, which is primarily designed to curtail large commercial ground-mounted solar arrays, and voted to send...
ZAC continues tree-cutting bylaw discussion, considers restricting site area alteration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LSKzrTnWfc&feature=youtu.be The Zoning Advisory Committee on Wednesday continued to make progress in its proposed alteration of the town’s tree-cutting bylaw, adjusting the wording in an attempt to tighten up the restrictions...
Design Review Board recommends approval of Cornell’s outdoor expansion
During its meeting Tuesday night, the Design Review Board unanimously recommended approval of the minor site plan modification for an outdoor seating expansion behind Cornell’s Irish Pub. The Hayden Rowe Street establishment next will appear before the Planning Board...
ConCom expresses concerns with water management for proposed subdivision off Blueberry Lane
Representatives for the developer of the proposed Elmwood Farms III residential subdivision off Blueberry Lane appeared before the Conservation Commission at its meeting Tuesday night, looking to move forward a project that was first introduced more than three decades...
Independent Thoughts: Rare disease, pandemic can’t keep 3-year-old down
In retrospect, Hopkinton residents Jamas and Margot LaFreniere say, they are among the lucky ones — despite the fact that their 3-year-old daughter has an extremely rare and life-threatening genetic disease. They were able to discover that Sophie has glycogen storage...