Seaboard Solar is moving forward with a plan to build a 28-acre solar array in the woods off 71 Frankland Road, although some abutters are holding out hope they can stop the project. The company has had numerous discussions with the town, including appearances before...
Jerry Spar
Coutinho, citing ‘hostile environment’ online, pulls out of Select Board debate
Monday's HCAM Select Board debate was a short one, as incumbent John Coutinho announced in his opening remarks that he would not participate due to individuals in the community creating "a hostile...
Independent Thoughts: Special birthdays draw crowds to honor Mackin, Finnegan
It’s become common to see a drive-by birthday celebration during the pandemic. Recently there were two extra-special such events. On June 5 Hopkinton High School senior Liam Finnegan turned 19, and a parade of cars carrying well-wishers made its way through his Rocky...
Select Board approves expanded outdoor seating for 5 local restaurants
At a special Select Board meeting on Thursday afternoon, the members unanimously approved plans by five local restaurants to expand outdoor seating in order to serve more customers while maintaining social distancing. Applications for “temporary outdoor dining for...
Photos: Happy Birthday, Liam Finnegan
Hopkinton High School senior Liam Finnegan celebrated his 19th birthday on Friday with a parade of cars carrying well-wishers through his Rocky Woods Road neighborhood. The Class of 2020 recently dedicated its yearbook to Finnegan, a member of the unified basketball...
Independent Thoughts: Parks & Rec optimistic summer programs pan out
Generations of Hopkinton children have grown up spending parts of their summers at the Parks & Recreation’s Summer Playground Group, the town’s basketball camps and Sandy Beach. It’s not yet clear what forms those activities will take this summer. At its May 19...
Trail organizers take different paths on town plan
Hopkinton has an ambitious goal to have a trail system that runs through town, picking up from the Upper Charles Trail in Milford and connecting to a proposed trail in Ashland. A number of people have been hard at work to accomplish this task, and while they are...
Select Board roundup: Health director works on camp openings; outdoor dining to be expanded
Following is a roundup of news from Tuesday's Select Board meeting. Hopkinton Health Department director Shaun McAuliffe said while the town continues to be recognized as “one of the top-performing...
Hopkinton Family Day canceled for 2020
The Friends of Hopkinton announced Monday that Hopkinton Family Day, which was scheduled for Sept. 19, has been canceled. It's the latest local event to be called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "In the past this community event has brought many groups together,"...
Coutinho, Kilduff work on alternative Boston Marathon experience in Hopkinton
Select Board vice chair John Coutinho, the town’s liaison to the Boston Athletic Association, is working to create a memorable experience in September for Boston Marathon runners who are fundraising for local charities. While there won’t be a traditional Boston...
Planning Board votes to send solar overlay map to Town Meeting
At its Monday night meeting the Planning Board voted on a Commercial Solar Photovoltaic Overlay District map that it plans to send to Town Meeting voters, acting to limit commercial solar in residential areas and where deforestation is necessary. The map is limited to...
Hopkintonians support Black Lives Matter movement with vigil on Town Common
The Black Lives Matter movement had a presence in Hopkinton on Sunday evening, as about 200 individuals showed up to the Town Common to encourage respect for their fellow Americans. What started out as a post on a local Facebook group inviting people to attend a...
Photos: Happy Birthday, Scotty Mackin
Scotty Mackin, who has served as a manager of the Hopkinton High School football team since he was a teenager and added baseball and basketball to his resume about 20 years ago, celebrated his 56th birthday Sunday morning with a drive-by celebration in front of the...
Boston Marathon live race canceled, virtual event planned
For the first time in its 124-year history, there will not be an in-person Boston Marathon. The Boston Athletic Association, deferring to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh's decision to cancel mass participation events, announced Thursday that the race will instead be held...
Conservation Commission votes against herbicide application in Lake Maspenock
At its Tuesday meeting, the Conservation Commission voted 4-3 against allowing the use of chemical herbicides to Lake Maspenock this year to combat invasive weed growth. Following a recommendation from a Citizens Input Group appointed by the Select Board, and after...
Independent Thoughts: Olde Towne Pound slated for makeover
If you’ve ever driven by the Olde Towne Pound sign and structure on West Main Street (just west of the intersection with Wood Street) and wondered what it was, you’re going to get your answer. Resident (and Planning Board member) Jane Moran recently was granted...
BAA ‘exploring all options’ regarding Sept. 14 Boston Marathon
Following his press conference Tuesday about the state's reopening plan, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said his office continues to discuss the Boston Marathon. The race, which has been run every year since 1897, was rescheduled from April 20 to Sept. 14. “Certainly when...
Town Meeting delayed again; Hopkinton receives $1.6M in federal funding
At its Tuesday night meeting, the Select Board voted to delay Town Meeting again, pushing it back from June 22 to a likely September date still to be determined. Town Election remains set for June 29. With Town Meeting being held after the close of the fiscal year on...
Rolling rally car parade to celebrate HHS graduates set for May 30
Hopkinton High School's plan for a rolling rally car parade to celebrate the Class of 2020 on Saturday, May 30, was approved by the Select Board on Tuesday night, and principal Evan Bishop shared some additional details for the event. The parade will leave the high...
Town health director: Golden Pond down to single active case of COVID-19
Hopkinton Health Department director Shaun McAuliffe, appearing on the Select Board Zoom meeting Tuesday night, reported that the Golden Pond assisted living facility is down to one active case of COVID-19. The facility had an outbreak of the disease last month, with...













