Two finalists were chosen from the top four candidates for the Parks & Recreation Department’s director position after they interviewed Monday night before commission members and town leaders. After a three-hour-plus meeting that consisted of individual interviews...
Mary Ellen Gambon
Details emerge about corrective action plan for Golden Pond after failed compliance review
The Communities at Golden Pond recently submitted a 17-page corrective action plan to the state’s Executive Office of Elder Affairs after the assisted living facility failed to meet its compliance requirements in March. [Editor's note: This story has been corrected to...
Water quality at upper beach at Hopkinton State Park now deemed safe for swimming
The water quality at the upper beach at Hopkinton State Park has been deemed safe for swimming after water quality testing Thursday revealed a decrease in bacteria levels for the first time in more than a month. On Wednesday, the state’s Department of Conservation and...
Open Space Preservation Commission talks about boundaries
The Open Space Preservation Commission at its meeting Thursday night stressed the importance of delineating boundary lines on properties with conservation restrictions to prevent developer encroachment. Trails Committee member Chuck Dauchy said that signage is...
Board of Appeals: East Main property again denied permit for receptions; Winter Street resident OK’d to sell bikes
The Board of Appeals last month again denied the use of a detached barn at 47 East Main Street for functions such as wedding receptions. There also is a single-family home on the property. The applicants, Howard Roberts and Anna Dorcey, last year proposed this use for...
Momentum builds for Special Town Meeting article to abolish party designation on Town Election ballots
An effort is underway to draft an article for a fall Special Town Meeting that would abolish the town caucus system in the hope of potentially limiting the influence of party politics in town elections, its organizers confirmed. “We are trying to get rid of local...
Former Deputy Police Chief Porter denied GPS monitoring system removal as he awaits trial on child rape charges
The appeal of former Hopkinton Deputy Police Chief John “Jay” Porter to be released from his GPS ankle bracelet while he awaits trial on three counts of child rape was denied Wednesday at Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn. The alleged incidents occurred nearly two...
Select Board roundup: UCTC to remain as separate but restructured committee; legislators provide update
After months of speculation about the future of the Upper Charles Trail Committee, the Select Board on Tuesday voted unanimously to keep it separate from the Trail Coordination and Management Committee, but with both committees modifying their structures and charges....
Health director: ‘No appreciable change’ in water quality at closed Hopkinton State Park beaches
The upper and main beaches at Hopkinton State Park remain closed after being deemed unsafe for swimming due to high bacteria counts observed on Tuesday. The state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation announced Wednesday that there were high levels of...
Arena-DeRosa hits stride at State House
Now six months into his term as Hopkinton’s state representative, James Arena-DeRosa is beginning to hit his stride as a legislator. Sitting in a State House conference room in between hearings recently, Arena-DeRosa spent an hour sharing his goals for Hopkinton with...
Parks & Recreation Commission roundup: Sandy Beach drowning, procurement procedures discussed
The Parks & Recreation Commission at its 90-minute meeting Monday evening discussed the tragic drowning of a 21-year-old Hopkinton resident whose body was recovered in Lake Maspenock on July 22. Wilinson Orbe Quito was reported missing the previous evening by a...
Main Street project progresses, but transformer issue might cause delay
Walking up Main Street, tangible signs of improvement can be seen as the Main Street Corridor Project nears its anticipated completion date in the fall after three years of construction. But a supply delay and project modifications likely will carry work into next...
Trails Club walk of Hughes Farm Trail rescheduled for Thursday
The Hopkinton Trails Club announced that the walk at the Hughes Farm Trail previously scheduled for this past Thursday has been moved to next Thursday (Aug. 3) at 7 p.m. The walk, cosponsored by the Hopkinton Public Library, was postponed due to severe thunderstorms...
Water quality at Sandy Beach remains safe, testing shows
While the upper and main beaches at Hopkinton State Park remain closed due to high bacteria counts, the water quality at Sandy Beach remains safe for swimming and boating, providing an oasis for Hopkinton residents during the weekend’s scorching temperatures. On...
Severe thunderstorms or worse possible in area along with high heat; Trails Club postpones Thursday evening walk
Due to the weather forecast of severe thunderstorms and a possible isolated tornado, Thursday night’s walk at the Hughes Farm Trail has been postponed, the Hopkinton Trails Club announced early Thursday afternoon. An advisory from the Massachusetts Emergency...
Board of Health roundup: Health Department clarifies communication about YMCA potable water quality
Health Department Director Shaun McAuliffe at Monday night’s Board of Health meeting addressed resident concerns about water quality at the YMCA following last month’s Board of Health meeting that noted the identification of PFAS in a secondary well. “The YMCA...
Planning Board roundup: Center School reuse, MBTA Communities law discussed
The Planning Board at its meeting Monday night discussed several potential reuses for the Center School property and how they would fit into compliance requirements for the MBTA Communities zoning law. Dan McIntyre, the chair of the Permanent Building Committee,...
Road rage, fleeing driver: Police share details on recent motor vehicle incidents
The Hopkinton Police Department shared information on three vehicle incidents in Hopkinton last week. On Wednesday at 7:08 a.m., a road rage incident on Main Street involving a motorcycle was reported by Hopkinton police. The vehicle refused to stop. The pursuit of...
Hopkinton State Park beaches remain closed due to poor water quality, mirroring statewide trend
The upper and main beaches at Hopkinton State Park remain closed after being deemed unsafe for swimming due to high bacteria counts, an issue that is being seen this week in beaches throughout the state. The state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation announced...
Select Board discusses priorities for upcoming fiscal year
The Select Board met for nearly two hours on Thursday night to discuss members’ most pressing priorities, reflect on the past year’s accomplishments and brainstorm about overarching town goals. Select Board chair Muriel Kramer led an icebreaker exercise over pizza...