At its meeting Tuesday night, the Conservation Commission heard one case regarding unauthorized vegetation disturbance at a single-family home construction site at 178 Ash Street. In 2018, the commission approved the project, which is situated in a buffer zone on a...
Mary Ellen Gambon
Town Hall Q&A: Town Clerk Connor Degan
Editor’s note: This story is part of an occasional series focusing on town employees. Connor Degan has spent most of his life in Hopkinton, attending the public schools and graduating from Hopkinton High School. He graduated from Roger Williams University in 2014 with...
School Committee debates mask policy for athletics, gets MCAS update
The School Committee at its Monday night meeting discussed two major issues: the policy regarding wearing masks at school athletic events as well as the district’s MCAS scores. Athletic Director Rich Cormier appeared before the committee to request its guidance about...
School system impacted by staffing shortages
Many school districts across the nation have experienced staff and supply shortages, and Hopkinton has been no exception. Schools Finance Director Susan Rothermich said there are three areas where employment needs are the greatest: bus drivers, cafeteria workers and...
School Committee chair: ‘Not an easy decision’ on unmasking
School Committee Chair Nancy Cavanaugh has received mixed feedback on the new policy allowing vaccinated individuals the choice to remove their masks at Hopkinton High School, although there was more public input before the decision was made. “With regard to [the Oct....
Conservation Committee roundup: Modifications approved for Connelly Farms, The Trails projects
The Conservation Commission at its Tuesday night meeting expressed approval with major modifications to two ongoing projects: Connelly Farms and The Trails, Hopkinton. Scott Goddard, representing Ravenwood LLC and developer Ron Nation, told the commission that “a...
Planning Board approves tree cuttings at Eversource LNG facility
The Planning Board discussed Eversource’s improvement project at the liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility at 52 Wilson Street for the majority of Monday’s hour-long meeting. The main issue was the request for additional tree cuttings at the southern border of the site...
Day 1 of mask-optional policy at HHS: About half of students approved to show faces
For the first day of the lifting of the mask mandate, about half of the students attended Hopkinton High School with their masks on, according to Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh in an interview Monday afternoon. Before the implementation of the mask-optional policy for...
Superintendent explains what led to mask-optional trial period at HHS; teachers union still has concerns
The Hopkinton School Committee’s 3-2 vote to become the first Massachusetts community to lift the mask requirement for COVID-19 vaccinated students and staff for a three-week trial period in November has brought forth a range of opinions from both inside and outside...
Officials provide update, answers questions about PFAs in water
The level of PFAs — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — in the town’s water supply is at a higher-than-maximum contaminant level allowed for the third straight month, putting Hopkinton in violation of the state drinking water regulations. Department of Public Works...
School Committee roundup: Students share survey results; enrollment data updated
Thursday night’s School Committee decision in a 3-2 vote to lift the mask requirement for a trial period for COVID-19 vaccinated students and staff at Hopkinton High School from Nov. 1-19 was big news for Hopkinton and the state. Hopkinton became the first community...
Conservation Commission discusses Connelly Farms, Leonard Street projects
The Conservation Commission met for nearly four hours Tuesday night and approved modifications to projects previously before the commission, including a lot on the Connelly Farms project as well as and the Leonard Street development. Scott Goddard, representing...
Planning Board roundup: Development off Blueberry Lane moves forward
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6OIeYrioLw The Planning Board met Monday night to review a number of projects, including the long-dormant but recently revived proposed subdivision that would be situated between Blueberry Lane and Marathon School/EMC Park. Robert...
School Committee not ready to vote on rescinding mask mandate at HHS
Following an hour-long discussion Thursday night, the School Committee decided to hold off on a vote to rescind the mask requirement at Hopkinton High School at least until its Oct. 21 meeting. Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh outlined the updated mask policy from the...
HMS principal runs Boston to support school’s Desire to Inspire program
Principal Alan Keller has been running Hopkinton Middle School for the past 12 years. Now he is running — literally — in the Boston Marathon to support his school’s Desire to Inspire program. Keller first ran the race in 2012, the year before the marathon bombing. He...
Upalekar grateful for new passion of running, raises funds for native India
Ruta Upalekar has a drive for helping others, both at home and abroad. Her volunteer work with two India-based charities spurred her desire to begin running in 2015, an activity she uses as a vehicle for fundraising. The Hopkinton resident and will interlace her twin...
ConCom addresses ongoing issues with Leonard Street, The Trails projects
The Conservation Commission at its Tuesday night meeting continued the hearing on the Leonard Street three-lot subdivision project because of ongoing drainage and erosion control issues. Lou Petrozzi of Wall Street Development Corporation told the commission that...
Planning Board discusses Turkey Ridge development, OK’s 17 Main rebuild
The Planning Board at its Monday night meeting mainly discussed the Turkey Ridge Estates eight-lot subdivision, which would be situated off Cedar Street Extension and at the end of Lincoln Street, at the border with Southborough. After a lengthy discussion about...
School Committee roundup: Enrollment numbers updated; HHS addition still not finished; additional food staff requested
The School Committee met on Thursday night to discuss several issues, including progress on the high school addition, the need for more staff to prepare school lunches, and the implementation of the test and stay program at the district’s schools. In her...
Select Board roundup: Options for Center School discussed; anonymous donations welcomed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SRrCDVzTnI The Select Board at its meeting Tuesday night considered several issues, including future uses for the Center School property. Dan McIntyre of the Permanent Building Committee gave a presentation on behalf of the Center...