The Open Space Preservation Commission at its meeting Thursday night continued to express frustration over the flawed conveyance process of open space land in development projects, focusing half of the meeting on discussion on the eight-unit subdivision known as...
Mary Ellen Gambon
Car crashes into Grove Street homes; driver arrested on OUI charge
A van driven by an allegedly drunk Hopkinton resident crashed into houses at 75 and 77 Grove Street Thursday afternoon, according to Hopkinton Fire Department personnel and a press spokesperson. The crash occurred at approximately 2:51 p.m., according to Robert Mills,...
DPW responds to water main break on Maple Street
UPDATE: The water main that broke Thursday morning on Maple Street was repaired by early afternoon, restoring water and traffic access, according to an email from the Department of Public Works. Traffic was closed on Maple Street on Thursday morning in response to a...
Recovered from last month’s stroke, Kramer yet to decide about reelection candidacy
In an interview after Tuesday's Select Board meeting, Select Board chair Muriel Kramer said she has fully recovered from a stroke she experienced last month and said she has not decided whether or not to run for reelection this May. On Dec. 10, Kramer announced that...
Select Board unanimously selects Daugherty as town’s fire chief
The Select Board at its meeting Tuesday night unanimously chose interim Fire Chief Gary Daugherty Jr. as the town’s permanent chief. Board members interviewed Daugherty and fellow finalist John W. Ignatowicz, the current acting fire chief in Pelham, New Hampshire, for...
Select Board set to interview finalists for fire chief position
The Select Board is expected to choose the town’s new fire chief after interviewing the two finalists at its meeting Tuesday night. Both candidates, interim Chief Gary T. Daugherty Jr. and John W. Ignatowicz, possess more than 25 years of firefighting experience and...
Conservation Commission roundup: Town receives climate resiliency grant; Whisper Way concerns addressed
The Conservation Commission at a brief meeting Tuesday night announced that Hopkinton received a grant to develop the town’s first climate resiliency plan. Conservation administrator Kim Ciaramicoli told the commission that the town was awarded a $35,000 grant from...
Select Board hears options for town buildings presented in facilities study
The Select Board at its meeting Tuesday night heard several options for the future repurposing of four key town-owned properties. To gain more insight into the best ways to use the buildings, the Select Board unanimously approved the issuance of requests for proposal...
Major water main break ‘will cause water discoloration throughout the town’
As the region recovers from Monday's torrential storm, the town announced that a major water main broke Tuesday morning. Department of Public Works Director Kerry Reed announced Tuesday morning via email that crews are responding to a water main break on White Street....
Board of Health discusses plastic bag usage, vaccine vendor partnership
The Board of Health at its meeting Monday night heard a resident’s concerns about plastic bag usage at local stores as well as details about a partnership with a multistate vaccine vendor that is expected to save the department money. Sustainable Green Committee...
HFD urges caution during storm after receiving high volume of calls
Monday's heavy rain and wind gusts of 50 mph prompted the Hopkinton Fire Department to ask residents to use caution if they have to travel. "This morning has been one of our highest call volumes in recent memory," HFD stated in a tweet on the X social media platform...
HPD arrests ‘fugitive from justice’ who appeared to be homeless on default warrant
The Hopkinton Police Department on Tuesday arrested a man who appeared to be homeless on a default Rhode Island warrant at the Price Chopper shopping plaza on South Street. The man was determined to be a "fugitive from justice," acording to an HPD incident report....
CPC votes against $1M funding request for Marathon School accessible playground but approves $100K for study
The Community Preservation Committee at its meeting Thursday night voted against a $1 million request from the School Department to design and build an accessible playground at the Marathon School. Instead, the CPC unanimously approved $100,000 for further study into...
Trails Committee prioritizes bridge repair work at Berry Acres Trail
The Trails Committee at its meeting Wednesday night prioritized maintenance of the Berry Acres Trail due to the recent rains that caused flooding and debris to accumulate. Chair Peter LaGoy noted that the two projects proposed by Scouts in September are “progressing...
Cycling advocates voice concerns about new Main Street bike lane
Cycling advocates raised concerns about the safety of the separated bike lane implemented as part of the Main Street Corridor Project, hoping that modifications will be handled when construction resumes in the spring. Construction halted for the winter on the Main...
Parks & Recreation Commission defines need for written policies, approves gaga pit
The Parks & Recreation Commission at its meeting Tuesday evening discussed the need to have written policies in place regarding program registration for out-of-town residents as well as scholarship parameters for lower-income Hopkinton residents. Department...
Select Board chair Kramer ‘resting and doing well’ after experiencing stroke
Select Board chair Muriel Kramer announced that she experienced a stroke Wednesday evening, which prevented her from engaging in community activities late last week. In an email to the Independent early Sunday afternoon, Kramer issued a public statement about what...
Travel blog recognizes Hopkinton as ‘most peaceful town’ to visit in country
A travel blog recently named Hopkinton the "most peaceful town to visit" in the country. Hopkinton topped the list in the "12 Most Peaceful Towns To Visit In The United States" article published in The Travel, noting its extremely low violent crime rate and abundance...
Open Space Preservation Commission seeks updated documents for development off Whisper Way
At Thursday's Open Space Preservation Commission meeting, Land Use Department administrative assistant Shannon Isaacs told the commission that she was asked by Principal Planner John Gelcich to obtain an updated map and plan for the 12-unit subdivision off Whisper Way...
Judge compels town to release police internal investigation records in Porter case by Jan. 9
The judge in the ongoing court case against former Hopkinton Police Deputy Chief John “Jay” Porter on Wednesday said he would file an order compelling the town to provide internal investigation records to him if he did not receive them by Jan. 9. If this request is...