A $33,000 state grant will allow Hopkinton schools to replace 11 water fountains that were shut down after lead was detected in them. Water bottle filling stations will be purchased and installed using the grant, which is provided through the Massachusetts Clean Water...
Sandy Quadros Bowles
School budget needs ‘entire redo’ due to pandemic
The $52 million school budget approved by school and town officials just weeks ago has gone up in smoke, victim to an economic crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic. “We will need an entire redo of the Hopkinton Public Schools Budget for FY21,” superintendent Dr....
Hopkinton schools sensitive to students’ concerns
The news that Hopkinton schools, like the rest of the state, will remain closed through the end of the school year “creates a sense of loss for all of us,’’ Superintendent of Schools Carol Cavanaugh said. “The loss of classroom community sits heavily on us,’’ she...
Animal rescue organizations remain busy during pandemic
Animals in need of homes can still find shelter through the storm. As the nation slows down during this pandemic, Hopkinton-based animal rescuers remain busy connecting pets with new families while adapting to the new realities of the crisis. Closing of greyhound...
Town’s dog park might be delayed
The town’s first official dog park could open by late fall or early winter, Parks and Recreation director Jay Guelfi said, although the coronavirus crisis could delay that. Representatives of Leonard Design Associates of Arlington presented plans for the park at a...
HHS students shine at BPA conference
Hopkinton High School students showed they meant business at the state leadership conference for the Business Professionals of America held Feb. 29-March 2 at sites in Framingham and Marlborough. HHS junior Shreya Thalvayapati was elected state secretary of the...
Schools enter unchartered territory with remote learning
Hopkinton schools were scheduled to begin a remote learning plan April 6 that will include new instruction, in addition to reviewing prior lessons and providing enrichment as is currently being done, Superintendent of Schools Carol Cavanaugh told School Committee...
Baypath plans new animal shelter on Fruit Street
Select Board members unanimously agreed to the town manager’s suggestion to lease town land at 66 Fruit St. to the Baypath Humane Society of Hopkinton, which plans to build a new facility at the site. The new building is set to be nearly four times larger than the...
Schools settle for 8.26 percent budget increase
Town taps into Legacy Farms HCA to help make ends meet By a 3-2 vote, Hopkinton School Committee members on March 12 approved a fiscal year 2021 budget of $51.9 million, a reduction of $323,000 from the amount the school district had requested but more than the town...
HHS students impress at science fair
Nearly 100 students who participated in the Hopkinton High School Science and Engineering Fair proved that learning does not end when the bell rings. They used the knowledge they gained in their science classes to solve daily life problems and possibly change the...
Brown Dog Coalition to the rescue
Hopkinton-based organization saves dogs, cats from South Eight-month-old Maverick bounds into the room, greeting a visitor with kisses before jumping on a sofa to settle in, appearing to listen eagerly to the conversation. The energy of the mixed-breed dog, who will...
Developer considers legal options regarding Claflin house
The owner of the Aaron and Lucy Claflin home at 76 Main St. continues to examine legal possibilities after Town Meeting voters designated the property as a historic district, thwarting his plans to demolish the structure and build a mixed-use building with a...
Town Meeting to address potential future use of Center School
Town Meeting voters this spring may be asked to bring in design consultants to help shape the future of Center School. The consultants would be asked to present a feasibility study to determine options to convert the school to municipal use. Several potential...
Hopkinton native starts company that sells metal straws
Hopkinton native Kevin Windheuser hopes to stir up enthusiasm for a cleaner environment, one metal straw at a time. Windheuser and his girlfriend, Julia Piri, have created a business, UseMe LIFE, that sells metal straws to individuals and organizations. The...
Annual MLK Day of Service planned for Jan. 20
Students will have the day off on Monday, Jan. 20, to commemorate Martin Luther King Day. Members of the Hopkinton Youth Commission hope they will view the observance as a “day on” at the Martin Luther King Day of Service at Hopkinton Middle School. Participants in...
Downtown parking plans progress slowly
As the town grows, parking spaces downtown have become more scarce. Plans are in the works to ease the parking crunch, but it will take time, Town Manager Norman Khumalo said. In May, Town Meeting voters approved the town’s purchase of 6 Walcott St. with 32 spaces...
Growth Study Committee aims to help handle population surge
Public input sought as part of long-term planning effort As the town’s population grows, a new committee is working with residents to decide what Hopkinton should look like going forward. The Growth Study Committee, a subcommittee of the Planning Board, held its first...
Woodville opens doors for Thanksgiving meal
Some will eat traditional turkey. Others will eat the deep-fried version. But no one will eat alone. Once again, the Woodville Rod & Gun Club will serve Thanksgiving dinner to anyone in the community looking for a place to go on the holiday. Dinner is served from...
Supporters rally for Main Street
As vote nears, supporters speak up for downtown project The Main Street Corridor Project will bring much needed infrastructure updates to a growing town and should not be rescinded, a new group that has formed to support the project believes. The group, For The...
Greyhound Friends shows off updated facility
Kennel hosts open house as it moves toward reopening Greyhound Friends began a new chapter in its long and sometimes controversial history Nov. 3 with an open house at its updated facility that attracted about 200 visitors. “It went very well,” kennel and operations...