The first snow of 2022 hit Hopkinton on Friday, causing schools and town offices to close while also leading to some photogenic scenes.
Featured: Features
Photos: Russ Phipps celebrates 100th birthday
Longtime Winter Street resident Russ Phipps celebrated his 100th birthday Tuesday morning with a surprise drive-by celebration featuring vehicles from the town's Police Department, Fire Department and Department of Public Works. Daughter Marci Caporizzo had made it a...
Independent Thoughts: 2021 in a word? It’s complicated
After the mess that was 2020, we had high hopes that 2021 would be easier to navigate. And it was. Except it wasn’t. Looking for a word to describe this past year? It’s complicated. The COVID-19 pandemic raged at the start of 2021, but by November vaccinated students...
‘Officer Phil’ heads into final weeks as school resource officer
In an era when police nationwide have faced increased scrutiny, particularly in schools, Officer Phil Powers is a shining example of what a community officer should be. The veteran Hopkinton school resource officer of more than 20 years reflected on his career and his...
Phipps hits 100th in stride
As he closes in on his 100th birthday, Russ Phipps says there are no secrets to his longevity. “I just take whatever comes,” he says. “You have to roll with the punches. That’s the way it goes.” Phipps, who has lived on Winter Street since 1949 — in a home he built —...
Legacy Farms Diwali food drive reaps big return
This fall, Legacy Farms residents collected 1,300 pounds of food during a Diwali food drive. The food was donated to Hopkinton's Project Just Because and Framingham's Turning Point Shelter. The initiative was led by Madhuri Waje, a core volunteer for Sewa’s Boston...
Conversation Circles: From Olá, Nǐ hǎo and Salam to Hello at Hopkinton Library
Talking about what they do in the winter, understanding idioms such as a piece of cake, and even hearing one of their members sing a Chinese opera song all are part of the English language learners Conversation Circle now going on at the Hopkinton Public Library. The...
Faith Community Church invests, improves, inspires
In the year 1724, when the United States was still called the United Colonies, a nondenominational church was formed in Massachusetts. Now, nearly 300 years later, Faith Community Church has two campuses (Hopkinton and Framingham) and an online presence that reaches...
Experts say invasive plants pose risk to Hopkinton’s native species
Two years ago, Ed Harrow came across a patch of Hopkinton that was so overgrown with invasive plants, he could hardly walk through the undergrowth. Now, the chair of the Hopkinton Open Space Preservation Commission is on the third round of grant-funded clearing....
Photos: First snow of season
Last week's snow didn't stick around in most places, but it brightened the town for a couple of days.
Hopkinton teen makes mark with Dee’s Tees
A Hopkinton High School student’s compassion and his mother’s hobby have combined into an effort to spread messages of inclusivity through a home T-shirt business. Jen Halliday said her 14-year-old son, Dimitri, better known as Dee, began creating shirts with unique...
Independent Thoughts: Devoted dogs seek new home
During the peak of the pandemic, it was easy for shelters such as Hopkinton’s Baypath Humane Society to get dogs and cats adopted. Many people were stuck at home and had more time on their hands, so they looked for companionship from pets. It’s more difficult now,...
In new book, local yoga instructor teaches that spirituality is universal
Ritu Kapur wanted to bring eastern wisdom to western yoga practice. “Spirituality is not that different,” Kapur said about her approach to yoga in her first book, “Teach Yoga Touch Hearts.” “We are all striving or trying to find the same things in our lives.” Kapur,...
Independent Thoughts: Girl Scouts focus on ‘bee kindness’
There has been a lot of publicity in the last few years regarding the threats to our ecosystem due to a decline in the bee population. Hopkinton Girl Scouts want to make sure that message is front and center. And it is, at the trailhead on Hopkinton’s Center Trail...
Marathon on Indigenous Peoples Day adds meaning for local family
Just before Roxbury’s Ted Resnikoff embarked on his 11th consecutive Boston Marathon run, Hopkinton’s Daniel Eastman smudged him with the smoke of sage and sweet grass. The action is in the Native American tradition, and the Boston Marathon, due to the pandemic...
Dumas delivers on race day with inspiration from mother
The 125th Boston Marathon — the first to be held in the fall instead of April — went off with no major issues Oct. 11. It was successful from a number of angles, including for local charity runners. Annie Dumas, a 23-year-old physical therapy doctorate student who...
Photos: Fall foliage around town
Courtesy of photographer Amit Jagdale, here is a variety of photos displaying fall's vibrant colors around town.
Independent Thoughts: Pastor Bob leaves legacy at FCCH
Bob Cloutier — known for decades at Faith Community Church of Hopkinton as Pastor Bob — gave his final sermon in October 2019 and talked about heaven. Cloutier had received treatment for prostate cancer in 2019 before he returned to the podium. He said that when he...
Gu named National Student Poet
Hopkinton High School senior Kevin Gu’s way with words has taken him all the way to the national stage. Gu is one of only five high school poets to earn the designation of National Student Poet, the nation’s highest honor for youth poets presenting original work. He...
Locals help research team revive loon population in Lake Whitehall
The team took to Lake Whitehall at night, sending a spotlight and a bird call across the water. “We’re essentially mimicking an intruding loon,” said wildlife research biologist Lucas Savoy. Savoy is the project manager of the Biodiversity Research Institute’s Loon...