Featured: News
Update: Tractor-trailer explosion/fire on I-495 rattles Hopkinton
A tractor-trailer burst into flames Monday night on Interstate 495 in Hopkinton, and an explosion could be heard for miles. The incident took place on the southbound side of the highway prior to Exit 54 (West Main Street), according to the Westborough Fire Department,...
Parks & Rec discusses need for more space due to growth
The Parks & Recreation Department is simultaneously experiencing tremendous growth and a challenging staff loss, Director Jay Guelfi told commissioners at a hybrid Parks & Recreation Commission meeting Thursday night. At the start of the meeting, Guelfi...
UCTC discusses citizens’ petitions that question its goals
The Upper Charles Trail Committee at its meeting Wednesday night debated questions it will take to town counsel about the validity of two citizens’ petitions, one of which seeks to disband the UCTC in its current form. “It appears that some aspects may be legal and...
Divided Select Board decides against moving forward with RECC
A divided Select Board at its Tuesday meeting decided not to sign an intermunicipal agreement to form a regional emergency communication center with Southborough, Westborough and Grafton. The vote was 3-2 against the RECC, with those in opposition stating much more...
Conservation Commission split on decision to proceed with gas pipeline at Mass. Laborers facility
The Conservation Commission at its meeting Tuesday night approved 4-3 the notice of intent hearing on the Massachusetts Laborers Training facility’s initially proposed gas line under the Wetlands Protection Act, the preferred option of the developer, after some...
Select Board roundup: HHS car parade OK’d for final year
A divided Select Board on Tuesday agreed to approve a graduation car parade for Hopkinton High School’s Class of 2023, but with the understanding that this will be the final year for the event. A vote simply to approve the parade failed, 3-2, leading to a second...
Select Board struggles with RECC decision, considers Town Meeting vote
With one week remaining before the Select Board is to take a formal position on whether or not to sign an inter-municipal agreement with three neighboring towns to form a regional emergency dispatch center, local emergency personnel continued to push the board to...
Planning Board jolted by ongoing issues with Grasshopper Energy solar farm
At its meeting Monday night, the Planning Board chastised the proponents of two major projects that have dragged on for years to get their plans promptly in order, including the Grasshopper Energy solar array’s planting plan. Grasshopper Energy’s 2.4-megawatt...
High winds lead to fallen tree, power outage in School Street area
A large tree fell on School Street on Friday evening, knocking down a utility pole and some wires and causing a power outage in the area, the town announced. According to a press release, at about 6:54 p.m. emergency personnel received reports about the tree falling...
UCTC responds to petition calling for disbanding, continues planning
The Upper Charles Trail Committee at its meeting Wednesday night briefly addressed two citizens’ petitions for the Annual Town Meeting warrant proposed by a local trails advocate, one that seeks to dismantle the current committee and form a new one with new members....
Select Board roundup: Short-term rentals article added to Town Meeting warrant; budget discussions continue
After previously expressing hesitation about a Town Meeting article related to short-term housing rentals, the Select Board on Tuesday voted to include the article on the warrant. The issue arose after a home on Pike Street was remodeled and rented on a short-term...
Health Department works to prevent opioid overdoses via naloxone program
At the Board of Health’s one-hour meeting Monday evening, Public Health Nurse Simone Carter announced that the state designated the Hopkinton Health Department as a Community Naloxone Purchasing Program affiliate, allowing it to distribute the medicine used to rapidly...
Citizens’ petition calls for disbanding of Upper Charles Trail Committee
Frustrated with the direction that the Upper Charles Trail Committee is headed, a resident is submitting a citizens’ petition for Annual Town Meeting calling for the committee to be disbanded. Peter LaGoy, chair of the town’s Trails Coordination and Management...
Parks & Rec endorses capital request for manual security gates at Sandy Beach
The Parks & Recreation Commission at its 80-minute meeting Thursday evening voted 4-0 to endorse a capital grant proposal to fund manual gates at Sandy Beach in order to increase security there. Commissioner Cynthia Esthimer has been serving as a member of an ad...
MassDOT: Fruit Street I-495 bridge reconstruction to begin in late spring
Reconstruction of Fruit Street’s Interstate 495 bridge will begin in the late spring as an initial step to remodel the interchange between I-495 and I-90, representatives from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced at a two-hour virtual meeting...
Conservation Commission hears alternatives for Mass. Laborers gas line plan
The Conservation Commission met for more than three hours Tuesday night and voted 6-0 to continue a notice of intent hearing on the Massachusetts Laborers Training facility’s proposed gas line so that alternative routes proposed during the hearing could be reviewed....
Town election candidates start process
Although the midterm elections may be over, another election season is beginning in Hopkinton. The local election shapes the town's priorities for the coming years and directly impacts all residents and their families. Those who want to be a part of the...
Select Board dilemma: Rush into RECC or risk waiting?
Select Board members on Tuesday continued to show hesitation regarding a proposed regional emergency communications center (RECC), but there also was concern about missing an opportunity to have a say in where Hopkinton ends up and what the RECC looks like. A proposed...
Select Board roundup: Officials continue work on budget with eye on future major expenses
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PggKMRJ-ro&list=PL8WekT6kxX1A-zwtdiEbn1a1vKwreF-D1&index=1 At Tuesday’s Select Board meeting, members received an update on the town’s budget process for fiscal year 2024. The relatively good news, according to Town Manager...
