There are a number of good spots to watch the Boston Marathon as it begins in Hopkinton. Of course, there’s the start line, although that gets very crowded and it can be challenging to navigate the area. Enter Weston Nurseries. Located a mile down Route 135 from the...
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Selectmen send underride to voters
Discussion of the town’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget continued at the March 19 Board of Selectmen’s meeting and ended with the board voting 3-2 to approve a ballot question and an Annual Town Meeting article for a Proposition 2½ underride in the amount of $1,180,568.00,...
Business Profile: Wild Adventure programming at Southwick’s Zoo
Young people, ages 5-16, are fascinated with the Wild Adventure programming at Southwick’s Zoo in Mendon, and registration is open now for these popular summer activities that begin June 24. “These educational programs, organized by Earth Limited, offer children the...
Planning Board will not sponsor plans to restrict growth
After a public hearing, the Planning board voted to deny its support at Town Meeting for two citizen-generated petitions aimed at restricting town growth. Both of these proposed amendments were discussed at the Planning Board public hearing on March 25. While there...
Friends of Whitehall annual meeting April 9
The Friends of Whitehall will hold its annual meeting on April 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Sanctuary at Woodville, 249 Wood St. Attendees should park at the Woodville Rod & Gun Club, located across the street. Refreshments will be served before and after the meeting....
Solar farm off Wilson Street approved
The Planning Board voted to approve the installation of a solar array on 34 acres of land off Wilson Street, thereby preventing what could have been a costly lawsuit for the town. The 7-1 vote on March 25 reversed the Planning Board’s previous decision, on Oct. 1,...
Hayes participates in State House event
Hopkinton’s Darlene Hayes was one of six of Senate President Karen Spilka’s constituents who participated in in the 82nd Citizens’ Legislative Seminar at the State House on March 19-20. According to a press release from Spilka’s office, the Citizens’ Legislative...
First public hearing on Claflin house completed
The Hopkinton Historic District Commission held the first of its two scheduled public hearings to gather input on the proposed single-property historic district for the Aaron and Lucy Claflin house at 76 Main St. Opening the March 20 hearing, Historic District...
Troop 4 Eagle Scouts recognized
Selectmen at their March 19 meeting approved proclamations for two Troop 4 Eagle Scouts: Jordan Hanna and Austin Marques. The duo also will be honored at a special Court of Honor ceremony for achieving the Eagle Scout award, Boy Scouting’s highest honor, on March 31....
Bittersweet license approvals postponed
A public hearing held on March 19 to consider approving three licenses for Bittersweet Company was opened but continued until April 9 due to the need for additional information. Ciaran Dunne, on behalf of Oliveira & Dunne, dba Bittersweet Company, newly located at...
Independent Thoughts: Baypath Humane Society set to host Fur Ball Gala
Seven years ago, Baypath Humane Society executive director Elizabeth Jefferis was looking for a way to celebrate both the end of winter and her organization’s many accomplishments. Thus, the Fur Ball Gala was born. At first, Jefferis said she wasn’t sure how many...
Report names Hopkinton America’s Safest City
Kellie Chatten Kenney grew up in Hopkinton and now resides here with her own family. When she heard that Hopkinton was named America’s Safest City by a home safety review company called SafeWise, she was not surprised. The town may have changed a great deal since she...
More activity, less anxiety: Hopkinton physical therapist touts value of exercise in fighting depression
According to the National Institute of Mental Illness, nearly one in five Americans suffers from some type of mental illness, including anxiety and depression. As the rate of the two seems to be increasing among both adults and adolescents, individuals are seeking...
Photos: Mini-Golf in the Library
Independent Thoughts: Baldiga helps students learn financial literacy
A bankruptcy lawyer, Hopkinton resident Joe Baldiga has seen lives get turned upside down by questionable financial decision-making. So a few years ago, when his children were students in the Hopkinton schools, he decided he would try to help eliminate some potential...
Independent Thoughts: Flannery set to make clean break
It’s difficult to imagine Hopkins School without Ed Flannery roaming the halls, but the elementary school will be without its affable longtime custodian starting next month, as Flannery heads into retirement. “Eddie has been the backbone of Hopkins School since the...
Independent Thoughts: Let there be lights
Legacy Farms developer Roy MacDowell has seen the light — literally. MacDowell announced to the Planning Board on Jan. 28 that he would provide for a traffic light at the intersection of East Main Street and Legacy Farm Road. A Legacy Farms engineer had indicated that...
HHS sophomores’ self-portraits selected for regional exhibition
Two Hopkinton High School sophomores will have their photography work on display at the Emerging Young Artists Juried Exhibition, which started Jan. 22 and runs through Feb. 9 at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. Sophomores Ceara Perry and Catherine Dacey,...
Charity quilt-a-thon brings joy to those who give as well as receive
Despite the chilly temperatures and icy roads, eight women, including Hopkinton resident Susan Webber, gathered to work on and create handmade comfort quilts at the Power of the Quilt Project’s annual MLK Day of community service quilt-a-thon. The event was held at...
Under Levine’s leadership, local Special Olympics program thrives
On and off the court, you can tell there’s something special about “Coach Alec” Levine, who took over as director and head coach of Hopkinton Special Olympics back in 2004 from program founder Claudia Vanderpool. “I had recently retired after many years as director of...