Good morning, Hopkinton! Welcome to the daily update we call Hopkinton Today — a quick recap of yesterday’s news, highlights of what’s on tap, and a photo of the day.

Advocates demand public hearings related to Sismanis case

Ashland resident and Demand the Truth Hopkinton co-founder Marie Laskowsky speaks to the Select Board on Tuesday during public comment. PHOTO/HCAM SCREENSHOT

Individuals representing a coalition of people concerned over the town’s past issuing of common victualer’s licenses to Hillers Pizza spoke out at the Select Board meeting on Tuesday, demanding accountability.

Marie Laskowsky, an Ashland resident who co-founded Demand the Truth Hopkinton, opened the public comment portion of the meeting by criticizing the board, the town manager and the Hopkinton Police Department. She said that a group of sexual assault survivors was present in the meeting and claimed the Select Board was sending a message by neglecting to hold a public hearing about HPD Chief Joseph Bennett.

“The message [to these women] was this: You are not worth it, you are not protected, you do not matter enough for this institution to be uncomfortable on your behalf,” Laskowsky said.

“When you issue your next statement explaining why there should be no public hearing for Chief Bennett or an investigation into the town manager, remember the faces of these women,” she added, accusing the board of protecting itself “at every decision point” while the owner of Hillers Pizza continued to operate his business in Hopkinton.

Petros “Peter” Sismanis, the former owner of Hillers Pizza, was convicted in 2025 on indecent assault and battery on a person over 14 years of age and witness intimidation charges after grabbing and kissing a 16-year-old employee in the basement of his pizza shop in 2023. After serving six months in jail, the Greek native was remanded into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody and faces possible deportation.

Since his conviction, residents and other concerned individuals have questioned the town’s CV license process and why Sismanis’ status as a sex offender — stemming from a 1998 case in which he pled guilty — was never disclosed.

Resident Timothy Boivin followed Laskowsky, adding to the calls for accountability in regard to Bennett. Boivin spoke to the matter of former HPD Deputy Chief John “Jay” Porter, who last year was sentenced to seven years in prison for three charges of child rape. Porter was charged in that case with having sexual and digital intercourse with a Hopkinton High School student when he was the school resource officer there in 2004.

“This town is not safe for women, it’s not safe for young girls,” Boivin said to the board. “You have a police chief who basically pretended like he didn’t know what was going on in his department when he knew. … He surely knew.”

Added Boivin: “The fact that Joe Bennett is still the police chief of this town is reprehensible.”

Boivin’s complaint shifted to the town’s handling of an improperly redacted document in the Porter case that revealed identifying information about the victim. Boivin noted he has spoken and written about the issue to the board, and called out member Amy Ritterbusch in particular.

“Ms. Ritterbusch, you publicized her name,” Boivin claimed, “and you’re still on the board.”

The Independent reached out to Ritterbusch for more information about Boivin’s claim. Previous reporting on this issue states that she posted on social media a link to the town’s press release that included the unredacted document.

In an email, Ritterbusch affirmed this reporting, noting she posted a link about the release of public documents from the Loudermill hearing for HPD Sgt. Tim Brennan. “I did not know at the time that one of the documents was not fully redacted,” she explained. “I did not mention the victim’s name or information on social media and I did not specifically call out the interview document on social media (which turned out to not be fully redacted).”

Added Ritterbusch: “The whole situation is awful. It was absolutely horrific that a victim’s information was not fully redacted in a document released to the public. That should not have happened.”

— NICK SCHOFIELD

Latest News

The Select Board on Tuesday received additional feedback on a proposed bylaw to limit e-bike speeds on shared-use paths in town.

Despite concerns raised by the Department of Public Works and the Town Clerk, the Select Board on Tuesday voted to approve recommending acceptance of two private ways as town roads.

A rollover on West Main Street on Tuesday resulted in damage to two cars and one driver being cited for unsafe operation of a motor vehicle.

This week’s Police Log features one arrest, along with reports of a dispute between an employee and employer, someone selling marijuana to minors and the National Guard doing cannon training.

The latest Arts Residency highlights Charusmitha Ram, whose work in ceramics and printmaking focus on the immigrant experience.

Hopkinton native Elizabeth Roche is achieving a long-term aspiration with her run of the Boston Marathon for Live4Evan this year.

Lindsey Buonocore is returning from a 10-year break from marathoning to raise funds for the South Boston Neighborhood House.

Town meetings tonight include the Hopkinton Youth Commission (6), Sandy Beach Subcommittee (6:30) and School Committee (7).

Photo of the Day

The Hopkinton Center for the Arts’ third annual Winged Foot Exhibition — a public arts display and auction to benefit the HCA and the 26.2 Foundation — adds some color to the Town Common.

PHOTO/JERRY SPAR