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.

Kenney reaches pageant semifinals, plans to compete again next year

Jordan Kenney poses for a photo during the dashing ceremony of the 2025 Miss Massachusetts Teen USA pageant.

Recent Hopkinton High School graduate Jordan Kenney walked away from the Miss Teen Massachusetts USA pageant this past weekend with a placement in the top 16.

“Overall, it went pretty good,” said Kenney. She said that while the official scores won’t come out until this weekend, she is hoping for a spot in the top 10.

“I felt confident with my performance,” Kenney said.

The three-day event in Plymouth was Kenney’s first experience competing in a pageant. In a previous interview with the Independent, she detailed the work she did to prepare for the pageant, including interview prep, walking and other skills.

The action-packed pageant this past weekend left no room for anxiety. “There was almost no time to be nervous,” Kenney explained. “The days were so, so busy.”

Those days included hours of rehearsal, hair and makeup, interviews and learning an entire dance routine from scratch.

Besides the dancing being a surprise she had to overcome, Kenney noted that the atmosphere of the competition also was different than she anticipated.

“I expected there to be more tension, but it was honestly very supportive,” she noted.

At the end of it all, Kenney said she is feeling tired but excited to compete again next year. Although she is 18, she will be able to qualify for Miss Teen Massachusetts when registration opens up again. After a brief period of rest, she plans on picking up her training for next year right away.

Latest News

Likely due to scheduling conflicts, the sentence imposition hearing for former Hopkinton Deputy Police Chief John “Jay” Porter on three counts of rape of a child has been postponed to Monday.

The Select Board on Tuesday approved a water rate increase of 25% — in line with recommendations from town officials — and a 10% increase for sewer following a public hearing.

This week’s Police Log features one arrest, along with reports of a missing Weston Nurseries employee, multiple reports of fireworks and an individual chasing two juveniles on Walcott Street.

Recent Hopkinton High School graduate Maddie Recupero was named the 2024-25 Gatorade Massachusetts Girls Soccer Player of the Year.

Hopkinton fourth grader Will Menning is showing his promise in swimming as one of the few 10-and-under swimmers from the eastern U.S. who competed in the Eastern Zone Age Group Championships in Rochester, New York, earlier this year.

Photo of the Day

Sunlight illuminates budding flowers on a tree in Hopkinton State Park.

PHOTO/AMIT JAGDALE