Hopkinton Today: Monday, March 22

by Jerry Spar | Mar 22, 2021 | Hopkinton Today

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 video or two to brighten your morning.

A crowd of about 200 people turned out at the Town Common on Saturday afternoon for a rally and march to bring awareness to racially charged sentiments of hate against Asian-Americans. The event, organized by the Hopkinton Chinese American Association, with help from the Hopkinton Freedom Team, lasted about an hour. The participants held signs and marched around the Common changing, “Stop Asian hate,” “Hate is a virus,” and, “We are Americans, too.”

The Select Board has called a meeting for Tuesday in which it will continue the discussion from its previous meeting about moving Annual Town Meeting. The proposal before the board is to shift Town Meeting from Monday, May 3, to Saturday, May 8. Town Election also would move back five days, to Saturday, May 22.

The town’s latest COVID-19 update shows 29 active cases and includes updates on the state’s vaccine eligibility timeline. Starting today, residents aged 60-plus and certain workers (including many restaurant and grocery employees) are eligible. On April 5 residents 55-plus or with a certain medical condition are eligible. On April 19, the general public aged 16-plus are eligible.

The district may need to spend $157 million in construction costs over 10 years to accommodate a projected long-term enrollment increase of 700 students, finance director Susan Rothermich told School Committee members Thursday. A facilities study group will be created to develop more information on this topic, superintendent Carol Cavanaugh said.

Despite four touchdowns from senior running back Cam Mulvaney, the Hopkinton High School football team fell to perennial powerhouse Holliston, 37-27, in its season opener on Saturday in Holliston. Hopkinton rallied from an early two-touchdown deficit to take a 21-14 lead before Holliston took control late.

Town meetings tonight include the Board of Health (5:30) and Zoning Advisory Committee (7).

Photo of the Day: Construction equipment sits at the Town Common awaiting use as part of the Main Street Corridor Project.