Hopkinton Today: Tuesday, Jan. 4

by Jerry Spar | Jan 4, 2022 | 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 photo and video of the day.

While Hopkinton is in the midst of an unprecedented COVID surge — including the town’s first confirmed case of the fast-spreading Omicron variant — the recent illnesses have been far less severe. That is part of the reason why the Board of Health on Monday night suggested that the Health Department should move away from monitoring and contact tracing and instead focus on providing greater access to vaccinations and testing along with better educating the public on health and safety measures.

With students returning to classes Monday, Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh emailed Hopkinton Public Schools families Sunday to clarify the district’s policy on COVID isolation and quarantine.

Hometown Barbershop announced Monday that it plans to reopen Tuesday, four days after Friday’s incident in which one of the barbers allegedly stabbed another barber with scissors.

Longtime Hopkinton resident Fred Murphy, a member of the Hopkinton High School Athletic Hall of Fame and a former member of the School Committee, died Saturday at the age of 77.

Town meetings tonight include a School Committee joint meeting with the Capital Improvement Committee (5) followed by a School Committee executive session (6), Youth Commission (6), Conservation Commission (7) and Historical Commission (7).

Photo of the Day: Bare tree branches are contrasted against an off-white sky during a recent overcast day in town.