Generations of Hopkinton children have grown up spending parts of their summers at the Parks & Recreation’s Summer Playground Group, the town’s basketball camps and Sandy Beach. It’s not yet clear what forms those activities will take this summer. At its May 19...
Independent Thoughts
Independent Thoughts: Olde Towne Pound slated for makeover
If you’ve ever driven by the Olde Towne Pound sign and structure on West Main Street (just west of the intersection with Wood Street) and wondered what it was, you’re going to get your answer. Resident (and Planning Board member) Jane Moran recently was granted...
Independent Thoughts: Local RE/MAX agents start Project Feed the Frontline
Like many of us, longtime Hopkinton resident Sandy Lucchesi and her fellow real estate brokers from RE/MAX Executive Realty wondered how they could help once the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Broker Bill Wright, who founded the RE/MAX Executive Charitable Foundation, which...
Independent Thoughts: Residents get creative to support each other
It’s not surprising that so many people in town have stepped up and found ways to help each other during the coronavirus pandemic. That said, it is impressive how creative some people have gotten in finding ways to support and honor their neighbors and friends,...
Independent Thoughts: Perfect time to consider environmental concerns
When the town scheduled a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) listening session for March 24, it was before the coronavirus pandemic turned the community upside down. In hindsight, the timing was appropriate. Because while the session (held online) focused on...
Independent Thoughts: Senior Center set to debut repair cafe
Senior Center set to debut repair cafe Repair cafes have been around for about a decade now, and this year the event will make its debut in Hopkinton. For those unfamiliar with the concept, a repair cafe is a gathering of people with fix-it skills who volunteer their...
Independent Thoughts: Resident promotes albinism awareness
Hopkinton resident Carmen Camacho knew she had albinism when she was growing up in Puerto Rico. It was not until she was an adult, however, when she learned she had a more serious form of the condition. She since has become an advocate for people with Hermansky-Pudlak...
Independent Thoughts: Mental health help a phone call away
Mental health help a phone call away As editor, I hesitate to suggest that anyone stop reading this newspaper. But just for a moment, look for the flier that was inserted in the middle of this paper. It might turn out to be a life-saver. The flier is from Hopkinton’s...
Independent Thoughts: Essay contest seeks to raise awareness of local veterans
Essay contest seeks to raise awareness of local veterans Hopkinton has a proud military history, and some individuals in town want to make sure it’s not forgotten. Spurred by an idea from longtime veterans advocate Hank Allessio, a group has started a Military History...
Independent Thoughts: Special Town Meeting especially memorable
Special Town Meeting turned out to be an interesting night at Hopkinton Middle School on Dec. 9. Here are a few notes from the event: — A moment of silence was held prior to the start for town employees who passed away since the last Town Meeting. Town moderator...
Independent Thoughts: Hopkinton kicks off holiday season
It’s become Hopkinton’s kickoff for the holiday season — a day filled with holiday-themed activities — and it’s almost upon us. Saturday, Dec. 7, is shaping up to be quite a busy day in town. The main attraction is the Holiday Stroll (see story, Page 10), featuring...
Independent Thoughts: Guitar hero lifts spirits at HCA
The Hopkinton Center for the Arts already has provided Christine Chapman and her family with a lifetime of positive experiences. Little did she know that when she attend the HCA’s Nov. 2 fundraising gala, she would have another tremendously uplifting moment. This...
Independent Thoughts: Fifth-grader honored for life-saving response
Fifth-grader honored for life-saving response Hopkinton fifth-grader Remi VanDeusen was honored at the Oct. 8 Select Board meeting, standing next to his proud father, Chris. If not for Remi’s actions this past summer, his father might not have been there at all. On...
Independent Thoughts: Residents support Jimmy Fund Walk
Residents support Jimmy Fund Walk For those who did not venture into the center of town during the early morning hours on Sept. 22, you might have missed the thousands of people here for the start of the annual Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk. A number of residents...
Independent Thoughts: How to save a life
When Hopkinton Fire Chief Steve Slaman showed up at Teamworks in Northborough on July 27 for the KeepSmilin4Abbie field hockey fundraiser, the jokes started almost immediately. One of the charity games that day pitted a team made up mostly of fathers of Hopkinton High...
Independent Thoughts: One woman’s personal mission to encourage organ donation
Susan Graham has a simple request: Please save her life. The 57-year-old has known for many years that this day was coming, when her kidneys would fail and she would be on the list for a transplant — with about 100,000 other Americans. Graham, who has lived in...
Independent Thoughts: Turnover at top for Timlin Event
The June 15 Sharon Timlin Memorial Event was an especially bittersweet one for Abbie Rosenberg. The founder and organizer of the event since it started 16 years ago, Rosenberg announced plans to step away as director as she focuses on her new career — starting a...
Independent Thoughts: Marathon finish
Annual post-race party puts cap on 123rd edition This year’s Boston Marathon might a distant memory to many people, but there is one more event in town related to last month’s 123rd running of the race. The annual Marathon Post Party will be held Thursday, May 30,...
Independent Thoughts: Businesses come up big to save Easter Egg Hunt
One of the traditional signs of spring in Hopkinton is the annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Town Common, organized by the Parks and Recreation Department. With longtime sponsor Hopkinton Drug no longer involved, the event’s future was in jeopardy. The call went out to...
Independent Thoughts: A new year, a new Independent
There are a lot of stories to share in this town, and I’m sure most of them are more interesting than mine. So, I’ll make this introduction quick. I’m the new editor of this newspaper, and I look forward to continuing the tradition started by former publisher and...