March 18, 2020 -- Thanks to John Sherffius
for sharing this breath of springtime, as his crocuses reach out for
sunshine, and prepare for the coming rainfall and pollenization.
Dear Resident,
We are seeing a steep rise in the amount of clogs at our sewer pump
stations. The predominate cause has been the increase of wipes and
rags that should not be disposed of in the sewer system.
Those items need to be disposed of properly in the trash. Please
note there is no such thing as a “flushable wipes”. They do not
breakdown and bind together to clog the pipes and pumps. We need
your IMMEDIATE assistance and ask that you please refrain from
flushing any foreign items. Not only does this cause costly repairs,
but it could lead to back up of sewerage into your home. We thank
you for your cooperation in this very important matter!
Regards,
Eric Carty
Water and Sewer Manager
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Three Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Hopkinton NO community spread evidence
March 18, 2020 -- Health Director Shaun
McAuliffe updated the Select Board last night on the COVID - 19
virus in Hopkinton. He said they are monitoring 25 residents,
3 confirmed cases of the virus and 22 cases "under the direct
supervision of the Hopkinton Health Department," which monitors
their conditions, remotely, every morning. He added that there
is no evidence of community spread in the town of Hopkinton.
"We have linked every case to
foreign travel or close contact," he said.
The board was a 3-member board last night in order to comply
with a 6-foot social distancing recommendation, said Chair
Brendan Tedstone. He added that the two oldest members, on his
order, were told not to appear.
Mark Edward Bell, 64
Mark
Edward Bell, 64, of Hopkinton, passed away
surrounded by his family after a valiant battle with pancreatic
cancer. Born in NY, NY, and raised in Nanuet, NY, he was the son of
the late Florence (Pantano) and Edward F. Bell. He was the husband
of 36 years to his beloved wife, Gayle Gonthier-Bell of Hopkinton.
Mark moved to Massachusetts to attend Northeastern University, which
began his love affair for all things Boston, particularly their
sports teams. After graduating, Mark found success in the world of
marketing & technology start-ups. Mark was avidly passionate about
sports, cars and photography. The greatest love affair of all time
was Mark & the New England Patriots, as he has been a season ticket
holder for over 19 years. Mark had a love for sports cars, always
reading about them and driving them. Mark was also an avid
photographer. He volunteered for being our “official” photographer
for recreational sports teams, family gatherings and great vacations
all over the world.
The most important aspect of Mark’s life was his family. His love
and commitment to his family will be his everlasting legacy. Mark’s
friendly and positive demeanor made him a fast friend to many, while
his confidence and quick wit made him respected by all.
Besides his wife, Mark is survived by his two children, Jeff Bell
and his wife & daughter, Amy & Sienna of Wall, NJ and Marissa Bell
of NY, NY; his mother-in-law, Peg Gonthier of Hopkinton. Mark also
leaves his brother and sisters- in-law; Gary and Joan Gonthier of
Novi, MI; Glen and Jennifer Gonthier of Framingham, MA; Greg and
Tricia Gonthier of Bellingham, MA, and his nephews and niece;
Bradley, Ryan, and Connor Gonthier; Andrew and Marina Gonthier. He
is predeceased by his sister, Karen J. Bell.
A service will take place at a later date, after it is safe to
travel. Arrangements are under the care of the Chesmore Funeral Home
of Hopkinton, www.ChesmoreFuneralHome.com/
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Pancreatic Cancer
Action Network( https://www.pancan.org/
).
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners and the surrounding
Communities
Milford Regional Restricts Visitors, Limits Medical Services to
Protect Patients From COVID-19 Exposure
MILFORD
– In order to protect patients and staff from the risk of potential
exposure to the coronavirus (COVID-19), Milford Regional Medical
Center has enhanced visitor restrictions, canceled all elective
surgeries and has limited outpatient services.
Effective immediately, the following restrictions are now in effect:
VISITOR RESTRICTIONS
There are no visitors allowed in the hospital, except for the
following exceptions: In maternity, the birthing partner is allowed.
One parent or guardian is allowed for their child. Visitors for a
patient at end of life or who has died may be waived at the
discretion of the charge nurse or nursing supervisor.
All patients and visitors must enter through the Hill Health Center,
Imaging Center entrance or Emergency Department. The Main Lobby
entrance will be closed.
All patients and visitors will be screened before entering the
Medical Center. The following will not be allowed to enter: Those
who have had close contact with someone who has tested POSITIVE for
Covid-19; those who traveled within the past 14 days to China,
Macau, Hong Kong, South Korea, Italy, Iran or Japan; or those who
work with or have had contact with employees of Biogen within the
past 14 days. Those who have a fever, cough and/or shortness of
breath. Visitors who pass the screening must wear a visitor tag at
all times and it expires in 24 hours. Medical Services
Elective surgery: Effective Wednesday, March 18, 2020, all elective
surgery will be canceled. Routine Screenings: Routine screenings
should be rescheduled; however, patients are encouraged to discuss
this with their primary care provider. Outpatient Services - When
possible, outpatient services should be rescheduled. Once again,
patients are encouraged to discuss this with their primary care
provider. As this is an on-going situation, these restrictions and
limitations can change at any time. Please check our website for the
most updated information:
https://www.milfordregional.org/coronavirus-covid-19-update/
Tonight's Select Board Meeting
Should you visit Select Board meeting if you don't need to?
Advice from Assistant Town Manager Elaine Lazarus:
"Watch from Home on TV."
Editor's Note: [HCAM-tv
livestreaming]
In response to the Coronavirus, and in consideration of information
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and the State of
Emergency issued by Governor Baker, the Hopkinton Town Hall will be
closed to the public from Tuesday, March 17th until Monday, March
30, 2020. The status will be continuously reevaluated and updated.
Phone Service: Staff will be available by phone during normal hours
of operation. Town Hall hours: (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 8:00am –
4:30pm, Tuesday 8:00am – 7:00pm, Friday 8:00am – 2:00pm) to answer
phone call questions from the public.
Online, Email, and Mail Service: Residents and other interested
parties can pay bills, apply for permits and licenses and access
other information and services at the Town website:
www.hopkintonma.gov .
Payments by check will still be accepted by mail or through the drop
box located at either front or rear entrance to Town Hall.
Cash is not accepted .
Peaceful Easy Feeling
March 17, 2020 -- These male and female
mergansers where enjoying yesterday on Bloods Pond, the surface of
which they had pretty much to themselves.
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners and the surrounding
Communities
Slow Progress March 17, 2020 -- The Roving HopNews camera
often makes trips to Oxford, where this tree is being slowly chipped
away by a beaver, and Sutton, where an annual ritual of
egg-to-flight great blue herons have a heronry of a dozen or so
nests, and HopNews documents their progress with photos of daily
tasks. We'll keep watching for the beaver and its end result.
Time of Year March 17, 2020 -- About a dozen or so taps
span two properties on Tammer Lane, where we can only assume that
someone is taking advantage of the best time of year to collect
maple sap.
Dan DeCristofaro was the scheduled musical
guest at Bill's Pizzeria for next Saturday, but in compliance with
the governor's order, there will be no gathering this Saturday. But
there's no reason not to enjoy the video we captured when he last
performed there back in January to a packed, SRO, house. This
incredibly talented young man worked at Bill's as a Hopkinton teen
and joked during his performance, "I'm still making dough at
Bill's." His originals are outstanding, too.
Important
Information:
UniBank Branches Will Offer Transactions by Drive-Up
Teller Only or By Appointment Only
Starting Wed., March 18th
Due to COVID-19
Dynasty
Chinese Restaurant(No seating
until further notice, as with all eateries) Call ahead for takeout pickup
508-435-8088.
Credit Cards only - No cash handled for
your safety!
Or download Doordash.com app and have your Dynasty favorites
delivered!
Bill's
Pizzeria (No seating until further notice, as
with all eateries) Call ahead for takeout pickup or
carside delivery 508-435-0447 Credit Card Only -- No cash handled for
your safety!
Bill's is developing a delivery service soon. Keep posted!
The Spoon(No seating until further notice, as with all
eateries)
Starting tomorrow, March 17th, we will continue to provide take-out
of our regular LUNCH menu for pick-up from 7am-1pm.
Phone or text ahead.
This week The Spoon will also be offering special prepared
dinners for pick up. Set meals and pricing are listed
below. Phone or text ahead.
We ask that you place your dinner orders by 1pm
and pick up for dinners will be available from 3pm-5pm.
We will have limited supplies so please place your order for any
day early. To place an order you may:
Emailhopkintonspoon@gmail.comanytime.
Text 774-278-8318 anytime,OR call The Spoon 774-803-7125
beginning at 7am.
Please leave your name, phone number, how many dinners you would
like and if you will be paying by cash or credit card.
f you are someone who needs delivery please let us know, as we
will be able to accommodate you.
Only Going One Way March 16, 2020 -- Most people who live in
Woodville recognize this as Highland Street, which leads to
Exchange Street, which leads to Wood Street. Many people who live on
Winter Street use this as a link to Exchange Street, which offers
much more line-of-sight for entry onto Wood Street than Winter
Street does, especially for anyone travelling west. And for those
who recognize this scene, they know it is a one way, in which the
driver was travelling the wrong direction, until he saw gadgets
peeking over my dashboard, which, if they were on, would have
recorded a video of his surprised expression, and driving in
reverse. Part of the license plate is not obscured to give his
parents, if they are reading, a little evidence that it is indeed
their car. The arrow points to the back of the one-way sign.
Bourne Man Arrested for Trafficking Fentanyl in Fairhaven
March
16, 2020 -- On Sunday, at approximately 2:08 p.m., troopers assigned
to the Troop D Community Action Team (D-CAT) were monitoring traffic
in the city of New Bedford on Washburn Street, when they stopped a
2005 Dodge Ram pickup as it entered I-195 for motor vehicle
violations.
After a brief investigation, the driver, MARC B. MILLER, 45, of
Bourne, was found to be in possession of approximately 11 grams of
suspected fentanyl, and U.S. currency.
MILLER was placed under arrest and transported to the State Police –
North Dartmouth Barracks for booking.
MILLER was charged with trafficking in fentanyl and scheduled to
appear in New Bedford District Court for arraignment.
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners and the surrounding
Communities
New Boston Marathon date? Rescheduled Bobbi Gibb statue unveiling?
In case you missed it: March 16, 2020 -- Although HopNews covered
the press conference announcing the postponement of the Boston
Marathon nearly simultaneously, Select Board Vice-chair John
Coutinho got together with us over the weekend to shed more light on
the subject, and redo a video. (We did a video on the day of the
announcement, but the audio failed).
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
From
March 16th through March 22nd all MetroWest YMCA facilities will
be closed. This includes:
Our Framingham Branch facility and our Hopkinton Family Outdoor
Center.
The Early Learning Center at our Framingham Branch.
All off site School’s Out programs.
All off site meetings and programs.
Teresa Boyce says, "Stop by and see me sometime
Monday, between 11:00 am and 9:30 pm, my last day until the
Governor's order is lifted, hopefully per plan, on April 6, 2020."
Bill's will remain open for takeout during the order.
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners and the surrounding
Communities
Governor Baker Orders No Gatherings over 25 People
Restaurants may not seat customers
Due to the growing incidence of COVID-19, Governor Closes all
Schools, Public and Private See full
order covering
the closing of all schools, both public and private K-12 from 3/17 -
April 6; Executive Branch Employees, Gatherings and restaurants,
Health Care, Local government, Executive Branch employees, Insurers,
RMV, Unemployment, Municipal governance,
See restaurant order below, effective on March 17, 2020
Statement
from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on patient
testing for COVID-19
BOSTON (March 15, 2020)
-As of 10:45 a.m. Sunday, March 15th, 799 patients had been tested
by the Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory, up from the 475
people tested that Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou
Sudders shared at the March 14th press conference.
The Department of Public Health has implemented the US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention’s updated guidance on clinical
testing protocols, which means clinicians are required to only
submit one nasal swab, rather than the previous requirement to
submit both nasal and throat swabs. With this change in clinical
testing protocols, the State Lab’s testing capacity will increase to
approximately 400 patients a day, up from 200 patients a day.
In addition, in Massachusetts, clinicians now have more flexibility
to determine which patients should be tested without having to call
DPH’s Epi Line.
With national labs now being approved by the FDA to conduct testing,
clinicians can submit specimens for testing directly to these labs.
This change will enable more people to be tested and for more tests
to be conducted. With more clinical labs in Massachusetts working to
get FDA approval, even more testing capacity will be coming online
soon.
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
No Parking for You!
by Robert Falcione
March 15, 2020 -- Two or three more
restrictive signs have popped up in the parking lots of retail
businesses in Hopkinton since the last time we presented this
interesting trend. Town Meeting authorized the purchase of land
on Walcott Street for Town Hall parking, which appears to be in
final negotiation, but a sign at CVS opposes the formerly
prevailing notion that its lot was available for public parking.
The Verizon sign is a portable sign for one space at 89B West
Main in a lot where potential customers must often circle before
they find someone leaving a space. The 77 West Main Street sign
singles out the Starbucks' logo with a cross-out. Starbucks is
located in the same lot as the Verizon store, across from 77
West Main.
The first sign that went up was
at Hopkinton Drug for the same reason as Bill's; people were
using the lot to do business elsewhere, and it was a convenient
distance to walk. The proof is that when the Drug Store began
chaining its lot after hours, those former violators went to Bill's
and CVS, leading to both of them taking steps.
Bill's Pizzeria's sign went up after an evening of wondering why
there were 4 times as many vehicles as customers in its lot. Tow
trucks arriving on scene discouraged any further violations.
To make things worse, the popularity of online and telephone
ordering has increased traffic for the food-to-go customers, and
the need for more parking, but the parking regulations haven't
kept up with the increase. In fact, in the Downtown, a business
only needs to supply half the parking it would need elsewhere in
town. Seriously, that's in the regulations!
Almost forgot. The lot at CVS will lose, as far as we recall,
ALL (22?) of its parking spaces along Grove Street when the Main
Street Corridor plan is implemented, and that land is taken.
Time to fix things.
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners and the surrounding
Communities
Faith Community Church of Hopkinton: No Public Sunday Services. Services will be
Livestreamed on facebook
March 14, 2020 --Yesterday, Boston Mayor
Walsh announced from Boston City Hall the postponement of the Boston
Marathon until September 14, 2020 and we had the story on HopNews by
the time the press conference was over. Above is a link to a
video made available earlier today of Select Board Vice-chair John
Coutinho representing Hopkinton.
Troopers Investigating Death Aboard Incoming International Flight at
Logan
March
14, 2020 -- At approximately 12:30 p.m. Friday Massachusetts State
Police at Troop F were notified that a passenger was in cardiac
arrest aboard Emirates Flight EK237 enroute from Dubai to Boston.
The passenger was a 59-year-old male from Worcester.
MSP Troopers, Boston EMS, and Massport Firefighters responded to
Gate E11 to await arrival. Emirates EK237 arrived at
approximately 2:55 p.m. and all other passengers exited the
aircraft.
At approximately 3 p.m. Boston EMS determined the passenger who had
been ill was deceased. His cause and manner of death is pending
autopsy results.
Subsequent investigation by MSP Troop F and the State Police
Detective Unit for Suffolk County, with assistance from Customs and
Border Protection, determined the following:
1. The male travelled from Boston to Chennai, India on March 4, 2020
and had a layover in Dubai prior to his return flight;
2. The male had been sick with gastrointestinal problems for several
days prior to and including the day of his death;
3. According to his next-of-kin, the male did not have any
pre-existing medical conditions.
In light of the man’s international travel, the Office of the Chief
Medical Examiner in an abundance of caution will test for COVID-19
as part of its post-mortem examination. The State Police
investigation remains open while we await those autopsy results.
State Police investigators obtained a flight manifest for
Emirates EK237 as part of the ongoing investigation. The manifest
appears to indicate approximately 322 passengers and 18 crew members
were aboard the plane, a Boeing 777.
COVID-19 symptoms generally involve fever, sore throat, coughing,
shortness of breath, and ultimately severe chest congestion. Members
of the public can learn more about COVID-19 by going to www.mass.gov/coronavirus
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Groovin'
March 14, 2020 -- This red-tailed hawk rode
the thermals above Legacy Farms North today, at times disappearing
in a cloud; and that -- the distance from the camera -- is one
reason why it was so difficult getting a really sharp photo.
"Sprucing" Things Up March 14, 2020 -- Workers from Weston
Nurseries were busy yesterday planting trees on Legacy
Farms Road North. According to Weston
Nurseries President Peter Mezitt,
the crew is planting 462 trees along the road; 11 Types of trees
include red maple, sugar maple, river birch, honey locust, black
gum, service berry, dogwood, elm, plane cherry, red oak, and pin
oak (But no spruce).
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners and the surrounding
Communities
Hopkinton Schools, Library and Senior Center to be Closed Monday -
Friday, March 16 to March 20
Parks and Recreation programs also cancelled
Based on the
Social Distancing Guidelines
from the Hopkinton Health Department, in collaboration with the
Hopkinton Emergency Management Group, and continued assessment of
the local impact of COVID-19, the Hopkinton Public Schools,
Hopkinton Public Library, and Hopkinton Senior Center will be closed
through next week (Monday, March 16th, to Friday, March 20th).
All Parks & Recreation programs are also cancelled during this
time.
The Senior Center, Library, and Parks & Rec Staff will be available
if you have any questions, needs or concerns during this time. You
can reach the Hopkinton Senior Center at 508-497-9730, the Hopkinton
Public Library at 508-497-9777, and the Parks & Rec Department at
508-497-9750.
From the desk of Father Richard F. Cannon:
This is a message from the Cardinal
regarding Masses...
Following Governor Baker's emergency order concerning the
commonwealth's response to the Coronavirus outbreak Cardinal
O'Malley has established the following policies for the Archdiocese
of Boston effective immediately:
All Masses, (Sunday, Saturday and morning mass) in all archdiocesan
parishes are suspended until further notice. This begins at 4:00PM
on Saturday afternoon, March 14, 2020.
The cardinal has issued a dispensation from the obligation to attend
Mass.
We most strongly encourage everyone to pray the rosary as a family
on Sunday.
St. John the Evangelist Church will remain open for people to come
in and pray when they wish.
God bless one & all and please stay safe.
Fr. Cannon
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Social Distancing Guidelines from the Hopkinton Board of Health
Below are some recommendations on social distancing. The guidance is
constantly changing
and we will update this document as new information becomes
available.
The Hopkinton Health Department Department is making the following
recommendations:
● Large gatherings that include 250 people or
more have been banned by Governor Baker as of 3/13/2020 for an
undetermined amount of time. The Town of Hopkinton is following this
guidance and we strongly urge you to consider following it as well.
○ This includes gatherings such as concerts, conferences, and
professional, college, and school sporting events.
● Smaller gatherings held in venues that do not allow social
distancing of six feet per person should be postponed or canceled.
○ This
includes gatherings in crowded auditoriums, rooms or other venues.
● Gatherings of individuals who are at higher risk for severe
illness from COVID-19 should be limited to no more than 10 people.
○ This includes gatherings such as those at retirement
facilities, assisted living facilities, developmental homes, and
support groups for people with health
conditions.
A “gathering” is any event or convening that brings together people
in a single room or single space at the same time, such as an
auditorium, stadium, arena, large conference room, meeting hall,
cafeteria, or any other indoor or outdoor space. This applies to all
non-essential professional, social, and community gatherings
regardless of their sponsor. Gatherings that do not meet the
aforementioned criteria should only be conducted when they are
essential. A gathering is considered essential if it is the only
means of conducting the business at hand. Please consider telephone
or video conferencing as an alternative. Why are we making these recommendations?
Social distancing is a proven strategy to reduce the rates of
transmission and to reduce the spread of disease. By decreasing the
prevalence of disease we will:
● Reduce the number of people who contract COVID-19 before an
effective treatment or vaccine is available.
● Protect those most likely to experience severe symptoms, such as
the elderly population or those with underlying chronic conditions.
● Preserve and protect our health care delivery system, including
our health care workforce, so they can care for the least healthy
individuals in the community for any medical condition, not just
COVID-19.
● Minimize the social and economic impacts of COVID-19 over the long
run.
How long will these limitations apply?
This guidance will remain in place at least through the month of
March. We will review it regularly and update it as information
changes.
What is Social
Distancing and how is it achieved?
Social distancing is a practice recommended by public health
officials to stop or slow down the spread of contagious diseases. It
requires the creation of physical space between individuals who may
spread certain infectious diseases. The key is to minimize the
number of gatherings as much as possible and to achieve space
between individuals when events or activities cannot be modified,
postponed, or canceled. Achieving space between individuals of
approximately six feet is advisable.
What can be done
to make a gathering safer if it is essential or small?
● Stagger activities
● Add frequency of an event to spread out attendance, e.g. hold
more, smaller gatherings.
● Add distance between where individuals sit or stand around tables.
● Add additional hand washing stations and restrooms.
● Limit the number of people in lines.
● Avoid direct physical contact, such as hand-shaking, holding
hands, and hugging.
● Extend hours to allow for staggering of attendance or
participation.
● Use phones, videos or video conferencing to reduce the need for
close interactions.
● Consider ways to encourage anyone with fever and respiratory
symptoms to stay home when sick, such as
○ Offering refunds or support reselling of tickets for
persons who become ill.
○ Placing messages on websites, tickets, and venue
entrances reminding people to protect one another by staying home if
sick.
Examples of
Essential Events this Does Not Apply To:
The goal of this recommendation is to prevent people physically
coming together unnecessarily, where people who have the infection
can easily spread it to others. This guidance does not apply to
activities such as attendance at regular school classes, work, or
essential services.
Certain activities are
essential to the functioning of our state and must continue.
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners and the surrounding
Communities
Dear YMCA Community,
At the MetroWest YMCA we are guided by the principle to help
strengthen the foundations of community. We want to let you know
we’re thinking about all of you—our staff, our members, our
program participants, our suppliers, and our community partners
—as we work through the effects of the coronavirus.
The local Boards of Health remain the primary point of contact
for us. The Health Departments in each of the communities we
serve are working diligently with the Massachusetts Department
of Public Health (MDPH) and local representatives from the
Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Based on their guidance and information we are receiving we have
decided upon the following:
From March 14ththrough
March 20th
>We are suspending youth programs, including Child Watch and The
Early Learning Center at our Framingham Branch facility and our
>Hopkinton Family Outdoor Center.
>We are suspending LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, and The
Cardiopulmonary Wellness Programat
our Framingham Branch facility.
>The gymnasium will remain open, however pre-school open gym
will be suspended. Basketball will also not be allowed during
this time, this includes The Youth Basketball Extended League.
>The play structure in the Game Room will be closed.
During this week we will be monitoring the situation to
determine the best course of action going forward on a week to
week basis.
In uncertain times like these, we must be there for one another.
The effects will be far reaching and, in response, we all need
to think sensibly and empathetically. By following the latest
trusted science and leading with our hearts, we will get through
this together.
Take good care,
Richard A. MacPherson
President and CEO
MetroWest YMCA
Hopkinton Senior Center Closed March 16 thru March 20
The
Hopkinton Senior Center staff has made the decision to cancel all
programs and events the week of March 16 - 20, 2020. The
Senior Center Staff will be available if you have any questions,
needs or concerns during this time. Feel free to contact us at
508-497-9730. We
will be re-evaluating our status next week and will keep you posted
on future plans.
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Boston Marathon Postponed
to September 14, 2020 Above, screenshot of press
conference from WBZ CBS4 broadcast. Tom Grilk of the BAA is at
the podium,
Hopkinton Select Board member John Coutinho is behind his right.
March 13, 2020 -- Boston Mayor Marty
Walsh led the discussion at a press conference at Boston City
Hall this morning and announced the official postponement of the
2020 BAA Boston Marathon to Monday, September 14, 2020, a day
that Governor Charlie Baker said will be a state holiday,
Marathon Day.
The Boston Marathon is known for bringing not
just economic vitality to the cities and towns through which it
is run, but the many charitable causes that runners embrace
every year. That and the iconic nature of a marathon that has
never been cancelled, drove much of the decision making,
speakers said.
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners and the surrounding
Communities
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020
All Hopkinton Public School
March Music Concerts
are CANCELLED.
Following the guidelines on large group gatherings that the
Department of Public Health and the Hopkinton Public Schools have
suggested, the Hopkinton Music Department will be cancelling the
remaining school concerts for the rest of the month.
Also, please note that this year’s MICCA festival will NOT be held
April 3-5.
Boston Marathon to be Postponed According to WBZ CBS4 News at 11:00 pm, the
Boston Marathon will be postponed presumably until the fall of this
year.
WBZ promised there would be an official announcement Friday. HopNews
has yet to receive anything from the BAA, but inasmuch as WBZ is an
official partner of the Boston Marathon, as well as a very reliable
source, we'll report this now and look forward to the BAA statement
tomorrow. Here's a little taste from the 2014 Boston Marathon with a
HopNews video and a song by Amanda Maffei. See Video.
229 Hayden Rowe Street, Hopkinton
Baker-Polito Administration Announces Emergency Order Modifying
the State’s Open Meeting Law
Order
will allow state, quasi and local governments to carry out
essential functions during COVID-19 outbreak
BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced an
emergency order temporarily modifying the state’s open meeting
law in order to allow state, quasi and local governments to
continue to carry out essential functions and operations during
the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
This emergency order suspends the requirement for public access
to the physical location where a public meeting is taking place,
provided there are other means of access available. This
includes the use of a phone conference line for members of the
public, social media or other internet streaming services,
on-line meeting services, or methods of access.
Both the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH)
have advised residents to take extra measures to put distance
between themselves and other people to further reduce the risk
of being exposed to COVID-19. Additionally, the CDC and DPH have
advised high-risk individuals, including people over the age of
60, anyone with underlying health conditions or a weakened
immune system, and pregnant women, to avoid large gatherings.
Additionally, the order relieves the requirement that a quorum
of members be physically present at a public meeting. During
this period, members may all participate by remote or virtual
means.
This order is applicable to meetings of public bodies including
commissions, boards, and committees that engage in policy making
at the state, quasi and local level, and it does not apply to
Town Meetings or judicial and quasi-judicial hearings. It
follows Governor Baker’s declaration of a State of Emergency on
Wednesday, March 11, and it will remain in place until rescinded
or the State of Emergency is terminated.
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Per Hopkinton Police, the Hopkinton Police vs. Hopkinton Special
Olympics
Basketball Game scheduled for March 21, 2020 has been cancelled!
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Homeowners and the surrounding
Communities
Seriously Affordable
Real Estate Transactions for Hopkinton
New
Transactions from March 3, 2020 - March 12, 2020 Choose blue links to see town's property cards
March 12, 2020 -- These great blue herons
have returned to their heronry in Oxford, just past the Sutton line,
offering another full season of heron photos. We have Tom G. to
thank for making this location known to us, and another reader for
correcting our use of a word for the gathering to the correct one.
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners and the surrounding
Communities
Massachusetts Issues Policies and Procedures Restricting
Visitors to Nursing Homes and Rest Homes to Reduce Risk of
Coronavirus
BOSTON – (March 11, 2020) Today the Baker-Polito
Administration released policies restricting visitors to nursing
homes and rest homes in order to protect
older adults at higher risk for Coronavirus (COVID-19) and other
respiratory illness. Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou
Sudders, Department of Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel and
their teams reviewed the guidance with long term care facility
operators via teleconference today.
This action follows Governor Charlie Baker’s Tuesday declaration of
a State of Emergency in Massachusetts that was ratified by the
Public Health Council earlier today granting the Commissioner of
Public Health with the authority to implement the Governor’s State
of Emergency.
With this authority, the Commissioner of Public Health issued an
order requiring all facilities – nursing and rest homes – to
actively screen all visitors and to take measures to restrict
visitors under certain circumstances.
“Everyone has a role to play to mitigate the spread of the
Coronavirus outbreak in Massachusetts, and it’s particularly
important that we take precautions to keep older adults and those
with health conditions safe,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “This new
guidance for long-term care facilities is critical to protecting
older adults from COVID-19 and we appreciate the public’s
willingness to observe these important rules for the foreseeable
future.”
“Today’s actions are being taken to protect older adults that are
particularly vulnerable to coronavirus and other respiratory
diseases, as we have seen as its spread across the world, including
the United States,” said Secretary Marylou Sudders. “Massachusetts,
as we all know has an aging population – with 20% of residents being
over 60 – and so we needed to act to protect our older residents,
especially those in long term care facilities.”
“Our goal at DPH is to protect the health and well-being of all
Massachusetts residents, especially those at highest risk for
COVID-19,” said Commissioner Monica Bharel, MD, MPH. “We will
continue to update our guidance as this outbreak evolves.”
This guidance outlines how these facilities should protect older
adult residents, who are at higher risk for Coronavirus. The
guidance includes the following restrictions:
- Banning visitors who show signs or symptoms of a respiratory
infection (fever, cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat)
- Visitors will be prohibited if in the last 14 days they had
contact with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, are
under investigation for COVID-19 or has been sick
- Visitors will be prohibited if they have travelled internationally
in the last 14 days or are residing in a community where
community-based spread of COVID-19 is occurring
- Visitors will not be allowed to visit long term care facilities if
they currently feel sick or exhibit symptoms
In addition to specific recommendations for long term care
facilities, the Administration updated its guidance to the general
public, specifically urging older adults and those with health
issues to avoid large crowds and events. Individuals who live in
households with vulnerable people, like elderly parents, should also
consider avoiding crowds to mitigate risk. This guidance is posted
on the Department of Public Health’s website,
www.mass.gov/2019coronavirus
.
The public is reminded of steps to take to limit the spread of
COVID-19: · Cover your mouth – when you cough or sneeze use a tissue or
your inner elbow, not your hands
· Wash your hands – with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based
sanitizing gel
· Stay home if you are sick – and avoid close contact with others
The Administration will continue to update the public on further
developments and individuals are encouraged to consult both the
Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention websites for the most up to date information. Press
Release
No
School in Hopkinton for the Rest of the Week
Good afternoon, Hopkinton faculty, students, and families:
I want to begin this email with an expression of thanks for your
patience while we continue to work through what is a careful
approach to supporting health and safety in our school community.
Thanks are also due to building and district administrators, along
with their administrative assistants, who have been navigating much
of this all day. Our school nurses spent the day collaborating with
the town’s public health officials, and our custodial staff have
worked assiduously over the past 24 hours to ensure that our
buildings and school buses are cleaned and disinfected.
Last night the Director of Finance and Operations, Susan Rothermich,
and I were called to a meeting with Hopkinton’s Town Manager, local
Board of Health Officials, Fire Chief Steve Slaman, members of the
Select Board, and members of the School Committee. In that setting,
we discussed the 41 cases of Presumptive Positive people in
Middlesex County as well as the two cases in Hopkinton. It was
determined that there may be farther-reaching incidence in our
community, but it was too early to understand the magnitude of
contact between Presumptive Positive individuals and others.
Given the time today, public health officials and school nurses
identified groups of students and staff who may have potentially
been exposed to the COVID-19, and those families and faculty are
being contacted directly. Those students, teachers, and staff will
need to be in quarantine for 14 days. The Hopkinton Health
Department will contact people who need to quarantine. And, they
will continue to work on determining the magnitude of the spread of
virus by following social touchpoints.
As a School District, we are asking families to be prudent about
limiting social interactions, to continue to wash your hands, and to
avoid physical interactions such as hugs, high fives, handshakes,
and the like. It is important that we all behave in accordance with
DPH recommendations, which include not sending your children to
school when they are sick and having a back-up plan to pick up
children at school should they become sick during the school day.
Practice social distancing.
Part of our continued work to ensure health and safety in Hopkinton
requires us to close the Hopkinton Public Schools along with
canceling all after school and extracurricular events and activities
throughout the remainder of this week. I spoke with the
Massachusetts Associate Commissioner of Education, Helene
Bettencourt, who noted that these days will be treated like snow
days and will need to be made up at the end of the school year.
Guidance at this point is that we will be in attendance through the
scheduled 185th day of school (June 23, 2020).
Right now our buildings are clean and disinfected, and we are hoping
to be able to open them soon for teaching and learning. When and/or
how that will happen will certainly come with updated information as
it becomes available. We are still considering remote options for
instruction, but that needs to be determined with guidance from the
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
Please reach out directly if there is school-related information I
can help you with. Because I am not a public health official, I am
unable to share health information.
Again, I thank you for your patience and underscore that we are
working with the Department of Health to support the health and
safety of all.
Sincerely,
Carol Cavanaugh
Superintendent
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Did you have to wait to learn about the
Corona virus cases, or were you on our alert list, and directed to
HopNews.com (story below). If you are not on our alert list, it
might be a good idea to go there now and like and follow to begin
getting the latest in important information like your neighbors do!
Riding the Wind
March 11, 2020 -- This turkey vulture flew
directly over the photographer a couple of times yesterday to give
him this great shot of its wings and underbelly outside of the Post
Office as it and another circled the Downtown in the strong wind.
Working hard for Hopkinton
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MSP Troop D Community Action Team Arrests fall River Man for
Illegally Possessing a Firearm
A motor vehicle stop on County Road in Taunton last night led to
the arrest of a Fall River man for illegally possessing a
firearm.
At about 8:45 p.m., members of the Troop D Community Action team
stopped a 2002 Toyota Avalon for motor vehicle violations. The
vehicle was occupied by four men none of whom were wearing seat
belts. As the troopers identified each occupant, the rear
passenger, KRISTIAN CRUZ, 21, of Fall River exhibited nervous
behavior. CRUZ was slow to answer questions and kept
touching a fanny pack strapped over his left shoulder. In fear
the fanny pack may contain a weapon, troopers asked CRUZ two
times to hand it over. Inside the pack, a gray Taurus
Millennium PT 145 .45 caliber handgun with a fully loaded
magazine that contained ten rounds of hollow point ammunition, 1
high capacity feeding device that contained twelve rounds of .45
caliber ammunition and 1 small scale. CRUZ does not
legally possess a license to carry a firearm in Massachusetts.
CRUZ was placed under arrest and transported to State Police
Middleboro barracks for booking on the following charges:
1. Possession of a Firearm;
2. Carry a Loaded Firearm;
3. Possession of a High Capacity Feeding Device;
4. Possession of Ammunition without an FID Card; and
5. Receiving Stolen Property.
A bail commissioner set bail at $2,540.00 for CRUZ, who was held
at the Bristol County House of Correction pending his
arraignment today in Taunton District Court.
Patricia
A. "Patsy" Laughlin
Died on March 7, 2020 at the age of 85 in Natick following a period
of declining health. She was born on March 30, 1934 in Cambridge to
William Patrick Hogan and Mary Margaret (Daly) Hogan. She attended
St. Mary's Elementary School in Cambridge and Massachusetts Hospital
School in Canton, and graduated from Fisher Junior College and
Framingham State University.
She married Daniel R. Laughlin in 1956 at the Copley Plaza Hotel in
Boston. Patsy was devoted to helping others. At age 15, she
contracted poliomyelitis and was thereafter paralyzed from the waist
down. After raising her own 7 children, she returned to college for
a Bachelor's degree at the age of 53 and embarked on a career
serving the disability community.
She was honored in 1998 by the Mass. State Senate and the Mass.
Rehabilitation Commission for her service. In her spare time, Patsy
enjoyed nothing better than clipping coupons and stockpiled a supply
of household goods purchased with triple coupons on her sunporch for
her adult children. She was preceded in death by her parents, her
brothers William and Paul, and sister Mary Jo.
She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Daniel R. Laughlin,
brothers John and Kenneth and her children, Kathleen and Lawrence
Mone of Hoboken, NJ; Elaine Laughlin of Providence, RI; Julia
Laughlin of Falmouth; Edward and Cleo Laughlin of Lowell; Gregory
Laughlin of Las Vegas, NV; Nancy and Jennette Banks Laughlin of
Lowell; and Jean and John Davis of Pittsboro, NC; as well as 8
grandchildren, Benjamin Robinson, Emily Mone, John Curci, Katherine
Robinson, Bryanna Laughlin, Irene Mone, Hannah Laughlin, William
Laughlin, and many nephews and nieces.
Visiting Hours will be held from 4:00 -7:00 pm on Friday, March 13,
2020 at the John C. Bryant Funeral Home, 56 Pemberton Rd. (off Rt.
30), WAYLAND. Family and friends are invited to go directly to
Patsy's Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, March 14, 2020 at
10:00 am at Good Shepherd Parish at St. Zepherin Church, 99 Main
Street (Rt. 27), Wayland. Interment will follow in Lakeview Cemetery
in Wayland. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be
made to: MetroWest Center for Independent Living, 280 Irving Street,
Framingham, MA 01702 orhttps://mwcil.org/donate/For
condolences and directions, please visitwww.johncbryantfuneralhome.com
NOTE:
Patricia A. "Patsy" Laughlin is a former Hopkinton resident
Advice: Wash your hands, don’t shake hands, and stay home if
you’re sick
On March 10, 2020, Governor Charlie Baker
declared a state of emergency in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
to support the Commonwealth’s response to COVID-19. The COVID-19
situation is very fluid, and new information and guidelines are
being posted by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
on a regular basis. The number of cases within Middlesex County has
increased from 15 to 41 cases in the last twenty-four hours. In
Hopkinton we are managing two cases that tested presumptive
positive. The Hopkinton Health Department is working with the
Massachusetts Department of Public Health and managing these two
cases per the DPH recommendations.
We will continue to proceed with the most conservative approach by
monitoring any individual that meets the DPH guidelines for
assessment. The Select Board, the School Committee, the Board of
Health Chair and senior leaders in the town met this evening and
determined the safest course of action was to close the schools. We
will use this time to assess the risk of transmission to all
residents, faculty, and students.
COVID-19 cases will continue to increase; most are mild, and we are
working to limit transmission within our community. The best action
you can take to protect yourself, your family, and our community is
to follow three simple steps: wash your hands, don’t shake hands,
and stay home if you’re sick.
The Health Department is committed to reducing the risk of exposure
to COVID-19 to the residents of Hopkinton by educating and informing
residents as new information is made available.
SHAUN MCAULIFFE
HEALTH DIRECTOR
SMCAULIFFE@hopkintonma.gov
508-497-9725
COVID-19 Hits Home - Hopkinton Public Schools Closed Wednesday,
March 11, 2020 Two Presumptive Cases of
Corona Virus in Hopkinton -- Subjects Quarantined.
by Robert Falcione
March
10,2020 -- This evening, the Select Board broke into executive
Session with the School Committee and the Board of Health to inform
and discuss
the two presumptive cases of COVID-19, the subjects of which are now
under a quarantine. They returned to open session and Chair Brendan
Tedstone informed the meeting of the circumstance and introduced
Lisa Whittemore, Chair of the Board of Health (File photo).
Ms.
Whittemore assured the gathering that the testing was getting
better, resulting in the increase in reported cases.
"We are working
collaboratively with the Senior Center, schools and other town
departments to make sure they are as up to date as we are, as we
receive this information.
"We will
continue to update information on the town website and other means.
"Wash your
hands, don't touch your face, stay home if you're sick
"The Health
Department will treat anyone exposed in Hopkinton as high risk," she
said. Health Director Shaun McAuliffe spoke next.
"We are in
constant contact with the state health department. And we are
working aggressively to develop policies and procedures both n
Hopkinton and to develop policies and procedures for throughout the
region," he said.
Here is a letter sent this out
evening at 8:28 pm to families with students
Dear Hopkinton Families,
Due to Governor Charlie Baker’s declaration of a
State of Emergency, coupled with the facts that there are 41
presumptive cases of COVID-19 in all of Middlesex County and
two presumptive cases now in Hopkinton, the Hopkinton
Public Schools will close tomorrow, Wednesday, March 11, 2020.
More information will be coming from the Town of
Hopkinton Board of Health via social media and the Town of Hopkinton
website, as it becomes available.
All my best,
Carol Cavanaugh
Superintendent
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Main Street Corridor Project Update
HOPKINTON,
MA (March 10, 2020) - To ensure clear communication and timely
project updates for the Main Street Corridor Project, the Town of
Hopkinton has partnered with the leadership of the Hopkinton Chamber
of Commerce in a coordinated effort to keep business owners up to
date with the project’s schedule, milestones and next steps.
Representatives from the Chamber have been meeting with the project
team on a regular basis since the end of January and will continue
to do so as the project progresses.
The most recent meeting, held on Tuesday, March 10, provided members
of the Chamber’s Board of Directors with an update on the project’s
planned Design Schedule, the Right-of-Way Acquisition Schedule and
the Construction/Phasing Schedule. All three schedules influence the
completion of the project as outlined below:
Design Schedule
● 100% Design Submission made on February 3, 2020
● Comments from MassDOT: March 2020
● Plans/Specifications/Estimate Design Submission(s): March to May
2020
● MassDOT Contracts Review and Bidding: May to June 2020
● Project Advertisement: June 2020
● Contractor Selected by MassDOT: Fall/ Winter 2020
● Construction begins: Spring 2021
Right-of-Way Acquisition Schedule
● Appraisal process completed February 2020
● Offers to Property Owners March 2020
● Select Board votes on easement takings April 2020
● Easements are recorded at Registry April 2020
● Payment to abutters and close out acquisition process with MassDOT
April/ May 2020
Construction Phasing/ Schedule
● Notice to proceed is anticipated to occur in the Fall of 2020.
● Shop drawings, order and fabrication of materials and construction
staking anticipated Fall 2020 to Spring 2021.
● Construction (field work) anticipated to start in the Spring of
2021 and end in the Fall of 2023.
As the update to Chamber members at the meeting came to end, Chamber
President Cristina Morrissiey said, “These communications are not
going to end today; we hope to create as much awareness as
possible.”
Please note that the Main Street Project timeline with current
updates can be viewed online at the town’s ClearGov Project Portal
at Hopkinton, MA | Capital Projects Info .
For additional information or questions regarding the Main Street
Corridor Project, please contact Town Engineer David Daltorio, P.E.
at
ddaltorio@hopkintonma.gov or 508-497-9740.
Photo of plan panel by HopNews. See more panels in Town Hall Lobby.
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Hopkinton Police Incident Logs
March 9, 2020
No New Arrests
REMINDER:
Hopkinton Music Students Perform Spring Concerts During March (Music
in Our Schools Month)
Hopkins School Concert: Tue, March 10, 7 p.m.
at HS Athletic Center
6th Grade Concert: Mon, March 16, 7 p.m. at
Middle School Auditorium
7th Grade Concert - Band and Chorus: Wed, March 18,
7 p.m. at Middle School Auditorium
8th Grade Concert and 7th/8th Grade Orchestra: Tue,
March 24, 7 p.m. at Middle School Auditorium
High School Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Chorus, and Orchestra:
Thu, March 26, 7
p.m. at High School Auditorium
April 3 - 5, 2020, Hopkinton High School is one of
the host sites for the Massachusetts Instrumental & Choral
Conductors Association (MICCA) 2020 Concert Festival. The public is
welcome at all evaluation sites. The one-time admission is valid at
all choral and instrumental sites throughout the weekend. For more
info, go to
www.miccamusic.org.
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Massachusetts Department of Public Health Updates New COVID-19 Cases
in New Online Dashboard
BOSTON
(March 9, 2020) - The Department of Public Health (DPH) has updated
the number of confirmed and presumptive positive cases at mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-cases-quarantine-and-monitoring
. Starting today, the case information will be posted once daily by
4 p.m.
There are 13 new presumptive positive cases of COVID-19, bringing
the total number of confirmed or presumptive positive cases in
Massachusetts to 41. Of the 13 new presumptive positive cases of
COVID-19, nine are associated with the Biogen employee meeting held
in late February: the cases are either employees or close contacts
of employees. All of today’s presumptive positive cases are
isolating at home or in a healthcare setting. Of the 41 confirmed or
presumptive positive cases, 32 are associated with the Biogen
conference.
The State Public Health Lab’s result is considered presumptive
positive and the specimens are sent to the US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) for confirmation.
Additional updates to the site include case breakdowns by county,
age, gender, and source.
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Homeowners and the surrounding
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4th Annual 5k run/walk to honor the memory of Trooper Thomas Clardy.
Husband, father to six children, State Trooper and United States
Marine Corps veteran. This race will help us remember this man who
dedicated his life to his family and public service. Proceeds of the
race to benefit the Trooper Thomas Clardy Memorial Scholarship Fund.
REGISTER TODAY!!!
clardy5k2020.racewire.com
Hopkinton’s 5th
Annual “Edible Book Festival” Returns on Friday, March 27th,
4-5 PM
Hopkinton Public Library
FREE and FUN for all ages!
Attention Readers &
Bakers: Start your ovens!
Hopkinton Girl
Scouts invite book and food lovers of all ages to Hopkinton’s 5th
Annual Edible Book Festival, to be held on Friday March 27th
at Hopkinton Library from 4-5 PM. This event is free and open to the
public.
To enter, bring your
edible book to the Library at 4 PM on Friday March 27th.
Edible book entries are made of food and inspired by any book.
Entries fall into the following categories:
1) Child Category:
Single Baker who 8th grader or younger;
2) Adult Category:
Single Baker who is 9th grade High School student or
older;
3) Family Category:
Creation prepared by two or more individuals (any group, may include
adults and/or children).
Winners will be
announced shortly after 5:00pm. You don’t have to enter to attend
event, just come to vote for your favorite entries!
The Edible Book
Festival started in 2016 as part of Girl Scout Troop #65040’s Bronze
Award project to promote reading and literacy.
Questions? Email
hopgstroop65040@gmail.com. For more information, or to view prior
years entries, please visit:
https://troop65040.wordpress.com/
It's About Time!
March 9, 2020 --
We visited the Willard Museum in North Grafton yesterday – a
historic little colonial home of the famous clock-making family and
now a museum filled with amazing timepieces (mostly their own wall
and grandfather clock creations) from the 18th and 19th centuries. A
welcome diversion from all the bad news lately.
Dems Caucus March 8, 2020 -- Democrats held a caucus
today in a rare Sunday Town Hall meeting, choosing delegates for the
state convention in Lowell on May 30.
Elected to attend Democratic State Convention on May 30th
Women:Amy Groves,
Melissa Hayes, Mary jo Lafreniere, Mary jo Ondrechen
Women Alternates:
Lya Batlle-Rafferty, Lesley Ficari
Men:Will
Blanchette, Irfan Nasrullah, Ken Parker, Devon Rutter
Men Alternates:
Dick Duggan, Andrew Hayes
In addition add ons may apply to be delegates and two ex-officios
attend as delegates who are Ed Mills and Darlene Hayes.
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Hopkinton Bows to Wayland, 61-49 March 8, 2020 -- Above, Elan Rosen scores two
big ones for the green at the Hillers' final game of the season on
Saturday, March 7, 2020 at Worcester State University. Below, Tommy
Ambrosone runs into a pack of Wayland players as his teammates'
hopes are written on their faces in the background.
From the Radical Middle
Eschewing the Handshake,
Bringing Back the Wave
by
Robert Falcione
March 8, 2020 -- The wave and the handshake likely have ancient
roots, as illustrated in this file photo of Select Board member
Brian Herr, who is saying hello by waving, and showing tacitly
that he has no weapons, as he enters Town Hall. The handshake
demonstrates the same condition, and always with the right
hand. We have learned that in times beyond living memory, people
used the left hand for other purposes which are considered
unsanitary. Aside from ancient times and practices; modern
practices and behavioral recommendations are changing almost
daily.
For
about two years now, I have practiced the fist-bump over
the
handshake. It was a difficult decision. Most boys of Italian
heritage like myself were taught that a firm, dry, eye-to-eye
handshake was the sign of a solid man. Perhaps other cultures
also believe the same. So, it was a very difficult decision --
until last summer.
Last summer I
gave in to old friendships and shook the hand of
an individual who told me afterward that she had been sick for a
month. I was sick for a month after that. Again, no more
handshakes going forward.
I personally
pitched for the fist-bump to anyone who reached out for a
handshake (Choose the thumbnail above to see Dick Duggan and
John Coutinho demonstrate it, 2 years ago).
As a
result of the rapid spread of the Corona Virus, just last week
the fist-bump was trumped by the elbow-bump as demonstrated by
Town Clerk and Select Board Chair Brendan Tedstone in the next
thumbnail.
Not to
end there, a late-night comedian suggested going even further,
and as a result it has people now waving off the elbow bump in
favor of the foot bump,
as demonstrated by Mary Arnaut and Connor Degan.
But
after that, the CDC, or some like agency, suggested maintaining
a 7' distance between oneself and someone suspected of being
sick. Goodness, what's the next step?
Stay 15'
away, wave, and I'll call you!
The Moon March 8, 2020 -- Yesterday afternoon.
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
March 7, 2020 at 7:00 pm
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners and the surrounding
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NO
BURNING TODAY, MARCH 7, 2020
There is an elevated fire risk today
(3/7/2020) across much of Massachusetts. With a minimum relative
humidity expecting to drop to 25% or less and a strong, dry
northerly wind producing gust between 25 - 35 mph, There will be No
Open Burning today (Saturday) in the Town of Hopkinton.
Thank you
Deputy Miller
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Respect
March 3, 2020 -- Fellow firefighters and
police stand at attention at the Woodville Firehouse as the funeral
procession for George Gross passes by.
Photo by Maria Gross.
HMS GeoBee Champion Moves On to the State Competition
Abhishek Vijay, photo center, 2020 Hopkinton Middle School National
Geographic GeoBee Champion, has qualified to compete in the 2020
National Geographic GeoBee Massachusetts State Competition. This is
the third time the 7th grade student has made it to the state level.
The contest will be held at Elms College in Chicopee on Friday,
March 27, 2020. If successful at the state level, Abishek will be
invited to the national competition in Washington D.C. Please visit
www.NatGeoBee.com
for more information on the Bee.
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners and the surrounding
Communities
Stephen M. Hayes, 57,
Stephen M. Hayes, 57,
died unexpectedly February 27, 2020 at his home. Born in Framingham,
he was the son of the late Edward and Geraldine (Pucci) Hayes. He
was raised in Hopkinton.
Stephen worked as a carpenter with several local construction firms.
Steve loved to fish whenever he was able. While at home, Steve was
creative in the kitchen and was a great cook. Steve was a loyal fan
to all of his Boston sports teams, as well as The Three Stooges.
Most of all, Steve loved the company of his close friends, many who
stayed by his side from his youth to his final days.
Steve is survived by his brothers, Edward Mark Hayes III of Franklin
and Christopher Hayes of Whitinsville, and his sister Alyson Hayes
of Boston. Steve had five nephews of whom he was very proud, Marcus,
Dylan, Brandon, Zachary and Nikolas.
Stephen will be laid to rest with his father at Calvary Cemetery in
Greenfield, MA. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date
for friends and family to share stories and memories of Stephen's 57
years of life. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to his
Visiting Nurses at Complete VNA, 89 Main Street, Milford MA 01757.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to theCallanan
Cronin Funeral Home.
SHAUN
MCAULIFFE
HEALTH DIRECTOR
SMCAULIFFE@hopkintonma.gov
508-497-9725
March 4, 2020
The Hopkinton Health
Department is committed to protecting everyone that
lives, works or attends school in our community. We
continue to work closely with and receive guidance from
the Massachusetts Department of Public health as well as
the Center for Disease Control regarding COVID-19. It is
our mission to minimize the risk of transmission of
respiratory illnesses like influenza or COVID-19 by
educating the public.
We encourage special attention to hand-washing, covering
coughs and sneezes with your elbow, and avoiding contact
with anyone that may be sick . We also would like to
encourage anyone that is sick to stay home from work or
school. Frequently used surfaces should be cleaned and
disinfected continuously throughout the time of use.
Please continue to educate yourselves with information
regarding COVID-19 from credible sources, such as the
CDC and MDPH websites. In an effort to reduce the risk
of transmission to the community, we are asking that any
residents, students, or staff in Hopkinton who are
returning from areas of sustained COVID-19 transmission
which currently include China, Iran, Italy, Japan, and
South Korea immediately notify (via secure message or
call) the Health Department for further instruction.
Super Tuesday, March 3, 2020 in
Hopkinton Unofficial Results
<------ (Re-formatted for easier read)
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners and the surrounding
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Jeanette Thomson Can Help YOUR
Dream Come True, Too (It's just a dream, not a
miracle. Give her a call to schedule yours.)
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Not So Private Privet
i
March 3, 2020 -- This year-round
resident sparrow is too out in the open in this season,
but will occupy the inside of this privet hedge by the
scores when the leaves grow and give them cover in the
springtime. Privet is considered an invasive species,
which can grow 3 feet in a season.
Clytie Arlene
(Banks) Foster, 93
Clytie Arlene
(Banks) Foster, 93, of Hopkinton, died
peacefully at her home on Sunday, March 1, 2020. She was
surrounded by her children. Born in Rossway, Nova
Scotia, Canada, Clytie was one of ten children born to
Loren and Edna(Peters) Banks. She is predeceased by her
husband of over 60 years, Robert, who passed in 2012.
Clytie spent her life between three countries. Canada,
the UK, and the US, but Canada was her true home.
Clytie was a poet, an artist, and published short story
author. She was a devout Baptist Christian. Her family
was her biggest joy, but her friends, of whom there were
many, were a close second. Clytie was truly a kind,
loving, forgiving, strong, remarkable woman. Anyone in
Clytie’s life was blessed to have her. Clytie is
survived by her five children, Robert Foster and wife,
Cindy of Holliston, Clare Lynch or St Petersburg Fl,
David Foster and wife, Laura of Plymouth, Ma, Alice
Resker and husband, Robert of N Grafton, Victoria Hart,
and husband, James of Hopkinton. She was the loving
grandmother of 13, and great grandmother of 2. She has
one remaining sister, Irene Sabean of Seffner, FL, and
countless nieces and nephews.
Visitation will take place Thursday, March 12th from 4-7
p.m. at the Chesmore Funeral Home of Holliston, 854
Washington St. www.ChesmoreFuneralHome.com
A memorial service will be held at the Woodville
Baptist Church in Hopkinton on Saturday March 14th at
11am. Burial will be held in August 2020 at the Rossway
Baptist Church on Digby Neck, Nova Scotia alongside her
beloved husband.
Paul Edward
Nordstrom, 89
Paul
Edward Nordstrom, 89, of North Grafton
and formerly of Hopkinton and Wareham, passed away
Monday, March 2, 2020. Born in Newton, he was the son of
the late Grace E. (Jackson) and Edward L. Nordstrom. He
was the husband of 65 years to Norma (Hazen) Nordstrom.
A carpenter, builder, and vocational school teacher,
Paul is also a Veteran of the Air Force. He was a Post
Commander of the American Legion, a Mason with John
Warren Lodge, a past member of the Woodville Rod & Gun
Club, and member of the MA Retired Teachers Association.
Paul was active in the United Methodist Church in
Westborough. He enjoyed RV traveling, fishing, was an
avid golfer, and enjoyed wood carving for his family. He
was also a former square dancer in Fairs and Squares.
Besides his wife, Paul is survived by three children,
Deborah A. Linehan and her husband, Kevin of Upton,
Edward L. Nordstrom and his wife, Diane of
Framingham,
and Eric P. Nordstrom and his wife, Michelle of
Millbury. He also leaves behind his sister, Charlotte
Carboni of Holliston; as well as 7 grandchildren, Erin,
Kevin, Christopher, Julianne, Gregory, Michael and
Erica; and 7 great-grandchildren, Avery, William,
Emerson, Samuel, Ethan, Everett and Margaret.
Visitation will be held on Friday, March 6th from
4:00-7:00 p.m. at the Chesmore Funeral Home
of Hopkinton, 57 Hayden Rowe St. www.ChesmoreFuneralHome.com
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 7th
at 10:00 a.m. at United Methodist Church in Westborough.
Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery, Hopkinton. In
lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Parkinsons
Foundation, www.parkinsons.org/
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners and the surrounding
Communities
THIS COMING SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020:
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners and the surrounding
Communities
Learn more by choosing the
link in the graphic, above
MSP Fugitive Unit Captures Suspect Who Ran Down
Connecticut Court Officers
March
3, 2020 -- Troopers from the Massachusetts State
Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section (MSP
VFAS), after working throughout the night, this
morning located and apprehended a Connecticut man
who ran down two judicial marshals after fleeing
from a Manchester, Ct., courthouse yesterday.
The MSP VFAS Troopers captured JOSE A. LOPEZ, 42, in
a room at the Motel 6 on Johnny Cake Hollow Road in
Chicopee, Mass. MSP VFAS Troopers made the arrest at
approximately 5:20 a.m. today after developing
information on LOPEZ’s whereabouts. Troopers from
State Police-Springfield and Chicopee Police
Officers assisted in the arrest.
MSP VFAS Troopers took LOPEZ into custody without
incident and took him to the Chicopee Police Station
for a courtesy booking, and then brought him to
State Police-Springfield. Connecticut State Police
were immediately notified of the arrest.
LOPEZ had been sought since Monday morning. The
events that triggered the manhunt began when he
appeared on his own recognizance in the Manchester,
Ct., Superior Court for a hearing on a misdemeanor
charge. At some point during the morning, LOPEZ,
possibly fearing he was going to be held, fled the
courthouse.
Upon fleeing from court LOPEZ got into a car he was
using. Two judicial marshals chased him on foot.
LOPEZ drove into the two marshals outside the
courthouse and continued to flee in the vehicle.
Both marshals were injured, one critically.
LOPEZ was known to have ties to the Springfield,
Mass., area and MSP VFAS began assisting in the
search yesterday. Troopers from MSP VFAS, the MSP
Troop B Community Action Team, and the State Police
Detective Unit for Hampden County worked throughout
the night checking multiple possible addresses where
LOPEZ may have been hiding.
They did not locate the suspect overnight, but the
search continued into this morning and led MSP VFAS
to the Motel 6.
LOPEZ will be arraigned later today in Chicopee
District Court as a fugitive. Prosecutors will make
arrangements for his rendition to Connecticut.
First Presumptive Positive Case of COVID-19 Identified by
Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory
CDC to conduct additional testing to confirm state’s possible
second case
BOSTON
(March 2, 2020) - The Massachusetts Department of Public Health
today announced its first presumptive positive case of COVID-19
since testing started Friday, February 28, at the State Public
Health Laboratory. The woman is in her 20s and lives in Norfolk
County. She recently traveled to Italy with a school group and
was symptomatic. She is recovering at home.
The individual’s test results came back positive just this
evening. Specimens will be sent to the US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) and, if confirmed, this would be
the second confirmed positive COVID-19 case in Massachusetts
since the outbreak started in the US in January. The risk to the
public from COVID-19 remains low in Massachusetts.
“We are grateful this individual is recovering,” said Public
Health Commissioner Monica Bharel, MD, MPH. ``We understand the
concern this new virus is causing, and our state’s ability to
quickly test for the virus is a positive development. The risk
to the public from COVID-19 remains low in Massachusetts.”
Since January, Massachusetts public health officials have tested
12 residents, including the first confirmed case and now the
first presumptive positive case. Of those 12, three people have
been tested since Friday when the State Public Health Laboratory
began testing patients for COVID-19, in accordance with CDC
guidelines, after the US Food and Drug Administration gave its
approval to use the test kits.
As of last week, 608 people have been subject to self-quarantine
in Massachusetts because of COVID-19. Of those, 377 people have
completed monitoring and are no longer quarantined, while 231
are currently quarantined. This information will be updated each
Wednesday.
Coronaviruses are respiratory viruses and are generally spread
through respiratory secretions (droplets from coughs and
sneezes) of an infected person to another person. Symptoms of
COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath, and, in
severe cases, pneumonia (fluid in the lungs). Information is
still limited about how this novel coronavirus spreads. More
information on COVID-19 is available at mass.gov/2019coronavirus.
There have been more than 60 U.S. cases of COVID-19 confirmed.
Globally, more than 80,000 cases have been confirmed. Earlier
today, the CDC reported four COVID-19-related deaths for a total
of 6 deaths in the U.S.
Although the risk of the novel coronavirus to Massachusetts
residents remains low, and the risk of the flu is high, people
are advised to take many of the same steps they do to help
prevent colds and the flu, including:
Wash hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20
seconds.
Avoid touching your eyes and face.
Clean things that are frequently touched (like doorknobs and
countertops) with household cleaning spray or wipes.
Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or the inside of your
elbow.
Stay home when feeling sick.
Get a flu shot.
Clinicians who have patients they think may have symptoms
consistent with COVID-19 must contact DPH via the 24/7 EPI line
(617-983-6800).
The State Lab has an adequate supply of test kits from the CDC
for testing. The anticipated turnaround of test results from the
State Lab is 24 hours, depending on testing volume.
Individuals who are in voluntary self-quarantine continue to be
monitored by their local boards of health. DPH will release
updated statewide monitoring data weekly, beginning Wednesday,
March 4.
People who have recently traveled from an area with widespread
or ongoing community spread of COVID-19 and who have symptoms of
the disease (fever, cough, shortness of breath) should reach out
to their healthcare provider and call ahead before going to a
healthcare facility.
March 2, 2020 -- Hopkinton Fire Department
conducted training today on Ice House Pond to simulate the rescue of
an individual who has fallen through the ice. The yellow inflatable
raft has an opening in its bow through which to pull a victim on
board. Below, firefighters on shore share the work of hauling them
in with a rope attached to the stern.
Do
Not Flush Wipes!
MILFORD
– In order to protect patients and staff from the risk of potential
exposure to the coronavirus (COVID-19), Milford Regional Medical
Center has enhanced visitor restrictions, canceled all elective
surgeries and has limited outpatient services.
March
16, 2020 -- On Sunday, at approximately 2:08 p.m., troopers assigned
to the Troop D Community Action Team (D-CAT) were monitoring traffic
in the city of New Bedford on Washburn Street, when they stopped a
2005 Dodge Ram pickup as it entered I-195 for motor vehicle
violations.
Statement
from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on patient
testing for COVID-19
March
14, 2020 -- At approximately 12:30 p.m. Friday Massachusetts State
Police at Troop F were notified that a passenger was in cardiac
arrest aboard Emirates Flight EK237 enroute from Dubai to Boston.
The passenger was a 59-year-old male from Worcester. 
Order
will allow state, quasi and local governments to carry out
essential functions during COVID-19 outbreak
BOSTON
(March 9, 2020) - The Department of Public Health (DPH) has updated
the number of confirmed and presumptive positive cases at mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-cases-quarantine-and-monitoring
. Starting today, the case information will be posted once daily by
4 p.m.
by
Robert Falcione
Clytie Arlene
(Banks) Foster, 93
Paul
Edward Nordstrom, 89
Framingham,
and Eric P. Nordstrom and his wife, Michelle of
Millbury. He also leaves behind his sister, Charlotte
Carboni of Holliston; as well as 7 grandchildren, Erin,
Kevin, Christopher, Julianne, Gregory, Michael and
Erica; and 7 great-grandchildren, Avery, William,
Emerson, Samuel, Ethan, Everett and Margaret.
