You Got Legs, But Need a Bib? You
Can Earn It! The Hopkinton Tax Relief Fund is
looking for a runner for its 2020 Marathon charity entry.
Contact John Palmer atjohnpalmer87@verizon.net.
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Robert Frank Petracca, 83
Robert Frank Petracca
was born October 30, 1936 in Milford, Massachusetts, the son of
Anthony Ralph Petracca and Marie DeLuzio Petracca. He graduated from
Hopkinton High School in 1954, attended Newman Prep
School in Boston and graduated from the University of
Florida
Forest Ranger School.
Robert began his career with J.W. Sewell Company, Consulting
Engineers in Old Town, Maine. He later joined the United States
Forest Service Southeastern Forest Experiment Station in Asheville,
North Carolina conducting forest inventories of five of the
southeastern states which included South Carolina. While conducting
a forest survey of Berkeley County, he met and married his beloved
wife of 59 years, Inez Metts Petracca. After moving to Berkeley
County, Mr. Petracca accepted a position with Santee Cooper and
retired after 30 years of service as Vice President of Property
Management, Environmental Resources, Transportation Services and
Building Services.
He loved traveling with his family and enjoyed many wonderful
experiences touring North America, Canada and various European and
Mediterranean countries. He was a true outdoorsman from a boy; the
forests, fields, mountains and streams were his passion. He loved
the sport of hunting and fishing and he never ceased to tire of
nature’s beauty and all it had to offer.
Mr.
Petracca, a veteran of the US Army was a member of the Moncks Corner
American Legion Post 126, the Moncks Corner Lions Club, the Moncks
Corner Rotary Club, the Berkeley County Forestry Committee, the
Moncks Corner Zoning Commission, Woodman of the World and the South
Carolina Forestry Association.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his devoted daughter and
the pride and joy of his life, Susan Petracca Murtagh, her husband,
Dan, his wonderful, loving and caring sister, Mrs. Terri Moschilli,
numerous nieces and nephews, great niece Joanna Villeponteaux and
great nephew- Jackson Villeponteaux. He was preceded in death by
brothers- John M. Petracca and Anthony R. Petracca.
His funeral service will be held at Russell Funeral Chapel, Monday
morning December 23, 2019 at 11 o’clock. The family will receive
friends at the chapel one hour prior. Interment will follow in St.
Johns Baptist Church Cemetery in Pinopolis.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society Donation
Center, PO Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK. 73123 or visit them online
atcancer.org
From Hopkinton Police facebook feed : December 20, 2019 -- (11:25
pm) "Tonight we assisted a neighboring agency with searching for an
intoxicated female who fled from a residence. We tracked from the
house and through the neighborhood.
Titan was able to locate the female passed out in the woods under a
tree and was barefoot and wearing only a teeshirt in 15 degree
temps. She was safely transported to hospital for treatment."
HopNews file photo.
Finding the right
school is enough of a challenge. Finding
great before- and after-school care
shouldn't have to be another problem to
solve.
We're excited to announce that beginning
in the fall of 2020, early morning care
(7:00 - 7:30 am), and afternoon care
(3:30 - 6:00 pm) will be available to
all Fay families free of charge. Finding
the right school for your child is
enough of a challenge. Finding great
before- and after-school care shouldn't
have to be another problem to solve. We
believe that safe and caring
after-school programming is essential,
and we appreciate that for many working
families it can be tricky to make all
the moving pieces fit together.
Through the Fay School Auxiliary
Programs Office, Fay After School
offers Early Morning Care, Extended
Day, and Clubs to students in
Kindergarten through grade 4 designed to
enrich student learning and provide care
options for busy families.
Learn More.
December 19, 2019 -- One droplet of melting
snow disperses a bright orange light from sunlight passing through
it, while other drops, more subtly, disperse blue and green light.
Anne
DiBona has won $20 for correctly guessing the location of Santa at
74 Hayden Rowe.
Choose the thumbnail to enlarge the photo.
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Troopers Cite Driver of Truck Involved in Taunton Crash with
School Bus; Two Students and Bus Driver Transported for Minor
Injuries
Massachusetts State Troopers from State Police-Middleborough
at 7:55 a.m. yesterday responded to a crash involving a
school bus with passengers and two commercial trucks on
Route 140 northbound, near Exit 11, in Taunton. The bus,
owned by Amaral Bus Company of Westport, was carrying 35
teenage students to Bristol County Agricultural High School.
Two students and the bus driver, a 57-year-old Acushnet
woman, were transported to Morton Hospital in Taunton with
reported minor injuries.
Preliminary investigation indicates that the 2018
International bus was traveling straight in the left lane
when a 2014 Isuzu box truck suddenly changed lanes from the
right lane to the left lane in front of the bus. The bus
struck the rear of the box truck, owned by CTWOS
Construction of New Bedford. Neither the driver of the box
truck, a 21-year-old New Bedford man, nor the passenger, a
34-year-old New Bedford woman, had apparent injuries.
Investigation further indicates that the box truck changed
lanes from right to left to try to avoid striking a 2016
International flatbed truck that, along with other traffic,
had stopped ahead of the box truck in the right lane. The
traffic in the right lane was stopped as motorists waited to
enter the ramp to Route 24. When it swerved to the left, the
Isuzu box truck side-swiped the flatbed, owned by Robert
Bates, Inc., of Mattapoisett, and driven by a 34-year-old
New Bedford man. Neither that driver nor the passenger, a
34-year-old New Bedford man, had apparent injuries.
State Police cited the driver of Isuzu for following too
closely and making an unsafe lane change. The scene was
cleared at 9:26 a.m.
KENNEDY STATEMENT ON IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP
Washington, D.C. – December 18, 2019 --
Congressman Joe Kennedy III released the following statement
after voting for both articles of impeachment against President
Donald Trump.
“Impeaching this President is more than an indictment of one
man’s actions, it is a protective shield around the most
powerful democratic office on earth. This is not a moment to
celebrate. But it is a moment to be grateful that our system
worked as it should, flexing muscle against those who sought to
corrupt and abuse it for personal gain.
“In his attempts to bribe and extort a vulnerable ally,
President Trump forced Congress to reckon with his reckless
abuse of office. By withholding evidence, threatening witnesses
and silencing accomplices, his obstruction only further defined
a man who fundamentally believes laws do not apply to him. A
failure to impeach him would not just be a failure of justice,
but would give him and future presidents license to act with
continued disregard for our nation’s laws.
“If Senate Republicans choose complicity in his crimes against
the American public, there will be damage to our government that
lasts generations. History will harshly judge those who chose
power over justice.”
Select Board Lauds Boy Scouts,
Sets Special Election Date: Monday, February 3, 2019
Sets May Town Meeting Date: Monday, May 4, 2020
Votes to open Warrant for Annual Town Meeting on January 2,
2020, Close on February 3, 2020
by Robert Falcione
December 17, 2019 -- Photo, Eagle
Scouts, left to right, Ryan Canfield, Andrew D'Alleva, Ethan
Ritterbusch; and members of the Select Board, from Left,
Vice Chair John Coutinho, Chair Brendan Tedstone, Irfan
Nasrullah, Maryjo LaFreniere, Brian Herr. Photo by Amy
Ritterbusch
The Select Board members took special care in congratulating
each Eagle Scout on his achievement; Ryan for a trail, Andrew
for a fire pit and Ethan for building a bridge. Each
received a personal proclamation from the board.
Then the board took up license renewals, which were all
approved, many with contingencies.
Bittersweet's
license was approved contingent upon a satisfactory Fire
Department inspection. Mr. Herr asked owner Ciaran Dunne,
seated in the visitors gallery, when the business was going
to open.
He spoke from his seat and not on mic, but it sounded like
he said, "By the end of next week."
Central Public House all-alcohol and entertainment were
approved.
Vin Bin package store was approved, but with a warning from
Brian Herr that "We cant' have another violation."
Hopkinton Swim and Tennis Club was approved. Chair Tedstone
said they would be breaking ground soon.
HopYo's Common Victualer and entertainment licenses were
approved pending Building Dept. and Fire Dept. inspections.
Marathon Pizza was approved.
Hillers Pizza was approved for its
Common Victualer's License, and was the only license which
had a lone dissenting vote, Mr. Tedstone's.
All others passed unanimously.
The Special Election date, mandated by the passage of the
School Committee Articles approved at Special Town Meeting
and which need funding, Articles 3, 4, and 5, was next.
Town Clerk Connor Degan and School Committee Chair Meenakshi
Bharath appeared before the Board to discuss three possible
dates for the Special Election, the earliest of which,
February 3, 2020, was eventually voted, with the deciding
factor being that Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carol
Cavanaugh (File photo), as Ms, Bharath related to the board, favored
that date.
Then the Board voted to set the Annual Town Meeting date for
May 4, 2020, and for the warrant to open on January 2, 2020
and close on February 3, 2020. Thanks to Amy Ritterbusch
for the group photo.
West Main Street Hill December 17, 2019 -- Although we cannot
recall the reason for this jam up this afternoon, one thing can be
said about the hill. It is unforgiving to those who do not have
appropriate tires, going up, or coming down. Photographed through
the streaky car windshield while stopped.
KENNEDY
GRAD STUDENT SAVINGS ACT PASSES HOUSE
Bipartisan bill helps graduate students save for retirement
Washington, D.C. – December 17, 2019 --
Congressman Joe Kennedy III today applauded the passage of the
Graduate Student Savings Act as part of the Congressional spending
agreement. The legislation will allow graduate school students to
place taxable stipend or fellowship income into an Individual
Retirement Account (IRA). By classifying this income as
“compensation”, the Graduate Student Savings Act removes barriers to
retirement savings for nearly a million students.
“Working students should not be denied the chance to save for
retirement simply because they’re pursuing a higher education,” said
Congressman Kennedy. “With the passage of the Graduate Student
Savings Act, we will tear down a barrier that limits the financial
security of students and deter Americans from pursuing advanced
degrees.”
A majority of doctoral students report receiving some of their
financial support during graduate school from fellowships or grants,
and about a third of all students report that fellowships or grants
were their primary source of funding. The median doctoral student
takes about seven years to finish a degree – meaning that, for the
better part of a decade, a student can be prohibited from saving
major portions of their income in a tax-advantaged account. This
bill would remove this unnecessary hurdle so that students and
postdoctoral fellows can start saving immediately.
Congressman Kennedy originally introduced the Graduate Student
Savings Act in 2016. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Mike Lee
(R-UT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced companion
legislation in the United States Senate.
Ronald Benjamin Cobb, 71
Ronald
Benjamin Cobb, 71,
of Milford, passed away Saturday, November 30, 2019 at Milford
Regional Medical Center. Born at Fort Benning, Georgia, he was the
son of the late Nettie “Marie” Guerin (nee Kearce) and Johnnie
Benjamin Cobb. He is survived by his wife, Julia (Beverage) Cobb of
Milford.
Ron grew up in Columbus, Georgia, graduating from Jordan Vocational
High School in 1966. Not long after graduating he moved to
Massachusetts to be near his mother and step-father. An avid CB
radio enthusiast, Ron combined that hobby with monitoring
first-responder frequencies, and volunteering with the Red Cross at
fire scenes. His interest in public safety issues led Ron to
establish a career at the Massachusetts State Police General
Headquarters, then located at 1010 Commonwealth Ave in Boston,
beginning in the ident bureau and ultimately working on the plan to
modernize the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program in conjunction
with the FBI.
Following the election of Ed King as governor, Ron accepted the
position as Special Assistant to King’s Secretary of Public Safety,
George Luciano. During that period he also served as the state’s
liaison with the International Association of Chiefs of Police
(IACP). When Gov. King lost his bid for re-election, Ron left public
service, and after a period of trying different occupations related
to public safety, took a totally different direction to work in the
restaurant business. Demonstrating a latent gift with and love for
food, he worked at learning his craft to become a chef. He worked in
that industry until his retirement. But his interest in public
safety remained. He continued to support first-responders, and would
often be found monitoring fire and police channels, still
recognizing what the various codes indicated.
Besides his wife, Ron leaves behind his sons, Eric Dustin Cobb and
Justin Alexis Cobb, both of Milford; his brother, Lennie Guerin and
his wife Darlene of Las Vegas; and his step-father, Lawrence Guerin
of W. Newton and County Wessex, Ireland. He also leaves a son and a
daughter from an earlier marriage: Douglas Marshall Cobb of
Maryland, and Melissa Ruth Bailey of Virginia.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 21st, at 11:00
a.m. at Faith Community Church of Hopkinton, 146 East Main Street,
Hopkinton, with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations
may be made to Wreaths Across America: www.wreathsacrossamerica.org
or the Gary Sinise Foundation: www.garysinisefoundation.org
Arrangements are under the care of the
Chesmore
Funeral Home of Hopkinton.
John Hancock and
the Boston Athletic Association Announce Return of 16 Champions for
2020 Boston Marathon
Lawrence Cherono,
Worknesh Degefa, Manuela Schär and Daniel Romanchuk set to
defend their titles on April 20, 2020
12 Additional Champions
aim to return to the top of the podium
2018 Boston Champion
Desiree Linden to Run the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon and the
Boston Marathon
BOSTON, MA,
December 17, 2019 —John Hancock and
the Boston Athletic Association today announced the return of 2019
Boston Marathon open champions Lawrence Cherono and Worknesh Degefa
and wheelchair champions Manuela Schär and Daniel Romanchuk for the
124th running of the race on April 20, 2020.
Twelve additional champions will also seek
another win: open champions Desiree Linden, Yuki Kawauchi, Edna
Kiplagat, Geoffrey Kirui, Lelisa Desisa, Caroline Rotich; and
wheelchair champions Tatyana McFadden, Marcel Hug, Ernst van Dyk,
Hiroyuki Yamamoto, Joshua Cassidy and Masazumi Soejima. Linden will
run both the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon on February 29 and
the Boston Marathon on April 20, while two-time champion Desisa
returns as reigning World Athletics Marathon Champion.
“
In our 35th year as principal
sponsor of this historic race, we are excited to welcome back our
accomplished champions,” said John Hancock Chief Marketing Officer
Barbara Goose. “Their return is a testimony to the tradition and
legacy that is the Boston Marathon. These champions are not just
racing each other, they are chasing history. On Patriots’ Day we
will cheer for all as they persevere with determination to cross the
finish line and become part of our city. Welcome to Boston.”
Contributed content.
2020 Boston Marathon: 16 Champions Return
Enchanted? December 16, 2019 -- The branches of the
trees, both left and right, surrounding the gazebo on Ice House Pond
appear to be reaching for the gazebo, like some enchanted, fairytale
forest, as the weight of the fresh snow bends them downward. Photo
taken on December 2, 2019. Although it is a color photograph, only
black, white and shades of grey are prominent.
Parking Restrictions
At the Department of Public Works
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners
and the surrounding
Communities
Exciting News
For Patients On Thyroid Medication
Dear Friends,
As many of you know there has been a limited supply of thyroid USP
used to compound thyroid medications. Furthermore the expiration
dates were short.
In recent months there has also been a shortage Disulfiram and
Ivermectin for human use.
We'd like to make you aware of a few
important updates
We are excited to announce that we have an ample supply of thyroid
USP with extended expiration dating.
We have an ample supply of Ivermectin for human use.
We have an ample supply of Disulfiram for Lyme patients.
"Order Now"
Preferred method of contact:
Although calling us with a prescription is an option,
we prefer that Rx's are sent as e-scripts or faxed to 508-435-5983
"Please help us spread the word about these updates"
Thanks for listening,
Hopkinton Drug Compounding & Wellness
800-439-4441 opt #2 -phone
508-435-5983 -fax
pharmacy@rxandhealth.com
www.rxandhealth.com
52 Main St. Hopkinton, MA 01748
Day Off at Foxboro Means Day On at Cornell's Irish Pub December 15, 2019 -- The End Zone Militia
makes itself available when the Patriots are at an away game.
A "Flash In The Pan" Illuminates members of the New England Patriots
End Zone Militia near Dusk as they Fire their Muskets to Celebrate a
Pats Touchdown! The Militia spent the Game today at Cornell's in
Hopkinton while the Team was Winning vs the Bengals on the Road!
Proceeds
from the Event were for One Mission Buzz Off for Kid's Cancer.
Donate here.
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Real Estate Transactions for Hopkinton
New
Transactions from November 29, 2019 - December 15, 2019
Choose blue links to see town's property cards
“Knights Of Columbus free-throw
championship competition to be held on Friday, January
24, 2020 at the Hopkinton High School after the
Hopkinton/Ashland varsity boys basketball game. All boys and
girls ages 9-14 can participate.
The
Knights of Columbus free-throw competition is an annual event
sponsored by the Ashland/Hopkinton Council(Bishop Rice council
#4822) The event is open to boys and girls aged 9 to 14 in the
local communities. Trophies will be presented to first and
second place winners and a medal is awarded to the third-place
winner in each age category. First place winners advance to the
district finals. The event brings the youth of the community
together and a friendly competition.
Since
1972 The Knights of Columbus have sponsored a basketball
free-throw competition for boys and girls between the ages of 9
and 14. The Knights of Columbus, founded in 1882, is an
Organization of Roman Catholic men whose charter is to support
both their parishes and communities. Based upon the founding
principles of charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism, the
Knights of Columbus provides numerous services to their local
communities. The Bishop Rice Council #4822 conducts numerous
charity events in support of the parishes of St.John the
Evangelist in Hopkintom and Saint Cecilia’s in Ashland.
For more information please contact: Joe Altman,
508-380-0163.joealtman@verizon.net.
Positively Hopkinton Hopkinton Resident Pens Another
Book!
The Triumph of Diversity: Rejoice in and Benefit from the
Interconnectedness of Humankind
by Arthur P. Ciaramicoli, Ed.D., Ph.D.
ISBN-13: 978-1948598293
SRP (Paperback) $15.95 / SRP (eBook) $8.99
Have we come to a time where differences in
color, religion, sexuality, or nationality are seen as threats to
our way of life? Has exclusion and lack of interest in those
suffering in other parts of the world become a way to protect us
from our fears? When we close the door to those who seem dissimilar,
we limit our potential for growth. Diversity expands the mind and
enriches the soul; it is the antidote to groupthink.
In The Triumph of Diversity, Dr. Ciaramicoli analyzes prejudice by
tracing it to personal origins and relates true stories of
courageous individuals who have overcome hatred, cruelty and sadism
to become open-minded, loving resilient people. He re-emphasizes
that we are in desperate need of those who unite rather than those
who ostracize.
Dr. Ciaramicoli shares his observations as a psychologist in
clinical practice, his interviews with laymen, clinicians and
clergy, and data from current research to conclude, as Thomas Paine
said, “My Country is the World; my Religion is to do Good,” and that
learned prejudices can be laid bare and redirected to give way to
genuine empathy and inclusion over exclusion.
Cover Photo by Robert Falcione
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Location, Location, Location December 14, 2019 -- The first reader to
email editor@hopnews.com
with the correct street number and street of this property location
gets a check for $20.
Big Tent Members Show at Hopkinton Center for the Arts December 12, 2019 -- January 14, 2020
December 14, 2019 -- HCA Member Richard
Germaine's oil painting above is displayed among a couple dozen more
works, from welded iron 3-D art to flat art.
Holiday Cheer
December 14, 2019 --The Claflin Hill String
Quartet, part of the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra of Milford,
conducted a cheerful afternoon at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts
today, with face-painting, snacks, Santa, and plenty of space for
children to run around or dance. Oh, and high quality musical
performance.
From all of us at Hopkinton Card & Gift and Hopkinton Drug, a huge
THANK YOU for coming to spend last weekend with us for our 31st
annual Open House!
We love our community and especially love the opportunity to give
everyone such a festive and merry way to kick off the Holiday
season!
From all of us,
A Merry Merry and joyous everything to all!
...
Thank you to all of our amazing suppliers and participants in this
year's event!
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Holiday Stroll Passport Winners Grand Prize Hopkinton Chamber of
Commerce Holiday Stroll Passport Challenge Winner
Jenica Racine, Hopkinton Holiday Stroll Passport Challenge Winners: Front row from
left, John Davis, Isabella Racine-Brooks, 9, Nolan Oram, 7, Cecily
Oram, 3, Melissa Hayes, 19.
Derek Desrochers, Hopkinton (Not pictured)
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners
and the surrounding
Communities
UPDATE: Santos turned himself in to Hudson Police at 7:15 pm
today, December 13, 2019 Police Seeking Suspect Identified
as Luis Santos in Connection with Fatal Hudson Shooting
HUDSON
– Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Hudson Chief of Police
Michael Burks have confirmed the identity of the suspect wanted in
connection with the fatal shooting of Karla Rodriguez, 20 of
Framingham, that occurred yesterday in Hudson.
Today police obtained a warrant for the arrest of Luis Santos, 23 of
Hudson on charges of Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon
Causing Serious Bodily Injury, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and
Armed Assault with Intent to Murder. These charges are expected to
be upgraded pending a ruling from the Office of the Chief Medical
Examiner on the cause and manner of death.
Santos should be considered armed and dangerous and members of the
public should not approach him. Santos is described as a 5’10” white
male with brown hair and brown eyes.
Any member of the public with information about Santos whereabouts
should immediately contact Hudson Police at 978-562-7122, ext. 215
or Massachusetts State Police at 781-897-6600 or 508-820-2121 after
hours.
The preliminary investigation suggests that Santos fatally shot
Karla Rodriguez yesterday around 2:00 p.m. in her vehicle on Howe
Street before fleeing the scene on foot. Ms. Rodriguez was
transported to an area hospital and then transported by medical
flight to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester where she was
pronounced dead early this morning.
This is an active and ongoing investigation being conducted by the
Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Hudson Police and
Massachusetts State Police assigned to the District Attorney’s
office.
Update on Fatal Shooting Investigation in Hudson
HUDSON
– Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Hudson Chief of
Police Michael Burks have confirmed that the woman who was shot
yesterday in her vehicle on Howe Street has died. The
investigation into this incident remains ongoing. However, the
preliminary information indicates that this was a targeted
attack.
Yesterday at approximately 2:00 p.m. police responded to a
parking lot on Howe Street in Hudson for a report of shots
fired. Upon arrival police located the victim, a 20-year-old
female, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. The woman was
transported to an area hospital and then transported by medical
flight to UMass Memorial Hospital in Worcester where she was
pronounced dead early this morning.
The investigation into the incident is open and ongoing. No
arrests have been made.
This incident is being investigated by the Middlesex District
Attorney’s Office, Hudson Police and Massachusetts State Police
assigned to the District Attorney’s office.
Wrapup - Special Town Meeting Articles: Schools 2, 3, 4, 5; Legacy
Farms North Road, 6
by Robert Falcione
December 13, 2019 -- Hopkinton School
District Director of Finance Susan Rothermich, left, and
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carol Cavanaugh step up to the
microphone at the Special Town Meeting on Monday December 9,
2019, following the defeat of Article 1, 504-278. Article 1 was the inspiration for the start of the STM by a citizens
petition. It was brought by a group of Downtown property and
business owners, who tried to derail the project by reversing
the Town Meeting vote that authorized easements in the scope of
the project. Articles 2-5 funded expansion of the schools due to
a surge in student population. They passed with scant
opposition.
Article 2
was for an immediate $500k in funding for design and engineering
services in relation to an expansion of Hopkinton High School.
It passed 404-6.
Article 3, for $4.5
million for Hopkinton High School construction and renovation of
6 additional classrooms passed 375-7.
Article
4 sought $2 million for modular classrooms at Elmwood
School, which could be moved to service elsewhere if needed. It
passed 330-11.
The final school article, Article 5, for modular classrooms at
Hopkins for $3 million, passed 304-6. One speaker asked what the
reason was for the $1 million inflation since the previous Article.
He learned that unlike Article 4, this would involve breaking
through the existing building.
The total
for the schools was $10 million. Article 6 dealt with the
ongoing student busing issue at Legacy Farms North.
Ravi Gorti
(File photo) was the spokesperson for the citizens petition. The
motion was as follows: "I move that the Town vote to request
that the Planning Board and Select Board take all required
actions to facilitate a vote to accept Legacy Farms North, from
the intersection of Frankland Road to Wilson Street, as a public
way at the 2020 Annual Town Meeting provided that the required
layout plans are submitted to said Boards in a timely manner for
such actions."
Mr. Gorti emphasized safety concerns for children, parents and
vehicles. The police cannot enforce speed limits on a private
road, he said. He said he is looking to have this resolved by
the beginning of the 2020 school year.
The Article passed by a unanimous voice vote.
Below, file photo of ribbon cutting for Legacy Farms North Road
in April, 2017.
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
APPOINTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE
It
is with great pleasure that the Board of Health and I inform you
that Kasey Mauro has accepted the position of Public Health Nurse
for the Town of Hopkinton Health Department.
Kasey has over 7 years of professional experience as an oncology and
intensive care nurse at the Spaulding Hospital in Cambridge and St.
Vincent Hospital in Worcester, respectively. She holds a Bachelors
of Science in Nursing from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and
Health Sciences and holds certifications in telemetry, advanced
cardiac and basic life support and chemotherapy/biotherapy infusion
and has currently established a portal to schedule mobile/in home
nursing services at
https://www.picktime.com/healthyhopkinton.
Through Kasey’s expertise, initiative and innovative approach, the
Health Department is pleased to again provide public health nursing
to the community.
The nursing program will continue to evolve as the Department
receives its State and Federal certifications. Town staff and I
congratulate Kasey on her hire and look forward to the health and
wellness contributions she is certain to provide to the residents of
Hopkinton.
December 12, 2019
Shaun McAuliffe
Health Director
Town of Hopkinton
End of Season Party
December 12, 2019 -- Scott Dryden (center window frame, flannel
shirt) of Scott's Landscaping, Inc. threw a party at Bill's Pizzeria
for available employees and fellow landscapers this afternoon, and
picked up the tab for the grub (pun intended). The food, from Bill's
catering menu, included marinated steak tip and pork skewers, was
well received by the gathering as was the camaraderie. Now would be
a good time to schedule your dream paver project or pool landscaping
ideas for the spring. 508-435-3911.
An Eye for the Sky December 12, 2019 -- Contributor Nicole
Fornal stepped out the door of her work in Uxbridge to capture this
beautiful and unique photo. Nicole manages
Russell Cellular in Uxbridge, an authorized Verizon retailer.
She took the photo of the above scene in standard mode with a
Samsung Note 10+ .
Holiday Cheer
December 12, 2019 -- Thanks to John Sherffius for sharing the
blanket nature has laid upon his colorful ornaments in the brown and
white palette of winter.
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Milford Regional’s Annual Tree Lighting Event Celebrates Hope and
Life
MILFORD - A festive
crowd attended the annual Tree of Life ceremony at Milford Regional
Medical Center Monday night, celebrating life and paying tribute to
those who have survived cancer, battled the disease or have been
touched by cancer.
This year, the
annual event raised more than $12,500 for the Oliva Fund for Cancer
Care at Milford Regional. The fund is named in honor of the Oliva
Family of Milford and provides oncology patients with support during
their treatment at the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center
at Milford Regional.
The evening included
a performance by the Very Merry Dickens Carolers, as well as remarks
from Edward J. Kelly, president and CEO of Milford Regional; Mona
Kaddis, MD; and Peter F. Orio, III, DO.
Gold and silver tribute angels, as well as tribute luminaries, were
displayed as a reminder of loved ones affected by cancer. Each light
on the tree symbolizes a loved one affected by cancer, and the tree
remains lit during the holiday season to serve as a reminder of hope
in the fight against cancer.
The tree was lit in honor of Anthony “Babe” Oliva, who passed away
earlier this year.
To make an online
donation to the Oliva Fund please visit
www.foundation.milfordregional.org/treeoflife or contact
the Milford Regional Healthcare Foundation Office at
(508) 422-2228. ~
Contributed content.
TREBLEMAKERS WINTER CONCERT
Two performances: Wednesday December 11th and Thursday December 12th
@ 7:30 pm. PURCHASE TICKETS IN ADVANCE THROUGH OVATION:
CLICK HERE
Join Enter Stage Left Theater's adult community chorus, the
Treblemakers, for their annual Winter concert filled with holiday
favorites. There will be light refreshments after the concert.
Directed by Eric Miller
Adults: $15 | Students and Seniors: $10
Public
Health Council Approves Regulations Restricting Access to Vaping and
Tobacco Products
New regulations effective today outline steps for implementation,
enforcement
BOSTON (December 11, 2019) —The state’s Public Health Council today
approved new regulations that restrict the sale of nicotine vaping
and flavored vaping and tobacco products. This action follows the
Legislature’s passing and Governor Charlie Baker’s signing into law
An Act Modernizing Tobacco Control, which provided the Massachusetts
Department of Public Health with additional authority to regulate
access to tobacco and electronic nicotine delivery systems,
including vapes. With today’s actions, the Governor’s temporary
statewide ban on the sale of vaping products in place since
September is no longer in effect.
Effective immediately, the new law places the following
restrictions:
1) The sale of non-flavored nicotine vaping products (with a
nicotine content of less than 35 milligrams per milliliter) is
restricted to stores licensed to sell tobacco products, such as
convenience stores, gas stations, and other retail outlets.
2) The sale of non-flavored nicotine vaping products (with a
nicotine content over 35 milligrams per milliliter) is restricted to
licensed, adult-only retail tobacco stores and smoking bars.
3) The sale and consumption of all flavored nicotine vaping products
may only occur within licensed smoking bars.
“Massachusetts has taken important steps to protect its residents
from the emerging public health risk posed by vaping products, and
with the new law signed by Governor Baker and the introduction of
today’s regulations, we continue to prioritize actions that protect
the public health,” said Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel,
MD, MPH. “As a physician and commissioner of the Department of
Public Health, I continue to recommend that people not use any
e-cigarette or vaping products, as these products are not safe. The
new law expands the availability of smoking cessation resources
through insurance, and DPH continues to remind people that help is
available through a variety of tools.”
Beginning June 1, 2020, the sale of flavored combustible cigarettes
and other tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes and
flavored chewing tobacco, will be restricted to licensed smoking
bars where they may be sold only for on-site consumption. Also
taking effect on June 1st is the addition of a 75 percent excise tax
on the wholesale price of nicotine vaping products, in addition to
the state’s 6.25percent sales tax.
The new regulations lay out a roadmap for the implementation of the
new law, including enforcement authority, penalties for
non-compliance, legal signage, and advertising requirements.
The regulations which are effective today:
· Require posting of signage in any location where vaping products
are sold to warn customers of the dangers of severe lung disease
associated with vaping products and more generally advising them of
the health risks of vaping.
· Specify the Commissioner’s authority to prohibit the sale of a
designated vaping product on a determination that the product causes
an imminent danger to public health.
· Strengthen state and local enforcement, specifying procedures by
which DPH or local Boards of Health may inspect retail locations and
the products they are selling for compliance with the law, and
providing for penalties for violations, ranging from $1,000 for the
first violation to $5,000 for three or more violations,.
· Establish how retailers and manufacturers must comply with the
law's requirement that vaping products with nicotine content of more
than 35 mg/ml may only be sold in 21+ establishments.
· Require vaping products to be placed behind the counter in all
non-age restricted retailers (e.g., convenience stores).
A public hearing on the regulations will be scheduled within the
next 90 days.
Massachusetts clinicians are still required to report to DPH any
individual experiencing vaping-related health problems and to ask
patients to retain any vaping devices and products for possible
testing by the federal Food and Drug Administration.
To date, DPH has reported 93 cases (31 confirmed and 62 probable
cases) to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
including three deaths from vaping-associated lung injury.
The cause of e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury (EVALI)
remains unknown and under investigation at both the state and
federal level. The Department of Public Health recommends that
people not use e-cigarettes or vaping products.
DPH continues to offer resources to help people quit through its
Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW or by visiting makesmokinghistory.org
or Mass.gov/QuitVaping to connect to treatment. The
Massachusetts Smoker’s Helpline (1-800-QUIT NOW) has doubled the
availability of free over-the-counter nicotine replacement products
from 4 weeks to 8 weeks, once a person receives counseling by phone.
Effective January 1st, 2020, Massachusetts commercial health
insurance plans plus the Group Insurance Commission and MassHealth,
must cover smoking cessation counseling and FDA-approved products
such as gum, lozenges, or patches without cost-sharing. Information
about today’s announcement is available at www.mass.gov/NewTobaccoLaw.
The site will continue to be updated as new information and
resources are available.
Charles Francis Lowell, 76
Charles
Francis Lowell, 76, of
Hopkinton, passed away Tuesday, December 10, 2019. Born in
Framingham, he was the son of the late Evelyn (Hamm) and Charles
Theodore Lowell. He was married to the love of his life, Donna Irene
(Wright) Lowell for 53 years, this month.
Charlie graduated from Hopkinton High School and then went on to
serve as a paratrooper in the Army’s 82nd Airborne during the
Vietnam War Era. After his time in the military, he returned home to
meet his wife Donna, whom he had only known in school growing up and
coincidentally had marched beside in their junior prom promenade.
Together, Charlie and Donna built a life together filled with love,
friends, and family. While Charlie started out working at General
Electric in Ashland, he then moved on to become a Union Arbitrator
at United Electrical Radio and Machine Workers of America in New
York City, where he honed his skill and passion for advocating for
the needs and rights of others.
After many years in New York, Charlie returned home to open his own
businesses. He started out with Lowell’s General Store in Holliston
and then expanded from there. Throughout the years, Charlie met many
customers who would go on to become close friends.
Charlie
enjoyed retirement with traveling, most often to his home away from
home, Aruba, playing golf and becoming a park ranger at Juniper Hill
Golf Course in Northborough, meeting his friends for coffee club,
rooting for his favorite sports teams, watching Phil Mickelson
compete, most notably on a lifetime dream trip with his friends to
the Masters, walking his dog, Fella around town greeting everyone on
their way, taking trips to the casino and scratching lottery
tickets, becoming active in both local and national politics and
most especially spending time with his family and friends. One
special event in his retirement was being honored by a group of
young men that he held in high esteem, his Babe Ruth baseball team
that he led to win the American League Championship in 1967. There
were many members of this team that remained in contact with him
throughout the years.
Charlie was a people person. He greeted everyone with a smile and
always had a helping hand out for anyone in need, expecting nothing
in return. Wherever he went, Charlie was loved. His spirit of
positivity, his proclivity to create fun, and his genuine desire to
see others succeed, endeared him to all.
Charlie was the father of the late Charles Edward Lowell, who passed
away in 1987. Besides his wife, he is survived by his daughter,
Donna Marie Lowell-Bettencourt and her husband, Troy of Edgartown;
two sisters, Elizabeth Anne Tombs of Torrance, CA, and Janice Olsen
of Palm Springs, CA; 5 grandchildren, Holly White and her husband,
Will, Alex Bettencourt, Luke Bettencourt, Charlotte Delasin and her
husband, Zach, Jovanna Lowell-Bettencourt; and 3
great-grandchildren, Charlie, Juliet and Maddie White; as well as
his brother- and sister-in-laws, Donald Wright, Debbie Peddle, and
Darlene Montville and many special nieces and nephews. He is
predeceased by his brother-in-law, Douglas Wright.
Visitation will be held on Friday, December 13th from 4:00-6:30 p.m.
at the Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton, 57 Hayden Rowe St. www.ChesmoreFuneralHome.com
A funeral service will follow visitation at 6:30 p.m. Interment
will be held privately at a later date. In lieu of flowers,
donations may be made to American Cancer Society, cancer.org or
Boston Medflight, bostonmedflight.org
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners
and the surrounding
Communities
'Tis the Season
December 11, 2019 -- UNIBANK completed this
leg of its Hopkinton Giving last night by awarding a total of
$10,000 among five charities or non-profits chosen by
residents who took part in a community poll conducted at the
bank. Above, representatives from UNIBANK pose with the
representative check prior to each group receiving their own,
real one.
At the
top of the list was Project Just Because, which received $5,000.
Hopkinton Senior Center received $2,500. Hopkinton Center for
the Arts received $1,000.
The Hopkinton Public Library, the Michael Carter Lisnow Respite
Center, and the Hopkinton Education Foundation each received
$500.
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
December 10, 2019 -- One day each year, the
Town of Stockbridge closes Main Street and positions Vintage
Cars in front of its Stores, recreating Norman Rockwell's
"Christmas At Home" scene from his Iconic 1967
painting.
~ John Collins
Pete taught us and left us with so many
important life lessons like giving back, the will to live,
perseverance, courage, kindness and never quitting. You made an
impact and left the world a better place for it, Pete. You will
never be forgotten. Ice bucket challenge with me and Meb K., Joanie
Samuelson., Frank Shorter, Sunita Williams and Bill Rodgers. We all
love you Pete! RIP. ~Dave McGillivray
Vote to Rescind Article 47 of 2018 Town Meeting loses 504 -- 278
by Robert Falcione
December 9, 2019 --The Main Street Alliance,
a grass roots group, largely of abutters and businesses formed to
stop the Downtown Corridor Project,
lost its bid to do so this evening by a well attended Special Town
Meeting, which flowed from the main auditorium at the Middle School
and into the gym (below). Ballots were cast by 782 Town Meeting
attendees for a whittled down version of Article I, which sought to
overturn Article 47 of the 2018 Annual Town Meeting vote that
authorized easements and eminent domain for certain properties in
the scope of the project. The second part of the Article demanded
that the Select Board halt all work and planning on the project.
The Article got its start as an answer to
ever changing plans as the Downtown Corridor Project progressed
through time. Finally, many parts of the plan changed as a
result of the proponents bending to the wishes of the abutters,
who were motivated in the first place by a letter from the
town asking them to donate their easements. In hindsight, and
speaking for the rest of the Select Board, Chair Brendan
Tedstone recently said the ill-advised letter "flipped the
hysterical switch."
The Main Street Alliance, led by Wood Street
resident Jackie Potenzone (at mic), acquired the necessary 200
signatures to petition the Select Board to call a Special Town
Meeting, The signatures were validated by the Town Clerk Connor
Degan, who halted the process when he reached the necessary
number, although the group turned in 350 signatures.
The first glimpse of defeat came when the
assembly voted to whittle down the motion presented by the
Alliance. Todd Cestari, former Select Board member and current
Appropriations Committee member, moved to strike the language in
the second part of the original motion that
requested that the Select
Board halt the project. The original Article, which did not pass
muster with Town Counsel, sought to
compel the Select Board to cease the project. The
assembly voted 452-305 to strike the language, which Mr. Cestari
said, "Has no teeth." The first part of the motion, that sought
to rescind the easements, remained.
That part of the motion lost 504-278.
The project will continue.
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Senior Center Party
December 9, 2019 -- The Hopkinton Police Association dished out the
holiday meal, an annual tradition, at the Hopkinton Senior Center on
Saturday, preparing and serving each table. There were Irish Step
Dancers as well as a little comedy by retired Officer Patrick
O'Brien to entertain the appreciative gathering of Hopkinton senior
citizens. Choose a thumbnail below to enlarge.
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners
and the surrounding
Communities
Waiting for the Santa
Hundreds waited in the cold at Hopkinton Common and enjoyed the
singing talents of the singing group,
The Treblemakers, as well as the Girl Scouts on Saturday as Santa
made his way on the rear dack of an antique Fire Engine to light the
tree..
December 8, 2019 -- Please enjoy clips from
last night's performance at Bill's Pizzeria by Back Pages.
Santa at Hopkinton Drug/Card & Gift December 7, 2019 -- Santa made a grand
entrance and hosted dozens of youngsters this afternoon at Hopkinton
Card and Gift's 31st Annual Open House.
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Senior Dinner December 7, 2019 -- Hopkinton Chief of Police
Ed Lee, being assisted by Chip Creswell, serves a table of seniors
at the Hopkinton Senior Center this afternoon at the Hopkinton
Police
Association's annual service to the seniors.
Santa at Hopkinton Common December 7, 2019 -- Above, Santa, who was
brought to the common by Brian Karp, walks the last few feet. Kids
cheer as their countdown ends and the tree is lit. More on Sunday
Future Airmen?
December 7, 2019 -- Cub Scouts from Hopkinton Pack 97 pose in front
of a Lockheed F-104 fighter during the Pack’s recent visit to the
New England Air Museum near Bradley International Airport in Windsor
Locks, Connecticut.
Steven
G. Esper, 52, died December 5, 2019. Born in
Worcester, MA, he was the son of Jeri Esper and the late George
L. EsperJr.
Steven was a graduate of St. Bridget's
School and Marian High School in Framingham. He graduated from
Framingham State University with honors. He worked and lived
for many years in Deerfield Beach, Florida, as the audio visual
sound engineer manager at the Boca Raton Resort.
He is survived by his children
Andressa and Alec Esper of Parkland, FL, his brothers Jeffrey
and Gary Esper of Hopkinton and his sister Pamela Moynahan of
Hopkinton. He also leaves many nieces and nephews.
Afuneral
Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. in St. John the Evangelist
Church on Wednesday December 11th. Family and freinds are
welcome to gather at 9:00 am at theCallanan
Cronin Funeral Home,
34 Church Street for a procession to church. Burial
will follow at Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Hopkinton. Calling hours at
the funeral home are Tuesday, December 10, 2019 from 3:00 to
6:00 p.m.
Deck the Porch... December 7, 2019 -- An Upton kind of
Christmas.
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners
and the surrounding
Communities
Traffic Stop
December 6, 2019 -- Following the report of
a vehicle unable to maintain lanes, and with a subsequent
ongoing telephone narrative to keep dispatch informed as to the
travel direction and location of the vehicle, Officer Benjamin
Stickney caught up to it and pulled it over; ironically, across
from a brewery. Above, Sgt. Aaron O'Neil assists with securing
handcuffs on the individual. The charges are not known at this
time.
Scene Downtown This Evening Photo by Brian Herr.
You are needed Monday night at 7PM in Middle School for
Special Town meeting:
Editor:
Town Meeting can be an unpredictable forum – only those
attending call the shots: The article on easements requires only
a 50% threshold to stop the town’s well planned and fully funded
Main Street improvements.
Many important Town Meeting
articles over the yearshave passed or failed by
a SINGLE vote. Don’t let that ONE VOTE be yours–
please show up to ensure the broadest community interest is
represented!
The project is fully funded and in final design stages, with
recent accommodations made based on input from all parties, and
current design spending on target with project expectations.
The town's share (only 22% of the total project cost) is fully
funded by Town Meeting appropriations from 2010 and 2018- the
remaining 78% comes from state and federal funds, grants, and
mitigation from related projects.
Safety is a key theme of this project, which balances many
requirements: vehicles, pedestrians, bikes, parking, property,
signalization, drainage, intersection alignment. ADA compliance
throughout enhances safety for all including wheel chairs and
strollers, making our town center more accessible and safe for a
growing populations. Bike lanes have been designed to minimize
use of full right-of-way and to enhance safety over current
conditions via a bike path separated from the road and sidewalk
that puts bikes on a separate path away from moving and parked
vehicles. The Common gains enhancements to its appearance,
functionality and safety at Marathon Way.
We are a growing community.
Growing communities require infrastructure investment. After
years in the MassDOT project pipeline, Hopkinton has a well
vetted plan and a cost-effective way of getting this done now.
What can you do to help:
Please attend Special Town Meeting, 7PM, Monday, December
9th, at the Hopkinton Middle School auditorium.
Join us for visibility and
sign holding at the Main/Grove/Cedar intersection near CVS/CrossPoint
- Saturday, December 7, 10AM-noon.
Forward this email and attachment to your friends and
neighbors to help us drive attendance at Special Town
Meeting.
Have you ever driven through
another Massachusetts town and noticed the upgrades and
enhancements to their main corridors? Those towns have
already implemented the MassDOT project partnership model.
After years in the pipeline, now is Hopkinton's time. Let's
not throw this away due to misunderstandings or lack of
attendance at Special Town Meeting. See you Monday at 7PM
at the Middle School!
Joe Markey
39 Ash Street
December 6, 2019
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Downtown Project Should Not Proceed
To the Editor:
Relative to the controversial Downtown
Corridor Project, it is somewhat confounding as to the ardent,
continued support of the project manifested by the town
hierarchy. They should, by now, realize that the initial
presentations over the many years to the citizenry were fraught
with misinformation and subsequently disinformation.
The initial goal of the project was to
alleviate downtown traffic congestion. This goal is no longer
realistic. This has been confirmed by a statement by the Mass
DOT engineers at a meeting held on 20 September 2019 that the
intersection of 135 and 85 has a current rating of "F", and upon
completion of the project would still have a rating of "F"!
In addition to this, VHB the engineering
firm employed by the town, commented that the only way to
alleviate this downtown congestion would be to make Rt. 135 a
four lane highway.
With further scrutiny of the project,
additional negative facts have come to light i.e. unsafe bike
lanes, potential failures of local businesses due to lengthy
construction phases, non-removal of the most unsightly utility
poles, loss of useable green space coupled with irreparable
intrusions into our historic district, visual clutter through
traffic signage proliferation, extensive violations of
resident's property rights as well as unknown, likely time and
cost over runs.
All facts indicate that this Downtown
Project should not proceed in its present configuration.
Rick Kelly
5 Ash Street
December 6, 2019
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners
and the surrounding
Communities
Easement is Seizure of Private Property
Dear Editor:
Merriam-Webster
defines a legal taking as, “a seizure of private property or a
substantial deprivation of the right to its free use or enjoyment
that is caused by government action ...” It is my opinion that
easements on private property, whether temporary or permanent, are a
deprivation of the free use of property, and are in fact, a taking.
Although town
officials have notified me that an easement on my property is no
longer needed for the Main Street Corridor Project, my property is
still listed on Article 47 from the 2018 Annual Town Meeting. As a
result, I am still exposed to a potential easement. Multiple
attorneys have advised me that this is a municipal plan that can
change at any time and, as long as the town is authorized to take an
easement on my property via Article 47, I am at risk for having an
easement.
Proponents of the
current Main Street Corridor Project have argued that Main Street
property owners were notified of the potential for an easement by
letters sent in 2012 and by virtue of the 2018 town meeting warrant.
First, how can proponents in good conscience claim that
approximately 70 letters sent in 2012 constitute sufficient notice
for a vote that was taken nearly 5 years later in 2018 and by that
point included over 90 properties? Second, do they really believe
that typing a parcel number on a town meeting warrant is all that is
needed to “notify” property owners that they will be subject to a 5
year easement?
Other than the
certified letter I received in April 2019 requesting that I donate
an easement, I have never been personally notified by the town that
my property was on the Main Street Corridor Plan and subject to an
easement. I ask my fellow residents – if your property was listed by
parcel identification number only (not by name or address) on a town
meeting warrant, would you consider that sufficient notice that the
town wanted an easement on your property? While the town may have
followed the letter of the law, they did not follow the spirit of
Hopkinton. This project is a major undertaking and all corridor
residents and business owners should have been given the respect of
personal, individual outreach by the project proponents. By personal
outreach, I mean one on one phone calls or in person meetings, or at
least letters addressed to us by name, not by “dear resident.”
Free federal money is
not free. Corridor residents and businesses will pay more than other
residents with negative valuation on property, loss of business, and
a substantial reduction in our quality of life from construction
fumes, debris, and disruption. These easements will have a negative
effect on property values on corridor properties for, at a minimum,
the entire length of the easement period (5 years), if not
permanently. Corridor property owners will not just pay for this
project with their tax dollars, we will be paying for the project in
many other financial and non-financial ways.
I ask my fellow
residents, if this is such a good plan, why have so many residents
and business owners
rallied against the
plan? Also, please put yourself in the shoes of downtown residents.
Five years is a long time to have our properties tied up by
“temporary” easements, not to mention the numerous permanent utility
and other easements required by this plan.
Please attend the Special Town Meeting on Monday, December 9,
2019 at 7:00 p.m. Please vote to support the Main Street Alliance
and our warrant article to stop the Main Street Corridor Project as
it is currently designed.
Sincerely,
Jackie Potenzone
12 Wood Street
December 6, 2019
At The Spoon: Today!
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Prefers Two, One-way Bike Paths
To the Editor:
A two-way bike path is definitely inferior to 2 x one-way bike
paths. It's natural for any vehicle driver to only look towards
approaching traffic when exiting a driveway. The cyclists
approaching from the "unnatural" direction will get crushed, no
doubt about it.
Here's the scenario for even an "attentive" driver: He desires to
exit a driveway, looks both ways as a cautious, careful driver fully
aware of the bike lane. But as he pulls out, there is traffic in
roadway, so he waits for an opening. Then he sees his opening since
he's laser-focused on the oncoming traffic and pulls out to claim
his gap in the traffic and whack; another cyclist is plastered
against his fender since he didn't look a SECOND time.
Looking the artist renderings, it would seem much more
desirable to take the wide brick buffer away and use the space for
two one-way bike lanes on either side of the road. Further, the
car/bike buffer need not be a 4" painted strip as suggested in a
rebuttal but rather a cross-hatched zone. Even approaching cyclists
on this two-way path will converge at an alarming rate.
As a cyclist who rides in downtown Boston
daily (mainly on the Charles River bike path), the potential for
accidents is extremely high. I don't ride in downtown Hopkinton, but
if I did, I'd much rather take my chances on the primary roadway
with my collection of front and rear blinking lights - better for
cars to see you in the clear rather than obscured by parked cars and
distraction overload. In summary, the two-way bike path idea is a
loser and must be eliminated from consideration if your aim is to
make a safer system than what we have now.
Joe Kaiser
10 Longwood Drive
December 5, 2019
The Holidays Have Come to Weston Nurseries
Join
us this weekend in Hopkinton and enjoy a wonderful day creating
Christmas memories with your family! Choose the perfect trees and
wreaths, pick out
just the right ornaments, find the perfect gifts for everyone on
your list and celebrate with a yummy Liege Waffle from Liege Belgian
waffle food truck (www.liegewaffles.com) and a delicious cup of hot
cocoa on Saturday from 11am to 6pm! Our doors open at 9am for
shopping for gifts, ornaments, wreaths, trees and more! The
Hopkinton Holiday Stroll starts at 10am!
We've got carolers from The Treblemakers and so many gorgeous trees,
wreaths, gifts, ornaments and everything else you need to make a
Christmas full of memories for your family! Make sure to come by and
say hello. Celebrate the holidays with us this year!
Santa will be here on Saturday, December 7 from 10am to noon and
again from 1pm to 3pm so bring your little ones to say hi and share
their letters with him and Mrs Claus! They'll be here the same times
on Sunday, December 8, too! We wont have a photographer this year so
bring your camera and charge your phones so you can capture every
magical minute!
File photo of young girl with Santa, who Dick Brault brought to
Weston Nurseries and other Hopkinton venues for years prior to his
retirement.
Favors No Biking Downtown
Editor:
The writer of a recent letter to the
editor spent several years convincing engineers that a multi-level,
2-way, separated bike lane, not only qualified for state funding but
will make the downtown safer for families and children. Sounds
benevolent but there is no proof of that since the only comparable
bike lanes in the US are on flat land in places like Tampa, WDC,
Minneapolis, and Cambridge. Non-urban hilly Hopkinton seems hardly
the right training ground for such an experiment and whose child
will go first?
The writer also states that “currently
cyclists are mingling in with the traffic and pose a potential
hazard to themselves” but neglects to mention that seasoned cyclists
prefer travelling in the road and the state welcomes them there,
even when bike lanes are available.
Bike lanes are NOT inherently safe but the
state holds funding hostage, while mandating construction of what
will soon become an albatross. Imagine the first time an unwary
bicycling family comes to the end of the bucolic, tree lined Center
Trail only to face Main Street traffic inches away, then share the
narrow 2 way bike lane with skill sets ranging from inexperienced
children to aggressive adults.
The next ¾ of a mile will encompass
elevation changes and 30 driveways/roadways to awkwardly negotiate
with entering and exiting vehicles. If the family gets to the Town
Common, I suspect a call for a UHAUL van will get them back to their
car or home safely, vowing never to return.
There are good reasons why bicyclists have
avoided downtown Hopkinton since the 70`s and formal bike lanes
won`t change any of them, as incessant commuter traffic will
continue to increase with no viable alternative. I submit the only
safe biking downtown is NO biking, especially for the infrequent
rider.
Without these bike lanes, traffic
will flow more smoothly on the wider road and the land-taking
right-of-way and easements will disappear. The writer states that
Main Street Alliance supporters should consider the needs of others
before their own, but she advocates for her desired recreational
bike lane benefitting but a few. What`s the answer? Terminate this
outlandish image over substance Downtown Corridor Project and use
the money saved to repair our streets and sidewalks. Hopkinton has
solid bones and doesn`t need a fashion makeover. Please vote your
conscience at the STM on December 9.
Rob Phipps
80 Main Streete property owner
Sutton resident
Philip
J. Schiloski, 70
Philip
J. Schiloski, 70, of Hopkinton, passed away
Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at Milford Regional Hospital. Born in
Framingham, he was the son of the late Charlotte (Smith) and
Robert W. Schiloski Sr.
Philip had been employed at Bay State Abrasives for 28 years,
before retiring and working on the custodial staff for 10 years
at Hopkinton High School. He enjoyed fishing, playing cards,
board games, and loved hanging out with his brother, Ken.
Philip is survived by his daughter, Roxanne Schiloski of
Douglas; three siblings, Paul Schiloski, Lola Dzerkacz and her
husband, Frank, and Kenneth Schiloski; 2 grandchildren, Kelsey
and Kyle Zuidema and 1 great-granddaughter, Scarlette Storm
Gabbard. He also leaves behind a niece, many nephews as well
many great-nieces and great-nephews, and his lifelong friend,
Ronnie Gassett of Bellingham.. He is predeceased by his brother,
Robert W. Schiloski.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, December 8th from 12:00-3:00
p.m. at the Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton, 57 Hayden Rowe
St. www.ChesmoreFuneralHome.com Interment at St. John’s Cemetery
will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers donations may
be made to Joslin Diabetes Center, 1 Joslin Place Boston, MA
02215 (www.joslin.org/ )
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners
and the surrounding
Communities
In
Favor of Bike Lanes and Downtown Corridor
To the Editor:
The Upper Charles Trail Committee (UCTC) has been charged by the
Select Board to plan, design and build a Class 5 (fully developed)
Trail from Milford to Ashland and it must include the Center Trail.
The UCTC came late to the conversation about 4 years ago, and
originally wanted to cross Main St by the Hopkinton Lumber store,
where the Center Trail connects with Main St. The State DOT however
would not allow the flashing warning lights necessary for our trail
because it was too close to the existing Wood/Main St traffic
lights. The committee met with engineers and developed a plan to
combine the north cycle lane with the south cycle lane. This process
took years to develop until the State engineers, Town officials,
engineers, and other town committees and boards agreed on this 2
directional, separated bike lane that met the State and Federal
requirements for safety and funding purposes. It far surpasses
current conditions and makes for a destination point for residents
from multiple neighborhoods to enjoy our downtown businesses and
Town Common. It makes it a safer place for families to enjoy a walk
and cycle to the downtown area. Most importantly it makes a safer
place for our school children who currently flood the downtown area
on early release days.
I also want to offer other comments on the downtown design. Traffic
calming measures, similar to what the Town accomplished on Hayden
Rowe by narrowing the road, forces the traffic to slow down, at the
same time includes turn lanes that allow for a smoother flow and
more volume of traffic to travel through the intersections. All of
these improvements are made possible by the Town’s utilization of
the easements. Without the easements, there will be no improvement
to the downtown area, as we will not be able to comply with State
and Federal Regulations. A two directional bike lane separated by
curbing and elevations so that it is completely separated from the
traffic is also vital to our down town improvement plan as it
satisfies the required element of mandatory bike lanes to qualify
for the MA TIP monies.
Currently cyclists are mingling in with the traffic and pose a
potential hazard to themselves. The plan envisions children,
families and folks of all ages including those who struggle with
disability issues to utilize the two lanes, (separated bike lane and
pedestrian lane) to fully enjoy our downtown and make for a safe
passage. A few people have criticized this plan as unsafe for
cyclists to pass in front of existing driveways and business exists.
Currently cyclists and pedestrians safely pass these same exists.
The Town & State are trying to make the downtown safer. We must work
with what we have, as do other bike paths in MA, and plan for a
better, safer route for all.
I urge all residents to attend the Special Town Meeting on December
9 and hear the facts and make an educated decision.
Respectfully,
Jane Moran,
70 East Main St,
Chair, Upper Charles Trail Committee
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Real Estate Transactions for Hopkinton
New
Transactions from November 16, 2019 - November 29, 2019
Choose blue links to see town's property cards
ABCC KICKS OFF “OPERATION SAFE HOLIDAYS” Holiday
Program to Coincide with National Impaired Driving Crackdown
BOSTON – The
Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC)
began their holiday season enforcement efforts this past weekend
at bars throughout the Commonwealth that have been most commonly
identified as the last bar to sell alcohol to a convicted drunk
driver.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), between 2013 and 2017 there were 800 people killed in
alcohol-impaired driving crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday
period, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving through the Monday
after.
Run in conjunction with the NHTSA’s Impaired Driving Crackdown,
the ABCC’s Sale to Intoxicated Persons (SIP) enforcement will be
in effect until New Year’s Eve.
“The ABCC wants to ensure that the holiday season is enjoyed by
everyone, but most importantly celebrated responsibly,” said
State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, “The safety of all
Massachusetts residents is of the utmost importance and by
establishing SIP we are supporting that priority and maintaining
safer roads.”
The ABCC will also be working with local police departments that
have identified high risk locations in their communities.
Alcohol is involved in 40 percent of traffic crash fatalities
resulting in 17,013 fatalities and injuring an estimated 275,000
people annually. Data indicates that well over 50% of impaired
driving arrests originate at bars.
The Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission is an agency under
the Office of the State Treasurer and Receiver General Deborah
B. Goldberg. Its overall objective is to provide uniform control
over the sale, purchase, transportation, manufacture, and
possession of alcoholic beverages in the state.
Moon Over Hopkinton December 4, 2019 -- Thanks to John Collins
for sharing this photo of the Veterans Memorial Gazebo on the
Hopkinton Common yesterday as the Sun set and the Moon rose.
December 4, 2019 -- Among other business
last evening, the Select Board contemplated support for the six
Warrant Articles for next Monday's Special Town Meeting.
Article I , brought by a citizens' petition, a right
guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the
United States of America, seeks to halt the Main Street Corridor
Project, which has been in the planning since 2010. The Article
is in two parts, the first of which would rescind Article 47 of
the Town of Hopkinton Annual Town Meeting [Authorizing the
establishment of easements in the project scope on Main Street,
from Ash Street to Wood Street]. The second part of the Article
orders the Select Board to cease all planning and implementation
of the project. The latter condition ran into trouble.
"The legislative body [Town
Meeting] cannot order the executive branch [Select Board] what
to do," said Town Manager Norman Khumalo, according to Town
Counsel. The motion, members said, is now in three parts.
The four members of the
Board present voted emphatically to not support Article I.
The Board voted, after
just a few minutes of discussion, to support unanimously the
School Department Articles 2-5, which will total about $10
million for the design and expansion of the High School, and
modular classrooms for Hopkins and Elmwood schools. The Articles
call for Prop 2½ debt exclusions, which would need to be voted
at an election. They hope to schedule one in February.
As expected, Article 6,
which seeks to bypass the formal road acceptance practices for
Legacy Farms North, will end up being a discussion of how to get
acceptance approved at May Town Meeting, given that all of the
conditions will be met. Given the the road has not yet been
legally accepted, the parents of schoolchildren queue up their
vehicles at the Legacy Farms North and Frankland Road
intersection to wait for the bus on an accepted road.
Theodore
“Ted” Alvin Hatch, 84
Theodore “Ted” Alvin Hatch, 84,
of Holliston, passed away at his home on Friday, November 29, 2019.
Born in Newton, he was the son of the late Frances R. (Anderson) and
Willard G. Hatch. He was the husband of 60 years to Diana (French)
Hatch of Holliston.
Ted was a member of the Massachusetts National Guard. He had worked
as a computer technician in the finance industry, and upon his
retirement, he spent 19 years driving a school bus for Michael J.
Connelly in the town of Hopkinton. He was an active Mason for 40
years in Mount Hollis Lodge of Holliston and a Scottish Rite
32nd Degree Mason in the Valley of Boston. He was a member of the
Colonial Craftsman Club, a Masonic group reenacting 1776 On
the Square, and National Camping Travelers, a Masonic camping group.
He also enjoyed camping with his family and friends for many years.
Besides his wife, Ted is survived by his children, Cynthia Lynch and
her husband James J. of Monson, Sharon Greenwood and her husband,
Royce Jr. of Hopkinton, Rebecca Sherman and her husband, Scott of
Palmer, and Gretchen DuBois and her husband, Rick of Natick. He
also leaves behind a sister, Verna Ross-Hoyt and her husband, Allen
of Milford, NH, a sister-in-law, Jackie Hatch of Columbia, SC, his
brother-in-law, Donald French, Jr. and his wife, Mary of Berlin, NY
as well as 11 grandchildren, James P. Lynch, Dorothy Wegiel,
Victoria Lynch, Colin Lynch, Melissa Setterlund, Royce “Chip”
Greenwood III, William Greenwood, Simon Sherman, Rachel Meacham,
Benjamin Sherman and Kathryn DuBois, and 7 great-grandchildren and
many nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his brother, Alan
Hatch.
A memorial service will take place at the First Congregational
Church of Holliston on Saturday, December 7th at 10:00
a.m. Interment will be held privately at a later date. In lieu of
flowers, donations may be made to First Congregational Church of
Holliston, 725 Washington St., Holliston, MA 01746.
The Water Department requests your assistance, in maintaining
accessibility to
the
town's fire hydrants, for the safety and protection of everyone.
During the winter hydrants can become buried by snow during a storm.
If you have a fire hydrant that that is near your home, please help
us make it visible and accessible to the Fire Department for use in
an emergency. Precious seconds can be lost, searching for the
hydrant or removing snow to gain access to it. Talk with your
neighbors about taking turns shoveling around the hydrant in winter.
Help make your neighborhood safe for everyone!
Please be aware that it poses a major fire safety hazard to bury a
fire hydrant by shoveling, plowing or snow blowing. It is also
prohibited by Mass General Law and can incur a fine.
The Water department would like to thank you for your cooperation in
helping to maintain fire safety!
Eric J. Carty Water-Sewer Manager Hopkinton Water-Sewer Dept.
Current Road Space
Sufficient for Bicycles
Dear Editor,
I note the following
comment regarding the so-called ‘Main Street Corridor Project’ on
the proponents’ webpage. “The project includes a bicycle lane in
order to separate bicycle traffic from vehicle traffic flow,
improving safety. Today, bicycles share narrow road space with
moving and parked vehicles.”
As I have said, multiple
times, I believe (and I am not alone) that the separated bike lane,
as proposed, will NOT improve safety, so I make no further comment
with respect to this portion of the claim.
However, “Today, bicycles
share narrow road space with moving and parked vehicles.”
This statement is
partially correct, but only as far as “sharing the road."
Main Street, from Hayden Rowe to the Rt 85 intersection, provides an
expanse of space for parking, bike, and vehicular traffic. That
portion of Main St varies from approximately 85’ to 53’ wide.
Parking spaces are 8’ wide. A travel lane 11 to 12’ wide. If we
assume the 53’ width dimension (measured at the intersection
crosswalk), with three 11’ travel lanes, and one row of
parking at 8’ (as it is currently), that still leaves 6’ of
‘bike space’ eachway at this narrowest point. That is
sufficient to meet AASHTO guidelines; it is far from the “narrow
road space” mentioned, and provides reasonable security from the
dreaded ‘door zone’ for this narrowest portion of this section of
Main St.
The westerly portion of
Main Street, even where as narrow as 40’, provides more than
adequate room for bike lanes, assuming parking is not extended West
of the current limits. The needed crossing for the bike lane on the
West-bound side of Main St to connect with the Center Trail, could
be just a few feet past the Center Trail, at the existing Wood
Street lights.
Sincerely,
Ed Harrow
8 Spring Lane
December 3, 2019
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Main Street Alliance will
Discuss Petition to Stop Hopkinton's "Main Street Corridor"
Project on WBZ AM 1030 Radio
Dear Editor,
The Main Street Alliance is excited to announce that our story will
be featured on Nightside with Dan Rea on Thursday, December 5, 2019,
starting at 8 p.m.
Please tune in at 8 p.m. on WBZ NewsRadio, radio dial 1030 AM, or
listen online at https://wbznewsradio.iheart.com
. Rob Phipps and Jacqueline Potenzone will be Dan Rea's guests in
the studio, and will speak about the Main Street Alliance's
opposition to the Hopkinton Main Street Corridor Project.
In closing, please tune in on Thursday night and also attend the
Special Town Meeting on Monday, December 9 at 7:00 p.m. We ask your
support in voting to stop the corridor project as it is currently
designed.
Governor Baker Announces 10:00
AM Delayed Start Time for Non-Emergency
Executive Branch State Employees on Tuesday
BOSTON –
Governor Charlie Baker is announcing a 10:00 AM delayed start time
on Tuesday, December 3rd for all non-emergency state executive
branch employees as road crews and public safety officials respond
to the ongoing winter storm. The Administration continues to urge
everyone to plan ahead and use public transportation when possible
and checkwww.MBTA.com/winterfor
updates.
Three-season Sport
December 2, 2019 -- The first person to send the exact location of
this hoop to Editor@HopNews.com
will get a check for $20.00.
Be sure to include name, address (and phone number for
verification).
Mary Catherine Pratt, 91
Mary
Catherine Pratt, 91, of Hopkinton, passed away
Monday, December 2, 2019. Born in Natick, she was the daughter of
the late Joseph and Mary (Devitt) O’Brien. She was the wife of the
late Joseph William Pratt.
Mary had a BA from Regis College and a
Masters from Wellesley College in Chemistry. In her early years, she
did Radioisotope Medical Research. Mary was a public servant for
over 50 years. She began her involvement in town government in the
early sixties working on education. Before there was special
education in any school, she educated herself with graduate classes
to find out what could be done in the public schools to meet the
needs of those students that needed extra support. She was
always an advocate for special education as well as for programs for
the exceptionally gifted students. She worked successfully to get
kindergarten into the regular curriculum in Hopkinton. She would
regularly attend school events and continue to participate to show
her support to students.
Mary was a Selectwoman for many years and
held a number of other elected and appointed positions over the
years. In 2012, she was honored by the Town of Hopkinton for her
years in public service. She participated with the MAPC
(Metropolitan Area Planning Council and SWAP (Southwest Area
Planning Committee). She also served on the Organization for
Balanced Fiscal Future, the Fire Station Building Committee, the
Hopkinton Housing Partnership and the Open Space Committee. She had
many successes including the reconstruction work at the Whitehall
Dam, the purchase and stewardship of the Lake Maspenock Dam. She
took pleasure in being so involved so she could better the town of
Hopkinton and advocate at the State level for things that
Hopkinton needed.
Mary is survived by her children, Daniel
Pratt and his wife, Kelly of Harrison City, PA, Maryanne Bilodeau
and her husband, Thomas of Westborough, Thomas Pratt and Susan Bush
of Hopkinton, Robert Pratt and his wife, Jennifer of Hopkinton, and
Martha Pratt-Rice (and her late husband, Joel Rice) of Warwick, MA.
She also leaves behind her sister, Joanne O’Brien of Natick as well
as 11 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren
and many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by two
sisters, Patricia Haswell and Marjorie Laprise, and her son,
Joseph Pratt who passed away November 13, 2019.
Fort
Mill, SC and formerly Holliston/Hopkinton-
Arlene Frances (Dunne) Martineaupassed
away peacefully at home with her loving husband, Jim and daughter,
Elizabeth by her side on Saturday, November 23rd, 2019, after a
brave and long struggle with cancer. Arlene was born February 9,
1945 to Edmund and Margaret Dunne.
Arlene left us just as she lived, with
grace, strength and beauty, and greatly admired by all who knew her.
While growing up in New York City, she didn’t know how many lives
she would touch in the course of hers. Arlene was imaginative, kind,
and a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and the best friend anyone
could ever have.
Arlene graduated from Hunter College in NYC. She married James
Patrick Martineau on June 19, 1966. Arlene loved little children
both as an elementary school teacher & later as an advocate for sick
children. She had an unbelievable talent for making people feel
loved! Arlene was an elementary school teacher in New York City and
in California and a kindergarten teacher and special education
teacher in Massachusetts.
After her son Scott was diagnosed with Wilson’s Disease, Arlene
became very involved with children’s health issues. Arlene was the
Director of Pediatric Home Health Care for Olsten (Gentiva) Home
Health Care and was awarded the first nationwide Fred Olsten Award
from her company. She was also awarded numerous other honors in the
pediatric home health care industry. Arlene also developed and
brought to fruition the first Pediatric Health Day Care facility in
New England, with the help of many dedicated people.
Mental and social issues were a passion with Arlene. She was a board
member of the Pseudo Obstruction in New England and worked with
Social Services for children in crisis. Arlene also volunteered –
working with abused women and with parents and children afflicted
with Wilson’s Disease, along with volunteering for her children in
Brownies, Cub Scouts, 4H and sporting activities.
After she moved to South Carolina to be close to her daughter,
son-in-law and grandchildren, Arlene became a certified Court
Appointed Guardian Ad Litem. She was working on a book entitled,
“The Smoking Room at Boston’s Children’s Hospital” that told of the
good days and bad days that parents and children face with serious
illness.
Arlene loved to cook and entertain and was a great hostess in her
Holliston home for extended family and friends. She brought everyone
together for her famous Thanksgiving Dinners! (while everyone else
was out running the”Turkey Trot”). She was a voracious reader, loved
NYC theater and dancing the night away with Jim!
Arlene was preceded in death by her parents Edmund & Margaret Dunne,
beloved son, Scott Christopher Martineau and brother, Brian Francis
Dunne. She is survived by her husband, James Patrick Martineau,
daughter, Elizabeth Martineau and her husband, James Bascio; her
grandchildren, Jared, Jessica and Jonah Bascio; her sister, Ellen
Welsh, sister- in-law, Jane Dunne and many nieces and nephews and
cousins.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, December 12th from 9:00-10:45
a.m. at the Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton, 57 Hayden Rowe St. A
Requiem Mass will follow at 11:30 a.m. at Saint Matthews Church in
Southborough. Private Interment will be held at a later date. The
family suggests that memorials may be made to the Wilson’s Disease
Association, www.wilsonsdisease.org
or a charity of their choice.
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Judith Ann Meyers, 78
HOPKINTON -
Judith Ann Meyers, 78,
died Monday, November 25, 2019 at Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital
in Westborough, MA. Born in Almont, MI she was the daughter of
the late Herbert and Kathryn (Neumann) Duggan.
Judi worked
for 42 years at Marlette Community Hospital in Marlette, MI.
She is
survived by her son Brad Meyers and wife Kathy of Strongsville, Ohio
and her daughter Michele Crowe and husband David of Hopkinton, MA.
She leaves her grandchildren Faith Meyers, Derek Crowe, Keegan Crowe
and Hope Meyers. She also leaves her sisters Jan Barden and
Pat Bitel, both of Michigan.
Judi’s family
remembers her as a loving mother, sister and grandmother. She
was the sweetest, kindest and most caring person they knew. Funeral
services will be held at a later date in Michigan.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Callanan
Cronin Funeral Home.
We followed this photo by MH Gibbs to the
LMPA facebook today, after seeing it on several others.
It appears to have been taken just before the storm.
Father and Son
December 1, 2019 -- Steve Spector and Son, Mike, entertained the
lounge at Bill's Pizzeria last evening, inviting at one point a
cousin, and in this video, a classmate from Framingham North High
School, (Rocko), to join them. Thank you to Donna Spector (Wife and
Mom) for doing a great, steady job capturing this video and posting
it on her facebook page.
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
On a Break
Santa's Elves are taking a break while he feeds his reindeer today
at Weston Nurseries.
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners
and the surrounding
Communities
Come visit Santa and Mrs Claus --
December 1 from 10am to noon and 1pm to 3pm
Come and explore our Magical Winter Forest. Watch the Weston
Nurseries Express wind its way along its tracks. Write a
letter to the North Pole and post it in our Magic Mailbox. You can
meet Mrs Claus, who will be helping Santa this year. Please remember
to bring your camera! Weston will not be taking pictures this year,
as we have in past years. This event is Free and requires no advance
registration.
Please keep in mind that Santa is very popular, and the line fills
up quickly! We recommend that families arrive early if they wish to
be first to see Santa, and arrive no later than 1 hour before
closing time to ensure a place in line.
Pauline M. Hutchinson, 96
Pauline
M. Hutchinson, 96, of Hopkinton, passed away
Tuesday, November 26, 2019. Born in Peterborough, New Hampshire, she
was the daughter of the late Marguerite Bedell and Donald S. Greene.
A resident of Hopkinton for 57 years, Pauline regularly worked two
jobs to support her children, grandchildren, and so many others in
the community around her. She took pleasure in housing Boston
Marathoners over the years and was known for waving and smiling at
all the runners in her most elegant attire from her doorway on
Hayden Rowe Street. She was a fantastic gardener, storyteller, and
had a personal style that was second to none. She believed in an
“open door” policy to all children, veterans and any other humans or
animals in need. She took care of people until she was 88 years old,
providing home care to a trio of sisters in their 90s. She was
affectionately called Nana by almost anyone she met, and she loved
that.
She is survived by her children, Sharon of Milford, Michael and his
wife, Rachel, of Upton; her siblings, Shirley, John, and Bob; 4
grandchildren, John, Kaylyn, and Michael, and Randle Rae; as well as
2 great-grandchildren, Zachary and Aniken Hutchinson, as well as her
late daughter Cheryl’s longtime partner, Bill McGrath, and
granddaughter Cassie-Leigh’s best friend and partner for life, James
Stewart. She is predeceased by two children, Roland who passed away
at the age of 21, and Cheryl Ann who passed July 23, 2019, her
siblings, Jigs, Bernard and Bette, and her granddaughter,
Cassie-Leigh, who passed July 15, 2019. Nana knew she would be
seeing them all and so many friends again.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 4th from 8:30-10:00
a.m. at Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton, 57 Hayden Rowe St. A
funeral mass will follow visitation at 10:30 a.m. at St. John the
Evangelist Church of Hopkinton. Burial will follow in Evergreen
Cemetery in Hopkinton. Please dress in attire that you feel
celebrates Pauline. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to
National League of POW/MIA Families https://www.pow-miafamilies.org/
Favors
Downtown Corridor Project
Letter to the Editor;
I am writing to urge
all Hopkinton residents to attend the Special Town Meeting (STM) on
December 9 so they become informed of facts, both pro & con for the
Downtown Corridor.
The folks supporting
the Main Street Alliance Group are understandably concerned
about their quality of life and property however, we are a
population of almost 18,000 people and should consider not only our
needs, but others who travel through our town daily, as well as the
future of our town.
This conversation has
been on going since the 1950’s when the State first identified the
downtown intersection needed improvement. I knew the conversation
was ongoing however only became involved a few years ago when I
realized the Upper Charles Trail (UCTC) could be in jeopardy. The
committee has been charged to plan, design and build a trail
(subject to Select Board approval) from Milford to Ashland AND
include the Center Trail.
The State DOT told
the (UCTC) the trail could not cross Main Street by the Center
Trail/Main Street exit because the mandatory traffic light required
for a trail would be too close to the Wood/Main St lights as it
would cause too much traffic backup. So, we continued to negotiate
with the State, Town officials and VHB engineers until we came up
with a solution, which is the 2-directional, combined multi-use path
with handicap accessibility. This is necessary if Hopkinton is to
qualify for State funding.
As the plan continued
to go forward with multiple changes, alternative suggestions came
forward from residents and others. Yes, the plan did keep changing
and improving as mandated by all parties involved. In my opinion the
Town, State, and VHB engineers have been extremely open and
cooperative to hearing all kinds of opinions and suggestions on how
to make this the best project possible.
At this point the
Main Street Alliance Group seems determined to stop the project,
but I have not seen an alternative that provides funding and will
improve the downtown area. I have only heard one word from the Main
Street Alliance Group and that is STOP.
If the Town does not
support Article 47 (easements), then there is no widening of the
road. If we do not widen the road, we do not qualify for State
funding. I don’t think taxpayers are willing to pay the $15 million
for this project themselves, and I also feel as though most
residents see and feel the need is real for the downtown
improvements.
Please come to the
Special Town Meeting on December 9 and cast your vote based on an
educated decision.
Jane Moran
70 East Main Street
November 30, 2019
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Reminder:
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners
and the surrounding
Communities
Please join us for one of our
Classroom Visit Days this year. It's a unique opportunity for
day students and their families to see Fay School at its best as
you tour our campus, talk with teachers and lead administrators,
and observe students and teachers in action on a typical school
day.
2019-2020 Dates
Wednesday, October 2nd
Thursday, December 5th
Thursday, January 9th
Wednesday, May 6th
Schedule
10:00-10:30 Welcome Reception
with the Head of School
10:30-11:20 Classroom Visits
11:20-12:00 Q+A with Fay's Primary, Lower and Upper
School Division Heads 12:00-12:50 Lunch in our Dining
Room (Lunch
is optional, but if you would like to join us, please
email srevell@fayschool.org).
Classroom Visit Days begins at Fay's
Admission Office. To access Fay’s Admission Office use our
Main Entrance, located at 54 Main Street in Southborough,
MA. Once you enter the driveway, turn left into the parking
area. Event signs and our admission staff will help direct
you to the event once you arrive on campus.
Phyllis
Uline Palitsch, 90, a longtime resident of
Hopkinton, died peacefully at home with her husband, John A. “Jack”
Palitsch, by her side. He survives her, following 71 loving years of
marriage. Born in Troy, New York, Phyllis was the daughter of the
late Donald and Elizabeth Uline.
She is the mother of the late Donna Lynn, and is survived by her son
John R. Palitsch of Vernon, Connecticut, and daughter Suzanne
Palitsch Barnes and husband, Jeffery, of Hopkinton, Massachusetts.
She is also survived by her grandchildren, Kate Palitsch Czaplinski
and her husband, Jeffery; Jason F. Palitsch; Jacqueline P. Barnes;
and Elizabeth M. Barnes; and her great-grandson, Roy James
Czaplinski. She is also survived by her sister, Marilyn U. Hasbrouck
and husband Douglas, and many loving nieces and nephews. Phyllis was
also a sister of the late Betty U. Engineri and Virginia U. Knippel.
During World War II, Phyllis was a member of the Civil Air Patrol of
Troy, trained as an aircraft identity spotter. She graduated from
Troy High School, where she and Jack met. Phyllis worked for R.T.
Bower CPA Accounting, and then became Superintendent of United
Memorial Methodist Church in Sycaway. Phyllis eventually became an
officer in the family business, Otto’s Auto Parts, as well as
inventory control manager. She was also secretary and treasurer of
another family business, J&L Enterprise Real Estate. Phyllis was an
avid swimmer; she achieved her certified swimming instructor’s
license and taught swimming for 30 years at the Troy YWCA, and
served as a Camp Fire Waterfront volunteer swim instructor.
After moving to Hopkinton, Phyllis was heavily involved supporting
the Hopkinton Senior Center and Friends of the Hopkinton Library.
Phyllis was best known for knitting Christmas stockings and
sweaters, baking amazing pies and wonderful holiday cookies and
feasts for the extended family, especially the summer clam steam,
and never ending pool parties and barbeques with family and friends.
There will be no calling hours. A private graveside service will be
held at Oakwood Cemetery in Troy. In lieu of flowers, memorial
donations can be made in honor of Phyllis to the Hopkinton Senior
Center, 28 Mayhew St, Hopkinton, MA 01748. Arrangements are under
the care of the Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton.
www.ChesmoreFuneralHome.com .
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
The Pre-game Run
Above, Hopkinton XC LtoR Ian Cann, Haley Deluca, Matteo Gambino &
Hope Deluca Below, both teams before the run to
Hopkinton. Photos by Dorothy Ferriter-Wallace.
Hopkinton XC LtoR Ian Cann, Haley Deluca, Matteo Gambino & Hope
Deluca
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners
and the surrounding
Communities
TREBLEMAKERS WINTER CONCERT
Two performances: Wednesday December
11th and Thursday December 12th @ 7:30 pm.PURCHASE
TICKETS IN ADVANCE THROUGH OVATION: CLICK
HERE
Join Enter Stage Left Theater's adult community chorus, the
Treblemakers, for their annual Winter concert filled with holiday
favorites. There will be light refreshments after the concert.
Directed by Eric Miller
Adults: $15 | Students and Seniors: $10
Happy Thanksgiving
According to a recent email from an advocacy
group, "The Pilgrims [who landed in Plymouth in 1620] suffered a
great deal during the Mayflower's first winter in Plymouth. The next
spring, however, a kind Native Indian named Squanto taught the
Pilgrims how to plant crops, berries and other wild foods. That
fall, because of the bountiful harvest, the Pilgrims held a
Thanksgiving feast that continued for three days. It was their way
to express their gratitude to God and for the help they received
from their good Indian friends. That first Thanksgiving was
celebrated in 1621."
Next year, 2020, will mark 400 years since the Pilgrims first landed
onto these shores.
It could be a good thing to list the blessings during the next year
that have been bestowed upon the land, the people who first
inhabited it, and those who came afterward.
The United States continues to welcome immigrants and refugees from
across the world, as well as from our own back yard. Let's continue
to rejoice in our families, neighbors, friends, public safety,
medical care, religious and educational institutions, and scientific
community. Thanks to the Armed Forces who help keep our objectives
of freedom and the pursuit of happiness a reality, and the
politicians and community leaders who keep the whole thing fluid,
while maintaining a solid foundation at the same time.
Thanks for reading. See you at the quadricentennial. ~Robert
Photo, Iron rooster and flesh and blood wild turkey.
As a part of their Thanksgiving traditions, The Spoon will be closed
for the holiday. They resume normal hours on Friday, except they
will not be open to serve the usual specials on Friday evening until
the following Friday. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
of South Windsor, CT and formerly of Hopkinton, MA passed away
peacefully on November 21, 2019 at her home in South Windsor CT. She
will be greatly missed by her only surviving sister, Catherine
Morrow of Boca Raton, FL and all her friends. Cheryl was born in
Hopkinton to the late Ray N. and Madeline (Colombi) Morrow. She
graduated from Hopkinton High in Massachusetts and received her
Bachelor of Arts from Framingham State, Framingham, MA.
Cheryl held many jobs during her school years in retail, working at
the Wayside Inn in Sudbury, MA, yet her love focused on teaching and
her students. Cheryl taught English at Ellington High School,
Ellington CT for over 30 years until she retired, and served as a
private tutor when needed. She touched many lives in her own unique
way.
Cheryl is remembered by her friends and family as a creative,
independent free spirit, talented, adventurous, fun loving and
funny. She enjoyed traveling and attended the first original
Woodstock Concert. Her interests were in cooking, following Top Chef
shows and traveled on the Top Chef specialty cruise out of Miami
with members of the shows. Cheryl is also remembered for her care
and love of many orphaned and small animals which she saved, inside
and outside, including robins, raccoons, and other small creatures.
Cheryl would tell us today, live your life and do not be afraid. We
will always remember Cheryl's life.
A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, November 30, 2019 at 10
a.m. in the Short & Rowe Funeral Home, 95 West Main Street,
Marlborough, MA. A Calling Hour will be held at 9 a.m. prior to the
service also in the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made in
Cheryls name to your local ASPCA or your local Wildlife Refuge.
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners
and the surrounding
Communities
Top of the Hill Honoring Hopkinton High School Alumni
November 26, 2019 -- Honorees, from left,
Samuel "Sam" Sennott, PhD Class of 1996; Missy Sadler, Class of
2000; seated, Patrick Lynch, MD, Class of 1975; Jean Scarlata,
Class of 1947; Matt Ellam, Class of 2006.
Top of the Hill is the 2015 brain child of Assistant Principal
Joshua Hanna, who made the list himself in 2017. He was looking
to create deserved recognition of academic and life
accomplishments, because there were so many programs already
honoring athletes.
This evening's five honorees were introduced separately by
members of the Class of 2020, and gave welcoming speeches,
giving testimonials to HHS and passing along to students the
work they accomplished since graduating, and the love and
volunteering that is important to each.
We just wanted to inform residents that 8:00
PM, this Friday (11/29/2019) is the last day to register to vote
if you wish to participate in the Special Town Meeting scheduled
for December 9th, 2019.
As many of you already know, Town Hall and
this office will be closed on Friday, November 29th. However,
the awesome dispatch team at the Hopkinton Police Department
were kind enough to lend us a hand. Therefore, if you wish to
turn in a voter registration card in person, please drop it off
at the HPD dispatch window before 8:00 PM on Friday and it will
still be counted as received. You may also check your
registration status at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/VoterRegistrationSearch/MyVoterRegStatus.aspxor
register online at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ovr/anytime
before the end of the registration deadline to make it more
convenient.
~ Connor Degan, Town Clerk
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Milford Hospital Foundation's 2019 Mélange
Fundraiser a Success
High energy, enthusiasm and passion ruled the night as 400
supporters rocked the house in celebration of the 15th
Annual Mélange
Gala and Live Auction. Philanthropy was evident throughout
the evening as people rallied to support critical programs at
Milford Regional Medical Center. Over $800,000 was raised by
supporters.
A recent letter
writer noted that only a few parties in Town were having portions of
their property taken for the Main Street Corridor Project. Well the
writer may feel correct, but I suggest that having 3, 5, or 15’ of
one’s ‘front yard’ disappear to pavement will effect one’s property
value far more than the compensation being offered for the taking of
‘minor pieces’ of front yard; the major disappearing portion having
been within the Town’s Right of Way.
The current proposed
plan does, indeed, make much needed improvements for pedestrians. No
question. However, as I’ve pointed out previously, to the very best
of my knowledge, and neither MassDOT, VHB, or the Town have yet to
show me otherwise, there is, as far as I know, no ‘raised,
separated, two-way’ bike lane anywhere in the Commonwealth, or the
US similar to what is proposed for Hopkinton. It’s been nearly two
years since this proposal was announced at the DOT meeting in
January 2018 with not one example forthcoming. I have recently been
sent a Database of approx. 600 ‘protected’ bike lanes from the
People for Bikes organization. One might think that out of these 600
bike lanes, that there would be one similar to the proposal for
Hopkinton, if the general opinion was, contrary to mine, that such a
design is safe.
Of the 600, 241 are
two-way on one side of the street. There are issues with two-way
bike lanes on one side, as I’ve mentioned before. Those issues are
exacerbated by the grades in Hopkinton. A study of 143 bike/car
crashes done in Finland showed that 65% of the car/bike accidents
occurred when the bicycle approached from the driver’s right, as the
driver crossed a two-way bike lane separated from the street.
If the bike lanes
were contained within the confines of the current roadway, much of
the current cost and property owner financial pain will be
eliminated. And I believe that will satisfy the bike-lane
requirement for the Federal and State grants. In any case, the
serious recreational cyclist will avoid this proposed bike lane,
recognizing it for the danger it poses, and avoid downtown Hopkinton
as the roadway (as shown on a recent plan) will be narrowed to 40’
curb to curb, minus 16’ for parking both sides, leaving no room for
the savvy rider between parked cars and the ‘door zone’ on one side,
and traffic on the other.
Sincerely,
Ed Harrow
8 Spring Lane
November 22, 2019
Downtown Plan Continues
November 26, 2019 -- From left, Select Board
member Brian Herr, VHB Engineer Matt Chase, pointing, and
Hopkinton Town Engineer Dave Daltorio look back at the property
at 5 West Main Street yesterday afternoon after speaking with
the residents there, who have been outspoken critics of the
Downtown Corridor Project, because of the amount of land in
front of their home that is planned to be converted from grass
to asphalt.
Mr.
Herr said he offered the residents to cut the 5' easement to 2'
and promised to put it in writing.
Later
in the evening, the Planning Board, with one dissention, voted
to endorse the Downtown Corridor plan.
Just Wow! November 25, 2019 -- Our occasional
contributor Nicole Fornal had to stop on her way home from work in
Uxbridge to capture this beautiful photo. Nicole manages
Russell Cellular in Uxbridge. she took the photo of the above
scene in HDR mode with a Samsung Note 10+ .
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Victor Joseph Ambers, 35
AMBERS,
Victor Joseph,
formerly of Hopkinton, Passed away November 21, 2019 at the age of
35. Our beloved firstborn, Victor, was lost to the scourge of drug
addiction--the real biggest problem in America. Victor was a very
smart, lovable person, and we will miss him terribly. He lived to
fish, read, write and always wanted to "get better," as we all hoped
he would. His career goal was to help others struggling with the
same mental health and addiction issues he fought for over 10 years.
He loved and leaves his son, Sawyer Quigley and his mom, Katie, his
parents, Paul and Lisa Ambers of Newport, VT, his brother, Curtis
Ambers of Grafton, MA, his Aunt Amy and Uncle Cliff of Lunenburg,
MA, his Uncle Larry and Aunt Terry of Hampton, NH, his cousins John
Paul Senio and Liz Handscom and his Grandma Marie of Peabody, MA,
plus many friends who all hoped would someday get him back. He was
predeceased by his maternal grandparents Nick and Genevieve Senio,
and paternal grandparents Alfred and Winifred Ambers. Visiting Hours
will be held on Tuesday, November 26, 2019, at the Kraw-Kornack
Funeral Home, 1248 Washington St., NORWOOD, from 10am-1pm. A Funeral
Home Service will be held on Tuesday, November 26, 2019 at 12:45pm.
At the request of the family, burial will be private. In lieu of
flowers, donations in his memory can be made to the addiction
recovery center of your choice. Kraw-Kornack Funeral Home.
Working hard for Hopkinton
Homeowners
and the surrounding
Communities
Traditions at Cornell's Irish Pub
November 25, 2019 -- Traditions carried on
through the years: Patriots on the several very large screens, FREE
pizza during Patriots half-time, Thanksgiving Eve with great
friends, Thanksgiving morning buffet breakfast (Closing at 2 pm),
ample supply of Jameson, more great friends, more great Jameson, no
obstructed views. Oh, and no picture taking.
On Saturday
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Pirates of Penzance
presented by Hopkinton High School Drama
at Hopkinton Middle School
November 24, 2019, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm (Final performance) 11/24 -Put down the rakes and shovels today,
the leaves are too wet and the wind is too strong, and check out the
Hopkinton Middle School at 3:00 pm. Photos by Kathryn Curry.
November 23, 2019 -- [1:30 pm] Hopkinton
Police and Fire Departments, as well as Environmental Police
and the Air Wing of the Mass State Police searched Lake Whitehall
for a missing 53 year-old male who was believed to be possibly
suicidal. Below, responders at the Wood Street boat launch gather to
hear plans for an intensive search through the trails that surround
the lake, as well the water as by boat and helicopter. At 3:00 pm, a
source has indicated that the search, which failed to locate the
missing person, is concluding for the day, and responders will be
exploring other possibilities.
Richard Andrew Amato, 85
UPTON:
Richard Andrew Amato, 85, a longtime Upton resident,
died at his home on Thursday, November 14, 2019, surrounded by his
family.
Mr.
Amato was born in the depression era in Cambridge, MA, the son of
the late Joseph and Doris (Straw) Amato. Early childhood years in
Medford and East Lexington preceded a family move to Brattleboro,
Vermont in 1946. Richard graduated Brattleboro Union High School and
subsequently attended college in the ROTC program at the University
of Vermont where he graduated with a liberal arts degree in June,
1958. While in Burlington at UVM, Richard met the love of his life,
Cynthia (Perry) Amato of Holden, MA. They were married in September,
1957.
The Air Force sent
Richard with his young family to Japan for several years. During
that time, he traveled to many military installations in the Asia
Pacific region and proudly summited Mt Fuji during his stay. After
military service, the family returned to Massachusetts where Richard
was employed as a mechanical engineer at several companies including
EG&G, Draper Corporation, Crompton & Knowles, and Morgan
Construction. While employed full-time and taking night classes, he
earned his Masters degree in Physics from Northeastern University in
1970.
In the early 1970's,
his daily commute from Bolton to Hopedale took him past the Temple
Farm on East Street in Upton and his future was set in motion. In
1975, Richard and Cynthia purchased the 140-acre farm including the
run-down farmhouse and barn. Farming and home renovations were
Richard's
"hobbies"
for many years. Farming was a family endeavor involving many friends
and relatives laboring in the fields and farmers' markets. In 1986,
Richard retired from engineering to join his oldest son, Mark,
full-time as a farmer. The Amato Farm grew many crops and was
well-known for pick-your-own strawberries, the annual Harvest
Celebration, and cut-your-own Christmas trees. Over the years,
Richard and Cynthia fixed up the old farmhouse into a warm and
welcoming family home. The Amato Farm ceased operation in 2003, the
same year Cynthia passed away.
Richard was always
interested in history: that of his family, his community, and his
country. He authored a treasured book of family history which
required years of research and studying Italian history and
language. He was proud to be an Italian citizen and traveled to
Italy with Cynthia in search of his family heritage. Richard
volunteered regularly at the Upton Historical Society and enjoyed
learning local history, especially that of the Rockwood Farm, which
would become the Amato Farm some 200 years hence.
Richard was preceded
in death by his beloved wife of 46 years, Cynthia (Perry) Amato, his
sister, Mary (Amato) Leone of New Paltz, NY, and his son-in-law,
Mark Sylvester of Hopkinton. Survivors include his sister, Diana
(Amato) Craven and her husband, Steven of Greer, SC; his children:
Mark and his partner, Robin Boylen, of Hopkinton; Joe and his wife,
Suzanne, of San Francisco; and Elizabeth Sylvester, also of
Hopkinton. He also leaves five grandchildren: Andrew Amato and his
fiancé, Christina Lombardi; Alyson (Amato) Dixon and her husband
Brooks; Alex Amato, Evan Amato, Napoleon Sylvester, and one
great-grandson, Parker Amato.
His memory will live
on in our hearts forever. Calling hours are from 4 to 7 P.M. on
Friday, November 29, in the Williams-Pedersen Funeral Home, Inc. 45
Main St. Upton.
Funeral services will
be held at 10 A.M. on Saturday, November 30, at the United Parish of
Upton Church, 1 Church St. Upton. Burial, with military honors, will
follow in Lakeview Cemetery, Upton.
In lieu of flowers, donations in
Richard’s memory may be sent to the United Parish of Upton, P.O. Box
382, Upton, MA 01568 or to the Upton Historical Society, P.O. Box
171, Upton, MA 01568. www.uptonfunerals.com
> FOOD AND BEVERAGE <
Some Favorite Recent Videos, HopNews.com and Related From left,1.) Dan DeCristofaro of the Blue Light Bandits at
Bill's Pizzeria 1 week ago, 2.) Blue Light Bandits with Dan
DeCristofaro and bandmate Ricky Duran who is currently performing on
The Voice, 3.) Bandmate Ricky Duran performing on The Voice 3 days
ago, 4.) Mike Tarara performing premier at Bill's 2 weeks ago. He
will be the performer this coming Wednesday when Bill's becomes one
of the pre-Thanksgiving Hopkinton go-to spots where old Hopkinton
friends come back to town to meet. (Don't forget Cornell's Irish
Pub, too.)
Primarily Potters Show and Sale - Two More Days, Saturday and Sunday November 23, 2019 -- Artist Mary Edwards
shows her mother, a proud 91 year-old, some of her work at the
Primarily Potters show Friday night at Hopkinton Center for the
Arts. The show continues until Sunday.
The Local Scene Music Series November 23, 2019 -- Hot Acoustics, anchored
by Hopkinton Resident Steve Spector
Florida
Forest Ranger School.
Mr.
Petracca, a veteran of the US Army was a member of the Moncks Corner
American Legion Post 126, the Moncks Corner Lions Club, the Moncks
Corner Rotary Club, the Berkeley County Forestry Committee, the
Moncks Corner Zoning Commission, Woodman of the World and the South
Carolina Forestry Association.
The
Knights of Columbus free-throw competition is an annual event
sponsored by the Ashland/Hopkinton Council(Bishop Rice council
#4822) The event is open to boys and girls aged 9 to 14 in the
local communities. Trophies will be presented to first and
second place winners and a medal is awarded to the third-place
winner in each age category. First place winners advance to the
district finals. The event brings the youth of the community
together and a friendly competition.
HUDSON
– Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Hudson Chief of Police
Michael Burks have confirmed the identity of the suspect wanted in
connection with the fatal shooting of Karla Rodriguez, 20 of
Framingham, that occurred yesterday in Hudson.
HUDSON
– Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Hudson Chief of
Police Michael Burks have confirmed that the woman who was shot
yesterday in her vehicle on Howe Street has died. The
investigation into this incident remains ongoing. However, the
preliminary information indicates that this was a targeted
attack. 
business owners, who tried to derail the project by reversing
the Town Meeting vote that authorized easements in the scope of
the project. Articles 2-5 funded expansion of the schools due to
a surge in student population. They passed with scant
opposition.
It
is with great pleasure that the Board of Health and I inform you
that Kasey Mauro has accepted the position of Public Health Nurse
for the Town of Hopkinton Health Department.
those who have survived cancer, battled the disease or have been
touched by cancer.
bid to do so this evening by a well attended Special Town
Meeting, which flowed from the main auditorium at the Middle School
and into the gym (below). Ballots were cast by 782 Town Meeting
attendees for a whittled down version of Article I, which sought to
overturn Article 47 of the 2018 Annual Town Meeting vote that
authorized easements and eminent domain for certain properties in
the scope of the project. The second part of the Article demanded
that the Select Board halt all work and planning on the project.
Steven
G. Esper, 52
just the right ornaments, find the perfect gifts for everyone on
your list and celebrate with a yummy Liege Waffle from Liege Belgian
waffle food truck (www.liegewaffles.com) and a delicious cup of hot
cocoa on Saturday from 11am to 6pm! Our doors open at 9am for
shopping for gifts, ornaments, wreaths, trees and more! The
Hopkinton Holiday Stroll starts at 10am!
Philip
J. Schiloski, 70
Holiday
Program to Coincide with National Impaired Driving Crackdown
Mary
Catherine Pratt, 91
Pauline
M. Hutchinson, 96
Phyllis
Uline Palitsch, 90
Cheryl
P. Morrow, 72
AMBERS,
Victor Joseph
Mr.
Amato was born in the depression era in Cambridge, MA, the son of
the late Joseph and Doris (Straw) Amato. Early childhood years in
Medford and East Lexington preceded a family move to Brattleboro,
Vermont in 1946. Richard graduated Brattleboro Union High School and
subsequently attended college in the ROTC program at the University
of Vermont where he graduated with a liberal arts degree in June,
1958. While in Burlington at UVM, Richard met the love of his life,
Cynthia (Perry) Amato of Holden, MA. They were married in September,
1957. 
