2023 has been a wild year, and with it, we’ve encountered some truly wild stories. We uncovered the truth about PFAS in town water, profiled amazing adults and student athletes, followed the trial of our former Deputy Chief of Police, shed light on attempts to tamper with our local elections, and voted to approve a new elementary school.

The news cycle seems more hectic than ever, making it challenging to recall all the events of the year.

Here’s a retrospective on the major stories that gripped our audience in 2023.

January

There was no story more compelling to our readers in January than that of Dr. Margo Roman, the owner of Main Street Animal Hospital in Hopkinton. Dr. Roman’s licensing and legal troubles were explored in great detail, and the article garnered more than 15,000 reads and 59 comments.

Also in January, the town held a series of meetings on the possible move to a Regional Electronic Communication Center for our 911 operations. Several residents took exception to this strategy, preferring to keep our local fire and police dispatchers in place.

February

We profiled Judy Hoyt, wife of Dick and mother of Rick Hoyt, the two-man team that continues to inspire a generation of athletes. But it was Judy’s incredible advocacy for disabled people, and her legislative efforts, that are less known. This was our most popular story of the year, with more than 20,000 reads.

Also in Hopkinton, a semi-truck caught fire on I-495, sending shockwaves through nearby neighborhoods.

March

Readers were particularly interested in our review of a shopping trip we took to local grocery stores to see where the best deals really are. We also spent time with Luke and Ben at the Garrison Speed Shop, whose nonprofit helps veterans and first responders learn valuable skills and a provides a therapeutic outlet through motorcycle repair.

April

The tension increased April, as we broke two huge stories involving public safety. The first was an exposé on the Eversource liquefied natural gas plant on Wilson street, and the malfunctioning safety system designed to keep nearby residents from harm. This led to a series of public hearings and a joint safety exercise with HFD and HPD. The safety system was subsequently repaired.

We also got to the root of the PFAS contamination in the town water supply, linking it to the Massachusetts State Fire Academy “gas school” that trained on the Fruit Street property in the 1970’s and 1980’s.

May

In May, Hopkinton’s former Deputy Chief of Police John “Jay” Porter was indicted for child rape. Several stories followed in the wake of this unfortunate news, and caught up in the drama was another Hopkinton police officer, Sergeant Tim Brennan. The public read with interest as Brennan was place on leave, pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

In other public safety news, a couple of kids led HPD on a pursuit through downtown, with HPD’s Chief Bennett bringing down one of the suspects after a brief foot race.

The contested School Committee election occurred in May as well, with Adam Munroe and Susan Stephenson defeating Ashley Fogg, who took the pages of HopNews to share her perspective on campaigning in Hopkinton elections. Her op-ed’s collected more than 137 comments combined.

June

This month, we explored the events that led to Mikayla Miller’s sad passing, and the way it changed our town in the weeks and months following.

Equally shocking to readers was the conduct of the Chair of the Hopkinton Democratic Town Committee, Darlene Hayes, and her ambitious social media strategy to manipulate the outcome of the School Committee election. That series of articles saw more than 15,000 reads and 147 comments.

Later that month, HopNews discovered that Susan Stephenson, who took her seat on the School Committee, had been less than forthcoming with voters about her past legal trouble.

July

A slower month, as many Hopkintonians headed for cooler climates (our Editor included). Nonetheless, we took some heat for publishing The Ten Most Expensive Homes in Hopkinton, with many readers feeling it was invasive. In our defense, we feel that the point of the article was lost. What we were trying to convey is that those who own the most expensive homes in Hopkinton pay less property tax than the average Hopkinton homeowner. It’s our fault for not driving that home better.

We also scrutinized the Select Board for defying the will of voters at Town Meeting. The mandate was clear: Disband the UCTC. Yet it still exists as a committee today.

August

In August, attention turned to the Special Town Meeting planned for the Fall, where the fate of the new Elmwood School would be decided. In response to the May School Committee election, two local residents launched a petition to eliminate partisan elections in Hopkinton, and our Editor penned an essay calling for Hopkinton to move away from a Town Meeting form of government.

Readers also enjoyed our dispatch from a float down the Sudbury River.

September

We were captivated by the rescue operation of Jim Noon, an elderly resident that had mysteriously walked away from Golden Pond. Though he ultimately died of his injuries, his widow graciously thanked our First Responders for their valiant effort in his recovery.

Select Board Chair Muriel Kramer surprised everyone by squashing the promotions of two long-serving police officers, igniting controversy between the town and the police union, and the legendary John Oates played the Hopkinton Center for the Arts.

October

Explosive new details about former Deputy Chief Porter came to light, including an accusation that he’d used his influence to scuttle an OUI arrest of his alleged victim. HopNews also broke the story of the town’s former Parks and Recreation Director, who is under investigation by the State for allegedly embezzling money during his tenure.

November

In November, we celebrated several accomplished student athletes, including a Hopkinton Middle School student that represented US Soccer in Portugal. We also dove in to the complex issue of MBTA zoning, which will come before voters next May, and the Elmwood School passed at Special Town Meeting and at the polls.

December

Hopkinton was surprised by the unexpected resignation (or “retirement”, depending on your preference) of Town Manager Norman Khumalo, who has served for the past 15 years.

With so much turnover at Town Hall this year, HopNews wondered if basic financial controls were in place to protect the town’s money. What we discovered was concerning.

About Us and About You

By the numbers:

• Articles published: 692 (⬆ 92%)
• Comments left: 1,985
• Site visits: 2,148,216 (⬆ 114%)
• Unique visitors: 278,392 (⬆ 107%)

HopNews experienced historic growth in 2023. We averaged more than 23,000 readers per month, who generously spent a small part of their day with us. We are truly grateful to have such an enlightened and engaged audience of readers and commenters.

We also launched a subscription model (thanks, Subscribers!) and The HopTake, our free podcast.

Many of the stories we wrote originated as tips from readers like you, who felt they had important information their neighbors needed to know. To those tipsters, we thank you for your courage and the trust you placed in us. Because of you, Hopkinton is a safer and more transparent place to live.

We also want to extend a special thanks to our advertisers. You took a chance with a new ownership group, and you stuck with us in the face of intense criticism for our reporting. Your support helps keep local journalism alive in Hopkinton, and it holds those in power to account. It is a noble cause, and not without its sacrifices.

Readers, from all of us at HopNews, we extend our deep gratitude, and we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a joyful holiday season with your loved ones.

We’ll see you in 2024!