January 13,
2009 — As part of a continued Public Hearing for the Master Plan Special
Permit application for
Legacy
Farms, representatives of Boulder Capital presented traffic plans and
answered questions at a Planning Board meeting held Monday evening at
the Hopkinton Senior Center.
Engineer Robert Nagi, a consultant for Legacy farms, presented traffic
estimates for different phases of the project, and offered solutions for
intersections that will see considerably more traffic after the full
build-out of 940 residential units and 450,000 square feet of
commercial/retail space, as well as for various stages of the project
growth.
Legacy Farms will improve the traffic intersections and signalization
throughout the project, as well as the Route 85/135 intersection
Downtown as part of the Host Community agreement. The Downtown
intersection is slated to be re-signalized in the Spring of this year as
part of first phase of its improvement. Mr. Nagi said that there are
other phases of work for that intersection that he would discuss at the
next meeting on the matter.
Mr. Nagi offered roadway obstacles and no-turn signs to move traffic in
directions that would keep some roads from being used too much.
One intersection of concern for the Board and some members of the public
is the Peach/East Main Street intersection, shown above in a latter
phase, complete with signals. The initial phase has the elimination of
Peach Street and the extension and moving of Frankland Road with stop
signs at East Main. The next phase, he said, would be the construction
of the traffic signals shown on the plan.
Mr. Nagi was told by some members of the Board that Chief of Police
Thomas Irvin commented that he would like to see the road dug up just
once.
Legacy Project Manager Steven Zeiff said that the group is cognizant of
Town Counsel Ray Miyares' reminder to not do too much too early, in
keeping with the town's character.
"I don't think Ray purports to be a traffic engineer," said Planning
Board member Ken Weismantel to the gathering. "I would listen to the
engineers," he said.
Mr. Nagi said that he didn't think it would be a good idea to construct
lights before they are needed, because after seeing them blinking yellow
for a long time, people would just go through them once they were
activated. That statement left people in attendance shaking their heads.
Mr. Nagi said that the Downtown intersection was classified as a
failure, and that new lights and other widening measures, will improve
the designation for certain parts of the day. However, once the project
is complete, due to the increased traffic, the roadway will be brought
back to failure status.
The Board continued the Public Hearing until January 26, and will
discuss the Downtown traffic next at their first meeting in February.
Your New Home Awaits You
H
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H O M E S
H O M E S
H O M E S
Elizabeth (McDonough)
Johnson, 93
Hopkinton- Marion Elizabeth (McDonough) Johnson, 93,
of Hopkinton, died Sunday, January 11, 2009. Born April 15, 1915 in
Marlborough, MA she was the
daughter of John George Alfred and Mary (McGee) McDonough. She was the
wife of the late Frank T. Johnson Sr.
She is survived by four children: Son, Frank Johnson and his wife
Marjorie of Upton, Daughters: Mary Clark and her husband Robert of
Hopkinton,
Sandra Fairbanks and her husband Robert of Hopkinton with whom Marion
resided, and Janice Copithorne and her husband James of Framingham.
Arrangements complete
Services for the Home
Former Hopkinton Resident killed in Afghanistan
January
12, 2009 — The Department of Defense announced today the death of
three soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They
died January 9, 2009 in the Zabul Province of Afghanistan, of wounds
suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their
vehicle in Jaldak. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th
Infantry Regiment, Hohenfels, Germany.
Killed were:
Maj.
Brian M. Mescall, 33, [formerly] of Hopkinton, Mass.,
Spc.
Joseph M. Hernandez, 24, of Hammond, Ind.,
Spc.
Jason R. Parsons, 24, of Lenoir, N.C.
NOTE: Although the Department of Defense lists Maj. Mescall as a
Hopkinton resident, he is not listed in any directory of Hopkinton
residents. People who knew him said he and his family with two
children moved out of town in 2001, and the rest of his family,
including two sisters, moved out in 2006. The most recent residence
is unknown at this time. The Lowell Sun is reporting that Maj.
Mescall's parents live in Lowell, but were unable to reach them.
From
Town Talk:
Comments
My condolences
to Major Mescall's family. Though I never met him, both of his
sisters, Jamie and Stacie, were graduates of HHS and babysat my
kids. The family used to live on Colella Farm Road and moved out
shortly after the younger of the sisters graduated from HHS.
Coincidentally, both girls went on to the University of Charleston.
We believe that the sisters would be about 28 and 26 years old now.
Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their family. May God's
love envelop them at this terrible time.
Elmwood
Students Ring True
January 12,
2009 — Third Grade Elmwood students rang chimes and played recorders at
Barnes and Nobles in Framingham on Sunday during a benefit for Hopkinton
Schools. They pose for a photo above, with their teacher,
Patricia Diamond.
Hopkinton student artwork providing the backdrop. Photo by Kim Nowlin.
<---Full Update
January 12, 2009
3:44 pm A 911 caller reported that a father was towing his children
on an inner tube behind a four wheeler on Greenwood Road...
10:00 am A caller reported that a male appeared to be breaking up
bundles of newspapers and throwing them on the railroad tracks...
12:24 pm A caller from Hayden Rowe Street reported that there was a
suspicious suitcase in her front yard...
6:56 pm A 911 caller from West Main Street reported that he was
robbed at gun point....
Real Estate
Transactions for Hopkinton, Massachusetts
Compiled by Eric Montville for
HopNews.com,
Transactions this week, January
12, 2009
Address
Buyer
Price
Date
Seller
Address
Buyer
Price
Date
Seller
37 Sanctuary Lane
Ruby Lowrey Conlon & Debra Conlon Wasilauski,
Trustees of the Arthur Brendan Conlon Credit
Shelter Trust
$346,000
Jan. 09, 2008
Weston Development Group Inc.
Last Week
5 Meserve Street
Walker Realty LLC
$350,000
Jan. 02, 2008
William Pellegrino
2 Weeks Ago: None
Your New Home Awaits You
H
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H O M E S
H O M E S
If you see this girl today,
please wish her a Happy
40th birthday!
Colella's Flyer is Online
Each Week
Hopkinton
Qualifies for the Divisional State Championships Girls Indoor Track
January 11, 2009 — On Saturday, 26 members of the Hopkinton Girls Indoor
Track team traveled to the Reggie Lewis Track Center in Boston for the
M.S.T.C.A. Winter Festival. The girls managed great performances with
many personal bests. In several exciting events, Hopkinton girls
qualified for the divisional State Championships to be held later in the
season.
1
Mile Becca Govonni (5:47.89),
Haley Anderson (5:51.48), Gretchen Claffey (6:00.41), and Katie Wilson
(6:14.72), started the meet off with excellent performances in the
mile. Becca qualified for States in just her freshman year.
300 Meters Four girls ran the
300 for Hopkinton. Caitlin Dourney (44.13), a senior captain produced
the fastest time for Hopkinton. She was followed by Emily Jarvis
(46.19), Jennifer Lynds (46.42) and Courtney Onofrio (46.76). In the
final standings Caitlin was 9th out of a field of 173
runners.
600 Meters Kim Bolick (1:43.63)
and Abby Perrault (1:53.80) represented Hopkinton in the 600 meter
race. Kim continues to dominate the competition at this level. Kim’s
time earned her 8th place in a field of 100 girls. One week
before, at the Auerbach Freshman/Sophmore meet she captured the 3rd
place medal and qualified for States.
1000 Meters The 1000 Meters
turned out to be one of the most exciting races of the event. Molly
Kessler (3:03.09) captured first place in an extremely challenging
race. Molly edged out her competition by .42 seconds. Molly’s time was
recorded as the fastest time in the 1000 in the State this year. In
addition to Molly, Kellie Lodge (3:13.23) and Brianna Roche (3:18.16)
also made States. Jaclyn Perrault (3:20.66) and Andrea Gendron
(3:29.50) both turned in personal records.
2
Mile Two seniors, Lauren Shultz
(11:53.86) and Erica Normandeau (12:05.76) had excellent runs. Lauren
placed 7th and Erica placed 13th and both
qualified for States.
Lauren’s time was a personal best.
Relays The Hopkinton 4x 200
meter relay team captured 2nd place with a time of 1:49.31.
Team members were Molly Morningstar, Caitlyn Dourney, Dana Cavedon and
Cecily Boyce. Not to be outdone by the sprinters, the girls 4x
800 meter relay team placed ran for 2nd place also with a
time of 10:11.57. This team was made up of Kellie Lodge, Kim Bolick,
Molly Kessler and Brianna Roche.
55
Meter Dash Molly Morningstar
(7.53) ran to a 2 nd place finish in the 55 meter dash
losing only to the defending Div 3 champion.
55
Meter Hurdles Seven Hopkinton
girls competed in the hurdles. Cecily Boyce (8.67) won the event
beating out 118 girls. The other participants were Kelly O’Connor
(10.06), Dana Cavedon (10.09), Samantha Prescott (10.42), Mirelle Raza
(10.96), Stephanie Hadley (10.98) and Kaelynn Maloney (11.07).
Long Jump Cecily Boyce (4.90m)
continued her impressive indoor track season by finishing 6th
in the long jump and qualifying for States. Samantha Prescott (4.21),
Jennifer Lynds (3.92), Emily Jarvis (3.90), Stephanie Hadley (3.61) and
Mirelle Raza (3.00) all turned in good performances for Hopkinton.
Next Up The Hopkinton Girls have
three more Tri-Valley Meets this season. They compete against Norton on
January 14th, Medfield on the 17th and Westwood on
the 21st. They are currently undefeated. Please come and
support the team as they compete for the Tri-Valley League title. All
of the meets are held at the Hopkinton High School Field House and the
Saturday meet against also undefeated Medfield should decide the title.
~ Contributed content
Fun Times getting in shape
at Fitness Together
Thinking of Joining
the Women's Club?
Are
you new or already a member of the Hopkinton Community or just in
need of something new and exciting to be a part of? Are the kids out
of the house, either grown or in school? Are you looking for
something in your life that will offer you the opportunity to give
back to the community while also enjoying social gatherings and
outings? If so, please consider joining the Hopkinton Women's Club.
Our February meeting will be held on February 9, 2009 at the CAA,
9:30am to 10 am social hour, meeting from 11am to noon. For further
information please call Kathy Hudson at 508-435-6471 or
RYankee@comcast.net
Services for the Home
Marion Johnson, 93
Marion Johnson, 93, of Hopkinton, died Sunday, January 11, 2009 at the
Metrowest Medical Center in Framingham. Arrangements are incomplete at
this time and are under the care of the
Chesmore
Funeral Home of Hopkinton.
A Dam For
All Seasons
January 11,
2009 — The long lens pulls together sledders, sliders, tubers, boarders,
saucers, tobogganers, and in the top left corner, one of several
snowmobiles, all at the Hopkinton Reservoir Dam on Sunday.
Run a
Kilometer in My shoes
January 11,
2009 — The lead runners in the Hopkinton Running Club pass by Cornell's
on Sunday as part of their 5k run. Finish line? Cornell's.
Hopkinton
Schools Export the Arts
January 11,
2009 — Margie Wiggin and daughter Molly Freshman, a second grade student
at Elmwood, look over the artwork of Hopkinton students at Barnes and
Nobles in Framingham.
The HPTA held a book fair at the store, which gave a cut for the
Hopkinton schools. All schools were represented by students' artwork. In
addition, Elmwood students sang, played recorders and handchimes.
Your New Home Awaits You
H
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H O M E S
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Prom Fashion
Show 2009
Thumbnails scroll for more
Colella's Flyer is Online
Each Week
Prom Fashion Show at
Hopkinton High School Auditorium
January 10,
2009 — The High School presented the "Perfect Dress" sale of slightly
used dresses and gowns in the cafeteria while an associated fashion show
took place in the auditorium. HOPNEWS WILL SOON PRESENT A GALLERY OF THE
MODELS.
Hopkinton
49, Marlborough 27
January 10,
2009 — Above, Nick Dittman overpowers his Marlborough opponent on the
way to winning by a pin on Saturday morning at the Hopkinton High School
Athletic Center.
Services for the Home
Windskater
January 10,
2009 0151 Anatoliy Deych traded in the roller wheels of last summer for
some skates today on the Hopkinton Reservoir, hoping for some more wind.
Fun Times getting in shape
at Fitness Together
Nice Hockey
January 10,
2009 — Kevin Spiegelman, 7, gets ready to flick one to his dad as he and
his brother, and two other boys and their dad took advantage of some
smooth ice today at Ice House Pond.
Your New Home Awaits You
H
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H O M E S
H O M E S
H O M E S
Seeking the
Perfect Dress
January 10,
2009 — Caroline Shea and Ally Travers check out the wares in the High
School Cafeteria on Saturday during the Perfect Dress event. The event
raised over $1,700 for Hopkinton Schools.
January 9,
2009 — Mark Masucci gets ready to pass to a teammate on Friday against
Dover-Sherborn.
Colella's Flyer is Online
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Hopkinton 60, Dover-Sherborn 48
January 9,
2009 — Michelle Coburn gets into a jumping contest at Dover-Sherborn
Friday night.
EOPSS, State Police Announce Command Staff Promotions
January
9, 2009 — Secretary of Public Safety and Security Kevin M. Burke and
State Police Superintendent Colonel Mark F. Delaney today announced the
promotions of two veteran State Police
officers to positions within the department’s command staff.
Lieutenant Colonel Marian J. McGovern has been promoted to deputy
superintendent, the second-in-command of the department. Lieutenant
Colonel McGovern most recently served as commander of the Division of
Standards and Training, the division which oversees the StatePoliceAcademy, the Internal Affairs Section, and
in-service training programs.
Additionally, Francis J. Matthews was
promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and placed in command of the
Division of Standards and Training. Lieutenant Colonel Matthews most
recently served in a command position within the department’s Division
of Investigative Services, overseeing several investigative units.
“Deputy McGovern and Lieutenant Colonel
Matthews continue a tradition of superb leadership within the State
Police,” Secretary Burke said. “Their counsel and input will be valuable
to Colonel Delaney and me as we continue to meet the myriad public
safety and security challenges that law enforcement agencies face in
today’s world.”
Colonel Delaney said: “Lieutenant Colonel
McGovern and Lieutenant Colonel Matthews each have the experience and
skills necessary to assume the essential roles of deputy superintendent
and commander of the Division of Standard and Training, respectively.
Their devotion to the State Police is unwavering, and their work ethic
unmatched. I will rely on those qualities to assist in leading this
department into the new year and beyond.”
Lieutenant Colonel McGovern is the first
woman to be named deputy superintendent of the department. She replaces
as deputy superintendent Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Walsh, who retired in
December after 30 years of service to the State Police.
Lieutenant Colonel McGovern developed and
instituted the AMBER Alert program for the state of Massachusetts, and served as the state’s first
AMBER Alert coordinator. She began her career with the State Police in
1979 as a trooper assigned to patrol duties. She served for 20 years in
the Worcester County State Police Detective Unit, investigating
homicides, narcotics crimes, sexual assaults, child abuse and
white-collar crimes. Among the cases she helped investigate was the
disappearance in 2000 of teenager Molly Bish, who was later determined
to have been murdered. Lieutenant Colonel McGovern is a former
instructor at the State Police Academy, where she developed curricula to
train officers in investigating sexual assaults, child abuse and child
exploitation. She is also a former commander of the department’s Public
Affairs Unit.
Lieutenant Colonel Matthews joined the State
Police in 1982 and began his career with patrol assignments in the
Grafton and Holden barracks. He later served in the State Police Violent
Fugitive Apprehension Squad, the Boston Youth Violence Strike Force, the
Middlesex County State Police Detective Unit, and the State Police
Detective Unit assigned to the Attorney General’s Office. He formerly
served as deputy division commander of the Division of Investigative
Services. Lieutenant Colonel Matthews previously served on the
commission that investigated the death in prison of former priest John
Geoghan in 2003 and on the team assigned to review the operations of the
Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in 2007.
Above,
teacher Carrie Scott applauds Erik Fliegauf as he clutches his
First Place medal for winning the Middle School Geography Bee today.
January 9,
2009 — After competing in their social studies classes, the entire
Middle School turned out their top nine students, three from each grade,
to move on to today's final Geography Bee competition.
Of today's nine finalists, sixth grade student Erik Fliegauf took
First Place, Sean Mitchell took Second Place and Michael Power earned
third.
Below,
Sean Mitchell, left, and Eric Fliegauf face each other for the final
round in the Middle School Lecture hall.
Fun Times getting in shape
at Fitness Together
Arrests Up-to-Date, Friday,
January 9, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
10:35 pm Officer William Burchard arrested Robert B. Dunphy, 50, of
20 East Main Street, Hopkinton, on Main Street and was charged with OUI
Liquor.
Monday, January 5, 2009
11:31 am Officer Timothy Brennan picked up Brian D. Everett, 45, of
95 West Quantom Street, Quincy in Plymouth for a Warrant Charge and was
also charged with a Motor Vehicle Violation.
Services for the Home
School
Budget Talks Suggest Deep Cuts
Elimination of 6.5 HS positions
Additional
class sizes over 25 students
by Derek Dobachesky
January 9, 2009 —
New fees and cuts in faculty and programming as a result of budget
shortfalls loomed large over the first Hopkinton School Committee (HSC)
meeting of the new year last night. File photo, above
The meeting began
at 7:30 p.m. with one brief public comment before the committee quickly
addressed two items of old business and four items by consensus with
voice votes.
Then the HSC began
its first fiscal year 2010 budget working session, which lasted over two
hours, at 8 p.m. The session featured presentations on the athletic,
high school and middle school budgets, as well as a brief discussion of
several possible articles to present at town meetings.
Athletic Director
Eric Karjel began the budget session by asserting that the athletic
department would be forced to cut seven sub-varsity programs and,
overall, cut its budget by $100,000 in 2010.
In addition, part
of the Super's recommendations were that student athletic fees increase
from $125 to $200 per sport that year.
During the
question period, HSC vice chair Phil Totino asked Karjel, “Wouldn't it
have been better to have said, 'We recommended' the elimination of seven
programs, rather than using the word 'forced'?"
Superintendent of
Schools Dr. John E. Phelan joined Totino and said, “We're at the
recommendation stage right now.”
High school
principal John McCarthy's (Photo, right) presentation of his proposed
budget followed. His presentation focused on the
elimination of the equivalent of six and a half full-time employees, as
well as his new, proposed activity fee of $50, which will cover all
activities for one student if enacted.
McCarthy chose to
eliminate the equivalent of four full-time teachers in electives, one in
science, one campus assistant and the equivalent of one part-time
library assistant. That left one more full-time equivalent to be cut —
either a guidance counselor or an adjustment counselor — and McCarthy
said that he was leaning toward cutting a guidance counselor position.
McCarthy explained
that, of all the core curriculum courses, students spend the most time
in science classes — six days out of a seven day rotation. Therefore,
McCarthy said he could cut one position — which will result in one less
science period, the lab period — without increasing class sizes.
The effects of
these cuts, according to McCarthy, would include an increase from 13
percent to 25 percent of classes with 25 students or more and, if the
guidance counselor position is cut, an increase in the amount of
students per guidance counselor from 183:1 to over 200:1. However,
McCarthy explained that this still fell within the New England
Association of Schools and Colleges recommendation of no more than 300
students per guidance counselor, while the adjustment counselor serves
more needy students at higher risk of dropping out.
Middle school
principal William Lynch presented his budget next. His budget
recommended cutting the equivalent of three and a half full-time
positions and, like the high school budget, creating a new student
activity fee of $50 per student covering all activities.
Lynch chose to cut
one foreign language position, two related arts positions and a
part-time library aid position. He decided to cut the foreign language
position since a teacher is retiring and this will fit into a split-team
schedule. One of the related arts positions is for the computer
education class, which Lynch said was no longer necessary because
students now come into middle school with a much higher proficiency on
computers than they did four or five years ago when the class began.
Lynch concluded
his presentation by urging HSC members not to overlook the importance of
middle school education. “How a kid comes out of the middle school is
how they're going to come out of the high school,” he said.
All members of the
HSC and those presenting expressed disappointment that the athletics
department, high school and middle school would have to recommend such
deep cuts in their budgets. According to the Executive Summary of the
Superintendent's Fiscal Year 2010 budget, the Hopkinton Public Schools
budget will remain flat at $31,654,425 in 2010, despite projected fixed
budget increases of $2,085,000.
McCarthy spoke
about the impact of the cuts in electives offerings. “We're not cutting
around our core; we're cutting into our core,” he said. McCarthy
indicated that electives served an important function by keeping the
interests of students who otherwise may not be interested in other
academic offerings.
HSC member Richard
de Mont suggested that one solution could be lowering support staff
costs by cutting secretarial and administrative assistant positions. Dr.
Phelan said that this was not feasible, since those support positions
that could be cut were the first to go.
“I hate fees. I
wish we didn't have to charge a single fee. When I began my career we
didn't have fees,” Phelan said. However, he also said that the tight
budget constraints made them a necessity.
Before the budget
presentations, the HSC heard public comments from Mary Murphy, speaking
as a parent concerned about possible upcoming changes to the student
transportation policy. It also voted for final approval of slightly
amended earlier drafts of its School Organizations and Late Night and
Overnight Student Travel policies, as well as voting to transfer funds,
approve minutes from two prior meetings and approve $722 earned from a
school clothing sale.
Predators of
Massachusetts
January 9,
2009 — Outdoor Education director of the Metrowest YMCA of Hopkinton
gave an informative lecture last evening on the habits of various
species of predators in our midst. Was there wolf DNA in the suspected
wolf that got shot by a farmer in Worcester County last year? Can a
coyote bring down a deer? Which of the predators retracts its claws, and
which do not? Are there any wolves in Massachusetts?
To learn the answers to these questions, don't miss the next
presentation, TBA.
All's Well
That...
January 9,
2009 — Detective Scott Van Raalten speaks with the driver of a vehicle
that was involved in a two-car collision on Hayden Rowe Street last
evening in which there no injuries reported.
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Senator Spilka Nominates Therese Murray
to Second Term as Senate President
Boston, MA – January 8, 2009 — Senator
Karen Spilka (D-Ashland), Massachusetts’s 27th female State Senator,
yesterday nominated the state's first woman Senate President, Therese
Murray (D-Plymouth), to lead the Senate for a second session. Murray,
who took over the Presidency in March of 2007, was unanimously elected
to her first full two-year term as Senate President.
In her remarks, Spilka underscored the
Senate's continued confidence in Murray, emphasizing Murray’s leadership
style during her first term as President.
“Since March 2007, you have led this body
with your characteristic no-nonsense, straightforward and fair
leadership. Your tenure thus far has seen the resolution of a number of
issues that have concerned the Commonwealth for a generation.
“Your keen sense of fairness and caring led
you to continue to champion issues of fundamental importance to the
people of Massachusetts.
“I believe I speak on behalf of all of my
colleagues when I say that your commitment first and foremost to service
and to getting work done sets an excellent example for all of us, and
makes us proud to be Massachusetts Senators.”
Before concluding her speech supporting
Murray, Spilka added, “We need a steady hand at the helm, and I know of
no one better suited to steer our ship through the powerful and stormy
seas that are before us.”
Murray was first elected to the Senate in
1994 to represent the Plymouth and Barnstable District. During her
tenure in the Senate, Murray has been known to take on difficult
challenges and be a leading voice on important reforms including
welfare, education, health care, and transportation. As Chair of the
Senate Committee on Ways and Means, Murray helped to steer the
Commonwealth through the post September 11th economic crisis, and since
that time has continued to make decisions that balance our fiscal
realities with the needs of the Commonwealth.
Regarded by her colleagues as someone who is
straightforward and decisive, Murray as Senate President has ensured
that each of her colleagues’ voices is heard and ideas are discussed.
"You have continued to cultivate a Senate
based on mutual respect and empowerment, where each of us feels we
can—and do—make a difference in shaping debate and policy," Spilka
stated in her remarks.
After the vote, Senator Spilka said she was
looking forward to working with President Murray on an aggressive agenda
that will involve reforms in housing and lending practices, as well as
exploring cost analysis in infrastructure spending and state government.
Spilka cites President Murray's "Reform
Before Revenue" mantra as a solid guiding principle for state government
as it seeks to tackle a number of challenges in a tough fiscal climate.
"I am particularly eager to work with the
Senate President and my colleagues as we roll up our sleeves and get to
work on reforming our transportation infrastructure, an issue of
incredible importance to my district," stated Spilka.
Senator Spilka represents the Second
Middlesex and Norfolk district, comprised of the towns of Ashland,
Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medway and Natick. She is
currently the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Children, Families
and Persons with Disabilities, as well as the Vice Chair of the Senate
Committees on Ethics and Rules and Election Laws. She also serves on
the Committees on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies,
Education, Healthcare Financing and Higher Education. She is currently
working on a 2009-2010 legislative agenda that will focus on fairness,
equity and resources for the greater MetroWest, education and workforce
development, and support and solutions for a tough economy. ~
Contributed content
CAROLYN DYKEMA, STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR 8TH
MIDDLESEX DISTRICT,
INAUGURATED TO 186TH GENERAL
CONGRESS
Boston- January 8, 2009 — Carolyn Dykema was inaugurated this morning as
the State Representative for the 8th Middlesex District,
including the towns of Holliston and Hopkinton and precincts of Medway,
Southborough and Westborough. She joins 14 other newly elected
representatives of the "freshman" class to the 186th General
Congress.
Dykema's family and supporters were thrilled to be in the House Chamber
with her on this important day.
The oath was administered by Governor Deval Patrick. In his remarks he
noted "It's going to be an adventure, it's going to be a challenging
time but we'll be seizing opportunities," a sentiment which
Representative Dykema echoes. “We’re facing a lot of challenges, but
there are also a lot of possibilities.” said Dykema. “By working
together, I know we can make good things happens for our communities and
I can’t wait to get started.”
Prior to her election to the House of Representatives, she served as
Chairwoman of the Holliston Planning Board and on the Executive board of
the Metrowest Growth Management Committee. She will hold office for the
duration of the 186th session of the General Court, until
January 2011. ~ Contributed Content
Your New Home Awaits You
H
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H O M E S
H O M E S
H O M E S
What Comes
Down, Must Go Up
January 8,
2009 — Passersby at the Common the last two days couldn't help but
notice some very busy
people, putting up the main posts and other basic
construction of the new Veterans Memorial Gazebo, funded entirely by
private contributions of money, in-kind contributions of labor.
Above, left, Chris nation of 20th Century homes. Behind him is Jesse
Walsh, who said, "Chris is making the greatest contribution of all."
Chris is donating his time in managing the project.
Mr. Nation said that the roofing and framing are the next tasks before
Jim Melnick (JMJ Electric) puts in the electrical system and Bose
installs sound.
He said that National Lumber of Mansfield has made a sizeable donation
as has Harvey Industries, which is donating Roofing materials.
The project will need finished cement in the spring, and that should
wrap it up.
Fun Times getting in shape
at Fitness Together
Zoning
Advisory Committee Votes to Move Sign Bylaw Forward
Relief
sought for Hopkinton businesses
Above, ZAC
Chair Ken Weismantel demonstrates his proposal on sign size
calculations. Under his plan, which was adopted this evening, a sign may
be the width of a building at 1.5 feet tall, or the equivalent square
footage.
by Robert
Falcione
January 7,
2009 — The Zoning Advisory Committee [ZAC] voted to pass a new sign
bylaw on to the Planning Board for their presumed approval of the
document and the creation of an Article for passage at Town Meeting in
May.
The need for a sign bylaw was made evident after Zoning Enforcement
Officer Charles Kadlik delivered letters to several businesses that had
sandwich boards and banners displayed, ordering them removed or face a
$100 per day fine.
Attorney Doug Resnick appealed the order by the ZEO on behalf of Weston
Nurseries to the Board of Appeals, which sided with him and agreed that
Weston Nurseries is exempt from zoning because it is agricultural.
However, the Board made it clear at that time that it was not addressing
the off-site directional
sign that the nursery had at the Golden Spoon.
Mr. Resnick said this evening that he was given a choice to remove the
sign and wait for the new bylaw, or appeal the directive to the Board of
Appeals. He said it has been removed for now.
However, the success at the Board of Appeals set the stage this evening
for Mr. Resnick. He suggested that although the off-site directional
sign does not now conform, the new bylaw should include an exemption for
an agricultural business for off-site signage, and the members of ZAC agreed
voting unanimously to adopt the language.
Another section of the proposed bylaw, one that got the axe, would have limited
the cost of the restoration or repair of a damaged, non-conforming sign to 35% of its value, or
the sign would need to be made to conform. In other words, if Colella's
sign was damaged and needed repair that was greater than 35% of its
value, then the repair would need to be abandoned, and a new conforming
sign would need to be erected. The bylaws specifically exclude neon,
which would mean that the sign could not be restored under those
proposed conditions.
At Town Meeting two or so years ago, a similar section of a similar
proposed sign bylaw Article was brought before that assembly. The
inclusion of the restoration paragraph of that Article has been blamed
for that entire group of laws being soundly defeated, something not lost on the
Committee members this evening.
The Committee voted to strike that section from the proposal, with more
than one member saying they liked the Colella's sign.
Other sections of the bylaw allow sandwich boards and banners, as well
as temporary and portable signs, and define the sizes for each.
Town Planner Elaine Lazarus will take the changes made this evening and
create a complete document that will be passed on to the Planning Board.
Services for the Home
Painting the
Town Red, and...
January 7,
2009 — Hopkinton Gourmet owner David Phillips prepares some coffee for a
customer as he is overshadowed by the new panel he said he commissioned
from Robin Batchelder of Sparks Art Studio on Walcott Street. The panel
looks at the downtown in sections, and in an order the artist apparently
prefers.
Colella's Flyer is Online
Each Week
State
and County Crime & Justice
ATTORNEY GENERAL MARTHA
COAKLEY OBTAINS CIVIL RIGHTS INJUNCTION AGAINST NORWOOD WOMAN
FOR SEVERE HARASSMENT AND INTIMIDATION OF GAY NEIGHBOR
DEDHAM
– January 7, 2009 - Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office has
obtained a civil rights injunction against a Norwoodwoman,
Deborah May, based on allegations of her repeated and severe harassment
and intimidation of a gay neighbor.
The order, issued late yesterday by Norfolk
Superior Court Judge E. Susan Garsh, prohibits May from threatening,
intimidating, or coercing the victim or anyone else in the Commonwealth
on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation. It
further prevents May from contacting or communicating with the victim or
his family and requires her to stay at least 500 yards from his place of
employment. A violation of the injunction is a criminal offense
punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 and two and a half years in a House
of Correction, or if bodily injury results from such a violation, a
$10,000 fine and up to ten years in State Prison.
“Bias-motivated conduct, such as the harassment and intimidation we
allege in this case, are devastating to victims not only because of the
immediate physical and emotional harm they cause, but because feelings
of fear, anxiety and profound loss of personal security often last far
longer than the incident,” said Attorney General Coakley. “Beyond their
impact on individual victims, hate crimes and other forms of
bias-motivated activity are very detrimental to communities, and this
type of behavior will not be tolerated.”
According to the complaint, which was filed on December 31, 2008,
Deborah May allegedly continually harassed the victim who is a tenant in
the apartment building where May also resides. In November 2007, May
allegedly began spreading false rumors that the victim is a sexual
predator and pedophile. The complaint further states that six months
later, May complained to her landlords about the victim’s display of a
gay pride flag outside of his apartment and had the flag removed. Soon
thereafter, on multiple occasions, May screamed anti-gay epithets at the
victim in the presence of other tenants and physically confronted the
victim in the yard of his home. The complaint further alleges that on
August 31, 2008, May made a baseless report to the Norwood Police
Department falsely claiming that the victim had exposed himself.
As a result of May’s alleged pattern of
harassment and intimidation, the victim feared for his safety and
well-being at home and was forced to alter his daily routine and other
behavior in order to avoid May.
The Attorney General’s Office is seeking
relief under the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act, which is commonly
referred to as the hate crimes statute, and the state’s
Antidiscrimination Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing.
Under the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act, the Attorney General’s Office
has the power to obtain an injunction in cases where a victim has faced
threats, intimidation, or coercion because of his or her membership in a
protected category, for example, race, religion, sexual orientation, or
disability, or because he or she is engaged in a protected activity,
such as the right to use public ways or places, the right to vote, or
the right to associate.
This matter is being handled by Assistant
Attorney General Jonathan Miller of Attorney General Coakley’s Civil
Rights Division with the assistance of Kimberly Strovink of the Civil
Rights Division and Dean Bates of the Investigations Division. ~ From
the Office of he Attorney General
EMC
Expects Q4 '08 Revenue of About $4 Billion
To eliminate 2,400
positions
HOPKINTON,
Mass. - Jan 7, 2008
- EMC
Corporation (NYSE: EMC), the world leader in
information infrastructure solutions, today
announced today that it expects fourth-quarter 2008
revenues of approximately $4 billion, representing
an EMC record for quarterly revenue, approximately
8% revenue growth compared with the third quarter of
2008, and 4% growth over the same period a year ago.
EMC also announced that it expects in the fourth
quarter:
GAAP earnings per
diluted share of $0.13 to $0.14, including the
impact of a $0.10 restructuring charge,
described below.
Excluding the
restructuring charge, non-GAAP earnings per
diluted share of $0.23 to $0.24.
Excluding the
restructuring charge, stock-based compensation
and intangible asset amortization, non-GAAP
earnings per diluted share of $0.30 to $0.311.
These preliminary
revenue and EPS results, excluding the effect of the
charge, are in line with estimates the company
provided on October 22, 2008.
"We are very pleased
with our preliminary Q4 financial results," said Joe
Tucci, EMC Chairman, President and CEO (File photo).
"We were able to generate all-time record revenue
and strong sequential revenue growth against the
backdrop of a challenging global economy. Customers
are telling us that information infrastructure and
virtualization products and solutions are at or very
near the top of their IT spending priorities. This,
coupled with the technological advantage and quality
of EMC's solutions and the strength of our sales and
service organizations, helped us achieve our Q4
financial goals."
To improve the
competitiveness and efficiency of its global
business, EMC also announced a restructuring program
to further streamline the costs related to its
Information Infrastructure business, which does not
include VMware. EMC expects the program to reduce
costs from its 2008 annualized rate by approximately
$350 million in 2009, increasing to approximately
$500 million in 2010. The program's focus is to
consolidate back office functions, field and campus
offices; rebalance investments towards higher-growth
products and markets; reduce management layers; and
further reduce indirect spend on contractors,
third-party services and travel. The restructuring
program will reduce EMC's global Information
Infrastructure workforce by approximately 2,400
positions, or about 7% of its headcount as of
September 30, 2008. ~EMC PR
Sign of the
Season
January 7,
2008 — A vehicle charges through a huge puddle on West Main Street at
the bottom of South Street this morning. The water accumulated due to a
blocked storm drain, which the Highway Department had cleared within 5
minutes of receiving the call.
Legacy
Farms, representatives of Boulder Capital presented traffic plans and
answered questions at a Planning Board meeting held Monday evening at
the Hopkinton Senior Center.
January
9, 2009 — Secretary of Public Safety and Security Kevin M. Burke and
State Police Superintendent Colonel Mark F. Delaney today announced the
promotions of two veteran State Police
officers to positions within the department’s command staff.
elimination of the equivalent of six and a half full-time employees, as
well as his new, proposed activity fee of $50, which will cover all
activities for one student if enacted.
sign that the nursery had at the Golden Spoon.
woman,
Deborah May, based on allegations of her repeated and severe harassment
and intimidation of a gay neighbor. 
HOPKINTON,
Mass. - Jan 7, 2008
- EMC
Corporation (NYSE: EMC), the world leader in
information infrastructure solutions, today
announced today that it expects fourth-quarter 2008
revenues of approximately $4 billion, representing
an EMC record for quarterly revenue, approximately
8% revenue growth compared with the third quarter of
2008, and 4% growth over the same period a year ago.
EMC also announced that it expects in the fourth
quarter:
