School Committee
to Consider Re-negotiating Admin Bldg Lease
Gala nets
over $40,000
by Derek
Dobachesky
February 27, 2009
— The Hopkinton School Committee grappled over whether to renew a
building lease, examined a newly drafted Strategic Plan and addressed a
wide variety of other issues at a lengthy meeting on Thursday, Feb. 26
2009. The meeting began at 7:30 p.m. on a high note, with Superintendent
Dr. John Phelan recognizing the Hopkinton Education Foundation's
successful Winter Gala, which took place on Saturday, Feb. 7 and raised
over $40,000 for Hopkinton Public Schools.
Phelan also
recognized two teachers, Evren Gunduz, an eighth grade science teacher,
and Patricia Diamond, a music teacher at Elmwood School, who will be
receiving rewards at the Goldin Foundation Educators Forum. A total of
six awards will be given at the Forum, which will take place on April 13
at the high school cafeteria.
Following the recognitions, Committee chair Nancy Alvarez Burdick
updated the committee on the status of the FY10 budget. Burdick and
vice-chair Phil Totino attended a meeting with two members of the Board
of Selectman to discuss the outlook for
the budget. The Committee requested a budget with a $1.2 million
increase in funding over FY09, rather than the flat-funding level the
Board requested. The larger request would retain teachers, prevent
increases in athletic fees and a new activity fee, but still cut
administrative positions and funding for supplies such as books.
"The one thing that I got from the meeting is that the $1.2 million
seems do-able," Totino said. Totino and Burdick are scheduled to meet
with members of the Board again on Feb. 27 and continuously until the
budget has been approved by the Board.
Further reports included Totino and Director of Finance Geoff
MacDonald's update on capital improvement projects and Dr. Phelan's
report on his goals for the school district. Totino and MacDonald
reported that currently all projects are scheduled
to be completed at or under budget, while several have been delayed by
one year.
Phelan presented a draft of detailed goals for the district: "to develop
a new Strategic Plan for the school district"; "to use technology to
improve student learning and organizational effectiveness"; "to gain
energy efficiencies and promote
'green initiatives'"; and "to conduct the Center School Feasibility
Study and further district elementary school planning."
The Committee then reviewed and approved high school principal John
McCarthy's proposed changes to the 2009/2010 High School Program of
Studies. The Program calls for eliminating 20 courses, based on those
that were under-enrolled; eliminating the name "Pre-Ap" for intermediate
courses; adding AP French and Spanish courses; and adding wellness
courses for juniors in fall 2009, with plans to add a wellness course
for seniors in fall 2010.
McCarthy said eliminating pre-AP courses was done to fall in line with
College Board recommendations — colleges generally consider pre-AP a
long-term, sixth-12th grade program for students, rather than one
course. The change will result in pre-AP
physical science being dropped; pre-AP U.S. history becoming a two-year
AP sequence; and pre-AP chemistry changing to AP chemistry. These
significant changes had been developed over the last few months, with
input from the community, McCarthy said, so the Committee passed the
Program quickly with no proposed changes.
The Committee next addressed MacDonald's proposed extension of the lease
on the administrators' office building for two years. The building was
originally leased for three years at a rate of $80,198 a year, with an
option of extending the lease for
two years with a five-percent increase, or $84,208 a year. MacDonald
recommended renewing the lease because of the office's convenient
location and competitive price.
Committee member
Richard de Mont objected to passing this item, stating his opposition to
a rate increase when all real estate prices have declined since the
lease was signed in 2006. Totino said he agreed entirely with de Mont.
Eventually, MacDonald agreed to speak with the landlord about drafting a
lease without a rent increase.
Burdick, committee
member Rebecca Robak and Dr. Phelan then presented on the progress of
the Strategic Planning Steering Committee. This included presenting a
draft of a five-year strategic plan for Hopkinton School District and
soliciting input from the other school committee members. Burdick, Robak
and Dr. Phelan will work with the Steering Committee again, present
further updates on its progress at the School Committee meeting on March
19 and then present a final draft of the Strategic Plan sometime in
mid-April.
Other items addressed were a draft of the school calendar for 2009/2010.
The calendar has school starting Tuesday, Sept 1 ó the week before Labor
Day. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Mary Colombo presented a timeline for
enacting School Committee
policies throughout the remaining spring meetings, and the Committee
passed a final version of the School Committee Policy on Family Medical
Leave Act.
The Hopkinton School Committee meets next on Thursday, March 5 at 7:30
p.m. in the Middle School Library. File photo
REMINDER
Don’t
miss this informative event!
Hopkinton Senior Center
28 Mayhew St., 508-497-9730
Health Fair and Workshops
Saturday, Feb. 28
9:00 –
4:00
“Keeping Elders at Home”
Multiple options for Seniors and their
Families
Speakers,
senior service providers, Medicare website demonstrations,
Free
health screenings and more.
Light
lunch available 11:30 to 1:00 – Thrift Shop open all day
H
O M E S
H O M E S
H O M E S
H O M E S
Stuart H. Merrifield, 91
Stuart H. Merrifield, 91, of Hopkinton,
died Tuesday, February 24, 2009. Born in Vermont, he was the son of the
late Frank and Mable (Blair) Merrifield. He was the husband of the late
Doris W. Wright who passed in 2001.
A Hopkinton resident since 1940, he was an army veteran and a member of
the John Warren Lodge, the VFW of Ashland #2331, and the Couples Club.
He enjoyed gardening, fishing and golfing.
He is survived by 2 sons, Wayne Merrifield of Hopkinton, Frank
Merrifield and his wife Dorothy of Snellville, GA., 2 daughters, Nancy
J. Ring and her late husband David of Westborough, and Lois A. Hansen
and her late husband Dennis of Danvers. He also leaves behind his
brother in law, William Wright and his wife June of Hopedale, 5
grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held on Friday, March 6, 2009 from 4-7p.m. at the
Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton, 57 Hayden Rowe St.
www.ChesmoreFuneralHome.com
A memorial service will be held at the funeral home on Saturday, March 7
at 11:00a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Milford
VNA and Hospice, 37 Birch St. Milford, MA. 01757 or St. Paul's Episcopal
Church, 61 Wood St. Hopkinton, MA. 01748, orHopkinton Senior Center, 28
Mayhew St. Hopkinton, MA. 01748.
Operating
Under Arrest
February 27,
2009 — Officer Matthew McNeil, center, leads a prisoner to his cruiser
after the man failed field sobriety tests behind Bill's Pizza. Observing
the tests were Sgt. Michael Sutton, left, and Officer William Burchard.
Services for the Home
Representative
Dykema to Hold Office Hours
Boston- Representative Carolyn
Dykema will be holding evening office hours at the Holliston Town Hall
on March 16 from 6 to 7:30pm. Any resident who wishes to speak with the
Representative and is unable to attend Office Hours should feel free to
contact the office at (617) 722-2425 or e-mail
leah.robins@state.MA.US
to set up a personal appointment.
March 16, 6-7:30pm, Holliston Town Hall, 703
Washington Street, Holliston MA 01746
State Police
Speeding Stop Leads to Meth Arrest in
Dorchester
February
26, 2009 — Massachusetts State Police charged a Dorchester man with trafficking
in methamphetamine after stopping him for speeding late Wednesday night
and allegedly finding drugs and related paraphernalia in his car.
At 11:36 p.m. on February 25, Trooper Brian
Sullivan clocked a gray Volkswagen Passat traveling 52 mph in a 30 mph
zone on
Gallivan Boulevard
in Dorchester. The trooper, who is assigned to the South Boston barracks, activated his lights and stopped
the vehicle after it took a left onto Hutchinson Street.
The driver, CARSON W. TRENT, 39, said the
car was owned by his friend and claimed to not have his license on him.
Trooper Sullivan determined that TRENT was wanted on two default warrants, one
for drug violations out of Dorchester Court and the other for larceny
by scheme out of Boston Municipal Court. The trooper then placed TRENT under arrest.
During a subsequent inventory of the Passat,
troopers observed, inside an open soft briefcase in plain view on the
car’s floor, a small black bag containing a white crystallized substance
believed to be methamphetamine. Also in the bag were two glass pipes and
a lighter. A State Police K-9 unit was called to the scene, and the dog,
“Jager,” who is specially trained to detect the odor of narcotics,
alerted to a narcotics scent on the black bag. Also found in the
briefcase was $1,000 cash and two notebooks.
TRENT was booked at the South Boston
barracks and charged with trafficking in methamphetamine; possession of
a class B substance with intent to distribute; possession of a class B
substance near a park; speeding; driving with a suspended license; and
the two warrants. The suspected crystal methamphetamine was weighed at
the barracks at approximately 34 grams.
TRENT’s friend
who owns the vehicle, which was towed, will be cited for allowing an
unlicensed operator to drive his car. File photo
Harriet Dryden, 85
Harriet Dryden 85, of Hopkinton died
February 25, 2009 at Saint Camillus Health Center in Northbridge. She
was the wife of the late William Dryden.
Arrangements are incomplete and under the
direction of the
Chesmore
Funeral Home of Hopkinton.
Hopkinton is Full of
Sunshine!
Ad Council
Launches New PSAs and Social Media Tools to Prevent
Youth Reckless Driving
Campaign
empowers teens to 'Say Something'
WASHINGTON, DC
(February 26, 2009) /Newswire/ —
For more than two decades, car crashes
have been the number one
killer of teens in the United
States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA). The Advertising Council joined
today with a coalition of state Attorneys General and
consumer protection agencies to launch a new series of
public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to save
lives by reducing youth reckless driving.
NHTSA data shows that, on average, more than 300,000
teens are injured in car crashes each year, nearly 8,000
are involved in fatal crashes and more than 3,500 are
killed. Research also shows that teen drivers are
involved in more than five times as many fatal crashes
as adults. Young drivers are more likely to speed, run
red lights, make illegal turns and die in an SUV
rollover.
First launched in January 2007, the Youth Reckless
Driving Prevention campaign targets teens and young
adults between the ages of 15 and 21 and encourages them
to speak up when they are in the car with friends who
are driving recklessly and they don't feel safe. The
campaign also seeks to increase awareness about the
dangers of reckless driving and educate teens on how to
be safe drivers by focusing on safe speeds, avoiding
distractions, wearing seat belts, and the differences
associated with driving SUVs.
"This PSA campaign has a real opportunity to reach teens
around the country," said Thurbert Baker, Attorney
General of Georgia. "By speaking up about reckless
driving, young people can save lives, both their own and
those of their friends."
Research conducted by the Ad Council shows that teen
drivers are more likely to listen to their friends than
the adults in their lives. In a survey conducted in
2007, 8 in 10 teens said that when a friend speaks up,
they will listen because they don't want to damage the
friendship, be labeled a bad driver or cause harm to
their friends.
Lights, Camera, er...Scratch
the Lights
February 25,
2009 — Cheryl Perreault prepares to interview a subject about his
experiences in the Great Depression, while HCAM's Mike Torosian captures
on video, a slate, showing the program time, day and subject
matter, for the beginning of the roll. The program is being done
in conjunction with the Women's Club Go Green event. They would like to
see how people made do with the little they had during those lean times.
H
O M E S
H O M E S
H O M E S
H O M E S
The Smart
Car
February 25,
2009 — This car was not smart enough to drive itself from New Hampshire,
so its owner did. He is retrieving something from the passenger door as
he stops for lunch Downtown at Sauce on Main.
He says it is a German vehicle that gets 45 MPG, but needs to use the
medium grade gasoline. It is the equivalent of 35 mpg, factoring in the
gas premium, the owner said.
The vehicle price is under $12,000, but that price can be doubled with
style and features.
The website is fairly sparse on quick information. The Smart Car is
only a name, and appears to have nothing to do with its intelligence.
Services for the Home
John Palinkas, 60
John
Palinkas, 60 of Hopkinton, MA died unexpectedly Tuesday,
February 24th at UMASS Medical Center in Worcester, MA.
He was a 1966 graduate of Ashland High School and a loving husband,
father and grandfather. He leaves behind his wife, Barbara (Moore)
Palinkas of Hopkinton whom he was married to for 41 years. The son of
Mary (Palinkas) Grenga of Ashland and the late John Palinkas, he is
survived by his mother-in-law Olivia Moore of Ashland, his three
children, John S. Palinkas and his wife Shannon of Upton, Joseph
Palinkas of Hopkinton, and Elizabeth Thieme and her husband Derek of
Rowley. He also leaves six grandchildren, Koady, Megan, John, Michael,
Leah, and Cole. As well as his two sisters, Aranka Ciccarelli of
Hopkinton and Maggie Dicken of Ashland, and a brother Stephen Palinkas
of Uxbridge and many nieces and nephews.
Arrangements complete
Hopkinton Garden Club Presents Betsy
Williams:
“Flower Arranging: Plain & Simple”
Saturday, April 4 at 10:30 a.m.
First Congregational Church, Hopkinton
It’s
fun and it’s simple to arrange flowers. Little arrangements of fresh
flowers smiling up from the kitchen table, bathroom counter or your
bedside table lift the heart. A casual bouquet in the front hall or
flowers on the dining room table bring a touch of graciousness to our
speeded-up lives.
Learn how and when
to buy, pick, cut and condition flowers and greens; simple, practical
mechanics and the how-to’s of arranging in water and floral foam.
Using fresh
seasonal plant material--roses, sunflowers, delphinium, mini-carnations,
mums, lilies, yarrows, hydrangeas and greens--the demonstration includes
hand-held arrangements, arranging in glass and arranging in floral foam.
This Lecture is
appropriate for the beginner and/or at home flower arranger. With
Easter, Mother’s Day and Spring flowers in our near future, this is a
great opportunity to learn the basics.
RAFFLES RAFFLES RAFFLES RAFFLES HGC MEMBERS: FREE
GENERAL PUBLIC: $5 DAY OF
Senior Moments
Keep the Elders at Home
Above, Toni Kunicki follows the Zumba instructor Celia Sharon at the
Senior center today.
Nancy L. Drawe
(Punky)
February 25, 2009 —
Have you noticed a lot of advertising this past week for the “Keeping
Elders at Home” program that’s being
held at the SeniorCenter this Saturday, February 28 from
9:30 am-3:00 pm? You might have read about it in the local newspapers
and on HopNews or have seen signs for it scattered in town. If you shop
at Colella’s, you couldn’t have missed the posters on their doors.
Also, the Center’s van has been parked around town displaying signs on
the sides and back. It’s almost like those popular “Where’s Waldo?”
books, only in this case, the big question is “Where’s the Van?”
“Why all the
advertising?” you might be thinking. Well, that’s because this is one
of the most important events sponsored by the
SeniorCenter and Council of Aging
to be held at the center this year. Not only is it a mini health fair
because of the FREE screenings that will be available: Vision, Blood
Pressure and Blood Glucose, Cholesterol, Hearing and Bone Density, but
it’s also a program providing a wealth of information about options for
seniors and their families regarding health care and ways to stay safe
in their own homes.
Although
the screenings will be available all day, there is an hourly schedule of
the topics and speakers, so try to make it for all! Here’s the
schedule:
9:30-10:00 am
MetroWest Meds—Prescription Drug Program Options
Susan Moriarty, MSW,
LCSW Program Manager, Metrowest Meds, Natick
VNA
10:30-11:30 am Trends
in Home Health Care
Philip Magnusson,
President and CEO of VNANE (Visiting Nurse Association of
New England)
11:30-12:30 pm
Keeping Your Relative Safe At Home –Safety Tips
Linda Sullivan, RN
and Debbie Gitner, LCSW, Elder Resource Services
1:00-2:00 pm Legal
Tools To Remain At Home
Kathleen Nealon,
Elder Law Attorney, Nealon & Nealon
2:00-3:00 pm High
Tech Medicine—Telehealth Monitor and Cold Laser
David Holly,
Director of Clinical Business Development, Natick
VNA
Each of these speakers
and vendors are a beneficial part of this program because there is a
need for families to know that there is support for their elder parents,
especially those who wish to stay in their own homes.
Lunch will be
available to buy from 11:30 am to 1 pm. A nice simple, but delicious
bill of fare—a choice of turkey, pastrami or tuna sandwiches, chips,
drink and pudding. Also, a bit of information not listed on the
posters—there’s also going to be Bake Sale! I’ve seen the list of
homemade baked items that will be for sale and there’ll certainly be a
large enough assortment to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth cravings!
Holding this program
on a Saturday is a big plus because those people who work during the
week and ordinarily wouldn’t be able to attend, will now have that
opportunity. I hope you take full advantage of the day, because there
is a lot of valuable information that will be presented at this
program. Enjoy the day!
A REMINDER: Taps—this
Sunday, March 1, 7 pm at the
SeniorCenter. Come and show your
support to Hopkinton’s Veterans.
That’s it for now, so
if you have any comments or suggestions, you can email me:
Punkala@aol.com. Until next time, have a great week!
Thanks! 2.5
Million Visits and Counting
February 25,
2009 — The HopNews Sitemeter, a third party counter that ratchets up
every time we get a visitor, has counted more than 2.5 million visits,
with one exception: people who have their "cookies" disabled do not get
counted. The real number is probably around 3 million visits in the more
than 5 years we've had the counter.
According to statistics from other, third party, unaffiliated sites say
that out of the 109,000 visits we had in January, around 9,000 of them
were unique visitors. That means that they were only counted
once, no matter how many times they visited. Basically, it means not
everyone reads every day, but our core visit is 9,000 machines or
networks monthly. In addition, it means that people logging on from the
same company or home network do not get counted after one person from
their network looks at HopNews. However, our total visit counter for any
one day is usually double the unique visits number. For example, after
one person from EMC visits, no one else gets counted as unique. We could
have as many as 16,000 unique visitors. Multiple that time the number of
people looking over a shoulder and we've got even more.
All of this success is due to long hours, hard work, and the
contributions of many people, including writers, photographers, readers
and advertisers.
Thank you all! ~Robert Falcione
Hopkinton is Full of
Sunshine!
Selectmen
Cover a Lot of Ground
February
24, 2009 — Hopkinton Athletic Association (HAA) members Dave
Stoldt, Len Holden and Tim Kilduff went before Selectmen to pitch for
the statue of Hopkinton sports entrepreneur George V. Brown
to find a permanent home on the Hopkinton Town Common. It spent a
few days at the Common last year after its commission by the HAA from
Hopkinton sculptor Michael Alfano, during the BAA Marathon weekend. Mr.
Brown was a 1898 graduate of Hopkinton High School and is credited by
some as having brought professional sport to New England. (See Mr.
Brown's grandson speak about him on
YouTube/HopNews video) from one year ago)
The Selectmen voted to send a letter to the Hopkinton Historical
District Commission in support of the effort, although they have little
jurisdiction over the matter. The Selectmen ceded control of the major
portion of the Common to the Parks and Recreation Department several
years ago, but retained jurisdiction over a small strip on the northern
side, adjacent to what is called Marathon Way.
The HAA representatives will be going before that commission next
Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in Room 216 of Town
Hall. Although there have been no statements from the Commission to the
press, the buzz around town is that the Commission, as stewards of the
Historical District, is resistant to the idea (HopNews file photo
above).
The statue now stands sentry in front of the Police Headquarters along
with the Flame of the Marathon Run, a gift from Marathon, Greece,
Hopkinton's "twin city."
Kate Doherty spoke on behalf of a growing number of school-moms
who
signed a letter
asking for support of the community to keep class sizes low
and support level-service funding for the schools that would mean a $1.2
million increase over a level-funded budget.
Later, Interim Town Manager Clayton Carlyle noted a stabilization
fund that has $750,000 in it, as well as a
surplus
of $1.75 million, of which $1 million is available.
Mr. Carlyle indicated he took the Selectmen's budget-cutting suggestions
of several weeks ago to heart as he detailed the outcome of his research
on those matters.
He said he has spoken with Ashland Town manager, "Mr. Petrin," and
worked out details of an agreement for Hopkinton to share an Animal
Control Officer with Ashland and Holliston that would cover 10 hours a
day. He said that the move would save $10-15,000 a year and involve the
availability of a more local kennel as well as humane placement, rather
than the disposal of animals.
Mr. Carlyle is also investigating the budgetary savings of combining the
IT and HR departments of the
Schools
and Town Hall, but did not specify a figure.
He also looked into suggestions to regionalize the Tree Warden position,
as well as a loss of positions through attrition at the Senior Center
and the Library that would not be replaced.
Studies to regionalize the Health Agent and Building Inspector have been
conducted in other towns, said Mr. Carlyle, and Mr. Carlyle will take
advantage of those efforts to see how they apply in Hopkinton.
He also said there is a trust with $100 million in it from the closing
of Framingham Union Hospital that could be tapped to mitigate the town's
health care costs.
Board of Public Works Chair Dan McIntyre (File photo) appeared
before the Selectmen to pitch for his Town
Meeting Article that, if passed, puts the responsibility of the hiring
and firing of the DPW Director legally and squarely in his hands, and
those of his fellow Board members. At this time, the responsibility of
the DPW, according to Town Counsel Ray Mirayes, is in the hands of the
Town Manager. This Article would change that and give the Board of
Public Works that responsibility. The problem arose because the town
voted in the Board of Public Works at basically the same time as the
Charter.
Selectman Matthew Zettek said to Mr. McIntyre, "The Director [of Public
Works] should be talking to the Town Manager under the current setup,
right? Isn't he reporting under that status?"
Mr. McIntyre didn't provide the answer.
"We need to be thinking about the long term," Mr. Zettek said.
"You are basically trying to change the Charter," he said to Mr.
McIntyre.
Mr. McIntyre agreed.
Mr. McIntyre said Selectmen Chair Brian Herr had a divisive perspective,
after Mr. Herr proposed several public talking points. Mr. McIntyre
offered a vision of a DPW independent of Town Hall.
"If it makes you feel any better, I said 10 minutes ago, as long as we
have a duly elected Board of Public Works, I think the Director should
go [report] to the Board of Public Works," Mr. Herr said.
Mike Shepard Decides Not to Run For Re-election
Above, file
photo of Mr. Shepard with granddaughter Bailey Rose
February
24, 2009 — Selectman Michael Shepard, who ran as an unenrolled voter in
2006, has decided not to run this year. The announcement opens up the
seat to others who may be waiting in the wings to weigh the competition.
Mr. Shepard was the greatest vote getter in 2006, with about double the
amount of votes between him and the lowest vote getter. Vice-Chair Mary
Pratt's seat is also up this year, but she has refused to say if she
will run again. Pundits say she will.
Mr. Shepard, a Captain in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, was
the Director of Municipal Inspections in Hopkinton, and took a similar
position in Brookline at about the same time as he was approached by
many community members to run for office. The Brookline position carries
greater responsibility with it, as well as a $7 million budget, and
requirements to attend some evening meetings.
In a letter to be made public at this evening's Selectmen's meeting, Mr.
Shepard explains that he ran to help diffuse the contentiousness of the
Board of Selectmen that brought "jokes and ridicule" upon Hopkinton in
the area.
Mr. Shepard expresses disappointment that the proximity of his
daughter's residence to the Fruit Street property that kept him from
weighing in on the matter, something he says he supports.
He leaves the Board in a better place than when he got there, he says,
and gives the credit to others.
February 24, 2009 — When a neighbor across the street built a home
taller than the one he tore down, carpenter Don Keiser of Oakhurst Road
made his disappointment public, painting a 4'x8' sheet of plywood, and
displaying for all to see, that he and his family felt robbed of their
daily sunrise.
As necessity is the mother of invention, Mr. Keiser, a carpenter, and
his son Cody put another level on their home to see the sunrise with
their daily coffee in hand. Then, for the fair-weather days, they built
a deck above that.
Selling? List With One of
Our Experts.
Buying? Same as Above!
H
O M E S
H O M E S
H O M E S
H O M E S
2009 BOSTON
MARATHON ART & DESIGN COMPETITION
Above,
collage of some of last year's winners
Open to Students
in Ashland and Hopkinton
Underwritten
by: 21st Century Benefits
and RM Clark
Associates
In conjunction
with The Hopkinton Athletic Association (HAA), Boston Athletic
Association (BAA), Hopkinton Cultural Arts Alliance (CAA), Hopkinton
Marathon Committee (HMC), Hopkinton Parent Teacher Association (HPTA),
and the Ashland Recreation Center.
Grade
1st Place
2nd Place
3rd Place
K-1st grade
$150
$100
$50
Every entry
receives a free ice cream from Golden Spoon in Hopkinton!
2nd-3rd grade
$150
$100
$50
Every entry
receives a free ice cream from Golden Spoon in Hopkinton!
4th-5th grade
$150
$100
$50
Every entry
receives a free ice cream from Golden Spoon in Hopkinton!
6th-8th grade
$150
$100
$50
Every entry
receives a free ice cream from Golden Spoon in Hopkinton!
9th-12th grade
$150
$100
$50
Every entry
receives a free ice cream from Golden Spoon in Hopkinton!
Honorable Mentions will be
awarded as judged.
All entries that do not
win will be eligible for a random drawing for an iPod Nano 8GB Video
MP3 Player. A winner will be drawn from both Ashland and Hopkinton.
ELIGIBILITY:
The Marathon Art & Design
Competition is open to all students (Kindergarten through 12th
grade) who are either attending a school in, or are residents of
Hopkinton or Ashland. The goals of the art & design competition are
to:
• Promote the
Boston Marathon
• Promote
Hopkinton, Ashland and their athletic spirit
• Present
artwork for public display and recognition
• Highlight
the towns’ historic ties with the BAA Boston Marathon
TIMELINES & NOTES:
Deadline:
Please submit all entries by Thursday, April 9th,
2009.
Prize winners
will be notified and announced on Monday, April 13,
2009
$8 for adults, $5 for students and
senior citizens
Keeping Elders at Home-Multiple Options for Seniors and Their Families
Saturday, February 28 from 9:00-3:00
Are the simple
tasks of daily living becoming more difficult for you or someone you
care about?
The Hopkinton
Senior Center and Council on Aging will sponsor a Saturday program
featuring health care providers and workshops with valuable information
about the variety of services that are available to seniors needing help
in their homes.
Hourly topics
include:
9:30 Prescription
Drug Options-Susan Moriarty, Metrowest Meds
10:30 Trends in
Home Health Care- Philip Magnusson, President of VNA of New England
11:30 Keeping Your
Relative Safe at Home-Linda Sullivan and Debbie Gitner, Elder Resource
Services
1:00 Legal Tools
to Remain at Home- Kathleen Nealon, Elder Law Attorney
2:00 High Tech
Medicine- David Holly, Natick Visiting Nurse Association
Vision, hearing,
blood pressure, bone density, cholesterol, and blood glucose screenings
will be available free of charge.
Baypath Elder
Services, homecare agencies, assisted living facilities, nursing homes
and other services will be represented. Senior Center Staff and
S.H.I.N.E. representative Lou Peralta will be on hand to discuss their
services.
Hopkinton is Full of
Sunshine!
Planning Board Closes Next
Generation
Children's Center Hearing
Approves Town Meeting Articles
by Robert
Falcione
February 23,
2009 — The Planning Board closed the Public hearing for the expansion of
Next Generation Children's Center on Monday evening. The group seeks to
double its footprint (Blue lines in graphic) with expanded parking,
floor space, recreational area, and storm water management. The addition
will allow it to take on more students, which will create several
positions for teachers.
A few
abutters were there to express individual concerns.
Jackie
Potenzone at 12 Wood Street said that the lights from vehicles are
troubling this time of year, until the deciduous trees grow leaves.
Project
Manager Katie Enright told her that they could install a stockade fence,
the same type they are
going to install at the other end, where the expansion is taking place.
Ms. Enright said that there is no room to place any greenery there. The
parking lot and retaining wall go up to the property's edge. The grass
strip on other side of the wall, and the adjacent driveway, are owned by
a different abutter, Flora Busconi.
Abutting
resident Jason Galbraith was also concerned about viewing issues. Ms.
Enright gave him the opportunity to choose between a stockade fence and
evergreen arborvitae. Mr. Galbraith chose the evergreens.
Resident
Jeff Doherty expressed concern about gridlock he said is caused by
people stopping at the front door to pick up their children, sending the
queue of other parents onto Wood Street.
Ms. Enright
said they designed a new entryway there that will help direct traffic in
and out.
For some
time, neighbors have complained that the intersection with Meserve and
Main Streets has become dangerous. People have a difficult time exiting
Meserve.
Transportation Engineer Dan Mills offered a solution to the problem with
a marked "box" to keep people from blocking the Meserve Street exit onto
Main (Sample above, right. Proposed location designated by arrow in top
graphic).
The Board
voted to close the Public Hearing, and appears headed toward an approval
vote at another time. They must vote before a 90 day period is up.
Hotel
overlay District
The Board
approved the language of a Town Meeting Article to create a Hotel
Overlay District, which would
allow that use in two areas east of Route
495, Lumber and Elm Streets, as well as the eastern side of South Street
up to number 71, which is currently used for storage of construction
equipment. That property had been put back on the map of eligible
properties under consideration in the Article after being asked to do so
by a representative of the property owner.
Planning
Board member Carol DeVeuve was the lone voice in favor of putting the Hopkinton
Square
property, owned by Chuck Joseph and Peter Markarian, in with the other
properties as the two men had requested. The developers have the approval
for a 150,000 square foot mixed use retail and office center on the
corner of South and West Main Streets. However, one Planning Board
member expressed concern that they would not be able to just trade an
office building listed in the approved plan for a hotel.
Lake
Maspenock Preservation Association President Malcolm Page was there to
let it be known that his 100+ association members would not vote for the
Article if that property were to be included.
Sign Bylaw
Passes
The new Sign
Bylaw Article, a piece of legislation that continues to cause groans
from whichever Board is reviewing it, passed with only a few minor
changes from the plan brought before it Monday night.
If the
Article passes at Town meeting, the community organizations in Hopkinton
will be able to put their signs back on the Common; and businesses will
be able to have sandwich boards in front of their businesses and banners
on their buildings.
In addition,
the way the law is written, lamented on member, Hopkinton Drug could
have a sign wrap around the entire building.
Despite the
objections, it passed.
The Hopkinton Post-Prom Party Committee
Needs Your Help!
For 15 years, the
parents of the junior class have sponsored a Post-Prom party designed to
provide a fun, safe, alcohol and drug-free environment after the prom.
This year’s event will be held at the high school after the prom on May
22 and continue until 5am the next morning. It will feature food, music,
entertainment, and lots of surprises! The party is open to all juniors,
whether or not they attend the prom.
The Post-Prom
party is not a school-sponsored event—it is made possible by the
generosity of local businesses, individuals, and our parent volunteers.
We are looking for
volunteers to help decorate, cook, chaperone, set up, or clean up. We
also welcome monetary donations, as well as donations of goods or
services.
Anyone interested
in volunteering is invited to attend the next planning meeting on March
11th at 7pm in HHS room A219.
If you are
interested in making a donation, please contact Jean Bertschmann at
February 23, 2009
— Director of Hopkinton Human Resources, Maryrose DeGroot, has made
electronic copies of the Town manager finalists available to the public
today, saying, "I am very excited. The field of candidates is very
strong."
Click on a link to
see the resumes of the candidates.
11:15 pm A Claflin Avenue
resident, fearing a visit by his girlfriend's ex-husband, reported a
white SUV turning around in his driveway...
4:26 pm A caller form Lyn Path
reported someone has driven over his lawn...
7:07 pm Officers Aaron O'Neil
and Gregg DeBoer responded to a 911 hit and run call on West Main
Street...
8:18 pm A
resident reported his vehicle was hit by an egg by a moving vehicle
Cedar Street...
Selling? List With One of
Our Experts.
Buying? Same as Above!
H
O M E S
H O M E S
H O M E S
H O M E S
Hillers Store Open Tuesday
Evening -- This Week Only
Correction:
Wednesday evening -- Booster Store Will Open
It's
Wednesday evening -- not Tuesday as previously reported
-- when the High School Booster Store will be open (during the
incoming freshmen parents night.) Again, please note the
correct date is Wed., Feb. 25 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30
p.m. All Hiller friends and family are welcome to stop
by and shop in the store! The store is also open every day
during lunch.
Four Hopkinton Town Manager
Finalists Named
To be interviewed March 7, 2009
February
23, 2009 — The third round of formal interviews will be held on
Saturday March 7, 2009 from 9:00am-4:00pm at Town Hall. The candidates
will be meeting with the Board of Selectmen and the meeting will be
televised and open to the Public.
The
finalists, current position and interview times are as follows:
We are inviting
all Town employees and residents to submit questions for the candidates.
The Search Committee will choose 2 or 3 questions which will be asked of
all candidates during the Board of Selectmen Interviews.
Questions will be
accepted until, Monday, March 2, 2009 at 5:00pm.
To be considered
questions must contain the following:
Name and
Address of the individual asking the question. (Non-resident
Town employees may use their department address)
Phone
number and/or email to contact the questioner.
If your question
is chosen, you will be notified by phone and/or email and will be
permitted to ask your question during the interview if you so choose. ~ Maryrose DeGroot, Director of Human Resources.
Choose Ms. Meyers'
photo to see her LinkedIn page. Choose the link to see Mr. Gaumond's
LinkedIn page.
Hopkinton is Full of
Sunshine!
Lucky 7
February 23, 2009 — Hopkinton Attorney
Andrew Crawley and his team won First Place at a
race sponsored by the Narragansett Sled Dog Club on January 25, 2009 in Exeter, Rhode
Island, racing in the six-dog division with four dogs.
It is a position Mr. Crawley likened to a Middleweight fighting a
Heavyweight.
Asked
how he could jump up a class, he said, "Because we train hard."
The dogs are Boulder and Vail in lead and Denver and Aspen in wheel. The team has slowed down as it nears the finish line, as there are no
competitors in sight.
To see
some of the training, done recently near the shore of Lake Maspenock,
choose the video below.
31 Moms Support Maintaining School Class Sizes,
$1.2 Million Budget Increase
To the Editor:
We are writing to
express our support for the HopkintonPublic Schools and our concern that our
town may not give them the funding they need to continue to provide high
quality education to our young people. In particular, we’re troubled by
the current discussion suggesting the schools should be held to a level
budget from last year instead of maintaining level services. The
distinction between level budget and services is huge. Because of
contractual obligations, a reduction in state funding, and other
factors, our school system cannot provide the same level of services to
our students without an increase to its budget.
The School Committee
has developed a thoughtful budget that includes some cuts to services,
but maintains current class sizes. This plan would require an
approximately $1.2 million increase from last year.
We believe that
maintaining class size (and eventually reducing it in the primary
grades) is a significant issue, and is worth the investment of our tax
dollars.
Editor's
Note: Want to send a letter to the Editor? Use the button above,
anytime.
Fatal
Snowmobile Crash in Wales - Operator Charged with OUI -
Updated
February
21, 2009 — Today at approximately 4:43 a.m., Troopers assigned to the
State Police Barracks in Sturbridge responded to a snowmobile crash off
of Stafford-Holland Road in Wales
that resulted in one fatality.
Preliminary investigation by Trooper Scott
Driscoll indicates that a 37 year-old Chis Corriveau from Holland, MAwas operating a 2002 Polaris snowmobile on a trail off of
Stafford Holland Road in Wales when the snowmobile traveled off the
trail into some rocks, severely injuring 36 year-old
Lori Mosher from East Brookfield
who was pronounced deceased at the scene. Mr. Corriveau, the
operator was arrested and charged with operating under the influence of
alcohol, motor vehicle homicide, and unsafe operations.
This crash remains under investigation with
the assistance of the Environmental Police Department, Hampden County
State Police Detective Unit, the State Police Collision Analysis and
Reconstruction Section and the State Police Crime Scene Services
Section. The Brimfield-Wales Fire Department and The Office of the
Chief Medical Examiner assisted Troopers on scene.
Crash on
Route 495 North in Littleton Takes Two Lives
-
Updated
February
21, 2009 — Today at approximately 4:31 a.m., Troopers assigned to the
State Police Barracks in Concord responded to a one-vehicle crash on Route 495 North
near Route 2 in Littleton that resulted in two fatalities.
Preliminary investigation by Trooper Stephen
Bigusiak indicates that 35-year-old Robert R. Wedge of Spencer
was operating a 1985 Ford pickup truck on Route 495 North near Route 2
in Littleton when he lost control and struck the
guardrail on the right side of the roadway. The Ford subsequently went
across all lanes and struck a bridge abutment catching on fire.
27-year-old Kenneth M. Lovejoy of Grafton, a passenger in the Ford
suffered serious injuries in the crash and was pronounced deceased at
the scene.Mr. Wedge was transported to BostonMedicalCenter by medical helicopter with serious
injuries and was later pronounced deceased.
This crash remains under investigation with
the assistance of the Middlesex County State Police Detective Unit, the
State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section and the State
Police Crime Scene Services Section. The Littleton Fire Department,
Littleton Police Department, MassHighways, and The Office of the Chief
Medical Examiner assisted Troopers on scene.
Services for the Home
HOPKINTON “
GO
GREEN” COMMUNITY EVENT
Saturday,
March 21, 2009
10am to 2pm
St. John’s
Parish Hall
20 Church
Street, Hopkinton
Promoting community awareness for the
responsibility we all share in helping to preserve the environment.
Join us for a fun and inspiring day.
• Informative & Educational
Presentations –
How can you reduce, reuse and recycle?
• Guest Speakers and a Senior
Presentation
• Trash/Fashion Show
–
From trashy to classy!
• Children’s Activities, Story Room
and Book Swap
–
Bring a book and exchange for another
• Collection of Old Sneakers
–
Used by Nike “Reuse a Shoe” program to create new sports fields
and playgrounds
• Collection of used eyeglasses,
cell phones and ink cartridges
• Includes the combined efforts of
Town Recycling Committee, CAA, Library, HPTA, Mom’s Club, Garden
Club and many more town organizations and clubs
February 20,
2009 — A member of the Hopkinton Fire Department found a set of keys
while walking between Hitchings Hardware and Ward's Barbershop. If they
are yours, you may find them at the Hopkinton Police station.
8 Year-old Boy Injured in 495 Rollover
February 20,
2009 — Massachusetts State Police requested Hopkinton Fire and Police
Departments to respond to assist with a vehicle rollover on Route 495
South at approximately 6:45 p. m. today. Moments later, the State Police
asked the Hopkinton responders to "step it up" because they had an 8
year-old boy suffering serious trauma.
Although Hopkinton Police requested the services of an emergency medical
helicopter, none was available to respond, so Hopkinton Ambulance A-1
took the patient in the direction of UMass Trauma Center. Further
details on the boy's condition have not been made public at this time.
East
Hopkinton Hike on Saturday
Saturday, February 21, 1PM, East
Hopkinton hike. Join us for a walk through the Legacy Farms
properties as we check out some of the proposed trail system. Meet at
the Weston Nurseries employee parking area on Phipps Street.
~Trails Club
Note: The
Trails Club is linked from our
page, which is always available above.
Hopkinton is Full of
Sunshine!
Hopkinton
Buzzing with Marathon Prep Activity
Greek Marathon is 2499 years old this year
by Derek
Dobachesky
February 20, 2009
— Events related the Marathon this year will include a program at
Elmwood Elementary School in which third grade students will meet top
runners from Kenya; a Girl Scouts program in which scouts will meet with
runner Dimitri Kyriakides from Marathon, Greece; as well as, of course,
the Hopkinton Athletic Association's (HAA) annual kick-off weekend
activities, all leading up to the start of the Marathon on Patriot's
Day, Monday, April 20.
Additionally, the
HAA will be donating money to charities that will be raised by runners
using the organization's 15 numbers in the Marathon.
Another
Marathon-related development is the HAA's attempt to move a statue to
the town common. The Hopkinton Historical District Society is expected
to oppose this plan, and will meet on March 3. The town common is in an
historical district.
The statue
features George V. Brown holding a starter's pistol. Brown, a
now-deceased Hopkinton resident and state sports fixture moved the
starting line of the Marathon to Hopkinton in 1924 when he was a member
of the Boston Athletic Association, which organizes the Marathon. Brown
also managed the American track and field Olympic teams five times and
ran the Boston Garden.
Hopkinton
is considered a “Sister City” with Marathon, Greece, and in the
past has coordinated activities with the town, including runners from
Marathon participating in the Boston Marathon and local Massachusetts
artists' photographs of pre-Boston Marathon activities appearing in art
exhibits in Marathon. Another statue in Hopkinton, on the property of
Weston Nurseries on Route 135, features Stylianos Kyriakides, winner of
the 1946 Boston Marathon, and Phedippedes who, according to Greek lore,
gave the marathon it's namesake after running 26 miles from a battle in
Marathon, Greece, to bring news to Sparta; and then died on the spot.
This year,
Marathon Mayor Spyro Zagaris (HopNews file photo holding lantern) and
runner Dimitri Kyriakides (Bottom photo, far left) will visit Hopkinton
for the Boston Marathon. Kyriakides will also meet with local Girl
Scouts; and both will meet with the HAA to begin discussing Boston
Marathon activities for next year, which is the 2,500th
anniversary of the Battle of Marathon.
HAA president Tim
Kilduff, photo, waving, has been heavily involved with Boston
Marathon-related activities since 1979, when he became the first chair
of the Hopkinton Marathon Committee (HMC). Kilduff has also been
president of the HAA since it was first formed in 1996, for the occasion
of the 100th Boston Marathon.
Kilduff says he
considers Hopkinton to be a steward of the Boston Marathon.
“We do more than
any other town, by far,” Kilduff said in a recent interview. “There's a
real sense of ownership of this, because of those historical ties.”
The HAA funds a
variety of local athletic organizations and raises money for charity. It
will continue its charitable activities this year by awarding 15 numbers
in the Boston Marathon to runners who pledge to raise money for
charities.
More detailed
information on these and other upcoming Boston Marathon-related events
will be covered by HopNews, so be sure to check in regularly for our
continuing coverage.
HopNews file
photos.
Friday, February 20,
2009
4-7 p.m.
Economic Relief
Tastings Continue
Town Manager Search Nearing the End
5 finalists to
be interviewed by Selectmen March 7, 2009
February
19, 2009 — Today, Director of Human resources, Maryrose DeGroot, updated
HopNews on the progress on the search for a new Hopkinton Town Manager.
In a meeting with the Selectmen nine days ago, Ms. DeGroot said that
from a field of sixty applicants,
twenty-two made the first round, and nine are left following the most
recent cut. She said that she would like to bring three to five
applicants before the Board of Selectmen for interviews.
However, in the meantime, and perhaps due to an accelerated schedule
requested by Selectmen, Ms. DeGroot said she had narrowed the field down
to five candidates for the
position
of Hopkinton Town Manager, who she will bring before the Board of
Selectmen on Saturday, March 7 at 8:30 am in a marathon meeting expected
to last all day. The one-day of interviewing was a suggestion of Interim
Town manager, Clayton Carlyle, who said at the time that the Board could
lose a little by splitting it into more than one day.
The day Ms. DeGroot had planned to bring dossiers on the individuals to
the Selectmen, March 10, was ahead of the interview process. That means
that the new target is well ahead of schedule.
Ms. DeGroot said she will have a list of the five candidates for the
position as well as pertinent information about them out to the press on
Monday.
"The
News Starts Here!"
February
26, 2009 — Massachusetts State Police charged a 
"This PSA campaign has a real opportunity to reach teens
around the country," said Thurbert Baker, Attorney
General of Georgia. "By speaking up about reckless
driving, young people can save lives, both their own and
those of their friends."
John
Palinkas, 60 of Hopkinton, MA died unexpectedly Tuesday,
February 24th at UMASS Medical Center in Worcester, MA. 
It’s
fun and it’s simple to arrange flowers. Little arrangements of fresh
flowers smiling up from the kitchen table, bathroom counter or your
bedside table lift the heart. A casual bouquet in the front hall or
flowers on the dining room table bring a touch of graciousness to our
speeded-up lives.
February 25,
2009 — The HopNews Sitemeter, a third party counter that ratchets up
every time we get a visitor, has counted more than 2.5 million visits,
with one exception: people who have their "cookies" disabled do not get
counted. The real number is probably around 3
February
24, 2009 — Hopkinton Athletic Association (HAA) members Dave
Stoldt, Len Holden and Tim Kilduff went before Selectmen to pitch for
the statue of Hopkinton sports entrepreneur George V.
Meeting Article that, if passed, puts the responsibility of the hiring
and firing of the DPW Director legally and squarely in his hands, and
those of his fellow Board members. At this time, the responsibility of
the DPW, according to Town Counsel Ray Mirayes, is in the hands of the
Town Manager. This Article would change that and give the Board of
Public Works that responsibility. The problem arose because the town
voted in the Board of Public Works at basically the same time as the
Charter.
Planning Board Closes Next
Generation 
going to install at the other end, where the expansion is taking place.
Ms. Enright said that there is no room to place any greenery there. The
parking lot and retaining wall go up to the property's edge. The grass
strip on other side of the wall, and the adjacent driveway, are owned by
a different abutter, Flora Busconi. 
property, owned by Chuck Joseph and Peter Markarian, in with the other
properties as the two men had requested. The developers have the approval
for a 150,000 square foot mixed use retail and office center on the
corner of South and West Main Streets. However, one Planning Board
member expressed concern that they would not be able to just trade an
office building listed in the approved plan for a hotel.
February
21, 2009 — Today at approximately 4:43 a.m., Troopers assigned to the
State Police Barracks in Sturbridge responded to a snowmobile crash off
of 
Saturday,
March 21, 2009
Hopkinton
is considered a “Sister City” with Marathon, Greece, and in the
twenty-two made the first round, and nine are left following the most
recent cut. She said that she would like to bring three to five
applicants before the Board of Selectmen for interviews.