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Comfortably Corpulent

October 28, 2011 — This portly resident of South Mill Street stuffed itself with berries or their juices this morning as the seasonally early fallen snow melted and glistened in the sunlight.

Too Soon to Winterize? 

Take a (repeat) tip from Peter Zereski:

SERVICE GUIDE

HRTC Straw Poll

Hopkinton Republican Town Committee will have  a presidential straw  poll at  our Saturday, October 29th meeting .....  9 am in the  Second  Floor  Training Room of  the Hopkinton Fire Station.  Park  at  77  Main  Street  and  enter  the back door. Any  Republican or unenrolled  voter is invited to attend.

International Night

October 27, 2011 — Above, international high school exchange students took turns this evening telling a little about themselves in the Hopkinton Middle School Cafeteria as Hopkinton High School students and faculty hosted the event.

     Below, Italian exchange student Gregorio Romiti moves in a blur — his head and eyes are steady — to serve a bullet to German exchange student Leon Schmitz in the MS Cafeteria this evening.

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Fall Cheerleading Championships

October 27, 2011 — Hopkinton Cheerleaders hosted the Fall Tri Valley League Cheerleading Championships at the HHS Athletic Center. Above, they pose for a quick photo while awaiting the results.

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Smoke and Odor

October 27, 2001 — The Hopkinton Fire Department answered with a robust response to the CAA building on Hayden Rowe Street this afternoon following a complaint of smoke and odor, and its evacuation. The Firefighters determined that the oil burner had a delayed ignition, causing the situation. The Fire Department purged the oil smoke from the building and tested the air levels.

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A Sign of Things to Come

October 27, 2011 — The Hopkinton Reservoir's ecosystem foreshadowed the rainy evening that enveloped the town later in the day. The weather button is always near the top of the page.

Late Visitor

October 26, 2011 — This cormorant, a diving bird, at Blood's Pond this week, lingers in the area longer than usual.

REMINDER...

SERVICE GUIDE

Relief Work Continues in Brimfield

October 26, 2011 — Workers from the Faith Community Church of Hopkinton will be assisting relief efforts in Brimfield, Mass for the fifth week in a row this weekend. Brimfield and surrounding towns were hard hit by a tornado last June, and the church has stepped up to help out to mitigate the devastation and to build relationships. Counting the teens expected to travel to Brimfield with the group this weekend, 135 people are slated to volunteer.  Click here to see Aerial photos and here to help out.

In the "Spirit" of the Season

October 26, 2011 — This Maple Street home is ready for the little goblins and witches who will make their way up the stairs on Halloween.

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Under Control

October 26, 2011 — Water dripping on electrical connections was the cause for alarm on Grove Street last night, but the Fire Department declared all under control 30 minutes after arriving.

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Selectmen Seek Level-Funded budget

Begin 5-month process

Joint meeting with School Committee

October 25, 2011 — Selectmen and Department heads discussed Town Manager Norman Khumalo's budget framework this evening and came to a general consensus that the message to carry away is to move toward needs, not wants, starting out with a level-funded budget.

     Selectman Brian Herr suggested that even level funding should not be assumed, but should be justified by the departments. Most agreed that new initiatives are fine, but with a justification for the new service needs to accompany the budget.

     Next, the Selectmen and the School Committee held a joint meeting to discuss the upcoming meetings for elementary school discussions. Selectmen asked what the meetings are expected to accomplish.

     Selectman John Mosher asked School Committee Chair Jean Bertschman what she would build for a school.

     "You can't answer that," remarked School Committee member Rebecca Robak to Mrs. Bertschman.

     "I can't answer that. It's not mine to pick," said Mrs. Bertschman.

     "People weren't well enough informed at the beginning of the study," she said, referring to an earlier part of the process before the spring vote that shot down a new Fruit Street School at Town Meeting and again at the ballot box.

     Later in the conversation she said it is time for the community to come back together.

     School Committee member Scott Aghababian said, "And we need to get the input of all segments of the community, not just the school people."

     Mrs. Bertschman said the meetings will contain questions for attendees to answer in an open-ended way, so as not to lead in any one direction.

     The groups are trying to come up with a time on the 7th or the 8th of November to meet with each other, Senator Spilka, and Representative Dykema following the public forums in preparation for a meeting with the Massachusetts School Building Authority on November 9, 2011.

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Press Release from the School Committee: NEW LOCATION

HOPKINTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PLANNING

JOIN THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR AN ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY CONVERSATION

The School Committee will be a hosting a conversation with the community regarding planning for our elementary schools. To maximize attendance and participation, three dates will be offered and the format and topics will be the same at each event. Attending one of these meetings will empower residents to participate in developing the next proposal to address the challenges that exist across our school facilities. Please make time to join us at one of these three important events:

Wednesday, November 2, 10 am – 12 pm; Faith Community Church, Room 213

Wednesday, November 2, 7 pm – 9 pm; High School Cafeteria

Saturday, November 5, 2 pm – 4 pm; High School Athletic Cafeteria

There will be a short recap of the process to date as well as background information provided. The majority of the meeting will be spent in small group discussion focused on evaluation of potential building projects and solutions.

Data collected from these conversations will be shared with the community, and will also be used in the development a community wide survey regarding our elementary schools. The survey will be designed for all Hopkinton voters to participate in.

SERVICE GUIDE

Using Your Head

October 25, 2011 — Anna MacDonald had to use her head on occasion this afternoon when two hands were necessary on the message board in front of the Hopkinton Middle School.

Primarily Potters 9th annual three-day show and sale

 Cultural Arts Alliance, 98 Hayden Rowe Street (Route 85) in Hopkinton.
Friday, Nov. 18:  9 - 5        
Saturday, Nov. 19:  9  - 5     
Sunday, Nov. 20:  10 -  2

Japanese inspired lanterns, as well as kitchen and tabletop ware, will be featured by Martha Gold of Hopkinton, a new member of the group, who considers function  an important element in her work .

Marilyn O’Conner of North Brookfield, also a newcomer, is a handbuilder who inlays colored porcelain and  specializes  in creating flower bricks and plates.

Familiar faces will be those of Mary Edwards of Shrewsbury who designs unique plate sets, trays and mixing bowls, a combination of hand built and thrown pottery fired in a reduction atmosphere; Elizabeth Eidlitz of Concord who throws functional stoneware featuring blue glazes; Susan Kaye of Westborough who creates hand built trays and containers with a nature theme; Carol Mecagni of Hopkinton, curator of Primarily Potters, (see photo) who paints floral surfaces on large and tiny vases, serving platters and bowls, and new this year, cruets with crazy stoppers; Dinny Potenza of Hopkinton who displays contemporary baskets in Appalachian and Shaker styles   that include painted and woven handles, beads, birch bark, and shells; and Hana Reilly of Hopkinton whose wheel thrown functional stoneware with nature motives includes carved mugs, bowls, vases. 

The show is free and open to the public. A portion of the proceeds will benefit The Cultural Arts Alliance.

Hopkinton Youth Soccer  announces player evaluations Oct 25 – Nov 4.

Age group evaluations will be run over the next 2 weeks for all travel aged players (current 3rd-7th graders). 
These evaluations will aid in the team formation process for Spring 2012 AND Fall 2012. The Revs coaching staff will be facilitating these evaluations.  Each age group has one time slot - there will be no make ups.

All evaluations will be 4:15-5:45

HOPKINS FIELD
	TUE - 10/25	WED - 10/26	THU - 10/27	FRI - 10/28
	3rd grade boys	GU10	BU10	3rd grade girls
FRUIT ST TURF
	TUE - 11/1	WED - 11/2	THU - 11/3	FRI - 11/4
	GU11	GU12/13	BU11	BU12/13

Any questions please contact your coach, Age Group Coordinator or Amy Mick, HYS President at amymick@verizon.net

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Spring 2012

GIRLS’ YOUTH LACROSSE REGISTRATION

Grades 3-8

NOVEMBER 1st through NOVEMBER 15th

Register on-line @  www.hopkintongirlslax.org

Spring 2012 Registration will open Tuesday, November 1st.  Placement is not guaranteed after November 15th.

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Hopkinton to be Well Represented at Marine Corps Marathon

Hopkinton resident Eileen Warren will run the 36^th Marine Corps Marathon. Eileen is epileptic and will be running to raise funds for the Epilepsy Therapy Project

In addition, wreaths with historic significance will be presented to the organizers of the Marine Corps Marathon in honor of Stylianos Kyriakdes and his 1946 Boston Marathon win. The wreaths are fashioned from branches from olive tress located in Marathon, Greece, Hopkinton's sister city. The gold, silver, and bronze plated wreaths and will be presented to the men and women winners of the 36^th Marine Corps Marathon, which will be run on Sunday, October 30, 2011.

Hopkinton High School will be the host of this years Fall Tri Valley League Cheerleading Championships this Thursday, October 27th at 6:30 p.m.  The Hiller Varsity Cheerleaders will be competing for the Championship as well as qualification for the South Section Regional Championships & State Championship Qualifier.  The cost of the event is $5.00 for students and $7.00 for adults, come and Cheer for the team behind the team!!

SERVICE GUIDE

HHS International Night
Thursday October 27th, 2011, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Hopkinton Middle School Cafeteria

You are cordially invited to the 1st annual Hopkinton High School International night this Thursday, October 27th from 6:30pm - 8:00pm in the Hopkinton Middle School cafeteria. Please join us for food, cultural displays, music, and dancing as we welcome our new Chinese teacher and our 14 international students from Germany, Italy and China.   Students, parents and community members are welcome!

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Please click on thumbnails to enlarge and see Editor's recent favorites

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Parks and Recreation Commission to Hold Hearings on $7.5 Million Hockey Rink

Chairman admits group voted without knowing of "No Dogs" bylaw

by Robert Falcione

October 24, 2011 — The Parks and Recreation Commission discussed the results of a survey of recreational choices that over 600 people responded to showing the number one choice of the respondents, 52.9%, in favor of seeing a swimming pool built, with a hockey rink a close second at 47.9 %. A community center was also high on the list with 42.4% favorable responses.

      Citing discussions with the Demons Hockey organization, the group agreed to bring their ideas before the public in a public hearing, which in many cases requires a 14 day notice. Member Brian O'Keefe suggested seeking other entities to discuss the other recreational options for the land set aside for the Town on the 19 acres of Legacy Farms property on East Main Street near where the Algonquin Gas pipeline crosses.

      Chairman Ken Driscoll said that the Demons would be the primary tenant and that he didn't want to see them walk away again, alluding to an apparent previous discussion. He said the Demons would have a $7.5 million infrastructure investment.

       Legacy Farms Project manager Steven Zieff was on hand and said that his group had no problems with uses as long as it is well utilized, and suggested that someone Master Plan the site.

       Chairman Driscoll put Beth Kelly (seated, left), a member of the Historic District Commission and abutter to the Town Common on the agenda so she could present her opposition to the change in policy of the Parks and Recreation Commission to ask dog owners to pick up after their pets, an implicit acceptance of their presence there. Dogs are banned from the Hopkinton Common by a bylaw passed at the 1996 Annual Town Meeting that includes a $10 fine for violations.

         Mr. Driscoll explained that the group wanted to add to the Downtown being a destination.

        Parks and Recreation Director Mike Preite argued that because the bylaw specifically mention "in violation of the sign" on the Common, that since the signs are no longer there, there is no law effective. Mr. Driscoll admitted that they took the signs down. This writer countered that you can't take a speed limit sign down and then legally speed.

        Mrs. Kelly said that she was opposed to dogs on the Common because of diseases they carry, the toxic effect of the waste, and the fear factor, among other things.

       This writer challenged the idea that plastic gloves can wipe clean an area, and asked if anyone would sit on the table after someone picked up dog feces from it with those gloves. The writer also brought up cross-species zoonotic diseases such as distemper/multiple sclerosis and asked the Chairman to reconsider the vote inasmuch as they had new information about the bylaw.

         Mr. Driscoll admitted that the Commission voted to remove the signs and put up the new one without knowing there was a bylaw, and promised to revisit the vote at another meeting.

          "To put it off is begging the question," said Richard Kelly (standing), who noted to laughter that it was the first time in 50 years that he has spoken at a meeting and likely wouldn't for another 50 years.

          "What you're doing is illegal. It should change," he said.   

SERVICE GUIDE

"The Hilltopper" senior citizen November newsletter is now online.

Owl Rescued by State Police on Pike in Auburn

October 24, 2011 — On Saturday morning at 10:30, Trooper Michael Golenski responded to the Massachusetts Turnpike, eastbound, in Auburn, for a report of an injured owl. The trooper located the owl, with an apparent wing injury, struggling in the breakdown lane. The owl appeared to be trying to stand and fly away but was unable to do so. Trooper Golenski requested that Environmental Police respond to the scene, then had to leave briefly to ensure the safety of a motorist whose car had broken down on the Pike a short distance away. Twenty-five minutes later, Trooper Golenski returned to the owl, and waited with the bird for the Environmental Police to arrive. Environmental Police Sgt. Scott Amati and Officer Jason Dejackome arrived, picked up the owl, and transported the bird to Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in Grafton.

The owl, a male, had surgical pins inserted into his broken wing and his prognosis is good, according to the Grafton Patch. The owl is believed to be a Barred Owl, a species prevalent in the eastern United States. Trooper Golenski is assigned to the Massachusetts State Police Barracks in Charlton. The accompanying photo of the owl was taken by Trooper Golenski on the Turnpike as the owl was held by one of the EPOs. ~ MSP

Five's Company

October 24, 2011 — This healthy swan framed by four seagulls is swimming effortlessly and is in contrast to the one further down the page that is apparently ill.

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DOWNTOWN INITIATIVE PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETING

Date: November 3, 2011; 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM repeated on November 5, 2011; 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon

Location: Hopkinton High School Auditorium

Downtown Initiative Steering Committee and the Town Of Hopkinton’s Project Consultant, The BETA Group will be presenting the project plan and receiving community input.

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- October 24, 2011

10:07 am A West Main Street caller reported the larceny of tire...

6:58 pm Officer Matthew McNeil spoke with an individual on Walcott Street who said someone almost hit her...

6:28 pm A caller from Claflin reported that two males entered...

7:26 am Caller reports a vehicle riding her bumper and beeping at her...

9:22 am Officer Gregg DeBoer viewed a carcass...

Real Estate Transactions for Hopkinton, Massachusetts Compiled  for HopNews.com by Robert Falcione © 2011 All Rights Reserved New Transactions from October 17 to October 24, 2011
Address	Buyer	Price	Date	Seller
3 Forest Lane #2	Mary L Janczak	$250,000	October 21, 2011	Prudential Relocation Inc
28 Glen Road	DOCUMENT IS IN WORKFLOW	$185,000	October 21, 2011	Richard P Barbieri
55 Ash Street	Carrie Dunne Bishop, Matthew Healy	$350,000	October 21, 2011	Timothy E Sheehan, Hope T Sheehan
135 East Main Street	Vincent O Cappetta, Heather R Cappetta	$320,000	October 20, 2011	Amalie V Simpson
24 Old Farm Road	Peter Morse, Lauren Morse	$875,000	October 20, 2011	Edward L Kane, Kristen F Kane
5 West Main Street	Robin Loureiro	$148,069	October 18, 2011	Wells Fargo Bank
Last Week
1 Edgehill Road	Edward Kane, Kristin Kane	$1,337,500	October 14, 2011	One Edgehill Road Realty Trust, Patrice A Miller Trust
10 Equestrian Drive	Scott D Adams, Pamela Zorn Adams	$785,000	October 11, 2011	Derek R Marcou
Week Before
41 East Main Street	Christopher R Marsh, Allison H Scrivens	$357,500	October 7, 2011	Paul M Silva, William Stanley Shaw
60 Walcott Valley Drive #49	Maryanne Chambers	$122,500	October 7, 2011	Marion Barreira
21 Nazneen Circle BLDG 4 UNIT B	Mari Sousa Jr	$186,900	October 4, 2011	Ahmed Mirajuddin TR, Peppercorn Village Realty Trust

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Silent Mute Swan

October 24, 2011 — The roving HopNews camera caught a shot of this mute swan at Arcade Pond in Whitinsville as a group of curious onlookers formed only to be replaced by the next group of curiosity seekers who flooded local and state authorities with concerns about its health.

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On Your Mark...

October 23, 2011 — Runners line up at the head of Ash Street on Saturday in preparation of the 14th Annual Michael's Run to benefit the Respite Center.

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Timlin Event Hits $1 Million Mark

Saturday, October 15, 2012, Angel Fund Gala, Boston, MA: The Sharon Timlin Memorial Event was presented with an award for excellence in fundraising and event planning. The event, held every June in Hopkinton, MA, hit the one million dollar fundraising mark this past June. Also, Hopkinton resident, Dawn Mercier, was nominated and awarded the Unsung Hero Award, for her dedication, passion and commitment in helping to find a cure for ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). From Left to right pictured below are: Dawn Mercier, director of fundraising, Rich Kennedy, president of the Angel Fund, David Krueger, co-event director, Lou Merloni, Dr. Robert Brown, Cynthia Mazareas and in the front, George Mazareas.

SERVICE GUIDE

If you see this 50 year-old, tell him Happy Birthday

Sunday, October 23, 20111

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Pumpkin Crafts

October 23, 2011 — Pack 26 got in the spirit of the upcoming festivities by carving some very complicated designs on their pumpkins at their Friday night meeting.

King of the Rock

October 22, 2011 —In a variation on an old game, four year-old Ciara Berger looks rather regal atop Doctor Joe's Memorial Rock on the Hopkinton Common today as her six year-old brother Declan looks on.

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