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Recapture the Magic

Dear Neighbors,

Yesterday I ran in my 24^th consecutive Boston Marathon in support of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  The first 25 miles were exhilarating yet exhausting at the same time.  From Kenmore Square onward something was amiss.  At mile 25.5, just before the turn onto Hereford and Boylston Streets, we were stopped in our tracks by race officials.  My marathon was over and the saga that followed was just beginning.  Eventually I got out  of the city safe and sound.  Far too many were not as fortunate!  In the weeks and months ahead we will find out who, what and why.  In the interim our attention, energy and prayers will remain focused on the individuals and families impacted by this cowardly act.  For 117 years the Boston Marathon has held a special place in our hearts and minds here in Hopkinton.  Going forward we will recapture the magic and once again showcase to the world what the Boston Marathon and Hopkinton have to offer!

Brian Herr (File photo)

Selectman

Town of Hopkinton

April 16, 2013

Statement from Thomas Grilk, Executive Director of the Boston Athletic Association:

Tradition Will Continue

April 16, 2013 — The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) extends its deepest sympathies to all those who were affected by Monday's tragic events. Those who lost their lives and were injured are in our thoughts and prayers.

It is a sad day for the City of Boston, for the running community, and for all those who were here to enjoy the 117th running of the Boston Marathon. What was intended to be a day of joy and celebration quickly became a day in which running a marathon was of little importance.

We want to express our deepest gratitude to all of the B.A.A. medical personnel and volunteers and the City of Boston’s first responders who reacted so courageously to help save lives. Special thanks to the loyal Boston Marathon community – over 8500 volunteers, 1000 medical personnel, the organizing committee, and hundreds of thousands along the race route – who make the experience what it is for all our runners, who are hurting today.

We would like to thank the countless people from around the world who have reached out to support us over the last 24 hours.

We are cooperating with the City of Boston, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and all federal law enforcement officials in the investigation and the effort to bring those responsible for this tragedy to justice, so we are limited in what information we can provide.

Boston is strong. Boston is resilient. Boston is our home. And Boston has made us enormously proud in the past 24 hours. The Boston Marathon is a deeply held tradition – an integral part of the fabric and history of our community.  We are committed to continuing that tradition with the running of the 118th Boston Marathon in 2014.

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Marathon

by Dan Phelan on Monday, April 15, 2013 at 8:15pm

                It All Starts Here.

                Those words are emblemized on the Common, less than 30 feet from the line. Every year, a new Start is painted on the ground, in the middle of the town where I grew up. As a kid, the impression of Marathon Monday is staggering. The entire world comes to your doorstep, and you reach out to embrace each one of the runners that embarks from your home. They find shelter in the homes of your neighbors and walk through the fields that you play on during gym class. The greatest even visit your school, in a frenzied celebration of international friendship. From a small town of unquestionable privilege, the Boston Marathon remains the most striking image of the wonderful possibility that the world holds.

                Now, there’s an explosion in it. A gaping, unbelievable hole in the event that could never symbolize anything but hope. The unabashed excitement that surrounded this weekend is tinged permanently with images of blood-stained sidewalks. When Moses Tanui and Robert Cheruiyot burst through the doors of my Elementary School’s gym, they did so in a welcoming and loving environment. We were children, and these were our heroes. They didn’t come from America, but they were part of our community. In this gymnasium, we learned compassion for others, regardless of background. It all starts here.

                Brian Williams now tells me that it could have been worse; that the proximity of the explosion to the medical tent was a blessing. My mother and girlfriend remark on the fact that more deaths would have occurred when the leaders finished, or when the crowds were gathered so tightly on the Common in Hopkinton. The fact that these things are true only gives credence to the thought that this was an attack on ideas. The people that were immediately impacted were unfairly victims of a cultural war that will consume my generation. The President assured me that those responsible will be found, will “feel the full weight of justice”. I don’t care about justice. I don’t want retribution. What I want is for this to stop. I want my generation to be pardoned from the mistakes that have inspired such hatred, such pain.

                We, as children, were shown the promise that America holds. How we can come together as one, no matter where we come from. Footage from the explosions now shows smoke and debris racing upwards, consuming the flags of the nations that came together today. They joined as one in my literal hometown, where I spent nearly three-quarters of my life bearing witness to a poetic event. The Boston Marathon showed me that we, as people, can come together to create community. That friendship is not something that is predetermined, that we can join together from any history. Those who would disagree, I cannot feel hatred for. We cannot address those people in terms of hate, because hate is what we would have in common. What Hopkinton taught me each Patriot’s Day was that when we come together, we come together in love. And when we do, we create a community that will not fall, so long as we remember the spirit that welcomes the world into our backyard. It all starts here.

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Please be advised that Town of Hopkinton Recycling Center located on Route 135 at the Hopkinton/Westborough Town Line will be open on Sundays this Spring beginning April 21, 2013 for five consecutive weeks for Leaf and Brush Disposal and Spring Cleanup.

Additional dates and times are as follows:

Sunday April 21, 2013; 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Sunday April 28, 2013; 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Sunday May 5, 2013; 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Sunday May 12, 2013; 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Sunday May 19, 2013; 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM

These Sunday hours are in addition to the regular Recycling Center hours of 7:30 AM to 3:00 PM on Saturdays.

John K. Westerling, Director

Hopkinton Department of Public Works

Telephone (508) 497-9740

Milford Regional Encourages Organ Donation

Registering as a donor can make a very real difference in the life of someone desperately in need of a transplant.  In 2012 over 640 lives were saved here in New England because of the generosity of individuals who became organ donors.  Thousands more lives were enhanced through the gift of tissue donation.  Last year, Milford Regional Medical Center connected 15 tissue donors with the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life.  One donor can help up to 50 people; imagine the number of lives that will be changed by the gifts of these 15 donors.

April is National Donate Life Month.  It serves not only to honor the lives of those who have given and received, but it is also an opportunity to encourage new donors to sign up through their state donor registry.  With the need for life-saving transplants growing every day - over 117,000 patients are now on the US transplant wait list - it is crucial to take action to register as donors. You can celebrate this special time by discussing organ and tissue donation with friends and family, encourage others to join the registry and help raise awareness.  You have the power to donate life. 

To register to be a donor or for more information visit www.DonateLifeNewEngland.org .

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^{The highlight of the busy Hopkinton Republican Town Committee April meeting was an appearance by Michael Sullivan, candidate for US Senate. Mr. Sullivan spoke at length about jobs and the economy, and defense and foreign policy. He highlighted his business experience and public service as State Representative, Plymouth County District Attorney, US Attorney and Director, ATF. The members were impressed with his depth of knowledge and answers to the questions posed.} 

^{The caucus results were announced and the committee voted to give our full support to our Republican nominees in the upcoming town  election. The caucus nominated Ben Palleiko for  Selectman, John Ferrari and Todd Holbrook for  Planning  Board, Nancy Kelleigh for Housing Authority, Deb Holbrook for  Board of  Health and Eric Sonnett for Parks and Recreation Committee.} 

^{Key issues such as elementary school feasibility study, zoning articles, solar panels, and town hall parking  lot that will be  before Town Meeting were also  discussed so members  can be prepared for the debate  and  vote.}

^{The next Republican Town Committee meeting  is Saturday, May 18 in the second floor training room of  the Hopkinton Fire Station at   9AM. All Hopkinton Republicans and unenrolled voters are invited  to  attend.}

State Cop Cops 1,000 Kilos of Cannabis

April 13, 2013 — Today at approximately 2pm, Trooper James McTeague of the Troop A (North Shore area) Community Action Team was patrolling Rt.16 East in Everett when his attention was drawn to a Ryder box truck travelling East in front of him. The vehicle abruptly switched lanes without signaling and exited onto Mystic View Road.

Trooper McTeague initiated a motor vehicle stop and made contact with the operator, LUIS BARRIOS, 28, of Tucson, AZ. BARRIOS had difficulty producing the registration and rental agreement for the vehicle and became increasingly nervous, providing inconsistent answers to the Trooper's questions.

As BARRIOS continued to search for the paperwork, Trooper McTeague observed a duffel bag containing a large bundle wrapped in cellophane. The Trooper immediately identified the packaging to be consistent with that used in the trafficking of narcotics.

After obtaining consent to search the vehicle, Trooper McTeague confirmed his suspicions concerning the bundle. In the rear box of the truck, more than 100 more bundles, weighing in excess of 2000 pounds of a green vegetable matter, consistent with the appearance and packaging of marijuana were discovered. A K9 on scene also alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle.

BARRIOS was arrested and will be arraigned in Malden District Court on Tuesday on the following charges:

1. Trafficking in Marijuana

2. Use of a Motor Vehicle Without Authority

3. Providing a False Name to a Police Officer

4. Providing a False Name by Arrestee

5. Failure to Use Turn Signal

Per State Police policy, booking photos are not released. The trooper will not be available for an interview. No further information is available at this time. Please do not call the barracks directly.

Hopkinton files FY2013 Statement of Interest (SOI)s with Massachusetts School Building Association (MSBA)

The School Committee and the Board of Selectmen recently voted to authorize the Superintendent to file two Statements of Interest (SOI) with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) for consideration in Fiscal Year 2013. Prior to those votes, the SOI for Center School and another SOI for Elmwood School were reviewed and endorsed by the Elementary School Building Committee (ESBC). By planning ahead and allocating sufficient time to answer the questions posed in the SOI, compile the requested material and information, take the required votes by the School Committee and Board of Selectmen, and secure the required signatures, the SOIs were successfully submitted to the MSBA before the April 10, 2013 deadline.

Submitting an SOI is the first step in the MSBA’s grant program for school building construction, addition/renovation, and repair grants. By submitting the Center School SOI, the priority school, Hopkinton has informed the MSBA about facility deficiencies that exist and how those deficiencies inhibit the delivery of instruction. Throughout the Center School SOI, Hopkinton has communicated that the priority of any future project for the town will be to improve the learning environment for Hopkinton’s youngest students through either a replacement of or addition to an obsolete building in order to provide for a full range of programs. Creating a non-districted facility for students across the Integrated Preschool, Kindergarten, and 1st grades will be the goal.

By submitting the Elmwood School SOI, Hopkinton has informed the MSBA about facility deficiencies that exits and how those deficiencies inhibit the delivery of instruction. Throughout the Elmwood School SOI, Hopkinton has communicated the need to improve the learning environment for Hopkinton’s 2nd and 3rd grade students through a non-districted replacement of or addition to an obsolete building in order to provide for a full range of programs.
The decision to submit an SOI for the Elwood School was made after consulting with the MSBA. The Elmwood School SOI was filed to maximize the number of future sites for the ESBC to consider and evaluate as potential solutions for the Center School issues.

Both submitted SOIs are accessible to the public on the school district website and will be accessible on the Elementary School Building Committee website next week. 

Hopkinton Selectman Chair Questions "Character" and "Finances" of Foxwoods Casino Group

  A casino proposed for several years at the intersection of Routes 16 and I-495 by Developed David Nunes has been taken over by partners from Foxwoods in Connecticut, who somehow entered the process after the deadline set by the state. An apparently unhappy Mr. Nunes, although a majority investor,  was delivered a cease and desist order from the new group, which he says in a letter, has caused him to lose faith in the project, and is washing his hands of the project.

Selectman Ben Palleiko, speaking for the Hopkinton Board of Selectmen, has been a vocal opponent of the project, and fired off the following letter to the Chairman of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission:

TOWN OF HOPKINTON
OFFICE OF THE SELECTMEN
18 Main Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748| 508-497-9700
selectmen@hopkintonma.gov

Mr. Steven Crosby, Chairman

Massachusetts Gaming Commission

84 State Street, Suite 720

Boston, MA 02109

Dear Chairman Crosby:

The Town of Hopkinton has recently received a copy of a letter from David Nunes, President and CEO of Ajax Gaming Ventures, LLC. In this letter, Mr. Nunes relays that he has been removed from his role as Manager of Crossroads Massachusetts, LLC and that he has lost all faith in the pending Milford Casino project proposal. A copy of this letter is attached for your reference.

Mr. Nunes’ letter raises several important issues for the Commission to consider, in that it reflects one of two possibilities, either of which should rule out the application from further consideration:

The first possibility is that Mr. Nunes has been removed from his position by the deliberate actions of Foxwoods Resort & Casinos, Inc. so that it may take control of the project. As you are well aware, Foxwoods was added to the Crossroads Massachusetts application only after the application deadline date had already passed. Specifically, Foxwoods was apparently unable to participate in a timely application due to its ongoing renegotiation of debt related to the severe financial distress of its existing casino in Ledyard, Connecticut. The Town’s firm belief is that Foxwoods’ addition to the Crossroads Massachusetts application was always inappropriate and

should disqualify the application by itself. If Foxwoods is now acting to take control of this project proposal, further questions are raised as to whether this entire application was engineered by Foxwoods in order to allow it to circumvent the Commission’s legal deadline so as to be able to shed sufficient debt to qualify for a Determination of Suitability. Allowing the application to go forward in the face of such a ploy would make a mockery of the Commission’s rules and processes.

The second possibility is that Mr. Nunes’ ouster reflects an applicant group in total disarray. Given that Mr. Nunes has been the public face of the Milford casino project for several years, his departure casts doubt on the ability of this applicant group to execute a project and fulfill its obligations to the Commonwealth, host and surrounding communities in any event. The extreme scope and magnitude of Foxwoods’ financial and operational mismanagement are a matter of public record. To expect better performance, particularly in light of this recent development, would require a leap of faith that the Commission should not be willing to make.

Phase I review is intended to assess the character and financial resources of the applicant groups. This most recent event reinforces our continuing concerns about the former and places this project under the control of an entity that has shown a clear lack of the latter. Hopkinton believes that Mr. Nunes’ ouster should serve as the last straw for the Crossroads Massachusetts casino proposal. The MGC should not have greater faith in this proposal than the individual who brought it forth for the past four years. The mysterious circumstances surrounding his abrupt replacement only reinforce the belief that the Crossroads Massachusetts application should be immediately disqualified from further consideration.

Sincerely,

Benjamin J. Palleiko, Chairman

Hopkinton Board of Selectmen