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Countdown to 0 December 7, 2013 — Santa arrived by Thomas McIntyre's wailing antique fire engine late this afternoon to the delight of hundreds of children. He and Mrs. Claus had to wade through hundreds of them through the Common to the other side of the gazebo, where he listened the wishes of as many as possible. The activities culminated with the countdown and eventual lighting of the tree. Choose the thumbnails to see more photos of Santa and Mrs. Claus. 
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Picture Time  December 7, 2013 — Santa posed for photos today at Hopkinton Drug during their 25th Annual Open House. He was also at Weston Nurseries, where the staff offered instant photos to visitors for a low price. Below, children's performer Cheryl Melody entertained everyone with a set specifically written and performed for the target audience. She will return to Hopkinton Drug on Sunday. |
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A New You  December 7, 2013 — Andrew Richardson was one of two artists drawing caricatures at Hopkinton Drug's Open House today. He will be joined again tomorrow by Ashley Jackson for the second day of the event. |
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Ann-Michele's Takes Part December 7, 2013 — Manicurist Kim Lewis-Long had a steady stream of women treating themselves to some beautiful nails during today's Hopkinton Stroll. |
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A Charlie Brown Crosswalk
December 7,2013
— Young actors from ESL's presentation of
“Charlie Brown Christmas” cross Main Street singing carols as
they get the "walk" sign.
They were in between presentations of the youthful play at the Warren Lodge today. |
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A Family Affair December 7, 2013 — The Richardson family waits at the crosswalk in front of Colella's today, before walking up toward the Common where activities awaited for all ages. |
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Hopkinton Drug to Host 25th Annual Holiday Open House See Us on your Hopkinton Stroll, or just
stop in at our spacious parking lots Celebrate the
Holiday Season with all of us at Hopkinton Drug on the weekend of
December 7th and 8th from 10am to 3pm for our 25th
Annual Holiday Open
For more information, visit our website
http://www.rxandhealth.com/
or you can find us at:
52 Main Street Hopkinton, MA 07152 508-435-4441 |
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 Police
Arrest/Incident Log -
Most
Recent FirstUpdated Wednesday, December 4, 2013 Summary The Hopkinton Police were involved in the following incidents, which are not included in the detail report below. 3 Times the Police assisted the Fire Department, another department, town, or outside Police agency. 5 Motor Vehicle/Person/Home Checks. 7 Motor Vehicle Accidents without personal injury. 2 Disabled Motor Vehicles. 1 Time the Police assisted with an Animal Call 1 Time the Police participated in Community Relations or passenger safety.
Arrest Log Thursday, December 5, 2013 9:56 pm Officer Peter Booth arrested Stephanie J. Kelley, 26, of Congress Street, Milford, on Route 495 and charged her with Marked Lanes Violation and OUI Liquor. 4:54 pm Officer Aaron O'Neil arrested Luis Nieves, 35, of Knox Avenue, Framingham, on Hayden Rowe Street and charged him with Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle and OUI Liquor.
Monday, December 2, 2013 9:32 pm Officer William Burchard arrested Andrew R. Patterson, 37, of Nazneen Circle, Hopkinton, on Nazneen Circle and charged him with Two Counts of Violation of an Abuse Prevention Order.
Incident Log Thursday, December 5, 2013 8:58 pm Officer Peter Booth stopped a motor vehicle on Route 495 and subsequently arrested a 26 year-old female from Milford and charged her with Marked Lanes Violation and OUI Liquor. 4:16 pm A 911 caller reported that an erratic operator almost hit telephone poles, trees and parked motor vehicles on College Street. Officer Aaron O'Neil stopped the vehicle and subsequently arrested a 35 year-old male from Framingham and charged him with Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle and OUI Liquor. 8:09 am A caller from Teresa Road reported that a male was walking behind her neighbor's house and then walked into shrubbery when her dog barked. Officer David Shane located the individual who was the homeowner.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013 9:45 pm Residents of White Street reported having low water pressure. Sgt. John Porter responded and notified the Water Department of a large water leak. 7:56 pm Officer Aaron O'Neil assisted the Medway Police Department with searching for a motor vehicle on Hopkins Road. 7:12 pm A 911 caller reported that she smelled a strong odor of gasoline and could see liquid in the roadway on Hayward Street. Sgt. John Porter responded to assist the Fire Department. 3:42 pm Sgt. John Porter took a report of fraud on Main Street. 3:25 pm A caller reported that track members were running three wide on Lumber Street and were concerned for their safety. Officer Matthew McNeil located the runners on the sidewalk on Hayden Rowe Street. 2:11 pm The Water Department reported that a red truck was blocking the gate to the water treatment plant on Fruit Street. Officer Thomas Griffin responded but the vehicle was gone upon his arrival. 8:42 am A caller reported a suspicious vehicle that was parked at Legacy Farms for about an hour with its flashers on. The vehicle had left the area upon an officers arrival. 6:41 am A 911 caller reported an erratic operator heading into Ashland on East Main Street. The Ashland Police Department was notified. 1:59 am A 911 caller reported a strong odor of natural gas on Davis Road. Two officers responded to assist the Fire Department.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013 11:52 pm Officer Jacob Campbell assisted the Milford Police Department with a suspicious motor vehicle on South Street.
Monday, December 2, 2013 9:12 pm The Framingham Police Department reported a restraining order violation at a residence on Nazneen Circle. Two officers responded and subsequently arrested a 37 year-old male from Hopkinton and charged him with Two Counts of Violation of an Abuse Prevention Order. 11:12 am An Ash Street resident reported that a parked motor vehicle was obstructing his driveway. Officer Linda Higgins checked the area with a negative find. 6:54 am A caller from Mount Auburn Street reported that a vehicle had struck her mailbox. Officer Aaron O'Neil responded to take a report. |
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HOPKINTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE The Hopkinton School Committee is in
the process of gathering community input to be used as the
foundation for the development of the next five-year Strategic Plan
to guide the work of the district. In addition to a series of
public focus groups conducted in November, the School Committee is
conducting a community wide survey. The survey opened on
December 5, 2013 and will remain open through December 12, 2013. |
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School Committee Hears from Parents, Businesses on Proposed Bus Policy Changes
by Muriel Kramer
Prior to last night’s School Committee meeting, a
Citing safety concerns, lost instruction time to manage bus notes
and switching, and the policies of thirteen neighboring communities,
the school department proposes to change the current policy. Three
scenarios work under the proposed change – pick up at home and
drop-off at daycare every day, pick-up at daycare and drop-off at
home every day or pick-up at daycare A and drop-off at daycare B
every day; any part time scenario would not be able to be
accommodated. As part of the presentation, it was noted that only 10% of all K-5 students have inconsistent transportation situations. Tracking the bus changes on a daily basis takes teacher time; further, Dr. MacLeod asserted that once a child is put in a bus line, there are no checks past that point to ensure they have stayed in the correct line. She asserted that having young children ride the same bus every day would improve safety because both children and drivers would be likelier to recognize if a child was not boarding the correct bus. There were many questions and a great deal of feedback from parents and business owners in the audience on the proposed change. Diana Beck, parent and educator, framed an issue that impacts many families. “Right now my challenge is that I need 3 day a week childcare.” She asked if there was any thought to exploring after school programs at all of the elementary schools versus just the one at Elmwood. Both parents and affected business owners brought up the fact that Hopkinton is the only district that charges an additional fee to transport to daycare and after school locations other than home. School Director of Finance Ralph Dumas was quick to point out that the fee was assessed to the business owners not parents; the parents in attendance were equally quick to respond that they were in fact paying that fee in addition to bus fees at times depending on where they live. Dr. MacLeod did offer that the School department was looking to eliminate that fee if this change is adopted. Chris Carlin – resident, parent, owner of The Reading Studio and former teacher at Center School – doesn’t remember the management of bus notes and changing bus routes as being too difficult; further, she pointed out she was working at Center School at a time when children could present a note on any day to travel on any bus to any home or destination on a given route. Acknowledging that safety is a huge concern and that kids can get on the wrong bus, she explained how as a business owner she handles that. When the buses are met, the teacher has the bus dispatcher number handy and a class list for the day. It happened once in the five years she has been in business that the dispatcher was called to locate a child who had gotten on the wrong bus; in this case the child was found before realizing that he or she was lost. One parent detailed her challenge, two working parents and one with substantial travel involved; four days a week it is possible to send her child to Kidsborough after school but on that fifth day, neither she nor her husband has the flexibility to either pick up at school or after daycare on time. Another parent in the audience pointed out that there are all kinds of scenarios that present challenges to working parents if the current flexibility is removed from the bus policy. Frank D’Urso, parent and Keefe Tech School Board Member, made the point that much of the frustration seems to generate from proposed changes that limit rather than improve service for parents. “We are looking for a system that works better for us.” Responding to the feedback, Dr. MacLeod acknowledged that the proposed changes were not ready to be brought forward to the School Committee in December as previously scheduled, and she pointedly asked parents, business owners and community members to contact her with ideas, solutions, and suggestions. Dr. MacLeod’s email is cmacleod@hopkinton.k12.ma.us. She closed the discussion acknowledging that the changes or solutions need to be more thought out; “I need you to be part of the solution.” Another change that is proposed is in response to feedback from parents being waitlisted for bus service if they miss the bus payment deadline; the deadline will be May 1 for payment, if payment is received after May 1st but before May 15th there will still be a late fee, but children would be guaranteed a seat on the bus. In that past parents would paid late were not guaranteed a spot and were made to wait until after school started to get their child included on a bus route. The public is encouraged to forward their comments and concerns on this as well. In the regular SC meeting, Athletic Director Eric Karjel was on hand to give a recap of fall season successes. The Golf and Cheerleading teams took the TVL titles, and for the first time ever the Golf Team went undefeated. Football coach Girard was awarded the William Curley Award highlighting his achievements as a coach; the award recognizes coaches for promoting the highest levels of professionalism and sportsmanship in their programs. The community input survey for the Strategic Plan update is live online until next Thursday; hardcopies are available at the Library and Senior Center. |
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Hopkinton Middle School Drama Club to
present
The students will perform the acclaimed play by Celeste Raspanti at 7 p.m. Dec. 6 and 7 at the Hopkinton Middle School Auditorium. A story of courage, suffering and hope, I Never Saw Another Butterfly relates the real-life experience of Raja Englanderova, a Terezin survivor. She and other children suffered physically, but thrived in their hearts and minds because of dedicated teachers who encouraged them to paint, to write poetry, and to perform shows. The drawings and poems that Raja and the other children made were buried in the camp and uncovered after the liberation. They remain a testament to the spirit of these children and the adults who cared for them. “To add something special,” Drama Coach Hallyann Gifford said, “many of the students in the ensemble represent children they have researched, who were from the village of Bialystok, went to Terezin, and were then sent to Auschwitz and perished there on Yom Kippur in 1943. Our students are giving voice to those children who suffered so bravely,” Gifford said. “I Never Saw Another Butterfly is a powerful and moving experience, not only for the performers, but for the audience. We have a tremendously talented cast of young people who are bringing the story to life,” she said. The students are also creating their own original poetry and art, which will be featured in the program, in the lobby, and in the show, Gifford added. Leads in the show include: Ana Amaral as the elder Raja Englanderova; Kaila Goldstein as young Raja; Lucy Medeiros as the teacher, Irena Synkova; AJ Waltzman as Raja's love interest, Honza Kosek; Galen Graham as Raja's father; Breena Winshman as her mother; Max Siegfried as her brother, Pavel; Julia Underdah as her Aunt Vera; Sarah Moschini as Pavel's fiancé, Irca; and Matthew Dempsey as the Rabbi.
Also, Emma Bograd as Erika Schlager, Raja's neighbor, and Brianna Maloney as Renka, Irena's teaching assistant. The children of Terezin are played by Matthew Fliegauf, Brittany Forsmo, Ian Holmes, Grayson Spitzer, Dan Potapov, Sam McAuliffe, Aine Ford, Helen Aghababian, Caitlyn O'Connor, Zach Ritterbusch, Miranda Baumann, Amanda Hasbrouck, Sarah Gallagher, Sammy Robert, Grace Schacterle, Olivia Ozmun, Cameron Connolly, Lauren Tompkins, Jasmine Moussad, and many more.
Tickets are $10 for students and seniors, and $12 for adults, with a $2 discount for every donation to the Project Just Because’s Keep a Family Warm/ New Toy-Book Holiday Program. For more information, contact Hallyann Gifford at 508-497-9830 or via email at hgifford@hopkinton.k12.ma.us. |
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An Invitation to the Holiday Stroll from the
Treblemakers The Hopkinton Holiday Stroll will be held Saturday, December 7 and will feature many businesses in the Downtown as well as new participants, like Water Fresh Farm, in outlying areas. ESL's singing troupe, the Treblemakers, will be caroling throughout the day with women in Victorian attire and men with longcoats and stovepipe hats. Please enjoy the short and fun video below, and learn about the special guest, who will be arriving at the Common. See the Holiday Stroll List of Participants, linked here and above, next to the marquee until Saturday. |
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Wishing all a happy and safe holiday season
By Peter J. Koutoujian
The most wonderful season of the year is upon us; a time of joyous celebration with family, friends and loved ones. We want this season to remain a happy, healthy time for all of us and, here in Middlesex County, we’re working to ensure that we do all we can to get important safety information out to our community. The Middlesex Sheriff’s Office has identified two areas of safety we want you to be especially aware of this time of year in order to keep your family safe: holiday shopping and home safety. Holiday shopping safety is paramount this time of year as, despite the good will and giving of the season, there remains the sad reality that there are those who don’t share those good intentions. A few basic tips to keep in mind when out holiday shopping: • If visiting multiple stores, store
your bags in the trunk of your car. If you must store them in
the passenger compartment, make every effort to keep them out of
sight. In addition to keeping safety in mind while out tackling those holiday shopping lists, it’s just as important to remember to put safety first at home. When it comes to holiday lights and trees, fire safety should always be a priority. Some things to keep in mind: • Keep
trees away from heat sources and be sure to water your tree
daily. By paying attention to the safety tips
above, we can ensure a happy and healthy holiday season for our
families, loved ones and neighbors. Enjoy this special time and,
from all of us at the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, Happy
Holidays! |
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Fay School Admission Open House Date/Time: Sunday, December 8 from 1:00-3:30 p.m. Location: 25 Middle Road, Southborough, MA
Come learn about our dynamic PreK-9 program and meet our talented faculty, key administrators, parents, and students. While you are here, take part in Fay's mini fair and learn more about the departments, programs, and activities that interest you most.
Open House Program 1:00-1:30 p.m. - Welcome reception with faculty and administrators 1:30-2:00 p.m. - "Why Fay?" Perspectives from alumni, parents, students, and division heads 2:00-2:45 p.m. - Campus tours led by students and parents 2:45-3:30 p.m. - Discover Fay Mini Fair
Questions? Contact Anique Seldon at 508-490-8201 or aseldon@fayschool.org. |
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Board of Selectmen Votes to Maintain Single Tax Rate Elementary School Building Committee Weighs In Bill's Pizza Alcohol License Transfer Hearing Continued Again  December 3, 2013 — The Board of Selectmen wasted no time this evening, following a brief and concise PowerPoint presentation by Principal Assessor Robert Bushway, in voting to keep a single property tax rate. Simply put, if a split tax rate were adopted, according to Mr. Bushway, a 4% savings for residential property owners would translate to a 20% increase in the burden to commercial property owners, due to the overwhelming inventory of residential over business. No selectman favored a change in the current single rate; and there was one member of the gallery to speak. Dan Loureiro, who introduced himself as the Global Real Estate Finance Director for EMC Corp, the largest taxpayer in Hopkinton, said, "Changing it would have a significant impact on the way we do business." Mr. Bushway informed the board that the town has almost $2.2 million in excess levy. An excess levy is created when a town decides one year to not take the full 2.5% increase in taxes allowed by law. In recent years, the Selectmen have budgeted conservatively and not taken the full increase, building up a reserve that they could conceivably unleash on taxpayers at any time. It is unknown if there is an expiration on that levy.
ESBC The Elementary School Building Committee Chair Joe Markey and Vice-Chair Mike Shepard brought the board up to speed on their work, first informing them that the town has been invited by the Massachusetts School Building Authority to the eligibility period. Mr. Shepard reminded selectmen that Town Meeting has already funded a feasibility study for the school, placing Hopkinton ahead of other towns who have been recently invited to participate by the MSBA. The men asked selectmen for their support in preparing for the 2014 Town Meeting. In the case of considering the renovation of Center School, the men said they wanted to bring the full picture to Town meeting. For instance, a scenario of Center School not being renovated for a school would mean it would be an asset to the town that would still take money to upgrade, and what would the cost be, in addition to the construction of a new school. However Selectman Vice-Chair Ben Palleiko, an outspoken opponent of renovating Center School for reuse as a school, said that he did not want to tie those two things together. The ESBC continues to meet with property owners to expand the Center School location, or relocate it near the school complex on Hayden Rowe Street. Alcoholic Beverage License Selectmen continued for the second time, a hearing on the beer and wine pouring license transfer among family members of the owners of Bill's Pizza. The couple who owned the business, Mariana and Christos Siarkos split the corporations after the construction of a heralded new building at 14 Main Street. One was for the Restaurant and Pizza, and one for the real estate. The couple own the real estate, and the couple owned the business with their son, Zacharias. Mariana gave up her interest in the business to her son-in-law, Georgios Vasilakeris, splitting it between him and Christos Siarkos and son Zacharias. This change in ownership triggered the need for a formal transfer of the beer and wine pouring license. Mr. Palleiko noted that the new corporation was formed in 2010, and said that was when the transfer should have been made. Attorney Nickolas Moudios, representing the applicants, admitted that they were trying to make it right. But that wasn't the only snag. Throughout the hearing members alluded to an affidavit that was included with the transfer documents.
"These are serious charges," said Mr. Palleiko to Attorney
Moudios. In the affidavit, one of the principals admitted to a
conviction in 2013 for an
Interim Police Chief Charles Wallace was among the department heads made aware of the transfer request and the circumstance cited in the affidavit, and was asked for written comment. He expressed "no concerns" with the license transfer moving forward. In fact, none of the department heads had a problem with it, including Fire Chief Ken Clark, who "positively endorsed" the transfer. Attorney Moudios replied that the charges did not fall under the list of offenses that would trigger a denial of the license. Mr. Palleiko countered that the Board of Selectmen has sole discretion to move the license forward to the ABCC or not, implying an arbitrary decision making process. The Selectmen voted to continue the hearing, because of "new information" received this evening, referring to the discovery in the documents that the license transfer was overdue. Town Counsel Ray Miyares (Photo) said, "When you continue the hearing, you should have the individual who filed the affidavit here to answer questions." Aside from this evening's public meeting, representatives of the town and the adjacent Bill's Pizza property owners have been meeting in secretive executive sessions, because the town wants to lease part of the restaurant's property for parking. Without it, the Hopkinton Library expansion plans would likely come to a screeching halt. The Library does not have the required spaces to qualify for a promised grant, but could count municipal spaces as their own, or enter into an agreement with a nearby property owner. Leasing Bill's land would give the town the spaces needed for the library. The most recent streetscape plan made public for that area called for the closing of the driveway between the two properties, making it a walkway to reach a relocated crosswalk to the library. Several requests for a copy of the agreement from the Town Manager's Office have produced no results, and plans for both parties to meet in scheduled open session of the selectmen for the vote on the final agreement have not materialized, either. There was no new date set for the continuance of tonight's hearing. |
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3... 2... 1 LIGHT! December 3, 2013 — At the Learning Center of Hopkinton, dozens of kids and parents counted down to light up their tree at dusk today, brightening that part of Wood Street with a huge holiday display, and giving passersby a reason to slow down an look.  |
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 Water Flow Tests May Cause Discoloration Please be advised that a required fire flow test will take place on East Main Street near the Clinton Street intersection on Thursday December 5th at approximately 9:30 AM. This test is re-scheduled from last week. You may notice some discoloration during and after the test. Please avoid doing any laundry, dishwasher loads or other water use activities, during this time. Any discoloration that may occur will eventually dissipate. You may need to run the water in your home to flush your internal pipes once the test is complete. |
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Joseph F. Irvine Sr., 72
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House.
public forum was
held to gather feedback on the proposed changes to the
transportation policy. The proposed change that generated the most
discussion would mandate consistent 5-day per week pick up and drop
off locations; that is, parents would no longer be able to have
their children go to daycare or after school activities on the bus
some days per week and home the other days. Other proposed changes
that were not discussed in detail include changes to what children
can carry onto the bus as well as changes to the deadlines for
payment.
