November 11, 2014 — Sharon McCabe, left, and John McCabe watch proudly as son John Patrick McCabe speaks to selectmen last Thursday about how he achieved the rank of Eagle in the Boy Scouts.

November 11, 2014 — From left, Courtney Galvani and 20 month-old daughter Addison, jog with Chrissie Sweeney along the Loop Road, free from the usually thick traffic of schools in session.

Emergency, dial 911 • • Non-emergency, PD dial 508-497-3401, FD dial 508-497-2323

No, those are not crop circles but damage inflicted onto the athletic field at Daniel Shays, as indicated below. The tires have made very distinctive impressions, which will reveal their manufacturer and model.

Monday, November 10, 2014

3:56 pm Lt. Charles Wallace assisted a State Trooper with a motor vehicle stop on West Main Street.

3:42 pm Officer Matthew McNeil fingerprinted an individual applying for a firearms license.

3:21 pm An individual into the station to report the discovery of a cell phone in a cemetery on Mayhew Street.

2:21 pm Officer Patrick O'Brien checked a Connecticut vehicle on Mayhew Street.

12:48 pm Detective Timothy Brennan visited Price Chopper following the loss of a wallet.

11:46 am A DPW worker discovered the soccer field on Daniel Shays, a victim of vandalism, ripped up by a vehicle's tires.

11:00 am Officer O'Brien reunited a golden retriever with its owner on South Mill Street.

9:39 am Officer O'Brien secured a hypodermic needle found by a woman who flagged him down while on patrol on Hayden Rowe Street.

3:46 am Officer McNeil spoke with an individual whose tire was slashed while at work at a West Main Street location.

Car vs. Building

November 11, 2014 — The report of an accident at 77 West Main Street at 12:37 pm brought emergency personnel who were told that an elderly, disoriented man hopped the curb and struck the building. Above, a Hopkinton firefighter tends to the elderly male driver, who had difficulty lifting his feet walking to the stretcher for an ambulance ride to the hospital. His female passenger was also transported to the hospital; a firefighter tends to her, below, while awaiting a second ambulance. The car sported a veteran's plate, as well as a window sticker indicating membership in a paralyzed veterans group. The air bags did not deploy.
        The building inspector arrived shortly after the vehicle was removed by Ted's Towing. He gave the thumbs up for businesses to continue to remain open and serve customers, even though the building was dented.

 

November 11, 2014 — Workmen prepare the site in front of Center School for a sidewalk that was approved for construction on Ash Street. The excavation is typical for a poured concrete walk, but Hopkinton Historic District Commission member Beth Kelly found no joy today as she watched the machines work on this holiday, from her driveway adjacent to the school property, "On my birthday!" she said. She said that principals involved in the construction met with the HHDC and discussed ways of moving forward, but they never applied for a Certificate of Appropriateness, a step necessary, said Mrs. Kelly, before construction can begin on properties in the Downtown Historic District. The district includes Center School, 1 and 5 Ash Street, 2, 6, and 8 Park Street, the Doughboy  monument, the Valentine cemetery and the Hopkinton Town Common, as well as properties from 1 Main Street to the Hopkinton Gourmet on that side of the street. On the northern side of the Street, only the Congregational Cemetery and the Town Hall are protected properties.

        Scanner remarks at 7:32 am indicate a project was shut down by police pending an investigation. A town official later said that the East Main Street road shaving project was shut down this morning. Later, Officer Patrick O'Brien explained that town infrastructure projects are exempt from the bylaw that prohibits construction on holidays and Sundays. The hours of operation allowed are Monday - Friday, 7:00 am - 7:00 pm and Saturdays, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.

        Mrs. Kelly said that the HHDC will be meeting on Thursday, and this morning has invited those involved, including DPW Director John Westerling, to the meeting.

        The HHDC has come under fire by the selectmen, who, during usually routine reappointments for positions on that commission earlier this year, apparently invited others to apply. Selectmen, without discussion and in what many believe was a planned move, voted to appoint the recruited applicants to the board, denying the chairman and a long time member, whose seats were up for reappointment, further participation. The reason that has been made clear by Selectman Ben Palleiko is the opposition to the size of the planned library expansion by members of the HHDC.

         During another reappointment a few weeks ago, under intense cross-examination by Mr. Palleiko, and an implied message that her commitment to the library expansion was a prerequisite for reappointment, member/Commission Secretary Claire Wright held steadfast to her belief that the library scale was too large for the area; but she said she and the board would work to make the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness a reality through collaboration among the parties involved. Mrs. Wright was reappointed.

          In other "Common" news, the missing three signs have been reinstalled on the Hopkinton Common, bringing to four the number of signs warning visitors that dogs are banned by law. Below, a long time resident walks his "pocket poodle" past the gazebo today after walking by the newly installed sign. There is now one at each sidewalk entrance. Dogs are banned from not only the Common, but from all Hopkinton Public School property.

Emergency, dial 911 • • Non-emergency, PD dial 508-497-3401, FD dial 508-497-2323

NOTE: HopNews now summarizes the lesser calls.

November 09, 2014 — This animal at Ice House Pond (Golden Pond), which appears to be a beaver, kept its tail a guarded secret, making the distinction between it and a muskrat difficult. The evidence of freshly cut greenery at the dam behind the gazebo indicates the presence of a beaver. Both the muskrat and the beaver have their eyes, nose and mouth in the same plane above the water, allowing them to breath with ease while swimming. The last beaver that became busy in that pond was trapped and euthanized. There appears to be a growing swamp in the woods across West Main Street from this, which is where the little critter swam to, via a culvert under the roadway, following this photo session. A resident of the new apartments at the Golden Pond Assisted Living facility was on an afternoon constitutional when she saw the beaver, too.

     "I always see something new on every walk," she said.

November 9, 2014 — It isn't clear if the cat-o'-nine tails has as many lives as its namesake, but it is clear that they have gone to seed and are on the wane. Their location can be inferred by the reflection of the iconic Hopkinton landmark in the water behind them.

The American Legion will hold its' Veterans Day ceremony on Tuesday , November 11th , at the Senior Center. This years' participants include Katie Schneider, Emilia Antoniadias, Mary Harrington, and Sarah Whalen. We begin at 11:00 AM, and invite all residents to attend this short ceremony acknowledging all Hopkinton Veterans past and present. Later that same day , all Hopkinton Veterans are welcome to attend the Veterans Day Dinner, sponsored by the Veterans Celebration Committee,  at the Woodville Rod and Gun Club. -doors open at 5:30 PM.

November 8, 2014 — Daisy troop 66183. Helping collect food for "scouting for food". Second years Daisies. iPhone Photo by Dena Snyder.

by John Cardillo
November 8, 2014 — Another season has begun and the Hopkinton High Cheerleaders (HHC) have, as in the past, started out strong. On October 25th the HHC went to the Panther Invitational in Marlboro MA. Where they came in first place in division two. They were proud and happy to have strong start to the season, but there was a special twist to the particular competition. Head Marlboro coach, Adrienne DeGeorge, and The Varsity Marlboro Cheer team have “adopted” a young man, Dylan, who is battling brain cancer. Adrienne sent out a challenge to all 20 teams competing. What follows is a quote from an email Adrienne sent to Mellissa Zwang, Head Coach of HHC…

“For the past 3 years my varsity team and I have had the pleasure and honor of being a part of The Jimmy Fund Walk in Boston. One of my alumni and her family are a huge part of this event and I was lucky enough to be able to join them with my team in the fight to find a cure to this horrific disease. Three years ago we were lucky enough to meet Dylan who is one of the HEROS that we walk for, and with! Dylan is 6 years old and in 2011 was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He had 3 tumors with one that is inoperable. Even though Dylan is fighting the fight, he has also started his own service project called Cars for Kids with Cancer. He is collecting matchbox cars and trucks (they have to be newly packaged, not used and unwrapped) and takes them with him to his chemo treatments and every time he visit's Dana Farber. When he arrives he hands out a car or truck to each child that is a patient at Dana Farber to try and make their day a little bit better! Currently this amazing 6 year old boy has collected 4000 matchbox cars and trucks! My team and I fell in love with this little guy the minute we met him and I know you will to! I am adding a special competition between the teams this year in honor of Dylan! We are asking all teams to bring as many match box cars and trucks as you can. The team that brings the most cars/trucks will receive the 1st Panther Invitational Community Service award as well as custom bows in the Jimmy Fund colors for your team. We are also so lucky to say that Dylan with his family will be at our event and in the awards ceremony to receive all the cars and trucks and talk about his amazing project! The winning team will also take a picture with our hero! Please help me make this day amazing for this inspirational little boy!”

Coach Zwang and HHC got to work. The week prior to the Panther invitational they solicited donations to help pay for the cars and accepted donations of the Matchbox Cars directly. There were 20 teams at the competition and a total of 1800 Matchbox cars were collected… more than a third of those cars (680) were collected by Coach Zwang and HCC to give to Dylan. Although they won the competition that day… winning the 1st Panther Invitational Community Service Award was far more meaningful and gratifying. Congratulations to the Hopkinton Cheerleaders and Coach Zwang for all your hard work on, and off, the mat!!

On a similar note, on November 2nd the Hopkinton Hiller Cheerleaders traveled to Holliston High School for the Tri-Valley League Championship. They competed against, Ashland, Bellingham, Holliston, Medway, Norton and Westwood. This is also a qualifying event for The South Regional Championship to be held later this month. The Hopkinton Cheerleaders bested all the competition and became the Tri-Valley League Champions for the third year in a row and automatically qualified for the South Regionals. Congratulations HHC!!

 

 

 

November 8, 2014 — Marlene Troupes, above, was one of two Walcott Street residents who testified before Selectmen at their Thursday meeting — the usual Tuesday meeting was postponed due to the election — to slow traffic down on that street by installing Stop signs at A and B Streets (Graphic). One resident claimed that people speed at 50 mph. Resident Tom Smith also asked for Selectmen to approve the change.

         Consensus among the neighbors was that people use the street in a dash to avoid the light and congestion at Main Street 

        Hopkinton Chief of Police Ed Lee, who visited the area to see for himself, also reviewed traffic recommendation standards set by the Federal Highway Administration.

          "The MUTCD [Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices] doesn't recommend doing it," he said. The chief said that STOP signs are not recommended measures to slow traffic down. STOP signs are used for intersection safety. But not everyone agreed.

          "I am passionate about this," said Town Manager Norman Khumalo regarding the installation of STOP signs. He cited Town Engineer Dave Daltorio as being in favor of his position. One selectman questioned Mr. Daltorio's qualifications as a traffic engineer, but Mr. Khumalo said that Mr. Daltorio, who reports directly to him, has credentials that cover it.

             Despite some opposition to them, and suggestions to look at other ways to slow traffic down, such as enforcement and bump-outs, selectmen voted, with Michelle Gates voting in the negative, to install STOP signs at A and B Streets. And although Chief Lee said that it would mean 2 STOP signs at each street, a communiqué the next day from the Town manager's office indicated that the Selectmen voted  to install 6 signs.

         

November 8, 2014 — A photo presented on HopNews last week illustrates the former surface of East Main, which went up a hill, and then down the hill to avoid having to blast through granite when it was constructed long ago. But as part of the subdivision plan for Legacy Road, the surface of the roadway must be dropped by four feet in some areas to accommodate an improved line-of-sight for vehicles approaching the new intersection, which will at some point include full traffic signals.

        As a result of the construction near the one-mile mark of the BAA Boston Marathon, the distance on that part of the roadway, if the simple mathematical axiom The shortest distance between any two points is a straight line can be believed, then the race course just became shortened. But is it significant enough to make a difference in the 26.2 mile race?

         When reached by email a week ago, Race Director Dave McGillivray replied that the BAA is aware of the change and they will take a look at the roadway when it is complete and determine if new measurements need to be taken. The race course does need to be re-certified at regular intervals nonetheless.

November 8, 2014 — A rainy night and a street light that only works intermittently offered a reflection-free glimpse into the window of a closed Country Plus late yesterday afternoon as evergreen material began sprouting up throughout the store.