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HOPKINTON INDEPENDENT Vol. 23 | No. 4 | February 23, 2022

HMS principal: School addresses ‘racist comments’

By Mary Ellen Gambom Contributing Writer

T

PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

SHOOTING STAR

Hopkinton High School senior Lauren Cho takes a jumper during the Hillers’ 57-52 victory over visiting Ashland on Feb. 11.

here have been multiple issues at Hopkinton Middle School where students have made “racist comments to one another” this school year, Principal Alan Keller said last Thursday during an appearance before the School Committee.

Keller was appearing before the committee to discuss the school’s program of studies when a woman in the audience called out to ask if there were changes addressing racism and bullying.

“There have been several incidents at the school,” Keller said. “And we are working to work with our students and with our staff on different professional development programs and different programs talking with students about appropriate and inappropriate ways to work with one another.”

The woman, who indicated she was a parent of a middle school student, continued to question Keller, despite the chair attempting to cut her off and Racist comments | 12

INSIDE

Elmwood embraces Black History Month

NEWS

Town officials update budget in preparation for resident analysis

By Mary Ellen Gambon Contributing Writer

SCHOOLS

E

SPORTS

lmwood School is celebrating Black History Month with an art project conceived by a substitute teacher and adopted by the entire school of 600 students.

Keri Patterson, a third-grade long-term substitute teacher, said she was thinking about a class project that would engage her students and include the contributions made by historic and current Black leaders.

“I was looking for things to do that would be collaborative,” she said. “So much of history is about people collaborating on efforts.”

She decided on a collaborative poster

Committee votes to lift mask mandate on Feb. 28

f Hf

Black History Month | 6

Among the Black historical figures recognized on the walls at Elmwood School this month are pioneering NASA scientists Mary Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan and Katherine Johnson.

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Longtime HHS coach Simoes inducted into MBCA Hall

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2 • The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022

Hopkinton Independent The Hopkinton Independent is published by Hopkinton Independent, LLC, 32 South St., Westborough, MA 01581. The publisher assumes no financial responsibility for typographical errors or errors in advertisements, but will reprint that portion of the ad that was in error if notified in writing within three business days of the publication date. All material is the property of the Hopkinton Independent. Permission must be obtained in writing before reproducing any material. The Hopkinton Independent is delivered by the U.S. Postal Service to 100 percent of the homes and businesses in Hopkinton, reaching more than 7,200 addresses. It’s also available at Price Chopper and Hopkinton Drug as well as at many other local businesses.

STAFF

HHS seniors hopeful for ‘normal’ send-off Among the fundraisers for the Hopkinton High School senior class are (clockwise from top left) Hillers logo driveway painting, a daily raffle through March, Hillers logo flags and photo buttons.

Publisher: David Bagdon Dir. of Business Development: Susanne Odell Farber Founder: Sarah Lothrop Duckett Managing Editor: Jerry Spar Social Media director: David Bagdon Editorial contributors: Lyn Calkins, Michelle Sanford, Chris Villani, Deborah Burke Henderson, Tricia LaCascia, John Cardillo, John Buday, Sandy Quadros Bowles, Christine Strickland, Mary Ellen Gambon, Christie Vogt

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FOR ADVERTISING: Contact Susanne Odell Farber Cell: 508-954-8148 or Email: Sales@HopkintonIndependent.com FOR MAILED SUBSCRIPTIONS, Contact the Hopkinton Independent Office: 508 435-5188 or Email: Sales@HopkintonIndependent.com EDITORIAL COMMENTS AND INQUIRIES, including Letters to the Editor should be emailed to Editor@HopkintonIndependent.com

Letters to the Editor must include the writer’s name, address and contact information for verification. Letters should be no more than 400 words, and the Hopkinton Independent offers no guarantee that all letters will be printed. Letters should be relevant and not primarily for the purpose of promoting an organization or event or thanking volunteers and sponsors.

A

fter a couple of years of masks and social distancing, the Class of 2022 at Hopkinton High School is looking forward to a somewhat normal final three months of its senior year.

Normally prom is only held for the junior class, but because the current seniors missed out last spring, they were able to schedule an event May 13 at Lake Pearl in Wrentham — although it wasn’t easy.

“Immediately after it got canceled we just started to look for a different date the year after, because we knew that it wasn’t going to be possible to do it that year,” said Manoli Barris, president of the senior class. There’s other schools looking for two proms [junior and senior] this year, and then, put aside proms, there’s people looking for weddings, and our date is kind of a prime date.

So it was tough, but we were able to get a pretty good date. And the nice part about ours is it’s after the AP tests. So that’s kind INDEPENDENT of nice for the seniors, who, generally speaking, are taking more APs than the juniors.”

THOUGHTS The schedule remains fluid — earlier this month it was deJERRY SPAR cided that there would be no grand march before the prom, and the post-prom event was scaled down — but most of the traditional activities are slated to resume.

“It’s nice that we’re able to start to get back to normal,” Barris said. “Of course, we don’t know if we’re going to have wear masks at prom or on the boat cruise and stuff like that, but it is really nice to start to get a little bit of normality. Obviously Independent thoughts | 3

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The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022 • 3

HHS seniors seek normalcy

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Independent thoughts | from page 2

it’s been crazy. The past few years it’s like every class has been getting — for lack of better words — screwed over. But I’m glad that we’re starting to get better.”

Among the other events on the calendar, there will be a 50 Days to Graduation Dinner on April 14 for seniors in the HHS cafeteria. Senior Project begins April 25 for those who are interested in participating, with the presentation slated for May 23. The final day of classes for seniors is May 25, which also is the day they will receive their yearbooks. That evening, seniors and family members will head to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro for the Senior Dinner Dance. Senior Recognition Night is the following night, May 26. The class will attend a Red Sox game together on May 31. The Senior Boat Cruise in Boston is June 1. Graduation is outside at the football field on June 3, and the graduation car parade will be the morning of June 4.

In addition to Barris, class officers include Sarah Furlong (vice president), Luciano Duca (treasurer) and An-Wen Huang (secretary). The seniors also have received help from a number of parents as well as class advisors Samantha Breen and Jay Golden (who took over for Renee Hilbrunner when she went on maternity leave).

The class is running a few fundraisers to help fund the events. There is a daily calendar draw throughout the month of March. The deadline to purchase a $10 ticket is Feb. 28. There are Hillers logo flags on sale for $30. For $35 ($50 after March 1), residents can have a 3-foot Hillers logo painted on their driveway. The class also is selling customized photo buttons for $4. (For more information on any of these fundraisers — or to make a donation — visit hopsenior2022.com/fundraisers or email HHS2022info@gmail.com.)

“There’s a lot of fundraising that goes on, whether it be the parents for the postprom or the prom committee for the school,” Barris explained. “The tough part is not overlapping on fundraisers. I know the parents of both the after-prom committees for the seniors and the juniors, they were struggling, because they’re both looking for money and sponsors, and obviously it’s tough for businesses to give the same sponsorship to both classes. So that is a little bit of a hiccup, but it’s working out.

“We weren’t able to collect class dues for two years, so that was a big negative,” Barris added. “So we’re trying to do as many fundraisers as we can and ramp everything up so that we’re going to be able to get past this year, people won’t have to buy super-expensive prom tickets, and we also want to make sure that we have some money left over for our class gift and our future reunions.”

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Open meeting law complaint crosses line I do not agree with School Committee members Joe Markey and Prof. Meg Tyler’s stance on masks. I think masks should be in place until our Board of Health Director mandates otherwise. I do, however, support the two School Committee members’ rights to hold a differing viewpoint, discuss it with community members, including any who may be considering running for office. I have served on the School Committee and subcommittees with my elected colleagues. We discussed and reviewed matters as long as we were not a quorum (less than three for the School Committee). We cannot be spending tax dollars on attorney fees and other costs going after two members who are doing their job. Let us agree to disagree, debate, but no vilification and creating perceptions of wrongdoing.

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“It’s so nice to know people are sending love to the dogs,” said Executive Director Terri Shepard. “Walking through the kennel, you can’t miss all the bright pink and every heart means someone cares about the dogs who are waiting for homes. Of course it’s the staff and volunteers who feel cheered by the outpouring of support, but whenever we come to hang more hearts, the dogs seem to know something good is happening.”

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School Committee deserves range of opinions I would like to write in support of diverse voices on our School Committee. I personally believe that mask mandates should be left up to our Board of Health. I, though, fully support Joe Markey and Meg Tyler’s right to pursue a mask-optional policy for our schools. It’s fantastic that we have a vigorous debate and different opinions. I believe that we benefit from being inclusive and listening to varied opinions rather than taking legal action against people who are willing to speak up. I worry that potential School Committee members would be intimidated to ask tough questions and represent the interests of their constituents.

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Editor’s note: The opinions and comments expressed in letters to the editor are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the Independent. Submissions should be no more than 400 words and must include the writer’s name and contact information for verification. Letters should be relevant and not primarily for the purpose of promoting an organization or event. Letters may be edited by the Independent staff for space, errors or clarification, and the Independent offers no guarantee that every letter will be published. For a schedule of deadlines for letters and other submissions, check the Hopkinton Independent website (HopkintonIndependent.com) and click on the Contact header, then on Editorial Deadlines.

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4 • The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022

Lykan TIF advances to Town Meeting T

he Select Board on Feb. 15 voted unanimously to recommend sending the recently negotiated tax increment financing (TIF) agreement with Lykan Bioscience to Annual Town Meeting in May. Lykan is looking to construct a 112,141-square foot manufacturing facility a short distance from the building it already occupies on South Street. The project, NEWS which would be done in BRIEFS partnership with property owner Southfield Properties, includes demolishing two existing buildings at 103-109 South Street and constructing a new facility. The project is expected to cost approximately $70 million — $50 million coming from Lykan and $20 million from Southfield — and Lykan is to make an additional $20 million investment in personal property.

The TIF will allow for an exemption from all or part of the anticipated increase in taxes. For property taxes, it starts

with a 95 percent break in the first three years and then decreases each year by 5 percent, ending with a 40 percent break in the 14th and final year. For personal property, Lykan would get a 100 percent exemption for seven years.

In exchange, Lykan has goals it must meet, including hiring 125 new full-time employees over a five-year period and not requesting a tax abatement while the agreement is in place, although Lykan can discuss the assessment with the town before it is finalized.

Lykan signed another TIF in 2019 before it first set up shop in town, and the board said the company has delivered on its promises. A Lykan representative said the company had proposed a $12 million investment and to date has invested $25 million.

“You guys have really been a beacon of light in our community,” Select Board Member Brendan Tedstone said.

“You’ve done everything that you’ve said that you were going to do — your

LEGAL NOTICE

philanthropic endeavors with Project Just Because, your goal to engage our local schools in co-op-type opportunities, and just expanding into the town. I wish you could put a seminar on for the last person who came before us [Eversource], but we know it doesn’t matter because they wouldn’t listen to you.”

Added Tedstone: “You guys have been absolutely awesome, following in the footsteps of what EMC did when they first started. I wholeheartedly support anything that you guys put before us.”

Town political committees to caucus The town’s Democratic and Republican town committees will meet this month to elect delegates to the state conventions.

The Hopkinton Republican Town Committee will meet Thursday, Feb. 24,

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The snow date is the following day.

The Republican State Convention is May 22 in Springfield.

Anyone who was registered as a Hopkinton Republican voter as of Dec. 31, 2021, is eligible to be a delegate.

The delegate selection will be by full members of the Hopkinton Republican Town Committee who are present at the caucus. Candidates do not need to attend the caucus to be selected as a delegate.

Anyone interested in being nominated as a delegate can reach out to HRTC Chair Ken Weismantel at ken@weismantel.com or attend the caucus.

The Hopkinton Democratic Town Committee will convene virtually on Saturday, Feb. 26, at 9 a.m. to choose delegates for the Democratic State Convention, which is June 3-4 at the DCU Center in Worcester (with some virtual participation options). The HDTC will elect nine delegates and four alternates. Attendees may participate remotely by registering in advance at bit.ly/HopCaucus.

Registered and preregistered Democrats in Hopkinton 16 years old by Feb. 4, 2022, may vote and be elected as delegates or alternates. Youth (age 16-35), people with disabilities, people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community not elected as delegates or alternates are encouraged to apply to be add-on delegates at the caucus or by visiting massdems.org/convention.

Those interested in getting involved with the HDTC should contact Darlene Hayes at chair@hopkintondemocrats.org or 508-435-6585.

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Town Manager Norman Khumalo reported to the Select Board at its Feb. 15 meeting that the Permanent Building Committee continues to make progress in its efforts to develop a re-use proposal for the former Center School and the adjoining parcels of land behind it.

A number of ideas have been floated, including public-private partnerships where the school is redesigned for community use (such as offices and recreational facilities) while the adjoining land is used for housing of some kind (either single-family houses, townhouses or apartments).

Khumalo said the committee has been seeking request for interest (RFI) proposals, and a number of developers have expressed a desire to participate. “[On Feb. 14] there was an informational meeting to allow interested parties to ask any questions that they may have ahead of developing their response to the RFI,” Khumalo said. “There were approximately a dozen developers who participated in that conversation. And in fact, I think local developers from Hopkinton, who I have seen many times come into Town Hall, were very well represented. We are looking forward to receiving the responses from interested private developers.”

The committee decided to extend the deadline a couple of weeks into early March.

“The intention here is to let the community know that the Permanent Building Committee is moving forward, as was recommended back in October, with an RFI process to get some ideas and concepts from private developers,” Khumalo News Briefs | 5

HopkintonIndependent.com

The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022 • 5

Presents

‘A SLICE OF HOPKINTON’ Hopkinton Independent Photo Contest

This issue’s winner is Priyank Soni for this photo of Hopkinton State Park on a winter day. To enter next issue’s contest, email your photo along with your name, phone number and description of the photo to editor@hopkintonindependent.com.

Photos with people or pets in them are encouraged. Photos that are not selected as winners might be posted on our website.

The Hopkinton Independent presents “A Slice of Hopkinton” photo contest, sponsored by Bill’s Pizzeria.

Readers are encouraged to submit photos of people, places or things in Hopkinton. The Independent staff will select one winner for each issue. The winner will have their submitted photo published in the paper and will receive a $25 gift certificate to Bill’s Pizzeria.

All photos must be submitted by individuals 16 and over. The photo must be high resolution, and not submitted for use by any other media outlet. Winners will pick up their gift certificate at Bill’s Pizzeria.

Town seeks RFIs for Center School News Briefs | from page 4

said. “Depending on the response, the PBC will then decide to issue a request for proposal. That’s a much more detailed process with very specific requirements based on procurement laws.”

Misc.:Eversource criticized for double poles Eversource appeared before the Select Board on Feb. 15 to ask for a permit to install 80 feet of underground conduit that would connect a new solar array at 17 Wilson Street to an existing utility pole.

While the work would not require any new poles, the board took the opportunity to chastise Eversource for numerous double poles around town and its failure to heed the board’s multiple requests over many years to fix the issue.

The permit passed, 3-1, with Brendan Tedstone voting against it as a protest.

“Eversource truly could care less about our town,” Tedstone said. “They just care about their bottom line.”

Eversource representative Christine Cosby said she heard the criticism and would “take it to a higher level and have somebody report back to you.”

Cautioned Select Board Chair Irfan Nasrullah: “The next time around you may not get your approval.” …

Recently retired School Resource Officer Phil Powers was appointed by the Select Board as a traffic constable to a term expiring June 30, 2024.

“Anything we can do to retain him in any aspect of the town is awesome,” Tedstone said.

Member Muriel Kramer said she attended Powers’ retirement party in Milford on Feb. 4 despite an ice storm that day and reported there was a good crowd there.

“Even on a terrible night it was very well-attended, and I was very happy to see that for him,” she said. …

Parade permit applications were approved by the Select Board for the Hopkinton Little League Opening Day Parade on April 24 and the Jimmy Fund Walk on Oct. 2.

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6 • The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022

Elmwood school-wide art project focuses on Black history Black History Month | from page 1

project after finding it on Teachers Pay Teachers, an online resource for educators. The art was designed by a vendor called Art with Jenny K. “It really seemed like the right fit for my students,” Patterson explained.

“Some students are much better at expressing what they are thinking through images.”

Patterson shared her idea with fellow third-grade teacher Renuka Abbaraju, who said she loved the concept.

“I was so fascinated with it,” said Abbaraju, who co-founded the Elmwood Diversity Council with a colleague five years ago. “We started by putting up a collaborative poster in the hallway.”

Soon other teachers became interested. Now all 25 classes have designed posters, engaging 600 students in the process and creating a tapestry of talent that lines the school’s hallways with images of Black idols and icons.

“The posters started sparking conversations in the hallways,” Abbaraju said, noting that a biography accompanies each collaborative poster. “There is a good mix of women and men, not just political figures but business leaders, artists, scientists and athletes.”

“We covered the whole spectrum of achievements,” Patterson added. “It was eye opening for the students to discover all aspects of achievement. I asked my class to write about how this person changed the world.”

She sought a balance between incorporating historically recognized figures such as Martin Luther King Jr.and sci-

Elmwood students used panels to create images of famous Black historical figures such as Martin Luther King Jr.

entist George Washington Carver with current Black role models including Vice President Kamala Harris and athletes Simone Biles and Kobe Bryant.

Abbaraju’s class focused on Madam C. J. Walker, not only completing the poster but also writing about her and discussing the accomplishments of the activist and entrepreneur.

“We had to do a little research on her and why is this person important,” she said.

In a Zoom meeting on Feb. 8, students from both classes talked about what they learned through the collaborative process.

Maulya explained that she learned

about a woman named Sarah Breedlove.

“We learned that she was a famous hair grower,” Maulya said. “After that, she changed her name to Madame C.J. Walker.”

She and her classmates took pieces of blue and pink paper and colored them.

“Then we taped them outside of the classroom so it looks like a picture,” she continued.

Sophia learned that Breedlove was the first African American millionaire.

“She also had a hairdresser team that helped her,” she added.

“At first, her parents were slaves,” said Drew as he described Walker’s history. “She had to pick cotton on a farm.

She went from doing that to working at this laundry place.

“Since she could not get the stuff that she needed, her hair started to fall out,” he continued. “Because she worked at a laundry, she knew about some ingredients. She started mixing them together.

When she put it on her hair, her scalp started to heal and her hair grew back.”

Piper said she would like to do a similar project in the future.

“I like art,” she said. “I like drawing.

And I liked that we got to learn about different people.”

Kayla said she was inspired by the story of Rosa Parks.

“She went on a bus, and she wouldn’t give up her seat for a white person,” she explained. “She got put jail. But then she changed the laws so people started riding the buses the way they do now.”

Sophia later added that her favorite poster was of Biles because they shared

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a common interest.

“I compete in gymnastics, and I really like her because I think she’s the best gymnast in the world,” she said. “She inspires me a lot.”

“I learned that it doesn’t matter about their skin or their body,” added Cole. “All that matters is about their career and how all of them made good choices.”

Maulya said one of her favorite people to learn about was Katherine Johnson, who worked for NASA. “When Neil Armstrong went up to the moon, he wanted to ask her if the calculations were correct,” she said.

“Because she was an African American, she couldn’t do really much when she wanted to be a rocket scientist. But then the astronauts wanted to ask her if the calculations were correct.”

Abhinav said he learned that Carver “discovered peanut butter and he loved to study the land.”

“What I learned about Martin Luther King Jr. is that you can never give up your dreams,” said Charlie, a student from Patterson’s class. “And you can never give up on anything.”

Abbaraju, now in her eighth year of teaching third grade at Elmwood, began her career teaching economics to college undergraduates in India. Over the course of her career, she has instructed students from kindergarten to high school.

“I believe that every child is a unique individual with capacity for learning and high achievement,” she said. “My role as a teacher is to help students meet their fullest potential and motivate them to become independent lifelong learners.”

At a time when the pandemic has physically separated students from the traditional experience of learning, the project has created a sense of unity, according to Abbaraju.

“The best part is that it is bringing the whole community together,” she said.

Patterson has devoted her entire professional life toward the education of children, spending the first two decades of her career as a children’s fitness instructor in New York City. This past year, she earned her master’s degree in elementary education as well as her teaching license.

“I’m new to the Elmwood community and am gratefully filling roles this year initially as a second-grade long-term substitute and currently as a third-grade long-term substitute,” she said. “The biggest reason I choose to teach children is to help them see that they each have their own, unique superpower, and to appreciate everyone else’s as well. If I can help teach children to believe in themselves and others, then they will have the tools they need to become happy, empathetic and empowered adults.”

“Even though this is Black History Month, we like to pride ourselves that every day, diversity, equity and inclusion is at the forefront of what we do here,” noted Assistant Principal Jason Dimen.

“Dr. King’s words rang true. It doesn’t matter about the color of your skin but the content of your character, your skills, and your courage.

“The students have learned a lot throughout this project,” he continued as he motioned toward the class. “I hope we can continue to look at the curriculum to look at the places where we can expand on the history of people who have been oppressed and celebrate their successes.

As you can see in the classroom, we have all kinds of skin color, but that doesn’t matter here. It matters how you carry yourself and how you achieve.”

The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022 • 7

UCTC divided over trails plan after suggestion of Hayden Rowe ‘realignment’

By Jerry Spar Managing Editor

T

he Upper Charles Trail Committee is at a crossroads, members acknowledged in a meeting Feb. 16, and it’s not clear how it can find a path forward.

Town Engineer Dave Daltorio dropped a bombshell midway through the meeting when he said the group’s favored proposal to have much of the Upper Charles Trail run along Hayden Rowe Street/Route 85 might require a complete overhaul of the street layout in order to avoid infringing on private property.

“It’s a larger project than just building a shared-use path on one side of Hayden Rowe,” Daltorio said. “It would be a roadway kind of realignment reconstruction project. … You couldn’t build it right now, based on the current alignment of Hayden Rowe, without impacting private property. But if you realigned Hayden Rowe within the existing right of way, you could probably do it within a 49 1/2-foot right of way. Obviously, there’s other work that would be associated with that, there’s utility work, there’s probably drainage work — you’re reconstructing an entire roadway.”

Added Daltorio: “It would be a multimillion dollar project to realign Hayden Rowe, but you could fit it in there.”

UCTC Chair Jane Moran has repeatedly pushed back against a proposal from Peter LaGoy of the Hopkinton Trails Club to locate the trail farther to the west, in wooded area behind Charlesview Estates, because that would require accessing private land.

However, Daltorio’s revelation sparked a sometimes-heated discussion from committee members, who have been tasked with presenting multiple options to the Select Board.

“If you were doing a case of presenting options for an executive board to decide, this [Hayden Rowe option] just dropped down to third, if you were going to keep it in the pool at all,” UCTC Member Barry Rosenbloom said. “Because another factor here is time — how long.

It not only sounds like a severe project, but something that’s years down the road.

If you had a couple of other options and time was shrunk, or made more current, that would be a solid attribute to consider for options 1 and 2. … You could keep this proposal conceptual on the table as No. 3 and just move on and work on one or two others that get down to Milford. I don’t want to get hung up on one route, I want to get it done.”

Moran insisted there were no other workable options.

“We’ve exhausted the west side approach, and the east,” she said. “What’s left? We’re talking about [Route] 85 because I don’t think that there’s anything left. If you can come up with something, let me know.”

Chimed in UCTC Member Ken Parker: “I thought that [the western route] was still on the table. We had encountered roadblocks there, but just to take a perspective here, if we had focused on going down Hayden Rowe in the first place we would have hit roadblocks there, and if we used those roadblocks as an excuse to decide permanently that that was an unviable option, then we would have been forced to go west of Charlesview if we hadn’t considered that as carefully.

“It just doesn’t make sense to me because we know there are roadblocks in every place, and we have an estimate

for the cost of going down Hayden Rowe.

We have not such a good estimate now for the cost of going west of Charlesview. …

A lot of things have changed, and I just don’t think that the initial roadblocks for the western route are good enough to say that that’s not a viable option given what Dave just went through with regards to how difficult it might be to build a multiuse path down Hayden Rowe.”

Member Eric Sonnett suggested the committee take time to digest the new information.

“Give us time to think,” he told Moran. “I don’t think we can do it tonight. I think we have to think about everything that was said and do it at our next meeting.”

Moran, however, pressed forward, saying: “If you don’t want to go down 85, what do you want to do, folks? Do you just want to throw up your hands and give it up, after all of this work, or do you want to pursue it and do some more hard work and figure out how we’re going to get there from here?”

Parker suggested going to the Select Board and asking how to proceed.

“I think we need guidance from them as to what choices they might want to have us decide between,” he said. “I think the Select Board is better suited than we are for deciding whether we should continue looking at the Charlesview route vs. down Hayden Rowe, and also the UCTC route that goes down College Street vs. the flyover bridge.”

Moran claimed that strategy would make it political.

Responded Parker: “I totally reject that logic.”

LaGoy, who also serves as chair of the town’s Trails Coordination and Management Committee (TCMC), said he still feels there is a viable alternative around Charlesview. He noted that easements for Charlesview would be for wooded property, as opposed to front yards on Hayden Rowe.

Shortly thereafter, Sonnett (a Charlesview resident) lashed out at Parker, who is a member of the TCMC, which was created in 2019 to focus on town trails other than the Upper Charles Trail. Sonnett asked what the TCMC has done “other than worry about the Upper Charles.”

After explaining some of the TCMC’s responsibilities, Parker said the TCMC has indeed discussed the Upper Charles Trail.

“The UCTC thing has been troublesome for us,” he acknowledged. “But the reason we care about that is it’s such a huge amount of town resources going into that.”

After further badgering from Sonnett — while the chair remained silent — Parker said Sonnett’s comments were “out of order completely, in my opinion.”

Member Bob Snyder concurred that Sonnett’s comments were “not relevant.”

“We’re going down the wrong pathway here by pursuing this any further,” he said.

When Moran finally spoke, she suggested that she supported Sonnett’s opinion, although acknowledging TCMC has done a lot of work supporting other trails in town.

“I think that what Eric is also feeling is it’s too bad that another trails group that is supposed to be supporting all trails throughout town has found it in their heart to go against us, and that’s just too bad,” she said.

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8 • The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022

Hopkinton Center for the Arts Goes Home Again “Y

PHOTO/JANE BIGDA

ou can’t go home again,” is an oft-quoted line from American novelist Thomas Wolfe. But the Hopkinton Center for the Arts is proving that adage wrong. It is literally going home again to the farmhouse where it began over two decades ago.

“We are thrilled to be reopening the completely redone farmhouse this month,” HCA Executive Director Kelly Grill said, noting private music lessons and ceramics classes for all ages will resume in the building beginning March 1.

The project began two years ago, when the HCA received grants from the Hopkinton Community Preservation Committee and Massachusetts Cultural Council to update the 100-yearold farmhouse. Originally owned by the Terry family, the building, plus a barn, outbuildings and surrounding farmland, were purchased by Hopkinton in 1996. Five local artists, who eventually became the Cultural Arts Alliance (CAA), petitioned Hopkinton to lease all the buildings plus 1.3 acres of land as an art center. The town agreed, and the CAA used the farmhouse, the only viable structure, for art exhibits, classes and events.

Through the next decades, the CAA became the HCA, and the barn, following two major construction projects, was restored and expanded as an art center with classrooms, the 200-seat Delbridge Family Performance Center and the Lotvin Family Gallery. An outdoor amphitheater also was created.

Grill said the farmhouse will be open for tours once the occupancy permit is issued. A ribbon cutting ceremony also is planned.

“We are grateful to so many key people for helping with this project,” said Grill. The list includes Gorman Richardson Lewis Architects, Hopkinton’s Community Preservation Committee, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the private lesson teachers for being so flexible during the construction, along with many others. “We are especially grateful to facilities manager Paul DiBona for keeping the ship afloat and the facility running during the work,” said Grill.

She and everyone involved with HCA also are thankful to the town.

“Through the years we have been surprised at how the community has embraced us. In the last decade, our classes have increased from five to the current 220 while our student body has risen from 65 to over 2,000,” said Grill. “We are only able to do what we do because of the support of so many people in the community.”

The newly redone farmhouse at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts will reopen soon. Almost every inch of the 100-yearold building has been renovated or updated. The original front door was preserved to help retain the building’s historic facade.

By Jane Bigda Contributing Writer

Thanks to an anonymous donation, the farmhouse’s first floor was renovated in 2016 as a ceramics studio. Private lesson rooms filled the second floor.

Grill said the latest work on the farmhouse, which due to COVID ran longer than anticipated and cost close to $1 million, was extensive. “Every inch of the house was redone,” said Grill.

“Once we opened up the walls, we realized every structural beam in the house needed to be replaced. The structure also had to meet commercial codes. While we did all that, we are also very proud to retain as much of the building’s historic integrity as possible.”

Upstairs, the hardwood floors were refinished, and downstairs, the original front door was redone. “The door looks beautiful and helps the farmhouse preserve its character,” said Grill. She noted a new, accessible entrance was installed on the side of the building.

Other work included moving upstairs walls to widen the hallways, creating a waiting area and constructing six soundproof, private lesson rooms clad with acoustical sheetrock and outfitted with tightly fitting doors. Downstairs walls were removed to construct a large open space ceramics studio. New siding, windows and roofing as well an HVAC system also were installed.

Town Clerk Degan plans bid for state representative

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Connor Degan is running for town clerk in the spring and state representative in the fall.

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t’s a big election year for Connor Degan. In addition to planning Hopkinton’s elections as town clerk, Degan is running for two positions in separate elections.

The first is for his town clerk position in the Annual Town Election in May. The second is for state representative, first in the Democratic primary in September, and then if all goes well, in the statewide election in November.

Degan announced his intention to run for state representative early this month, following an announcement by Carolyn Dykema that she was leaving her post in mid-February for a job with a solar energy company.

“I was just as caught off guard [at Dykema’s announcement] as everyone else was,” Degan said. “I don’t know how many people expected that Carolyn was going to be resigning. I know I certainly didn’t. And it’s something that had always been in the back of my mind as something I would love to do. But I also never wanted to be a challenger to someone like Carolyn, who is fantastic.

“I thought someday the opportu-

HopkintonIndependent.com

nity might arise and I might be able to take advantage of it, and it just kind of popped up out of nowhere,” he continued. “I saw the news [of the opening] and thought this could be the opportunity for me to do this, to serve my community but also the greater community as well — the district — in a way that would use some of the knowledge that I have around the legislative process.”

After checking with his wife and some friends — all of whom encouraged him to move forward — the 29-yearold who majored in political science at Roger Williams University contacted some fellow Democrats in town to get some advice.

However, he noted, “It’s a different animal that I need to tackle on a separate level than just town support.

But I’m hoping that my record of being a fair and trusted voice between people regardless of their party affiliation will help my candidacy. I feel like at least people know that I do my job with integrity and I hold my ethics very high.

I want to give everyone a fair chance to say their piece and hear people out and help as much as I can.”

Among the issues that stand out to Degan are election law and reforms — “ensuring easy access to the ballot,” he said — along with infrastructure/transportation and support for educational systems.

He plans to add to his list after talking to residents of the district.

“I need to talk to people across the district and see where their priorities are,” he said. “Because if I’m not being truly representative then I kind of defeat the purpose of the job title. I need to figure out what the priorities of the district are before I can say for sure what else is on the immediate agenda.”

The newly formed district, based on the 2020 census, includes all of Hopkinton, Holliston and Sherborn along with the majority of Millis. The current district includes Hopkinton and Holliston along with Southborough and part of Westborough.

The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022 • 9

Town’s $1.5M budget ‘presents a fiscally sound path forward’

By Jerry Spar Managing Editor

O

ne week after announcing that a deadline-beating tax appeal filed by Eversource would require an adjustment of the town’s budget to the tune of $1.5 million, Town Manager Norman Khumalo returned to the Select Board on Feb. 8 with a revised budget that still needed a $500,000 trim.

The town was able to move money around and make adjustments that accounted for $1 million without making any cuts.

“We did not cut the budget,” Khumalo said. “What we did was we identify alternative funding sources to cover that [$1.5 million]. To date, we’ve identified $1 million of that [$1.5 million]. We are continuing our discussions to close the $500,000 gap.”

Added Khumalo: “I’ve been working very closely with the superintendent in an effort to identify alternate funding to cover some needs in the School Department’s budget while still providing — let me underscore that — while still providing for every need identified in the school budget request.”

At the following week’s Select Board meeting, Khumalo said that a solution to the budget gap was “imminent.” He hoped to post detailed information about the budget on the town’s website last week so that residents can look it over and be prepared to ask questions at the March 1 public listening session.

Khumalo, who last fall asked town departments to hold themselves to 3.25 percent increases, said the theme of the budget is growth with equity.

“The revised $105 million general fund budget that I’m presenting to you tonight strengthens the community of Hopkinton’s resilience, provides new resources to address community growth and to improve equity and inclusion, and it presents a fiscally sound path forward,” he said.

Khumalo said the budget reflects an increase of 6 percent, or $6.3 million from the previous year, and has a projected tax impact within the tax levy of 2.31 percent, which translates to an increase of $268 on an average Hopkinton home that has a value of $681,500.

Khumalo identified four primary reasons for the change in revenue forecast.

“These four unanticipated factors have shifted the budget landscape, namely, higher than expected new growth from fiscal year 2022, a critical forecast for yet more new growth tied to Eversource LNG in fiscal year 2023, Eversource’s actions to appeal 60 percent of their tax bill, and higher than expected local aid from the commonwealth. We’re hoping that as the commonwealth’s budget goes through the Senate and the House that Hopkinton’s share of the budget continues to increase.

“None of these factors were known when the budget guidance was issued back in October last year. Working with the finance team in this evolving situation, we carefully reviewed all budget requests in the context of this changing revenue picture.”

Added Khumalo: “The revised budget proposal does the following things: It sustains current service levels. It covers contractual and inflationary costs. It supports emerging needs linked to the town’s focus on growth, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging by expanding services for at-risk constituents of the community, including high-need special education students, an increasingly diverse user

base at the Hopkinton Public Library, and outreach programs operated by Senior Services, Youth and Family Services and the Hopkinton Police Department.

“It provides some enhancement driven by growth and climate change, including an expanded tree management program and professional conservation staff. It continues to sustain long-term financial stability, although several actions intended to further bolster long-term financial strength have been deferred pending resolution of the Eversource tax appeals.”

Chief Financial Officer Tim O’Leary addressed the most recent issue with Eversource, which has appealed town assessments every year since 2014.

“We’re confident that the town will prevail in all or a large majority of those appeals, but it’s going to take time and money for us to resolve those — a lot of money, and probably a lot of time,” he said.

On a positive note, O’Leary said state aid should continue to rise based on the

most recent data, and his overall outlook for Hopkinton was positive as well.

“Tax collections continue to be excellent, except for Eversource,” he said. “Our revenue stability is very good, and with Eversource it’s still very good. Stabilization reserves are very good to excellent but could ideally be boosted a little to capture full credit from the rating agencies by bumping those amounts up a little more. We’re making very good progress on funding the pension liability, and we need a course adjustment to get back on track with OPEB [other post-employment benefits]. We have a substantial list of identified capital projects that will have significant tax impact, but they’re achievable if the voters want them as excluded debt and seem to be tracking within the town’s debt limit.”

The board set March 1 for a meeting at which residents can weigh in on the budget process, “inviting criticism, welcoming feedback, and encouraging the

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public to contest some of our thinking,” Khumalo said.

Select Board Member Muriel Kramer said she hopes the town can make the budget understandable for residents so that they can weigh in on it.

“That’s what I’d like to focus on, is how can we present this so that people can actually feel like they can raise their hand and ask questions that are meaningful and really dig in and understand,” she said.

“These are big numbers. I know that it’s a balanced budget and we’re being responsible as we go forward, but I also know that people struggle to keep pace, and we want to make sure that part of our growth, equity, inclusion and belonging piece is that Hopkinton is a town that people can afford to stay in and people can afford to move into. The affordability question is a little bit crazy in the market that we face today. But I want to make sure that we’re thinking about all of those implications and those things.”

10 • The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022

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ld friends and tennis buddies of more than 25 years, John Anderson and Jim Beyer envisioned a better way to teach kids and adults how to be safe, skilled drivers.

They founded Centerpoint Driving Academy (CDA) 3 1/2 years ago with the confidence that their combined professional experience would garner big results. Anderson, who runs a software company, brought innovative, student-friendly technology to the table, while Beyer, who Jim Beyer (left) and John Anderson are co-founders of the locally operated has a background as a school Centerpoint Driving Academy. psychologist and driving instructor, brought crucial CDA’s Life Skills class teaches students about people skills and technical know-how. tires, oil changes and check-engine lights, but it also Since its founding, CDA has doubled its busicovers what to do if you have an accident and how ness every year, and its students enjoy a first-time to respond if you are stopped by an officer. Lessons road test pass rate of 92 percent, Beyer says, comlike these are “fundamental,” says Anderson. pared to a state average in the low 70s. In terms At the end of each lesson, CDA also sends of student satisfaction, CDA boasts 83 five-star evaluations to both students and parents to help reviews on Google, for an average rating of 4.9. monitor their progress. Unlike other facilities that Anderson, a Hopkinton resident of 25 years only serve youth, CDA also offers driving lessons whose five children took a competitor’s driving for adults. course, saw room for improvement in the industry.

For Anderson and Beyer, the most rewarding One of the features that makes CDA different from part of the business is seeing the joy on a student’s other schools is that students learn to drive in SUVs, face when they pass their driving test on the first which Anderson says are 50 percent safer than attempt. As one parent said in a Google review: sedans, per the National Highway Traffic Safety “My daughter had been in a bad accident a year and Administration. With many households already a half before. … As a result, she was an unusually using SUVs, practicing in a full-size vehicle is also nervous driver. Jim was incredibly reassuring; she a practical choice, Anderson says. left her lessons with so much more confidence. Not Anderson and Beyer also saw that the indusonly did she pass the road test on the first try, she’s try failed to teach “real-world skills” beyond the also a skilled, calm driver.” content of a driving exam, and so they developed To learn more, visit centerpointdrivingacademy. a class called Life Skills, which is free for all com or call 508-217-4447. CDA offers pickup students and their families who enroll in the SUV services from a student’s home or high school, and package. Anderson recalls getting a call years ago CDA’s facility is located at 31 Granite Street, Suite from his daughter, who asked him to meet her at a 4, Milford. local convenience store. “It was 10 below, and she Business Profiles are advertising features wanted me to teach her how to put air in her tire,” he designed to provide information and background says. “I was like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’ ” about Hopkinton Independent advertisers.

Christine Burke law office specializes in estate planning

By Christie Vogt Contributing Writer

A

ttorney Christine H. Burke has operated a private law practice in Hopkinton since 1994 and is excited to continue sharing her expertise from a new office location at 52 Pleasant Street. Formerly located at 77 Main Street, Burke’s practice focuses primarily on estate planning. As a tax lawyer, her work is centered on wills, trusts, probate administration and tax compliance. Burke also represents both individual and corporate clients in business organization and contract law. Prior to launching her private practice, Burke worked in corporate taxation for a multinational computer firm.

Burke recently relocated to Hopkinton after being a Hopedale resident for the majority of the past 30 years. Her public service career began in Hopedale, where she was an elected official and served on the Select Board and Water and Sewer Commission. Burke also served as a trustee for the Milford Regional Medical Center for approximately 16 years and is a trustee for the Hopedale Foundation, a private foundation established by the Draper Corporation.

In addition to serving in official positions, Burke has engaged with local community groups in Hopkinton, Hopedale, Upton and Milford to share her legal expertise through guest lectures and

HopkintonIndependent.com

Christine H. Burke has practiced law in Hopkinton for nearly 30 years.

informational sessions on issues of tax and probate law and Medicaid planning.

After earning her Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School in 1982, Burke was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1982 and the United States District Court of Massachusetts in 1984. She Christine Burke | 11

The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022 • 11 The Hopkinton Senior Center is open Mondays through Thursdays from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. and Fridays from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. For a more extensive listing of programs and services check Ourseniorcenter. com/find/Hopkinton-council-on-aging or hopkintonseniorcenter.com.

Anyone with questions can call 508-497-9730. The Senior Center also has a Facebook page that provides updates on resources, programs and events.

SENIOR SNIPPETS

Thrift Store The thrift store is open Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Transportation Programs for Seniors The Senior Center offers transportation to and from the Senior Center as well as local shopping Tuesdays through Fridays for Hopkinton residents. The Senior Center also can help residents find transportation assistance for medical appointments and essential shopping. Anyone interested should call the Senior Center to learn more about the transportation options.

Lunch Program The Senior Center website has a full lunch menu. Individuals should call to sign up at least two days in advance. The cost is $5 per meal, or a pre-purchased ticket for five meals is $20.

Art Appreciation: Landscapes Old and New Thursday, March 10, 1-2 p.m.

In this in-person presentation, attendees will explore the genre of landscape painting as it has changed over time, showcasing a variety of cultures and time periods, offering an opportunity to experience artists’ diverse and powerful decisions — some subtle, some bold — as they portray Europe, Asia and America. The cost is $3 per person.

Cultural Conversations: South Africa — A Beautiful Mix Wednesday, March 16, 12:30-2 p.m.

(virtual) Tour Guide Deon Kitching started Embrace South Africa Tours 18 years ago to enrich people’s lives through authentic opportunities to connect with the diversity of South African culture and discover the immense beauty of the country. This live, authentic South African virtual tour includes highlights from Cape Town, Table Mountain, the penguin colony at Boulders Simon’s Town, Cape Point Nature Reserve, Robbern Island (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years) and so much more. Call the Senior Center for the link.

St. Patrick’s Day Party Thursday, March 17, 12-1:30 p.m.

Join the Senior Center for a traditional Saint Patrick’s Day lunch of corned beef and cabbage. Music and entertainment will be provided by the Black Velvet Band, Boston’s premier Irish show and dance band, whose repertoire boasts a large and diverse collection of well-known, easy-listening ballads, lively pub songs, feisty rebel tunes, sing-alongs, oldies, rock classics

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and contemporary songs — something for everyone. There will be no regular lunch program this day. Space is limited.

Registration required by March 9. This event is fully sponsored by the Friends of Hopkinton Seniors.

Musical Baseball Show Thursday, March 24, 1 p.m.

Performing a unique, interactive and highly entertaining program, local singer-songwriter (and former sportswriter) Howie Newman will sing baseball songs, offer up baseball trivia and tell stories about his days as a sportswriter on the Red Sox beat.

Howie covered baseball for the Patriot Ledger, Lowell Sun, Boston Globe and Lynn Item as well as several other newspapers and magazines. For three years, he provided color commentary for the Lowell Spinners, a Red Sox farm team, on WCAP radio. Howie will display his personal memorabilia and have a few door prizes available. This program is sponsored by a grant from the Hopkinton Cultural Council, which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

CABINETRY

Outreach Services The Senior Center has an Outreach Department. The department can help identify assistance programs (including fuel assistance), loan durable medical equipment, help with transportation and much more. Anyone looking for assistance or more information about services should call to make an appointment.

Christine Burke law office specializes in estate planning Christine Burke | from page 10

then went on to earn a Master of Laws in Taxation (LLM) from Boston University in 1985.

With tax season in full swing, consulting with an expert like Burke can ensure income and estate tax filing is conducted with the utmost accuracy and efficiency for both individuals as well as small business clients. Burke’s extensive experience in the field paired with her genuine concern for clients’ well-being make her particularly well suited for this profession.

Since much of Burke’s work takes place upon the loss of a family member, Burke emphasizes that her ability to handle cases with compassion and understanding is key. Her sincere empathy is essential as she “helps families through a very difficult time.”

In addition to her estate planning specialization, Burke represents buyers and sellers in real estate, and she also has an extensive referral network with financial planners and other attorneys.

Burke looks forward to continuing to assist residents of Hopkinton and the surrounding region and encourages prospective clients to call 508-435-8500 or email christine.burke.law@gmail.com for more information.

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Schools School Committee votes to drop mask mandate Feb. 28

By Mary Ellen Gambon Contributing Writer

T

he School Committee at its meeting last Thursday voted to discontinue the school mask mandate policy starting Feb. 28 by a 4-1 vote.

Because of a federal mandate, masks still will be required on school buses.

The decision was in line with an announcement earlier this month from Gov. Charlie Baker and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Commissioner Jeffrey Riley, who indicated that the statewide mask requirement in schools would be lifted on Feb. 28.

Before reaching its decision, committee members considered the sharp decline in the number of student cases since the beginning of the month as well as the results of an online survey conducted by student representative Jessie Ianelli along with teacher opinions. They also heard from Board of Health Director Shaun McAuliffe, who spoke about the move toward personal responsibility as society moves from a pandemic to endemic stage.

“We just want to state to the community that our focus is really on the metrics,” McAuliffe said. “What we’re trying to do is kind of put all the vitriol [aside] and just bring everybody together.”

Per a report from the Department of Public Health last Thursday, the average daily rate of cases in town was 46.7 per 100,000 people (the state average was 36.5).

McAuliffe said he did not expect to see a surge after the February school vacation given Hopkinton’s high vaccination rate compared to periods when there were outbreaks after other holiday

breaks. He said many residents travel during vacations, which was how a variant from Australia recently was introduced to the Elmwood School population.

“Our ask is that when we go into February break that we be conscientious,” McAuliffe said.

Member Amanda Fargiano asked the superintendent about the concern regarding classroom disruption that the omicron variant caused because of higher absenteeism rates.

When there were higher case counts, the superintendent noted that “there was great disruption to teaching and learning” because lesson plans had to remediate lesson plans.

“They, too, would say to me that this is almost untenable,” Cavanaugh said. “And I’m not going to lie. In the months of December and January and February, they struggled.”

In her presentation to the committee, the superintendent noted that almost all segments of Hopkinton’s population have reached greater than 95 percent full vaccination status. The exceptions were 50-64-year-olds (94 percent) and those between the ages of 20-29 (87 percent).

The number of students who had COVID from Feb. 9-16 was five or under at each school. This showed a decrease from the previous week, when there were six cases at the high school, 13 at the middle school, seven at Hopkins, eight at Elmwood and 12 at Marathon.

Because of the handful of students that are contracting COVID-19, Cavanaugh said the absentee rates would be comparable to those caused by the common cold.

“When numbers are down to 20, I feel great about it,” she added.

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stick to the agenda. Chair Nancy Cavanaugh told the woman that if she wanted to make a public comment, she should do so during the public comment period rather than talk about an individual student. However, the parent continued to speak for several minutes.

“I think there’s an important conversation we need to have that’s outside of the scope of the middle school program of studies,” Cavanaugh said as she tried to rein the conversation back to the agenda item. “ I don’t want to overlook the fact that we kind of just had a large moment in here. But I do think that’s something that we need to come back to as a committee [at a later date].”

After the vote accepting the middle school program of studies, Keller addressed those present.

“I don’t think that it’s a secret,” he said, “that there have been a number of issues this particular year at the middle school.”

He said that he and other middle school principals have talked about the

HopkintonIndependent.com

struggles that the students have faced, more so than any other year of his 12 years of service, due to “a lot of factors.”

“Unfortunately there have been some situations where students have been called inappropriate, unkind, racist comments and made racist comments to one other,” Keller continued.

“That’s something that we’re working to address. … It is something that we’re putting extensive amounts of time into.”

Keller said that, in addition to middle school years being a difficult period, the pandemic could have been a factor in this behavior, as well as the content on some social media apps. He has been working with a consultant for the past two months on how teachers should address micro-aggressions and inappropriate behavior.

“I don’t feel good about the incidents that have happened this year,” he said. “It’s something that we all as a community and as a staff are working to address. And I am hopeful that we will appropriately address these issues.”

The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022 • 13

Local students win state-level awards for writing, arts H

PHOTO/HOPKINTON HIGH SCHOOL

opkinton High School students captured 31 state-level awards in the 2022 Scholastic Writing Awards competition.

Senior Kevin Gu led the way with 10 awards, SCHOOLS including an American NOTEBOOK Voices Nominee, an honor bestowed on the top five writing submissions in the state, for his poem titled “georgia, atlanta [ululation].”

Gu received a gold key award for three poems, a silver key for two poems, and honorable mention for two other poems as well as a writing portfolio.

Other students recognized included freshman Daniel Applebaum (silver key for poetry), senior Mary Billeter (gold key for flash fiction and honorable mention for short story), freshman Evan Fitzpatrick (honorable mention for critical essay), junior Owen Fitzpatrick (honorable mention for poetry), junior Brian Gu (honorable mention for short story), junior Shelby Jones (honorable mention for poetry), junior Maggie Joyce (silver key for short story), junior Ishita Khurana (gold key and silver key for critical essays), senior Korbin Alexei Munn (gold key for personal essay and memoir), freshman Anoushka Nair (silver key and honorable mention for personal essay and memoirs), junior Mathias Niss (silver key for poetry), senior Jenny Rock (honorable mention for critical essay), junior Olivia Stacey (honorable mentions for poetry and personal essay and memoir), senior Afnaan Syed (honorable mention for critical essay), sophomore YeonSeo Yoo (gold key for poetry) and senior Grace Young (honorable mention for short story

Members of Hopkinton High School’s robotics Team 2602B compete in a recent tournament in Framingham, where the team won the Design Award and advanced to next month’s Southern New England regional championship.

and silver key for flash fiction).

Hopkinton students also had success in the Scholastic Art Awards competition, earning 29 awards.

Senior Cindy Yang won four gold keys: two for drawing and illustration, one for art portfolio and one for digital art.

Yang also won a silver key for art portfolio and an honorable mention for drawing and illustration.

Other local winners included sophomore Sarah Durand (gold key for digital art), senior Connor Grady (gold key for architecture and industrial design, and honorable mention for drawing and illustration), seventh-grader Penelope Dallmeyer (gold key for design), senior Kevin Gu (silver key for mixed media), senior Shayna Hanson (silver key for photography), senior Korbin Alexei Munn (silver key for painting, and honorable mention for comic art), freshman Rabiya Quadri (silver key for photography), seventhgrader Kathryn Anderson (silver key for design), eighth-grader Ali Boyer (silver key for photography), eighth-grader Clifford Kazanjian (silver key for drawing and illustration), sophomore Eva Bennet (honorable mention for mixed media), junior Daniel D’Alleva (honorable mention for digital art), junior Owen Fitzpatrick (honorable mention for sculpture), sophomore Kyra Levenson (honorable mention for digital art), junior Avery Ravech (honorable mention for for design), sophomore Isabella Resteghini (honorable mention for architecture and industrial design), junior Zoe Shaffer (honorable mention for digital art), freshman Maeve Swab (honorable mention for digital art), senior Schools Notebook | 15

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14 • The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022

School Committee duo cleared after open meeting law complaint

By Mary Ellen Gambon Contributing Writer

I

n a special meeting of the School Committee on Feb. 15, members Joe Markey and Meg Tyler were cleared of an allegation brought forth at the Feb. 3 meeting that they violated open meeting law by holding a Zoom meeting on Jan. 30 regarding the district’s mask policy with a resident who is considering running for the committee.

Resident Lori Nickerson filed the complaint with the state’s attorney general’s office on Jan. 31, the day after the alleged violation occurred. In her statement, Nickerson said that Markey and Tyler participated in a Zoom conversa-

tion with resident Christopher Melton.

Nickerson said it was in violation of open meeting law because “the purpose of the Zoom meeting was to discuss and deliberate strategy regarding upcoming School Committee business.”

A quorum of three School Committee members was not present during the Zoom call in question, so that did not constitute a violation, according to the attorney reviewing the case. However, some of the correspondence between members did shed light on the use of social media by those in public office and how conversations on a broad topic could be perceived by some to be more specific in nature.

Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh led an investigation of the matter after the

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It’s my hope that in transparently sharing the process that we have in the information here tonight that will put to rest any concerns from the public regarding our compliance with the open meeting law as a committee.

— School Committee Chair Nancy Cavanaugh

committee voted unanimously that she do so. She had 14 business days from the date of receipt of the complaint to respond to the inquiry, and the response was due to the AG’s office by Feb. 18.

She said she compiled “all digital and electronic correspondence” made by Markey and Tyler, including emails, texts and social media posts that included the topics of masking and off-ramping from the mask mandate. The superintendent noted that both Tyler and Markey “very willingly” sent all information requested to the central office for review.

All School Committee members were given a list of questions to answer by legal counsel, the superintendent added, and everyone complied with responses.

On Feb. 1, School Committee Chair Nancy Cavanaugh and the superintendent met with attorney Nancy Campany for guidance before the School Committee meeting during which the complaint was raised.

“It’s my hope that in transparently sharing the process that we have in the information here tonight that will put to rest any concerns from the public regarding our compliance with the open meeting law as a committee,” the chair said. She noted that it will show that the committee has “taken some steps to rebuild the faith in the process that we use here.”

After analyzing the information and the complaint, Campany said there was no violation because there were only two committee members present.

“One thing I want to make clear is that there is no prohibition in the open meeting law and members communicating about committee business with members of the public,” Campany stressed. She said that meeting with a citizen is “perfectly regular and usual,” and that communicating with people is a part of their role as members.

A violation also could occur if two members asked a person to express their thoughts to another committee member, according to Campany.

“Based on the Zoom meeting itself, it doesn’t appear in and of itself that there was any open meeting law violation in that,” she said.

However, the Facebook posting about the Zoom meeting by Melton raised the question of whether it was an attempt to communicate the views of Tyler and Markey to other committee members.

Campany said that it is a closed Facebook page, and no members of the committee are members of that group, which she did not name.

Campany said that no committee members viewed Melton’s post. Markey and Tyler told her that they were not aware that Melton intended to quote them on Facebook.

She noted that one of the things the AG’s office will look for is intent. Based on her analysis, she saw no intent in either the Facebook post or the Zoom to communicate opinions to other committee members.

“But we do have to note that sometimes the attorney general has had determinations where they’ve said that, to

HopkintonIndependent.com

extent of the inquiry is made, if other information comes to light that that might suggest that there have been deliberations outside of a public body, they should take steps to remedy those situations,” Campany continued.

She noted that “some communications may constitute unintentional deliberations.” There could be incidental comments made that might appear to be potential deliberations. There were brief text messages between Markey and Tyler as well as Markey and Nancy Cavanaugh on the topic of the school mask policy.

Campany recommended that the information from the conversations be read into the record for the sake of transparency. She also suggested that the committee members undergo additional training about the open meeting law. It appeared that there was some unfamiliarity about the way the attorney general interprets open meeting law, which Campany said “becomes more and more detailed every day.”

She provided a draft of a response to the complainant and the draft cover letter to the attorney general, which the committee reviewed during the meeting and approved unanimously. In the letter, it was stated that all communications would be made public.

Tyler said she liked the idea of doing an open meeting law training, and Nancy Cavanaugh agreed.

Markey said that any emails that were of possible concern should be read aloud to make them public record. He also volunteered to summarize his conversation.

“One of the things that we have always put forward as a committee is transparency,” Nancy Cavanaugh said, noting that this issue has been “awkward” for everyone involved.

All the texts and emails were read aloud by the attorney to be captured as part of the public record. The exchange between the chair and Markey were regarding putting the potential off-ramping option on the agenda for the Feb. 3 meeting and a wording change of the agenda post.

Tyler and Markey provided copies of the same text exchanges about a news story on calls to unmask children. Markey asked how to get people “off Facebook and into meetings” to discuss their opinions on the topic. Tyler also mentioned the vote on the school calendar, and Markey shared a link to a letter to the editor.

Markey also sent an email as a parent to members of the Board of Health, the superintendent, the chair, and Town Manager Norman Khumalo about the possibility that the testing of students upon their return to school on day six after having COVID-19 may have legal ramifications.

These communications, when taken together, “could potentially create an issue with the open meeting law,” Campany said. However, they are now a part of the public record, which should mitigate that argument.

Markey and Tyler read summaries of their conversations durOpen meeting law | 15

SINGLE ITEM TO COMPLETE CLEAN-OUTS

The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022 • 15

School Committee duo cleared after open meeting law complaint Open meeting law | from page 14

ing the Zoom about the school masking issue.

Markey noted that other people were invited to the Zoom, but only Tyler and Melton attended.

“I gathered this from [Melton’s] response and stories: people are afraid to speak up,” Markey said. noting there was a drop in emails received to the School Committee during this period.

Markey talked about “the deterioration of social norms” caused by the pandemic and the polarization that has resulted. He added that people should write letters and attend meetings, which he encouraged Melton to do “because it does make a difference.”

“I don’t respect that some members of our community who disagree with others’ opinions are slipping into incivility,” he continued. This behavior may make others afraid to speak out on issues in which they have

strong opinions.

“Fortunately, I have the courage and fortitude to speak up for what I think is right for students, teachers and schools,” Markey went on, “while others engage in what I consider to be petty behavior.”

Tyler said the nature of the Zoom conversation was casual.

“I would just ask us all to be more careful about using social media,” she added, “and believing what we read on social media without consulting the sources themselves.

“All of a sudden, we were publicly condemned and harangued, and the inquiry had not even begun yet,” Tyler continued. “And I think that was very hurtful for both of us.”

She also asked the committee to consider having an “absolute moratorium” on its members using Facebook.

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HHS students honored Schools Notebook | from page 13

Parth Tare (honorable mention for drawing and illustration), eighth-grader Jianing Huang (honorable mention for drawing and illustration) and seventhgrader Kenley Siva (honorable mention for design).

Gold key-winning submissions from both competitions are being reviewed for national medal consideration, with winners to be announced March 23, and will be shared at the Massachusetts Scholastic Art and Writing Awards regional online exhibition.

HHS magazine best in nation The Hopkinton High School literary magazine Marginal was named the Most Outstanding High School Literary Magazine for 2021 by the American Scholastic Press Association. Six high school magazines across the country were recognized, with Marginal earning the top spot for schools with 1,0001,700 students. …

The Hopkinton High School Art Department Honors Exhibition is underway at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts. Public viewing lasts until March 6, and a closing reception will be held March 3 from 6-7 p.m.

Artists featured include Kevin Gu, Deeksha Vaidyanathan, Brooke Best, Korbin Munn, Annalise Curl, Connor Grady, Josh Blangeard, An-wen Huang, Avery Ravech and Sofia Luce. …

HHS sophomore Eva Bennet was runner-up and junior Shelby Jones advanced to the semifinals in the recent Poetry Outloud competition. …

Five students were selected to represent HHS at the Massachusetts Music Educators Association 68th All-State Music Festival on March 5 at Symphony Hall in Boston: Jordyn Ahlstrom-Hall, Abigail Baskin, Luciano Duca, Carolina Ozmun and Hana Ruran. …

The HHS Science Fair is scheduled for Tuesday, March 1. Two days later, there will be a celebration and the awarding of prizes.

Robotics teams shine Hopkinton High School robotics Team 2602B won the Design Award at the VEX Robotics Tipping Point Tournament in Framingham on Feb. 5 and advanced to next month’s Southern New England regional championship.

HHS hosted a VEX Robotics and REC Foundation event in late January, and three Hopkinton teams earned awards. Team 2602H won the Excellence Award, Team 2602A was the Skills Champion and Team 2602K won the Judges Award.

Local collegians honored The University of New Hampshire’s fall dean’s list includes a number of Hopkinton residents. Jessica Mellor, Eliza Westbury, Isabella Houley, Ivy Gogolin and Mollie Mahoney received highest honors.

Helen Aghababian, Alexandra Lee, Lia Brossi, Elizabeth Liberta, Gregory Schaefer and Samuel

Lozeau earned high honors. Adara Groman, Jenna Willwerth, Peter Mitchell, Galen Graham and Jonathan Goldberg were recognized with honors. …

Casey McClean was named to the dean’s list at the University of Hartford. …

Alex Barker-Hook was named to the dean’s list at Ithaca College. …

At Tufts University, senior Robyn Auslander, junior John Youssef, sophomore Grace Ye and freshman Sasha Fomin were named to the dean’s list. …

Bobby McGuire, Elizabeth DeSimone and Molly Doherty were among those named to the dean’s list at Providence College. …

Mia Carboni was named to the dean’s list at the College of William & Mary. …

At the University of Tampa, Kelsey Breslin, who is majoring in musical theatre, and Allison Rossillo, who is majoring in finance, earned dean’s list honors. …

Owen Bradley (majoring in business management), Lucy Hassler (liberal studies/education), Emma Murphy (liberal studies/education), Katherine O’Connor (communication), Selia Potas (studio art) and Jack Sloan (marketing) were named to the dean’s list at Endicott College. …

Emilee Trudeau was named to the dean’s list at Framingham State University. …

At Bryant University, senior Ted Torres and sophomores Dennis Field and Jacqueline Zeigler were named to the dean’s list. …

Megan Canfield earned a spot on the dean’s list at Emmanuel College. …

Alex Kovacs was named to the dean’s list at Bates College. …

Emmaline Kent was named to the dean’s list at Husson University. …

At Merrimack College, Natalie Calkins, a junior who is majoring in health science, was named to the president’s list. Gabriel Lopez, a junior majoring in criminal justice with a minor in pre-law, was named to the dean’s list as well as the The National Society of Leadership and Success. Katelyn Distasio was named to the dean’s list. …

At Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Ryan Hawkins, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, Patrick Mejia, a junior majoring in computer science, Aabid Peermohammed, a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering, Alopa Waje, a freshman majoring in biomedical engineering, and Oliver Yasuna, a freshman majoring in computer science, were named to the dean’s list.

Also at WPI, all undergraduates are required to complete a research-driven, professional-level project that applies science and technology to addresses an important societal need or issue. This past fall, Mejia completed a project titled “Expanding Business and Crafting Partnerships,” while junior Alexander Guerra competed a project titled “Restoration of Panama’s Juan Diaz River Watershed.”

Editor’s note: Information for college honors is provided by the schools. Those interested in being included in this section should forward the official notification or request for the school to email it to editor@hopkintonindependent.com.

HopkintonIndependent.com

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RE/MAX Executive Realty congratulates award winner

Noah Cann

T

he McBride Team of RE/MAX Executive Realty would like to congratulate Noah Cann on his award for Student of the Month.

Noah is a sophomore at Hopkinton High School. Noah’s teachers describe him as one of the most hard-working students they have seen. He is always prepared for class, is extremely focused, and is always respectful and polite. Shy by nature, Noah is confident in his abilities and demonstrates that confidence through his contribution to discussions in class.

Noah is a member of the Hopkinton High School JV Soccer team. This is one of his greatest accomplishments. Being a soccer referee and summer camp counselor keep Noah busy with part time employment.

In the future, Noah hopes to earn a bachelor’s degree, be successful in his career and start a family.

Congratulations, Noah!

Katie McBride Debbie Brosseau 508-277-9600 katie@mcbrideteam.com

The McBride Team

22 South Street, Suite 203 Hopkinton www.mcbrideteam.com

16 • The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022

plant, rich with story, magic and medicine. In this one-hour class, attendees will explore the imagery, deities, planetary rulings and magical properties associated with mugwort. Participants then will be led through creative prompts inspired by mugwort that will unleash their own storytelling, poem-writing or art-making power! Attendees should bring a notebook along with painting, drawing or collage supplies. The first 20 registrants will be able to pick up a pouch of mugwort from the library so they can continue their creative dance with this marvelous plant.

Register via the library website.

LIBRARY CORNER For more information on any of the following programs or other activities at the library, visit hopkintonlibrary. org. The library also can be found on Facebook, @ hopkintonlibrary, and on Twitter, @ HopkintonPLMA.

CALENDAR

Veterans Breakfast first Friday of each month

Digital cards available Friends of the Hopkinton Public Library provides all the funding for the library Adventure Passes. Patrons are encouraged to consider Adventure Passes when planning for February school vacation.

The HUMAN puzzle —– The U in YOU Workshop Wednesday, Feb. 23, 7-8:30 p.m. (Zoom) In this interactive and fun workshop, coach Namrata Mathur will explore what values are, what values are important to YOU and why, how they shape YOU and how they may shift over the course of YOUR life.

Museum of Bad Art: In the Mood Tuesday, March 1, 7 p.m. (Zoom) Massachusetts’ Museum of Bad Art collects, exhibits and celebrates art that will be seen in no other venue. MOBA interprets the art, compares it to classic art, and shares the adventure of building MOBA to a worldwide phenomenon.

This is art too bad to be ignored! Register via the library website.

Plants as Muse: Mugwort with Nora Toomey Tuesday, March 22, 7 p.m. (Zoom) Mugwort, or Artemisia vulgaris, is a plant that is woven so deeply into the folklore and mythology of countless cultures around the world. It is an ancient

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Your Complete Care Care Station

Computerized engine tune-up Computerized 4 wheel alignment Computerized wheel balancing Exhaust systems Cooling systems Complete brake jobs Certified mechanics Propane tanks filled Professional automobile repairs Car pick-up and delivery service Official MA emission repair station

The Hopkinton Trail Coordination and Management Committee (TCMC) and the Hopkinton Trails Club have created a monthly trail volunteer day on the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m.-noon. Residents also are encouraged to inform these groups of maintenance issues observed on trails (downed trees, trails becoming overgrown, etc.) by emailing TCMCchair@hopkintonma.gov or hopkinton.trails.club@gmail.com.

For more information, visit hopkintontrailsclub.com. The March monthly trail volunteer day is March 5 at the Whitehall Conservation Area (limited parking; additional parking is available at the Whitehall boat ramp).

Family Fling at Town Common March 26 The Friends of Hopkinton and the Hopkinton Lions Club invite all residents to the first Family Fling, to be held on the Town Common on Saturday, March 26, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Activities will include a scavenger hunt, football toss, corn hole, hula hoops, bubbles and much more. There will be free hot chocolate, coffee and munchkins provided by Dunkin’.

For more information, visit friendsofhopkinton.org.

Baypath Humane Society’s annual Fur Ball Gala will be held Saturday, March 26, from 6-11 p.m. at the Marriott hotel ballroom in Newton. This year’s event has the theme of “A Night in Paris.” The event will include a number of auction items in a wide price range. The dress code is black tie optional. Tickets are $100 and include food, entertainment and dancing. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit baypathhumane. org/fur-ball-gala.

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The Veterans Breakfast is held on the first Friday of every month from 9-10 a.m. at the Hopkinton Senior Center. In July, and if the first Friday of the month is a holiday or snow day, the breakfast switches to the second Friday. No registration is required. For more information, contact Amy Beck or Judi Allessio at the Senior Center, 508-497-9730.

Baypath Humane Society Fur Ball March 26

HOPKINTON SHELL

• • • • • • • • • • •

To submit an item for the Hopkinton Independent calendar section, email the information to: editor@HopkintonIndependent.com. Submissions should be limited to 100 words and are subject to editing by the HI staff.

2018 LiftMaster All Rights Reserved. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of Wi-Fi Alliance. Apple® and iPhone® are registered trademarks of Apple Inc.

Delta Generators Concert Feb. 26 | 8:00 p.m.

Cheap Laughs Comedy Night March 5 | 8:00 p.m.

African Dance Workshop—FREE Feb. 27 | 2:00 p.m.

Stanley & Grimm Celtic Concert March 12 | 8:00 p.m.

Winning awards and playing to sold-out shows across New England and beyond, the Boston-based Delta Generators have made quite a name for themselves since hitting the scene in 2008. Their music brings together their diverse musical influences, drawing on the traditions of blues, roots, R&B, Americana and rock to create a sound uniquely their own. This is one show you do not want to miss.

Have fun dancing and learning about the history of African dance. SIMBA is a dance academy that teaches traditional, contemporary, and modern African dance for all age groups. The different steps and movement taught are to awaken happiness, self-confidence, creativity, and joy of dancing. Great for youth 4 years old to adults! This is a FREE event but registration is required. This program is offered in part by a grant from the Hopkinton Cultural Council and Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Join us for a night of great comedy featuring four comedians from Cheap Laughs. Taking the stage will be Paul Gillespie, the Founding Cheap Laughs Comic, JJ Jones, David Thomas, Jr., Shaun Eli Breidbart, and Janet McNamara. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to see great comics you’ve never heard of. Our friends at Cocktails will have beer and wine for purchase that evening.

Come celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by joining us for a toe-tapping evening of amazing Celtic music from our friends Stanley & Grimm. Your ticket includes the concert, a beer, and a meat pie! Fiddler Nikki Engstrom and guitarist and singer Sean Brennan have been performing throughout New England as the duo Stanley & Grimm playing concerts, house parties, festivals, weddings, and pubs to a growing base of fans.

Your Arts Center | Tickets & Details at HopArtsCenter.org

HopkintonIndependent.com

The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022 • 17

Sports Simoes reflects on career after MBCA Hall of Fame induction Steve Simoes was inducted into the Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame earlier this month.

FILE PHOTO/TRICIA LACASCIA PHOTOGRAPHY

By Chris Villani Contributing Writer

L

ongtime Hopkinton High School baseball coach Steve Simoes reflected back on his decades-long career after earning induction into the Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and realized just how much of the story of his life has revolved around baseball.

Looking around the room when he gave his acceptance speech on Feb. 5, he saw his high school coach, childhood friends, teammates from high school and college, and numerous people he has coached.

“It was a real cross section of people and a lot of lifetime friends,” Simoes said. “But they are all linked somehow through baseball.”

Simoes has won four sectional championships during his years with the Hillers and hit a pinnacle in 2004 when his team finished 24-2 and captured the state title. Hopkinton nearly added a second state championship last spring, advancing to the Division 2 final before falling to St. Mary’s of Lynn.

“The championship games are always special,” he said.

But equally special is the way he has seen the town of Hopkinton change through the lens of coaching baseball through the years. Simoes was inducted along with legendary Hopedale High School coach Joe Small. When Simoes started coaching the Hillers, the school was smaller than Hopedale. These days, Simoes’ teams compete against some of the largest schools in Eastern Massachusetts.

“It shows the transition of Hopkinton, the growth of the town from one of the smallest in the league to now a large Division 2 school,” he said. “The consistency has been that I have always had tremendous kids. That

hasn’t changed from the small-town feel to now, I have been blessed with great kids and great families.”

While Simoes can easily recall his team’s triumphs, he also has vivid memories of the early years back in the mid-1990s when the goal was simply to qualify for the tournament.

“I remember our first state tournament game well, from 1995,” he said.

“We faced top-notch teams in those games early on and we did really well.”

Simoes coached long enough to coach his son, Stephen, before the younger Simoes went off to Bowdoin College.

“The years coaching my son really stands out,” Simoes said. “His senior year was very special to me.”

Simoes’ older son, Tim, attended Xaverian Brothers High School and last year graduated from West Point, where he played baseball.

During his induction speech, Simoes thanked Keith Verra, a longtime assistant who Simoes called his “righthand man.” He also expressed appreciation for the sub-varsity coaches who have kept the program strong, and much of his speech was focused on his high school coach at Notre Dame in West Haven, Connecticut, Tom Marcucci, who won more than 500 games leading that school’s baseball and football programs, capturing state titles in both.

“He is the one who inspired me to coach,” Simoes said.

Simoes had a stint coaching at Millis, but Hopkinton has been the primary benefactor of that inspiration through the years.

“It’s definitely an honor,” Simoes said. “When I was preparing the speech, I saw that almost everybody in my life has some sort of connection to baseball. It made me realize how significant baseball has been in my life.”

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18 • The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022

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By Chris Villani Contributing Writer

T

We are just trying to build team

he Hopkinton High School culture and have everybody get better girls ski team has been able to find success on the slopes this winduring every week of skiing. They ter, with second-place finishes in the team’s early competitions and have to be able to ski and bring that steady improvement throughout ability onto the race course. the season.

There are 14 girls on this year’s — HHS skiing coach Shawn Mato team, which is the first led by coach Shawn Mato. The Hillers have been fueled by some strong top-end talent, Mato said, with several skiers in contention for a spot in the state meet.

“They have been doing great,” Mato said. “They have been right there in every race and there have been some close results with strong individual performances across the team.”

Klara Niss has been a top skier for the Hillers this winter. She has stood out in both the slalom and giant slalom events, Mato said.

“She has done a really good job,” the coach said. “She really handles the races well and she is one of our strongest skiers in her second year on the team.”

Freshman Lila Mato is new to the program but has done well in both events so far and is another strong skier and skilled racer. Junior Libby Herlihy is a veteran of the program, and Mato said she has gotten better as the year has progressed.

“She is really coming on strong in the second half of the season, which is great to see,” he said.

Annaleigh Crantz is a freshman who joined the program with limited race experience but considerable skill in the sport. Mato said she is another athlete who has continued to improve.

Seniors Avery Hutchinson, Torri Fisher and Ally Berry all have done a great job, their coach said, providing leadership on and off the slopes.

Heading into the final race of the season, Hopkinton had several skiers on the bubble in terms of qualifying for the state meet. Mato said he would like to get as many skiers to states as possible, but his primary goals for the team are simpler and more forward-looking.

“We are just trying to build team culture and have everybody get better during every week of skiing,” he said. “They have to be able to ski and bring that ability onto the race course. I think my goals are around building that strong team unit and having the kids peak as we get to the end of the season.”

If some of the recent results at Shrewsbury’s Ski Ward are any indication, Hopkinton is delivering on the coach’s goals.

“Most of the kids had their best races in our last meet,” Mato said. “I was pretty impressed. You can tell that they are skiing better.”

Farrell enjoys memorable run in Olympics Hillers wrestlers earn state bids T he U.S. hockey team left the Beijing Olympics earlier this month without a medal, but there were some memorable highlights for Hopkinton’s Sean Farrell and his teammates.

The Americans opened the tournament with an 8-0 rout of host SPORTS China, and Farrell was the star, reROUNDUP cording three goals and two assists.

It marked the first hat trick by an American player in the Olympics since Phil Kessel in 2014.

“It’s awesome to get our first game under our belts,” Farrell, a Harvard freshman, said in an interview with NBC Sports after the game. “We’ve been working really hard in practice and coming together as a group off the ice, but we don’t really know what we’ve got until we step on the ice for the first game. That was a great start for us. We obviously have a lot to work on still, but it’s a good building block, and we’ll keep going from here.”

The U.S. continued its success with wins over Canada and Germany to go 3-0 in the qualifying round and earn the top seed for the quarterfinals.

However, Team USA was upset by Slovakia in the quarterfinals, losing in a shootout after the teams played to a 2-2 tie in regulation.

Farrell finished with three goals and three assists and was one of the tournament’s top scorers.

A 20-year-old Harvard freshman, Farrell grew up in Hopkinton before heading to the Midwest as a teenager to play for the U.S. National Development Program and then junior hockey. The 5-foot-9 forward was a fourth-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in the 2020 NHL draft.

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HHS boys wrestling hosted the Division 2 West sectional tournament on Feb. 12, and the Hillers finished fourth while sending nine wrestlers to states: Adam Distasio (fourth place at 106 pounds), Stephen Moody (fourth at 113), James Hoyt (fifth at 120), John Carlson (fourth at 126), Will Liptak (fourth at 132), Josh Huang (second at 138), Sebastian Losada (second at 145), James Muzzy (fourth at 170), Cyrus Hanson (fourth at 182) and Justin Sokol (third at 220).

The team earned a share of the Tri-Valley League championship despite a loss to Ashland on Feb. 10. Hopkinton, Ashland and Norton shared the title.

The match served as the annual Coaches vs.

Cancer fundraiser (postponed from December) and was especially emotional for HHS coach Tim Nelson, who had taken a short leave from the team earlier this season as his father died from stomach cancer.

The teams raised more than $3,000 for the American Cancer Society via donations and a raffle. …

In the girls swimming and diving South sectional meet on Feb. 10, Tess Weatherhead finished third in the diving competition while Eve Weatherhead took seventh. …

At the boys swimming and diving sectional meet, Davis Peishoff swam a personal-best time in qualifying for the state meet in the 100 backstroke.

Sports Roundup | 19

The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022 • 19

Sports Hillers boys skiing rebuilds with small, skilled roster

By Chris Villani Contributing Writer

T

Head to the Start Line!

Don’t let injury stop you from running a marathon

Even with skiing experience, you still

he Hopkinton High School boys have to go out there and basically ski team may not have the roster size enjoyed by some of its oppothrow yourself down the mountain nents, but the Hillers are as talented as many of the larger teams they as fast as you can while still going find themselves competing against, according to coach Shawn Mato. through those gates. It’s not the “There is not a lot of depth on this team and we have several new easiest thing, and then you add in members, but there are some really the competition and it becomes even strong athletes,” Mato said.

Senior Jake Lacoche is one of more challenging. the most experienced skiers on the roster, and Mato said he has done well so far this winter in both the — HHS skiing coach Shawn Mato slalom and giant slalom events.

“He has been around for a while and he is a strong skier,” the coach said. “The men’s division in our league is fairly competitive, but he probably had one of his best races recently, so he is looking to finish strong and we’ll see if we can get him to states. He is probably in, but he is close, on the bubble. Either way, he has done a good job.”

Mathias Niss is another skier who Mato praised for being strong throughout the winter.

“He has done a really good job improving week to week,” Mato said.

Senior Sam LaGoy is another experienced skier, and Mato said he is enjoying a strong season among the talent-rich league that competes at Ski Ward in Shrewsbury.

Hopkinton’s roster this winter includes some exchange students and new skiers, along with some who have never raced before.

“All you want to see as a coach is that they are trying,” Mato said. “If they are willing to come out and try and work hard, then they are doing what we want them to do.”

There is a difference between recreational skiing and ski racing. Mato said the giant slalom, with its wider turns, can be a little bit easier to navigate for those who are less experienced compared to the tighter turns in the slalom.

“Even with skiing experience, you still have to go out there and basically throw yourself down the mountain as fast as you can while still going through those gates,” he said. “It’s not the easiest thing, and then you add in the competition and it becomes even more challenging.”

The Hillers, he added, have done well.

“They’ve been open to feedback and they are getting better as skiers and being aggressive and attacking the course,” Mato said.

Mato is hopeful that the experience will encourage others to try the sport in the coming seasons.

“They have a lot of fun,” he said. “Our kids are going for that last lift at 9 o’clock to get in a little more skiing at the end of the night. Hopefully other kids hear about this and they want to be a part of it.”

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HHS swimmers qualify for states Sports Roundup | from page 18

The 400 freestyle relay team of Tyler Fallon, Lucas Coffman, Peishoff and Kevin Gu finished 10th. …

The HHS cheer team finished third at the Eye of the Tiger competition on Feb. 13.

HHS boys hoops tourney bound The Hopkinton High School boys basketball team clinched a state tournament bid and improved its record to 11-5 with wins over rivals Holliston and Ashland earlier this month. In a 67-29 rout of Holliston on Feb. 8, Nate Kasper scored 23 points. The Hillers then toppled Ashland, 59-44, on Feb. 11, giving them wins in nine out of 10 games. …

Girls basketball dropped a 64-40 decision to Norwood on Feb. 13 despite 14 points from Lauren Cho. In the Senior Night game on Feb. 11, seniors Kiki Fossbender (29 points), Cho (13) and Brooke Dougherty (10) sparked a 57-52 victory over Ashland. …

Boys hockey dropped a tough 5-4 decision to Ashland on Feb. 12, squandering a 4-0 third-period

lead. Ryan Teitel, Joe Scardino, Joey Carrazza and Charlie Purpura scored the HHS goals. Three days earlier, the Hillers routed Holliston, 7-0, with seven players netting a goal apiece: Wyatt Iantosca, Izak Peterson, Declan Durocher, Vasili Zolotarev, Scardino, Teitel and Declan Durocher. …

The girls hockey co-op team fell to Leominster on Feb. 14 by a score of 5-1. The game was tied at 1 entering the third period. Morgan Fraser had the lone Hopkinton goal.

Stonehill’s Cann All-New England Stonehill College track standout Ian Cann was named All-New England following his performance in the mile at the New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association Indoor Track and Field Championships on Feb. 5 at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center in Boston. Cann, a sophomore, finished in sixth place with a personal-best time of 4 minutes, 23.54 seconds. …

Former HHS track standout Tiana Riel Wood was inducted into the Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association Hall of Fame earlier this month.

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20 • The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022

Obituaries Obituaries are submissions, typically from funeral homes, that are not subject to the same level of editorial oversight as the rest of the Hopkinton Independent. Obituaries may be edited for grammatical and factual mistakes and clarifications and shortened for space considerations.

Paul Danahy Judge Paul William Danahy Jr., “Papa,” age 93, passed away in Tampa, Florida, on Feb. 1 after a brief illness.

B o r n April 19, 1928, in Framingham, he was loved and respected by all who knew him, and his qualities were many: kind, generous, considerate, fair, wise, loving, hard-working, humble, devoted, collegial and diplomatic.

He was a true public servant, and one of the greatest of the “Greatest Generation.” Judge Danahy was the first child of teenage parents, and grew up in Hopkinton. Living in a small town with a close-knit family during the Great Depression forever influenced his outlook on life, and his hometown always held a special place in his heart.

He was the first in his family to attend college when he was accepted to Boston College.

Shortly thereafter, he accepted a basketball scholarship and transferred to the University of Tampa in 1948.

Judge Danahy later served on the board of trustees for the university (1975) and received the university’s distinguished alumnus medal (1978). He graduated with a B.A. in history in 1951. Later that same year, he married his college sweetheart, Georgia Reed, at Sacred Heart Church on Christmas Day. They recently celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary.

Judge Danahy served our country in two branches of the armed forces (Marine Corps and Army. After his service, Judge Danahy attended the University of Florida College of Law, while Georgia obtained her master’s degree in education.

After he received his law degree in 1957, the couple returned to Tampa, where Judge Danahy entered private practice. Ultimately, he formed the law firm of Danahy, Garcia and Fields. He served in all three branches of Florida government. He was an assistant Florida attorney general (1957), he served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives (1966-74), and he was a judge for over 33 years.

In 2009, one year after his retirement from the bench, Judge Danahy became of counsel to his son Matt’s law firm, and served on the Development Counsel for Bay Area Legal Services up until the time of his death.

Judge Danahy is survived by his beloved wife of 70 years, Georgia; his dear sister Jo Anne Kellett (Cyril); his son Matthew R. Danahy (Lori); his son

Thomas M. Danahy (Christine Toth); his daughter Laura D. Sailer (Kurt); his grandchildren (who he adored), Kyle J. Sailer, Leah S. R. Barber (Jayce), Conor R. Danahy and Lauren R. Danahy; his great-grandson Benson J. Barber; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He is preceded in death by his mother, Ruth M. Danahy; father, Paul W. Danahy, Sr., and brother, David J. Danahy.

A funeral Mass was held Feb. 12 in Sacred Heart Church, Tampa. Interment took place Feb. 14 at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida. Services were under the care of the Blount & Curry Funeral Home, Tampa.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Danahy Family Foundation. To donate online, go to cftampabay.org/ Danahy. Checks may be made out to the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay and mailed to 4300 W. Cypress Street, Suite 700, Tampa, FL 33607-4157.

Please note “Danahy Family Foundation” in the memo line.

Editor’s note: This obituary was shortened due to space limitations. To see the entire obituary, visit HopkintonIndependent.com.

Joseph Mulvey Joseph (Moon) M. Mulvey Jr., 87, of North Falmouth passed away on Jan. 30. He was born May 15, 1934, in Dorchester to Evelyn (Mauriello) and Joseph M. Mulvey.

J o e was married to his college sweetheart, Janet A. (Jodaitis) of Gardner. They settled down with their big family in Newton and later North Falmouth when they retired. They enjoyed 61 wonderful years of marriage. Joe grew up in North Quincy and attended North Quincy schools and UMass Amherst, where he met his future wife, Janet.

Joe was a private in the U.S. Army Reserves, and was very proud to be a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity and maintained strong bonds with his fellow alumni for the rest of his life. Joe earned his master’s degree from Boston University and was a systems analyst for Honeywell and then Digital Equipment Corporation, where he enjoyed the DECUS conventions.

He and Janet loved to travel and gather with their fraternity friends, enjoying the Falmouth Road Race weekends and other worldwide adventures.

He loved the beach, especially Cape Cod, family gatherings and wintertime pilgrimages to Florida. Joe treasured his visits to Ireland and was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 167 in Newton for 30 years. An avid sports fan, he followed college basketball and loved the Patriots, Red Sox and Bruins. In retirement, Joe proudly served on the board of directors of the Old Silver Beach Estates Homeowners Association for many years. He also enjoyed his time with the Men’s Club, his poker buddies and his study of the

Mulvey family genealogy. He was an avid reader of history, particularly U.S. history.

Joe leaves his twin sister, Evelyn (Mimi) McArdle of North Falmouth, and his brother, Gerard Mulvey and wife Susan of North Quincy. He was predeceased by his sister, Kathleen Aicardi. He leaves his children, Joseph P. Mulvey and wife Robin of Nashua, New Hampshire, Judith A. Regan and husband Thomas of Hopkinton, Timothy J. Mulvey and wife Jilda Balian of Bedford, and David M. Mulvey and wife Elizabeth (Tucker) of Berkeley, California. He also leaves his grandchildren, Michael J. Murphy of Portland, Maine, Rosemary E. Mulvey of Brooklyn, New York, Joseph T. Mulvey of Berkeley, California, Patrick P. Mulvey of Bedford, Nicole Ste. Croix of Nashua, New Hampshire, and Michael Gagerges and wife Melissa of Nashua, New Hampshire. Joe leaves behind great-grandchildren Isabella, Joseph, Aurora, Jacob and Jordan and many loving nieces and nephews.

A funeral Mass was held Feb. 7 at St. Elizabeth Seton Church, Falmouth. Services were under the care of Chapman Funerals & Cremations.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Joe’s memory be made to the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul at (ssvpusa.org).

Ruth McIntire Ruth M. McIntire, 91, of Westport passed away peacefully on Feb. 5.

Born on a dairy farm in Oakham, she was the daughter of John and Josephine Dogul of Oakham, and the youngest of six children. She is survived by her sisters, Irene Giarusso of Barre and Francis Lilly of Centreville, Vi r g i n i a .

Ruth was preceded in death by siblings Anthony Dogul of Oakham, Henry Dogul of Cumberland, Rhode Island, and Helen Gardener of Fort Lauderdale Florida.

Ruth raised her family in Hopkinton and spent time in Westborough and Southborough before settling near the beach in her beloved Westport. She loved sports, especially the Patriots, Red Sox and Clemson Tigers — attending many games in person as a vocal supporter. Ruth cherished time with family, the beach and traveling, and loved swimming and sunbathing. She’ll be remembered as a loving mother and an adoring grandmother.

“Grandma Ruth” is survived by three sons, Glenn McIntire of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, Jim McIntire of Westport, and Scott McIntire and wife Cheryl of Falmouth, and two grandchildren, Brett and Alyssa McIntire.

The family of Ruth McIntire wishes to extend its sincere thanks to the amazing staff at Shrewsbury Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

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Private funeral services will be held at a later date at Pillsbury Funeral Home, North Brookfield. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association: act.alz.org/ goto/rmcintire.

Catherine Chiarelli Mrs. Catherine A. “Kay” (Falzone) Chiarelli of South Dennis, formerly of Waltham, died at home Feb. 6. She was 81.

K a y was born in Waltham on Oct. 6, 1940, to the late James P. and Ann F. (Caminiti) Falzone.

Raised in Watertown, she graduated from Watertown High School in 1958. She married Anthony D. Chiarelli in Sacred Heart Church on Aug. 12, 1962, and the pair made Waltham their home before moving to South Dennis in 1997.

Until her retirement, Kay worked at the Brimmer and May School in Newton and before that had worked at Compo Industries and at Precision Inventories, both in Waltham.

Kay’s life was her family. She loved her roles as wife, mother and grandmother. She was happiest being with her grandchildren. She was an avid tennis player and an accomplished golfer who spent many happy days playing at courses on the Cape.

Kay leaves her husband, retired Waltham Police Captain Anthony D. Chiarelli; her children, Anthony J. Chiarelli (Annie) of Milford, Mark A. Chiarelli (Cheryl) of North Attleboro and Karen A. Chiarelli (Karen David) of Hopkinton; and her grandchildren, Victoria, Stefani, Kristina, Mark, Lindsey and Andrew Chiarelli.

Funeral services were held Feb. 12 in Joyce Funeral Home, Waltham, followed by burial in Mount Feake Cemetery, Waltham.

Memorial donations may be made to VNA of Cape Cod-Hospice, 255 Independence Drive, Hyannis, MA 02601.

Brian Cormier Brian Keith Cormier, 26, of Hopkinton passed away suddenly on Feb. 2. Born in Worcester, he was the son o f B r i an Cormier and Faithanne Soucier, as well as his guardians, Bryan and Kamala Guthrie.

Brian was a charming guy who had an infectious personality. He had a mischievous streak and was affectionately known as the mayor of every place he went. He

The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022 • 21 was a passionate sports fan and an avid video gamer. Brian had been a longtime patient at Franciscan Children’s Hospital in Brighton, and spent most of his younger years in Canton. He strived at the Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children, where he achieved numerous Student of the Month awards. For the past several years, he had been part of the Wrentham Developmental Center.

Brian is survived by his siblings, brother Brandon Maloney and sisters Lila and Ellie Guthrie, Mandi Benson, Shannon Velez and Brittnay Velez and husband Shane. He also has many aunts, uncles and cousins. There is no way to express our gratitude to all of the amazing educators and healthcare workers who helped Brian throughout his life; your dedication and support was incredible. Brian is predeceased by a brother, Connor Patrick Kilrain, and several grandparents.

A funeral Mass was held Feb. 11 at St. John the Evangelist Church in Hopkinton. Interment was to be held at a later date. Services were under the care of the Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children, 3 Randolph Street, Canton, MA 02021.

Poonam Chadha Having bravely faced health challenges over the last several years, Poonam Chadha of Hopkinton passed away peacefully on Feb. 9. In her last days, she was surrounded by her loved ones who will remember her strength, perseverance and incredible capacity to love.

T h e fourth of five children, Poonam was born in Lucknow, India, to Kailash and Baij Nath Chadha.

She immigrated to the United States at the age of 18 with her parents and siblings, Nutan, Pravesh, Pradeep and Sanjiv.

She worked long and hard hours as a visiting nurse for many years, bringing joy, comfort and care to her patients.

A loving mother to two children, Eric and Alicia, Poonam also was a grandmother to Arjun and Kareena.

She was a beloved auntie to many nieces and nephews, treasured partner to Thomas, and dear family member to a large extended family. She was a cherished friend to many, including her longtime caregiver, Bella.

There is no person in the world like Poonam. While describing her is difficult, the adjective that most readily comes to mind is loving. She was outgoing and warm, and she could easily hold a conversation with anyone. She was chatty, funny and friendly. She dabbled in many hobbies such as playing the piano and painting, and she had a particular love of planting flowers.

A funeral service was held Feb. 11 at the Chesmore Funeral Home in Hopkinton. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Heart Association.

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Arthur Gendron Dr. Arthur L. Gendron Jr., “Art,” 69, of Hopkinton passed away Feb. 5 surrounded by his loving family. He leaves behind his wife of 36 years, Linda J. Clancy, as well as his three children, Grant, Danielle and Andrea and her husband, Max Robidoux.

Art was predeceased by his father, Arthur, mother, Rita, and brother, Richard.

Art was born in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, and was a graduate of Boston University’s prestigious sixyear combined-degree college and medical school program. Art lived his life caring for his family and others.

He treated thousands of patients over his 40-plus years as a family practice physician (including decades of practice at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Manchester, New Hampshire).

A quietly determined man of piercing intelligence, Art achieved his life’s goal of providing a wonderful family life for his wife and children. He loved games, walks, books and bicycling.

He enjoyed spending hours walking the beaches of Cape Cod and taking boat rides in Boston Harbor. Attending Red Sox games and watching the Patriots and Boston College football were treasured activities. He also loved living in Hopkinton and visiting Chatham. He will be missed every day by his family.

A funeral Mass was held Feb. 19, at St. John the Evangelist Church, Hopkinton. Due to COVID, a collation will be held at a later date to allow for a safer gathering. Services are under the care of the Chesmore Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Boston (giving.spauldingrehab.org) or to the Hopkinton Public Library (hopkintonlibraryfriends.org/donate).

Giovanna Moynihan Giovanna “Jenny” (Mazzola) Moynihan, 90, of Leominster died peacefully on Feb. 11 at her home. She was the wife of the late Richard Moynihan and leaves a son, John, and his wife, Judy, of Hopkinton an d a d a u g h t e r, M a r y, o f Worcester.

Jenny is survived by her sister, Lucia “Lucy” Hutchinson of Leominster, and was predeceased by her brother, Gerardo (Gerry) Mazzola. She also leaves several cousins, nieces and nephews.

Jenny was born Sept. 2, 1931, the daughter of Loretto and Antonia Mazzola (Pellegrini), and lived in Leominster her entire life. She graduated from St. Bernard’s High School, received her B.A. from Salem State University and master’s in education from Fitchburg

State University. While at Salem State, Jenny was active in several campus organizations and a member of the school’s women’s tennis team.

Jenny retired from the Leominster School System after teaching business education at the high school for 25 years. She also served as the school’s senior class yearbook advisor. During retirement, she and Richard enjoyed their home in Yarmouth Port and travelled throughout Italy. Jenny and her family were lifelong parishioners of St. Ann’s, where she taught CCD for the parish.

Jenny will be remembered for her gracious, thoughtful and reserved presence. She was a loving wife, a caring and devoted mother, a loyal friend and a mentor to her students. John and Mary are forever grateful to the caregivers who assisted their mother in her final years.

A funeral Mass was held Feb. 15 at St. Anna’s Church, Leominster. Services were under the care of Richardson Funeral Home, Leominster.

Dorothy Meehan Dorothy M. (Kelly) Meehan of Hopkinton, formerly of Franklin, died suddenly Feb. 6. She was the beloved wife of the late John Meehan, the loving mother of Mark H a w i s h e r, M a r c i a Howarth, Marian Hawisher and James J. Hawisher, the cherished grandmother of Heidi Howarth and Hillary Howarth, and great-grandmother of Madison. She was predeceased by her brother, John Kelly. She also is survived by many loving nieces and nephews. She will be greatly missed.

Her working life was as an elementary school teacher in the town of Franklin.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Feb. 16 in St. Margaret Mary Church, Westwood, followed by interment at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Franklin. Services were under the care of the Holden, Dunn and Lawler Funeral Home, Westwood. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dorothy’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at stjude.org.

Frederick Shillinger Dr. Frederick William Shillinger, 97, passed away Jan. 31 at his residence at the Colonnades Health Care Facility in Charlottesville, Virginia. Son of Frederick Ambrose Shillinger and Ellen Hopkins Blake Shillinger, he was born Dec. 18, 1924, in Easton, Maryland. He was preceded in death by his wife of 46 years, Ruthellen Fitzgerald Shillinger, and his siblings, Dr. Frances-Anne Cerfoy and Dr. Robert Blake Shillinger.

He was the last surviving member of his immediate family. He was a lifelong member of the Catholic Church and a veteran of the U.S. Navy.

Dr. Shillinger grew up in Easton, Maryland, and was orphaned at an early age. Showing early intellectual promise, he was awarded an academic scholarship from the state of Maryland and entered Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland, in September 1941, at the age of 16. Two years later, he was selected to attend medical school

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as part of the U.S. Navy’s V-12 College Training Program because the war had accelerated the need for physicians. He was immediately graduated from college and entered George Washington Medical School in 1943.

In 1950, he was called to active duty in the U.S. Navy and served on Guam, treating the wounded being evacuated from the Korean War. He served on Guam until 1953.

After serving in the U.S. Navy, he specialized in pathology. Early in his career he worked in hospitals in Bethesda, Maryland; Charleston, West Virginia; Hampton, Virginia; and Hagerstown, Maryland.

Dr. Shillinger later returned to government service, working at Veteran’s Administration Hospitals as Chief of Pathology at Bath, New York, and Martinsburg West Virginia. He retired in 1996.

Dr. Shillinger is survived by his children, Dr. Kathleen Culler (Dr. Michael Culler) of Hopkinton; Freda Sutton (James) of Navarre, Florida; Dr. Anne Shillinger (Dr. Fred Capps) of Staunton, Virginia; and LTC-Ret. Michael Shillinger (LTC-Ret. Lisa Lemza) of Chattanooga, Tennessee; grandchildren Rose Bigelow (Matthew Bigelow), Matthew Sutton, Dr. Mitchell Culler, Dr. Marianne Capps (Austin Schaffer), Dr. Katie Sutton; and great-grandchildren Kate and Emma Bigelow.

Burial was private in Rest Haven Cemetery, Hagerstown, Maryland, with a celebration of life to be held at a future date.

Memorials can be made to Community Free Clinic, 249 Mill Street, Hagerstown, Maryland 21740 or St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 224 W. Washington Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740.

Edward Barry Edward Matthew Barry, 60, of Upton passed away Feb. 14 peacefully at home, surrounded by family, after a courageous battle with cancer.

B o r n on Aug. 27, 1961, Ed was the son of the late Edward and Corinne (Iadarola) Barry, He was a graduate of Hopkinton High School, and self-employed. Ed was the personification of service to others.

Ed studied the art of karate and mentored numerous students over a period of 40 years, earning the rank of fifth degree black belt. An accomplished equestrian, and proficient in the intricacies of farm management, he was essential to farms all over New England. His aptitude for drumming spanned decades and was his true lifelong passion. From performing to instruction, he was one of the most respected musicians in the community.

Ed is survived by his loving sister Corinne (Barry) Yannone and husband John of New Hampshire, his sister Theolinda Barry of Uxbridge, and his loving partner, Kelley McCauley of Upton.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Hopedale, on Feb. 21, followed by burial at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Milford. Services were under the care of the Consigli-Ruggerio Funeral Home, Milford.

22 • The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022

Police Log ARRESTS February 1

9:42 a.m. Officer Moira McGaffigan conducted a motor vehicle stop on East Main Street and Sergeant Aaron O’Neil and Officer Cody Normandin responded as backup. A 34-yearold from Blackstone was arrested and charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, no inspection sticker, operation of motor vehicle with license suspended, operation of motor vehicle with registration suspended, uninsured motor vehicle and unregistered motor vehicle.

Editor’s note: Due to space limitations, this is an abbreviated version of the Police Log. For the full Police Log visit the Hopkinton Independent website at HopkintonIndependent.com.

February 1

1:59 a.m. A Hayden Rowe Street caller reported leaving on a burner in the house. Officer Shannon Beloin responded along with the Fire Department to check the house.

7:52 a.m. A motorist reported a tractor-trailer traveling on Lumber

Street and running vehicles off the roadway. Officers Moira McGaffigan and Cody Normandin responded and checked the area with a negative find on the tractor-trailer.

1:14 p.m. A caller reported an erratic operator speeding and passing over double lines on Wood Street. Sergeant Aaron O’Neil and Officer Cody Normandin responded and caught up with the operator and spoke with him about his driving and his registration status.

2:14 p.m. A Grove Street caller reported an ongoing parking complaint and safety issue revolving around school release. Officer Jay Deiana responded and monitored the situation.

2:53 p.m. A caller reported a car full of youths driving on Hayden Rowe Street throwing trash out of the vehicle.

Officer Matthew Santoro was to investigate and speak with the parties involved.

9:10 p.m. Officer Brendon Lyver came upon a disabled vehicle stuck in snow on Wood Street and assisted.

February 2

9:03 a.m. A caller reported two dogs running in the roadway of Hayden Rowe Street. Sergeant Aaron O’Neil responded and reported the dogs were returned home.

5:53 p.m. A Rocky Woods Road resident reported a car was sitting by her mailbox with its lights on for an hour.

Officer Brian Sanchioni responded. The vehicle was gone upon his arrival.

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February 3

12:51 a.m. Officer Brittany Firth reported a trailer with a snowmobile parked in the fields on Pratt Way, but she was unable to get a license plate.

9:51 a.m. A motorist reported he backed into a telephone pole on Main Street. Officer Brendon Lyver responded along with the Fire Department. No personal injuries were reported. A cable wire fell, and Verizon was contacted.

Officer Lyver took a report.

12:09 p.m. Officer Moira McGaffigan responded to a motor vehicle crash on West Main Street. No personal injuries were reported.

3:30 p.m. A caller reported two loose dogs on Hayden Rowe Street in front of Start Line Brewery. The animal control officer was contacted and he knew where the dogs resided. The dogs were taken home.

3:44 p.m. A Walcott Valley Drive caller reported finding a dog with a collar but no tags near his house. The animal control officer advised him to take the dog to Baypath Humane Society.

5:27 p.m. A Victory Lane resident reported hearing a loud bang and seeing the electrical box on the telephone pole smoking and smelling like burning wires. Officer Brian Sanchioni responded along with the Fire Department and Eversource and assisted.

February 4

10:09 a.m. A caller reported a tree fell on Montana Road and it was blocking the roadway. Officer Moira McGaffigan responded and contacted the DPW. 12:07 p.m. Officer Moira McGaffigan assisted the Fire Department with a water problem on Hayden Rowe Street.

2:27 p.m. A caller reported a case of identity theft. Sergeant Timothy Brennan assisted the caller and took a report.

5:07 p.m. A snowplow driver on Downey Street reported a person was walking his dog, which became scared of the plow and slipped out of its collar.

The caller requested assistance. Officer Brittany Firth responded and the dog was reunited with its owner.

9:59 p.m. The DPW reported vehicles parked on both sides of Breakneck Hill Road, making it impossible for trucks to treat the road. Officer Brittany Firth responded and spoke with multiple homeowners and the vehicles were subsequently moved.

February 5

9:07 a.m. A Main Street property owner requested a check of a motor vehicle in the parking lot. Officer Jessica Ferreira responded and checked on the vehicle and notified the property owner.

1:03 p.m. The Ashland Police Department requested Hopkinton to be on the lookout for a Hyundai involved in a hit and run. Sergeants Timothy Brennan and Matthew McNeil and Officer Jessica Ferreira responded and searched Main Street with a negative find.

1:22 p.m. On Grove Street, Officer Jessica Ferreira located a person involved in a motor vehicle accident in Ashland and spoke with the individual, who was to return to Ashland to speak with the Ashland Police Department.

1:31 p.m. A caller reported a parking complaint and a road hazard on B Street. Officer Jessica Ferreira responded and reported the parked vehicle was not a hazard, and she left a message for

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the DPW regarding a pothole.

4:44 p.m. A caller reported his two dogs were attacked by another dog. Officer Robert Ekross took a report.

February 6

3:20 a.m. A motorist reported a vehicle with no lights on in the middle travel lane of Interstate 495. Sergeant Matthew McNeil responded and reported a serious accident. A tow truck was requested, and the State Police responded to take over the scene.

4:43 a.m. Officer Shannon Beloin reported Cat equipment with lights on and a flat tire on Legacy Farms North.

Officer Beloin found the equipment secure.

10:33 a.m. A West Main Street facility requested assistance with a resident who refused to go back indoors. Officer Jessica Ferreira responded and the resident was relocated inside.

5:16 p.m. A caller reported a disabled pickup truck on Wood Street.

Sergeant Aaron O’Neil responded and reported the truck was already loaded up on a tow truck.

8:14 p.m. A Pinecrest Village resident reported two suspicious young men claiming to be missionaries in the neighborhood. Officer Robert Ekross responded and checked the area with a negative find.

11:54 p.m. A Saddle Hill Road caller reported a pack of coyotes killing a deer in her driveway. Officer Stephen Buckley responded.

February 7

11:41 a.m. A report about a dog bite from the previous day was faxed by the hospital. The report was passed on to the animal control officer.

1:36 p.m. Officer Cody Normandin assisted a disabled motor vehicle on West Main Street. The vehicle was subsequently towed.

4:12 p.m. A caller reported a motor vehicle accident involving two cars on Main Street. Officer Brendon Lyver responded and reported no personal injuries.

6:58 p.m. A caller reported two or three vehicles stuck on black ice on East Street. Officer Brendon Lyver responded and requested DPW to sand the area.

8:17 p.m. Officers Brian Sanchioni and Jessica Ferreira responded to a motor vehicle accident on Ash Street involving two cars. One operator was issued a criminal application. The vehicle was towed and passengers received rides.

10:14 p.m. A caller reported suspicious activity on Legacy Farms North.

Officers Brian Sanchioni and Brendon Lyver responded and took a report.

Overnight officers and the DPW were requested for cleanup.

February 8

5:25 a.m. Sergeant Arthur Schofield and Officer Stephen Buckley responded to a motor vehicle crash on West Main Street. One female reported chest pain.

A pole was struck, but no damage was incurred.

8:39 a.m. A bus dispatcher reported a truck was broken down on North Mill Street. Officer Moira McGaffigan responded and checked on the vehicle, which was no longer stuck.

9:57 a.m. A caller reported a turkey

The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022 • 23 carcass in the roadway of Cross Street.

Officer Moira McGaffigan responded and notified the DPW for removal.

12:10 p.m. A caller reported a motor vehicle accident on West Main Street involving two vehicles. Officer Cody Normandin responded and reported no personal injuries.

1:50 p.m. A caller reported witnessing a hit-and-run motor vehicle accident on Legacy Farms North. Officer Moira McGaffigan responded and took a report.

5:31 p.m. A caller reported a tree on wires on Spring Street. Officer Brendon Lyver responded and reported no immediate hazard. Eversource was notified.

February 9

6:53 a.m. Officers Moira McGaffigan and Stephen Buckley responded to a motor vehicle accident on Ash Street.

A criminal application was issued to the driver. A tow truck removed the vehicle.

No personal injuries were reported.

4:50 p.m. A caller reported a white poodle ran in front of his tow truck on West Main Street and clipped its paw.

The caller left a business card with the person who was watching the dog. The incident was logged.

4:52 p.m. A concerned caller reported a male sitting in his truck watching parents pick up their children from preschool on South Street. When the man noticed the caller watching him, he left. He was described as in his 60s or 70s with white hair, a white beard, heavy set, in a dark gray Nissan Frontier with Rhode Island license plates. The incident was logged.

February 10

6:10 p.m. A North Street resident reported the inside and outside odor of fuel or oil. Sergeant Matthew McNeil responded along with the Fire Department to investigate.

8:24 p.m. A probation officer requested an officer make sure an arrest bracelet was on a person’s ankle and secured tight. Officer Robert Ekross responded to a Cedar Street address to check the ankle monitor.

11:15 p.m. A motorist reported a disabled dark vehicle with no hazard lights in the middle of the roadway of West Main Street. Officer Stephen Buckley responded and reported a second vehicle arrived to help the disabled vehicle.

11:40 p.m. Sergeant William Burchard and Officers Stephen Buckley and Shannon Beloin responded to a motor vehicle accident on Granite Street, where a vehicle struck a deer. The Fire Department responded and the driver was evaluated for a head injury. Sergeant Burchard transported the driver’s husband to the site in order for him to take control of the car. The deer was dispatched and the animal control officer was notified.

February 12

10:36 a.m. A caller with concerns about social media posts spoke with Officer Cody Normandin about restraining orders. The caller did not wish to obtain one at this time.

8:38 p.m. A Woodview Way resident reported he noticed two cars parked in the parking area of the walking trail. One was running, with occupants inside. The caller stated he often sees vehicles parked there and finds it suspicious and wanted it checked. Sergeant Aaron O’Neil and Officer Jessica Ferreira responded and spoke with the owner, who was waiting for a friend and moved along.

11:51 p.m. A Weybridge Lane caller reported a suspicious vehicle in the area and individuals with flashlights walking around out back. Officer Stephen Buckley responded and checked the area with a negative find.

12:47 a.m. A motorist on Wilson Street reported having difficulty navigating the snowy roads. Sergeant Arthur Schofield responded and assisted the driver.

6:38 a.m. A motorist reported he was hit on Interstate 495 and the other vehicle drove away. No injuries were reported, but minor damage to the vehicle’s front bumper was incurred.

The State Police were notified.

8:04 a.m. A caller reported a motor vehicle accident with airbag deployment on West Main Street. Officers Matthew Santoro and Cody Normandin assisted and reported personal injuries.

9:58 a.m. Officer Moira McGaffigan responded to a motor vehicle accident on South Mill Street involving no personal injuries. Officer McGaffigan assisted and took a report.

11:55 a.m. Multiple callers reported the Legacy Farms North street sign connected to a traffic signal was unsecured and blowing around in the wind. A message was left for the DPW. 1:25 p.m. A Front Street caller reported the inside odor of natural gas after leaving the gas stove on for approximately 20 minutes. Officer Moira McGaffigan responded along with the Fire Department.

3:07 p.m. A caller reported someone hit her car on West Main Street while she was inside a store, and the vehicle was still in the parking lot. Officer Brendon Lyver responded and reported no damage to either vehicle.

February 13

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6:02 p.m. Officer Brendon Lyver responded to a motor vehicle crash on West Main Street. No personal injuries were reported. A report was to follow.

7:31 p.m. Officer Jessica Ferreira requested a tow truck for a vehicle involved in a crash on South Mill Street and reported the cable on the tow truck snapped. The truck awaited a new cable. Officer Ferreira reported damage to a telephone pole and she notified Verizon. No personal injuries were reported.

9:27 p.m. Sergeant William Burchard requested a tow truck for a vehicle involved in an accident on Hayden Rowe Street. No personal injuries were reported.

9:53 p.m. A motorist reported his car spun out on Spring Street. Officer Brendon Lyver responded and requested a tow truck. Verizon was notified of pole damage.

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February 11

9:36 a.m. Sergeant Timothy Brennan assisted the DPW with traffic control while workers patched potholes on West Main Street.

12:34 p.m. A caller reported she was concerned about someone else making accusations about her. Sergeant Timothy Brennan spoke with the caller and assisted her.

1:22 p.m. A caller reported several of his belongings had been stolen. Sergeant Timothy Brennan advised him to visit the station with a list of items and a report would be taken.

2:30 p.m. Sergeant Matthew McNeil reported a dead tree limb on top of wires on Spring Street. Eversource was contacted.

3:44 p.m. Sergeant Aaron O’Neil responded to a motor vehicle accident on Hayden Rowe Street, where one vehicle rear-ended another. No personal injuries were reported. A tow truck removed one vehicle.

3:55 p.m. A caller reported someone was attempting to break into the former Center School on Ash Street. Officer Robert Ekross responded and found youths by the building, but they were not trying to enter.

4:21 p.m. Officers Benjamin Stickney and Robert Ekross responded to CVS on Main Street after a report of a disagreement over a backpack with a 14-year-old, who refused to leave the store.

February 14

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24 • The Hopkinton Independent • February 23, 2022

WESTON NURSERIES

Baypath Adoptable Animal of the Week

Ladies Day Out!

Each week, the Independent highlights an animal available for adoption at Baypath Humane Society in Hopkinton. This week we feature 1-year-old Nova.

Here is Baypath’s description of Nova: “Our man Nova is out of this world!

This young man traveled all the way from Florida to find his family. He is a rocket of energy who loves to play with both his human and canine friends alike.

“Nova would be over the moon to find a family to channel his brilliance and teach him all kinds of fun tricks — he’s already got a few up his sleeve. He wants you to know that he’s already really good at giving kisses and snuggles.

He’s been practicing lots at the shelter while he waits for his new home.

“Nova enjoys playing with his dog friends and exploring new spaces!

A plus for him would be a home with lots of room to run around — and tons of squeaky toys.”

For more information on Nova and any of the other available pets at Baypath, email adopt@baypathhumane.org or visit baypathhumane.org/adopt.

For more Adoptable Animals of the Week, check the Hopkinton Independent website at HopkintonIndependent.com.

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