HI 5.1.24

Fifth grade flutist finds international success

By Susan Gonsalves Contributing Writer

In March, he was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall as the result of a near perfect score and first-place finish in the junior division of the Crescendo International Music Competition.

The previous summer, he showcased his flute playing at Weill Recital Hall, also in Carnegie Hall.

Other achievements include second place and audience award winner in the 2022 Red Maple Music Competition in Canada and gold prizes in both the 2023 Global Genius Music Competition and the London Young Musician Competition.

lead to war of words

By Jerry Spar Managing Editor

Hopkinton continued to deal with divisiveness over the past couple of weeks, as an accusation of racism by a Select Board member led to support from many, while others questioned his integrity.

During the public comment portion of the April 16 Select Board meeting, vice chair Shahidul Mannan said he was the victim of “racial attacks” in town.

“In recent weeks and months, I have endured threats, harassment and racial profiling,” he said. “Among others, most recently, I was stopped at an event when I was with my wife and children and asked if and why I’m still living in this town. These actions have been made all the more poignant by their visibility in the local media … and solidified or normalized by the silence against such injustices. It is disappointing that not one voice among any of our current or former elected leaders in town or any other leadership has

Xiuhan Zhu recently performed at Carnegie Hall, his second appearance at the New York City landmark.

PHOTO/JOHN

CARDILLO

Hopkinton High School high jumper Aila Chase leaves little room to spare as she clears the bar en route to a second-place finish during a recent meet at Ashland.

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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 7,700 addresses. It’s also available for free pickup at Muffin House Café and Price Chopper as well as at many other local businesses. Hopkinton Independent, LLC is equally co-owned by Bagdon Advertising, Inc. and Susanne Odell Farber.

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With new song’s release, Hwang takes followers behind scenes

When we last checked in with Ryan Hwang one year ago, the Hopkinton High School 2023 graduate was headed west to the University of Southern California, where he had secured one of a few coveted spots in a music production program.

Now nearing the end of his freshman year at USC, Hwang recently released an original song called “I Want You” featuring classmate Max Pedra. Hwang also has posted videos on his social media accounts (@ryanhwangmusic) showing how he made the song.

“I like to take my audience along as I work on it from the initial idea — not in real time, but recreating the process,” Hwang explained. “I show the behind-the-scenes process of producing, writing and performing the song. I show how accessible creating a song idea from an experience or a random thought can become.

INDEPENDENT THOUGHTS

“On this song, me and my friend Max did writing, production, vocals and mixing. This one’s completely electronic, so there are no instruments.”

The release now is on all the major platforms, including Apple Music and Spotify, and Hwang is eager to see how well it does. While it’s not his first song — he put together an album last year of tunes he created while in high school — this one varies in a few ways from his previous releases and demonstrates his growth as a musician and producer.

“I’ve expanded my technical abilities, genre versatility and sound,” he said, adding that this is his first collaborative record.

He said that he arrived at USC with more of an “electronic pop” background, but his new song is “more R&B pop with Kpop influence.”

Said Hwang: “I’m exploring the world that I’m in, but I’m exploring different niches within the genre.”

The song also came from an original idea.

“Unlike a lot of the other songs that I write based on personal experiences or real-life ideas, this one was more of a fictional idea, a concept in creating almost a character and a scene with my friend Max,” Hwang said. “I had an idea with creating a song taking place at a party — it wasn’t something that happened. Once our visions were able to connect, we were able to get to work.”

While this song is one he performed, Hwang said he also is working on songs to pitch to established artists. He explained that if he releases a song on his own, no one else will pick it up. So he’s also working on pieces that other artists might be interested in using, which would give Hwang valuable experience and help build his resume — and perhaps his wallet.

“There are a lot of ghost writers, and that’s what I’ve been doing for other artists,” he said, noting that USC proves opportunities with connections to the music industry. “You do get royalties, but part of it is the exposure and being seen by a label who hears a demo I made and becomes interested. I’m more in it at this point for the exposure. I’m just trying to get seen by the team. I identify as a pop producer and songwriter and feel like that’s what I do best.”

Added Hwang: “I’m sitting on a bunch of music right now, a lot of songs that are done and ready to go. I want to save some in my catalog where I’m able to send them to other artists. I’m trying to build a catalog of genre diversity, not a bunch of songs that all sound the same. Songs that I can’t see anyone else on, I release, like this one.”

Fashion show raises funds

The annual Swoon Fashion Show Fundraiser, a popular local event that highlights the latest in spring and summer fashion while raising awareness and money for cancer research, was held April 8-9 at Central Public House on Main Street.

JERRY SPAR

Ryan Hwang, who recently released a song called “I Want You,” is trying to make a name for himself in the music business in Los Angeles.

Fashion show raises funds

A record $35,000 was raised to support research into ovarian cancer and an early detection tool at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, in conjunction with the organization Girly Girl P.A.R.T.S., according to Swoon owner Kathy Mazur, who organizes the event along with fellow cancer survivor Marie Boyle.

Mazur noted that this year the organizers invited their daughters to be part of the event in an effort “to emphasize the importance of research for not just now, but our next generation … before a late-stage diagnosis has to happen.”

All the models at the two-night event were cancer survivors from the community. Added Mazur: “We couldn’t have had all the success without the support of so many local businesses who sponsored us as well as such a supportive gathering of women each night!”

HHS student makes bike stand

Madhavendra Saxena, a sophomore at Hopkinton High School, recently constructed a bicycle stand from used wooden pallets and placed it at the school bus stop on Aspen Lane, in the Legacy Farms South neighborhood.

Saxena indicated that he would like to make more stands and locate them at other bus stops in town, and he is seeking $500 for the tools and lumber to make seven additional stands. He reached out to Town Hall with hopes of including his request as part of the participatory budget but was too late for this year. He was encouraged to apply for next year, assuming the program continues.

Tales from a Townie: Winter fun on Fenton Street

By William T. Hamilton Jr. Contributing Writer

Back in the 1950s, the winters seemed to be longer, colder and snowier.

Our fun consisted of skating and sledding. The skating part was pretty well covered in my article “The day we burned the bogs” published Jan. 25, 2023.

The sliding part took place in the Thomas family’s backyard at 31 Ash Street. There was a very steep hill emptying through a stone wall into Barry’s pasture, First Field. We had to remove the barbed wire from the opening in the stone wall that held in Arena’s cows in the summertime.

We had snow groomers (many kids’ booted feet). Every time we would go down the trail, we’d pack a few more feet of snow. We started on the lower trail that would take us into the Second Field.

We later packed down the Upper Trail that would eventually take us into the Third Field and all the way to the brook, probably 150-175 yards from the top of the hill. If it didn’t rain or snow more, we could get the whole trail done in three or four days.

Some Saturdays or Sundays, the

Thomases would bring out the hot chocolate — those were the days!

Sometimes it would rain and get warm, then cold again, and we would be back skating until it snowed again. Winters generally went back and forth like this several times.

I will end this tale with the most fantastic sliding day I ever remember. It was during February vacation, when I was 10 or 11. We had this really bad ice storm, leaving more than a half-inch of ice on everything.

For one day only, the Highway De partment put barricades at both ends of Fenton Street so we could slide down the hill safely.

There was only one problem. It was too slippery to walk back up the hill. One of the guys had the solution. He went home and got his skates. For the rest of the day, we all slid down the hill on our sleds and skated up the hill, pulling our sleds behind us, Some of us bigger kids even pulled the smaller ones up the hill on their sleds so they could slide down the hill with the rest of us.

When it began getting dark around 4:30 p.m., the Highway Department came and took down the barricades and sanded the road. Our magic day of sledding had come to an end.

Independent thoughts | from page 2

At the annual Swoon Fashion Show Fundraiser at Central Public House last month, organizers and their daughters pose for a picture.

Candidate letters online only

Due to space and fairness considerations, all letters related to the May 20 Annual Town Election will be posted online only at HopkintonIndependent.com.

Fight back against MBTA bullies

Town should hold off on Hopkins addition

As a 12-year resident of Hopkinton and parent of two students in the Hopkinton Public Schools, I strongly urge voters to temporarily postpone the Hopkins School expansion project with a “No” vote on Article 19 at Annual Town Meeting on May 6.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Preserve and downtown Hopkinton are being targeted by the MBTA rail line bullies. Each of the two, The Preserve and downtown Hopkinton, do not have a voice if dictators are allowed to rule. If the people vote and are for this taking of existing homeowners, then the results will most likely be an increase of traffic congestion. This is a town, not a city. If the dictators win, I believe more schools, police stations, fire stations, ambulances and libraries will be required. If we struggle now with the payment of tax increases, how much more will we pay in the future? Stop this form of dictatorship and preserve our right to vote on this and future issues. Do not let the bullies rule. I deserve at least a vote. Don’t you? What say you?

— Edward Janigan, Hopkinton

This $52 million-plus project would result in a $450 annual tax increase for the average homeowner, which would be in addition to the $900-plus approved for the Elmwood School replacement. These large tax increases are untenable for many residents. Pausing this project will give the district time to distinguish a true “need” from a “nice to have,” determine if enrollment growth is slowing, and allow the district to demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the taxpayers who are being stretched to the absolute breaking point by these enormous capital expenditures.

It is claimed that this $52 millionplus Hopkins project will “alleviate overcrowding upstream at the middle and high school.” I recall the exact same thing was said regarding the $158 million Elmwood School replacement project prior to fall town meeting. I fully expect a construction project will be needed in the near future at our aging middle school (built in 1954), or an expansion/connection to the high school will be necessary to truly relieve these capacity problems; the transparency surrounding this topic is lacking.

Speaking of capacity issues, it is a verifiable fact that our actual K-12 student enrollment has missed the MSBA forecast for two consecutive years. This is particularly notable because the district uses these MSBA enrollment projections for determining the need of these massive capital projects.

At Annual Town Meeting, voters must keep in mind other multi-million dollar town expenditures that will be required very soon. We have the planned MWRA [Massachusetts Water Resources Authority] connection, which will ensure a safe residential drinking water supply, and other necessary renovations to townowned buildings and infrastructure. It is vital to the financial future of Hopkinton that we maintain a balance between school and town-wide needs.

Some positives to consider with a postponement of this project: there is zero risk of losing state funding (since we didn’t apply for any), the superintendent says the Hopkins School building is currently safe and operational, and, most importantly, we have our talented educators who are the true reason behind our top-rated district. Please attend ATM on May 6 and help our most financially vulnerable neighbors stay in Hopkinton.

— Kristen Turner, Hopkinton

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.

‘A SLICE OF HOPKINTON’

This issue’s winner is Kylie Truong for this photo of herself (right) with Ana Carter (left) and Anna Schmeil making their first-ever visit to the Boston Marathon start line April 10 following a work-related happy hour at Central Public House. 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.

The Northwestern District Attorney’s Office on April 18 announced that no charges would be brought for the improper release of identifying information about an alleged sexual assault victim from Hopkinton.

NEWS BRIEFS

The individual accused former Hopkinton Deputy Police Chief John “Jay” Porter of raping her while she was a Hopkinton High School student. He had served as the school resource officer. The case is due to go to trial in December.

In an effort to be transparent, the town released an interview conducted by the Kroll firm with then-Sgt. Tim Brennan on the HPD website. However, the version that was shared publicly on Jan. 19 did not redact information that included identifying details about the accuser, sparking outrage in town and leading to the document being taken down.

“The public release of the Brennan transcript without all necessary redactions of the victim’s name was both avoidable and regrettable,” Northwestern First Assistant District Attorney Steven E. Gagne wrote in the conclusion of his eight-page report. “Ideally the Town of Hopkinton and its counsel will implement precautionary measures to ensure this sort of mistake does not repeat itself. However … I find that criminal prosecution of those involved in the transcript’s release is not warranted.”

The review was handled by the

Northwestern DA’s Office rather than the Middlesex County DA’s Office in order to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest.

Town seeks info on fatal incident

The town issued a press release April 11 asking for help in determining what led up to the April 4 alleged road rage incident that cost a woman her life when she was struck by a car on Hayden Rowe Street, near Cornell’s Irish Pub.

Destini Decoff died April 6, two days after apparently being struck by a vehicle driven by Milford resident Ryan Sweatt following an angry interaction between the individuals in the two cars. Sweatt was in jail awaiting a dangerousness hearing April 26.

The Hopkinton Police Department and the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office are asking the public to review any home, cell phone or automotive video footage of Hayden Rowe Street between Hopkinton Middle School and 234 Hayden Rowe Street on April 4 between the hours of 6-6:15 p.m. Investigators are seeking to review footage of any unusual or aggressive driving behavior during that time frame.

Anyone with information is asked to call Hopkinton Police Sgt. Gregg DeBoer at 508-497-3401.

Hopkinton Independent Photo Contest

Planning Board continues Elmwood Farms III stormwater discussion

By Mary Ellen Gambon Staff Writer

The Planning Board at its meeting

April 22 continued the stormwater management permit hearing for the Elmwood Farms III subdivision off Blueberry Lane after discussing issues the neighborhood has been experiencing with runoff.

Matt Ashley, a project manager at Bohler Engineering, updated the board on progress made on the 20-lot subdivision. Since a site walk with board members and residents in February, Ashley said their feedback was incorporated into the plan and that he has met with representatives from the Department of Public Works. At the same time, Pare Corporation was hired as a peer review consultant.

Residents have raised concerns about standing water near the project’s proposed driveway. In response, catch basins now are proposed there. Runoff from Marathon School, which abuts the property’s west side, also was addressed by fortifying the stormwater yard drain infrastructure.

Two new roadways, Myrtle Avenue and Fitch Avenue, will be constructed as part of the project. The pipe walls along these avenues were upgraded after incorporating more recent rainfall data. Yard drains will be used to collect water running down the hill at the north of the site to intercept runoff before it can hit the streets. The water will be directed to the existing stormwater basins on Blueberry Lane. Also, there will be stormwater chambers on each of the lots to catch runoff.

Said Ashley: “We’re just intercepting the water sooner to hopefully reduce water going onto the proposed lots and the existing lots on Blueberry Lane.”

There also is an existing French drain system that was required by the Conservation Commission, he added.

According to Ashley, the DPW does not want the foundation drains to tie into the new roads and impact the town water system. Principal Planner John Gelcich said a development with poor soils tying into the municipal system “could set a precedent” that would make the town responsible for water from a private development flowing into its system.

Ashley explained that the soil on the site was poor and does not allow for good water infiltration.

“Someone once gave me the guidance in these types of situations that the rules are your friend,” said chair Gary Trendel. “And when we start deviating from them, it can create a lot of additional challenges down the road.”

Pare consultant Bob Sykes explained that high groundwater and sandy soil necessitated the creation of a stormwater management system that would move whatever water is not absorbed offsite to another drainage system.

The hearing was continued until May 13 to revisit the plans.

Hopkins addition site plan reviewed

The Planning Board also discussed the proposed Hopkins Lower Middle School addition as part of its major site plan review and stormwater

management permitting process.

Vice chair Rob Benson facilitated the discussion, as Trendel is an abutter to the project. The proposed two-story, 21,500 square-foot addition will include new athletic facilities and play areas as well as a new parking layout. It is estimated to cost $48,550,000.

Steve Powers, the project’s civil engineering consultant, led the team’s project presentation. The construction is necessary because of current overcrowding at Hopkins School. Originally designed to accommodate 600 students, it currently has 688. The addition will expand the school’s capacity to 802 students and a total of 106,000 square feet in a phased construction project.

Funding will be voted on at the upcoming Town Meeting beginning on May 6. The addition will be constructed to the west of the existing school. Parking and drop-off queuing and bus areas will be expanded.

Powers noted that the site currently has stormwater management infrastructure and is abutted by wetlands. While the infrastructure will be utilized, the impervious landscape will be expanded by about an acre, Powers said. An additional water conveyance system will be added near the parking area. The soil quality will allow for full recharge.

There will be outdoor play areas, classrooms and areas dedicated to physical education. The recess zone will have age-appropriate equipment. There will be a half-basketball court with seating for outdoor classroom space. The current baseball field will be replaced with a multi-use field. The vegetable garden will be reconfigured to accommodate outdoor classroom space.

The addition is expected to be completed in February 2026, and the full completion of the project will be in August. It will continue to house Grades 4 and 5 for its first year and eventually become a school for Grades 5 and 6 once the new elementary school on Hayden Rowe Street is constructed.

Waivers requested include site plan review administrative fees and the environmental impact assessment because it is a school and town project.

Benson questioned whether the Parks & Recreation Department and Little League were consulted about use of the athletic facilities and field. He also asked about bleachers, which are included in the project. The new field will be too small for Little League use.

A site walk is scheduled for May 11.

Board supports MBTA, energy articles

The board voted 5-1 to recommend the article that allows the town to comply with the MBTA Communities Act at the Annual Town Meeting, with everyone present voting for it except Benson.

After hearing a presentation from the Sustainable Green Committee, the board voted 6-0 in a nonbinding vote to support Article 36, the specialized energy code article the committee presented at this meeting and at the previous week’s Select Board meeting.

Town leaders pay tribute to departing Khumalo

By Mary Ellen Gambon Staff Writer

Norman Khumalo ended his 15-year role as Hopkinton’s town manager as the Select Board voted April 16 to appoint Assistant Town Manager Elaine Lazarus to serve as the interim town manager.

Board and community members reflected on Khumalo’s tenure and contributions, noting that he fostered the ideal of inclusivity while encouraging Hopkinton’s dynamic growth.

It was an emotional night, as Khumalo’s recognition was preceded by a moment of silence in memory of Destini Decoff. The 26-year-old woman died April 6 after sustaining serious injuries two days prior in what authorities described as an apparent road rage incident. There also were moments of joy as attendees celebrated the success of the Boston Marathon the previous day, the centennial of its starting in Hopkinton.

“He has shepherded this town through tremendous growth and challenges” said chair Muriel Kramer, “and notably helped develop Hopkinton’s town government in many, many important ways.”

She highlighted Khumalo’s bolstering of the town’s financial processes, leading to Hopkinton’s AAA bond rating, the highest rating awarded by Standard and Poor’s. The town’s stabilization and free cash funds have remained flush despite recent economic challenges.

“I just can’t thank him enough for his leadership,” added member Mary Jo LaFreniere. She noted that he was always available to answer questions and offer advice.

Member Amy Ritterbusch described Khumalo as “a tough act to follow” and a role model to which his future successors will be compared. She stressed his work with civic groups and nonprofits. Khumalo’s assistance in helping Project Just Because move to its current location on South Street was one example of his facilitating the success of community endeavors.

Member Irfan Nasrullah focused on Khumalo’s modesty and team-building skills.

Said Nasrullah: “You’ve taken this town through a period of incredible growth and approached everything with calmness and humility while taking on new initiatives throughout the way.”

Added vice chair Shahidul Mannan: “We could speak hours about Norman’s hard work and contribution and dedication to our town. You are now part of the history of our town.”

“The amount of time that you put into this town and your heart and soul at

Outgoing Town Manager Norman Khumalo receives a Boston Marathonthemed gift from Select Board chair Muriel Kramer on April 16.

the sacrifice of your family does not go unnoticed with me,” said former member Brendan Tedstone, also calling Khumalo “a massive calming force.”

The board presented Khumalo with flowers for his wife as well as one of the pieces of art from the Winged Foot exhibit on the Town Common. With the help of about 100 preschool students, the artists created this piece for the Boston Marathon to celebrate inclusivity.

“After 15 years, my time in Hopkinton — an exceptional community — is ending,” an emotional Khumalo told the Select Board. The native of Zimbabwe stressed that the community made him and his family feel welcome in Hopkinton from the start.

“I am grateful for the opportunity that you gave me to be one of you as your town manager,” he continued. “Your success as a community has been and will continue to be my blessing.”

Later in the meeting, Lazarus was sworn in by Town Clerk Connor Degan as the interim town manager after receiv ing a unanimous vote of approval from the board.

“I’m honored and grateful and ex cited,” said Lazarus. “I look forward to serving the town in this new role.”

She complimented the town’s “won derful team of professionals” in town government and who serve on boards and committees as she accepted the position.

“You have been stalwart, profes sional, reliable and consistent,” Kramer told Lazarus.

In her first official act, Lazarus up dated the board on the status of key town vacancies. The deputy police chief posi tion posting closed on Monday. Resumes are being reviewed. Qualified candidates will be given essay questions to answer by April 20. Those who advance will be granted oral interviews with the screening committee and tested at the assessment center tentatively on May 25. The final interview with the Select Board will follow shortly thereafter.

A committee is being assembled to assess the candidates for the deputy fire chief position. The position is expected to be posted shortly, according to Lazarus.

The town manager position has been posted. The due date for resumes and cover letters is May 6. A search com mittee is being formulated, according to Human Resources Director Jessica Lewerenz.

At this meeting, the board unanimous ly approved the hiring of Melissa Menard as the head chef for senior services, Jes sica Dyment as the young adult librarian and Antonio “Tony” Garcia as a custodial maintenance worker.

PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

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Police promotion goes to van Raalten

By Mary Ellen Gambon Staff Writer

The Select Board voted 5-0 to elevate Hopkinton Police Department Sgt. Detective Scott van Raalten to the rank of lieutenant at its April 16 meeting, as van Raalten bested two highly ranked sergeants with his education and leadership experience.

In a straw poll before the final vote, van Raalten edged out fellow Sgt. Aaron O’Neil by a 3-2 margin. Sgt. Matthew McNeil also vied for the promotion. While each sergeant had specialized areas of focus, all demonstrated more than two decades of commitment to the department and its growth following two challenging years tinged with scandal.

During the interviews of the three candidates, HPD Chief Joseph Bennett noted that he had “three quality candidates.” But he referred to van Raalten as his “second in command” since August 2022, when the department lacked officers in key leadership roles. The department has been lacking a lieutenant since October 2021. In May 2023, former Deputy Chief John “Jay” Porter pled not guilty to three counts of child rape allegedly committed during his stint as a school resource officer two decades prior. Former Sgt. Tim Brennan, who did not report the allegations made by the accuser until 2023, was terminated in a contentious Loudermill hearing, with a vocal group of residents calling for Brennan’s reinstatement and a recall of all five Select Board members.

Human Resources Director Jessica Lewerenz explained that the previous oral interview panel consisted of three police chiefs from outside the HPD. Sixteen skills were analyzed during this interview process through 20 questions.

enforcement program and leading a team of traffic constables. This team was critical, particularly during the Main Street Construction Project.

He also stressed his impact on young people over the years in steering them in the right direction. McNeil noted that some of the teens he helped now are bringing their families to community events.

McNeil stressed his ability to create teams as well as his capacity to take on administrative duties.

One of the accomplishments that set van Raalten apart from his colleagues is his attainment of a law degree in addition to a master’s, Bennett said.

“Throughout his career, he’s been involved in some major and critical and tragic events within the community,” Bennett said. Van Raalten was one of the two detectives who investigated and brought Neil Entwistle forward for charges of murdering his wife and child in what became an internationally covered case.

In recent years, van Raalten has become involved in the administrative and budgetary aspects of the HPD in addition to being the lead investigator, he said. His experience in helping coordinate safety operations for the Boston Marathon has allowed him to form partnerships with local, state and federal authorities.

He described himself as “a role model for the other sergeants.” He has been imparting his knowledge so that there is a succession plan in his absence.

O’Neil was praised by Bennett for his community involvement and his direct work with the town’s Youth & Family Services Department regarding substance use disorders and mental health issues. He also took over the training division after being an active member for several years as an instructor.

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“I have spent my entire adult life in uniform, so I understand leadership ability and its strengths as well as weaknesses,” said O’Neil, who has worked for HPD for 25 years. Prior to that, he served in the Army for a decade.

O’Neil has a master’s degree in criminal justice and has completed the FBI’s leadership training program. During his interview, he described how he helped develop programming to assist those experiencing mental health crises or situations arising from substance use disorder. A clinician rides along with officers to provide support as situations are deescalated.

He stressed the importance of team building and providing training and educational opportunities for officers.

Like O’Neil, McNeil joined the HPD 25 years ago and has a master’s degree in criminal justice. Bennett described him as “a cop’s cop” who has focused on developing the traffic

HopkintonIndependent.com

A recent situation van Raalten resolved was the simultaneous scheduling of the Hopkinton High School senior car parade and the Touch-aTruck event. After a joint meeting, the senior car parade was moved to the following day to ensure the success of both events.

After the interviews, Bennett recommended van Raalten for promotion while complimenting all three for “putting the pedal to the metal” during the staffing shortage. He said van Raalten came out “significantly on top” during the prior interview process, while the other two candidates were tied.

Select Board members Irfan Nasrullah, Amy Ritterbusch and vice chair Shahidul Mannan expressed support for van Raalten in a straw poll before the final vote. Chair Muriel Kramer supported O’Neil because of his “approachable and humble” leadership style. Member Mary Jo LaFreniere also supported O’Neil. All acknowledged that it was a challenging choice before voting unanimously for van Raalten for the promotion.

Scott van Raalten interviews with the Select Board on April 16.

School spending, Brennan support among Town Meeting articles

By Mary Ellen Gambon Staff Writer

With Annual Town Meeting approaching on Monday, May 6, and a Special Town Meeting the following evening, several articles will have key impacts on residential taxpayers.

In addition to three capital requests brought before the Select Board, the Special Town Meeting includes a citizens’ petition requesting the reinstatement of embattled Hopkinton Police Department Sgt. Tim Brennan at his rank at the time of his termination. Also on the warrant are eight property tax override requests that will appear on the ballot for the May 20 town election.

Brennan backers take case to voters

The likely focus of the May 7 Special Town Meeting will be debate over a citizens’ petition requesting that Brennan be appointed by the Select Board to his former role with “the same or substantially similar duties.”

Brennan’s termination in February has caused a polarization among residents. He was fired after the Select Board voted 4-1 to terminate him for violating HPD policy — not reporting information about the alleged sexual assault of a minor by his colleague, former Deputy Chief John “Jay” Porter. In May 2023 Porter pled not guilty to three charges of child rape that allegedly occurred two decades ago when he was the school resource officer and the accuser was a Hopkinton High School student.

A vocal group of citizens has called for Brennan’s reinstatement, believing that he was right in withholding this information at the alleged survivor’s request as a means of protecting her until she was ready to come forward. After the Loudermill hearing when Brennan was fired, this group started a petition to recall all five Select Board members, an act unprecedented in Hopkinton.

This article also states that within 48 hours of the reappointment (if approved), the Select Board should direct the HPD chief to author and send a letter to the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission. This letter would urge the POST Commission to take the necessary steps to recertify Brennan and return the popular former sergeant to active duty.

In addition to this article, the Special Town Meeting will focus on three capital requests from the town. The need arose because of budgetary shortfalls for two Hopkinton Fire Department projects and an unexpected Highway Department truck replacement. The Fire Department requested additional funding for the HVAC system upgrade at the main Fire Station and for design services for the Woodville Fire Station.

The Fire Department’s projects, which were approved at previous Town Meetings, need additional capital to complete because the bids exceeded appropriated funds.

School requests highlight ATM

Annual Town Meeting will vote on 52 articles pertaining to budget requests to cover town and school expenses and policy initiatives, including the MBTA Communities Act.

For the schools, the Hopkins Elementary School’s budget request for the school’s renovation and addition is one of two articles expected to generate debate.

At last count, the project is expected to cost $48,550,000 now that nearly $1.1 million was trimmed from the expenses. That number will be modified on the floor, according to Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Susan Rothermich.

Article 18 seeks funding for the replacement of HVAC/ air handling units in the schools, including any and all costs, fees and expenses related to the project.

For special education, Article 14 requests that funds be transferred to the School Special Education Reserve Fund. They will be used, without further appropriation, for unanticipated or unbudgeted costs of special education and recovery high school programs, out-of-district tuition and/or transportation. The Hopkinton Special Education Parents Advisory Council (SEPAC) has been advocating for increased recognition of the expenses incurred in the education of students with disabilities, such as the need for more teachers and transportation.

MBTA Communities Act expected to spark debate

Article 39 asks citizens to vote on the adoption of the MBTA Communities Act to encourage the development of multifamily housing units, a policy that has sparked controversy in communities including Milton, Newton and Braintree in recent months.

The proposed overlay district includes two subdistricts located in the downtown and the Upper Cedar Street areas.

The land area is approximately 58.4 acres in size. The subdistricts are superimposed over the underlying zoning.

The Upper Cedar Street subdistrict has raised some concerns with residents of The Preserve, a gated community of condominiums, because their property is included.

It is important to note that the zoning potentially would be put in place to meet state requirements. It does not require development on the land.

Sustainable Green Committee makes requests

Proposed by the Sustainable Green Committee, Article

34 asks that the town appropriate funds not to exceed $10,000 for the purpose of detecting toxic chemicals including PFAS, pesticides and herbicides or elements including lead and arsenic “in any town lands or waters or in any media prior to application to town lands or waters by the Town of Hopkinton.” This is expected to be determined by the town with oversight by the Health Department.

Concerns were raised by the committee about the recent approval of the application of herbicides to control weed growth of weeds in Lake Maspenock. In addition, PFAS has been an ongoing concern for many months, particularly for residents in the Legacy Farms neighborhood.

The Sustainable Green Committee also requested approval of the state’s specialized energy code. While a similar article failed at the town’s Special Town Meeting last fall, committee members stressed at a recent Select Board meeting that the impacts of the acceptance of the code are described in greater detail. The Select Board unanimously recommended approval for this article, as it will open up grant opportunities and only impact new construction projects.

Influence of H-1B visa holders recognized

Article 44 requests a language change from “registered voters” to “residents” after recipients of H-1B visas requested Town Meeting | 10

Hopkinton 9-year-old performs at Carnegie Hall

What is particularly remarkable about these accomplishments is that the flute-playing musician, Xiuhan Zhu, is 9 years old and a fifth grader at Hopkins Elementary School.

“It was not that scary,” Zhu said of his latest Carnegie Hall appearance, which took place in Zankel Hall, one of three concert venues inside the iconic New York City facility. “My mom was there, and honestly, I kind of liked it.”

His mother, Wen Shi, accompanied him on piano (“in a beautiful dress,” according to her son). She said she felt very proud of the way he handled what could be a daunting situation.

“He had confidence this time. He may be a little nervous, but he enjoys the stage,” Shi said.

A pianist, Shi noted she went to music halls to hear recitals when she was younger and may have passed along advice about music to her son.

Zhu only began playing two years ago and takes private lessons once per week with Shan Liu.

He practices about 90 minutes each day and performs with his school band as well as “outside” groups such as the Preparatory Winds of the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Junior Massachusetts New England Concertino Orchestra, for whom he is the sole fifth grader in the ensemble of sixth through ninth graders.

After playing on stages multiple times, Zhu has grown accustomed to the spotlight and describes it as “really great.” His recent performance at Carnegie’s Zankel Hall enabled him to see other musicians in action.

“Everyone was really talented,” he

observed.

Although he tried violin and realized the sound was not for him, Zhu recently also started playing piano. However, flute is his primary instrument. His mother reported that he picks up music quickly and easily. His teacher said when she gives him music to practice, he plays it perfectly, so she can move on and give him new pieces to work on.

“Every week he teaches me something new,” Shi noted. “It’s a very good way for him to make progress [too].”

Shi said her son enjoys playing music with orchestras, performing at community nursing homes and sharing it with friends.

Zhu noted when he is not busy with music, he enjoys swimming in the pool and playing tennis. Like other fifth graders, he also likes spending time with his friends.

Although he has many years to decide, Zhu stated that he wants to become a scientist one day.

School spending, Brennan support among Town Meeting articles

The Hopkins Elementary School renovation;

HOPKINTON SHELL

greater political involvement as taxpayers who do not yet have United States citizenship.

These residents will be allowed to participate at Town Meeting for the first time in May, although they cannot vote.

Articles call for property tax overrides

Articles requesting Town Meeting support for overrides include funding requests for:

The digitization of town records;

The replacement of the HVAC/air handling units in the Hopkinton Public Schools;

Drainage improvements on Ash and Fenton streets;

Survey, design, engineering, permitting and construction of roadway, sidewalk and drainage improvements on DiCarlo Road, Peppercorn Road and Barbara Road;

Survey, design, engineering, permitting and construction of culvert replacement on Granite Street; Replacement of the ozone treatment system at the Howe Street water treatment plant in Ashland;

Design, engineering and permitting support for East Main Street water main replacement.

Flutist | from page 1

REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS in Hopkinton

Professional Insights: Sell smart now and relax this summer

Spring has arrived, and the real estate market is blossoming alongside the flowers. If you’re thinking of putting your home on the market, spring and early summer offer a strategic advantage for sellers. Trends in home sales show that sellers could potentially get more for their homes if they list in the spring. Homes tend to sell quickly during spring versus summer.

Per Realtor.com chief economist

Danielle Hale, buyers are more plentiful in spring, which is the high season for home sales. The process of listing a home takes time to prepare it for market, so contacting your real estate agent to start now will give you the best chance of a favorable market and allow you to sell your home quickly at a competitive price. By starting the process now, you’ll be able to kick back and enjoy the warm months in your brand-new home. Selling now allows you to benefit from the advantages of warmer weather and longer daylight hours while new grass, budding trees and spring flowers show your house in its best light. You’ll also have more control over the process and a higher chance of a smooth, stress-free transaction.

Spring is prime time to attract quality buyers. Parents with school-aged

kids tend to actively search now before the school year begins, which creates a pool of motivated buyers who are serious about settling in quickly to give their children time to adjust before school starts in the fall. This gives time for moving in, and you’ll be able to enjoy your summer once your house is sold.

According to the National Association of Realtors, the number of available houses nationwide is down almost 40% from before the pandemic. That means less competition and higher buyer demand for sellers who list now. Buyer availability may also be better in late spring since many people travel during the summer months.

For the same reason, selling your home now allows you to capitalize on the spring and early summer market. That may help you secure a quick sale so

you can be settled into your new home in plenty of time for grilling season and vacationing, and you’ll be free to spend your summer exploring your new neighborhood and doing all the little things to make your new house feel like home. No matter the time of year, selling and buying a home can feel overwhelming. A good real estate agent will be there to navigate every step with you. They’ll handle helping you find the next home, negotiations, marketing and paperwork so you can focus on enjoying your summer.

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kim.foemmel@gmail.com FoemmelFineHomes.com

Select Board candidates discuss town issues

By Mary Ellen Gambon Staff Writer

The four Select Board candidates for two open seats shared their views on some of the major concerns facing Hopkinton at the April 23 Meet the Candidates forum for the May 20 election. Topics ranged from bringing increased civility and recognition of residents’ input at government meetings to fiscal belt-tightening.

The event, sponsored by the Hopkinton Women’s Club for the 36th year, gave voters their first opportunity to hear from Select Board candidates Joe Clark, Brian Herr, Kyla McSweeney and Peter Mimmo in the town’s sole contested race.

Current Select Board chair Muriel Kramer and member Irfan Nasrullah are not seeking reelection. Kramer is pursuing a seat on the Governor’s Council.

While the candidates displayed different areas of expertise, their common ground focused on toning down the divisiveness in Hopkinton and working toward solutions rather than dwelling on recent controversies.

Political newcomer Clark said he was spurred to run because of the changes he has seen in the past two years in town. The son of former Hopkinton Fire Chief Ken Clark

stressed his concerns over the number of town employees who have left and the residents who are contemplating moving because of the difficulty in downsizing to smaller homes.

Said Clark: “To see the town in a state where people no longer enjoy working here or don’t want to stay working here, that deeply hurts me.”

Herr said he decided to jump into the race to provide the Select Board with experienced leadership in a challenging time. He had served on the board for 12 years, including a stint as chair. His main concerns were the amount of debt service the town will experience over the next several years as well as the need to “reset and refocus our energy … as one community.”

McSweeney, an attorney and Cemetery Commission member, spoke about education and her budgetary expertise. She focused on the two current school building projects in the works and the “tough decisions” the town will face financially. She also voiced a concern echoed by the other candidates that residents are not feeling heard by their elected officials, which she said will be her priority.

Mimmo spoke about supporting Hopkinton’s stellar school system, tax relief for seniors and support of green initiatives. He currently serves on the Board of Assessors and has worked as a civil litigator for the state for the past 20 years, enforcing anti-discrimination laws.

“Mostly, I want to make myself available so I can understand and interpret the will of the people,” he said, pledging to hold office hours if elected.

Citizen concerns addressed

A question submitted by former School Committee candidate Ashley Fogg asked the candidates how they would address election issues in the wake of last year’s divisive election, when she said she faced social media backlash. The candidates agreed that social media should be used to share information, not to engage in personal or political attacks.

Herr stressed he is a “big believer in respect” and that the race should focus on the issues. The other candidates agreed, with McSweeney saying she previously spoke with the other candidates about having mutual respect in this race.

One query stressed that residents felt they have not been heard at recent Select Board meetings and that they faced criticism for not running for office themselves.

people may not be comfortable voicing their opinions or running for office. McSweeney agreed, adding that “everyone has a voice” and should use theirs to “hold the Select Board accountable.”

Later in the forum, a question arose about why citizen concerns voiced in the public comment period are not immediately addressed. Several residents have voiced the same concern over multiple meetings without receiving a response.

Herr noted that Open Meeting Law prevents the Select Board from addressing questions on topics not on the agenda. That said, he stressed that members should take notes and place them on a future agenda for discussion. Multiple questions on the same subject should alert Select Board members to “the general will of the community.”

Mimmo agreed that the public comment period is not meant for back-andforth discussion. But residents should feel their questions will receive a timely response.

“I think the theme here is that residents feel frustrated because they’re talking about recurring situations that aren’t being addressed,” added Clark.

Former Selectman John Coutinho asked if the candidates “know what a heavy lift” the position entails. He said his experience involved 20-30 hours per week of commitment, sometimes going to Boston to meet with legislators. McSweeney, Mimmo and Clark said they sought the advice of current or former members before deciding to enter the race.

Budget concerns take center stage

With two school building projects in the works and several budget operational overrides coming up for a vote at Town Meeting, the budget was a central topic of the forum.

“I think you’ve got to know what you’re signing up for with the Select Board,” said Clark. “This is front and center in town.”

Mimmo agreed, saying that people running for Select Board need to “have a thick skin.”

He added: “I would like to think that with a new Select Board coming on board with two new members that we’re able to bring the temperature down just a little bit.”

Herr reiterated the need for respect, noting that some

Herr explained that debt service will rise from $7 million to $17 million in the next four years. This will impact the bond rating, which in turn increases interest rates, creating a “vicious cycle.” He suggested flatlining services for a few years.

Mimmo said that while investing in capital projects is important to maintain the school system, there will be a “budget crunch.” McSweeney agreed, although she pointed out the current space shortfalls in the schools that force some students to eat lunch as early as 10 a.m. and receive special education services in the hallways.

Clark spoke of balance, prioritizing “needs over wants.” He doesn’t want to cut services, because he said that has led people to leave town.

All candidates spoke of the need to aid older and economically challenged residents who are heavily impacted by the increased tax burden.

Encouraging commercial growth will help, but it will not totally alleviate the strain. Mimmo stressed the need to “market Hopkinton” to businesses, as well as for tax increment financing.

Herr said he hoped that when the Main Street Corridor Project is completed that businesses will occupy the currently empty storefronts. Having the infrastructure in place to support these businesses is critical.

Clark noted that business interests only represent 16% of the tax base. The lack of available land for commercial development creates another challenge.

UCTC makes slow progress on revising charge

By Mary Ellen Gambon Staff Writer

The Upper Charles Trail Committee on April 24 met to continue its work on revising its charge, as requested by the Select Board, but progress was slow.

At the start of the meeting, chair Jane Moran asked the members to review the minutes from the past two meetings, noting that they would form the framework for the upcoming discussion.

Alternate member Jamie Wronka asked for revisions to the minutes for the April 3 meeting. She noted a reference to a Trails Committee document that called for the UCTC to become a subcommittee under the Trails Committee. Wronka pointed out that this was the previous line of thinking. But the Select Board decided that the UCTC should remain a separate but restructured committee. There was confusion about this point at the last meeting.

“I believe it,” said Moran. “I believe that the Trails Committee is setting up a subcommittee.”

Replied Wronka: “But the document doesn’t say that.” Wronka’s comments were added to the revised minutes to show that there was some disagreement.

Member Scott Knous presented a revised charge document. It was based on the proposed charge revisions made by Select Board member and UCTC liaison Irfan Nasrullah (who was not in attendance).

Moran noted that the committee did not find the revised UCTC charge by the Trails Committee useful, instead deciding to use Nasrullah’s and Knous’ work as a springboard for discussion.

Knous said he hoped his suggestions

Trails Committee discusses upcoming forum about dogs

By Mary Ellen Gambon Staff Writer

The Trails Committee at its meeting April 17 laid out its plans for its upcoming forum seeking public input on trial periods for dogs to be allowed off-leash on trails.

“Dogs on Trails?” will take place on Wednesday, May 1, at the Hopkinton Senior Center from 6:30-8:30 p.m., explained organizer Krisanne Connell. It will be an interactive event where dog owners, trail users and those who have concerns about unleashed dogs causing potential harm can share their viewpoints.

Chair Peter LaGoy said the timing of the event is important. It precedes Annual Town Meeting on May 6, when an article on this issue will be presented. He noted that, according to the town bylaw, it is technically illegal to have dogs unleashed at the dog park.

The article contains “housekeeping measures” to alert residents of the policy. LaGoy said the town added a phrase to the article stating that leashes must provide physical restraint rather than electronic.

“What we’re doing is to have this forum and look at various temporary control measures to see if we can potentially come up with some better solutions,” he explained. “This [article] would allow us to try some of those.”

would provide a base that is “strategic and tactical in terms of talking about what we’re delivering.” He stressed that the charge should not include anything regarding the proposed trail route. Its focus should be to “come up with a multifaceted, well-thought-out set of recommendations that includes costs.”

One point of contention focused on whether the inclusion of the Center Trail as part of the Upper Charles Trail should be included in the charge.

“From the very beginning, the Center Trail was included in this charge,” said Moran. “And that’s what we based the original plan on.”

Member Tim Ritterbusch said the Center Trail shouldn’t be included in the charge because it would “tie the hands” of the members into including it.

“It’s been tied for 15 years,” retorted vice chair Eric Sonnett.

Moran added that the UCTC had “some some heavy lifting” on the downtown corridor project in the hope that the trail would align with the new bike lane. This would provide a connection to the Center Trail, which she stressed is “an important part of our history.”

Knous added that there is “a high probability that the Center Trail will be included in the final route.”

Moran suggested that the word “shall” be replaced with “may” regarding the inclusion of the Center Trail.

The committee plodded through the document paragraph by paragraph, with each member asked if they agreed or had edits. The group worked through the first two pages.

topics section at the end of the meeting agenda, as the Select Board does.

Member Jim Ciriello adamantly stressed that this section was “ridiculous.” He said the agenda should state that the meeting discussion could be modified at the discretion of the chair. It was not made clear among the participants whether that would violate Open Meeting Law.

“The feedback that we got from the

One addition was to include language about “actively engaging town residents.” This reflected the opinion of the majority of Annual Town Meeting participants last year who felt their desire to not have the proposed trail cross and run along Hayden Rowe Street was not being heard.

Much of the meeting focused on wordsmithing and minor language edits. Later in the session, there was more debate over the choice of words, particularly regarding the inclusion of future topics of discussion on the agenda. Wronka and Knous thought it would be helpful if public comments were incorporated into a future

OPENING DOORS

general public, whether we agree or disagree, was that they want more transparency,” Knous countered, saying he felt “very strongly” about maintaining a public list of future agenda items.

Another charge edit suggested by Knous included a treasurer and a secretary as officers in addition to the chair and vice chair. Committee members agreed.

The next meeting will be held May 15.

Regatta Point Community Sailing makes splash at State Park

There will be a new look for water activities at Hopkinton State Park this year, provided by an old friend. Regatta Point Community Sailing, a nonprofit with six decades of experience running programs on Worcester’s Lake Quinsigamond, is expanding its offerings to Hopkinton State Park.

The organization takes great pride in fostering a sense of community and ensuring accessibility for all individuals.

SUMMER FUN

BUSINESS PROFILE

An advertiser feature

This new location expands Regatta Point’s range of activities, catering to seasoned sailors and beginners alike.

One of the key aspects that sets Regatta Point Community Sailing apart is its dedication to creating a welcoming atmosphere. The organization goes above and beyond to encourage a feeling of community among its members. In addition to the water activities, Regatta Point hosts social events like moonlight paddles, providing the perfect opportunity for members to relax, enjoy the beautiful scenery and spend quality time together in their own neighborhood.

There are opportunities for people of all abilities to find something they can enjoy. With one membership, individuals can explore the water in new and exciting ways at each location — in town at the State Park or a 25-minute ride away on Lake Quinsigamond.

“We are all teachers and learners, and the staff here cultivates that community atmosphere,” Duva says. “My beloved dog, Bentley, is the designated canine lifeguard. Bentley also loves getting piggyback rides to and from the water from whoever will oblige,” he adds with a chuckle.

‘This incredible expansion opportunity allows for optimal water access for sailing and rowing at the Worcester location during the competitive season as well as for recreational activities such as paddleboarding and kayaking in Hopkinton,” says Regatta Point executive director Casey Duva, who has been involved with the program since 2001.

“There is something for everyone!”

Further investing in its community, Regatta Point provided $12,000 in scholarships last year, ensuring no child would be turned away from its programs.

The program in Hopkinton opens May 4 and operates on weekends only (10 a.m.-7 p.m.) until May 25, when it opens daily for the summer (10 a.m.-7 p.m.). From Sept. 3 to Oct. 14, it returns to a weekend schedule (10 a.m.-5 p.m.).

Anyone interested in becoming a member, enrolling a child in summer camp or learning more about the organization and its offerings can check the Regatta Point Community Sailing website at regattapoint.org, email info@regattapoint.org or call 508-757-2140.

Business Profiles are advertising features designed to provide information and background about Hopkinton Independent advertisers.

Trails Committee discusses upcoming forum about dogs

Proposed changes to the dog policy on trails will be implemented on a trial basis. After garnering public feedback on proposed locations and times, the committee will request trial periods through the Select Board.

The forum will focus on small-group brainstorming sessions where the pros and cons of allowing dogs to be unleashed. There will be a mapping exercise noting areas of concern as well as trails where it would be most feasible for dogs to be allowed off-leash for certain time frames. Solutions and next steps will be discussed after group leaders share their findings.

LaGoy noted that some people may love dogs but may have had bad experiences with unleashed dogs in the past. He has contacted animal control officer Bill Proctor about the forum. Member Linda Chuss said some dog owners might also have concerns about unleashed dogs on trails impacting their dogs.

The committee will be stepping up its public awareness campaign for the event, displaying posters at key town locations, including the dog park, trailheads, veterinary clinics and the Baypath Humane Society animal shelter. Members will be present at the upcoming Know Your Vote forum on April 29 to discuss the article. Chuss stressed the importance of promoting the event via local and social media to attract a range of stakeholders.

Beavers cause dam problem for trails

Member Chuck Dauchy noted that “eager beavers” have been wreaking havoc on dams, which has flooded some trails.

“Within the last two weeks, they now have a dam that knocks out a key trail linkage and intersection,” he said, although he did not specify the location.

LaGoy added that a concrete bridge “is at least a foot underwater.”

Dauchy said some trails may need to be rerouted due to the beaver activity. Bridges may need to be used to mitigate the water’s impact, and money will need

to be allocated in the budget for the materials, Added Dauchy: “We are working around [the beavers] and with them.”

Progress made on website with town

Chuss noted that there has been progress made on the Trails Committee’s website through the town. Work commenced six weeks ago, and information on six trails has been updated. Dauchy noted that trail connections should be annotated.

“Our approach is to get all the trails added here and to get all the information filled in in a consistent manner,” Chuss explained. She noted that previously, the town had connected the wrong links to some trails, which prompted the Trails Committee to discuss creating an independent website.

The project will be implemented in phases. Future iterations will include an interactive map, news about trail activities, safety information, and details about water-oriented trails and trails with longer loops.

Volunteer engagement encouraged

Chuss recently attended a webinar on volunteer engagement and shared her findings with the committee. She stressed the importance of recognizing how volunteers’ values and interests intersect with the committee’s mission. Letting volunteers know the necessary skill sets beforehand, saying that training will be provided, and integrating newcomers with veteran volunteers were highlighted strategies.

AUGUST 5-9

High School Turf

Competitive High School and Middle School teams

Ages 13-14 and 15-17

Mid-June to Late July

Days/times are posted on HopkintonRec.org under Youth Summer Sports

The league is for players of all abilities. No tryouts. Attendance is flexible.

To register for SUMMER leagues, go to HopkintonRec.org. Questions? Email hopkintonbaberuth@gmail.com

SportS Hillers girls track seeks TVL perfection

By Chris Villani Contributing Writer

Lofty goals have become the norm for the Hopkinton High School girls track program, with the team once again setting its sights on winning every dual meet in the Tri-Valley League.

“We always try to be undefeated in the dual meets and win the TVL showcase,” coach Jean Cann said following the Hillers’ season-opening victories over Medfield and Westwood.

Early-season snow and a solar eclipse so far are the only things that have interrupted Hopkinton’s momentum. Cann is also looking to see her team compete well in the state relay and divisional state meets, though the former is scheduled close to a match with fellow TVL power Holliston, which might affect the lineup.

As for the state meet, Cann said, “It would be nice to win it. I don’t know if we are there quite this year, but we would like to be in contention and get as many people as possible qualified for the Meet of Champions.”

Hopkinton has no shortage of athletes who can help the team tick off each of those goals this spring. Despite being relatively new to track and field, Loryn Canty has been a top performer.

“She just started with us last year, but she has been a league All-Star in all three seasons so far,” Cann said, referring to both the winter and spring campaigns. “We don’t expect anything different this spring. She is the anchor of the 4x100 relay and she was undefeated in the shot put and the dash in indoor.”

Canty won the TVL winter title in the dash and will be a point scorer this spring in the 100, 200, 4x100 relay and shot put.

Italian exchange student Alice

Brambati comes into the spring after a strong indoor season and is trying the triple jump for the first time.

“She picks things up very quickly and she is very coachable,” Cann said. “I think she is going to be very good in the triple jump, hurdles and the 4x100 relay.”

Elyse Srodawa is back and will be one of the league’s top distance runners. Hopkinton also will rely on a strong group of middle distance runners, including Stephanie Johnson, Bridgid Cavanaugh, Meaghan Burdulis, Chloe

Tumbleton, Bethel Flanagan and Camille Perlov.

Elena Davies will throw the javelin along with Savannah Rivera, and both Rivera and Mary Finnegan will be sprinters. Cann has been impressed by her high jumpers, including freshman Evelyn Woodbury, Bella Walkiewicz and Aila Chase. The trio swept the event in the team’s first two meets.

“This is the best group of high jumpers we have had for quite a while,” Cann said.

Hopkinton should see plenty of

scoring this spring from multi-event athlete Josie Hopkins. Kiley Locke is showing promise in the high jump and is a top hurdler. And some of the team’s freshmen already have begun to make an impact.

“There is a large number of them who have been great this spring, they have all been super dedicated as a class,” Cann said. “They are probably the strongest class we have had since the class of 2020, and that’s the year we won the state title. So it’s a good sign of things to come if they stick with it.”

Runners take off at the start of the 800 meters during a recent meet at Ashland.

PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

Seniors lead huge HHS boys track team

By Chris Villani Contributing Writer

Seven coaches seems like a large number for a high school sports program. But with a Hopkinton High School spring track and field roster totaling more than 200 athletes — including about 135 boys — the staff is relying on the team’s seniors to step up and keep the team working together.

So far, boys coach Brian Prescott said he has been pleased with his captains’ collective response.

“The thing that has impressed me the most has been the teamwork and collaboration of a very large group of athletes,” Prescott said. “It can be overwhelming. But the fact that we have been able to stay on schedule and get the training that we need is due to the fact that we are lucky with the leadership we have and the willingness to work from the whole team.”

The Hillers have four captains: twins Drew and Will Bialobrzeski, Ben Scott and Russell Perryman.

“They have been really helpful,” Prescott said. “Plus, we have a litany of other seniors and juniors and our sophomore class, which has the largest number of kids by grade. A lot of them have started to emerge as leaders on the team.”

The captains are likely going to be big point scorers for Hopkinton as well. The Bialobrzeski brothers are multievent athletes who figure to be competing among the best in the league in the relays, hurdles and throwing events. Scott is a distance runner who will focus on the 2-mile, the mile and occasionally the 800 meters. Perryman is among the top javelin throwers in both the TriValley League and the state as a whole.

“I think our captains will be really important for us,” Prescott said.

Hopkinton has numerous other athletes who Prescott said should be major point scorers this spring, as the Hillers look to follow up on a TVL title and a

runner-up finish at the Division 2 state meet in 2023.

Sam Dadagian will compete in the 100, 200, 400 and relay events for HHS. Logan Sullivan comes into the spring after capturing the league title for the high jump during the indoor season. Second in the TVL high jump during the winter was Sullivan’s teammate, Connor Cho. Hopkinton also features Damon Carboni in the discus and Matt Bernardin, who has been working off-site at the pole vault in the hopes of competing at a high level in that event.

Prescott said his team’s depth will be aided by the sophomores, many of whom are going to be earning spots as part of one of Hopkinton’s relay teams or snagging crucial second and third-place finishes during dual meets.

The Hillers headed into the 2024 season with two sets of goals, external and internal. The external goal is to win the TVL championship again and once again compete at the state level after placing second a season ago. The internal goal might be even more important, Prescott said: to make sure everyone has a positive experience being part of such a large team.

“I don’t want people to feel like they have gotten lost in the shuffle,” he said. “We want everyone to have a meaningful experience, and that the younger athletes want to come back next year.”

The fourth-ranked javelin thrower in the state, Perryman has a personal best of 171 feet. He also holds the school record in the 25-pound weight throw. “One of the things I appreciate most about Russell is his dedication to learning the technical aspects of the javelin throw and sharing it with his teammates,” coach Mike Donahue stated. “He’s not only a great thrower, but he makes all of his teammates better.”

A midfielder, Burke led the team in draw controls and ground balls through the first month of the season. “Abby is an incredibly well-rounded player who’s always giving 100% effort and working to improve her game while being the best teammate she can be,” shared coach Marisa Remley.” Burke recently was selected to play for the Massachusetts/Rhode Island team at the USA Lacrosse Women’s National Tournament in late May.

High jumper Justin Fossbender easily clears the bar during a recent meet at Ashland.

PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

HHS Athlete Spotlight

Russell Perryman Boys Track Senior

Abby Burke Girls Lacrosse Sophomore

PHOTO/JERRY

Support, criticism follow accusations of racism

Racism | from page 1

risen to speak against these acts until this moment.”

Reached via text message the following day by the Independent, Mannan clarified that his reference to the local media was directed at the HopNews website.

On April 4, HopNews had posted an opinion piece titled “Enough mansplaining already” that called out Mannan and fellow Select Board member Irfan Nasrullah for what HopNews owner/editor Peter Thomas deemed disrespectful behavior toward chair Muriel Kramer at the April 2 Select Board meeting. This occurred during a heated discussion that took place while Police Chief Joseph Bennett was having his midyear review.

Mannan, along with the other members of the board, has come under fire over the past few months from a vocal group of residents furious over the board’s decision to terminate the employment of Hopkinton Police Sgt. Tim Brennan earlier this year. The group started a recall petition for all five Select Board members, although after three months, organizers had yet to produce the approximately 1,320 signatures of town voters as part of the first step. Brennan supporters also have expressed their ire at recent Select Board meetings.

In the HopNews opinion piece — which ran below a photo of Mannan and Nasrullah with speech bubbles labeled “Blah blah” and “Yada yada” — Thomas accused the two men of being “condescending,” criticized Mannan for “rambling” and taking too long to make his points, and wrote that Nasrullah was “equally insufferable.” He ended by suggesting the two attend sensitivity training.

A commenter on the HopNews Facebook page — apparently a former Hopkinton resident — then wrote that Mannan and Nasrullah, both of South Asian descent (although Nasrullah grew up locally) “are from cultures where women are treated like third-class citizens and are basically chattel.” The

commenter continued, “Just because these ‘Men’ can write code and buy a million dollar house in Hopkinton doesn’t mean they have evolved.”

The comment remained on the HopNews Facebook page, garnering some likes (indications of support), for two weeks until an individual brought it to Thomas’ attention in the days after Mannan’s public accusation. Thomas, indicating he had not previously noticed the “potentially offensive comment,” removed the post while suggesting it came from a “foreign state bot.” Thomas added that he is not responsible for posts on the HopNews Facebook page because “we do not attempt to moderate platforms other than our own.”

Nasrullah: Comment crossed line

The Facebook commenter’s accusation of how the two male Select Board members view women is off-base, Nasrullah said.

“That certainly goes toward our cultural background, and I find that offensive,” he said, also questioning the premise of Thomas’ piece that spurred the comment. “My defense of the chief

is in no way a means of belittling Muriel. That was not the intent.”

Mannan declined an opportunity to further elaborate on his views for this article, although in his public comments at the Select Board meeting, he noted:

“The truth is, racial bias still exists among us, influencing perceptions and actions. It is evident when a person of color speaks with conviction, they are often perceived differently than their white counterparts. This is not just an observation. It is a systemic issue that we must address. When a white male speaks strongly, he is admired as a strong leader. When a white female does, she’s seen as a progressive, rightfully so. Yet, when a brown man speaks strongly, it’s often labeled a cultural issue. One can only imagine the reaction when a Black man speaks strongly, or a brown or Black woman, for that matter. This highlights clear systemic racism.”

Thomas stood firm in his belief that he had done nothing worthy of Mannan’s accusations. He enlisted an attorney to write a letter to Mannan demanding an apology, and he wrote on his site, “Mannan is not a victim in this particular instance; rather, he is the aggressor.”

The town was expected to have its legal counsel craft a response early this week.

Ritterbusch backs Mannan

Select Board member Amy Ritterbusch said she does not question Mannan’s comments, noting that she was aware of prior race-based criticism.

“I listen, hear and believe Shahidul,” she shared. “I helped him with his campaign for Select Board a couple of years ago and was privy to some of the racist anti-immigrant comments and messages he received on his candidate Facebook page at that time. Given the controversy going on now in town, I am unfortunately not surprised to hear he has experienced more bias-based vitriol recently.”

Resident Amman Haidri, outreach

director at the Islamic Masumeen Center on Wood Street, said it was a “shock” to hear Mannan’s accusations. He said while he has been aware of isolated cases of bias, he had not heard anything “to this extent.”

“After I read that, it was very hurtful,” he said. “Any racial attacks or personal threats are not acceptable. No one has a right to pinpoint who can live in this community. Calling out someone and asking if they still live here, that is not acceptable.”

Haidri said he and many other members of the community have reached out to Mannan to offer support. He hopes that the negativity in town dissipates.

“My message to everyone as a community would be that we need to unite,” he said. “Any personal hatred is not acceptable.”

Staff at the Hopkinton Public Library submitted a public letter supporting Mannan, writing:

“The Hopkinton Public Library is a place of learning, recreation and expression where members of the community can respectfully exchange ideas. This should also be true about other places in our wonderful town. We are one community and one Hopkinton, regardless of where someone was born or the color of their skin. In our community, there is no room for xenophobia, bigotry, homophobia, racism, religious intolerance or any form of hate.”

Mannan noted that he volunteers on the Select Board “with the intent to serve and improve our community, a value instilled in me by my family.” Calling Hopkinton “my beloved town,” he said he has no plans to leave.

“Let me state for the record, for today and for all future generations, that despite the challenges we face, I have unwavering faith in the heart of this country and this town, which I have called home for the better part of my life — 28 and 12 years, respectively, to be exact,” he said at the Select Board meeting. “This is my home, my country, my town. And I am here to stay.”

Select Board member Shahidul Mannan said he has been the focus of racially motivated insults.

PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

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.

Ellen Jean Wright

With sadness, love and respect, we announce the passing of Ellen Jean (O’Connell) Wright on April 11 after a long and spirited struggle with multi-system complications. The youngest of seven children, Ellen was born July 18, 1944, to William and Elizabeth O’Connell of Jamaica Plain and had fond memories of her childhood. With a twinkle in her eye, she called herself “a thorn in the sides” of her older siblings as they grew up in their four-room city apartment. During those years in Jamaica Plain and later in Brighton, Ellen learned to love to dance and grew up to enjoy the music of Elvis Presley and Neil Diamond, both of whom she saw in concert. Her love of music and dancing had her on stage both as a dancer and a chorus member in church musical productions in the Framingham/Sudbury area during the 1970s and 1980s.

Ellen embarked on a decades-long career in the field of accounting, which involved business travel to Japan, China and England, as well as various locations around the United States. It was during this period of her life that she also served as a caregiver for her ailing parents at home, and met and married her husband, George Wright of Hopkinton. They settled into married life with George tending their mini-farm and Ellen continuing her accounting work at various businesses, some of which included Dunkin’ Donuts franchises, Rohm and Haas manufacturing, and the Town of Hopkinton Senior Center. Sadly, early in their marriage, George was given a terminal diagnosis, and when his health declined, Ellen determinedly reprised her role of caregiver, while also continuing to support the household. Despite the challenges, they spent their time laughing, loving and enjoying what time they had together, which often included escaping to Twin River or Foxwoods to try their luck.

In the years following George’s death, Ellen moved to the senior housing community in the center of Hopkinton and worked in finance and as an event volunteer at the Hopkinton Senior Center. After officially retiring from full-time work in finance, but still being a young, active senior citizen who very much wanted to keep busy, she took a job as a waitress in the dining rooms of Golden Pond skilled nursing facility, where she once again dipped into caregiving as she got to know, befriend and watch over “her” patients. When a shoulder injury put an end to carrying trays, Ellen took on her most recent job of working in the cafeteria of Hopkinton Middle School, where she ran the cash register and took a special interest in assisting students with special needs. Though her own health was diminishing at this time, she popped on her caregiver’s hat again to assist relatives in the Vorderer family as they navigated the dementia needs of her brother-in-law, Fred. All

throughout her busy life with work and caring for others, Ellen also struggled with frequent and serious medical issues herself, but she routinely summoned all her Irish moxie and rarely allowed herself to be slowed by those issues until that was no longer possible. In the immediate period following her death, family members and friends — and even members of the medical community who cared for Ellen through the years — recounted story after story of Ellen’s strength, determination and wicked wit. This wit — verbal chucks on the chin with a dose of sarcasm and delivered with a sly smile and lots of love — were Ellen’s hallmark and will be remembered and sorely missed by all who knew and loved her.

In addition to being predeceased by her husband, George, and siblings Billy, John, Frank and Susan, Ellen is survived by siblings Georgia Vorderer and Don O’Connell, stepsons Tim Wright (Debbie), Gregory Wright (Bonnie) and Kevin Wright (Maureen), eight grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, two godchildren and a plethora of beloved nieces and nephews. She also had special places in her heart for niece and caregiver Lori Morton and longtime friend Mary Carey. It would be remiss not to mention a very special thank you to her longtime visiting nurse and dear friend, Spencer Peppin, who helped Ellen navigate all the conflicting medical challenges in later years.

According to Ellen’s wishes, there will be no wake, but a rite of Christian burial Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 17, at St. John the Evangelist in Hopkinton. Burial will follow in Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Hopkinton. Arrangements are under the care of the Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Ellen’s honor to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital (stjude.org) or the Hopkinton Senior Center Veterans Breakfast Fund, 28 Mayhew Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748.

Charles Middleton

Charles Francis Middleton, 90, passed away peacefully on April 11, surrounded by his loving family.

Charlie was born in Reading on Sept. 2, 1933, son of the late Charles F. Middleton Sr. and Alberta (Schmitt) Middleton.

He leaves his devoted and loving wife of almost 65 years, Shirley Glynn Middleton. Together they raised three children in Sudbury: Wayne Middleton (and Meg Randazza) who predeceased him, Craig (and Susan) Middleton of Westwood, and Jane (and Joe) Wojcik of Hopkinton. His greatest joy was watching his six grandchildren grow into adulthood: Juliette Randazza; Chandler, Brett and Julia Middleton; and Alex and Ashley Wojcik.

Charlie was a product designer who began his career at Raytheon in 1951. In 1969, he started his own business, CFM, Inc., where he provided commercial product design services until his retirement in 1999. He was a sergeant in the U.S. Air force from 1952-56, serving in design offices in Texas and Germany.

Throughout his life, Charlie applied his creativity to drawing, woodworking, home improvement projects, graphic design (including making homemade cards), gardening and landscaping. He was an avid local sports fan, especially fond of cheering on the New England Patriots. In his retirement years, he appreciated winter retreats to Hilton Head, an evening glass of red wine, pruning his rose bushes, and spending time with friends and family.

In addition to his immediate family, Charlie leaves brother-in-law Anthony Leach of Chatham, as well as several adored nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to VNA (Visiting Nurses Association) Care, 333 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772-1755 or vnacare. org/donors.

A memorial service and private burial will be held. Details to follow.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Callanan Cronin Funeral Home in Hopkinton.

Rosemary Gelman

Rosemary C. Gelman, 77, of Hopkinton passed away of an abrupt illness on April 13. Born in Boston, she was the daughter of the late Bernard and Mary (Reilly) Carroll. She was the wife of 41 years to Dr. Martin Gelman of Hopkinton.

Rosemary was born at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and returned to work there where she met her future husband, a new nephrologist coming on staff from Mass General in 1975. After an extended courtship, they were married on July 10, 1983, in an intimate garden wedding on Martha’s Vineyard. Rosemary earned her nursing degree at the St. Elizabeth’s Nursing School. She worked as an RN at several Boston hospitals, including Mass General, Mount Auburn and St. Elizabeth’s — becoming head nurse of the hemodialysis unit for many years.

Rosemary continued her education, earning a master’s degree and nurse practitioner license from UMass Lowell. She worked as a nurse practitioner at Urban Medical Group, serving innercity patients in the Dorchester, Roxbury and Mattapan areas of Boston. Together, Rosemary and Martin started a dialysis unit in 1987 in Hopedale, spearheading a program then known as “short daily dialysis.” Rosemary was a nurse administrator for the program. They expanded with a second unit in Everett and went on to provide acute dialysis services to 11 other Boston hospitals. Shortly thereafter, she worked with her husband to start a home dialysis program.

Rosemary focused on her children’s activities, including serving as a board member of their elementary school, Touchstone Community School in Grafton.

Rosemary was well known for her compassion and generosity. She volunteered at her children’s schools and donated to many causes, including national parks, the arts and public television. She was quietly tough but kind and sweet, always supporting those she loved and cheering them on in their endeavors. She

was known as the rock in her family — the stabilizing force who always knew every detail. Rosemary was extremely proud of her family and had a special relationship with her mother, whom she cared for dearly throughout her life. Her love for her family and their love for her was the central focus of her life. She enjoyed winters in Vail with her cousins and summers on the Cape in their house in Brewster as well as ski vacations to local New England mountains.

Rosemary particularly loved national parks. She and her family visited 12 of them across the country. Her other family trips included Central and South America and the Galapagos Islands. She also visited many cities in Europe.

In addition to her husband, Rosemary is survived by her two sons, David Gelman of Denver and Matthew Gelman of Waltham. She also leaves behind her siblings, Bernard Carroll of Norfolk, Joe Carroll of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and Andrea Carroll of Hayward, Wisconsin, and her recently late brother, Leo Carroll of Narragansett, Rhode Island. She also is survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews in New England.

A funeral service was held April 28 at the Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the U.S. National Park Service.

Donna Dandridge

Donna Dandridge, 79, of Holliston passed away surrounded by her loved ones after a battle with lung cancer on April 10. She was born March 31, 1944, to parents Karl and Gladys Nilges. She will be lovingly remembered by her three children and their spouses, Karlton (Elizabeth Sue) Woods of Nevada, Felicia (Eric) Lang of Ohio, and Michael (Beth) Mellen of Massachusetts; seven grandchildren, Michelle Woods, Karlton Woods Jr., Jessica Berzsenyi, Jennifer Honkonen, Evan Lang, Braeden Mellen and Addison Mellen; as well as three great-grandchildren.

Donna was proceeded in death by her loving husband of 17 years, Frank Dandridge, and siblings Mary, Gary, Kathy and Karl Jr.

Donna was born in Framingham, the oldest of 10 children. Donna was a longtime resident of Framingham. Upon retiring from the Hostess/Wonder Bread Company in Natick in 1999, she resided in Delray Beach, Florida. She moved back to Massachusetts in 2018 and was most recently a resident at Fairview Estates in Hopkinton.

Donna was a big-hearted woman who loved her family immensely and had a knack for making friends wherever she went. She was a devoted, hard-working, single mother of three children.

Donna will be fondly remembered by many for her lifelong love of bingo, whether for big money or, more recently, for dimes. Her children fondly recall how a big win would be celebrated with late-night Chinese food. Others may remember her as their cheerful Avon representative.

Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers for Donna and her family.

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.

K of C Nite at the Races Fundraiser May 4

The Knights of Columbus is hosting a fundraising event for adults (18 and up) called A Nite at the Races on Saturday, May 4, at 7 p.m. at St. John’s Parish Hall (20 Church Street). Doors open at 6 p.m. There will be eight virtual horse races and 10 grand prize gift drawings. All admission tickets, which are $20 each, are eligible for a door prize. Dinner, snacks and beverages will be available. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit bishopricekoc.org/events.

Metrowest Symphony Orchestra Concert at HMS May 5

The Metrowest Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Max Hobart, will present a Family Concert on Sunday, May 5, at 2 p.m. in the Hopkinton Middle School auditorium. The concert will feature guest solo clarinetists Thomas Martin (from the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops Orchestra) and Kai-Yun Lu (from the Atlantic Symphony). Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, and free for children under 12. The concert will benefit Project Just Because, Hopkinton’s food/ home goods nonprofit pantry. For more information, visit metrowestsymphony.org.

Dementia Friends Information Session May 9

Residents of all towns are invited to become a Dementia Friend by attending an informational program at the The Residence at Valley Farm in Ashland on Thursday, May 9, at 3:30 p.m. Attendees will learn about the five key dementia messages, the different types of dementia and their impact, what it’s like to live with dementia, and how to interact and communicate with people living with dementia. Resources and support information will be available for care partners. To reserve a spot, call the Hopkinton Senior Center at 508-497-9730. For more information, email sdocknevich@gmail.com.

Garden Club Plant Sale May 11

The annual Hopkinton Garden Club Plant Sale will take place Saturday, May 11, from 8 a.m.-noon at the Town Common. (Rain date is May 12 from 9 a.m.noon.) Club members will be selling annuals and perennials (many dug from their own gardens or grown directly from seed) including a wide variety of flowers, hanging planters, vegetables, herbs and house plants. As the organization’s major annual fundraiser, the event funds the club’s town beautification efforts, educational programs and community project initiatives. For more information, visit hopkintongardenclub.org.

Lions Club Community Yard Sale May 11

The Hopkinton Lions Club’s annual Community Yard Sale is scheduled for Saturday, May 11, from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Residents across Hopkinton will sell their treasures and goods. For more details or to register for a home sale, visit hopkintonlions.org. Proceeds from registrations will go to the Hopkinton Lions Club to

Event Calendar Sponsored by

First Friday Open Mic | May 3 at 8 p.m. with feature David Cournoyer Join us for a night of music and fun at HCA’s First Friday Open Mic Night! Whether you’re a seasoned performer or love listening to live music, this event is perfect. Singers, musicians, and poets can showcase their talent in front of a supportive and lively crowd while also learning from watching other performers. This month’s feature performer David Cournoyer has been playing the New England club circuit for about 45 years.

Enter Stage Left Youth Theater

Presents: Villains School

May 3 at 7 p.m. | May 4 & 5 at 3 p.m.

Welcome to The Villains’ Institute for Learning Evil (V.I.L.E.), where all the famous storybook villains go to learn their wicked ways. Like any school, V.I.L.E has its social groups: the Monsters, the Witches, the Convicts, and the Misfits. The Evil Geniuses rule the school and are at the top of the food chain. However, everything is turned upside down when the intelligent and talented new student, Frank Stein, shows up and challenges the status quo. Fun for the whole family!

Mother’s Day Classical Concert May 12 at 3 p.m.

Treat the mom in your life to this onehour melodious concert featuring harpist Yvonne Cox and flutist Kate Davison. Playing an array of classical music pieces, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Your ticket includes the concert, dessert, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Coloring supplies for little ones will be available to make cards for the occasion. This concert is sponsored through the generous support of Scott’s Landscaping.

Treblemakers Spring Concert May 18 at 7 p.m. and May 19 at 2 p.m.

The Treblemakers Spring concert is just around the corner, and this time, we’ve got a theme that will give you all the feels. Get ready to “Fall In Love” with our amazing performance. We’ll be singing all your favorite love songs with a twist that will leave you swooning. Trust us, you won’t want to miss out on this unforgettable night of music and good vibes.

support charitable events in town and with the global Lions International.

Friends of the Seniors Plant Sale May 18

The Friends of the Hopkinton Seniors will hold their annual Summer Vegetable and Flower Fundraiser on Saturday, May 18, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Hopkinton Senior Center. Summertime favorites such as heirloom tomatoes and vegetables, essential pollinator flowers, herbs and container varieties from the center’s greenhouse will be available along with a variety of garden accessories and perennials at wallet-friendly prices. Donations from community members — recently divided perennials, overplanted vegetables, herbs or flowers from a home garden — can be dropped off May 16 and 17 at the Senior Center front desk.

Reading Frederick Douglass at Town Common May 18

The Hopkinton Historical Society, together with the Hopkinton Freedom Team, will present Reading Frederick Douglass Together on the Hopkinton Town Common on Saturday, May 18, from 1-4 p.m. A gifted orator and prescient writer, Douglass forces Americans to reckon with the legacy of slavery and the promises of democracy. Volunteer readers representing citizens young and old, from all corners of town, will share Douglass’ words. The event also will include music, discussion and surprises. For more information, visit hopkhistsoc.org.

Team Hoyt Memorial Road Race May 25

The Team Hoyt Memorial Road Race will take place Saturday, May 25, at 10 a.m., starting and finishing at Marathon School (129 Hayden Rowe Street). The event includes a 5-mile race, 2-mile walk and kids fun run, along with a virtual 5-mile run for those who cannot attend. The event also is looking for volunteers. Proceeds benefit the Hoyt Foundation. For more information, visit TeamHoyt.com.

Farmers Market Sundays at Town Common June 9-Oct. 13

The Hopkinton Farmers Market returns to the Town Common on Sundays from 1-5 p.m., starting June 9 and running through Oct. 13. The market features local fresh food, craft beverages, organic produce, flowers, handmade products, live music and activities. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) customers again will receive a $10 incentive for a $10 purchase, and there will be Healthy Incentive Program (HIP) benefits as well. For information, including a list of vendors, music and activities, visit hopkintonfarmersmarket.com.

Timlin Event at Hopkinton High School June 15

Registration is open for the 21st annual Sharon Timlin Memorial Event, which will be held at Hopkinton High School on June 15. The 5K road race and family fun day is a fundraiser for The Angel Fund for ALS Research. The 5K race begins at 8:30 a.m., followed by the family fun day activities with live music, food, games, raffles, a silent auction and other activities — including a kids color run — until noon. There also is a virtual option. For more information or to register, visit sharontimlinrace.org.

MBCC Against the Tide at Hopkinton State Park June 15

The Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition (MBCC) will host its annual Against the Tide event on Saturday, June 15, at Hopkinton State Park. The event features multiple competitions and recreational activities, including a half-mile or 1-mile swim, a 5K or 10K run and a 3-mile fitness walk. There also will be a virtual component. Proceeds benefit MBCC’s work toward breast cancer prevention, locally and nationally. For more information and to register, visit mbcc.org/swim.

Spring Cleaning Fundraiser for PJB Through June 16

The officers of the Project Just Because Student Board are organizing a spring cleaning fundraiser. For a donation to PJB of $100 per hour, a group of five volunteers will help with yard work. The program started April 7 and ends June 16. To reserve a time, visit signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4FABA829AAFEC07-48594491-spring#/ or email studentboardpresidents@projectjustbecause.

Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk Oct. 6

Registration is open for the 36th annual Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk, which is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 6. Funds raised are donated to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The Jimmy Fund Walk features four distances, from the full marathon (starting in Hopkinton) to a 5K. To register or to support a walker, visit JimmyFundWalk.org or call 866-531-9255. Registrants can enter the promo code NEWS for a $5 discount off the registration fee. All registered participants will receive a bib, medal and T-shirt.

Veterans Breakfast First Friday of Each Month

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 at the Senior Center, 508497-9730.

buSineSS

BUSINESS PROFILE: AN ADVERTISER FEATURE

Bill’s on Main the latest evolution of a Hopkinton staple

Everyone in Hopkinton knows Bill’s, whether it’s from sharing pizza with a team, having drinks and dinner with friends while catching a game, or ordering sandwiches to go for lunch or a cooking-free night at home. The popular restaurant in the heart of Hopkinton has thrived in the town since 1992, even while other dining establishments have come and gone. Part of the reason is that over three decades, the restaurant has evolved. Now, it’s evolving again.

Guests will have table service after 4 p.m., which is great for midweek family dining. It’s still casual, but you don’t order at the counter. We’re adding some televisions and expanding the bar area, along with the bar food menu.

— Zack Siarkos

for catered food. The menu for parties, picnics and other events will include additional choices. And we can even send a bartender to your place to prepare and serve drinks for your guests.”

Siarkos believes in changing and progressing, while keeping what works.

Sunday, May 12 | 3 p.m.

Hopkinton Center for the Arts

Treat the mom in your life to this one-hour melodious concert featuring harpist Yvonne Cox and utist Kate Davison. Playing an array of classical music pieces, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Your ticket includes concert, dessert, co ee, tea and hot chocolate. Coloring supplies for little ones will be available to make cards for the occasion. is concert is sponsored through the generous support of Scott’s Landscaping.

Tickets:

98 Hayden Rowe Street | Hopkinton

“We’re adding to our menu and services and are changing our name to reflect that,” said Zack Siarkos, whose family owns the eatery. “BoMain is short for Bill’s on Main, and we’ve got a new logo to go along with it.

“The kitchen is expanding. We’ve moved the preparation area downstairs to add equipment on the main floor. Some new staff members, with different specialties, have joined our team as well. All of this allows us to provide new offerings. There will be a sauté station for pasta and stir-fry dishes. We’ll have another oven, not just the ones for pizza. We’re also making even more of our dishes from scratch, like meatballs and breading our own cutlets, raising the quality level.

“Guests will have table service after 4 p.m., which is great for midweek family dining. It’s still casual, but you don’t order at the counter. We’re adding some televisions and expanding the bar area, along with the bar food menu. Expect more varieties of cocktails and additional rotating beer offerings.

“All the new dishes will be available for takeout, with curbside pickup available. And we will continue to offer cocktails to go, something introduced during the pandemic.

“One other change is more options

“I grew up in the food business, and I believe change is good,” he said.

“My uncles opened Bill’s in Milford in the ’70s, then moved it to Hopkinton in 1992. In 2001, my family bought it from them, and we’ve been running the restaurant ever since. We rebuilt and reconfigured Bill’s in 2009, adding the bar area and expanding the menu. I live in town with my wife and two boys and love having my restaurant here.”

“BoMain will be the comfortable place everyone is used to, just better. People will still find the best sandwiches, specialty pizzas and finger foods they enjoy. We’ll be open the same hours. And we’re keeping Saturday night entertainment. To build on that, there will be new dishes and dining experiences.”

The changes are being made while Bill’s remains open for business, with a soft opening for BoMain in May, including new signs and a banner, reintroducing the restaurant to the town under its new name.

BoMain is located at 14 Main Street. Reservations for parties over eight people are recommended. For more information, call 508-435-0447 or visit mybillspizza.com, where orders can be placed online.

Business Profiles are advertising features designed to provide information and background about Hopkinton Independent advertisers.

EXPERT TREE CARE

Bill’s Pizzeria is rebranding as BoMain, which is short for Bill’s on Main.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY BUCHHOLZ SIGNS

The

McBride

Team congratulates award winner

Cece Dauphinee

The McBride Team of RE/MAX Executive Realty would like to congratulate Cece Dauphinee on her award for Student of the Month. Cece is a senior at Hopkinton High School this year. Many administrators at the school have mentioned they will miss Cece’s smile, willingness to go above and beyond, and her support of all athletic teams. She has made a positive impact on Hopkinton High School.

As a member of the National Honor Society, UNITE and Yearbook, Cece has participated and dedicated her time and support willingly and with a great attitude.

As Cece moves on to college next year, she plans to study chemistry and she hopes to be working in a lab doing some type of research. She would like her life to include a nice community around her, but all of her future plans definitely must include a cat or two! Congratulations, Cece!

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

The McBride Team 22 South Street, Suite 203 Hopkinton www.mcbrideteam.com

ESBC revisits Charleswood School wells, traffic plan

By Susan Gonsalves Contributing Writer

Following a reconciliation by two estimators, the construction costs for the newly named Charleswood School are under budget by $1.4 million, with $9.9 million in contingencies remaining.

I don’t think we have to widen the road where we don’t have to. If the [sidewalk] has no functional purpose, look at removing it from the design.

— ESBC chair Jon Graziano

Presentation on traffic plan

given Vinod Kalikiri, senior transportation planner at VHB, reviewed recommendations for signals and other measures on Hayden Rowe Street to accommodate both Marathon School and Charleswood School.

Chris Eberly, Vertex’s senior project manager, explained the estimate by designer PM&C resulted in a construction cost of $123,507,195, which comes out to $706 per square foot for the 175,002 gross square foot building area. This is $1,447,494 less than the schematic design estimate of $124,954,689 presented at Special Town Meeting last fall.With that information in mind, the Elementary School Building Committee (ESBC) on April 23 revisited the idea of alternatives that would either subtract or add to the project total.

44 Front Street, 2nd Floor • Ashland 508-881-1180

Committee members decided against a recommendation to have 110 instead of 120 6-foot wells at the site, to realize a reduction of $527,264.

ESBC member Mike Shepard asked why the committee would take a chance and cut the number before drilling specifically at the site.

“You are probably going to need extra well space at some point,” Shepard said. “I see no point in taking it off the table now.”

Eberly said the drilling done for the Hopkins project gave a good indication of what would be needed at Charleswood. Engineering consultants were comfortable with an 8% drop in the size of the well field.

But ESBC member Jagrut Jathal said that when dealing with soils and ground, “There is always uncertainty — especially when you have not drilled at this [site].” He said a buffer is wise to “account for any surprises.”

He pointed out a decision could be made later in the process when more specific Charleswood site information was available.

Delaying, Eberly said, is difficult because the Charleswood project has a general contractor that sets a lump sum bid, whereas the Hopkins project uses a construction manager at risk methodology. The latter allows for adjustments to be made and input from Vertex, the owner’s project manager.

However, Eberly noted, “The more wells, the more manageable the temperature fluctuation of water is.” He said there would be more opportunities to revisit the matter.

The committee also looked at the possibility of adding an occupied roof outside of the art room ($244,346) or a green roof ($95,353) back into the design. These were items previously rejected by the board.

Calling himself “not a fan,” Shepard asked, “Why do we keep looking at this?”

Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh noted that the idea of it probably stemmed from one of the visits to another school when considering the project’s design. Outside of having plants growing that students could learn about, she said there was not much else there.

Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations Susan Rothermich said that having a green roof would limit the opportunity for solar panels in the future.

Once again, the committee’s consensus was to leave the roof alone.

Previous decisions the committee made to save money also stayed intact, such as downgrading to a stone dust lot for overflow parking and removing irrigation at the playground and physical education fields.

Eberly concluded, “From a budget standpoint, I believe we’re in a very good place. We will continue with the numbers we have and the decisions we made so far.”

Talking about a 1-mile stretch between Grove and Chestnut Streets, Kalikiri said he was presenting ”more of a deep dive,” than what was shown at Town Meeting last fall. However, he said the plans are at the 10% stage, and he would return at 25%.

He pointed out that there is an internal connection between the two schools that would move traffic off Hayden Rowe with room for 85 cars and 18 buses and ample parking.

Changes in starting/closing times and bus routes also should help the situation, Kalikiri said.

Backups occur when vehicles are trying to turn into the existing Marathon driveway and motorists traveling through must stop and go, causing spillback.

In the plan, crossing guards would be replaced by timed signals at the crosswalk. After school hours, those signals would not be triggered and could stay green on Hayden Rowe Street, Kalikiri said, in response to questions from the board.

His recommendations to access the new school include construction of a new stop-control driveway with no left turn out, construction of a southbound left turn lane, extension of a southbound turn lane to 400 feet, and the proposed internal roadway with pedestrian walkways.

He said the Department of Public Works wants uniform 10-foot lanes and 4-foot shoulders.

Resident Albert Khassanov questioned the “rationale of a pedestrian walkway to nowhere,” in the plan.

ESBC chair Jon Graziano noted pedestrians who are leaving and arriving at the school would use the crosswalk to the sidewalk on the other side of Hayden Rowe Street. In the plan, there is another sidewalk “that ends abruptly with nowhere to go.”

Further conversations are needed with the DPW, Graziano said. “I don’t think we have to widen the road where we don’t have to. If the [sidewalk] has no functional purpose, look at removing it from the design.”

Kalikiri reiterated that the plan is in an early phase. The recommended sidewalk could be removed if the town does not want it, he said.

He said every effort was made for the roadwork not to encroach on private property, and the suggested work could be done in the public right of way.

There will be no permanent easements or takings, he said and the only disruption would be temporary access to private property “to tie up loose ends” of the project.

He added that federal standards dictate thresholds for consideration of traffic signal controls. The Marathon driveway with connection to the new school is projected to exceed the threshold for peak hours, Kalikiri said. However, if controls are “not a considered solution,” police details at school start and closing times and road widening still would be needed.

SCHoolS

Hopkinton teams advance to Robotics World Championships

By Susan Gonsalves Contributing Writer

Teams from Hopkinton Middle School and Hopkinton High School were set to compete at the VEX Robotics World Championships from April 25 to May 3 in Dallas. The students qualified by winning awards in regional and qualifying events.

New middle school coach Mary Curtis was eager to lend a helping hand when she heard the after-school club did not have an advisor this year.

Her daughter, Rylee, previously competed at the high school level, and Curtis knows how important the event is, especially to students who might not play sports or have many other interests.

“The middle school [teams] are really the foundation for high school, so it would be a really big deal not to have it,” Curtis said.

Students take inspiration from the fact that one of last year’s teams won a world championship.

Competing from Team Z: Red Flagz are Vikrant Ramesh, Mahathi Manikandan, Shashwat Jaipuriar, Weiyi Zhou, Hemant Hari and Nihal Cherkady.

Curtis noted Team Z previously won design, excellence and teamwork awards and said the students have really grown as a group, overcoming challenges to work cohesively after a few bumps along the way.

“As an engineer, you can’t always be by yourself in a corner,” Curtis said. “Listening to each other helps to build the best robot possible. Now they are ready for high school.”

Another competitive group from Hopkinton Middle School is Team W: Robo-Wizards, consisting of Nabhit Srivastava, Shray Tripathi, Shrivas Kumar, Dhairya Mehta, Karthik Lakshmanan and Rishit Lalchandani. This team previously earned the STEM finalist award and judges award.

“They really worked hard together as a group and created a nice robot,” Curtis said.

The advisor also had high praise for Team G: Gigabytes, comprised of Suren Sahakyan, Ian Pararas, Evan Mathur, Divit Vallandas and Jack Turnbull. In the run-up to worlds, they were named teamwork and skills champions, received an excellence award and won the design award at regionals.

Despite being ranked as a leader in the region and capturing design honors, Team G had a rough outing when the robot did not perform on competition day.

“Sometimes, things don’t go your way just as in sports,” Curtis noted. “With robots, a motor can go out or a program not work even though it was tried and true before. … They have a good attitude and are very competitive but unfortunately will not be going to worlds.”

The competition calls upon students to strategize, build and program robots to complete complex tasks, in this case for the Full Volume challenge.

The objective of the game is to place blocks into goals, with points awarded based on the number, type and height of blocks in each goal. Points are awarded for clearing the supply zone and parking in the supply zone at the end of the match.

Further, in a teamwork challenge, an alliance of two robots work together to score as many points as possible in a 60-second match.

Other aspects of the event involve interviews, completion of engineering notebooks and inspections.

More than 400 teams from around the country and world will compete, including groups from China, Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, Slovenia, Vietnam and more.

“It’s a cool opportunity for students to meet other kids and form alliances, even when there is sometimes a language barrier,” Curtis said.

She added that high school students had been a great help to their younger counterparts while preparing for the competitions.

From the high school, the team 2602B Big Orangutans competed at VEX from April 25-27. Members are Nicolette Buonora, Jake Dold, Zack Clark, Dhruvaa Embar, Isiah Kuruvilla, Nithilan Sridharan and Mahnoor Chaudhry.

They qualified for the event as two-time tournament champions and finalists at the qualifier and regional competitions.

This year’s game, called Over Under, has teams aiming to get colored balls into goals for points. Additional points are given when robots score while hanging from bars.

The high school advisor is Doug Scott.

Two teams from Hopkinton Middle School and one from Hopkinton High School qualified for the VEX Robotics World Championships.

School Committee authorizes $48.5M Hopkins project request

By Susan Gonsalves Contributing Writer

The School Committee on April 25 voted to authorize a budget request total of $48,550,000 for the Hopkins School addition/renovation, following an update and breakdown from project managers. Committee members want that amount to appear on the May 6 Town Meeting warrant because they feel it is less confusing than budget figures that

incorporate previously allocated funds.

For example, $3 million was approved for design last year, and $850,000 was passed for upgrades to mechanical systems.

The upcoming Town Meeting also will see an article seeking $700,000 for upgrades to mechanical equipment for the school district. Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Susan Rothermich explained that this work is being done in phases across the district as equipment reaches its end of life.

The mechanical upgrades for the schools is a separate capital request from the school renovation/addition article.

Vertex vice president/project director Jeff D’Amico said the actual request for “new debt funding” will be $46,204,000, and that is the amount that will directly impact taxpayers.

He added that anticipated MassSave and Inflation Reduction Act rebates could range from $1.3 million to $2 million, but that money would come “after the fact,” once the building opens.

Member Lori Nickerson said it is essential to be “exceptionally clear,” so townspeople understand “what it all means.”

She said, “It’s a little bit daunting, I think,” referring to all the detailed information with which many residents likely will not be familiar going into Town Meeting.

Rothermich said that even if the Hop-

kins project does not get approved, the electrical system replacement “has to happen” because it is at the end-of-life stage.

She explained the district did not spend the $850,000 approved in a prior year for the mechanical system because of a desire to tie it into the Hopkins School renovation/addition. That way, Rothermich noted, the work could “extend the green profile” of the school.

Chair Nancy Cavanaugh said there is a lot of talk in town about the planned movement of modulars from Elmwood School over to Hopkins once the new Charleswood School opens in 2027.

It is expected to cost $1.5 million for the modular relocation. Rothermich said those costs could be covered by relocating $1,646,000 of unissued but authorized debt for past school projects. But that decision rests with the town and not the district, she said.

“So that will not be additional costs,” Nancy Cavanaugh said.

Initially, the committee was asked to vote a total construction budget of $49.4 million, but that total included the previously allocated funds. Presenting the information with those items taken out of the equation made more sense, members said.

Superintendent’s evaluation process continues

A large portion of the meeting was spent reviewing the superintendent’s goals and then explanations of the work done to date to accomplish them.

The goals focused on issues like strengthening math curriculum and student achievement in writing and English/ Language Arts; co-teaching models at the middle school; diversity, equity and inclusion efforts district-wide; addressing enrollment growth; school climate and more.

Committee members are working

on forms to rate the superintendent on whether she did not meet, partially met, met or exceeded standards.

They will compile their rankings, make comments and discuss the evaluation at future meetings.

In her superintendent’s report, Carol Cavanaugh touched on a number of statistical items, including trends from 2020 to present. For example, the number of students with disabilities increased from 476 to 600 (26%) while students at an economic disadvantage went from 207 to 291 (41%).

Students who are English learners decreased by 11%, from 238 to 213.

Citing a per-pupil expenditure of $15,652, Carol Cavanaugh referred to comparable towns whose expenditures exceed $22,000.

“It costs a little more money to accommodate disparate needs in a couple of populations,” she said. “We still have super high [test] scores and a reasonable per-pupil expenditure.”

Paraprofessional position added

In other business, the committee approved a request to fund a paraprofessional for the remainder of the year and fiscal year 2025 at the Elmwood School. There is grant money available to cover costs.

The board also accepted a donation of $8,330 from the Hopkinton Education Foundation for the purchase of various book series for the Elmwood School library.

And members gave the go-ahead for 32 Hopkinton High School students to go to the HOSA International Leadership Conference in Houston, from June 26-30.

Carol Cavanaugh recognized that the eighth grade chorus received a bronze medal and its orchestra/band earned gold medals from the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association.

HHS 7th in state in U.S. News rankings

In its 2024 rankings of high schools nationwide, U.S. News and World Report places Hopkinton High School 250th. HHS is the seventh-ranked high school in the state.

SCHOOLS NOTEBOOK

Five of the Massachusetts schools ranked ahead of Hopkinton are charter or exam schools: Boston Latin School (1), Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School (2), Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School (4), Sturgis Charter Public School (5) and John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science (6). Lexington High School is third.

According to U.S. News and World Report, the rankings evaluated more than 17,600 public high schools on factors such as college readiness, college curriculum breadth, state assessment proficiency, state assessment performance, underserved student performance (which takes into account the performance of students who are Black, Hispanic and receiving subsidized school lunch) and graduation rate.

“We rank high schools across the country to give an unbiased look at how well schools serve their students and help you make informed decisions about your child’s education,” the website states. “We also want to recognize high-performing

schools and inspire educators and municipalities to do better.

“The top-ranked schools have a high rate of students who scored above expectations in math, science and reading state assessments, passed an array of collegelevel exams, and graduated in four years.”

Students rally against tobacco

Hopkinton High School students

Neha Ninan, Aryaa Dixit and Emily Evans visited the Statehouse for Kick Butts Day on April 2. They were representing the Hopkinton Organization for Prevention (HOP) Youth Coalition.

Kick Butts Day is a national day of education and advocacy focused on tobacco prevention. At the event, the local students talked to state Rep. James Arena-DeRosa about the tobacco and vaping industries’ tactics and what the students are seeing in the community. They also took part in development training, listened to speeches and rallied outside the Statehouse with other youth who share the same passion.

Ninan was part of the leadership team that helped organize the program with The 84 Movement, an organization that focuses on fighting big tobacco and vaping companies. The event was sponsored by the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.

For more information on any of the following programs and other activities at the library, visit hopkintonlibrary.org. Many programs require registration. Visit the library’s website calendar for event registration information. The library also can be found on Facebook, @hopkintonlibrary, and on Twitter, @HopkintonPLMA.

Schedule Update

The library will be closed Monday, May 6, for staff development. On Friday, May 10, there will be a delayed opening of 10 a.m.

Chicken Egg Hatching

Wednesday, May 1, all day

May 1 is Hatch Day. As part of this all-day event in the Children’s Room, visitors can watch the baby chicks hatch out of their shells when they are ready. Once they hatch, they will be in the library until approximately May 8.

Author Talk with Douglas Brunt

Wednesday, May 1, 3-4 p.m.

This Zoom program is a chat with author Douglas Brunt about his instant bestselling debut nonfiction work, “The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I.”

Rethinking the Concepts of Woman, Life, Freedom

Thursday, May 2, 6:30-8 p.m.

“Woman, Life, Freedom” became the slogan of the women-led uprising that started in Iran in September 2022 after the state police beating and murder of a young Kurdish woman for not wearing her hijab “correctly.” This virtual presentation will discuss the ways in which many Iranians are thinking about the concepts of women, life and freedom today. Frieda Afary, an Iranian-American public librarian based in Los Angeles, is a translator and author of “Socialist Feminism: A New Approach.”

Friends of the Hopkinton Public Library Book Sale

Friday, May 3, 9:45 a.m.-4 p.m.

Saturday, May 4, 9:45 a.m.-3 p.m.

Cash, checks and PayPal payments will be accepted at this Friends of the Library Pop-Up Book Sale. Funding generated from Friends fundraisers helps the librarians provide programs, materials and services that go beyond the budget.

Author Talk with Nina Simon

Wednesday, May 8, 7-8 p.m.

Nothing brings a family together like a murder next door. The public is invited

SENIOR SNIPPETS

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, including lunch program menus as well as a newsletter, check hopkintonseniorcenter.com. Anyone with questions can call 508497-9730. The Senior Center also has a Facebook page that provides updates on resources, programs and events.

Our Time Memory Cafe at the Senior Center

Thursday, May 2, 1 p.m.

This is a welcoming gathering for those experiencing forgetfulness or mild cognitive impairment, or living with dementia, and their care partner, family and friends. The cafe is a place to socialize, share experiences and form friendships. Live music and refreshments usually are offered. This is a joint venture between Senior Services and the Hopkinton Public Library. For more information, call the Senior Center.

Australia: Above and Below

Wednesday, May 8, 1 p.m.

This program, which is offered in person or via Zoom, looks at the wildlife of Australia, which is truly unique. Attendees will tour through the temperate rainforests of Southern Queensland and the tropical rainforests of the Northeast, the enjoy views from above and below during a visit to the home of “Nemo” and many other beautiful creatures found on the Great Barrier Reef.

Painting Program

Monday, May 13, 1 p.m.

The public is invited to a mingle and paint event led by artist and instructor Amy Adams. This lighthearted event will boost creativity and provide an opportunity to connect with others through the use of art. All experience levels are welcome and encouraged to attend. This program is supported by a grant from the Hopkinton Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Advance registration is required, and space is limited.

Bike Ride With Don

Thursday, May 16, 1 p.m.

Volunteer Don Wolf will lead an afternoon group bike ride along the Charles River Trail. The group will meet at the bike path parking lot on Cedar Street (Route 85) in Milford at 12:45 p.m. for the 1 p.m. ride. Participants should bring their own bikes, helmets and water, and dress according to the weather. Advance registration is required.

Hikes With Lisa

Friday, May 17, 10:30 a.m.

This month’s hike will take place in Hopedale Park. This hike is approximately 3.3 miles, easy to moderate, with some hilly terrain. Lunch will follow at Taqueria La Estrella in Milford (meal cost not included). Hikes with Lisa will be at a different location on the third Friday of each month. Participants can ride with the group from the Senior Center or take their own car and meet there. Advance registration is required

to join author Nina Simon online as she chats about her lighthearted whodunnit about a grandmother-mother-daughter trio of amateur sleuths, “Mother-Daughter Murder Night.”

Frayed Knot Fiber Arts Circle

Thursday, May 9, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Participants are invited to bring their current project or pattern. This group is open to teens and adults of all skill levels. All fiber arts crafts (knitting, crochet, hand quilting, needlepoint, cross-stitch, finger knitting, needle felting, etc.) are welcome.

Open Video Game Play by One Up Games

Friday, May 10 1-4 p.m.

One Up Games brings a variety of next-gen consoles and gaming monitors to the library, including virtual reality devices and all the popular games, along with a mixture of classic and retro games.

Read In Peace: Silent Book Club

Tuesday, May 14, 6-7 p.m.

Read In Peace allows participants to read whatever they want without interruptions. Individuals are invited to bring their own book or pick out a book on their way into the library. Then, readers will meet on the lower level for some uninterrupted literary enjoyment.

Chat ’n’ Chew Book Group

Wednesday, May 15, 12:30-2:00 p.m.

Instead of assigning a book for all participants to read, each person reviews something they read this month. All reviews of the books then will be posted to Facebook to share with the Hopkinton reading community.

Doughnut Storytime with author Carrie Finison

Tuesday, May 21, 10-11 a.m.

Author Carrie Finison will make an appearance for an interactive read-aloud of her book “Dozens of Doughnuts.” Children (best for ages 2-5) will have a chance to ask questions, meet a large stuffed version of LouAnn the Bear and make doughnut crafts. Registration is required and starts one week before the event.

Over the Rainbow Book Group

Tuesday, May 28, 6:30-7:45 p.m.

This adult book group will explore works of fiction and nonfiction written by LGBTQ+ authors or with LGBTQ+ themes. Copies of the titles to be discussed will be available at the Circulation Desk at least one month prior to each meeting. This month’s book is “The Guncle” by Steven Rowley.

poliCe log

ARRESTS

April 9

3:33 p.m. Officer Sean McKeon checked on a vehicle on South Street and found it unoccupied with a pair of leather gloves in the passenger seat. Off on foot, Officer McKeon located the owner on Hayward Street. Officer Brennan Grimley responded and checked for cars in the area that had been broken into and noted a vehicle with its front door propped open and the center console open. Officer Grimley found multiple vehicles in the area with front doors propped open and center consoles open. He made contact with a witness who saw the suspect going through cars and a garage. The witness was able to describe the suspect, whom he had a quick interaction with. Sergeant William Burchard subsequently arrested a 25-year-old from Hudson and charged him with breaking and entering vehicle/boat nighttime felony.

April 13

10:16 p.m. Officer Nicholas Saletnik conducted a motor vehicle stop on Nazneen Circle. Sergeant Matthew McNeil brought a portable breath test and performed field sobriety tests. A 39-year-old Mendon resident was arrested and charged with failure to stop/yield, negligent operation of motor vehicle and OUI liquor.

April 18

6:13 p.m. On Main Street, Sergeant Aaron O’Neil and Officer Matthew LaTour arrested a 45-year-old from Haverhill on a warrant.

10:35 p.m. Sergeant Arthur Schofield and Officer Cody Normandin conducted a motor vehicle stop on West Main Street and subsequently arrested a 46-year-old resident of East Main Street in Hopkinton and charged him with reckless endangerment of a child, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, speeding in violation of special regulation, and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.

April 20

9:50 a.m. On Main Street, Officer Brian Ziniti arrested Victor S. Simoes, 25, of 1 Kendall Street, Framingham, on a warrant.

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.

April 9

1:37 a.m. While checking on former Center School property, Officer Brennan Grimley noticed one of the back windows with a hole in it was not boarded up, possibly the same one reported on April 7.

2:28 a.m. A Spring Street caller reported seeing and smelling smoke but was unable to locate the source. Officer Brennan Grimley responded along with the Fire Department to investigate.

8:04 a.m. A caller reported an erratic operator on a cell phone who almost struck a pedestrian on Fruit Street. The vehicle headed toward Southborough or Westborough. Officer Noah Buentello responded and checked the area with a negative find.

12:05 p.m. A caller reported he was out for a walk on South Street and was almost struck by a speeding vehicle. The driver flipped him off. Officer Cody Normandin responded and checked the area with a negative find.

2:12 p.m. A caller reported a past aggressive driver complaint on Cedar Street where a driver continuously honked the horn, tailgated, flipped her off and passed her in a no passing zone. The caller wanted the incident logged.

6:15 p.m. A Granite Street caller reported a large pothole near his mailbox, which was forcing vehicles to swerve around it. A message was left with the DPW.

April 10

10:15 a.m. A walk-in reported a student was being threatened by another student. Officer Matthew Santoro responded and took a report.

11:42 a.m. A caller reported a rogue turkey on Lakeshore Drive. Officer Cody Normandin responded and helped defuse the situation.

11:45 a.m. Officer Shannon Beloin found a low-hanging wire on Norcross Road and advised the telephone company.

3:09 p.m. Officers Robert Ekross and Cody Normandin responded to a motor vehicle accident on North Street. No personal injuries were reported. A message was left for the DPW for debris pickup at the scene.

April 11

9:25 a.m. A Saddle Hill Road resident reported the windshield wipers of her vehicle were broken overnight. Officer Noah Buentello responded and took a report of vandalism.

12:15 p.m. A caller reported a low-hanging wire on Cedar Street. Officer Shannon Beloin responded and notified Verizon.

2:00 p.m. A caller reported two speeding vehicles in an elderly residential area on Davis Road. Officer Shannon Beloin responded and checked the area with a negative find.

2:28 p.m. A walk-in reported lost AirPods that were tracked to a Grove Street address. Officer Shannon Beloin assisted, went to the address and found that a 7-year-old picked up the AirPods from a school bus. Officer Beloin brought them to the station, and the owner picked them up.

3:16 p.m. A Cedar Street Extension caller reported her car was on fire underneath a carport, which was attached to a structure. No one was in the vehicle or house. Officers Robert Ekross, Cody Normandin and Nicholas Saletnik responded along with the Fire Department.

3:58 p.m. The school bus company reported an occupant of a silver Hyundai on Ash Street was making obscene gestures to children on the bus. Officer Robert Ekross responded, and the bus already had pulled over in order to let the vehicle pass.

April 12

8:59 a.m. Officer Augusto Diaz issued a complaint application to a driver on West Main Street. A tow truck subsequently removed the vehicle.

10:17 a.m. Multiple callers reported a motor vehicle crash on Ash Street. Officers Cody Normandin, Augusto Diaz and Brian Ziniti responded and took a report. Both vehicles were towed.

April 13

2:44 p.m. A caller complained of a landscape crew on

South Street blowing leaves into the road. Officer Nicholas Salstnik responded and reported the crew was attempting to blow the leaves away from the road, but the wind was blowing them into the road.

5:50 p.m. Officer Cody Normandin heard a verbal argument between people leaving the station. Sergeant Matthew McNeil and Officer Augusto Diaz checked on the parties, and they went their separate ways.

April 14

6:08 p.m. A Sylvan Way resident reported her mother fell down a flight of stairs. Officer Augusto Diaz responded along with the Fire Department.

10:02 p.m. Sergeant Aaron O’Neil and Officer Cody Normandin assisted with a nighttime bike ride on Main Street.

April 15

11:56 a.m. A walk-in handed in a credit card and $20 found on Marathon Way.

12:19 p.m. Police Chief Joseph Bennett found AirPods, a license and a credit card on the Town Common during the marathon.

5:19 p.m. A Lumber Street caller reported her iPhone and credit card were stolen. Officer Robert Ekross responded. The phone was tracked to an address in Milford, and her credit card had just been used in a Milford store. Officer Ekross took a report.

7:14 p.m. A caller requested to speak with an officer about getting a restraining order. Officer Matthew LaTour assisted and advised the caller to go to Framingham district court.

7:38 p.m. A C Street caller reported she lost her wedding band some time during the day while at one of several locations. The incident was logged.

8:06 p.m. The Upton Police Department reported a sports bike passed a couple of vehicles, sped off from an officer and headed toward West Main Street. Officer Robert Ekross responded and checked the area with a negative find.

10:22 p.m. A caller reported a vehicle was running for 45 minutes in a Main Street parking lot with the driver possibly asleep. Officer Shannon Beloin responded and spoke with the occupant, who was waiting for a ride. The vehicle was to stay in the parking lot overnight.

11:51 p.m. A caller reported losing a black wallet somewhere around Hayden Rowe Street or the Town Common. The incident was logged.

April 16

9:10 a.m. A DPW employee reported finding a portable radio on Marathon Way. The owning company was contacted and was to pick it up.

8:02 p.m. Staff from a Hayden Rowe Street funeral parlor reported guests from a memorial service were drinking in the parking lot. Sergeant William Burchard and Officers Noah Buentello, Matthew LaTour and Cody Normandin responded and stood by.

April 17

10:16 a.m. A caller reported losing his set of car keys during the Boston Marathon. The incident was logged.

10:19 a.m. A caller handed in a set of keys he found on Cedar Street while out looking for his lost keys.

10:23 a.m. A caller reported losing his driver’s license while out walking the day before the Boston Marathon. The incident was logged.

4:53 p.m. A caller reported two people fell and one hit his head on West Main Street. Both were conscious and breathing.

Officer Matthew LaTour responded along with the Fire Department.

5:21 p.m. Officer Cody Normandin responded to the Town Common after a report of suspicious activity and spoke with three juveniles. Sergeant Aaron O’Neil and Officer Matthew Santoro responded to assist and contacted the youths’ parents to pick them up.

April 18

10:51 a.m. A walk-in handed in a set of car keys found on Teresa Road. The owner of the keys was contacted.

11:14 a.m. A caller on Cobblers Way requested a check on a dog that appears to be kept in a garage. Officer Brian Ziniti responded and took a report.

April 19

8:42 a.m. A cell phone lost in Boston was discovered to be pinging at a Penny Meadow Lane location. Sergeant Matthew McNeil and Officer Brian Ziniti recovered the phone and brought it to the station.

9:15 a.m. A Wood Street caller reported someone placed signs near his location, and he wanted them removed. Officer Nicholas Walker responded and assisted.

10:54 a.m. A walk-in reported her vehicle was hit while parked on Main Street.The incident was logged.

1:16 p.m. Officer Nicholas Walker took a report of a motor vehicle accident on Grove Street.

3:16 p.m. A Teresa Road caller reported her boss was being very aggressive and she felt threatened. Sergeant Aaron O’Neil and Officers Augusto Diaz, Robert Ekross and Cody Normandin responded and separated both parties. Officer Diaz transported one person back to the station. A report followed.

April 20

2:01 a.m. Officer Brennan Grimley reported a red Prius passed him on Ash Street traveling at 60 mph, and when he attempted to pull it over, the vehicle fled. Sergeant William Burchard and Officer Sean McKeon responded and checked the area with a negative find.

3:33 a.m. A caller reported a vehicle struck a stone wall on East Main Street, and one occupant was conscious and alert. Sergeant William Burchard and Officer Brennaan Grimley responded along with the Fire Department. No personal injuries were reported. A licensed driver picked up the female operator, and her vehicle was towed. A report followed.

11:54 a.m. A motorist reported an oil spill on a West Main Street ramp was causing vehicles to spin out. Officer Brian Ziniti responded, confirmed it and contacted the Fire Department to clean up the spill.

3:58 p.m. A caller reported a fight taking place in a Woodview Way parking lot. Officers Robert Ekross, Cody Normandin and Augusto Diaz responded, and the parties were gone upon their arrival.

6:15 p.m. A caller reported seeing three youths attempting to break in to the former Liberty Mutual

building on Frankland Road. Then they ran off. Officers Cody Normandin, Robert Ekross and Augusto Diaz responded and confirmed the parties gained access to the building and caused the fire alarm to sound due to ripping the fire extinguisher off the wall. The Fire Department responded to investigate. The building manager was notified. A report was taken.

April 21

10:10 a.m. A caller reported a motor vehicle parked on the side of the roadway on West Main Street with its door open. Officers Noah Buentello and Augusto Diaz responded and assisted the disabled motor vehicle into the Price Chopper parking lot. The owner was to remove the vehicle later in the day.

12:26 p.m. A caller reported an erratic operator on Main Street who hit a guardrail on Main Street. Officers Noah Buentello and Augusto Diaz responded and caught up with the vehicle. The wife of the driver was to pick him up.

6:20 p.m. Officer Shannon Beloin spoke to a person on Legacy Farms about a previous call. A vehicle subsequently was towed. The owner was issued a written warning and was given a courtesy transport to the station.

April 22

9:24 a.m. Officers Noah Buentello and Nicholas Walker responded to a motor vehicle accident with airbag deployment on West Main Street. A tow truck removed both vehicles. No personal injuries were reported.

11:37 a.m. A caller requested to speak with an officer about possible human trafficking. The caller was referred to a different department.

1:58 p.m. Sergeant Matthew McNeil and Officer Nicholas Walker assisted the State Police in pursuit of a stolen vehicle on East Main Street.

2:58 p.m. A caller reported a tractor-trailer crashed into a telephone pole on Main Street. Officers Shannon Beloin, Robert Ekross, and Matthew LaTour responded along with an ambulance and the Fire Department. No personal injuries were reported. Verizon was notified.

4:11 p.m. A caller reported someone was attempting to get her to take money out of her bank account. The incident of attempted fraud was logged.

4:46 p.m. A caller reported a female driver of a red SUV hit his car on DJ Murphy Lane and drove off. Officers Shannon Beloin and Robert Ekross responded and checked the area with a negative find. Police in Upton and Grafton were notified to be on the lookout.

5:18 p.m. A Revolutionary Way resident reported there was brown water when she filled up her bathtub. The on-call Water Department personnel was contacted.

5:25 p.m. A caller reported a road rage incident on West Main Street where a person exited his car and punched the caller’s car. The Upton Police Department was notified and spoke with both involved parties.

Baypath Adoptable Animal of the Week

Each week, the Independent highlights an animal available for adoption at Baypath Humane Society in Hopkinton. This week, we feature 11-year-old Kayley.

Here is Baypath’s description of Kayley:

“Are you looking to help a senior pup find a home? If you answered yes, then please consider Ms. Kayley! This sweet lady came from a tough life, but that hasn’t stopped her from having a heart of gold. At around 11 years old, Kayley is definitely slowing down but still enjoys a relaxed stroll on the sidewalk and playing with her favorite toys.

“Her favorite spot is her comfy bed or on the couch next to her people! She’s such a love and enjoys nothing more than a good snuggle. Kayley has lived with dogs before so wouldn’t mind having a dog sibling, as long as they don’t mind kicking back and relaxing alongside her.

“If you think your home could be the place Kayley spends her golden years, please reach out today!”

For more information about Kayley 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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