HI 9.28.22

HOPKINTON INDEPENDENT

83 East Main development moves forward

By Mary Ellen Gambon Contributing Writer

The Planning Board at its meeting Sept. 19 unanimously approved an open space mixed use development (OSMUD) at 83 East Main Street af ter discussing concerns that the three proposed age-restricted housing units would clash with the historic singlefamily house that will be replicated on the site.

Chair Gary Trendel and devel oper Roy MacDowell, who represented Legacy Farms during the presentation of the site plan, both reminded the board that the three units are allowed by right. While the visual aspect of the condos next to a historic home and the proximity of the restored house to the street may not be as appealing as some members would appreciate, Trendel said the board is solely charged with reviewing the planning criteria of the project.

“Our job is to review the proposal

Fauchers bring Soul to HCA

By Jane Bigda Contributing Writer

Afull-on rock show by Soul Function Boston complete with lights, horns and dancing will raise the roof at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts on Friday, Oct. 7, as the new rehearsal room named after the band is dedicated and the two donors who made it possible, Patrick and Amanda Buttlar Faucher, are honored as Patrons of the Arts.

“We’re very pleased. I feel lucky that we can be part of sup porting the arts here,” said Patrick, who is the lead singer for Soul Function. Amanda added that HCA Executive Director Kelly Grill “reached out to us asking if we were interested in donating, and we jumped on it. We felt honored to be asked.”

The couple donated the funds to outfit the Soul Function Jam Room, a sound-proofed rehearsal space in the recently refurbished HCA farmhouse. “It is a beautiful, spacious corner room on the second floor outfitted with a drum kit, piano and everything for jamming or lessons,” said Patrick.

Hopkinton’s Patrick Faucher is the lead singer for Soul Function Boston, which will play at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts on Oct. 7.

PHOTO/JOHN

Children decorate pumpkins, one of the many activities available during Hopkinton Family Day on Sept. 17 at the field behind Hopkinton Middle School.

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The Hopkinton Independent is published by Hopkinton Independent, LLC, 32 South St., Westborough, MA 01581. The publisher assumes no financial re sponsibility 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 busi ness 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 7,600 addresses. It’s also available at Price Chopper and Hopkinton Drug as well as at many other local businesses.

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Election harassment hits home for Degan

I

f you follow national politics, un doubtedly you have heard about the ongoing movement by Donald Trump-supporting conspiracy theorists to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election by going after lo cal election officials.

It wouldn’t seem likely to directly af fect Hopkinton. After all, we are a small town in a reliably Democratic state, and there’s nothing that stands out as con cerning about our election results.

or can’t legally be shared — and threats of legal action. The requests are coming from individuals outside Hopkinton, and often outside Massachusetts.

“The intention obviously is to ha rass election officials to prevent them from doing their duties,” Degan said. “It’s a concentrated effort to try to see if they can inundate election offices and harass election officials, unfortu nately.”

INDEPENDENT THOUGHTS

JERRY SPAR

Yet, common sense is a quality lacking in national politics these days.

Town Clerk Con nor Degan said he has been “swarmed” with requests for information — some times including data that doesn’t exist

Degan explained that federal law indicates ballots be destroyed 22 months after an election — in the case of the 2020 presidential election, that meant Sept. 3 of this year — which is why the requests poured in recently.

“We were advised to hold onto the records a little bit longer,” Degan said of consultation with town counsel.

“They basically put a hold on our de struction, so now we have to hold them for longer and have them take up space that we need for other records. That’s

Election | 4

Elections in Hopkinton — including the Sept. 6 state primary — typically are low-key affairs, but some people apparently are convinced the town is part of a wide-ranging conspiracy.

PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

Election harassment hits home for Degan

what the timing is about. They waited until the last minute to try and cause the most damage.

“If they really wanted this informa tion, they would have asked two years ago. They don’t actually want the info, they’re just trying to see how much damage they can cause.”

The requests come from individu als — “Some of them are kind of fre quent flyers for harassment emails and stuff, and others are just crawling out of the woodwork now, at least in this area,” Degan said — but he noted it’s clear that they are taking their cue from national organizations.

“One guy who is one of the larger requestors right now is from New Jersey,” Degan shared. “He has two separate records requests into us plus a notice of prospective litigation.”

Degan said the emails include text that clearly is duplicated, and it’s obvious the requests are tailored for different states, because some of the information does not make sense for Massachusetts — including references to county elections and data that does not exist or legally can’t be shared.

“You can tell it’s part of this na tional push from Mike Lindell and his people,” Degan said. “They just copied and pasted it and added their own email signature on the bottom and sent it off.”

Degan, a Democrat, noted that accusations that computerized voting records were sent overseas and returned with fraudulent information does not fit with the way the state runs its elections.

“In Massachusetts, all of our elec tion equipment is not connected to a network,” he said. “All of the tabulators that you see when you are casting bal lots, those are solid-state, internal-only systems, and the only information that we get out of them is the receipt tape that is printed at the end of the night. So when they say, ‘Oh, we want your cast-vote records and this and that,’ well, we don’t have any of that. We have a receipt for this, and that’s all we’ve got.”

Because the requests are extensive, the town is allowed to charge the re questor for the time it takes to assemble all of the requested information. Degan said in a best-case scenario, it would take about seven hours to gather the requested data that can be provided.

At least Degan said he has not re ceived any direct threats. He did deal with a few angry residents immediately after the 2020 election, but he said he was able to resolve those by explaining why their concerns were without merit.

“I had one person claim that there were more people who voted than were even eligible to be registered to vote in Hopkinton,” Degan recalled. “They thought that there was no way Trump was going to lose by the mar gin he did in Massachusetts, and the only way he did was because they had a whole bunch of people who voted who weren’t on the lists, so they could consider it as an additional vote for Biden. However, that wasn’t the case. It was just a very loud minority that was pushing for Trump in Massachusetts.

“So, we were able to head it off. Whenever there is misinformation that starts spreading, I try to inject facts so we can resolve it quickly.”

Electric vehicle expo Oct. 15

The Hopkinton Sustainable Green Committee is co-sponsoring an electric vehicle expo Saturday, Oct. 15 (rain date is Oct. 22), from 2-5 p.m. at the Amazon Robotics facility at 50 Otis Street in Westborough. The free event will bring EV owners from Hopkinton and nearby towns together to show their vehicles, share experiences and answer questions. There will be information about charging and the latest EV purchase incentives.

“We’re hoping to attract hundreds of visitors from Hopkinton, Westborough, Northborough, Shrewsbury and other nearby towns, and hope the interest will lead to it becoming an annual event,” shared committee member Linda Chuss. “A few of us from the Hopkinton Sustain able Green Committee have collaborated with representatives from the equivalent committees in neighboring towns to plan the expo over the past few months, which in itself has been a great opportunity to learn more about how our various com munities are approaching sustainable transportation.”

Chuss said she hopes the Hopkinton Police Department will stop by to show one of its hybrid cruisers and maybe an e-bike as well. Some other police depart ments are scheduled to appear with their electric cruisers, including a Mustang.

“The expo provides a no-pressure environment for people considering EVs to check out a variety of makes and models with familiar faces they trust,” Chuss added. “We also intend to pro vide information on charging at home, at apartments, at work and on the go.”

For more information, visit sustaina blewestborough.org/ev-fair.

Resident organizes chili cook-off

Hopkinton’s Jeff Curl is leading the first annual chili cook-off at United Par ish Church in Upton on Saturday, Oct. 22, from noon-5 p.m. Brian Le Suer, another United Parish volunteer from Hopkinton, notes that the event replaces the annual turkey supper that had a 100-year run serving patrons from the surrounding communities (including Hopkinton).

“We expect this to be a fun food event for the whole family,” Le Suer shared, encouraging fellow Hopkinton residents to attend. The church is located at 1 Church Street, Upton. For more information, visit unitedparishupton.org.

Locals pound pavement for Jimmy Fund

Ruben Noroian, Paul Noroian, Anna Noroian, Alicia Boulanger, Gary Trachtman, Karine Martirosyan, Mi chael Iacone-Radaelli, Angela IaconeRadaelli, Katie Keavany and Molly Steen are among the Hopkinton residents participating in the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk this Sunday.

The Jimmy Fund Walk has raised more than $155 million for the DanaFarber Cancer Institute in its 33-year history. Visit JimmyFundWalk.org to sponsor a walker.

Town faces urban heat island conditions

TO THE EDITOR

I’ve been uptown recently, doing business with several of our Main Street businesses.

I note:

— Loss of “convenient” on-street parking (Ward’s Barbershop);

— Loss of “comfortable” on-street parking (Phipps Insurance);

— Reduced egress at businesses (Shell station, Main Street Service, Star Clean ers, and Hamilton Hair Studio);

— Elimination of access to some on-site parking (Hopkinton Lumber)!

If access to a business is substantially impeded, is that likely to contribute to the business’ continued success? Back when I was younger and “naiver,” I sat at a Hopkinton Select Board meeting and listened to, and I quote, “The revenue lost, that needs to be taken care of.” (Select Board meeting, Sept. 24, 2019). Back then I really thought the words of elected officials counted for more than just 10.

I’m curious if Select Board members have visited our Main Street businesses and inquired as to their current welfare, and/or provided advance notice of such access/parking impediments to our Main Street businesses?

Now, lastly, and as was pointed out to me by “a kid” (wiser than his years), the portion of “new” Main Street from east of Pleasant Street to Hopkinton Lumber would appear to also represent a significant impediment, but this time to emergency vehicles! I measured the width of Main Street, curb to curb, at the Pleasant Street intersection as 28 feet. Given the normal assortment of afternoon traffic — trailer trucks, trash trucks, school buses, lawn care trailers, oil delivery trucks, etc., when there is a 911 call from the Lisnow Respite Center, or Golden Pond, an accident on 495, or other points west, with the two lanes of traffic now confined by insurmount able vertical curbs, how will our 9-foot-wide first responders [vehicle] get between two 9-foot-wide vehicles.

Well, at least the sidewalks on the northerly side are amply wide, depending upon where one measures, varying from over 6 feet across from Pleasant Street to 9 feet by Phipps Insurance. (State only requires 5 feet.) No impediment to pedestrian travel here!

— Edwin Harrow, Hopkinton

Downtown unsafe due to construction

What is going on in downtown Hopkinton, and will it ever end? I literally cannot get to Center Trail for a run, grab something at CVS or walk my dogs safely. How could anyone possibly create an active construction site where it is so completely unsafe to walk? How is this incredibly dangerous situation not a liability? And in September, when schools have reopened? Why was it not done one side of the street at a time so that a safe passage was offered?

As taxpayers for over 35 years, we are sorely disappointed at the downtown disaster that has prevailed and persisted for over two years and continues to do so. The impact on local businesses has been catastrophic.

Oh, well, a “for sale” sign will soon be out front, and on to greener, much quieter pastures.

— Beth and Jeff Reynolds, 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 or thanking sponsors or volunteers. 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 In dependent website (HopkintonIndependent.com) and click on the Contact header, then on Editorial Deadlines.

Chuck Joseph

Mike Auen

Ann Clark

Bill Gassett

SUMMER FUNDRAISING

Faucher, Soul Boston to rock out at HCA to celebrate arts

Faucher | from page 1

The arts play an integral role in the life of the couple, who along with their children have called Hopkinton home since 2012. As Amanda said, “If both of us were to retire, we’d be back to it [in volved in the arts] in a couple of weeks. It is in our blood.” Having earned a graphic arts degree from Boston Uni versity, Amanda runs her own business, ABDesigns, with clients including the Hopkinton Chamber of Commerce and Soul Function Boston.

Patrick earned a degree from the Berklee College of Music after studying electrical engineering and computer sci ence and currently works at Bose, build ing cloud technology for smart products. As a professional trumpet player and singer, he has recorded and toured na tionwide and worldwide, performing al most every type of popular music. Say ing “music is a passion of mine,” he be lieves “arts are an essential part of being human. Regardless of your career path, everyone’s life is enriched by the arts.”

His work at Bose helped him find an outlet for his passion with Soul Func tion Boston. Patrick said the firm has a unique culture since a lot of musicians work there. About 25 years ago, Bud MacLellan, now the drummer with Soul Function, asked some fellow workers and musicians to jam in his backyard. The session was so successful that it evolved into Bud’s Jam, a yearly event of more than a dozen regular and pop-up bands of Bose employees. Soul Function was created four years ago for this event.

“We grew up listening to Chicago [and] Tower of Power and decided to do some of the music we love,” said Patrick. “We tore the roof off. People went crazy for it. It was a lot of fun.” The nine-piece band of veteran musi cians plays rhythm and blues, soul, funk and rock fueled by a full horn section.

The band began regular rehearsals,

— Singer Patrick Faucher

building up a repertoire of dozens of favorites, and played its first public gig at the HCA. “I approached Kelly and asked if they could host a crazy band and a full-on rock show,” said Patrick. The answer was yes, and now Soul Function, which performs at various venues every couple of months, plays at the HCA once or twice a year.

Since, as Amanda said, “You can’t just sit there and listen to them play. In evitably you will have to get up and start moving,” the Oct. 7 HCA concert will be set up cabaret style, with a dance floor.

Reflecting on the rich history of the arts in Hopkinton and the strong com munity support for all types of artists at HCA, Patrick said, “To be part of this is fantastic. We plan to do it as long as we can.” He added, “We encourage every one interested in the arts to get involved as a performer or patron … because it is what makes Hopkinton Hopkinton.”

Tickets for the Soul Function Bos ton Concert on Friday, Oct. 7, at 8 p.m. are available at HopArtsCenter.org or the band’s website, SoulFunctionBos ton.com. This is a “pay what you like” concert, with suggested levels of giving ranging up to $25 per person.

Children who live on Juniper Trail held a bake sale in August and donated a total of $700 to Baypath Humane Society and the Michael Carter Lisnow Respite Center.

We encourage everyone interested in the arts to get involved as a performer or patron … because it is what makes Hopkinton Hopkinton.

Board of Health discusses COVID, Winter Street noise

By Mary Ellen Gambon Contributing Writer

With the pandem ic waning, the Board of Health at its meeting Sept. 12 dis cussed moving away from its focus on CO VID-19 and toward developing a strategic plan that will reflect Hopkinton’s overall health objectives.

— Health Director Shaun McAuliffe

Health Department Director Shaun McAu liffe said he would be working with Board of Health Chair Lisa Whittemore and Public Health Nurse Simone Carter as well as other town leaders and an out side consultant to draft the policy.

“As I’ve stated, one of the beauties of public health is that it allows us to do just about anything,” he said. “But the challenge is really focusing on what the community needs are, what the board’s priorities are, and making sure all of that is aligned with the Town Manager’s Of fice and Select Board.”

He added that a public survey about priorities may be conducted.

Whittemore said McAuliffe and Carter will be formulating “the pillars of the strategy” that will go before the board for input. The Health Department “will flesh out all the meat of that strategy” and provide data so that progress can be monitored and resources can be directed appropriately. She hoped this would be ready for the board meeting on Oct. 24.

One point she brought up was the question of whether the Health Depart ment should be providing direct health services. She said the strategic plan will be an ongoing item on future agendas so that members can determine the board’s level of involvement on various aspects of the policy.

“Now that we’re emerging [from the pandemic], we have the time and ability to start focusing more on our core responsibilities,” McAuliffe said later in the meeting. “We’ll be redefining all of our roles as they pertain to the funding opportunities, the grant writing respon sibilities — basically all the stuff that COVID has taken away from us.”

Winter Street noise complaints addressed

McAuliffe updated the board on noise complaints raised by several residents at last month’s meeting com ing from 222 Winter Street, the site of Monster Tree Service. He noted the owner, Brendon Bullen, recently ap peared before the Board of Appeals, where his appeal was denied. At the previous meeting, McAuliffe noted that he personally witnessed trucks idling and wood chipping activity that went beyond the allowed neighborhood decibel level.

“I’m happy to report that we haven’t had any noise complaints or any issues to our department for about two weeks now,” he said.

In response to this issue, McAuliffe explained that he is working on draft ing a noise ordinance, using guidelines from the Department of Environmental Protection as a reference but tailoring it for Hopkinton.

“The DEP’s regulation has a very

broad and punitive set of penalties as sociated with it,” he noted. “What we’re looking to do is put a bit of structure around that portion of the regulation.

Whittemore said the draft regula tions would have to go before the board in an open public hearing for review before advancing to the Select Board for approval.

COVID-19 data, bivalent vaccine information presented

Carter reported that the town’s re ported COVID-19 case count as of the meeting was 27.

Said Carter: “But that does not reflect the actual case count, as we know. Not even close.”

The Health Department has updated its COVID-19 guidelines to reflect recent updates on the state and national levels, she noted. It will continue to provide information, education and resources. The schools and emergency responders will be provided with more than 10,000 face coverings and personal protective equipment supplies.

The new bivalent vaccine, which was approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sept. 1 to combat the new virus strains, is on back order. The Moderna version, which will be available for people over age 18, was expected to arrive by mid-September.

She added that the town is limited in the amount of the Pfizer vaccine it can order, and it is primarily used in pedia tricians’ offices for children aged 12 and over. The original series of vaccines no longer can be given out as booster shots except to those ages 5-11.

The department is willing to help pediatricians and offer standup clinics in the hopes of increasing vaccination rates.

Flu clinics scheduled

As fall approaches, four flu clinics have been arranged that will be targeted toward different populations. The first one, geared toward elderly residents, will be a drive-through clinic on Sept. 30 that will offer both the high- and low-dose versions. For parents and kids, there will be a drive-through clinic on Oct. 5 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the middle school. Emergency personnel and town employees will have a clinic on Oct. 7, while the Oct. 14 clinic will be open to the public but geared toward teachers.

Once the Moderna vaccine arrives, Carter said she will start offering smaller vaccine clinics in Town Hall from 4-6 p.m. because the vaccines will be more widely available at pharmacies than in the past.

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Now that we’re emerging [from the pandemic], we have the time and ability to start focusing more on our core responsibilities. We’ll be redefining all of our roles as they pertain to the funding opportunities, the grant writing responsibilities — basically all the stuff that COVID has taken away from us.

At the Sept. 13 Select Board meeting, Town Manager Norman Khumalo indicated the Main Street Corridor Proj ect continues to progress.

“Substantial work has been completed,” Khumalo said. “We’re now focusing on doing the work that will help us wind down ahead of the winter.”

Pushed for more details, Khumalo explained that the majority of the west ern portion of the project is done.

“Broadly speaking, from the Main Street intersection to Wood Street, the bulk of the work to be done in the road or underground is done,” he said. “That’s why we did resurface [the road] as well as progress to do the sidewalks, And then, from Walcott Street to the Common, we’re now doing the work that is required to be under the road. However, remember, our goal is not to do the excavation before the [April 17 Boston] Marathon. We will do that after next year’s Marathon.”

With the sidewalks still being re built, walking along Main Street from the Route 85 intersection to Wood Street has been a challenge.

Said Department of Public Works Director John Westerling : “I had a concern about sidewalks before the winter, and the contractor assured me that it’s their intention to have the side walks complete end to end, north and south, including the bike lane, before snow flies.”

Asked if there was a way for the Select Board to be more supportive of business and residents who are directly

affected by the project, Khumalo said: “We are continuing to meet biweekly with the Chamber of Commerce to at tend to the issues that are brought to our attention.”

Regional communications center studied

During a short Select Board meeting Sept. 20, Khumalo shared information about a feasibility study for a potential

regional communications center that would include Hopkinton and neighbor ing towns.

Hopkinton, Grafton, Hudson, Marlborough, Northborough, South borough and Westborough are the towns involved. Through the state 911 Department, the Collins Center for Public Management was retained to study the feasibility of establishing a regional emergency communications center (RECC) for all the communities or joining a future state 911 wireless

center/RECC.

The study reviewed the technical, operational and cost requirements to es tablish an RECC, the potential locations of the RECC and the governance options for the communities. At the towns’ last meeting, Southborough, Hopkinton, Westborough and Grafton expressed an interest in moving forward with an RECC within either Westborough or Hopkinton. The remaining three com munities were unsure of their continued participation in the study. They have until Oct. 1 to decide whether or not to move forward.

Fire Chief Bill Miller said he is in favor of the process, noting that it is not new to him.

“It’s the next generation providing the residents of the Town of Hopkinton the next level of excellent service on top of what we’re already offering,” he said. “So, I support it.”

Meaghan DeRaad , the town’s public safety communications director, said she would like more information about the plan.

“Obviously it is a very big project and a big change that would come across,” DeRaad said. “There’s been pros and cons throughout the industry with other places that have done this. Right now it’s kind of a ‘We’re not sure yet,’ because we don’t know all of the details. I can see both sides of the spec trum here. And it’s a matter of getting through this study to determine those answers that we don’t know right now. As we progress through the study and we find out more information and dive deeper into the project itself is when we’ll be able to make more educated decisions. Right now you can’t make an educated decision because we don’t have the information to base it on.”

Town survey seeks residents’ input on budget process

Khumalo and Senior Accounting Manager Benjamin Sweeney are in viting residents to complete a survey as the town prepares to begin the fiscal year 2024 budget process.

The town will use the survey results to garner the community’s understand ing of the town’s budget and how the

The intersection at Route 135 and Route 85 has been widened and reconfigured, and the contractor was focusing on rebuilding the sidewalks heading into the final week of September.

PHOTO/JERRY

SPAR

process can be

The survey includes 14 questions and asks the respondent about their current understanding of the budget and how they learn about it currently, the im portance of various budget categories, how they believe the process could be improved, some demographic questions and more. It will take approximately 5 minutes to complete.

“We encourage residents to com plete this survey ahead of our yearly budget process,” Sweeney said. “The annual budget impacts the level and type of services residents receive, as well as the direction of our town, and the survey will help us learn about residents’ under standing of the budget and continue to engage the community in the process.”

The survey is available in multiple languages. Paper copies are available at Town Hall, the library and the Senior Center.

At the Sept. 13 Select Board meet ing, Khumalo reported that there had been about 200 responses to the survey. It can be accessed via the town’s web site (hopkintonma.gov) and will remain open until Thursday, Oct. 6.

Stewart, Prescott recognized

The Select Board recognized two longtime town employees who recently retired.

Jamie Stewart was a heavy equip ment operator for the Department of Public Works who retired Aug. 31 after 36 years with the town. Michael Prescott, a firefighter, retired Aug. 26 after 31 years with the town, including seven years as a call firefighter.

“We’re losing some very well-ten ured folks who know the system, and it’s a big loss,” Select Board member Irfan Nasrullah said. “But it’s a great move for both of them to move on to the next phase of their lives.” …

John Knauss was sworn in by the Town Clerk as a training lieutenant for the Fire Department. …

The board confirmed the town man ager’s appointment of three employees for the Department of Public Works: Stephen Freiberg (mechanic), Bren dan O’Leary (working foreperson) and Colin Barry (working foreperson).

Fire Department Open

House Oct. 16

The Hopkinton Fire Department will open its station to the public on Sunday, Oct. 16, from from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. for its annual open house. Resi dents (adults and children) will have an opportunity to view demonstrations, learn about fire safety and tour the sta tion. Refreshments will be provided, and Sparky the Fire Dog is expected to make an appearance.

The open house provides an op portunity for firefighters to focus on the educational theme of Fire Preven tion Week. This year’s theme is “Fire Won’t Wait. Plan Your Escape!” The theme reinforces the importance of developing a home escape plan with all members of the household and practic ing it regularly.

A home fire escape plan should meet all of the family’s needs, including those with sensory or physical disabili ties. Smoke alarms should be installed inside every sleeping room, outside each sleeping area and on every level of a home. A plan also should include having two ways out of every room, as

well as a meeting place a safe distance from the home. Home fire escape plans should be practiced twice a year.

Committee positions filled

The Board of Library Trustees, participating in a joint meeting with the Select Board, filled a vacancy with the appointment of Warren Carter. The term expires at the May 2023 Town Election. …

Jamie Wronka was chosen to serve as an alternate member for the Upper Charles Trail Committee to a term expir ing June 30, 2025. …

The Sustainable Green Committee filled two vacancies with the appoint ments of Mary Beth Lavoie to a term expiring June 30, 2024, and Alice Pota pov to a term expiring June 30, 2023. …

Mari Jae Benning was appointed to a seat on the Hopkinton Cultural Council to a term expiring Sept. 13, 2025. …

Jon Pollack was appointed as a constable to a term expiring June 30. The town has three elected constables as well as three unelected constables. …

During a joint meeting between the Select Board and Planning Board, Matthew Wronka was selected to fill a vacant seat on the Planning Board.

Misc.: Generous gifts accepted

The Select Board voted to accept a gift of $55,000 from the Friends of Hopkinton Senior Citizens to the Hop kinton Senior Center for the purchase of a van and associated transportation costs, another $5,000 from the Friends of Hopkinton Senior Citizens to the Hopkinton Senior Center for emer gency medical transportation, $15,000 from the New England Laborers’ Train ing Trust Fund to the town, and $100 from the Hopkinton Trails Club to the Hopkinton Public Library to be used for the purchase of hiking and trailrelated books.

Select Board Chair Amy Rit terbusch called out the Friends of Hopkinton Senior Citizens donations as “extremely generous and much ap preciated.”

The board also accepted a gift of $456 to the Hopkinton Police Depart ment from a group of youngsters who hosted a lemonade stand and bake sale at Legacy Farms. …

Khumalo called out the Friends of Hopkinton for “putting together a fabulous party” Sept. 17 at Hopkinton Family Day.

“Perhaps the two-year hiatus [due to the pandemic] gave you the passion and the energy to deliver this spectacu lar event, and indeed you did. I also want to thank the community for show ing up for the day. The atmosphere at the schools was electric. Everybody was having fun. It was positive. And I can’t wait for next year.” …

Regarding the town’s proposed connection to the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority (MWRA) water pipeline through Southborough, Khumalo said, “We are continuing our conversations with our neighbors from Southborough.” …

The board approved the installation of stop signs on both ends of Huckle berry Road at the intersections with Fruit Street.

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

Community Covenant Church Fall Plant Sale Oct. 1

Community Covenant Church (2 West Elm Street) will host a Fall Plant Sale on Saturday, Oct. 1, from 8-11 a.m. The sale will include inexpensively priced perennials, specializing in cottage garden favorites. Visit comcovhop.org for more information.

Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk Oct. 2

Registration is open for the 34th annual Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk, which is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 2. 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.

HPTA Tall and Small Pumpkin Ball Oct. 2

The Hopkinton Parent Teacher Association is hosting the Tall and Small Pumpkin Ball for Grades 4-5 on Sunday, Oct. 2, from 5-7 p.m. at the Hopkins School gym nasium and cafetorium. DJ Kathi Zerkle will spin tunes to have the kids and their dates on the dance floor. Free, light refreshments will be available, including pizza, popcorn and decorate-your-own cookies. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit hopkintonpta.membershiptoolkit.com/home or email fundraising@ hptoonline.com.

Hopkinton Area Land Trust annual meeting Oct. 4

The Hopkinton Area Land Trust (HALT) will hold its annual meeting on Tues day, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m. at the Hopkinton Public Library, 13 Main Street. All members of HALT and the community are invited to attend. The meeting agenda provides a review of HALT’s mission, accomplishments of the past year in acquiring and managing its conservation land in Hopkinton, and a short business segment. For more information, visit hopkintonlandtrust.org.

Friends of Whitehall fall cleanup Oct. 15

The Friends of Whitehall‘s fall lake and trail cleanup will be held Saturday, Oct. 15, from 9 a.m.-noon. Participants will gather at the boat landing parking lot at Whitehall State Park on Wood Street (Route 135) and be assigned areas of trails and shoreline around the lake to clean up debris and refuse. Gloves, trash bags, tools, bug spray and water will be provided, along with coffee and donuts for volunteers. For more information about the cleanup and the Friends of Whitehall, which is welcoming new members, visit friendsofwhitehall.org.

Hopkinton Freemasons open house Oct. 15

Freemasons from John Warren Lodge, 6 Main Street, Hopkinton, will open their doors to the public on Saturday, Oct. 15, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. More than 200 lodges across Massachusetts will be hosting open houses to help the public gain

Event Calendar Sponsored by HOPKINTON CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Cheap Laughs Comedy Night

October 1 | 8:00 p.m.

Our friends at Cheap Laughs are back for another great night of comedy! Join founder/host Paul Gillespie and comedi ans James Hamilton and Michael Harri son for a hysterical evening of fun!

Soul Function Boston

October 7 | 8:00 p.m.

Local and HCA favorite Soul Function Boston is a 9-piece band of veteran mu sicians who grew up listening to every thing from Chicago, Tower of Power, Doobie Brothers, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Sam and Dave and just about ev erything in between. Now it’s their joy to share this music with people of all ages who love to dance as much as they love to play.

First Friday Open Mic with Nico Rivers

October 7 | 8:00 p.m.

HCA is excited for the return of our First Friday Open Mic Night and Nico Rivers!

Calling all singers (and people who love

to listen to people sing)! Open Mic is a great way for singers to put themselves in front of a very supportive and fun crowd and to learn by watching other singers. Our host is the talented Jack Byrne. So cializing and sign-up start at 7:30 p.m. and the music begins at 8:00 p.m. All ages welcome!

Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein: The Musical October 14, 15, 21, 22, & 23

Enjoy Enter Stage Left Theater’s production of Mel Brooks’ YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, a monster of a hit musical based on Brooks’ classic 1974 comedy film masterpiece. This wickedly inspired re-imagining of the legend of Frankenstein is the story of the bright young doctor Frankenstein (that’s Fronkensteen) who travels to Transylvania to complete the masterwork of his grandfather by bringing a corpse to life. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN is a scientifically proven, monstrously good time at the theater. (Adult humor: may not be suitable for younger audience members).

a better understanding of Freemasonry and to demonstrate the positive impact the fraternity has on its members, their families and their communities. Members will be available to provide tours of their building, talk about Freemasonry’s history, discuss its rituals, signs and symbols, and explain what they do. For more informa tion, visit johnwarrenlodge.org.

Mental Health Collaborative Golf Tournament Oct. 24

The Hopkinton-based nonprofit Mental Health Collaborative (MHC) will hold its first charitable golf tournament on Monday, Oct. 24, at Hopkinton Country Club. The MHC Fall Classic features 18 holes of scramble golf followed by a cocktail recep tion and awards dinner. Individuals can support the cause of mental health literacy among teens and young adults by registering as a golfer or tournament sponsor. All proceeds directly fund the development and implementation of MHC programming in schools and communities across Massachusetts and beyond. To learn more about MHC or to register for the MHC Fall Classic, visit mentalhealthcollaborative.org.

Dementia Friends Information Session Oct. 26

Residents are invited to become a Dementia Friend by attending an interactive and engaging Dementia Friends Information Session at the Hopkinton Senior Center on Oct. 26 at 1 p.m. Attendees will learn the five key dementia messages, the dif ferent types of dementia and their impact, what it’s like to live with dementia, how to interact and communicate with people living with dementia, and small gestures that make a difference. For reservations, call the Senior Center at 508-497-9730. The session, open to residents of all towns, is suitable for all adults and children in middle school and older.

HCA’s Wicked Weekend Oct. 29-30

The Hopkinton Center for the Arts will host its annual Wicked Weekend on Oct. 29-30. The expanded list of events includes a free scavenger hunt, a Trunk or Treat drive-through event (in collaboration with the Hopkinton Community Partnership), a Monster Mash (games, snacks, dancing, etc.) for families with young children, Haunted Trail spooky walks for teens/adults and the Wicked 5K road race, along with the Wee Wicked Dash for youngsters. For details, visit hopartscenter.org.

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.

Trails organizations seek monthly volunteers

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

Weekly Farmers Market Sundays at Town Common

The Hopkinton Farmers Market takes place at the Town Common on Sundays from 1-5 p.m., running through Oct. 16. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Pro gram (SNAP) customers receive a $10 incentive for a $10 purchase, and there are Healthy Incentive Program (HIP) benefits as well. For information, including a list of vendors for each week, visit hopkintonfarmersmarket.com.

Al-Anon weekly meetings Thursdays

Anyone affected by someone else’s drinking is welcome to attend a confidential Al-Anon meeting, which takes place every Thursday from 7:30-9 p.m. at the meet ing room in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (61 Wood Street). For more information, visit al-anon.org or call 888-4AL-ANON.

HopkintonIndependent.com

Conservation Commission address issues at The Trails

The Conservation Commission discussed ongoing issues with stormwater management at The Trails development, which is located off Legacy Farms Road North.

By Mary Ellen Gambon Contributing Writer

The Conservation Commission at its meeting Sept. 13 mainly discussed two issues with The Trails, a develop ment off Legacy Farms Road North, including an amended notice of intent (NOI) concerning drainage improve ment plans for four lots and a violation or continued problems with stormwater management on the site.

Project engineer Peter Bemis said that the project is undergoing the third phase of construction at Weston Lane. This phase is almost 50 percent complete with approximately 70 units currently constructed out of 175, he said.

Bemis explained that the drainage improvements were needed because the original developer had planned for more triplexes for the development, but the project was downsized so that there will only be five.

In a third-party peer review done by GCG on the Ashland side of the project, Bemis explained that there were deficien cies found with stormwater retention due to a hurricane last year. The soils on that part of the project were highly permeable.

“What we’ve suggested is that we revisit two basins,” he continued, noting that one of them hasn’t been built yet and is part of the fourth phase of the project.

He also said that when Bohler En gineering was involved in the project previously, miscalculations were made.

“They did not treat the receiving wa tershed as what’s called an outstanding resource water,” he said. “That’s a water supply. It should have had a one-inch in filtrative volume rather than the half-inch one that Bohler designed.”

Asked Chair Jeff Barnes: “So the infiltration volume was understated by fourfold, you’re saying?”

Bemis said that the mistake was not made intentionally, and it is something he is hoping to correct with the new basin design. He requested a waiver to perform work in the 50-foot buffer zone to reconstruct a basin, saying the previ ous one probably was miscalculated in an attempt to avoid working within the 50-foot buffer zone. He also wanted to convert the sidewalks that have yet to be built to permeable pavement, which Bemis considered “a win-win.”

Added Bemis: “We want to design for the future — not for yesterday.”

A question came up as to why the water would be drained back into the wetlands system. The problem is that the project also impacts Ashland and would send the water to the lagoon driveway. Discussions have not yet begun with the Ashland Conservation Commission.

“Maybe there’s a middle ground

there,” Barnes said.

The hearing was continued until the next meeting on Sept. 27.

The Trails chastised for stormwater issues

A violation at The Trails also was discussed after flooding issues from a recent rainstorm.

“We’ve had some issues at the site, quite obviously,” Barnes said. Some of the problems may have been caused by extreme precipitation, he noted, while others may have been caused because of possible miscalculations by former engineers on the project.

“What’s frustrating, I think, for our commission, is that the project is in Hop kinton, but Ashland’s getting the brunt of the erosion problem that’s running off site,” Barnes continued, noting that both town managers are involved at this point.

The drinking water for both Hopkin ton and Ashland has been affected, which is another concern.

“What do we need to do to impress upon you guys that this can’t continue to happen?” Barnes asked regarding the ongoing problems with the project’s stormwater management system.

Bemis said there were six-tenths of an inch of rain in 25 minutes that bypassed the containment bags, went through the embankment and forced silt out onto the street, which he never anticipated.

Bemis said he was “embarrassed” by the situation.

Barnes countered that it “is embar rassing for us as a commission” because the water is going into Ashland.

“I’m sure they’re thinking, ‘What the heck are these folks doing up there?’ ” he said. “We really need to kind of nip this in the bud to make sure this doesn’t keep happening.”

No fine was issued at this meeting.

Eversource certificate of compliance approved

In other news, the board approved a certificate of compliance for im provements to the Eversource liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant at 52 Wilson Street. Barnes noted that the permanent immovable barriers had been installed and the requested plantings have been established, making the approval “pretty straightforward.”

Jean Christy, the senior engineer at Tighe & Bond, spoke on behalf of the applicant. She said that inspections were conducted after the recent rainfalls, which showed that the stormwater basins were working properly.

PHOTO/JERRY SPAR

Planning Board approves East Main Street development

The historic house at 83 East Main Street is to be torn down and replicated, with three housing units added behind it.

Planning Board | from page 1

against these decision criteria,” Trendel said. “I do think it’s important to note that even though we might not like the way it looks, and even though there might be something that would be a lot nicer or better there … that’s not our job to assess that.”

Decisions regarding the replicated home are under the jurisdiction of the Historical Commission, he added. MacDowell said the commission insisted that the replicated house be in the same place. The replicated house will be for sale to a homeowner.

The site, part of the Village Center zoning sub district, is a small triangular plot at the corner of East Main Street and Legacy Farms Roads North, just west of Weston Nurseries. The proposal for three condominiums was presented by Chubb Road LLC.

Since the proposal was presented last month, MacDowell said he has made modifications. They include adding screening trees on the street side of the project to soften its look as well as birch trees in front of the condos. The new color scheme, he added, should be more in keeping with the neigh borhood’s character.

MacDowell noted that he has been working with the Historical Commission as well as the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). The only condi tion was that the shutters not be included in the new design. He said the home is in such a state of deterioration that restoring it would not make sense.

Explained MacDowell: “The only thing in that house that is original is the interior frame, and the sills right now are all rotted.”

Phil Paradis, the town’s consultant from BETA Group, approved of the plan changes. They included a revised lighting plan and the redesign of a swale that would direct water toward the intersection of East Main Street and Legacy Farms Road North.

Resident Bob Foster expressed concerns about the infiltration basins and how the poor soil quality would affect stormwater management.

Paradis said the existing drainage system flows to that intersection, but it misses the catch basin west of the intersection. He said this would only be a concern in a major storm, but the infiltration system is adequate.

Foster stressed that his major issue was “over loading this sliver of land” with four housing units, which he thought would cause a traffic problem.

Paradis said only about 10 traffic trips per day would be impacted by the housing there.

“Is it ideal?” he asked. “No. Is it dangerous? I don’t think so.”

MacDowell explained that while the replicated house is 5 feet from the property line, it is actually 20 feet from the street. The Historical Commission wanted the house to remain in that location to “have a presence when you come from either direction so it’s the first thing you see.” The driveway in question has always been there, and he did not foresee any

traffic problems, especially because there is a traffic light at the intersection.

He added that options other than the housing, including commercial developments, would be al lowed on the site.

“This is one that I struggle with a lot,” Trendel added, noting that he agreed with some of Foster’s comments. “But it is an allowable use.”

“I personally think that it’s really unfortunate that this new structure that’s being proposed does not re ally fit in with the historic nature of the structure,” he continued. “But that being said, it doesn’t need to be.”

MacDowell replied that he has spent the past five years entertaining different options for the site. He said the proposed housing was more in keeping with the neighborhood’s character than potential commercial development or a restaurant.

“A lot of them we just thought you’d be hor rified if we brought them in front of you,” he said.

“To plunk a Dunkin’ Donuts right next to that house in a residential neighborhood — you would have been horrified. But at the same time, it had a right to be there.”

MacDowell added that while he did “empathize and probably agree” with people who would have liked to have seen the historic home moved further back from the road, keeping it there “is something we’re being told to do.”

ZAC, DRB members appointed to new terms

In other news, the Planning Board unanimously approved the reappointment of current Zoning Advi sory Committee (ZAC) members Curtis Smithson, the current chair, and Rachel Rossin to new terms.

Smithson also was appointed as a new member of the Design Review Board for a one-year term, filling an open seat.

Wood Street permit extension granted for solar project

The board granted a special permit extension for a solar project off Wood Street that was originally approved in 2019 but now is under control of New Leaf, a solar energy contractor. It previously had been extended for a year when it was proposed by Borrego.

Brandon Smith of New Leaf Energy explained that New Leaf “is a spinoff of Borrego” but is con sidered a separate entity. The same team is involved with the project.

The reason for the extension request, he said, was that the electrical design had to be reconfigured, and it was finalized this summer. Construction could not

What should Alzheimer’s caregivers know?

Newly opened Alltown Fresh reinvents convenience store

If you have a family member who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s dis ease, or is starting to show symptoms, you will face some real challenges. Navigating the Alzheimer’s experience involves a long journey, and there’s no easy answer for how you can cope with your emotions. But you can at least address some of the financial issues involved to help give yourself a greater sense of control.

Here are some moves to consider:

• Plan for care costs and iden tify insurance coverage. The list of Alzheimer’s-related medical expenses is long and includes ongoing medical treat ment, medical equipment, home safety modifications, prescription drugs and personal care supplies. As a caregiver, you’ll want to know the extent of your loved one’s health insurance: Medicare, supplemental policies, veteran’s benefits if applicable, and so on. One big ques tion is how much coverage they might have for adult day care services, in-home care services and full-time residential care services, and other long-term care options. Long-term care is one of the largest health care costs not covered by Medicare, so you’ll want to determine if your loved one has a long-term care policy or another insurance policy with a long-term care rider.

• Identify assets and debts. You’ll need to know your family member’s financial position, both what they own — bank accounts, investments, property, etc. — and what they owe, such as credit card debt, a mortgage, lines of credit, and so on. This knowledge will be essential if you’re granted power of attorney to take over your loved one’s finances.

• Look for tax breaks available to caregivers. If you’re a caregiver, you may have to pay for some care costs out of pocket. Consequently, you could receive some tax credits and deductions. These benefits vary by state, so you’ll want to consult with your tax advisor to determine your eligibility.

• Ensure necessary legal documents

Wood Street permit extension granted for solar project

Planning Board |

12

move forward until this approval, which caused the delay. There are no changes to the permit itself, Smith said.

“There’s fewer electrical require ments to connect to the grid,” he said of the electrical design. The amount of energy being transferred is being low ered from five megawatts to one, while the amount being stored in the battery remains the same.

The permit was extended until Dec. 27, 2023.

are in place. As a caregiver, you may need to ensure some legal documents are in place, such as a durable power of at torney for finances, which lets you make financial decisions for your loved one with Alzheimer’s, and a durable power of attorney for health care, which lets you make health care and medical decisions on their behalf. It’s important to have these and other necessary documents drawn up before someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or when they’re just starting to exhibit the earliest signs of the disease, so they can understand what documents they are signing. If you wait until they no longer have this cognitive ability, things will get much more challenging. You could apply to become a conservator, which grants decision-making abilities similar to a power of attorney, but the conservator ship process takes time and could involve court procedures. To avoid this potential difficulty, work with your tax and legal professionals to ensure all the relevant legal documents are in-force and updated.

Finally, you don’t have to go it alone. To help deal with the emotional chal lenges of caregiving, you can find local Alzheimer’s support groups that can offer practical suggestions for coping. As for the financial issues, consider working with a financial professional who can look at your family’s overall situation and recommend appropriate actions.

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s will change the lives of everyone in your family. But as a caregiver, you can help ease the burden.

If

Mark Freeman

Edward Jones Financial Advisor

77 W. Main Street, Hopkinton, MA (508) 293-4017

Mark.Freeman@edwardjones.com

Christopher Stevenson Edward Jones Financial Advisor

77 W. Main Street, Hopkinton, MA (774) 991-0781

Christopher.Stevenson@edwardjones.com

By Christie Vogt Contributing Writer

Alltown Fresh, Hopkinton’s newest kitchen, market and conve nience store, is “a

BUSINESS PROFILE

An advertiser feature

new approach to food service and hospitality,” says Joshua Smith, vice president of All town Fresh and a lifelong chef. After years of working in fine dining, Smith says he wanted to apply those same high-quality standards to a more casual, broader audience.

The Alltown Fresh concept launched in 2019 in Plymouth and now has 13 locations across the East Coast, with two additional stores slated to open by the end of 2022. The company focuses on food prepared by a team of chefs on-site that is fresh, healthy, made to order and locally sourced. “We are redefining the conve nience store space,” Smith says. “If you combine the elements of what you love about places like Sweetgreen and Whole Foods, that’s what our approach is.”

The menu includes made-to-order items including sandwiches, bowls, salads, breakfast foods, smoothies and coffee, as well as many vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Customers can order online and on-site, and delivery service is available.

“One of my favorite breakfast sand wiches is our pork roll, egg and cheese,” Smith says. “For lunch, I love our quinoa bowl made with Mike’s Hot Honey. It’s a vegetable slaw with red cabbage, broccoli and carrots served over quinoa and with your choice of protein. That to me is a signature item. Being able to get a grain bowl on the road is awesome, because it’s super clean and easy to eat.”

The chef-led kitchen also offers meal kits that change monthly. “People love the

simplicity and convenience,” Smith says, “whether you’re headed on vacation and want to grab ingredients with cooking instructions or you need a turkey dinner for your holiday meal at home.”

All the Alltown Fresh locations work directly with a local perishable food part ner in their community. For Hopkinton, the team has partnered with Project Just Because on South Street and will provide fresh food to the nonprofit and its network of care. “Being an integral part of the communities where we live and work is a core part of our value system here,” says Smith. “Our goal is to positively impact the quality of life within our communities, help build stronger ties with our guests and commit to making a difference.”

To Smith, the work at Alltown Fresh is about more than providing a quick pit stop. “My love language is service. There’s no better way to engage with others than by breaking bread,” he says. “I have the best job in the world. All I do for a living is make people happy.”

Alltown Fresh is located at 92 West Main Street and is open 24/7. The kitchen is open from 6 a.m. until 4 p.m., with plans for expanded hours. For more in formation, visit alltownfresh.com or call 774-278-5061.

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

P rofession al i nsights

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

Christopher StevensonMark Freeman

Joshua Smith is the vice president of Alltown Fresh, “America’s first fresh convenience market.”

obituaries

Obituaries are submissions, typi cally 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.

Michael Dwyer

Michael John Dwyer, 73, of Millis died Aug. 29 at Brigham and Wom en’s Hospital due to complications from Waldenström Macroglobulinemia (WM), a very rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that he courageously fought the last couple of years.

Michael was born in Marlborough, and following his father’s passing, Mike and family resided in Florida for five years, where he attended Miami Military

Academy and Blessed Trinity Catholic School. Following the passing of his mother, Michael and siblings resided with his uncle and aunt, Tony and Lucy Cafarelli, in Hopkinton. Michael would

eventually attend Hudson Catholic High School, where he was a star athlete in football and baseball. He also was a skilled drummer and played in a rock band with his friends. During his time in Hudson, Michael lived with Glorinda Cellucci Ordway and her husband, Tru man. Michael continued his baseball career at Dean Junior College before getting his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. At both col leges he was joined by his close friend and fraternity brother, Robert “Bubba” Pena of Falmouth, who went on to play in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns.

In the years following college, Michael traveled through much of Europe with some buddies, including George White, the eventual godfather of his son, Timothy. Michael also took a cross country trip and settled in San

Diego for a few years. Michael was the proud father to his son, Timothy, who he shared with his former wife, Gail Powers (Ginnetti). Michael had the privilege to live in Falmouth for many years and took great pride in watching his son participate in sports during his formative high school years.

Michael had a deep passion for sports, fitness and nutrition. In his middle years, Michael fell in love with the sport of tennis, and he played many matches with Timothy. Eventually, golf became their new sport, and they con tinued to forge a special bond. Michael also was an avid runner, becoming a bit of an icon on the streets of Millis and participating in many races, including the famous Falmouth Road Race for many years with his son.

Michael also was a learned man with an endless thirst for knowledge in far-ranging topics in science, history and technology. Michael liked to liven things up at family gatherings, frequent ly treating them as a performance stage. He also became an endearing member of the local community around his Millis residence, where he lived for 27 years.

Michael was the son of the late Richard Henry II and Virginia (Cellucci) Dwyer, and he was predeceased by his brother, Richard Henry Dwyer III.

Michael is survived and beloved by his son, Timothy Dwyer of South Boston; his sister, Mary (Dwyer) Mc Cullough and husband Kevin of Wren tham; his nephews, Kevin Jr., Luke and Michael McCullough and their wives, Elizabeth, Emily and Jennifer; Shaughn Dwyer; his niece, Colleen Dwyer; and his cousins, Maureen Welzel and Jean Curtin. He also was a loving great-uncle to nine.

Sponsors

A graveside service for Michael will be held on Oct. 8 at 11 a.m. at Immacu late Conception Cemetery on Beach Street in Marlborough.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Michael’s honor to the Jimmy Fund (jimmyfund.org). Checks can be sent to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215.

Marshall Brennan

Hopkinton Organizations

Boelsen

Marshall Skiff Brennan, 36, the beloved son of Edward and Deborah Brennan of Skaneateles, New York, passed away peacefully on Aug. 17 at his home in Boston.

Marshall was born Aug. 10, 1986. A 2006 graduate of Tilton School, he re

obituaries

ceived his B.A. in communications from Hobart William Smith College in 2010.

Marshall worked at the Michael Carter Lisnow Respite Center in Hop kinton for the last 12 years as a re spected, admired and loved staff mem ber. From helping with the Boston Marathon, supervising outings for his groups and adventuring on Zoom trips to faraway places, he provided love and care to so many.

He loved his family, making mu sic, the Bills, the lake, our dog Fuji, and most of all spending time with his nieces, Reese and Savannah.

Marshall was predeceased by pa ternal grandparents Lois and Ed Bren nan of Chicago, maternal grandparents Joan and Marshall Skiff of Skaneateles, aunts Robin (Skiff) Pittard and Linda (Brennan) Thode, and cousins Amy and Michael Lisnow.

He also is survived by his brothers, Eddie (Marianne) Brennan of Ska neateles and Steve Brennan of Hawaii, nieces Reese and Savannah Brennan, aunts Lynn (Dave) Soderberg, Patty (Scott) Curtis and Sandra (Doug) Ad ams, uncle David (Suzanne) Pittard, aunt Sharon Lisnow, aunt Cindy (John) Walls of Florida, uncle Don (Kim) Bren nan of Wisconsin, uncle John (Jean) Brennan of Florida, and 26 amazing cousins.

Although Marshall was so loving and joyful around family and friends, he struggled like so many with mental health issues. Deeply kind, thoughtful and loving to all he met, his generous spirit and bright light will always shine.

A funeral mass was held Aug. 29 at 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s of the Lake Church, Skaneateles, with private burial to follow.

The family asks in lieu of flow ers, please consider a donation to the Michael Carter Lisnow Respite Center, 112 Main Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748.

the family moved to Hopkinton, where Sharon began working for the Hopkin ton Public Schools.

Sharon enjoyed a broad range of interests that included music, reading, hiking, nature and cooking. She was a loyal fan of the Red Sox and New England Patriots, however, most of all she loved connecting with people, and her family members were her favorites. Sharon will be remembered by all who knew her as loving, helpful and eternally optimistic. She was a devout member of St. Luke’s parish in Westborough and an active member of the Hopkinton Senior Center.

She is survived by husband Don of Hopkinton, daughter Emily, son-inlaw Stephen and granddaughter Kacey of San Mateo, California, brothers and sisters-in-law Henry and Kathleen of Glacier, Montana, and Jerry and Judy of Carmichael, California, as well as many family and friends throughout California, Arizona and Texas who were dear to her. She will be missed by many and remembered by all.

A memorial service is planned for Nov. 5. Please get in contact with the family for specifics.

Donna Pomeroy

Donna L. Pomeroy, 62, died Sept. 6 at Westborough Healthcare. Born in Worcester, she was the daughter of the late Robert Pomeroy and Marie Janet Brock of Hopkinton.

Donna worked for many years as a waitress at several restaurants in the area.

In addition to her mother, she is sur vived by her siblings, Diane Stickland of California, Janet Honing and husband Joel of Athol, and Jon Lachapelle of Beverly. She is predeceased by sister Denise Herman.

The funeral was held Sept. 12 from the Callanan Cronin Funeral Home. A funeral Mass was celebrated in St. John the Evangelist Parish, followed by burial in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Hopkinton.

Jean Strickland

Orthopedic Surgeon Accepting New Patients

We are proud to welcome our new orthopedic surgeon, Brendan Kiernan, MD, to Milford Regional Physician Group. Dr. Kiernan is a Massachusetts native and comes to MRPG from University of CaliforniaDavis, where he completed a fellowship in adult joint reconstruction.

Earning his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine, Dr. Kiernan completed his orthopedic surgery residency at UMass Memorial.

Dr. Kiernan looks forward to taking care of patients with a variety of hip and knee problems (such as arthritis) and other joint conditions. His practice focuses on partial and total knee and hip replacement including revision procedures. In addition, Dr. Kiernan specializes in a direct anterior approach to joint reconstruction, resulting in decreased post-operative pain and faster recovery.

For an appointment, please call 508-478-7135

Sharon Williams Ellis, 70, of Stoney Brook Road, Hopkinton, passed away peacefully on Aug. 17.

Sharon was born on Sept. 21, 1951, in Sacramento, California, into a large and loving extended family. After graduating from St. Francis High School in 1969, she went on to receive her bachelor’s degree from Cal State Sacramento and then to work for the investment firm Dean Witter Reynolds. After several years, she accepted a po sition with Goldman Sachs, and during that time she met Don and they were married in Inverness, California. Shortly after that, Emily was born, and in 1997,

Jean C. Strickland, 94, of Water town passed away Sept 3. She was the beloved wife of the late John Strickland. She was the devoted mother of John Strickland and wife Susan, and Glenn Strickland and wife Christine. She was the cherished “Grandma” to Nicole, Michael, Laura, Riley, Madeline and Obituaries |

508-478-7135

Sharon Ellis

Brendan Kiernan, MD

obituaries

Kelly, and great-grandmother to Cam eron, Colin and Samantha. She was the last of seven siblings.

A funeral Mass was held Sept. 9 in St. Patrick’s Church, Watertown, fol lowed by burial in Ridgelawn Cemetery, Watertown.

In lieu of flowers, please make do nations to the United Way of Tri-County at uwotc.org/strickland.

Home. In lieu of flowers, donations in Eric’s memory may be made to the Nashoba Learning Group (nashobale arninggroup.org).

Sean Fitzpatrick

was the son of William C. Beck Jr. of Gardner and the late Virginia (Shea) Beck.

Dave grew up in Wellesley and Yarmouth. After graduating from Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School, Dave attended Southeastern Massachusetts University (now UMass Dartmouth). He was a hands-on guy who enjoyed creating things. He worked in the construction industry as a carpenter and in the information technology industry as a system opera tor, programmer, systems analyst and web designer.

Dave grew up in a close-knit, ac tive family. When family members needed something, Dave was always there. He helped build and remodel homes for his father and his siblings. Family and family gatherings were an important part of Dave’s life. Like his siblings, Dave was very active in sports.

Doyle, on a blind date in Atlanta where he was stationed with the Army. They married on Aug. 18, 1955. Following the reception, they loaded a U-Haul and drove to her new home in Hopkinton. They raised seven children: Colleen (Ray-deceased) Charleston, Lisa (Ray) Carloni, W. Aubrey (Julie) Doyle, Julia (Paul) Rice, Sean Doyle (deceased), Tim (Sonya) Doyle and Brendan (Deena) Doyle. She also leaves behind her sister, Dot Muellenbach, 21 grand children, 14 great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and her caregiver, Dee.

She was a dedicated mother and wife, running the household at 13 Church Street. She was the caregiver of son Sean, who suffered from Duch enne muscular dystrophy and became significantly disabled until his death at the age of 23.

Sean Perry Fitzpatrick, 43, passed away unexpectedly at his home on Sept. 18. Born in Princeton, New Jersey, he was the son of Claudia (Godsil) Fitz patrick of South Carolina and the late Perry Fitzpatrick.

Eric Robert MacDonald, 31, of Hopkinton passed away unexpectedly at a group home in Milford. Born at Leonard Morse Hospital in Natick, Eric was the beloved son of Lauren (Calabrese) Rowntree of Hopkinton and Geoffrey MacDonald of Boston. He also was close to his stepfather, James Rowntree, and Geoffrey’s life partner, Joanne Meirovitz.

Eric graduated from the New Eng land Center for Children in Southbor ough upon turning 22 on April 8, 2013. Eric was a sweet, good-natured young man with autism who attended the Nashoba Learning Group Adult Day Program for the last nine years. During this time, he lived in a loving, shared living home with Marthe and Wilbert Vilchert in Hudson, while continuing to visit with his parents on weekends. Eric touched many lives during his short life with his endearing nature and infectious smile. His passing has left many who loved him filled with great sadness.

Eric enjoyed going for walks, watching videos, playing on his com puter, listening to his music and going to the beach. He also loved spending time with his family, eating pasta and looking at his photo books. Although Eric was non-verbal and used a communication device to express his wants and needs, he always found ways to communicate his love for the people closest to him. He was affectionate, had a sense of humor and enjoyed his interactions with others, laughing and smiling.

Besides his parents, Eric is survived by two brothers, Michael MacDonald of Burlington, Vermont, and Zachery MacDonald of Newton. Eric also is survived by his maternal grandmother, Loretta Calabrese of Thomaston, Con necticut, and his aunts, uncles and many cousins.

A funeral Mass was celebrated Sept. 19 in St. John the Evangelist Church, followed by burial in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Hopkinton. Services were under the care of the Cheshire Funeral

Sean was a member of the Hopkin ton High School Class of 1996. Most recently, he was employed as a bartender at Bill’s Pizza in Hopkinton. He loved his motorcycle and was a proud member of the Throttle Brothers Motorcycle Club. He loved road trips on his bike, reading and sports, especially the New York Mets. Most importantly, Sean loved his family and friends. He espe cially loved Skylar and took great pride in helping to raise her.

Besides his mother, Sean is sur vived by his sisters, Shannon Siladi (Adam) and Karen Grazia (Tony); his brother, Kevin Fitzpatrick; his nephews, Grayson and Camden; and his nieces, Sierra, Saige and Jolie. He also leaves behind his aunts and uncle and many cousins.

Interment was to be held private ly in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. Ar rangements were under the care of the Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Sean’s name to the Metrowest Autism Alliance and the Wounded War rior Project.

David Beck

Dave was an avid tennis player and the owner of Silton Tennis in Natick. Over the years he had developed a reputation as an expert in all things tennis. At one point, he strung rackets for the Boston Lobsters. He also strung rackets for other professional tennis players at prestigious tournaments. He was very active in the local tennis scene and developed many great friendships through tennis. He also was an avid kayaker and enjoyed hiking.

Besides his father and his step mother, Yong Hui Beck, Dave is survived by his siblings, Jerry Beck and wife Judy of Holderness, New Hampshire, Tim Beck and wife Robin of Boothbay, Maine, and Sharon Beck of Hartsville, South Carolina, his sisterin-law, Diana Beck of Hopkinton, and his stepsister, Kathy Zimmerman and husband Tim of Hudson. He also leaves behind many nieces, nephews great-nieces and great-nephews. He is predeceased by brother Steve Beck, who passed away in May.

Visitation was held Sept. 24 at the Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton. Interment was to be held privately.

Joan Doyle

She was a devoted Catholic, at tending daily Mass much of her life. She worked part time at St John’s Rec tory and then at the Hopkinton Public Library for 10 years. She loved being with family, attending all the extracur ricular activities of her children and grandchildren, reading and doing her daily walk around town. She cherished her many friends and time with them at monthly “Club” and happy hour gatherings.

At the age of 78 she suffered a brain aneurysm. After a long recovery, she returned home and then helped sup port her ailing husband. After his death, she enjoyed getting back to a busier life. She was a caring, kindhearted person who rarely had a bad word to say about anyone and will be missed by all who knew her.

A funeral Mass was held Sept. 22 at St. John’s Parish, followed by burial at St. John’s Cemetery, Hopkinton. Ser vices were under the care of the Cal lanan Cronin Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate any donations be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, 20 Church Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748, or Friends of the Hopkinton Public Library, 13 Main Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748.

John Ryan

Joan Catherine (Courchaine) Doyle passed into God’s hands on Sept. 16. Born May 15, 1934, to Louis Cour chaine and Beatrice Garand in Cohoes, New York, she was the youngest of five children. As a child, she moved to St. Augustine, Florida, and then Atlanta, where she graduated from Sacred Heart High School.

She met her husband, E. Aubrey

John (Jack) Michael Ryan died Sept. 13, just six days from his 81st birthday, at Golden Pond Memory Care in Hopkinton from complications of dementia. His family thanks the exceptional staff at Golden Pond for the kind, patient care they gave Jack.

Eric MacDonald

David K. Beck, 67, of Hopkinton passed away at his home as a result of a fall on Sept. 13. Born in Newton, he

obituaries

Born in Boston in 1941 to the late John Phillip and Dorothy (Nado) Ryan, Jack spent his early years growing up in South Boston. The family moved to Weymouth in 1955, but Jack never lost his love for Southie, and for two years after moving to Weymouth, he took public transportation back to the old neighborhood as often as he could.

Jack graduated from Weymouth High School in 1959 and then from Bridgewater State College as a his tory major in 1963 with the intention of becoming a teacher. The day after he graduated from college, he mar ried his wife of 59 years, Loraine B. Herrington, whom he met while they both worked at Stop & Shop in North Weymouth. Because of his love of the outdoors, Jack and Loraine moved to Berkshire County, where Jack began his 35-year teaching career in the North Adams school system. Some people are born teachers, and Jack was one of them.

Upon learning of his death, several former students have contacted Jack’s daughters with messages of condo lence, but also sharing the impact he had: “Your father was an amazing, brilliant man.” “He was a great guy and had the love and patience to deal with middle school students all those years.” “He was so patient as a teacher, he cared, and he challenged us while deal ing with typical middle school misbe haviors really well!” Jack loved telling anecdotes about the funny things kids would do or say, and he respected the time of life they were in and all its dif ficulties. He took great satisfaction in their questions, their bright, inquisitive eyes and the unfolding of awareness he witnessed in each class he had. He made a difference.

After his retirement, Jack con tinued to help in the community by providing transportation to special needs adults and delivering meals to the elderly via Meals on Wheels. Jack was an outdoors enthusiast and was never happier than when fishing in his favorite spots in the Berkshires and along the Cold River, the Green River, the Deerfield and the many ponds in the area. He also loved the ocean, and he and the family vacationed every year on Cape Cod so he could try his luck on the Cape Cod Canal or on the ocean beaches. Fishing is like teaching: You can’t catch them all, but when you catch one, it is what keeps you go ing back. In his later years, the ocean called once more, and Jack and Loraine moved to Wells, Maine, where they walked the beach every day. He will be laid to rest at Oceanside Cemetery in Wells and will lie forever near the sound of the waves, the smell of the salt air and all the ones that got away.

Besides his wife, Loraine, Jack leaves three daughters, Lisa Ryan Weil (Jeffrey) of Sudbury, Ann Ryan of Shelton, Connecticut, and Karen Ryan of Hull. He also leaves three grandchildren, Parker and Sophie Weil, and Samantha Shaffer. In addition, he leaves his brother, Phillip Ryan (Joni) of Escondido, California, and sister, Ruth Ryan (Aaron Stratton) of Hamilton. Also mourning his loss are two nieces and two nephews, Carolyn Ryan Padgett (Fred), Rhiannon Ryan Stratton, John Ryan and Dylan Ryan Stratton.

It’ll be OK, Jack. Remember what Dad used to say: “You were once part of a star, and you will be again.” You are now a little further along to the cosmos than the rest of us. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made in Jack’s memory to the Al zheimer’s Association at act.alz.org.

Richard Senghas

in Jay. He retired, first to Orrs Island and later to Piper Shores in Scarborough, Maine. Dick served as an officer of ecumenical and interreligious affairs for the Catholic diocese of Portland, on the board of the Maine Council of Churches and as an enthusiastic director of Piper Shores’ croquet tournaments.

His perspective as both a medical doctor and priest prepared him to be an advocate in Augusta, testifying on important legislative issues including climate change and the expansion of Medicaid. In March 2013, he told legis lators, “Catholic teaching is that health care is a basic right, and there should be adequate and affordable health care for all, for all.”

He is survived by seven children: Catherine Senghas and husband Ste ven Jackson of Jamaica Plain, Ellen Senghas and husband Mark Kassis of Southampton, Margaret Senghas Gib bons and husband Robert Gibbons of Lexington, Richard J. Senghas and wife Tina Poles of Cotati, California, John T. Senghas and wife Audrey Senghas

of Bloomdale, Ohio, Peter Senghas and wife Kellie Thibodeau Senghas of Acton,, and Ann Senghas and husband Samuel Bogoch of New York City. He leaves 13 grandchildren: Michael Jackson, Lara Jackson, Erin Kassis, Em ily Kassis, Molly Gibbons Golinvaux, Will Gibbons, Annie Gibbons, Ursula Senghas-Poles, Shawn Denny, Eileen Ward, Jacob Senghas, Samuel Senghas and June Bogoch. He also leaves seven great-grandchildren. His twin brother, Reverend Robert E. Senghas of Burling ton, Vermont, predeceased him in June 2022. The family would like to thank and honor the compassionate caregiving team at Piper Shores.

A concelebrated funeral Mass was celebrated Sept. 16 at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church in Scarborough, Maine. Burial took place Sept. 19 at Glenwood Cemetery, South Natick.

Arrangements were under the direc tion of the Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Home of South Portland. Memorial gifts in lieu of flowers may be made to one’s favorite charity.

Richard E. Senghas, 94, a resident of the Piper Shores community in Scar borough, Maine, died Sept. 10 of natural causes. He lived an extraordinary life — a loving husband, father of seven, respected orthopedic surgeon, and, in his later years, a Catholic priest.

Richard was born June 30, 1928, in Cleveland, the son of Erwin Wil liam Senghas and Lydia Mueller Sen ghas. His devoted wife, June Murray Senghas, predeceased him in 1993. He graduated from Lakewood (Ohio) High School, Harvard College (1950) and Harvard Medical School (1954). In January 1955, he married Gertrude (June) Murray, a medical school classmate. Together they started their internships in Cleveland. They soon departed for Japan, where Dick was a medical officer for the Navy in Yoko suka and June worked as a pediatrician on the Army base in Yokohama. They returned to Cleveland to complete their internships and settled in the Boston area, where Dick furthered his medi cal training in orthopedic surgery at Children’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital.

In 1963, he joined Framingham Orthopedic Associates, a private or thopedic surgical practice affiliated with Framingham Union Hospital (now MetroWest Medical Center) and moved with his growing family to Hop kinton. Dick also served as president of the medical staff at Framingham Union Hospital, attending physician at Bethany Hospital and clinical instructor at University of Massachusetts Medi cal School in Worcester. He joined the editorial board for the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery, volunteered on the Hopkinton Board of Health and retired from orthopedic surgery in 1988.

After June died, Dick entered Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in Weston and served as a chaplain intern for both Wellesley College and Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine. In 1998, at the age of 70, he was ordained as a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Maine, serving in St. John the Evangelist and Holy Cross parishes in South Portland and St. Rose of Lima

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.

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

Thrift Store

The thrift store is open Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Items available include dishes, jewelry, home goods, kitchenware, games, children’s toys, greeting cards and more.

Transportation Programs for Seniors

The Senior Center offers transpor tation to and from the Senior Center as well as local shopping Tuesdays through Fridays for Hopkinton resi dents. The Senior Center also can help residents find transportation assistance for medical appointments and essential shopping. Anyone interested can call the Senior Center to learn more.

Knitted hats with Jenny Wednesdays, 1 p.m., starting Oct. 5

Participants will learn how to cre ate the perfect winter hat. There is a one-time materials fee of $5, which includes one plastic loom and yarn. Call for registration.

Our Time Memory Café

Thursday, Oct. 6, 1-2 p.m.

This is a welcoming gathering for those experiencing forgetfulness or mild cognitive impairment or living with dementia, as well as their care partner, family and friends. The café is a place to socialize, share experiences

and form friendships. This is a joint venture between the Hopkinton Senior Center and Hopkinton Public Library. For more information or to register, call 508-497-9730 or email info@our timememorycafe.org.

Celebrating Audiology Awareness Month

Wednesday, Oct. 12, 1 p.m.

In honor of Audiology Awareness Month, the Senior Center is hosting a free informational session with Darcy Repucci, a licensed audiologist and owner of Hopkinton Audiology. Her lecture will focus on explaining how to read an audiogram, the different types of hearing loss, and the styles of hearing aids and technology available. She also will answer any hearing-related ques tions. Pre-registration is requested for this program.

Staying in Control

Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2 p.m.

Seniors should make sure they have the people in place (through power of attorney and health care proxy) to help with things if they become incapaci tated, and that they have made it clear how they want things to be handled if they can’t handle them. Elder law at torney Arthur Bergeron will present the horror stories and the ways to prevent them. Pre-registration is requested for this program.

UCTC discusses options after determining Hayden Rowe right of way

By Brenda Crowell Contributing Writer

With the town’s right-of-way survey along Hayden Rowe Street completed, members of the Up per Charles Trail Committee (UCTC) on Sept. 21 discussed how that could affect a proposed segment of the Upper Charles Trail.

“Months and months ago we tried to identify what the right of way was and couldn’t identify it easily,” Town Engineer Dave Daltorio told the committee. “We did our own research and still couldn’t find it, so we hired VHB [engineering firm] to do a full survey. They identified where the right of way is.”

The right of way in question, Daltorio explained, sits between Granite Street and College Street. It’s part of what the UCTC refers to as Segment 7. He added that some of the discussions were based on a typical cross-section of what the trail/bike path might look like.

Daltorio said the width of the right of way — land the town legally has the right to access, even if it’s part of a homeowner’s front yard — varies, from about 60 feet to about 46 feet. He explained that a typical trail on a road like Route 85 is between 49 1/2 and 55 feet. “That’s with the bike path,” Daltorio added. “You have a buffer, a sidewalk on the other side, you have a buffer on that side as well, 2-to-4-foot shoulders and 11-foot travel lanes.”

Expressing concern over the narrowest points of the right of way, UCTC member Ken Parker asked if additional action would need to be taken, or whether a bikeway could squeeze into the smallest space.

“Actually 49 1/2 to 55 [feet] was the typical crosssection,” Daltorio answered. “The roadway in that area is sometimes in the center of the right of way. Some times it’s almost all the way to the west, sometimes it’s almost all the way east. It’s kind of random,” said Daltorio. “As I mentioned way back before, if anything were to ever happen as part of a town project, it would be a realignment of Hayden Rowe because you’d have to center it within the right of way — not necessarily, but you would have to do some sort of large project.”

Peter LaGoy, chair of the Trails Coordination and Management Committee, asked if it would make sense for the committee to re-vote about using a MassTrails grant to study Segment 6, which was proposed to go around Marathon School before connecting back to Hayden Rowe Street and Segment 7. He based his

request on the fact that Segment 7 “may not be usable as a result of needing takings [of land] and as a result of needing to realign the road, that doing this Segment 6 doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense. It seems to be taking money and spending it needlessly.” LaGoy previously proposed the UCTC look into using land west of Hayden Rowe Street to avoid having the trail run along busy Route 85.

Chair Jane Moran said she had no interest in tak ing a new vote.

“The contracts have been signed and we’re moving forward on it,” she stated.

Once the UCTC has spent the money from its MassTrails grant, it can apply for additional state funds if needed. It also is looking into funding from the Com munity Preservation Committee (CPC).

On a related note. UCTC member Eli Post said that he and Sonnett were on a group to review the western alternative (around Charlesview) with the Hopkinton Trails Club.

“We met with Peter [LaGoy],” Post said. “He very graciously went over the entire plan and highlighted the areas where they require easements or land transfers, and we discussed the status of the bridge [proposed to cross over Route 85 to connect to the Milford trail].”

Post and LaGoy planned to meet the next day, so Post chose to defer his recommendations until after that meeting.

The committee will meet again on Thursday, Sept. 29.

Book talk with author Ed Achorn

LIBRARY CORNER

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

Schedule update

The library will be closed on Saturday, Oct. 8, and Monday, Oct. 10.

Frayed Knot Fiber Arts Circle

Wednesday, Sept. 28, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

This group is open to teens and adults of all skill levels who are encouraged to bring their cur rent project or pattern. All fiber arts crafts (knitting, crochet, needlepoint, cross-stitch, needle felting, etc.) are welcome. The group meets on the second and last Wednesdays of each month.

Anyone with questions or in need of knitting ma terials can email Jak at jmiller@hopkintonma.gov.

Conversation Circles

Thursday, Sept. 29, 2-3:30 p.m.

The second year of Conversation Circles is about to begin. This program is designed to provide an opportunity for English as a Second Language (ELL) learners to practice vocabulary, pronuncia tion and grammar in a fun, comfortable, laid-back environment. All levels of learners are encouraged to participate. The focus of this first gathering will be to give participants a chance to experience a Conversation Circle. Future Conversation Circles will meet on Thursdays at 2:30. Registration is not required for the first meeting.

Tuesday, Oct. 4, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Edward Achorn, a Pulitzer Prize finalist for commentary and winner of the Yankee Quill Award for lifetime service to journalism, is the former vice president and editorial pages editor of The Providence Journal. His latest book, about Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural, “Every Drop of Blood,” was named one of the Best Books of 2020 by The Economist magazine and was an Amazon Editors’ Choice for best history. This program is recom mended for ages 16 and older.

Red Cross Blood Drive

Thursday, Oct. 6, 2-7 p.m.

Register on the Red Cross website at rcblood. org/3AmuYsP or call 508-497-9777 and the Refer ence Desk can help schedule an appointment.

Ask a Muslim Anything

Tuesday, Oct. 11, 6–7:30 p.m.

“Ask a Muslim Anything” is a program present ed by Robert Azzi. Azzi speaks not as a scholar or academic but as a neighbor, fellow citizen and per son of faith about his life, what it’s like to be Muslim in America, how he came to convert to Islam, about the religion of Islam and its history — especially in America — and about the Middle East, terrorism and associated political and social issues. Nothing, except disrespect, is off the table. Robert Azzi is a photojournalist, columnist and public speaker. An Arab-American Muslim, he writes and speaks on issues of identity, conflict and Islam. This program is recommended for ages 12 and older.

HopkintonIndependent.com

If anything were to ever happen as part of a town project, it would be a realignment of Hayden Rowe because you’d have to center it within the right of way — not necessarily, but you would have to do some sort of large project.

— Town Engineer Dave Daltorio

Residents contribute to women’s commission

By Brenda Crowell Contributing Writer

Domestic violence. Human traffick ing. Gender inequality. Racism. They happen everywhere, from the largest cities to the most rural villages — and yes, even in peaceful, wholesome places like Hopkinton.

These issues and others are the focus of the MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women, established in 2015. The commission is a regional offshoot of the state-level commission.

“We have provided trainings in advo cacy and salary negotiations, and [we’ve] headed to the State House with all the other commissions for annual advocacy days,” said Jean Bertschmann, one of two commissioners from Hopkinton. “We’ve had very successful legislative breakfasts, public hearings and events on topics like domestic violence, sexting, human traf ficking and revenge porn.”

MetroWest Commission Co-Chair Heather Panahi explained that there are nine commissioners, and the scope of the organization encompasses 26 towns and two cities from across the MetroWest area.

In 2020, Panahi had the idea of creat ing a teen advisory board as part of the commission, which led to the formation of the Athena Council. Deirdre Belger, a 2022 Hopkinton High School graduate, was one of the founding members for the Athena Council’s inception in January 2021 and served as its student chair.

“I think the thing I am most proud of is turning an idea into an actual thing,” Belger said. “When I first became involved with the commission, right before COVID in March of 2020, Heather mentioned her idea about creating a girls’ council. It was so fun to see it blossom into something amazing.”

Belger added that other regional com missions from across the state, inspired by the Athena Council’s success, have created their own teen advisory councils.

“The voice and perspective of a teen girl is one that is so important and so of ten overlooked, yet often holds the key to changing the world,” Belger said.

The MetroWest Commission and Athena Council members, along with Me troWest legislators and community mem bers, recently held an event in Hopkinton where the Athena Council presented its findings on a school survey on mental health, according to commissioner and Hopkinton resident Nasiba Mannan.

“It was very well-attended by Hopkin ton School Committee and Select Board members,” Mannan said. “It was important for them to listen to the outcome of the survey and may help them in the future when they make town- and school-related decisions.”

Bertschmann cites the creation of the Athena Council as perhaps her proudest moment as a commissioner, noting that last year the council did its own research study of issues facing girls in the MetroW est area.

The council presented the study “to local legislators and school officials at an ice cream social here in Hopkinton,” Bertschmann said. “Subsequently, they were invited to the Statehouse to share their work. I can’t wait to see what they set their sights on next.”

Belger noted that the ice cream social was her most memorable moment with the Athena Council. She explained that during the winter, the council had distributed an anonymous survey on mental health to teens in the MetroWest area.

“We then used this data to create a presentation highlighting important data points and hosted our local legislators and elected officials,” she said. “We discussed how they can use this data to better support students in our region. It was an amazing day and an awesome opportunity to speak face-to-face with legislators and elected officials from my community.”

Members of the Hopkinton School Committee and the Hopkinton Select

Board attended the ice cream social, Belger said, adding, “Talking directly with them hopefully inspired discussion relating to mental health within our school system.”

While the Athena Council focuses on topics relevant to its teen membership, other commission members often have personal connections to the causes they espouse.

Commission Co-Chair Stephanie Deeley lost her sister to domestic violence. One of the regional commissioners had experience with human trafficking issues.

“I am passionate about helping the immigrant communities in MetroWest,” Mannan said. “Many times, they do not have a voice or a seat at the table where decisions are being made or issues are be ing raised. One of my goals is to make that happen by raising their voices or bringing their issues to light.”

A new project spearheaded by Mannan and Panahi will focus on amplifying the voices of diverse communities by bringing members of those communities together with legislative and community leaders.

Though members of the commis sion come from various backgrounds and different experiences, their success comes from their support of each other. Belger said that the backing of Panahi, Bertschmann, Deeley and former com mission member Rachel Niemic helped her thrive in her position on the Athena Council.

Commissioners’ terms expire in December. Applications for open com missioner spots are available at mass.gov/ service-details/metrowest-commissionon-the-status-of-women. For more infor mation or to join the commission, email metrowestcommission@gmail.com or visit its Facebook page at MetrowestCom missionStatusWomen.

“I believe in building a bigger table when we have more, and in my small way, I am trying to give back to Hopkinton and the surrounding MetroWest region,” Man nan said. “I hope that we, as a commission, are making a difference.”

Parks & Rec roundup: Commission prioritizes maintenance of new turf fields

By Christie Vogt Contributing Writer

At its meeting Sept. 14, the Parks & Recreation Commis sion discussed the maintenance of the new Fruit Street turf field, Town Common property requests and Community Preservation Commit tee projects.

With the turf field construction phase now complete, the com mission is turning its attention to proper maintenance. The group discussed investing in new equip ment like utility vehicles to assist with towing, dumping and other ac tivities needed to maintain the new surface. Another option discussed was hiring a company to perform maintenance tasks rather than com pleting the work internally.

The commission also dis cussed the importance of educating users of the turf on proper behavior to maintain the field’s condition. Reports of lacrosse nets being dragged across the turf — which could result in thousands of dollars in damage — and the presence of dogs, gum, beverages and other potential sources of damage were mentioned as issues that require attention.

Property requests approved

The commission approved the following Town Common property requests:

Sept. 27: Hopkinton Youth & Family Services for a suicide pre vention event from 6-7 p.m., with a rain date of Sept. 28

Oct. 2: Girl Scouts for a fall singing event from 6-8 p.m.

Oct. 15: The Michael Lisnow Respite Center for its annual Mi chael’s Run from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 29: Hopkinton Cultural Council for a community jack-o’lantern event from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Dec. 3: Hopkinton Center for the Arts for the annual Holiday Stroll from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 3: Hopkinton Chamber of Commerce and the Girl Scouts for Girl Scout caroling from 3-7 p.m.

CPC-funded projects discussed

The commission continued its discussion from past meetings about potential projects to propose to the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) this fall. Propos als may include a long-term plan for the Fruit Street fields property, the reconfiguration of Pyne Field to accommodate a Little League field and cricket pitch, the addition of shaded areas or a pavilion to the dog park, the installation of a gate at Sandy Beach, the construction of an EMC Park amenities building, the addition of security cameras to Parks & Rec properties and the construction of an arena.

In a future meeting, the com mission will vote on which projects to carry forward to the CPC.

scHools

School Committee reviews enrollment figures, attendance policy

By Susan Gonsalves Contributing Writer

The Elmwood School replacement project, school enrollment and the attendance policy were among the topics of discussion at the Hopkinton School Committee meeting on Sept. 15.

Elementary level administrators also presented improvement plans for the board to review.

Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh said the Elmwood project — assuming it gets funded — is expected to take 4 1/2 years: two years for design, two for construction and a half-year obtaining town/state approvals.

The first community forum was held Sept. 19. Forums will continue each month for the rest of the year, with information available on the district’s website.

Cavanaugh said 40 sites are being considered, at this point based solely on the fact they have 10 acres or more.

Going forward, criteria will include location of wetlands, shape of parcel, wa ter/sewer, geography, proximity to gas and other easements, site access and whether it is privately or publicly owned land.

“By February 2023, we should have a good sense of where we are going” with the project, said Cavanaugh.

Enrollment tops projections

Regarding enrollment, Cavanaugh said as of Sept. 15 the district has 4,178 students, including 102 in preschool.

A consultant’s enrollment projection had 4,104 students by the end of this school year and 4,186 as of the end of the school year in 2024.

The superintendent pointed out that the district already exceeded the projec tions “nowhere near the end of the school year” and is eight students away from going above the 2024 figure.

She added that the district typically adds more students as the year progresses. As a “fun fact,” she noted that there are 41 new residential permits this year to date. That number compares to 106, 95 and 875 in previous years.

Attendance policy removes COVID language

In an effort to update the attendance policy, it was proposed that specific symptoms associated with COVID-19 be removed from the language going forward. However, board members said that parents should not send kids to school who have fevers higher than 100, strep throat, etc., and must use discretion. Parents must provide an explanation in writing or by phone to the nurse.

The district allows for five full-day absences in a six-month period before a letter is sent home. The state’s general law stipulates seven absences before the attendance officer can file a complaint in court against the parent/guardian.

Cavanaugh said students don’t get to an eighth absence very often, and if they

do, there could be “school avoidant issues” in play.

School Committee member Holly Morand asked if a mental health day could be added into the policy. She described such a time as a student feeling particularly anxious or overwhelmed or adolescents feeling stress, knowing it would not be a “great day to participate in education.”

She suggested that one excused ab sence be allowed per semester, asking if the district has the “leeway,” to institute such a measure.

Assistant Superintendent Jeffrey LaBroad said that parents know best if their child is not ready to learn, whether for mental or physical health reasons. However, he emphasized the focus should be on doing everything possible to keep the kids in school and “promote a positive presence” in the buildings.

He said a discussion could be had for thinking about “wellness” with broader strokes but was hesitant to factor it into the policy, stating, “If you don’t need it, don’t take it.”

Cavanaugh said it was important to vote on the policy as soon as possible because there were 20 families who had yet to send their kids to school as of midSeptember, and principals were worried.

When a student shows up a few weeks into the school year, they will have missed a lot and may feel like they are not part of the school community, the superintendent noted.

Although School Committee mem

bers wanted to review the wording further, they voted to accept the policy with the stipulation it would be revisited and re viewed again.

School improvement plans presented

In other business, Marathon School

Principal Lauren Dubeau, Elmwood

Principal Anne Carver and Hopkins Prin cipal Vanessa Bilello talked about social/ emotional learning strides they are making in their buildings as well as professional development.

Strengthening writing curriculum in the early grades and using “differentiated instruction” at Hopkins were among the many other topics presented.

Carver spoke about having “posi tive” office referrals and not just sending children to the principal’s office when “naughty behavior” occurs.

The principal said the positive feed back is received well, though she recog nizes that some kids feel awkward about a big display and prefer recognition in a quieter, low-key way.

Bilello talked about supporting flex ible grouping of students to increase “op portunities for personalized learning.”

She said fourth- and fifth-graders run the gamut from still being in the “dinosaurs and unicorn” stage all the way to “texting [and] exploring relationships and crushes.”

“It keeps the office and counselors busy,” she said.

Elmwood forum offers details on school replacement project

By Susan Gonsalves Contributing Writer

About 18 participants joined an online kickoff meeting Sept. 19 to learn more about the process going forward for the Elmwood School replacement project.

In addition to introducing the key players from Vertex and Perkins Eastman, who will plan and design the project if it gets funded, Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh highlighted a number of reasons for the undertaking at this time.

ton on the project website at elmwoodproject.com.

Manuel Cordero from Civic, which will fa cilitate the vision portion of the process, said the project does not just involve thinking about repairs and conditions but also about how they will be inhabited to learn.

He described how schools were built in a different age to mimic the workplace, largely in manufacturing — with students lined up in rows — similar to how they worked in factories.

Cordero said that work offices look “drastically different” these days, and the schools must prepare students for the economy they are stepping into, recognizing that it will fluctuate.

Hopkinton

Westborough

Westborough

Kumon Math and Reading Centers of Hopkinton

She pointed out that the district’s statement of interest approval by the Massachusetts School Building Authority in 2020 followed a number of other unsuccessful attempts between 2008 and 2019.

Main Street Mall

77 Main Street Hopkinton,

77 Main Street Hopkinton, MA 01748 508.435.0273

01748 508.435.0273

18 Lyman Street Westborough, MA 01581 508.870.3133

18 Lyman Street Store #700 Westborough, MA 01581 508.870.3133

Cavanaugh explained that Elmwood School has long had two modular classrooms with another four recently added and does not have the space to accommodate more.

Other issues prompting the need for a new building include overcrowding, asbestos materials, parking restrictions, technical limitations, lack of office and play area spaces, electrical shortcomings and more.

The school, built in 1964 to accommodate 520 students, is not sufficient for estimated enrollment of 675 students by the 2027-28 school year, she said.

If successful, the project will take two years to design, two years for construction and a half-year for state/town approvals.

Project Director Jeff D’Amico of Vertex (for merly Compass) noted that most key decisions are made within the first six months. He added that the public would have many opportunities to participate and provide input. Grade configurations will be discussed before the School Committee three times in January, for example.

“At the heart of the entire design of the school” will be its educational programming, said Robert Bell, a principal at Perkins Eastman.

He spoke about the formation of a “visioning” team comprised of a cross section of community members. He noted that there would be a signup but

Beyond reading, writing and arithmetic, 21st century teaching and learning includes innovation, empathy, lifelong learning, leadership and social emotional wellness, key concepts extracted from the district’s strategic plan, Cordero added.

Interactive polls were conducted during the session with those present identifying “addressing overcrowding,” as the top reason for the project.

The top cited anticipated challenge was cost/ funding, followed by traffic considerations.

In response to a question, Cavanaugh noted that Hopkins School also is affected by overcrowding and also had four modulars recently added. She said to add classroom space, possible steps include creating classrooms in the library and dismantling art rooms.

While the Elmwood project proceeds, work at Hopkins will run concurrently, she said.

Elmwood School Building Committee Chair John Graziano noted that he and some other mem bers previously served on the building committee for the Marathon School project. He said they could apply “lessons learned” to this project.

Bell also talked about creating a “net zero,” building whereby costs upfront are later offset by savings from energy efficiency. He said Perkins Eastman had experience in this area, having de signed 20 buildings of this type.

Additional forums will be held Oct. 4, Nov. 2, Dec. 7 and Jan. 24. More information about the top ics can be found on the school and project websites.

MURAL MASTERPIECES

The Hopkinton Cultural Council hosted the unveiling of the latest additions to the diversity mural project along the fence at EMC Park on Sept. 10. The new additions are: “Karmic Intercon nect” by Neya Rajasingh and her mother, Kathy Rajasingh (second from left), in collaboration with Smitha Ram (left), Sai Gudempati and Sreya Ravi; “Vision of Diversity” by Rick Jacobs (third from left), assisted by Jahnavi Prudhivi (fourth from left); “An Ofrenda” by Kayleen Tang (third from right); “Hopkinton, Home” by Olivia Stacey (second from right); and “We’ve Got Your Back” by Owen Fitzpatrick (right).

Hillers football shows early-season improvement

By Chris Villani Contributing Writer

Hopkinton High School football coach Mark Sanborn said the feel ing was palpable after last season. No one coming back to the program this fall was pleased with the team’s 3-8 record in 2021. So the incoming senior class decided to do whatever it took to prevent a repeat performance this season.

“We knew that we have a great group of returning seniors,” Sanborn said. “It’s not a huge class, but they all got substan tial playing experience last year against a lot of really good football teams.”

The coach recognized that the 2021 season was a difficult one for his team.

“We took our punches last year,” he said. “But we had a lot of good experi ence against those teams and our guys made a commitment to put the work in and come back strong this season. They have a chip on their shoulder, and they are playing that way this year.”

That was evident in the team’s first two games — a 16-6 season-opening win at Wayland and an exciting 22-18 victory over visiting Algonquin.

The Hillers are led by four captains, and the team held off on voting for them until the first week of the season. But Sanborn said the quartet of Braden Hicks, Kavin Prasanna, Robert Litscher and Justin Sokol stood out.

“They have been great in the off season,” Sanborn said of his captains. “Our senior class on the whole has been fantastic, they’ve been leading our program the right way on and off the field, in everything we have done. We are going to go as far as they take us.”

Hopkinton features a veteran offen sive line, anchored by Sokol, a 6-foot, 250-pound senior. He and the rest of the line is charged with protecting the veteran quarterback Litscher and giving him time to make plays. Wide receiver Seamus Murphy, another senior and a returning Tri-Valley League All-Star, is one of Litscher’s top targets.

“I think we have one of the best quarterback-wide receiver combos in the entire Tri-Valley League,” Sanborn said.

Prasanna anchors the defense as a starting inside linebacker. Brendan McGowan, a senior and returning league All-Star, sees time on the lines. Several additional players are back this fall after earning significant experience a year ago, including junior wide receiver and linebacker Charlie Petruney, senior run ning back Colby Lavelanet, and senior wideouts and defensive backs Andrew Budden and Paul Litscher.

“We have a lot of experience back this season,” Sanborn said. “We have guys who have varsity experience on all sides of the ball.”

The second-year coach character izes his team’s ability as having “a little bit of everything,” including speed, size and skill players who can catch and run the football. The challenge through the season will be continuing to develop depth through junior and sophomore classes that Sanborn said are “working their butts off.”

Still, the experience is what the coach labeled as his team’s greatest

strength.

“We went through a lot last year and I told them before the season that the fact that every single senior returned showed me something about their com mitment,” Sanborn said. “They are not complacent, they want to get back after it and prove how good they can be.”

Our senior class on the whole has been fantastic, they’ve been leading our program the right way on and off the field, in everything we have done. We are going to go as far as they take us.

— HHS football coach Mark Sanborn

Quarterback Robert Litscher awaits the snap during the Hillers’ victory over visiting Algonquin on Sept. 16.

PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

Westfield Hopkinton

Amanda Circle Milford

Refocused HHS field hockey takes it day by day

By Chris Villani Contributing Writer

The Hopkinton High School field hockey team has a simple motto this season: “Win the day.” The Hillers are playing under first-year coach Ally Valencia and are razor-focused on try ing to improve and succeed each day, whether it’s during a game, in practice or while training.

“We are locked in on taking it one day at a time and doing what we can do to win in practices,” Valencia said. “During games, we want to try to win each quarter and use that strategy to win the game.”

The philosophy has not always come easily through the first part of the season, and Valencia said her team has been prone to the occasional breakdown during parts of games, but knowing that tendency has been useful when it comes to improving.

“Knowing is half the battle, understanding your weaknesses,” she said. “We are working on breaking up plays early on and preventing breakaways so we don’t even have the threat of the opponent scoring.”

Valencia is new to the program after having been hired during the offseason. She spent several seasons as an assistant coach at Foxboro High School and, most recently, has been a coach at the club field hockey level. She inherits a team that includes a strong attack line consisting of ju nior captain Camille Perlov, senior captain Maya Ghosh and junior Kiley Locke.

“Those are our three players on the front line and they are all returning varsity starters, so I have a lot of good, high expectations for them to put points on the board for us,” Valencia said.

Returning starter and captain Maura Souza also is back and figures to be a force in the mid field.

“She is such a great presence, she can really control the play and does a great job of breaking up plays,” her coach said. “She is good at sending the ball up to support the offense as well.”

Erin Halloran returns as a senior captain to round out the team’s leadership this fall along with fellow senior Hanna DeBoer. Madison Hadley,

another senior, is back as the starting goalie in front of a stout defense that includes juniors Alison LePage and Lauren Strechay.

“They have been our starting back two, but the depth we have on defense is fantastic,” Valencia said. She cited junior Callie Weston as another player who can break up plays by the opposing team and help set up the Hopkinton attack. Va lencia cited her team’s ability to get up and down the field as something that should pay dividends this fall.

“Our team speed is super important and I think it’s a huge advantage for us,” she said. “We have a very fast team and we have a lot of skill, which I hope will translate into a lot of goals.”

When she last coached at the high school level, Valencia coached in the Hockomock League, which is known as one of the better leagues in the area. But she has been very impressed by the level of competition Hopkinton faces in the Tri-Valley League. She praised the Hillers for how they have handled the tough slate — going 1-2-1 in their first four games — and said hers will be a team to watch during the fall campaign.

“I know they had a tough season last year, but I really think we are going to surprise the TVL,” Valencia said. “I think we have a lot of good re turning talent and I feel like I am bringing a lot of structure to the program. I think we are going to see a lot more wins this year.”

HHS junior captain Camille Perlov prepares to strike the ball during a recent game vs. Norwood.

PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

I know they had a tough season last year, but I really think we are going to surprise the TVL.

I think we have a lot of good returning talent and I feel like I am bringing a lot of structure to the program. I think we are going to see a lot more wins this year.

— Coach Ally Valencia

Hopkinton’s Pavone shows off baseball, fundraising skills

The charity began in 2010 when founder Mike Slonina shot a basketball for 24 straight hours after his mother was diagnosed with a potentially ma lignant brain tumor. Pavone said he was honored to be able to take part in the program and help continue the work Slonina started more than a decade ago.

“It was a great experience, I really liked it,” he said. “It was cool to meet all the different kids I had played against and it was cool to be in a different set ting, a friendly competition for a great cause. It was a great experience to be a part of.”

Pavone said he appreciated the sup port from all of the families in Hopkin ton who aided his fundraising efforts.

“They were incredibly generous,” he said.

Pavone is in his final year at Dexter Southfield and will be playing baseball for Bucknell University next year. He recalled a whirlwind tour of different schools in Pennsylvania, but Bucknell stood out to him right away.

“I went there and I fell in love with the campus instantly,” he said. “I loved everything about the school.”

Pavone’s interest in playing for the Bison was cemented after he was able to get to know the coaching staff and learn more about the university.

“It’s a great baseball school and a great academic school,” he said. “So it was the perfect fit for me.”

By Chris Villani Contributing Writer

Hopkinton resident and Dexter Southfield prep baseball standout Dante Pavone proved himself to be a standout in fundraising as well, bringing in $10,500 to support A Shot For Life during a recent baseball skills showcase.

The amount made Pavone the top fundraiser and the winner of the ASFL Red Sox Award, a prize sponsored by the Red Sox Foundation. But simply getting the chance to be one of only 18 pitchers selected to take part in the exclusive event was an accomplishment in itself.

“They are looking for the 18 best pitchers in the state,” Pavone said. “It’s a pretty rigorous process to try to get invited to this.”

A Shot For Life started in 2010 as a basketball fundraiser aiming to

benefit cancer research and since has added baseball showcases. The baseball event began with a home run derby and expanded to include competitions for pitchers like Pavone. The first step to being selected is to be recommended, and then the applicant has to go through an interview process.

Each player who participates has to demonstrate both exceptional skill on the field and exceptional character. And they are asked to commit to fundraising to back research that hopes to make removing brain tumors easier.

Pavone said the pitchers partici pated in three events, all of them in volving precision from the mound and farther back, including a bowling event in which pitchers had to try to knock down pins.

“It was tough but it was really cool,” Pavone said. “It was a lot harder than simply pitching to a batter.”

Jon Winchenbach returns a shot during a match at the annual Hopkin ton Tennis Tournament, which was held Sept. 16-18 at the Hopkinton High School courts. Men’s winners included Amit Jagdale (advanced singles), Winchenbach (intermediate singles) and the team of Bryan Wojtowick and Josh Nowak (intermediate doubles). On the women’s side, champions were Sejal Motwane (intermediate singles), the team of Kelliane Erath and Kathy Albrect (advanced doubles) and the duo of Kim Pulnik and Kathy Burri (intermediate doubles).

Dante Pavone will play baseball at Bucknell University next year.

PHOTO/BETSY

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

September 6

7:48 a.m. A detail officer reported a vehicle stuck on Main Street. Officer Shannon Beloin responded and assisted the vehicle. No damage was reported.

9:35 a.m. The Marlborough Police Department requested a check on Wood Street of a person for whom they have a warrant to arrest. Sergeant Timothy Brennan and Officer Shannon Beloin checked at the house and no one was home.

7:10 p.m. Officer Matthew LaTour responded to a report of a vehicle hit ting a deer on Hayden Rowe Street. No personal injuries were reported. The deer was gone upon his arrival.

September 7

2:32 a.m. The Ashland Police Department reported a tree fell on Frankland Road. Officer Basit Dennis responded and moved the branches off to the side of the road.

4:43 a.m. Sergeant Arthur Schofield reported a tree fell on Cedar Street. He notified the DPW.

10:34 a.m. A caller reported her

Officer Sean McKeon responded and took a report.

1:21 p.m. A Pleasant Street resident reported an ongoing barking dog com plaint. The animal control officer was notified and was to respond.

2:57 p.m. A caller reported a bus struck a pole on Main Street. Officer Al exander Stewart responded and reported no personal injuries.

4:03 p.m. A caller reported a small child in the back of a pickup truck on East Main Street. Officers Matthew La Tour and Alexander Stewart responded and spoke with the involved parties.

September 8

7:57 a.m. Sergeant Timothy Bren nan responded along with the Fire Department to a report of a natural gas odor inside Town Hall.

8:11 a.m. A walk-in reported an employee was taking pictures of her. Officer Shannon Beloin spoke with the woman about the civil dispute.

1:05 p.m. An employee of a West Main Street business reported a shop lifting incident that took place four days earlier. Sergeant Timothy Brennan responded and took a report of larceny.

5:03 p.m. A Winter Street caller reported his father, who has dementia, couldn’t get back in his house. Officer Matthew LaTour responded and took the man back home.

Street. Officer Robert Ekross responded and notified Verizon.

7:46 p.m. A caller reported some one hit a cat on Main Street and left the scene. Officer Matthew LaTour responded along with the animal control officer and removed the cat.

September 9

10:24 a.m. A walk-in reported her son was missing. Officer Tyler Staback took a report, and the person was entered as missing.

10:41 a.m. An East Main Street resident complained that he could not get out of his blind driveway due to speeding vehicles in the area. Officer Sean McKeon took a report.

12:42 p.m. A caller reported suspi cious duffel bags were outside of the entrance of a Cobblers Way residence. Officer Sean McKeon responded and took them to the station.

12:50 p.m. A caller reported a dead deer on Cedar Street. Sergeant Timothy Brennan responded and could not locate the animal.

4:33 p.m. A caller reported a land scaping company was cutting down vegetation on South Street. Officer Cody Normandin responded and spoke to all involved.

4:43 p.m. A caller reported a dog was in a car with the windows rolled up on a hot day. Officers Alexander Stewart and Cody Normandin responded and reported the vehicle was running with the air conditioning on.

September 10

5:38 p.m. The Ashland Police De partment reported an intoxicated female driving a white Toyota Tacoma had just left TJ’s Food and Spirits. Officer Cody Normandin responded to East Main Street and the Ashland Police Depart ment located the vehicle in its town.

5:41 p.m. Officer Alexander Stewart responded to a motor vehicle accident on Lakeshore Drive. No personal inju ries were reported.

7:30 p.m. A Duffield Road caller with a “no trespassing” sign on his prop erty reported someone was trespassing. Officer Cody Normandin responded and the reporting person stated the incident took place 60-90 minutes before he

8:46 p.m. A Glen Road resident reported a male with a flashlight walked up to her front door and then left in an unknown vehicle. Officer Alexander Stewart responded and spoke with the reporting person, and it was determined the person was making a delivery.

September 11

5:00 a.m. An Elizabeth Road caller reported she heard noises coming from downstairs in her house and saw a mo tion light go on outside. Officers Nicho las Saletnik and Basit Dennis responded, checked the house and found a squirrel.

6:25 a.m. A motorist reported a man walking on Interstate 495. The State Police were notified.

6:47 a.m. The State Police requested assistance with transporting a person back to town from the highway. Of ficer Basit Dennis responded but was canceled en route.

8:32 a.m. Officer Basit Dennis noti fied Eversource about a tree that fell on

wires on Hayden Rowe Street.

12:38 p.m. Officers Tyler Staback and Basit Dennis responded to a motor vehicle accident on Hayden Rowe Street and took a report.

1:16 p.m. An Aspen Way caller reported a snake outside. The animal control officer was contacted.

September 12

6:41 a.m. Sergeant Arthur Schofield responded along with the Fire Depart ment to a report of a vehicle leaking gasoline on West Main Street.

9:45 a.m. Officer Tyler Staback re sponded along with the Fire Department to a report of an outside odor of natural gas on Walnut Way.

12:51 p.m. The Milford animal control officer reported a dog locked in a car on West Main Street. Officer Matthew LaTour responded. The vehicle was gone upon his arrival.

1:10 p.m. An East Main Street caller reported hearing strange electrical noises coming from a fuse box. Officer Tyler Staback responded along with the Fire Department and reported the power was shut off. A damaged wire was found on a pole. Eversource was contacted and responded.

4:02 p.m. Sergeant Matthew Mc Neil and Officer Cody Normandin responded to a motor vehicle accident on Main Street. No personal injuries were reported.

4:13 p.m. Sergeant Matthew Mc Neil and Officers Cody Normandin and Matthew LaTour responded to a report of a motorcycle striking a tree on Fruit Street. A tow truck was requested. Ve rizon was notified of a snapped wire.

September 13

4:21 p.m. A walk-in reported a con struction truck hit the double-stacked highway sign on Cedar Street as the driver turned onto Main Street. Officer Alexander Stewart took a report and no tified the DPW about the pole damage.

9:15 p.m. A caller reported a loose white dog on Wood Street. Officers Matthew LaTour and Alexander Stewart responded and searched for the dog. The animal control officer was notified.

September 14

1:19 a.m. Officer Brennan Grimley checked on a person in a motor vehicle on South Street who worked at Califor nia Closets and had permission to be in the building.

2:01 a.m. Sergeant Arthur Schofield checked on a motor vehicle on West Main Street with heavy damage and was to follow up later.

7:46 a.m. Officer Nicholas Saletnik responded to West Main Street and took a motor vehicle crash report. No personal injuries were reported.

8:18 a.m. A motorist reported an injured squirrel in the roadway of Wilson Street. Officer Shannon Beloin responded and was unable to locate the rodent.

8:36 a.m. Officer Nicholas Saletnik responded to a motor vehicle accident on Wedgewood Drive and took a report. No personal injuries were reported.

9:28 a.m. Sergeant Timothy Bren nan assisted an animal crossing Fruit Street.

9:37 a.m. Sergeant Timothy Bren

police log

nan and Officer Shannon Beloin re sponded to a report of a possible missing student and spoke with school personnel. Sergeant Brennan drove to the student’s residence and confirmed the student was home sick.

2:41 p.m. A caller reported a vehicle in his South Street parking garage ap peared to be abandoned. Officer Nicho las Saletnik responded and reported the vehicle belongs to someone who works at a business nearby.

3:31 p.m. A caller reported fallen wires on Elm Street. Sergeant Aaron O’Neil responded. Comcast and Verizon were notified.

4:02 p.m. A Davis Road resident complained that his landlord would not allow him to put a new toilet in his residence. Officer Alexander Stewart responded and spoke with the caller about the civil dispute.

September 15

12:18 a.m. A caller reported a sus picious vehicle was parked next to her on Main Street when she was leaving work, and she believed it followed her through town. Instead of driving home, she drove to Milford and notified the Milford Police Department, which took the initial report. Officer Nicholas Saletnik spoke with the caller, who provided a photo of the suspect vehicle, and took a report.

4:43 a.m. A caller in distress on West Main Street reported she was scared and there was no one around.

Officer Brennan Grimley made contact with residential staff and advised them of the phone call by one of its residents. Officer Grimley reported a staff mem ber stated she would go speak with the caller.

10:25 a.m. A Wood Street resident reported an unknown person had been staying in their second-floor apartment. Sergeant Timothy Brennan and Offi cers Sean McKeon and Tyler Staback responded and took a report of tres passing.

1:18 p.m. A South Mill Street caller reported her mailbox was vandalized. Officer Tyler Staback responded and took a report.

1:54 p.m. A walk-in reported that earlier in the day, a suspicious male was playing Frisbee in her yard and staring at her house. Officer Brittany Firth took a report.

5:01 p.m. A West Main Street bank employee reported a person on-site attempted to write fraudulent checks. A call also was received from bank security. Officers Robert Ekross, Sean McKeon, Cody Normandin and Alexan der Stewart responded and took a report, and the individual was barred from all bank locations.

5:34 p.m. A Cedar Street caller re ported a loose brown Labrador retriever. Officer Sean McKeon responded and reunited the dog with its owner.

7:26 p.m. A College Street resident reported a hit-and-run motor vehicle accident after a van hit her vehicle and damaged the mirror. The caller just wanted the incident logged.

September 16

9:03 a.m. A caller reported a suspi cious incident of a male wearing a witch costume on Main Street. OfficerAlexander Stewart responded. All checked out OK.

9:29 a.m. A walk-in reported someone scratched her vehicle while she was inside Starbucks. Sergeant William Burchard took a report.

1:12 p.m. A concerned caller reported a 12-year-old boy who operates a dirt bike on Knoll Road between 3-5 p.m. Officer Tyler Staback checked the area with a negative find.

1:13 p.m. A Wood Street caller reported someone kicked in the door at her property. Sergeant Timothy Brennan and Of ficers Sam McKeon, Cody Normandin and Alexander Stewart responded to the breaking and entering and found no one inside. A report was taken.

2:33 p.m. A caller requested officers to remove youths from Main Street property. Sergeant Timothy Brennan and Officers Sean McKeon and Matthew Santoro responded and sent the youths on their way.

4:17 p.m. A walk-in reported his phone was stolen on a bus. Officer Robert Ekross took a report.

5:16 p.m. A caller reported that while his wife was walking their dog on Lakeshore Drive, a black dog with no tags was loose and being aggressive. Officer Tyler Staback responded and checked the area with a negative find.

5:48 p.m. A Wood Street resident requested assistance with boarding up property. Sergeant Aaron O’Neil and Officers Robert Ekross, Cody Normandin and Tyler Staback responded and assisted.

8:13 p.m. An A Street caller reported a person in a vehicle stopped in front of her house, threatened her and drove off. Officer Tyler Staback responded and checked the area with a negative find. A report was taken.

9:03 p.m. A Cunningham Street resident reported a neigh bor installed bright lights, which shine into the caller’s yard. Officer Robert Ekross responded and spoke with caller about the civil dispute.

9:13 p.m. A Mount Auburn Street caller complained that her neighbor’s dog was outside barking for an hour. Officer Tyler Staback responded and spoke with the neighbor. The dog was taken inside.

September 17

2:35 a.m. Officer Basit Dennis reported a sign on Elm Street was tampered with and letters were rearranged, but no damage was present. The incident was logged.

5:19 a.m. Officer Basit Dennis reported fallen cable wires on Elm Street. Verizon was notified.

8:15 a.m. A caller reported finding a door open at the for mer Center School on Ash Street. Sergeant Arthur Schofield responded and notified the facilities crew.

9:52 a.m. A walk-in requested to file a report for a motor vehicle accident. Officer Shannon Beloin assisted.

1:44 p.m. A motorist reported a vehicle weaving in and out of traffic on Interstate 495. Sergeant Arthur Schofield responded and caught up with the vehicle and notified the operator of the complaint.

September 18

10:00 a.m. A Greystone Lane resident reported an Ama zon driver knocked over his mailbox, and the incident was seen on a Ring camera. Officer Tyler Staback responded and took a report.

10:50 a.m. A caller reported debris in the middle of the roadway of West Elm Street. Sergeant Arthur Schofield re sponded and removed a small plastic table.

12:20 p.m. A caller reported a 13-year-old was running through Legacy Farms and was approached by a man in a white vehicle who asked her if she wanted a ride. Sergeant Arthur Schofield and Officer Tyler Staback responded to the girl’s Front Street residence to take a report.

4:37 p.m. A caller reported an unattended purple suitcase in the parking lot in front of a West Main Street restaurant. Officer Matthew LaTour responded and spoke with people nearby who stated the owner of the suitcase departed.

6:44 p.m. A Davis Road resident reported a youth on a scooter was riding between buildings, and the caller told him not to, but he proceeded to do so. Sergeant Arthur Schofield responded, spoke with the youth and advised him to stay away from the area.

September 19

10:42 a.m. A walk-in reported he bought coffee and he thought something was wrong with it. Sergeant Timothy Brennan spoke with the individual.

4:38 p.m. A caller reported a minor motor vehicle accident on West Main Street. Officer Matthew LaTour responded and took a report.

5:30 p.m. Officer Robert Ekross reported a passerby told him a white male in a green jumpsuit was walking down Cedar Street, hitchhiking. Officer Matthew LaTour responded and spoke with the man, who ran out of fuel and was walking to the Shell station. Officer LaTour provided a courtesy transport.

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 1-year-old Kodak.

Here is Baypath’s description of Kodak:

“One of the shelter’s most popular residents, 1-year-old Kodak adores playtime with his canine friends. He is an avid outdoorsman. He loves to explore, swim and hike! He has already lived in a home, is house-trained, is a clean roommate, rides nicely in a car and is hoping a dog-experienced family will be able to show him the fall foliage this autumn.”

For more information on Kodak 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.