PRST-STD U.S. Postage PAID Hopkinton, MA 01748 Permit No. 109 ECRWSS Postal Patron
HOPKINTON INDEPENDENT Vol. 20 | No. 21 | October 16, 2019
Select Board tabs Khumalo ‘outstanding’ Downtown project focus during annual evaluation By Jerry Spar Managing Editor
T PHOTO/TRICIA LACASCIA PHOTOGRAPHY
LET IT POUR
Children enjoy watching a demonstration involving water during the Hopkinton Fire Department open house on Oct. 6.
he downtown project was on everyone’s minds when the Select Board met on Oct. 8 and discussed the annual performance evaluations of Town Manager Norman Khumalo, Police Chief Edward Lee and Fire Chief Steve Slaman. In the end, all three received annual ratings of “clearly outstanding” and then focused on the new goals set by the Select Board. Khumalo’s goals from the past year were to manage the Main Street Corridor Project to 100 percent design and to partner with the police and fire chiefs to develop a community preparedness plan. Despite a recent barrage of complaints from abutters and business owners, the downtown project continues Board | 10
This HHS senior’s plans are up in the air
INSIDE
Breslin earns pilot’s license
NEWS
By Melissa Orff Contributing Writer
A
Hopkinton High School senior has his sights set on the sky as he gets one step closer to fulfilling this lifelong dream of becoming an airline pilot. Jack Breslin has always loved aviation, but it took a miracle for him to turn that love into a life’s ambition. That miracle was the one that saved 155 people who, in 2009, were on board US Airways Flight 1549 that struck a flock of Canada geese and lost all engine power.
Unable to reach any airport, pilot Chelsey Sullenberger (a.k.a. Captain Sully), safely glided the plane into the Hudson River off Midtown Manhattan, turning a potential tragedy into a story that dreams are made of. “I remember sitting there watching all of the videos of what happened and remembering how amazing [Sullenberger] was to handle that emergency,” said Breslin, who was 8 years old at the time. As soon as he was able, Breslin started taking flying lessons. After the first one, he was hooked. “I loved it,” he said. “I knew I Breslin | 17
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Proposed bike lane raises concerns
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SPORTS
Jack Breslin has spent many hours learning how to take off, fly and safely land a single-engine plane.
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Fire Department receives FEMA grant
HHS field hockey eyes tourney berth
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