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"The News Starts Here!" 24 Main Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748 Editor@HopNews.com E11/09/2007 08:45:52 AM

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Inside Job at ESL Coffeehouse November 3

Blues band Inside Job will be at the Enter Stage Left Coffeehouse on November 3. Veterans of the New England music scene, the members of Inside Job were drawn together by a passion for the blues, and formed the band to create an opportunity for them to play a mixture New Orleans piano-based blues, rock & roll, R&B, and jazz-blues as well as traditional Chicago style blues. They will perform at 8:00 p.m. at ESL’s intimate studio setting at 30 Main Street in Hopkinton. Tickets are $10.00.

Fatal Crash on Route 190 South Leominster

Driver NOT wearing seat belt

October 26, 2007 — Today, at approximately 2:17 p.m., troopers assigned to the State Police Barracks in Leominster responded to a single vehicle crash on Route 190 South prior to Route 117 (Exit 7) in Leominster that resulted in one fatality.

Preliminary investigation by Trooper Eric Higgins indicates that 42 year-old Afaf Fahim of Lancaster, Massachusetts, was operating a 1989 Mercedes 300 sedan on Route 190 South when she lost control of the vehicle, struck the median guardrail and rolled over. The operator was not wearing a safety belt and she was partially ejected from the vehicle. The operator was transported by ambulance to the Leominster Hospital where she was pronounced deceased. The name of the victim is being withheld pending next of kin notification.

This crash remains under investigation with the assistance of the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section. Leominster EMS and MassHighway assisted Troopers at the scene.

Teenagers Help “Rebuild” the Spirit of New Orleans

October 26, 2007 – Hurricane Katrina may be out of the news headlines, but it remains in the hearts and minds of teenagers from First Congregational Church of Hopkinton (FCCH). This past July, 18 teens and 7 adults traveled to New Orleans to help rebuild the city. The team included many returning students and leaders eager to see the progress made from a trip the previous year.
     “In the past year, thousands of volunteers have helped remove debris and clean-up New Orleans,” said Natalie Crosier, a returning adult leader. “We were all looking forward to practicing our carpentry skills by rebuilding homes and other community buildings, wherever we were needed.”
     However, on the drive from the airport, it was apparent that the city was far from being rebuilt. While a lot of progress had been made gutting houses, most of the homes were still vacant. Downtown New Orleans has returned to relative normality, with many cars on the roads and stores open for business, but in the suburbs, golf courses were abandoned, neighborhoods were empty, and some water lines were still visible. It was becoming clear that we would not be hammering nails and putting up siding. READ MORE...

International Exhibition Introduces Twin Cities 

"Sun Up to the Gun" Reportage Chronicles Preparations for 109^th Boston Marathon in Hopkinton, Massachusetts; Gift to Marathon, Greece

October 26, 2007 —  Hopkinton Athletic Association (HAA) President, Tim Kilduff in concert with the Sports Museum of New England, today announced the exhibition "Sun Up to the Gun," a photographic exhibition which will open on November 4, 2007, at the Museum of the Marathon in Marathon, Greece.  A gift to the Municipality of Marathon from the HAA in recognition of the Twin City relationship between Hopkinton, Massachusetts and Marathon, the exhibition is underwritten by the Hopkinton Athletic Association (HAA) through funding from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and donation of images by the eight photographers.  Organized by Richard Johnson, Curator of the Sports Museum of New England, and Susan Julian Gates, Director of the project, "Sun Up to the Gun" is a photographic record of pre-race activities on Patriot's Day, April 18, 2005, in Hopkinton for the world's oldest annual marathon.

"Life inside the ropes has typically been the preserve of runners and race officials alone," said Tim Kilduff, founder and president of the HAA.  "This exhibit uniquely captures and preserves for an international audience a genuine behind-the-scenes view — one rarely seen by the outside world.  We're convinced this exhibit will prove a powerful appeal to visitors to Marathon and the marathoning community at large.  These fine art photographs by Massachusetts artists will act as a good-will ambassador for the citizens of the Commonwealth and bring international attention to the MetroWest region."

"The Boston Marathon traces its roots directly to Greece and the first modern Olympics held in Athens in 1896," said Richard Johnson, curator of the Sports Museum.   "The links are very tight.  The US Olympic team in 1896 featured a sizable contingent of athletes from the Boston area.  Also representing the United States was Coach John Graham of both Harvard University and the Boston Athletic Association.  In '97, the year following the Olympiad, Graham created a marathon race that in years hence would be known as the 'Boston Marathon,' a race universally recognized as the most important marathon in the world outside of its Olympic counterpart."

      As part of the Twin City partnership, Tim Kilduff will visit Marathon for the November 2007 Athens Marathon.  He will participate in the opening of the photography exhibit, observe the Athens Marathon at the start in Marathon, and meet with Mayor Spiros Zagaris and other Greek officials, as well as attend the AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races) Marathon Symposium.  As Hopkinton has been the start of the Boston Marathon for more than 100 years, the HAA will share their experience with Marathon as to how a municipality can benefit from being part of an international marathoning event.

Click on the thumbnail to see a video of the Start of the 2007 Boston Marathon.

File photos, top, Timothy Kilduff on race day on the back of the Boston television truck getting ready to transmit "color" reports of the leaders in the race. Right, Mayor Zagaris in Hopkinton at the dedication of the statue honoring Stylianos Kyriakides, 1946 Greek winner of the Boston Marathon.

EMC Reports Record Third-Quarter Financial Results

October 25, 2007 —EMC Corporation (NYSE:EMC), the world leader in information infrastructure solutions, today announced record third-quarter revenue and net income. EMC has now delivered seventeen consecutive quarters of double-digit revenue growth marked by strong, balanced execution across all its business lines and major geographies.   

     Total consolidated revenue for the third quarter of 2007 was $3.3 billion, an increase of 17% over the $2.8 billion reported for the third quarter of 2006.  GAAP net income for the third quarter of 2007 was $492.9 million or $0.23 per diluted share, 77% higher than the GAAP earnings per diluted share of $0.13 reported for the year-ago period.  GAAP net income for the third quarter of 2007 includes net gains of $115.2 million, primarily from the sale of six million shares of EMC’s interest in VMware to Cisco Systems.  Excluding this item, net income was $377.8 million or $0.17 per diluted share, an increase of 31% year-over-year.  During the quarter, EMC generated operating cash flow of $718 million, an increase of 57% compared with the same period a year ago and free cash flow of $475 million, an increase of 124% year-over-year.

     “Solid global execution of our strategy resulted in record third-quarter financial results,” said Joe Tucci, EMC Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (HopNews File Photo). “Customers around the world are benefiting from the breadth and quality of our information infrastructure product and services portfolio, which provides them with the most cost-effective way to store, protect, optimize, and leverage their vast and growing quantities of strategic information.  We see broad opportunities in the global marketplace, and we will continue to drive profitable growth by furthering technology integration across our portfolio, investing in research and development, and expanding into the fastest-growing global markets.” 

       Tucci continued, “Among the many standouts during the quarter was VMware’s quarterly performance and the completion of the initial public offering of approximately 10% of VMware.  VMware is not only one of the fastest-growing businesses in the history of the software industry, but it has also created an entire IT category based on one of the very few game-changing technologies out there today.  The IPO has enabled EMC to expose and unlock more of VMware’s value for shareholders.”

Town's Dempsey House

October 26, 2007 — The developer of Deerfield Estates off of Lumber Street, The Capital Group, is giving this 18th Century home to the town after restoring the exterior to its original period's specifications.

      "They have agreed to carve out a piece of the land and give it and the house to the town," according to Historical commission member, Claire Wright. Mrs. Wright suggested that it could be used for a small meeting space.

       "We had to find a way to do something other than destroy the building.

       "We are working to raise awareness of historical preservation so that a developer realizes the importance of this to the town and builds preservation into the plans," Mrs. Wright said.

        The exterior has a new roof and has been landscaped by the developer. The interior has back to back period fireplaces and original wooden construction.

 SUNDAY TAPS VIGIL NOVEMBER 4, 2007
Hopkinton to join thousands of communities across America

Please join the Hopkinton Veteran’s Celebration Committee on Sunday November 4, 2007 as we join thousands of communities across America for a remembrance ceremony at the Gazebo at the town common in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. The Committee is hosting a “Sunday Taps Vigil” starting at 7pm. The ceremony will consist of a short tribute to American soldiers, veterans and their families and is expected to last 15 minutes. The ceremony will include the sounding of the 24 hauntingly beautiful notes of “Taps”.

“Taps” traditionally serves two important purposes. At military outposts around the world it is played in the evening to signal the time for quiet, rest and reflection after a day of duty. It is also mandated by the Department of Defense to be sounded live by a bugler, if possible, at the funeral of each and every American veteran as a final tribute to that individual veteran’s honorable time of service to his or her country. An average of over 1,600 American veterans are laid to rest each day.

Hopkinton has held this ceremony, on the first Sunday each month, since it was initiated in March 2004 by the national non-profit organization Bugles Across America. Since the ceremony was first proposed over 1,500 communities across America as well as in Canada and several other countries now participate.

 Cheryl Perreault's Poet's Corner

Natalie is a third grade student at Elmwood Elementary School. Her teacher, Paula Tangredi reports that Natalie is one of the students from her “super duper” classroom who have been very busy writing poems about the fall season. ~ Cheryl

State Police Arrest Suspected Bank Robbers

October 25, 2007 — Today at approximately 4:16 p.m. Troopers from the State Police Bank Robbery Task Force alerted Troopers in the Boston area of an attempted bank robbery in Everett. Troopers from the Ted Williams Tunnel Barracks saw the wanted vehicle coming out of Revere which led to the arrest of 3 individuals.

While on patrol in the Tobin Bridge area Trooper Jose Allejandro with the assistance off trooper Keith McAuliffe followed the motor vehicle, a 2000 Dodge Intrepid, and attempted to stop it in the Sumner street South Boston area. The vehicle made several turns in an attempted to elude the troopers. Two parties fled on foot from the vehicle in the area across from the Edison Building by an industrial park. One subject was arrested in the vicinity of the vehicle.

            A perimeter was set up involving troopers from troops E, H, F, the MSP Canine and Marine Divisions. A state police helicopter was also on scene and using infer-red technology was able to find the two missing parties hiding in a ford van. Arrested were the following. 1) Alan E Stone 19 yrs of Auckland Street in Dorchester. 2) Jason S. Geddes 19 yrs of Dewolf Street in Dorchester and Richard R Wark 24 yrs of Grampian Way in Dorchester. All are charged with attempted armed bank robbery. Resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and several motor vehicle violations. The parties are being held at the Ted Williams Tunnel barracks. File photo.

DRUMLIN FARM VISIT TO ELMWOOD SCHOOL

Drumlin Farm is a member of the Massachusetts Audubon Society and is a working farm and sanctuary for wild animals, which brought some lessons to the Elmwood School in a program sponsored by the HPTA (Hopkinton Parent Teachers Association) as part of the Elmwood School Enrichment Program.

The 45 minute visits held in the individual classrooms were very interactive between touching and questions.

The visit consisted of many Madagascar hissing cockroaches in various sizes from Ľ” to 3” which hiss as a protection from predators. The have six legs and three body parts, as do all insects.

Opossum or possum is indigenous to this area. They are are the only marsupial in North America. The mothers’ gestation period is 13 days and the young (the size of a pea) climb into their mother’s pouch where they will remain and nurse until they are as big as a mouse and then they will climb on their mother’s back to search for food before they go out on their own.

Opossum’s defense against predators is to play dead, where their entire body shuts down and emits a very offensive odor that smells like rotting animal. Thus the phrase “playing possum”.

~Kathy LaFlash

The Shining

by Robert Falcione

October 25, 2007 — The Moon shone brightly in this photo taken 25 minutes ago with a 25 year-old lens from outside the HopNews office. It looks a little like a cantaloupe in a bin at Colella's the other day. Question to self: Should I explain the problems with the site over the last day? Well, ever so briefly.)

     Our hosting company unilaterally decided to put HopNews and other web sites on a newer, bigger, better, and faster server, one that has been none of those things just yet. To those who haven't logged on for a while, the site was down for several hours today, and for a time yesterday.

     To say it has been problematic would be an understatement. But it now appears that most of the site is okay. The exception, for those who know, is that the FrontPage Extensions are not installed properly. What that means to readers and friends, many of whom called or emailed today, is that the Town Talk page needs to be on a different site to work. Readers may note that the address bar in their browsers is pointing to HopNews.TV when they are on the discussion page (Town Talk), and not HopNews.com.

      Boring people with the most frustrating day in recent and past memory, today, is not what we do here. So, let it suffice to say that we appreciate the calls and emails and thank everyone for being patient. It should be 100% soon.

Reminder:

Hopkinton’s Financial Future:
Projected $1.4M Shortfall

Sponsored by
Hopkinton’s Financial Plan Working Group
Hopkinton’s Chamber of Commerce

This presentation is based on the Oct. ‘07 Report of the Hopkinton Financial Plan Working Group

(Members include Hopkinton Department Heads and elected Town officials)
• Goal: Establish 10-year baseline of revenues and expenses and identify ideas for closing the gap between the two.
• Projection: In FY ‘09 Hopkinton’s deficit may be $1,400,000.
• Recommendation: Initial recommendations could reduce projected deficit by $500,000. Implementation of further recommendations would impact the deficit much more.


You are invited to a briefing to hear first-hand the outlook on Hopkinton’s financial future and to learn how you can help avoid annual service cuts or overrides.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

The First Congregational Church (FCCH) of Hopkinton

Coffee @ 7:30 a.m.

Presentation: 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
RSVP

geri@hopkinton.org or tkilduff@att.net or  The Town Manager’s Office @ 508.497.9700

HopNews Upgrade/Interruption

There was a short service interruption of HopNews on Wednesday afternoon, while the hosting company upgrades to a larger, faster and better server. They have reinstated the site, but will continue to migrate the website to a new server, which could cause further interruptions. Windows-exclusive features, like Town Talk, may not function properly during this time.

Strong Working Families Initiative Moves Forward
Senate Bill Aims to Help Employees Juggle Work and Home Life

October 24, 2007 - Continuing a push to make Massachusetts more attractive to families while helping it keep pace with leading industrial nations, the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities today reported favorably on the state's Strong Working Families Initiative, which would provide 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave to workers. The bill, sponsored by State Senator Karen Spilka (D-Ashland), can now move to forward for debate.

The Strong Working Families Initiative authorizes the creation of a Work Family Council, whose mission is to identify major work-family issues, design pilot programs, and educate the public. It also increases tax deductions for working families caring for dependents, defined as children and disabled individuals over age 65. Further, it creates an employee-funded program, The Strong Families Trust Fund, to provide paid family and medical leave. Eligibility requirements are based on the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993.

"This bill will create good policy not just for working families, whom Massachusetts should do all it can to support, but for the state's economic development as well," stated Spilka, who is also the Senate chair of the committee. "Employees who have ample time to care for their loved ones are generally happier and more productive. Having this type of initiative here would encourage working families to move to the state, and the ability to keep trained and motivated workers in jobs over time would most certainly bolster our economy."

The Senate initiative would increase the standard deduction that taxpayers can take on dependents under age 12, over 65 or disabled. For working families with incomes of $75,000 or less, the deduction would increase from $3,600 to $5,000 for one dependent and from $7,200 to $10,000 for two or more. Under the proposal, deductions for child or dependent care expenses would more than double, rising from $4,800 to $10,000 for one dependent and from $9,600 to $15,000 for two or more for every family regardless of income.

After Hours

October 24, 2007 — Mallory Mikelk rushes to greet a fellow Milford Chamber of Commerce member at an after-hours get together she hosted for the Chamber at Walden Woods, which is on Route 85 just over the line in Milford. Ms. Mikelk is the Sales Manager for the complex of 165 homes being built on 50 acres, which leaves the balance of the 294 acres of open space and quarries for hiking, biking or just enjoying watch-able wildlife.

The Waiting Game

October 24, 2007 — Hopkinton's goalie Sarah Davin keeps her eyes on the ball as her team moves it toward the other goal. The Hiller girls put the ball in the net 5 times this afternoon, but Medway fell short at 3. According to a recent report in the Boston Globe, Sarah's stats stand alone at the top.

Early Shopping

October 24, 2007 — Flossie O'Donnell shows off some of her hand-made, home-made crystal and beads to Sheila Fahey during the HPTA Holiday Shopping Bazaar in the High School Cafeteria.

Milford Police Search for Gun

October 24, 2007 — According to a reliable Milford source, a person inside Milford High School claimed that a person or persons saw someone with a gun on school property.

      Milford Police found the suspect off of school property and unarmed.  Police searched at least two homes and two vehicles but found no weapons. The families of the suspects were fully cooperative, according to the source.

Comedy Hypnosis

Monday Night October 29th
7:00 – 8:30pm
 Hopkinton High School Auditorium
Cost: $7

       Dan Larosa’s comedy hypnosis show is an adventure in imagination! In less than 3 seconds, he hypnotizes willing volunteers and then makes "stars" out of them. Watch your friends fly on magic carpets, land on a mysterious planet, and speak a "foreign" language. Listen to a concert by participants who actually think they're famous rock stars - even though they can't sing a note! Sound impossible? Then don't miss the opportunity to witness people right next to you fall asleep at the snap of a finger - and maybe even become hypnotized yourself!
        Dan has appeared at some of America's best resorts including Mohegan Sun Casino, Foxwoods and Caesar's Pocono Resorts.

Delia C. "Dede" Grant, 98

Delia C. "Dede" Grant, 98, died Tuesday, October 23, 2007 in Milford. Born in Hopkinton, she was the daughter of the late Thomas and Jane (Farrell) Connelly. Her husband, Edward C. Grant, died in 1974.
     She was a graduate of St. Mary's High School, Milford and was employed for many years by United Business Services.
     She is survived by her brother-in-law, Steffen Dieckman, and many nieces and nephews. She is pre-deceased by her sister Margaret Dieckman and her brothers John, Joseph, Thomas and Robert Connelly. Arrangements Complete.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!!

The cast from ESL's popular You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown will be bringing this well-known children's tale to life at Weston  Nurseries, Rte. 135, Hopkinton, on October 26th and 27th.  You don't want to miss the Great Pumpkin!

Show Times are 5pm, 6pm, 7pm on October 26th 4pm,5pm,6pm, and 7pm on October 27th.
Show length 1/2 hour Tickets available thru Weston Nurseries website $7 adults and $5 students.

Fire Department Open House

Saturday, October 27

Hopkinton Fire Dept. will be holding an Open House on from 10:00 - 2:00. Some activities will include SafeHouse trailer E.M.S. demos, Equipment demos, Auto Extrication demo at 12:30, and more.

HOPKINTON BOARD OF HEALTH FLU CLINIC

The Hopkinton Board of Health will be holding a Flu Clinic on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, and November 30, 2007 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at Senior Center (located at 28 Mayhew Street). This clinic will be open to all town residents who wish to receive the Influenza Vaccine for this flu season, with priority being given to residents aged 50 and older, and those residents with chronic health conditions.
Transportation to the flu clinic is available for the town’s senior citizens through the Council on Aging. Please contact Sally Almy in the Senior Center at 497-9730 to arrange for your ride to the clinic.

 (Revised)

Legacy Farms LLC Presents Bylaw Proposal to Zoning Advisory Committee

Zoning Overlay Planned

October 24, 2007 — Steven Zieff, Boulder Capital's Legacy Farms LLC Project Manager, presented an overview to ZAC (Zoning Advisory Committee) on Tuesday of the benefits of its plan to offer the town a zoning overlay for the former Weston Nurseries farmland. The group intends to build 940 residential dwellings as well as 450,000 feet of commercial space, leaving 500 acres of open space.

      The plan itself, Mr. Zieff said, would give the town $1.2 million in permitting  fees alone, as well as a $2 million investment in the town's Alprilla Farms well.

      The zoning overlay, called an OSMUD (Open Space Mixed Use Development Overlay District) by Mr. Zieff, would need Town Meeting approval next May, but not before months of meetings with ZAC, as well as meetings, and a public hearing before the Planning Board.

      The OSMUD (Click here for PDF of document) seeks to create an overlay district for the land under discussion, 708 acres of Boulder Land and 20 acres of Weston Nurseries land. Two of the overlay district changes will include a four-story building limit in that district, as well as the absence of curbs when possible and drainage into roadside swales to absorb run-off, rather than catch basins. Photo, Roy MacDowell, Jr.

      "Most changes are internal to ourselves and will not affect the adjacent properties," said Mr. Zieff.

      ZAC member Ron Roux, a developer himself, asked the affect of the zoning change.

      "If this goes to Town Meeting and gets approved, does that extinguish the underlying zoning?" he asked.

      "As soon as the developer uses his rights, it will extinguish the zoning," said Attorney Marilyn Sticklor, an attorney for the proponents. Much of the current zoning is residential agricultural, which would be done away with upon its development.

      If Town Meeting were to deny the passage of the OSMUD, then the developer would likely need to apply under current zoning, which could include development that is less benign and less open-space oriented. Under a denial, the 940 living units planned by Boulder Capital could grow to nearly double that amount under a 40B development scenario, but that was not discussed Tuesday evening.

      The Permitted Uses listed in the document are on the top of ZAC Chairman Ken Weismantel's to-discuss list for the next meeting. The uses are extensive, site-exclusive, and will supersede the zoning in the rest of the town.

       For instance, a drive-through for food is a specifically prohibited use in the zoning by-laws, but allowed under this overlay proposal*. Bed and breakfast establishments are limited to 12 rooms under existing law, but are on the list of Boulder's Permitted Uses without any limitations.

      ZAC voted an accelerated meeting schedule for themselves to speed the process along. At the conclusion, they will make recommendations to the Planning Board, which will hear presentations and hold a Public Hearing.

      Then Town Meeting will vote on the plan in May, 2008.     Click here for PDF of document

*NOTE: Although the document shows a drive-through for heretofore non-permitted uses, a communication from Legacy Farms today states that the intention to delete that use from the document was not followed through.

     They state, "It is not Legacy Farm's intention to propose drive-through food uses." 

Middlesex County Justice/Crime

Wellesley College Student Arraigned in Alleged Stabbing Of Ex-Boyfriend

CAMBRIDGE October 23, 2007 — Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone informed the public today that a twenty-year-old college student was arrested and arraigned today in connection with an