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Wear Seat Belts
January 8, 2007 — Students brought their parents and listened to their peers, as well as professionals, warn of the dangers of driving, and the ways to lessen the chances of injury or death in a presentation at the Hopkinton High School auditorium for new Driver's Ed students and other interested people. Principal John McCarthy talked about driving as a rite of passage and how everyone looks forward to it. He recalled that this evening's program grew out of the tragedy of last year's double fatality, referring to 17 year-old Andrea Goncalves and her 10 year-old brother, Joshua. He introduced Hopkinton High School Junior, Kim Foley (At lectern above), whose father works at Liberty Mutual, which has a large research facility in Hopkinton. "What happened really hit home," she said. Francis Toomey, a Lieutenant with the Danvers Fire Department and an Instructor with the Governor's Highway Safety Bureau. Lt. Toomey brought some hard realities before the gathering. "Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death in the 16-20 year-old category. 67% of teen fatalities were not restrained," he said "The brain does not fully develop until 25 years-old," he said, and blamed inexperience and impulsiveness for many crashes. The more definitive causes he gave were: drivers making poor decisions such as failing to wear seat belts, alcohol, speeding, aggressive driving, distractions, drug use, fatigue and following too closely. But his greatest emphasis was on wearing seat belts, of which he showed films of crash dummies and simulated and digitized real-people in crashes. The message: wearing your seat belt will keep you in a vehicle during a crash, which is much safer than being ejected. In addition, a seat belt will spread the force of impact across areas of the body that can absorb it. |
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Surprising Results After a Saturday of near 70°F degree weather and a similar Sunday, people were asked about where they stood on the issue of global warming, a belief that the Earth's temperature is rising due to the use of fossil fuels that generate carbon dioxide emissions. A combined total of about 23% of people answering the poll said in one form or another that they did not believe in global warning. However, around 77% said they did believe in it, proving what a valuable political football it would be to carry. It would have been interesting to see how the numbers were to stack up on a -10° F day in January. Note: We received a call from a knowledgeable source and have rewritten the story to more accurately reflect the definition of global warming. |
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Today, January 8, 2007
11:39 am A caller reported that she found a deer carcass near the ball field behind the High School and then found a deer head in a plastic bag near the shack...
11:33 am Officer Philip Powers spoke with a caller from Tammer Lane who reported threats from a passing jogger.
10:47 pm Officers Gregg DeBoer and Aaron O'Neil assisted the Ashland Police Department with two suspicious vehicles on High Street... |
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Same Sex Marriage Legal? by Demian David Tebaldi, Esq. January 8, 2007 Dear ITL: If the Massachusetts Constitution requires that the state allow gay people to marry, doesn't it also require that the state allow three (or more) people to marry? How can it prohibit discrimination against gay marriage and not prohibit discrimination against polygamy or polyandry? D.A.T. Dear D.A.T.: The Commonwealth can legislate on any subject reasonably determined to be within its police power over the populace. Generally speaking, a state’s police power includes matters regarding the health, safety, morals and welfare of the people, and issues of aesthetics affecting every citizen equally. The issue of gay marriage is one of morality only, and there is no textual indication that the framers of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights or the drafters of the General Laws of Massachusetts intended that same-sex marriage be illegal for any reason. Just to be clear, the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights does not require that the Commonwealth allow gay people to marry. In fact, the word “marriage” appears but once in the whole body of the Constitution, and the term is not defined. Rather, it is used in the context of determining who shall have control over causes of marriage, divorce and alimony (Chapter III, Article V). Nor is the term “marriage” defined anywhere within the body of the General Laws of Massachusetts. There are prohibitions in various statutes as to whom a man may not marry (Ch. 207, sec. 1), and whom a woman may not marry (Ch. 207, sec. 2), but in neither of these nor any other statutes or regulations is it written that a man may not marry another man, nor a woman another woman. A textualist unburdened by moral objection to same-sex marriage would have to conclude that, since lawmakers did not include such a prohibition in any of the laws touching on marriage, that those marriages must therefore be legitimate. In following this argument to its end, one may be inclined to assume that a man or a woman may take more than one spouse, but, alas and alack for those so driven, that is not the case. Chapter 207, Section 4 (“Polygamy”) of the General Laws of Massachusetts states, in relevant part: “A marriage contracted while either party thereto has a former wife or husband living … shall be void.” Had I drafted the law, I would have substituted “current” for “former,” as the way it appears would ban remarriage after divorce; an ex-husband or ex-wife is certainly, at least semantically, a “former” spouse. In answer to your second question, I offer a question in return: is the issue of same-sex marriage so repugnant that it rises to the level of polygamy/polyandry? The latter concept is and always has been considered morally reprehensible (and illegal) in this country, while the former has recently enjoyed in-depth treatment by more open-minded jurists. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, in Goodridge, et al v. Department of Public Health, et al (2003), has determined that same-sex marriage is lawful, or rather, that it is unlawful to prohibit such a union in this Commonwealth for any of the reasons presented to the Court in that case, and this result will stand until the People of the Commonwealth dictate that it should not. If the issue of same-sex marriage reaches the ballot in 2008, the People will have an opportunity to speak, and the result molded into law. Email your questions to: dtebaldi@tebaldiesq.com *Disclaimer: The answers provided in this column are not in any way to be construed as legal advice. While the author is an attorney admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the questions presented do not come from clients, but from anonymous members of various Massachusetts communities. The answers presented merely describe what the law is, and do not contain specific strategies for dealing with the situations presented. If you have questions regarding these or other legal issues, please contact Attorney Demian David Tebaldi at 508-435-5576. |
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State Police seek public's help
On January 5, 2007, at about 11:35 p.m., State Police from the Danvers Barracks responded to a crash on Route 1 South in Saugus near Essex Street involving a vehicle and two pedestrians. Preliminary investigation by Trooper John Strazzullo indicates that Tina Tello, age 33, of Stoneham, and Christopher Zullo, age 28, of Everett, were attempting to cross Route 1 South in Saugus in the area of Essex Street, which is not designated for pedestrian travel. They were subsequently struck by a vehicle that was traveling southbound at the time. The Ms. Tello was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr. Zullo was transported by ambulance to Mass General Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. Today, January 8, 2007, the Mass State Police were made aware that Mr. Zullo succumbed to his injuries. He was declared deceased on January, 7 2007, at Mass General Hospital. This crash remains under investigation with assistance from the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section (CARS) and State Police Detectives assigned to the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Following the crash, the vehicle fled the area and is being sought be police. The vehicle is believed to be a 2003 or 2004 GMC Pick-Up truck, possibly a Sierra. The vehicle possibly has severe damage to its right front (i.e. passenger-side front). The vehicle should be missing a headlight on the right side and possibly has a damaged windshield. Anyone with any information about this crash is asked to contact the State Police Barracks in Danvers at 978-538-6161. |
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Senator Kennedy supports Net Neutrality
January 7, 2007 — Senator Kennedy does not want telephone and cable companies to gain control of the Internet. He would like every American to have affordable access to a world-class internet and keep it free from government taxation. Hear his own words above. |
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Friends
January 7, 2007 — Laura Strickland, left, and Maggie Grabmeier horse around prior to their Enter Stage Left Theater performance at the Hopkinton Senior Center of Film Noir during the Cold Hands, Warm Hearts fundraiser today. |
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Have Piano, Will Travel
January 7, 2007 — Teenage piano virtuoso Sinai Tabak drew a bit of a crowd when he stepped up to the piano at the Hopkinton Senior Center during a break in the scripted performances today. Mary Tyrrell listens in the background. |
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White Cat
January 7, 2007 — Michaela Forbes had her face painted at the Senior Center today during the festivities. |
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Family Tower
January 7, 2007 — The Markey family from top to bottom, Julia, Joe, Bernadette, and Dawson at the Senior Center during today's event. |
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Score!!
January 7, 2007 — Joey Regan left his post cooking at Cornell's today during the Patriots/Jets game to watch the game live on the High Definition television. |
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Three-car crash
January 7, 2008 — This SUV is believed to have crashed into a vehicle, one of two stopped to turn into Weston Nurseries, pushing vehicle number 2 into a third. Above, Officer Philip Powers speaks with an employee from Art's Towing of Milford today on East Main Street. |
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And the winner is...
January 7, 2007 — Five days ago, we offered $50 to the first person who could correctly identify, from left to right, every child in this old photo of neighborhood friends taken many years ago at the entrance to Sandy Island Beach. Julie Segars did that today at 4:44 pm.
They are, from left to right: Danny Steen, Brenda Steen, Missy Blood, Dennis Anderson, Jen Cournoyer, Shad Hinds, Sara Fino, Chris Nation. |
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RELAY
FOR LIFE
May
18-19, 2007 |
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Summer Fun in the Wintertime
January 6, 2007 — Mike Pepi of Marion, Mass enjoys stopping at Hopkinton State Park on his way to the central part of the state. Today, during 70°F weather, he chose a summertime sport to enjoy on Hopkinton Reservoir, which is usually frozen at this time of year. The negative image above can be made positive by mousing-over it. |
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"Old" Acquaintances
January 6, 2007 — Last summer's campers and staff at the Metrowest YMCA in Hopkinton held a fun reunion today that centered at the Hayes Lodge and involved trips throughout the vast grounds. Photo should say 2007. ;-)
YMCA accepting registrations for 2007 -2008
Early
Childhood Education Programs
The MetroWest YMCA at Hopkinton is
now accepting registrations for it’s Preschool and Nursery
School Programs for the 2007 -2008
school year.
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Robotics Team Season Kick-off
January 6, 2007 — The Robotics Team kicked off their 2007 event this morning in the High School Auditorium by getting their marching orders from a First Robotics webcast, which sets the parameters for competition that will involve 32,000 students worldwide. Learn More Here. |
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Global Warming? Melting Glaciers? Conspiracy?
See what our person-on-the-street interview, above, came up with. |
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Hopkinton, 62 Norton, 50
Above, Mark Masucci gets airborne on this drive. by Peter Marso January 5, 2007 —The Hopkinton Hillers improved their overall team record to 5-2 as they knocked off the Lancers of Norton 62-50 in a hoop game played last night in Hopkinton. The Hillers took a big lead at the half 31-25, then managed to put the game on ice. Paul Ostrander has been playing the same type of game that he played in football (all star status). He is one of the best athletes in the town. He had a tremendous game. Mark Sanborn had a great game as well. He is controlling the boards and putting in a big production. The Hillers played Norton tough from the start. The game was not a blow out as the Lancers managed to stay somewhat in the game. The Tom Keane team is of to a great start as once again as the Hillers are a great physically shaped, and conditioned club. They can stay with anybody! The Hillers will take to the road on Tuesday when they travel to rival Holliston. They are playing great and will end up near the top come playoff time! Below, Paul Ostrander vies for the ball.
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Cold Hands Warm Hearts Benefit Sunday, January 7, 2006 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Senior Center
On January 7
Enter Stage Left Theater Workshop Inc. and the
Saint Vincent DePaul Society will be hosting a
Cold
Hands |
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 State Police Dedicate B.A.T. Mobile in Honor of Trooper Ellen E. Engelhardt
January 5, 2007 — Today Colonel Mark F. Delaney, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, dedicated the Massachusetts State Police Breath Alcohol Testing (B.A.T.) Mobile to Trooper Ellen E. Engelhardt. The ceremony was held at the State Police Headquarters in Framingham at 11:00 a.m. The B.A.T. Mobile is used principally as a vehicle from which to run and coordinate sobriety checkpoints. It provides safety and convenience for the officers involved in the operation of a checkpoint. It possesses lighting towers that are utilized to illuminate a large area, and cameras to record a checkpoint’s activities and sobriety tests. Without the B.A.T. Mobile, a trooper would have to go to a Barracks to perform many functions, and hence the trooper would be lost from the checkpoint. It could take up to four hours for a trooper to transport and process a subject and write a report. Such a process restricted the opportunity for the trooper to return to and staff a sobriety checkpoint which in turn limits the ability to remove additional impaired drivers from the roadways of the Commonwealth. Through the employment of the B.A.T. Mobile, processing times have been reduced to approximately one hour or less. “Trooper Engelhardt continues to inspire the men and women of the State Police and other police forces, to remove dangerous drivers from the road and to send a strong message that alcohol and drug impaired driving is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.,” said Colonel Delaney. Trooper Engelhardt’s family was in attendance, and her daughter Lora Tedeman (Photo) spoke at the event. She said “It is a great piece of technology.” She went on to emphasize that: “Hopefully people will think before leaving home.” The B.A.T. Mobile was purchased with a grant from the Governor’s Highway Safety Bureau (G.H.S.B.) and funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The G.H.S.B. is an essential supporter of state and local police partnerships. With G.H.S.B financial support, the State Police have partnered with many local departments in an effort to reduce impaired operator crashes by engaging in sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols. Since its delivery, the B.A.T. Mobile has been deployed at 20 checkpoints. One-hundred-and-fourteen impaired operators have been processed through the B.A.T. Mobile and removed form the roads of the Commonwealth. |
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE Elementary Schools FY’08 Requests Meet Budget Cuts “I find it very difficult to go in the wrong direction” ~ Ilene Silver, Elmwood Principal Committee Begins Advertising Policy Review
By David Hamacher
January 5, 2007 — During the working
session that was held off-camera, and following the regular School
Committee He reiterated that there was no appetite for a town-wide override for Fiscal Year 2008. At a meeting of all Hopkinton Department Leaders, the discussion reiterated the need for all departments to limit budget requests to increases of 1% or less. Center Principal, Jennifer Parson, Elmwood Principal, Ilene Silver, and Hopkins Principal Martha Starr all presented detailed proposals for the level of resources they felt they would be necessary to operate their schools in FY ’08. Currently there are teachers and professional staff who are shared between all three schools. Having had her teacher count reduced from 26 this year to 23 for next year, Ms. Silver, remarked, “I find it very difficult to go in the wrong direction.” The new modular classrooms recently constructed will not be used for classrooms because there will not be enough teachers. FULL REPORT |
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Studio Session Live on HCAM See the trailer below
Check out HCAM to see FOUR different acts! Only two full songs play above. Friday, January 5, 2007 |
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Today, January 4, 2007
12:59 pm A caller from Hayden Rowe Street reported that a pick up truck occupied by one or two people...
12:18 am The State Police reported that an off duty State Trooper stated that there was severe black ice on Over look Road...
3:37 pm A Main Street business owner reported that two youths were skateboarding... |
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 Stabilization Fund stands to gain up to $1 million Bill #4868 passes on NYE
January 4, 2006 — An Article passed, but not without objection, at last May's Town Meeting culminated in the passage of House bill 4868 on New Year's Eve that will turn over to the town's stabilization fund the rollback taxes from the sale of agricultural or forestry land that has been in Chapter 61A or 61B status. Those properties enjoy a tax break that becomes payable upon the sale of the land and the withdrawal from that status, and the taxes rollback for the previous five years and become payable to the town. The rollback taxes have gone into the Open Space Fund since that was passed in 1999, according to Town Treasurer/Collector Maureen Dwinnell (File photo). "It means more money for the town," she said in an interview today. It was part of the financial plan put together after speaking with rating companies on the bond issue that was done in August.
The taxes have been going into the town's Open Space Fund, that was enacted before the state's Community Preservation Act, a voluntary enrollment that joins 2% of the town's funds for open space with a matching state amount. Mrs. Dwinnell said that Rep. Paul Loscocco was instrumental in moving the legislation forward, and that Appropriations Committee member Ron Eldridge should be thanked for his efforts. Dr. John Duffy, Chairman of the Board of Assessors agreed (File photo). "Ron Eldridge spoke very effectively at Town Meeting [May, 2006], and over the objections of others, that the Selectmen put this legislation forward," Dr. Duffy said. "Many officials in town believed that since the CPA passed, that the money should be put into the stabilization fund, and this would be an opportunity to put money back in. "There are large parcels subject to this and we saw an opportunity to do this, as opposed to smaller tracts we have seen in the past," he said. |
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Commentary Are You Tubing?
by Robert Falcione January 4, 2007 — Part of the digital revolution that has spawned news sites like HopNews, caused the demise of CD sales, and put independent 1-hour photo labs out of business, is the emergence of YouTube, an online video sharing site that was just purchased by Google for $1.65 billion after skyrocketing to success in less than two years. The concept, which is actually entertainment by a sort of democracy, has brought people like Terra Naomi (Video above) from her living room to over a million viewers, going gold without spending a penny on advertising and getting more ears and eyeballs than many corporate efforts have throughout the history of recorded music. The idea is to upload a video of yourself, your friends, family or coworkers engaging in silliness, stupidity, or just plain talented endeavors, and hope it goes viral. A video goes viral when it is shared by an increasing number of people in an exponential way, one telling ten, and each of those in turn telling more, and so on. Part of the success of the website can be attributed to the use of a Flashtm video player and the inclusion of the html code beside each video, enabling webmasters to easily include the content on their own sites, as we have above. The Flash player plays the content, but does not allow it to be saved easily, as Windows Media and other popular media formats do, forcing the viewer to revisit the site. A tribute to its popularity is the posting by NBC of its SNL skit about a gift box, which was bleeped during the television showing, but uploaded uncensored by NBC itself, doing an end run past FCC censors. The YouTube posting of the skit may have had more viewers than the actual show itself, proving its awesome appeal. The continued growth of the medium is unquestionable, but its exact direction is uncertain, because the type of corporate engagement that NBC has ventured into could bring FCC censors armed with legislation into the mix. In addition, the enormous amount of copyright infringement by users, which is more egregious than anything the early Napster ever imagined, could bring it crashing to its knees. But that is doubtful. More than likely what will happen is that the the traditional corporate creators, the ones who have decided for the rest of us what we should have the pleasure of hearing or seeing in the way of entertainment for about a century — and more than anything, what we should be paying — will become a part of what has become entertainment by democracy and force the monetization of everything in this medium too, and on their own terms. But in the meantime, sift through the noise and enjoy. Or Discuss it too:
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Camper and Staff Reunion at the YMCA
On Saturday Jan 6 from 1 to 3 pm the MetroWest YMCA Day Camp will be holding a camper reunion at Hayes Lodge in Hopkinton. Campers and staff from the summer of 2006 will return for an afternoon of games, crafts, smores and lots of fun. |
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The MOMS Club of Hopkinton Presents: A workshop on improving sibling relationships
Tues, Jan 23, 7:30 pm $15 in advance/$20 at the door
The workshop will be presented by Deborah Weinstock-Savoy, Ph.D (Clinical Psychology). Deborah has over 20 years of professional experience working with families with young children and is the mother of three children.
For planning purposes, we greatly appreciate advance registration. The cost for advance registration is $15; the cost at the door will be $20. Please send your check for $15 payable to the MOMS Club of Hopkinton to Christine Coffman, 21 North St, Hopkinton MA 01748 by January 19. RSVPs after January 19 will be accepted.
The workshop will be held at the Golden Pond Assisted Living Center at 50 West Main Street in Hopkinton (phone: 508-435-1250). The workshop will begin promptly at 7:30pm, so we ask that you arrive early to get settled. Light refreshments will be served, courtesy of Golden Pond.
Any questions, please contact Christine Coffman at cddcoffman@comcast.net or 508 497-9948. Advance registration is greatly appreciated. |
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Third Grade Student's Artwork Selected for Hopkinton Education Foundation Gala Promos
Marisa Nagel, a 3rd grade student at Hopkinton’s Elmwood School, will be showing her artwork which was selected as the design theme for this year’s annual HEF Winter Gala being held on Saturday, February 3, 2007.
Miss Nagel’s artwork will be used on all printed HEF Winter Gala materials which include the “Save the Date” Postcards, tickets, event programs, fliers and thank you notecards.
She will be part of a special presentation at Elmwood School on Tuesday, January 9, 2006. |
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Christmas Tree Pickup
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REMINDER! The HPTA Proudly Presents the Movie CARS
Saturday, January 6th 3:00 – 5:00pm (doors open @ 2:30pm) Hopkinton High School Auditorium Refreshments will be sold: Chips, Candy, Water and Juice Boxes **
Proceeds will benefit Hopkinton Schools ** Cost: $ 5.00 per child - adults free ($20.00 family max.) Children must be accompanied by an adult **One lucky movie guest will go home with the movie ! E-mail Cindy Bernardo at cindybernardo@hotmail.com to make a reservation with the total number of adults and children in your party that will be attending. Space is limited. |
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Ancient Craft Practiced in Hopkinton Devil not a belief of Witchcraft
by Elizabeth Eidlitz
January 2, 2007 — There are nine active witches, male and
female, in Hopkinton and the local area. None is a warty, green-skinned
misshapen
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Over 350 gowns available on January 27 |
Click here to make HopNews your default
homepage! <---works with Internet Explorer.
Global Warming
Poll
Second
Saugus Hit and Run Victim Dies
meeting last night, Hopkinton District Superintendent, Dr. John Phelan
(File photo)began budget discussions with three elementary school
leaders (Center, Elmwood, and Hopkins). He summarized his budget
presentation at the December 21st school committee meeting.
“My initial budget of more than $32,000,000 represents less than level
services,” he said. Although the budget originally represents an
increase of 4.9%, the increase would need 6.4% for level services.
"It was part of a promise made to me by Selectmen in pushing the
legislation forward to make sure this happens," she said. "If Weston
Nurseries sells, the rollback taxes will be $500,000. If the Terry sale
goes through, it is nearly $500,000, making it almost a million dollars
in rollback taxes into our stabilization fund.
Boy
Scout Troop 4 of Hopkinton will be providing a Christmas tree
pickup/recycling service for the residents of Hopkinton. The scouts will
pick up trees, for a fee of $5 ($10 for trees over 8 feet), on
January 6th, 13th and 20th. To request a tree pick up, send an
email to
The
Perfect Dress