Town Manager Weekly Update - December 11, 2025
Elaine Lazarus
Upcoming Hopkinton Events
10:00 am on Saturday, December 13 - The Hopkinton Trails Club will host a guided walk at Highland Park/Saddle Hill. This trail system, tucked in and around a residential neighborhood, offers level paths, climbs, views, forests and more. The route is a nearly three-mile loop, following the Greenwood, Sands, Saddle Hill and Betty Fitzpatrick trails. It should take about 2 1/2 hours, with stops to enjoy vistas. Participants will meet at the Emerald Hills East soccer field parking lot (across from 48 Greenwood Road). For more information, visit hopkintontrailsclub.com.
Eyes on Owls Live Animal Show - Saturday, December 20 from 3:00 pm - 4:15 pm. Join Marcia and Mark Wilson from Eyes On Owls at the Hopkinton Public Library for a live owl program! Attendees will learn about owls' unique adaptations, habits, and behaviors in the wild. Everyone gets to practice the owls' calls during lively hooting lessons and hear tips on how you can find owls near you. The Wilsons will bring 6 live owls for the audience to observe, as they perch safely on Marcia's glove. This program is for ages 5+. Please note that children under the age of 9 must be accompanied at all times by a responsible person age 12 or older while visiting the library. Due to limited space, registration is required. Please visit hopkintonlibrary.org/calendar
Hopkinton Organizing for Prevention (HOP) will host a Dry January Mocktail Night at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts (HCA) on Friday, January 9! In honor of Dry January, parents are invited to enjoy live music, sample zero-proof mocktails, explore the art exhibits, and mingle with fellow community members. Reserve your tickets now via the HCA website at this link: https://www.hopartscenter.org/events
Farmers Market - Sundays from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm at Weston Nurseries, 93 East Main Street.
Eversource Statement on December 8th LNG Facility Pipe Leak
From Eversource: Monday morning, crews at our Hopkinton LNG Facility identified a leak on a pipe within the facility. The leak was isolated, and the pipe was safely drained so it can be inspected and repaired. The Hopkinton Fire Department was on site and temporarily shut down the street in front of the plant as a precaution and remained onsite working closely with our plant team. There was no danger to the public and there was no impact to natural gas service for heating customers.
Interaction with Wildlife - From the Hopkinton Health Department
The Hopkinton Health Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) strongly discourages feeding most wildlife because it habituates animals to humans, spreads diseases, causes nutritional issues, and increases vehicle collisions.
The Massachusetts Environmental Police add that feeding wildlife or leaving general attractants (like pet food, garbage) is heavily restricted and can lead to local fines, often starting with warnings and escalating from $25 to $100+ for subsequent offenses, with potential state-level fines up to $500.
Hopkinton Youth & Family Services December Parent/Caregiver Newsletter: HYFS December 2025 Newsletter
Hopkinton Fire Department Awarded Enbridge Safe Communities Grant to Support Home Fire & Carbon Monoxide Safety
The Hopkinton Fire Department, led by Fire Chief Gary Daugherty, along with the Department’s Community Risk Reduction Team, is proud to announce it has been awarded $2,500 through the Enbridge Safe Communities Grant. These funds will be used to purchase and install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms for Hopkinton residents in need, strengthening home safety and helping to prevent tragic losses from fires and carbon monoxide emergencies.
“Every home deserves this basic life-saving protection,” said Fire Prevention Officer Tom Poirier. “With this support, we can make sure vulnerable members of our community, especially seniors and families with young children, have working alarms in their homes.”
Why This Matters: The Facts on Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are proven to save lives, yet alarms are missing or non-functional in many homes across the United States.
Fire Safety Statistics (U.S. National Data):
- Nearly 3,000 people die in residential fires in the U.S. each year, according to national estimates.
- About 59% of home fire deaths occur in homes that had no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms at the time of the fire.
- Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire by roughly half.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) Safety Facts:
- Unintentional carbon monoxide exposure, often from malfunctioning heating systems or fuel-burning appliances, accounts for hundreds of deaths nationwide annually.
- Carbon monoxide is odorless and invisible, earning it the reputation as the “silent killer” making properly installed detectors essential for early warning and survival.
- Without these devices, families may have little to no warning before smoke or lethal gas levels reach dangerous thresholds.
About the Enbridge Safe Communities Grant
The Enbridge Safe Communities Grant supports local safety initiatives that reduce risk and protect lives. The Hopkinton Fire Department is honored to receive this funding, which directly empowers residents with life-saving technology.
Installation & Request Information
Residents in need of a smoke and/or carbon monoxide alarm, or those who would like assistance with installation, are encouraged to contact the Hopkinton Fire Department’s Community Risk Reduction Team at:
Phone: 508-497-2323 Ext. 4
Email: tpoi...@hopkintonfd.org
Snowy Owls are Back in Massachusetts for the Winter
Every fall Snowy Owls make their way from the Arctic tundra to Massachusetts.The birds spend the winter in open spaces such as large salt marshes, agricultural fields, and airports, before heading back to their northern breeding grounds around April. There’s more from Mass Audubon about the owls on their website: Snowy Owls Are Back in Massachusetts—Here’s What You Need to Know
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