FM #543 - Talk Franklin - 05/14/21 (audio)

FM #543 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 543 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my "Talk Franklin" conversation with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen and Marketing and Communications Specialist Anne Marie Tracey. We had our conversation via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

We talk about: 

• Budget and upcoming Town Council hearings 5/26-27

• Housing plan out for public comment

• Maple Hill right of first refusal clock started

• Pop up grant received

• ArtWALK Celebration June 11-12-13

Links to the key topics covered here are included in the show notes. The recording runs about 31 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Jamie and Anne Marie.

Audio file = https://player.captivate.fm/episode/f6565222-dc69-409d-9db4-d1805fee4f22

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Town of Franklin budget page  https://www.franklinma.gov/town-budget 

Franklin Schools budget page  https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-district-budget 

Recap of the EDC meeting includes links to the Housing Plan

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/05/recap-economic-development-subcomm.html

Added Town Council meeting for Maple Hill right of first refusal

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/05/franklin-ma-town-council-meeting-agenda.html

Pop Shop Franklin -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/05/town-of-franklin-ma-pop-shop-franklin.html 

ArtWALK - hold the dates -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/05/hold-dates-franklin-artwalk-celebration.html 

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

 

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

 

FM #543 - Talk Franklin - 05/14/21 (audio) 

Updated USGS digital topographic maps feature more trails

"As we approach summer, President Trump has designated the month of June as “Great Outdoors Month” and USGS maps are the perfect resource as you head outside and explore. Updated US Topo maps and other mapping products now make the planning and navigation of your next outing easier. Recent partnerships with other federal, state, and non-governmental organizations have allowed the USGS to feature additional trails and major recreation points of interest on our digital topographic maps.

Collecting Trail Data From Partners

The USGS has become an aggregator of national trails and recreational features. The National Geospatial Program (NGP) at the USGS has been seeking and leveraging partnerships with other agencies and organizations by making their data available through USGS mapping products and services. These contributions and collaborative efforts have resulted in the addition of more than 210,000 miles of government maintained trails to the Nation’s topographic base maps."

Continue reading the article online
https://www.usgs.gov/news/usgs-maps-will-help-you-explore-great-outdoors

US Topo maps
https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/national-geospatial-program/us-topo-maps-america

Updated USGS digital topographic maps feature more trails

In the News: new generation for Town Council; trees cut down on Maple St; Snappy Dogs fund raising

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Town government has a reputation for being filled with older residents and homeowners that have been in town for decades. The most recent town election changed that by introducing a new generation to Town Council. 

For the first time, two millennials sit in the Council Chambers to weigh in on the future of the town they grew up in. Patrick Casey, 28, and a digital account services coordinator at International Data Group, and Eamon McCarthy Earls, 23, editor at TechTarget, were sworn in after winning the November election. 

Casey and Earls agreed that the millennial generation has a number of negative stereotypes, but believe many of them are misplaced. 

“It’s important to keep all perspectives in play,” said Casey. “But it’s nice to have this breath of fresh air from myself and Eamon to have a new look at things.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20171205/franklin-town-councils-younger-generation

"Residents are angry about dozens of trees that have been cut down in a new development in the Maple Street area. And it’s likely more will come down in the future. 

Two large pieces of property equaling about 80 acres are being developed in that area. The owners of the property are working to create residential space on both sides of Maple Street. 

In late November, workers on the property that abuts Franklin Springs Road and Maple Street legally cut down the trees to make way for a new cul-de-sac and multiple houses."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20171205/franklin-residents-unhappy-with-tree-clearing

"The owners of Snappy Dogs hope to bring their popular hot dog stand back home. 

To make it possible, owners Teresa Boyce and Lisa Volpe Hachey launched an online campaign to raise $10,000 to build a second trailer, to be called “Snappy 2.” The new trailer will be parked at CVS pharmacy, where the business spent its first six seasons before Colella’s Supermarket closed. 

The campaign on Kickstarter.com is called, Bring Snappy Dogs Home. As of 9 p.m. Tuesday, the business has received $7,185 with 18 days left. The campaign ends on Christmas day and is only funded if the full amount is raised."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20171205/hopkinton-snappy-dogs-hopes-to-raise-10k-for-another-hot-dog-stand

The Kickstarter link can be found here
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/snappydogs/bring-snappy-dogs-home

More about Snappy Dogs can be found on their webpage  http://www.snappydogs.com/

the original trailer for Snappy Dogs (photo via Snappy Dogs webpage)

Attention: Tag/Moving Sale 9/27/14 -> 9:00 - 5:00

Do you post yard/tag sales on your site?  We sold our home and are offering almost everything at our tag sale tomorrow. 

In Home Tag/Moving Sale - Everything Must Go! 

Furniture, area rugs, Weber gas grill, tools, lamps, artwork, kitchenwares, small kitchen electrics, crystal, Fiestaware service for 8 still in box, dolls, Hello Kitty bathroom set, linens, books, chest freezer, LL Bean sledding inner tubes, 2002 Chevy Trailblazer, and much more. 

478 Maple St, Franklin, 9/27, 9-5, no  previews or early birds.

from the photo archives of June 2012

Readers concur: they are winter moths ballooning

Thank you! The tiny tree destroyers were identified by several of you yesterday as 'winter moths'. The collection of comments or emails are included here.

winter moth going back to ground "ballooning"

Steve, the tiny leaf destroyers are the Winter Moths! They have been around for at least the past 5 years and come out at the same time the trees start to bud, so before the leaf can grow to full size, they are decimated. It makes me CRAZY! My trees look awful already. 

The thousands of small grey moths that are around during the annual warm stretch in November (always around Thanksgiving) they lay their eggs, and after the first 3 warm days in the spring they hatch, by the millions. And they leave a mess as well, because what goes in, must come out! Ugh, I HATE THEM!

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Winter moth caterpillar. Stripped my maple. See Weston Nursery web site or Facebook page for description and treatment option. Very bad this year.

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Hi Steve. It seems like a kind of leafroller to me. If I remember correctly, the leaves on trees on Franklin Common (and in many other places in Franklin) had many holes in them last year. They have been attacking my Japanese Maple tree for a few years now.

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I believe the worms on the trees turn into the winter moths that have invaded the northeast U.S.…
http://wpri.com/2014/05/21/winter-moths-eating-rhode-island-tree-leaves/

The best full description I found comes from UMASS Amherst:

It is estimated that winter moth eggs hatch between 20-50 growing degree days (base 50) in Massachusetts. Typically, this can occur any time from late March (during atypically warm springs) into the second or third week in April (cool springs). The tiny (less than 1 mm) caterpillars then spin a small silk strand and become air-buoyant and are carried upwards on air currents into the tree canopy where they then try to “weasel” between the bud scales, bracts, etc. to get into the buds. They do not chew their way in via an entrance hole. If buds are not yet swollen enough for them to gain access, these small larvae will then spin down from the tree on a silken thread and be carried away by the wind, which is a dispersal process known as ballooning. 

This is the stage where high levels of injury to the host plant can occur. The longer that the buds stay swollen but unopened, there is a greater potential for feeding injury. Winter moths will enter both leaf and flower buds. For blueberry growers, this is the most critical stage of winter moth activity. If flower buds sustain heavy feeding, there will be no flowers and thus no fruit. There are no known controls for winter moth in this life stage.

You can read the full and complete article here
https://extension.umass.edu/landscape/fact-sheets/winter-moth-identification-management


Here is the Weston Nursery link mentioned above
http://westonnurseries.com/winter-moth-caterpillars-are-upon-us/


It is likely that what I have been showing as maple blight has indeed been the increasing influences of the winter moth.
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/05/saving-american-chestnut-tree.html

winter moth damage on a red maple

The UMASS Amherst article outlines the treatment options for the various stages. As these caterpillars are already out, it seems the best thing to do now it to wrap the trees with a band to prevent them from climbing up.

Thanks for all the feedback, the sharing of knowledge like this is a great example of what I try to do. There is more power together than alone!

Sap running on Town Common

Out for a walk on Friday, it was a good day for pictures.