Ted & I have our climate discussion around my visit to the "pearl of Africa" (audio)

FM #1151 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1151 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the output of The Climate Minute podcast episode hosted by Ted McIntyre, Franklin resident and climate activist. We met to record in the Franklin TV & Public Radio studio on Tuesday, February 27, 2024.  

The topic thread we talked of as we continued this making sense of climate discussion was the most extemporaneous that we have had. Ted turned the tables around and interviewed me to find out about my trip to Uganda and we discussed the climate implications of some of the lessons or highlights I shared. 

This discussion continues our journey understanding the MA roadmap toward net zero and while it helps me “make sense of climate”, we hope it helps with your understanding as well. 

If you have climate questions or Franklin specific climate questions, send them in and we’ll try to answer them in a future session.  

The conversation runs about 58 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Ted.

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1151-making-sense-of-climate-39-02-27-24

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Links to references made during this episode

African fragile states are at great risk for climate change

https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2023/08/30/africas-fragile-states-are-greatest-climate-change-casualties 

Loss and damage

https://www.unep.org/regions/africa/regional-initiatives/responding-climate-change 

And https://eacop.com/ 

Uganda pipeline mentioned

https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/07/10/uganda-oil-pipeline-project-impoverishes-thousands 

Climate colonialism

https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/what-is-climate-colonialism-explain-climate-change/ 

** See the page that collects all the “Making Sense of Climate” episodes -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/02/making-sense-of-climate-collection.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.  

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How can you help?

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

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

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

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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Ted & I have our climate discussion around my visit to the "pearl of Africa" (audio) 

Franklin School Committee closes out this session on Tuesday, Oct 24 (video)

The Franklin School Committee met on Tuesday Oct 24, 2023 as scheduled. It was the final session of this term for the four members not returning.

The Franklin TV video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yFyTANzPoY

Agenda doc-> https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/scagenda_10-24-23.pdf

Meeting packet folder -> https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/pages/october-24-2023-school-committee-meeting-packet

Franklin, MA: School Committee Meeting, Oct 24, 2023 at 7 PM

FHS Unified Basketball Team selected for Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando 2022

Special Olympics MA (@SpOlympicsMA) tweeted Thu, Dec 02, 2021:

Earlier this week, the Franklin High School Unified Basketball Team was surprised with some VERY exciting news! 🏀👀

Check out this short video to see where they're headed this summer 🤩🏰

https://t.co/CmMcN0QJUg

FHS Unified Basketball Team selected for Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando 2022

Shared from Twitter:  https://twitter.com/SpOlympicsMA/status/1466425320635043847

Earlier this week, the Franklin High School Unified Basketball Team was surprised with some VERY exciting news! 🏀👀

Check out this short video to see where they're headed this summer 🤩🏰@FranklinUnified @FranklinHS @2022USAGames pic.twitter.com/CmMcN0QJUg

— Special Olympics MA (@SpOlympicsMA) December 2, 2021

COVID-19 Pandemic updates: guidance on traveling; vaccine proof

Boston Globe: "With COVID on the rise, we asked disease experts how they’re traveling, dining, and gathering"

"After a lull, COVID-19 is on the rise again in Massachusetts, with new — and sometimes conflicting —warnings and guidance emerging each day from state and national authorities. So how should we react? Should we start wearing masks? Should we stop dining indoors? We asked several infectious disease experts if they are changing their behavior while traveling, dining, gathering, shopping, and schooling. All the experts are vaccinated."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/07/30/nation/with-covid-rise-we-asked-disease-experts-how-theyre-traveling-dining-gathering/

Washington Post: "You’re going to be asked to prove your vaccination status. Here’s how to do it."

"Congratulations, you’ve been vaccinated against the coronavirus. Now you have to prove it, and your smartphone can help.

Across the world, fears about the contagious delta variant are leading more businesses, schools and travel destinations to require vaccination. Like it or not, there’s a real chance that somewhere you want to go will ask to see proof of your shots.

Let’s say you are planning to visit Hawaii — you’ll need to be vaccinated or show a negative coronavirus test if you want to avoid quarantine. You’ll need proof to work in the federal government, at tech firms such as Google, Facebook and Uber, and a growing list of other companies. And in New York and San Francisco, you’ll need it to go inside a bar, get a seat at some restaurants, or take in a show on Broadway."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/07/31/covid-vaccine-card-phone/

What are the best ways to carry your proof of vaccination with you? Here's what we found. (Washington Post illustration; iStock)

Franklin Public Schools,: Reopening update regarding in-person learning

March 29, 2021

Dear Franklin Families,

 

We hope you are doing well. We are eagerly looking forward to the dates of April 5 and April 12 when we are planning to return more students to full time in person education.

 

Much of the specific information is being shared through the building administrators. I am writing to share a few important pieces of information that pertain to all schools.

 

Adherence to our Health and Safety Protocols

Although we are following new guidance and using 3-6 feet of distance between students (with 6 feet of distance for our faculty/staff) as our standard and Massachusetts has entered into Phase 4 of reopening and there is much excitement around new possibilities for gatherings, our return to in person school must be done as safely as possible.  Franklin students, families, and residents have done a tremendous job over the past year in keeping the community safe. Keep up the good work!

Many are attributing the safety of schools to the sound health and safety practices put in place earlier in the school year. Now is a good time for us all to recommit to the Health and Safety Protocols.  Families are reminded that our core practices for health and safety include mask wearing, physical distancing, and good hand hygiene.  Research is showing that mask wearing is an incredibly effective safety practice. Here are a few reminders about appropriate mask wearing.

• A mask or face covering is a garment that covers your nose and mouth including dust masks, disposable medical masks, and homemade cloth masks. Masks/face coverings should fit snugly but comfortably over the sides of the face. Face coverings should be consistent with school handbook expectations. Bandanas and many gaiters do not provide adequate protection and are not permitted. Face masks with valves are not permitted.  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html

• All students in Franklin Public Schools will be required to wear a mask/face-covering in school and on school buses.

• All adults, including educators and staff, will be required to wear masks/face coverings. Fully vaccinated individuals are required to wear masks.

• Exceptions will be made for those with medical conditions, disability, or other health/safety factors that prohibit them from wearing a mask/face covering. A physician's note is required.

• Schools will develop a schedule for mask breaks that will occur throughout the day. During mask breaks, students will be at least six feet apart and in a well-ventilated space (outside or with the windows open).

• Student masks/face coverings should be provided by the student/family. Schools will have extra masks available for children who need them. Masks/face coverings should be clearly labeled with the student’s names or initials to avoid confusion or swapping.

• Staff will be provided with disposable masks by Franklin Public Schools. Staff will be permitted to wear their own mask/face covering. Cloth face coverings, if used, must be washed daily.

If your child is returning to school in person, please also commit to screening your child for symptoms of COVID-19 prior to sending them to school. Your child should stay home if they are exhibiting ANY of the symptoms of COVID-19:

• Temperature above 100 degrees F

• Respiratory symptoms not attributable to other illnesses (e.g. allergies): Fever above 100 degrees F, chills, or shaking chills

• Cough (not due to other known causes, such as a chronic cough)* Allergy and asthma symptoms are NOT acute respiratory illnesses

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.

• New loss of taste or smell

• Sore throat

• Headache

• Muscle aches or body aches

• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

• Fatigue

• Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies)

• Being in close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or told by a healthcare provider that they may have COVID-19

Overall Pool Testing

We have completed the third week of the District Pool Testing Program.  We have over 60% of staff participation and about 40% student participation. We have had a total of 3691 swabs/580 pools as of Friday, March 26. Our experiences are showing us the value of the program.

 

As background information, with pool testing, lower nasal swabs are collected from participating students and faculty/staff members. Ten swabs are placed in a “pool” and a PCR test is run to see if the Coronavirus is present. Tests are sent to a nearby lab and within 24 hours, we have been receiving results.

 

We recently had our first experiences with positive pools. Last week, two of the 169 pools collected came back positive which meant that one person in each of the two pools (1151 individuals) was COVID-positive. This did not mean that everyone in the positive pools was positive. 

All individuals in the positive pools reported to the Health Office for individual follow-up testing using the BinaxNOW follow-up test which produced results in 15 minutes. The individuals whose test was negative remained in school as normal. There was no further follow-up needed. The individuals who tested positive were sent home to isolate/quarantine, and the contact tracing process was completed.

By finding and isolating a positive case, our schools just became safer for everyone. We encourage more students and faculty/staff to participate in the program. If you have not signed up for the Pool Testing Program and wish to do so we encourage you to go to the Pool Testing section of the FPS Reopening website or contact your child’s building administrator.

 

 

Travel

The Franklin Public Schools, after consulting with our local health department and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, is amending its expectations for students and staff related to returning to school after travel. FPS urges students and staff to follow the new Massachusetts Travel Advisory. https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-travel-advisory

 

According to this advisory, all visitors and returning residents entering Massachusetts are advised to quarantine for 10 days upon arrival. Travelers in the following categories are exempt from this quarantine advisory:

• Travelers who have received a negative COVID-19 result on a test administered not more than 72 hours prior to their arrival in Massachusetts.  Travelers may also test out of the quarantine advisory after arrival in Massachusetts, as long as they quarantine until receiving a negative test result.

• Anyone who is entering Massachusetts for fewer than 24 hours

• Anyone who is returning to Massachusetts after being out of the State for fewer than 24 hours

• Workers who enter Massachusetts to perform critical infrastructure functions (as specified by the Federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) during required commuting to or from work and while at work.

• Travelers who are fully vaccinated (i.e. who have received two doses of either the Moderna of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines OR who have received a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, 14 or more days ago) and who do not have symptoms.

International Travel:   January 12, 2021, CDC announced an Order requiring all air passengers arriving to the US from a foreign country to get tested no more than 3 days before their flight departs and to present the negative result or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 to the airline before boarding the flight. Air passengers will also be required to confirm that the information they present is true in the form of an attestation. The CDC also advises:

• Get tested 3-5 days after travel AND stay home and self-quarantine for 7 days after travel.

• Even if you test negative, stay home and self-quarantine for the full 7 days.

• If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.​​

• ​If you don’t get tested, it’s safest to stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.​

• Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not.

Bus Transportation

If your child needs bus transportation to and from school, families can sign up for transportation through the following link: https://www.franklinps.net/district/transportation.  

Other

If you have questions about District policies/practices about reopening, you can view our Reopening Website https://sites.google.com/franklinps.net/returntoschoolplan/home or email our reopening email account:  reopening@franklinps.net  

Building based specifics are best addressed by the school administration. They will continue to communicate with you through their regular avenues such as their newsletters and personal communications with you.

Have a wonderful week!

Sincerely,  

Sara Ahern, Superintendent of Schools

Reopening update -> https://t.co/sTyjDU1EiU 

Shared from Twitter ->  https://t.co/kdciDBsfMM

Reopening update regarding in-person learning

"Millions of jobs probably aren’t coming back, even after the pandemic ends"

"Millions of jobs that have been shortchanged or wiped out entirely by the coronavirus pandemic are unlikely to come back, economists warn, setting up a massive need for career changes and retraining in the United States.

The coronavirus pandemic has triggered permanent shifts in how and where people work. Businesses are planning for a future where more people are working from home, traveling less for business, or replacing workers with robots. All of these modifications mean many workers will not be able to do the same job they did before the pandemic, even after much of the U.S. population gets vaccinated against the deadly virus.

Microsoft founder-turned-philanthropist Bill Gates raised eyebrows in November when he predicted that half of business travel and 30 percent of “days in the office” would go away forever. That forecast no longer seems far-fetched. In a report coming out later this week that was previewed to The Washington Post, the McKinsey Global Institute says that 20 percent of business travel won’t come back and about 20 percent of workers could end up working from home indefinitely. These shifts mean fewer jobs at hotels, restaurants and downtown shops, in addition to ongoing automation of office support roles and some factory jobs."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/road-to-recovery/2021/02/17/unemployed-workers-retraining/

Franklin (MA) Public Schools: UPDATED - Travel Guidance Flyer

UPDATED: Travel Guidance Flyer https://t.co/ggY4fVnw7x
 

Shared from Twitter:https://twitter.com/FranklinPSNews/status/1359540890474328071

Franklin (MA) Public Schools: UPDATED - Travel Guidance Flyer

"Travel bans are an overly simplistic solution"

Dr. Angela Rasmussen (@angie_rasmussen) tweeted at 10:50 AM on Wed, Dec 23, 2020:

"Travel bans are an overly simplistic solution to new variants with potentially new properties & reflect a superficial understanding of viral mutation. They are also a missed opportunity to educate people with more nuance. My latest for the @guardian."

https://twitter.com/angie_rasmussen/status/1341773116549132300

 

"We can probably expect to see other variants that may be more effective at spreading, causing disease or circumventing our immune responses. We must be prepared to respond in an informed and thoughtful way, rather than reactively. Unfortunately, because Sars-CoV-2 is spreading so widely, the virus has many opportunities to develop mutations that give it a competitive advantage. The only way to stop the virus from mutating is to take away its ability to replicate, which means drastically reducing community transmission.

Mutations do not automatically make a virus a more exceptional pathogen. The advantages conferred by positively selected viral mutations are good for the virus, but aren’t necessarily always bad for the human host. Many mutations can make the virus better at infecting cells, replicating, or transmitting to new hosts, but will have no effect on the severity or type of disease that they cause. In the case of B.1.1.7, there is fortunately no indication that the 23 mutations distinguishing the variant result in more severe Covid-19"

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/23/travel-bans-effective-new-covid-variant

Franklin, MA: Board of Health meeting recap - Dec 2, 2020

Quick Recap:

• discussion and overview of a prescription pharmacy being developed for pilot to assist seniors with chronic health conditions to gain a better diet; coordinating with Senior Center, Food Pantry and Winters Farmers Market, additional communications scheduled when ready for pilot
• discussion on possible enforcement items; rooster at residence where not allowed, chickens also there not covered by required permit; building demolition committed to by owner at Jordan Road site; paperwork on Title 5 septic system sizing for another residence discussed
• working with a dance studio on possible competition trip out of state that could results in fines if travel order not complied with
• COVID-19 cases increased again this week but we're still in yellow status as positivity rate dropped from 4+ to 3+ (if over 5, would revert back to a prior level)
  

Photos captured during the meeting and shared via Twitter can be found in one folder  https://photos.app.goo.gl/rshQADQdd8wXhq5r7

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As with most meetings in this pandemic period, I took my notes via Twitter during the meeting reporting in real-time via the virtual session.
 
The Twitter hashtag can be found online  #BoH1202
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BoH1202&src=typeahead_click

• Real time reporting underway for the Board of Health meeting #boh1202
• Intern working to develop a pilot for a Prescription pharmacy coordinating with the Senior Center, food pantry, farmers market, etc to prescribe a set of foods to help a person have a better diet …
• And help people use diet to address chronic health conditions; diabetes for example. Using a prescription (known format) to help coordinate with the orgs for the person with a health conditions #boh1202
• Person with rooster (unauthorized) has been notified but not responded
• Also has chickens on site that are not permitted. Apparently owner ignoring notifications to this point. #boh1202 titled 5 system has capacity for more than what the house has bedroom, capacity for.
• Owner has agreed to either demo or rebuild the building on Jordan Rd (subject of fire couple of years ago). #boh1202 aware via parents of a dance studio competition in NH, would be violating the current travel order and disregard the ban. Potential fines to be faced
• Obtained letter verbiage from DPH to obtain student/family info so she can cross reference the travel order. If they don't comply, potential fines to be faced per individual in violation. #boh1202 Board approves course of action. DLS could fine $5k for not working with the board
• Number of COVID cases climbing, over 200 positive, still yellow per positivity rate; discussion on notifications to businesses and Community if we were to change, and capacity would reduce as we step back #boh1202
• If we reached more than 5% positivity rate we'd change status, had been 4 and dropped to 3.
• Motion to adjourn, voted 2-0 to adjourn #boh1202 catch you later (Town Council meeting at 7 PM) 

 

screen grab of process for prescription for health diet

"State officials don’t expect a full recovery for several years, particularly in business travel"

From the Boston Globe, an article of interest for Franklin:

"The Massachusetts Port Authority is trimming about 25 percent of its workforce through layoffs and voluntary buyouts as it reacts to an unprecedented plunge in air travel at Logan Airport due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The port authority avoided layoffs in its first big round of budget cuts in the spring, but not this time. The downturn in jet passenger traffic has been far more protracted than Massport executives anticipated, forcing them to plug a new shortfall exceeding $100 million in this fiscal year’s budget.

“We are trending below our worst-case, business-activity forecast at Logan Airport,” Massport chief executive Lisa Wieland told the port authority board on Thursday. “It’s hard, and I hoped we wouldn’t be here. Unfortunately, we are.”

Rather than rebounding as Wieland and others had hoped, the number of passengers actually declined in August from July levels, and again in September. Only about 633,000 passengers were tracked through Logan in September, an 82 percent plunge compared with the same month a year ago. The number of flights, meanwhile, was down 64 percent, year over year."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

With Logan traffic still down, Massport cuts 25 percent of its workforce - The Boston Globe

 

From CommonWealth Magazine we share an article of interest for Franklin:

"FACING MASSIVE financial strain inflicted by the pandemic, the Massachusetts Port Authority plans to slash its workforce by about 25 percent through a combination of voluntary retirements, buyouts, furloughs, and layoffs.

The cost-cutting effort comes as Massport officials grapple with a $400 million budget gap projected over the next three fiscal years, driven by passenger volumes at Logan International Airport dropping to their lowest level in decades.

With a current workforce of about 1,300 full-time employees, hundreds of Port Authority employees could take incentivized retirements or buyouts, be terminated, or forced to take several unpaid days off in the coming months. 

“If we thought the airport would be coming back soon, maybe we could try other approaches, but we are years, many years, away from getting back to the number of passengers that were carried last year, and we have to be realistic about the right size for our workforce,” Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack said."

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/transportation/with-travel-way-down-massport-to-cut-workforce-25/

BFCCPS to continue their "phased-in to hybrid learning plan"

Dear BFCCPS Community, 

This week BFCCPS started to welcome back our Sixth Grade students who are participating in hybrid learning. Our Seventh and Eighth Grade students who are participating in hybrid learning will phase-in starting on December 3.  

You may have recently read that the Governor and the DESE have encouraged schools to consider full-in person education. However, we have determined that at this time, BFCCPS can not maintain the outlined safety protocols and procedures for health and safety in a traditional full class size. The BFCCPS Administration has recommended, and the Board has agreed, that we will continue with our phased-in to hybrid learning plan. We will continue to monitor the local and state COVID trends as significant increases may lead us to consider full remote learning for all students. We are incredibly proud of the work that the BFCCPS Community has done to implement our phased in return, and believe that this plan is our best opportunity to provide an in person educational model while maintaining safety protocols and procedures. This plan is designed to keep our faculty, staff, students and families as safe as possible during this unprecedented pandemic.   

We will plan to keep students in their current homeroom and hybrid/Remote Academy placements. If you are the parent or guardian of a student in Kindergarten through Grade Five and would like to request a change of instructional model starting in January through the end of the school year, please fill out this form. The deadline to place this request is Friday, December 4th. Please note that a change of instructional model may result in your child being assigned to a different homeroom teacher. We can not accept requests for specific in-person days for students moving from the Remote Academy into hybrid learning.   Please also note that a transfer may take several weeks as any movement may have significant implications for staffing and transportation.

New Student Travel Policy & Upcoming Holidays: The Board of Trustees has voted at the November meeting to approve a new policy titled Student Travel Under Mass Travel Order 45 in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The holiday season is rapidly approaching and we have been discussing implications with respect to the Massachusetts Travel Order.  We recognize that it is likely that staff and families may be travelling out of state, or entertaining out of state guests.  

It is important to recognize that in accordance with the Massachusetts Travel Order, and the BFCCPS Daily Attestation, any students, faculty or staff who are travelling outside of the U.S or to a state deemed high risk must quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result before returning to in-person education. Please note that if a student is enrolled in hybrid instruction and is required to quarantine as a result of travel, BFCCPS will not be able to accommodate requests for full remote learning during their self-quarantine. Students will be eligible to participate in their regularly scheduled remote learning and can complete available asynchronous learning opportunities. 

Full Remote Learning Days Scheduled: In order to create an opportunity for staff, faculty and families to celebrate the holidays with their families; the Board of Trustees has voted to move November 30th, December 1st, January 4 and January 5th to full remote days. This adjustment to the calendar is designed to provide families and staff the opportunity to safely celebrate the holidays (if they so choose), travel home and secure a negative test result before returning to school.  

We thank the entire BFCCPS Community for your continued cooperation and support.

Be kind and safe Ben Franklin,

Heather Zolnowski
BFCCPS
Executive Director 

Shared from the BFCCPS page

http://bfccps.org/community-update-from-the-executive-director-november-13/

BFCCPS school sign at the entrance (taken day of ribbon cutting)