Boston Globe: "state to partner with feds to help migrants obtain work permits"

"The state is partnering with the federal government to help migrants apply for work authorization documents, directing resources toward an avenue state officials consider key to alleviating the strain on the state’s overwhelmed emergency shelter system.

State and federal Homeland Security will co-host a clinic the week of Nov. 13 in Middlesex County, north of Boston. The state will organize appointments and provide transportation for migrants from shelter sites across the state to the clinic site.

The announcement comes as the clock ticks down to Wednesday, Nov. 1, when Governor Maura Healey said she will begin limiting how many families it will place in its emergency shelter system.

“We are glad that the Biden-Harris Administration is hosting this clinic with us, which will help process work authorizations as efficiently as possible,” Healey said in a statement. “This clinic will be critical for building on the work that our administration has already been leading to connect more migrants with work opportunities.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/10/30/metro/mass-migrants-work-permits-clinic/

Boston Globe: "state to partner with feds to help migrants obtain work permits"

Boston Globe: "Voicing history: Audio technology added to Boston Women’s Memorial"

"Ever wonder what story a statue would say if it could talk?

Well, if you’re passing by the Boston Women’s Memorial on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall with a smartphone, you can find out.

While not quite like “Night at the Museum,” a collaboration between the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail and the Talking Statues Association unveiled Saturday gives voice to First Lady Abigail Adams, poet Phillis Wheatley and suffragist Lucy Stone.

October marks the 20th anniversary of the Boston Women’s Memorial, a bronze by sculpture Meredith Bergmann. t

As part of the project, the sculpture now features a plaque with Bergmann’s name on it, a QR code, and Braille. It works like this: the QR code gets scanned on a smartphone and the person receives a call with the audio, the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail said in a statement."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/10/21/metro/voicing-history-audio-technology-added-boston-womens-memorial/

Boston Globe: "Voicing history: Audio technology added to Boston Women’s Memorial"

Insurance coverage changing, rates increasing in climate change

"It’s hard to believe now, given the subsequent rigamarole. But when Julia Shanks first learned that her insurance company wouldn’t renew her policy because it wanted to reduce its risk with “coastal properties,” the North Shore resident wasn’t particularly concerned.

Coastal? My house? she thought. “That’s ridiculous.”

Sure, she lives in a coastal town. But she’s a half a mile from the beach. Up a hill. Not in a flood zone. Once, when she asked a roofer to see if a roof deck would allow her to glimpse the water, he was blunt.

“You can’t see the ocean from anywhere in this house.”

But as Shanks, who asked that her town not be named, and other Massachusetts property owners are learning, insurers are becoming increasingly risk averse. Experts say that features that were once considered acceptable are now sometimes triggering price increases or even nonrenewals from insurers. A property that is less than two miles from the water may be rejected, for example, or an older home — built many decades ago — that may have outdated systems or hard-to-replace materials. Or, heaven forbid, its owner has committed the sin of all sins and filed claims in the past five years."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/10/22/business/got-insurance-climate-change-inflation-are-driving-up-insurance-prices-homeowners-condo-associations-some-policies-arent-being-renewed-all/

WATCH: Florida & California homeowners are having trouble getting coverage. Will the trend spread to Massachusetts? Reporter Beth Teitell has an ominous forecast

Franklin takes 5th straight Dalton Award, FHS girls soccer lose match with Bishop Feehan

Via Twitter and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the fall sports competition for Franklin High School on Saturday, Oct 21, 2023. 

Girls Soccer = Franklin, 0 vs. Bishop Feehan, 1 – Final

For other results around the league (subscription required)

https://hockomocksports.com/saturdays-schedule-scoreboard-10-21-23/

Via the Boston Globe

The 10 divisional winners for the 2022-23 Globe Scholastic Awards, now in their 51st year, in which schools are ranked based on their regular-season win percentage. Scores are compiled and updated daily during the season through the Globe’s database at https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/high-schools/.

Dalton Division 1 — Franklin captured its fifth straight Dalton, winning 74.7 percent of its games for an aggregate 251-83-6 overall record. The Panthers surged ahead in the fall with an 84-15-3 mark, fueled by standout seasons in field hockey (18-2-1), football (7-3), boys’ soccer (16-4-1), and girls’ volleyball (16-4). In the winter, the basketball teams both won the Hockomock League and combined for a 37-7 record, before baseball (23-4), girls’ lacrosse (20-4), and boys’ lacrosse (20-4) ruled.

Shared from Boston Globe (subscription maybe required ->

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/10/21/sports/here-are-10-divisional-winners-2022-23-globe-scholastic-awards/

-----------

Reminder that HockomockSports.com changed to a subscription model in July. I have a subscription to view and share the FHS results that they provide. If you want to view all the worth Hockomock League reporting they do, subscribing is a good thing. It is quite reasonable. The subscription link is provided below.

To subscribe to HockomockSports.com ->

https://hockomocksports.com/sign-up/#utm_source=HockomockSports&utm_medium=HomepageDesktop&utm_campaign=20232024

FHS Panther sports results shared via subscription to HockomockSports.com

Boston Globe: "IRS will offer a new option to file your tax return in 13 states — and Massachusetts is one of them"

"In 2024, some taxpayers will have for the first time a new filing option that many advocates have been demanding for years: A free tax preparation software program, like TurboTax or its competitors, created by the IRS.

For its first filing season, the program, Direct File, will be available in only 13 states and won’t be suitable for all taxpayers, the IRS announced on Tuesday. If you want to be one of the first to try it out, you’ll need a special invitation.

Selected taxpayers will get invitations around mid-February, an IRS official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the program before Tuesday’s announcement.

If all goes well with those early filers, the official said, the program will gradually open up to more users. By the time of the tax filing deadline in April, the IRS’s goal is that the program will be open to anyone who wants to use it in the 13 eligible states. The IRS said in an email Tuesday that the agency anticipates hundreds of thousands of users."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)  

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/10/17/business/irs-offer-new-option-file-your-tax-return/ 

Read the IRS press release, no subscription required

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-advances-innovative-direct-file-project-for-2024-tax-season-free-irs-run-pilot-option-projected-to-be-available-for-eligible-taxpayers-in-13-states

The IRS plans to invite a select group of taxpayers across 13 states to try out the agency’s pilot electronic free file tax return system, beginning this January.PATRICK SEMANSKY/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Help for blind and impaired vision coming via MA Blind Commission

"The commission has now officially turned the page. Last month, Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh replaced D’Arcangelo with John Oliveira, a veteran worker whose appointment prompted sustained applause during a staff meeting when it was announced, according to union representatives.

Head of Massachusetts child welfare agency to leave for D.C. advocacy organization

Oliveira, 62, is respected and well liked, said people who fought to oust the previous commissioner, but his appointment alone won’t rebuild an agency that remains plagued with slow service and overwhelming case loads.

“It took a long time for the commission to deteriorate as much as it did,” said Amy Ruell, a Maine-based national advocate for blind people with impaired vision who until recently lived in Massachusetts. “It’s going to take a long time for it to recapture some of its power and service delivery.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/10/10/metro/blind-commission-massachusetts-darcangelo-oliveira/

John Oliveira, the new commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind.LANE TURNER/GLOBE STAFF

Two articles, two different locations, indicate a return to paper (long print news & paper fliers)

"In a digital age of 24-hour rolling news, newspapers worldwide are investing resources in their online editions. But a US publisher has gone back in time by launching a print-only broadsheet in the style of a 19th-century newspaper.

Called County Highway, it is responding to a demand from readers for in-depth stories and writing that needs time to savour. It will not have an internet edition.

Focusing primarily on the US and publishing every two months, it has a format partly inspired by Charles Dickens and other 19th-century authors whose stories were serialised in journals. It will include serialised books from its own new publishing house – an independent company that is taking on the conglomerates that dominate the industry.

“People read differently on the printed page than they do on a screen,” said the newspaper’s editor, David Samuels. “The printed page is an immersive experience without constant distractions or the spectre of other people’s responses on social media. It’s a much more enriching and human experience.”

Continue reading the article online -> (subscription may be required)

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/oct/01/americas-new-print-only-newspaper-county-highway-reinvents-the-art-of-reading-slowly

County Highway is designed to look like a 19th-century newspaper.

"Billy Markowitz knows there aren’t many people into “cardistry,” the art of shuffling, tossing, and manipulating playing cards in impressive ways.

 

But if you’re searching for fellow fans of the niche hobby, targeting the throngs of college kids, artists, and creatives who pass through Cambridge and Somerville daily is a good place to start.

So when it came time to promote his new monthly “cardistry” meetups, that’s where he headed.

And he knew just how to get their attention: paper fliers."

Continue reading the article online -> (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/09/28/metro/the-story-behind-strange-fliers-in-cambridge-and-somerville/

Boston-area artists, businesses, promoters, and event planners are still relying on an old-standby: paper fliers.DAVID L. RYAN/GLOBE STAFF

Tax relief package set for MA House/Senate votes Weds/Thur

"Hailing it as a historic win for taxpayers, Massachusetts lawmakers will begin voting Wednesday on a $1 billion tax package that would boost tax breaks for families, seniors, and others while slashing state taxes on profits from short-term investments, a change that had divided Democrats.

The package would save hundreds of thousands of taxpayers a collective $561 million this fiscal year, according to legislative officials, with expectations that the total savings would eventually climb to just over $1.02 billion once it goes into full effect in fiscal year 2027, which begins July 1, 2026.

Its emergence follows nearly two years of debate and months of closed-door negotiations about how best to ease the burden on taxpayers squeezed by the state’s rising cost of living and bring the tax code more into line with other states.

The House is expected to vote on the measure Wednesday, and the Senate on Thursday, and it is expected to pass and move on to Governor Maura Healey, who has championed the need for tax relief."

Continue reading the article (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/09/26/metro/massachusetts-tax-relief/

Senate President Karen E. Spilka and House Speaker Ronald Mariano (right) unveiled the tax relief deal during a press conference in the Senate Reading Room. PAT GREENHOUSE/GLOBE STAFF

Commonwealth Magazine provides their coverage ->

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/state-government/legislative-leaders-roll-out-generational-tax-package/

and here -> https://commonwealthmagazine.org/state-government/tax-relief-bill-alters-refunds-under-tax-cap-law/

“In terms of a moral imperative, it’s despicable to think we can’t do better”

"Nearing 70 years old, Mary McPeak had long had a stable home in Greater Boston. But after a breakup four years ago, she suddenly found herself unmoored, couch-surfing at friends’ homes or renting a room while she faced years-long wait lists for affordable senior housing.

Then a break: McPeak “won the lottery,” figuratively and quite literally, when she was selected in 2020 by lottery for a new senior housing complex, the Brown Family House in Brookline run by 2Life Communities.

“It was sheer, blind, ridiculous luck,” said McPeak, now 73. The retired secretary has lived in her subsidized one-bedroom apartment for nearly three years now. “It was so lucky, it was enough to believe in God.”

Such is the state of affordable housing for seniors in Massachusetts, where it seemingly takes divine intervention to find a home. In an inventory-starved market, the graying population faces some of the steepest hurdles in the country to secure an affordable place. So dire is the situation, some argue, seniors should be prioritized in the state’s response to the wider-ranging housing crisis."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/09/06/metro/massachusetts-needs-more-senior-housing/

“It was sheer, blind, ridiculous luck,” said Mary McPeak, 73, of her subsidized apartment. SUZANNE KREITER/GLOBE STAFF

Boston Globe: "Cold virus season is nearly upon us. Here’s what to know about new RSV, COVID, and flu shots"

"It’s almost time for seasonal viruses to return to the forefront of everyone’s minds. But, this year, there is good news: People will have more ways to protect themselves, thanks to new vaccines and injections for RSV, influenza, and COVID.

Here is what you need to know about the multiple shots doctors recommend this season."

Continue reading the Boston Globe article (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/08/22/metro/covid-rsv-boosters-fall-2023/

A health care worker prepared to administer a vaccine. NATHALIA ANGARITA/BLOOMBERG CREATIVE

Boston Globe Schools: "Franklin Post 75′s American Legion state champions"

"Alfred Mucciarone was not pleased with how the spring high school baseball season ended.

After Franklin lost in the state championship for the second year in a row, Mucciarone was left to decide how he would spend his final summer before playing in college at UMass-Lowell.

Why not play for his town one more time?

Mucciarone is one of a number of local seniors on the Franklin Post 75 Legion baseball team, which won its second straight state title Friday by defeating Shrewsbury Post 397, 6-5, at Mahan Field."

Continue reading the Bost Globe article (subscription may be required) ->

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/31/sports/franklin-post-75s-american-legion-state-champions-representing-their-town-one-more-time-meant-everything/

Shared via Boston Globe Schools (@GlobeSchools) tweet on Mon, Jul 31, 2023:

"For Franklin Post 75′s American Legion state champions, representing their town one more time meant everything https://t.co/5SwNrjrAt5"

Alfred Mucciarone and the Franklin High baseball team fell short this spring, but he and his teammates made up for it with another title-winning summer.MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE

Tick borne disease creates meat allergy; raises need for reminders on tick bite prevention steps

"Up to 450,000 Americans may have been affected by a potentially life-threatening red meat allergy caused by ticks as many doctors remain unaware of what it is or how to treat it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In new reports released on Thursday, the CDC found that between 96,000 and 450,000 Americans since 2010 may have been affected by alpha-gal syndrome. The syndrome, also known as a red meat allergy or tick-bite meat allergy, stems from alpha-gal, a sugar molecule not naturally present in humans. Instead, it is found in meat including pork, beef, rabbit, lamb and venison, as well as products made from mammals including gelatin and milk products.

“Because the diagnosis of alpha-gal syndrome requires a positive diagnostic test and a clinical exam, and some individuals with alpha-gal syndrome may not get tested, it is estimated that as many as 450,000 people might have been affected by AGS in the United States,” the CDC said, adding. “Of those aware of AGS, knowledge about diagnosis and management is low.”

Continue reading at The Guardian (subscription maybe required) ->

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jul/27/tick-bite-red-meat-allergy-ags-cdc

Other news outlet's provide coverage as well

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2023/07/27/tick-red-meat-allergy/

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/27/metro/lone-star-tick-meat-allergy/

Original report from CDC ->

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7230a2.htm

Franklin's Health Director Cathleen Liberty talks about ticks and insect borne diseases in this podcast ->  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/05/fm-271-franklin-health-director.html

From 2017 to 2021, there was an annual increase in positive AGS test results across the country, the CDC report said. Photograph: Jason Ondreicka/Alamy

MA budget to the Governor next week finally, maybe??

"After weeks of negotiations and two stopgap spending bills, state House and Senate Democrats announced Friday afternoon that they finally reached an agreement on the state budget for the fiscal year that started July 1.

While they did not announce any details, budget leaders said they are confident they will be able to vote on the budget on Monday.

“Our respective teams are actively engaged in ironing out the details and working diligently to finalize the agreement,” Senator Michael J. Rodrigues and Representative Aaron Michlewitz, who serve as budget leaders in their respective chambers, said in a statement. “We are confident that the Conference Committee Report will be filed in the coming days, ensuring that both the House and Senate will take up the report on Monday in formal session.”

Continue reading the Boston Globe article (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/28/metro/massachusetts-house-senate-budget-vote-late/

Michael J. Rodrigues, the Senate Ways and Means Chair, speaks to reporters in the Massachusetts State House on August 1, 2022.CARLIN STIEHL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE

Boston Globe: A 27-mile community-made trail brings urban hiking to Boston

"Like many fresh ideas in recent years, the inspiration for an official urban hiking trail in Boston came during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Miles Howard, who would go on increasingly longer walks to feel the “escape of a hike” without leaving Greater Boston.

“We really had to make the most of what we had here in our backyard,” Howard, a freelance journalist who has written for The Boston Globe, said of his treks in 2020. “These adventures became kind of a pastime during the first year of the pandemic.”

Then, Howard took a hike on the Crosstown Trail, which connects opposite areas of San Francisco through hidden trails, public parks, and shopping corridors. Upon returning to Boston, Howard set out to create a similar path that would use existing parks, streets, and landmarks in the city.

The result was the Walking City Trail, an unofficial trail mapped by Howard through existing walkways that stretches 27 miles across 17 neighborhoods from its origin in Mattapan to its finish at Bunker Hill."

Continue reading the article at the Boston Globe (subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/24/metro/boston-walking-city-trail/

A 27-mile community-made trail brings urban hiking to Boston

Beyond hot takes: Reporting on a warming planet (audio)

Sabrina Shankman (@shankman) tweeted on Thu, Jul 20, 2023:

"It was such a pleasure to talk to @NewsLitProject about climate science, climate journalism, the difference between "global warming" and "climate change," and how this all got so politically charged to begin with."

Shared from Twitter -> https://twitter.com/shankman/status/1682036999421841416

"NEW, timely podcast episode: We talked to @BostonGlobe climate reporter @shankman about reporting on a warming world. How does she effectively communicate about the science to the Globe's audience? Listen & subscribe where you get your podcasts or https://bit.ly/S3E7NLP"

 

Beyond hot takes: Reporting on a warming planet (audio)

Boston Globe: "Massachusetts is building a green economy, but does it have the workers to do so?"

"It’s going to take 38,100 workers to help Massachusetts transition to a clean energy state.

That’s according to a report published Wednesday by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), a quasi-public agency that supports the state’s green energy industry. The paper forecasts thousands of new jobs by 2030 in order to meet the state’s decarbonization goals. And as of now, we’re not ready to fill them.

The report classifies a worker as a “clean energy worker” if they are working in renewable energy, energy efficiency, alternative transportation, or other decarbonization efforts. These jobs include electricians who install electric panels, insulation workers who help maximize the efficiency of heating and cooling systems, or construction workers who help install electric vehicle charging stations.

According to the center’s analysis, Massachusetts needs its clean energy workforce to expand by 37 percent from its current size of 104,000. However, the report also reflects the current challenges of filling those positions today. For example, 88 percent of companies that responded to MassCEC surveys said they have difficulty hiring workers for clean energy jobs."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/19/business/massachusetts-is-building-green-economy-does-it-have-workers-do-so/

A new report highlights the need for more electricians and other workers skilled in clean energy-related trades to fill an expected 38,000 jobs in Massachusetts by 2030.DAVID L. RYAN/GLOBE STAFF

Get your own copy of the MassCEC report here ->    https://www.masscec.com/sites/default/files/documents/Powering%20the%20Future_A%20Massachusetts%20Clean%20Energy%20Workforce%20Needs%20Assessment_Final.pdf

Globe All Scholastics for Spring 2023

The Globe salutes the region's best high school athletes and coaches in eight spring sports. Click on each sport to read about the honorees. Find the All-Scholastics section in print on Sunday, July 16.

Athletes of the Year - Baseball

Alfred Mucciarone

DIVISION 1: FRANKLIN | SENIOR

The right-hander was Franklin’s next dominant ace, recording a 1.24 ERA with 102 strikeouts in 67 innings for the Division 1 finalists. Mucciarone was the Hockomock MVP, had a 19-3 career record, and will pitch at UMass Lowell.

All-scholastics

Austin Campbell

FRANKLIN | JUNIOR

A breakout season saw the lefty finish 9-0, strike out 91 batters over 59 innings, and forge a 1.06 ERA during a 23-4 season for the Division 1 state finalists. The Hockomock All-Star plays summer ball for GBG.

Honorable mention

Henry DiGiorgio, junior, Franklin

Athletes of the Year - Boys Lacrosse

All-scholastics

Luke Davis

FRANKLIN | SENIOR

Franklin’s dynamic offense featured three All-American selections, and Davis led the charge with a program-record 141 points (83 goals, 58 assists) and a program-record 138 career assists. The Hockomock League MVP will play at Boston University.

Honorable mention

Justin Alexander, senior, Franklin

Jayden Consigli, senior, Franklin

Tyler Sacchetti, senior, Franklin

Athletes of the Year - Girls Lacrosse

All-scholastics

Kaitlyn Carney

FRANKLIN | SENIOR

The James Madison-bound Carney finished with 68 goals, 43 assists, and 101 draw controls and earned USA Lacrosse All-American honors. A two-time Hockomock All-Star, she helped guide the Panthers to the Division 1 semifinals.

Katie Peterson

FRANKLIN | SENIOR

Peterson powered the Panthers to the Division 1 semifinals, finishing the year with 65 goals, 40 assists, and 115 draw controls. The Hockomock League MVP and USA Lacrosse All-American was named the Franklin High Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Athletes of the Year - Girls Outdoor Track

Sarah Dumas

DIVISION 1: FRANKLIN | JUNIOR

The multi-talented junior won the pentathlon in dominant fashion at the Division 1 meet (3,335 points) and the Meet of Champions (3,341). She finished second at nationals (3,518). Individually, she also won the 100 hurdles at the Meet of Champions (14.37).

All-scholastics

Elizabeth Hopkins

FRANKLIN | JUNIOR

The school record holder in the javelin, Hopkins was the Division 1 (131-0) and Meet of Champions (131-2) winner in the event. She has a 4.58 GPA, is in the National Math Honor Society, and plays the cello.

Find the full listing -> https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/high-schools/all-scholastics/

 

FHS Panthers

Boston Globe provides final Spring Sports Top 20 rankings by sport & division

Franklin baseball finished #2, girls lacrosse finished #4, boys lacrosse #6 in the Spring Sports ranking from the Boston Globe. Read the brief on each sport and find the Top 20 listings here -> https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/06/24/sports/drum-roll-please-here-are-high-school-teams-that-cracked-globes-final-spring-top-20-polls/  (subscription may be required)

FHS Panthers

"Hope begins with truth" (video)

Sabrina Shankman (@shankman) tweeted on Mon, Jun 19, 2023:

In response to the story I wrote last week on ocean warming, a reader sent a link to a stunning piece of music performed by the @BangorSymphony that tells the story of the Gulf of ME's rising temperature. 

Worth a listen/watch: https://t.co/Vhm6lbEbzz

Shared from -> https://twitter.com/shankman/status/1670779875815292928

The video series introduction on the rising temperatures in the Maine coastline ->   https://youtu.be/mQCCtGHNdEk

The Warming Sea - March 19, 2022 Premiere - Opening Panel

https://youtu.be/JxuebWu2T2I

The Warming Sea - March 19, 2022 Premiere - Short Film

https://youtu.be/nwBEFIHgYh4

The Warming Sea - World Premiere March 19, 2022

https://youtu.be/IJat58h8ypE

HockomockSports.com: "Taunton Uses Fast Start to Beat Franklin, Repeat as Champs"

Josh Perry, Managing Editor of HockomockSports.com, provides the game recap for the Taunton vs Franklin D1 Baseball Final at Polar Park in Worcester on Sunday.

"There are few secrets between league rivals. When Franklin and Taunton squared off at Polar Park on Sunday night for the Div. 1 state championship (a rematch of the 2022 title game), it was the third meeting of the year and sixth in the past two seasons. Both teams knew exactly what they were up against in the final.

Going up against Franklin ace Alfred Mucciarone, Taunton’s strategy was to be aggressive, not allowing the Hockomock MVP to get up in counts and to try and get on the board first. The strategy worked perfectly.

Taunton (21-4) took advantage of uncharacteristic defensive lapses from the Panthers, got clutch hitting from the top of the order, and scored six runs in the opening two innings to support a stellar pitching performance from sophomore Jonny Escobalez. It all came together in a 7-2 victory, a second straight D1 crown, and the program’s third title in the past four seasons.

“With Mucciarone, he’s the best pitcher in the state, we knew we were going to be aggressive,” said Taunton coach Blair Bourque. “If he could get ahead, we knew we’d be in trouble, so we were trying to be very aggressive, barrel balls up, get guys on, we were able to capitalize.”

Continue reading the game recap ->

https://hockomocksports.com/taunton-baseball-uses-fast-start-to-beat-franklin-repeat-as-champs/

For a photo gallery from this game ->  https://hockomocksports.smugmug.com/2022-2023/Spring-2023/Franklin-Taunton-Baseball-06-18-23/

Boston Globe coverage of the D1 Finals ->   https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/06/18/sports/taunton-returns-top-division-1-baseball-beating-franklin-finals-rematch/

Franklin ace Alfred Mucciarone (HockomockSports.com photo)