Liquor/All Alcohol licenses up for changes and/or approval for next Town Council meeting

One of the ways my informational radar works is with alerts. The Town of Franklin has a number of alerts that can be set up for you to receive an email with an update. Monday morning, was busy as three public hearings were announced for the next Town Council meeting April 6, 2022.

• Birchwood Bakery is applying for a new all alcohol license for their restaurant  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/2022-03-21_legal_ad_-_birchwood_bakery_legal_ad_-_web.pdf
• Pour Richard's is looking to move from their current location to a suite in the building where Green Mountain Chocolate was  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/2022-03-21_legal_ad_-_pour_richards_-_web_1.pdf
• 3 Restaurant is looking to make their outdoor dining permanent  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/2022-03-21_legal_ad_-_3_restaurant_alteration_of_premises_-_web.pdf

To set up an alert, visit this page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/subscribe

This works for some aspects of Town business. Alerts and notifications are a work in progress and I will continue to advocate for additional alerts. 

In the meantime, you can also subscribe to the calendar so when an item gets added to the calendar you get notified. An RSS reader is needed for this however.   https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar  (Scroll to the bottom of the page to find the RSS icon, click it and subscribe with your RSS Reader).

Sign up for alert notifications here -> https://www.franklinma.gov/subscribe

Health Department: Weekly Wellness Update - Nutrition

March's Health Observance is Nutrition. Read nutrition labels; packaging can have misleading labels and false advertising.  

Learn more at: www.cdc.gov/nutrition

You received this message because you are subscribed to the [Town of Franklin-Health Department] group.

Replies to this email will go to the Town of Franklin-Health Department group. To reply only to Alisha Deptula, email adeptula@franklinma.gov.

Infant and Toddler Nutrition

Town of Franklin, MA: You can now set up to receive Health Department Alerts

"The Health Dept. has created a push notification system for residents interested in  public health updates info such as COVID-19,  updates from @MassDPH, vector borne diseases, wellness information and more. 

Sign up here under the Health Department Group: https://t.co/GIksgJuuA2"

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOFranklinMA/status/1490825453879193601

When I logged in, it took me to my profile page. I verified the phone and email accounts I wanted to be used for the notifications. On the left menu, select "Groups" - and "Join" the Health Dept group.

After joining, the notification looks like this for my profile

You can now set up to receive Health Department Alerts

National Weather Service readies for the 2021 hurricane season. Are we ready?

The weather is so nice and warm, after being confined indoor for winter (and due to COVID=19) it is about time we could enjoy it. Did you know that hurricane season officially starts soon? Alerts started on May 15. The season officially opens June 1.

Sign up for alerts from the National Weather Service (NWS)  https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Additional info on service enhancements for this season as well as info on the social media accounts to track   https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/NHC_new_products_services_2021.pdf

Oops, we already missed "Hurricane preparedness week" (May 9-15)

https://www.weather.gov/wrn/hurricane-preparedness

"Today, May 15th, marks the first day of routine issuance of the
Atlantic basin Tropical Weather Outlook in 2021. This product
describes significant areas of disturbed weather and their potential for tropical cyclone formation during the next five days. The Tropical Weather Outlook is issued from May 15 through November 30 each year. The issuance times of this product are 2 AM, 8 AM, 2 AM, and 8 PM EDT. After the change to standard time in November, the issuance times are 1 AM, 7 AM, 1 PM, and 7 PM EST. 

A Special Tropical Weather Outlook will be issued to provide
updates, as necessary, in between the regularly scheduled issuances of the Tropical Weather Outlook. Special Tropical Weather Outlooks will be issued under the same WMO and AWIPS headers as the regular Tropical Weather Outlooks. 

A graphical version of the Tropical Weather Outlook is available on the web at: https://www.hurricanes.gov."

There are no tropical cyclones in the Atlantic at this time.

FTC Consumer Alerts: Avoid a season of mis-giving

Avoid a season of mis-giving by Jennifer Leach; Associate Director, Division of Consumer & Business Education, FTC It's the 6th day of Consumer Protection, and maybe you're in a giving spirit. 'Tis the season, right? If you like to donate to charities at the end of the year, 'tis also time to make sure your donations get to the places you mean them to go. Because this year, lots of charities could really use the help.   Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/12/avoid-season-mis-giving?utm_source=govdelivery  This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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Franklin Police: Recent home breaks in area communities

Recent home breaks in area communities

The Franklin Police Department has become aware of Residential B&E's that have occurred in several other cities and towns over the last month. These breaks all appear to have targeted the Asian and Indian communities.

In 2019 the town of Franklin experienced several Residential B&E's where the Indian community was also targeted.

With the holidays upon us The Franklin Police Department would like to remind all of our residents to remain vigilant. Please don't hesitate to contact this department in regards to any suspicious persons, vehicles or activity. Please be ready to describe in as much detail as possible any suspicious persons or vehicles you see when you call. This will help us identify them if they are still in the area when officers respond. 

The Franklin Police Department wants all of our residents to have a happy and safe holiday.

Shared from  https://www.franklinma.gov/police-department/news/recent-home-breaks-area-communities

Download a copy of the press release   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/news/psabes.pdf

Franklin Police: Recent home breaks in area communities

MBTA Franklin Line: Through Wednesday - Franklin Line delay due to signal problem

All outbound Franklin Line trains may experience delays up to 20 minutes between Windsor Gardens and Forge Park/495 due to a signal issue. Individual alerts will be sent as needed.

Last Updated: Sep 22 2020 10:42 PM

Up to date alerts can be found on the MBTA page  https://www.mbta.com/schedules/CR-Franklin/alerts

 

MBTA Franklin Line: Through Wednesday - Franklin Line delay due to signal problem

FTC: Remote learning and children’s privacy

Remote learning and children's privacy by Lisa Weintraub Schifferle - Attorney, FTC, Division of Consumer and Business Education "Social distancing," "shelter-in-place," "virtual happy hour" – these are some of the new expressions on everyone's lips the past few weeks. For many kids, parents, and teachers, add "remote learning" or "distance learning" to the list.  Because of Coronavirus-related school closures, millions of students are now learning from home. For parents who are concerned about the privacy and security of their children's personal data while they're learning online, here are some things to know. Read more  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/04/remote-learning-and-childrens-privacy?  This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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"accidentally reports every student absent"

"The parents and guardians of students attending John F. Kennedy Memorial School received quite the surprise on Thursday morning - a message reporting their child as being absent.

Just after 10 a.m., an error caused by the district’s automated absentee notification system notified each family affiliated with the Pond Street elementary school that their child was not present, according to Superintendent of Schools Sara Ahern.

“We use an automated system to send out messages to parents/guardians when we are not contacted by them to notify us when a student will be absent for the day,” said Ahern. “A mistake was made and the message was sent to all Kennedy Elementary School families at approximately 10:09 a.m.”

She said the error was “caught right away and a clarifying message was sent promptly at approximately 10:14 a.m.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200130/franklin-elementary-school-accidentally-reports-every-student-absent

A message went out to the Kennedy Elementary community regarding student absences. It was sent in error and has caused some alarm in the community. We are working to correct it.

— Franklin Public Schools, MA (@FranklinPSNews) January 30, 2020

https://twitter.com/FranklinPSNews

"This video is a concern and similar to past viral videos that encourage unsafe behavior"

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

"The state fire marshal on Tuesday put all Massachusetts fire chiefs on alert that his office has already received reports of two instances in which teens trying to re-create a viral video have caused electrical system damage or fire.

Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey said a video that’s gained attention on the TikTok app has encouraged teens to partially insert the plug part of a phone charger into a wall outlet and then slide a penny down the wall to make contact with the two exposed prongs.

“The result is sparks, electrical system damage, and in some cases fire,” the fire marshal said in a memo to fire officials around the state. “This video is a concern and similar to past viral videos that encourage unsafe behavior. You might reach out to local news outlets, school officials, and parent organizations. Alert them to this challenge, advise them to, not only look for signs of fire play like scorched outlets, but to have conversations about fire and electrical safety with tweens and teenagers.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200121/viral-video-prompts-fire-marshal-to-put-chiefs-on-alert

Editor's note:

Readers may recall that the Franklin School District dealt with a video also shared via TikTok recently. This app should not be on personal phones, especially those of our youth.

The app has been banned by the US Army, US Navy and other Defense Dept organizations are likely to follow suit. It is developed by a Chinese company and determined to have "potential security risks"

Why ban the app?

"As of mid-December, the Army began advising soldiers to stop using TikToK on all government-owned phones, Ochoa said. The U.S. Navy recently put out similar guidance, prohibiting the use of TiKTok on government phones, according to reports by Gizmodo and other publications.

The policy reversal on TikTok comes after the release of a Dec. 16 Defense Department Cyber Awareness Message identifying "TikTok as having potential security risks associated with its use," according to the message.

The guidance directs all Defense Department employees to "be wary of applications you download, monitor your phones for unusual and unsolicited texts etc., and delete them immediately and uninstall TikTok to circumvent any exposure of personal information."

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/12/30/army-follows-pentagon-guidance-bans-chinese-owned-tiktok-app.html

Link to article on US Army ban of app
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50952473

NY Times article on this Defense Dept action to ban the app
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/04/us/tiktok-pentagon-military-ban.html

Franklin Police: Media Release, Missing Person

Media Release, Missing Person

January 19, 2020

23:20 hrs

Franklin, Massachusetts: The Franklin Police Department is seeking the public's assistance in locating female party reported missing on 1/18/2020. Kayla QUAGAN, age 35 of Franklin was last seen on January 17th, 2020 in the morning hours. QUAGAN's vehicle is a 2009 gray Honda bearing Massachusetts registration 8CJ415. QUAGAN also was last seen with her small dog, named Jimmy.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of QUAGAN is asked to call the Franklin Police Department at (508) 528-1212. At this time this is just a check for well being.

QUAGAN has been entered into the national missing person's database. Any agency with contact with her, or with the vehicle, is asked to contact Franklin Police.

Franklin Police: Media Release, Missing Person

FTC settlement against University of Phoenix

FTC settlement against University of Phoenix by Colleen Tressler, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC Most people go to college to earn a degree and get a good job. In a competitive job market, it helps to have connections. So when a college or university claims it has relationships with well-known employers, that may convince you to attend. But beware: Claims like this may be a ploy to attract new students — and your tuition dollars.  In fact, the FTC says that's just what one for-profit university did as part of an extensive advertising campaign. Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/12/ftc-settlement-against-university-phoenix?utm_source=govdelivery   This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC settlement against University of Phoenix

FTC Consumer Alert: AT&T Unlimited Data Customers Getting Refunds

AT&T Unlimited Data Customers Getting Refunds by Alvaro Puig, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC You might have heard that AT&T agreed to return $60 million to customers for allegedly reducing the data speed on their unlimited data plans without telling them.  In its 2014 complaint, the FTC said that AT&T's practice of data throttling – slowing down the data speed for unlimited customers who used large amounts of data – was unfair and deceptive.  It was unfair because AT&T promised unlimited data, but didn't give customers the data they paid for. And it was deceptive because AT&T didn't tell customers it was reducing their data speed, says the FTC. Read more  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/11/att-unlimited-data-customers-getting-refunds?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission

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Additional details on settlement

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/11/att-pay-60-million-resolve-ftc-allegations-it-misled-consumers

MBTA Commuter Rail notice: alerts not functioning; weekend shuttle for Franklin Line

1 - From the MBTA this morning:

"Despite our efforts to resolve the problem last night, real-time location and prediction information continue to be unavailable due to a technical issue. We will post an update as soon as our system is working as intended.

Thank you for your patience."

Affected routes:

• Newburyport/Rockport Line
• Haverhill Line
• Lowell Line
• Fitchburg Line
• Framingham/Worcester Line
• Needham Line
• Franklin Line
• Fairmount Line
• Providence/Stoughton Line
• Middleborough/Lakeville Line
• Kingston/Plymouth Line
• Greenbush Line

Last Updated: Nov 09 2019 05:36 AM 

MBTA Commuter Rail notice:  weekend shuttle for Franklin Line

2 - South Station – Forge Park/495
Weekends  September 7 – November 24

"Bus shuttles will replace Franklin Line service between Forge Park/495 and Readville Stations while we upgrade the signal system as part of Positive Train Control (PTC) work. Also during this work, connecting train service between Readville and South Station will be on the Fairmount Line. There will be no Franklin Line service at Ruggles or Back Bay."

Learn about Positive Train Control

See all Franklin Line service changes
 

weekend shuttle for Franklin Line

FTC Consumer Alerts: New brochure for social media influencers

Who is a "social media influencer?" Actually while this message is targeted to those on social media who are attempting to make a living doing so, anyone on social media can be an influencer. It is good to be aware of the legal rules we should all play by.

FTC Consumer Alerts: brochure for social media influencers New brochure for social media influencers by Lesley Fair, Attorney, FTC Division of Consumer & Business Education Chances are you know an influencer – a person who works with a brand to recommend or endorse a product in social media. Maybe you work at a company that uses influencers or perhaps that describes you, a friend, or a family member.  Then you should read a new FTC brochure: Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers. Read more and download the brochure https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/11/new-brochure-social-media-influencers?utm_source=govdelivery  This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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MBTA Commuter Rail notice - Franklin Line not stopping at Ruggles

Due to downed catenary wires all Needham, Franklin, Providence, and Stoughton trains will not stop at Ruggles. Passengers may use the Orange Line at Back Bay to connect to Ruggles.


Last Updated: Aug 12 2019 05:36 AM
https://mbta.com/schedules/CR-Franklin/alerts?alerts_timeframe=current

MBTA Commuter Rail notice - Franklin Line not stopping at Ruggles

Equifax Data Breach Settlement: How to Claim Your Benefits

Equifax Data Breach Settlement: How to Claim Your Benefits by Alvaro Puig, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC Earlier this week, we told you that roughly half the people in the country can get benefits under a settlement that the FTC and others reached with Equifax. Now, you can now find out if you were affected by the September 2017 breach and make your claim for benefits. Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/07/equifax-data-breach-settlement-how-claim-your-benefits?utm_source=govdelivery  This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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If you were part of the unlucky group affected by the data breech as I was, then confirm that you were via this link  ftc.gov/Equifax

confirm that you were part of the Equifax breech via this link  ftc.gov/equifax

Once confirmed, you can also file a claim. The instructions are clear and the website easy to use. I filed my claim this morning

 

https://www.equifaxbreachsettlement.com/file-a-claim

 

What the FTC Facebook settlement means for consumers

What the FTC Facebook settlement means for consumers by Lesley Fair, Attorney, Division of Consumer & Business Education, FTC The next time users visit Facebook, things might not look different, but big changes are brewing behind the scenes. The FTC's record-breaking $5 billion settlement requires Facebook to conduct a massive overhaul of its consumer privacy practices. The settlement also makes major changes to Facebook's operations and CEO Mark Zuckerberg no longer has sole control over privacy. Read More https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/07/what-ftc-facebook-settlement-means-consumers?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Consumer Alert: Medicare does not give out DNA kits

Medicare does not give out DNA kits by Lisa Lake,  Consumer Education Specialist, FTC Here's one that goes to show just how creative scammers can be. The FTC is getting reports that callers claiming to be from Medicare are asking people for their Medicare numbers, Social Security numbers, and other personal information…in exchange for DNA testing kits.  The callers might say the test is a free way to get early diagnoses for diseases like cancer, or just that it's a free test, so why not take it? But the truth is, Medicare does not market DNA testing kits to the general public. Read more  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/07/medicare-does-not-give-out-dna-kits?utm_source=govdelivery  This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC shuts down student loan debt relief scheme

FTC shuts down student loan debt relief scheme by Colleen Tressler, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC It's a staggering number. More than 42 million Americans owe a total of nearly $1.5 trillion in student loan debt. It's no wonder people look for help. But not all help is legit. Scammers are targeting borrowers with student loan debt relief schemes that can actually make things worse. Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/07/ftc-shuts-down-student-loan-debt-relief-scheme?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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