Voices of Franklin: Paul DeBaggis - Thoughts on the current election

While I love the give and take of Franklin politics, the current special town council election seems headed toward creating a thorny precedent. Can the town uphold its reputation as having a “nice, small-town atmosphere?”  Will an average gal or guy have the money needed to run for office, or to contribute to a candidate?  To me, these questions are as essential to our local character as our views on housing, water supply, or education.

The Cobi Frongillo campaign website advertises, that along with lesser amounts, it encourages donations of $250 and $500 or more. This seems to contradict that candidate’s talking points of service, caring, community, and vision. Communities shifting to big-time politics generally create an era in which party politics rather than individual merit become dominant. I, for one, frown on this.

Where is the caring or the service when a local election becomes a case of “to he or she with the most money goes the victory”? How does the average voter preserve an equal standing with the one who can easily drop a $500 check into a particular campaign coffer?

Next year, at the Franklin regular town election, will multiple candidates seek large, disproportionate campaign contributions? If so, big money campaigns and less recognition of the individual voter will inevitably follow. This election may set that stage. Elections for the privileged—that’s no future Franklin Dream.

Paul DeBaggis
100 Milliken Avenue 

 

 

MA Office of Campaign and Political Finance - local election reminder

Don't be the candidate who 'remembers' at 3:00 PM that a critical report is due at 5:00 PM. Yes, Franklin is one of the 300 communities with a local election in 2021. We'll be voting for Town Council, School Committee, Town Clerk and other elected boards and committees.
 

"There are nearly 300 towns in Massachusetts with municipal elections early next year. If you're thinking of running for town office, email us at OCPF@cpf.state.ma.us for educational materials. #mapoli "

 

Shared from The Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance which administers the state's campaign finance law. https://t.co/lr6hJ9CZub

 
Video link = https://youtu.be/8ycnxkY4QMs

"I need to go do whatever I can"

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

"Throughout the presidential campaign, Jennifer O’Malley Dillon often repeated a mantra from her collegiate softball days to rally staff on endless Zoom calls: We can do hard things.

Even for someone with an optimistic attitude, 2020 presented a particularly high number of “hard things” for the woman running Joe Biden’s campaign — a pandemic that turned traditional campaigning upside down, a polarized left that wasn’t thrilled about a three-time, middle-of-the-road presidential candidate, an unpredictable opponent who frequently said the election was rigged before any votes were cast.

But the mantra, however unflashy, turned out to be true.

“Once she commits to a goal, she’s going to grind it out,” said longtime friend Cloe Axelson, who played softball at Tufts with Dillon and worked on early campaigns with her. “She’s so tough, and she just does the work.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/11/12/nation/one-most-important-political-operative-youve-never-heard/

You may recall the Washington Post ran an article in August

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/08/washington-post-how-jennifer-omalley.html

The Milford Daily News picked up on the Post article in October

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/10/in-news-jennifer-omalley-dillon-is-from.html

 

The Washington Post and MDN had also run an article in March when she joined the campaign https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/03/bidens-new-campaign-manager-is-franklin.html

“She’s so tough, and she just does the work," a friend said of Jennifer O'Malley Dillon.Andre Chung/For The Washington Post

Franklin Food Pantry Names Capital Campaign Committee

Hires Local Architect Firm and Project Manager to Renovate Pantry

The Franklin Food Pantry has announced members of its Capital Campaign Committee. The Capital Campaign Committee, led by Franklin Food Pantry Board member, Suzanne Gendreau, consists of local leaders and Pantry staff and will work to raise funds to renovate 138 East Central Street into a vibrant functioning Food Pantry. In April of 2020, The Pantry purchased the building to better serve its neighbors. In addition, The Pantry has hired Franklin-based Brad Chaffee of Camford Property Group as its project manager and Kuth Ranieri Architects as its architect to design the plans of the new Pantry.

Suzanne Gendreau

Along with Gendreau, the committee members include: Lynn Calling, executive director of the Franklin Food Pantry; Kim Cooper, donor relations manager; Ingrid Cornetta, public relations professional; Jeff Ellis, CPA;  Glenn Jones, town council member; Susan Morrison, realtor; Donna O'Neill, food pantry volunteer; Laura Often, communications manager; Jeff Roy, state representative and Steve Sherlock, Franklin Matters editor. For more information about the committee visit the Franklin Food Pantry website (https://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/new-building-updates/campaign/).

"We couldn't be happier with the group of people who have stepped up to help us raise the money we will need to make our dream of a new building a reality," said Lynn Calling, executive director of the Franklin Food Pantry. "The Franklin Food Pantry is more than just a food pantry, it is a place to build community, provide resources and help our neighbors improve their quality of life. By moving into a larger building, we will be able to store more food and hold places for our neighbors to meet together to better share resources as well as offer a safer place for our neighbors, volunteers and staff."

The Pantry has also selected Camford Property Group's Brad Chaffee to project manage the build out and named Kuth Ranieri Architects as its architect. The Franklin Food Pantry has conducted focus groups with staff, volunteers and neighbors to learn what they are looking for in a Pantry and the designs will reflect those suggestions and ideas.  "Brad's leadership will ensure that the project is both cost-effective and organized. With Brad, we selected Kuth Ranieri Architects because of their experience with civic projects and dedication to improving communities," continued Calling. "They also bring a local connection to the project so we know they will take extra care in ensuring that the building reflects the values of The Pantry and the Franklin Community."

The Franklin Food Pantry will launch a public capital campaign later this year. In the meantime, donors can visit here to make a donation to the campaign or can set up their own fundraising page here. For more information visit: www.franklinfoodpantry.org.

About the Franklin Food Pantry

The Franklin Food Pantry offers supplemental food assistance and household necessities to over 1,400 individuals. As a nonprofit organization, the Pantry depends entirely on donations, and receives no town or state funding. Between June 2019 and July 2020, 287,691, pounds of food was provided to clients. Other programs include the Weekend Backpack Program, Carts for Clients, Mobile Pantry, and holiday meal packages. Visit www.franklingfoodpantry.org for more information.

Local State races: Rausch and Roy win

For the two local State races

• Senator Becca Rausch beat Matt Kelly 61.1% to 38.9% 

via Boston Globe:  https://www.bostonglobe.com/elections/2020/massachusetts/state%20senate/norfolk%2C%20bristol%20%26%20middlesex/

• Representative Jeff Roy retains his seat running officially unopposed although there was a write in campaign.

via Boston Globe: https://www.bostonglobe.com/elections/2020/massachusetts/state%20house/10th%20norfolk/

Representative Jeff Roy retains his seat running officially unopposed

The unofficial election results for Franklin, MA as released Tuesday, Nov 3, 2020 by the Town Clerk Nancy Danello

To download your copy

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_sI-rdLmfxzXXdADdH5LGfdA66S9a4r8/view?usp=sharing

 

Cobi Frongillo Energizes His Base and Connects with Franklin Residents

Franklin special election Town Council candidate Cobi Frongillo kept his campaign momentum rolling on Saturday, October 31st, with a rally held at the Franklin Town Common. Volunteers and interested citizens showed up to munch on Fairmount Farm’s cider donuts and hear Frongillo speak on a chilly Halloween morning. “It was great seeing so much energy for local politics,” said Cobi Frongillo. “We look forward to a great turnout in the special election on December 5th.”

After the gathering, volunteers took to the neighborhoods of Franklin to deliver Frongillo’s handwritten letters to residents, introducing Frongillo’s history in service and vision for the community. A core tenet of Frongillo’s vision is an expansion of local civic engagement.

 

 

Cobi Frongillo Energizes His Base

Frongillo spoke to the crowd about the importance of local government, especially in an age of political unrest. “Local government is the best way for citizens to affect change in their community. Local government is what opens schools, plows roads, and supports business in Franklin. We have an opportunity this December to ensure Franklin’s local government truly represents and engages all residents in it's political process,” said Frongillo at the Common.

Frongillo drew on his extensive experience volunteering in Franklin and his academic background in public policy, with his research efforts recently earning him acknowledgements in the 2020 book “Hometown Inequality: Race, Class, and Representation in American Local Politics.”

En route to receiving his Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Massachusetts- Amherst in 2019, Frongillo also authored reports on the sustainable economic development of Downtown Franklin and municipal energy aggregation programs like the one starting in Franklin this month.

 

rally held at the Franklin Town Common

 

You can learn more about Cobi Frongillo’s campaign and vision on his website (cobifrongillo.com), Facebook page (facebook.com/Frongillo4Franklin), and Twitter account (@FrongilloCobi).

 

Franklin Voters: Election 2020 reminders

The early voting period completed Friday (Oct 30) at noon time.

 
If you have not sent in your mail ballot, please drop it off at the Municipal Building in the drive through (from 8 AM to 8 PM) or leave it in the dropbox at the Municipal Building.

If you plan on voting in person, all precincts vote in one location: Franklin High School. Parking should be available. It is a professional development day for the district, teachers may be around but no students.

Poll hours are from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM. (Note: this is a change as most prior elections open at 6 AM but not this time. Plan accordingly.)

According to the Town Clerk, more than 50% of the registered Franklin voters have already cast their ballots (via mail or early vote) so while it will be busy (10,000 plus voters anticipated) it shouldn't be too crazy.

If you need information to prepare to cast an informed vote, the Franklin voters guide can be found here:  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/10/franklin-community-voting-guide.html

Info on Ballot Question 3 - Community Preservation Act can be found here

https://www.cpaforfranklin.org/

The "election collection" of all the posts from the Primary through today can be found here:  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/08/2020-election-collection.html

If you want to "track your ballot"   https://www.sec.state.ma.us/wheredoivotema/track/trackmyballot.aspx

Drive through hours posted
https://www.franklinma.gov/home/news/extended-drive-thru-hours-begin-friday-october-9th

voting booths at FHS, taken during an observation period this weekend

If you do have vision problems, there is a special machine to help you. Check with one of the election workers as you enter the high school 

there is a special machine to help you if you have vision problems

 

CommonWealth Magazine: Budd nominated as chief justice; Baker PAC spends more backing Kelly

From CommonWealth Magazine we share two articles of interest for Franklin: 

"Baker nominates Kimberly Budd as chief justice" 

"GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Wednesday nominated Associate Justice Kimberly S. Budd, the only person of color on the Supreme Judicial Court, to become chief justice — the highest judicial position in the state.

If confirmed, Budd would become the first black woman to lead the court in its 328-year history, and only the second black chief justice, after Roderick L. Ireland. She is the third African American to serve as a justice on the SJC. At 54, she would also be the state’s youngest chief justice in 150 years.

Budd was nominated to the court by Baker in 2016 after Justice Fernande Duffly’s retirement. She is one of three women on the seven-member court, along with Elspeth Cypher and Barbara Lenk."

Continue reading article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/state-government/baker-nominates-kimberly-budd-as-chief-justice/

 

"Baker PAC spends more backing GOP candidates"

"Baker’s PAC also spent heavily trying to prevent the Republican Party from losing more ground in the state Senate, where the GOP currently holds just four seats. The PAC supported incumbent Republican Sens. Ryan Fattman of Webster and Patrick O’Connor of Weymouth with advertising expenditures of $53,251 and $53,594, respectively. The PAC also spent $50,244 supporting Republican challenger Matthew Kelly of Franklin, who is trying to unseat Democratic Sen. Becca Rausch of Needham."

Continue reading article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/baker-pac-spends-more-backing-gop-candidates/

Voices of Franklin: Raymond Milici -"Have You Noticed, l Have"

"Have You Noticed, l Have"

A recent letter to the editor published in the Milford Daily News accusing Matt Kelly of using misleading campaign tactics,  specifically, "a violation of copyright and campaign integrity," got me thinking about what's happening here in Franklin. It seems to be much of the same.

In Kelly's campaign mailings circulating throughout the district, you would get the impression that Jeffrey Roy. a Democrat. is endorsing Kelly. Representative Roy was asked and his answer was no. However photos of Kelly and Roy are prominently displayed on campaign mailings. This is an obvious attempt to attract Democrats to Kelly's campaign. This is not the person I would want representing me in the State Senate.

 

Link to article mentioned: www.milforddailynews.com/opinion/20201015/opinionletter-violation-of-copyright-and-campaign-integrity


Raymond D Milici 

Franklin

If you have something to say, you can find the guidelines here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html

 

Commonwealth Magazine: "Added unemployment benefits pass swiftly"; Massachusetts Majority PAC pays for Kelly mailing

From CommonWealth Magazine we share two articles of interest for Franklin:

"Added unemployment benefits pass swiftly"

"AS MANY AS 17,000 unemployed Massachusetts residents could become eligible for thousands of dollars in additional unemployment benefits under legislation that swept through the House and Senate and was signed by Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday to provide relief to residents who didn’t initially qualify for the federal Lost Wages Assistance program.

The federal program ran in Massachusetts for six weeks from the end of July through the first week in September, but in order to qualify for the additional $300 in weekly unemployment benefits a claimant had to be receiving at least $100 in weekly state benefits.

The bill passed by the Legislature on Monday increased the minimum benefit for any unemployment insurance beneficiary to $100 for the week ending Aug. 1 through the week ending Sept. 5."

Continue reading article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/economy/added-unemployment-benefits-pass-swiftly/

Massachusetts Majority PAC pays for Kelly mailing

"The Baker-affiliated PAC is supporting two other Republican senators facing Democratic challengers – Sen. Patrick O’Connor of Weymouth, who is running against Meg Wheeler of Cohasset, and Sen. Ryan Fattman of Sutton, who is running against Christine Crean of Milford. The PAC spent $35,209 on direct mail campaigns supporting each of the Republican senators. The fourth Republican senator, Minority Leader Bruce Tarr of Gloucester, is running unopposed.

The PAC also spent $30,538 on direct mail advertising supporting Republican Matthew Kelly of Franklin, who is running against incumbent Democratic Sen. Becca Rausch of Needham. The PAC did not support three other Republicans — John Cain of Southwick, James McMahon III of Bourne, and Steven Hall of Sturbridge – running against incumbent Senate Democrats."

Continue reading article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/baker-affiliated-pac-bypasses-sen-tran/

In the News: Rausch vs. Kelly in Senate race; case count over 1,000 2nd day in row

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

"In 2018, Sen. Becca Rausch, D-Needham, defeated incumbent Republican Richard Ross by less than 1,700 votes. Franklin Town Councilor Matt Kelly, R-Franklin, is vying for her spot this year.

On Nov. 3, voters will choose to either re-elect Raush, 41, to her seat on the state Senate to serve thousands across Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex counties, or incomer Kelly, 42, who has served on the Franklin Town Council since 2010.

Kelly, 42, calls himself “the common sense candidate” because of his experience on the Town Council, as a small business owner, marriage to a public school teacher and being the father of two girls, he said."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20201025/get-to-know-candidates-state-senate-race?rssfeed=true

 

 

"The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported an additional 1,097 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the statewide total to 147,210.

This marks the second straight day that state health officials reported 1,000-plus newly confirmed coronavirus cases. The last time that happened was May 20-21.

The daily positivity rate -- the rate of new cases diagnosed among those newly tested -- is 6.45%, which is the highest mark Massachusetts has seen since May 30 (7.32%)."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20201025/coronavirus-cases-positivity-rate-still-on-increase?rssfeed=true

 

Detail reports from the COVID-19 page for the State of MA

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-response-reporting

 

 

In the News: "Jennifer O’Malley Dillon is from Franklin"

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

"Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s campaign manager may be a familiar name to Greater Milford residents.

Jennifer O’Malley Dillon, who was named to the position in March, graduated from Franklin High School. Here’s what we know about her:

1) She’s a Franklin native.

O’Malley Dillon graduated from Franklin High School in the early 1990s."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required) 

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20201021/jennifer-omalley-dillon-is-from-franklin-four-things-to-know-about-joe-bidens-campaign-manager?rssfeed=true

Article from Washington Post in August

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/08/washington-post-how-jennifer-omalley.html

Commonwealth Magazine: money flows to opposition for one ballot question, group forms to fight the second question

From CommonWealth Magazine we share two articles of interest for Franklin: 

"THE NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE  industry is ponying up huge sums of money to defeat a question on the Massachusetts ballot that would give independent auto repair shops the right to access more information about the cars they are repairing.

As of August 30, car manufacturers had contributed $25 million to the Coalition for Safe and Secure Data, a ballot committee formed to defeat Question 1 on the November ballot, which would update the state’s existing “Right to Repair” law to explicitly cover telematics, which are systems that transmit information wirelessly."

Continue reading the article online
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/car-manufacturers-pool-25m-to-fight-auto-repair-ballot-question/ 

"The ranked-choice voting ballot campaign has been pushing its message for months with only minimal, informal opposition.

Now, with two months left before the election, an organization is finally forming to oppose ranked-choice voting, with the earliest supporters coming from the conservative wing of Massachusetts politics."

Continue reading the article online
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/the-download/opposition-forming-to-ranked-choice-voting-2/

 

"Objectively, the nation’s economic conditions are still dire"

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

On the campaign trail with President Donald Trump, the pandemic is largely over, the economy is roaring back, and murderous mobs are infiltrating America’s suburbs.

With Democrat Joe Biden, the pandemic is raging, the economy isn’t lifting the working class, and systemic racism threatens Black lives across America.

The first week of the fall sprint to Election Day crystallized dizzyingly different versions of reality as the Republican incumbent and his Democratic challenger trekked from Washington and Delaware to Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and back, each man on an urgent mission to sell his particular message to anxious voters.

All the conflicting messages carry at least a sliver of truth, some much more than others, as the candidates fight to navigate one of the most turbulent election seasons in modern history. And beyond legitimate crises threatening public health, the economy and public safety, a new divide erupted Friday over the military.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/zz/news/20200904/dueling-versions-of-reality-define-1st-week-of-fall-campaign/1?rssfeed=true

Commonwealth Magazine: "Baker targets 5 hotspots with ed campaign"

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

"THE BAKER ADMINISTRATION is launching a new, fairly basic COVID-19 education campaign targeting the five communities hardest hit by the virus.

Gov. Charlie Baker said the campaign will promote the use of masks, social distancing, and the avoidance of larger gatherings. The campaign will run in multiple languages, on billboards and social media, in Chelsea, Everett, Lawrence, Lynn, and Revere – communities where the rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people puts them in the high-risk category. (For a story on the latest town-by-town rankings, click here.)

Special teams will also be dispatched to the five communities – at 15 locations over the Labor Day weekend – reminding people of what they need to do to reduce the spread of the disease.

The five communities have struggled with COVID-19 since the beginning. Analysts have suggested the communities have been hard hit because residents tend to live in crowded apartments; to work essential jobs that require them to physically go to an office or a shop, often on public transit; and to cope with underlying health conditions that are exacerbated by pollution and other environmental factors. The five communities also have a high percentage of immigrants, who may not speak English."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required) 
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/health/baker-targets-5-hotspots-with-ed-campaign/

This week's local community COVID-19 status report

https://www.mass.gov/doc/weekly-covid-19-public-health-report-september-2-2020/download

Gov Baker's press conf link = https://youtu.be/waE3cvazQRo

 

In the News: "Gov Baker touts tax-free weekend, $2M local biz ad campaign"

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

"Gov. Charlie Baker visited a bicycle shop in Belmont on Tuesday, admitting after a tour that he and his wife, Lauren, have “kicked the idea around for awhile” of buying themselves bikes.

Baker insisted, “No, I wasn’t shopping,” but suggested he might take his own advice this weekend and go out to get himself two new wheels during the the state’s annual sales tax holiday weekend.

“I think it would be great if everybody who’s looking to buy pretty much anything that they’ve been putting off or that they might do at some point down the road to find a way to go out and make that happen,” Baker said Tuesday, after touring the award-winning WheelWorks bike shop, co-owned by Clint Paige.

The official reason for Baker’s visit was to draw attention to the upcoming tax-free weekend and announce a $2 million ad campaign that will run through the end of the year, encouraging residents to shop, dine out and travel at local stores and destinations."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required) 

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200825/baker-touts-tax-free-weekend-2m-local-biz-ad-campaign?rssfeed=true

The "My Local MA" web page  https://www.findmylocalma.com/

Gov Baker's press conf video  https://youtu.be/BwxCT9IT-tI

 

Voices of Franklin: State Rep Jeff Roy, State Rep Brian Murray "We are with Joe Kennedy"

We are with Joe Kennedy in his campaign for the United States Senate because he cares, he shows up and he leads.
 
We first saw Joe in 2010, talking about the need for civility in government. That speech captured our moral imagination and we sure hoped that he would run for office.
 
In 2012, he was in our communities talking with us and our friends about what he would do in Congress.
 
While a member of Congress, he has been a champion on  such very important issues as health care, manufacturing, substance use disorder, energy, the environment and civil rights,
 
We have witnessed firsthand his dedication, thoughtfulness and energy. His ability to work across the aisle with those who may have different beliefs is impressive, as is his ability to clearly see complex issues and get to the heart of the matter. And he does it all with a strong sense of empathy, a trait possessed by truly great leaders.
 
His service to our District is unparalleled. His commitment to constituent services for the folks throughout our communities has been exceptional.  His belief that everyone counts and should be counted is his high watermark.
 
At this moment in the history of our nation, we need his commitment, compassion and leadership on the floor of the United States Senate now more than ever.
 
Joe has been with all of  us, he is one of us and he has the vision to lead us.
 
That is why we hope you will join us in voting for Joe Kennedy for the U.S. Senate on September 1st. It is a vote not only for a better Commonwealth, but for a better country as well.
 

Jeffrey N. Roy
State Representative – Franklin & Medway

Brian W. Murray
State Representative – Milford, Medway Hopedale, & Mendon

Washington Post: "How Jennifer O’Malley Dillon transformed Joe Biden’s campaign"

From The Washington Post, an article of interest for Franklin:

"When Jennifer O’Malley Dillon was brought in to take over the Joe Biden campaign operation five months ago, she barely knew a soul there — and that included the candidate himself.

If that wasn’t a big enough adjustment, there was another big announcement during the staff meeting where she was introduced as campaign manager: Biden’s Philadelphia headquarters was about to be shuttered due to the coronavirus. Starting the next day, they all would be working remotely — indefinitely, it turned out.

Since then, O’Malley Dillon, 43, has been transforming what had been an underfinanced, undisciplined and dysfunctional Democratic primary operation into a general-election machine capable of carrying Biden through to the November election. (Disclosure: My adult son works for the Biden campaign.)

The lockdown order has meant that the nerve center of the campaign in which anxious Democrats are investing their hopes is now located on the third floor of O’Malley Dillon’s suburban Maryland home, where she is also raising twin 7-year-old daughters and a 2-year-old son. Her second-graders have taken to joking that their mother is “the ghost in the attic.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)  https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/how-jennifer-omalley-dillon-transformed-joe-bidens-campaign/2020/08/14/d49de192-dbdd-11ea-8051-d5f887d73381_story.html  

Jennifer O’Malley Dillon, Joe Biden’s campaign manager. (Andre Chung for The Washington Post)

“I kind of got hooked on the idea of using an emoji”

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

"Jami Pandiscio’s warning against texting while on the road will be hard for drivers to miss.

The Franklin teenager’s public service announcement design will be on billboards nationwide through the end of the year, after she won a national contest through Project Yellow Light.

“I saw some texting and driving ... in high school,” said Pandiscio, 18, in explaining why she entered the contest. “I’d constantly remind people to put their phones down, and I wanted to make a real difference, nationwide.”

Project Yellow Light was started to honor Hunter Garner, after the then-16-year-old and his friend died in a car crash in 2007, according to the program’s website. This is the ninth year of the contest, which is aimed at cutting down on distracted driving."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)  https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200814/franklin-teens-psa-against-texting-while-driving-to-be-on-thousands-of-billboards?rssfeed=true

“I kind of got hooked on the idea of using an emoji”

Massachusetts Norfolk County (Franklin & Medway) Representative Jeffrey Roy Endorses Alan Khazei For MA-04

Massachusetts State Representative and Chairman of the Joint Committee on Higher Education, Jeffrey Roy, announced his endorsement of Alan Khazei’s bid for Congress in the fourth congressional district on Wednesday, May 13. Calling Khazei a "movement leader, coalition builder, and policy innovator," Representative Roy highlighted his belief that Khazei is the candidate who is most prepared to effectively represent the 4th district in Washington.

The longtime public servant emphasized Khazei’s experience co-founding City Year, working with Senator Kennedy, President Clinton and President Obama to pass three major pieces of legislation creating and expanding AmeriCorps, his idea for “Restore the Dream Accounts” to relieve student debt and jumpstart all young people on the path to the American Dream, and his leadership in responding to the Covid-19 crisis by calling for policies like Emergency Wage Support to support Small Businesses, Vote by Mail, and one million Service Year Jobs.

“Alan Khazei has devoted decades to creating a culture of public service, through which he’s impacted the lives of more than 30,000 young leaders who have served through City Year and 1.1 million in AmeriCorps. We’ve seen first hand in Massachusetts how people in City Year and AmeriCorps programs put their idealism to work to educate our children, build housing, care for our elderly, and preserve our environment. They are given opportunities to learn important skills and access higher education, to achieve their full potential,” said Chairman Roy. 

“Recently, Alan’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic by supporting Vote by Mail legislation, which I’ve called for and we desperately need, and by proposing innovative policy solutions like Emergency Wage Support for small businesses and one million Service Year Jobs. I have no doubt that Alan will continue to be a leader in Washington where he will fight for progressive causes, including eliminating student debt, expanding health care, addressing climate change, reforming our democracy, sensible gun safety reform, and of course national service. He is the best candidate to effectively represent the 4th district.”

Massachusetts State Representative and Chairperson of the Joint Committee on Higher Education Jeff Roy has represented the 10th Norfolk district since he was first elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 2012. Before his election to the legislature, he was elected to the Franklin School Committee and later the town council, and as chairperson of the Franklin Democratic Town Committee. 

In addition to his career as a public servant, Chairman Roy is the founding partner at his law firm, Roy Law, in Franklin, Massachusetts. He primarily focuses on the representation of injured persons. He has represented clients at every level of the Massachusetts Judicial System, including in cases heard by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Jeff Roy is a recipient of the St. Thomas More Society of Worcester Law School Scholarship and winner of the American Jurisprudence Award for Constitutional Law.

Alan Khazei For MA-04

Reacting to Roy’s endorsement of his campaign, Khazei said, “I’m greatly honored to earn the endorsement of Chairman Roy. He commands a deep understanding of the needs of people in his district and our state and knows what it means to represent them effectively. Coming from Franklin, the home of our nation’s first Public Library and Horace Mann, Chairman Roy has been a tremendous champion for K-12 education and access to higher education so that every young person in Massachusetts has the chance to reach their fullest potential. 

Chairman Roy’s focus on putting his values into action, outstanding commitment to serving his constituents, solving problems, and building bridges is exactly the kind of leadership I want to emulate in Congress. If elected, I will work closely with Massachusetts leaders like Chairman Roy to advocate for those policies that the fourth district desperately needs, including better access to healthcare, recovering from the economic effects of Covid-19, tackling climate change, education, and addressing gun safety.” 

Alan Khazei campaign page  https://alankhazei.com/