Due to the continued snow cleanup this morning, the Franklin Municipal Building and town offices will have a delayed start time. All offices will open at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, February 2, 2021.
Shared from https://www.franklinma.gov/home/news/municipal-building-open-10am
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| Town of Franklin: Municipal Building to Open at 10 AM |
Senator Rausch State House Briefing
Part 2, Chapter 1 (January 26, 2020)
Dear friends,
I hope 2021 is off to a good and healthy start for you and your loved ones. I am proud and honored to continue serving as your Senator in this new term.
It’s fitting that my first newsletter to you in 2021 focuses on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Massachusetts. The good news is that we are moving into Phase Two of vaccine eligibility. Tomorrow morning, residents who are 75+ can start scheduling appointments to receive vaccinations. Please see key information in the section below.
Unfortunately, Massachusetts continues to rank near the bottom of all 50 states for vaccine administration, droves of doses remain on freezer shelves, and some doses are even ending up in the garbage because of the implementation failures to date, despite a solid plan from the Vaccine Advisory Board. The devil is always in the details, and the details have been a deadly disappointment. I share your deep frustrations about how poorly the vaccine rollout process has been so far, I continue to press the administration for improvements, and I worry that vaccination rollout and COVID management in Massachusetts may continue to be embarrassingly substandard going forward. In particular, I am concerned about access to appointment sign-ups, physical ability to get to a vaccination site, inequitable vaccination and testing site locations, insufficient collaboration with local health experts and grassroots health advocacy organizations, language barriers, inadequate communication from the Baker administration, a failure to address vaccine hesitancy, poor judgment calls resulting in changing vaccine prioritization, and public health experts continuing to be outnumbered by big business representatives on the reopening board.
Because the vaccination distribution will take several more months, it is absolutely imperative that everyone continue to take precautions to mitigate/prevent the spread of COVID19. That means masks, hand-washing, and physical distance from others. It’s hard and we’re tired. I get it. Please do not relent in your diligence. Also, try to get 20-30 minutes of physical activity daily, stay hydrated, eat well, and take time to take care of your mental health.
Questions and comments about the COVID vaccine distribution plan and implementation can be emailed directly to the Baker administration at COVID-19-Vaccine-Plan-MA@mass.gov. I welcome constituents to copy me on those emails as well.
I promise to continue advocating for personal and public health.
As always, if you or any of your loved ones in my district have fallen on hard times during this pandemic, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office via phone (617-722-1555) or email (becca.rausch@masenate.gov). We are here to help. You can also find robust resources to help you navigate through COVID-19 on my website.
Yours in service,
Senator Becca Rausch
This newsletter was shortened for publication here. To view the full content follow this link: https://mailchi.mp/1a84a07d935c/maearlyvoting2020-13232068?e=0c2c9810fe
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| Sign up for the February 9th Senior Coffee here. |
"This is a great way to connect and talk about the issues of the day. Hope you can join us"Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeffroy/status/1350113541727154178
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| Senior Center Office Hour - Jan 21, 2021 |
Beginning Monday, January 4th, the Municipal Building will be open to the public Monday - Thursday from 8 AM - 2 PM and on Fridays from 8 AM - 1 PM.
All departments are available during regular business hours via email and by phone.
Visit our website at www.franklinma.gov for all contact information.
Shared from the Town of Franklin page https://www.franklinma.gov/home/news/new-public-hours-municipal-building
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| New Public Hours at The Municipal Building begin Monday, Jan 4 |
The offices will close at noon on Thursday, December 31st, and will be closed on, Friday, January 1st.
Have a happy and healthy holiday season!
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| Town of Franklin: Holiday office hours for New Year's Eve, New Year's Day |
The Town of Franklin Offices will be closed on Thursday, December 24th and Friday, December 25th.
We will reopen for regular business hours on Monday, December 28th.
The offices will close at noon on Thursday, December 31st, and will be closed on, Friday, January 1st.
Have a happy and healthy holiday season!
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| Town of Franklin - holiday office hours |
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| virtual coffee hour with State & Local officials |
Attention Franklin Seniors!
Join in on a virtual coffee hour with State & Local officials next Thursday, December 17th at 8:30am.
Register in advance for this meeting: https://t.co/vf97BpBYPX?amp=1
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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| Franklin Senior Center: Virtual Coffee Hour - Dec 17 |
Listening session 11/16#ThinkFranklinFirst gift cards
Dec 5 to fill open Town Council seatVote by mail ballot, no ‘early voting’ only day of at FHS
Fincom 11/9 (‘minor’ adjustments to expense; add $1M back to revenue side i.e. new growth)FinCom 11/17 (Beaver St interceptor)Budget Subcomm 11/18 (6:00 PM)Town Council 11/18 (7:00 PM)Senior Center Coffee Hour 11/19Tax rate hearing 12/2
You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"
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| Think Franklin First gift cards coming Nov 25 |
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| Town of Franklin, MA: Senior Coffee Hours - Nov 19 |
HELLO VETERANS!
It's hard to believe November (and Election Day!) is right around the corner! As most of you know, the Franklin Senior Center is still closed to the public. Dale and Debra continue to work from home and the office on alternating days.
We hope you and your families are remaining healthy and safe by wearing face coverings and observing social distancing guidelines when out in public. Remember to wash your hands thoroughly after going to the store or appointments. Keeping hand sanitizer in your car is a good idea too!
Flu shots are available at local pharmacies. If you're over 65, you may want to call ahead to be sure your pharmacy has the high-dose influenza vaccine in stock.
The Veterans' Office will be hosting our monthly coffee social via Zoom on Wednesday, November 4 at 10:00 AM
We hope you can join us for veterans' updates and conversation with fellow veterans! Feel free to extend the invitation to other veterans who may not be on our contact list.
If you have not participated in a Zoom call yet, you'll need to download the Zoom app on your device before joining us.
Here is the log-in information for the November 2020 meeting only:
Join Zoom via URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89494755344
Call in number: 1-929-205-6099
Enter Meeting ID: 894 9475 5344 and press #
For more information, contact the Veterans Services Office at: (508) 613-1315.
We look forward to chatting with you at the November Coffee Social!
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| November VIRTUAL Veterans Coffee Social - Nov 4 |
October 29, 2020
Dear friends,
As I mentioned last week, I continue to be concerned about the rising COVID-19 case levels in Massachusetts. I strongly encourage everyone to wear a mask whenever in public, practice physical distancing, and limit social engagements to small groups, held outdoors. We should all take advantage of any remaining days of Fall in New England before the freezing temperatures arrive.
The most recent data report from the Department of Public Health indicates that many of the municipalities in our district experienced notably increased levels of COVID-19 infection. You can find more information in the weekly and daily reports available at the Department of Public Health's COVID-19 dashboard.
Since my last news letter, my legislative colleagues and I acted on two critically important bills. The first bill would increase unemployment benefits for 17,000 people in Massachusetts who narrowly missed qualifying for the federal Lost Wages Assistance Grant due to a restrictive Trump Administration Rule. Some people missed the cutoff by a dollar. Our legislation closes that hurtful loophole by ensuring all unemployment recipients receive a minimum of $100 weekly, thereby making them eligible for additional financial support totaling as much as $1,800 each. I am proud that we acted swiftly to fix this and that the financial relief will be applied retroactively, providing a much needed boost to our neighbors most in need.
Also, my Senate colleagues and I passed Laura's Law in memory of Laura Levis, who died mere feet from an emergency room due to dim lighting and the lack of signage outside a Boston-area hospital. This bill requires hospital emergency departments to have lighting and visible signage on their premises and to monitor all emergency access points to prevent another tragedy like this from happening in our Commonwealth. I am deeply proud of the Senate's commitment to Laura's legacy, and I now urge my House colleagues to take swift action to pass Laura's Law and send it to the Governor's desk.
I anticipate a number of important legislative actions in the coming weeks as well. First, after several economic roundtables and fiscal forecasting by the Chairs of Ways and Means, the Baker administration, and other financial experts, I expect we will finalize the state budget for the current fiscal year. Unfortunately, we must do this without any further federal fiscal relief. Second, I hope to see conference committee reports on a number of bills currently under negotiation between the House and Senate, including important legislation to improve police accountability, a major investment in the Commonwealth's economic development, next-generation climate action policy, and expanded coverage of telemedicine services.
Budgets and major bills are statements of our values; I will continue to advocate for our shared values of justice, fairness, equity, and service, as I have done throughout my tenure in the Senate. Consistent with the clear wishes of the majority of my constituents, I will also continue to push to pass the ROE Act, ever so much more pressing now that Roe v. Wade is all but certain to fall at the federal level.
As always, if you or any of your loved ones in my district have fallen on hard times, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office. My office line is 617-722-1555 and my email is becca.rausch@masenate.gov. We are here to help. You can also find robust resources to help you navigate through COVID-19 on my website.
Wishing you and your families strength, health, and resilience.
Yours in service,
Senator Becca Rausch
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| https://www.beccarauschma.com/office-hours |
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| Town of Franklin, MA: October Senior Coffee Hour - Oct 15 |
The Town of Franklin's drive-thru window at the municipal building will be open additional hours beginning Friday, October 9th until Monday, November 2nd leading up to the November 3rd election. These additional hours are being added as a service to our community to allow residents additional time frames to return their ballots directly to an employee via our drive-thru service window.
The additional hours are as follows:
- Monday - Friday 8 AM - 8 PM
- Weekends and Holidays 10 AM - 2 PM
Extended drive-thru hours begin Friday, October 9
Our Official Town of Franklin mailbox is available for use 24/7 and is clearly marked as a collection location for ballots. The mailbox will be checked hourly through election day to process ballots as soon as possible.
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| Town of Franklin, MA: Business Drop Box available for Mail in Ballots |
September 30, 2020
Friends,
This is a really difficult moment in our nation’s story. Last night’s so-called debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump demonstrated the severity of this moment, as the current occupant of the White House not only refused to denounce white supremacy but rather directly incited violence from a known neo-fascist hate group, refused to state that he would accept the results of an independent certification of the upcoming election, and would not even engage in a mature, civilized debate.
Against that backdrop, the profound and heartbreaking loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg feels like a wound reopened. Justice Ginsburg’s death would be heartbreaking at any moment, but it is particularly so at this moment. The threat of a majority anti-choice Supreme Court underscores how reproductive rights are still under attack, but this time with potentially devastating national consequences to the health, safety, and civil rights of people who are or might become pregnant.
We must pass the ROE Act here in Massachusetts. If (and more likely, when) Roe v. Wade is overturned, the states will once again govern access to abortion and other aspects of reproductive health care. The abortion laws still on the books in our Commonwealth were enacted in 1974 by anti-choice legislators as an immediate response to Roe v. Wade. The ROE Act (S.1209/H.3320) is a critical step in guaranteeing that anyone, regardless of age, income, or insurance, can access safe, legal abortion here in Massachusetts. Abortion is health care, and as your State Senator, I will do everything I can to pass the bill.
For everyone reading this who is angry or fearful for the future to come, know that I see you, I hear you, and I'm right with you. I too am deeply concerned, but I promise you, whatever happens in Washington, I will continue fighting to advance intersectional justice, safeguard our elections from illegal interference and enhance ballot access, promote health care and reproductive freedom, and protect our democracy right here in our Commonwealth. It’s what I was sent to Beacon Hill to do, and I will not let you down, particularly amidst this national political crisis.
As always, if you or any of your loved ones in my district have fallen on hard times during this pandemic, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office. My office line is 617-722-1555 and my email is becca.rausch@masenate.gov. We are here to help. You can also find robust resources to help you navigate through COVID-19 on my website.
Wishing you and your families strength, health, and resilience.
Yours in service,
Senator Becca Rausch
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| Virtual Office Hours will be this Friday, October 2 |
A Senior Coffee Hour with local and state officials is scheduled for this Thursday, September 17 at 8:30 AM.
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| Senior Coffee Hour with Local and State Officials - Sep 17 |
From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:
"Commercial tenants say they can negotiate for lower rent payments because there’s a glut of office space on the market due to an increasing number of remote workers.
The long-term impact on commercial office space caused by the coronavirus pandemic is unknown, but it could be a rocky road.
Many companies turned to a remote workforce since March, and some are considering making it a permanent move. If that happens, owners of commercial buildings could lose vast numbers of tenants, and take a huge financial hit.
“Those who own commercial properties, they’re going to be devastated by that (potential scenario),” said Jim Giammarinaro, president of the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce."
"The leaked recordings were hardly a political bombshell: The apparent phone conversations between Joe Biden and Ukraine’s then-president largely confirm Biden’s account of his dealings in Ukraine.
But the choppy audio, disclosed by a Ukrainian lawmaker whom U.S. officials described Thursday as an “active Russian agent” who has sought to spread online misinformation about Biden, was nonetheless seized on by President Donald Trump as well as his supporters to promote conspiracy theories about the Democratic nominee. Social media posts and videos about the recordings have been viewed millions of times, according to an Associated Press analysis, even though Trump’s own administration says they rely on “false and unsubstantiated narratives.”
The audio’s proliferation on social media shows how foreign operations aimed at influencing the U.S. election are still easily reaching Americans, despite efforts by Facebook, YouTube and Twitter to rein in such meddling."
Senior Center: Coffee Hour with Town Officials and Rep Roy - Sep 17
Please join us tomorrow at 8:30 AM for a discussion with Jeff Roy, Jamie Helen, and members of the Town Council on Issues about our community.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84224595197
Call in Phone Number 1-929-205-6099 enter Meeting ID: 842 2459 5197 then press #
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| Senior Center Coffee Hour - Aug 20, 2020 - 8:30 AM |
Attention Seniors! Please join us for a Coffee Hour next Thursday, May 21st at 8:30 AM! The Zoom links are found below.
A great opportunity to connect with local and state officials!
Join the Zoom Meeting here https://t.co/a02nsyERY8 Meeting ID: 818 3989 8549 or call the # below! https://t.co/4Anb3sYZRz
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| Seniors: Virtual Coffee Hour next Thursday, May 21 |
