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| FPD Investigating report of shots fired |
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| Horace Mann Middle School Reading Specialist Erin O'Leary presents a session at the NCTE 2024 Annual Convention called "BLAST: Bringing Libraries and Schools Together." O'Leary shared how she introduced a collaborative in 2018 at Horace Mann Middle School to provide students with a part-time certified librarian on loan from the local public library. (Photo courtesy Franklin Public Schools) |
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| From left to right, Horace Mann Middle School Reading Specialist Erin O'Leary presents a session at the NCTE 2024 Annual Convention, interviewing authors Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin, along with Mary Giuffre, a West Bridgewater elementary school principal and O'Leary's counterpart from the “Crazy Reading Ladies." (Photo courtesy Franklin Public Schools) |
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| From left to right, author Ruta Sepetys, Mary Giuffre, a West Bridgewater elementary school principal who formerly taught at Horace Mann Middle School, author Steve Sheinkin, and Horace Mann Middle School Reading Specialist Erin O'Leary. The four took part in a session called "When History Meets Humanity" at the NCTE 2024 Annual Convention held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. (Photo courtesy Franklin Public Schools) |
"At 8:56AM on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, the Franklin Fire Department received a fire alarm at 38 Forge Parkway. The first arriving Franklin Fire Department units were advised of a small fire which self-extinguished and a chemical leak by the building occupants.After consulting with a chemist on site, fire companies investigated and found a smoke or vapor condition in a process room within the facility.The building was fully evacuated, and a Tier 2 Hazardous Materials response from the Department of Fire Services was requested. Upon the Hazardous Materials Team arrival, a Tier 3 response was requested bringing 45 Hazardous Materials Technicians to the scene.The Hazardous Materials team made entry and was able to safely mitigate the hazard. There were no injuries during this entire event due to the great coordination among multiple agencies. The scale of the response was partly based upon the reactivity of the chemical which was determined to be Sodium Potassium.This was an isolated incident confined to one room inside the business.The incident was brought under control by 2pm and all crews cleared by 3:30pm.Thank you to all of the agencies that responded including the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services State Hazardous Materials Team."
Unified agency to achieve greater impact for individuals and families facing life challenges
Advocates today announced that it will merge with its two affiliated partner agencies to create one of the most comprehensive human service providers in the state.
On July 1, 2024, Advocates, Horace Mann Educational Associates, Inc. (HMEA) and Family Continuity will become a single, unified organization operating under the Advocates name.
"Fully merging our three affiliated organizations into one cohesive agency will allow us to provide more comprehensive and coordinated services for people facing a wide range of life challenges," said Diane Gould, President and CEO, Advocates. "In addition, having one brand identity will make it easier for all community members to have access to and benefit from everything we have to offer."
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| Three Leading Massachusetts Human Service Providers Set to Merge |
The merged organization will serve more than 40,000 children, adults and families in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and employ more than 2500 staff. The majority of employees are essential direct care workers.
"This is exciting news for all individuals and families who need the services and supports provided by these three organizations," said Jane Ryder, Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Developmental Disabilities. "Having a single agency with a broad range of programs and a strong, visible presence will be a valuable asset to the communities across Central and Eastern Massachusetts that this larger Advocates organization will now serve."
Advocates provides a broad range of services for people impacted by addiction, aging, autism, brain injury, intellectual/developmental disabilities, and mental health challenges. In addition to residential and day supports, the MetroWest-based agency provides behavioral health services including outpatient counseling and residential supports, emergency psychiatric services, community justice and jail diversion programs, and integrated care management.
"Our organizations share the same values and have talented staff who care about the people they serve and are passionate about the work they do," said Michelle Donohue, Chief Operating Officer, HMEA. "In addition, we each possess unique strengths and expertise and see lots of potential to learn from one another."
HMEA brings to the merged organization increased capacity and complementary services in the areas of adult family care; shared living; family supports; day habilitation and employment; and residential programs for people with autism (ASD) and intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). HMEA's service area extends to over 110 communities in the Central, Southeastern, and Eastern regions of Massachusetts and Rhode Island and includes several well-known programs including Autism Resource Central, an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Clinic, The Darnell School, and Tech Access of RI.
"I am excited about this merger because the diversity and inclusiveness of all three organizations will bring different cultures and talents together," said Teresa Nderitu, Residential Coordinator, HMEA. "Working with the direct care staff, I see expanded opportunities for teamwork, development, and growth that will allow us to enhance the creative solutions we provide to help people live better."
Family Continuity adds its highly respected mental health and substance use services for children, adults, and families across Eastern and Central Massachusetts to Advocates existing programs. Common services include outpatient clinics, peer supports and recovery coaching, jail diversion, and family support. Integrating Family Continuity's programs with Advocates will build long-term sustainability, promote stronger communities, further increase access to care and advance social, racial, economic, and health justice.
"The sensitivity shown by our new colleagues at Advocates and HMEA to the employees and those we serve at Family Continuity has been amazing," said Judy Donahue, Care Coordinator, Behavioral Health Partners of MetroWest & Family Continuity Community Partner Program. "The caring, thoughtful, and respectful way in which this merger process has been conducted gives me great reassurance and confidence that we will achieve great things together."
All of the services currently provided to individuals and families across all three organizations will continue. No services will be eliminated or reduced. The merger will position Advocates to better meet the challenges of the evolving human service system in order to deliver the highest quality of care.
"We're excited about the new opportunities we see for service expansion and innovation to meet the changing needs of the people we support and the expectations of our funders and community partners," said Gould. "Together, as one mission-driven organization, we look forward to providing thousands of individuals and families with the supports they need to lead healthy, productive, and rewarding lives."
For more information, please visit https://www.advocates.org/.
About Advocates
Advocates provides a broad range of services for people facing life challenges such as addiction, aging, autism, brain injury, intellectual/developmental disabilities, and mental health challenges. With Advocates' help, more than 40,000 individuals and families living in Massachusetts and Rhode Island will find the supports they need to lead healthy, productive, and rewarding lives. For more information, visit www.advocates.org.
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| Moonlight Smoke Shop Break In |
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| Franklin (MA) Police Press Release: Missing Person - Jazlyn Rodrigues Found Safe |
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| Amy M. Frigulietti |
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| Amy M. Frigulietti introduced as Deputy Town Administrator, starts July 3, 2023 |
Amy M. FriguliettiMs. Frigulietti has nearly 20 years of experience in administrative and professional management and brings expertise in economic development, public policy, and community outreach in the public sector. A Massachusetts native, Amy most recently worked as the Assistant Executive Director of General Government Services for the Town of Wellesley.As Wellesley’s Assistant Executive Director, Ms. Frigulietti managed all aspects of town government operations, overseeing economic development projects, and collaborating with numerous Town boards and departments on issues impacting local government, including housing, transportation, and public health and safety.In this role, Ms. Frigulietti served as Wellesley’s Health Insurance Representative for the West Suburban Health Group, and on the Wellesley Business Alliance as part of the Charles River Chamber of Commerce. Amy was also a member of Wellesley’s Traffic & Parking Committee, Mobility Committee, Housing Task Force, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Task Force. She also volunteered her time as a founding member of the Wellesley Freedom Team and the Wellesley Civil Discourse Initiative. She was Wellesley’s lead as Norfolk County Representative, Norfolk County Finance Committee member, State legislative liaison and, during the height of the Coronavirus pandemic, was on the Advisory Board of the Community Fund for Wellesley COVID-19 Relief Fund.Prior to working in Wellesley, Ms. Frigulietti served in several capacities in state, county and local government, including in the General Court of the State Legislature, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, and for the Boston City Council.Ms. Frigulietti is a member of the Massachusetts Municipal Association as well as the Massachusetts Municipal Managers Association. She received her Master’s Degree in Public Administration (MPA) from the John W. McCormack School of Public Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston, concentrating her studies in municipal management. She was the 2018 recipient of the MPA Public Service Award and is a member of Pi Alpha Alpha, Global Honor Society for Public Affairs Administration. She received her undergraduate degree in Journalism and Political Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
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"Today (Monday, Apr 26, 2021) we filed road safety legislation that includes several provisions we previously filed in 2019 and several new proposals like increasing penalties for individuals who cause personal injury while driving on a non-administratively suspended license."
Following a thorough safety review, including two meetings of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have determined that the recommended pause regarding the use of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 Vaccine in the U.S. should be lifted and use of the vaccine should resume.
The pause was recommended after reports of six cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals following administration of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine. During the pause, medical and scientific teams at the FDA and CDC examined available data to assess the risk of thrombosis involving the cerebral venous sinuses, or CVST (large blood vessels in the brain), and other sites in the body (including but not limited to the large blood vessels of the abdomen and the veins of the legs) along with thrombocytopenia, or low blood platelet counts. The teams at FDA and CDC also conducted extensive outreach to providers and clinicians to ensure they were made aware of the potential for these adverse events and could properly manage and recognize these events due to the unique treatment required for these blood clots and low platelets, also known as thrombosis-thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS).
The two agencies have determined the following:
"AMID GROWING frustration with the state’s process for arranging COVID-19 vaccination appointments, Gov. Charlie Baker announced Thursday that his administration intends to set up a call center next week for those who need additional help.
On Wednesday, people 75 and over who are not living in nursing homes or assisted living facilities started making appointments for vaccinations. Baker said 45,000 appointments were made over the last two days but the demand far outpaced supply. An estimated 500,000 people over 75 are eligible to obtain the two-dose vaccination, but he said the state has been receiving only 80,000 doses a week, a number bumping up to 100,000 next week."
Maura Healey (@MassAGO):
"First, it was unemployment. The Department of Unemployment had no live call center.
Then, it was workplace safety.
After that, evictions. No system.
We've tried to help those frustrated constituents all year. The vaccine call center should have happened yesterday. "
Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/MassAGO/status/1354882824109752329
Gov Baker Press Conf Link - https://youtu.be/z0IpZCRvFME
"Amid rising cases, districts roll back reopening plans"
"DOZENS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS shifted to remote learning for at least two weeks after the holidays in an effort to keep the virus out of schools in the event students and parents traveled or engaged in large-person events during the break.
Brockton, which has an 11.85 percent community positive test rate, is delaying its return to in-person learning for almost 400 high needs students, which was set for mid-January, by at least two weeks. Pre-K and kindergarten students, which have been remote, would return February 8.
"A LITTLE BEFORE 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Liz Ruark started out from the small Worcester County town of Harvard on the 30-mile drive to Kendall Square in Cambridge. Nestled on the floor of the backseat of her Subaru Forester was a Home Goods tote bag whose contents were key to the community’s goal of keeping its schools open while also holding the COVID-19 pandemic at bay.Ruark, a parent of two Harvard public school students, has helped spearhead a five-month effort that culminated in this week’s launch of free weekly coronavirus surveillance testing of all students, teachers, and staff in the rural district. The cargo she was rushing to a Cambridge lab held specimens from the 713 people who showed up throughout the day to have nasal swabs taken at four outdoor testing stations set up outside the town’s combined middle-high school building."
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| Town of Franklin (MA) COVID-19 status per new MA dashboard |
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| MA hospital capacity per MA COVID-19 dashboard |
