"NEW: Updated COVID-19 vaccines for adults and children have just been authorized and recommended.Shared from -> https://t.co/Rc34cBzbq6
This means immunizations for all three major fall and winter respiratory viruses – COVID-19, flu, and RSV – are available.
Learn more at https://t.co/S2DQV6MlBv"
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| Updated COVID-19 vaccines for adults and children have just been authorized and recommended |
The Interfaith Council's Housing Assistance Program shares this invitation to a Zoom Progress Report on ending hunger in Massachusetts, March 17 at 1 PM.
See the notice and letter from Sen. Jo Comerford, below.
Contact her office for the links.
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| Register to Join Congressman Jim McGovern for a Progress report on the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health (virtual meeting) |
"Recently, Mr. Walsh’s class had the fantastic opportunity to speak via Zoom with Jennifer O’Malley Dillon, the current deputy chief of staff in the Biden administration and FHS alumnus. O’Malley Dillon talked to the class about her time at Franklin High School, her daily work, important things she has been a part of, advice she has, and of course answered a few questions.Life as the Deputy Chief of Staff at the White House is full of bustling days filled with everything from hiring personnel to dealing with international affairs. According to O’Malley Dillon, she runs and oversees daily operations at the White House. This includes helping solve large-scale issues such as problems with Ukraine, climate change, and inflation, traveling with the president to support and plan his visits, and running the military office. Although this seems very stressful to most, O’Malley Dillon loves politics, and being right in the middle of it all seems to be where she is most at home. "
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| Pantherbook: "Jennifer O’Malley Dillon speaks with Mr. Walsh’s Class" |
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| State Rep. Roy attends White House Ceremony |
"As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, President Biden and Vice President Harris worked with Democrats, Republicans, and Independents to create the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides eligible households $30 per month off their internet bills. ACP-eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers.
To deliver maximum cost savings to families, the Biden-Harris Administration has secured commitments from 20 leading internet providers to offer ACP-eligible households a high-speed internet plan for no more than $30 per month. Eligible families who pair their ACP benefit with one of these plans can receive high-speed internet at no cost."
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| Get Internet -> Claim Your Affordable Connectivity Program Benefit |
"The White House said on Tuesday (5/17/22) that Americans were now eligible for a third order of free, at-home coronavirus tests shipped through the Postal Service. The move doubled to 16 the total number of tests the program has made available to each household.
The tests, authorized by the Food and Drug Administration and available on the federal website covidtests.gov, extend a pledge President Biden made during the brunt of the winter Omicron wave, when Americans faced scarce supplies of tests, empty shelves and long lines."
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| Reminder: New set of COVID at home tests can be ordered |
Via Ed Cafasso:
"The Biden Administration’s Housing Supply Action Plan is an important step toward increasing the affordable housing supply, especially changes to the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program and to HUD financing. Can it get done in mid-term election season?"
https://twitter.com/edcafasso/status/1526999699248529411
"Multifamily and financing industry officials said President Joe Biden’s newly released 13-page Housing Supply Action Plan is a step in the right direction to increase the affordable housing supply but questioned how much could be accomplished—particularly changes to the popular Low Income Housing Tax Credit program—without legislative action this year as the mid-term election season heats up."
From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:
"A last-ditch effort by Democrats to revive Capitol Hill talks on vital COVID-19 rescue money collapsed in disappointment Friday, making it increasingly likely that Washington gridlock will mean more hardship for millions of people who are losing enhanced jobless benefits and further damage for an economy pummeled by the still-raging coronavirus.
“It was a disappointing meeting,” declared top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer, saying the White House had rejected an offer by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to curb Democratic demands by about $1 trillion. He urged the White House to “negotiate with Democrats and meet us in the middle. Don’t say it’s your way or no way.”
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said, “Unfortunately we did not make any progress today.” Republicans said Pelosi was relying on budget maneuvers to curb costs and contended she has overplayed her hand.
Often an impasse in Washington is of little consequence for the public — not so this time. It means longer and perhaps permanent expiration of a $600 per-week bonus pandemic jobless benefit that’s kept millions of people from falling into poverty. It denies more than $100 billion to help schools reopen this fall. It blocks additional funding for virus testing as cases are surging this summer. And it denies billions of dollars to state and local governments considering furloughs as their revenue craters."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
It happens, sometimes, in the White House - or a ranch house in Franklin - that great minds come together and do something amazing.
In the name of promoting literacy, 108 renowned authors and illustrators joined forces and created the anthology: "Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out."
The star cast of contributors include a National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, four Pulitzer Prize winners, three National Book Award recipients (and eight finalists), two MacArthur "Genius Fellows," 13 Newbery Medal winners (and 15 finalists), eight Caldecott Medal recipients (and 20 honors) and 12 Coretta Scott King Award winners (and 22 honors).
The idea for the historical book arose nearly a decade ago in the Franklin home of Mary Brigid Barrett, the founder, president and executive director of the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here
The book's website is found here
National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance website
I love the quote attributed to Barbara Tuchman that is found on the NCBLA home page:
"Without books, history is silent, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill... They are the engines of change, windows on the world, and ... 'Lighthouses erected in the sea of time.' They are companions, teachers, magicians, bankers of the treasures of the mind. Books are humanity in print."
What was the last book you read?
Have you read Dark Tide, Stephen Puleo's book on the Molasses Flood? The library has a number of copies available as part of the program this year "On the Same Page".
