TuNesday: "Wake Up With Mr. Barrett"

Good morning! 🌞

ONLY FIVE MORE "Wake Up With Mr. Barrett" SHOWS LEFT!!! Tomorrow's show is...
70s.JPG

And NEXT TuNesday is Patriotic Singalong for Memorial Day weekend...

Mark your calendars, and share with students, staff, family and friends!!!

Here's the link to tomorrow's YouTube Livestream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-hF1uCxycc&feature=youtu.be

Check out my latest recording, too! Here's the link for that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPJ-lVtdnLM



Please consider subscribing to my YouTube page for the latest news: https://www.youtube.com/user/Geetarmann


Thanks for your support, everyone! Hope to 'see' you out there!

Jamie 🎸


James H. Barrett
General Music K - 5
Jefferson/Davis Thayer
(508) 541-2120 ext. 1029
email: barrettj@franklinps.net

Please consider following me at:
Twitter: @MusicWithMrJHB and at:
http://musicwithmrbarrett.blogspot.com

TuNesday:  "Wake Up With Mr. Barrett"

Community Garden: OPENING - May 20

Good Morning,

I hope you are doing well and have managed to remain healthy.  With much excitement, we will be opening the Community Garden on Wednesday, May 20 with restrictions.  Please see the important attachment which has some very specific guidelines for all our safety during COVID-19.  Town of Franklin parks and playgrounds will remain closed until further notice, but I feel we can garden as long as we follow the guidelines. 

DPW will turn the water on next week.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  

Franklin Community Gardens

Garden Rules and Regulations

Purpose:

The purpose of this document is to establish the eligibility requirements and the rules of garden use for Franklin Community Gardens.

Scope:

All gardeners and volunteers who use the gardens that are part of Franklin Community Gardens.

General Information:

• Eligibility for garden space: Application for garden bed lease shall be open to any current resident, property owner, local community group, business operator, or employee of the Town of Franklin.
• Gardener dues are: $40.00 per season.
• Gardeners may sign up or renew beds through the Town of Franklin Recreation Department, phone: (508) 613-1666, email: franklinrecreation@franklin.ma.us.
• Leased beds may be renewed to gardeners in good standing.
• If any unassigned beds remain after June 1 and there is no one on the wait list, the Garden Committee will notify gardeners that additional beds are available. Gardeners may then have the option of leasing one additional bed for that growing season only. The additional bed is not automatically renewable.
• The Garden Committee is responsible for ensuring that the rules are followed at all times.

Rules and Regulations:

• As a gardener, I accept and will abide by the following:
• I will actively garden my bed during the gardening season
• If I must abandon my bed for any reason, I will notify the current Garden Coordinator
• I will keep my bed weeded and free of trash and debris, and I will maintain the areas immediately surrounding my bed, including pathways, in the same manner
• If my bed becomes poorly maintained, I understand I will be contacted by a member of the Garden Committee via email on record. I will have one week to respond. If the Committee receives no response after that time, my bed will be reassigned
• If I am unable to maintain my bed for any reason, whether short term or long term, I will notify the Recreation Department at (508) 613-1666 immediately
• The Community Garden requires ongoing maintenance. Therefore, I agree to complete at least 4 hours per season toward garden maintenance.
• I will harvest my bed in a timely manner
• At the close of gardening season, I will remove all non-wintering plants and man-made objects from in and around my bed. Objects are not to be stored on the ground next to beds for safety reasons. Storage is available in the shed. Additionally, I will compost all non-wintering plants in my bed
• I will garden only in my own bed unless given permission by another bed user
• I understand all beds at Franklin Community Gardens will be organic and that the use of non-organic fertilizers, insecticides or weed repellents is forbidden. When in doubt, contact the Garden Coordinator
• I understand that I will be held responsible for guests I bring to Franklin Community Gardens
• I will not bring pets to the garden
• I understand that my bed is not transferable
• I understand that the Town of Franklin is not responsible for my actions. I therefore agree to hold harmless the Town of Franklin for any liability, damage, loss or claim that occurs in connection with use of the garden by me or any of my guests
• Franklin Community Garden reserves the right to revoke bed use if a gardener violates any rules and regulations established by the Town or by Franklin Community Gardens. No refund will be provided for any garden beds that have been revoked due to misuse
• I will abide by all rules and regulations established by Franklin Parks and Recreation for the use of Municipal Facilities

Happy Gardening,

Ryan Jette
Director of Recreation
Franklin Recreation Department
275 Beaver Street
Franklin, MA 02038
Office: (508) 613-1667

Link to additional info
https://drive.google.com/open?id=12ynYstU_260A1Pi0ZEJjGikUJJ_qvfHa

The last time I was at the community garden was in the BCE (before coronavirus era) Dec 26, 2019

50+ Program - Friday 5/22 Session - Plan Your Work & Work Your Plan

Date: Friday May 22nd; 9 AM - Noon

The majority of job-seekers don't have a plan for their job search. They wrote a resume and LinkedIn profile and think they are ready, but they don't really know where to begin and wage an effective and ultimately successful job search campaign.

Now is the time to plan the campaign. Pandemic or no-pandemic, the mission remains --- Create a marketing plan to get your product — you -- from the starting line to the finish line, where finish line means "an offer".

Rather than present some one-size-fits-all, pulled from a book, this session presents people who have enjoyed some success in the jobsearch. They will tell you how they did it. You can decide what steps make sense for you and your own personal journey.

Guest Speakers: Suzanne Brandt will share her recent experiences of what worked and what didn't; Patricia Buickerood will talk about understanding how your talents, interests, and experience must intersect market needs. Michael Volk will discuss dealing with unusual tax and finance issues.

Special Guest: Tim Wilson will teach us how to make rock soup (how he started his business and the challenges he's faced).

After starting his career in Information Systems, Tim moved to human resources to apply his experience in resolving system and people issues. In 1999, he launched T.A. Wilson Associates, a management consulting and organizational development firm providing solutions to business issues such as optimizing employee productivity, managing a diverse workforce, and training individuals, teams, and organizations.

Pre-Registration (once per town location) is required: The hosting town for this event is Franklin. https://50plusjobseekers.org/outreach/registration/

Download your copy of the flyer
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1n4epoFUpOJJ6VMNW5Q3w_5Y0SeLSaAIc/view?usp=sharing

50+ Program - Friday 5/22 Session - Plan Your Work & Work Your Plan

Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - May 20, 2020

Agenda Meeting Date May 20, 2020

A NOTE TO RESIDENTS: Due to the growing concerns regarding the COVID-19 virus, we will be conducting a remote/virtual Town Council Meeting. In an effort to ensure citizen engagement and comply with open meeting law regulations, citizens will be able to dial into the meeting using the provided phone number (Cell phone or Landline Required) OR citizens can participate by clicking on the attached link (Phone, Computer, or Tablet required). The attached link and phone number will be active for the duration of the meeting for citizens to ask questions/voice concerns.



Link to access meeting: May 20, 2020 Town Council Meeting Link HERE -- Then click “Open Zoom”
Or copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83267080506
Call-In Phone Number: Call 1-929-205-6099 and enter Meeting ID # 832 6708 0506 --Then press #

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS

This meeting is being recorded by Franklin TV and shown on Comcast channel 11 and Verizon Channel 29. This meeting may be recorded by others.

2. CITIZEN COMMENTS

Citizens are welcome to express their views for up to five minutes on a matter that is not on the agenda. The Council will not engage in a dialogue or comment on a matter raised during Citizen Comments. The Town Council will give remarks appropriate consideration and may ask the Town Administrator to review the matter.

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

April 15, 2020

4. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS

a. Designating the Town of Franklin as a Purple Heart Community
b. American Legion
c. Larry Bederian

5. APPOINTMENTS
- None Scheduled

6. HEARINGS - 7:10pm
- None Scheduled

7. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS
- None Scheduled

8. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
a. Animal Control Department

b. Franklin Food Pantry

c. SAFE Coalition

d. Metacomet Emergency Communication Center (MECC)

9. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

a. Capital Budget Subcommittee

b. Budget Subcommittee

c. Economic Development Subcommittee

10. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
10a. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
Resolution 20-27: Cell Tower Easement (Motion to Approve Resolution 20-27 - Majority Roll Call Vote)

10b. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
Zoning Bylaw Amendment 20-853: Zoning Map Changes on or Near Pleasant, Chestnut, and Brook Streets - Second Reading (Motion to Adopt Zoning Bylaw Amendment 20-853 - Majority Roll Call Vote)

10c. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
Zoning Bylaw Amendment 20-854: Changes to §185-40. Water Resource District - Second reading (Motion to Adopt Zoning Bylaw Amendment 20-854 - Majority Roll Call Vote)

10d. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
Resolution 20-28: Ratification of the Memorandum of Agreement between the Franklin Police Sergeants Union employees and the Town of Franklin (Motion to approve Resolution 20-28 - Majority Roll Call Vote)

11. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT
a. Coronavirus Update
b. FY21 Budget Update

12. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

13. COUNCIL COMMENTS

14. EXECUTIVE SESSION
- None Scheduled

ADJOURN

Note:
Two-Thirds Vote: requires 6 votes
Majority Vote: requires majority of members present and voting

This was shared from the Town of Franklin page
https://www.franklinma.gov/town-council/agenda/may-20-town-council-agenda-remote-meeting

The agenda packet can also be found in this PDF file
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/agendas/05-20-2020_town_council_meeting_packet.pdf

Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - May 20, 2020

FM #270 Talk Franklin with TA J Hellen, A Tracey 5/15/20 (audio)

FM #270 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 270 in the series.

This session of the radio show shares my "Talk Franklin" conversation with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen and Marketing and Communications Specialist Anne Marie Tracey. We had our conversation via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

We talk about

• Finance Committee budget hearings
• Town Council meeting Wednesday; four presentations (Animal Control Department, Franklin Food Pantry, SAFE Coalition, Metacomet Emergency Communication Center (MECC))
• Department Spotlight on Building and Inspections
• The first production at Contollo Mass Manufacturing

And close with a recommendation to catch the Prince “Purple Rain” concert from 1985 streaming this weekend only on YouTube

The recording runs about 50 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Jamie and Anne Marie    https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/H1mDhYL7




--------------

The Town of Franklin COVID-19 Portal page
https://www.franklinma.gov/home/pages/coronavirus-information-portal

Prince concert link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv3mNSNjuWldihk1DUdnGtw

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm).

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors
• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!
------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

among the first PPE gowns coming off the machine at Contollo Mass Mfg on Friday, May 18, 2020

FHS 2020 Class Officers discuss graduation plans (video)

Jay Horrigan and Dr Anne Bergen meet with the FHS class officers to discuss plans for the FHS Class of 2020 graduation. 

Watch “FHS 2020 Class Officers" https://vimeo.com/419184676



FHS 2020 Class Officers edit from Jay Horrigan on Vimeo.

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/

Pandemic Poetry: The Devil Rides on Bacilli by Faith Flaherty

Pernicious evil growing
from dark pathogens
unearthed in a Wuhan lab
or the open market.

Eaten by an ant.
Swallowed by a bat.
Lapped by a pangolin.
Relished by a man.

No reason to make ado.
Some always look to blame.
Others always find conspiracy.
Then there's just bad Karma.

The fact that it survives
washing hands,
wearing gloves,
donning face masks,

is a testimony to the stubbornness
of an enemy beyond our eyes,
waiting to pounce and ride
round the world with abandonment.

What weapon will kill it?
Soap and vaccine will slow
but never have victory over
a bloodless, fleshless germ.

Wait till summer, some say.
The heat will kill the virus.
Then throw this bane back
to hell where it was conceived.

Remington Middle School: Fun, wacky art slideshow

"Check out this link for a slide show of FUN and wacky famous Art reproductions created by staff and students at Remington MS! ENJOY!"

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oymdFhxWcH5acQRdjdj5oQNteaRHGQhcvDa-N9dwUeE/edit?usp=sharing

famous Art reproductions created by staff and students at Remington MS

Shared via Twitter:
https://twitter.com/FranklinPSart/status/1261641304401993730?s=09

In the News: "together we are developing the framework and phases"

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

"For more than five years, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito has been a near constant at the side of Gov. Charlie Baker, a partner always there for every big moment, even if she was just off center stage. 

From budget rollouts to bill-signing ceremonies and even a presidential endorsement, Polito has been there to back up whatever the administration was doing, and maybe add a few supportive words herself. 

She has famously visited all 351 cities and towns, some more than once, and is the administration’s chief liaison to municipal leaders, which has allowed her to quietly build relationships that could pay dividends in a future campaign. 

But now, with the outbreak of COVID-19 consuming the administration and Baker’s political future uncertain, Polito is getting a chance to step into the spotlight in her own right."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200516/reopening-role-puts-lt-gov-karyn-polito-on-center-stage

The Reopening Advisory Board page can be found
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/reopening-advisory-board

Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito spoke at FHS 4/29/2019 about sexting legislation

From the archives on Lt Gov Polito's visit to Franklin in April 2019
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/05/polito-roy-tout-team-effort-to-provide.html

Reopening: Mandatory Safety Standards for Workplaces

From the Reopening Advisory Board page at MA.gov:

Overview

The Department of Public Health (DPH) and the COVID-19 Command Center developed new Mandatory Workplace Safety Standards in consultation with the Reopening Advisory Board. These new standards will apply universally to all workplaces that are open in Phase 1, and are designed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission to employees and customers during the first phase of reopening, and are applicable to all sectors and industries.

The Administration is releasing these Mandatory Workplace Safety Standards early, in advance of the start of Phase 1, to give workplaces time to plan and prepare for reopening.

These safety standards will be supplemented by sector-specific safety protocols and recommended best practices, which will provide further details and limited exceptions.

Social Distancing

• All persons, including employees, customers, and vendors should remain at least six feet apart to the greatest extent possible, both inside and outside workplaces
• Establish protocols to ensure that employees can practice adequate social distancing
• Provide signage for safe social distancing
• Require face coverings or masks for all employees

Hygiene Protocols

• Provide hand washing capabilities throughout the workplace
• Ensure frequent hand washing by employees and adequate supplies to do so
• Provide regular sanitization of high touch areas, such as workstations, equipment, screens, doorknobs, restrooms throughout work site

Staffing and Operations

• Provide training for employees regarding the social distancing and hygiene protocols
• Employees who are displaying COVID19-like symptoms do not report to work
• Establish a plan for employees getting ill from Covid-19 at work, and a return-to-work plan

Cleaning and Disinfecting

• Establish and maintain cleaning protocols specific to the business
• When an active employee is diagnosed with COVID19, cleaning and disinfecting must be performed
• Disinfection of all common surfaces must take place at intervals appropriate to said workplace

Sector Specific Safety Protocols

• ​​​​​​The Reopening Advisory Board is developing Sector Specific Safety Standards and Best Practices that will detail how particular industries should operate upon reopening, as well as provide for limited exceptions to the mandatory standards. These sector specific standards are forthcoming.

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/reopening-mandatory-safety-standards-for-workplaces

Mandatory Workplace Safety Standards

South Station Air Rights Project - Construction Anticipated to Restart on May 18

• South Station Air Rights Project

Work on the South Station Air Rights Project is planned to resume on May 18. Once the schedule impacts of the COVID-19 delays can be determined, a new construction timeline will be established.

Please note that Suffolk Construction, the contractor for the South Station Air Rights Project, and its subcontractors will be maintaining full compliance with the City of Boston’s COVID-19 Safety Policies to ensure the safety of not only work crews but members of the traveling public.

• New Construction Zone to be Established

Beginning on May 18, Suffolk Construction will begin establishing a construction zone adjacent to Track 13. The contractor recently installed a new sidewalk for pedestrians to access the train platforms directly from Dorchester Avenue, providing a more direct connection for those rail passengers looking to access the Fort Point Channel area.

If you are a passenger who will be using the sidewalk from Dorchester Avenue to the rail platform, you will need to use the newly painted crosswalk to enter the station (near the end of Tracks 11 and 12). Beginning Monday, May 25, passengers will no longer have direct access to Track 13 from the alley between South Station and the Post Office, as this will be part of the construction zone.


The newsletter was shortened for publication here. To view the ful contents
https://mailchi.mp/89560e626169/south-station-air-rights-project-open-house-on-january-6442724?e=3a8a5c15a9 

South Station Air Rights Project - Construction Anticipated to Restart on May 18

Sunday, May 17 is HMEA's Virtual incredABLE 5K

5K Virtual Race

The winners of last year's incredABLE 5K will complete the race course this year in a LIVE BROADCAST EVENT!

Everyone is invited to tune in and cheer on the runners as they do something incredABLE!

Watch the LIVE BROADCAST at https://www.hmea.org/incredable-5k/

or   https://www.facebook.com/HMEAInc/  

RSVP on Facebook,  Invite family and friends to join you in the day's virtual events!


Sunday, May 17 at 11:00 AM

• Opening Ceremonies
• Announcement of Contest Winners
• Live Raffle Drawings
• Special Thanks
• Note: You may need to refresh your browser to see us go LIVE!

Watch the LIVE BROADCAST at  https://www.hmea.org/incredable-5k/
or   https://www.facebook.com/HMEAInc/

Sunday, May 17 is HMEA's Virtual incredABLE 5K

Seniors: Virtual Coffee Hour next Thursday, May 21

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

State Rep Jeff Roy, Town Administrator Jamie Hellen and members of the Town Council

Shared from   https://twitter.com/TOFranklinMA/status/1261364428944969728?s=03

Seniors: Virtual Coffee Hour next Thursday, May 21

Online New Student/Kindergarten Registration and Change of Address Form

Franklin Public Schools is happy to announce the launch of our online New Student Registration/Change of Address Form. Parents/Guardians will be able to utilize this form to enroll a new student in Franklin Public Schools or change a current student’s address within Franklin. 

Once completed, parents/guardians will receive a personal confirmation email from their child’s school with further enrollment information. We are excited about this new endeavor and are hopeful it will make our registration process more efficient.

If you are interested in enrolling at the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC), please contact Laura Flanagan, school secretary, at flanaganla@franklinps.net to learn about availability and enrollment procedures. Once your child has been accepted and enrolled at ECDC, we will guide you through the Registration Process.

FIND THE NEW STUDENT REGISTRATION/CHANGE OF ADDRESS FORM HERE: https://bit.ly/3fSCAbZ

*Please note that if your student is a current 5th or 8th grader attending school in Franklin, their records will be automatically transferred to the appropriate Franklin middle or high school and no action is required

 

Online New Student/Kindergarten Registration and Change of Address Form

IN the News: "must be deliberate and careful to balance economic and public health needs"

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

"Two key strategies to maintaining progress in the fight against COVID-19 as the state begins a gradual process of reviving public activity will be use of masks and, wherever possible, employees working remotely, Gov. Charlie Baker said Friday.

During his daily coronavirus press conference -- potentially his last State House appearance before Monday, when a panel plans to file a report outlining a roadmap toward phased reopening -- Baker touted both practices and stressed that the public health threat will require an ongoing vigilant response.

About half of the employees in state government’s executive branch have been working remotely since late March, and Baker said his administration this week extended that policy “for the foreseeable future.”

He praised large employers such as Blue Cross Blue Shield and Raytheon who have collectively permitted about 150,000 workers to fulfill their duties from home, suggesting other fields where remote work is possible should follow their example."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200515/baker-work-from-home-if-you-can-wear-mask-when-out

https://youtu.be/gzT_iKou3zY

Contollo Mass Manufacturing begins operations

From the news:




https://twitter.com/boston25/status/1261415066328395776

Notice of Aerial Spraying - Norfolk County Mosquito Control District

To: Pesticide Board & Boards of Health 
From: David A. Lawson, Director
Date: May 13, 2020
Re: Notification of Late Evening Aerosol Applications (Ultra Low Volume – ULV)

Please be advised that the Norfolk County Mosquito Control District will begin the 2020 late evening ULV aerosol applications on or about May 26, weather permitting.

May 26 through October 23, 2020 - Adulticide aerosol (ULV) applications. (Conducted between sunset and midnight, Monday through Thursday)

If any resident wishes to know what day of the week spraying may be conducted in their town, they should go to the Districts website at http://www.norfolkcountymosquito.org/service-request/. After the ULV program begins, if an individual would like to see a map of areas to be treated on the day of application, they can go to that same link, and then enter their address in the address line of the interactive map.
Please note that the ULV map will be posted on or about 3:30 p.m. the day of the scheduled application.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

• If you are not requesting spraying, but wish to simply be notified of spraying near your home, we have an automated notification system that will send you an e-mail if you are within 300 feet of a scheduled spray route on that evening.
• In order for you to be notified, you need to provide us with your name, address, and an email address. [Note: We do not sell or distribute e-mail addresses to any outside entity.] It will be your responsibility to check your emails on the day of spraying to see if a notification is sent to you.
• Please call the office to get yourself registered for this service. (781) 762-3681. You will need to re-register for this service each year.

The purpose of the adulticide application is to control nuisance and/or virus carrying adult mosquitoes. The control product being used is Zenivex (EPA Reg. No. 2724-807) applied in ultra-low volume (ULV) sprayers at a rate of approximately one ounce per acre of finished spray.

Process to Exclude Property From Public Area Wide Pesticide Applications - State Regulation 333 CMR:13:03 provides a method for homeowners to exclude their property from public area-wide pesticide applications. For more information, please click on the following links: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/agr/pesticides/exclusion-of-wide-area-application-of-pesticides.html

Notice of Aerial Spraying - Norfolk County Mosquito Control District

Shared from the Town of Franklin page
https://www.franklinma.gov/home/news/notice-aerial-spraying-norfolk-county-mosquito-control-district

In the News: "Mass. hydro project caught up in Maine ballot fight"

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

"The project that would provide New England with its largest source of renewable energy and Massachusetts with about a fifth of its electricity demand is at the center of a simmering political and legal fight taking shape in Maine.

New England Clean Energy Connect, a 145-mile transmission project of Central Maine Power Company, is expected to link the electrical grids in Quebec and New England to provide cleaner and more reliable hydropower directly to a converter station in Lewiston, Maine, and into the regional power grid.

This week, CMP’s parent company filed a lawsuit against the state of Maine claiming a ballot question that project opponents got on the November ballot to overturn a key permit approval is unconstitutional. That suit came days after the Maine Supreme Judicial Court ruled in a separate case that contested signatures turned in by project opponents were valid.

Bay State utilities and Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration chose the project to help Massachusetts meet its statutory requirements to increase renewable energy supplies after their first choice -- the Northern Pass project through the White Mountains of New Hampshire -- was stymied by regulators there."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200515/mass-hydro-project-caught-up-in-maine-ballot-fight

For additional info, the ballotpedia entry is here
https://ballotpedia.org/Maine_NECEC_Transmission_Project_Certificate_Initiative_(2020)

COVID Connectors: Connect Sick Patients with their Loved Ones with a repurposed device

Elizabeth Pehota (@pehota) tweeted at 1:09 PM on Fri, May 15, 2020:

"Have an old phone? Here's an idea 💡

Due to visitor restrictions, hospital patients feel isolated & many are looking for a way to connect with their loved ones.

That's where our #NERevs  Hometown Hero Kaya Suner comes in with COVID Connectors ⬇️"

https://www.revolutionsoccer.net/post/2020/05/15/hometown-heroes-19-year-old-kaya-suner-connects-hospital-patients-loved-ones

https://twitter.com/pehota/status/1261342880867770369?s=03

Go direct to covidconnectors.org 
 
Note: "Due to hospital policies we are only able to accept Apple iOS devices at this time"

COVID Connectors: Connect Sick Patients with their Loved Ones with a repurposed device

Tri-County Regional Student Receives 34th Annual the Outstanding Vocational Student Award

Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School senior, Hannah Davis, has been selected as the recipient of the 34th annual Outstanding Vocational Student Award.

The Outstanding Vocational Student Award is presented each year by the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators (MAVA) and the Massachusetts Vocational Association (MVA) to one student from each vocational technical high school in Massachusetts. The award recognizes students who have made significant contributions to their local school district and to the statewide vocational education system. Recipients must have excellent attendance, a minimum of a 3.5 GPA and vocational-related work experience. The students must demonstrate leadership qualities, technical competence, involvement in the community and extracurricular activities.

Hannah Davis, daughter of Jason and Tracy Davis of Franklin, is an outstanding student in the Engineering Technology Program at Tri-County. She is Valedictorian for the class of 2020 carrying a weighted grade point average of 4.49.

Tri-County superintendent-director Stephen Dockray and Hannah Davis

During her time at Tri-County, Hannah has participated in a rigorous course of study that included both Honors and Advanced Placement Courses. She is the Vice President of the National Honor Society, and was awarded the Cougar Culture Award for her exemplary achievement in the areas of scholarship, leadership, character and service. She is Scout Leader for the FIRST Robotics Team and is one of Tri-County’s Student Ambassadors. She was also selected as the DAR Good Citizen for demonstrating dependability, service, leadership and patriotism.

As part of the co-operative education program, Hannah has worked at TE Connectivity in Norwood as an Engineer. She was a member of Smith College’s Summer Science and Engineering Program and has already completed two courses at Bristol Community College. Hannah was accepted at many competitive colleges and is leaning towards attending UMass Amherst Commonwealth Honors College.

A competitor in Skills USA, Hannah took a Gold Medal in Leadership District and State Competition: Additive Manufacturing and a Bronze Medal in: Exploratory Demonstration. Hannah also participated in a NASA sponsored project called HUNCH where she worked as a project manager.

In addition to her academic achievement, Hannah is an accomplished athlete. She serves as the Captain of the Varsity Cross Country Team, Varsity Basketball, Track and Field and Volleyball teams.