Franklin Matters

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

”(Butterflies are) such an important part of the ecosystem"

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

"The converted carport behind Holliston’s Prentice Road golf course contains a riot of color and movement.

Blooms in shades of pink, purple, and yellow soar up from islands of loam on the gravel floor, pour from boxes along the walls, and hang from baskets in the ceiling. Black and orange butterflies flit from flower to flower, and a few head for the netted walls and arched ceiling, where visitors can hear the rapid drumming of their wings against the barrier. A mural of the colorful insects takes up a back wall.

This is the Holliston Butterfly Aviary, which opened for its third season this past weekend, behind the town-owned Pinecrest Golf Course.

Watch where you step: some butterflies nestle into the gravel at visitors’ feet."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170718/hollistons-butterfly-aviary-is-open

From the Holliston Agricultural Commission webpage:

The Agricultural Commission in Holliston established the butterfly aviary as part of their regular programs including a community garden, farms day in September and a Spring event in April. Franklin is in the process of getting an Agricultural Committee together to help foster the farm environment. Hmm, what will Franklin do?

"Butterfly Aviary Rules

Aviary is open 7 days a week 8am-7pm (During "open" season)
Please no children should be inside the aviary without adult supervision
Please no touching or trying to catch the butterflies
Watch your step as butterflies are often on the gravel and you could step on them
No running, bug repellants, picking up the butterflies or the plants, dogs, food or drinks allowed inside
Please do not place hands on the netting
Before you leave, please check yourself to make sure you don't have any butterflies on you"

From the Holliston Agricultural Commission webpage
http://www.hollistonagcom.org/butterfly_aviary.html

From the Holliston Agricultural Commission webpage

Franklin Library: Wild cats - July 19 - 10:30 AM

Wild cats at the Franklin Library, Wednesday, 10:30 AM for children 6 and up.

Wild cats at the Franklin Library, Wednesday, 10:30 AM for children 6 and up

This was shared from the Town of Franklin webpage
http://www.franklinma.gov/franklin-public-library/bulletins/wild-cats

“They’ve worked out very well. These are for our protection.”

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

"State Rep Jeff Roy, D-Franklin and Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, made a trip to the fire station Monday morning to get a firsthand look at the newest tools they helped purchase for the department.

Roy and Spilka worked together to secure a $65,000 grant to fund 60 hearing protection devices for Franklin firefighters.

The new items will help avoid potential hearing loss, said Fire Chief Gary McCarraher.

“The hearing protection devices are headsets that reduce the noise firefighters are exposed to within and around the fire apparatus,” McCarraher said. “They incorporate an intercom system so they can talk to one another as well as connection with the radio system.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170717/roy-spilka-appear-at-franklin-fire-dept

Paul Molla demos the new headsets (Jeff Roy Facebook photo)

Crackerbarrel Classic 5K Road Race - Sep 16

Hello to all past participants in the Crackerbarrel Classic 5K Road Race at Wrentham Developmental Center.

Your support was greatly appreciated! I hope to see you again for the 37th Annual Crackerbarrel Classic Race on September 16, 2017.

You can preregister on line through Runreg.com

Thanks in advance,
Rich Katno, Race Director

37th Annual Crackerbarrel Classic - Sep 16

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Franklin, MA: School Committee - Agenda - July 18, 2017

I missed having this meeting on the Franklin Matters calendar (and it wasn't on the official Town calendar, oops...)

1. Routine Business
Citizen’s Comments
Review of Agenda
Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the June 27, 2017 School Committee Meeting.
Payment of Bills Dr. O’Malley
Payroll Mrs. Douglas
Correspondence: Budget to Actual – Miriam Goodman

2. Guests/Presentations
a. 2016-17 District Improvement Plan Update

3. Discussion Only Items
Policy – Second Reading
o IKB – Homework Policy
o JICH – Substance Abuse Policy

4. Action Items
a. I recommend adoption of the following Policies as discussed:
1. IKB – Homework Policy
2. JICH – Substance Abuse Policy
b. I recommend acceptance of the following donations for FHS totaling $2,200.00:
1. $275.00 from various donors for the Paul Castelline Scholarship.
2. $150.00 from Mariko Tamate for the K. Kitanosono Scholarship.
3. $1,150.00 from Rebeca Shrager Memorial Fund – Temple Beth Am for inhouse enrichment at FHS.
4. $625.00 from various donors for the Maureen Sabolinski Scholarship.
c. I recommend acceptance of the following donations for Davis Thayer totaling: $3,135.16:
1. $2,897.64 from the DT PCC for Supplemental supplies.
2. $237.52 from O’Connor Portraiture for supplemental supplies.

5. Information Matters
Superintendent’s Report
School Committee Sub-Committee Reports
a. Policy Sub Committee – Ms. Scofield
School Committee Liaison Reports

6. New Business
To discuss future business that may be brought before the School Committee.

7. Motion to Adjourn
– Dr. O’Malley

Concerts on the Common: Sharon Band - July 19

Set aside Wednesday evening for "family night" on the Town Common. Bring a blanket, chairs, and a picnic meal; relax and enjoy the evening.

July 19 - Sharon Band

DJ Rich Green - Children's Program

In the event of rain, the concert will be held at:St Mary's/Ben Franklin Charter School - across the street from the Town Common.

Wednesdays 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Children's Programs 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM

Concerts on the Common: Sharon Band - July 19

Lisa Bailey - "Colorful Escapes" - art show in Natick, classes in Franklin

Franklin artist, Lisa Bailey is having a solo show in August and September in Natick. The advertising flyer for the show is displayed below. The show will be held at The Frame Shop - Gallery https://www.frameshop-gallery.com/

Lisa Bailey - "Colorful Escapes" - art show in Natick

Lisa had painted a picture of her cats called "7 of 9 Lives" which just won Honorable Mention at the Cape Cod Art Associations show called ‘The National 2017.’

7 of 9 Lives by Lisa G Bailey

Lisa is holding open enrollment for art classes that she teaches at her house called Developing Artists. She is a registered small home business owner here in Franklin.

https://www.facebook.com/DevelopingArtistsFranklin

Sometimes it takes 82 days

Weymouth resident Andrea Honore has been visiting Governor Baker’s office daily to highlight her opposition to the compressor project. She posted this today as her Day #82 entry:

"Holy flying pancakes, you guys!

I’m still processing this in what’s left of my brain. I’ll post more tomorrow.

For now, there’s this:
BAKER ORDERS STATE TO INVESTIGATE COMPRESSOR STATION ISSUES

By Michael P. Norton

STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE
STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, JULY 17, 2017…
Requesting a public health assessment and thorough airing of public safety concerns, Gov. Charlie Baker has directed state agencies to investigate issues raised by opponents of a controversial natural gas compressor station planned along the Fore River in North Weymouth.

In a letter dated July 14 and released by Baker’s office on Monday, Baker said his administration would examine claims about project impacts, gather public health data, and facilitate the presentation to the federal government of public safety concerns. And while he reiterated that the “primary decisions” about the project will be made by the federal government, Baker said he’s committed to ensuring that community concerns are “heard fully.”

“We recognize the serious concerns that have been raised by many, including constituents in your town and neighboring communities, regarding a proposed natural gas compressor station to be sited along the Fore River,” Baker wrote in a letter to Weymouth Mayor Robert Hedlund, a former state senator who has called the federal review of the project “a rigged process.”

You can continue reading the post and the other 81 days that preceded this
https://sitwithandrea.wordpress.com/

image from Sit With Andrea webpage

In the News: UMass tuition rises; legislative deal on marijuana reached; used needles everywhere

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

"The University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees voted to increase tuition and fees by an average of 3 percent for in-state undergraduates on Monday -- a move that will cost the average Massachusetts student $416 more than the previous academic year.

Across the UMass system, the average in-state undergraduate will pay an average $14,253 in tuition and fees this year. It is the third year in a row the university has increased tuition for students. Last July, the trustees voted to increase tuition and fees by 5.8 percent -- a hike that cost the average in-state undergraduate student $756. The trustees broke a two-year tuition freeze in 2015 when they voted to increase tuition by 5 percent.

The five-campus UMass system had more than 74,000 students enrolled during the 2016-17 academic year. Some 17,700 students earned UMass degrees in 2017 -- the largest graduating class in UMass history. The board approved the increases during a meeting in Worcester."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170717/university-of-massachusetts-raises-tuition-and-fees-3

http://www.umass.edu/

"State House and Senate negotiators reached an agreement Monday on the state’s voter-approved marijuana law that would allow retail pot sales to be taxed at a maximum 20 percent rate.

Highlights of the deal were released by a six-member conference committee that spent several weeks trying to resolve differences between the two chambers.The compromise language mostly splits the difference between a House proposal to raise the total tax on marijuana to a mandatory 28 percent and the Senate version of the bill, which called for keeping the tax at a maximum of 12 percent.

Under the agreement, consumers would pay a 10.75 percent excise tax in addition to the state’s regular 6.25 percent sales tax. Cities and towns would also have the option of adding a 3 percent local tax."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170717/marijuana-deal-calls-for-up-to-20-percent-tax-on-pot-sales

"They hide in weeds along hiking trails and in playground grass. They wash into rivers and float downstream to land on beaches. They pepper baseball dugouts, sidewalks and streets. Syringes left by drug users amid the heroin crisis are turning up everywhere.

In Portland, Maine, officials have collected more than 700 needles so far this year, putting them on track to handily exceed the nearly 900 gathered in all of 2016. In March alone, San Francisco collected more than 13,000 syringes, compared with only about 2,900 the same month in 2016.

People, often children, risk getting stuck by discarded needles, raising the prospect they could contract blood-borne diseases such as hepatitis or HIV or be exposed to remnants of heroin or other drugs.

It’s unclear whether anyone has gotten sick, but the reports of children finding the needles can be sickening in their own right. One 6-year-old girl in California mistook a discarded syringe for a thermometer and put it in her mouth; she was unharmed."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/zz/news/20170717/its-raining-needles-drug-crisis-creates-pollution-threat

Safe Coalition update to Town Council (video)

The S.A.F.E. Coalition presented and discussed their efforts to help address the substance abuse issues that troubles Franklin and much of MA (as well as the entire US).

I will share the video replay once it is available from Franklin TV and encourage you to view it to get the fullness of the discussion.

The video replay is available
http://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?PGD=franknma&eID=477

The document used for the presentation is here:

SAFE Coalition - July 12, 2017 from Franklin Matters

Some of the key takeways:

All Franklin 1st responders are now equipped with NARCAN
Training and distribution of NARCAN to the community exceeded expectations
Support line established (call 508-488-8105 for support, but not for emergency situations)
Additional communications and education events planned
Franklin Police provide real time overdose tracking for Franklin residents
SAFE has a YouTube channel with informative videos

SAFE Coalition presentation to Town Council, July 12, 2017

Monday, July 17, 2017

Closing Day - 3rd Annual Franklin Cultural Festival - Saturday, July 29

*** THE BLACK BOX

12:00 – 7:30 PM, Inside THE BLACK BOX (TBB)
Art Exhibit, Franklin Art Association

Select Franklin Restaurants will be selling food throughout the afternoon.

12:00 – 6:00 PM, The Festival Stage (Inside TBB)
• Heath Nisbett
• Emma Newton
• Universal Singers
• Ann Sears
• Kaye Kelly

12:00 – 8:00 PM, The Circle of Friends Stage (Outside TBB)
• Michele Kelly
• Jamie Barrett
• Stelfilia’s Stone
• Jim Henry
• Victims of Gravity

3rd Annual Franklin Cultural Festival Schedule: Saturday, July 29, 2017

* note the schedule is subject to change

If you are interested in getting updates on the Franklin Cultural Festival please check out the webpage http://www.franklinsculturalfestival.org/ or follow the Festival on Twitter https://twitter.com/artshappenhere

We do maintain a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/FranklinCulturalFestival but you should not rely on timely updates due to the way Facebook filters the information to followers.

To help financially support the Festival please visit: https://www.gofundme.com/FCF2017.

The tri-fold flyer with the full schedule can be downloaded here
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczZFlnZFNMV1puWkE/view?usp=sharing

Be part of Pam's Run 2017 and help the Neighbor Brigade

Franklin has an active chapter of the Neighbor Brigade. This 5K and 10K fund raiser helps the overall Neighbor Brigade organization.

View this email in your browser

Pam's Run 5K/10K will be on October 15th, 2017.

Why be a part of our 5th annual Pam's Run?

Thirsty Irish Runners had a great time in 2016!

Take it from the Thirsty Irish Runners, it's more fun when you run together! Hear what their team of 30 had to say about Pam's Run:

"An absolutely perfect New England fall weekend graced runners who toed the starting line at Pam's Run 2016. The 10K course is a great run through tree-lined residential roads and then down a dirt road past an area known as Duck Pond Farm.There was a nice incline at the fourth mile marker which challenged the legs a bit and then another quick uphill sprint was in the final mile. A great race for a running club or individual runner looking to tackle a fall 10k on a very nice course!"

Whether your goal is to walk our 5k or run our 10k, start your team today and share with us using hashtag #pamsrunNB

Form a Team!

Pam's Run is Neighbor Brigade's largest annual fundraiser which allows us to continue supporting people throughout New England who are experiencing a temporary crisis. In 2016 our volunteers helped 3,405 individuals and completed approximately 6,000 service hours in their communities; that adds up to over 16 hours of service every single day of the year! Recently one of our recipients wrote these beautiful words of gratitude: "Each time a meal arrives, my eyes fill with tears of joy, both because of the tangible help each delivery provides and because it is such a loving, personal expression of support. I've been honored to participate with Neighbor Brigade for some years, but never envisioned being on the receiving end of the group's generosity. It is incredible, and I am appreciative beyond words." To learn more about our impact in your community click here.