"Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every #NewYear find you a better man." - Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac, 1755 https://t.co/IZTkn4PG04
The Freedom Trail: Ben Franklin quote for New Year |
Providing accurate and timely information about what matters in Franklin, MA since 2007. * Working in collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio (wfpr.fm) since October 2019 *
"Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every #NewYear find you a better man." - Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac, 1755 https://t.co/IZTkn4PG04
The Freedom Trail: Ben Franklin quote for New Year |
Dear Taxpayer,
Recently you received a 3rd quarter actual real estate tax bill that incorrectly calculated one day of interest on the amount due.
If you pay your taxes through your mortgage company you do not need to take any action.
If you have already paid your bill, that interest will be reflected as a credit on your 4th quarter actual real estate tax bill in May.
If you have not paid yet, please discard that bill. A corrected 3rd quarter tax bill is currently being mailed to and will arrive by next week.
To accommodate for this inconvenience we have extended the due date to February 19, 2021 without any interest or penalties.
The online payment portal has the correct amount due. All taxpayers and citizens can pay the correct amount online.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
These bills can be paid in a variety of ways:
Shared from the Town of Franklin page https://www.franklinma.gov/home/news/notice-treasurercollectors-office-0
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Franklin Tax Payers: A Notice from the Treasurer/Collector's Office |
On New Year's Day, Friday January 1, the Commuter Rail will operate on a regular Sunday schedule. The Rockport Line disruption will be the only disruption in effect.
Affected routes:
Last Updated: Dec 30 2020 06:57 PM
"Ben knows it is still important to keep space between yourself and others! #DoYourPartFranklin #SixTailsApart #ItStillMatters #BensGuide @franklinpolice @FranklinMAfire @FranklinPSNews https://t.co/5dVsBEvV4P"
Town of Franklin, MA: Ben's guide to social distancing |
HockomockSports.com provides a preview of the high school boys basketball teams for the Hockomock League. We share the Franklin info here and provide the link to the page with all the other team previews.
Franklin
2019-2020 Record: 18-6
2019-2020 Finish: Reached D1 Central Final
Coach: CJ Neely
"Franklin is another team that will feature plenty of new faces for the 2020-2021 season. Graduation claimed all five starters and six of the top eight players in the rotation, meaning the Panthers will be an inexperienced group when the season tips off in January.
Not only did the Panthers lose 1,000-point scorer Chris Edgehill to graduation, but they’ll also have to replace the offensive production of the likes of Brayden Sullivan (9.8 points per game), Steven Karayan (9.6), and Jack Rudolph (8.5). Head coach CJ Neely will lean on his two returners in Declan Walmsley (8.5 points per game) and Andrew Byfield, both played valuable minutes at the varsity level last year. Walmsley is the most seasoned of the group, scoring in double figures in 10 games last year, including a career-high 24 points in a win over Weston.
Both Byfield and Walmsley can score in a variety of ways, but more importantly, they are familiar with the defense-first approach the Panthers take as a program. Even with an entirely new starting lineup, and new faces coming off the bench, Neely’s high expectations for the defensive end remain the same. Franklin has ranked at or near the top of points allowed per game in every season since Neely took over and that remains the standard for the Panthers. Walmsley and Byfield can both score in a variety of ways so the Panthers will lean on them offensively, especially early, but look for Franklin to be a well-balanced offense.
“The guys have really worked hard in the offseason to improve their skills as well as their strength and conditioning and it shows on the court,” Neely said. “We have a lot of players battling each day for minutes and roles on the court which has made for very competitive practices. This is a tight group who will be fun to coach and watch grow throughout the season.”
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FHS - 2020-2021 Boys Basketball Preview by HockomockSports.com |
"A new grant program is available for Massachusetts businesses from @MassGCC. Applications open tomorrow at noon. Find details here https://t.co/mY1d6or3gg"
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Town of Franklin, MA: new grant program for MA businesses |
We have received several reports from residents who have received text messages stating that their "Concealed Carry" permit is ready, or today is the last day to sign up.This is a SCAM. The Franklin Police Department does not text messages like this. The full application process is available on our website at: https://www.franklinma.gov/police-department/pages/license-carry-firearms-ltc
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Franklin Police: Notification of scam |
"The new year will be an important one for workers’ rights in Massachusetts. Here are three key pieces of legislation that will take effect in 2021. The trio is part of a large labor and wages bill passed in 2018, known as the grand bargain. Advocates say several of the measures will help workers desperately in need of relief during the pandemic. In addition, starting this year workers will be eligible for holiday pay on Juneteenth, after officials recognized it as a state holiday.
1. Paid family and medical leave
Starting next year, all employees in Massachusetts will have access to paid family and medical leave that will allow up to 12 weeks of family leave and up to 20 weeks of medical leave, with the guarantee that they would be restored to their same or equivalent positions, with the same status, pay, and employment benefits."
"One moment, Governor Charlie Baker is asking people to lobby their legislators for some relatively modest funding as the state’s well of small-business relief funds runs dry.
The next: Baker unveils $668 million for grants, in particular to help several sectors hit hard by COVID-19 such as restaurants, retail stores, gyms, and hair salons.
The sharp turnabout last week surprised many small-business advocates — not to mention the budget writers in the Legislature.
A Christmas miracle, or clever budgetary legerdemain on the part of Baker’s Administration & Finance team?
Maybe a bit of both."
"Baker takes stock of unprecedented pandemic"
"GOV. CHARLIE BAKER’S feelings about the year 2020 echoed public sentiment when he slammed his fists on a lectern at the State House Wednesday afternoon.
“As we close out 2020, finally, we’re again urging everyone if they can to stay home,” Baker said, banging both fists."
"THE HOUSE ELECTED a new speaker on Wednesday, but otherwise the two legislative branches did little of consequence and adjourned until Monday.
That leaves just Monday and Tuesday for lawmakers to take action on a slew of pending bills, some of which have been stuck in conference committee trying to resolve differences between the two branches for months."
"IN A DAY filled with ceremonial pomp – but no suspense — the Massachusetts House on Wednesday selected Quincy Democrat Ronald Mariano to be the next speaker of the House.
In his inaugural address, Mariano laid out a series of major policy goals, while reiterating the philosophy of governance that he has applied until now: a focus on achieving consensus through compromise. “In the reality of governing, we must live in the world of the possible and not make perfection the enemy of progress,” Mariano said."
Continue reading the article online https://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/ronald-mariano-elected-speaker-of-the-massachusetts-house/
"The Baker-Polito Administration today provided an update on the ongoing distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in Massachusetts. Including shipments arriving today and tomorrow, the Commonwealth expects more than 287,000 vaccine doses to arrive in the state by the end of 2020"Direct video link = https://youtu.be/HQ4Lfdh4Sl8
On New Year's Eve, the Commuter Rail will run on the reduced weekday schedule. There will be no adjustments made to the schedule.
Affected routes:
Last Updated: Dec 30 2020 03:31 PM
You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"
Finian, their pet parrot, provided some background commentary during our remote recording session. Here is a cropped photo of Finian shared on the Fresh Start Market Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/p/CJIEFN7gQ29/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
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Finian, their pet parrot, provided some background commentary during our remote recording session |
"Boston’s traditional New Year’s Eve fireworks displays are canceled for the first time since 1975 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.In November, the First Night Boston celebration typically held around Boston and over Boston Harbor was called off by organizers, according to the website, in favor of a livestreamed and broadcast event. First Night tweeted out a reminder Monday that the cancellation includes the traditional fireworks over the city."
A few updates happening at the Y. They are offering 4 programs for youths of all ages and revising the athletes conditioning program.
Everything will be starting in January.
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Kids running club |
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Up N’ Run |
"Do you have plans to go out to eat at one of our great restaurants? (or anywhere for that matter!)
Please read the Diner Code of Conduct and #DoYourPart to keep yourself, other diners, and the employees safe!
#DoYouPartFranklin #BeKind #BeRespectful" https://t.co/NbwhgWYY2X
Town of Franklin, MA: Diner Code of Conduct |
The Town of Franklin COVID-19 Dashboard can be found here bit.ly/TOFDshbrd
new 'dashboard view' = https://t.co/jPvsvLAL0O
Shared from Twitter = https://t.co/pUiGppThKQ
The chart below details the confirmed, recovered, and isolated cases of COVID-19 in the Town of Franklin. This data reflects the most current information available and will be updated with additional information as confirmed counts are released through the Franklin Board of Health from the state Department of Public Health (DPH). Data for this table is based on information available in the Department of Public Health surveillance database at a single point in time. Case counts for specific cities and towns change throughout the day, as data cleaning occurs (removal of duplicate reports within the system) and new demographic information (assigning cases to their city or town of residence) is obtained. Statewide data is here (https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-response-reporting)
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Town of Franklin, MA: COVID-19 Dashboard |
The Boston Globe has the following on the override of Gov Baker:
"Abortion rights will be formally codified in state law, and access to the procedure will be expanded after the Senate on Tuesday joined the House in overriding Governor Charlie Baker’s veto of the legislation.
The Senate reaffirmed its support for the abortion access measures on a 32-8 vote, one day after the House’s 107-46 vote."
Treasurer Collector, Kerri A. Bertone has mailed the Fiscal Year 2021 3rd Quarter Real Estate and Personal Property tax bills.
The due date for these bills is February 1, 2021
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Fiscal Year 2021 3rd Quarter Real Estate & Personal Property Tax Bills have been mailed |
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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FM #424 Planning Board Meeting - Food Pantry segment - 12/2120 (audio) |
"The Commonwealth has made an additional $668M available to support businesses. @MassGCC will target a portion of these funds to sectors experiencing the most significant economic hardship & loss of revenue due to #COVID19MA. #MAbiz"
Details: http://ow.ly/P72Z50CVyHy
Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/MassEOHED/status/1343612866801315846
Go direct to grant info: https://www.empoweringsmallbusiness.org/covid-19-response/sector-specific-relief-grant-program-massachusetts-businesses
"DeLeo stepping down; Mariano facing no opposition"
"IN A MESSAGE read by a tearful House clerk, Speaker Robert DeLeo announced he is resigning his position on Beacon Hill at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, setting the stage for the ascension of Majority Leader Ronald Mariano of Quincy to the top position in the chamber on Wednesday.
Shortly after the announcement just before 2 p.m., the speaker’s office said DeLeo would give a farewell address Tuesday afternoon and a caucus to elect a new speaker will be held on Wednesday."
"House overrides Baker’s abortion veto"
"THE HOUSE ON MONDAY voted 107-46 to override Gov. Charlie Baker’s veto of legislation allowing women as young as 16 to obtain abortions without parental or judicial consent and expanding when pregnancies can be terminated after six months.
The Senate on Tuesday is expected to join the House in overriding the governor’s veto, giving the Legislature a victory on the issue of broader abortion access at a time when President Trump has added several justices perceived as anti-abortion to the US Supreme Court. It’s not clear if a Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision protecting a woman’s right to have an abortion without excessive government intervention, would have any impact in Massachusetts."
It was a Saturday in the spring of 2017, and a ninth-grade student in Pennsylvania was having a bad day. She had just learned that she had failed to make the varsity cheerleading squad and would remain on junior varsity.
The student expressed her frustration on social media, sending a message on Snapchat to about 250 friends. The message included an image of the student and a friend with their middle fingers raised, along with text expressing a similar sentiment. Using a curse word four times, the student expressed her dissatisfaction with “school,” “softball,” “cheer” and “everything.”
Though Snapchat messages are ephemeral by design, another student took a screenshot of this one and showed it to her mother, a coach. The school suspended the student from cheerleading for a year, saying the punishment was needed to “avoid chaos” and maintain a “teamlike environment.”
:
If like me, you're confused by infectivity, contagiousness & transmissibility, you might find👇🏽helpful.
Big shoutout to @macroliter @KindrachukJason @angie_rasmussen, @sci_questions for helping clarify these concepts (would appreciate input if inaccuracies detected)
confused by infectivity, contagiousness & transmissibility, you might find this helpful |
The Boston Globe has the following:
"The Democratic-controlled House voted Monday to override President Donald Trump’s veto of a defense policy bill.
House members voted 322-87 to override the veto, well above the two-thirds needed to override. If approved by two-thirds of the Senate, the override would be the first of Trump’s presidency."
"A Republican congressman from Texas sued Vice President Mike Pence in the latest long-shot effort to reverse President-elect Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump.Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
In the lawsuit, Representative Louie Gohmert seeks a court order forcing the vice president to acknowledge what Gohmert claims is Pence’s power to disregard states’ chosen Democratic electors and instead select competing slates of GOP electors on Jan. 6.
That’s the day the Senate and House meet jointly to open and count certificates of electoral votes from the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The vice president has the constitutional role of presiding over the Senate, which has traditionally included overseeing the formal acceptance of the Electoral College vote."
You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"
FM #422-324 School Committee Meeting - In two parts - 12/22/20 (audio)
"SINCE THE SHOT heard around the world at the battle of Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts has been at the forefront of modern democracy. The Massachusetts Constitution – which was drafted by John Adams – formed the model for the United States Constitution and remains the oldest continuously-operating constitution in the world. Despite this history of democratic leadership, in recent years Massachusetts has fallen behind other states in ensuring that all eligible voters can register, vote, and have their votes count. The upcoming legislative session is an opportunity to change that and build on the work done in 2020 to open up voting to more people during the pandemic.
It was encouraging that Massachusetts leaders, like those in many other states, took important steps this year to expand early voting and to send vote-by-mail applications to every registered voter."
"RETIRED SALON OWNER and daycare provider Marcia Donnelly did not want to fight City Hall. She just wanted to sell home-baked sourdough bread from her kitchen in Southbridge.Homemade food businesses are common and easy to start in 48 states, and have become increasingly popular during COVID-19. Worried about global supply chains and general uncertainty, the pandemic has boosted demand for fresh, locally sourced products. Unfortunately, Massachusetts has resisted the trend, along with New Jersey. “It was a battle from the get-go to set up my business,” Donnelly says."
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Memory Cafe' Monday, Dec 28 at 2 PM |