Chamber of Commerce updates

A couple of updates on the United Regional Chamber of Commerce front:

1 - EXECUTIVE EXPRESS-O SEPT. 10

The United Regional Chamber of Commerce, 42 Union St., Attleboro, is hosting the next Executive Express-O meeting on Fri., Sept. 10 from 8 a.m. to 8:55 a.m. This month’s topic is “Perfecting Your Elevator Speech. Generate Interest, not Boredom!" The seminar is free to attend, but registration is requested. Register by calling 508-958-3681 or charlie.miller@vistage.com. Future dates of Executive Express-O are Oct.1 and Nov. 12. Executive Express-O is sponsored by The United Regional Chamber of Commerce and Vistage.

2 - CHAMBER HOSTING TWO GRANT WORKSHOPS

The United Regional Chamber of Commerce is hosting two grant workshops on Thurs., Sept. 9 at its Attleboro office, 42 Union St. Admission is free. Register by calling 508-222-0801.

The first workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. The workshop will explain The Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund Express Program. The Training Fund Express Program is accepting applications from organizations with 50 or fewer employees in Massachusetts that contribute to the Workforce Training Fund via DUA/UI investments. Training funded by this program should address the priorities of the fund which include projects that will result in job retention, job growth or increased wages and for projects where training would make a difference in the company's productivity, competitiveness, and ability to do business in Massachusetts.

The second workshop will be held from 11 a.m. to noon and will explain The Department of Industrial Accident's Office of Safety and Health Education's Training Grants and how to apply for them. Last year, a number of Chamber member organizations attended this meeting, applied for these grants and received them. Grants are considered for any type of safety training. Examples are, but are not limited to, ergonomics, crisis prevention, work zone safety, OSHA, and aging workforce topics.


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The United Regional Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit, business support organization serving the communities of Attleboro, Bellingham, Blackstone, Foxborough, Franklin, Mansfield, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Norfolk, North Attleborough, Norton, Plainville, Rehoboth, Seekonk, and Wrentham.


Note: I joined the Chamber in 2009. This membership has been beneficial because it has helped me understand what it takes to do business in Franklin which in turn I think has helped me share what matters in Franklin.

Clarification on grant money

There is a key clarification to the notification of the grant awarded here:
 http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1169807703/-300-000-grant-to-help-towns-deal-with-runoff-mandate

The money is to be used by the EPA to provide consultants to help the three communities (Bellingham, Milford, and Franklin) make progress on the 'storm water utility' being proposed as part of the overall permitting process. The consultants should be a good help in this matter as the communities generally don't have the resources and or skills to devote to this aspect of the development.

Thanks to Jeff Nutting for sharing this nuance on the grant.


Additional information on the storm water permit which is open for comments through Sep 30, 2010 can be found here:

http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/08/epa-storm-water-proposal-information.html


Franklin, MA

In the News - schools open, campus center

Franklin students return to school

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Ashley Studley, Daily News staff

Dean College students greeted by new campus center

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Ashley Studley, Daily News staff

Franklin, MA

Fund raiser for Cavossa Family

The Cavossa Family was one of those left out on the sidewalk by the fire last week.

The Franklin Elks are putting together a fund raising event on Saturday, Sep 11 from 7:00 PM until midnight at the Elks on Pond St.

Tickets are $25/person and available at the door. There will be a buffet dinner, music and dancing.

If you hear of any other fund raising efforts for the residents of 125 East Central St. let me know. I'd like to share that information here.

Franklin, MA

In the News - 11 teachers, EPA grant, Chilson Beach

Franklin to hire back 11 teachers

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Ashley Studley/Daily News staff

$300,000 grant to help towns deal with runoff mandate

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Ashley Studley/Daily News staff

Teens charged with alcohol possession near Chilson Beach

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Joe O'Connell/Daily News staff

Franklin, MA

Dean College: President's Cup Golf Tournament

The 14th annual Dean College President’s Cup Golf Tournament is scheduled for Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at the New England Country Club, Bellingham, MA.

Check-in, registration and breakfast begins at 8 a.m. The tournament begins with a shotgun start and scramble format at 9 a.m., and concludes with a luncheon and awards at 2 p.m.

For more information or to register, please contact the Dean College Office of alumni relations at 1-888-711-3326, or go online to https://www.dean.edu/forms/golfregistration.aspx


Franklin, MA

Mark Your Calendar for September 8th

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Press Release! Mark Your Calendar for September 8th

via Growing In Franklin by Franklin Community Gardens on 8/31/10

For Immediate Release:

Franklin Group Plans For New Community Garden

Would you like to be a part of a new Community Garden in Franklin?

Would you like to grow fresh and healthy food?

We are group of new and seasoned gardeners who would like to start a large community garden in Franklin with separate plots available for individuals, families and community groups as well as a "Giving Garden" for the Franklin Food Pantry. This vision is a continuation of the Healthy Futures Harvest Garden Project, started earlier this spring as free-standing raised garden beds placed throughout our community.

Please join us for a planning session Wednesday evening September 8th at 7:00 p.m. at the Franklin YMCA Bernon Family Branch, 45 Forge Hill Rd. Now is the time to plan for next spring! No experience is necessary.

Come help us grow our garden dream into homegrown food on your plate!

For more info, contact Lauren at 774-235-2737, email Amy at franklincommunitygardens@gmail.com or read more on the new blog at http://www.franklincommunitygardens.org/

August 31, 2010   -  Contacts:

Lauren Marciszyn, Franklin YMCA, 774-235-2737

Amy Acevedo, committee member, 508-520-7018

Event Date is Wednesday September 8, 2010

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• Subscribe to Growing In Franklin using Google Reader
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Franklin, MA: School Committee - Agenda - 8/31/10

The School Committee did get their brief agenda posted on the new 'open meeting' window at the Municipal Bldg.

You can find it amongst the other meeting notices also posted there as you approach the door from the parking lot. On the other side of the window is the Town Clerk offices to complete the orientation of where this is.

Oh, and the agenda item of note is:

Discussion Only Items - Budget

Franklin, MA

American consumers ... a 'eureka' moment!

Director of the New America Foundation Energy Policy Initiative, Lisa Margonelli writes about the global culture and economy of energy in this TEDx talk:

So the thing about water oil spills is that they are very politically galvanizing. I mean, these pictures -- this is from the Santa Barbara spill. You have these pictures of birds. They really influence people. When the Santa Barbara spill happened in 1969, it formed the environmental movement in its modern form. It started Earth Day. It also put in place the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act. Everything that we are really stemmed from this period. I think it's important to kind of look at these pictures of the birds and understand what happens to us. He we are normally; we're standing at the gas pump, and we're feeling kind of helpless. We look at these pictures, and we understand, for the first time, our role in this supply chain. We connect the dots in the supply chain. And we have this kind of -- as voters, we have kind of a "eureka!" moment. This is why these moments of these oil spills are so important. But it's also really important that we don't get distracted by the theater or the morals of it. We actually need to go in and work on the roots of the problem.

Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the video.

Franklin, MA

Parmenter School: Student drop off/pick up process

The letter to the Parents of the Parmenter School:

Parmenter_ParentLetter_20100826

The drop off/pick up process for Parmenter School during the Wachusett St construction:

ParmenterDropOffProcess_20100830


These were originally posted to the Franklin website:
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_News/015E89DE-000F8513
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_News/015E8A02-000F8513

Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the documents.

Parmenter School: rain gardens

The construction work on the rain gardens at the Parmenter School may get finished before school opens but the road work certainly won't be. Parents in the Parmenter community should be getting special instructions on what to do for drop off and pick up of students when school opens on Sep 1.

There are rain gardens in front of school, in the parking lot and another in the back of school. On a recent run by the school, I stopped to take these photos. The rain gardens are designed to catch rain (storm water) and filter it through several layers of material.

This view shows a cloth covering providing one layer of the filter material. 

As construction makes progress, I'll try and get photos to show the other layers of material.

Franklin, MA

Podcamp Boston 5 – September 25 & 26, 2010

Are you ready for the future?


Are you new to new media like blogging, podcasting, Twitter, Facebook, and wondering where to get started?
Are you a veteran of all things 2.0 and wondering what to learn next to propel you into future success?


PodCamp Boston, now in its 5th year, aims to help you answer these questions and many more. On September 25-26, 2010 at the facility of Microsoft New England Research and Development Center, PodCamp Boston will bring together the best and the brightest - including you - for two days of learning, sharing, and growing your social media skills.


Who should attend PodCamp Boston?
You. It doesn't matter where you are on your social media journey, whether you just starting Tweeting yesterday or whether you're one of the decade-long bloggers. It doesn't matter whether you're the CEO of a Fortune 50, a director of a non-profit, or a guy who likes to knit on the air. What does matter is that you are an expert in something. You have questions AND answers, and PodCamp Boston is the best opportunity to contribute and learn all at once.


What will you learn at PodCamp Boston?
PodCamp is driven by what YOU want to learn and share. Twitter? Sure. Facebook? Of course. Blogging? Definitely. Podcasting? By the bucket. Last year we introduced a way to have more conversations and less presenting with discussions.  This year we want to continue that success and give you the opportunity to learn about the things that would help YOU.


More important, we want you, as you register, to consider leading a session in which you pose a burning question that you absolutely must get the answer to. Maybe you need to know how to figure out the ROI of Facebook. Maybe you need to learn how to make great Internet video. Whatever your burning question is, we want you to ask it at PodCamp.


Take a look at some of the planned topics:

• Clearing the Hurdles - on pitching social media marketing initiatives 
• Blogging 100/101/102 
• Preparing for the future - What tips, techniques, tactics, and ideas can we share for preparing for the future? 
• Monitoring, Management & the Promise of Social CRM 
• Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare... It's Taking Over Our Lives! 
• Social Media for Fundraising and Nonprofit Marketing

Ready to get started?
PodCamp Boston 5 is a mere $50 to participate, but we guarantee you'll get so much more. Not only will you benefit but the net proceeds from the event will be donated to the Greater Boston Food Bank feeding some very hungry kids in the Boston area.  Register today, as we've only got a little over a hundred spots left, and they're going wicked fast.


Register now for PodCamp Boston »
After you've registered, share this with your network and invite them to come to PodCamp Boston with you!

SHARE THIS EMAIL:
Facebook	Twitter	LinkedIn	Digg	MySpace

We'll see you there!

PodCamp Boston 5 is sponsored by the Microsoft NERD Center, our venue sponsor.

Email outreach is sponsored by Blue Sky Factory.

To no longer receive information about PodCamp Boston 5, update your communications preferences here.

One Memorial Drive
Suite 100
Cambridge, MA 02142

Franklin, MA

Harmony from the Heart

A good night for a good cause.

FUNDRAISER FOR PLATELET RESEARCH

FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2010 

LAKE PEARL LUCIANO'S 
WRENTHAM MA

6:30PM - 11:30PM

ENTERTAINMENT:

Kai Olsson
Peter Paulousky
PT 73
THE DRIVE
Toby Olsson

$25.00 In Advance 
$30.00 At the door


You can check out the Facebook page here.

Franklin, MA

Clipper Magazine

The Clipper Magazine delivered with your regular postal mail this week is full of good coupons for restaurants and other retail outlets in the area.

Maguro House is featured on the cover:

Inside, there is a page with Clipper Cash coupons for other local restaurants:





Grab your copy before it gets into the recycle pile.



If someone did toss it already, you can find a copy of this issue on line here: http://couponclipper.com/c-tb/www.pageturnpro.com/Clipper-Magazine/17841-015610210/index.html/zip/02038




Franklin, MA

Underground Utilities - survey results

The question was:

WOULD YOU PAY APPROX. $70 TO PUT THE UTILITIES UNDERGROUND?

The results were

Yes - 22
No - 44

A convincing 2-1 ratio of No to Yes.

The survey had been introduced here
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/08/franklin-ma-underground-utilities.html

The collection of Downtown Improvement Project posts can be found here:
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/08/downtown-improvement-project-collection.html


Franklin, MA

Special - Dinner for Two - $20

The Rome Restaurant is running a Dinner for Two Special for $20. The special is available on Tue-Wed-Thu only but well worth it,

For those who have been to the Rome, you know the food is good. For those who haven't been, this is well worth a visit.


Note: The Rome happens to be one of our favorite places to go. We had stopped in on Friday night and weren't eligible for the special. We paid full price for the meal and enjoyed a great dinner.

Franklin, MA

Native Plants of Franklin

Hello Franklin! Did you recognize last week's mystery native, perhaps because it grows in the cracks of your driveway, or between the mulch and the curb of the grocery store parking lot?




This plant is called spotted spurge (Euphorbia maculata) and if you grow anything at all out-of-doors in New England, then you have likely plucked out this plant as a weed.




This is what it looks like when spotted spurge is left to its own devices for a few months. It grows absolutely flat against the ground, and has a lovely tinge of purple to its stems and leaves. Spurge is an annual plant that flourishes in hot, dry conditions that kill everything else.

I am a bit baffled as to why every source considers this plant to be just a weed, worthy only of killing, and I am currently leaving it to grow in parts of my garden to see how it does as a groundcover. So far it has been great! It was one of the only plants that didn't seem to suffer during the drought.




Just for fun, here is a closer look. This plant is in bloom. There they are: each flower is barely a millimeter across.




And here is next week's flower. Do you know what it is?




Feel free to post your guesses in the comments section here. Cheers!


Michelle Clay writes about gardening here in Franklin at the Clueless Gardeners Blog.

Franklin, MA

In the News - house fire, Tom Rush

Families lose homes in Franklin fire

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Ashley Studley, Daily News staff

FRANKLIN BRIEF: Circle of Friends presents an evening with Tom Rush

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Franklin, MA