In the News - Tri-County

Tri-county students offer career technical services to the public

by GateHouse Media, Inc.



Franklin, MA

Letter from Peter Light, FHS Principal

Greetings:

Today, Franklin High School introduced a program, Rachel's Challenge, to high school students during classes. The introduction was designed to provide students with background information about this program which will be conducted Wednesday during school. The program is sensitive in nature as it deals directly with issues surrounding school violence and how students within a school and community treat each other. Counselors were available today and will be available throughout the week to work with high school students in processing information presented through this program.

I would also like to extend a personal invitation for parents to join Franklin High School and the greater Franklin Community to attend Rachel’s Challenge . A parent/ community program will take place this Wednesday, September 22 at 7:00 p.m. in the Horace Mann Auditorium.

Rachel’s Challenge was founded by Darrell Scott, father of Rachel Scott. Rachel was the first victim to be killed in the Columbine High School tragedy on April 20, 1999. Rachel’s Challenge is a tribute to Rachel Scott and her enduring message that you can change the world by treating others with compassion and kindness.

The development of a positive and safe school culture, one that fosters the acceptance of all students and provides a nurturing environment, is the single greatest responsibility we have to our children. Rachel’s Challenge provides us as a community with tools to combat bullying, prevent school violence and simply create the best environment we can for our youth. The inspirational live presentation lasts approximately one hour and has been viewed by millions throughout the United States, Germany and South America. Rachel’s Challenge has been recognized in numerous national forums and by two United States Presidents for its effectiveness and impact on all who see it. For more information, you may visit the Rachel’s Challenge website at: http://www.rachelschallenge.org

I invite you to join Franklin High School as we embark upon our journey and I hope to see you this Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. at the Horace Mann Auditorium.

Regards,

Peter Light

Principal

Franklin High School

Franklin, MA

Improvement Project - Traffic Changes - Executive Summary

The Executive Summary of the proposed traffic changes as part of the Downtown Improvement Project can be view in this document:

Franklin,MA Proposed traffic circulation - executive summary 20100901


Additional documentation on the project can be found on the Dept of Planning and Community Development on the Franklin, MA website here:
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Planning/dtimprovement

Note: email subscribers will need to click through to view this document

Franklin, MA

Senior Center - Open House - Sep 24

How timely?
Very timely!

Franklin, MA has been selected as a great place to retire and the Senior Center is holding an Open House this Friday. Details on the Open House can be viewed in this flyer:

SeniorCenter_OpenHouse_20100924


Note: email subscribers will need to click through to view the document.

Franklin, MA

Office Hours - Sep 26

Stop by for Office Hours

As a member of the Downtown Partnership, I will have a table near the Bamboo House restaurant on Main St and hold Office Hours during the Harvest Festival on Sunday, Sep 26.

I will be coming in from PodCamp Boston 5 and should be at the table by noon time.


Franklin, MA

"you really learn to appreciate the little things"

As the mother of a cancer survivor, Donigan finds that September, which is Childhood Cancer Awareness month, brings back years of hospital memories.

"I want the gold ribbon to be as widely known as the pink one is for breast cancer," Donigan said.

In 2003, Donigan's then 18-month-old daughter Hunter was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Read the full story about Hunter and childhood cancer in the Milford Daily News here:
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1680536944/Silver-lining-found-in-gold-ribbon-story



Franklin, MA

In the News - soccer, triathlon, Clark-Cutler-McDermott

Franklin Elks Lodge sponsors annual soccer shoot

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

Franklin YMCA hosts Annual Youth Triathlon

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

BUSINESS BRIEFS: Clark-Cutler-McDermott recognized by General Motors

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

Franklin, MA

Take this poster, please!

The poster for the upcoming Job Search Jam Sessions 2. This will be held in Hopkinton, MA on October 1. This is an unconference for the unemployed and under-employed.


Job Search Jam Session 2 - Poster

Yes, please download, printout and post this in as many friendly places as you can find to help spread the word.

The Organizing Team thanks you!

Those who attend will thank you!



Register here to take part:

Big Lots! coming to Franklin

In the space left by TJ Maxx, Big Lots is coming to Franklin.  Currently, the closet Big Lot store is in Milford.

HELPING PEOPLE CONNECT WITH THEIR INNER BARGAIN HUNTER

Maybe it's the one-of-a-kind shopping experience. Or the unique and ever-changing mix of brand-name merchandise. Or perhaps it's just the thrill of the treasure hunt.

But one thing's for sure - once you get a taste of closeout shopping, you'll never look at traditional retail the same way again.

From everyday consumables and housewares to toys and seasonal goods, Big Lots offers amazing values that other stores just can't match. As the nation's largest broadline closeout retailer, we have the buying power to find and negotiate the best deals in the business.

The result? Unbeatable bargains, with something new to discover every time. Plus stores that are genuinely fun to shop. It's a combination strong enough to break old shopping habits - turning more and more consumers into Big Lots closeout shoppers..

One big difference with Big Lots is they do sell via their website where Ocean State Job Lots, Bldg 19 and other outlets rely on the physical building.

Thanks to CK for the pointer to Big Lots!


BTW - When I stopped by recently to take this photo, there was nothing posted on the door indicating when they would be open.

Updated 11/14/10 - word has it they are scheduled to open on Nov 19th!

Franklin, MA

In the News - Kennedy School

Franklin school praised for test scores

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

Franklin, MA

Downtown Improvement Project - Survey - Update

The participation on Downtown Partnership survey has increased to 106 with No still leading by almost 2-1 margin (68-No, 38-Yes).

Sample comments: (spelling was corrected for readability)

Being a resident for over 70 years, we have had 2 way traffic here, and it worked and I believe it would cause less frustration and less chaos for the busiest times of the day and when the down town commuter train lets off people.

Franklin has a very small downtown and the only way to open up and make things flow more smoothly is getting rid of all this one way nonsense!

I vote for the 2 way!

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

I have looked on-line at the proposed changes to the down town area and while they do look attractive I do have some concerns about the two way traffic flow on the streets.  Many Franklin residents can not maneuver through downtown now with out breaking the "do not cross a solid line" driving law or stopping where there is no stop or yield sign.  I guess the new design would remove this factor from the equation.  My main concern is that the streets through downtown are so narrow that two way traffic flow through downtown may become hazardous.  At this point if you are trying to cross the street you at least know that traffic will only be coming at you from one direction.  I agree whole heartedly that the power lines need to be buried and the downtown could use some sprucing up but change to the traffic flow in an area with space restrictions may not be the best plan.  I would look for ways to add additional parking to the downtown area so residents can find safe parking easily to enjoy what downtown Franklin has to offer.  You can do many of the things in the proposed plan and keep the traffic flow one way.

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

40 years ago the town decided that the current one-way traffic pattern was necessary because of traffic tie ups that extended along route 140 from King Street to union Street.  With double the population, there is no reason to believe that it won't be the case if we switch back to two-way traffic on route 140.  We get romanced into doing unnecessary projects because it is someone else's money.  The cost will be in the future when we realize we have to change it back.  Projects like this are always justified by supposedly making it more pedestrian friendly.  It always ends up reducing parking spaces in front of businesses.  If you don't live within walking distance of the downtown, there is no way to become a downtown pedestrian unless you have a place to park your car.  You will be told that parking spaces in the downtown will actually increase.  It's not really true.  Adding spaces on Emmons Street does not replace lost parking spaces in front of Main Street businesses.  Anyone who tells you they would park on Emmons Street and walk back to shop is not being truthful.

Good feedback folks! Keep it coming.

Share the link to the survey with your friends and neighbors.
http://franklindowntownpartnership.blogspot.com/2010/09/downtown-improvement-project-survey.html


Franklin, MA

athletics can act as "an extension of the classroom"

Nearby Franklin also rejected an override in June that would have raised about $3 million for municipal and school expenses. The high school has since increased user fees to $200 from last year's $125, Athletic Director Brad Sidwell said.

"It's like everything in education," he said. "You have costs that are rising, and a lot of them are contractual."

Cross country, indoor and outdoor track athletes in Franklin pay $175 per season.

It was too early to measure this year's participation rates, Sidwell said. The track programs, which cover the students' physical education requirement, are having growing popularity last year.

The percentage of the athletic program's annual budget funded through athletic fees and game receipts "has certainly gone up," Sidwell said.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1985977005/Fees-increase-for-high-school-students-to-make-up-for-budget-cuts

Franklin, MA

Harvest Festival 2010 - map

This is the layout of the booths for the Harvest Festival sponsored by the Franklin Downtown Partnership. The Harvest Festival will be held on Sunday, Sep 26 2010 from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Downtown Partnership Harvest Fest 2010 Map


Note: the map is not to scale but is meant to provide a good idea of the layout of the booths and exhibits at the Harvest Festival. You can print a copy to take with you to the Festival.

Native Plants of Franklin

Greetings Franklin! Did you recognize what type of plant last week's mystery flower belongs to?




If you said "grass" you are correct!




I'm a little embarrassed to say that I'm not sure which type of grass this is. I had thought it was big bluestem, Andropogon gerardi, but I lost the plant tag. Drat. At any rate, it's a native grass that I bought from Garden in the Woods a few years back, and it has been a show-stopper in my garden ever since.




This particular native grass grows into a very tall clump, that, as you can see, is currently almost as tall as me. But native grasses come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, quite a few of which are fun for gardens as well as good for wildlife.




You may not have ever thought before about grass having flowers, but grass is a type of flowering plant. You just have to look closely to see the flowers.

You typically don't see flowers on mowed lawns because the grass needs to reach a taller height in order to produce flowers.

Native grasses aren't typically used in lawns. However, unlike the imported lawn grasses, native grasses handle our native growing conditions far better than their lawn counterparts. The grass I show above, for instance, remained emerald green throughout this summer's drought, even though I hardly ever watered it.

The next time you find yourself in a unmowed area, have a look at the grass, and see if you can't spot the flowers.

Here is next week's native plant:




Here is a hint: the fruit is a lot more interesting than the flowers.

Happy plant-sleuthing!

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

Franklin, MA

Encourage them to answer the survey

The early returns have shifted already from almost an even split (13-no, 12-yes) to almost 2-1 margin favoring the No vote.



Should the Main St traffic pattern be changed from 1-way to 2-way?


No   - 40

Yes -   23

Total  -  63


This is a small number of the total residents (approx. 33,000) and of the registered voters (approx. 19,000)

The survey will remain open until midnight 9/28/10 so the numbers can be prepared for the Town Council meeting and public hearing on the 29th..

Encourage your friends and neighbors to have their say. Now is the time!

Visit the Franklin Downtown Partnership website to participate.
http://franklindowntownpartnership.blogspot.com/2010/09/downtown-improvement-project-survey.html



Franklin, MA

Franklin Police offering Bike Helmets

The Safety Division has a number of bicycle safety helmets available, free of charge, on a first come first served basis. 

Sizes from toddler to adult available. 

Email Sergeant Spillane if you are interested in a helmet.

Have you had your say yet?

In the first 12 hours of the posting, just over 50 people visited the link, and 25 contributed to the survey. At this point, the survey results are split 13-No, 12-Yes.

Have you had your say yet?

Follow this link to the survey on the new Franklin Downtown Partnership website
http://franklindowntownpartnership.blogspot.com/2010/09/downtown-improvement-project-survey.html

After you complete the survey, check out the new website?

Are we missing something? Let us know.



Franklin, MA

Two fact sheets on new health care, poverty data from the U.S. Census Bureau

Explore our online budget database Is our research helpful to you? Support our work Contact Info   Noah Berger   President   nberger@massbudget.org   (617) 426-1228 x102   Tom Benner   Communications Director   tbenner@massbudget.org   (617) 426-1228 x100 New Census data show Massachusetts leads nation in health care coverage; poverty rises nationally while federal assistance softens blow September 16, 2010 The U.S. Census Bureau today released data on health insurance and poverty rates for 2009. Two new fact sheets by the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center examine the data. Massachusetts Still a Leader in Health Coverage reports on Census Bureau data indicating Massachusetts health care coverage still leads the nation. Nationally, health care coverage is declining.  Using a multi-year average, the Census data estimate that in the 2007-2009 period, Massachusetts had a health insurance coverage rate of 94.9 percent -- more than any other state in the nation.  The closest state to Massachusetts was Hawaii, with health insurance coverage of 92.2 percent.  Texas, on the other hand, covered only 74.5 percent of its population during the 2007-2009 period. The state's insurance rate of 94.9 percent demonstrates the impact of the Massachusetts health reform law implemented in April 2006. (Today's data are useful for examining national trends. On Sept. 28, the Census Bureau will release data that will allow for more accurate state-level analysis.) A second fact sheet, Poverty Rises Nationally in 2009, New Census Bureau Data Show, examines national poverty data released today by the Census Bureau. As a result of the Great Recession, the year 2009 saw a significant increase in the national poverty rate.  The poverty rate rose to 14.3 percent in 2009 from 13.2 percent in 2008, the Census data show. The poverty rate would have risen even further had it not been for key public benefit programs and the expansions made to them under the 2009 Recovery Act. Unemployment insurance benefits alone kept 2.3 million individuals out of poverty in 2009, the data show. On Sept. 28, the Census will release the 2009 American Community Survey, which provides reliable, single-year  data on poverty at the state level, including for Massachusetts. The fact sheet Massachusetts Still a Leader in Health Coverage is available at www.massbudget.org or by clicking here. The fact sheet Poverty Rises Nationally in 2009, New Census Bureau Data Show is available at www.massbudget.org or by clicking here. See MassBudget's Budget Browser to explore Massachusetts state budgets from Fiscal Year 2001 to the present, as well as budget proposals offered by the Governor and the Legislature. MassBudget provides independent research and analysis of state budget and tax policies, as well as economic issues, with particular attention to the effects on low- and moderate-income people.

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