Officials meet with Franklin Newcomers and Friends Club
Police say Franklin teen spit at officer during arrest
Franklin woman to realize dream of running Marathon
Taco Bell, Wendy's approved in Franklin
Franklin, MA
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
FM #92 - Week ending Apr 10, 2011
Let's spend a few minutes reviewing what matters in Franklin, MA as the week comes to a close April 10th.
Time: 5 minutes, 58 seconds
MP3 File
Show Notes:
This internet radio show or podcast is number 92 in the series for Franklin Matters.
We'll look back at the week that was as it comes to a close Sunday Apr 10 before getting to the outlook on the week ahead.
As we mentioned last week, the Finance Committee was scheduled to meet on Tuesday. With the budget book not scheduled to be ready until the end of April, the meeting was canceled. The FINCOM budget hearings have been scheduled for May 2, 3, 5, 9 and 10. The calendar on Franklin Matters has been updated accordingly.
The Milford Daily News ran an article on this updated schedule and in the article stated:
So be it.
The Town Council met this week and spent time on the public hearing for the Nu-Style building which is getting closer to demolition and clean up than ever before. Several of the councilors created great sound bites on how long it is taken to do this. Jeff Nutting has the best comment in response:
My notes showed he said something like
http://www.franklincommunitygardens.org/
My full set of notes from the Council meeting can be found here
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/04/town-council-040611.html
As for town meetings this week
The School Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, Apr 12. As we record this on Sunday, the agenda has not yet been posted.
The Long Range Financial Planning Committee is scheduled to meet on Weds. They are likely to pick up the discussion on the questions that they drafted as ones to be answered.
Earth Day comes Saturday. The DPW will set up at Beaver Pond to coordinate the clean up efforts of as many want to volunteer.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/03/2011-earth-day-april-16th-at-beaver.html
---- ---- ----
This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin. I can use your help.
How can you help, you ask?
If you have an interest in writing about something that matters in Franklin, please let me know.
As always -
This feedback loop is important. Thank you for listening.
For additional information, please visitFranklinmatters.blogspot.com/
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!
Franklin, MA
Time: 5 minutes, 58 seconds
MP3 File
Show Notes:
This internet radio show or podcast is number 92 in the series for Franklin Matters.
We'll look back at the week that was as it comes to a close Sunday Apr 10 before getting to the outlook on the week ahead.
As we mentioned last week, the Finance Committee was scheduled to meet on Tuesday. With the budget book not scheduled to be ready until the end of April, the meeting was canceled. The FINCOM budget hearings have been scheduled for May 2, 3, 5, 9 and 10. The calendar on Franklin Matters has been updated accordingly.
The Milford Daily News ran an article on this updated schedule and in the article stated:
Town Council Chairman Scott Mason said the budget deficit probably will not be as bad as the $4 million to $6 million councilors predicted last year. He said he does not expect the council to seek an override this year.http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/04/does-not-expect-council-to-seek.html
So be it.
The Town Council met this week and spent time on the public hearing for the Nu-Style building which is getting closer to demolition and clean up than ever before. Several of the councilors created great sound bites on how long it is taken to do this. Jeff Nutting has the best comment in response:
My notes showed he said something like
”We have been trying to take care of the environment and minimize the Franklin tax dollars in the process.“The good news from the Council meeting was their action to create a “Community Gardens Committee.” Five members were appointed all from the group that has been working on this for the past several months. This is a great step forward. The King St Memorial Fields will be the site for about 40 raised bed gardens to be set up in May. You can follow the events on the website
http://www.franklincommunitygardens.org/
My full set of notes from the Council meeting can be found here
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/04/town-council-040611.html
As for town meetings this week
The School Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, Apr 12. As we record this on Sunday, the agenda has not yet been posted.
The Long Range Financial Planning Committee is scheduled to meet on Weds. They are likely to pick up the discussion on the questions that they drafted as ones to be answered.
Earth Day comes Saturday. The DPW will set up at Beaver Pond to coordinate the clean up efforts of as many want to volunteer.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/03/2011-earth-day-april-16th-at-beaver.html
---- ---- ----
This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin. I can use your help.
How can you help, you ask?
If you have an interest in writing about something that matters in Franklin, please let me know.
As always -
- If you like this, please tell your friends and neighbors
- If you don't like this, please tell me.
This feedback loop is important. Thank you for listening.
For additional information, please visitFranklinmatters.blogspot.com/
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!
Franklin, MA
Mick Ebeling: The invention that unlocked a locked-in artist
After making electrical circuit connections with play dough, what do you do? Try solving an impossible problem.
Mick asks himself these questions everyday:
More on the Eye writer can be found here
Franklin, MA
Mick asks himself these questions everyday:
if not now, then when?
if not me, then who?
if not now, then when?
if not me, then who?
More on the Eye writer can be found here
Franklin, MA
"These students want to deal with the problem"
"When teachers or adults talk to students, it seems like they're talking down to them," Loureiro said. "We're talking to them as peers."
The program, which begins at 7 p.m. in the Dean College Campus Center, is targeted to college and high school juniors and seniors. But it is open to the community at large, organizers said.
Speakers will educate attendees about the causes of distracted driving, stress the importance of keeping two hands on the wheel and discuss ways technology - often at the root of the cause - could play a role in the solution, organizers said.
"The answer isn't turn off the technology," said Parry Aftab, a lawyer who founded the Teenangels initiative in 1999 and runs the Internet safety website WiredSafety.org. "It's let's make the technology safer, smarter and better. You're not going to drive in a quiet car all by yourself."Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x1302185156/Teenangels-in-Franklin-driving-young-motorists-to-safety#ixzz1JCsBF9Lr
Related posts on the teenangels
Testifying before MA Attorney General Martha Coakley
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/02/teenangels.html
Cyberbulling presentation to the School Committee
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/01/live-reporting-teen-angels.html
Text bullying Pledge
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/01/teen-angels-pledge-text-think-send.html
Franklin, MA
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Downtown walk around
Our Saturday morning walk to and around downtown Franklin presented a few photo opportunities.
First up was the line up of the ark and occupants at the First Federated Church
Acapulcos has a new sign on their window. Free wifi with a catch; it is only good from 11:00 AM through 3:00 PM.
Heading for Cafe Dolce I noticed that the flower boxes have been removed. Must be getting fixed up in time for the Spring installation of flowers in May by the Downtown Partnership.
What have you noticed around Franklin, now that we can all get out and around a bit with the better weather?
Franklin, MA
First up was the line up of the ark and occupants at the First Federated Church
Acapulcos has a new sign on their window. Free wifi with a catch; it is only good from 11:00 AM through 3:00 PM.
Heading for Cafe Dolce I noticed that the flower boxes have been removed. Must be getting fixed up in time for the Spring installation of flowers in May by the Downtown Partnership.
What have you noticed around Franklin, now that we can all get out and around a bit with the better weather?
Franklin, MA
How does New Hampshire do it?
New Hampshire is noted for its state liquor stores and no personal income tax. Yet they also have the highest property tax in New England. You have probably been part of a discussion on the pros and cons of what they do versus other states.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston has just published their analysis with interesting results. New Hampshire is able to do what it does "in part because of favorable circumstances. States with needier populations or higher costs will likely spend more to provide the same level of services." The report shows ways in which MA and other New England states have needier populations and higher costs.
The report acknowledges that New Hampshire "has also made some policy choices to keep spending low and avoid broad based taxes." So can we do what they did? The report goes on to say that "some choices may be infeasible in the current environment or inappropriate in states with different preferences for public services."
So the bottom line works out to be, if you like MA stay here. If you think you like NH and the way they do things, go there. How NH does what they do doesn't translate well to other states.
FedResBkBoston_neppcrr1101-nhbriefing
This is the report summary. You can find the full report and accompanying tables of supporting figures on the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston website: http://www.bostonfed.org/news/press/2011/pr040711.htm
Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the document.
Franklin, MA
The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston has just published their analysis with interesting results. New Hampshire is able to do what it does "in part because of favorable circumstances. States with needier populations or higher costs will likely spend more to provide the same level of services." The report shows ways in which MA and other New England states have needier populations and higher costs.
The report acknowledges that New Hampshire "has also made some policy choices to keep spending low and avoid broad based taxes." So can we do what they did? The report goes on to say that "some choices may be infeasible in the current environment or inappropriate in states with different preferences for public services."
So the bottom line works out to be, if you like MA stay here. If you think you like NH and the way they do things, go there. How NH does what they do doesn't translate well to other states.
FedResBkBoston_neppcrr1101-nhbriefing
This is the report summary. You can find the full report and accompanying tables of supporting figures on the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston website: http://www.bostonfed.org/news/press/2011/pr040711.htm
Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the document.
Franklin, MA
Saturday, April 9, 2011
10th Annual HMEA Independence 5K Walk Run Roll & Stroll
Gene Lavanchy, Fox 25 morning News anchor, and New England Patriot Steve Nelson will host the 10th Annual HMEA Independence 5K Walk Run Roll & Stroll on May 22 at EMC, 50 Constitution Blvd, in the Franklin Industrial Park.This video provides a good recap of what the events of the day are like.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x719609999/HMEA-5K-in-the-Park-is-May-22#ixzz1J1R0ozxz
My recap of 2010 can be found here:
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/hmea-5k-walk-and-family-fun-day.html
You can register to run, walk, or stroll on the HMEA website http://hmea.org/
Franklin, MA
"always good news to see an increase in state funding"
Milford's Chapter 90 funding would increase from $627,000 in fiscal 2011 to $812,000 in fiscal 2012. Mendon's would increase from $208,000 to $270,000. Upton's would rise from $239,000 to $320,000. Hopedale's would jump from $136,000 to $174,000 while Bellingham's would go from $392,000 to $510,000, according to a spreadsheet on the Department of Transportation website.
Franklin's road funding would grow from $713,000 to $923,000, while Medway's would jump from $318,000 to $413,000. Those are both nearly 30 percent increases that Vallee said would make a dramatic difference.
"I think this year was extraordinary with having the significant, record snowfalls and deterioration of roads," he said. "... There's never enough money for any specific need, but from my standpoint, this is a good use of taxpayer money. It goes directly to infrastructure and I think the increase was needed."
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x1076645343/Towns-in-line-to-get-more-road-repair-funds#ixzz1J1N74J7e
Information on the FY 2012 Budget can be found here:
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/01/fiscal-year-2012-budget-information.html
The Finance Committee will hold their budget hearings on May 2, 3, 5, 9 and 10. Each department will review their budget detail and answer questions on their operations and expenses.
Franklin, MA
Where's the Train? Check "Rail Radio"
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
via Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation by Klark Jessen on 4/8/11
MBTA and the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company today announced the launch of an updated "Rail Radio" service. "Rail Radio" provides real-time information about the status of approaching trains on car radios. It is now integrated with commuter rail's Passenger Train Information System, a computerized system that links real-time information from approaching trains to LED monitors at stations."The integration of Rail Radio and PTIS delivers real-time information directly from approaching trains to customers' cars," said MBTA General Manager Richard Davey. "This service gives commuter rail customers more accurate information about when their train will arrive."
The low wattage AM radio service is currently available at more than 80 MBTA commuter rail stations with over 50 parking spaces in Eastern Massachusetts. Customers should check LED monitors at their local stations for the "Rail Radio" frequency in their area.
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
Friday, April 8, 2011
Hey Mom, let's make some squishy circuits!
Looking for something to do and entertain the kids? Got play dough?
Stop at Radio Shack for some electrical parts and make some squishy circuits!
What? Watch, it is only a six minute video to get the idea.
For recipes and activities, visit the web site referenced as Anne Marie Thomas finishes her demo: Squishy Circuits
Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the video.
Franklin, MA
Stop at Radio Shack for some electrical parts and make some squishy circuits!
What? Watch, it is only a six minute video to get the idea.
For recipes and activities, visit the web site referenced as Anne Marie Thomas finishes her demo: Squishy Circuits
Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the video.
Franklin, MA
Let Your Life Speak
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
via Lifelong Learning by Pandora Carlucci on 4/7/11
Let Your Life Speak is a 3-day workshop that will be offered this summer for incoming high school seniors. Pamela McIntyre, Ph.D. and Janet Pergola, FHS Faculty, are collaborating on this class that is designed to help students communicate about themselves through college essays and interviews. The name of the class has its origins in an old Quaker saying that refers to having the ability to articulate your values, priorities, and interests. Throughout one's life and most particularly during senior year, seniors will be asked to communicate who they are to colleges, employers, and scholarship foundations. Furthermore, seniors will need to write college essays and interview with admission officers. Throughout these processes, they will need to share information about who they are and what is important to them. This class asks each incoming senior: Do you know what you want to say? Do you know how you're going to say it? In this class students will:
- Explore and identify primary strengths, passions, and priorities
- Learn how to write effective college essays
- Enhance and refine your interviewing and public presentation skills
For more information:
Telephone: Lifelong Learning at 508-553-4814 0r email: lifelong@franklin.k12.ma.us
To register: www.franklin.k12.ma.us select the Summer Program from the center of the page, select Let Your Life Speak.
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to Lifelong Learning using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Town Council - 04/06/11
The collection of live reporting notes from the Town Council meeting Wednesday, April 6, 2011 can be found here:
Franklin, MA
- Live reporting - Closing
- Live reporting - NuStyle Brownfields Public Hearin...
- Live reporting - legislation for action
- Live reporting - Town Council
Franklin, MA
"officials would probably seek additional money"
"It's a step in the process," Foss said. "I agree that ideally the work would be done more quickly. But, (we're planning to hire) a licensed contractor to do the work and that takes time and money."
Contaminants, including lead and chlorinated volatile organic compounds, have been detected in some soil and groundwater at the site. The property was taken by the town through the tax title process in 2002 and 2005.
The volatile organic compounds could pose a risk to indoor air quality if the 1-acre parcel is redeveloped. The parcel also includes part of Mine Brook and a parking lot built by a neighboring property owner with permission of the town.
The town could have spent money itself and possibly cleaned up the property sooner, but Franklin is trying to save taxpayers' money by seeking outside funding, Town Adminstrator Jeffrey Nutting said.
"We inherited this property," Nutting said. "People are making it sound like the town is doing something wrong."
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x719609663/Franklin-residents-want-contaminated-property-cleaned-up-soon#ixzz1IpUJ57eu
Franklin, MA
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