The Guardian: "Femicides in the US: the silent epidemic few dare to name"

"The last week of July, as Gabby Petito and her fiance, Brian Laundrie, posted Instagram photos of themselves hiking barefoot in Utah’s Canyonlands national park, bronzed skin matching apricot-colored rocks, the body of Jerri Winters was discovered in Clinton Township, Michigan.

Her boyfriend, Matthew Lewinski, immediately admitted to the police he strangled her last December, keeping her mutilated body in the basement of the home they shared for months.

The same week, down in Starkville, Mississippi, William Chisholm was convicted of capital murder in the death of his ex-girlfriend Dr Shauna Witt. One month following her breaking up with him, Chisholm stormed the Walmart eye clinic where Witt worked as an optometrist and shot her dead.

Over in Baltimore, Maryland, Gomezgeka Chisala was that same week being held without bail after confessing to the killing of his ex-girlfriend Shaunya Green, a life-loving nurse and mother of two who once traveled to Africa to walk among elephants. Earlier in the month, Chisala had driven to Green’s home with a gun, entered into an argument with her and shot her dead."

Continue reading the article online. (Subscription maybe required)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/sep/26/femicide-us-silent-epidemic

A woman with a red hand painted on her face, which calls attention to the high rates of Indigenous women who are murdered or missing. Photograph: Kevin Mohatt/Reuters

Franklin, MA: School Committee Meeting - Sep 28, 2021

School Committee Meeting

Municipal Building - Council Chambers (Virtual Link in Agenda)

Call to Order 
Pledge of Allegiance 
Moment of Silence

I. Routine Business
A. Review of Agenda
B. Citizen’s Comments

In the spirit of open communication, “the Committee will hold a public participation segment (also called Citizen’s Comments) about matters not related to an agenda item at the beginning of each regular School Committee meeting. The Committee will listen to, but not respond to any comment made…. A Committee member may add an agenda item to a future meeting as a result of a citizen comment…. The Committee will hear public comments related to an agenda item when the Chair deems appropriate during the Committee meeting. Topics for discussion during the meeting must be limited to those items listed on the Committee meeting agenda for that evening…. ” - from Policy BEDH

C. FHS Student Representative Comments
D. Superintendent’s Report

II. Guests/Presentations
A. Introduce Lily Rivera, Town & School Marketing/Communications Specialist
B. Digital Learning Plan – Alison Finley, Kate Merten, Chris Penza, Marianne Zogby and John Leighton

III. Discussion/Action Items
A. Franklin TV Board Appointment
I recommend the appointment of Rose Turco to the Franklin TV Board of Directors.
B. MASC Delegate
I recommend the Committee appoint Denise Spencer to serve as the Committee's delegate to the annual MASC Annual Meeting of Delegates as discussed.
C. Policy - Waiving 1st reading
I recommend waiving the First Reading of Policy EBCFA Face Coverings as discussed.
D. Policy Adoption
I recommend adopting policy EBCFA - Face Coverings as discussed.

IV. Discussion Only Items 

A. MASC Resolutions
B. ESSER III Funding Plan
C. Back to School Status Update – September 24, 2021

V. Information Matters
A. School Committee Sub-Committee Reports (e.g. Ad Hoc Supt. Evaluation, Budget, Community Relations/Public Schools Advocacy, Policy, Transportation)
B. School Committee Liaison Reports (e.g. Joint PCC, Substance Abuse Task Force, School Wellness Advisory Council)

VI. New Business
A. To discuss any future agenda items

VII. Consent Agenda
A. Approval of Minutes
I recommend approval of the September 14, 2021 School Committee minutes as detailed.
B. New FHS Club Approval
I recommend approval of the new FHS Clubs: Book Club, Hiking Club and Board and Games Club as detailed.

VIII. Payment of Bills Dr. Bergen
IX. Payroll Atty. Pond-Pfeffer

X. Adjournment

Agenda document with remote connection info ->   https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/scagenda_9-28-21.pdf

Meeting packet folder -> https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-committee/pages/september-282021-school-committee-meeting-packet

Franklin, MA: School Committee Meeting - Sep 28, 2021

LGBTQ+ Pizza and Boardgames Meetup to be Held at Horace Mann Square - Oct 9

LGBTQ+ Pizza and Board games Meetup to be Held at Horace Mann Square outside Piezoni

RSVP at http://franklin.nonscene.boston

The "Non-Scene" Gay Friends of Greater Boston, a meetup.com social group, will be hosting a pizza and board games meetup for the LGBTQ+ community right here in Franklin! The free event will be held at Horace Mann Square outside Piezoni on October 9th, 2021, at noon. Board games will be provided, but attendees can also bring their own. Attendees are also encouraged to support local downtown dining establishments and eat with us outdoors.

The "Non-Scene" Gay Friends of Greater Boston was established in 2010 to provide an alternative to the traditional LGBTQ+ nightlife. "I've found it very difficult to meet other LGBTQ+ people in Franklin, outside of commonly used dating apps" explained meetup organizer and Franklin resident Maxwell Morrongiello. The meetup is now one of the world's largest LGBTQ+ meetup groups with almost 8000 members.

Town Councilor and ally Cobi Frongillo applauded the upcoming event explaining, "only a few years ago, it was commonplace to see Franklin students wait until college to come out because they weren't sure they'd be supported in town. To now be hosting meet-ups for our LGBTQ+ neighbors is a fantastic step forward in supporting all community members."

Attendees are asked to be fully vaccinated and wear masks indoors, with masks being optional outdoors. "During these crazy times, we want to provide opportunities for people to socialize, while also ensuring people can remain safe," explained Morrongiello.

 "I have had wonderful experiences connecting with the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area through this meetup, had fun doing a wide range of activities together, and not worry about fitting in" expressed longtime meetup member and event attendee Matthew Shibin. "The organizers do a fantastic job and are always open to feedback and suggestions about new activity ideas."

Attendees are required to create an account to join the meetup group, and rsvp at: http://franklin.nonscene.boston

Non-tax-deductible contributions to support our events can be made at: http://contribute.nonscene.boston

The "Non-Scene" Gay Friends of Greater Boston is registered doing business as "Non-Scene Boston"

Meet MC the owner of Timeless Crossfit & Fitness

After being in the corporate business world for 17 years, MC left to pursue her passion for fitness. She is a certified personal trainer, group exercise instructor and nutrition coach. Her fitness career in Franklin eventually landed her a great opportunity to own and operate her own gym.

Timeless Crossfit & Fitness is a welcoming and approachable way to begin or continue your wellness journey. You’ll immediately feel like Timeless is your second home. A place to escape the rat race and focus on building your health. MC is passionate about breaking down the “stigma” of Crossfit and making it a workout for everyone.

Crossfit classes run all throughout the day! If you’re new to Crossfit you can sign-up for the On-Ramp program which is 3x 1 hour sessions that teach you about crossfit standards, 1-1 personal assessment and all the foundational movements.

I want to emphasize that Timeless is more than just Crossfit. There is a wide variety of classes:

- strength & burn

- Step class

- strength & conditioning

- TRX

- Shred & tone

- Woman’s boxing (I love boxing, helped me get into the best shape of my life!)

- Cycling

- Kettlebell

- Barre

- Yoga

There is also a small group training class for those with disabilities and a youth strength and conditioning class (ages 11-17).

There is childcare which is an amazing service for parents trying to balance their workouts/family life.

Lastly, Timeless Crossfit & Fitness takes COVID and safety very seriously. Lots of cleaning! If this is a concern preventing you from working out, talk to the staff to learn more! Everyone has a different comfort level so I just encourage talking to them directly about this!

(Photography credit 📸: @ryanosbornephotography)

#localfranklin #franklinma #franklinmassachusetts #franklinmass #medwayma

Shared from Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CUQKyq7lXh8/?utm_medium=copy_link

copy of @ryanosbornephotography photo posted to Instagram

FHS Panther Hockey says "Thank you"

"Thank you to our amazing community for helping make the FHS Bottle & Can Drive and Franklin Food Pantry Drive a huge success. Looking forward to seeing you all at Harvest Festival!

@FHSSports @PanthersJVPuck @ToFranklinMa @FranklinRec @FYHockey" 

Shared from Twitter: https://t.co/bJDcjuGaHR

some of the collection by the FHS Panthers Boys Hockey team

Franklin (MA) Police: Consider this lockup routine before you go to bed

A good reminder from the Franklin Police Department:

Franklin (MA) Police: Consider this lockup routine before you go to bed

Shared from Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CUJEHqqMXl7/?utm_medium=copy_link

And a good reason to use this routine every day:

"LOCK YOUR CARS. LOCK YOUR CARS. LOCK YOUR CARS. 

Not to sound like a broken record but over the last 2 weeks the department has taken 4 reports of stolen cars from neighborhoods overnight. Each of these incidents involved cars being left unlocked with keys left inside them. Cars were stolen from Southgate Road, A Street, Mary Anne Drive, and Mary Jane Road.  

All 4 of these cars have been recovered and are being processed by Franklin Detectives. These cars are being found abandoned or unoccupied in Framingham and Providence. Don’t allow yourself to fall victim to these crimes. Never leave your keys unlocked in your cars overnight."

Shared from Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/162770995915/posts/10157832171275916/

Lifeline Awareness Week

 

"Living alone can be isolating, especially over the past year when socializing has been a health risk due to COVID-19. That is why the Department of Telecommunications and Cable (DTC) wants you to know, no matter your income, there are ways for you to have a home phone, cell phone, and internet plan. Since 1985, the Lifeline Program, a service administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company as part of the Universal Service Fund, has kept Americans connected and safe by providing low cost and no cost phone service options for eligible low-income consumers.

To commemorate the availability of this government service, the DTC and its partners­—the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA)—are participating in Lifeline Awareness Week from September 20-24, 2021. Through this awareness week, these groups hope to educate the public about this life saving prevention program."

Continue reading the article online
http://blog.mass.gov/consumer/massconsumer/lifeline-awareness-week/

In the revised and "preliminary final" Housing Production Plan almost 12% of Franklin householders live alone, and 7.1% of those are over 65 years old. 
https://www.franklinma.gov/planning-community-development/files/preliminary-final-2021-housing-production-plan

Lifeline Awareness Week

If you only do one thing with your privacy settings ...

"There’s probably a little bit of Google in every part of your life. The company hosts a sprawling network of tools and apps we use for everything — from school assignments and work emails, to watching how-to videos and making calls. The good news is that Google has tried to collect its most important privacy settings into one place, which means you can protect your data in Gmail and Google-owned YouTube at the same time.

Google offers a “Privacy Checkup” to get through settings quickly, but defaults to more mild options than we’ve listed below. There are some trade-offs when you limit Google’s data collection, according to the company. Google services that give recommendations might not be as helpful, and any ads you see will be less accurately targeted.

These privacy setting recommendations are based on your Google Account settings on the Web. You can also access them through individual Google apps or your settings on an Android phone by going to Settings → Google (or Google Services)."

Continue reading the article online. (Subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/09/23/google-privacy-settings/

If you only do one thing with your privacy settings ...

"The region is one of many across the globe being struck by severe drought."

"Sergio Koci’s sunflower farm in the lowlands of northern Argentina has survived decades of political upheaval, runaway inflation and the coronavirus outbreak. But as a series of historic droughts deadens vast expanses of South America, he fears a worsening water crisis could do what other calamities couldn’t: Bust his third-generation agribusiness.

“When you have one bad year, you can face it,” Koci said. Some of his 20,000 acres rest near the mighty Paraná River, where water levels have reached lows not seen since 1944. On the back of two years of drought-related crop losses, he said, the continuing dryness is now set to reduce his sunflower yields this year by 65 percent.

“When you have three bad years, you don’t know if there will even be another year,” he said.

From the frigid peaks of Patagonia to the tropical wetlands of Brazil, worsening droughts this year are slamming farmers, shutting down ski slopes, upending transit and spiking prices for everything from coffee to electricity."

Continue reading the article online. (Subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/09/24/argentina-brazil-south-america-drought/

Meanwhile, on the home front:

"Breaking news in the weather department this morning... We have now moved into first place for the wettest July through September. #EnoughIsEnough"

https://twitter.com/growingwisdom/status/1442073286591062017

We have now moved into first place for the wettest July through September

FM #611 - Town Council Candidate - Cobi Frongillo - 09/20/21 (audio)

FM #611 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 611 in the series. 

This shares my conversation with candidate for Town Council Cobi Frongillo. 

This is one of a series of conversations with candidates for the Franklin Election on Nov 2, 2021. I do this to provide Franklin, MA voters with accurate and timely information that they can use to cast an informed vote.  Publication of the answers or interview responses does not constitute an endorsement of this or any candidate.

We cover the candidate questions as previously developed with the community and shared with the candidates. Five of the questions are ‘general’ in nature, the sixth is specific to the role of the candidate. In this case, for the Town Council.

Our conversation runs about 26 minutes, so let’s listen to my interview with Cobi Frongillo. ** Audio file -> https://player.captivate.fm/episode/55e0ca75-36dc-4740-86de-f84644d9788d

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

Edited transcript ->  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-NNZCmQ1hK208A0JANKsJG669MLg4G7l/view?usp=sharing

Candidate questions -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/09/election-2021-candidate-interview.html 

Candidate page ->  https://www.cobifrongillo.com/ 

Election Collection 2021 ->  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/07/franklin-election-collection-2021.html 

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

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. 

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

 

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

 

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/  or www.franklin.news 

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!

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

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

 

FM #611 - Town Council Candidate - Cobi Frongillo - 09/20/21 (audio)

FHS football and golf teams posts wins; boys soccer plays to a scoreless tie on Friday

Via @HockomockSports  we share the results of the FHS fall sports action on Friday, Sep 24, 2021 

Football = Franklin, 27 @ Duxbury, 14 – Final
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (D) Matt Festa 22-yard pass to Brady Madigan, Dennen Sullivan XP good; (D) M. Festa 26-yard pass to Chris Walsh, D. Sullivan XP good; (F) Shane Kindred 15-yard rush, XP blocked; (F) Jared Arone 35-yard pass to Will Tracey, Garrett Portesi XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (F) J. Arone 30-yard pass to Will Deschenes, J. Arone conversion pass to S. Kindred; (F) Mack Gulla 46-yard rush, XP blocked.

Boys Soccer = Franklin, 0 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final

Girls Soccer = Mansfield, 1 @ Franklin, 0 – Final 

– Abby Jean scored midway through the first half off an assist from Katie Miller to give Mansfield its fourth straight win against Franklin. The Hornets also beat the Panthers three times last fall, and all four games finished 1-0. Mansfield’s back line of Kara Santos, Gabby Smith, Kayla Doherty, and Anna Darlington played great to limit the Panthers, forcing goalie Olivia Salisbury to make only one save to get the clean sheet. Franklin struggled to get into its typical attacking system, but Norah Anderson and Jackie O’Neil both played well in defense and midfielders Stella Regan, Chloe Barca, and Bridget Leo played well in the second half to try and get back into the match.

Golf = Foxboro, 173 @ Franklin, 165 – Final

Franklin beats Foxboro 165-173!!
Obrien-39
Steel-41
Benny-42
Collins-43
Let’s goooo
#getirdone #rollpanthers   https://twitter.com/FHSGolfTeam/status/1441535684813025285

For other results around the Hockomock League
https://hockomocksports.com/fridays-schedule-scoreboard-09-24-21/

FHS football and golf teams posts wins; boys soccer plays to a scoreless tie on Friday

FPL: Climate Prep Week Central Event 9/27/21 6 - 7:30 PM

"CREW will be hosting a virtual panel discussion dialogue with several organizations regarding how extreme weather impacts humans' physical and mental health, New England's dependence on fossil fuels, its connection to climate change, what a clean energy future could look like, and political action that several groups are taking on behalf of their communities to mitigate climate change. 

The organizations involved are Climate Code Blue, Conservation Law Foundation, Green Roots Chelsea, Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation and Mattapan Food and Fitness. "

Link  to register for this event ->  https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAuduurqzosE9JiduCJK5wxQtOQAjXJrtRe%20

Shared from Instagram ->  https://www.instagram.com/p/CUK8Sh_lcyh/?utm_medium=copy_link

FPL: Climate Prep Week Central Event 9/27/21 6 - 7:30 PM

Franklin (MA) Police: We're hiring

"We're hiring! A detailed listing of this open position can be found at: https://t.co/mmwoYbUY2a"

Share from https://t.co/UIOgs0oD20

Or find the notice here ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/academy-trained-patrol-officer-posting-august2021.pdf

Franklin (MA) Police: We're hiring

“I don’t tell strangers what I do for a living any more”

"Alexandra was working in the public health emergencies unit in a major north-eastern American city when the first wave of the pandemic hit. Although her job was in public health policy research, and not treating Coovid-19 patients on the frontlines of the healthcare system, she recalls the spring of 2020 as a blur of 24-hour shifts.

Beginning last March, Alexandra estimates that she and her colleagues worked the equivalent of three full-time years in 12 months. (Her name has been changed to protect anonymity.)

“There was no overtime, there was no hazard pay,” Alexandra recalls. Throughout the public health department where she worked, symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress-related physical maladies were commonplace among staff.

This summer, despite the protestations of her superiors, Alexandra quit. She says she’s one of roughly 25 staff members who have left the department since the start of the pandemic."

Continue reading the article online. (Subscription maybe required)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/sep/23/us-public-health-workers-pandemic-burnout

Just as the pandemic has fuelled a burnout crisis among frontline medical staff, it has been calamitous for the mental health of workers in public health. Photograph: Rex/Shutterstock

"a mask reduces the potential exposure of the person wearing it"

"If I’m the only person wearing a mask in a store or other indoor location, am I really protected from infection?

It’s true that masks work best when everyone in the room is wearing one. That’s because when an infected person wears a mask, a large percentage of their exhaled infectious particles are trapped, stopping viral spread at the source. And when fewer viral particles are floating around the room, the masks others are wearing would likely block those that have escaped.

But there is also plenty of evidence showing that masks protect the wearer even when others around them are mask-free. The amount of protection depends on the quality of the mask and how well it fits. During a hotel outbreak in Switzerland, for instance, several employees and a guest who tested positive for the coronavirus were wearing only face shields (with no masks); those who wore masks were not infected. And a Tennessee study found that communities with mask mandates had lower hospitalization rates than areas where masks weren’t required."

Continue reading the article online. (Subscription maybe required)

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/21/well/live/covid-masks-protect.html

Ben's guide to mask wearing - #DoYourPartFranklin

Franklin's Event Outlook: Sep 24 - Sep 30, 2021

A rainy forecast currently for Friday, Saturday - we'll see how it plays out for the outdoor schedule of events. Farmers Market today, Friends of the Poor Walk and a bottle/can drive Saturday morning. The "townwide curbside" event is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Seems to be sunshine for Sunday when the 4th Annual Car Show drives into the Dean parking lot.

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://forms.gle/oPdi8X3ZbHHyrHzo6

 

Friday, September 24
2:00pm - Farmers Market
3:30pm - Kids craft activity by Library Youth Services

Saturday, September 25
Townwide -curbside event
8:00am - FHS Hockey Bottle & Can | Food Pantry Drive!
9:00am - St Vincent dePaul - Friends of the Poor Walk/Run
10:00am - Historical Museum (always free)
8:00pm - Beth Leavel: It's not about me

Sunday, September 26
Townwide -curbside event
10:00am - 4th Annual Car Show
1:00pm - Historical Museum (always free)

Find the full calendar  https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/blog-page.html

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://forms.gle/oPdi8X3ZbHHyrHzo6

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar

The School district meeting calendar is found   https://www.franklinps.net/calendar-by-event-type/26

Community Calendar

2nd Annual Halloween House Decorating Contest

The Franklin Cultural Council is pleased to announce the 2nd Annual Halloween House Decorating Contest! 

We will have two levels of participation this year! Both levels include the FCC sharing the name of your display and your address with the general public. You MUST agree to share your address in order to participate.

"IN IT TO WIN IT!" - These entries will be judged by members of the FCC in the evening on October 22 and/or 23, 2021. All social distancing guidelines will be followed. Winners will be announced on Sunday, October 24, 2021.

"SHARING IS SCARING!" - these entries will not be judged, but will be shared with the community.

Please fill out the form below by Sunday, October 17 to enter the contest.

bit.ly/FCCHalloween2021 We're sorry, but we are unable to accept entries after this date.

2nd Annual Halloween House Decorating Contest

Pumpkin Patch Open To Kids And Families - Sep 27 through Oct 31, 2021

Pick your perfect pumpkin as you browse among hundreds of pumpkins and gourds. Hosted on the front lawn of St. John’s Episcopal Church at 237 Pleasant St., Franklin, kids and families will enjoy searching for the best to take home. 

Shop Monday through Friday from 3 PM to 5 PM and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 AM to 5 PM.  

Select from hundreds of small, medium and large pumpkins and gourds beginning Monday, September 27, 2021 through October 31, 2021.  Children can also enjoy activities and games on the front lawn. 

The pumpkins and gourds are grown on a Navajo reservation in New Mexico and provide jobs for the people there. They use sustainable farming practices, so they're gentle on the earth. 

If you have any questions, call St. John’s Episcopal Church at 508-528-2387.
Pick your perfect pumpkin at 237 Pleasant Street. And remember: it’s cool to shop local!

Call 508-528-2387
Like us Facebook: St John’s Episcopal Church
View www.stjohnsfranklinma.org 

Pumpkin Patch Open To Kids And Families - Sep 27 through Oct 31, 2021