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Monday, January 17, 2022
New January Workshops for 50+Job Seekers in MA Statewide Networking Groups
New York Times: "Sometimes, Life Stinks. So He Invented the Nasal Ranger"
"Chuck McGinley, a chemical engineer, stepped out of his car, eyed the smokestack of an animal processing plant rising above the treetops, and inhaled deeply. At first he smelled nothing except the faint, sweet fragrance of the nearby trees.Suddenly, the wind picked up. “We have an oh-my-God smell!” Mr. McGinley exclaimed.Immediately one of his colleagues pressed a Nasal Ranger to his nose. The 14-inch-long smell-measuring device, which looks like a cross between a radar gun and a bugle, is one of Mr. McGinley’s most significant inventions.Using terms from one of Mr. McGinley’s other standard tools, an odor wheel, a chart akin to an artist’s color wheel that he has been fine-tuning for decades, the team described the stink. “Sour,” one person said. “Decay, with possibly some petroleum,” said another."
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| Chuck McGinley with his Nasal Ranger, a design inspired by the shape of the Haleakala volcano in Hawaii.Caroline Yang for The New York Times |
Washington Post: "Corporate America is coming around to remote work"
"Nearly two years after millions of Americans became abruptly acquainted with Zoom, questions about what the post-pandemic office will look like can be answered with a quick look around: It’s already here.The case for the functionality of remote work has largely been settled: The wheels of productivity continued to hum on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley and other corporate strongholds even as their sprawling offices lay vacant. Employees stayed home and learned how to live at work. And throughout 2021, profits rolled in.Corporate leaders attempting to coax employees back to the office have largely accepted the inevitability of the hybrid work model — a strategy buttressed by the reality of raging coronavirus rates, a tight labor market and the nation’s more than 10 million job openings. Now they are learning to leverage its benefits, according to Adam Galinsky, a professor of leadership and ethics at Columbia Business School in New York. That includes more flexibility and less time commuting for employees, and lower real estate and operating costs for companies."
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| Goldman Sachs headquarters in New York on Jan. 4. Wall Street’s push to refill office towers across the country was recently derailed by the highly transmissible omicron variant of the coronavirus. (Amir Hamja/Bloomberg) |
Franklin TV and wfpr.fm schedule for Monday, Jan 17, 2022
- wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Monday
2 hours of awesome blues music, info, interviews
Representative Jeff Roy and Dr. Natalia Linos
- Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 26) = MONDAY
- Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel (Comcast 96, Verizon 28) = MONDAY
- Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 11, Verizon 29) = MONDAY
Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf
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| Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) |
Sunday, January 16, 2022
Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - Jan 19, 2022
1. ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE CHAIR
a. This meeting is being recorded by Franklin TV and shown on Comcast channel 11 and Verizon Channel 29. This meeting may be recorded by others.
b. Chair to identify members participating remotely.
a. Citizens are welcome to express their views for up to five minutes on a matter that is not on the agenda. The Council will not engage in a dialogue or comment on a matter raised during Citizen Comments. The Town Council will give remarks appropriate consideration and may ask the Town Administrator to review the matter.
a. December 15, 2021 https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/december_15_2021_tc_meeting_minutes_-_draft_for_review.pdf
b. January 5, 2022 https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/january_5_2022_tc_meeting_minutes_-_draft_for_review.pdf
a. Proclamation/Recognition: Police Department: Retirement - Sgt. Brian Johnsonb. Proclamation/Recognition: Police Department: Retirement - Patrol Officer Rick Groverc. Recognition: Police Department: Moving On - Kallie Montagano, Clinical Social Worker
7. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS- None Scheduled
a. FY23 Department of Public Works Budget & Enterprise Fund Preview Brutus Cantoreggi, Director of Public Works
9. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
a. Capital Budget Subcommitteeb. Budget Subcommitteec. Economic Development Subcommittee
a. Resolution 22-04: Adoption of 2021-2022 Town Council Goals (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-74 - Majority Vote)https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/10a._22-04.pdfb. Resolution 22-05: FY22 Transfer of MECC Appropriation (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-74 - Majority Vote)https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/10b._22-05.pdfc. Resolution 22-06: Gift Acceptance - Senior Center ($1,700) (Motion to Approve Resolution 21-74 - Majority Vote)https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/10c._22-06.pdf
11. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
Two-Thirds Vote: requires 6 votes
Majority Vote: requires majority of members present and voting
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| Franklin, MA: Town Council - Agenda - Jan 19, 2022 |
Franklin.TV: Finding Ben Franklin, Part 1
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| Finding Ben Franklin |
You look so wonderful in this light.In attempting to meet the first visual challenge (flattery), the mechanics of reproducing a town seal as that – a notary seal – pose the second challenge that comes with limited resolution and clarity. This is where things can turn ugly (literally).
Too bad you’re so seldom in this light. – Groucho Marx
ever-patient record of all that nuance and detail to work from.
Unfortunately, photography came too late for Ben and the other founding fathers. This leaves us with only the interpretive record of their portraits. There are portraits, and then there are portraits of portraits – and so on – reinterpretations.
If there is a signature within every human face, it is often in the eyes. It’s where we gaze when we see others. It’s how we interpret their emotions and thoughts. If the eyes are indeed the window to the soul, I seek to understand Ben Franklin’s soul.
This is where my journey of portraiture begins.
And – as always –
Thank you for listening to wfpr●fm.
And, thank you for watching.
Senator Becca Rausch’s Mid-Session Beacon Hill Review
As your voice and advocate in the State Senate, I am very proud to share several 2021 accomplishments, including a robust COVID-19 response, billions of dollars invested into our communities, and the advancement of critically needed reforms through the legislative process on Beacon Hill.
Safety for You and Your Family: My top priority has been advocating for measures that keep you and your family safe and stable throughout this public health crisis. Last year alone, my team and I helped more than 500 constituents access government benefits and supports, including unemployment assistance and food security. I also hosted monthly virtual office hours, senior coffees, and two youth legislative forums to remain accessible to constituents through the ups and downs of this pandemic.
In addition to crafting and advocating for school masking legislation and the COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Act, I also worked in partnership with public health experts, community organizations, and my legislative colleagues to pressure the Baker Administration to implement policies to keep our communities safe and local economy afloat through this crisis. Our achievements included universal masking in all K-12 schools, paid time off for families and caregivers taking children to COVID-19 vaccination appointments, implementing a COVID vaccine pre-registration system for mass vaccination sites, and delivering a multi-pronged COVID-19 Action Plan to the Governor.
Safety during these difficult times also means addressing violence and discrimination. Amid the rise of conspiracy theories and disinformation about vaccines and COVID-19, we have also seen an alarming spike in antisemitism, racism, and xenophobia on social media, in our public schools, and from elected officials. It is our collective responsibility to call out hate and injustice whenever we see it. I collaborated with Robert Trestan, Executive Director of ADL New England, to pen a GBH commentary piece explaining the rise in antisemitism within the antivax movement here in Massachusetts and across our nation. As your State Senator, I have publicly condemned abject acts of hate, offered to engage in constructive dialogue in communities, secured tens of thousands of dollars to fund diversity, equity, and inclusion work in our district, and voted to support the Genocide Education Act, now law, which requires that genocide education be taught in Massachusetts public schools before the end of high school. Unfortunately, COVID-19 is not the only pandemic we’re up against.
Funding Our Communities’ Recovery: The Legislature passed a $4 billion bill to allocate federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to equitably invest in our continued recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. This bill delivers broad spectrum supports for our communities’ health, including mental and behavioral health, housing security, our environment, and workforce development. I secured numerous amendments to support our district and the Commonwealth at large, including targeted funding to assist women re-entering the workforce, providing post-traumatic stress care for medical personnel, and $1,000,000 in investments for local housing, transportation, water infrastructure, and other projects in our district.
I secured several victories in the FY 2022 budget as well, including $500,000 for local projects across our district, a pilot program for a statewide youth mental health support text line, funding for the Department of Public Health to hire personnel with expertise in combatting vaccine hesitancy, and funding for New Hope’s new domestic violence shelter and an updated facility for the Attleboro Center for Children.
Legislative Victories: The gears of the legislative process are turning, and many bills are moving through their respective committees. Committees must take action on every timely filed bill by February 2, 2022, so we can expect an increase in floor votes and legislation headed to the governor’s desk in the coming months.
My Senate colleagues and I have already advanced some game-changing bills. In October, we passed comprehensive election reform legislation, strengthened by adoption of several amendments I filed. The bill provides election day voter registration, permanent mail-in voting, improved jail-based voting access, and upgrades to our elections infrastructure. My amendment work also elevated issues still left to address, like ballot drop box ratios and paid time off for voting. We also passed the Mental Health ABC Act to improve access to culturally competent care, support and boost our Commonwealth’s mental health care workforce, reduce barriers to emergency treatment, and more. This month, we again passed a bill to make government-issued IDs more accessible to people experiencing homelessness to facilitate access to critically needed services across our Commonwealth. These bills now await action by the House.
As Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture (ENRA), I also worked to pass the law that improves conditions for egg-laying hens while keeping our egg supply available and affordable.
Moving Forward: There is still so much work to be done. This session I filed more than 40 bills designed to advance election reform, good governance, public health, reproductive justice, climate action, and intersectional justice and equity. This month, my lead climate action legislation cleared the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy, and I anticipate more favorable reports on my bills in the coming weeks. My team and I continue working hard on your behalf to shepherd these bills through the legislative process.
It is my great honor to represent the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District in the Massachusetts State Senate, and I’ll continue putting my proven leadership to work for you. Please reach out to me if you need assistance, have thoughts on policy, or want to check in. My office phone number is 617-722-1555, my email is becca.rausch@masenate.gov, and you can sign up for a personal office hours appointment at beccarauschma.com/office-hours. I also invite you to join me for my district-wide virtual town hall conversation on Monday, January 24 at 7 PM (sign up at www.beccarauschma.com/town-hall).
As we begin 2022, I wish you and your loved ones strength, health, resilience, and joy. I look forward to everything we will accomplish together this year.
Senator Becca Rausch represents the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District, comprised of Attleboro, Franklin, Millis, Natick, Needham, Norfolk, North Attleborough, Plainville, Sherborn, Wayland, Wellesley, and Wrentham. Senator Rausch serves as the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture and the Senate Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.
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| Senator Rausch to host Virtual Town Hall - Jan 24, 2022 - Register now to participate! |
FHS gymnastics and wrestling teams post wins on Saturday; girls hockey skates to a 3-3 tie
Girls Hockey = Franklin, 3 @ Medway/Ashland, 3 – Final (OT)
Gymnastics = Franklin, 142.5 @ Canton, 127.7 – Final
https://hockomocksports.com/saturdays-schedule-scoreboard-01-15-22/
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| FHS Panthers |
Globe (unofficial) MIAA power ratings available for high school hockey (and basketball)
You asked ... we delivered.Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/In_The_Slot/status/1482025155769651201
We unveiled the wildly popular Globe (unofficial) MIAA power ratings during the fall, and now we are rolling them out for winter sports.
Now available for hockey:
BOYS: https://t.co/xO0v4kiuVw or https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/high-schools/power-rankings/?sport=boys-hockey
GIRLS: https://t.co/3GM0HbIEBH
@MSHCA1 @GlobeSchools
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| high school power rankings |
Franklin Garden Club Features Program on Interior Plant Landscape Design - Feb 1, 2022
The Franklin Garden Club will sponsor a program on “Interior Plant Landscape Design“ on Tuesday, February 1, at 7:00 p.m. at the Franklin Senior Center, 10 Daniel McCahill Street, Franklin, MA. The program will be presented by Bellingham resident Jen Kuse, who is experienced in designing indoor and outdoor plantscapes and gardens for both private homes and commercial buildings. She also oversees the highly successful Franklin Food Pantry community garden. The program is open to the public at no charge.
Kuse’s presentation will include the following topics: information on the benefits of plants, including tropical plants, the most commonly used interior plants; examples of plants that do the best indoors; conditions and care required for plants; how to deal with common diseases and pest problems; organic methods for integrated pest management; basic design ideas for the home and office; and where to obtain tropical plants. The program will include an opportunity to obtain plants used in the presentation with proceeds going to the Franklin Food Pantry.
Kuse, a graduate of Dean College, has more than 25 years of experience in designing plantscapes and gardens, primarily through her affiliation with the Interiorscapes Division of Central Nurseries of Johnston, RI
In addition to its monthly programs, the Garden Club supports several service activities including planting and maintaining the Franklin Town Common gardens and the planters at the Franklin Library, sponsoring an annual scholarship, distributing pine tree seedlings in the elementary schools, and sponsoring special projects with other community organizations. The Franklin Garden Club, founded in 1987, became a member of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts in 2015.
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| Franklin Garden Club Features Program on Interior Plant Landscape Design - Feb 1, 2022 |
Tri-County students complete wire ties for NASA HUNCH Program
Tri-County RVTHS’s Engineering majors participate in the HUNCH Designing and Prototyping Competition each year and was proud to have three teams of finalists in 2021. Their hard work and dedication was evident to Stacy Hale, HUNCH Founder, when he selected Tri-County as one of the school’s to participate in a special project, the designing and building of EVA Wire Ties. These wire ties are used on the International Space Station (ISS) when an astronaut goes on a spacewalk for a repair. Wire ties are wrapped around cable bundles used during battery replacements.
Hale visited Tri-County in November of 2019 to work with the students for three days. During this time students learned the specific and critical specifications required for the wire ties and created a computer-aided design (CAD). The students worked alongside Stacy building, inspecting, and performing quality control measures to ensure each piece was the exact size and shape required.
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| L to R are: Maxwell Rounds (Franklin), Tony Botteri (Walpole), Rick Hamilton (North Attleboro), Stacy Hale (NASA), Tyler McKinnon (Franklin), James Gingras (Millis), Brian Belanger (Plainville) |
Tri-County was one of a handful of schools selected throughout the country to work on this project. Our students from the class of 2021 and 2022 manufactured approximately 250 wire ties using an assembly line process. Most, if not all, are currently being used on the ISS.
Hale returned to Tri-County to have a storage locker used in the ISS signed. The honor is used to recognize the hard work and dedication during the manufacturing. The storage lockers are filled with goods that are being shipped up to the ISS and then used to send refuse back to Earth.
- What is NASA HUNCH?
NASA High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware (HUNCH) Program
The HUNCH mission is to empower and inspire students through a Project Based Learning program where high school students learn 21st century skills and have the opportunity to launch their careers through the participation in the design and fabrication of real world valued products for NASA. Find out more on the NASA HUNCH web page -> https://nasahunch.com/
Franklin Fire: open burning permits available online
Open Burning Season runs from January 15th through May 1st. You can apply for a permit through our website: https://t.co/wnJHPBePeU or -> https://www.franklinma.gov/fire-department/pages/burning-permits-2022
Shared from Twitter: https://t.co/F4VTfF7XDA
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| Franklin Fire: open burning permits available online |
Get ready for taxes: Bookmark IRS.gov resources and online tools to use before, during and after filing
The Internal Revenue Service today (1/14/22) encouraged taxpayers to use IRS online tools and resources to find the information they need to be ready to file their 2021 federal tax returns, including important special steps related to Economic Impact Payments and advance Child Tax Credit payments.
Individuals, especially those who don't usually file a tax return, are urged to file their 2021 tax return electronically beginning Jan. 24, 2022. Using tax preparation software or a trusted tax professional will help guide people through the process and avoid making errors. Filing an incomplete or inaccurate return may mean a processing delay that slows the resulting tax refund.
"There are some simple steps people can take to make sure they avoid delays and receive a quick refund," IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "It's critical this year to avoid a paper tax return whenever possible and file electronically with direct deposit. And it's more important than ever to make sure you're filing an accurate tax return. The IRS urges people to review some straightforward tips that can help them avoid problems and get their tax refunds quickly."
This is the third in a series of reminders to help taxpayers get ready for the upcoming tax filing season. A special page, updated and available on IRS.gov, outlines steps taxpayers can take now to make tax filing easier.
IRS.gov tools are easy to use and available 24 hours a day. Millions of people use them to find information about their accounts, get answers to tax questions or file and pay taxes.
Recovery Rebate Credit / Economic Impact Payments
Individuals who didn't qualify for a third Economic Impact Payment or got less than the full amount may be eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit. They will need to know the total amount of their third Economic Impact Payments received to calculate their correct 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit amount when they file their 2021 tax return. Ensuring they use the correct payment amounts will help them avoid a processing delay that may slow their refund. Beginning in late January, the IRS will send Letter 6475 with the total amount of the third Economic Impact Payment received. People can also view their economic impact payments using their Online Account.
Advance Child Tax Credit payments
People will need to know the total amount of advance payments they received in 2021 to compare them with the full amount of the Child Tax Credit that they can properly claim when they file their 2021 tax return. People who received the advance payments can access their online account to check the total amount of their payments. The IRS is also sending Letter 6419 to provide the total amount of advance Child Tax Credit payments received in 2021. Eligible families who did not get monthly advance payments in 2021 can still get a lump-sum payment by claiming the Child Tax Credit when they file a 2021 federal income tax return this year. This includes families who don't normally need to file a return.
Interactive Tax Assistant
The Interactive Tax Assistant answers general tax law questions, including helping to determine if a type of income is taxable or if someone is eligible to claim certain credits and deductions. With changes to income and other life events for many in 2021, tax credits and deductions can mean more money in a taxpayer's pocket. Thinking about eligibility now can help make tax filing easier.
Online Account
Taxpayers can use their Online Account to securely see important information when preparing to file their tax return or following up on balances or notices. Taxpayers can view the amount they owe, make and track payments and view payment plan details. Taxpayers can now also manage their communication preferences to go paperless for certain notices from the IRS, or to receive email notifications when the IRS sends them a new digital notice. They can also access information about Economic Impact Payments and advance Child Tax Credit payments needed to file a complete and accurate return. Act now to create an account.
Where's My Refund?
Taxpayers can check the status of their refund using the Where's My Refund? tool. The status is available within 24 hours after the IRS accepts their e-filed tax return or up to four weeks after they mailed a paper return. The Where's My Refund? tool updates once every 24 hours, usually overnight, so taxpayers only need to check once a day.
Get ready to use direct deposit for tax refunds
Direct deposit gives taxpayers access to their refund faster than a paper check. Individuals can use a bank account, prepaid debit card or mobile app to use direct deposit and will need to provide routing and account numbers. Learn how to open an account at an FDIC-Insured bank or through the National Credit Union Locator Tool. Veterans should see the Veterans Benefits Banking Program for access to financial services at participating banks.
IRS Free File
Everyone can file electronically for free. Starting January 14, the IRS Free File program, available only through IRS.gov or the IRS2Go app, offers brand-name tax preparation software packages. For those who earned $73,000 or less in 2021, they may qualify for Free File guided tax software. The software does all the work of finding deductions, credits and exemptions. Some of the Free File offers may include a free state tax return. Taxpayers comfortable filling out tax forms, can use Free File Fillable Forms, the electronic federal tax forms paper version to file their tax returns online, regardless of income.
Members of the military and qualifying veterans can use MilTax, a Department of Defense program that generally offers free online tax preparation and e-filing software for federal returns and up to three state returns.
Free Tax Return preparation site
The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs offer free tax help and e-file for taxpayers who qualify.
Choosing a preparer
The IRS has several options for finding a tax preparer. The IRS provides an online database to help taxpayers locate an authorized e-file provider in their area who can electronically file their tax return. Choosing a Tax Professional provides information for selecting a tax professional. The Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications can help taxpayers find preparers in their area who currently hold professional credentials recognized by the IRS, or who hold an Annual Filing Season Program Record of Completion. Taxpayers need to remember that they, not the tax preparer, are responsible for information on their tax return once they sign it.
IRS.gov/getready
Links to online tools, publications, and other helpful resources are available on the IRS.gov/getready page. For more information about planning ahead, see Publication 5348, Get Ready to File and Publication 5349, Year-Round Tax Planning is for Everyone.
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| Get ready for taxes: Bookmark IRS.gov resources and online tools to use before, during and after filing |