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Providing accurate and timely information about what matters in Franklin, MA since 2007. * Working in collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio (wfpr.fm) since October 2019 *
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
It's Time to Do Something incredABLE!
"We are two months into the outbreak now, and the safety protocols haven’t worked"
"The price of eggs has soared in recent weeks in part because of a huge bird flu wave that has infected nearly 27 million chickens and turkeys in the United States, forcing many farmers to “depopulate” or destroy their animals to prevent a further spread.
The virus has impacted many different bird species, including penguins and bald eagles. But its spread among poultry has been tremendous, particularly among chickens raised for their eggs.
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced yet another outbreak, this one in two flocks in Idaho, making that the 27th state in which the virus has been found since February.
The illness affects commercial birds, hobbyists’ backyard chicken flocks and wild birds, and is spread via secretions and leads to paralysis, swelling and diminished egg production. There have been no human cases of these avian influenza viruses detected in the United States."
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Weekly average price for a dozen large eggs, Grade A |
"a village is going to help them stay in their homes"
"For many older Americans and their families, the devastating COVID-19 outbreak — which caused more than 200,000 deaths in nursing homes nationally — was a persuasive argument for living at home as long as possible.
Now, as the pandemic grinds into its third year, a loose-knit band of tech gurus, gerontology researchers, and volunteer-powered elder support groups, called “villages,” is seeking to overcome the obstacles to aging in place. Among the toughest: a worsening shortage of home care workers, who can assist the oldest residents with walking, dressing, or showering.
Coronavirus sped up the deployment of “age-tech,” technology that helps older people age in place, by seven to 10 years, said Joe Coughlin, director of MIT AgeLab in Cambridge. "
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Dale Orzalli, a Seaglass Village volunteer, arrived at Maureen Neumann's front door to take her to a doctors appointment at Lahey Medical Center in Peabody.MATTHEW J LEE/GLOBE STAFF |
“Oreology” — or the “study of the flow and fracture of sandwich cookies”
"But because researchers concluded that additional “questions remain to be explored if we are to fully understand cookie flow phenomena,” the device was conceived with the idea of “enabling widespread use.” The authors also published instructions for those curious about how to build their own.
“I hope people can use this information to improve their cookie eating when they twist open an Oreo, or when they dunk it in milk,” Owens told CNN. “I hope people can also take inspiration to investigate other puzzles in the kitchen in scientific ways.
“The best scientific research, even at MIT, is driven by curiosity to understand the world around us,” Owens said. “When someone sees something weird or unknown and takes the time to think, ‘I wonder why that happens like that?’”
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A variety of Oreo cookies.TONY CENICOLA/NYT |
Franklin TV and wfpr.fm schedule for Wednesday, April 20, 2022
- wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Wednesday
Franklin and its local government, services and events (repeats Saturday at 9 AM)
- This slot features Conversation with FHS Gymnastics Coach Paula Lupien https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/04/my-conversation-with-paula-lupien-fhs.html
This hour features the 6th episode of my conversation with Ted McIntyre as he helps me "Making Sense of Climate" https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/04/conversation-with-ted-mcintyre-making.html
- Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 26) = WEDNESDAY
8:30 am Arts Advocacy: Fundraising
10:00 am Sons and Daughters of Italy: Carlo Geromini
11:30 am Whole Health Visions: Life Coaches Pt. 1
12:00 pm Brook'n'Cookin: Chicken Salad
12:30 pm Sandhya: Cupcakes
1:00 pm Norfolk County Prevention Coalition: Fire Safety
1:30 pm Pizzapalooza: Meat-Lovers Pt. 1
2:00 pm New England Candlepins: Summer 2018 Show 7
3:00 pm Candlepin New Generation: Show 5
3:30 pm Cooking Thyme: Spring
6:30 pm Concerts on the Common: Jamie Barrett & Electric Youth
9:30 pm The Black Box: Wicked
- Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel (Comcast 96, Verizon 28) = WEDNESDAY
- Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 11, Verizon 29) = WEDNESDAY
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) |
Tuesday, April 19, 2022
GoFundMe: Please help the Bertram Family displaced by loss of home/possessions in fire
"We are truly grateful for the kind words, thoughts, and prayers. For those checking in with us: Thank you! Knowing that community can come together in times of need makes our hearts so full. We are honored to have you in our lives.And a HUGE THANK YOU to the first responders (FRANKLIN, MEDWAY, WRENTHAM and MILLIS FIRE DEPARTMENTS) who were so heroic, so thoughtful, and so helpful during this tragic time. We feel so blessed to have you safeguarding our community.Our love to all of you."
Shared from Twitter -> https://twitter.com/CoachCosta88/status/1515825000145731587
Contribute to the GoFundMe here -> https://www.gofundme.com/f/bertram-family-daniels-street-fire
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Bertram Family , Daniels Street Fire |
Insights on the House Ways & Means budget vs. Gov Baker's H2 budget starting point
For those closely following the State budget process (it does have significance to the local budget process) Tracy Novick's analysis of the House Ways & Means budget released last week vs. the Governor's budget H2 released in January is a must read.
"The House Ways and Means budget was released Wednesday, April 13. The account by account detail can be found in sections 2 & 3, at the end of which you can find town by town and district by district allocations for local aid, including Chapter 70. The Department of Revenue Division of Local Services have likewise updated their preliminary cherry sheets; the municipal cherry sheets are here; the regional cherry sheets are here.
I have now updated my FY23 account by account spreadsheet, as well.
Let me start by highlighting a couple of things that are different than the budget proposed by Governor Baker in January, and then I'll run through the accounts."
- House Ways & Means budget -> https://malegislature.gov/Budget/HouseWaysMeansBudget
- Sec 2 & 3 account detail -> https://malegislature.gov/Reports/13111/FY23%20Sections%202%20and%203.pdf
- municipal Cherry sheet info -> https://dlsgateway.dor.state.ma.us/reports/rdPage.aspx?rdReport=CherrySheets.CSbyProgMunis.MuniBudgEst
- regional Cherry sheet info -> https://dlsgateway.dor.state.ma.us/reports/rdPage.aspx?rdReport=CherrySheets.CSbyProgMunis.RegSchBudgEst
- Tracy's FY 23 account by account -> https://www.dropbox.com/s/15lknvv3lgbf3po/FY23%20account%20by%20account%20updated.xlsx?dl=0
Budgets are moral documents, what we fund is what we value |
HockomockSports.com Player of the Week: Vayshnav Malhotra - FHS Tennis
"Franklin senior Vayshnav Malhotra has been selected as the HockomockSports.com Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, for April 11 through April 17. Malhotra is the 26th player chosen as Player of the Week for the 2021-22 school year and the second of the spring season.
Malhotra has been a big part of Franklin’s perfect start to the season and its quest for a third straight league title. The senior has won all six of his matches this spring, including an impressive, straight sets win on Friday afternoon in a showdown with previously unbeaten Mansfield. His point sealed a 3-2 win over the Hornets and put the Panthers up by a match in the race for the Kelley-Rex crown."
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HockomockSports.com Player of the Week: Vayshnav Malhotra - FHS Tennis |
2 FHS Senior Project Profiles & 2 Student Profiles
Franklin High School is out this week on spring break so we'll catch to share a couple of student profiles posted by Pantherbook as well as a couple of Senior Project profiles.
- Student Spotlight: Olivia Reagan
- Student Spotlight: Dan Gurge
- Erica Bain: Senior Project Profile
https://franklinpanthers.us/top-stories/2022/04/08/erica-bain-senior-project-profile/
- Senior Projects: Ben Taylor Learns Strength & Conditioning with TB12
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FHS Panthers |
"In January 2022, more people ages 15 and older died of COVID-19 than of cancer"
"COVID shouldn't even be in the top 10 causes of death in the US if we consistently used all the tools available. Yet we're still now losing the lives of 500 Americans each day. "
Shared from Twitter -> https://twitter.com/EricTopol/status/1516066189914501124
COVID still among top cause of death in US |
"The chart above combines data on COVID-19 mortality rates from KFF’s tracker with data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on weekly counts of death by jurisdiction and cause of death and monthly provisional counts of deaths by select causes. Looking at average daily deaths for each month, deaths from some non-COVID causes—for example, heart disease deaths—sometimes increased with surges in COVID-19 deaths. This could be in part directly or indirectly related to COVID. "Source of data -> https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/covid-19-leading-cause-of-death-ranking/
"To rank COVID-19 among other leading causes of death by age groups, we looked at COVID-19 deaths for each age group and the most recent available data for other “rankable” age-specific leading causes. The number of deaths caused by COVID-19 are available for recent months, but the number of deaths from other causes in the most recent months are incomplete. Therefore, for each age group, we assume the number of deaths that arose from non-COVID-19 leading causes were an average of the first half of 2021 (or the most recent data year available). We do not include children under age 5 in age-specific COVID ranking because there are relatively few deaths from any cause, meaning that the rankings of leading causes in each month can be influenced by even a small change in the number of deaths from a given cause."
Source of data -> https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/covid-19-leading-cause-of-death-ranking/
021 - Passover And Easter & The End Of COVID (Hopefully) (audio)
A Priest, A Rabbi, and A Minister Walk Into A Radio Station - WFPR
In this episode, Dr. Pandora Carlucci and Pete Fasciano are joined by Reverend Junger, Reverend McAdams and Rabbi Alpert to discuss the topic of Passover and Easter, the move away from COVID and the return to normal in each congregation.
Audio file -> https://player.captivate.fm/episode/d1386b7f-a6d6-4db3-baa6-4b636de21292
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021 - Passover And Easter & The End Of COVID (Hopefully) |
Milford Daily News: "Franklin officer Tara Lagoa specializes in assisting those with mental health issues"
"Officer Tara Lagoa became a police officer because she wanted to help people.
And she gets to help those at risk due to psychological or mental health issues as part of the Franklin Police Department's Critical Incident Team.
"I just like to be able to help people," said Lagoa, 37. "I think we can rapport with people."
Last week, Lagoa was honored for her work with the Critical Incident Team, receiving an award from the Norfolk County CIT Training and Technical Assistance Center and the Brookline Police Department."
Franklin TV and wfpr.fm schedule for Tuesday, Apr 19, 2022
- wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Tuesday
2 hours. An insightful tour of Jazz Greats in a golden era
Addressing issues of Drug Abuse Disorder
- Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 26) = TUESDAY
- Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel (Comcast 96, Verizon 28) = TUESDAY
- Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 11, Verizon 29) = TUESDAY
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) |
Monday, April 18, 2022
Register to help Franklin clean up for Earth Day - Apr 23
The annual community clean up activities are scheduled for Saturday, Apr 23, 2022. For over 20 years, the Town of Franklin has conducted this event in an effort to educate the public on recycling, beautification, and general clean up of the town.
Earth Day is celebrated on Friday, April 22nd throughout the United States. Franklin will host their own Earth Day on Saturday April 23 this year!Keep Franklin looking beautiful by helping us clean our local parks, roads, schools, and town greenery!
Earth Day is a great opportunity for High School Students to earn their volunteer hours!
You can pre-register at: https://franklinma.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=29880
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Register to help Franklin clean up for Earth Day - Apr 23 |