Childhood vaccines: Their safety and potential side effects

View this email in your browser Childhood vaccines: What research shows about their safety and rare side effects Dear readers, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a long-time vaccine skeptic, is now at the helm of the nation's health and human services department, and the future of vaccines in the U.S. has become unpredictable.  "We don't know what's going to happen and what's going to change," Dr. Kristen Panthagani, a third-year emergency medicine resident and science communicator, told me. At The Journalist's Resource, we strive to provide reporters with research-based primers and tip sheets. So, I decided to write a piece that explains in detail what research shows about the safety, effectiveness and side effects of childhood vaccines. The result is a 5,600-word reference guide. You can borrow from it when you need to or republish parts or all of it, as long as you adhere to a few basic guidelines. In the piece you will find the following resources:  5 quick tips when reporting on vaccines. What's known about vaccine safety. Common vaccine side effects. How vaccine side effects are tracked in the U.S.  A list of childhood vaccines along with their safety and side effects, based on what large systematic reviews and meta-analyses have found. More resources for reporting on vaccines. These are unsettling times for many scientists, doctors and health journalists who have long relied on information from federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration for their work. Some pages and data tools have been taken down, so have some research studies.  So, before closing this week's newsletter, I wanted to acknowledge the mental toll of the current non-stop news cycle on journalists. For me, it's reminiscent of the pressures of covering the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but at a larger scale and in all directions. Please don't forget to take care of yourself. Take short breaks. Do a few jumping jacks. Do a little dance. Pick up the phone and call a friend, or better yet, plan a Sunday brunch. We have a list of more practical tips to help you care for yourself.  Listen to Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer Ed Yong talk about burnout in his recent interview with The New York Times. Don't ignore the signals your body is sending you. And read this 2024 Poynter article by Kristen Hare.  For dealing with uncertainty in this chaotic world, a great piece of advice recently arrived in my inbox via author and journalist Oliver Burkeman's insightful newsletter, The Imperfectionist: "[A]s far as you can manage it, you should make sure your psychological center of gravity is in your real and immediate world – the world of your family and friends and neighborhood, your work and your creative projects, as opposed to the world of presidencies and governments, social forces and global emergencies."  I'm immensely grateful for your hard work. Please take good care. Naseem Miller Senior editor for health at The Journalist's Resource The Journalist's Resource Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy Harvard Kennedy School 79 John F. Kennedy Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA © 2025 The President and Fellows of Harvard College   journalistsresource.org   |   journalists_resource@hks.harvard.edu 79 John F. Kennedy Street Cambridge, MA 02138 USA Manage Subscriptions | Update Profile | Unsubscribe © 2025 Harvard Kennedy School

Franklin Public Radio wfpr.fm schedule for Thursday, Feb 27, 2025

• wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Thursday

Time/Day			Thursday
7:00 AM	12:00 Noon	5:00 PM	Jazz
8:00 AM	1:00 PM	6:00 PM	FM Gov - Sherlock
9:00 AM	2:00 PM	7:00 PM	Turntable Hr 1 - Vibe/PaulyG
10:00 AM	3:00 PM	8:00 PM	Turntable Hr 2- Vibe/PaulyG
11:00 AM	4:00 PM	9:00 PM	Music

 

8:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 6:00 PM Franklin Matters Radio – Steve Sherlock
Franklin and its local government, services and events 

• This segment features Part 1 of 2 of the Talk Franklin episode on hot topics around development here in Franklin.    https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/jamie-leads-group-on-5-hot-topics-in.html

9:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 7:00 PM - first hour

10:00 AM, 3:00 PM, and 8:00 PM - second hour

Turntable – "Enjoy a fun experience with co-hosts The Vibe and Pauly G sharing personal discussions about a featured rock n roll vinyl record (1st hour) and the best, all music Vibe Playlist (2nd hour)"  

The Turntable Show features Carole King's "Tapestry", one of the best-selling Pop-Folk-Rock albums of all time and an engaging set of live Carole King performances on the Vibe Playlist. Tune-in and enjoy award winning hits and experience how she established the singer-songwriter template for some many popular artists

Find the playlist ->  https://tinyurl.com/TurntablePlaylists

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf   

Watch Listen Read all things that matter in Franklin MA

Franklin TV schedule for Thursday, Feb 27, 2025

• Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 6, Verizon 26) = Thursday

7:30 am Veterans' Call: Robert Pierson

10:30 am Pickleball Tournament: Pickleball Tournament

11:30 am Cooking Thyme: Lasagna

12:00 pm Brook'n'Cookin': Peppers

12:30 pm Cooking with Linda: Monkey Bread

1:30 pm Pizzapalooza: Margherita Pizza

2:00 pm New England Candlepins: Summer '19 Show 2

3:00 pm Riffing on Main Street: Michael Walker Jones

4:00 pm Winning Ways with the MIAA: Student Athletes Pt 2 01-16-25

5:00 pm Historical Museum: Randy LaRosa and Krishna Swain

6:30 pm Martin Luther King: Music and Spoken Word

7:00 pm Frank Presents: Michael Soter & Jeff Roy

9:00 pm Second Sunday Speaker Series: Freedom Trail

• Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel        (Comcast 8, Verizon 28) = Thursday

7:00 am Public School Concert: Elementary Winter Music Pt. 3 01-15-19

8:30 am Lifelong Music: Band & Elementary Glee

9:45 am Hockomock League Swim Championship Day 2 2025

1:30 pm Universe of Adolescent Sleep

4:00 pm FHS Boys Varsity Hockey v Attleboro 02-05-25

5:30 pm Winning Ways with the MIAA: Student Athletes Pt 2 01-16-25

6:30 pm FHS Girls Varsity Hockey v Canton 02-05-25

9:00 pm FHS Theater Company: Legally Blonde

• Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 9, Verizon 29) = Thursday

8:00 am  Conservation Commission 02-06-25

2:00 pm  Conservation Commission 02-06-25

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf   

Watch Listen Read all things that matter in Franklin MA

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Wednesday, February 26, 2025 ???

Wednesday, February 26

9:00am Fallen Hero Recognition: Richard L. Desper - Vietnam  (Veterans Walkway, Town Common) 

1:00pm Scribblers Writing Group (recording session) (Franklin Senior Center) 

4:00pm Movie Night ("6888") (Franklin Senior Center)

for additional details on Library events -> https://franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=24&showPastEvents=false

Library events

**  Town Meetings today   **

5:45 PM - Economic Development Subcmte

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02262025-1600

7 PM - Town Council

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02262025-1602

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

Why are there multiple calendars?

What's happening today in Franklin? 

Respectfully, the Library and Senior Center calendars are too full of events to include all their events so we tend to focus on the major events. Town and School meetings are also kept separate. Links for all the calendars are shared here:

Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Library calendar of events ->    calendar link

The Senior Center calendar of events ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37&showPastEvents=false

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendars

Fallen Hero Recognition: Richard L. Desper - Vietnam - Feb 26, 2025

Memorial event today (2/26/25) at 9 AM on the Veterans Walkway at the Town Common to honor Richard L. Desper.

This program will include the placing of a Memorial Wreath for the day, the playing of Taps, a salute from those present, and a reading of whatever history may be available for that veteran. This is a way of keeping the memory of that veteran alive.

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

"Lance Corporal Richard Lincoln Desper was born on February 12, 1947 the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Desper. Richard lived at 45 Coutu St. with his parents, four brothers, and 13 sisters. 

According to the war Department's official telegram Corporal Desper died five miles north of An Hoa in Quong Nan province of fragmentation wounds inflicted by mortar fire while on a search-and-clear mission with the Marine Corps in Vietnam on February 26, 1969. This was Corporal Desper's second tour of duty in the war zone having previously served in Vietnam with the Navy."

Lance Corporal Richard Lincoln Desper

Lance Corporal Richard L. Desper was 22 years old at the time of his death in Vietnam.

Lance Corporal Richard Lincoln Desper

For the full published series of Fallen Heroes you can visit this link
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/franklin-fallen-heroes-series.html

Photo album of the Fallen Hero pillars along the Veterans Walkway

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oRGdmq9krLNEBnjJ7

You can find all the videos for 2024 in one playlist -> 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo3eJGInVXU&list=PLbAODFjFPJ0zOqXRuHZ5-_LPf6UwmBNSA

Dean College Announces Partnership with the Award-Winning Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC)

Dean College is excited to announce a synergetic partnership with the Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC), downtown Franklin’s Actors Equity professional theater. This alliance will enrich the educational experience of Dean students studying musical theatre, acting, or dance; provide a professional affiliation for Dean’s Schools of Performing Arts; and support FPAC’s seasonal programming of musicals, plays, and dance performances. 

Dean College Announces Partnership with FPAC

Through this partnership, internship opportunities will also be available for Dean students at FPAC’s THE BLACK BOX and the affiliate Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA).

FSPA was founded by Raye Lynn Mercer in 1985 to serve the region’s performing arts students and has evolved over the past 40 years into the premier performing arts school in the MetroWest area of Boston. 

In 1991, the non-profit FPAC was launched by Mercer to produce shows, bringing together professional performers, emerging artists, and students. FPAC opened THE BLACK BOX in downtown Franklin in 2014 and became an Actors’ Equity Small Professional Theatre in 2021. The company now boasts an impressive network of Broadway performers and New York-based professionals who frequently perform and teach in Franklin. 

As the Broadway in Franklin sponsor, Dean will also be integral in bringing FPAC’s exciting roster of Broadway professionals to Franklin, who will participate as performers, master class instructors, and mentors for young artists.

“We are fortunate and grateful to have FPAC and FSPA located just steps away from our Dean campus and have enjoyed decades of friendship with Raye Lynn and her excellent performing arts organizations,” said Mark D. Boyce, interim president of Dean College. “Our students have often been cast in FPAC productions, and this formal partnership will just expand on the experiential learning we can provide for these talented, young artists.”

The Dean/FPAC partnership will provide the following benefits to students in Dean’s Schools of Performing Arts:

• students will receive credit toward their requirements and gain professional experiences to prepare them for careers in the performing arts
• complimentary and/or discounted tickets to FPAC performances
• a reciprocal relationship for sharing costumes and properties
• opportunities to attend auditions for FPAC’s season of shows
• Dean students who are cast will have the chance to perform with the company while maintaining their academic schedules
• and participation in master classes offered as part of FPAC’s Artist in Residence programs.

“Our mission has always been to provide superlative training, quality entertainment, and outstanding performance opportunities for professionals, students, and emerging artists,” said Mercer. “By partnering with Dean College, the Franklin Performing Arts Company will gain talented and dedicated young performers who will benefit from hands-on experience in the industry. Our company appreciates the support of Dean College, and we’re enthusiastic about this valuable partnership.” 

Dean College is a private, residential New England college grounded in a culture and tradition that all students deserve the opportunity for academic and personal success. A uniquely supportive community for more than 150 years, Dean has woven together extensive student support and engagement with exceptional teaching and innovative campus activities. Our graduates are lifetime learners who thrive in their careers, embrace social responsibility and demonstrate leadership. This is The Dean Difference.

Shared from -> https://www.dean.edu/news-events/story/dean-college-announces-partnership-with-award-winning-performing-arts-organization/

Dean College (@DeanCollege) posted at 2:44 PM on Tue, Feb 25, 2025:
We're excited to partner with the esteemed Franklin Performing Arts Company to continue to enrich the experiences of our performing arts students at Dean. Read on to learn more: https://t.co/esXXYZ2nvX https://t.co/K9Xntv5j6J
(https://x.com/DeanCollege/status/1894473540180529616?t=D04KQ-3g3PHyhwk3nn_zPg&s=03)

School Committee Legislative Forum - Feb 24, 2025 (video)

The Franklin School Committee conducted a Legislative Fourm with Senator Becca Rausch and State Representative Jeff Roy on Monday, Feb 24, 2025. 

School Committee Chair Dave Callaghan moderated the event. School Superintendent Lucas Giguere provided some remarks the state of the schools. Some questiosn were asked of the delegation before opening the floor to questions from the audiance.

Franklin TV video available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuUN6giRqc0

My notes in one PDF as written during the event ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pX-uJFiDmOih9nE4vdq9QSr7qeGlQwQH/view?usp=drive_link

Photos taken during the event -> 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/821vCMxw7Br6KakP8

School Superintendent Lucas Giguere

Both FHS girls & boys hockey teams end playoff runs (video)

Via Twitter, Franklin TV, and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the Winter sports competition for Franklin High School on Monday, February 26, 2025

Girls Hockey = Division 1
#29 Franklin, 0 @ #4 North Andover, 4 – Final

Boys Hockey = Division 1
#26 Franklin, 1 @ #7 Arlington, 7 – Final

Franklin TV video for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEJ16ZYv9jI

For other results across the Hockomock League (subscription required)

https://hockomocksports.com/tuesdays-schedule-scoreboard-02-25-25/

FHS Panther sports results shared via Twitter & subscription to HockomockSports.com

Police Station Building Commitee gets an update from the Project team and starts to set dates for site visits (video)

The Police Station Building Commitee held it's first meeting of 2025 on Tuesday, February 25, 2025. 

I did watch about half the meeting via the video play. Four members of the project team of CHA and Kaestle Boos Associates were present for the meeting and discussion. They provided updates on the overall timeline, process, discussion around sites visits (dated to be determined), open houses to be scheduled (to enable walk through of the current facility). They presented a draft of the website to be used to share the project status. 

I had met with the Chief and Deputy Chief on Monday to do a walk trhough of the facility and begin planning for a video tour and production of other digital media information.

Franklin TV video for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWC6PbFTu0s

Agenda doc ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02252025-1601

Police Station Building Committee Agenda for Feb 25 meeting at 7 PM