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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 *
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"Franklin Community,Most of you know me as the President of the Franklin Education Association. I'm also Chair of the Massachusetts PTA Health, Safety and Wellness Committee.THIS coming Thursday, April 3, from 5:30 -7pm at FHS, my committee is hosting a FREE Family Safety Awareness Forum about Online Safety and CyberBullying. Our doors open at 5:30 for child care, with the adult program running from 6-7pm. We have food for the kids and adults and activities for the kids. We're giving away an IPad as well.
Interent Safety event April 3 Please come learn how to identify online dangers and how to protect your kids and family."
With April being designated National Fair Housing Month, Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O’Donnell today reaffirmed his support for Senate Bill 1030, an Act to increase transparency in the Massachusetts land record systems to protect the property rights of homeowners and businesses.
SB1030 was filed by Senator Michael D. Brady of Brockton on January 7, 2025, in the Massachusetts State Senate and was Referred to the Joint Committee on Judiciary.
If enacted, this legislation will eliminate the possibility that a homeowner may not know who the holder of their mortgage is because an assignment was not recorded. Currently, if homeowners are not aware who holds their mortgage, coupled with banks having gone out of business or merged, the homeowners must then contact the State’s Division of Banks and Banking in an attempt to track down who actually held the homeowner’s mortgage. This legislation would make assignments of residential mortgages more transparent for the consumer.
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Register O’Donnell Promotes Mortgage Assignment Legislation |
“This legislation would require that when banks transfer or assign their residential mortgages to a different lending institution then that assignment would be required to be recorded with the relevant Massachusetts Registry of Deeds office within 30 days of its execution,” noted Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O’Donnell.
The bill also creates a more level playing field between banks especially smaller community banks that record residential mortgage assignments and other banks that do not. It would also curtail the avoidance of paying recording fees by the lending institutions, which now results in the loss of needed revenue. This bill also implements on the Recorded Land side of the Massachusetts Registries of Deeds the procedure that takes place on the Registered Land side of Massachusetts Registries of Deeds.
Register O’Donnell stated, “I want to express my appreciation to Senator Michael D. Brady for filing this legislation. If this legislation becomes law it would help homeowners find out if their mortgage has been assigned to another party in a very timely manner. Also with this information available on-line it would be easier and more transparent for the homeowner to make sure they get this mortgage assignment information.”
The next step in the legislative process for SB1030 is for the Joint Committee on Judiciary to give the bill its initial review and recommendation. House and Senate co-sponsoring may continue until the measure is reported by the initial committee.
Register O’Donnell concluded, “It makes a great deal of sense to require residential mortgage assignments to be filed at the Registry of Deeds. After all, recording and storing land related documents for real estate transactions is something that has been done at the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds since 1793. Presently, the Registry maintains over 13.1 million land related documents.”
To learn more about these and other Registry of Deeds events and initiatives, like us at facebook.com/NorfolkDeeds or follow us on twitter.com/NorfolkDeeds and Instagram.com/NorfolkDeeds.
The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds is located at 649 High Street in Dedham. The Registry is a resource for homeowners, title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities and others with a need for secure, accurate, accessible land record information. All land record research information can be found on the Registry’s website www.norfolkdeeds.org. Residents in need of assistance can contact the Registry of Deeds Customer Service Center via telephone at (781) 461-6101, or email us at registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.
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Have you taken a tour of the Franklin Food Pantry? They are available monthly |
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Climate: What will you do? |
The First Universalist Society in Franklin (FUSF) is a Unitarian Universalist Welcoming Congregation located at 262 Chestnut Street, Franklin. Our Interim Minister is Reverend Beverly Waring. For more information about FUSF please visit our website at Fusf.org. or contact us at info@fusf.org; call 508-528-5348.
"The Town of Franklin recently became the first municipality in the United States to invest in a new, innovative tool to combat the ongoing impacts of the opioid crisis: Arts Prescriptions, the practice of referring patients to creative experiences such as music, visual arts, dance, and theater.
Funded through the Town’s opioid settlement funds, their Arts Prescriptions initiative is designed to support substance use prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery efforts within the community.
Arts Prescription is a proven tool for improving mental health and fostering resilience, and since 2020 Mass Cultural Council has been investing in and developing cross-sector partnerships to establish Arts Prescriptions in the Commonwealth."
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Performance by Dean College. Photo courtesy of the Franklin Cultural District |
Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 6, Verizon 26) = TUESDAY
Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 28) = TUESDAY
7:00 am Lifelong Music: Strings School 01-22-25
9:00 am Public School Concert: Annie Sullivan Winter Music 2023
10:30 am Winning Ways with the MIAA: Referee Shortage Pt1
11:30 am Mental Health: Rion James
12:30 pm All-Town Concert: Chorus & Orchestra
2:00 pm FHS Boys Varsity Lacrosse v Barnstable 06-03-24
6:00 pm FHS Varsity Softball v Attleboro 04-26-24
9:00 pm FHSTC: Peter and the Starcatcher
Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 9, 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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Watch Listen Read all things that matter in Franklin MA |
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For additional details on Library & Senior Center events -> https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false |
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What's happening today in Franklin? |