MBTA - Shuttle for Franklin Line on Weekends through Dec 22

Weekends = September 7 – December 22

Shuttle buses will replace Franklin Line service between Forge Park/495 and Readville Stations while we upgrade the signal system as part of Positive Train Control (PTC) work. Also during this work, connecting train service between Readville and South Station will be on the Fairmount Line. There will be no Franklin Line service at Ruggles or Back Bay.

Learn about Positive Train Control

See all Franklin Line service changes

Note: the shuttle had been scheduled to end in October, then November, now moved out to December.

MBTA - Shuttle for Franklin Line on Weekends through Dec 22

MyFM in the Morning: Town Administrator Jamie Hellen

"MyFM in the Morning On Demand Audio - Friday November 22nd, 2019 - Franklin Town Administrator Jamie Hellen calls in for his monthly visit to talk about the holiday season in Franklin."

https://soundcloud.com/…/myfm-in-the-morning-jamie-hellen-1…

Shared from Ray Auger's Facebook post
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1551606135109407/permalink/2458977614372250/

Downtown Franklin with the holiday lights

Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA: FRI - Nov 22 to THU - Nov 28

Friday, November 22

9:00am

 Babywearing Dance Party!

10:00am

 Knitting Group

10:30am

 Happy Feet

7:00pm

 Footlighters Performance

7:00pm

 Franklin Middle School Footlighters present "THE WIZARD OF OZ"

7:00pm

 Harlem Wizards basketball fundraiser

7:30pm

 Dean College Presents: "Wonderful Town"

Saturday, November 23

10:00am

 Winter Farmers Market

10:00am

 Franklin Historical Museum (Always free)

1:00pm

 Girls Who Code

2:00pm

 Dean College Presents: "Wonderful Town"

7:00pm

 Almost Maine - FHS Drama Production

7:00pm

 Footlighters Performance

7:00pm

 Franklin Middle School Footlighters present "THE WIZARD OF OZ"

7:30pm

 Dean College Presents: "Wonderful Town"

Sunday, November 24

1:00pm

 Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

2:00pm

 Dean College Presents: "Wonderful Town"

2:00pm

 Almost Maine - FHS Drama Production

7:00pm

 Interfaith Thanksgiving Service

Monday, November 25

10:30am

 Move Along

3:30pm

 D&D for Kids

7:00pm

 Library Board Meeting

Tuesday, November 26

9:30am

 Cool Cruisers

10:30am

 Get Ready for Kindergarten

7:00pm

 School Committee meeting

7:00pm

 Franklin Public Library Book Club

Wednesday, November 27

10:30am

 Terrific Toddlers

2:00pm

 Library Closing

6:30pm

 Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

7:00pm

 Town Council Meeting (Tax Rate Hearing) (actually Dec 4)

8:00pm

 Karate Show and Long Shadow Sheep

Thursday, November 28

 Library Closed

 Thanksgiving Day

8:00am

 5K Turkey Trot to benefit the Franklin Food Pantry

 

For the interactive version, please visit

https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/blog-page.html

For the Town of Franklin Public Meeting Calendar

https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar

Submit an event for the Community Calendar, please use this link

https://www.franklinculture.org/things-do/links/submit-event

Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA: FRI - Nov 22 to THU - Nov 28

FM #182 - FHS PCC - "Everything You Need to Know"

FM #182

This internet radio show or podcast is number 182 in the series for Franklin Matters.

This recording shares the Franklin High School PCC meeting on Monday, November 18, 2019. A panel discussion on vaping was on the agenda and recorded for sharing with the community who could not participate in person. 

Franklin TV did record the session as well and it will be shared on the local cable channels. When the schedule is confirmed for those re-broadcasts, we’ll share that.

The panel members were

• Jennifer Knight-Levine, President of the SAFE Coalition
• Lieutenant Mark Manocchio, Franklin Police Dept
• James J. Ledwith Jr., MD, FAAFP

The recording of the discussion itself runs approx xx minutes. The PCC meeting portion was edited out of this broadcast.

Without further ado, here is the vaping panel discussion
https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HstVTxsX



Resources mentioned by Jennifer:

• Text - Smokefreetxt - QUIT to 47848
• Phone App - quitSTART
• Speak to an expert - 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669)
• Text for dipping - SPIT to 333888
• Instagram - smokefreeus
• Build your Quit plan! - https://smokefree.gov/build-your-quit-plan
• http://makesmokinghistory.org/quit-now/what-is-the-helpline/
• https://truthinitiative.org/press/press-release/first-its-kind-free-e-cigarette-quit-program-now-available-young-vapers-looking 
• https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/Quick-Facts-on-the-Risks-of-E-cigarettes-for-Kids-Teens-and-Young-Adults.html
• https://med.stanford.edu/tobaccopreventiontoolk…/E-Cigs.html
• https://teen.smokefree.gov/
• https://teens.drugabuse.gov/teens

Resources that Dr Ledwith mentioned:

• “MCPAP” is the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Project. It provides consultation between the PCP and an expert in pediatric and adolescent psychiatry within 30 minutes of a phone call, Monday through Friday. In 2003 a pilot program was developed at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester. Enthusiastically received, in 2004 the Department of Mental Health and Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership adapted the model to be implemented statewide. Over 30 states have since developed similar programs based on the MCPAP model. https://www.mcpap.com/About/OverviewVisionHistory.aspx
• “MCSTAP” is the Massachusetts Consultation Service on Treatment of Addiction and Pain, set in action in January 2019. It provides similar consultations for physicians on the management of addictions and complex pain conditions based on the MCPAP model. Consultants are on call to advise treating physicians on effective treatment approaches and to provide resources for ongoing care of their patients. https://www.mcstap.com/About/About.aspx
• The newest service is “ASAP-MCPAP” is the Adolescent Substance Abuse Program within MCPAP. The program will specifically provide guidance on the management of substance use concerns in teenagers. The program will be formally announced in the next few weeks but the MCPAP office is already gearing up to assist health care providers.
• “MBHP” is the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership, an organization funded by contracts and grants from the state and insurance plans to develop and manage these programs.

Institute for Health and Recovery  http://www.healthrecovery.org/

FM #182 - FHS PCC - "Everything You Need to Know"

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


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

How can you help?

Overall:

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors
• If you don't like this, please let me know

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

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
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"

search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

FTC Consumer Alert: “Pass it On” at the holidays

"Pass it On" at the holidays by Lisa Weintraub Schifferle Attorney, FTC, Division of Consumer & Business Education Holidays often mean time with family and friends. If you're looking for conversation starters that avoid tricky topics – like who should've won the World Series – why not chat about scams? Pass it On, an FTC education campaign, gives you new ways to talk about scams and how to prevent them. Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/11/pass-it-holidays?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0030-pass-it

https://youtu.be/T7SiEQWzbAU

Reminder: Help the Franklin Turkey Trot support the Franklin Food Pantry

Franklin Turkey Trot Registration is OPEN and waiting for you! Running or walking (I will be walking) gives you a worthy excuse to have that extra piece of pie later Thanksgiving Day.

Please visit www.franklinturkeytrot.org for race information and registration.

If you have any questions, please email franklinturkeytrot@gmail.com.

See you at the race! If you can't run or walk, you can donate to the Franklin Food Pantry online at  https://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/

Franklin TURKEY TROT Registration Open

Governor Baker has some reading to do

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"A ban on flavored tobacco and tax on e-cigarettes, a $1.5 billion public education funding overhaul, and a new attempt to crack down on distracted driving all landed on Gov. Charlie Baker’s desk as lawmakers wrapped up their formal business of the year.

His immediate response to all three proposals: no major objections but he wants to read the bills.

Baker has supported parts of each bill or filed his own similar versions, but it remains unclear whether the governor will sign any of the legislation sent to him, return something with a proposed amendment or veto a proposal. In separate public comments Thursday, Baker declined to outline his plans explicitly."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20191121/baker-no-major-objection-to-bills


The Student Opportunity Act
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/11/massachusetts-legislature-votes-to.html

Distracted Driving
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/11/massachusetts-legislature-passes.html

Flavored Tobacco Ban
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/11/ma-senate-passes-landmark-legislation.html

The Senate also passed a plastic bag ban on their last day of work in this session but it still needs to be reconciled with the House version before going to the Governor.

MA Senate Passes Landmark Legislation To Ban Flavored Tobacco, Protect Young People From Nicotine Addiction

The Massachusetts State Senate early Thursday morning gave final approval to landmark legislation to reduce youth access to tobacco and nicotine products. In the wake of widespread increases in youth vaping, this bill offers a comprehensive approach to protecting young people from nicotine use and addiction. An Act Modernizing Tobacco Control bans the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including menthol; institutes a 75 percent excise tax on e- cigarettes and e-liquids; and expands health coverage for tobacco-use cessation products and counseling.

“I would like to thank Senator John Keenan for his diligent work on moving this issue forward, including his tireless efforts to educate his Senate colleagues and members of the public,” stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D – Ashland). “While we continue to learn more about the dangers of vaping, it is absolutely our responsibility to prevent marketing of vaping products, which we know to be harmful, to our children. We must also make it less appealing for young people to take up smoking, which often leads to a lifetime of addiction, serious health consequences, and death. By increasing access to smoking cessation programs, the Senate is reaffirming its commitment to our residents in their efforts to quit smoking and tobacco products altogether.”

“For far too long, Big Tobacco has targeted our kids with flavored products,” said Senator John Keenan (D – Quincy), lead sponsor of the legislation to ban flavored tobacco products. “By banning the sale of the flavored products that attract young people, implementing a 75 percent excise tax on e-cigarettes, and expanding coverage of cessation treatment, we are telling Big Tobacco their days of hooking kids in Massachusetts are over. Hopefully, this effort will serve as

a roadmap for the rest of the country. I am proud to stand with my colleagues in the Massachusetts Legislature in passing this landmark legislation.”

"Senator Keenan led the way in the Senate on this issue, and the result is a very strong bill that addresses vaping and tobacco use in the Commonwealth as the public health crisis that it is,” said Senator Joanne Comerford (D – Northampton), Senate Chair of the Committee on Public Health. “Among the recent deaths from vaping was a woman from my district. The data has shown us just how to tackle this issue head on. We know that 81 percent of young people report that their first tobacco product was flavored. Today the Senate is meeting this epidemic with bold legislation, ensuring that the next generation can breathe easier."

“Across the communities in our Commonwealth and especially in our high schools, youth vaping has reached epidemic levels, and it’s vital for the protection of our youth and of our public health that we ban the sale of flavored cigarettes and vaping products,” said Senator Jason Lewis (D – Winchester), Senate Chair of the Education Committee and past Chair of the Public Health Committee. “The predatory tobacco industry uses ‘fun’ flavors like mango and cotton candy, cheap prices and hip social media marketing to target our youth and hook them with a lifelong addiction to their harmful products.”

“When I was young, there was a concerted and twisted effort to hook as many young people as possible on cigarettes. I see that effort reborn today: different, but all too similar,” said Senator Harriette L. Chandler (D – Worcester), Senate President Emerita. “I am proud that the Massachusetts Senate has taken a stand for the public health of our youngest constituents. We will not allow our children to be abused by nefarious attempts to addict entire new generations to nicotine.”

“Massachusetts has led the way on tobacco use cessation for decades, but that success suffered a setback in recent years thanks to the emergence of vaping, leading to rising rates of nicotine addiction in young people,” said State Senator Julian Cyr (D – Truro), Chair of the Committee on Substance Use, Mental Health, and Recovery. “The legislation we passed today puts the Commonwealth in the vanguard by banning the very flavored tobacco products designed by Big Tobacco to addict a new generation on nicotine. As someone who’s spent much of my career in public health, I am proud of the Senate’s leadership to prevent our youngest residents from ever getting hooked.”

While the Commonwealth has made significant progress in preventing youth smoking rates in the last two decades, youth use of e-cigarettes and vaping products has increased dramatically. The 2017 Massachusetts Youth Health Survey reported over 20 percent of high school students were currently vaping–a rate six times that of adult use. More recent reports put estimates on youth e- cigarette use closer to 27 percent.

An Act Modernizing Tobacco Control specifically targets the sale of flavored tobacco products because they have historically been used to attract young people. Flavored cigarettes were banned by the federal government in 2009 as part of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. However, that law did not apply to other tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, which come

in over 8,000 flavors with youth appeal such as ‘gummy bear,’ cotton candy, fruit punch, mint and menthol.

The legislation bans the sale of all flavors, including menthol, for all tobacco products including cigarettes, e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco, cigars, pipe tobacco, and snuff. Youth smokers remain the age group most likely to smoke mentholated cigarettes, and menthol smoking prevalence now exceeds non-menthol smoking prevalence among both young and young adult smokers.

“We applaud the Massachusetts Senate for taking an important step in protecting future generations of Massachusetts residents from a lifetime of tobacco addiction,” said Allyson Perron Drag, Government Relations Director for the American Heart Association in Massachusetts. “The easy availability of menthol cigarettes, flavored cigars, flavored hookah and kid-friendly, e- cigarette flavors is causing an increase in youth tobacco use of epic proportion. The removal of all flavors from all tobacco products is essential for reducing their appeal to our children. We thank Senate President Spilka, Senator Keenan, Senator Chandler, Senator Cyr, Senator Lewis, and Senator Comerford for their leadership in protecting all kids in the Commonwealth.”

“While Massachusetts has long been at the forefront in this area, thanks to the Senate’s action today, we are poised to lead the nation by passing legislation that would prohibit the sale of all flavored tobacco products, keeping these deadly products out of the hands of our kids,” said Marc Hymovitz, Director Government Relations Director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network in Massachusetts. “ACS CAN commends Senate President Karen Spilka, Senator John Keenan, Senator Harriette Chandler, Senator Julian Cyr, Senator Jason Lewis and their colleagues for taking this historic vote that will truly save lives.”

The bill also institutes a 75 percent excise tax on both e-cigarettes and e-liquids. Taxing tobacco products is a proven method of decreasing youth use and this bill will bring the sales price of e- cigarettes to near parity with cigarette prices.

The bill will expand health insurance coverage for tobacco cessation so that people have access to the products and counseling necessary to quit nicotine. The bill requires coverage of at least one cessation product without prior authorization for MassHealth, Group Insurance Commission, and private insurance members.

Further provisions regarding e-cigarettes and vape products were included in the bill to regulate this growing market, including: expanding oversight of the Department of Revenue to include e- cigarette retailers; limiting the sale of e-cigarette products with nicotine content higher than 20 milligrams per milliliter to adult-only stores; and establishing penalties for the illegal distribution of e-cigarettes.

Tobacco use and nicotine addiction remain the leading causes of preventable illness and premature death in Massachusetts. Each year, more than 9,300 people die from tobacco use across the state and smoking-related illnesses are responsible for more than $4 billion in annual healthcare costs to the Commonwealth.

After reconciling similar legislation passed by the Massachusetts House of Representatives, a final compromise bill now advances to the Governor’s desk.

Massachusetts Legislature Votes to Enact the Student Opportunity Act

Investing $1.5 billion in public schools, updating statewide education policy, and supporting effective approaches to close student opportunity gaps

Wednesday, (Nov 20), both chambers of the Massachusetts Legislature unanimously voted to enact the Student Opportunity Act. This legislation, providing an unprecedented $1.5 billion new investment in Massachusetts K-12 public education system, ensures public schools have the resources to provide high- quality education to students across the state, regardless of zip code or income level. Assuming inflation, over the seven-year implementation timeline the bill will provide an estimated $2.2 billion in support of public schools.

The Student Opportunity Act provides significant support to school districts that serve English learners and high concentrations of low-income students. At the same time, all school districts across the Commonwealth will benefit from updates to the existing funding formula, along with increased state investments in vital education aid programs such as special education transportation, school construction and renovation, and the 21st Century Education Program.

“The Student Opportunity Act makes a lasting and profound investment in the Massachusetts public education system and places a special emphasis on English learners and districts serving our low-income students,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop). “We’re building on our ongoing efforts to support our neediest students and to close opportunity gaps. I want to thank Chair Peisch for her leadership on this legislation, and Chair Lewis for his hard work, and the conference committee especially Representatives Tucker and Ferguson. This was a collaboration among the House and the Senate, and I appreciate Senate President Spilka’s partnership as we make this historic investment.”

“Today is an extraordinary day for our students,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “With the enactment of the Student Opportunity Act, the Legislature is reaffirming our commitment to the idea that providing a quality public education is not a luxury—it is both our greatest responsibility and our greatest opportunity. I am proud of the diligent and thoughtful work of Senator Jason Lewis, the education committee and the conferees, as well as the tireless advocacy by students, parents, teachers, administrators, advocates and others to bring this bill to fruition. I look forward to this historic bill being signed into law.”

“Our enactment of the Student Opportunity Act will lead to greater resources for public school students across the Commonwealth, said Representative Alice Peisch (D – Wellesley), Chair House Education Committee. “The House vote is a clear indication of our commitment to ensuring that all students, and especially low-income students and English learners, have full access to the high quality education that Massachusetts provides its children. While this bill is a major step forward, it is not the end of our efforts aimed at narrowing the achievement gap and expanding access. I look forward to continuing to work with Speaker DeLeo and my colleagues in the House on education legislation that will keep Massachusetts a national and international leader in public education.”

“Access to a high-quality public education is a fundamental right for every child, and that's why the Student Opportunity Act will make an unprecedented $1.5 billion investment in our public schools, ensuring that school districts across the Commonwealth have adequate and equitable resources to provide all students, especially those facing adversity, with a high-quality public education,” said Senator Jason Lewis, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. “I am confident that the Student Opportunity Act will effectively address opportunity and achievement gaps and make a meaningful difference to generations of Massachusetts students."

The Student Opportunity Act fully implements the recommendations of the 2015 Foundation Budget Review Commission (FBRC) in order to support the “educational programs and services necessary to achieve the Commonwealth’s educational goals” as stated in the Commission’s mission. The bill provides an estimated $1.4 billion in new Chapter 70 aid over and above inflation when fully implemented over the next seven years. The bill modernizes the K-12 education funding and policy landscape in four areas:

• Estimates school districts’ employee and retiree health care costs using up to date health insurance trend data collected by the state’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC).
• Increases special education enrollment and cost assumptions to more accurately reflect district enrollment.
• Increases funding for English learners (EL) and differentiates funding by grade level to reflect the greater resources required to educate our older EL students.
• Addresses the needs of districts educating high concentrations of low-income students by: 

• Providing additional funding based on the share of low-income students in each district; districts educating the largest percentage of low-income students will receive an additional increment equal to 100 percent of the base foundation; and

• Returning the definition of low-income to 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, as opposed to the 133 percent level used in recent years.

In addition to implementing the FBRC’s recommended formula changes, the Student Opportunity Act provides an additional $100 million in state financial support in several categories to help public schools and communities deliver a high-quality education to every student. Those fiscal supports include:

• Increasing foundation rates for guidance and psychological services in recognition of the growing need for expanded social-emotional support and mental health services;
• Committing to fully funding charter school tuition reimbursement, which provides transitional aid to help districts when students leave to attend charter schools, within a three-year timetable;
• Expanding the special education circuit breaker program, which reimburses districts for extraordinary special education costs, to include transportation as well as instructional cost, to be implemented over the next four years; and
• Raising the annual cap on Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) spending for construction and renovation by $200 million (from $600 million to $800 million), enabling more school building projects across the state to be accepted into the MSBA funding pipeline, which reimburses towns and cities for a portion of school building costs.

In addition to new funding and other supports, the Student Opportunity Act establishes the 21st Century Education Trust Fund to provide districts and schools access to flexible funding to pursue creative approaches to student learning and district improvement.

In order to track and reproduce successful school and district-level programs and policies, the legislation calls on school districts to develop and make publicly available plans for closing opportunity gaps. These plans will include specific goals and metrics to track success. The bill includes language, to ensure that plans consider input from school committees and other stakeholders. In addition, the Secretary of Education will collect and publish data on student preparedness in each district for post-graduate success in college and the workforce.

Furthermore, the Student Opportunity Act establishes a Data Advisory Commission to help improve the use of data at the state, district, and school levels to inform strategies that strengthen teaching, learning and resource allocation. The bill increases the scope of data collected and moves towards establishing targets for college and career success.

To support ongoing efforts to address education-funding challenges, the legislation also includes the following provisions:

• Establishes a Rural Schools Commission to investigate the unique challenges facing rural and regional school districts with low and declining enrollment and make recommendations for further updates to help impacted districts and communities;
• Directs the Department of Revenue (DOR) and DESE to analyze the method of determining required local contributions in the Chapter 70 school funding formula for the purpose of improving equity, predictability and accuracy; and
• Requires the Massachusetts School Building Authority to undertake a review of the current program, now in its fifteenth year, to ensure that capital reimbursements meet district needs.

The bill requires the Foundation Budget Review Commission to convene at least every ten years to review the way foundation budgets are calculated and ensure the school funding formula continues to reflect the needs of school districts across the Commonwealth.

The bill now goes to the governor.