September is "National Preparedness Month"

Power outages, hurricanes, floods, or snow storms – it’s important to plan ahead for emergencies. And because the Commonwealth designates September “National Preparedness Month,” there’s no better time to start than now. 

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and the Department of Public Health (DPH) have partnered together to launch two public information programs to help residents be ready for emergencies and disasters.

Continue to read the full article on the MA.Gov blog here
http://blog.mass.gov/blog/safety/september-is-national-preparedness-month

September is "National Preparedness Month"

FPAC Gala Highlights Grand Opening Events At THE BLACK BOX

Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) debuts a transformative new performance and event venue, raising the curtain on THE BLACK BOX in downtown Franklin. FPAC kicks off the company’s premiere season in its new home with a grand-opening weekend September 20-22 to introduce the theater and event space to the community. Anchoring a series of signature events, FPAC’s annual Gala will be held on Saturday, September 20 at 6 p.m. featuring silent and live auctions, inspired cuisine by Artistry Catering and Events, and dancing until midnight. 

The evening’s entertainment presents a special, one-night-only performance by guest artists Beth Leavel, renowned Broadway veteran and Tony® Award winner for The Drowsy Chaperone, and Alexander Gemignani, Broadway’s acclaimed Jean Valjean (Les Misérables) and Billy Flynn (Chicago). 

Beth Leavel

Beth Leavel’s extensive Broadway credits include 42nd Street, Crazy for You, Show Boat, The Civil War, Young Frankenstein, Mama Mia!, Elf the Musical, and Baby It’s You! (Tony® Award nominee). Her Tony Award-winning performance in the title role of The Drowsy Chaperone also earned Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards as well. Leavel previously headlined FPAC’s 2012 Gala at Gillette Stadium. 

Alexander Gemignani was most recently featured in the Tony® nominated Broadway revival of Violet, with Sutton Foster. Previous Broadway credits include Assassins, Sweeney Todd (Drama Desk Award nomination), Sunday in the Park with George, and The People in the Picture. Gemignani has appeared Off-Broadway in Avenue Q and Sondheim’s Road Show, as well as in a staged concert production of South Pacific with Reba McEntire and Brian Stikes Mitchell at Carnegie Hall and in Passions with Patti Lupone and Audra McDonald. 

Alexander Gemignani

The weekend’s Grand Opening events at THE BLACK BOX continue on Sunday, September 21 with an Open House from 1-4 p.m. FPAC invites the community to come celebrate, tour the facility, and learn about upcoming programming. Stop by the venue, located at 15 West Central Street, to see the new space and hear more about FPAC’s 2014-15 presenting schedule. 

FPAC’s season kick-off concludes with the annual FPAC Golf Tournament, with proceeds benefiting THE BLACK BOX, on Monday, September 22, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Franklin Country Club, 672 East Central Street. Enjoy a day on the links, dinner, raffle and entertainment. Featuring a beautifully conditioned and challenging Championship golf course and renovated, state-of-the-art Clubhouse, the Franklin Country Club provides the perfect setting for an exciting day of fun for the whole family. 

The entry fee is $175 per golfer or $650 per foursome and includes greens fees, cart, golf shirt, buffet dinner and entertainment. Those not interested in golf are encouraged to attend the event after-party, beginning at 3:30 p.m. and featuring a cocktail hour, dinner and entertainment. The cost to participate in this portion of the event is $30 per person. Golfers and guests are encouraged to register at www.fpaconline.com by September 13. For tickets or information about sponsorship opportunities, including $100 hole sponsorships, contact Alan Mercer at (508) 528-8668. 

Founded in 1991, the nonprofit, community-based FPAC brings together professional artists, amateur performers and students of the arts in a collaborative and creative environment, with a special focus on youth development and a commitment to live music. As company performers and alumni make their mark in top college and conservatory programs, national Broadway tours, cruise line casts, film, television and regional theater, their successes demonstrate the quality of preparation and level of entertainment value found in FPAC productions. 

For more information about FPAC, THE BLACK BOX and grand-opening events, call (508) 528-8668 or visit www.fpaconline.com.

Blackstone River Theatre - Opens 15th season Sunday with Cape Breton music!!

THANK YOU! This year's Solstice Fest was our biggest yet... stay tuned for more on the 2015 festival set for June 20!  COMING SOON TO BRT!                     Ongoing   Zumba with April Hilliker on Mondays, 6:30 PM    Sept. 13 and 14   Eight levels of Irish step dance begin 8-week session     Sunday, Sept. 14, 7 PM  CASSIE & MAGGIE MACDONALD / BRENDAN CAREY BLOCK BAND Sept. 16 and 17  Five levels of fiddle classes begin 6-week session  Saturday, Sept. 20, 8 PM  THE ALT (JOHN DOYLE, NUALA KENNEDY and EAMON O'LEARY) Sunday, Sept. 21, 7 PM  ALASDAIR FRASER and NATALIE HAAS Saturday, Sept. 27, 8 PM  THE BOHEMIAN QUARTET Oct. 4 and 5  Celtic stone carving class Saturday, October 4, 8 PM  NORTH SEA GAS Oct. 9  6-week session of tin whistle and 5-string banjo classes begin Saturday, October 11, 8 PM  TANNAHILL WEAVERS Friday, October 17, 8 PM  Väsen - 25TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR! Oct 25  Beginner/Continuing beginner mountain dulcimer session begins Saturday, October 25, 8 PM  PADDY KEENAN    Quick Links... BRT Website     BRT Classes       Cassie & Maggie MacDonald Brendan Carey Block Band Directions to BRT Tickets often available at door but to ensure a seat CALL FOR RESERVATIONS 401-725-9272 Please understand that when a show is SOLD OUT, it truly is! We must adhere to fire codes and it truly is not possible to fit "just one more"... especially when we have had several people ask to do the same! If a show at BRT has an advance price & a day-of-show price it means: If you pre-pay OR call in your reservation any time before the show date, you get the advance price. If you show up at the door with no reservations OR call in your reservations on the same day as the show, you will pay the day-of show-price. NOTE for prepaid tickets or if reservations have been made but not pre-paid: If you reduce the number of tickets requested or paid for at the box office on the night of the performance, that ticket must still be paid for! BRT requires 24 hour notice for cancellations or you will be charged for all seats reserved. Dear Steve, 15th SEASON BEGINS AT BRT! We have been doing a LOT of behind-the-scenes work to make your BRT experience even better this past month... renovations, painting, gardening, redoing the floors and more... And look for a brand-new parking lot and front walkway this October... But now it's time to bring back some great music! Lots of great classes coming up ... five levels of fiddle, Irish step dance for kids AND adults, Celtic stone carving, Zumba, dulcimer, whistle and 5-string banjo! And we have an AMAZING Fall lineup planned for you! Take a quick look to the left... our website will be updated soon with full info... Don't forget to LIKE us on Facebook to get late-breaking news and really expensive gifts. Well, not that last one but definitely the first part... Please share what we do with your friends! www.facebook.com/pages/Blackstone-River-Theatre/165592431396    Hope to see you soon... Russell Gusetti, Executive Director   CASSIE AND MAGGIE MACDONALD and THE BRENDAN CAREY BLOCK BAND Cassie and Maggie MacDonald encompass everything you could ask for in a musical act. Exciting and innovative, they have found the perfect balance between musical integrity, and sheer entertainment. While still staying true to their Celtic roots, they explore and test the boundaries of traditional music, bringing a breath of fresh air to the genre with their original compositions and arrangements. Sisters, cohorts and collaborators, Cassie on fiddle, and Maggie on piano have been enchanting audiences far and wide with their infectious energy, driving rhythms and lilting melodies. Born to a family with a rich musical heritage and raised in Nova Scotia, both also sing and step dance. Galaxie Radio Rising Star award winners, Canadian Folk Music Award nominees for "Young Performers of the Year," East Coast Music Award nominees for "Traditional Album" and double Music Nova Scotia Award nominees for "New Artist" and "Roots Album of the Year," their accolades and awards speak of a young duo that will continue to do great things. They are celebrating the release of their new CD, "Sterling Road." Constantly in pursuit of the boundaries of the violin, and in turn pushing them as far as he can, Brendan Carey Block has been compiling honors on the fiddle since the age of ten. For five summers he received scholarships from the New Hampshire Highland Games and the Saint Andrews Society of New Hampshire enabling him to travel to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, where the native music and its players greatly influenced Brendan's style. In 2001 he became the US National Junior Scottish Fiddle Champion, and he is a three-time New England champion. He has been a member of many bands, including The Glengarry Bhoys and Annalivia. The Brendan Carey Block Band includes New England veterans Eric McDonald, of Cantrip, on guitar and vocals and and Stuart Kenney on upright bass and banjo. Together they released Brendan's debut CD in September, 2013. Joining them tonight will be Cantrip fiddler Jon Bews, a prizewinning graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 1994, as a special guest.        Event Info Sunday, September 14, 7 P.M., $15.00 at Blackstone River Theatre 549 Broad Street, Cumberland, R.I.  Call 401-725-9272 for reservations www.riverfolk.org

Forward email to a friend! Blackstone River Theatre | 549 Broad Street | Cumberland | RI | 02864

Franklin Solar Challenge - Next Step Energy - vendor for energy audits

Next Step Living can be found on the web at nextstepliving.com

An energy assessment at no-cost. A 2-3 hour visit to assess the efficiency of the home.

You can call 866-867-8729 to set up an appointment.

Next Step Living website

Franklin Solar Challenge - SolarFlair chosen as installation vendor

SolarFlair, a MA company currently located in Ashland, MA.

http://solarflair.com/

Founded in 2007, moved to Framingham in 2010 and then to Ashland earlier this year.

SolarFlair

(Copy of the presentation being shown should be available later for sharing here)

SolarFlair did send along a copy of their presentation to share here:




several slides from the presentation are the same ones as shown in the information session Aug 20, 2014.  http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/08/solar-challenge-presentation-copies.html

pictures of installations done around the state, Holden, Charlton, Sherborn, Framingham, etc.

warranty for 25 years on the panel

SREC = solar renewable energy certificates
The wikipedia entry for SREC is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Renewable_Energy_Certificate

Fire Alarm - Horace Mann, Oak St, ECDC schools

A message from OAK STREET ELEMENTARYGood afternoon Oak St, ECDC, and Horace Mann families,

As you may know, a malfunction in one of our smoke detectors triggered an emergency evacuation. Even though this was not technically a drill, our students and faculty were not in any real danger at any time. The evacuation went smoothly and the fire and police departments responded quickly and efficiently.

Unfortunately, the same malfunction that triggered the alarm prevented us from immediately resetting the system. As a result, the alarm persisted for more than three hours.

After waiting outside for thirty minutes, we were cleared by the fire, police, and facilities departments to reenter the building despite not being able to reset the alarm. The flashing lights associated with the fire alarm continued through most of the afternoon. Accommodations were made for individual students as needed.

Best regards,

Corine Minkle, Kelty Kelly, Shawn Fortin
Oak St, ECDC, Horace Mann

This e-mail has been sent to you by OAK STREET ELEMENTARY. To maximize their communication with you, you may be receiving this e-mail in addition to a phone call with the same message. If you no longer wish to receive email notifications from OAK STREET ELEMENTARY, please click here to unsubscribe.

Horace Mann - Oak St (ECDC is located behind this building)

Reminder: Franklin Solar Challenge update - Sep 10 - vendor to be announced

Friendly reminder:

All:  The Town has received proposals from six Solar Panel Installation Companies for the Franklin Solar Challenge project.  I am working with a Proposal Review Committee made up of four Town residents who volunteered to review the proposals and interview the solar installation companies. Interviews took place today (September 3rd) and the Proposal Review Committee has identified two finalist. The Committee will conduct further review of the two finalists to assure the Town chooses the solar installation company that is right for the Franklin Solar Challenge project.  Both companies are well qualified and have implemented similar projects in other Massachusetts communities.

Which ever solar installation company is chosen for the Franklin Solar Challenge they will be in attendance at a meeting on September 10th at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at 355 East Central Street. The company will provide specifics about their company and general information on solar panel installation costs and the different options available.

I hope all interested residents and small businesses are able to attend next week's meeting.  If not able to attend next week there will be many other opportunities in the near future to obtain the same information, including at the Harvest Festival on October 5th. Either way, the solar installation company chosen by the Town will begin contacting all individuals that previously provided the Town with contact information.   

In addition to the solar installation company chosen for the Franklin Solar Challenge, a partnering energy audit company will be in attendance at next week's meeting.  It is not required, but strongly recommended that all property owners considering solar panels first have a free energy audit performed. Additional information will be provided at next week's meeting. 

I look forward to working with the Town's residents and small businesses on the Franklin Solar Challenge project.  

Bryan W. Taberner, AICP

Director of Planning and Community Development

355 East Central Street

Franklin, MA 02038-1352

Phone: 508-520-4907

Fax: 508-520-4906

Email: btaberner@franklin.ma.us

Mt St Mary's solar farm when it was under construction during Aug 2013

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