Hurricane Joaquin will likely bring more rain

With the latest tracking from NOAA's Hurricane Central, Joaquin will likely ver off the coast and leave us more rain early next week.

as of 5:00 AM Friday, October 2

You can subscribe to receive your own alerts, maps and charts from NOAA
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

In the News: Superfund listing good news, Pumpkins in the Park, Purr-fect Cat Shelter fund raising

Area officials reacted favorably to news that a contaminated property on Fisher Street had been added to the Environmental Protection Agency's list of Superfund sites.

The EPA announced Wednesday that the former BJACT LLC property will be placed on the agency's National Priorities List of Superfund sites. The land at 300 Fisher St., according to an EPA release, has been used for industrial purposes since the late 1800s, with rubber and plastic manufacture among its uses. It is currently inactive, and has been so since 1985.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151001/NEWS/151008865/1994/NEWS

In cooperation with the Franklin Recreation Department, Pumpkins in the Park will take place at 6 p.m. on Oct. 30 at the Franklin Sculpture Park on Panther Way, near the police station. 

Those interested are asked to drop off pumpkins between noon and 2 p.m., or 5-6 p.m. Lights will be provided by Franklin Art Center. Event attendees will vote for their favorite pumpkins and prizes will be given for the most creative, scariest and funniest.

Franklin Art Center Facebook photo

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151001/NEWS/151009491/1994/NEWS

The Purr-fect Cat Shelter will hold the Pour for Paws Wine Tasting fundraiser 2-5 p.m. Oct. 18 at Pour Richard’s Wine and Spirits, 14 Grove St. 

The event will be an afternoon of wine sampling provided by Pour Richard’s and raffle items. Pour Richard’s Wine and Spirits will also donate 20 percent of the sales during the event to the Purr-fect Cat Shelter.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151001/NEWS/151009214/1994/NEWS

FHS volleyball topped North Attleboro 3-1

We can share the results from Hockomock Sports. The volleyball match was held on Wednesday but both soccer games were postponed due to the weather. FHS volleyball topped North Attleboro 3-1. 

Volleyball

North Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – Final 

– After dropping the first set, the Panthers rallied back to win the next three for the win. Caroline Maguire had five aces, five kills, three blocks and 12 service points, Beth Neal had 17 assists, nine kills, three aces and a pair of blocks, Alyssa Shea added eight kills and two digs and Dayna McCue had 25 digs and a pair of aces. Freshman Lauren McGrath had six straight service points, including four aces, in the fourth set to help close the match.

FHS Panthers

Boys Soccer

North Attleboro @ Franklin – Postponed to TBA

Girls Soccer

Franklin @ North Attleboro – Postponed to TBA


For all the results around the Hockomock League on Wednesday
http://www.hockomocksports.com/wednesdays-schedule-scoreboard-093015/

"There's no debate - questions will be asked, and candidates will be able to answer"

Local voters will get a chance next week to hear from a number of candidates seeking town office in the November election. 

The town will be hosting a "Candidate's Night" in the Franklin Municipal Building's council chambers at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6. 

Town Clerk Deborah Pellegri said the event would feature candidates from contested races - that is, those seeking Town Council, School Committee or Board of Health seats or the town clerk position. 

The night will be moderated by former police chief Lawrence Benedetto and questions will be asked by a panel including Michael Doherty, United Regional Chamber of Commerce President Jack Lank and Country Gazette reporter Heather Harris.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150930/NEWS/150939437/1994/NEWS

Town Council candidates in 2013 at the Candidates Night

For the current listing of candidates for all positions check here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/09/current-listing-of-candidates-for.html

Frankenstein 5K - Scary Run, Walk or Stomp, Oct 31

Frankenstein 5K - Scary Run Walk or Stomp, Oct 31

Register here   http://teamfitnessfranklin.com/frankenstein-5k-event.htm

In the News: Russian School of Math announces awards, 300 Fisher St added to NPL

The Russian School of Mathematics, an after-school math program for Kindergarten through 12th grade students, announced 11 students from Franklin posted high scores on national and international math competitions. These students are among more than 900 Russian School of Mathematics students across the country who excelled in math competitions this past year.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150930/NEWS/150939567/1994/NEWS

Russian School of Math - Franklin

For more information on the Russian School of Math in Franklin visit them on the web  http://www.russianschool.com/location/franklin

“EPA continues to protect public health and the environment in communities with an industrial past that has left contamination behind,” said EPA Regional Administrator Curt Spalding. “Now that the BJAT LLC Site is listed on the NPL, we will begin a comprehensive study and cleanup work in Franklin to help ensure that we are protecting health and the environment in this community.” 

“Superfund designation will promote cleanup of this site,” said Commissioner Martin Suuberg of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. “The required cleanup is potentially extensive and complex, so the Superfund will provide the resources needed for achieving a full and comprehensive cleanup. We look forward to working with the EPA.” 

As with all NPL sites, EPA first works to identify companies or people responsible for the contamination at a site, and requires them to conduct or pay for the cleanup. For the newly listed sites without viable potentially responsible parties, EPA will investigate the full extent of the contamination before starting substantial cleanup at the site.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150930/NEWS/150939539/1994/NEWS

image of the site with contamination locations marked

This is a good step in the process started years ago. As recently as July 2014, the MassDEP and EPA made a presentation to the Town Council about getting the site added to the NPL  http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/live-reporting-epa-300-fisher-st.html

Earlier this year the EPA announced that the application had been submitted for review.  http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/03/we-want-that-site-environmentally.html

In the News: (1) Millis no decision on water, yet; (2) early voting to be in effect for 2016

As an update to the item posted earlier this week:

Selectmen held off on agreeing to a contract with an engineering consulting firm to study the possibility of selling water to Exelon after financing questions. 

Exelon - a power generation company that owns and operates a 117-megawatt, three-unit oil-fired plant in Medway - is proposing to add two new generating units capable of producing 200 megawatts, but in order to do so, the plant needs water, and lots of it. 

The plant will need an average of 95,000 gallons of water per day to control the plant’s emissions, but is planning to draw a large amount of that from an onsite well it has already dug.

Continue reading the article on line (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150930/NEWS/150939466/1994/NEWS

In case you missed the earlier item, you can find it here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/09/a-pump-will-be-needed-to-send-water-to.html


Looks like this will be something to be addressed by the next Franklin Town Clerk

Town Clerk Ann Odabashian spoke to selectmen at the Monday all-boards meeting, in which they sought updates from town departments. 

She said she was worried about a recent state law mandating early voting, in which towns must offer voting for about two weeks prior to an election, during regular town clerk hours and at an election site. 

"I have not heard any solution of where to hold early voting, how to manage it or how to pay for it," she said. "The state's not paying for it." 

The town, said Odabashian, must have early voting ballots, absentee ballots and regular ballots created for next year's election.

Continue reading the article on line (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150930/NEWS/150939452/1994/NEWS

Additional info about the new law to take effect in 2016 can be found here
http://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/05/massachusetts_gov_deval_patric_32.html

and here  https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2014/Chapter111

Gov. Deval Patrick signs a law establishing early voting in Massachusetts on May 22, 2014 at the State House. (SHIRA SCHOENBERG / THE REPUBLICAN)