“We’re going to go for it”

From the Boston Globe High School sports section recently:

"Carmine Colace has coached the wrestling program at Franklin High with passion, persistence, and dedication for 35 years. 

This winter, his Panthers are on the prowl once again, racking up a 22-1 record (the only loss came against Marshwood, Maine). Last weekend, Franklin won its 22nd Hockomock League title: a trio of wrestlers earned individual titles, two more finished second, and four others placed in the top four. 

“We go hard every day. It doesn’t matter if we have a match the next day, we go hard anyways,” said Colace, who has a career mark of 580-78, with 11 state crowns and another 19 sectional titles. 

“We shorten the length of our practices so we can increase the intensity, which has worked really well for us for years.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/high-schools/2017/02/03/carm-colace-has-his-franklin-wrestlers-familiar-position/dJIOtR8ioNN73TwzRJwm2O/story.html

screengrab of Boston Globe image (MARK LORENZE/FOR THE GLOBE-FILE)

The FHS wrestling team lost their 2nd match to a MA school on Saturday, finishing 3rd overall in the State Dual meet
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/02/fhs-boys-hockey-win-girls-swim-2nd-in.html

Franklin & Bellingham Rail Trail Monthly meeting Feb 7

View this email in your browser Franklin and Bellingham Rail Trail Committee Monthly Meeting Tuesday, February 7th On Tuesday, Feb 7, 2016, the Franklin and Bellingham Rail Trail Committee (FBRTC) will hold a meeting at the YMCA in Franklin starting at 7:30 pm.  All are welcome to attend. Our primary discussion will be on developing a year-long calendar of events that will increase both the awareness and the usage of the trail.  If you are interested in getting involved and making a difference, please consider attending! Download this month's agenda (143 KB) Copyright © 2017 Franklin and Bellingham Rail Trail Committee, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have opted in to stay informed about the Franklin & Bellingham Rail Trail Committee Our mailing address is: Franklin & Bellingham Rail Trail Committee PO Box 68 Franklin, Ma 02038

a trail in the State Forest that can be reached when you take a side trail from the SNETT

In the News: alcohol added to TC Scoops; arguments on liquor pricing case

Ice cream and alcohol? Yes, they can mix if done properly. And T.C. Scoops in Medway is looking to do so.

"Tina Chemini determines sales at her Medway ice cream shop, T.C. Scoops, each week by counting the number of tubs emptied of their frozen delicacy. 

But ice cream, which generates steady income during those hot summer months, does not translate to the same success each winter. 

Heeding requests from many of her customers - primarily moms and dads visiting with their children - and a need to garner more clientele year-round, the parlor plans to soon add beer, wine and a variety of ice cream cocktail concoctions to the menu, according to Chemini. 

She hopes the expanded offerings will attract a whole new set of faces - and revenue - to her 6-year-old business."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170205/local-business-owners-get-liquor-licenses-to-boost-sales

T.C. Scoops in Medway- More than just Ice cream!

Continuing the storyline on the liquor pricing article shared yesterday:

"On Friday, Furgang and Kiley presented differing views of the situation. Judge Douglas Wilkins is contemplating a request from Total Wine to in part stay the suspensions pending the outcome of a lawsuit Total Wine has filed challenging the commission's decision. Wilkins said he expects to weigh in on the request on Monday. 

The regulation references "the net cost appearing on the invoice," implying only one invoice, Furgang said. A bulk purchase discount could be applied to retail prices if it is reflected appropriately on the invoice, he said. 

The interpretation helps as inspectors try to enforce the regulation and compare invoices to retail prices, according to Furgang. 

Total Wine has documents reflecting that it received sufficient discounts to account for the prices it charged, but it did not receive all discounts on the initial invoice. Suppliers commonly issue discounts for buying certain quantities of product at the end of promotional periods, Kiley said. 

The regulation makes no reference to a first invoice or an initial invoice, Kiley said."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170203/arguments-begin-in-total-wine-pricing-dispute

FHS girls and boys basketball team top OA, boys swim take 4th in Hock Championships

Josh Perry, Managing Editor, Hockomock Sports provides the recaps for the FHS girls and boys basketball games versus Oliver Ames on Friday:

"Beginning the season with a relatively young and inexperienced lineup, Franklin opened with six straight losses. Given time to figure out the varsity level, the kids have turned out to be alright after all. 

All 11 of the players on the Franklin roster saw time on Friday night in the first game of a doubleheader at the William F. Nixon Gym and nine of those players got on the scoresheet, as the Panthers showed off their depth to beat Oliver Ames 59-48. It was the fifth straight win and sixth in the last eight games for Franklin, which is now .500 in the league and four wins from booking a playoff spot. 

“It’s a tremendous difference,” said Franklin coach John Leighton about the team’s confidence over the past few weeks compared to the start of the season. “You start 0-6 with a young team then they’re going to doubt themselves. They’re going to question things. I’m so impressed by every member of the team picking each other up and that’s lifted the confidence.”

Continue reading the article online
https://hockomocksports.com/franklin-girls-basketball-uses-balanced-attack-to-win-at-oa/

Follow this link for the photo gallery from the game
https://hockomocksports.smugmug.com/20162017/Winter-201617/Oliver-Ames-Franklin-Girls-Basketball-2-3-17/

Kate Morse (25) scored 10 points and pulled down five rebounds, one of nine Franklin players with at least a point, to help the Panthers extend their win streak to five games. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

"When Franklin and Oliver Ames played the first time, almost a month to the day from Friday night’s second meeting at the William F. Nixon Gym, the game was essentially over by halftime. The Panthers turned up the defensive intensity, broke the game open, and then pored it on for a 33-point victory. 

The Tigers were determined that it would not be the same result this time around and, despite Franklin extending its lead to as many as 15 in the third quarter, pulled within five points with only four minutes remaining in the game. 

With the crowd getting loud and momentum with the home team, Franklin junior Matt Elias (eight points) drilled a clutch three to extend the lead back to eight, Josh Macchi snatched an offensive rebound for a bucket, and then Connor Peterson dropped a pass to Jalen Samuels under the basket for the hoop and the foul. 

The Panthers made the plays they needed to down the stretch, holding off the OA comeback and pulling out a 64-52 victory that keeps Franklin tied with Mansfield at the top of the Kelley-Rex division (with the two teams set to square off next Friday)."

Continue reading the article online
https://hockomocksports.com/franklin-boys-basketball-hold-off-oliver-ames-charge-to-stay-in-first-place/

Follow this link for the photo gallery from the game
https://hockomocksports.smugmug.com/20162017/Winter-201617/Oliver-Ames-Franklin-Boys-Basketball-2-3-17/

Franklin freshman Chris Edgehill (3) scored a team-high 15 points to help the Panthers hold off Oliver Ames and remain in a first place tie in the Kelley-Rex. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

The FHS Boys swim team finished 4th in the Hockomock League Championships

TEAM RESULTS

1. King Philip – 279
2. Canton – 256
3. Milford – 251
4. Franklin – 249.50
5. Taunton – 238
6. Oliver Ames – 210.50
7. Attleboro – 149
8. Mansfield – 138
9. North Attleboro – 133
10. Sharon – 129
11. Foxboro – 31
12. Stoughton (one swimmer) – 4

RACE RESULTS

200 Yard Medley Relay
1. King Philip (Colby Vieira, Jack Poppenberger, Andy Sprague, Tyler Stringfellow) – 1:46.96
2. Franklin (Jack Cashin, Roy Wang, Sumit Choudhury, Connor Bourgeois) – 1:47.41

200 Yard Free
1. Sebastian Melendez, Canton – 1:45.54
4. Sumit Choudhury, Franklin – 2:02.94

200 Yard IM
1. Nick Antonellis, Milford – 1:59.15
6. Roy Wang, Franklin – 2:10.41

50 Yard Free
1. Connor Bourgeois, Franklin – 22.51

100 Yard Butterfly
1. Nick Antonellis, Milford – 53.96
5. Sumit Choudhury, Franklin – 59.84

100 Yard Free
1. Kyle Gray, Oliver Ames – 51.20
3. Connor Bourgeois, Franklin – 51.30

200 Yard Free Relay
1. Canton (Owen Guerini, Sean Mitchell, Adrian Bankowski, Sebastian Melendez) – 1:31.65
2. Franklin (Jack Cashin, Roy Wang, Sumit Choudhury, Connor Bourgeois) – 1:35.85

100 Yard Breaststroke
1. Chris Watson, Milford – 1:06.35
2. Roy Wang, Franklin – 1:06.80
5. Jack Cashin, Franklin – 1:07.89

For the complete write up and results
https://hockomocksports.com/king-philip-boys-win-second-straight-hockomock-swimming-meet/

Follow this link for the photo gallery from the game
https://hockomocksports.smugmug.com/20162017/Winter-201617/Hockomock-Boys-Swim-Championships-02-03-17/

"reportedly selling alcohol below the invoiced cost"

Mark Lenzi, Franklin Liquors, is quoted in an article by the Milford Daily News on a court case where the State has charged a Natick "big box" store with violating pricing regulations.

"Mark Lenzi, a member of the family that owns Franklin Liquors in Franklin, said conflicts between larger and smaller sellers have been a big issue for years. 

"Everybody buys from the same distributors, and we all get the same price," he said. "Lately, people have been challenging that, saying they want to charge whatever they want." 

Beyond pricing, Lenzi said, there have been instances where distributors have provided manpower to help stock bigger stores - behavior a newly filed bill hopes to curtail. 

This case, Lenzi said, could prove to be troublesome if the court concurs with Total Wine's reasoning. 

"I think every small retailer is following this case," he said. "We can't compete if people are just going to give things away."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170204/area-retailers-react-to-liquor-store-pricing-case

http://www.franklinliquors.com/

Exploring the Charles River Meadowlands

On Jan. 31, the Charles River Meadowlands Initiative (www.charlesrivermeadowlands.org) led a group of activists, local officials from Bellingham, and legislators Jeff Roy and Kevin Kuros to discuss plans for 2017 as well as a long term vision for the area. 

The group started on Pearl Street in Bellingham where the town recently demolished an industrial facility and removed a mill dam, opening up access to a section of the Charles River. Later, the group visited two sites in Franklin that provide direct access to the Charles River Meadowlands and could become starting points for trails and bike paths in the future.

"The crucial thing we focused on today was the ways in which each of these areas along the Charles or its Mine Brook tributary can be linked, bringing our communities closer together, providing recreation, and even offering alternative transportation routes to shopping and entertainment," said Alan Earls, founder of the Initiative.

The next meeting of the Charles River Meadowlands initiative will be in the Dean Room of the First Universalist Society, Franklin at 262 Chestnut St, Franklin at 6:30 PM on Feb. 7. We will discuss these goals and we will be looking for help identifying access points and existing trails and planning more meetings with officials.

​For further information, contact Alan Earls (alan.r.earls@gmail.com)

Members of the Charles River Meadowlands Initiative met with officials from Bellingham and state legislators on Tuesday (Photo courtesy of Marjorie Turner-Holman)

"proposed constitutional amendment would add 4 percent to the state income tax for people who earn more than $1 million"

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

"Later this year, a proposed surtax on million-dollar incomes is expected to pass the final hurdle standing between it and a spot on the 2018 state ballot, potentially raising taxes on more than 15,000 people and generating nearly $2 billion in revenue. 

"I don't think there's the slightest chance it won't pass," said Rep. Jay Kaufman, D-Lexington, predicting the proposal will easily get enough support in the Legislature's next constitutional convention to advance to the ballot. 

To make it to the ballot, the proposal needs at least 50 of the 200 state lawmakers to vote for it at constitutional conventions in consecutive sessions. Last May, it got 135 votes from legislators, clearing the first step by a wide margin."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170203/lawmakers-expect-to-tackle-millionaires-tax-this-year

"The number of Massachusetts residents earning $1 million or more doubled between 2004 and 2014. 

The state Department of Revenue (DOR) releases a report in the fall that breaks down the number of people, by municipality, who have filed income taxes with an adjusted gross income of more than $1 million. 

In Massachusetts, 15,422 residents filed income tax returns stating they made more than $1 million in 2014. Another 1,808 people working in Massachusetts but living elsewhere earned a seven-figure income. 

A decade earlier, 7,895 residents reached this income marker, while 1,170 out-of-state residents earned a seven-figure income."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170203/see-how-many-of-your-neighbors-earn-1-million-or-more-year