Put your Christmas trees out for pickup this week

According to the Fall/Winter Solid Waste Mailer, the Christmas Tree collection days will be during the week of January 14, 2019. 

Your tree will be picked up during the week of January 14 on the day of your normal trash/recycling.

Need a new copy of the solid waste mailer? Get one here:
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/uploads/franklin_2018_2019.pdf

When do they pick up my Christmas tree?

"administration’s decision advances a project sought by the natural gas industry"

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

"In a decision blasted by South Shore lawmakers as reckless, irresponsible and dangerous, Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration on Friday approved air quality permits for a natural gas compressor station in Weymouth, with state environmental regulators concluding the Enbridge Energy project conforms with air pollution regulations. 

The project will support natural gas capacity upgrades and the expansion of a gas transmission pipeline system that runs from Mahwah, New Jersey, to Beverly, Massachusetts, for transportation and deliveries on the Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline system. Collectively, it’s referred to as the Atlantic Bridge Project, which includes the siting of the compressor station, and which received federal approval in January 2017. 

“This reckless and irresponsible decision is harmful to the health, safety and well-being of residents of Weymouth and the entire South Shore,” said Rep. James Murphy, D-Weymouth, in a statement released after state energy officials disclosed their decision just before 5 p.m. Friday. 

“Generations of residents living in the Fore River basin have been burdened by industrial pollutants. These industries once supplied much-needed jobs to the area, while simultaneously poisoning the earth, water and air,” added state Rep. Ronald Mariano, D-Quincy. “Now, Enbridge plans to expose current and future generations of Quincy and Weymouth residents to a new source of toxins, all in the name of padding the profits of a multinational energy corporation. With today’s decision, Enbridge is one step closer to succeeding.”

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190113/baker-oks-air-permits-for-natural-gas-project

Given the approval provided by Governor Baker, could the Algonquin Pipeline Expansion come back on the table? It was proposed to run through Franklin. It is still shown as part of the Atlantic Bridge Project. Check the green lines on the map shown.

https://www.enbridge.com/projects-and-infrastructure/projects/atlantic-bridge#projectdetails:project-to-date

"The Atlantic Bridge Project is designed to provide additional capacity"

Franklin Library: Classics V Jazz Quintet - Jan 22

The Franklin Public Library will present the Classics V Jazz Quintet in concert on Tuesday, January 22 beginning at 6:30 PM.

Franklin Library: Classics V Jazz Quintet - Jan 22

This was shared from the Town of Franklin page
https://www.franklinma.gov/franklin-public-library/bulletins/classics-v-jazz-quintet

Veterans walkway: Brick Sales Update

Brick sales are ongoing!

The next brick installation on the Veterans Memorial Walkway is scheduled for Memorial Day 2019.

The Brick order form https://post3402.org/documents
Make checks payable to Franklin VFW Post 3402

Veterans walkway: Brick Sales Update

Post sharing the dedication ceremony on Nov 11, 2018
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/11/virtuosity-deserves-some-concrete-and.html

Franklin TV recorded the ceremony, view the video on YouTube
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/12/veterans-memorial-walkway-celebration.html

Second Sunday Speaker Series: "When Terrorism Struck Franklin: February 28, 2019"

Local historian Alan Earls returns to the museum Sunday, January 13 at 1:15 PM to discuss a dark day in Franklin’s history. The early decades of the 1900’s were tumultuous and violent times throughout the world. Anarchy ruled and many cities, towns and communities found themselves caught up in the violent movement, including right here in Franklin.

When Terrorism Struck Franklin: February 28, 2019 will mark the 100th anniversary an historic and terrifying tragedy in Franklin’s history – an attempted bombing of the Ray Textile Mill on Union Street. Four local Italian-immigrant anarchists were killed when the dynamite bomb they were carrying to the Ray Mill went off prematurely, an event that brought world attention to Franklin. Earls will deliver a slide show and presentation on this event; the historical background and world events that led up to it; the men and their motives, and the aftermath – including the stories of the children and families of the would-be bombers. Join us for an interesting look back at this tragic event.

2019 Calendars are available for sale in the museum gift shop for $5.00. Filled with photos and facts on the town we all love. Get yours now.

The museum is located at 80 West Central Street, is wheelchair accessible and always free. Come in and find your history.

Second Sunday Speaker Series Continues at the Franklin Historical Museum

Wins posted by FHS girls and boys basketball, and swim teams on Friday

Via HockomockSports we share the results of the FHS sports action on Friday, Jan 11, 2019

Girls Basketball = Franklin, 75 @ Taunton, 37 – Final
– Ali Brigham was dominant again for the Panthers, scoring 26 points and pulling down 17 rebounds. Bea Bondhus added 12 points for Franklin, which had 11 different players get on the score sheet.

Boys Swimming = Franklin, 56 @ Taunton, 37 – Final

Girls Swimming = Franklin, 51 @ Taunton, 42 – Final

Boys Basketball = Taunton, 45 @ Franklin, 50 – Final
Ryan Lanigan, founder and Editor-in-Chief of HockomockSports.com provides the game recap:

"After seeing a large first half lead disappear, the Franklin boys basketball team was on the verge of letting a second half lead evaporate as well. 

Holding a five-point lead with 1:30 to, Franklin’s advantage quickly shrunk to just one after a putback from Taunton senior Michel Quinn and a strong take from Lou Vendrell with 39.8 to go. 

The Panthers, after scoring 20 points in the first quarter, had been limited to just 30 over the next 23 minutes and were in need of a spark. After a timeout, Franklin got the ball into the hands of junior Chris Edgehill (13 points, five assists), and he took advantage of a Taunton miscommunication after a double screen to get enough separation for a three with 20 seconds left, helping secure a 50-45 win over Taunton. 

“It was absolutely a grind,” said Franklin head coach CJ Neely. “Getting off to a great start helps a lot especially when you aren’t playing your best in the middle quarters. The second and third quarters we got really stagnant on offense. We stopped doing everything we did in the first quarter that was working. We weren’t running the floor as hard, we weren’t cutting or screening as hard, we weren’t reacting off screens really well. The motion got stymied, we weren’t moving the ball.”

Continue reading the game recap
https://hockomocksports.com/franklin-boys-basketball-grinds-out-close-win-over-taunton/

Click here for a photo gallery from this game
https://hockomocksports.smugmug.com/2018-2019/Winter-2018-2019/Franklin-Taunton-Boys-Basketball-01-11-19

For the other results around the Hockomock League
https://hockomocksports.com/fridays-schedule-scoreboard-01-11-19/

Franklin’s Will Harvey (33) defends a shot from Taunton’s Michael Quinn (2) in the second half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

"Bill to ban some flame-retardant chemicals dies"

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

"Gov. Charlie Baker will not sign into law a ban on certain chemical flame retardants in household goods, he told lawmakers Friday afternoon, citing concerns with the bill sent to him on the final day of the 2017-2018 legislative session. 

The House and Senate sent Baker the bill on New Year’s Day, a move that was cheered by environmental advocates and firefighters who spent years pushing for passage, but which also made the bill subject to dying on the governor’s desk and precluded any opportunity for the governor to return it with an amendment or for lawmakers to override a veto. 

Supporters of the bill had said the chemicals they sought to ban are unnecessary and can pose health risks to children and firefighters. 

The 12,000-member Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts pushed for the bill’s signing and officials there said that while disappointed, they plan to keep advocating for the legislation."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190111/bill-to-ban-some-flame-retardant-chemicals-dies-on-governors-desk

National Institute of Environmental Health Services
https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/flame_retardants/index.cfm

Consumer Reports
https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2013/02/how-safe-are-flame-retardants/index.htm

When the audio recording of Finance Committee meeting of Jan 8 get published you'll be able to hear Fire Chief Gary McCarragher talk about his concern for the retardants that contribute to the higher than normal rate of cancer among fire fighters.

Flame retardants are chemicals that are added or applied to materials in order to slow or prevent the start/growth of fire (NIEHS photo)