99 ToGo is ready for your order!

"For years, #TheNines has been committed to supporting our local hometown communities, and we’re here for you today. 

Like all of you, we have to adapt during these times, and we are doing so. 

We look forward to continuing to serve you via Curbside To Go Service: https://bit.ly/99OrderOnline

Shared from Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/84449432507/posts/10157864231132508/

The family meal deals seem scrumptious

99 ToGo is ready for your order!

First positive case of COVID-19 confirmed in Franklin, MA

March 22, 2020

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health notified the Franklin Board of Health today, March 22, 2020, that the Town has a positive COVID-19 case. The patient is in isolation. 

This is a reminder that COVID-19 is highly contagious, and the residents of the town should remain diligent following CDC Guidelines:

● Wash Hands Frequently. Protecting yourself by following public health advice about keeping your hands clean and covering coughs and sneezes.
● Illness. Stay home if you are sick. If you need to consult a healthcare provider, call ahead first or use telehealth services.
● Social Distancing. Protect others who are most at risk of COVID-19 by keeping your distance from people (at least 6 feet away from others), especially those who are older, and people living with chronic health conditions.
● Avoid crowds. If you are outside, avoid crowds. Don’t shake hands or hug.
● Loved ones. Stay connected to friends and loved ones by phone or through other technology. Take care of your emotional health and help others do the same.

If you need emotional support during these stressful times, call 2-1-1 and choose the “CALL2TALK” option.

Residents should continue to follow www.franklinma.gov for all of the latest information locally. Or See Mass.gov or the Center for Disease Control and Prevention for all information pertaining to COVID-19.

Cathleen Liberty, MPH Board of Health
Bridget Sweet, Chair Director of Public Health 

First positive case of COVID-19 confirmed in Franklin, MA

Shared from the Town of Franklin press release
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y9TeWCfx1g8NzJuFTH0E181yY5Ux557X/view?usp=sharing

FM #227 - Town Administrator Jamie Hellen - COVID-19 updates

FM #227 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 227 in the series.

This session of the radio show was recorded virtually. The three of us connected via conference bridge, and aside from a couple of brief bits of background noise, the conversation recording went very well at this new ‘social distance’.

As you’ll hear, I was joined by Town Administrator Jamie Hellen and Marketing and Communication Specialist Anne Marie Tracey.

Anne Marie provided updates from Superintendent Sara Ahern. Among the updates:

• Distance learning underway
• School grounds closing
• Food service (breakfast and lunch) available for children in Franklin who are not FPS students; pick up at the high school
• More details on school closing and what it means will be coming from the Superintendent
• All communications translated into multiple languages and posted on web page

Jamie was scheduled to get out for a walk later Friday (we recorded at noon time) because he had been so busy this week, he had not been able to do so. He provided multiple updates on:

• Town of Franklin business still being conducted
• Pointing to the portal for updates and details, please check at least daily
• Please follow recommendations to maintain social distancing, washing hands, etc.
• Town Council, School Committee and board/committee meetings going forward - how to conduct them remotely is being worked out
• The budget timeline has been rescheduled; Finance Committee meetings after Memorial Day, Town Council budget hearings in June

There were other topics along the way in this conversation but this should be enough of a teaser to have you spend a few minutes to listen. The audio segment runs about 40 minutes, so please listen in to my conversation with Jamie and Anne Marie   https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HWHSsjcX



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The Town of Franklin Coronavirus Information Portal https://www.franklinma.gov/home/urgent-alerts/coronavirus-information-portal-updates-here

Link to the Superintendents’ messages in multiple languages
https://www.franklinps.net/district/superintendent/pages/messages-superintendent-regarding-coronavirus

The link to the main Franklin Public schools (FPS) page https://www.franklinps.net/

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm).

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

How can you help?

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

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I 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"

FM #227 - Town Administrator Jamie Hellen - COVID-19 updates

Franklin, a community that helps all

Franklin, a community that helps all

We just wanted to take a moment to talk about one of the things that makes Franklin such a great place to live, work, and visit. That is our shared sense of community. Helping our families, neighbors, and businesses as we all navigate this difficult time.

We as the Police Department will always be ready to respond to emergencies and crisis. However there are many other things going on that we can't be the answer for, and that's where we need your help.

Please check in on our most vulnerable residents. The sick, the elderly, or those with special needs. Many of our neighbors rely on public transportation to help them get to and from the stores for their everyday needs. Many of those transportation services are shutting down. Reach out, see if on your way out to the store you can pick up some items for them. They may have no other way of getting food, or medicine. Practice safe social distancing especially when communicating and helping out.

Support our local businesses as they too also are seeing a reduction in customers. If you can find what you need, shop locally.

Unfortunately as this pandemic continues we know that many families may suffer financially, and struggle to put food on the table at all. Franklin is fortunate enough to have a wonderful organization in the Franklin Food Pantry. Their mission is to help those in need. This is the definition of what it means to be in a community. However with the expected increase in demand for their services, they need our help too.

The Food Pantry purchases from the Greater Boston Food Bank. This allows them to purchase the items they need at a substantially reduced cost. Donations of physical goods are helpful, but "Cash is King". With money they can purchase and provide for more people than they can on food donations alone.

Donations can be taken online for the Franklin Food Pantry. Please click here to be taken to their donation site  https://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/.

The men and women of the Franklin Police Department will be here for all. Please help us in being there for each other as well.


Thank you

Franklin Food Pantry

Hockomock Area YMCA Responds with Food Collection & Distribution

During this unprecedented public health crisis, the Hockomock Area YMCA is inspired by the efforts of the community to come together to support those in need. These efforts include assembling take home meals and coordinating food drive collections and distribution – all for children, families and individuals in need – supporting the fifteen communities the Hockomock Area YMCA serves.

The Hockomock Area YMCA is working with school nutrition departments and community partners to ensure that children and families have meals while schools remain closed. The Y is collaborating in North Attleboro and Milford to provide take home meals to serve children and families. In just four days more than 2,200 grab and go meals were distributed. No advanced paperwork or signup is required. 

The Hockomock Y is also coordinating food drive collections. “Our Y will continue to be a force of good in these difficult times,” says Ed Hurley, president of the Hockomock Area YMCA. “We encourage those who are able to provide contributions of non-perishable foods to do so at any of our Hockomock Area YMCA branches.” 

Donation boxes are located outside of the Y’s branches in Foxboro, Franklin, and North Attleboro every weekday between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. for non-perishable food items. Through these food collections, beginning next week the Hockomock Y will be distributing a family-size food bag at its branches in Foxboro, North Attleboro, and Franklin. 

Details and schedules are available on the Y’s website at www.hockymca.org and will be updated daily. Hurley acknowledged the many local businesses and organizations who have already joined in these efforts. Said Hurley, “CVS Health, Stop & Shop, the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and the Captain Kyle Van De Giesen Award fund have stepped up with generous financial contributions in this time of need.”

“Challenging times often brings out the best in people. Please know that our Y is committed to being there for our members, our staff and our community,” adds Hurley.

Additional information on these food distribution and collection efforts in the community, as well as suggested donation items, are available at hockymca.org.

If you are interested in providing monetary donations, please contact Katie Moore at katiem@hockymca.org or 508-643-5265.

About Hockomock Area YMCA:

Where Cause Meets Community. At the Hockomock Area YMCA, strengthening community is our cause. The Hockomock Area YMCA is an organization of men, women, and children sharing a commitment to nurture the potential of kids, promote healthy living, and foster a sense of social responsibility.

Our YMCA is committed to partnering and collaborating with others to create and deliver lasting personal and social change in the 15 communities we are privileged to serve. The Hockomock Area YMCA is a not-for-profit charitable cause-driven organization with facilities in North Attleboro, Foxboro, Franklin, and Mansfield. For more information visit hockymca.org.

Hockomock Area YMCA Responds with Food Collection & Distribution

State Rep Jeff Roy: Update #4 on COVID-19

COVID-19 update #4

I continue share your concerns about the spread of the Corona virus (COVID-19) and am providing these updates regularly to keep you informed. New information is coming out regularly and in great volume. To keep the information timely and manageable, I will post only new information in these update emails and ask you to visit https://jeffreyroy.com/covid-19-updates/ for a compilation of all of the updates. That site will be updated frequently to keep you up to speed on the latest developments. 

Here are the updates since my last email:

• Current cases. In Massachusetts, there are a total of 413 cases of COVID-19, out of the 4,091 individuals that have been tested. For complete details, click here (https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-cases-quarantine-and-monitoring). The state's capacity to test has been expanded so we expect that number to rise as more people get tested.

• Testing ramping up. Massachusetts has a goal of conducting a minimum of 3,500 coronavirus tests each day and is on track to get to that level through an enormous increase in testing capacity by early next week (March 22-28). Quest Diagnostics in Marlborough is ramping up labs to be able to test 20,000 people per day across the country. CEO Steve Rusckowski said the company hopes to eventually be able to test 2,000 to 3,000 people a day in Massachusetts. Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders said that, using South Korea as a model, Massachusetts needs to be testing 3,500 people each day at a minimum. Massachusetts officials confirmed the state's first positive COVID-19 case on Feb. 1.

• Unemployment town hall Sunday, March 22 at 3:30 p.m. To help with the increased demand on the unemployment system and the increased volume or your constituent service staff, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and the Department of Unemployment Assistance will be hosting virtual town hall meetings. We will take all who sign up through a step by step process of achieving a successful unemployment claim. We will also be taking questions from claimants across the Commonwealth. The first virtual town hall will be held this Sunday, March 22nd, at 3:30pm. Sign up information for the virtual town hall is available by clicking here (https://www.mass.gov/forms/massachusetts-department-of-unemployment-assistance-dua-virtual-town-halls). To further help claimants through the process of applying for benefits, DUA has made specific web page updates that include the latest guidance for employee qualifications and additional resources like contact forms and a COVID-19 specific unemployment claim handbook that can be viewed by clicking here (https://www.mass.gov/resource/information-on-unemployment-and-coronavirus-covid-19).

The newsletters was shortened for publication here, to review the full contents:
https://us6.campaign-archive.com/?u=a03272e278ec395d5f164106a&id=e821dd5fdd

State Rep Jeff Roy's COVID-19 page  https://jeffreyroy.com/covid-19-updates/

State Rep Jeff Roy: Update #4 on COVID-19

ArtWeek 2020 - canceled

"We assumed this might happen, but are very disappointed to cancel the 40 programs we were bringing to the community this May. 

When the time is right, we will regroup and find a way to bring these to Franklin! Thank you to all that participated in submitting proposals and had begun planning. We'll bounce back from this even stronger!"

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

"Dear ArtWeek Community,

With regret that is beyond words, we are announcing the cancellation of ArtWeek 2020, our award-winning community program. We had originally hoped that a different version of the festival might be possible as we continually reassessed the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, but the ever-increasing bad news in terms of the virus and its effects, added to the increasing government restrictions on public gatherings, have led us to follow the lead of national, state, and local authorities and make this extremely difficult decision.

We realize that this is very disappointing, but we also know that many of our event hosts, partners, and sponsors are also facing similar critical decisions. Ultimately, what is most important is that you, your communities, and everyone you interact with remain safe and well, so we feel that this is the right decision to make at this time.

We have also been deeply inspired by the sense of community and creative sharing across various platforms during this time and hope that you are taking advantage of the many creative ideas that are being offered from virtual tours, online classes and activities, and the brilliant “creative acts of kindness” that are popping up everywhere.

At the same time, we know many nonprofits and creative communities are deeply suffering and urge everyone to show support however you can by making a donation or an online purchase, getting a gift certificate, or simply staying in touch to offer support. We are all in this together, and every positive action makes a big difference towards supporting a longer-term resiliency.

Sincerely,

The ArtWeek Team
artweek@bochcenter.org"

Shared from the Franklin Cultural Council Facebook update
https://www.facebook.com/FranklinCulturalCouncil/photos/a.399579373729229/1110981599255666/?

ArtWeek 2020 - canceled