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Friday, September 18, 2020
Recording of Micro Grant Information Session Available for Replay
In the News: get your flu shot now; COVID-19 vaccine will be a wait
From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:
"Think of the doctors and nurses dealing with COVID-19 on a daily basis.
That was Gov. Charlie Baker’s message Thursday after he got a flu shot at a Roslindale CVS and pressed Massachusetts residents to get vaccinated against the flu this fall, which he said will be critical to prevent overburdening the state’s health care system with the flu and COVID-19, which share many symptoms.
Baker has mandated that students in Massachusetts, from pre-school to college, and kids who participate in child care programs, must get their flu vaccine by the end of 2020 but said Thursday that it’s important that others elect to get a flu shot too. The governor said health care workers began talking with his team about a month ago about what it would mean to have flu activity peak at the same time as a second surge of COVID-19 cases. April’s surge in COVID-19 cases came after the bulk of activity associated with the last flu season.
“The point they made to us at that time was from a diagnostic point of view, from a care delivery point of view, from a capacity point of view, having the flu and COVID-19 surge in the commonwealth at exactly the same time would be an incredibly difficult situation for them to manage their way through and they urged us to step up our game — which is already pretty good relative to most of the states around the country — on flu vaccines,” Baker said."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required) https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200918/baker-flu-shot-push-based-on-health-care-feedback?rssfeed=true
"FOR MONTHS, a quarantine-weary, virus-ridden nation has been waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine. It’s become the endgame, the antidote to all the death and economic destruction the virus has caused. Massachusetts’s final reopening stage, referred to as the “new normal,” is predicated on having an effective treatment or vaccine.
But experts are beginning to rein in the sky-high expectations, warning that a vaccine will not be the silver bullet that allows us to suddenly remove our masks and once again hug our friends.
“I don’t think we’re going back to normal any time soon, vaccine or no vaccine,” said Shira Doron, hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center. “It’s not going to be like everyone gets vaccinated on Monday, nobody has to wear masks Tuesday.”
Todd Ellerin, director of infectious diseases at South Shore Health, echoes that caution. “Many experts don’t think that the vaccine alone is going to get us out of the pandemic,” he said. "
Gov Baker's press conference on Thursday: https://youtu.be/kUOGMYLhVYs
Community Preservation Coalition - Happy birthday CPA!
"Happy 20th Birthday to CPA!
This week marks the 20th anniversary of Gov. Cellucci signing the #CommunityPreservationAct into law.
This week marks the 20th anniversary of Gov. Cellucci signing the #CommunityPreservationAct into law.
Since then, over half the state has adopted the program, raising over $2.35 billion for open space, historic preservation, and affordable housing."
The Community Preservation Act (CPA) is on the Franklin ballot (Question #3) for the voters to decide this November. You can find out more about the act and what it provides online https://www.communitypreservation.org/
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| Community Preservation Coalition - Happy birthday CPA! |
Picked up by the Franklin radar via Twitter https://t.co/EyUgKHnMAM
Commonwealth Magazine: "Senate leader sees $5b revenue downturn"
From CommonWealth Magazine we share an article of interest for Franklin:
"DESPITE SIGNS that the state’s finances have not completely cratered during the pandemic, the Senate’s top budget official said this week he anticipates tax collections in fiscal 2021 to be down $5 billion from last year, and said lawmakers will need to dip “deeply” into the state’s $3.5 billion “rainy day” fund unless new federal aid arrives from Washington.
The state’s uncertain financial picture could start to come into clearer focus in the coming weeks as House and Senate leaders, as well as Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration, prepare to outline a plan to introduce and pass a long-term budget that would carry the state through July of next year.
Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairman Michael Rodrigues told business leaders that “some major announcements” would be made in the next couple weeks about how Beacon Hill leadership wants to proceed with a fiscal 2021 budget, as well as how to close the books on the fiscal year that ended June 30.
“It’s going to be a tough year, but we’ll get through this,” Rodrigues said."
Continue reading the article online
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/state-government/senate-leader-sees-5b-revenue-downturn/
There is an effect to Franklin with this news. Check out the Town Budget page to keep informed
IN the News: "Drought conditions ‘extreme’ in parts of Massachusetts"
From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:
"Much of Greater Milford is currently dealing with a “severe drought,” while all of MetroWest is dealing with a “moderate drought,” according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Parts of Bristol and Plymouth counties are dealing with an “extreme” drought and persistent dry conditions span most of the state, threatening crops, diminishing air quality and forcing water conservation measures.
The U.S. Drought Monitor reported Thursday that 6.8% of the state — most of Bristol County and a sliver of western Plymouth County — is under an “extreme” drought while 30.4% of the state is facing a “severe” drought and another 49.9% of the state contends with a “moderate” drought.” Only the northwestern corner of the state is properly hydrated, the Monitor said.
“The meteorological summer (June-August) of 2020 was one of the hottest and driest on record in parts of the Northeast,” Brad Rippey, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, wrote in the monitor’s weekly summary. “Given the protracted period of heat and dryness, drought continues to expand and intensify in many areas.”
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required) https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200917/drought-conditions-extreme-in-parts-of-massachusetts?rssfeed=true
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| https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/data/jpg/current/current_ma_trd.jpg |
Getting a flu shot is more important than ever this year
| The best way to protect against the flu is to get the flu shot. |
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Thursday, September 17, 2020
THE BLACK BOX Sings… Wicked - Sep 26 and Sep 27
THE BLACK BOX, the region’s premier theater, music, and event venue, will present a concert celebrating the music of the fifth longest running show in Broadway history: WICKED. THE BLACK BOX Sings...WICKED will star Broadway Elphaba Emily Koch with Jim Hogan singing Fiyero. Pianist Austin Davy from the Wicked tour accompanies an FPAC all-star cast featuring Ali Funkhouser, Nick Paone, Katie Gray, Hallie Wetzell, and Tim Ayres-Kerr. Socially distanced on THE BLACK BOX Outdoor Stage, join this cast of FPAC favorites for a celebration of the music of WICKED and the story of the Witches of Oz.
THE BLACK BOX Sings...Wicked will be performed September 26 at 2:00 and 7:30 pm and September 27 at 2:00 pm.
Modeled after the popular cabaret series “54 Sings” at Feinstein’s/54 Below in NYC, THE BLACK BOX continues THE BLACK BOX Sings… Series with the songs of Wicked. The series celebrates the music of musicals, composers, and artists sung by Franklin Performing Arts Company favorites.
THE BLACK BOX is located at 15 W. Central St. in Downtown Franklin, MA. For tickets and more information, call (508) 528-3370 or visit www.THEBLACKBOXonline.com.
Broadway Elphaba Emily Koch
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