In the News: "Two officials charged in Holyoke Soldiers’ Home COVID outbreak"

From the Milford Daily News, an article of interest for Franklin: 

"Two of the top officials at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, where 76 veterans died of COVID-19 during an outbreak in early spring, have been criminally charged with neglect and causing serious bodily injury in a case that may be the first of its kind in the country.

“They risked their lives, from the beaches of Normandy to, some, the jungles of Vietnam,” said Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, in a press conference Friday morning. “To know that they died under the most horrific circumstances is truly shocking.”

Superintendent Bennett Walsh and former Medical Director David Clinton face 10 felony counts each, five counts related to criminal neglect and five counts related to causing serious bodily harm. They face up to three years in prison for each criminal neglect count and 10 years in prison for each count tied to serious bodily injury."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required) https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200925/two-officials-charged-in-holyoke-soldiers-home-covid-outbreak?rssfeed=true

Related articles on this story:

Commonwealth Magazine: https://commonwealthmagazine.org/health-care/two-at-holyoke-soldiers-home-face-criminal-charges/

WBUR: https://www.wbur.org/news/2020/09/25/maura-healey-criminal-charges-holyoke-soldiers-home-bennett-walsh-clinton

Attorney General Maura Healey answers questions about her lawsuit that challenges a Trump administration policy that would kick international students out of the country for taking online-only courses at their universities. (Photo by Sarah Betancourt)

What to do when someone steals your identity

What to do when someone steals your identity by Traci Armani, Consumer Education Specialist, Division of Consumer & Business Education, FTC "Did someone use your personal information to open up a new mobile account or credit card? Or maybe buy stuff with one of your existing accounts? Or did they file for unemployment or taxes in your name? That's identity theft." Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/09/what-do-when-someone-steals-your-identity-0?utm_source=govdelivery  This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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Franklin's Weekend - Sep 25, 26, 27

Farmers Market

Friday, Sep 25  - noon to 6:00 PM

 

THE BLACK BOX Sings... WICKED

September 26 at 2:00 and 7:30; September 27 at 2:00 

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/09/the-black-box-sings-wicked-sep-26-27.html

 

St. Vincent de Paul Friends of the Poor Walk

Saturday Sept. 26, 2020  -registration required

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/09/st-vincent-de-paul-announces-friends-of.html

Franklin's Weekend - Sep 25, 26, 27

 

Listening Sessions start on Weds, Sep 30 - How can we help Franklin determine its future?

From CommonWealth Magazine we share an article of interest for Franklin:

"FITCHBURG MAYOR Stephen DiNatale’s office bears all the markings of the workspace of a small-city Massachusetts leader working hard to pull up his community, a place that has struggled for years following the exodus of industries that once made mill towns like this hum with economic vigor.

There are sketches of planned development projects, a big photograph showing downtown Fitchburg back in its pre-World War II heyday, and in one corner a group of shiny ceremonial shovels standing against the wall, mementos from recent groundbreaking celebrations that DiNatale is anxious to replicate. The affable 68-year-old former state representative is laser-focused on economic development, and in a hurry for it to happen. “I’m not a patient guy,” said DiNatale. 

It’s easy to see why. Median household income is $55,000 in Fitchburg, $22,000 below the statewide average. Meanwhile, the pandemic has hit the city hard, with its 15.5 percent unemployment rate in August the eighth highest in the state."

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/arts-and-culture/fitchburg-pinning-revival-hopes-on-arts-and-culture/ 

 

Is there something Fitchburg is doing, that we should also consider?

 

Franklin starts listening sessions next week. The first one on Weds, Sep 30. The agenda for the September 30th Listening Session, which will focus on Downtown Franklin, the Crossing and the Franklin Cultural District, can be found here  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/agendas/2020-09-30_edc_listening_session_1_agenda.pdf
 
For reference here are links to the MAPC Town of Franklin Market Study 

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/8a._final_town_of_franklin_market_study_1.pdf

 

a Demographic & Economic Profile of the 495/MetroWest Region; details specific to Franklin can be found on pages 57 and 58

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/uploads/495_metrowest_profile_2020.pdf

 

To sign up for one of more of the series of listening sessions, register here

https://www.franklinma.gov/economic-development

 

Listening Sessions start on Weds, Sep 30 - How can we help Franklin determine its future?

Franklin Downtown Partnership has been busy and shows!

Downtown decorated for Fall

"On September 16, members of the Franklin Downtown Partnership, Franklin Garden Club, resident volunteers and DPW decorated the downtown area with mums, pumpkins, and other autumnal decor from Hillside Nurseries and Franklin Agway.

“This year, we feel it’s more important than ever to roll out the red carpet to our downtown by beautifying it with autumn decorations,” said Roberta Trahan, vice president of the FDP. “We want to encourage people to shop local and support Franklin businesses.”

Long-time chair of the beautification efforts in downtown, Eileen Mason, said all the volunteers maintained appropriate social distancing and wore masks while installing the fall decorations.

“We wanted to make sure we beautified the downtown in the safest way possible,” said Mason. “Many thanks to our volunteers, Hillside Nurseries, the Department of Public Works and Franklin Agway for making this possible.”

Continue reading the Downtown Partnership post 

https://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/2020/09/fall-into-downtown-franklin.html

 

Kindness Rocks find new life

 

"Franklin Downtown Partnership, Berry Insurance and other local volunteers are spreading kindness and positivity by breathing new life into the Kindness Rocks Garden located in the green space next to Rockland Trust in downtown Franklin. 

Originally installed in the summer of 2018, the Kindness Rocks Garden was a huge hit with people who took rocks painted with inspirational messages and pictures. Now, a new push is on to create more painted rocks to place at the Kindness Rocks Garden. 

“We’re excited to continue the new tradition of a Kindness Rocks garden in downtown Franklin. Together we can help spread more kindness one rock at a time.” said Kaitlyn Pintarich of Berry Insurance.

The project is an extension of a popular national initiative called The Kindness Rocks Project that has a mission of promoting random acts of kindness to unsuspecting recipients by painting and dropping inspirational rocks."

Continue reading the Downtown Partnership post 

https://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/2020/09/franklin-kindness-rocks-garden-finds.html

 

John F Kennedy Elementary named a 2020 National Blue Ribbon School

Franklin Public Schools (FPS) is proud to announce that Kennedy Elementary School has been named a 2020 National Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education! 

 

Please find the press release 

https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/jfk_2020nbrs_press_release.pdf

Congratulations!

 

https://twitter.com/FranklinPSNews/status/1309181899315740673

 

Micro-Enterprise Grant Program Overview and Application

Small business owners may qualify

1. The business must qualify as a microenterprise (a for-profitbusiness that has 5 or fewer employees, including the owner(s).(Note 5 employees means actual people, whether full-or part-time NOT Full-Time-Equivalents (FTEs) that has been adversely affected by Covid-19. The business can be a sole-proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or LLC.;
2. The business must have a physical establishment in one of the participating towns:

• Bellingham 
• Foxboro
• Franklin
• Medfield
• Walpole
• Wrentham

1. The business must be currently in operation and have must have been established prior to January 1, 2019;
   

Additional qualifications can be found in the following information regarding the Micro-Enterprise Grant Program attached here:

Program Overview & Instructions 

Preliminary Application 

Micro-Enterprise Grant Program Overview and Application