Senator Rausch: November Beacon Hill Recap

Policy updates, COVID boosters, and a great start to the holiday season.

View this email in your browser Senator Rausch State House Briefing    Part 2, Chapter 11 (November 30, 2021)    Dear friends,    From our family to yours, I hope you had a restful, restorative, and educational Thanksgiving, and to all who are celebrating this week, happy Chanukah. I wish you a bright, joyous, and healthy Festival of Lights.  Chanukah is about finding light in the darkness. As I reflect on the holiday in new ways and ever-changing circumstances, I hope my service as your State Senator has been akin to the shamash, the helper candle that kindles the other lights. I aim to serve you effectively, support our communities, and ignite a fire within others to get involved in community service and local activism. Nothing compares to the impact of multiple candles working together to light up a room. In this month's newsletter I have plenty of updates from Beacon Hill: legislation on the move, a final redistricting update, COVID-19 booster shots, district events, local elections, and office hours. For real-time updates, please follow me on Twitter and Facebook. If you are a constituent and need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact me and my team via phone (617-722-1555) or email (becca.rausch@masenate.gov). We are here to help.     I wish you and your loved ones strength, health, resilience, and joy.     Yours in service,     Senator Becca Rausch    November was jam-packed with policymaking. Here are some legislative updates from the Senate floor: American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) – The Massachusetts Senate passed a $3.82 billion bill on how to spend ARPA funding coming to our Commonwealth. This legislation will make equitable investments and ensure that communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering broad spectrum supports to health care, mental and behavioral health, housing security, environment, and workforce development.   I secured numerous amendments to this bill that will support our district and the Commonwealth at large, including:  Explicitly requiring that the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund directly support women re-entering the workforce both through upskilling and addressing barriers to entry like transit and childcare Specific language providing for the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to manage tree health along the Commonwealth's parkways for human and environmental health and safety  $1,000,000 for post-traumatic stress care for medical personnel   $650,000 for water infrastructure projects in the towns of Millis, Norfolk, Plainville, Sherborn, Wayland, and Wrentham    $100,000 to renovate North Attleboro's Allen School to create a food pantry regional hub for the town and its neighboring communities $150,000 to support public transit and accessible, affordable senior housing in Franklin $200,000 for a feasibility and design study for a bicycle/pedestrian trail connecting Newton Upper Falls and Needham Heights.  The Senate plan must now be reconciled with the House version of the bill before heading to the Governor's desk.   Office Hours    Sign up for a 15-minute appointment here.     My team and I host virtual office hours every month. Residents from any part of the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District, as well as residents of the new Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex District (which takes effect in January 2023), are welcome to share their questions and opinions on state issues with me and my team via video chat or phone call. Office hours are available to discuss any matter.          Upcoming virtual office hours:     Friday, December 10, 10-11 AM  Friday, January 7, 10-11 AM  Friday, February 11, 10-11 AM  Our mailing address is: The Office of Senator Becca Rausch Massachusetts State House, Room 218                     24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02133

This newsletter was shortened for publication here. To view the full set of content, follow this link ->  https://mailchi.mp/8fb5d09292dc/reopeningupdate-15227664?e=0c2c9810fe

Gingerbread House Decorating at Expressions Enrichment - Dec 4

Gingerbread House Decorating at Expressions Enrichment

Saturday, December 4th from 1-3 PM

Only $30 which includes all materials! And you don't have to clean up! Limited Spots. Must register online. www.expressions-enrichment.com

Gingerbread House Decorating at Expressions Enrichment - Dec 4

Protect Yourself from Social Security-related Scams

SCAM ALERT The Social Security Administration will never threaten, scare, or pressure you to take an immediate action. If you receive a call, text, or email that... Threatens to suspend your Social Security number, even if they have part or all of your Social Security number Warns of arrest of legal action Demands or requests immediate payment Requires payment by gift card, prepaid debit card, internet currency, or by mailing cash Pressures you for personal information Requests secrecy Threatens to seize your bank account Promises to increase your Social Security benefit Tries to gain your trust by providing fake "documentation," false "evidence," or the name of a real government official ...it is a SCAM! Do not give scammers money or personal information – Ignore Them! Protect yourself and others from Social Security-related scams Try to stay calm. Do not provide anyone with money or personal information when you feel pressured, threatened, or scared. Hang up or ignore it. If you receive a suspicious call, text, or email, hang up or do not respond. Government employees will not threaten you, demand immediate payment, or try to gain your trust by sending you pictures or documents. Report Social Security-related scams. If you receive a suspicious call, text, or email that mentions Social Security, ignore it and report it to the SSA Office of the Inspector General (OIG). Do not be embarrassed if you shared personal information or suffered a financial loss. Get up-to-date information. Follow SSA OIG on Twitter @TheSSAOIG and Facebook @SSA Office of the Inspector General for the latest information on Social Security-related scams. Visit the Federal Trade Commission for information on other government scams. Spread the word. Share your knowledge of Social Security-related scams. Post on social media using the hashtag #SlamtheScam to share your experience and warn others. Visit oig.ssa.gov/scam for more information. Please also share with your friends and family. Report a Scam Plan for the future, manage the present! With your free and secure my Social Security account, you can receive personal estimates of future benefits based on your real earnings, see your latest Social Security Statement, and review your earnings history. It even makes it easy to request a replacement Social Security Card, check the status of an application online, and much more, from anywhere! Log In Now Learn More

Franklin Freedom Team announces events Dec 2 and Dec 8

• Dec 2 - Thursday, 7:15 to 8:30 PM

at St John's Episcopal Church

A Space to Talk - Dec 2

• Dec 8 - Wednesday, 6 - 7:30 PM

at THE BLACK BOX

The Franklin Freedom Team is hosting a "Love Franklin" Open Mic Night on December 8th at 6-7:30 PM  at THE BLACK BOX in Downtown Franklin. Scan the QR code on the screen to sign up! @FHSpantherbook https://t.co/1ESelWVCmn

"The Franklin Freedom Team, in collaboration with high school student groups, will be hosting this event (with MCs Mackenzie Atwood and jamele adams) which will be a 'celebration of self' - featuring visual, musical, poetic, and speaking pieces that highlight identity and self-expression. It will be offered free of charge for the community; all are welcome to watch or perform."

To sign up (with other than a QR reader) use this link ->   https://docs.google.com/forms/u/0/d/1OJqZjZw0P8dmP46qrzBUdtiTxs3qcA_-2oEwloW5EkE/viewform?edit_requested=true 

"Love Franklin" open mic night - Dec 8

For more about the Freedom Team visit their page on the internet at https://www.franklinfreedomteam.org/

The Topic: 003 - Marcia Szymanski - New Hope

Cathleen Liberty, Franklin Health Director, talks with Marcia Szymanski, Executive Director of New Hope, in this episode of The Topic.

New Hope Hotline -> 800-323-HOPE or 800-323-4673

Web page = www.new-hope.org/ 

Audio file -> https://anchor.fm/franklin21/episodes/003---Marcia-Symanski---New-Hope-e1b1ubk/a-a70j0lp

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

For additional information, please visit  the Health Dept page at www.Franklinma.gov   

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at  cliberty@franklinma.gov 

The music for the intro and exit is called “Positive and Fun” by Scott Holmes Music and is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License  

Scott Holmes Music => https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes

You can also subscribe and listen to TheTopic audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "TheTopic" 

The Topic: 003 - Marcia Symanski - New Hope

FHS' Carney, O'Rourke, Jones, Downing selected as field hockey All Stars; Cuneo as Honorable Mention

Here are the FHS athletes selected for recognition by the Hockomock League coaches. Links to the full listing of Hockomock athletes are provided.

Below are the official 2021 Hockomock League Field Hockey All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.

HOCKOMOCK LEAGUE MVP
Madison Ellis, Attleboro

HOCKOMOCK LEAGUE ALL STARS
Kaitlyn Carney, Franklin
Kate O’Rourke, Franklin
Kendall Jones, Franklin
Shaw Downing, Franklin

Honorable Mentions
Sophia Cuneo, Franklin

For the complete Hockomock League listing

https://hockomocksports.com/2021-hockomock-league-field-hockey-all-stars/

FHS Panthers

Registration for Franklin volleyball clinics open; act now, volley in January 2022!

"Franklin volleyball clinics begin in January for interested middle school girls! Become part of the FHS volleyball legacy!

Register at http://bit.ly/JanVball"

Registration for Franklin volleyball clinics open; act now, volley in January 2022!