It's alive. It's current. You do a great job with pictures and updates. Better than the local paper.
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Everything you have been providing ... local politics, schools, local business events ... it's been wonderful having you as a resource. Thank you!
The Franklin Food Pantry, which was almost homeless this summer before being saved by Rockland Trust Bank, has opened the doors to its new building, said pantry Director Linda Pouliot.
"We are open for business. The freezers were delivered this morning, and we're still waiting for more, but we couldn't wait any longer," as the pantry has been closed for more than a month, Pouliot said.
"At least we're not in limbo anymore - there is a home, there is a place to stay," said Pouliot.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here
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Police are urging residents to lock their cars, as the rash of break-ins that began in March hasn't stopped despite several arrests, said Deputy Chief Stephan H. Semerjian.
For the past three weekends, police have received many reports of car breaks in the Kennedy School area, including Pond Street, Charles River Drive, Maple Street, Baron Road and the surrounding neighborhoods, Semerjian said.
In some cases, the thieves have gone onto people's property and into garages to access cars, he said.
Some residents have reported seeing and hearing young people on their property and near their cars, who run off through yards and the roadway when seen, Semerjian said.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here
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Last year's losses in the state's pension funds raise the possibility towns might have to contribute more to their retirement systems in the coming years to compensate.
There isn't necessarily a direct correlation, as many factors influence how much money a town spends annually to fund its pension obligations, and funds have more than 20 years to make up for their losses.
However, while pension systems' lifetime returns are still around where their officials expect them to be, losses from 2008 have left returns in the past 10 years well below projections.
"The more the pension system earns less than we expected, the more taxpayers have to top it off," said Steve Poftak, research director at the Pioneer Institute, a Boston think tank. "It gives one pause to see 10-year returns so far below the expected rate of return because the unfunded liability would be very large if you were assuming a 4 percent rate of return instead of an 8 percent rate of return. It's a big difference."
Read the full article on funding pension obligations in the Milford Daily News here
I disagree with "may". It is only a question of "when" that the pension obligations need to be funded. Franklin has not done much in this area of funding. The Town Council just authorized to spend $14,000 for a current actuarial analysis at the June 3rd meeting. The analysis is required every two years. Knowing what the analysis is is important, actually budgeting for it will be required some day soon.
When it comes to the debate on elderly drivers and safety on the roads, Franklin senior center Director Karen Alves wants to ensure one point is not lost in the shuffle: adequate public transportation alternatives.
"Otherwise, you're condemning them to life in their apartment or house," she said, given an embarrassing loss of independence and a desire to avoid becoming a burden. "These folks do not want to ask people to help them, and who can blame them?"
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With Massachusetts lawmakers considering more stringent regulations on drivers over the age of 85, area residents who would be affected had mixed feelings about how additional tests should be implemented.
Richard King, 87, did not give a second thought when he drove to the Fairbank Senior Center in Sudbury on Wednesday.
"I'm almost 90 and still driving, and you better believe it," he said while stuffing envelopes for the Center's weekly senior bulletin.
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With recent accidents by elderly Bay State drivers a hot topic of conversation among her senior center clientele this week, Director Joanne Duffy sat in her Ashland office this week and contemplated new licensing proposals.
"I don't know the answer," she said. "I'm torn. A lot of people are OK with it. They're confident in their driving abilities and feel they'll pass. At the other end, they feel they're being singled out."
Concern over physically or mentally impaired older drivers has resurfaced this month after a trio of serious accidents.
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My two cents: There should not be a specific age test requirement, age is only one factor. The ability to drive safely is really the concern.
"The reluctance to admit it's time, that is an issue,"
What do you think about elderly drivers?
Seven-year-old Rebecca Natale nicely summed up the main feature of yesterday's Strawberry Festival: strawberry shortcake.
"It's really, really, really, really, really yummy! I love it," she said, kicking her legs up in excitement.
Her 5-year-old sister, Megan Natale, agreed: "I love it," she said, taking another heaping bite.
It was the family's first time at the town's annual Strawberry Festival, said their mother, Tracy Natale, and the girls couldn't wait for their next bit of festival fun.
"Face painting," they exclaimed.
The sidewalks were full of kids with freshly painted faces, holding balloons in one hand and a parent's hand in the other, happily heading to their next activity.
Read more about the Strawberry Festival in the Milford Daily News here
For my Strawberry Festival photos check here and here
Horace Mann Middle School science teacher James Schliefke is at space camp this week after earning a scholarship from Honeywell.
Schliefke, a resident of Franklin, was one of 288 teachers from 16 countries and 47 states chosen to take part in the Honeywell Educators @ Space Academy programs at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
The Honeywell Educators @ Space Academy programs provide teachers with new and innovative techniques to educate their students about science and math.
The programs focus on space science and exploration in a variety of classroom, laboratory and real-life astronaut training, including: a high-performance jet simulation, scenario-based space missions, land and water survival training, and state-of-the-art flight dynamics programs.
Schliefke is the only teacher from Massachusetts chosen to attend.
Read more about this visit to Space Camp on the Wicked Local site here
Schliefke will be posting "Letters from Space Camp" and those can be read here.
