Monday, August 30, 2010

Parmenter School: Student drop off/pick up process

The letter to the Parents of the Parmenter School:

Parmenter_ParentLetter_20100826

The drop off/pick up process for Parmenter School during the Wachusett St construction:

ParmenterDropOffProcess_20100830


These were originally posted to the Franklin website:
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_News/015E89DE-000F8513
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_News/015E8A02-000F8513

Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the documents.

Parmenter School: rain gardens

The construction work on the rain gardens at the Parmenter School may get finished before school opens but the road work certainly won't be. Parents in the Parmenter community should be getting special instructions on what to do for drop off and pick up of students when school opens on Sep 1.

There are rain gardens in front of school, in the parking lot and another in the back of school. On a recent run by the school, I stopped to take these photos. The rain gardens are designed to catch rain (storm water) and filter it through several layers of material.


This view shows a cloth covering providing one layer of the filter material. 


As construction makes progress, I'll try and get photos to show the other layers of material.

Franklin, MA

Podcamp Boston 5 – September 25 & 26, 2010



Are you ready for the future?


Are you new to new media like blogging, podcasting, Twitter, Facebook, and wondering where to get started?
Are you a veteran of all things 2.0 and wondering what to learn next to propel you into future success?


PodCamp Boston, now in its 5th year, aims to help you answer these questions and many more. On September 25-26, 2010 at the facility of Microsoft New England Research and Development Center, PodCamp Boston will bring together the best and the brightest - including you - for two days of learning, sharing, and growing your social media skills.


Who should attend PodCamp Boston?
You. It doesn't matter where you are on your social media journey, whether you just starting Tweeting yesterday or whether you're one of the decade-long bloggers. It doesn't matter whether you're the CEO of a Fortune 50, a director of a non-profit, or a guy who likes to knit on the air. What does matter is that you are an expert in something. You have questions AND answers, and PodCamp Boston is the best opportunity to contribute and learn all at once.


What will you learn at PodCamp Boston?
PodCamp is driven by what YOU want to learn and share. Twitter? Sure. Facebook? Of course. Blogging? Definitely. Podcasting? By the bucket. Last year we introduced a way to have more conversations and less presenting with discussions.  This year we want to continue that success and give you the opportunity to learn about the things that would help YOU.


More important, we want you, as you register, to consider leading a session in which you pose a burning question that you absolutely must get the answer to. Maybe you need to know how to figure out the ROI of Facebook. Maybe you need to learn how to make great Internet video. Whatever your burning question is, we want you to ask it at PodCamp.


Take a look at some of the planned topics:
  • Clearing the Hurdles - on pitching social media marketing initiatives 
  • Blogging 100/101/102 
  • Preparing for the future - What tips, techniques, tactics, and ideas can we share for preparing for the future? 
  • Monitoring, Management & the Promise of Social CRM 
  • Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare... It's Taking Over Our Lives! 
  • Social Media for Fundraising and Nonprofit Marketing
Ready to get started?
PodCamp Boston 5 is a mere $50 to participate, but we guarantee you'll get so much more. Not only will you benefit but the net proceeds from the event will be donated to the Greater Boston Food Bank feeding some very hungry kids in the Boston area.  Register today, as we've only got a little over a hundred spots left, and they're going wicked fast.


Register now for PodCamp Boston »
After you've registered, share this with your network and invite them to come to PodCamp Boston with you!

SHARE THIS EMAIL:
FacebookFacebook TwitterTwitter LinkedInLinkedIn DiggDigg MySpaceMySpace


We'll see you there!

PodCamp Boston 5 is sponsored by the Microsoft NERD Center, our venue sponsor.

Email outreach is sponsored by Blue Sky Factory.

To no longer receive information about PodCamp Boston 5, update your communications preferences here.

One Memorial Drive
Suite 100
Cambridge, MA 02142





Franklin, MA

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Harmony from the Heart

A good night for a good cause.


FUNDRAISER FOR PLATELET RESEARCH

FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 2010 

LAKE PEARL LUCIANO'S 
WRENTHAM MA

6:30PM - 11:30PM

ENTERTAINMENT:

Kai Olsson
Peter Paulousky
PT 73
THE DRIVE
Toby Olsson

$25.00 In Advance 
$30.00 At the door


You can check out the Facebook page here.

Franklin, MA

Clipper Magazine

The Clipper Magazine delivered with your regular postal mail this week is full of good coupons for restaurants and other retail outlets in the area.

Maguro House is featured on the cover:
















Inside, there is a page with Clipper Cash coupons for other local restaurants:





Grab your copy before it gets into the recycle pile.



If someone did toss it already, you can find a copy of this issue on line here: http://couponclipper.com/c-tb/www.pageturnpro.com/Clipper-Magazine/17841-015610210/index.html/zip/02038




Franklin, MA

Underground Utilities - survey results

The question was:
WOULD YOU PAY APPROX. $70 TO PUT THE UTILITIES UNDERGROUND?
The results were

Yes - 22
No - 44

A convincing 2-1 ratio of No to Yes.

The survey had been introduced here
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/08/franklin-ma-underground-utilities.html

The collection of Downtown Improvement Project posts can be found here:
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/08/downtown-improvement-project-collection.html


Franklin, MA

Special - Dinner for Two - $20

The Rome Restaurant is running a Dinner for Two Special for $20. The special is available on Tue-Wed-Thu only but well worth it,


For those who have been to the Rome, you know the food is good. For those who haven't been, this is well worth a visit.


Note: The Rome happens to be one of our favorite places to go. We had stopped in on Friday night and weren't eligible for the special. We paid full price for the meal and enjoyed a great dinner.

Franklin, MA

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Native Plants of Franklin

Hello Franklin! Did you recognize last week's mystery native, perhaps because it grows in the cracks of your driveway, or between the mulch and the curb of the grocery store parking lot?




This plant is called spotted spurge (Euphorbia maculata) and if you grow anything at all out-of-doors in New England, then you have likely plucked out this plant as a weed.




This is what it looks like when spotted spurge is left to its own devices for a few months. It grows absolutely flat against the ground, and has a lovely tinge of purple to its stems and leaves. Spurge is an annual plant that flourishes in hot, dry conditions that kill everything else.

I am a bit baffled as to why every source considers this plant to be just a weed, worthy only of killing, and I am currently leaving it to grow in parts of my garden to see how it does as a groundcover. So far it has been great! It was one of the only plants that didn't seem to suffer during the drought.




Just for fun, here is a closer look. This plant is in bloom. There they are: each flower is barely a millimeter across.




And here is next week's flower. Do you know what it is?




Feel free to post your guesses in the comments section here. Cheers!


Michelle Clay writes about gardening here in Franklin at the Clueless Gardeners Blog.

Franklin, MA

In the News - house fire, Tom Rush


Families lose homes in Franklin fire

from The Milford Daily News News RSS 


FRANKLIN BRIEF: Circle of Friends presents an evening with Tom Rush


Franklin, MA

Friday, August 27, 2010

Farmers Market - today - noon to 6:00 PM

"I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day."
http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/hardertheycome/icanseeclearlynow.htm



The Farmers Market will be open on the Town Common today from noon - 6:00 PM.

Franklin, MA

In the News - attempted murder, house fire

Franklin teen charged with attempted murder

from The Milford Daily News News RSS 


House catches fire in Franklin




Franklin, MA

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Attn: Business Owners - Training Grant Money Available!





                                            The United Regional Chamber of Commerce logo 
YOUR BUSINESS MAY QUALIFY TO RECEIVE A TRAINING GRANT OF UP TO $15,000!



The Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund Express Program is now accepting applications from organizations with 50 or fewer employees in Massachusetts - including all plants and branches. All applicants must contribute to the Workforce Training Fund via DUA/UI investments.



The mission of the Workforce Training Fund Express Program is to provide organizations with the resources to invest in the Massachusetts workforce and businesses, to improve employee skills, and to maintain the economic strength and viability of the fund.



Training funded by this program should address the priorities of the fund which include projects that will result in job retention, job growth or increased wages and for projects where training would make a difference in the company's productivity, competitiveness, and ability to do business in Massachusetts.



For more information, attend a Workforce Training Grant Information Seminar on Thurs., Sept. 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Chamber's Attleboro office. Please call 508-222-0801 to register.

How to Stop Eating Crap to Stop Feeling Like Crap

This "Howcast" is one of a series on healthy eating.




What do you need?

You Will Need

Portion-size guide
Vegetables and fruit
Whole grains
Healthy drinks
Restraint
Grass-fed beef (optional)

The Franklin Food Pantry website can be found here: http://franklinfoodpantry.org/

Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the video.

EPA Storm water proposal information

Reminder that the last informational meeting for the proposed storm water permit process will be held today in Milford.
Thursday, August 26, at 10:00 AM at the Physician's Conference Room (First Floor) in the Milford Regional Medical Center, located at 14 Prospect Street, Milford. Free parking is available at the Cancer Center, directly across the street from the Hospital, on Prospect Street

A summary of the storm water permit process can be viewed here:

2010 08 18 Summary of RDA Storm Water General Permit

The presentation used for the Aug 18, 2010 information meeting can be found here:

EPA Information Meeting – August 18, 2010_HANDOUTS


Note: email subscribers will need to click through to view the documents on Franklin Matters.


Franklin, MA

In the News - open positions, trail grants, adult ed


Franklin looks to fill open committee posts




Trails grant workshop offered


Franklin, MA