Thursday, January 20, 2011

"the gift of cooking knowledge"

Michelle writes on The Clueless Gardner:
I asked Steve: wouldn’t it make more sense to stock the pantry with staples that are generally cheaper, and more nutritious? And I wandered away toying with the notion of writing recipes to submit to the food pantry along with donations of such staples - because in all likelihood if people aren’t cooking from staples, it is because they don’t know how.
Steve replied: “Michelle, I understand your desire for more of a healthy food request. We are heading in that direction. The Food Pantry instituted a farmer's market on Monday's last year to distribute the fresh produce we were able to obtain. We are working as part of the Community Gardens project to further that effort this year. By re-doing the Food Pantry website, we intend to incorporate a blog which will also feature healthy recipes. You also give me an idea that we can solicit recipes from the community (like yourself) as well as from other food and health writers. Thanks!”
Well, we certainly seem to be thinking along the same lines! So I’ve started writing down recipes. And not just recipes: I’m sticking to explaining the basics. What do you do with dry beans, uncooked rice, fresh kale, whole chicken, and the like? And perhaps just as important: how to you go about managing the often lengthy process of cooking from scratch with a hectic lifestyle in which the chefs may be working multiple jobs and raising children all at once?
You can read her full posting here

You can contribute recipes to Michelle, or send them to me. Via email is best for now.


Franklin, MA

"town leaders need to look at ways to reduce expenses"

Nutting suggested a $20 per sport fee per person added to the normal registration costs, although the amount could change and the fee could be structured differently. He said many local towns charge for field use.
Nutting estimated that the town could gain $100,000 per year to repair fields if the estimated 5,000 people who participate in sports paid a $20 fee.
Town Councilor Stephen Whalen said charging a fee for field maintenance would be a fair balance since the entire town paid for the construction of the fields.
"I think we should do it," Whalen said, adding "in our situation, I think we have to look at things like this."

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here


Participate in the budget priority survey here

Franklin, MA


No books, please


Friends not accepting book donations



Hopefully, this is just a temporary situation. It was raised earlier this week according to the discussion at the Town Council meeting Wednesday evening and Jeff Nutting is working to find some space for this effort.

Yes, there is some irony involved. Here is the Library stopping their volunteer group from working to prepare their major fund raiser which provides financial aid to the Library.


Franklin, MA

Vallee holds office hours


Rep. Vallee holds office hours Friday




Franklin, MA

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Creative thinking

This video clip from TEDx shows Charles Lamb sharing some interesting research that he is doing on the brain. By analyzing the brain activity when performing music, he is attempting to answer some significant questions on creativity.

Watch here:





For me, the initial take away was this quote:
But we have this combination of an area that's thought to be involved in self-monitoring, turning off, and this area that's thought to be autobiographical, or self-expressive, turning on.
In order to be creative, the brain needs to shut some aspects off and turn others on. There is a reason for having brain storming sessions. They may not have worked so well due to how they were set up but maybe with this new research they can find the way to set a good stage for being creative.
  1. Put aside your bias for a moment. 
  2. Put on your wide open 'thinking' cap.
  3. Participate in the budget priority survey here






Franklin, MA

In the News - Override group, goal setting

Franklin group forms to support override

by 


Franklin council holds goal-setting session tomorrow




Franklin, MA

Monday, January 17, 2011

Franklin, MA: Financial Impact Full-Day vs Tuition-based Kindergarten

This internet radio show or podcast is number 83 in the series for Franklin Matters.

This is a special session. The audio has been synchronized with the presentation to create a complete package. The package will provide the update by Miriam Goodman, Franklin School Business Administrator, on full day vs. half-day kindergarten. The presentation and discussion occurred at the School Committee meeting on Jan 11, 2011.

You can also review the meeting video on the Franklin website.

The link to the Kindergarten presentation is here:

http://view.liveindexer.com/ViewIndexSessionSL.aspx?indexPointSKU=suY%2bgbIOkRUfeduJ9u%2f2aw%3d%3d/

The full meeting can be viewed here:

http://view.liveindexer.com/ViewIndexSessionSL.aspx?ecm=634307043717953928&indexSessionSKU=bV0o80oxKwE2UUa+RXKE4A%3D%3D&siteSKU=L7qhQ46xin/r3Z0jcDVCNw%3D%3D/



During the presentation you will hear the voices of Miriam Goodman and Maureen Sabolinski, Superintendent. In the question and answer period, questions and comments will be asked by School Committee members – Ed Cafasso, Sue Rohrbach, Chairperson Jeff Roy, and Bill Glynn in order of their voices.

My keyboard and that of Brian Benson, the Milford Daily News reporter, is heard in the background as we type away reporting on the meeting. Hopefully, you won't find it too intrusive.

Without further ado, here is the presentation:


This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin. I can use your help.

How can you help, you ask?

If you have an interest in covering the Planning Board, Conservation Commission, and or the Zoning Board of Appeals meetings in Franklin, please let me know.

And as always -

  • If you like this, please tell your friends and neighbors
  • If you don't like this, please tell me.

It will be via your feedback that I can improve this for you.

Thank you for listening.

-----

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.blogspot.com/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com


The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission

I hope you enjoy!


Franklin, MA

In the News - 1st book, enrollment drops


Franklin woman publishes her first book



Laura Spinella's blog has been added to the Franklin Area Blog section.




Franklin school enrollment predicted to fall



You can view the full report on the Enrollment Projections here


Franklin, MA

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Help determine the priority list

In the January issue of the new Franklin newspaper delivered to your mail box, I wrote about setting priorities for the services that Franklin provides. This survey intends to develop a list of services that you would consider discontinuing and of services that you think we should continue.

The survey will remain open for your input through Saturday, Jan 29th.
The results of the survey will be published Sunday, Jan 30, 2011.

Note: use the scroll bar in form to get to the second question and "Submit".
You can provide an answer for both questions or chose to answer only one question.
For this kind of 'list building' exercise, there is no limit on entries. The survey results will provide two lists for further discussion.





Franklin, MA

Mother Nature responds to Franklin's message!

I travel along Summer St regularly and usually can find a good photo op on this corner:



I love how some of the Franklin streets are named and intersect.  Summer and Winter, East and West.
What other street combinations do you find around Franklin?


Franklin, MA

"He saw some pretty heavy action"

More than 1,000 Franklin residents served in the war, but only about 160 World War II veterans still live in Franklin, Fahey said.
"Earl Lang is just an amazing guy," Fahey said. "He's living history."
Lang said he appreciated adding the medal to his collection of war honors, including a letter from the White House he received in November for his 92nd birthday and a plaque recognizing his role as the grand marshal in Franklin's 2001 Fourth of July parade.
"It was very nice and kind of surprising," he said of receiving a replacement medal.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News

Franklin, MA

In the News - Broadway


Check out 'Broadway' in Franklin




Franklin, MA