"Go By Bike!"

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

"Go By Bike!"

via Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation by Klark Jessen on 5/19/11

Check out the updated "Go By Bike!" brochure that has just been released for Bay State Bike Week  2011.    MassDOT Planning, the MassDOT Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), and the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition (MassBike) all partnered to update this useful guide to bicycling in Massachusetts.  

The "Go By Bike!" brochure provides a concise and easily understood summary of biking basics that can be used to help a range of ages and experience levels get an easy ride when they "Go By Bike!" Like Bay State Bike Week, "Go By Bike!" is another product of the MassBike – MassDOT partnership.     This partnership reconstituted Bay State Bike Week as a truly statewide event and jointly promotes the Same Roads Same Rules initiative that promotes safe and cooperative sharing of the road among bikers, pedestrians, and motor vehicle drivers. 

The document can be printed on demand in keeping with MassDOT's GreenDOT sustainability policy.
Please view and download the "Go By Bike!" brochure.   For more information, visit baystatebikeweek.org , www.massbike.org and MassDOT Biking and Walking on the web. This document is a great reference for bicycling in Massachusetts as an active transportation mode that is healthy, green and fun!  

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News from United Regional YPO

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What is the YPO? The YPO is THE place for young professionals who have an interest in social and business networking, community involvement, and professional development.   Come meet other young professionals in your area and check out the YPO! Be on the Lookout The YPO will be co-hosting a Business After Hours on Thursday July 28th at the Hampton Inn in Franklin, MA. The theme is "Christmas in July"! Please join us for a great evening of networking! Sign up here.       Proudly Sponsored by: With locations in Attleboro and North Attleboro, MA!  The YPO has been working hard at completing our spring initiatives. We're proud to announce that our new website and membership application are complete and ready for viewing! We hope you like our new website and we look forward to welcoming you as a new member of the YPO!  (PS: Don't forget to join us at our next event on July 28th!)    Sincerely, United Regional YPO New Website The YPO has launched our new website! Check us out at www.unitedregionalypo.com.   On our website you can find information on our upcoming events, read our blog, meet our Board of Directors, apply for membership and much more! We want to give special thanks to those who helped make our new website possible: Jack Lank of the United Regional Chamber of Commerce for his continued support and guidance Phil Hickey of Zap Creative for our fabulous logo design and website support Ed McDonough of Executive Coaching for assistance navigating BlueHost and Wordpress Dave Lubelczyk of IMAGEidentity for guidance with Artisteer Kaitlyn Pintarich of Berry Insurance for the YouTube video about the YPO The YPO Board of Directors for creative input and support in seeing this project to completion Many thanks! Be sure to check the website frequently to see what's new with the YPO! YPO Now Accepting New Members The YPO Membership Application is now available! For your convenience, you can download the application here, or you can complete it online at our new website: www.unitedregionalypo.com/join. Membership fees are $50 per person, annually. If your business is a member of the United Regional Chamber of Commerce (URCC), your first year of membership into the YPO is free! Applications can be returned: Online @ www.unitedregionalypo.com/join Email @ unitedregionalypo@ymail.com Fax @ (508) 440-2291 Mail @ 42 Union Street, Attleboro, MA 02703 About Us Our events will be a mix of networking and fun held in some of the best places in the area. *Must be at least 21 years old to attend events For more info call 508-488-9761 or e-mail unitedregionalypo@ymail.com .

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Community Gardens update

Hello to all of our Community Garden Supporters!

We been busy getting the garden ready, and not so busy writing to you all.

Forgive us!

Here's what's been going on: www.franklincommunitygardens.org

(you can subscribe to this and as it is updated you will get an email link right away)

There is still time to sign up for the lottery, links available on the website!

Volunteer Opportunities:

Build Team:

• We need some help fixing/building/re-building/remediating/relocating some of the raised beds-on-legs gardens from last year.  The snow got 'em bad. We need to make them safe.
• Heavy work, but quick.  Will be some lifting, sawing, drilling, shoveling.  Dirt moving. Lumber getting.  Rough and tough stuff.  You on?  contact Chris at hakai2@gmail.com
• Still trying to coordinate when and how, will depend on your availability. Locations:  Senior Ctr, Food Pantry, Eaton Place.

Giving Garden:

• We are also looking to form a dedicated group of volunteers for this season for the Franklin Food Pantry's 4 garden beds, which we are calling the "Giving Garden"
• Duties----planning, planting, watering and harvesting, delivering produce to the pantry.
• Would like enough folks so that each person has a 1-2 hrs a week, tops, so about 10 people would do it, 15 would make it cruise 
• please email Amy Acevedo directly at amyacevedo1@verizon.net and we will get it together and roll it out!

May Showers bring June Flowers, Right?

New England version, anyway.

Best Regards,

Amy Acevedo

& crew:

The Friends of Franklin Community Gardens, Inc.

The Franklin Community Garden Committee


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Subscribe to the blog!

www.franklincommunitygardens.org

Yes, we are on Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Franklin-Community-Gardens/152040424825578

"they didn't know how much time is spent ensuring drinking water is safe"

Perrotta provided a general overview of the town's water system, explaining where the water comes from, why usage restrictions are needed during the summer and how harmful bacteria is eliminated from the water supply. 

"A lot of people complain about paying high water and sewer rates and they don't know that there is a huge infrastructure to maintain," said David Labonte, the secretary for the Odd Fellows, a fraternal organization that supports charities and holds informational meetings such as last night's once or twice a year. 

The department is primarily funded by water and sewer fees and oversees 13 wells, six water storage tanks, about 9,600 service connections, more than 2,000 fire hydrants and 157 miles of water main, Perrotta said. 

"You have eight or nine balls in the air and if you drop one of them the water comes out pink," he said. 

Franklin's water comes from groundwater as opposed to surface sources such as reservoirs. The town pumped 928.5 million gallons in 2010, he said.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1134625219/Hard-work-of-Franklin-Water-Dept-workers-touted#ixzz1Mn6MpXIZ



Franklin, MA

In the News - veterans, book sale

Disabled veterans advisers to give free help in Franklin

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Friends of Franklin Library book sale this weekend

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Franklin, MA

Grand Opening of the Franklin Art Center

Hi Steve,


I wasn't sure if you wanted to post this is or if we could add a guest post or how you would like to handle it.


My wife and I have just started the Franklin Art Center. It is located in downtown Franklin at 5 Main St (behind Berry Ins.). We will be having the school's Grand Opening Saturday May 21st from 10 to 2 pm. This free event is for anyone to come in meet the teachers, ask questions about the classes, try a lesson, and learn about the art parties. The center will have morning, afternoon, evening and art weekend classes for ages 4 adults in a wide variety of media. Our weekly sessions provide our 4-5 year olds with hands-on activities, stories, and unique lessons for artistic explorations. We are working with the local school and our curriculum for our classes are based on the Massachusetts Visual Arts Frameworks.


Our beginner, advanced, private or group lessons for 16 to adults will focus on the individual needs of the student. Just a few topics we cover are:


- drawings to investigate compositional possibilities.
- blocked-out charcoal/pencil/oil sketches to arrange tonal values.
- oil sketches to experiment with various color schemes and harmonies.
- fundamentals of painting
- preparing canvas and paint for the anticipated tasks.
- applying paint to canvas, either incorporating the results in direct painting.


You are also invited to our gallery opening May 20th from 7 - 9 pm showing paintings from our featured local artist Victor Pisini. Victor is a local icon in Franklin and paints in both oils and watercolor. The gallery will rotate work from local artists and feature them on our web site and in our classes and on our facebook page.


Please visit http://franklinartcenter.com for more information or call my wife Linda in the center at 508.887.2797.  Or friend us at facebook.com/franklinartcenter


I'm sending this from work but the center's email address is franklinartcenter@gmail.com. Let me know if you have any questions. Look forward to seeing you.


Thanks again
Ian

Library book sale - DPW Touch a Truck

The Library Book Sale will be combined with the DPW's "Touch a Truck Day" this Saturday. Come on down to the DPW Garage on Hayward St. Buy a book, help the Library.

Check out the equipment and see for yourself how old it is!

The story below and pictures were taken and posted last May.

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The combination of the Library Book Sale and the DPW Open House drew quite a crowd on Saturday.

The Friends of the Library paid for the overtime of the DPW workers. The food and drink provided at the DPW Open House was donated by Weston & Sampson.

The bucket truck authorized for purchase as part of the capital plan in 2009 was on display looking brand new. It is over ten years old. The new look comes from the paint job that was part of the purchase price. DPW Director, Robert (Brutus) Cantoreggi is walking towards us in the photo.

The DPW garage had four mechanics. One just retired this year and due to the budget cuts, the position won't be filled leaving three mechanics to take care of more than 300 pieces of equipment. Which of these two units looks like it is three years old? and which looks like it is sixteen years old? (Answer at the end of this post.)

Most of the equipment that I saw on display had a sign telling the year and use for the unit. The purpose for some was easy to recognize, some were not. This batwing mower is over 10 years old and still doing duty cutting the grass on our athletic fields.

The weather cooperated for this nice family event. If your son or daughter was one of the horn tooters, they probably walked away with a smile. Your smile came from the fact that they at least stopped blowing the horn!

Iqbal Ismail is show below taking pictures of his daughter Zeba and son Faraz in the front seat of the truck.

Note: In answer to the question above: the unit on the left in the picture is 3 yrs old; the unit on the right is 16.
My thanks to Brutus Cantoreggi and Dave Allard for providing the information to share here.

Franklin, MA