Attention Franklin: Scam alert

A brief email from a new mother alerts us to a scam organization going door to door here in Franklin. The email is brief because the new mother was handling the baby and trying to type at the same time.

The short skinny on the scam:

A young person, waves a badge, has some information about you, claims to be associated with the School Dept and ultimately is selling some books. The two neighbors both had the same experience as had been written up extensively in the article here:

http://somedayallthis.wordpress.com/2010/07/05/the-southwestern-company-door-to-door-deception/


For additional information on the company behind the scam, a series of articles from the Salem (OR) News can be found here: http://www.salem-news.com/articles/february232010/southwestern-company-ew.php

"Presenting a $95 million school will not be perceived well"

A new school is about $4 million more expensive to the town, but is expected to take a shorter time to finish - two years instead of four. Also, because the new school would be built beside the old school instead of within its existing footprint, students will not have to go to class in a building that is being reconstructed. 

"You can't put a price tag on the disruption issue," said Ed Cafasso, a School Building Committee and School Committee member. "It's not worth it." 

The option of building a new school became viable at the end of June, when the Massachusetts School Building Association indicated that it would invite Franklin into the model school program - and therefore reimburse more than half the cost. The state is expected to accept Franklin's decision on July 27 and the town could choose which model school plan to use by Labor Day. 

The field house cannot remain standing under the state model school program because it would need to be renovated and the cost of the repairs would be too expensive under the state requirements, officials said. The idea of saving the field house had been part of earlier discussions.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x633527724/Franklin-committee-votes-to-try-for-new-high-school-not-repairs#ixzz1SXkddICP

What Franklin piloted, the others now get to use

The Franklin Line piloted the "Quiet Car" service which is now being rolled out to the remaining commuter rail lines. Having been a frequent rider (until recently), I recognize some of the folks in this video.



Have you ridden the quiet car? How quiet is it?


Thanks to the UniversalHub for the pointer to this video

Cooking cutaway

On the food front, here is a ten minute video from TED. Not exactly a cookbook you'll run out an buy but the photos and explanations of the science and physics of cooking are worth seeing.



Also on the food topic, Michelle is preparing lunches with Bento boxes

Construction progress

Around the neighborhood, the work progresses on the 3 unit building at the corner of Wachusett and Cottage streets. The site of the former Dugout.

Lesson learned: bike shops don't open early

Saturday was a great day for a bike ride.

We got a later start than we wanted. We knew the tires needed to be filled before riding and I do have a bike pump, so it should have have been quick and easy to fill and go. What surprised me was D's new bike has some funky new tube connections. These connections would not fit my pump nor work with the gas station air pump. We would need to get to the bike shop before riding. As it was 8:30 AM when we discovered this, I anticipated that one of the shops would open at 9:00. No such luck, one opens at 10:00 and the other at 11:00.

We were at Crossing Cycle when the doors opened at 10:00. Bought the adapter for the connection, a new pump with the capability to do both connections (standard and new one), filled the tire and were off, finally!

We biked about a dozen miles along the Blackstone River Bike Path. And we'll be ready to get an early start even if the tires need some air next time!

"may send $65 million in local aid cuts back to towns and cities across the state"

Some towns, which didn't expect to have the money, don't have plans for where it would go. Others are welcoming it to plug late cuts, with their local public bodies, such as selectmen, likely to decide its fate. 

"Certainly the economy has affected state aid over the past several years," Ashland Town Manager John Petrin said. "We always look forward to additional funds." 

Franklin Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting easily came up with areas that need further funding, from balancing the budget to capital projects. 

"Obviously, if it happens, it's great news," he said. "In this economy, any money is good news." 

Many towns have already closed their budgets, but, like Nutting, came up with dozens of items for which the added funds could be used.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x1797068865/Local-aid-could-be-restored-if-state-has-65-million-in-surplus#ixzz1SMNdyNSp