Franklin, Marlborough charter schools earn MCAS kudos

"Benjamin Franklin Classical in Franklin was noted for its Grade 8 English scores."

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Franklin, Marlborough charter schools earn MCAS kudos

via The Milford Daily News News RSS by Staff reports on 9/26/11

Franklin and Marlborough charter schools are among the 15 charter public schools ranked Number 1 in the state on various 2011 MCAS tests, according to the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education data released today.

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Senate Adopts Spilka's Amendments to Protect Local Communities

SENATE ADOPTS SPILKA'S AMENDMENTS TO PROTECT LOCAL COMMUNITIES

(BOSTON) – The Senate began debating the bill to expand gaming in the Commonwealth and during today's session, two of Senator Karen Spilka's (D-Ashland) amendments aimed at strengthening safeguards and providing additional protections for surrounding communities were adopted.


"I have filed these amendments to make sure the needs of surrounding communities are better addressed and understood so we can have the best possible outcome for our towns, our residents, and the Commonwealth as a whole," said Spilka. "And as the debate continues, I will continue to fight to protect and support my district's residents, communities, neighborhoods, and local businesses."


The first amendment adopted makes clear that the initial studies an applicant is required to provide to the Gaming Commission would not be deemed to prevent the need for corresponding studies and reports prepared for host or surrounding communities. Host and surrounding communities will be significantly impacted and this amendment ensures that a municipality has the ability to receive additional studies on these impacts from the Commission or gaming applicant that they need to fairly negotiate agreements.


The second amendment adopted authorizes the Commission to provide for reasonable costs of negotiating agreements between municipalities and applicants – the Commission may require applicants to pay these costs. Since the negotiation process can be burdensome, complex, and expensive for host and surrounding communities, this will give them the tools they need to ensure effective and fair representation.


Spilka has already fought hard to include protections for communities that find themselves impacted by another community's choice to host a gambling facility in the current version of the bill. After hearing from and discussing this issue with many of her constituents and local officials, Spilka submitted amendments to strengthen these community safeguards and ensure that surrounding communities and the public are involved in the entire process.
Highlights of Additional Amendments filed by Senator Spilka:

·         Changing the definition of "surrounding communities" to ensure fairness to all impacted communities and to give them a seat at the table during the process;

·         Giving surrounding communities and substantially impacted communities the ability to vote – not just host communities;

·         Ensuring public sentiment is taken into consideration by requiring the Gaming Commission to consider the public support or opposition in the host and surrounding communities;

·         Increasing surrounding community involvement in the long term mitigation process by allowing each Local Community Mitigation Advisory Committee to appoint one member to the Subcommittee on Community Mitigation – which currently only has representatives from the host communities;

"Working on my constituents' behalf to further strengthen our communities is the reason I get up in the morning and their priorities come first," said Spilka. "These amendments were submitted with the needs and concerns of my constituents foremost in my mind."


The Senate will resume debate Tuesday, September 27^th in the afternoon.

Franklin to be sprayed for mosquitoes tomorrow

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Franklin to be sprayed for mosquitoes tomorrow

via The Milford Daily News News RSS by Staff reports on 9/26/11

Areas of Franklin, Dedham and Milton will be sprayed for mosquitoes tomorrow, the Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project has announced.

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Franklin's Express Line

The Franklin, MA "Express Line" has updates on the high school building project, the election races for Nov 8th, and the DPW recycling program:


Express Line Volume 2, Issue 5 - 9/22/11


Note: Email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the document

Franklin Food Pantry - Fall Update

Fall is here and we have many invitations to share with you…

Whole Foods Market in Bellingham will be having its last Farmers Market of the season on Monday, September 26^th from 4pm – 7pm.  Whole Foods has generously offered to donate all of the proceeds from the outdoor grill station to the Franklin Community Garden!  So please consider grabbing dinner at the Farmers Market grill outside Whole Foods in Bellingham on Monday night.

Visit us at our booth at the Franklin Downtown Partnership Harvest Festival on Sunday, October 2nd from 11am - 4pm.  Our booth will be located in the Berry Insurance lot.  The Harvest Festival is a fun community event filled with great music, over 100 crafters, farmers market, children's activities and more.

Food donations for the Franklin Food Pantry will be accepted at the Franklin Library's semi-annual book sale held on Friday, October 14th from 4pm – 7pm and Saturday, October 15th from 9am – 4pm at the Franklin DPW Garage, Public Service Way off Hayward Street. Please consider donating from our current needs list below.

Food donations for the Franklin Food Pantry will also be accepted at the Franklin Newcomers Craft Fair on Saturday, November 12th from 9am – 4pm at Tri-County High School, 147 Pond Street. Please consider donating from our current needs list below.

Thanks to the generosity of our community, we distributed more than 12,000 bags to more than 850 neighbors this past year, an increase of 26 percent. We received more than 83,000 lbs of donations from our community and picked up over 48,000 lbs from the Greater Boston Food Bank to help fill our shelves this past year. We distributed over 115,000 lbs during more than 6,300 visits, averaging 42 new clients each month. We are grateful for the 300+ volunteers who joined us to help us sort, check dates and stock our shelves with these community donations. 

Good food nourishes the body and the spirit. With regular, nutritious meals, we are free to grow, to think, to smile, to live. We aim to provide our clients with a wide range of opportunities for gaining access to local, fresh, nutritious food choices. Our first annual phone-a-thon successfully generated over $11,000 to help us increase our nutritious offerings. A Big Thank You to all of our Franklin neighbors for your support! 

We purchased 10 CSA Shares from Grateful Farm in Franklin and distributed free, fresh, local produce to clients every Saturday morning at the Pantry from 8am – 9am. 

Our Giving Garden located at the King Street Memorial Park Community Gardens is growing strong thanks to a wonderful team of volunteers. 

We are inviting all backyard gardeners to share any excess backyard produce with the Franklin Food Pantry through our Plant a Row program. Produce can be dropped off at the Pantry Tuesday thru Friday 9am – 1pm or Saturday mornings between 7:30 – 8am. 

Thanks to a grant received from the MetroWest Community Health Care Foundation, we launched our Produce Points program at the Franklin Farmers Market on the Town Common every Friday from 12noon – 6pm through October 28th. If you know anyone who is receiving food stamps, please spread the word that we are doubling their money to spend at the Franklin Farmers Market every Friday. (i.e. if they want to spend $5 of SNAP benefits, we give them $10 to spend at the Market). Visit the Produce Points table at the Franklin Farmers Market to learn more.

Consider donating an item from our Fall Needs list below.  Donations can be dropped off at the Food Pantry (in Rockland Trust parking lot) Tuesdays - Fridays between 9am and 1pm or placed in our collection bin on our front porch anytime.  

If you prefer to write a check or donate online, remember our relationship with the Greater Boston Food Bank stretches monetary donations much further; $20 can provide up to 100 meals!  Every tax deductible donation helps us support more than 850 neighbors throughout the year.

Health and Beauty Products - Shampoo, Soap, Deodorant, Razors etc.
Cleaning Products - Laundry, Dishwasher, All Purpose etc.
Paper Products - Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels, Feminine etc.
Baked Beans / Dry Beans
Baking Mixes / Flour / Sugar
Canned Meat / Fish
Canned Pasta (chef boyardeeish)
Cereal
Coffee / Tea
Flavored Rice and/or Pasta Side mixes
Potatoes
Soups / Stews / Broths
Spices / Seasonings
Fresh and Frozen Produce always welcome

September and October Volunteer opportunities:

Friday, Sept 23rd     3pm - 6pm (@ Franklin Farmers Market on Town Common)

Friday, Sept 30th     3pm - 6pm (@ Franklin Farmers Market on Town Common)

Wednesday, Oct 5th   1pm - 2pm (@ Food Pantry)

Friday, Oct 7th     3pm - 6pm (@ Franklin Farmers Market on Town Common)

Friday, Oct 14th    3pm - 6pm (@ Franklin Farmers Market on Town Common)

Wednesday, Oct 19th    11am - 12noon  (@ Food Pantry)

Friday, Oct 21st    3pm - 6pm (@ Franklin Farmers Market on Town Common)

Friday, Oct 28th    3pm - 6pm (@ Franklin Farmers Market on Town Common)

Saturday, Oct 29th     9:30am - 10:30am (@ Food Pantry)

Thank you for making a difference! 

Please forward to any friends or family who may be interested.

--
Anne Marie Bellavance
Franklin Food Pantry
43 West Central Street
PO Box 116
Franklin, MA  02038
(508) 528-3115
www.franklinfoodpantry.org




Note: for those who did receive the email version of this, I did remove the first three paragraphs as I am posting the letter too late for those to be of a help.

"You don't really think of this as a fundraising place"

The Upton business was already holding a paintball event and Owner David Painter said he was happy to add a fundraising component when contacted by Franklin Town Councilor Glenn Jones, an avid paintball player. 

"This has been a way to show our support as a local business," said Painter, noting he has run breast cancer and multiple sclerosis fundraisers in the past. "We try to give back to the community as much as possible." 

The business donated $5 of each admission charge to the pantry. Jones also ran a raffle for a paintball rifle, selling tickets for $5. Organizers estimated the event raised $500, money Jones said is needed at the pantry. 

The food pantry added 22 new families during the month of June and saw a surge in requests for food after Tropical Storm Irene because many residents had to throw away spoiled food after a multi-day power outage, he said.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x372775459/Paintball-tourney-raises-cash-for-Franklin-Food-Pantry#ixzz1YxLAzkiS


On behalf of the Franklin Food Pantry Board of Directors, I would like to say thanks to Glenn Jones and the others who participated in this effort to help the Pantry! Every little bit helps.

Franklin commuter line will be delayed Sept. 25, Oct. 2

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Franklin commuter line will be delayed Sept. 25, Oct. 2

via Wicked Local Franklin News RSS by GateHouse Media, Inc. on 9/24/11

On Sunday, Sept. 25 and Sunday, Oct. 2, the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company will perform necessary track work on the Franklin commuter rail line between the Norwood Central and Walpole stations. This essential work, which is necessary for safe, reliable service, is scheduled from 6:00am to 8:00pm on Sundays to minimize interruptions to customer service.

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