In the News: Meals on Wheels, girls softball, 'woman of year'

Meals on Wheels needs help in Franklin

by Heather McCarron/STAFF WRITER

Franklin Girls Softball Association announce tryout dates

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Franklin students compete for 'Woman of the Year' honors

by Matt Tota/Daily News staff

State Rail Network Progress

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

State Rail Network Progress

via Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation by Klark Jessen on 9/18/12

Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray this week released a progress report, "Transforming the Rail Network for Economic and Community Development", describing accomplishments achieved as a result of the historic agreement with CSX Corporation.

"Transportation is the enabling network of our economy – it's about getting people and businesses from one location to another," said Lieutenant Governor Murray. "I have worked closely with many critical partners and stakeholders to advance the CSX agreement and invest in improved freight and commuter rail service. This progress report outlines how our rail system is evolving across the state, and simultaneously highlights the need to have continued conversations to enhance economic and community development in impacted regions."

Improving the state's transportation infrastructure has been a key priority of the Patrick-Murray Administration. As part of the Massachusetts State Rail Plan, the Administration has strategically invested close to $1 billion in the state's rail system through competitive grants, public funds and private sector capital. These investments, some ongoing, represent the most significant improvements in the Commonwealth's rail system as a whole in decades.

The historic agreement with CSX Corporation offers significant impacts to freight and rail service in Central Massachusetts, Metrowest, Western Massachusetts, Boston and South Coast regions.  The compact is being finalized in two parts, beginning with an initial closing in June of 2010, which set in motion the permitting processes and infrastructure work needed to allow for the relocation of CSX operations. 

The second closing, scheduled for early October will complete the full transaction.  Details after the break.
The second closing will allow for: 

• Expanding commuter rail service to the Metrowest/Worcester areas by taking ownership and control of the rail line between Framingham and Worcester.
• Raising the railroad bridge clearances from Westborough to the New York State line to allow, for the first time in state history, the double-stacking of full-size freight containers on trains serving Massachusetts. This will increase freight capacity, reduce costs, and give Massachusetts companies better access to national and Asian markets.
• Making possible the eventual restoration of commuter rail service to the South Coast by taking ownership of the rail lines that run from Boston to New Bedford and Fall River.
• Relocating the CSX freight rail operations now in Boston at the Beacon Park Yard, to rail yards in Westborough, Worcester and West Springfield. This relocation will allow for the redevelopment of an 80+- acre parcel along the Charles River to serve as a new gateway district for the city.

With the second closing, the full transaction will be complete and the Commonwealth will pay CSX $100 million in total for: 

• 45 miles of the Framingham/Worcester Commuter Rail line between Boston and Worcester
• 37 miles of rail lines running south from Taunton to Fall River and New Bedford
• 8 miles known as the Grand Junction, which runs from Allston, across the Charles River, through Cambridge, Charlestown, Everett and Chelsea
• 2 miles known as the Boston Terminal Running Track which extends from Dorchester to South Boston, including the West First Street Yard

As part of this public-private partnership, CSX is investing $129 million for rail yards in Worcester, Westborough and West Springfield to expand and enhance freight services throughout the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth and CSX have also worked together to complete bridge work at 31 locations across the state, from the New York border to Worcester, to raise the clearance to allow for the double-stacking of full-size freight containers. Through this initiative, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation has raised clearances at 14 of those locations by investing $72 million and CSX has completed the work for the remaining sites.

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Who eats the crusts of bread?

In this TED Talk, Tristram tells us something we don't normally hear or talk about.

Western countries throw out nearly half of their food, not because it’s inedible -- but because it doesn’t look appealing. Tristram Stuart delves into the shocking data of wasted food, calling for a more responsible use of global resources. 

Tristram Stuart sounds the warning bell on global food waste, calling for us to change the systems whereby large quantities of produce and other foods end up in trash heaps.

If America really has 4 times the food that we need, then the Food Pantry and others in this space are clearly in the redistribution business, and there is still plenty to do.



Approximately 15 minutes and well worth watching!

For more information on Tristram's Feeding the 5,000  http://www.feeding5k.org/

For more on his book http://www.amazon.com/Waste-Uncovering-Global-Food-Scandal/dp/0393068366/ref=la_B001ITTVXE_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347742133&sr=1-1

Parmenter modulars: 3 down, 1 to go!

More progress

Only one modular unit left on site now, with some landscaping work to do

"Foreclosure deeds statewide dropped"

Current numbers show the rate of foreclosure deeds declining although the activity year to date still exceeds the prior year. The article by Milford Daily News reports:

Franklin real estate agent Andrew Bissanti said the declining statistics are also a result of banks offering more short-sale opportunities. 

Bissanti said declining foreclosure activity may also help the overall real estate market. 

"A lot of people are waiting for things to get worse," he said. "Maybe if they start seeing things get better, they’ll get out there and be more active in the market."

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x726713880/Foreclosure-activity-falls-in-July#ixzz26oO9b1vS

MassBudget: Analyzing the FY 2013 Budget

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. Analyzing the FY 2013 Budget At the beginning of this budget season, MassBudget calculated that Massachusetts would face a deficit of roughly $1.3 billion in FY 2013. Our final Budget Monitor shows that the budget gap was filled through a combination of temporary revenue, cuts, and savings. These include: $615 million in temporary revenue, $350 million of which comes from the "rainy day" fund Significant cuts and savings in Health Care, Homelessness Prevention, Early Education & Care, and elsewhere There is no revenue from new taxes in the FY 2013 budget. Of all the competing budget proposals, only the Governor's had included provisions for new taxes. Looking across the FY 2013 budget as a whole, our Budget Monitor shows how the budget will affect each major area of state government, from health care and education to public safety and the environment--including information on tax revenues. Read our FULL ANALYSIS OF THE FY 2013 BUDGET The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income people, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center | 15 Court Square | Suite 700 | Boston | MA | 02108

No School - Sep 17th

A friendly reminder for those without school children... those with school kids already know this!

Voting for the Avery "Give back to Schools" program closed on Sep 14th. This will be something to keep in mind to set up and prepare for next August 2013.   http://givebacktoschools.avery.com/site/index