MASSACHUSETTS SURPASSES PRE-RECESSION JOB LEVELS

Note: as good as the numbers are there is still a problem: "the number of unemployed residents is still 52 percent higher than it was before the downturn struck" http://buff.ly/10pEoxx 

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State emblem

Commonwealth of Massachusetts 

Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                        March 21, 2013

Contact:–Kevin Franck, 617.626.7121(o), 617.823.7580(c)   Follow us on Twitter

MASSACHUSETTS SURPASSES PRE-RECESSION JOB LEVELS Revised numbers show Massachusetts added 19,400 jobs in January and February, unemployment rate ticks down to 6.5%

BOSTON MA - March 21, 2013 –The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development today announced that Massachusetts has surpassed pre-recession job levels. With revised numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showing more jobs were created in January than initially estimated, there are now 3,318,500 jobs in Massachusetts, compared to 3,304,300 in April 2008. Revised jobs estimates show 18,900 jobs were created in January, an increase over the 16,100 jobs initially estimated. Initial estimates show 500 jobs were created in February and the statewide unemployment rate ticked down to 6.5% from 6.7% in January. Five of the ten sectors added jobs in February with the largest gain in Professional, Scientific, and Business Services.    Over the year, Massachusetts added 57,600 jobs, 52,500 of which were in the private sector. February 2013 Employment Overview Professional, Scientific, and Business Services added 3,200 (+0.6%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Professional, Scientific, and Business Services added 18,200 (+3.8%) jobs with gains across all components. Construction added 1,400 (+1.2%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Construction added 4,500 (+3.9%) jobs. Other Services added 900 (+0.7%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Other Services added 3,500 (+2.9%) jobs. Financial Activities added 700 (+0.3%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Financial Activities gained 700 (+0.3%) jobs; Finance and Insurance lost 400 (-0.2%) jobs; Real Estate, Rental and Leasing added 1,100 (+2.7%) jobs. Education and Health Services lost 3,600 (-0.5%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Education and Health Services gained 11,400 (+1.7%) jobs. Leisure and Hospitality lost 2,400 (-0.7%) jobs over the month due to the loss in Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation. Over the year, Leisure and Hospitality added 9,000 (+2.8%) jobs. Manufacturing lost 1,700 jobs (-0.7%) over the month.  Over the year, Manufacturing lost 2,900 (1.1%) jobs. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 500 (-0.1%) jobs over the month.  Over the year, Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 5,900 (+1.1%) jobs. Information lost 400 (-0.5%) jobs over the month. Over the year, Information gained 2,300 (+2.7%) jobs. Government gained 2,800 (+0.6%) jobs over the month, with the largest gain coming from Local Government, which added 2,000 (+0.8%) jobs. State Government added 800 jobs (+0.6%) and Federal Government jobs remained unchanged. Over the year, Government gained 5,100 (+1.2%) jobs. Labor Force Overview The February 2013 estimates show 3,250,300 Massachusetts residents were employed and 226,700 were unemployed, for a total labor force of 3,477,000. The February labor force decreased by 6,900 from 3,483,900 in January 2013, as 900 fewer residents were employed and 6,000 fewer residents were unemployed over the month. The labor force was an estimated 200 below the 3,477,200 February 2012 estimate, with 5,200 more residents employed and 5,400 fewer residents unemployed.   The unemployment rate is based on a monthly sample of households. The job estimates are derived from a monthly sample survey of employers.  As a result, the two statistics may exhibit different monthly trends. NOTES: Beginning with the March 2011 estimates, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has assumed responsibility for the production of the CESState and sub-state jobs estimates. BLS has also implemented methodological changes which may increase the month to month variability of the estimates. See Changes to procedures for producing Current Employment Statistics (CES) State estimates. Local area unemployment statistics for February 2013 will be released on Tuesday, March 26, 2013. The preliminary March 2013 and revised February 2013 unemployment rate, labor force data and jobs estimates for Massachusetts will be released on Thursday, April 18, 2013.  See Media Advisory for a complete list of release dates. Detailed labor market information is available a twww.mass.gov/lmi.

Reminder: FEF Trivia Bee - tonight

Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.

Horace Mann Middle School

Always a fun night for Franklin families, the 16th Annual FEF Trivia Bee will be held on Thursday, March 21st, at the Horace Mann Middle School at 7:00 p.m.

This year's theme is MUSIC!!

Franklin Education Foundation: Trivia Bee - flyer

More information about the Franklin Education Foundation can be found on the following website and Facebook page
http://www.franklined.org/     https://www.facebook.com/franklined.org

Hockomock hockey and basketball rankings

Final Winter Hock 5 Rankings Released

After four months, the winter season has finally come to its end after two Hockomock teams competed in state championship games this past weekend. HockomockSports.com has released it's final Hock 5 Rankings for boys and girls basketball as hockey.

In the News: fundraiser, Palmieri

Hockomock Area YMCA fundraiser aims to collect $1 million for kids, families

The Hockomock Area YMCA has announced that it hopes to raise a million dollars through the 2013 Reach Out for Youth and Families Campaign, the organization’s largest fundraising effort of the year.

Boston Marathon profile: Nicholas Palmieri

Franklin's Nicholas Palmieri is running his first-ever marathon is honor of his father.

MassBudget: Aid to cities and towns - the Governor's budget

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. Local Aid to Cities and Towns To help cities and towns pay for police and fire protection, parks, and other core services, the state provides funding through General Local Aid. Since 2001, that funding has fallen by 46%. MassBudget's new brief, "General Local Aid in the Governor's Budget," describes the Governor's proposal for FY 2014. This includes: A slight increase in funding for Local Aid--the first increase in 5 years. A new distribution formula which places greater weight on each city or town's ability to raise its own revenue. The new formula only applies to that portion of funding above the FY 2013 level Our interactive tool allows you to see how recent cuts to local aid have affected each city and town in the Commonwealth. Earlier MassBudget reports have also shown how local aid works and how funding for cities and towns has changed since the early 1980s. Read GENERAL LOCAL AID IN THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET See ALL OF OUR WORK ON LOCAL AID 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 children and adults, 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

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Franklin's Birthday Party (photo essay)

The annual party to celebrate the birthday of those who were born on March 2nd. This is the date that Franklin was born as a town. The party held at the Historical Museum on Sunday.

There were buttons for the special birthday guests to wear

birthday buttons

There were balloons

balloons inside museum

There was cake

cake and goodies

There was music performed by Emma Newton. Jamie Barrett was also scheduled to perform

Emma Newton

Did you know you could see the strap used for corporal punishment at the Brick School? This is just one of many items on display at the Historical Museum.

Franklin Historical Museum

You should spend some time exploring Franklin's history. The Museum is free (donations are accepted). The Historical Museum is open

Thursday 5:00 - 8:00 PM
Saturday 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Sunday 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

You can visit the Historical Museum's webpage here  http://www.franklinhistoricalmuseum.com/

or follow them on Facebook here

Access to healthy affordable food is possible

If you believe that eating healthy is a right not a privilege, then Healthy Futures Franklin is a cause to seriously consider:




Join us for this meeting, Wednesday evening from 6:00 - 7:00 PM at the Franklin Food Pantry.

The Food Pantry is located in the Rockland Trust parking lot in Downtown Franklin. The lights will be on. We'll meet in the conference room on the 2nd floor.