"tested positive for the West Nile Virus"

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has isolated mosquitoes in central Franklin that have tested positive for the West Nile Virus. 

To date, there has been one human case of West Nile Virus and one case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in Norfolk County.

All individuals are strongly advised to take personal precautions to avoid mosquito bites until the first hard frost of the season. 

Apply Insect Repellent When Outdoors: Use a repellent with DEET, Permethrin, picardin or oil of lemon eucalyptus according to the instructions on the product labels. Remember not to use products with DEET on infants under two months of age. DEET products in concentrations above 30% should not be used on older children. Oil of eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age. 

Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours: Mosquitos are most active between the hours from dusk to dawn. Limit your exposure out of doors during this peak biting time if possible. If you must be outside, wearing long-sleeves, long pants and socks will help keep mosquitos away from your skin. 

Drain Standing Water on Your Property: Mosquitos lay their eggs in standing or stagnant water. Drain birdbaths, flower pots, buckets and children’s wading pools frequently. 

Additional public health advisories/alerts regarding WNV and EEE will be provided by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Franklin Health Department as the situation warrants. 

More information on mosquito-borne viruses can be found at the MADPH Arbovirus Surveillance Information web page at www.mass.gov/dph/mosquito.

This notice was posted on the Franklin webpage
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_News/01BAA5A1-000F8513

Friends of Franklin Library: The Fall Book Sale

Hi Steve, 

I am in the (current) president of the Friends of Franklin Library, and was the recipient of the letter you posted regarding the fall book sale.  (The letter on the library's web site is different.) 

Obviously, the Friends were not happy with the Board of Directors' decision, but I have been working with the Library Director and a member of the Library Board (with the assistance of Jeff Nutting) to reverse that and hold the October sale as planned.  I hope to have a spot on the Library Board's agenda next Monday to talk about the fall book sale, and to ask them to reconsider their decision and hold another vote. 

The Friends are hopeful that the Library Board will reverse their earlier decision - the fall book sale is a profitable tradition enjoyed by many - but pending our appeal, had decided to delay notifying members and the public of the situation until our appeal was heard.  I guess that now falls under the heading of "good intentions." 

Feel free to post this message and assure the community that the FoFL is working hard to (and is prepared to) run the October book sale as planned. I will follow up with an update after we meet with the Library Board of Directors at their next meeting on September 23 at 7PM; it is a public meeting, so anyone interested may attend. 

In the meantime, donations of books are always appreciated. 

Thanks and regards, 

Maria Lucier
President, Friends of Franklin Library

This was in response to the letter received by the Friends of Franklin Library and posted on Monday
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/09/friends-of-franklin-library-book-sale.html

Franklin Library: 2013 Annual Report

The Franklin Public Library entry for the 2013 Annual Report has already been posted to the Library webpage.

You may recall that the Annual Report is produced each year and generally available for the election in November. As a cost reduction, fewer paper versions have been printed and more 'soft copies' via the web have been made available. The Annual Report for 2013 covers all business during the fiscal year for 2013 which began on July 1, 2012 and ended on June 30, 2013.

Rather than waiting for the release of the full Annual Report, you can read the section on the Library here:






This was posted to the Franklin Library webpage
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Library/2013Annual%20Report.pdf

Anne Rachin author of "All That's Familiar"

Anne Rachin writes:

All That’s Familiar:How to Remain in Your Home and Age in Place is a resource book for anyone intending to age with dignity and independence in the familiar comfort of their home. Drawn from my thirty years of experience as owner/director of Ideal Home Care Service, I have written an easy to read, practical guide complete with examples and descriptions of care, frequently asked questions, as well as a check list for putting together a home care plan.

Anne will be at the Franklin Public Library on Weds, Sep 18th to talk about her work at 7:00 PM

Anne Rachin - author of All That's Familiar

This was re-posted from the Franklin Library webpage
http://franklinpl.blogspot.com/2013/09/anne-rachin-author-of-all-thats-familiar.html

For additional info on Anne and her book, you can visit the book webpage
http://allthatsfamiliar.com/

"supported buying the station for a 'minimal price'"

The Milford Daily News digs into the closing comments and the change in scope for the Citizens Committee reporting on the exploration of buying the downtown train station from the MBTA.

Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting last week asked to meet with the Citizens Committee to discuss the idea. Nutting praised the committee’s work in pushing the MBTA to complete the recent improvements and said the station looks "100 percent better." 

At this point, though, he does not know how the town might benefit from buying the station. 

"There’s a lot of homework that we need to do on what would be the upside for the town," he said. "My position is the T needs to maintain the station; they’ve done a great job to date." 

And, he said, pursuing the purchase could cause problems for the town. 

"There’s liability issues," he said. "And one of the issues if we own it is we have to lease it. There are (Americans with Disabilities Act) issues. You’d have to sit down and go through all of these."

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1868838807/Franklin-panel-suggests-town-buy-train-station-from-MBTA#ixzz2f8qNgiC2

Friends of Franklin Library book sale - Oct 2103 cancelled

Hello, Steve,

As you may recall, a few years ago, the Library Board tried to cancel the Friends' book sale at the DPW. Thank you for your coverage, as I feel it was instrumental in continuing the sales. It's happening again - the Library Board has cancelled the Oct 2013 sale.  The Friends' were notified abruptly via the following letter:

As you know, the Town of Franklin has recently drafted a Master Plan for the entire town. In conjunction with the Master Plan, the Franklin Library Board of Directors is in the process of developing its own strategic plan, which will reflect the Town's plan. During this process, we must consider all sources of revenue, including fundraising. Our Library Director has conducted community surveys and focus group interviews since January 2013, beginning with the Friends of the Franklin Library. The Board wanted as much information about community needs and desires as possible before developing the strategic plan. 

Some of the initial improvements included: changing the regularly-scheduled morning programs; beginning new afternoon programs for school-age, children, tweens, and teens; updating the children's audio-visual collection; sprucing up the children's room; and instituting an "ongoing "book sale on the second floor of the library.  We are also working with an architect to review both the building needs and space requirements for the next generation of patrons. 

The popularity of the "ongoing" book sale has led us to expand it to the first floor near the circulation desk. Accordingly, we do not believe we need a fall 2013 book sale at the DPW. We will continue to monitor this new approach at the Library prior to making a decision about the 2014 spring book sale. 

We recognize the community nature of the book sales as well as the tremendous effort by the Friends and volunteers to support and to staff the book sale. We hope that the "ongoing" book sale will free your members to consider other events and ideas for fundraising in support of the Library. 

The Franklin Library board deeply appreciates all the past and present efforts of the Friends to support the patrons of the Library We welcome your suggestions and ideas and look forward to an ongoing dialogue with the Friends on our continued efforts to provide the citizens of Franklin the best possible Library in the region.

Please feel free to contact me with ideas and proposals. 

Warmest regards, 

Cynthia S. DobrzynskiChairpersonFranklin Library Board of Directors

Similar text was in the "Library Update" and posted to the Library webpage
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Library/LibraryUpdate.pdf

Wonderful wine with friends

Pour Richard's Wine and Spirits was the gracious host for the Franklin Food Pantry Wine Tasting event on Thursday evening.

Food Pantry Development Director Erin Lynch and Treasurer Jim Roche were among the welcoming committee for the more than 80 guests.

Development Director Erin Lynch and Food Pantry Treasurer Jim Roche

Whole Foods Bellingham provided some delicious fruit, cheese and crackers for snacking between tastes.

Whole Foods Bellingham

Painted Lady Flowers donated this colorful bouquet for the raffle. It was paired with a bottle of wine from Pour Richard's.

Painted Lady Flowers

Of course, there was a crowd gathered around to taste the samples

wine tasting choices offered by John Gedgaudas of Trio Wine

There was a selection of white and red wines to sample from. A portion of the purchases during the evening will go to the Food Pantry.

selection of reds and whites for the tasting

While wine was featured for tasting on this night, Pour Richard's has other tasting events. "Don't drink ordinary" is a worthy motto for this business!

the wine racks to showcase the  selections

For additional info on Pour Richard's visit their website http://pourrichardswine.com/
and visit their location at  14 Grove St, Franklin, MA

The Franklin Food Pantry thanks you for coming out to enjoy a drink, conversation and help a good cause!

"eleven residents had pulled papers to vie for the nine two-year seats"

One of several milestones for the Franklin local election on November 5th is reached today. Today is the last day to take out papers to get on the ballot. The papers need to be returned by this Wednesday, Sep 18th.

Prospective candidates for the Nov. 5 election have until 4 p.m. today to pick up nomination papers, with Wednesday being the last day to return them signed. 

The packed ballot includes all of the seats on the School Committee and Town Council, as well as two referendums, one of which is nonbinding. 

Residents will vote on whether to make the treasure/collector position appointed through an amendment to the town’s charter. And the non-biding question asks whether they would support the town adopting a mayoral form of government.

Read the full article in MDN: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1655337649/Deadline-today-to-take-out-papers-for-Franklin-election#ixzz2f30K7BBz

The full election timeline can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/07/franklins-local-election-timeline.html

The Franklin Matters offer to candidates
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/offer-to-candidates-for-election.html

Autumn Rail Trail Walk/Nature Hike - Sep 28

The Franklin and Bellingham Rail Trail Committee (FBRTC) and the Metacomet Land Trust (MLT) and happy to announce an Autumn Nature Hike on the Southern New England Trunkline Trail.

Please join us Saturday, Sept 28, 2013 at 10:00 am for this family-friendly event.  Enjoy all the sights, scents and sounds the seasonal changes have to offer on this Saturday morning hike. Kid-friendly guided activities will be provided along approximately one-mile round trip hike.  Recognize trees by their scent, bark and leaves; look and listen for signs of wildlife as they prepare for winter. A professional interpreter from the Department of Conservation and Recreation will lead the walk. 

All ages welcome.  This event is free, and you can register at  http://franklinbellinghamrailtrail.org/calendar/sept-28-autumn-walk-hike.

and additional information about the hike is at www.fanklinbellinghamrailtrail.org/calendar/sept-28-autumn-walk-hike

We look forward to seeing you.

SNETT sign on Grove St

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

More about the Metacomet Land Trust: www.metacometlandtrust.org

More about Franklin and Bellingham Rail Trail Committee: www.franklinbellinghamrailtrail.org

Where is the trail?


View Larger Map

Babysitting Taught at the Y

The YMCA has earned a reputation for programs that focus on youth development: from childcare to camp and t-ball to teen leaders clubs. Now, young adults ready for increased responsibility and earned income also have the chance to improve their babysitting skills at the Y. Dawn DaCosta, Teen Director at the Hockomock Area YMCA’s North Attleboro Branch, is offering a Saturday American Safety and Health Institute Babysitting Course. 

The class will be offered Saturday, September 21st at the Y located at 300 Elmwood Street in North Attleboro. It is a great opportunity for youth ages 11-15 interested in sitting for siblings or working outside the home to gain critical skills. Also, to gain the confidence needed to care for children – from infancy and beyond. Upon completion of the class, participants will be given a student handbook and certification card. 

Class time is from 10:00am – 4:00pm and costs $60 for members of the Y, $90 for nonmembers. Registration is available by calling the Y at 508.695.7001. For convenience, members may register online at hockymca.org (category Teens). Questions should be directed to Dawn at 508.643.5270 or dawnd@hockymca.org.

Nurture their potential

About the Hockomock Area YMCA
The Y is the nation’s leading nonprofit committed to strengthening communities in the areas of youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. At the Hockomock Area YMCA, strengthening community is its cause. Every day, the Hockomock Area YMCA works side-by-side with its neighbors to make sure that everyone, regardless of age, income, or background, has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive.

On the web: Fred Astaire opens, Apples ready for picking

Fred Astaire Dance Studio opens in Franklin

The ballroom dance studio at 475 Franklin Village Drive opened last week and already has built up a long list of clients.

For more about the Fred Astaire Dance Studio, visit their website

Apples Ripe for the Picking at Wrentham, MA Farm

It is that time of year when the nights turn cool and the apples are ready for picking at the local Big Apple fruit and vegetable farm in Wrentham, MA!

Union St brick crosswalk status

When Union St was redone, there was discussion on how long the brick cross walks would last. On a recent photo walk around town, I took these photos that show signs of deterioration.

At the intersection of Union and Washington, going up Washington

Washington St at Union St

Also at the intersection but on the Union St side

Union St at Washington St

On Union St near the corner of Cottage St

Union St at Cottage St

For the Franklin road condition report published earlier this year visit this link
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/01/franklin-road-conditions-from-worst-to.html

The Franklin DPW road plan as introduced in August
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/it-just-needs-extra-million-bucks-year.html

Franklin Library - "get organized'

The craft activity scheduled for Monday at the Franklin Public Library is themed "Get Organized". Targeted for 6 to 12 year old children, they can put together their own school organizer.

get organized

This was re-posted from the Franklin Public Library webpage
http://franklinpl.blogspot.com/2013/09/krafty-monday-get-organized.html

For other activities and events at the Library follow them on Facebook too
https://www.facebook.com/FranklinPublicLibrary

Parent Letter on Pediculosis (head lice)

The recent letter to Oak St parents that is causing some conversation




You can find this letter on the Oak St School webpage
http://oakelementary.vt-s.net/Pages/FranklinOak_News/01BA4B18-000F8513.0/Parent%20Letter%20Pediculosis%20Protocol.pdf

WMRC Senior Expo Sep 27

WMRC Expo Sep 27

Sign up for the Expo on Friday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. featuring:
• Senior Fashion Show sponsored by TJ Maxx
• Cabaret singer, Carol O’Shaughnessy performs - don’t miss it!
• Over 30 exhibitors with information about senior programs and services
• Flu and pneumonia vaccines, health screenings, GATRA ID’s and Charlie Cards will be available
• Silver Spirit Award for a senior who has shown the most community spirit - nomination forms are at the Senior Center, must be submitted by 9/12
• Free Box Lunches to the first 250 attendees; get lunch tickets at the Center
• Great raffle prizes, including a $50 gift card raffled off each half hour!
• Overflow parking at the Early Child Development Center at 224 Oak St., next to the Senior Center, with shuttle service every half hour.

PLEASE NOTE: PLEASE NOTE: The Senior Center will not open unti l 10:00 a.m. on Expo Day!!

Read the full copy of September's Franklin Connections newsletter

http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Senior/Sept13connection.pdf