TED Talks: 2014 Ideas

I have shared a TED Talk or two here and with this review, I am finding that there are more that I could have watched and possibly shared.

As you watch this overview or summary of some of the best ideas TED has shared this year, you can also watch the individual videos they reference. Click through to the YouTube page. The links to each video are listed in the details.

Enjoy!

TED Talks: Ideas from 2014

You can also find the year in ideas queued for you here
http://yearinideas.ted.com/2014/

Franklin Annual Report 2014: Community Garden

It’s hard to believe that we are already into our fourth season at the King Street Community Garden! We are continuing to succeed in our mission to provide Franklin residents with a place to meet, learn, and grow, by providing a healthy space in which we can share the joy of growing organic fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers.

In partnership with the Town of Franklin, the Recreation Department and the nonprofit Friends of Franklin Community Gardens,

Your Community Garden Committee:

• Identifies appropriate locations
• Coordinates design and construction of new gardens
• Develops and enforces rules and regulations for the gardens
• Oversees the plot lottery, gardener registration and plot distribution

We pledge to continue:

• Supporting our community in growing local food
• Providing locally harvested food to those in need
• Promoting increased social interaction through gardening within our community
• Developing an educational garden for all ages

We are proud to report that in 2014, for the first time since the garden began, every single one of our 50 garden beds is occupied and growing and our waitlist for beds is empty. Five of those beds are producing fresh food for the Franklin Food Pantry and the St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry, allowing us to share the harvest with everyone.

Our work is paying off in more than just produce. Recently, we learned from a past-season gardener that with the knowledge she gained from participating in the Community Garden last year, she was able to build and maintain a raised-bed garden this year at her own home.

Our system of biweekly work days, in which gardeners help out with general garden maintenance, is continuing to prove effective. Our gardeners’ dedicated efforts to mulch and weed early in the season have resulted in the clearest paths we’ve ever seen. Thanks are also due to the Franklin DPW for their regular donations of wood chips.

We look forward to many more harvests to come! If you would like to join us for the 2015 season, please visit the Franklin Recreation Department in person or online. For more information about the Community Garden, contact us at franklincommunitygardens@gmail.com or visit our website at www.franklincommunitygardens.com.

*******

The Community Garden Committee meets the First Monday of the month at Town Hall. Check the Town of Franklin Meeting Calendar for details.

If you are interested in serving on the committee, please contact any committee member or visit the Town Clerk’s office.

Christopher Clay, Chair
Bonnie Kaiden, Vice-Chair
Kiernan Reed, Secretary
Amy Acevedo, Member
Rich Clauser, Member

Respectfully Submitted,
Kiernan Reed

one of the raised beds in June 2014

The full annual report can be obtained from the Town Clerk's office (hard copy) or viewed and/or downloaded from the Franklin website here
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Clerk/annual/2014report.pdf

Annual reports of prior years can also be found online at
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Clerk/annual/

FHS Boys Hockey win

From HockomockSports we find the results of the FHS boys hockey game in the Mount St Charles Tournament:

FHS Panthers

Franklin, 6 vs. La Salle (PA), 2 (@ Mount St. Charles Tournament) - Final - Alec Borkowski scored two goals and had two assists for the Panthers who took fifth place at the tournament.

For all the results across the Hockomock League on Sunday, check here
http://www.hockomocksports.com/blog/hockomock-schedule-scoreboard-122814

Tips to celebrating New Year's Eve safely

From the MA Gov blog we find tips on celebrating New Year's Eve safely:

From all-day festivals in Pioneer Valley to breathtaking firework displays on the Charles River, New Year’s Eve is an exciting and fun holiday in Massachusetts. Friends and family gather to mark the turning of the calendar in one of the most festive celebrations of the holiday season in the Commonwealth. 

While communities come together to kick-start 2015, it’s important to stay safe while celebrating. The Highway Safety Division (HSD) and the Department of Fire Services (DFS) of Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) provide tips and resources to make sure you and your family safely ring in 2015.

photo from MA Gov posting

Continue reading to find the safety tips
http://blog.mass.gov/blog/holidays/celebrate-new-years-eve-safely-in-massachusetts/


First Night Boston - http://www.firstnightboston.org/

"acts of kindness can greatly improve the lives of others"

From the MA Gov blog they have an article with good tips on how to donate wisely this holiday season.

How to Donate

Charitable organizations provide a variety of services to those most in need. With many charities asking for your assistance, it’s important to give wisely.

1. Find a cause you are passionate about – Donating can directly benefit the issues you care about the most. Looking to help the homeless and the hungry? Reach out to one of the many food banks in the Commonwealth. If you love animals, contacting an animal shelter for information on contributing can be a great idea. Additionally, you can assist families in need by providing baby supplies, books, clothes, and household items.

2. Research the charity – As part of the “Donating Dos and Don’ts” it’s important to know to where your money is going. While most foundations are reputable and legitimate there are few that are not. Whensupporting and evaluating charities you can review the organization’s federal Form 990, search through the Non-Profits & Charities Document database, or ask directly for their financial statements.

3. Document your donations – Many contributions are tax deductible. In order to be eligible for deductions, keep track of how much you’ve given and to what organizations, obtain a receipt for your donation if possible.

4. Encourage family and friends – Giving charitably to others promotes community ties and bring happiness to those who need it most. Telling those close to you about opportunities to donate can inspire them to do the same.

screen grab of MA Gov article on charitable donations

Read the full article here

http://blog.mass.gov/blog/consumer-advice/4-tips-for-donating-this-holiday-season/

While there are many worthy charitable organizations in Franklin, for a year end taxable contribution, I would recommend helping the Food Pantry.

Food and non-food donations can be placed in the bin by the Food Pantry front door at 43 West Central St. Please be mindful of what you leave given the weather conditions. 

Financial contributions can be mailed to Franklin Food Pantry, PO Box 116, Franklin, MA  02038 or made securely through our webpage:  

donate securely here

Disclosure: I volunteer some of my time for the Board of Directors of the Franklin Food Pantry where I serve as Board Secretary and Chairperson of the Communications Committee.

This was also shared on the Franklin Food Pantry page here
http://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/2014/12/acts-of-kindness-can-greatly-improve.html

FHS Boys Basketball and Hockey teams win

From Hockomock Sports we find the results from Saturday:

Boys Basketball

FHS Panthers

Franklin, 65 vs. Catholic Central (NY), 55 - Final - Tim Prunier led the Panthers with a team-high 20 points and senior Marcus Giese added 14 rebounds in the Panthers win.

Boys Hockey

Franklin, 1 vs. La Salle, 1 - Final - Ryan Spillane scored in overtime to give the Panthers the win but the game finishes as a tie for MIAA purposes.

Complete results from Hockomock League action on Saturday can be found here
http://www.hockomocksports.com/blog/hockomock-schedule-scoreboard-122714

Franklin Annual Report 2014: Conservation Commission

The Franklin Conservation Commission is responsible for promoting and developing the natural resources of Franklin and protecting the watershed resources of Franklin. A large part of the Commission’s attention is directed to administering Massachusetts and Franklin wetland protection laws. Those laws require the Commission to hold public hearings or meetings before issuing a permit to work in or within 100 feet of a wetland, or 200 feet of a perennial stream.

The Commission is comprised of up to seven volunteer residents appointed for three year terms by the Town Administrator. The Commission may also have up to two non-voting associate members. The members of the Commission have diverse professional experience related to environmental science, biology, engineering, landscape design, and project management. Because of their different backgrounds, each commissioner is able to offer a different perspective during the review of applications for a wetland permit that ultimately benefits Franklin.

In November 2013, the Town hired George Russell, AICP, as Conservation Agent. George is a Professional Planner/Conservation Agent with over 30 years of experience in the field. Franklin was well represented at the annual conference of the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions in March, with Commissioners attending classes and workshops and talking with other Commissioners from across the state as well as lawyers, ecologists and engineers active in conservation.

In 2012, the EPA adopted regulations to reduce the amount of phosphorus in storm water runoff into the Charles River basin, with Franklin, Bellingham and Milford as the pilot communities. These regulations are in response to the public health threat posed by outbreaks of toxic algae blooms downstream fostered by high levels of phosphorus from storm water runoff. These regulations will require properties with more than two acres of imperious surfaces to improve storm water runoff treatment. Currently these regulations remain at a standstill as the EPA continues to work out the regulatory details. The Commission monitors the status of these regulations while encouraging and advising on appropriate stormwater management practices where applicable in Conservation jurisdiction.

The Commission continues to work on the DelCarte Area (aka the Franklin Reservoirs) off of Pleasant Street. There are a series of seven “structures” (six are dams that had been originally used for cranberry farming, the seventh is a stone wall that beavers had dammed) along Miller brook thru the 100+ acre DelCarte Area. The dams are identified serially from Dam #1 located closest to downtown adjacent to the MBTA Dean station to #6 located furthest downstream, closest to Miller Street. In 2012-3, rehabilitation of Dam #4 was completed and the work was been approved by the State Office of Dam Safety. Several Eagle Scout and school/class projects have been completed in the DelCarte and Dacey Field areas. These projects have helped in the clearing of trails and the erecting of educational signage.

Since the last annual report, the Conservation Commission has received 51 permit applications to work within the area under their permitting jurisdiction. These applications range from the removal of dead trees in a buffer zone, to the construction of 55 single family condominiums in a designed development. The Commission also issued 38 certificate of completion for various projects and granted 5 extensions to allow projects to finish.

The Commission would like to draw the attention of the Town’s residents to the many protected natural areas in the Town and the opportunities for passive recreation they enable:

• The DelCarte Area, with parking off of Pleasant Street, has recently improved walking trails through woodlands along a series of ponds. A permit has been approved for installation of a canoe launch and an above-water boardwalk to completely connect the trail system; Dam Restoration, DelCarte Recreation Area
• The Town Forest has good access points off of both Summer Street and Russet Hill Road with a network of walking trails thru woodlands and across Uncas Brook;
• There is a network of recently improved walking trails that cross Shepards Brook and go thru fields and woods behind the Dacey Recreation Area off Lincoln Street;
• Indian Rock has good access off of both King Phillip Road and Lost Horse Trail with walking trails thru woodlands near two large vernal pools and to the top of historic Indian Rock;
• The Metacomet Land Trust owns several pieces of protected land, notably the walking trails off of Bridle Path and The Lady Bug Trail near JFK school;
• The Franklin State Forest is accessible off of Grove Street and Forge Hill Road and boasts an extensive network of walking and ORV trails;
• The SNETT trail goes all the way to Douglas. There is a Town parking lot off of Grove Street; (The town has a grant application pending with the state to improve this trail.)
• The expansive marsh near Interstate 495 exit #17 is the US Army Corps of Engineers Natural Valley Flood Storage Project, preserved to protect against downstream flooding in the Charles River basin. That marsh is along Mine Brook, the largest stream in town, draining about half of Franklin, starting at the extreme south end of Franklin, passing underneath Washington Street, Beaver Street, 495, Grove Street, West Central Street, 495 again, Beech Street, and Pond Street before finally meeting the Charles River on the Medway border.
• Other significant streams in Franklin include Shepards Brook, Miller Brook, Uncas Brook and Bubbling Brook. Lake Populatic is part of the Charles River, the other navigable ponds in Franklin are Spring (Green’s) Pond, Beaver Pond, and Uncas Pond, the last two of which are listed as Great Ponds by Mass DEP. There are many other natural areas in Franklin waiting to be explored.

The Commission would also like the town residents to be aware of the potential tax savings of M.G. L. Chapter 61 (forest land), 61A (agricultural land) and 61B (recreational land). Such programs are designed to benefit the land owner via reducing the tax burden as well as to preserving and maintaining the quality and quantity of environmentally sensitive and natural areas within the commonwealth.

Conservation Commission Members:
Jeff Livingstone – Chair
Paul Harrington
Marc Depoto - - Vice Chair 
Ravi Pendkar
Mark Cataldo 
Steve Younis
Dayna Gill

Respectfully submitted,

Jeff Livingstone, Chair

floating bridge was added to DelCarte to allow the trails to loop around the pond

Please visit our website for additional information including application forms, and regularly posted
Conservation Commission agendas and meeting minutes at www.franklin.ma.us.



The full annual report can be obtained from the Town Clerk's office (hard copy) or viewed and/or downloaded from the Franklin website here
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Clerk/annual/2014report.pdf

Annual reports of prior years can also be found online at
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Clerk/annual/