Jim Smith: Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer Fight

From the GoFundMe page created by Emilie Smith: 

"My uncle Jim, a father of two teenagers, has been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He is an incredible and humorous person who has spent the last 19 years caring for my two cousins as well as my sister and me. He has taught me about music and the bigger meanings in life since I was born. He still has two teens to put through college, as well as bills and this diagnosis has come at the worst time (job loss, financial struggles). 

This money will go into a non-profit my dad and I have created at EastBoca.org, and the money will pay for a variety of my uncles bills that he will struggle to pay. Any donations are extremely appreciated! All of you are so wonderful for helping!"

To contribute to this cause, visit the GoFundMe page 
https://www.gofundme.com/stage-4-pancreatic-cancer-fight

Jim Smith: Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer Fight 

Via the Twitterverse

A Go Fund Me page has been set up for the Smith Family. Any donations would be greatly appreciated. Please keep Jim, Susan, Katy and Hannah in your prayers.https://t.co/czo1fGz1i8

— Terry Nolan Fenton (@nolan1051) June 29, 2018

Fiscal Year 2019 First Quarter Real Estate and Personal Property Tax Bills

Fiscal Year 2019 First Quarter Real Estate and Personal Property Tax Bills will be mailed out on Friday, June 29, 2018. The due date for these bills is, August 1, 2018.

You can pay online at http://www.franklinma.gov/home/pages/online-payments


Reminders:

• Payments received after the due date are charged 14% interest.
• If you are mailing in your payment, please be sure to include the remittance copy with your check.
• If you choose to use your Online Banking to pay your bills, please remember to reference the bill number(s) you are paying.

Fiscal Year 2019 First Quarter Real Estate and Personal Property Tax Bills

Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA: FRI 6/29/18 - THU 7/5/18

FRIDAY 6/29/18
9:30am   Family Yoga @ Franklin Public Library
10am-12pm   Knitting Group @ Franklin Public Library
10:30am   Nonagenarian Celebration @ Franklin Senior Center
12-6pm   NO Farmers Market due to 4th of July festivities @ Town Common
1pm   Joe Landry’s Historic Slides and Videos - Franklin Pool @ Franklin Senior Center
6-10pm   Franklin’s 4th of July Celebrations @ Town Common

SATURDAY 6/30/18
10am-1pm   Franklin Historical Museum Open
10:30am   Musical Yoga @ Franklin Public Library
11am-10pm   Franklin’s 4th of July Celebrations @ Town Common

SUNDAY 7/1/18
1-4pm   Franklin Historical Museum Open
1-10pm   Franklin’s 4th of July Celebrations @ Town Common

MONDAY 7/2/18
10:30am   Animal Affair @ Franklin Public Library
10:30am   Move Along @ Franklin Public Library
1pm   Garden Storytime @ Franklin Public Library
6-10pm   Franklin’s 4th of July Celebrations @ Town Common

TUESDAY 7/3/18
All Day   Drop In Craft @ Franklin Public Library
1pm   Family Book Tasting Event @ Franklin Public Library
6-10pm   Franklin’s 4th of July Celebrations @ Town Common
7pm   Friends of Franklin Library Book Group @ Franklin Public Library
9:30pm   Fireworks @ FHS

WEDNESDAY 7/4/18
All Day   Library Closed
12-5pm  Franklin’s 4th of July Celebrations @ Town Common

THURSDAY 7/5/18
9:30am   Baby Tummy Time @ Franklin Public Library
10:30am   Pre-K Story and Craft @ Franklin Public Library
5-8pm   Franklin Historical Museum Open
7pm   Healing Hearts Community Support Group @ Franklin YMCA

For the Town of Franklin Public Calendar click HERE.

For all other events and Franklin happenings click HERE.

*To submit an event for the Community Calendar, please use this FORM

Franklin 4th of July schedule for Friday, June 29

The schedule for the Franklin 4th of July celebration for Friday, June 29

• 6-10 PM - Rides and food booths open
• 7-10 PM - Groove Doctors (a seven piece rock-soul-blues-funk whirlwind)

For more about the Groove Docotors http://www.groove-doctors.com/

the Groove Docotors http://www.groove-doctors.com/

Food Booths:
Democratic Party — Pizza and water
Knights of Columbus — Hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and Gatorade
Republican Party — Corn dogs, nachos and root beer floats
Rod & Gun Club — Fried dough and French fries
Temple Etz Chaim — Soft pretzels, fresh squeezed lemonade and a raffle board
4th of July Coalition — Soda, seltzer water and ice cream


View the full schedule or download a copy (PDF) here
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ruYRILk6bmkiq32hDsndMPOiQSA6vJbL/view?usp=sharing

Visit the 4th of July website for updates  https://www.franklin4th.com/
Consider contributing to the nonprofit volunteer based organization that does all the work to put this event together. There is a donation button on the webpage.

The big slide is set up near the Single Solder Monument

Anniversary: Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 - why does this matter?

Summer travel is here and the Mass Pike or i90 is one of the major gateways. The interstate highway system grew over the years but was actually born on June 29. From the US Census:

"June 29 marks the anniversary of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. Observe this historic day with our activity “The Highway System” that uses an interactive data visualization to examine population density along Interstate 90."

Interactive data visualization
https://www.census.gov/dataviz/visualizations/031/

Anniversary: Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956

More info on the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Aid_Highway_Act_of_1956

MassBudget: Minimum wage increase would raise earnings of low- and middle-income families

Frequently asked questions

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. June 27, 2018 Minimum wage increase would raise earnings of low- and middle-income families In a well-functioning economy, people who work full time should be able to earn enough to support themselves and their families. That's important for families and for the overall economy, which relies on consumer spending to keep local businesses thriving. Last week, in response to a multiyear grassroots campaign, the Massachusetts Legislature enacted House Bill 4640, which, among other things, would increase the Massachusetts minimum wage from $11 an hour to $15 by 2023. The bill would also increase the minimum wage that employers are obligated to pay tipped workers from $3.75 to $6.75 by 2023. The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) has published an analysis of the minimum wage provisions in the bill, which now awaits the Governor's signature or veto. The report, FAQ: The Massachusetts $15 Minimum Wage Proposal, finds the increase would raise the wages of about 840,000 Massachusetts workers, or 25 percent of the workforce. Of those who will be directly affected by a minimum wage increase, 90 percent are at least 20 years old, 56 percent are women, and 55 percent work full-time. Read the report here. 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

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, 15 Court Square, Suite 700, Boston, MA 02108 Sent by nberger@massbudget.org in collaboration with Try it free today

BFCCPS hold Groundbreaking Ceremony - June 27

The Benjamin Franklin Educational Foundation on behalf of the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School (BFCCPS) is pleased to announce that construction has begun in preparation for the school’s upcoming move to 500 Financial Park Drive in Franklin.

The Foundation hosted a Groundbreaking Ceremony at the new site on the morning of June 27th. Special guests included Massachusetts State Representative Jeffrey Roy and Franklin Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting.

Donald Tappin, President of the Benjamin Franklin Educational Foundation greeted attendees to the ceremony stating “We are very excited for the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School, after almost a quarter century as one of the best performing schools in the state, to finally have a home of its own. We look forward to having the capacity to bring our academic success and most importantly, the culture of character development and community service to even more students and their families. This project of ours has been a long-time in the making and would not have been possible without the steadfast commitment of many individuals.”

Massachusetts State Representative Jeffrey Roy presented the school with a special citation on behalf of the House of Representatives in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts offering the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School a sincere congratulations in recognition of the next chapter in the school’s educational journey.

Head of School Heather Zolnowski closed the ceremony sharing “I am honored to be able to speak on behalf of the students, faculty, staff and parents of BFCCPS to thank everyone who worked so hard over the past 6 years to make this dream a reality. This is an exciting time in the history of the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School. The new facility and grounds will provide the administration and faculty with the opportunity to enhance an already very successful academic program, provide a comfortable and safe environment for students, faculty and staff and secure the schools future for decades to come. Our expanded school facility will allow us to address our historically long waiting list for enrollment and welcome more students into our school community than ever before. These opportunities would not be possible without the collaboration, hard work and dedication of the people standing before us today.”

Following the ”turning of the soil” invited guests received a tour to highlight progress at the site. The building’s foundation has been poured, and steel delivery for the building’s frame has commenced. The new 72,000 square foot facility will open for the 2019-2020 school year. Event photography and aerial photography of the site are available here.

The Benjamin Franklin Educational Foundation secured funding for the new school primarily through a $24,550,000 tax-exempt bond issued by MassDevelopment and purchased by Citizens Bank with participation by HarborOne Bank, Websterfive Bank and Radius Bank. The bond financing was supplemented with a $2,000,000 loan provided by The Property and Casualty Initiative.

The Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School opened in 1995 and is one of the original 13 Charter Schools in the state of Massachusetts. Priority in the schools annual enrollment lottery is given first to siblings of current students, then to residents of Bellingham, Blackstone, Franklin, Holliston, Hopedale, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Millis, Milville, Norfolk, Plainville, Upton, Walpole, and Wrentham.

The educational program at BFCCPS offers a strategic partnership with parents, rigorous academic program, foreign language instruction, commitment to arts education, character education, and community service activities.

For the 2019-2020 academic year, BFCCPS will increase enrollment from 50 students to 92 students per grade in Grades Kindergarten through Grade Five resulting in a total of 290 new spaces. Applications for the 2019-2020 school year will go live on November 1, 2018.

Over the next ten years, enrollment will expand from the current cap of 450 students to a total of 900 students. Families that are interested in enrollment at BFCCPS can learn more at www.bfccps.org/about/enrollment and candidates for employment are encouraged to follow http://bfccps.org/about/employment for ongoing information.

BFCCPS hold Groundbreaking Ceremony - June 27