In the News: MBTA looking for better service metric; Finding a baseball team to fill McCoy Stadium

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

MBTA looking for better service metric

"MBTA officials plan to develop a new way to measure service reliability on public transit, saying the metric they have used since 2016 does not fully account for certain types of delays that riders experience. 

The current on-time performance rates track how many passengers waited an amount of time equal to or less than what the MBTA sets as the expected headway between trains. However, MBTA General Manager Jeff Gonneville said that figure fails to cover delays once passengers are already on board and additional wait time if a train is too full to accept new riders. 

“If the trip time is delayed like the Red Line was (Monday) morning, some customers, their initial wait was less than the head time, but they sat on the train,” Gonneville said at a Monday meeting of the Fiscal and Management Control Board. “So we need a second on-time performance metric to capture when people’s trips are running longer than we want them to.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190402/mbta-new-system-to-gauge-reliability


"Finding a baseball team to fill the ballpark"

"Wanted: Professional sports team (or teams) to fill beloved old stadium and bring joy back to down-on-its luck Pawtucket. 

Baseball, soccer, lacrosse — city and state officials are open to all types of athletic competition, as well as music concerts, as their search for new tenants to fill McCoy Stadium and replace the Pawtucket Red Sox begins in earnest. 

On behalf of the city, the state Commerce Corporation on Tuesday morning went out to bid for “individuals, firms and/or organizations who are interested in using, redeveloping and operating McCoy Stadium.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190402/ri-pawtucket-seek-new-team-to-fill-void-at-mccoy-stadium

What is next for McCoy Stadium?

Let’s Laugh Today on Wednesday, April 10

Laugh "for the health of it” at Let’s Laugh Today on Wednesday, April 10 from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the Meetinghouse of the First Universalist Society in Franklin, 262 Chestnut Street, Franklin!

Let’s Laugh Today on
Wednesday, April 10

Laughter Yoga is a body/mind practice for well-being that involves deep breathing and a few stretches, playful laughter exercises (no jokes or comedy), clapping and deep relaxation. It has many benefits besides the joy of laughter. It can strengthen the immune system, combat the negative effects of stress, and is a powerful antidote to depression and anxiety. 

Let’s Laugh Today

Any age and any level of physical ability can participate in this uplifting experience! They laugh together on every second Wednesday of each month. 

There is a $5 donation to the church, $10 maximum per family. Please bring your water bottle because laughing can be dehydrating. 

Led by Certified Master Trainers, Bill and Linda Hamaker. See www.letslaughtoday.com for opportunities to laugh in other towns. 

If you have any questions, just call them at 508-660-2223 or e-mail billandlinda@letslaughtoday.com.

Reminder: Franklin Art Association - Meeting - Apr 3

The Franklin Art Association will meet on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 from 6:30 to 9:00 PM at the Franklin Senior Center, 10 Daniel McCahill Street in Franklin.

Refreshments and social time will begin at 6:30 PM, followed by a short business meeting and a watercolor demonstration by Joyce McJilton Dwyer, an artist with thirty years' experience working in watercolors and drawings.

FAA meetings are held the first Wednesday of every month, September through May, and are free and open to the public. For more information log on to www.franklinart.org

watercolor by Joyce McJilton Dwyer

The meeting will also address information about 2 upcoming exhibition opportunities one during ArtWeek and one in June.

Attached you will find a copy of the prospectus for the ArtWeek Small Works Exhibition & Sale to be held at the Hayward Manor on Saturday, April 27 from 4-8 PM. Members are invited to exhibit 3 framed pieces 11x14" or smaller in addition to bins work. In order to participate members are asked to please complete this form by Thursday April 18 at midnight. (If you have technical difficulties with this form you may email your entry to FAAsecretary@gmail.com.)

Prospectus Form
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sKMkvZcrvZm_SMdIBc5y13hKhCb9rpYoYZ_kfqzIIsE/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSecD1AYXd2iEkMsH-grwyNWVn9uJM0Ag-G0XJu-jtZIFTjY7Q/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1
Also the Franklin library is looking to have an artist host an evening art workshop on Mon, April 29. Interested people can contact the library director, Felicia Oti, at foti@minlib.net.

Finally our Spring Show will be held Friday, June 14 in conjunction with the Franklin Downtown Partnership's Strawberry Stroll members are need to help hang, man and tear down the show etc.

Thanks and hope to see you at Wednesday's meeting!

School Start Times proposal gets petition "In Opposition"

Along with the news of the proposal on School Start Times, there is a petition to gather names against the proposal.
https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/franklin-residents-opposed-to-the-proposed-school?

There is also a Facebook group to discuss ways to plan against the proposal.
In Opposition to the School Start Time Change Proposal (Franklin, MA)

or
https://www.facebook.com/groups/333799380817742/


School Start Times Background Information:

The School Start Times presentation to the School Committee was March 26, 2019. The audio of the presentation was posted here on Wednesday:
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/03/fm-161-school-start-times-report-32619.html

The Summary document was released on Friday and published here on Saturday, March 30
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/03/school-start-times-advisory-committee.html

The recap of the full School Committee meeting was posted here on Sunday
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/03/school-committee-recap-march-26-2019.html

Additional info on the work of the School Start Times Advisory Committee 
https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-start-times-advisory-committee

School Start Times Advisory Committee

Try Music Together FREE - Friday - April 5

Join us this Friday April 5 and see what all the smiles are about! 

Try Music Together FREE this Friday at Franklin Music, Movement & Mindfulness 10 AM. 

Sign up required- please email jennifer@swalley.net

Try Music Together FREE - Friday - April 5

In the News: Supermarket group backs plastic bag ban

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"A group representing supermarkets and other food stores offered its conditional support Tuesday to a bill that if approved would make Massachusetts the latest U.S. state to outlaw single-use plastic shopping bags viewed by environmentalists as a major source of pollution and a grave threat to marine wildlife. 

The proposal would prohibit retailers from providing customers with single-use carryout bags at the point of purchase. Stores would be required to make recyclable paper bags available to customers for a charge of 10 cents, and food stores would have the option of making reusable grocery bags available for 10 cents or more. 

Nearly 100 cities and towns, including Boston, already have local plastic bag ordinances in place, though the specifics of those bans vary among communities. 

In testimony prepared for the Legislature’s Natural Resources, Environment and Agriculture Committee, the Massachusetts Food Association said it could support a statewide ban on plastic bags to replace the patchwork of local rules and create an “even playing field” for supermarkets and grocery stores."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190402/supermarket-group-backs-plastic-bag-ban

FHS students discussing the proposal with the EDC Nov 30, 2016

From the archives

A petition online had been created in May 2016
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/05/petition-to-franklin-town-council.html

FHS students brought their plastic bag proposal to the Town Council in Sep 2016
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/09/town-council-recognizes-helen-huang-and.html

After the Town Council presentation in September, the Economic Development Committee picked up the matter for their meeting Nov 30, 2016 (audio file of the meeting available)
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/12/fm122-economic-development-committee.html

Spring Kindergarten Registration - Apr 3

Spring Kindergarten Registration Night

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

3:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Franklin Municipal Building, 355 East Central Street, 3rd Floor

Click to access the required Kindergarten Registration Forms
https://www.franklinps.net/district/kindergarten-registration-2019-2020/pages/kindergarten-registration-forms-2019-2020

Please fill them all out and bring them with you to register your child



Editor's Note: Kindergarten registration is a key planning factor for the School District concerning the elementary schools. Especially with this budget cycle (starting July 1, 2019) which affects the new school year starting in September, getting your child registered for kindergarten now, rather than waiting for August is really important.

Spring Kindergarten Registration - Apr 3