FTC Consumer Alert: Operation Donate with Honor continues

Operation Donate with Honor continues by Rosario Méndez Attorney, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC Last year, the FTC and state charity regulators joined in Operation Donate with Honor to stop sham veterans charities from lying to donors.  Today the FTC is announcing that it shut down two more operations that collected donations with false promises of helping veterans and military service members. Read more online https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/03/operation-donate-honor-continues?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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"No state has imposed a sugary drinks tax"

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

"The average child consumes enough sugary drinks each year to fill a bathtub - more than 30 gallons - according to two organizations that this week recommended a suite of policy options aimed at reducing kids’ access to such beverages and encouraging healthier alternatives. 

Sounding an alarm bell over potential health impacts, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association issued a series of recommendations, including raising prices of sugary drinks through an excise tax, with revenues dedicated “in part toward reducing health and socioeconomic disparities.” 

The pediatricians group said the policy statement marks the first time it has recommended taxing sugary drinks. Other recommendations include efforts to decrease sugary drink marketing to children and teens and making healthier drinks like water and milk the default option on children’s menus and vending machines. 

“We’re probably on sugary drinks where we were 20 years ago on tobacco, where people are still not 100 percent convinced that there’s a problem,” Allyson Perron of the American Heart Association told the News Service. “More and more things are coming out - the high rates of young children with diabetes and heart disease and really unhealthy weights. We have kids that have high cholesterol when they’re in elementary school, we’re seeing an increase in cases of heart disease and stroke in the young, and part of that is the unhealthy diet.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190328/legislators-eye-soda-tax

9th Annual Franklin & Bellingham Franklin Fives Road Race 5k & 5 Mile & 3.1 or 1.5 Mile Walk

Please join us for the 9th Annual Franklin & Bellingham Franklin Fives Road Race!

Registration: 8:30 – 9:45 AM
Start Time: 10:00 AM

Start / Finish: 628 Washington St. Franklin, MA (Remington School)
Run 5 K or 5 Mile courses through residential neighborhoods
Walk 1.5 or 3.1 miles through residential neighborhoods

Entry Fee: $30 prior to race day, $35 day of the race, $15 for Students

Chip Timing by Spitler Race Systems

DJ with sound system

Food Tent and Raffle Giveaways

Prizes awarded to top 2 overall male & female runners and top 2 male and female runners in each age group and top running team.

Event details and schedule
Certification & Course Details USA Track & Field Sanctioned Events offer a robust, low cost insurance policy, require organizers to time the race and award prizes based on age groupings, require organizers to provide a safe race for all participants and post the results on the internet within 24 hours of the conclusion of the race. All participants MUST sign the waiver form listed below.

Run: 5 K loop on paved roads

Run: 5 mile loop on paved roads

Walk: 1.5 or 3.1 miles on the race route

Location: 628 Washington Street, Remington Middle School, Franklin, MA 02038 From 495: Take Exit 16 (King St) heading West for approx. 1.1 Miles. Go past Hunters Run and turn left on Lord Way, the approach road to the school. Park & register straight ahead.

Register online
https://www.active.com/franklin-ma/running/distance-running-races/9th-annual-franklin-and-bellingham-franklin-fives-road-race-5k-and-5-mile-and-3-1-or-1-5-mile-walk-2019?

9th Annual Franklin & Bellingham Franklin Fives Road Race 5k & 5 Mile & 3.1 or 1.5 Mile Walk

Wine Tasting 101 - April 9

Sit Down Educational Wine Tasting Events Held In The Franklin Liquors Wine Room Partnering With Franklin Lifelong Learning

Wine Tasting 101
We all know how to drink wine, but did you know there's a difference between Drinking and Tasting? At this sit down educational tasting we will explore how to taste wine like the experts do. How the wine looks, smells and tastes will all be explained and explored.

Using these tips you will be able to communicate better with friends, retailers, restaurants and wine geeks.

Tuesday April 9 - Sign Up
https://reg.abcsignup.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0079-0003-ff1aa4301754482eaa65092f2316b8c8

 Wine Tasting 101 - April 9

MassBudget: Decades-Old Tax Cuts Now Exceed $4B in Lost Revenue

Benefits mostly go to highest-income households

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. March 27, 2019 Decades-Old Tax Cuts Now Exceed $4B in Lost Revenue Benefits mostly got to highest-income households Decades-old income tax cuts have been depriving the Commonwealth of revenue for years - revenue for education, transportation, and programs to help families make ends meet. The loss now exceeds $4 billion per year. The households that have benefited most from these tax cuts (implemented over the late 1990s and early 2000s) are those with the most income, according to a new Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) report. "These past tax cuts have had a lasting effect on our Commonwealth. We are seeing the effects now: in our inadequate education funding formula, in our aging transportation infrastructure, and in long waitlists for housing vouchers and early education," said Kurt Wise, Senior Policy Analyst and author of the paper. Over two-thirds of these past income tax cuts go to the top 20 percent of Massachusetts households, by income. Meanwhile, the lowest 40 percent of households receive only 7 percent of the tax benefits. "Reviewing and reversing these rate cuts is just one example of the many opportunities to raise new revenue in ways that also can help turn our upside-down tax system right-side up," said Marie-Frances Rivera, President of MassBudget. Read the report http://massbudget.org/report_window.php?loc=Income-Tax-Cuts-Cost-Massachusetts-Over-$4-Billion-Annually.html 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 mrivera@massbudget.org in collaboration with Try it free today

In the News: Ryan Martin selected 'Celtics Junior Broadcaster'; Grave search for America's first published poet

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

Ryan Martin selected 'Celtics Junior Broadcaster'

"Like many 14-year-old boys, Ryan Martin enjoys playing baseball and basketball. But unlike some of his peers, he already knows what he wants to do when he can’t play sports anymore. 

Ryan aspires to be a sports broadcaster, and earlier this month he got a taste of what his adult working life might look like. He was selected as a “Celtics Junior Broadcaster” after submitting a short video of himself to the NBA team, and his reward was to join the radio and TV crews for a March 14 Celtics game against the Sacramento Kings at TD Garden. 

Ryan was interviewed on air by NBC Sports Boston anchor/reporter Kyle Draper. He also joined Celtics commentator Sean Grande of 98.5 The Sports Hub for the radio station’s halftime show. 

“That night was truly unbelievable,” Ryan told the Daily News last week. “Just seeing the Celtics shooting around and being three inches away from (players) Al Horford and Aron Baynes. It was really a great experience.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190328/franklins-ryan-martin-14-joins-celtics-as-junior-broadcaster

Grave search for America's first published poet

"Anne Bradstreet was the North American continent’s first published poet, yet her legacy has largely been lost to time. 

Now, professors and students at Merrimack College in Massachusetts are trying to pinpoint her burial site while at the same time restoring her legacy and what they say is her rightful place in the pantheon of Western literature. 

“Even though we don’t know much about her, she was a household name in the 17th century, both here and in England,” said Christy Pottroff, an assistant professor of English at Merrimack. 

Bradstreet’s 1650 book of poetry, “The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America,” was a sensation both in the Colonies and in her native England, where people were fascinated by her accounts of everyday life in the New World."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190327/search-on-for-burial-site-of-americas-first-published-poet

The Poetry Foundation has additional material on Anne and her poetry
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/anne-bradstreet

Poetry Foundation photo of Anne Bradstreet

FTC Alerts: Robocallers, you’re out

Robocallers, you're out by Rosario Méndez Attorney, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC Most robocalls are prohibited by law, but scammers and dishonest people continue to send them. And even some legitimate companies violate peoples' privacy rights with illegal robocalls. Today the FTC announced several victories in the fight against illegal robocalls. Read more online at the FTC https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/03/robocallers-youre-out?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FM #161 - School Start Times Report - 3/26/19 (audio)

FM #161

This internet radio show or podcast is number 161 in the series for Franklin Matters.

This recording shares the School Start Times Advisory Committee report to the Franklin, MA School Committee on Tuesday, March 26, 2019 in the Council Chambers.

School Superintendent Sara Ahern leads with the intro and overview before handing off to Kit Brady and FHS Deputy Principal William Klements who cover most of the presentation before Sara comes back to close it out.

My notes from the session can be found here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/03/live-reporting-school-start-times.html

Recall that the applications for the Start Times Advisory Committee were accepted early in 2018
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/01/friendly-reminder-school-start-times_15.html

The Committee was appointed at the Feb 27, 2018 meeting and began work shortly after that
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/02/live-reporting-discussion-action-items.html

The Start Times presentation is displayed here

School Start Time Recommendation from Franklin Matters

Or downloaded from here
https://www.slideshare.net/shersteve/school-start-time-recommendation

If the School Committee decides to make the start time change, it would be effective no earlier than the 2020-2021 school year. As the meeting closed Tuesday, there was no indication of when the Committee would take this up for a formal vote.

If you have questions, the School Committee has been making themselves available. The coffee hour schedule is posted. Their contact information is available. Each School Committee meeting has a portion for audience input for items not on the agenda. During the meeting, there are spots for input for those items on the agenda. Take advantage of these opportunities and raise your questions.

School Committee page https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-committee

The total meeting recording runs just about 1 and 45 minutes. Yes, this is a long one. Settle in comfortably, have my Franklin Matters live reported notes handy, and have the Start Times presentation at hand.

Without further ado, here is the audio recording.





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This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but I can't do it alone. I can always use your help.

How can you help?

In particular, if you have an interest in real estate, zoning or construction, I would like someone to help us by following the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, and or the Conservation Commission meetings. I’ll provide the guidance on note taking and sharing. You need to bring an inquisitive, open mind and willingness to learn and share.

Overall:

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors.
• If you don't like this, please let me know.

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements.
Thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes = search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters on iTunes

FSPA Ballet Conservatory presents Coppelia

The Franklin School for the Performing Arts Ballet Conservatory will present Coppelia at THE BLACK BOX March 29-31. The ballet tells the story of Swanhilda who is engaged to Franz, but he has his eye on a mysterious girl sitting on the balcony of Dr Coppelius’s house. Franz doesn’t realize that she is a doll whom the toymaker is trying to bring to life and when Swanhilda and her friends sneak into the Doctor’s workshop, it looks as though he has succeeded. Love triumphs over all in this comedy of mistaken identity and the finale is a joyful celebration of the lovers’ wedding. Coppelia is an enchanting, family ballet, perfect for young and old alike.

The students of FSPA’s Ballet Conservatory will be joined by guest artists Clyde Nantais (formerly of Boston Ballet), Lucas Melfi (Conservatory alumnus), and Rosario Guillen (Franklin Performing Arts Company’s The Nutcracker). The production also features original costume design by Merrie Whitney.

FSPA's Ballet conservatory Program offers classical ballet education of the highest quality. An extensive range of training and performance experiences provides exceptional opportunities for students of all ages and levels interested in the study of classical ballet. The FSPA Ballet curriculum is based on the foundations of the new American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum. As of 2015, all teachers on the Conservatory Track have been certified in the NTC program.

Coppelia is staged by FSPA Ballet Conservatory Director Cheryl Madeux. Madeux received her training at the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts under the direction of Sharon Dante and Donna Bonasera. Ms. Madeux has enjoyed a long professional career, dancing with such venerable companies as the Joffrey Ballet and American Ballet Theatre, and as principal dancer with the Hartford Ballet. Ms. Madeux has performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe, worked with leading choreographers including Gerald Arpino, Kirk Peterson, and Twyla Tharp, and been coached by such ballet luminaries as Igor Youskevitch and Eleanor D’Antuono.

Her extensive classical repertoire includes all the full-length classical productions as well as principal roles in The Nutcracker, Giselle, Coppelia, The Firebird, Balanchine’s Serenade, Spectra de La Rose and much more. Among her accomplishments, Ms. Madeux was awarded first place in the National Society of Arts and Letters Ballet Competition at age 15, was a finalist in the Third Paris International Ballet Competition and the Prix de Lausanne, and was awarded a Level 1 Presidential Scholar in Dance. Many of Ms. Madeux’s FSPA Ballet Conservatory students have been accepted to some of the most prestigious summer programs available and a select few recently participated and advanced to the finals of the Youth America Grand Prix in NY. Ms. Madeux is also a summer faculty member for the ABT® Young Dancers Program in NY and an examiner for the ABT® National Training Curriculum.

For Coppelia tickets and more information on the FSPA Ballet Conservatory, visit www.FSPAonline.com or call 508-528-8668.

FSPA Ballet Conservatory presents Coppelia

TOM RUSH with Matt Nakoa at OCC Coffeehouse - April 5

OCC COFFEEHOUSE

Original Congregational Church

1 East Street, Wrentham, MA 02093

Phone: 508-384-3110

OCC Coffeehouse Website

The two concerts listed below are the final ones of our 2018-2019 season. Tickets for the Tom Rush show are selling briskly, so it is likely they will sellout. Tickets for all shows are available at the church office, 508-384-3110, or at www.musicatocc.org.

TOM RUSH with Matt Nakoa

Friday, April 5, 7:30 PM

Tom is a gifted musician and performer, whose shows offer a musical celebration and journey into the tradition and spectrum of what music has been, can be, and will become. His distinctive guitar style, wry humor and warm, expressive voice have made him both a legend and a lure to audiences around the world. His shows are filled with the rib-aching laughter of terrific story-telling, the sweet melancholy of ballads and the passion of gritty blues. 

TOM RUSH with Matt Nakoa at OCC Coffeehouse

Rush's impact on the American music scene has been profound. He helped shape the folk revival in the '60s and the renaissance of the '80s and '90s, his music having left its stamp on generations of artists. James Taylor told Rolling Stone, "Tom was not only one of my early heroes, but also one of my main influences." Country music star Garth Brooks has credited Rush with being one of his top five musical influences.

Matt Nakoa,Tom's keyboard player and vocalist, now tours internationally, recently performing at The White House, throughout India, and regularly with folk music icon Tom Rush. Matt's piano music has received favorable reviews in publications including The New York Times, and his film scoring has been featured by Disney.

Tickets are $45, in the church sanctuary.

OCC Coffeehouse is a non-profit organization affiliated with the Original Congregational Church in Wrentham. Doors open 30 minutes before the concert. Please call 508-384-8084, email occmusic99@gmail.com, or visit http://www.musicatocc.org for more information.

Inside the FHS Mock Trial Team's historic advance to the Finals

Each year, the Mass. Bar Association sponsors our statewide competition. They create a fictitious fact pattern. This year's case was a criminal case centered around a police officer's use of deadly force. The charges were brought under federal law as a civil rights violation. 

Teams had to explore and present on issues concerning whether the police officer's use of deadly force was objectively reasonable and if not, whether the excessive force was willful. Each side, Prosecution and Defense, has three witnesses. Attorneys must prepare direct and cross examination questions and an Opening Statement and Closing Argument.

Essentially, the entire season is one long single-elimination tournament. The 132 participating schools are placed into 32 geographical regions. In these preliminary trials, two schools face off in local courtrooms. Each school is told in advance which side they will play. This year, each of our preliminary round trials were extremely close. Franklin emerged as the Regional representative to the next round, which was held at Clark University on March 3.

From that point on, schools do not know which side they will represent until 15 minutes before the match. The two schools are told to meet in an assigned room and flip a coin. The winner of the coin toss decides which side they want to play. Interestingly, Franklin lost the coin toss every time.

This year, Franklin advanced to the Finals for the first time in school history. We were the last public school left in the tournament. The state Finals are held each year at historic Faneuil Hall in Boston. A three-judge panel adjudicates the trial. Franklin lost to the Winsor School, which has won the championship five out of the past eight years.

The FHS Mock Trial Team Roster is shown below. Giving a big shout out to the attorney coach, Mike Doherty.  The team also had help along the way from Rep. Jeffrey Roy and one of Mike Doherty's associates, Attorney Andrew Kepple.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bnvsjoEStLVQi2H0OKDoS1krq6lm0HDF/view?usp=sharing

FHS Mock Trial Team at Fanuel Hall (@MockWalsh photo)

Baseball is Back! All 30 Teams Play on Opening Day

From the US Census Bureau comes the following graphic on the American baseball teams and their respective metropolitan audience.

The national pastime comes to us courtesy of 29 teams from 25 metropolitan areas across the United States and one team from Canada (Toronto).

The four metro areas with two teams each are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago — the nation’s three most populous — and San Francisco-Oakland (the 12th most populous).

Baseball is Back! All 30 Teams Play on Opening Day

Shared from the US Census Bureau

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USCENSUS/bulletins/2395ff8

FHS Le Blanc makes listing of Top Hockey Sophomores

"With the 2018-19 Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association high school hockey season over, it’s time to look at the top 100 players in the Bay State circuit. 

New England Hockey Journal will unveil the top 100 players who played high school hockey this winter. Yesterday, we released the top 13 freshmen. Today, we move onto the top 32 sophomores. 

Over the course of the three-month season, there were many sophomores stood out as being a cut above the rest. An interesting trend in this year’s top sophomores is the fact that there were three sets of twins on our list."

Continue reading the article online (subscription is required)
https://www.hockeyjournal.com/mass-high-school-hockeys-top-32-sophomores/

FHS Joey Le Blanc ranks #30 in MA HS list of 32 best sophomores in MA Hockey according to New England Hockey Journal article.

Over the course of the three-month MIAA season, there were many sophomores stood out as being a cut above the rest. We rank the top 32.https://t.co/ScpmZok7Av

— NE Hockey Journal (@NEHockeyJournal) March 22, 2019

"that’s not a one-time problem, either"

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

"Amid an effort to reform the state’s school funding system, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is getting a new leader. 

Chairman Paul Sagan, appointed by Gov. Charlie Baker in 2015, announced to his colleagues Tuesday morning in Malden that it was his last meeting and he was stepping down at the end of his four-year term. 

Baker subsequently nominated Katherine Craven, who has served on the 11-member board since 2014, as the new chair, and tapped Matthew Hills to take the newly vacant seat. A former chair of the Newton School Committee, Hills is a managing director at LLM Capital Partners in Boston."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190326/katherine-craven-tapped-to-replace-paul-sagan-as-chairman-of-education-board

What is the role of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education?

"The mission of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) is to strengthen the Commonwealth's public education system so that every student is prepared to succeed in postsecondary education, compete in the global economy, and understand the rights and responsibilities of American citizens, and in so doing, to close all proficiency gaps. 

BESE's responsibilities include approving learning standards, voting on charter school applications, deciding when to intervene in the state's lowest-performing districts, and hiring the commissioner. The Board includes the secretary of education, a student (the president of the State Student Advisory Council), and nine members appointed by the governor. Those members must include a parent representative, a labor representative, and a business representative."

From the Board web page  http://www.doe.mass.edu/bese/

Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE)

Live reporting: Consent agenda- Closing (Executive Session)

6. New Business
a. To discuss any future agenda items

middle school improvement plans
Zub will be remote for next meeting

7. Consent Agenda
a. Minutes
I recommend approval of the minutes from your March 12, 2019 School Committee Meeting as detailed.
b. Transfers
I recommend approval of the budget transfers as detailed.
c. FHS Scholarship
I recommend acceptance of a check for $1,000.00 from Robert Seide for a FHS Scholarship as detailed.
d. FHS Donation
I recommend acceptance of the donation of a Nikon D60 Camera and 55-250mm zoom lens valued at approximately $300.00 from Ivy Patten for FHS as detailed.
e. JFK Gifts
I recommend acceptance of two checks totaling $1,075.00 for JF Kennedy Elementary School as follows:

• $350.00 American Heart Association for Supplemental Supplies
• $750.00 JFK PCC for Field Trips

f. Davis Thayer Gift
I recommend acceptance of a check for $2,700.00 from the Davis Thayer PCC for field trips as detailed.
g. Music Dept. Gift
I recommend acceptance of a check for $323.00 from various music parents for in-house enrichment for the Music Department.
h. Keller Gift
I recommend acceptance of a check for $4,098.50 from the Keller PCC for field trips as detailed.
i. HMMS Recurring Trip to Save the Bay
I recommend approval of the recurring request of Rebecca Motte to take 6th Graders to Providence, RI for Save the Bay program on June 5, 6, & 7, 2019 as detailed.

motion to accept, seconded, passed 7-0

8. Payment of Bills Dr. Bergen

9. Payroll Mrs. Douglas

10. Correspondence

11. Executive Session
a. Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 30A, §21(a)(3) to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining with the FEA/RN unit as an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the School Committee and the chair so declares.

motion to go to executive session, not to return to open meeting
motion passed, 7-0


The meeting packet and documents released for this meeting can be found online
https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/pages/march-26-2019-school-committee-packet

Not some of the documents will only be posted AFTER the meeting (usually during the day Wednesday)

Live reporting: Discussion Items - Information Matters

3. Discussion / Action Items
a. Policy – 2nd Reading/Adoption
I recommend adoption of Policy IJOAB – Extended Field Trips as discussed.

motion to approve, seconded, passed 7-0


4. Discussion Only Items
none

5. Information Matters
a. School Committee Sub-Committee Reports 
Budget - met last week, meeting again
 Community Relations - Apr 27, portrait of a graduate

Policy - TBD

Public Schools Advocacy - 
hearing last week, (as reported) 
meeting Weds evening

b. School Committee Liaison Reports 
Joint PCC - meeting next week

Substance Abuse Task Force - met this AM
school based supports, also when students make choices, balancing disciplinary transactions; student reps helped a great deal

School Wellness Advisory Council [SWAC]
March 5 meeting

School Start Times Advisory Committee

Live reporting: Technology Presentation

2. Guests / Presentations

d. Technology Presentation
Tim Raposa

(presentation to be added when published)

Technology Presentation - March 26, 2019 from Franklin Matters