Voices of Franklin: Alan Earls - questions diversity of election = https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/12/voices-of-franklin-alan-r-earls-most.html
General Election - November 3
Primary - Sep 1, 2020
2020 Election Collection |
Providing accurate and timely information about what matters in Franklin, MA since 2007. * Working in collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio (wfpr.fm) since October 2019 *
General Election - November 3
Primary - Sep 1, 2020
2020 Election Collection |
FM #327 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 327 in the series.
This session shares the Stormwater Ad-hoc Subcommittee meeting held on Wednesday, Aug 5, 2020. The meeting was conducted via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.
Chair Melanie Hamblen officially opened the meeting after the 3rd member to bring the committee to a quorum. She later loses her own connection to the meeting and we wait patiently while she eventually reconnects to continue the meeting. (When she lost connection, the quorum of three also broke.)
A quick summary on the timeline for the stormwater fee: Stormwater utility fee couldn't realistically appear on a homeowner bill until July 2021 due to the software changes required to get the MUNIS system set up properly. Also need to get the other items i.e. exemptions defined
The show notes contain links to the agenda doc, the Stormwater Division page, and my notes from the meeting.
The meeting itself runs about 1 hour and 42 minutes, so let’s listen to the Stormwater Ad-hoc Subcommittee meeting.
Audio file = https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HrZ0XtsK
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Stormwater Division page
https://www.franklinma.gov/stormwater-division
My meeting notes
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/08/stormwater-ad-hoc-subcommittee-meeting_9.html
The meeting agenda
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/08/stormwater-ad-hoc-subcommittee-meeting.html
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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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A Virtual Town Hall on Race and Racism for the candidates of the 4th Congressional district race to have a discussion while answering YOUR questions on addressing racism/combating systemic racial inequality.
Virtual Town Hall on Race and Racism - Aug 19 |
US SENATE CANDIDATES
Our primary is September 1, but you can vote
by mail now, take advantage of Early Voting beginning on August 22, or vote in
person on September 1. You also have until August 22 to register to vote in
this primary.
There are many people running for federal and
state offices this year, and the final candidates for the November general
election will be decided by this primary.
To help cut through some of the confusion, I
will try to post the candidates running for offices here, along with their web
sites. My goal is to do this daily if I can; today I'm showing all the
candidates for US Senate.
(listed in reverse alphabetical order,
because.....no reason, just felt like it)
Candidates for US SENATOR
The are no Libertarian or Green Rainbow
candidates for this position
US SENATE CANDIDATES - September 1 Primary |
From CommonWealth Magazine we share an article of interest for Franklin:
"THE INTERVIEW Boston Globe editorial page editor Bina Venkataraman conducted with Jake Auchincloss had all the feel of a standard quizzing of a candidate as a newspaper weighs an endorsement, as she grilled him on past statements and asked him to explain aspects of his record. Except for one small detail: The Globe already endorsed the Newton city councilor in the nine-way Democratic primary for the Fourth Congressional District seat.
The unusual spectacle that unfolded Monday afternoon on Zoom came after the paper’s July 31 endorsement drew fierce blowback from other candidates, Globe readers, and Newton residents who decried past comments Auchincloss made on race and religious issues as well campaign finance matters. Last week, four days after the endorsement, Venkataraman announced that she would interview Auchincloss publicly as part of the Globe’s “Op-Talk” series in order to probe more deeply concerns that have been raised about his record and the paper’s endorsement.
“It is an unusual Globe Op-Talk,” Venkataraman said, kicking off a conversation in which she was far more skeptical inquisitor than cheerleading booster of the candidate she and her editorial board colleagues concluded rose to the top of a crowded field with impressive backgrounds. “Our readers have been raising all kinds of concerns about your candidacy, frankly, and a lot of those concerns are legitimate concerns,” she told Auchincloss in a tone that seemed to convey a hint of buyer’s remorse. "
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required) https://commonwealthmagazine.org/media/globe-ed-page-editor-grills-congressional-candidate-the-paper-endorsed/
Commonwealth Magazine: "Globe ed page editor grills House candidate the paper endorsed" |
Greg and Kathy Spier of Foxborough are issuing a $50,000 challenge grant to support the Hockomock Area YMCA’s commitment to support kids and families during this pandemic. The Spiers are matching every donation made August 10th through September 26th up to $50,000. When the Spier Family Kindness for Kids Challenge is met, it will result in $100,000 to benefit food security initiatives through the Hockomock Area YMCA.
Since the pandemic started, when the Y’s doors were closed in March, the
Hockomock Area YMCA immediately began providing food for people in need and
providing emergency child care for essential personnel. As of August 7th,
152,000 meals and 15, 623 grocery bags have been
provided to people in the local communities that the YMCA serves.
Every Wednesday, since March 18th, the Hockomock Y has provided free
family-size grocery bags valued at $50 each at their branches in Foxboro,
Franklin and North Attleboro to anyone in need. Additionally, the Y has been
working with school nutrition departments and community partners to ensure that
children and families have grab and go meals for breakfast and lunch while
schools have been closed and through the summer months. As the need for food
access continues to grow, grab and go meals are now offered in Bellingham, North Attleboro, Milford and
Wrentham.
“In these challenging times, our YMCA has been there for our community providing an important safety net for so many kids and families,” said Ed Hurley, President of the Hockomock Area YMCA. “I’m so proud of the work our Y has done – reflecting our mission and values - to provide emergency support focused on the needs of those challenged with food insecurity. Greg and Kathy Spier have been passionate partners for so many years with our Y. This incredible challenge will help our neighbors when they need it most and is the latest example of the Spier family’s commitment to our YMCA and the communities we are so proud to serve.”
Greg and Kathy Spier, long time Foxborough residents, Y members and volunteers, and community leaders, are committed to improving the quality of life in their community. The Spier Family’s legacy includes the naming of the indoor and outdoor aquatics centers at the Y’s Invensys Foxboro Branch, along with their parents, Sonja and the late Alex Spier.
Through the Spier Family Kindness for Kids Challenge, Kathy Spier expressed her hope that this challenge “will inspire people to make a gift to help feed kids and families and spread kindness and a caring hand to those who need it during a difficult time in our communities.”
“Our
family has always believed in giving back to the community and this YMCA. We have learned from our mom and dad the
importance of paying it forward and making your community a better place.
Through this challenge, and with the support of our community, together we will
make a difference providing food access to our neighbors in need during this
pandemic,” said Greg Spier.
When asked why the Spiers are issuing this challenge, Greg shared, “Kathy and I
give because our hearts feel good when we do so, and we advocate for the Y
because we know the Y’s reputation and commitment to helping people. Now more
than ever in these uncertain times, we all need to come together to support one
another.”
Every gift matters. To learn more about this challenge and ways to make a gift,
visit www.hockymca.org/spier-challenge
To learn about other ways to support this initiative, please contact Katie
Moore at katiem@hockymca.org.
Many family and individuals have lost jobs which has an increasingly hard
strain on people’s budgets for basic needs like food and other necessities and
are not able to make ends meet. Through the YMCA, people will have access to
healthy meals and food as a result of these philanthropic efforts and the
support of a caring community of people who want to strengthen our community
and make a difference.
For more information about the Y’s food securities initiatives, visit hockymca.org/food-access.
About Hockomock Area YMCA:
Where Cause Meets Community. At the Hockomock Area YMCA, strengthening community is our cause. The Hockomock Area YMCA is an organization of men, women, and children sharing a commitment to nurture the potential of kids, promote healthy living, and foster a sense of social responsibility.
The Hockomock Area YMCA is committed to partnering and collaborating with others to create and deliver lasting personal and social change in the 15 communities they are privileged to serve. The Hockomock Area YMCA is a not-for-profit charitable cause-driven organization with facilities in North Attleboro, Foxboro, Franklin, and Mansfield. For more information visit hockymca.org.
Spier Family Issues Giving Challenge At Hockomock Area YMCA |
McCoy Stadium Welcomes Diners on the Diamond
URCC Member Pawtucket Red Sox Adds a New Fan Experience
Everybody talks about pivoting during the COVID-19 pandemic. We all have to think about how people are feeling and how we can best serve our customers.
But United Regional Chamber of Commerce (URCC) member Pawtucket Red Sox hasn't just pivoted; they've reinvented; adding an experience that hometown fans will remember forever. The PawSox, celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, had the 2020 season cancelled by the coronavirus in an announcement made by Minor League Baseball on June 30. You'd think the stadium would be empty, but it isn't. So, what are they doing?
Instead of hosting Minor League Baseball games, McCoy Stadium has morphed into Dining on the Diamond, a unique dining experience that the leaders of the organization created. When they heard Rhode Island Governor Raimondo say in late April that outdoor dining would soon return, they asked themselves, "Who has a better outdoor dining venue in Pawtucket than the actual field at McCoy Stadium?" And the idea was born. Of course, the club is complying with Rhode Island guidelines in light of the coronavirus pandemic and asks diners to wear masks (except when dining) and conduct self-screenings when they arrive at the stadium.
"One of my many roles is to ask families as they're exiting how they would rate the experience," says Rick Medeiros, the club's head of Fan Services and a friendly fixture at McCoy Stadium for years. "It's amazing how, on a scale of 1-10, the most frequently stated number is 11. Really. It's been so gratifying for all of us to present an experience that provokes so many stories and elicits so many emotions. As a five-generation Rhode Islander, I think Dining on the Diamond is the best thing, and the most therapeutic thing, we've done in years. It really gets to the heart of the families and fans — of all ages."
Dining on the Diamond started on June 5 and has continued most Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings. During the four weekends in June, the PawSox hosted more than 900 families (which equated to more than 3,000 fans). The phenomenal response inspired more than 25 teams in Minor League Baseball to duplicate the concept. It paused in early July to see if it could co-exist with Boston Red Sox workouts at McCoy, and the big club gave its full support to continue the extraordinary innovation. And now there are more than 3,000 on the waiting list. That's 3,000 reservations; not 3,000 people. The tickets sell out each time in less than two hours, so if you're interested in sharing part of PawSox history, you have to move quickly.
To keep interaction to a minimum, you order your food online when you reserve your table. With ballpark fare and family-friendly pricing, the club added new items to the original menu, including a New England lobster roll, chicken caprese, and Rhode Island steak tips. The rest of the menu includes such specialty items as eggplant parmesan; barbequed beef brisket; pulled pork; and a Grand Slam hot dog smothered in bacon, pulled pork, and macaroni and cheese. More traditional ballpark offerings include Ballpark hot dogs, bigger better burgers, chicken tenders, French fries, and nachos. Vegetarians can enjoy not only the eggplant parmesan (with pasta), but also veggie bites. All dishes can also be prepared gluten free. A full variety of beverages, including beer, wine, and spirits, is available before and during dinner.
They've spread 33 socially distanced tables throughout the McCoy outfield. The number 33 has a real historic significance. It references the number of innings in The Longest Game in the history of professional baseball, played at McCoy in 1981 between the PawSox and the Rochester Red Wings, who were then the Triple-A Affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Future Hall of Famers Wade Boggs and Cal Ripken, Jr. were among those players in the legendary game that started Saturday, April 18; continued until 4:09 a.m. Easter Sunday, April 19; and then concluded on Tuesday, June 23; a three-day game that attracted an international media throng. And this month, the club is accommodating even more families by adding more tables on the beautiful outfield grass.
And don't forget that the PawSox have a new line of COVID-19 inspired merchandise for charity, with t-shirts that read "Wash Your Paws," "Safe at Home," and "Hands…Washing Hands" which, of course, is a reference to Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline.
Members of the Waiting List have the first opportunity to secure the tables, and fans seeking personal service can call the PawSox at (401) 724-7300, daily, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Also, just announced this past Saturday are their Drive Through Giveaways starting on August 12, they'll be giving away bobbleheads and jerseys that they intended to give away at games this season. This Thursday, they'll be giving away a Keith Foulke Bobblehead. For more information and registration, visit their website.
They're really pulling out all stops to keep the PawSox experience alive. Awesome job!
McCoy Stadium Welcomes Diners on the Diamond |
August 7, 2020