Friday, October 23, 2020

In the News: Fire Dept honros their fallen; Historical Museum to reopen Sundays in November

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

"It’s the time of year when many take time out to honor those who have passed on, and the Franklin Fire Department is among them.

Last Sunday, the department hosted its Second Annual Firefighters Memorial service at the fire headquarters in downtown Franklin.

Fire Chief James McLaughlin said the memorial is organized “to pay respect to the former members of the department that have passed away, as well as past line-of-duty deaths.”

Fire Department chaplain Rick Marcoux gave the invocation and benediction. Also addressing the gathering were Town Administrator Jamie Hellen and state Rep. Jeff Roy, D-Franklin. Members of the Franklin Town Council were in attendance as well."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
 
 
detail of the side of the 1949 American LaFrance
detail of the side of the 1949 American LaFrance

"The Historic Commission recently announced that the Franklin Historical Museum, 80 West Central St., will be open again weekly from 1-4 p.m. on Sundays, starting this weekend.

The museum features a new and improved gift shop, featuring new items unique to Franklin.

This year the museum is offering two new holiday ornaments: One depicting the Ray Memorial Library and the other featuring the downtown water trough in Clark Square. Ornaments are selling for $18 each.

Other items added to the gift shop are hometown candles, pillows, mugs and more. The gift shop is run by the Friends of the Franklin Historical Museum. Profits go toward supporting museum programs. "

 

Historical Museum to reopen Sundays in November
Historical Museum to reopen Sundays in November


In the News: "State plan prioritizes three groups for vaccine"

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

"Adults over 65 will join frontline health care workers, residents with underlying medical conditions that increase their risks from COVID-19, and other essential workers as the first to qualify for COVID-19 vaccines in Massachusetts, the Baker administration said.

During a visit Tuesday to a new Suffolk Downs testing facility Tuesday, Gov. Charlie Baker outlined a rough sketch of the state’s draft plan for distributing an inoculation for the highly infectious virus once it becomes available.

The plan was submitted by the administration to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week.

“The plan also outlines our messaging efforts to make sure people know, once there is a vaccine available, that it has been approved by the federal government and is safe and effective,” Baker said. “We’ll also make it a priority to reach out specifically to groups that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, including people and communities of color.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

Thursday, October 22, 2020

THE BLACK BOX "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown" - Oct 23, 24, and 25

Franklin Performing Arts Company's socially-distanced production of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown which will play its final weekend this Friday through Sunday under the Dean Bank Tent at THE BLACK BOX.

With socially distanced staging, Charlie Brown and the entire Peanuts gang explore life's great questions as they play baseball, struggle with homework, sing songs, swoon over their crushes, and celebrate the joy of friendship. The charming music and humorous vignettes brought to life by the beloved Peanuts characters, offer the laughs and entertainment we need right about now!!

Enjoy and all-star FPAC cast including Nick Paone as Snoopy, Katie Gray as Lucy, Austin Davy as Schroeder, Tim Ayres-Kerr as Linus, Ali Funkhouser as Sally, and featuring Julian DiChiara as Charlie Brown.

Directed by Raye Lynn Mercer with musical direction by Hallie Wetzell, the production is creatively staged with the actors socially distanced. Audience seating will be socially distanced and face coverings are required.

Based on the Comic Strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz / Book, Music and Lyrics by Clark Gesner / Originally Produced in New York by Arthur Whitelaw and Gene Persson / Originally Directed in New York by Joseph Hardy

Performances are scheduled for Oct 23, 24 and 25.

 
THE BLACK BOX "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown" - Oct 23, 24, and 25
THE BLACK BOX "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown" - Oct 23, 24, and 25

 

Franklin has 33 active cases (all in quarantine)

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

"The daily positive COVID-19 test rate in Massachusetts on Wednesday was more than 5%, according to the latest daily report from the Department of Public Health.

Officials also announced Wednesday that the weekly report, which contains a town-by-town map of COVID-19 spread rates, was pushed back to Thursday afternoon.

The 646 newly confirmed cases brings the statewide total for the pandemic to 142,941. 

------

This marks the sixth consecutive day the state’s positivity rate is above 4% and the first day above 5% since early June."

As mentioned during the Board of Health meeting on Wednesday, and then also in the Town Council meeting at night, Franklin has 33 active cases (all in quarantine). This number is the highest it had been since June. 

Please take care of yourself and others. Wear a mask, maintain social distance!

Shared from the Town of Franklin page

 

Franklin has 33 active cases (all in quarantine)
Franklin has 33 active cases (all in quarantine)


 

Town of Franklin: Notice of Advanced Removal of Early Voted Ballots From Envelopes and Advanced Depositing of Early Voted Ballots

In accordance with the Secretary of State Regulations 47.12 and under the provisions of section 7 (k) of Chapter 115 of the Acts of 2020, the Town of Franklin will be opening early voted ballots at the Franklin High School, 218 Oak Street at the following sessions:

  •     Sunday, October 25th    10:00 AM
  •     Monday, October 26th    9:00 AM
  •     Tuesday, October 27th    9:00 AM
  •     Wednesday, October 28th    9:00 AM
  •     Thursday, October 29th    9:00 AM
  •     Friday, October 30th    9:00 AM

In accordance with the Secretary of State Regulations 47.12 and under the provisions of section 7 (k) of Chapter 115 of the Acts of 2020, the Town of Franklin will be depositing early voted ballots at the Franklin High School, 218 Oak Street at the following sessions:

  •     Saturday, October 31st    9:00 AM
  •     Sunday, November 1st    9:00 AM

We respectfully ask that observers register by emailing townclerk@franklinma.gov in advance of all early voted ballots sessions.

In accordance with the Regulations 47.12 and the provisions of section 7 (k) of Chapter 115 of the Acts of 2020, no results shall be determined or announced until after the time the polls close on November 3rd. At that time the results from the advance processed ballots will be added to the election day results and posted in a public place.


355 East Central St., Franklin Ma. Main Line - 508-520-4900/e-mail- townclerk@franklinma.gov 

Notice of Advanced Removal of Early Voted Ballots
Notice of Advanced Removal of Early Voted Ballots


FHS golf, and the girls and boys soccer teams all post wins vs Taunton

Via HockomockSports.com and Twitter, we share the fall sports results for Franklin High School on Wednesday, Oct 21.

 
Boys Soccer = Taunton, 1 @ Franklin, 2 – Final 
– Franklin scored a pair of first quarter goals a minute apart and held on the rest of the way to earn two points at home over visiting Taunton. Ben Moccia opened the scoring for the Panthers, finishing off a feed from Charlie Amante for a 1-0 advantage. Just a minute later, Ryan Witt set up Ethan Cain, who scored for the third straight game, for a 2-0 lead. Taunton sophomore Riley Rebello cut the deficit in half with an unassisted goal in the second quarter. 
 
Girls Soccer = Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final 
– Clare Bowen’s hat trick keeps the Panthers rolling along, having won all six of their games so far this season and extending their lead to six points in division standings (second-place KP plays on Thursday). Jamie Tanner and Riley Fitzpatrick also scored for Franklin. Izzy Arnold had a pair of assists, while Norah Anderson, Erin Quaile, and Tanner each had one helper apiece. 
 
Golf = Taunton, 194 @ Franklin, 149 – Final 
– Franklin earned its eighth straight win to start the season behind an impressive two-under par round of 33 from senior Jack Paterson. Sean Connelly added a 38 in the win while both Nolan Norton and Pat Dolan carded rounds of 39. Spencer Andrews was Taunton’s top performer, coming in with a team-low round of 44.  
 
For other results around the Hockomock League  
 
 
FHS golf, and the girls and boys soccer teams all post wins vs Taunton
FHS golf, and the girls and boys soccer teams all post wins vs Taunton

In the News: another one month budget extention for FY 2021

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

"Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday filed a new temporary budget to keep state government running through the end of November, a plan that landed as lawmakers were reviewing his revised $45.5 billion annual spending plan.

The $5.4 billion bill would be the state’s third interim budget for the fiscal year that started in July, and its passage will give lawmakers a few more weeks to put together a budget for the remainder of fiscal 2021.

The governor has said he wants the House and Senate to return a finished budget to him by Thanksgiving."

"Without revealing how the Legislature would respond to the revised annual spending plan Gov. Charlie Baker unveiled last week, Senate President Karen Spilka on Wednesday praised Beacon Hill’s decision to “hit pause” on the state budget process.

Delaying negotiations about the fiscal 2021 state budget from the usual springtime schedule, she said, allowed legislative leaders and the Baker administration to get a clearer sense of how the pandemic will impact the state’s financial outlook before deciding on how to close any shortfall.

The delay has also meant Massachusetts is one of the last states without a budget so deep into the fiscal year."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
 

CommonWealth Magazine: "Salem BOOting visitors out for Halloween"

From CommonWealth Magazine we share an article of interest for Franklin: 

"SALEM MAYOR Kim Driscoll and Gov. Charlie Baker urged the public to stay away from the city until Halloween is over to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and announced a series of weekend measures to discourage visitors, including the shuttering of parking garages, 8 p.m. closings of restaurants and stores, and the shutdown of the municipality’s commuter rail stop.

“This is not the year to come to Salem,” said Driscoll who, even with the unprecedented crowd control measures, insisted “Salem will not be a ghost town on Halloween.”

Baker said in the past 50,000 to 60,000 people have shown up in Salem the weekend before Halloween and Halloween weekend. “The mall area is literally shoulder to shoulder,” he said."

 

Gov Baker's press conference in Salem on Wednesday:  https://youtu.be/qQTiO2Kc8Z4

Scams that start on social media


Consumer Alerts from the Federal Trade Commission

by Bridget Small, Division of Consumer & Business Education

Scammers are hiding out on social media, using ads and offers to market their scams, according to people's reports to the FTC and a new Data Spotlight. In the first six months of 2020, people reported losing a record high of almost $117 million to scams that started on social media.

Read more 

This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.





Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Franklin, MA: Board of Health - Agenda - Oct 21, 2020

AGENDA


1)    OLD BUSINESS
2)    NEW BUSINESS

  • Discussion of the opening of Express Enrichment  
  • Chairman opens the floor for any other new business

3)    CITIZENS COMMENTARY
4)    ADJOURNMENT

 

The full agenda and connection info this meeting

 

Franklin, MA: Board of Health - Agenda - Oct 21, 2020
Franklin, MA: Board of Health - Agenda - Oct 21, 2020


FM #366 Franklin Lions to hold "Trunk Or Treat" - October 24, 2020 (audio)

FM #366 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 366 in the series. 

This shares my conversation with the organizers of the Reverse Trunk or Treat scheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2020. The conversation was conducted via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

In the conversation, I talked with Kristine Shanahan, President of the Franklin Lions, and Lions member Heather Sansoucy.

Links to the event page and contact info for businesses to sign up are in the show notes. The conversation runs about 7 minutes. 

Audio link = https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HrDCdGjK


-----------

Event page  https://www.facebook.com/events/337652293995243 

Register as a business to provide a trunk -  Link to register: https://forms.gle/HZ9aAPsC1sLDXXM18

Email option for info and to register:  franklinmalions@gmail.com 

Facebook page for Franklin Lions  https://www.facebook.com/franklinmalions

Franklin Lions web page  https://www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/franklinma/index.php

--------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. 

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

How can you help?

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

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I 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!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

 

Franklin Lions to hold "Trunk Or Treat" -  October 24, 2020
Franklin Lions to hold "Trunk Or Treat" -  October 24, 2020

FHS golf, field hockey and both boys and girls cross country teams top Taunton

Via HockomockSports.com and Twitter, we share the fall sports results for Franklin High School on Tuesday, Oct 20.

 
Field Hockey = Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final 
– Franklin celebrated Senior Night with a shutout win over visiting Taunton. Holding a 1-0 lead through two quarters of play, the Panthers scored twice in a one-minute span in the third quarter to pull away from the Tigers. Kaitlyn Carney scored an unassisted goal in the second quarter and then tacked on a big insurance goal in the third quarter. Stephanie Bell (from Sara Carney) scored just over eight minutes into the third to make it 2-0. Neilee Hess made eight saves in net for the shutout. 
 
Golf = Franklin, 161 @ Taunton, 198 – Final 
– Franklin went on the road and picked up a win over Taunton at Segregansett Country Club. Jack Paterson and Nolan Norton led the way for the Panthers, each carding a low-round of 39. Sean Connelly added a 41 and CJ Steel chipped in with a 42 for Franklin. Spencer Andrews had a team-low round of 44 for the Tigers.  
 
via Twitter to get correct top 2 scores: https://twitter.com/FHSGolfTeam/status/1318686659488133120
 
Boys Cross Country = Franklin, 27 @ Taunton, 28 – Final 
– Franklin had five of the top nine runners, edging out a one-point win over host Taunton. Nicholas Calitri was the race’s winner, clocking in with a first-place time of 16:55. Declan Walmsley secured key points for the Panthers with a fourth-place finish (17:29). Griffin Sieczkiewicz (6th – 17:37), Josh Anderson (7th – 17:38), and Clancy Golden (9th – 18:07) rounded out Franklin’s scoring.

Girls Cross Country = Franklin, 19 @ Taunton, 42 – Final 
– Franklin took the top three spots on its way to a win on the road at Taunton. Senior Angelina Perez crossed the finish line at 21:10 to win the race while freshman Angelina Batla was right behind (21:13) to take second overall. Senior Sydney Hawkins took third place for the Panthers (21:26). Taunton senior Lily Valcovic (21:45) was the top runner for the Tigers, taking fourth overall, while eighth grader Colby Dunham (22:04) was fifth overall. 

For other results around the Hockomock League 
 
FHS golf, field hockey and both boys and girls cross country teams top Taunton
FHS golf, field hockey, and both boys and girls cross country teams top Taunton
 

FM #367 - EDC Listening Session 2 - 10/19/20 (audio)

FM #367 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 367 in the series.

This shares the Economic Development Committee Business Listening Session #2 that was held on Monday, October 19, 2020

The meeting started about 30 minutes late with no explanation as to why. There was an expression of ‘thanks for your patience.’ Two representatives of the Franklin legislative delegation (from the office of Senator Splika and Senator Rausch) were on and left before the meeting was opened.

The meeting was conducted in a hybrid mode; some of the key participants in the Council Chambers the remainder participated virtually via Zoom conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

Links to the meeting agenda, future schedule for the listening sessions, and my notes are in the show notes. The recording runs just over an hour and fifty three minutes (~1:53)  Audio file = https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HZrzckZK


-----------

Meeting agenda  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/10/restaurants-hotels-hospitality-business.html

Future schedule of listening sessions
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/uploads/business_listening_flyer_-_final_2_1_1.pdf

My notes captured via Twitter and shared here in summary form
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/10/economic-developemnt-committee-quick.html

--------------
We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.
 
How can you help?

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

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I 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!
------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

 

FM #367 - EDC Listening Session 2 - 10/19/20 (audio)
FM #367 - EDC Listening Session 2 - 10/19/20 (audio)


Town of Franklin, MA: status moves to Level 3- Critical Drought

Franklin is included in the updated Level 3- Critical Drought region of Massachusetts. 
"Due to five months of below normal rainfall, Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Kathleen Theoharides today declared a Level 3 – Critical Drought in the Southeast Region of the Commonwealth. The other six regions across the state — the Western, Connecticut River Valley, Central, Northeast, Cape Cod, and Islands regions— remain at a Level 2 – Significant Drought, unchanged from last month’s declaration. Responding to increasingly severe drought conditions in some of the Commonwealth’s river basins, Secretary Theoharides also declared a Level 3 – Critical Drought in the Charles River and Millers River watersheds."
 
Find the press release and additional information here https://t.co/ePS4ROsLcx  
 
Shared from Twitter:
 
Available on Town of Franklin page: 
Town of Franklin, MA: status moves to Level 3- Critical Drought
Town of Franklin, MA: status moves to Level 3- Critical Drought

"None of the three scenarios developed by MassDOT expect full crowds to return to public transit for at least several years"

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

"The morning rush hour on Massachusetts highways is unlikely to return to pre-COVID crowds until at least 2024, and even more drivers may not return to the fray if economic recovery drags or if working from home remains common, according to new Department of Transportation projections.

That might come as good news to commuters who are enjoying this pandemic-inflicted stretch with fewer cars on the road, but it’s bad news for the MBTA, which attracts a significant chunk of its riders by offering an alternative to grinding congestion.

The new multi-year traffic and ridership models MassDOT developed and presented Monday prompted the MBTA to downgrade its already-strained financial outlook, placing even more pressure on decision-makers as they prepare to implement a package of service cuts almost guaranteed to be unpopular.

The new models, built using Moody’s Analytics economic forecasts, Bureau of Labor Statistics surveys and travel data, outline three potential scenarios for transportation trends in Massachusetts: one in which public behaviors gradually return to pre-COVID conditions, another in which telecommuting remains common even as more businesses resume physical operations, and a third in which the pandemic’s economic damage lingers."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
 
The three scenarios presentation doc
"None of the three scenarios developed by MassDOT expect full crowds to return to public transit for at least several years"
"None of the three scenarios developed by MassDOT expect full crowds to return to public transit for at least several years"