Trinity Rep performs A Christmas Carol - "Brimming with creativity and innovation"

A Christmas Carol Online = Unlimited free streaming through Jan. 10

Trinity Rep's A Christmas Carol Online is now streaming for free. Simply register at the links below for your access link. Watch as many times as you want and on your schedule!

"The results offer delightful contrasts — traditional yet trendy, spooky yet warm, edgy yet endearing — that will prove appealing to audiences of all ages...streaming for free through Jan. 10, is a show for the ages, brimming with the creativity and innovation Trinity audiences have missed for months...  - Providence Journal

"...bringing invention and tradition together in a celebration of innovative spirit and holiday cheer...In a year when we have lost so much and so many, Trinity Rep's A CHRISTMAS CAROL ONLINE is an inspired holiday transformation that - much like Scrooge's own - feels nothing short of a Christmas miracle." - Broadway World

For detailed information about viewing the show, including tips for technical set up, view our FAQ page  https://www.trinityrep.com/box-office/how-to-watch-faqs/

Check out our Viewer Guide to read more about the show and artists, and get family activities, games, and recipes   https://www.trinityrep.com/app/uploads/2020/12/ACC-viewer-guide-2020.pdf

A Christmas Carol Online = Unlimited free streaming through Jan. 10

"Travel bans are an overly simplistic solution"

Dr. Angela Rasmussen (@angie_rasmussen) tweeted at 10:50 AM on Wed, Dec 23, 2020:

"Travel bans are an overly simplistic solution to new variants with potentially new properties & reflect a superficial understanding of viral mutation. They are also a missed opportunity to educate people with more nuance. My latest for the @guardian."

https://twitter.com/angie_rasmussen/status/1341773116549132300

 

"We can probably expect to see other variants that may be more effective at spreading, causing disease or circumventing our immune responses. We must be prepared to respond in an informed and thoughtful way, rather than reactively. Unfortunately, because Sars-CoV-2 is spreading so widely, the virus has many opportunities to develop mutations that give it a competitive advantage. The only way to stop the virus from mutating is to take away its ability to replicate, which means drastically reducing community transmission.

Mutations do not automatically make a virus a more exceptional pathogen. The advantages conferred by positively selected viral mutations are good for the virus, but aren’t necessarily always bad for the human host. Many mutations can make the virus better at infecting cells, replicating, or transmitting to new hosts, but will have no effect on the severity or type of disease that they cause. In the case of B.1.1.7, there is fortunately no indication that the 23 mutations distinguishing the variant result in more severe Covid-19"

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/23/travel-bans-effective-new-covid-variant

"Commuter Rail lines will continue to operate on the Reduced Service Schedule"

All Commuter Rail lines will continue to operate on the Reduced Service Schedule on weekdays through Friday, January 8th, due to Covid-19 impact in communities and in the workforce. Weekend trains will operate on regular schedule.

Reduced Service Schedule is available from MBTA.com/cr and at South Station, North Station and Back Bay.

Bikes will be allowed on board all trains.

We will be reviewing staff numbers on a weekly basis to determine when we can be confident of being able to restore the full service.

Last Updated: Dec 23 2020 12:09 PM 

 

"Commuter Rail lines will continue to operate on the Reduced Service Schedule"

wfpr.fm: Franklin Matters Radio show schedule

The wfpr.fm Franklin Matters Radio schedule for this week 12/23/20:

• Town Council "quarterbacking" Wednesday at 9:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 6:00 PM
• “Talk Franklin” - Wednesday at 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM 

 

On Saturday both shows replay

• Town Council "quarterbacking" at 9:00 AM
• “Talk Franklin” at 3:00 PM

And if you can't make the radio schedule, the podcast (on-demand) version is available

Town Council "quarterbacking" = https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/12/fm-420-town-council-quarterbacking.html

"Talk Franklin" = https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/12/fm-419-talk-franklin-121820-audio.html

 

wfpr.fm: Franklin Matters Radio show schedule

FM #421 Health Director Cathleen Liberty - 12/17/20 (audio)

FM #421 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 421 in the series.

This shares my conversation withTown of Franklin, MA Health Director Cathleen Liberty. We had our conversation via conference bridge to adhere to the social distancing requirements of this pandemic period.

In this session we talk about:

• Current status
• Vaccine planning
• Health prescription ‘Pantry’

• Mental health status, emotions
  

• Look back – one thing to be grateful for
• Looking ahead – what does 2021 hold?

Our conversation runs about 35 minutes, so let’s listen in.  Audio file = https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HB80Cd9S

 
 
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Town of Franklin Health Dept page https://www.franklinma.gov/health-department

If you have a question, you can call the Health Dept at (508) 520-4905

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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"

Town of Franklin Health Director Cathleen Liberty

 

Police reform and abortion measures return to Gov Baker

The Boston Globe has the following:

"The Massachusetts House on Tuesday approved a revised version of a sweeping policing bill, making it all but certain the state will soon enact legislation that emerged after protests over police misconduct and the death of George Floyd gripped Massachusetts and beyond.

The legislation would create for the first time a system for certifying police officers in Massachusetts and give a new civilian-led panel the ability to revoke their licenses for a range of misconduct.

A raft of revisions sought by Governor Charlie Baker, and ultimately accepted by lawmakers in both the House and Senate, included loosening proposed limits on the use of facial recognition and eliminating language that underpinned new standards on officers’ use of force. Baker also successfully pushed to keep oversight of training under his administration and police-dominated committee."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required) https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/12/22/metro/house-accepts-revised-police-accountability-bill-putting-it-verge-becoming-law/

From CommonWealth Magazine:

THE LEGISLATURE sent bills dealing with police reform and abortion back to Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday and began work on compromise health care legislation that requires insurers to permanently reimburse for behavioral telehealth at the rates they’d pay for the same care in-person.

The House joined the Senate in passing police reform legislation that includes amendments sought by Baker on police training and the use of facial recognition software. Baker, who had threatened a veto if the Legislature declined to compromise on those two issues, has indicated he will sign the bill containing the modified language into law.

On abortion, however, both branches rejected amendments sought by the governor and sent the bill back to him as originally drafted. Baker can sign the abortion measure into law, allow it to become law without his signature, or veto the bill and challenge the Legislature to override him. An override would require a two-thirds vote, which was the margin on earlier abortion votes in the House but just barely.

Continue reading the article online  https://commonwealthmagazine.org/health-care/lawmakers-send-police-reform-abortion-measures-to-governor/

 

Inside the deal: "There was still one important person to persuade: the president"

From the New York Times:

"A week before Thanksgiving, a small group of moderate senators gathered in the spacious living room of Senator Lisa Murkowski’s home on Capitol Hill to embark on what they considered an urgent assignment.

They were there — eating Tuscan takeout as they sat socially distanced, with the windows open to let the cold air circulate as a coronavirus precaution — to talk about how to get the Senate, polarized and paralyzed on nearly every issue, working again.

They were also determined to find a way to deliver a more immediate kind of relief, brainstorming how to break a monthslong partisan stalemate over providing a new round of federal aid to millions of Americans and businesses buckling under the economic weight of the coronavirus pandemic."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/21/us/politics/stimulus-deal-congress.html

And given the late news that the President is signaling that he would not to sign the bill as drafted after saying he would, we wait. That doesn't take away from the story. The story on how to broker a deal via compromise and collaboration still is a good message on what works for rational folks.

 

The ECDC December Newsletter is now posted

The ECDC December Newsletter is now posted!
You can view it here: https://t.co/30K2YTYarx

@FranklinPSNews @FranklinMatters @TOFranklinMA @FrkPublicLib @MassEarlyEdCare @MASchoolsK12
https://twitter.com/FranklinECDC/status/1341407351602089984?s=03

The ECDC December Newsletter is now posted

FHS Panther Hockey: Schedule for Winter Season 2020-2021

"Not the normal amount of games but so grateful to have what we have.  Our 2020-2021 Varsity hockey schedule! @PanthersJvPuck @FHSSports @MassHSHockey @HNIBonline"

Schedule image: https://t.co/czU8DRZBdw
 

Shared from Twitter:https://twitter.com/FHSPantherHocke/status/1341389101036154880?s=03

FHS Panther Hockey: Schedule for Winter Season 2020-2021

Franklin, MA: 1880 to 1889 (video)

Joe Landry provides this video about the history of Franklin, MA from 1880 to 1889. 

Direct video link: https://youtu.be/KHNGUCBBDjU 

Spear Phishing hits authors with books about to be published

From The New York Times:

"Earlier this month, the book industry website Publishers Marketplace announced that Little, Brown would be publishing “Re-Entry,” a novel by James Hannaham about a transgender woman paroled from a men’s prison. The book would be edited by Ben George.

Two days later, Mr. Hannaham got an email from Mr. George, asking him to send the latest draft of his manuscript. The email came to an address on Mr. Hannaham’s website that he rarely uses, so he opened up his usual account, attached the document, typed in Mr. George’s email address and a little note, and hit send.

“Then Ben called me,” Mr. Hannaham said, “to say, ‘That wasn’t me.’”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/21/books/publishing-manuscripts-phishing-scam.html

Cyber security: inside the hack of a journalist; extent of US Government penetration not known

From The Guardian: inside the hack of a journalist

"A series of abusive text messages sent to an Al Jazeera investigative programme were the first crumbs that eventually led to the discovery of an unprecedented hacking operation against dozens of staff from the Qatar-based media network, according to one of the journalists who was targeted.

Researchers at Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto claimed on Sunday that the UAE and Saudi Arabia used spyware sold by an Israeli private intelligence company to access the phones of at least 36 journalists, producers and executives from Al Jazeera, as well as that of a London-based reporter with the Al Araby network.

Traces of the cyber-attack were unearthed in July when a phone used by an Al Jazeera programme, The Tip of the Iceberg, exhibited suspicious network activity that was undetectable to its users."

Continue reading the article online

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/dec/22/revealed-how-abusive-texts-led-to-discovery-of-hacking-of-al-jazeera

From the New York Times: extent of US Government penetration not known

"The Russian hackers who penetrated United States government agencies broke into the email system used by the Treasury Department’s most senior leadership, a Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee said on Monday, the first detail of how deeply Moscow burrowed into the Trump administration’s networks.

In a statement after a briefing for committee staff members, Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, who has often been among the sharpest critics of the National Security Agency and other intelligence agencies, said that the Treasury Department had acknowledged that “the agency suffered a serious breach, beginning in July, the full depth of which isn’t known.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/21/us/politics/russia-hack-treasury.html

 

From the New York Times:

"President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. accused President Trump on Tuesday of “irrational downplaying” of the widespread hack of the federal government and American industries, saying that the current administration was denying him intelligence and warning Russia that he would not allow the intrusion to “go unanswered” after he takes office.

“This assault happened on Donald Trump’s watch when he wasn’t watching,” Mr. Biden said at a news conference in Delaware. “It is still his responsibility as president to defend American interests for the next four weeks, but rest assured that even if he does not take it seriously, I will.”

The direct critique was a remarkable departure from tradition, in which incoming presidents are careful about not second-guessing the actions of the incumbent. But Mr. Trump’s refusal to recognize Mr. Biden’s election victory, and his effort to subvert the results, has clearly poisoned elements of the transition process."

 Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/22/us/politics/biden-trump-russia-hack.html

 

These articles add to the listing of "what we know and don't know" about the cyber attack

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/12/what-we-know-and-still-dont-about-worst.html

 

"Most businesses restricted to 25 percent capacity for at least 2 weeks in ‘critical period’"

The Boston Globe has the following:

"Governor Charlie Baker on Tuesday announced the toughest set of coronavirus-related restrictions since June, clamping down on the number of people allowed inside restaurants, groceries, and other public gathering spots in an attempt to stave off another holiday surge.

Capacity limits for most businesses will be lowered to 25 percent beginning Saturday and will remain restricted for at least two weeks, Baker said, prompting pushback from some who said companies may not survive another hit to their bottom lines."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required) https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/12/22/metro/gov-baker-announces-new-temporary-restrictions-gatherings-businesses/

Gov Baker's press conference video https://youtu.be/2TaRgI-x-z0

Additional info can be found on the COVID-19 page https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-updates-and-information

Reopening Update: New Capacity Limits Effective Saturday

Effective Saturday 12/26, most sectors must adhere to new capacity limitations

Reopening Update: New Capacity Limits Effective Saturday Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced that beginning at 12:01 a.m. on December 26th, 2020, Massachusetts will implement temporary capacity limits to stop the spread of COVID-19 as cases and hospitalizations rise. Businesses must adhere to the following capacity limitations. The revised limits below supersede existing limits in the Phase 3, Step 1 Sector-Specific Protocols. Except for the specified adjustments to capacity limitations, all other terms of the COVID-19 gatherings order (including exceptions) and all sector-specific workplace safety rules remain unchanged. These limits are in effect until January 10th, 2021 unless further extended by the Governor.   Gatherings (adjusting Order No. 57): 10 persons indoors, 25 persons outdoors, applies to both private homes and event venues and public spaces Restaurants: 25% of seating capacity, workers/staff excluded from occupancy count, applies separately to indoor and outdoor capacity Close Contact Personal Services: 25% capacity, workers/staff excluded from occupancy count Indoor and Outdoor Events: 10 persons indoors, 25 persons outdoors, workers/staff excluded from occupancy count Theaters and Performance Venues (Indoor performance venues remain closed): movie theaters at 25% capacity and maximum 50 people, outdoor performance venues at 25% capacity and maximum 25 people Casinos: 25% capacity, with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to re-issue capacity rules as necessary Office Spaces: 25% capacity Places of Worship: 25%, workers/staff excluded from occupancy count Retail Businesses: 25% capacity, workers/staff excluded from occupancy count Driving and Flight Schools: 25% capacity  Golf Facilities: 25% capacity, applies only to indoor spaces Libraries: 25% capacity  Operators of Lodgings: 25% capacity, applies only to common areas Arcades & Other Indoor & Outdoor Recreation Businesses: 25% capacity Fitness Centers and Health Clubs: 25% capacity  Museums / Cultural & Historical Facilities / Guided Tours by vehicles and vessels: 25% capacity Sectors Not Otherwise Addressed: 25% capacity  Common Areas in facilities subject to EEA-issued COVID-19 safety rules: 25% capacity, applies only to indoor spaces and excludes youth and amateur sports facilities These new limitations do not impact Massachusetts public schools, which operate under separate guidance from the Commonwealth. Where no licensed or permitted capacity allowance is on record and for any enclosed space within a larger facility, occupancy shall be limited to no more than 5 persons per 1,000 square feet. For further information, please visit Mass.Gov/Reopening. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if the Partnership can be of any assistance to you. You may reach me directly via email at jason@495partnership.org. Sincerely, Jason Palitsch Executive Director The 495/MetroWest Partnership

The 495/MetroWest Partnership | 200 Friberg Parkway, Suite 1003, Westborough, MA 01581 Sent by jason@495partnership.org powered by Try email marketing for free today!

Franklin Residents: Trash Delay This Week & Next ~ Friday Only

Trash Delay This Week & Next ~ Friday Only

For more info and a link to the flyer, visit the Trash and Recycling page

https://www.franklinma.gov/recycling-solid-waste

Franklin Residents: Trash Delay This Week & Next ~ Friday Only