Saturday, January 2, 2021

New Public Hours at The Municipal Building begin Monday, Jan 4

New Public Hours at The Municipal Building

Beginning Monday, January 4th, the Municipal Building will be open to the public Monday - Thursday from 8 AM - 2 PM and on Fridays from 8 AM - 1 PM.

All departments are available during regular business hours via email and by phone.

Visit our website at www.franklinma.gov for all contact information. 


Shared from the Town of Franklin page  https://www.franklinma.gov/home/news/new-public-hours-municipal-building

New Public Hours at The Municipal Building begin Monday, Jan 4
New Public Hours at The Municipal Building begin Monday, Jan 4


Franklin Cultural District Newsletter and Partners - January 11 meeting

I am writing to share a message from Nancy Schoen, Chair,  Franklin Cultural District Committee.  

Thank you, 
Pandora

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

Hello Franklin Cultural District Partners,

We hope you are all well and that you have been able to enjoy the holiday season. The January issue of the Franklin Cultural District newsletter is in the works. Once again we will be including a Partners update. As we begin the New Year please let us know what is happening with your business, organization or institution. 
  • Is there something that you are doing to kick off the New Year? 
  • Are you planning any new events in person or online?
  • Will you be having any new arts and culture performances or presentations?
  • Will you be offering any new dining or shopping opportunities?
  • Will you be sponsoring any educational events?
  • Will you be collaborating with any other Cultural District Partners to plan a new event?
We would love to highlight and share all of the wonderful things that are happening here in Franklin!  Please send your news, pictures, and events to:
Pandora Carlucci at pcarluccifranklinculture@gmail.com and we will work to add your story to the newsletter.

The January edition of the Franklin Cultural District Newsletter will be published on Friday,  January 15th. We will need all of your news and information by Monday, January 11th. If you have any questions, please let us know. Your news and stories are important to us! We look forward to hearing from you.

The Franklin Cultural District Committee will be hosting the first Cultural District Partner's meeting of 2021. This meeting will be on Monday, January 11th at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. The featured speaker  will be Athena Pandolf, the Executive Director of the Natick Center Cultural District. Below you will find the meeting link for this meeting.

Cultural District Partners Meeting
January 11, 2021 7:00 PM


Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81010802205
Meeting ID: 810 1080 2205

One tap mobile
+13017158592,,81010802205# US (Washington D.C)

Dial by your location
        +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 810 1080 2205
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdjeHqOjfz  


We hope you will all join us.

With sincere appreciation from the entire Franklin Cultural District Committee,

Nancy Schoen
Chair, Franklin Cultural District Committee

FCD: Newsletter and Partners - January 11 meeting
FCD: Newsletter and Partners - January 11 meeting


New York Times: "FAFSA’s Expected Family Contribution Is Going Away"

For anyone who had to file a FAFSA for their college student, this is a change.

From the New York Times:
"FAFSA’s Expected Family Contribution Is Going Away. Good Riddance.
The dollar figure that the federal financial aid form spits out has long left families confused and despondent. And then there are those great expectations."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)


New York Times: "FAFSA’s Expected Family Contribution Is Going Away"
New York Times: "FAFSA’s Expected Family Contribution Is Going Away"


The Washington Post: "Congress overrides a Trump veto for the first time"


Congress overrides a Trump veto for the first time with Senate vote on defense bill https://t.co/SMceouKirR


A subscription for each newspaper may be required to continue reading the articles online

Mass Cultural Council: virtual reading series featuring MA literary artists

Via @masscultural
We've assembled a virtual reading series featuring MA literary artists @simoneivory, @grnethercott, @annavqross, @wvstrautmann, and @Shilpits
Listen now: https://t.co/DHaP8MzyAa

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/masscultural/status/1344645025905463298?s=03


Literary artists who’ve shared a reading of their work (clockwise from top left): Alexis Ivy, Simone John, GennaRose Nethercott, Shilpi Suneja, Jacob Strautmann, and Anna VQ Ross.]
Literary artists who’ve shared a reading of their work (clockwise from top left): Alexis Ivy, Simone John, GennaRose Nethercott, Shilpi Suneja, Jacob Strautmann, and Anna VQ Ross.] Photo from @masscultural

Boston Globe: MA "lawmakers oppose Comcast’s plan to charge home Internet users extra"

The Boston Globe has the following:
"Dozens of Massachusetts lawmakers are calling on Comcast to rescind its plan to charge home Internet users extra fees for exceeding monthly “data caps.”

“We strongly urge Comcast to discontinue this plan, and to reconsider any future attempts at imposing a data cap,” 71 state senators and representatives said in a letter to Comcast this week.

Subscribers to Comcast’s Xfinity home broadband service will have to pay extra if they use more than 1.2 terabytes of data per month. While the new fees will technically take effect Jan. 1, Comcast is waiving them for several months to prepare customers."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)


MAEnergy Environment: 2050 Roadmap Report & 2030 Clean Energy and Climate Plan


"Building on @MassGovernor's ambitious commitment to achieve Net Zero GHG emissions by 2050, @MassEEA today (12/30/20) released its 2050 Roadmap Report & 2030 Clean Energy and Climate Plan to equitably & cost-effectively meet MA's #climate goals."

Road map link: https://t.co/8R90L1AaiA 
Shared from Twitter: https://t.co/eubtOAc1dA


Roadmap direct link

2050 Roadmap Report & 2030 Clean Energy and Climate Plan
2050 Roadmap Report & 2030 Clean Energy and Climate Plan


Friday, January 1, 2021

Town of Franklin: January 2021 E-Newsletter

Town of Franklin e-newsletter for January 2021.

Town of Franklin: January 2021 E-Newsletter
Town of Franklin: January 2021 E-Newsletter




Franklin grows its COVID-19 case count and positivity rate again

The Department of Public Health released new town-by-town data for coronavirus cases on Thursday (12/31/20), the latest set of such data showing how the virus has impacted individual communities throughout Massachusetts.

We are not doing well Franklin. From 5.03 to 6.02, to 7.36% positivity over the last 3 weeks is movement in the wrong direction.

The full report from MA.gov   https://www.mass.gov/doc/weekly-covid-19-public-health-report-december-31-2020/download

Franklin grows its COVID-19 case count and positivity rate again
Franklin grows its COVID-19 case count and positivity rate again


 

FHS - 2020-2021 Girls Basketball Preview by HockomockSports.com

HockomockSports.com provides a preview of the high school girls basketball teams for the Hockomock League. We share the Franklin info here and provide the link to the page with all the other team previews. 


FRANKLIN
2019-2020 Record: 25-0
2019-2020 Finish: D1 State Co-Champion
Coach: John Leighton
"Last winter, Franklin went start-to-finish as the top team not only in the league but in the state and capped off an undefeated season with the program’s first state championship. The graduation of center Ali Brigham, who was arguably the program’s best-ever player, is a big change for the Panthers this year but there is plenty of talent and experience on the roster to make a push for a three-peat of Kelley-Rex titles. 
Junior Olivia Quinn is one of the main reasons that the Panthers are considered the favorites in the Kelley-Rex again this year. Quinn scored nearly 400 points and was one of the top three or four players in the league last season. She continues to develop and improve and will be the focal point of the offense this year. Senior Erin Quaile is the two-time Defensive Player of the Year but is also a solid point guard who limits turnovers, calms things down, and gets Franklin into its sets. 
The offense will obviously look a little different this year, without a 6-foot-3 center in the middle, but the Panthers have talent on the wings to cause problems. Seniors Elizabeth Wilson and Kaleigh Houlihan, and junior Stefany Padula can all stretch the defense with their ability to knock down perimeter shots. The forward position should also be strong with Emma Sousa, Brigid Early, and Katie Peterson giving Franklin length and athleticism on the block. 
“We are excited to be back on the court and I have been very impressed by our depth,” said Franklin coach John Leighton. “Our girls have been committed to getting better and competing on every play.”
For all the previews of the girls basketball teams around the Hockomock League
https://hockomocksports.com/2020-2021-hockomock-girls-basketball-preview/
 
FHS - 2020-2021 Girls Basketball Preview by HockomockSports.com
FHS - 2020-2021 Girls Basketball Preview by HockomockSports.com

DESE Survey on Student Learning Time during pandemic

For the data geeks among us, this Tableau allows for some interaction to view the data from the survey from 303 school districts in MA.
.@MASchoolsK12 has released the results of their Nov. 2-9 survey of #MAEdu district learning time. https://t.co/ulYQb43W7f
a screen grab of one page with Franklin highlighted:

a screen grab of one page with Franklin highlighted
a screen grab of one page with Franklin highlighted


Governor Baker Signs Police Reform Legislation

Tweet from Charlie Baker (@MassGovernor)

Today I was honored to sign comprehensive, bipartisan police reform that creates a certification process for officers, increases accountability and transparency in law enforcement, and gives police departments a greater ability to hire or promote only qualified applicants. https://t.co/Mkk8x6TYL1



Governor Baker Signs Police Reform Legislation
Governor Baker Signs Police Reform Legislation


The Freedom Trail: Ben Franklin quote for New Year


"Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every #NewYear find you a better man." - Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac, 1755 https://t.co/IZTkn4PG04
The Freedom Trail: Ben Franklin quote for New Year
The Freedom Trail: Ben Franklin quote for New Year


Franklin Tax Payers: A Notice from the Treasurer/Collector's Office

A Notice from the Treasurer/Collector's Office

Dear Taxpayer,

Recently you received a 3rd quarter actual real estate tax bill that incorrectly calculated one day of interest on the amount due. 

If you pay your taxes through your mortgage company you do not need to take any action.

If you have already paid your bill, that interest will be reflected as a credit on your 4th quarter actual real estate tax bill in May.

If you have not paid yet, please discard that bill. A corrected 3rd quarter tax bill is currently being mailed to and will arrive by next week.  

To accommodate for this inconvenience we have extended the due date to February 19, 2021 without any interest or penalties.

The online payment portal has the correct amount due.  All taxpayers and citizens can pay the correct amount online. 

We apologize for any inconvenience.

These bills can be paid in a variety of ways: 

Shared from the Town of Franklin page  https://www.franklinma.gov/home/news/notice-treasurercollectors-office-0

Franklin Tax Payers: A Notice from the Treasurer/Collector's Office
Franklin Tax Payers: A Notice from the Treasurer/Collector's Office


Commuter Rail notice - New Year's Day service

On New Year's Day, Friday January 1, the Commuter Rail will operate on a regular Sunday schedule. The Rockport Line disruption will be the only disruption in effect.

Affected routes:

  • Newburyport/Rockport Line
  • Haverhill Line
  • Lowell Line
  • Fitchburg Line
  • Framingham/Worcester Line
  • Needham Line
  • Franklin Line
  • Fairmount Line
  • Providence/Stoughton Line
  • Middleborough/Lakeville Line
  • Kingston/Plymouth Line
  • Greenbush Line


Last Updated: Dec 30 2020 06:57 PM 

Additional info can be found on the MBTA page for the Franklin Line
 
 

 

Commuter Rail notice - New Year's Day service
Commuter Rail notice - New Year's Day service