The MBTA Community Engagement team is reaching out to provide an update on the Forging Ahead initiative.
More information about the Forging Ahead process can be found at https://t.co/6aCrIUpXQS. @MBTA_CR https://t.co/BmYqqNtDef
Shared via Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOFranklinMA/status/1359211228179144716
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| MBTA Community Engagement - Update on Forging Ahead |
"CITING THE SUCCESS of mail-in voting during the pandemic, Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin on Tuesday released a bill that would make voting by mail a permanent feature of Massachusetts elections.
Galvin said vote-by-mail led to record turnout in the state primary and the presidential election, with prompt, reliable results. “Voters were very enthusiastic about it and used it,” Galvin said. “From an administrative point of view, we know now we can do it.”
We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm).
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?
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"
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| A Franklin Treasure - Elizabeth's Bagels (audio) |
Dear Franklin community,
The weather forecast is calling for light snow to begin this morning with heavier snow showers developing in the afternoon making dismissal difficult.
Therefore, we will hold school (both in-person/hybrid and remote) today, Tuesday, February 9, on a half day schedule. Schools will be dismissed as follows:
Snow day decisions never please everyone. The rationale for a half day involves preserving in person learning wherever possible, as we know that this face to face time is of great value to our students. Throughout this winter season, we are keeping track of the impact of these decisions on our different cohorts and we will make adjustments, if we are able.
As always on snowy days, parents/guardians may exercise their discretion to keep their child home if they feel it is unsafe.
Stay safe and warm.
Kind regards,
Sara Ahern
Franklin Public Schools: Half Day - February 9, 2021
Let’s Laugh Today is free on ZOOM! There is nothing like a good belly laugh to help release stress and anxiety.
These laughter exercises and gentle deep breathing help to bring more fresh oxygen into the body and brain helping you feel more energetic and healthy. It's a great way to connect with other people through eye contact while remaining socially distant and it is thoroughly up-lifting and immunity-boosting!
See www.letslaughtoday.com for link to the free 45 minute ZOOM Meeting EVERY Wednesday at 7:30 PM. All ages are welcome.
You can sit or stand the entire time. It’s a good time to try something new and take care of your mental health!
Led by local Certified Laughter Yoga Master Trainers and Laughter Ambassadors, Bill and Linda Hamaker. They are the HA Makers! Also see www.letslaughtoday.com for more opportunities to laugh!
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| Bill and Linda Hamaker, they are the HA Makers! |
In the Boston Globe "Girls Basketball Notebook" we find this to share:
"A year after finishing the season with a 24-0 record, Franklin followed that up with a perfect 10-0 mark this season.
“We were all clear on the goal of an undefeated season, and every practice and every game we went into it with the intention of achieving that goal,” junior catalyst Olivia Quinn said.
Coach John Leighton said he’s thoroughly impressed with the way the Panthers have kept it rolling despite losing lots of talent from last year’s squad.
“In many ways, having our run to the state championship last year cut short by COVID benefitted this team because they came in day one understanding the value of each and every day,” Leighton said. “They wasted no time and worked as if each day may be their last.”
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| "they came in day one understanding the value of each and every day" |
The Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School District is pleased to announce the Valedictorian and Salutatorian for the Class of 2021. Vivienne Seested, of Franklin, has been named Valedictorian, and Gerard (Ace) Ayotte, III, of Seekonk, has been named Salutatorian.
Tri-County’s Valedictorian, Vivienne, is an Engineering Technology and Advanced Manufacturing student and maintains the highest cumulative GPA of 4.493. During her four years at Tri-County, Vivienne has participated in several extracurriculars, including NASA’s HUNCH Program and SkillsUSA. The Engineering Technology student won a Bronze medal for Additive Manufacturing and is a District Competition NASA HUNCH finalist.
Vivienne Seested
Vivienne has acquired her 10 Hour OSHA Certification, MACWIC I Certification, and CPR Certification. She is committed to expanding her knowledge by pursuing her Autodesk Revit Architectural Drawing, SolidWorks CAD, HAAS CNC Machining certifications.
In addition to mastering rigorous academic classes, Vivienne joined the Volleyball team and participated in Varsity Track & Field. When she is off the field, she is experiencing first-hand what her career may consist of at her Co-op position at Dell.
Tri-County’s Salutatorian, Gerard (Ace) Ayotte, III, maintains a cumulative 4.439 GPA while having a demanding academic schedule, including Advanced Placement Calculus and Physics, Honors English and World History, and Dual Enrollment Spanish. Ace is an Automotive Technology student and enjoyed learning the mechanics of a car and how to repair automobiles. He wishes to apply what he has learned during his high school career at a four-year college by studying Mechanical Engineering or International Business. Ace has maintained his status on the honor roll for his high school career and is a National Honor Society member. 
Gerard (Ace) Ayotte, III
In addition to being a dedicated student, Ace is a gifted athlete and has been captain of both the Football and Baseball teams. Being captain has helped him learn about leadership both on and off the field. He hopes to play college-level baseball next year. Ace dedicates time to his community through his volunteer work at St. Cecilia’s Church as a Food Pantry Volunteer and at Ken Ryan’s Baseball Academy as an Assistant Camp Counselor.
“It is a pleasure to recognize Vivienne and Ace as our two top graduating scholars. Their commitment to academic and vocational excellence exemplifies our Tri-County philosophy of working hard each day. Congratulations to Vivienne and Ace. We look forward to seeing what the future holds and wish them continued success in their future endeavors.” Stephen Dockray, Superintendent.
As Valedictorian and Salutatorian, Vivienne and Ace will lead the graduation procession and are scheduled to address their classmates at the Commencement Ceremony scheduled for Sunday, June 6, 2021.
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| FHS Musicians: Livestream Concert - February 11 |
"BEN DOWNING, a former state senator from Western Massachusetts, on Monday launched a run for governor, laying out a liberal policy platform that aims to address inequality amid the recovery from COVID-19.Continue reading the article online https://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/former-state-senator-ben-downing-launches-gubernatorial-campaign/
With a slogan of building a “fairer, stronger Massachusetts,” Downing, a Democrat, said in an interview that he thinks Republican Gov. Charlie Baker “lacks the urgency needed” to tackle issues like transportation, climate change, education, and housing. Downing argued that a bolder plan will be necessary as the state returns to a new normal post-pandemic. “Normal isn’t good enough for working families. It’s not good enough for our black and brown neighbors,” he said."
"CASH-STRAPPED MASSACHUSETTS residents may need to hold on for at least another month until help comes from Washington. US Rep. Richard Neal, appearing at a State House briefing Monday afternoon with Gov. Charlie Baker, said the next federal COVID-19 relief package is expected to pass the House “in the second or third week of March.”
Neal joined Gov. Charlie Baker at a State House Press conference on Monday afternoon, and outlined the details of what he calls the “stability” bill.
“I often hear people say stimulus. This is about stability,” said Neal, emphasizing how crucial the legislation will be to struggling families. "
"The life story of Michael Bobbitt is probably very similar to what he would like to replicate for residents statewide as he takes over as the executive director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Bobbitt, as a young boy growing up in Maryland just outside Washington, DC, was exposed to the arts, took a strong interest, and built a career around music, dance, and theater. Now, as the state’s top arts official, he hopes to foster an environment in Massachusetts that would allow similar experiences for young people across the state."
FM #456 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 456 in the series.
This session shares the Franklin, MA Town Council meeting held on Wednesday, Feb 3, 2021.
The
meeting was conducted in a hybrid format: most members of the Town
Council, selected guests, and Town Administration personnel were in the
Council Chambers, one member of the Council was remote along with the
public via Zoom conference bridge, all to adhere to the ‘social
distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.
I’ve split the full two hour forty five minutes meeting into three logical segments segments:
We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm).
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?
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 #456 Town Council Mtg - 02/03/21 - P3 of 3 (audio) |
FM #455 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 455 in the series.
This session shares the Franklin, MA Town Council meeting held on Wednesday, Feb 3, 2021.
The
meeting was conducted in a hybrid format: most members of the Town
Council, selected guests, and Town Administration personnel were in the
Council Chambers, one member of the Council was remote along with the
public via Zoom conference bridge, all to adhere to the ‘social
distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.
I’ve split the full two hour forty five minutes meeting into three logical segments segments:
We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm).
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?
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 #455 Town Council Mtg - 02/03/21 P2 of 3 (audio)
FM #454 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 454 in the series.
This session shares the Franklin, MA Town Council meeting held on Wednesday, Feb 3, 2021.
The meeting was conducted in a hybrid format: most members of the Town Council, selected guests, and Town Administration personnel were in the Council Chambers, one member of the Council was remote along with the public via Zoom conference bridge, all to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.
I’ve split the full two hour forty five minutes meeting into three logical segments segments:
The show notes contain links to the meeting agenda including documents released for this agenda.
Let’s listen to this segment of the Town Council meeting of Feb 3, 2021
Audio file = https://podcasts.captivate.fm/media/87474f53-5502-4719-9873-025065e917e1/fm-454-tc-mtg-20210203-p1of3.mp3
We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm).
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?
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 #454 Town Council Mtg - 02/03/21 P1 of 3 (audio) |
FM #453 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 453 in the series.
This shares my conversation with Town Council Chair Tom Mercer. This is one of a series of conversations meant to provide a recap of the prior Council meeting. Akin to one of the many sports post-game analysis broadcasts we are familiar with in New England, this would be a discussion focused on the Franklin Town Council meeting: ok, what just happened? What does it mean for Franklin residents and taxpayers?
The show notes include links to the meeting agenda and associated documents.
Our conversation runs about 38 minutes, so let’s listen in. Audio link = https://podcasts.captivate.fm/media/d74075ea-f5a9-41ec-a8a0-a8068827dcb5/fm-453-tc-quarterbacking-20210203.mp3
--------------
Agenda document (and released supporting materials in one PDF)
https://franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/agendas/2-3-2021_town_council_meeting_agenda_0.pdf
Finance presentation
https://franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/tc_borrowing_debt_presentation.pdf
Stormwater proposal doc for discussion
https://franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/8b._storm_water_presentation.pdf
My notes from the meeting
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/02/town-council-meeting-recap-020321-town.html
We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm).
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?
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 #453 Town Council 'Quarterbacking' - 02/03/21 (audio) |
