Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Franklin Public Library: May 2021 News and Announcements


Franklin Public Library May 2021 News and Announcements

Library News

The Franklin Public Library is looking for your feedback about the services we have provided during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is your opportunity to let us know what you have enjoyed or not enjoyed, and what you would like to stay once life goes back to a "new normal". This survey will be accepting responses until the end of May.

Franklin Public Library Customer Survey

Hours

The Franklin Public Library is now open for 30 minute browsing visits! Hours are:

  • Monday: 1 - 4 pm
  • Tuesday 1 - 4 pm
  • Wednesday 1 - 4 pm
  • Thursday: 4 - 8 pm (Senior hour 3 - 4 pm)
  • Friday 1 - 4 pm
  • Saturday 1 - 4pm

Curbside services will continue with pick up hours as follows:

  • Monday - Thursday 10am - 8pm
  • Friday - Saturday 10am - 5pm

All returns still must be placed in the outside book drop prior to entering the building. Items will continue to be quarantined for three days before they are checked in.

No donations are being accepted at this time. Please do not place them in the return bins, outside or inside the Library.

To see what is and is not available, click here!

Health & Safety Practices

All patrons entering the library will be required to do the following:

  • Wear face coverings covering their nose and mouth at all times inside the Library
  • Use remote services – phone, email, and curbside –if you cannot wear face coverings for medical reasons.
  • Sanitize hands upon entering and complete the contact tracing form
  • Practice social distancing
  • Please remember to maintain a distance of at least six feet away from other patrons and staff

Library Programming

All programming will continue to be either virtual or take-and-make kits.

If you have any questions, please contact the Franklin Public Library at 508-520-4941 or at frkill@minlib.net .

 

Programs for Children and Teens

Spring Virtual Storytime

Weekly Virtual Events for Kids!

Move Along! Recorded videos drop each Monday on Facebook!

Virtual Dungeons & Dragons! Mondays @3:30PM 

Email mgousie@minlib.net for more details!

Deb's Sing & Swing Virtual Storytime Special! Emails with YouTube video link sent each Wednesday!

Email Miss Bree at bcomeau@minlib.net to register!

Zoom Toe Tapping Tuesdays! (Super Silly Dance Class for Ages 2+!) Tuesdays @4:00PM

Email Miss Bree at bcomeau@minlib.net to register!

Bookworm Bounce! Recorded videos drop each Thursday on Facebook!

Take and Make: Wildflower Seed Bombs!

Take and Make Seed Bombs

Starting Saturday, May 1st, stop by the library between 10:00am-4:30pm and call the children's room (508-520-4941 ext. 2) to pick up your very own seed bomb Kit! Kits include supplies and instructions for making your very own wildflower seed bomb! SUPPLIES ARE LIMITED! Seed Bomb Kits will be distributed on a first come first serve basis!

 

 

 

Curious George Scavenger Hunt! Monday, May 3rd - Saturday, May 29th 

Curious George Scavenger Hunt

Can you locate the mischievous winner of our 2021 March Madness Character Challenge hiding in the Children's and Teen Rooms? Drop in to the library at any point during the month of May and follow the clues to win a special prize! TO PLAY VIRTUALLY: Each Monday in the month of May a new clue will be posted to our Facebook & Instagram pages. Comment on the post and tell us where in the Children's and Teen Rooms the clue is leading you to! At the end of the month email Bree at bcomeau@minlib.net to receive your prize!

 

Tech Tigers Zoom Website Challenge! Saturday, May 8th @ 1:00PM

Tech Tigers Website Challenge

Kids in grades 4 & up! Join the Tech Tigers First Lego League team for a fun intro to making your own Website! Learn the basics and participate in fun challenges! To register and receive the zoom link, email Mitzi at mgousie@minlib.net!

 

 

 

 

Storyteller's Guild! Saturday, May 8th @ 4:00PM

The Storyteller's Guild

 

A club for writers, makers, and gamers! Each month we meet to grow as story tellers through prompts, discussion and Table top Adventures! To register and receive the zoom link, email Mitzi at mgousie@minlib.net!

 

 

 

 

Girls Who Code!

Girls Who Code

Grades 3-5 - Friday, May 14th & 28th @ 3:00PM

A Coding club for grades 3-5. We are bringing back G.W.C. at the Franklin Public Library! Learn to Code, Join a community, and Share your passions. All kids interested are welcome! Email mgousie@minlib.net for more details!

Grades 6-12 - Friday, May 14th & 28th @ 3:00PM

A Coding club for grades 6-12. We are bringing back G.W.C. at the Franklin Public Library! Learn to Code, Join a community, and Share your passions. All teens interested are welcome! Email mgousie@minlib.net for more details!

Zoom Cooking Class for families with Miss Sandhya! Saturday May 15th, 1:00PM 

Zoom Cooking Class for Kids

Join Miss Sandhya of Sandhya's Kitchen for a special zoom cooking class for kids and their grown-ups! We'll be making pasta primavera with pesto! To register for the class and receive the zoom link, email Bree at bcomeau@minlib.net!

 

 

 


Make with Miss Mitzi Craft Class: Calligraphy! Saturday, May 22nd @ 1:00PM

Make with Miss Mitzie

Join Miss Mitzi for a special zoom crafting class! She will be teaching us how to write in calligraphy! To register for the class and receive the zoom link, email Mitzi at mgousie@minlib.net!

 

 

 

 

 

Teen Take and Make: Infinity Photo Cubes! 

Teen Take and Make Infinity Photo Cube

Teens! Starting Saturday, May 1st, stop by the library between 10:00am-4:30pm and call the teen desk (508-520 4941 ext. 2) to pick up your very own infinity photo cube kit with (almost) everything you need to make a super cool photo puzzle/Rubik's cube/fidget toy! Email Bree at bcomeau@minlib.net for details!

 

 

 

 

Adults

Keeping the Memories, Not the Stuff with Professional Organizer Janine Cavanaugh, Tuesday, May 4, 7:00 p.m.

Keeping the Memories Not the Stuff

It's easy to get attached to our possessions. We tend to form sentimental bonds to the things we purchase for ourselves, the gifts we receive, and the items we inherit from others. As the stuff we own multiplies, we may start to feel overwhelmed by the quantity and clutter. This workshop presents ideas on how to let go of all that is no longer relevant or important. Come learn how to keep the memories but get rid of the stuff.

To register, please visit https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUtfuGtrjotG9wOhW-2RmjF1Ta0Yw-... .

Growing a Summer Salad with Blackstone Valley Veggie Gardens, Wednesday, May 5, 7:00 p.m.

Growing a Summer Salad

Is there anything more refreshing in the summer than a homegrown salad?  We'll give you the basics on lettuce, tomato, and cucumber growing.

To register, please visit https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcvfu6tpzsiHdZ2t27OrqM9cnnzShs... .


The Rise of Dolley Madison, Tuesday, May 11, 7:00 p.m.The Rise of Dolley Madison

Why First Lady Dolley Madison spells her name with an "e" is up to speculation. However, Mrs. Madison's legacy goes far beyond the unconventional spelling of her name. Join us for a virtual performance to learn about the twists and turns of Mrs. Madison's storied life as well as her largely unknown contributions to the evolution of our country. 

You will learn about this "fashionista'  First Lady's  life as a Quaker child, the tragedies and serendipities she faced in Philadelphia, her unlikely marriage to James Madison, determining role in her husband's presidential-election victory 1809, transformation of the barren White House into a national treasure, strategies that united a fractured, contentious Congress and personal regrets as a mother. 

Janet Parnes, founder of Historical Portrayals by Lady J, Millis will portray Mrs. Madison.

To register, please visit https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvcemhrzkjG9BPCjuFRpMMAy0GlhE... .

 

Kitchen Table Art Workshops: Small Books, Sunday, May 23, 4:00 p.m.

Small Books

We will explore different techniques for cutting and folding small books. The techniques covered can be further developed to create personal handmade notebooks and keepsakes. Presented on Zoom by Jacqueline Volpe, The Creativity Curator at jbvdesignstudio. Sign up by May 7, 2021.

Kits will be provided for the first 12 Franklin residents. Pick up is at the Library during the week before the workshop. Any additional supplies generally will be common household items or art supplies that can be found at home, local stores, or online. The workshop is for adult and young adult artists, non-artists, and emerging creatives from all fields. No prior art experience is necessary; experienced artists may self-select how they would like to proceed after my initial demonstration.

To register, please contact Assistant Library Director Kim Shipala at 508-520-4941, or email kshipala@minlib.net . For a list of additional supplies and instructions for the workshop visit Jacqueline at www.thecreativitycurator.com.

 

Take and Make Craft: Cross Stitch

cross stitch lits

In a collaboration with the Franklin Mill Store, the Franklin Public Library is now offering Take-And-Make craft kits for adults! In May, explore the art of cross stitch! Kits are available to the first 50 Franklin residents to register, and will be placed in Curbside Pickup starting May 1st. To register, please contact Assistant Library Director Kim Shipala at 508-520-4941, or email kshipala@minlib.net .

 

 

 

 

 

Franklin Public Library Book Club, Tuesday, May 25, 7:00 p.m.

The Round House

The book for discussion is The Round House, by Louise Erdrich.

When his mother, a tribal enrollment specialist living on a reservation in North Dakota, slips into an abyss of depression after being brutally attacked, 14-year-old Joe Coutz sets out with his three friends to find the person that destroyed his family.

To reserve a copy of the book or for more information, please contact Assistant Library Director Kim Shipala at kshipala@minlib.net . To register, please visit https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcsf-yrrDIuGNZUG2MU5BiraLtGa3d... .


Read more


MA News: "Effective April 30, the outdoor mask order will be relaxed"

"With Massachusetts continuing to keep COVID in check and lead the nation in vaccinations, our Administration  announced plans to continue with our phased process to safely reopen our economy.

Effective April 30, the outdoor mask order will be relaxed."
Press Release:  https://www.mass.gov/news/baker-polito-administration-announces-plans-for-continued-reopening

Shared from Twitter:  https://t.co/hHgdGPrVEZ

Press release video: https://youtu.be/zSW3Vwp1Ro4





MA News: "Effective April 30, the outdoor mask order will be relaxed"
MA News: "Effective April 30, the outdoor mask order will be relaxed"


Boston will soon allow ‘retail residential kitchens’ - maybe something Franklin could consider?

"Boston food entrepreneurs will get a boost beginning on Friday, April 30, when a retail residential kitchens ordinance goes into effect. This allows home cooks to prepare shelf-stable foods in their homes for resale at farmers’ markets, online, and through the mail. They can make up to $25,000 per year.

Boston City Councilor at Large Julia Mejia introduced the ordinance after a conversation with Andree Entezari, who had relocated to Boston from Los Angeles, where he ran a fruit leather business from home. He wanted to do the same here.

“This is a way to test products that aren’t cost-prohibitive,” he said. “Working out of your home reduces start-up costs and engages you in your local community. It allows you to meet others in a special way, through food.”
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

Housing Choice in Your Community - Webinar - May 6


"#HousingChoice: what are the details of the law, what state guidance has been shared, what decisions still need to be made - join us, @MAPCMetroBoston, and @mhphousing on May 6th for answers to these questions and more!"
Register here -> https://t.co/Iwjpmsn4MN 

Shared from Twitter: https://t.co/y1b0ovL1SI



Housing Choice in Your Community - Webinar - May 6
Housing Choice in Your Community - Webinar - May 6


Tuesday, April 27, 2021

FM #524 - Talk Franklin - 04/23/21 (audio)

FM #524 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 524 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my "Talk Franklin" conversation with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen and Marketing and Communications Specialist Anne Marie Tracey. We had our conversation via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

We talk about: 
Earth Day
  • Not just Apr 22, and out about Apr 24 with clean up efforts
  • Climate and repercussions
Budget hearings
  • Apr 27 - Town (Administration, Clerk, Library, Senior Center, etc.)
  • Apr 28 - Safety (Police, Fire, MECC)
  • Apr 29 - DPW (also enterprise accounts for water, sewer, trash/recycle and stormwater fee proposal)
  • May 4 - Schools
Re-opening 
  • Mask, hygiene reminders
  • Rabies clinic info coming May 1
  • Pop up teaser
Links to the key topics covered here are included in the show notes. The recording runs about 31 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Jamie and Anne Marie.  Audio file = https://player.captivate.fm/episode/b56e5119-12cf-43e6-9ed8-c2bbd1e018af 

--------------
Town of Franklin COVID-19 page = https://www.franklinma.gov/home/pages/vaccination-and-covid-19-data 

Town of Franklin budget page  https://www.franklinma.gov/town-budget 
Franklin Schools budget page  https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-district-budget 

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

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?
  • 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/  or www.franklin.news/
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 #524 - Talk Franklin - 04/23/21 (audio)
FM #524 - Talk Franklin - 04/23/21 (audio)


Lifelong Music Academy: 2021 Summer Music Program


Lifelong Music Academy

Summer 2021 Music Programs

July 19 – 30, 2021

8:30 am – 12:30 pm

$350 per program

Franklin High School

 

40 hours of musical instruction over two weeks!  Ensemble rehearsals, recreational time, spirit days, and more. Students will end the two weeks with a performance*.

 

  • SUMMER SYMPHONIC BAND – Entering 7th–9th grades with 1 or more years of playing experience

  • SUMMER SYMPHONIC STRINGS – Entering 7th–9th grades with 1 or more years of playing experience

  • SUMMER GLEE – Entering 7th–9th grades, no experience necessary

 

*Performance will be recorded and sent to families via email.

 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

https://reg.learningstream.com/view/view_month.aspx?as=79&wp=419&aid=FPSLLI

 

Plus, we have a 6-week summer session of PRIVATE MUSIC LESSONS for students entering 3rd–12th grades, and adults. July 6 – August 11, Tuesdays or Wednesdays, depending on the instrument. Choose 4, 5 or 6 weeks that fit your schedule. $35 for 30-minute lessons, $65 for 60-minute lessons. Click the link above to register.

 

QUESTIONS?  Email MusicAcademy@franklinps.net.


Lifelong Music Academy
Lifelong Music Academy

FHS Cheerleaders -> 2021 Hockomock Champions

FranklinAthletics (@FHSSports) tweeted on Mon, Apr 26, 2021:

2021 HOCKOMOCK CHAMPIONS!!! Congratulations!!!!

FHS Cheerleaders -> 2021 Hockomock Champions
FHS Cheerleaders -> 2021 Hockomock Champions 




FHS "Adopt A Senior for 2021" active now

To all FHS Senior families:
A fun Facebook page was created last month by a few Senior parents, called FHS Adopt A Senior. Hope you’ve joined the page & have started helping these Seniors celebrate their upcoming graduation. This is a great Senior class!! 
2021 Lawn Signs: 
Also, on that Facebook page is information if you want to order lawn signs that you may be seeing popping up all over Franklin. Just wanted to share, in case you are looking for the info. Updates are regularly posted on the FHS Adopt A Senior Facebook page, for orders & pickup details.

Adopt a Senior -> It is a private group    https://www.facebook.com/groups/425922005162988

Shared from Facebook: 

Community Relations Subcommittee Meeting - Apr 28

Franklin Public Schools
Franklin School Committee

Community Relations Subcommittee

Wednesday April 28, 2021 = 3:30 PM

Virtual Meeting

Agenda:
  • Budget Flyer / Video distribution
  • Generate ideas to support two way communication within community

Full agenda doc contains connection info

Community Relations Subcommittee Meeting - Apr 28
Community Relations Subcommittee Meeting - Apr 28


Baker-Polito Administration Files New Legislation to Improve Road Safety

@MassGovernor tweeted
"Today (Monday, Apr 26, 2021) we filed road safety legislation that includes several provisions we previously filed in 2019 and several new proposals like increasing penalties for individuals who cause personal injury while driving on a non-administratively suspended license."

2 Tenors and a Passion For Wheels - Apr 26 - 1 PM

We look forward to seeing you all tomorrow, Tuesday April 27 at 1 PM for "Two Tenors and a Passion for Wheels" presented by Alan Earls.  

"Although not well known today, tenor James Melton was a phenomenally popular star of opera, stage, records, radio and screen from the 1920s to the 1950s. He was also an obsessive collector of antique cars and, thanks to a Massachusetts man (also a tenor in amateur circles), became a collector of early antique bicycles as well. Meet the men, learn about their collections and spend a short sojourn in a simpler time."

Click below to join our zoom event Tuesday at 1pm
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86379784997?pwd=aEVpNS8rTHdXRVlpWUE3UE1GSTVNZz09

Meeting ID: 863 7978 4997
Passcode: 503942
One tap mobile
+13126266799,,86379784997#,,,,*503942# US (Chicago)
+16465588656,,86379784997#,,,,*503942# US (New York)


--
Ariel Doggett

Virtual Program Coordinator
Respite Coordinator

"We rise by lifting others" - Robert Ingersoll
There is no act of kindness too small

2 Tenors and a Passion For Wheels - Apr 26 - 1 PM
2 Tenors and a Passion For Wheels - Apr 26 - 1 PM


"no vaccines are 100% effective at preventing illness"

"These “breakthrough” infections occurred among people of all ages. Just over 40 percent were in people 60 or older, and 65 percent occurred in women. Twenty-nine percent of infected people reported no symptoms, but 7 percent were hospitalized and just over 1 percent, 74 people, died, according to the CDC.

Public health officials have said breakthrough infections were expected, since manufacturers have warned loudly and often that the vaccines are not 100 percent protective. The Pfizer and Moderna versions have consistently been shown to be above 90 percent effective, most recently for at least six months. Studies have also shown they are nearly 100 percent effective at ensuring that the small fraction of vaccinated patients who do contract the virus will not get severe cases or require hospitalization."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

Greater Attleboro Area Council for Children Hosts Virtual Flower Arranging Class

Greater Attleboro Area Council for Children Hosts Virtual Flower Arranging Class – A Wonderful Present for Mother's Day


Looking for an amazing idea for a Mother's Day gift? Something that your mother has never received before? The Greater Attleboro Area Council for Children is hosting an hour-long virtual Flower Arranging Class on Zoom Thursday, May 13 at 6:00 PM.

The class will be led by Debbie Bottomley, who has won multiple awards for her flower arranging skills. Participants will learn simple tips and ideas to make flowers last longer and look beautiful in any kind of container.  

Virtual Flower Arranging Class
Virtual Flower Arranging Class

Included in the ticket price are all of the flowers needed to follow along with Debbie to make the arrangement. Participants will need a container of about 4 inches in diameter, such as a teacup, coffee mug, or mason jar to hold the arrangement.

Tickets must be purchased by May 9. A maximum of 50 tickets are available and the participants must live within the Greater Attleboro Area to pick up the flowers or have them delivered.

Amy's Flower Studio on Rt 1 in North Attleboro is partnering with the Council for Children to create each bunch of flowers to be picked up on site the day before the event.

A gift certificate will be sent out via email with the confirmation. A Zoom link will be sent to each ticketholder before the event.

Please visit the Council for Children page on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/events/184901089990406or www.councilforchildren.org to purchase a ticket as well as for registration instructions and delivery information. 

Contact info@councilforchildren.org with questions. 

 

Community centered senior living can answer the question: "Where will we live as we age?"

"Community-centered senior living works for seniors and communities" 

"The coronavirus pandemic shined a spotlight on nursing homes in Massachusetts, with more than 5,500 residents dying of COVID-19 (down from 6,722 after the state revised how it reports deaths in long-term facilities). The deaths underscored the risks for residents who live in a communal setting, especially for those who share a room. A design developed decades ago for hospital-like efficiency, the shared room can contribute to substandard care and a dehumanizing, undignified end of life. It must disappear.

This will require investment in new models that support seniors’ right to thrive in life-enhancing environments that are far superior to conventional institutional living. This funding initiative must motivate the developers and owners of nursing homes to create private living spaces for residents. It must also motivate them to include an invitation to “community-centered living” in their nursing home redesign of common space."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
"Where will we live as we age?"
"The concept that Boston could possibly become the Silicon Valley of aging is a fascinating idea. There are, however, questions to be addressed and misconceptions that need to be put aside before we can claim the title. For example, where and how will the older generation live as we age? Who will provide support when needed? Is there the political will to help us answer these questions?

As of July 2019, people age 65 and over represented nearly 12 percent of Boston’s population — and that number is growing steadily. According to a 2018 AARP survey, 76 percent of Americans age 50 and up stated that they wished to remain in their own homes, or at least their own communities, as they aged. Yet the same survey revealed that only 59 percent felt that they would be able to age in place. Respondents cited obstacles including uncertainty about how to access support and services, and how to maintain a sense of community, with increasing age."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

Monday, April 26, 2021

FISH Of Franklin Is Resuming Services!

Good News Franklin! 

The Steering Committee and volunteers of FISH of Franklin are pleased to announce that, after more than a year of suspended services due to COVID-19, our volunteer service of providing rides to medical appointments for Franklin residents will begin again in May.

There will be some new requirements in order to keep our volunteers and clients safe:
  • all clients must be fully vaccinated and finished with the two-week waiting period following vaccination in order to receive a ride
  • all drivers will also need to be fully vaccinated and finished with the two-week waiting period
  • drivers and clients will be required to wear masks
  • clients must be able to walk and to enter and exit vehicles and doctors' offices without assistance
Any Franklin resident who wishes to access this service should call the FISH line to request a ride, and leave a message with name, phone number, date and time of the appointment, and location of the appointment. The client will receive a call back from a volunteer. FISH is not an emergency service, and anyone with a medical emergency should dial 911.

FISH phone number: (508) 528-2121

FISH of Franklin is a service provided by volunteers age 21 or over, and more are always welcome! Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer should contact Chris at 508-553-3023.

We have missed you and look forward to resuming our services!

"we found ticks pretty much wherever we looked”

"Disease-carrying ticks, commonly associated with wooded areas, are also abundant near beaches in Northern California, according to a study. They weren’t found on beaches themselves, but in the brush and vegetation beachgoers may walk through to get to the sand.

Daniel Salkeld, a research scientist at Colorado State University who led the study, said researchers wanted a “bird’s-eye view” of where ticks are found in Northern California and what they are infected with, such as bacteria that causes Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.

“We were looking at coastal scrub and looked at redwood forests and oak woodlands and that kind of thing, because everyone tends to look at the same kinds of places,” he said. “And we found ticks pretty much wherever we looked.”
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/04/25/ticks-lyme-beaches/

Franklin Health Director Cathleen Liberty recorded a session last week that you'll get to hear shortly. We discussed several non-COVID-19 items and among them were ticks. One session from 2020 was focused on ticks and you can listen to that here  https://player.captivate.fm/episode/afe173c3-294e-49c5-9bec-ecf19105c9be
"The new term from this conversation is “questing”. Questing is the term for the tick looking to jump to a food source."


Reminder: St. Mary's Women's Faith Formation Group - May 1

St Mary's Women's Faith Formation is pleased to announce that Fr. Flavio from La Salette Shrine will be speaking at our May meeting about "Making Mary Part of Our Lives". 

Our meeting will  be held Saturday morning, May 1, starting at 9:30 AM on Zoom. There will be time for discussion.  This meeting is open to all women. 

If interested in attending this 45 minute meeting, please email Deacon Guy (deaconguy@stmarysfranklin.org) for Zoom link contact information.  

This will be our last session until we restart again in the fall.  
 
Reminder: St. Mary's Women's Faith Formation Group - May 1
Reminder: St. Mary's Women's Faith Formation Group - May 1


Franklin Girls T&F take 2nd at Hockomock Championships

"Congratulations to our amazing team of girls for finishing 2nd overall at the Winter Track Hockomock Championship!! 
Results from the meet are posted on the Franklin Track and Field Website
An amazing way to finish off the season!! 🥈🏆"

"You distinguish between science that’s objectively established as true and science on the frontier"

"Neil deGrasse Tyson is perhaps the country’s best-known popularizer of science. The astrophysicist, who is 62, has achieved that status through his ever-expanding body of work in television, podcasting, journalism, social media and books (his latest is the new “Cosmic Queries”) and as director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. 
He has done so at a time when, distressingly, skepticism toward established science has become increasingly widespread. Tyson himself received some scrutiny in 2019 after he was subject to two claims of sexual misconduct, which he subsequently described as misunderstandings. Those claims were investigated by his employers at the museum as well as Fox Broadcasting and National Geographic, which respectively air his series “Cosmos” and “StarTalk”; all three of them decided to continue employing Tyson. 
“We’ve lost confidence in our civic entities,” Tyson says about declining public trust in science. “That’s a strong destabilizing force, and some of that spilled over into the scientific community.”
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/04/19/magazine/neil-degrasse-tyson-interview.html

Neil deGrasse Tyson at the Rose Center at the American Museum of Natural History in New York in 2006. He has been the director of the Hayden Planetarium since 1996. Suzanne DeChillo/The New York Times
Neil deGrasse Tyson at the Rose Center at the American Museum of Natural History in New York in 2006. He has been the director of the Hayden Planetarium since 1996. Suzanne DeChillo/The New York Times


"at some point, surplus became more important than feeding people"

"The global, industrialized food system faces increasing scrutiny for its environmental impact, given its voracious appetite for land is linked to mass deforestation, water pollution and a sizable chunk of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The implied trade-off has been that advances in agriculture have greatly reduced hunger and driven societies out of poverty due to improved productivity and efficiencies. But Mark Bittman, the American food author and journalist, argues in his new book Animal, Vegetable, Junk that these supposed benefits are largely illusionary.

In a sweeping deconstruction of the history of food, spanning the past 10,000 years of organized agriculture, Bittman takes in everything from Mesopotamian irrigation to the Irish famine to the growth of McDonald’s to posit the rise of uniformity and convenience in food has mostly benefited large companies, fueled societal inequities and ravaged human health and the environment. Al Gore, the former US vice president, has called the book a “must-read for policymakers, activists and concerned citizens looking to better understand our food system and how to fix it”.
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

Mark Bittman, the American food author and journalist - "Animal, Vegetable, Junk"
Mark Bittman, the American food author and journalist - "Animal, Vegetable, Junk"


Sunday, April 25, 2021

Finance Committee - Budget Hearings - Apr 27, 28, 29 and May 4


Finance Committee Meetings

Please find the agendas and links for the upcoming Finance Committee Meetings Posted below: 

  •  April 27 Agenda = Central government, Human Services, Culture and Recreation, Debt and Interest, Benefits
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/4.27.21_fin_com_agenda.pdf
  • April 28 Agenda = Public Safety (Police, Fire, Regional Dispatch)
 https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/_2021-04-28_finance_committee_agenda_.pdf
  • April 29 Agenda  = Dept of Public Works 
 https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/_2021-04-29_finance_committee_agenda_.pdf
  • May 4 Agenda = Schools
 https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/_2021-05-04_finance_committee_agenda_.pdf

Additional details on the FY 2022 budget can be found
https://www.franklinma.gov/town-budget/pages/fy-22-budget-materials


Finance Committee - Budget Hearings - Apr 27, 28, 29 and May 4
Finance Committee - Budget Hearings - Apr 27, 28, 29 and May 4


Franklin TV: "Owl-cam Sees All! Necessity is the mother of invention."

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director 04/25/2021

We have all been reprogrammed by ‘Le Virus’. What was is no more, and we are headed toward our new normal, whatever that might be. The term ‘new normal’ has become part of our viral lexicon. We say it, but what is it? No one can fully know. That said, we are already living some part of it in our day-to-day. Specifically, we have changed the way we connect and communicate, and IMHO, some of that change is here to stay. I’ve opined in past scribblings on this page that Zoom is here to stay. I still believe that.

Before: Me? On a video? OMG! No way! My hair! My house! I’m a mess.
After: Zoom?  Yeh, fine.  Let’s hang out. Casual athleisure attire is de rigueur.

While laptop cams are pretty good for one-on-ones, they fall short for whole family shots and groups. Enter Owl-cam. It’s a smart camera. It’s wikkid soopa-smaht!

Owl-cam Sees All!
Owl-cam Sees All!

The Meeting Owl is a webcam. Like a webcam, it sees you; it also hears your voice. It has a built-in speaker system. Camera-microphone-speaker, all-in-one, and all connect to your computer with one standard USB cable. No fuss. No muss.

Owl-cam knows who is speaking in a group and shows only that person or persons to the other participants at the far end of the Zoom meeting. What is Owl-cam, and how does it work this magic? It has not 1, but 8 built-in directional microphones arranged in a circle inside its vaguely owl-like casing. Hence, its round shape.

The dome camera is actually at the top, but looks sideways for a 360-degree panorama view. The microphones inform the camera where the person speaking is seated. The camera pulls that person from the panorama image.  When two people speak, it does a side-by-side split-screen image of both.

You’ll see Owl-cams in action in the days ahead. We’re installing some in Town Hall, the Senior Center, our own community room, and wherever future groups gather to conduct hybrid Zoom meets in our new normal.

And – as always –
Thank you for listening to wfpr●fm. 
And, thank you for watching.

 

Get this week's program guide for Franklin TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online
http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf  or for archive purposes


Recap: "King Philip Stuns Franklin With Late Touchdown"

Ryan Lanigan, founder and Editor-in-Chief of HockomockSports.com, provides the recap for Friday's FHS vs KP football game:

"For three quarters, Franklin and King Philip were locked in a rock fight on Mactaz Field. 
Then came the fourth quarter fireworks. 
After neither team found the end zone in any of the first three quarters, there were three touchdowns in the final period including two in the final five minutes. Franklin took the lead with just over three minutes to go but King Philip answered with a game-winning drive, scoring with just over a minute to go to secure a 14-10 win. 
“I don’t know [how we won it], there were so many ups and downs in that one,” said King Philip head coach Brian Lee. “It was the type of game that we’ve had success in the past, the type of game we’ve competed in but this group, we’re very young and we don’t have many seniors out there, and throughout this year we were having trouble in the close games. But they kept coming back, it was just awesome to see."
Continue reading the article

For a photo gallery from this game

King Philip junior Danny Clancy comes down with the game-winning touchdown catch with just over a minute left in the game. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
King Philip junior Danny Clancy comes down with the game-winning touchdown catch with just over a minute left in the game. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)


FDA and CDC Lift Recommended Pause on Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19

Following a thorough safety review, including two meetings of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have determined that the recommended pause regarding the use of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 Vaccine in the U.S. should be lifted and use of the vaccine should resume.

The pause was recommended after reports of six cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals following administration of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine. During the pause, medical and scientific teams at the FDA and CDC examined available data to assess the risk of thrombosis involving the cerebral venous sinuses, or CVST (large blood vessels in the brain), and other sites in the body (including but not limited to the large blood vessels of the abdomen and the veins of the legs) along with thrombocytopenia, or low blood platelet counts. The teams at FDA and CDC also conducted extensive outreach to providers and clinicians to ensure they were made aware of the potential for these adverse events and could properly manage and recognize these events due to the unique treatment required for these blood clots and low platelets, also known as thrombosis-thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS).

The two agencies have determined the following:

  • Use of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine should be resumed in the United States.
  • The FDA and CDC have confidence that this vaccine is safe and effective in preventing COVID-19.
  • The FDA has determined that the available data show that the vaccine’s known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks in individuals 18 years of age and older.
  • At this time, the available data suggest that the chance of TTS occurring is very low, but the FDA and CDC will remain vigilant in continuing to investigate this risk.
  • Health care providers administering the vaccine and vaccine recipients or caregivers should review the  Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers Administering Vaccine (Vaccination Providers)external icon and Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregiversexternal icon, which have been revised to include information about the risk of this syndrome, which has occurred in a very small number of people who have received the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine.

Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine fact sheet for recipients
https://www.fda.gov/media/146305/download

Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine fact sheet for healthcare providers


Updated CDC guidance on cleaning


"Cleaning with a household cleaner that contains soap or detergent reduces the amount of germs on surfaces and decreases risk of infection from surfaces. In most situations, cleaning alone removes most virus particles on surfaces. Disinfection to reduce transmission of COVID-19 at home is likely not needed unless someone in your home is sick or if someone who is positive for COVID-19 has been in your home within the last 24 hours."
Continue reading the article online

Updated CDC guidance on cleaning
Updated CDC guidance on cleaning

For additional info from the Town of Franklin