The Boston Globe: "Franklin’s Kristi Kirshe named to US women’s rugby Olympic roster"

"Kristi Kirshe starred in soccer at Franklin High, and only picked up rugby in her first year at Williams College, but now the 26-year-old is headed to the Tokyo Olympics as a center/wing for the US women’s rugby sevens team.

Kirshe is one of 12 starters on the roster, announced Thursday, which also includes three reserves and 10 coaches, trainers, and health experts. The 5-foot-5-inch, 160-pounder is one of 10 starters headed to their first Olympics, with Lauren Doyle and Alev Kelter the returners from the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

The US finished fifth at the 2016 Games, but claimed five medals in six tournaments to end 2019 ranked No. 2 in the world. The US was ranked fifth in 2020 when the World Rugby Sevens Series was disrupted by the pandemic."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/06/18/sports/franklins-kristi-kirshe-named-us-womens-rugby-olympic-roster/

Kristi Kirshe runs with the ball during an international tournament in February.DAVID RAMOS/GETTY

"Consumer spending is almost 70 percent of the economy. What Americans buy determines their standard of living"

"Travel agent Dottie Williford’s phone won’t stop buzzing: Her high-end clients in Raleigh, N.C., are eager to explore the world again. She stayed up until midnight recently to book two $20,000 cabins on a luxury cruise to the Bahamas in July. The high-end cruise ship normally sails the Mediterranean but was brought back to the Bahamas as Americans feel safer traveling closer to home. Tickets sold out by 9 a.m.

“People don’t usually spend $20,000 to go to the Bahamas, but my clients are,” Williford said. “The first things to sell out were the top category on the ship.”

The luxury travel boom is one of the clearest signs of a budding spending surge by wealthy Americans that is likely to tilt the balance of the economy even further toward the well-off and may deepen economic disparities already heightened by the global pandemic."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/06/18/luxury-boom-recovery/

"Consumer spending is almost 70 percent of the economy. What Americans buy determines their standard of living"

"The annual fertility rate may be dropping — births have fallen for six straight years"

"Luz Portillo, the oldest daughter of Mexican immigrants, has many plans. She is studying to be a skin care expert. She has also applied to nursing school. She works full time, too — as a nurse’s aide and doing eyelash extensions, a business she would like to grow.

But one thing she has no plans for anytime soon is a baby.

Ms. Portillo’s mother had her when she was 16. Her father has worked as a landscaper for as long as she can remember. She wants a career and more control over her life.

“I can’t get pregnant, I can’t get pregnant,” she said she tells herself. “I have to have a career and a job. If I don’t, it’s like everything my parents did goes in vain.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/16/us/declining-birthrate-motherhood.html

"The annual fertility rate may be dropping — births have fallen for six straight years"

Don't forget Free job search and career assistance from local libraries

In case you didn't know, many libraries offer job-search and career assistance services. Several Massachusetts networking groups are actually run by libraries.

I work for the Framingham Public library on Thursdays from 9am to 1:30pm.  I offer three appointments each week:  9am, 10:30am, and Noon, via Zoom..

As the services are provided by the libraries, there is no additional cost to you (because tax dollars pay for the service).

If you need job-search help, career planning assistance, interview prep, or coaching, visit https://framinghamlibrary.org/services/job-help/

to learn how to make an appointment with me. Please note this service is offered by the City of Framingham and the Framingham Public Library to all on a first-come, first-service basis.

BTW, While I currently provide the service via Zoom, the Framingham Library is opening up in stages.  I'll probably be onsite at the library starting in September.

Have a great weekend!

Ed Lawrence

www.getstart-ed.com

Boston Globe: "Local officials say Baker is failing to invest in state’s broken public health system"

"Local public health officials were excited when the Baker administration recently announced a modest grant program to help beleaguered towns and cities be better prepared for the next pandemic. For the first time in decades, they said, the state was investing new money on the front lines of disease prevention.

But then came Governor Charlie Baker’s announcement on Thursday that not a single dollar out of $2.8 billion in federal pandemic relief funding he plans to allocate would go toward public health programs. Instead, he said, the money would be used to ease the state’s housing crunch and other priorities.

Now, some of the same leaders who were praising the administration days ago are lamenting what they say is Baker’s shortsightedness. They believe the governor is missing a historic opportunity to make a dramatic new investment in the state’s tattered public health system."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/06/19/metro/local-officials-say-baker-is-failing-invest-broken-public-health-system-mass/

Franklin, MA: School Committee - Meeting - Agenda - June 22, 2021

Franklin School Committee 

June 22, 2021

Municipal Building – Council Chambers and Zoom 

7:00 P.M.

Call to Order 

Pledge of Allegiance 

Moment of Silence

I. Routine Business
A. Review of Agenda
B. Citizen’s Comments

In the spirit of open communication, “the Committee will hold a public participation segment (also called Citizen’s Comments) about matters not related to an agenda item at the beginning of each regular School Committee meeting. The Committee will listen to, but not respond to any comment made…. A Committee member may add an agenda item to a future meeting as a result of a citizen comment…. The Committee will hear public comments related to an agenda item when the Chair deems appropriate during the Committee meeting. Topics for discussion during the meeting must be limited to those items listed on the Committee meeting agenda for that evening…. ” - from Policy BEDH

C. FHS Student Representative Comments
D. Superintendent’s Report

II. Guests/Presentations
A. VLA Highlights – Ed Kaufman

https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/files/vla

B. DIP #1 Social Emotional Wellbeing – Sara Ahern, Lucas Giguere, Paula Marano

https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/files/sel

III. Discussion/Action Items
A. Policy - First Reading
I recommend moving the following policy to a second reading at the next meeting as discussed:
JFAA-R - School Admission/Residency

https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/discussion_action_a_-_policy_1st_reads_0.pdf

IV. Discussion Only Items
A. Reopening Schools Status Update – June 18, 2020-2021

https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/files/status-update-6-18-21

V. Information Matters
A. School Committee Sub-Committee Reports (e.g. Ad Hoc Supt. Evaluation, Ad Hoc Facilities Analysis, Budget, Community Relations/Public Schools Advocacy, Policy, Transportation)
B. School Committee Liaison Reports (e.g. Joint PCC, Substance Abuse Task Force, School Wellness Advisory Council, Franklin Racial & Social Justice Task Force)

VI. New Business
A. To discuss any future agenda items

VII. Consent Agenda
A. Approval of Minutes
I recommend approval of the minutes from the June 8, 2021 School Committee meeting as detailed.
B. Transfers
I recommend approval of the budget transfers as detailed.
C. FHS Gift
I recommend acceptance of a check for $20.00 from the Blackband Giving Fund for supplemental supplies at FHS as detailed.
D. Approval of Executive Session Minutes
I recommend approval of the minutes from the Executive Session of the June 8, 2021 School Committee Meeting as detailed to be released.
E. Parmenter Gift
I recommend acceptance of a check for $75.00 from the Parmenter PCC for a field trip as detailed.

VIII. Payment of Bills Dr. Bergen

IX. Payroll Atty. Pond-Pfeffer
 
X. Adjournment 

Agenda document - https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/files/agenda-6-22-21

Meeting packet folder - https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/pages/june-22-2021-school-committee-meeting-packet

Franklin, MA: School Committee - Meeting - Agenda - June 22, 2021

FM #567: Finance Committee "unequivocally" approves Maple Hill purchase plan (audio)

FM #567 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 567 in the series. 

This session shares the Franklin, MA Finance Committee meeting held on June 16, 2021.

The meeting was conducted in a hybrid format: members of the Finance Committee, Town Administration personnel, and some members of the public were in the Council Chambers, the remainder were remote via the Zoom conference bridge.

The show notes contain links to the meeting agenda including documents released for this agenda and to my notes from the meeting. 

The meeting recording runs almost 1 hour so let’s listen to the Finance Committee of June 16

Audio file = https://player.captivate.fm/episode/004489cb-f552-4966-972d-de16819c830d

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Meeting agenda

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/6-16-21_fincom_agenda.pdf

Right of first refusal summary

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/mai/files/_maple_hill_rofr_open_space_update.pdf 

My meeting notes

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/06/recap-finance-committee-unequivocally.html 

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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 www.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!

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