Franklin July 4th Coalition
Franklin's 4th of July schedule |
Providing accurate and timely information about what matters in Franklin, MA since 2007. * Working in collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio (wfpr.fm) since October 2019 *
Franklin July 4th Coalition
Franklin's 4th of July schedule |
FM #570 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 570 in the series.
This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Ariel Doggett. Ariel is currently the virtual programs coordinator for the Franklin Senior Center.
We talk about her transition to virtual program coordinator as COVID-19 hit during 2020. We also talk about how Ariel evolved the programming during the pandemic and now the migration of the Respite and Supportive Day programs back to in person is underway and targeted for September.
The recording runs about 29 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Ariel on Thursday, June 17.
Audio file = https://player.captivate.fm/episode/18d26989-1f4c-4b0f-a2b7-067c62bd7a91
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Franklin Senior Center https://www.franklinma.gov/fsc
Senior Center Connections newsletter https://www.franklinma.gov/franklin-senior-center/pages/connection-newsletter
Email adoggett@franklinma.gov to get on her “Email Blast”
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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/ 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"
FM #570 - Ariel Doggett - This was a blast - 06/17/21 (audio) |
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As with most meetings in this pandemic period, I took my notes via Twitter during the meeting reporting in real-time via the virtual session
Photos captured during the meeting and shared via Twitter can be found in one album https://photos.app.goo.gl/guZrk1xe1hnUSs5C6
The Twitter hashtag can be found online #schcom0608
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23schcom0608&src=typeahead_click
Agenda folder -> https://www.franklinma.gov/town-council/agenda/june-23-town-council-agenda
Agenda doc (including connection info) -> https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/6-23-21_town_council_agenda.pdf
Note: I did not wait for their return. Per conversation with Chair Mercer the morning after, one of the two items for the session were in fact brought to a vote, the other was held due to the 2 absent councilors (Dellorco, Kelly)
Audio recording of meeting to be available in couple of days
The Winter St heroes, Franklin police and fire along with some Norfolk personnel |
Busy weekend shaping up Panthers!
Friday - Girls Lax hosts C-C at 4:30 PM in the East Sect Final. Boys Lax hosts Hingham at 7 PM & Baseball hosts BC High at 7 PM - both South Div 1 Semifinal games.
Saturday - Track heads to Norwell for the D1 State Meet #LETSGO
On August 1, 2021, the public is invited to join the Franklin Odd Fellows for an afternoon of Trivia, fun and good cheer from 2 to 4:30 PM at the Bellingham Sportsman Club at 360 Lake St., Bellingham, MA 02019.
The event will consist of teams of up to ten players with a registration cost of just $10 per person and $15 at the door. Team pre-registration and pre-payment is strongly encouraged.
After a long and difficult year in 2020 where four Odd Fellows fundraising events were canceled due to Covid-19, William F. Ray Lodge #71 has remained active and continues with the renovation process of the building and with indoor meetings and cookout gatherings in their quaint pine grove back yard.
This will be our first social event for this year that will help us to continue the longstanding tradition of giving back to our local community - and have a good time while doing it! The Bellingham Sportsman Club has worked closely with the Bellingham Board of Health and is now following restaurant guidelines for holding public events.
Get your team of trivia masters together and register today. Entries at the door will be integrated into whatever teams have space remaining at their tables. There will be a cash bar available during the event.
Register and prepay: http://www.franklinmassoddfellows.org/trivia2021/
Download the flyer as a reminder -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/133QIpuopY5ohYYMvs3X5TXV-jyrOQUcM/view?usp=sharing
Franklin Odd Fellows: Trivia Extravaganza - Aug 1 |
Today (06/24/21), the Massachusetts State Senate passed a $261.6 million supplemental budget for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) to primarily address time-sensitive deficiencies, cover costs related to implementation of the 2020 landmark police reform law and make investments to support the Commonwealth's continued recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the Senate continues to pave the way to an equitable recovery, the supplemental budget passed today includes $131 million to provide support and stability for our early educator workforce, $27.9 million for one-time economic relief payments to families on transitional assistance, and $12.5 million for costs associated with the implementation of last session's landmark police reform bill.
"As we carefully emerge into a post-pandemic world, we must continue to keep a close eye on areas which are critical to our Commonwealth's wellbeing," stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). "This supplemental budget provides us additional tools to ensure such areas as early education, public health, veteran and family services and transportation remain resilient as we get back to better. I want to thank Chair Rodrigues, Vice Chair Friedman, the team at Senate Ways and Means and my colleagues for their work and collaboration on this proposal."
"As we continue on the path toward our new normal, the supplemental budget passed today by the Senate allows us to pay our bills to address time sensitive needs, while meeting the immediate challenges facing our Commonwealth by investing in our early educator workforce, helping vulnerable families and fulfilling our funding obligations to ensure timely implementation of the police reform law. Additionally, in response to the tragic passing of Worcester Police Officer Familia, this budget includes an amendment we adopted unanimously to close an existing loophole in line of duty death benefits so the families of fallen police officers can get what they are owed," said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues, Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways & Means (D-Westport). "Thank you to Senate President Spilka for her steady leadership and continued support and to all of my colleagues in the Senate for their advocacy on behalf of their communities as we continue to recover from the lasting impacts of this pandemic."
"This spending bill maintains funding for critical services throughout the Commonwealth," said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. "It was particularly important that we made investments in our early education and care system, and that we reformed the representation of the MBTA's governance and management board to better reflect the population it serves."
To maintain the Senate's strong support for early educators who have been on the front lines throughout the pandemic, the supplemental budget invests $131 million of federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funding into the Early Education and Care (EEC) COVID-19 Stabilization and Workforce reserve. This funding will provide early educator stabilization grants, workforce supports and system-wide technology upgrades.
In addition to supporting early educators, the Senate's supplemental budget takes meaningful action to combat the lingering effects of the economic crises the Commonwealth has faced over the last 15 months and ensure families receive the economic supports they need to live, work and provide stability for their children. To that end, the budget passed today invests $27.9 million to provide for one-time payments to families that receive Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) benefits, totaling $525 to $580 per child.
Additionally, the supplemental budget provides $12.5 million to cover costs related to the implementation of last session's landmark police reform bill. These funds will be used to support bridge academies for reserve officers and special state police officers previously not subject to the same training requirements as the general law enforcement population, support the first diverse state police cadet class, and to meet municipal police training requirements on mandatory training on de-escalation, use of force, and school resource officers.
With the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority 's (MBTA) Fiscal Management and Control Board set to expire on June 30, 2021, the supplemental budget passed by the Senate today establishes a new seven-member MBTA Board of Directors effective July 1, 2021 and contains a number of changes on the overall governance and oversight of the MBTA. The changes include:
· Establishing the composition of the MBTA Board of Directors. It will comprise seven members and consist of the Secretary of Transportation, serving ex officio; five members appointed by the Governor; and one member appointed by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Advisory Board.
· Requiring that one member of the MBTA Board of Directors appointed by the Governor be a rider that uses the services of the Authority and is a resident of an environmental justice population.
· Requiring that one member of the MBTA Board of Directors appointed by the Governor be selected from a list of three persons recommended by the president of the AFL-CIO.
· Requiring subcommittees on safety, health and environment, planning and workforce development, and audit and finance.
In addition, the Senate voted unanimously to allow the pension of a police officer who dies while performing their duties in certain emergencies to be paid to their surviving spouse. This change, which closes a loophole, was made to honor the service of Officer Manny Familia, a Worcester police officer who died in June while heroically attempting to save a 14-year-old boy from drowning. If the Senate's language is passed, this supplemental budget would ensure that Officer Familia's family receives the pension he earned.
Other notable highlights of the FY 2021 supplemental budget include:
$1 million for the Supplier Diversity Office.
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