Help celebrate Walter's 104th Birthday

"HELLO ALL,

We live in a community unlike any other!!

We here in the Town Clerk's office are reaching out to the residents of Franklin requesting your help to celebrate and honor Franklin's oldest resident, Mr. Walter Zinchuk, born on July 19, 1917 celebrating his 104th birthday.

Walter, along with his late wife Alta, purchased their Franklin home in 1958, where they raised four children. Mr. Zinchuk who is a World War II Veteran, served in New Guinea and Australia as a combat engineer. Walter received the Boston Post Cane which represents the oldest Franklin resident, and holds the title proudly! Walter is a very young 104, actively participating in various activities at Benchmark Senior Living.

To celebrate this amazing gentleman, a gathering is planned for Sunday, July 18th at 1:30 PM at Benchmark Senior Living, Forge Hill Road, Franklin. We are asking Franklin residents to "participate" in Mr. Zinchuk's birthday celebration by mailing a birthday card to:

Mr. Walter Zinchuk c/o Benchmark Senior Living

4 Forge Hill Road

Franklin, MA 02038"

Walter Zinchuck, the oldest Franklin resident received the Boston Post Cane

Town Council meeting recap of March 4, 2020
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/03/town-council-recap-march-4-2020.html

The Climate Minute: Advice on how to lobby your elected representative (audio)

"Climate activist can take advantage of opportunities to speak with their elected officials.  Lobbying can seem intimidating. What is the best way to do it?  We talk to a legislator about what he hopes to hear from people who come to talk to him about pending legislation."

Ted McIntrye talks with State Representative Jeff Roy about this topic. The conversation runs about 14 minutes.

Audio link =>  https://massclimateaction.podbean.com/e/advice-on-how-to-lobby-your-elected-the-climate-minute/

 

The Climate Minute: Advice on how to lobby your elected representative (audio)

FM #578 - Talk Franklin with Jamie Hellen - 07/09/21 (audio)

FM #578 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 578 in the series. 

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

We talk about: 

• 4th of July; Farmers Market and Concerts on the Common

• Fire dept, Red Cross in response to lightning strike

• Maple Hill right of first refusal scheduled for Town Council vote at meeting 7/21/21

• Dale Kurtz retirement among several to be recognized

Links to the key topics covered here are included in the show notes. The recording runs about 30 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Jamie.

Audio file => https://anchor.fm/letstalkfranklin/episodes/4th-of-July-Recap--Farmers-Market--Concerts-on-the-Common-and-Other-Local-Updates-e14bd4s/a-a64am7i

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4th of July Coalition webpage  https://www.franklin4th.com/ 

Town Council agendas  https://www.franklinma.gov/node/160/agenda/2021 

Cultural Festival scheduled for September  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/06/franklin-gearing-up-for-franklin.html 

Harvest Festival scheduled for October  https://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/2021/04/harvest-festival-scheduled-for-october.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 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 #578 - Talk Franklin with Jamie Hellen - 07/09/21 (audio)

FHS' Vinayak, Marr, Malhotra, Gundimeda, Shaik recognized as Tennis All Stars; Marr as boys Kelley-Rex Div MVP

Below are the official 2021 Hockomock League Girls Tennis All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.

KELLEY-REX DIVISION MVP

Katarina Schneider, King Philip

KELLEY-REX DIVISION ALL STARS

Vedika Vinayak, Franklin

Honorable Mentions

Sarah Schiavo, Franklin

Below are the official 2021 Hockomock League Boys Tennis All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.

KELLEY-REX DIVISION MVP

Liam Marr, Franklin

KELLEY-REX DIVISION ALL STARS

Liam Marr, Franklin

Vayshnav Malhotra, Franklin

Anish Gundimeda, Franklin

Sameen Shaik, Franklin

Honorable Mentions

Thomas Broyles, Franklin

The complete Boys list:
https://hockomocksports.com/2021-hockomock-league-boys-tennis-all-stars/

The complete Girls list:

https://hockomocksports.com/2021-hockomock-league-girls-tennis-all-stars/ 

FHS' Vinayak, Marr, Malhotra, Gundimeda, Shaik recognized as Tennis All Stars

Reminder: Community Conversations - Housing and Race - July 14 - 7 PM (via Zoom)

Housing and Race - July 14 - 7 PM

The Franklin Area Against Racism group (FAAR) is holding the second segment of its Community Conversations series, this time on Housing and Race next Wednesday, July 14th at 7:00PM. 

We invited Jim Johnston (longtime Franklin resident and historian), Bryan Taberner (Franklin Director of Planning and Community Development), and Jesse Kanson-Benanav (Executive Director of Abundant Housing MA) to discuss how how Franklin's housing policies and practices have fostered socio-economic inequities and worked to reduce diversity in the community.

Zoom info contained in the image

Background on Jesse Kanson-Benanav

https://abundanthousingma.org/2021/03/29/ahma-announces-executive-director/ 

Franklin Odd Fellows - Trivia Extravaganza - Aug 1

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

Invisible Stories - #2 - "House Calls to Homeless People in Venice Beach"

"the intervention that counts is housing"

Mark Horvath (@hardlynormal) tweeted on Sun, Jul 11, 2021:

Invisible Stories is a mini-doc series that goes beyond the rhetoric, statistics, political debates, and limitations of social services to examine poverty in America via a medium that audiences of all ages understand and can't ignore. 

Link to the second of the series: https://youtu.be/8N2Ry_g15KA

Link to the series: https://t.co/Y0NRNIujar 

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/hardlynormal/status/1414284287034155020

Note: I met Mark at a social media conference many years ago and have been following his work. This series is very well done. Yes, the series is set in LA but homelessness is an issue all around us whether visible or not.

SBA Restaurant Revitalization Fund Grants for Franklin

"The Small Business Administration on Friday released a database disclosing the recipients of Restaurant Revitalization Fund grants.

Massachusetts businesses received $993 million, more than all but five other states in the country. A total of 2,556 businesses here were awarded grants, out of some 6,867 applicants, and the average award was $388,000, the highest in the country."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/07/12/business/these-are-businesses-approved-restaurant-revitalization-fund-grants-mass/

A query of the data provided returns the following for Franklin

Lets Eat Franklin LLC	Franklin	$620,400.50
GlenPharmer Distillery LLC	Franklin	$159,172.07
Super HK LLC	Franklin	$119,697.62
Proof Restaurant LLC	Franklin	$117,551.00
Silver Spring Donuts Inc	Franklin	$104,862.00
Rhapsody's Victorian Coffee House LLC	Franklin	$88,601.51
JAY AMBE INC	Franklin	$73,596.00
Franklin Donuts Inc	Franklin	$31,300.00
PRATHAM LLC	Franklin	$29,677.00
NGG LLC	Franklin	$22,282.15
Kavish Corporation	Franklin	$14,911.63
140 Donuts Inc	Franklin	$10,287.00

Lets Eat Franklin operates 3

World Economic Forum: "We're living longer - but how can we ensure we stay healthy, too?"

World Economic Forum (@wef) tweeted on Sun, Jul 11, 2021:

"Did you know that 1 in 3 people lives in China or India?

Learn more about how we can live longer and healthier: https://t.co/8OCeNeovTy "

Shared from Twitter: https://t.co/NvD6zPixI6

World Economic Forum: "We're living longer - but how can we ensure we stay healthy, too?"

Franklin●TV Annual Meeting - August 28, 2021

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director 07/11/2019

This year our Annual Open Board Meeting will be conducted as a neighborhood block party at our 23 Hutchinson St. studios.

Join us, Saturday, August 28 at 3:00 PM.
If you plan to attend, please RSVP by August 15 to: info@franklin.tv

It’s open to all Franklin businesses and residents. We’ll meet-and-greet and enjoy refreshments starting at 3:00 PM. Come hungry and enjoy some great barbeque. You can also tour our studios, and learn about Franklin●TV and wfpr●fm. We’ll also review our progress during the past year and discuss plans for the future. At our meeting you may cast a vote for new and/or renewing board positions. This year we will vote to extend Jay Horrigan’s board position for an additional three years.

Excerpt from FCCA bylaws: (Available on our website http://franklin.tv/ftv_v12_010.htm)

Section 15. Election of Director by the Membership (a) Members shall be notified by the Clerk of the election of a director by the Membership at the Annual Meeting. Said notice shall be in accordance with the notice provisions of Section 4 of this Article IV. (b) Any eligible voting Member may be nominated for election to the position of Director by:

(i) Written notification to the Clerk no later than seven (7) days prior to Annual Meeting; or (ii) By nomination from the floor of the Annual Meeting made and seconded by no less than three (3) eligible voting members.

Our facility enables us to provide full production support for Franklin residents and groups who wish to create TV and radio programs. Thanks to our board members who contribute their time and energy to help make Franklin●TV all that a public access studio can be. 

If you would like to become involved either as a volunteer or produce your own TV or radio programs at Franklin●TV and wfpr●fm, just send an email to: info@franklin.tv with your contact information. You can also call us to discuss and explore your ideas. 508-541-4118.

Please join us at our Franklin●TV event. Again, it’s Saturday, August 28th starting at 3:00pm. We’ll have tours of our facility, some good eats, and you can meet our board and staff. Our brief open meeting begins at 4:00pm. Come meet, greet, and learn all about local TV and radio in Franklin.

See you then. 

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

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SlWIbM_ejezl2ZhXfCWitXXtVjBxgfTJ/view?usp=sharing

 

Franklin TV studio on Hutchinson St

Invisible Stories - #1 - "We Can't Let Homeless People Die: USC Street Medicine on Skid Row"

Mark Horvath (@hardlynormal) tweeted on Sun, Jul 11, 2021:

Invisible Stories is a mini-doc series that goes beyond the rhetoric, statistics, political debates, and limitations of social services to examine poverty in America via a medium that audiences of all ages understand and can't ignore. 

Link to the first of the series: https://youtu.be/RWVt_arzYoA

Link to the series: https://t.co/Y0NRNIujar 

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/hardlynormal/status/1414284287034155020

Note: I met Mark at a social media conference many years ago and have been following his work. This series is very well done. Yes, the series is set in LA but homelessness is an issue all around us whether visible or not.

Invisible Stories - #1 - "We Can't Let Homeless People Die: USC Street Medicine on Skid Row"

"Franklin teen honored as a Commonwealth Heroine"

"Speaking up, and making a difference. Franklin teen honored as a Commonwealth Heroine"

Not so long ago, Ndoumbe Ndoye would never have imagined herself getting up in front of a crowd to talk about issues of social justice and racism, and to share her own personal encounters.

Now she can't imagine NOT talking about these things — ever since she steeled herself to get up in front of a crowd on the Franklin town common last year as people rallied following the death of George Floyd.

There, she gave an emotional speech that brought tears to her own and others' eyes. And since then she has been actively working to promote racial understanding and justice.

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/story/country-gazette/2021/07/08/franklin-teen-recognized-commonwealth-heroine/7890318002/

The announcement of Ndoumbe's recognition

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/06/franklins-ndoumbe-ndoye-awarded.html

Franklin Senior Ndoumbe Ndoye is a determined and passionate youth activist. Photo used with permission from Ndoumbe Ndoye (Pantherbook image from Jason Beckett )

Norfolk Registry of Deeds Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Dear Friend of the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds:
 
I am writing this letter to make each of you aware of a decision that negatively impacts the Norfolk Registry of Deeds operations.  On June 30, 2021 two Norfolk County Commissioners (Joseph Shea and Peter Collins) voted not to sign the personnel paper for an incoming Registry Chief Information Officer (CIO) to succeed the outgoing retiring Registry Chief Information Officer Jim Limbey effective June 30, 2021 by a 2 to 1 vote. 
 
This onsite Registry CIO position reporting to the Register of Deeds is a needed position that has been in existence at the Norfolk Registry of Deeds for over 20 years.  There will be negative impacts to Registry of Deeds operations that is relied on by title examiners, attorneys, engineers, real estate professionals, registry users and the general public.  Technology has been the foundation of the modernization initiatives that have been implemented over the years at the Norfolk Registry of Deeds.  Technology overseen by the Registry CIO drives services to the users and stakeholders of the Norfolk Registry of Deeds.
 
Additionally, in this era of cybersecurity risks and intrusions taking place not having an onsite Registry Chief Information Officer is not a sound decision and just poor policy.  I and the Registry staff are grateful to Norfolk County Commissioner Richard Staiti for his support and vote to sign the personnel paper for a Registry Chief information Officer.  I am enclosing a copy of documentation that was submitted in support of the Registry of Deeds’ position at the June 30, 2021 hearing.
 
I and the Registry staff value the services that the Registry of Deeds delivers and the Registry users that rely on these services.  Thank you for your patience and understanding as we deal with this challenging setback and situation.
 
Sincerely yours,
 
William P. O’Donnell
WPO/cm 

PDF of this press release

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YiM7dYYikXC9o4gzhEwvMZvd36DdMI3E/view?usp=sharing

PDF of the support document for the CIO position

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oBOzDIGerk8x7_5zcK3PWE2d8OSEFhGS/view?usp=sharing

Norfolk Registry of Deeds Chief Information Officer (CIO)

"Swimply has 43 pools 'live' on its platform in Massachusetts, and another 170 are on a waitlist pending approval"

"If you order an Uber, you’ll ride in someone else’s car, and if you book an Airbnb, you’ll sleep in someone else’s home. Now, with an app called Swimply, you can stay cool in other people’s pools.

Erin Moriarty, a teacher who lives in Waltham, heard about the swimming pool app when a friend asked her to download it so he could rent her backyard oasis for his wife’s upcoming birthday party. Moriarty decided to give it a try, but she didn’t expect the flood of interest in her backyard that followed.

“I listed my pool on a Saturday, and when I woke up the next day, I had 10 bookings,” she said. “I’m surprised how many people know about the app.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/07/11/business/business-their-backyard-some-mass-residents-are-renting-pools-by-hour/

Greg and Kelly Daniell posed by their backyard pool. This summer, the Chelmsford couple have started using the app Swimply to rent out their pool by the hour.ERIN CLARK/GLOBE STAFF

MA News: the digital divide; help for MA arts organizations

"Tracking the digital divide - We can't close it without first documenting it "

"OVER THE PAST YEAR, schools, workplaces, health care providers, and other basic services have moved online. In doing so, the centrality of the internet to modern life became crystal clear to everyone in the country. But for people and families without broadband access, the pandemic has only exposed and exacerbated the digital divide—putting resources like telework, virtual learning, and telehealth out of reach for millions of people. 

Even before the pandemic, many people lacked access to high-speed broadband across Massachusetts. According to the ACLU of Massachusetts Data for Justice project, Census estimates show that more than 1 million Massachusetts residents—about 15 percent of the state’s population—do not have a fixed broadband internet connection. Our Census analysis also shows that internet and computer access correlate with income, such that lower income communities are disproportionately left unconnected."

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/tracking-the-digital-divide/

"Tracking the digital divide - We can't close it without first documenting it "

 

"Long-awaited arts funding finally arriving"

"MASSACHUSETTS ARTS appear to be big beneficiaries of $16 billion in federal relief aid that is finally starting to be released after a delayed start and an arduous review process.

According to federal data on the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, 123 Massachusetts arts organizations have received more than $100 million so far, the seventh-highest amount of any state in the country."

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/arts-and-culture/long-awaited-arts-funding-finally-arriving/