Coaches Corner: On to King Philip (video)

"Coaches Corner Springfield Central...ON TO KP"

Direct video link -> https://youtu.be/hKRVlmhPMmM 

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevinjpapa/status/1463326227477979139

Franklin Residents: One Day Trash Delay Thursday & Friday ONLY (due to holiday)

via the Franklin DPW: One Day Trash Delay Thursday & Friday ONLY

Franklin Residents: One Day Trash Delay Thursday & Friday ONLY (due to holiday)

Shared from the Town of Franklin DPW page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/recycling-solid-waste/news/one-day-trash-delay-thursday-friday-only

Franklin Public Library: Thanksgiving Week Hours

Franklin Public Library Thanksgiving Week Hours

The Franklin Public Library will be closing at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, November 24, and closed on Thursday, November 25 for Thanksgiving. The Library will be open 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on the day after Thanksgiving. 

Shared from the Town of Franklin page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/franklin-public-library/news/franklin-public-library-thanksgiving-week-hours-0

Franklin Public Library: Thanksgiving Week Hours

Boston Globe: "A better future for heating your home"

"As we prepare for colder weather, the choice has already been made for many residents that they will be burning euphemistically named “natural gas,” or methane. This fuel, which is no more natural than any other fossil fuel, is not only responsible for massive property damage and loss of life following explosions, as we saw in the Merrimack Valley disaster three years ago — it is also a potent fossil fuel, responsible for 27 percent of climate-altering emissions statewide, second only to transportation and significantly greater than even the energy generation sector.

If the state does not move away from our reliance on gas, we probably won’t hit our statutory emissions reduction goals set by the Global Warming Solutions Act and the recent 2050 net-zero roadmap legislation. Working in opposition to those goals, gas utilities are planning decades of new pipelines, projected to cost Massachusetts gas customers $20 billion — a Big Dig-sized project — according to a recent report commissioned by Gas Leaks Allies."

Continue reading the article online. (Subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/11/23/opinion/better-future-heating-your-home/

Olivia Cerf and Ben Butterworth stand near the heat pumps they installed at their Melrose home.ERIN CLARK/GLOBE STAFF

On the sixth day before leaving Facebook, My true love sent to me

"On the sixth day before leaving Facebook 

My true love sent to me

Six ways to remain in the know"

Yes, you can keep informed by

1. subscribing via the daily email newsletter
2. visiting the webpage
3. follow updates via Twitter
4. follow the podcast
5. listen to the radio
6. or participate in the monthly Franklin Matters Q&A session

Happy Anniversary Franklin Matters! Goodbye Facebook!

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/11/happy-anniversary-franklin-matters.html 

On the sixth day before leaving Facebook , My true love sent to me

CommonWealth Magazine: "Electricity supplier gets attack on AG wrong"

"THIS WINTER, residential customers should be wary of competitive electric suppliers taking advantage of rising electric bills to lure new customers. We have all heard the stories of these predatory suppliers, and many of us have experienced their high-pressure sales tactics – on the phone, at the door, through a mailer – promising cheaper electricity.

Unfortunately, these promises are usually scams. In fact, our office found that, over a five-year period, Massachusetts’ individual residential customers on competitive electric supply suffered $426 million in net losses over what they would have paid their utility for basic service. The results are even more severe for low-income customers, who are twice as likely to be targeted and switched to competitive electric supply and pay higher rates on average when they do.

The competitive electric supply industry has never claimed that our office’s calculations of customers’ financial losses are wrong. Indeed, in the November 14 opinion piece, “Unitil settlement proves Healey wrong,” Dan Allegretti on behalf of the Retail Energy Supply Association, makes no attempt to defend the industry’s terrible record. Instead, the industry continues to grasp at straws."

Continue reading the article online
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/electricity-supplier-gets-attack-on-ag-wrong 

If you want a low rate, consider the Municipal Aggregation offered through Town of Franklin and Nationalgrid ->  

What is Municipal aggregation? 

Audio with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen ->   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/02/fm-208-jamie-hellen-on-municipal.html

Announcement here ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/2020-09-18_municipal_aggregation_announcement.pdf

Quarterly report -> https://www.franklinma.gov/administrator/pages/franklin-quarterly-aggregation-reports

FM #208 - Jamie Hellen on Municipal Aggregation

Town Council Quarterbacking with Chair Tom Mercer - 11/22/21 (audio)

FM #664 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 664 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 of November 17, 2021: 

• ok, what just happened? 

• What does it mean for Franklin residents and taxpayers?

We cover the following key topics

• Housing Authority presentation/discussion

• Elk riders donation

• FY 2022 budget adjustments

• Host community agreements

• Future items

o   Town council subcommittees

o   Tax rate hearing

o   Community Preservation Committee

The recording runs about 27 minutes:

Links to the meeting agenda and associated documents released for this meeting are included in the show notes. The link to my notes taken during the meeting is also provided.

Let’s listen to this recording of Town Council Quarterbacking Nov 22, 2021

Audio file -> https://player.captivate.fm/episode/e43cb65b-1e9d-4c68-a13a-4acf16a1d23d 

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

Town Council Agenda document ->  

https://franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/town_council_meeting_agenda_nov_17_2021.pdf

 

My notes from the meeting  -> 

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/11/recap-town-council-hears-about-waiting.html

SAFE Coalition presentation as mentioned in the discussion (Town Council meeting of 9/15/21) ->

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/09/franklin-ma-town-council-meeting.html 

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

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!

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

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

 

Town Council Quarterbacking with Chair Tom Mercer - 11/22/21 (audio)

Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office invites all to "Holiday Happenings"

Hello from the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office,

I am writing to invite all members of your community to our Holiday Happenings, a series of free holiday events hosted by the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office. All details on the event can be found in the attached flyer. 

Please share this flyer with your communities, faculty, staff, students, and families and come join us for some frosty fun! Snacks, crafts, music and the jolly man himself will be available for all members of our County community to enjoy. 

If you, or anyone in your community has any questions please feel free to reach out, my contact information is included below. 

Wishing you a wonderful Holiday Season!

 

Francis Olsson
Community Affairs Liaison
Department of External Affairs
Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office
folsson@norfolksherrifma.org
Office: (781) 751-3414 

Download a copy of the flyer as a reminder:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HBozucAqf9PPcIeirk5nMWqLxXQ6fHd7/view?usp=sharing

Franklin Public Schools: MCAS Presentation - 11/23/21

Among the agenda items for the Franklin School Committee meeting Tuesday, Nov 23, 2021 is an update on the recent MCAS statistics for the Franklin School District.

You can view a copy of the report here or below:   https://drive.google.com/file/d/19XOmQtVz2_MPrymgtUgQkIclhH3xgqMy/view?usp=sharing

Franklin Public Schools: MCAS Presentation - 11/23/21

Pantherbook: "Response to Hate Crimes - A Student Perspective"

"As the start of the ’21-’22 school year kicked off with the return of fully in-person classes, it has also brought many disruptive challenges: hate crimes, discriminatory actions, and destructive behaviors. To combat these harmful actions, the administration has partnered with many students to form an organization called “No Place for Hate,” collecting signatures to declare Franklin High School as intolerant to any form of hate.

We interviewed two members of ADL’s ‘No Place for Hate,’ Lily Eattimo and Nihara Lijan, in order to receive more information about the goals of this organization."

Continue reading the article online ->

https://franklinpanthers.us/top-stories/2021/11/19/response-to-hate-crimes-a-student-perspective/

The recent Tik Tok trend ‘devious licks’ has motivated the vandalism of many FHS boys’ bathrooms. (Bella DeCrescenzo)