Franklin Matters

Sunday, December 5, 2021

Franklin Cultural District Grant Information and Application

Dear Cultural District Partners,

We are re-sending the message you would have received a few weeks ago about a Cultural District grant opportunity made possible by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Please take a moment to re-read Nancy's message about this grant opportunity (below) and consider applying for a grant. The grant application form is attached. All grant applications are due to btaberner@franklinma.gov by Friday, December 10, 2021.

Regards,

The Franklin Cultural District Committee

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Dear Cultural District Partners,

The Massachusetts Cultural Council is once again offering a grant program for all of the Massachusetts Cultural Districts which is focused on continuing the "Rebuilding and Recovery" of the Massachusetts Cultural Districts. The $7,500.00 grant is an opportunity for Franklin's Cultural District (FCD) Partners to work together to encourage interest and engagement in culture and the arts as well as economic development in the FCD.

The Franklin Cultural District Committee is sponsoring the second annual ArtWALK Celebration the weekend of June 10^{th -}12th. The ArtWALK Celebration will begin on Friday, June 10^th, the same day as the Franklin Downtown Partnership's Strawberry Stroll. During this weekend celebration the Cultural District will celebrate the diversity, history, arts and culture of our community.

All Cultural District Partners are invited to participate in the ArtWALK Celebration. Partners are encouraged to develop an event, performance, exhibit or display, that visitors to the Franklin Cultural District can view, attend or participate in when they visit the Cultural District. The $7,500.00 grant is designed to help support this initiative. Partners can submit an application for funding to support their event, performance or display.

Attached (see link below) you will find an application for the grant. If you have any questions regarding the grant or the invoicing for the grant, please contact Bryan Taberner at btaberner@franklinma.gov or (508) 520-4907. All applications are due to btaberner@franklinma.gov by Friday, December 10, 2021.

Important Dates

Friday - December 10, 2021 FCD Cultural Grant Application Due

Friday - March 4, 2022 All invoices for events are due

The FCD Grant Decisions will be made by the end of January

We hope that many of the Cultural District Partners will consider applying for funding to participate in the 2022 ArtWALK Celebration.

Regards,

The Franklin Cultural District Committee

Amy Adams John LoPresti

Jamie Barrett Candace Narsasian

Pandora Carlucci Nancy Schoen

Roberta Trahan

Grant application form -> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lT0ZHlX3pHN57LBS0cxLa6WidLB4siMb/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=101938843903614700481&rtpof=true&sd=true

Franklin Cultural District Grant Information and Application

Senior Center Updates: Common Grounds reopening, Joe Landry Dec 8, Dec-Jan newsletter available

1 - Common Grounds reopens

The Common Grounds cafe at the Senior Center reopens for breakfast and lunch on Monday, Dec 6.

Shared from Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1639075786353990/posts/3033847776876777/

2 - Joe Landry presents on the old town pool

Hi there! This is to let you know that I’ll be doing my next presentation at the Franklin Senior Center at 10 Daniel McCahill Street on Wednesday, December 8th at 1:00 pm. The topic will be “The Joseph G. Ray Swimming Pool”, better known as the “town pool”.

As many long-time residents of Franklin know, the town pool was the place to go in the summer for over 50 years. Many of us learned how to swim there from Lorraine Metcalf, whose command to “roll over” would be heard for miles around!!!!

Please call the Franklin Senior Center at 508-520-4945 to let them know that you’re coming so that they’ll have a good idea of how many chairs to set up.

I hope to see you there!!!! I’m sure you’ll get a “kick, kick, kick” out of it!!!!!!!

Shared from Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/711684623145849

3 - Newsletter available

The December 2021 and January 2022 events are combined in one newsletter for the year end. (Also due to Erin Rogers departing her position as the Senior Center Director.)

Get your copy of the newsletter here -> https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/click_here_for_the_dec_jan_22_newsletter.pdf

Senior Center Updates

"Vaccines have already shown to be tremendously effective"

"The new coronavirus variant is a genuine cause for unease. Omicron appears to be highly transmissible, and it will most likely swamp the world in the months ahead. It is too early to know whether it will be more virulent than the delta variant or more evasive of vaccine immunity. But it is not too early to decide what to do about it. The tools to respond exist, if we will only be serious about wearing masks and getting vaccinated.
Even with the unknowns, vaccines work. They can protect against the delta variant raging everywhere. Boosters create a high level of immunity against delta and may help fend off omicron, too. The vaccines are a lifesaver to people who might otherwise die. Why hesitate to get vaccinated, refuse to wear a mask or deride mandates for both at this stage of the pandemic? Why is a quarter of the U.S. population without at least one vaccine dose — essentially driving at high speed without a seat belt? How many more of the unvaccinated will be hospitalized, intubated and die? Anyone in the United States who can easily get a free vaccine and refuses to do so is leaving themselves vulnerable to a killer disease that has already taken more lives than were lost in the line of duty during the Civil War. "

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/04/covid-19-life-threatening-vaccines-tests-masks-work/

A covid-19 testing site is seen in Times Square in New York on Dec. 3. (Yuki Iwamura/AP)

Avoiding a money mule scam

Consumer Alerts from the Federal Trade Commission

Avoiding a money mule scam

by Bridget Small, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC

Scammers are looking for people to help them move stolen money. They visit dating, job search, and other sites, tell fake stories, and make up reasons to send you money. Then they tell you to send the money to someone else.

If you help a scammer move stolen money — even if you didn't know it was stolen — you could get into legal trouble.

Avoiding a money mule scam

Saturday, December 4, 2021

Town Council Quarterbacking - 12/02/21 - What happened at the Town Council meeting? (audio)

FM #670 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 670 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 December 1, 2021:

ok, what just happened?
What does it mean for Franklin residents and taxpayers?

We cover the following key topics

Subcommittee assignments announced, meeting calendar approved
Tax rate hearing
Snow presentation
TA Report – NationalGrid

The recording runs about 35 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 Dec 2, 2021

** Audio file -> https://player.captivate.fm/episode/85b955b3-30b4-48da-8224-2a8adc484fe5

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Town Council Agenda document ->

https://franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/town_council_agenda_dec_1_2021.pdf

My notes from the meeting ->

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/12/recap-town-council-sets-tax-rate-at.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"

Snow presentation

Franklin Federated Church: Advent and Christmas Activities 2021

12/11 Saturday 7 PM

Dr. Seuss' Original TV special

(26 min) "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
in the Sanctuary. Enjoy a craft and trinket to remember those in our hearts at Christmas.

Sundays, Dec.12, 19 & 24 join us on Facebook, in person or livestream for Advent/Christmas services at franklinfederated.org

12/19 Sunday 7 PM

Outdoor Christmas Caroling

Front lawn of Franklin Federated Church. Sing carols around the firepit, drink hot chocolate and share fellowship. (Hot Chocolate and other snacks will be available from C&C Food Truck)

Sundays Dec. 12, 19 & 24, join us on Facebook, in person or livestream for Advent/Christmas services at franklinfederated.org

Franklin Federated Church: Advent and Christmas Activities 2021

NETA Opens Their 3rd Retail Store in Franklin, MA

New England Treatment Access (NETA) announced today that the cannabis company will be formally opening its 3rd retail store in Franklin, MA on Saturday, December 4, 2021, at 8:00 AM. The 10,000 square foot space, which includes retail, warehouse, and offices, is located at 162 Grove St. Franklin is also home to NETA’s cultivation and processing facility and the company’s headquarters, both located on Forge Parkway.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held today at noon with local and state officials and the grand opening event will take place on Saturday, December 4th from 11 AM - 4 PM. We look forward to the Franklin community joining us for our celebration.

NETA has hired more than 60 employees for the new store, which will offer the same high- quality products that the company provides at its other two locations, in Brookline and Northampton. The Franklin store will be open Monday through Saturday 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM and Sunday 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM EDT. The new site provides over 100 parking spaces for patients and customers.

For the first 30 days of operation, it will be reserve ahead only for patients and customers and after that point NETA will offer in-person as well as reserve ahead options.

NETA is a division of the privately held, multi-state cannabis company Parallel and a leading cannabis operator in Massachusetts, being among the first to offer medical and adult-use cannabis to patients and customers in the state.

This announcement follows NETA’s launch of adult use delivery in partnership with Your Green Package, a majority women and Black owned social equity licensee, and is one of the first companies to deliver cannabis in the state.

“We want to thank the Cannabis Control Commission for its continuing support of the cannabis industry. We are thrilled to be able to offer patients and customers in the greater Franklin area easy access to us. We want to thank the Franklin community and its town leaders for welcoming us so warmly,” said Brad Doyle, NETA President. “Route 495 makes it convenient to reach us using either the Route 140 or King Street exits.”

Patients and customers will be able to purchase a variety of premium flower and pre-rolls, edibles, vaporizers, concentrates and more, from an array of Parallel’s top-quality brands.

ribbon cutting ceremony

ABOUT NETA
New England Treatment Access (NETA) (www.netacare.org), a division of the privately held, multi-state cannabis company Parallel, is the leading vertically integrated cannabis company in Massachusetts. Founded by industry pioneers whose roots in regulated cannabis date to 2009, NETA's licenses encompass medical and adult-use retail operations in Brookline and Northampton and soon to be opened in Franklin with cultivation and processing facilities also in Franklin. Across the organization, NETA employs 550 individuals and produces more than 435 unique SKUs. NETA conducted the first legal adult use sale of cannabis east of the Mississippi in 2018 and has provided cutting edge therapies and best in class services to our customers in Massachusetts since 2015.

5th Annual MyFM Tailgating For Toys Charity Toy Drive Collects Over $25,000 in Toys

5^th Annual MyFM Tailgating For Toys

Charity Toy Drive Collects Over $25,000 in Toys

Massachusetts Broadcasters Association's 2021 Radio Station of the Year, MyFM 101.3, recently spent the weekend of Friday, November 26th through Sunday, November 28th, braving the elements outside of Walmart in Bellingham, MA collecting an estimated $25,000 worth of toys over a 31-hour period for the local, veterans-operated organization Toys For Kids And Teens.

A COW (Container on Wheels) was generously donated by Gallo Moving in Milford and utilized as storage for the donated toys over the three-day donation event. The COW was also used to efficiently transport the donations to the Toys For Kids and Teens headquarters in Northbridge at the end of the collection.

While many toys were donated on site from listeners of the station and Walmart shoppers, a large factor in the success of the drive each year is through the generous support from "Shopping Spree Sponsors".

A Shopping Spree Sponsor is an individual/business that donates a minimum of $250.00 in cash to the cause. The cash donation was then spent on toys by an official MyFM Tailgating For Toys volunteer in Walmart. In return for the monetary donation, the shopping was done and a Facebook video was posted with all the toys purchased in their name as a thank you. Videos can be viewed on the station's Facebook page @MyFM1013.

"Those sponsorships make a huge impact. It really sets the tone for the entire drive. We're lucky to have so many generous friends," said MyFM Operations manager and event coordinator, Ray Auger.

Toys for Kids and Teens is a 5013c non-profit organization that collects and disperses toys during the holiday season to families in need. Toys for Kids and Teens covers the Blackstone Valley area, further points east. They can be reached through their website at www.toysforkidsandteens.com.