Wednesday, April 20, 2022

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node, Virtual Meeting, Thursday, April 21, 7:00


350 Mass Greater Franklin Node
350 Mass Greater Franklin Node

Our next 350 Mass Greater Franklin Node meeting will be on Zoom, this Thursday, April 217:00-9:00 PM. (We schedule two hours to leave time for discussion and conversation, but we understand if you need to sign off early.)  

Join on Zoom
Meeting ID: 889 2460 7755
Passcode: 350ma
Dial-in +1 646 876 9923 

During the meeting, we will update the status of climate bills in the state legislature, actions to promote national and regional changes, and local developments.

Whether or not you can join the meeting, there are a few worthwhile virtual events on Thursday, all scheduled for noon. You can consider each of these programs:
  • Burning Question: Climate Action Call. Thursday April 21. 12:00-12:45. Organized by 350 Mass and Mothers Out Front. Take action to pass visionary climate legislation this year.  Information here.   RSVP & Registration here.
  • Webinar: Setting a Standard for Cleaner Buildings.  Thursday April 21. 12:00-1:00. Green Energy  Consumers Alliance. Learn how performance standards work, policies currently in place, and proposed performance standards legislation.  Information and Registration here
  • Webinar: The Carbon-Free House of 2030. Thursday April 21. 12:00-12:45. Boston Globe Sustainability Week 2022. An expert panel describes what environment-saving homes of the future look like, and steps we can take to get to an environmentally-friendly future.  Information and RSVP here.  Sustainability Week; full schedule here.    

We hope you can join us Thursday at 7:00 pm. We'll send a reminder Thursday afternoon. 

Thank you for your commitment to the struggle for a transition to a just, equitable, and clean energy economy.

Node Co-coordinators,
Carolyn Barthel
Ralph Halpern

Ralph Halpern
ralph.halpern@comcast.net
781-784-3839 (h)
339-203-5017 (c) 

It's Time to Do Something incredABLE!

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incredABLE Day 2022
Together, we've been celebrating the ABLE in all of us for 21 years. This year, there are some big changes coming to incredABLE Day, and we're excited to share them with you!
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"We are two months into the outbreak now, and the safety protocols haven’t worked"

"The price of eggs has soared in recent weeks in part because of a huge bird flu wave that has infected nearly 27 million chickens and turkeys in the United States, forcing many farmers to “depopulate” or destroy their animals to prevent a further spread.

The virus has impacted many different bird species, including penguins and bald eagles. But its spread among poultry has been tremendous, particularly among chickens raised for their eggs.

On Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced yet another outbreak, this one in two flocks in Idaho, making that the 27th state in which the virus has been found since February. 

The illness affects commercial birds, hobbyists’ backyard chicken flocks and wild birds, and is spread via secretions and leads to paralysis, swelling and diminished egg production. There have been no human cases of these avian influenza viruses detected in the United States."
Continue reading the article (subscription may be required)

Weekly average price for a dozen large eggs, Grade A
Weekly average price for a dozen large eggs, Grade A


"a village is going to help them stay in their homes"

"For many older Americans and their families, the devastating COVID-19 outbreak — which caused more than 200,000 deaths in nursing homes nationally — was a persuasive argument for living at home as long as possible.

Now, as the pandemic grinds into its third year, a loose-knit band of tech gurus, gerontology researchers, and volunteer-powered elder support groups, called “villages,” is seeking to overcome the obstacles to aging in place. Among the toughest: a worsening shortage of home care workers, who can assist the oldest residents with walking, dressing, or showering.

Coronavirus sped up the deployment of “age-tech,” technology that helps older people age in place, by seven to 10 years, said Joe Coughlin, director of MIT AgeLab in Cambridge. "

Continue reading the article (subscription may be required)

Dale Orzalli, a Seaglass Village volunteer, arrived at Maureen Neumann's front door to take her to a doctors appointment at Lahey Medical Center in Peabody.MATTHEW J LEE/GLOBE STAFF
Dale Orzalli, a Seaglass Village volunteer, arrived at Maureen Neumann's front door to take her to a doctors appointment at Lahey Medical Center in Peabody.MATTHEW J LEE/GLOBE STAFF

Town of Franklin - Health Department: COVID-19 Test Kits

Franklin Health Dept. received 68 At-Home COVID-19 test kits. Call 508-570-8433 for a free kit & location pickup.  
Limited Supply. 1 test per household member.

 

Town of Franklin - Health Department: COVID-19 Test Kits
Town of Franklin - Health Department: COVID-19 Test Kits

“Oreology” — or the “study of the flow and fracture of sandwich cookies”

"But because researchers concluded that additional “questions remain to be explored if we are to fully understand cookie flow phenomena,” the device was conceived with the idea of “enabling widespread use.” The authors also published instructions for those curious about how to build their own.

“I hope people can use this information to improve their cookie eating when they twist open an Oreo, or when they dunk it in milk,” Owens told CNN. “I hope people can also take inspiration to investigate other puzzles in the kitchen in scientific ways.

“The best scientific research, even at MIT, is driven by curiosity to understand the world around us,” Owens said. “When someone sees something weird or unknown and takes the time to think, ‘I wonder why that happens like that?’”

Continue reading the article (subscription may be required)

MIT instructions on how to build your own tester

A variety of Oreo cookies.TONY CENICOLA/NYT
A variety of Oreo cookies.TONY CENICOLA/NYT

Franklin TV and wfpr.fm schedule for Wednesday, April 20, 2022

  • wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Wednesday

9:00 AM 12:00 Noon and 6:00 PM Franklin Matters Radio/FPS Voice – Steve Sherlock
Franklin and its local government, services and events  (repeats Saturday at 9 AM)

10:00 AM 1:00 PM and 7:00 PM  The Wonderful World of Wine – Mark Lenzi, Kim Simone    All about wine, its culture, lore and finer points

11:00 AM 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM Franklin Matters Radio – Steve Sherlock
Franklin and its local government, services and events (repeats Saturday at 3 PM)

  • Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 26) = WEDNESDAY

7:29:00 am Mass Department of Public Health: CO-VID 19
7:30:00 am It Takes A Village: 40 Percent Club
8:30 am Arts Advocacy: Fundraising
10:00 am Sons and Daughters of Italy: Carlo Geromini
11:30 am Whole Health Visions: Life Coaches Pt. 1
12:00 pm Brook'n'Cookin: Chicken Salad
12:30 pm Sandhya: Cupcakes
1:00 pm Norfolk County Prevention Coalition: Fire Safety
1:30 pm Pizzapalooza: Meat-Lovers Pt. 1
2:00 pm New England Candlepins: Summer 2018 Show 7
3:00 pm Candlepin New Generation: Show 5
3:30 pm Cooking Thyme: Spring
6:30 pm Concerts on the Common: Jamie Barrett & Electric Youth
9:30 pm The Black Box: Wicked


  • Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel (Comcast 96, Verizon 28) = WEDNESDAY

7:00 am Public School Event: Concert Hour Day 1
8:30 am All-Town Showcase: Chorus and Orchestra
10:00 am SAFE Coalition: Woody Geissman
1:30 pm FHS Girls Varsity Lacrosse: v Sharon 04-14-22
3:00 pm Public School Concert: FHS Spring Jazz '22
4:30 pm ArtWeek: Ed Iannuccilli
7:00 pm FHS Varsity Baseball: v Oliver Ames 04-08-22
9:00 pm FHS Girls Varsity Tennis: v Canton 04-08-22


  • Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 11, Verizon 29) = WEDNESDAY

8:00 am Town Council: 04-13-22
12:00 pm Economic Development: 04-06-22
2:00 pm Town Council: 04-13-22

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf 

Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm)
Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm)

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

GoFundMe: Please help the Bertram Family displaced by loss of home/possessions in fire

The Bertram family sadly lost their home, located in Franklin, Ma, to a devastating house fire on the afternoon of Saturday, Apr. 16, 2022.

Kellee, Kyle, Connor, Samantha and the family dog, Blue, and 2 Cats Spike and Sparkle (found hours later) escaped the fire safely. Connor and Kyle were taken to Milford Hospital for Smoke Inhalation, and later released.

The fire was aggressive and quickly spread throughout destroying their home and personal belongings. The exterior of the home shows little damage, but the interior is destroyed. Only a few family possessions were able to be salvaged, everything else was lost in the fire.

While the family is grieving the loss of their home, they are grateful for their safety, as well as thankful they still have each other.

The family has been displaced by this traumatic event, and are taking things slowly, one step at a time. There is a great deal to process, and the wounds are still raw.

At the request of neighbors and friends, this GoFundMe page was created to accept the help so generously offered by the community. Through crowd-source funding, we are hoping we can give the resources to help them get back on their feet. All donations received will go directly to the Bertrams as they attempt put the pieces of their lives back together.

They are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support so many of you have offered. Family Statement :
"We are truly grateful for the kind words, thoughts, and prayers. For those checking in with us: Thank you! Knowing that community can come together in times of need makes our hearts so full. We are honored to have you in our lives.

And a HUGE THANK YOU to the first responders (FRANKLIN, MEDWAY, WRENTHAM and MILLIS FIRE DEPARTMENTS) who were so heroic, so thoughtful, and so helpful during this tragic time. We feel so blessed to have you safeguarding our community.

Our love to all of you." 

Shared from Twitter -> https://twitter.com/CoachCosta88/status/1515825000145731587

Contribute to the GoFundMe here ->  https://www.gofundme.com/f/bertram-family-daniels-street-fire

Bertram Family , Daniels Street Fire

Bertram Family , Daniels Street Fire

Insights on the House Ways & Means budget vs. Gov Baker's H2 budget starting point

For those closely following the State budget process (it does have significance to the local budget process) Tracy Novick's analysis of the House Ways & Means budget released last week vs. the Governor's budget H2 released in January is a must read.

"The House Ways and Means budget was released Wednesday, April 13. The account by account detail can be found in sections 2 & 3, at the end of which you can find town by town and district by district allocations for local aid, including Chapter 70. The Department of Revenue Division of Local Services have likewise updated their preliminary cherry sheets; the municipal cherry sheets are here; the regional cherry sheets are here. 

I have now updated my FY23 account by account spreadsheet, as well. 

Let me start by highlighting a couple of things that are different than the budget proposed by Governor Baker in January, and then I'll run through the accounts."

Continue reading Tracy's analysis here ->

Links in Tracy's article

Budgets are moral documents, what we fund is what we value
Budgets are moral documents, what we fund is what we value


HockomockSports.com Player of the Week: Vayshnav Malhotra - FHS Tennis

"Franklin senior Vayshnav Malhotra has been selected as the HockomockSports.com Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, for April 11 through April 17. Malhotra is the 26th player chosen as Player of the Week for the 2021-22 school year and the second of the spring season.

Malhotra has been a big part of Franklin’s perfect start to the season and its quest for a third straight league title. The senior has won all six of his matches this spring, including an impressive, straight sets win on Friday afternoon in a showdown with previously unbeaten Mansfield. His point sealed a 3-2 win over the Hornets and put the Panthers up by a match in the race for the Kelley-Rex crown."

Continue reading the article online ->

HockomockSports.com Player of the Week: Vayshnav Malhotra - FHS Tennis
HockomockSports.com Player of the Week: Vayshnav Malhotra - FHS Tennis

2 FHS Senior Project Profiles & 2 Student Profiles

Franklin High School is out this week on spring break so we'll catch to share a couple of student profiles posted by Pantherbook as well as a couple of Senior Project profiles.


  • Erica Bain: Senior Project Profile
Senior, Erica Bain will be working with the author of the Diary of A Wimpy Kid series, Jeff Kinney, at his Unlikely Story bookstore in Plainville. 
https://franklinpanthers.us/top-stories/2022/04/08/erica-bain-senior-project-profile/

 

FHS Panthers
FHS Panthers

"In January 2022, more people ages 15 and older died of COVID-19 than of cancer"

"COVID shouldn't even be in the top 10 causes of death in the US if we consistently used all the tools available. Yet we're still now losing the lives of 500 Americans each day. "

Shared from Twitter ->   https://twitter.com/EricTopol/status/1516066189914501124 


COVID still among top cause of death in US
COVID still among top cause of death in US

"The chart above combines data on COVID-19 mortality rates from KFF’s tracker with data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on weekly counts of death by jurisdiction and cause of death and monthly provisional counts of deaths by select causes. Looking at average daily deaths for each month, deaths from some non-COVID causes—for example, heart disease deaths—sometimes increased with surges in COVID-19 deaths. This could be in part directly or indirectly related to COVID. "
Source of data -> https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/covid-19-leading-cause-of-death-ranking/

 


"To rank COVID-19 among other leading causes of death by age groups, we looked at COVID-19 deaths for each age group and the most recent available data for other “rankable” age-specific leading causes. The number of deaths caused by COVID-19 are available for recent months, but the number of deaths from other causes in the most recent months are incomplete. Therefore, for each age group, we assume the number of deaths that arose from non-COVID-19 leading causes were an average of the first half of 2021 (or the most recent data year available). We do not include children under age 5 in age-specific COVID ranking because there are relatively few deaths from any cause, meaning that the rankings of leading causes in each month can be influenced by even a small change in the number of deaths from a given cause."

Source of data -> https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/covid-19-leading-cause-of-death-ranking/ 

021 - Passover And Easter & The End Of COVID (Hopefully) (audio)

A Priest, A Rabbi, and A Minister Walk Into A Radio Station - WFPR 

In this episode, Dr. Pandora Carlucci and Pete Fasciano are joined by Reverend Junger, Reverend McAdams and Rabbi Alpert to discuss the topic of Passover and Easter, the move away from COVID and the return to normal in each congregation.

Audio file -> https://player.captivate.fm/episode/d1386b7f-a6d6-4db3-baa6-4b636de21292

021 - Passover And Easter & The End Of COVID (Hopefully)
021 - Passover And Easter & The End Of COVID (Hopefully)

Milford Daily News: "Franklin officer Tara Lagoa specializes in assisting those with mental health issues"

"Officer Tara Lagoa became a police officer because she wanted to help people.

And she gets to help those at risk due to psychological or mental health issues as part of the Franklin Police Department's Critical Incident Team.

"I just like to be able to help people," said Lagoa, 37. "I think we can rapport with people."

Last week, Lagoa was honored for her work with the Critical Incident Team, receiving an award from the Norfolk County CIT Training and Technical Assistance Center and the Brookline Police Department."

Continue reading the article (subscription may be required)
 
Shared last week from the FPD Instagram account

Franklin Police Officer Lagoa recognized with CIT Award
Franklin Police Officer Lagoa recognized with CIT Award

Franklin TV and wfpr.fm schedule for Tuesday, Apr 19, 2022

  • wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Tuesday

9:00 AM 12:00 Noon and 6:00 PM  Jazz Journey – with Pamela Hines
2 hours. An insightful tour of Jazz Greats in a golden era

11:00 AM 2 PM and 8:00 PM SAFE Radio– Jim Derick and Dr. Anne Bergen
Addressing issues of Drug Abuse Disorder

  • Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 26) = TUESDAY

7:00 am Sons and Daughters of Italy: Carlo Geromini
9:00 am It Takes A Village: 40 Percent Club
10:00 am Frank Presents: Alberto Correia
11:30 am Senior Connection: Hearing Loss
12:00 pm Brook'n'Cookin: Chicken Salad
12:30 pm Sandhya: Cupcakes
1:30 pm Pizzapalooza: Meat-Lovers Pt. 1
2:00 pm New England Candlepins: Summer 2018 Show 7
3:00 pm Candlepin New Generation: Show 5
3:30 pm Arts Advocacy: Impact
4:00 pm Let's Talk Sports: Episode 1
4:30 pm Extended Play Sessions: Season 10 Show 5 - Matt Stubbs Antiguas
5:30 pm Physician Focus: Alzheimer's
8:30 pm ArtWeek: Airmen of Note

  • Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel (Comcast 96, Verizon 28) = TUESDAY

7:00 am Public School Event: Lifelong Music Pt. 2 05-13-19
9:00 am Public School Event: Concert Hour Day 1
10:30 am FHS Varsity Baseball: v Oliver Ames 04-08-22
12:30 pm All-Town Showcase: Chorus and Orchestra
2:00 pm It Takes A Village: 40 Percent Club
6:30 pm FHS Boys Varsity Lacrosse: v Attleboro 04-04-22
8:30 pm FHS Girls Varsity Lacrosse: v Sharon 04-14-22
10:00 pm FHS Boys Varsity Tennis: v Mansfield 04-15-22

  • Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 11, Verizon 29) = TUESDAY

8:00 am School Committee: 04-12-22
12:00 pm Community Preservation: 04-05-22
2:00 pm School Committee: 04-12-22

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf 

Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm)
Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm)