In Other News

Franklin Planning Board Hears from Depot Plaza Developer

Monday evening, the Franklin Planning Board heard from the public, and in particular concerned members of the Franklin Downtown Partnership, regarding plans for a massive redevelopment of the current Depot Plaza location on Main Street.  In the end, the applicants were asked to come back with renderings with more of a view of the other Main Street buildings as a reference, renderings with different exterior materials, and three-story renderings rather than just their preferred four-story design. The Board meets again on Monday, Oct 19.

Remember the Giant Illegal Pot Growing Bust in Maine?

Prosecutors expected the "kingpin" in court earlier this month but it turns out the accused, Yao Bin Cheng, who was arrested in a 2024 bust of a Skowhegan grow house, simply went back to the country of China, his attorney said.

Peds vs Bikes

A report in the Boston Globe reminds us of the dangers of fast moving bicycles. They report that a [edestrian was seriously injured in collision with bicyclist near Kenmore Square, this week. 

$25,000 per Job

Governor Maura Healey has announced nearly $40 million in tax incentives for 38 life sciences companies that are expected to create 1,644 new jobs across Massachusetts. The awards, made through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center’s Tax Incentive Program, support companies that are expanding their research, development and manufacturing operations in Massachusetts. 31 of the 38 companies receiving awards are expanding outside of Boston and Cambridge and account for 71 percent of the new jobs expected to be created through this round of awards.

About those Long-Delayed Pipelines

Fiscal Alliance Foundation released a new study examining Project Beacon, a proposed expansion of the Algonquin Gas Transmission system that would add 300 million cubic feet per day of firm natural gas capacity. The study, conducted by Always On Energy Research, puts numbers behind what additional pipeline capacity could mean for Massachusetts ratepayers.
💰 $367 million in estimated average savings per winter
🏠 $76 in net savings for a typical gas-heated household, after accounting for the estimated cost of Project Beacon
🏪 $622 in net savings for a typical commercial account
🔥 300 MMcf/d in additional firm natural gas capacity
🛢️ 8.4 million fewer gallons of fuel oil burned per winter
The findings also show that the benefits could become even more significant during the coldest winters, when natural gas constraints can contribute to sharp increases in heating and electricity prices.

AG Campbell's Big Reveal on the Rest of the Catholic Church in Massachusetts

The attorney general has released a report on childhood sexual abuse in the dioceses  of Springfield, Worcester, and Fall River. The main report is sobering. The victim statements at the end, horrifying. Click here for the report.