NSTAR, Route 9, Pedestrian Safety and Taxation on Legislative Priority List

Framingham Selectmen met with three of the four members of its local state legislative delegation Tuesday night.

Framingham Selectmen met with three of the four members of its local state legislative delegation Tuesday night. State Sen. Karen Spilka was not in attendance, but representatives Chris Walsh, Tom Sannicandro and Tom Conroy were. Selectmen laid out a number of concerns they wanted lawmakers to take back to Beacon Hill, including:  * Tools to address blighted properties. A bill, filed during the last session  to enable Framingham to use municipal liens to help reclaim and restore properties being ignored by owners, and a proposal to establish a Housing Court in Framingham, will be pursued again in the upcoming session. "We need a housing court, we need a place to hear those issues that has that knowledge and can give us some enforcement …

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Governor Murray? Fundraiser for Lt. Governor in Framingham Tonight

A group of Framingham residents is hosting a fundraiser tonight for Lt. Gov. Tim Murray, a possible candidate for Governor in 2014; Murray has yet to announce his candidacy.

A group of high-powered Democrats in Framingham, including most of the legislative delegation, is hosting a fundraiser for Lt. Gov. Tim Murray tonight in Framingham at La Cantina Ristorante. Locals can meet with the Lt. Gov. between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. with a suggested donation of $50, $100 or $200. Murray has not formally announced he would like to be governor of the Commonwealth, but has hinted he would like to have the title someday. The election is in 2014. Murray is no stranger to Framingham. The former Worcester mayor makes frequent visits to the largest town in the Commonwealth. State Rep. Sannicandro writes  in an invite that went out that "Murray is a great friend to MetroWest, investing $22 Million into a new MassBay Campus, $9 …

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Election 2012

Sannicandro Easily Wins Re-Election

State Rep. Tom Sannicandro won all six of the Framingham precincts in the 7th Middlesex District plus the community of Ashland to win re-election.

State Rep. Tom Sannicandro (D-Ashland) won all six of the Framingham precincts in the 7th Middlesex District and every precinct in Ashland to defeat his Republican challenger Jon Fetherston. Framingham Patch first reported the win Tuesday night before 9:30. Fetherston, the former chair of the Ashland Board of Selectmen, didn't even reach 100 votes in two of the six precincts in Framingham. Framingham results are unofficial, as the Framingham Town Clerk's office has some issues with some machines at the polling places, due to thickness and width of the ballots. Because of those issues the Town Clerk's office was hand counting and will continue to hand count this morning. Unofficially in Framingham Precinct 8: Sannicandro 1,268; Fetherston …

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Election 2012

Q&A With 7th Middlesex District Candidates

Rep. Tom Sannicandro is being challenged by Republican Jon Fetherston for the 7th Middlesex District seat.

State Represenattive Tom Sannicandro (D-Ashland) is being challenged for his seat by former Ashland Board of Selectmen Chair Jon Fetherston, a Republican. The 7th Middlesex District, consists of Ashland and six of Framingham's 18 precincts. The district has been redrawn this year, due to redistricting. The Framingham precincts in the new district include 8, 13, 14, 16, 17 and 18. Editor's Note: I live in town and would vote in Precinct 15. Framingham Patch asked the two candidates to answer 6-8 questions and to provide some background information for voters. The answers to the questions are below. (Answers are alphabetical with Fetherston appearing first.) Each candidates' background information is below. (Sannicandro's responses appear …

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Election 2012

VIDEO: Sannicandro, Fetherston Talk Issues In Race's Only Forum

State Rep. Tom Sannicandro (D-Ashland) is being challenged for his seat by former Ashland Board of Selectmen Jon Fetherston, a Republican; the seat represents the Ashland and 6 precincts in Framingham.

In what is likely to be the only meeting of the two candidates for the 7th Middlesex District, State Rep. Tom Sannicandro (D-Ashland) and former Ashland Board of Selectmen Jon Fetherston, a Republican, discussed their views at a forum, sponsored by the Framingham Coalition, at Wilson Elementary School Wednesday night. The 7th Middlesex District consists of the Town of Ashland and precincts 8, 13, 14, 16, 17 and 18 in Framingham. Framingham has three state representatives. Audience members were asked to put questions for the candidates on index cards and place them in a basket. Coalition members then sorted the questions and decided which ones to ask the two Ashland residents and candidates. More than half of the questions focused on …

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News From Your State Representative

Parents Attend Early Literacy Night Hosted by Rep. Sannicandro

The panel encouraged bilingual parents to emphasis both their native language and English in the home. Ensuring that parents are asking pertinent questions and animating the story for children is the most effective way children to learn, no matter the lan

PRESS RELEASE FROM REP. TOM SANNICANDRO'S OFFICE: Rep. Tom Sannicandro (D-Ashland) hosted an Early Literacy Night for parents of Ashland and Framingham at the Pittaway Elementary School last week. Sannicandro and principal Pat White, welcomed parents to the school where they heard from a panel of experts about how early education is moving forward in Massachusetts and what steps they can take with their young child to develop their literacy skills. The panel included Dr. Sherri Killins, Massachusetts Commissioner of Early Education and Care, White, Betsy Salomone, Early Education Coordinator for Ashland Public Schools, Kelly Kulsrud, Director of Reading Proficiency at Strategies for Children and Sannicandro. “It was great to see parents …

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Letter to the Editor

LETTER: Candidate Chooses To Avoid Discussing His Own Record

Shulman: "The sponsors of a debate cannot be considered non-partisan while actively supporting one of the candidates with their time and their money."

It seems to me that candidates who focus incessantly on manufactured issues about their opponent also choose to avoid discussing their own record and affiliations. We see that in other campaigns up and down the ballot, but we have a striking example of this deflection technique right here in the 7th Middlesex House District (Ashland and part of Framingham). The non-partisan Framingham Coalition/Community Connections, which annually sponsors Candidates Nights, is hosting such a forum for State Rep. Tom Sannicandro and Republican challenger Jon Fetherston. Voters are invited to meet the candidates in person and hear their views, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Wilson Elementary School. Access Framingham coverage is planned. On the …

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Rep. Sannicandro Invites Parents to Early Literacy Night Discussion

Sannicandro: "This July, we passed legislation to try and make sure all of our kids can read by third grade. We are working together at all levels to ensure that every parent has the tools needed for their children to succeed.”

Framingham and Ashland State Rep. Tom Sannicandro (D-Ashland), in collaboration with the Pittaway Elementary School in Ashland, is hosting an early literacy night for Framingham and Ashland parents tomorrow, Oct. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Pittaway School, 75 Central St. The focus of the free event is a 6-person panel on early literacy: Dr. Sherri Killins, Massachusetts Commissioner of Early Education and Care, Pat White, director of Pittaway Elementary, Betsy Salomone, Early Education Coordinator for Ashland Public Schools, Kelly Kulsrud, director of reading proficiency at Strategies for Children, Liz Zigmont, staff member of the Boston University Early Childhood Learning Lab, and Sannicandro. “Early education lays the foundation for a …

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Letter to the Editor

Fetherston: Sannicandro Is Dragging His Feet on Debating

The Committee To Elect Jon Fetherston says state Rep. Tom Sannicandro, who represents Ashland and six precincts in Framingham, has yet to agree to a debate.

Press Release from Committee to Elect Jon Fetherston: On Sept. 30, Jon Fetherston, candidate for state representative, announced he has accepted two invitations from community groups to debate the incumbent State Rep. Tom Sannicandro and will accept more. “I will debate the issues with Tom Sannicandro any time, any place. In these critical times, the people of Ashland and Framingham deserve all of our time and attention," Fetherston said. Unfortunately, Sannicandro refuses to respond to community requests about debates. Enzo Rotatori, President of the Framingham Taxpayers Association, has spoken to a representative of Sannicandro’s campaign and sent several emails to the campaign. Sannicandro refuses to respond to the Framingham based …

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