Franklin Matters

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Sunday, July 12, 2026 ???

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Sunday, July 12

8:00am Twice is Nice Road Race (North Attleborough Middle School)

1:00pm Sunday Funday (Fairmount Fruit Farm)

1:00pm Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

1:00pm Sunday Speaker Series (Franklin Historical Museum)

*** NO Town Meetings today ***

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Find the full Community event calendar https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication: https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Town meeting calendar is found https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx

The School district calendar is found https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendar

Agenda for Communications Subcommittee - Weds, July 15 at 6 PM

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 10:50:00 +0000

Communications Subcommittee

Agenda & Meeting Packet

July 15, 2026 = 6:00 PM

Meeting will be held at the Franklin Municipal Building 355 East Central Street - 2nd Floor, Council Chambers

Agenda:

1. Discussion: Debrief on Town Councilor attendance/presence at early summer 2026 community events

2. Town Council Ofﬁce Hours follow up discussion

3. Constituent email response policy/protocol

a. Draft Town Council Email Guidelines https://franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10152/DRAFT-Town-Council-Email-Guidelines

4. Review and formal recommendation

a. Draft Social Media Engagement Guidelines for Elected & Appointed Ofﬁcials https://franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10110/DRAFT-Social-Media-Engagement-Guidelines-for-Elected-and-Appointed-Officials-PDF

b. Reference: Page 3 of Rules of Procedure deﬁnes Role of the Franklin Town Council https://franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8362/2026-02-04-Draft-Rules-of-Procedure-v2-FINAL-APPROVED

5. General discussion: next steps, priorities, and questions

a. 2026-2027 Communications Subcommittee work plan https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/9592/2026-2027-Communications-subcommittee-work-plan---DRAFT

b. Draft Town Council Community Engagement Ideas https://franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10120/Draft-Town-Council-Community-Engagement-Ideas

6. Adjourn

The agenda doc also contains remote participation info

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07152026-2412

Note: This is a meeting of the Franklin Town Council Subcommittee; under the Open Meeting Law, this subcommittee is a separate "public body" from the Town Council. Therefore, unless the Town Council has separately notified and posted its own meeting, Councilors who are not members of this subcommittee will not be permitted to speak or otherwise actively participate @ this meeting, although they may attend and observe. This prohibition is necessary to avoid the potential for an Open Meeting Law Violation.

2 more episodes of Winning Ways with the MIAA (video)

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 10:45:00 +0000

Winning Ways with the MIAA: Student Athletes Ep1 06-11-26

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPLMvQh3V_w

Winning Ways with the MIAA: Student Athletes Ep2 06-11-26

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDbfSKbPf1M

FBRTC: July Monthly Meeting - July 14

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 10:40:00 +0000

July Monthly Meeting

Hello!

Tuesday night, July 14th we will have our monthly meeting at Franklin.TV, 23 Hutchinson Street, Franklin at 7 PM. We'd love to see you there!

The minutes from our previous meeting can be found here on our web site.

In addition to the agenda, we will be discussing and holding a final vote on a proposed amendment to the Bylaws to establish a reserve fund/account. Under the proposed policy, reserve funds would be held in a separate account overseen by the Treasurer and require additional approvals before being used. If approved, this change would provide a formal process for maintaining and using reserve funds.

The agenda for this month's meeting is here.

Warm regards,

Franklin & Bellingham Rail Trail Committee

Franklin TV: Our Open Board Meeting - Aug 22

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 10:30:00 +0000

It’s Happening. August 22nd at Our Studio

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director 07/12/2025

Our Annual Open Board Meeting will take place as our neighborhood block party. Come to our 23 Hutchinson St. studios.

Join us, Saturday, August 22nd at 3:00pm. If you plan to attend, please RSVP by August 15 to: info@franklin.tv

It’s open to all Franklin businesses and residents. We’ll meet-and-greet and enjoy the day starting at 3:00 PM. Come hungry, enjoy great food and all the fixin’s – along with tunes and fun.

You can also tour our studios and learn about Franklin●TV and wfpr●fm. We’ll also briefly review the past year’s progress and plans for the future. At our meeting you may cast your vote for new and/or renewing board positions.

Excerpt from our bylaws: (Available on our website.)

Section 15. Election of Director by the Membership (a) Members shall be notified by the Clerk of the election of a director by the Membership at the Annual Meeting. Said notice shall be in accordance with the notice provisions of Section 4 of this Article IV. (b) Any eligible voting Member may be nominated for election to the position of Director by:

(i) Written notification to the Clerk no later than seven (7) days prior to Annual Meeting; or (ii) By nomination from the floor of the Annual Meeting made and seconded by no less than three (3) eligible voting members.

Thanks to our board members who contribute their time and energy to help make Franklin●TV all that a public access TV studio can be. If you would like to become involved either as a volunteer or to create your own TV or radio programs at Franklin●TV and wfpr●fm, just send an email to: info@franklin.tv with your contact information. You can also call us to explore your ideas. 508-541-4118.

Please join us at our Franklin●TV event. Come meet, greet, chow down, have fun, and learn all about local TV and radio in Franklin.

See you then.

And – as always –

Thank you for watching.

Thanks for listening to wfpr●fm,

and staying informed at Franklin●news.

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

The Within Project partners with SAFE Coalition

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 10:25:00 +0000

(L-R) Jen Levine & Janya Varsani

"The Within Project is excited to announce our partnership with Safe Coalition!!

A massive thank you to jlknight1717 for reaching out to connect and support my mission. We have amazing things in the works, including an upcoming art showcase to highlight all of the kids incredible creations!

I am also looking forward to hosting this year’s workshops there.

Thank you, Jen and the SAFE Coalition team for collaborating with The Within Project."

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What is the Within Project?

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/07/the-within-project-2-art-workshops-for.html

Shared from - https://www.facebook.com/share/191MHTJxWF/

Sunday Funday at Fairmount Fruit Farm - July 12 from 1 to 4 PM

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 10:20:00 +0000

Here is the lineup for Sunday Funday! Enjoy a wood-fired pizza and ice cream. C&C is doing a $5 “Shark Attack” ice cream special.

Goat Cuddles from 1pm-4pm 🐐 go into the pen and pet and feed them.

📕 Donate to warrior_family_books_for_nicu for newborns in intensive care.

🐉 3D Prints

🧵Handmade crafts

Fun events at the Franklin Library this week, July 13 - July 18

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 10:10:00 +0000

Another full week of summer fun at Franklin Public Library!

For additional details on the Library events ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/942/Calendar-of-Events

Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm schedule for Sunday, July 12, 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 09:55:00 +0000

Yes, Franklin has its own radio station -> wfpr.fm. Franklin Public Radio has a schedule full of the locally produced shows that fill our air waves.

It is available anywhere, anytime at wfpr.fm or in the local Franklin, MA area at 102.9 on the FM dial.

Tune in to listen to the following:

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

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Saturday, July 11, 2026 ???

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Saturday, July 11

9:00am Thrifty Threads (Franklin Federated Church)

10:00am Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

10:00pm Revolutionaries in White: A Look Across Three Centuries of Bridal Fashion (Franklin Historical Museum)

10:30am Toe Jam Puppet Band! (Franklin Public Library)

1:00pm Painting for Adults! (Franklin Public Library)

1:30pm Diamond Art De-Stress (register) (Franklin Public Library)

8:00pm Karaoke at The Raillery (Raillery Public House)

For additional details on Library events -> https://www.franklinma.gov/942/Calendar-of-Events

*** NO Town Meetings today ***

---------

Find the full Community event calendar https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication: https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Town meeting calendar is found https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx

The School district calendar is found https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendar

Mass Legislative Manufacturing Caucus Leaders and Industry Advocates Champion Future of Advanced Manufacturing at State House Lobby Day

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 10:55:00 +0000

Associated Industries of Massachusetts Honors Franklin's Plansee USA with Excellence in Manufacturing Award Amid Push for $425M Economic Development Package

(L- R) State Representative Jeff Roy,
State Senator Paul Feeney

Industry leaders and state legislators gathered for a packed Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) lobby day at the State House to champion the future of manufacturing in the Commonwealth. Addressing a standing-room-only crowd of manufacturers, State Representative Jeff Roy (D-Franklin) and State Senator Paul Feeney (D-Foxborough), co-chairs of the Legislative Manufacturing Caucus, stood alongside AIM President and CEO Brooke Thomson to push back against the narrative that manufacturing is leaving the state, highlighting a major upcoming economic development bond package instead.

The day's events also featured a major celebration of local industrial achievement, as AIM presented its Excellence in Manufacturing Award to Plansee USA, a Franklin-based leader in powder metallurgy that specializes in producing high-melting refractory metals like molybdenum and tungsten for extreme-condition, high-tech applications. Plansee was specifically recognized for its innovation and proactive leadership in workforce development, notably through the establishment of its Manufacturing Training Center, which combats local CNC machining shortages by combining technical classroom instruction with real-world, hands-on experience.

The lobby day took place just hours before the Massachusetts House of Representatives took up a comprehensive end-of-session economic development bill (H5562). The proposed $425 million bond package directly targets the manufacturing sector's growth, including $100 million for the defense sector and national security infrastructure, $25 million for emerging technology and robotics, $25 million for applied artificial intelligence and quantum computing, and $25 million in capital support for expanding companies.

Industry leaders and state legislators gathered for a packed
Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) lobby day at the State House

During the event, manufacturing representatives outlined five key legislative priorities to sustain this momentum: expanding vocational schools, funding the Center for Advanced Manufacturing, aligning state and federal tax codes, increasing capital grants, and scaling existing programs that are already working well.

Speaking to the crowded room of advocates, Rep. Jeff Roy emphasized the critical role state support will play in unlocking the industry's full potential:

"We are not a state that just thinks; we are a state that makes. When people think of Massachusetts, they often think of our incredible universities, our historic cities, and our medical breakthroughs. But what makes those breakthroughs real, what scales them, and what brings them to the world is the grit, precision, and passion of Massachusetts manufacturing."

The Legislature's pending economic development bill aims to directly bolster this vision by prioritizing regional competitiveness, advanced technology, supply chain support, and streamlined regulatory permitting to give Massachusetts manufacturers and award-winning employers like Plansee USA the edge they need in a rapidly evolving global market.

"Investing in industries like clean energy and Al allows our manufacturing sector to adapt, grow, and lead the nation," said Sen. Paul Feeney, addressing the advocates in attendance. "People say to me, 'Feeney, you have this idea, this vision that doesn't exist anymore.' It exists in every single one of you, and it exists in the work that you do in our communities.''

In Massachusetts, there are 228,000 hard-working men and women in manufacturing jobs across this Commonwealth. As Rep. Roy noted, "every single day, they clock in to push the boundaries of what is possible. And their impact is immense: manufacturing drives a massive 7.9% of the total Massachusetts GDP. This isn't just a legacy sector; it is a vital, living engine of our modern economy."

Agenda for the Horace Mann Legacy Subcommittee - Monday, July 13 at 7 PM

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 10:50:00 +0000

Franklin Public Schools - Franklin School Committee

Horace Mann Legacy Subcommittee

July 13, 2026 = 7:00 PM

Municipal Building - 3rd Floor Training Room

AGENDA

"The listing of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed, and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law."

● Campus Design Update

● Financial Review

● Farmer's Market Event

The agenda doc also contains remote participation info

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07132026-2401

The Town of Franklin is Looking to hire a Deputy Town Administrator

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 10:40:00 +0000

The Town of Franklin is seeking an experienced and collaborative leader to join our team as Deputy Town Administrator.

This executive leadership role works closely with the Town Administrator to support municipal operations, lead strategic initiatives and special projects, and collaborate with department leaders to advance the Town's priorities and deliver exceptional public service.

💼 Salary: $170,000–$200,000, commensurate with experience

📅 Priority application deadline: July 17, 2026

Learn more about the position and apply at: https://buff.ly/uBQvoy6

Reminder: Franklin Police Annual Golf Tournament - Aug 31, 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 10:30:00 +0000

Mark your calendars for August 31, 2026 and join us at Franklin Country Club for a great day of golf, community, and giving back!

This isn’t just a tournament—it’s our ONLY annual fundraiser, and it directly supports so much in our community, including:

Scholarships for Franklin High School seniors
Local youth sports teams
Events like the annual luncheon at the Senior Center
Supplemental support for our holiday toy drive
…and more

Scan the QR code OR register here: https://birdease.com/35204

✔️ Register your foursome
✔️ Explore sponsorship opportunities
✔️ Make a donation if you’d like to support the cause

Whether you’re playing, sponsoring, or donating—every bit makes a difference right here in Franklin.

Grab your friends, swing for a cause, and help us continue giving back to the community we’re proud to serve

Shared from - https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BVK9VG3wV/

Town of Franklin: Missed Friday Trash Collection - Resumes Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 10:25:00 +0000

Update from Waste Mgt:

Due to extended disposal times, a portion of today's (Friday) trash route was not completed. Trucks are scheduled to complete collection of the BLUE areas tomorrow (Saturday), on the attached map. We apologize for the inconvenience

Shared from - https://www.franklinma.gov/m/newsflash/home/detail/164

Diamond Art De-Stress - spots available for Saturday, July 11 at the Franklin Public Library

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 10:20:00 +0000

Give your day some Sparkle & Zen...

Enjoy a meditative diamond art project! All materials provided. Registration required. For ages 18+.

Free and Open to the Public

Registration for this event reserves space(s) for the first 10 minutes from the event start time. After which any unclaimed spaces will be considered open.

Cancellations & No-Shows: These programs often fill up and have a waitlist of people who would really like to join! If you register but find yourself unable to attend, please cancel your registration with at least 48 hours notice. This will give us enough time to offer your spot to someone on the waitlist and ensure that supplies and staff time do not go to waste. If you fail to cancel your registration with enough notice and/or no-show twice, you will temporarily be barred from registering for the program again.

Capacity: 24 of 30 spaces available for July 11

Frank Presents: Joe Pagliarulo (video)

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 10:15:00 +0000

Frank Falvey interviews Joe Pagliarulo, candidate for Norfolk District Attorney in this episode of Frank Presents.

video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB1zzQerZbI

SAFE Q&A: Q: What if recovery changes my personality?

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 10:10:00 +0000

Each week, a SAFE Licensed Clinical Social Worker answers questions about mental health, substance use recovery, wellness, and more. 👇Check out this week’s Q&A!

Q: What if recovery changes my personality?

A: Being in recovery may change your personality as much as any other major life change will. Take some time to reflect on what you're worried about changing and then make active efforts to nurture those pieces of your personality.

Life in recovery might be different, but you can still live authentically to your values and identity. If you are nervous that being sober means losing friends, focus on planning activities with them that don’t center on drugs and alcohol. You can still be social without compromising your sobriety goals.

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

Submit questions and view past answers at: https://www.safecoalitionma.org/ask-safe

Shared from - https://www.instagram.com/p/DalfbGLiedV/

Commuter Rail schedules return to the 'normal' Spring/Summer schedule (World Cup over for Boston Stadium)

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000

On Mon, July 13, 2026, all Commuter Rail lines will return to the normal Spring/Summer schedule.

Learn more: https://www.mbta.com/schedules/commuter-rail

The Franklin line schedule can be found - https://www.mbta.com/schedules/CR-Franklin/timetable

Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm schedule for Saturday, July 11, 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 09:55:00 +0000

Yes, Franklin has it's own radio station -> wfpr.fm. Franklin Public Radio has a brand new schedule for the locally produced shows that fill our air waves.

It is available anywhere, anytime at wfpr.fm or in the local Franklin, MA area at 102.9 on the FM dial.

Tune in to listen to the following:

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

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Friday, July 10, 2026 ???

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Friday, July 10

10:00am Knitting Group (Franklin Public Library)

1:00pm Thrifty Threads (Franklin Federated Church)

2:00pm Farmers Market (Franklin Town Common)

3:00pm Mike Tarara (live music) (Franklin Town Common)

5:30pm Fourplay (live music) (Franklin Town Common)

7:30pm Mike Goulet (live music) (The SHED craft bar & kitchen)

For additional details on Library events -> https://www.franklinma.gov/942/Calendar-of-Events

For additional details on Senior Center events ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9890

*** NO Town Meetings today ***

---------

Find the full Community event calendar https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication: https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Town meeting calendar is found https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx

The School district calendar is found https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendar

MA State Primary election ballots are now color coded

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:55:00 +0000

Per Town Clerk Nancy Danello, something that the election officials have been advocating for is now a reality, color coded primary ballots.

Franklin residents will see these colors as the State Primary rolls around in September.

Second Sunday Speaker Series: Rose Turco shares the 1976 Federal Bicentennial

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:50:00 +0000

July's Second Sunday Speaker Series features Franklin local Rose Turco sharing stories of the town's celebrations during the 1976 Federal Bicentennial.

Don't miss this walk down memory lane with photos and videos of parades, carnivals, and costume parties galore!

Where: Franklin Historical Museum

When: Sunday, July 12 1:15 PM to 2:30 PM

After the presentation, spend some time with the following exhibit:

Brides didn't always wear white, but in the 19th century, a number of factors combined to make that the preferred color choice. Today, white remains dominant for American brides as well as for brides in many other lands.

Revolutionaries in White will display gowns spanning from the 19th to the 21st century, offering insights into rapid social changes, with groupings that include multi-generational family gowns and the unique 1946 Parachute Dress with its spectacular 13-foot train.

Roots & Branches: History of Soccer in Massachusetts June 14, 2026 (video)

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:45:00 +0000

The presentation on "Roots & Branches: History of Soccer in Massachusetts" conducted at the Franklin Historical Museum, June 14, 2026 was recorded by Franklin TV and the video is now available for replay.

video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSZlMhhykeg

What vendors are at the Franklin Famers Market today?

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Sherlock) — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:40:00 +0000

You have the question.

We have the answers thanks to the good folks at the Franklin Farmers Market !!!