Franklin Matters

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ???

Tuesday, September 29

Diaper Drive (FHS cross country 4 SAFE Coalition)

12:00pm Community Closet (Franklin United Methodist Church)

4:00pm 7th Annual Pumpkin Patch (St John's Episcopal Church)

5:00pm Tuesday Night Cruise (Kings Brick Oven Pizza & Pub)

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

Franklin Senior Center Calendar for September

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BDUk1yeDL0SMHUNPnqRRZIcMq3Bvyxl2/view?usp=sharing

*** Town Meetings today ***

Franklin School Committee Community Relations Subcommittee
Tuesday, September 29, 2026. Time: 7:00 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/School-Committee-35/?#_09292026-2536

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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

Reminder: Get ready for the Senior Expo at the Franklin Senior Center on October 2, 2026

Senior Expo at the Franklin Senior Center on October 2, 2026 from 10 AM to 1 PM. 10 Daniel Mc Cahill St. Franklin, MA.

40+ Vendors,
Expect 300+ Attendees
Vaccination Clinic
Community Recourses
Give Aways and Raffles

The Goal is Connecting Older Adults, Caregivers, and Community Resources.

Parking at the Franklin Senior Center for Attendees.

Parking available at the St. Mary's Parking Lot for Vendors ( our FSC bus will do the pick ups and drop offs at this lot)

SEE YOU THERE!!!

Sunday Speaker Series: October 11 - `Odyssey in the Wilderness Revisited‘

Highlights and personalities from nearly 250 years of Franklin History.

This month, our `Second Sunday Speaker' is James C. Johnston Jr., a long-time Franklin educator, historian, and author of the award-winning `Odyssey in the Wilderness,’ a history of Franklin written for the town’s 200th birthday, in 1978.

Jim will share notable content from the book as well as other personalities, stories, and anecdotes drawn from a lifetime lived in the City Known as the Town of Franklin.

Admission is free but donations are encouraged. The museum is open from 1 to 4 and the program starts at 1:15.

Jen Levine, provides an update on the SAFE Coalition to the Town Council - 09/16/26 (audio)

This session shares a key segment of the Franklin (MA) Town Council meeting held on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. The Council held this session as scheduled beginning at 6 PM. 9 members participated in Chambers, 1 left not feeling well.

The key segments of the meeting recording are divided into 4 parts

Part 1 - Franklin Food Pantry Update - Tina Powderly, Executive Director, Franklin Food Pantry; presentation slides https://photos.app.goo.gl/2f1TjPBcXfMxVthM8

Part 2 - State Rep Roy and Senator Rausch with a legislative update

*** Part 3 - Jen Levine with an update from the SAFE Coalition slides being captured to share via photo album - https://photos.app.goo.gl/1rD2MyGQg6hkdjC97g

Part 4 - The 250 anniversary celebration committee, the slides captured https://photos.app.goo.gl/bN3cFQPgHFQLCWm46

Quick Recap:

The recap and my notes can be found

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/09/town-council-approve-west-as-police.html

Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1833-safe-coalition-update-to-town-council-09-16-26/

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Follow along with the agenda here

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09162026-2512

The full meeting is available via the FRANKLIN TV video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfKg2tTQll8&

my notes in one PDF -

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WVXQJLaaFx2VZBVvIaNSlHYpN4KVt1PW/view?usp=drive_link

Photos of the recognitions and retirements

https://photos.app.goo.gl/zj3u5xQ78VKyvEcs6

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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
And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

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"

FHS field hockey, volleyball, girls & boys soccer teams all post wins on Monday

Via Instagram, Franklin TV, and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the Fall sports competition for Franklin High School on Monday, September 28, 2026

Boys soccer = Franklin, 2 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final

– Franklin got one goal in each half to earn a road win at Attleboro. Junior Luke Follen opened the scoring midway through the first half with a strike from 25 yards out, and senior Deacon Eglintine doubled the lead early in the second half.

Girls soccer = Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 4 – Final

– Franklin got three points from Lily Strong and a clean sheet from Olivia Cotte to beat Attleboro and maintain its perfect start to the league campaign. Laila Rosen got the winner 11 minutes into the match. She collected a throw-in, cut across the midfield on her left foot, and fired a 25-yard strike just over the keeper. Strong doubled Franklin’s advantage with nine minutes left in the half. She showed a great burst down the left wing and then held the ball up at the end line before catching the keeper leaning and firing in from a tight angle. Ten minutes after the break, Franklin made it 3-0. Sophia Horton’s through ball sprung Strong in the right channel and she cut it back to Horton for a calm finish to the far post. Strong capped the scoring a couple minutes later. She collected a pass from Anna Carosi, cleverly touched it inside the defender onto her right foot, shrugged off a challenge, and curled it into the bottom corner.

Field hockey = Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 6 – Final

– Senior Ella Marzullo stayed red hot, pouring in four goals to lead Franklin to another convincing win. Marzullo scored twice in the opening five minutes off assists from senior Caydence Canavan, then completed the hat trick in the third quarter off a feed from junior Penelope Brady before adding her fourth just over a minute later. Senior Kiley Silvestri also found the back of the net, while sophomore Lila Reardon capped the scoring in the fourth quarter. Kennedy MacEachern was busy in net for Taunton, recording 28 saves.

Volleyball = Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final

– Franklin took care of business at home with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-10, 25-19) win over Taunton. Junior Emerson Delleo led the Panthers with 10 kills, 11 digs, and two aces, while sophomore Phoebe O’Connor dished out 32 assists to go with seven digs and an ace. Senior Gianna Laurello added five kills, nine digs, and three aces, and junior Charlotte Yeulenski chipped in six kills, two blocks, and an ace.

Golf = Franklin @ Milford – Postponed to Thursday, 10/15 at 3:00.

For other results across the Hockomock League (subscription required)

https://hockomocksports.com/mondays-schedule-scoreboard-09-28-26/

FHS Panther sports results shared via Twitter & subscription to HockomockSports.com

Reminder: Encore Music Academy schedules an Open House for Saturday, October 3, 2026

"Encore is having an OPEN HOUSE!

Come join us on Saturday, October 3, from 9 AM to 2 PM to see what we have to offer.

We will be hosting tours and demo classes.

See you soon!

Call - 508-533-7700
web page - encoremusicacademy.net
Email - info@encoremusicacademy.net"

Downtown Revitalization Series: Franklin For All podcast episodes - part 2 of 2

This is the second part of the 2-part post to share the 8 podcast episodes created discussing the Franklin For All Project. What wasn't completed by this project was mostly incorporated in the 2025 Master Plan.

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Downtown Revitalization Series: Franklin For All podcast episodes - part 2 of 2

#5 - Conversation on Franklin's walkability & insights from Worcester (audio)

FM #962 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 962 in the series.

This session of the radio show shares the audio recording of the housing and zoning discussion with Brad Chafee, Melanie Hamblen, Cobi Frongillo and Dean College Chancellor Ed Augustus.

Brad, Melanie, Ed and I were in the Franklin TV Studio on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. Cobi joined us for the discussion via Zoom.

Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-962-walkability-worcester-insights-03-15-23

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#6 - A "Franklin For All" discussion on buildable & affordable - 04/12/23 (audio)

This session of the radio show shares the audio recording of the housing and zoning discussion with Brad Chafee, Melanie Hamblen, Cobi Frongillo and Joe Halligan. We were all in the Franklin TV Studio on Wednesday, April 12, 2023.

Consider this a continuation of the downtown zoning discussion from the “Franklin For All” project which is underway with review and discussion at the Economic Development Subcommittee Plus meetings that Melanie Chairs and for which Cobi is Vice-Chair.

We were joined by Joe Halligan for this session to include his insights as a former Planning Board member, Franklin developer, and recently appointed to the Master Plan Update Committee.

Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-974-franklin-for-all-discusses-buildable-affordable-04-12-23

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#7 - The Franklin For All series continues with a discussion on Design Review - 05/30/23

This session of the radio show shares the audio recording of the housing and zoning discussion with Brad Chafee, Melanie Hamblen, Cobi Frongillo, and Sam Williams. Most of us were in the Franklin TV Studio on Tuesday, May 30, 2023. Cobi joined us via the Zoom conference bridge.

Consider this a continuation of the downtown zoning discussion from the “Franklin For All” project which is underway with review and discussion at the Economic Development Subcommittee Plus meetings that Melanie Chairs and for which Cobi is Vice-Chair.

We were joined by Sam Williams for this session to include his insights as the Vice-Chair of the Design Review Commission.

The conversation centered on design aspects of the ongoing Franklin For All discussion. Design Review had come up in a couple of the prior sessions so we decided to spend some time on it here with Sam.

Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1005-franklin-for-all-7-talks-about-design-review-05-30-23

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#8 - Franklin For All discusses 'new growth' and the relationship of zoning to the budget

This session of the radio show shares the audio recording of the housing and zoning discussion with Brad Chafee, Melanie Hamblen, and Cobi Frongillo. We were joined by Town Administrator Jamie Hellen and Town Council Chair Tom Mercer for this discussion on new growth. Most of us were in the Franklin TV Studio on Tuesday, May 30, 2023. Tom joined us via the Zoom conference bridge.

Consider this a continuation of the downtown zoning discussion from the “Franklin For All” project which is underway with review and discussion at the Economic Development Subcommittee Plus meetings that Melanie Chairs and for which Cobi is Vice-Chair.

The conversation centered on new growth and how the zoning decisions have a relationship with the budget.

Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1014-franklin-for-all-8-new-growth-06-05-23

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Halloween Bash scheduled by Franklin SEPAC at the Children’s Museum October 29

So excited for this one!!

Franklin Special Education Parents Advisory Council (SEPAC) is hosting a Halloween Bash at the Children’s Museum of Franklin October 29!

Halloween Bash scheduled by Franklin SEPAC at the Children’s Museum October 29

Pizza, trick-or-treating, games, pumpkin decorating, a dance party, and lots of Halloween fun.

Space is limited, so make sure to RSVP!

RSVP here: https://forms.gle/zXdKtiiwkJEbDhW5A

Hope to see lots of Franklin families there!

Shared from https://www.facebook.com/share/1a3fRQCUsv/

2026 Ballot Question 2: Collective Bargaining for Committee for Public Counsel Services ("CPCS") Employees

Question 2: Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken by the Senate or the House of Representatives before May 6, 2026?

SUMMARY

As required by law, summaries are written by the State Attorney General.

This proposed law would specify that employees of the Committee for Public Counsel Services ("CPCS") are permitted to engage in collective bargaining with their employer. It would also require CPCS, after executing a collective bargaining agreement, to request the appropriation necessary to fund such agreement from the Governor.

WHAT YOUR VOTE WILL DO

As required by law, the statements describing the effect of a "yes" or "no" vote are written jointly by the State Attorney General and the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

A YES VOTE would specify that Committee for Public Counsel Services employees may form a union to collectively bargain with their employer.

A NO VOTE would make no change to the law governing labor relations for Committee for Public Counsel Service employees.

STATEMENT OF FISCAL CONSEQUENCES

As required by law, statements of fiscal consequences are written by the Executive Office of Administration and Finance.

The proposed law may have an impact on state finances. CPCS receives its funding, in part, from state government appropriations. The fiscal impact of the proposed law is difficult to project due to the uncertainty regarding the outcomes of any such collective bargaining by CPCS employees.

Additional info - https://ma.omniballot.us/sites/25/vg/app/vig/voter-guide/info/11

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via Dan Kennedy:

https://commonwealthbeacon.org/ballot-question/

"Three local news outlets — CommonWealth Beacon, The Bay State Banner and El Planeta — unveil a detailed guide to this fall's state ballot questions.

It's freely available for republication online and in print." https://commonwealthbeacon.org/ballot-question/

Showcase Pro Wrestling event scheduled for the at Elks, Saturday, Oct 3

SHOWCASE PRO WRESTLING HEADS TO FRANKLIN FOR CHARITY EVENT BENEFITING HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS

Showcase Pro Wrestling is bringing high-flying action and heavy-hitting entertainment to Franklin for a cause. On Saturday, October 3, 2026, wrestling fans and community supporters can gather for a special live fundraiser event benefiting Homes For Our Troops.

The charity event will take place at the Franklin Elks, located at 1077 Pond St, Franklin, MA. Doors open ahead of a sharp 7:07 PM bell time.

Homes For Our Troops builds and donates specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, enabling them to rebuild their lives. Showcase Pro Wrestling is proud to partner with the community to raise awareness and vital funds in support of these brave service members.

Event Details:

Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026

Time: Bell Time at 7:07 PM

Location: Franklin Elks, 1077 Pond St, Franklin, MA

Admission: All Tickets are $20

Bring the whole family out for an unforgettable night of live pro wrestling while supporting a meaningful cause.

Tickets can be purchased at the door or online ahead of time. For tickets, event updates, and more information, visit www.showcaseprowrestling.com or follow Showcase Pro Wrestling on social media @spwrestling.

Media Contact:

Showcase Pro Wrestling

Website: www.showcaseprowrestling.com

Social Media: @spwrestling (Twitter/X & Facebook)

Shared from https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ERwjngxG6/

The Franklin Music Boosters Concert Series Book could have a page or part of for you !!

"Calling local businesses!

Advertise in the Franklin Music Program Concert Series Book and reach families at FMS and FHS performances throughout the school year while supporting Franklin's music students and teachers. 🎶

The Franklin Music Boosters Concert Series Book could have a page or part of for you !!

Know a local business that might be interested? Please share!

Ads available through October 30.

Link in the comments!

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

Tri-County sports schedule for week of Sep 28 to Oct 3

Shared from - https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddw2R19JSde/

Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm Schedule for Tuesday, September 29, 2026

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: