Country Gazette will cease printing, go full digital only

"The Country Gazette will cease publishing a print newspaper and will instead exclusively offer news online at www.wickedlocal.com/countrygazette, on social media, via digital newsletters and other platforms. The final print edition of The Country Gazette will be May 6, 2022. "

Continue reading the article online
https://www.wickedlocal.com/story/country-gazette/2022/03/16/country-gazette-focuses-digital-only-suspends-print-publication/7066280001/

Country Gazette will cease printing, go full digital only

Time to bring back fluoride choice in Franklin

Franklin resident Rich Aucoin has his "Letter to the Editor" published in the Country Gazette:

Aucoin: Time to bring back fluoride choice in Franklin

by Rich Aucoin/Franklin

"I will vote yes, for my children, for the teachers and for the future of Franklin"

Cronin: Vote yes on Franklin override

from Wicked Local Franklin Opinions RSS by Kaitlyn Cronin/Franklin

Read the full letter to the editor in the Wicked Local edition here
http://www.wickedlocal.com/franklin/news/opinions/x514811860/Cronin-Vote-yes-on-Franklin-override



Franklin, MA

Volunteers needed to judge Franklin students' work

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Volunteers needed to judge Franklin students' work

via Wicked Local Franklin News RSS by Staff reports on 4/14/10

Franklin High School's Senior Project is looking for some community volunteers to judge the student presentations on May 26 and 27.

Over the next two months, students are working at internships outside of the school, and must complete 70 hours of interning by May 25. After the interning portion of the project is complete, the students will put together a presentation and portfolio of their work.

The presentations will take place Wednesday, May 26, and Thursday, May 27, in the Franklin High School Library between 7:35 a.m. and 2:05 p.m. Judges will include school administrators, faculty and community members. Each presentation ranges from 15-20 minutes, and there will be at least two presentations per hour. 

Judges can choose to stay for one hour or the entire day. Following each presentation is a question and answer portion. Coffee and donuts will be provided for judges. The judging rubric and more information can be found in the Senior Project Handbook on the high school's Web site.

If interested, email Sascha Werner D'Angelo at WernerS@franklin.k12.ma.us with the dates and times you are available, or call 508-528-5600 ext. 3053.

 

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"the council receives fewer and fewer recommendations"

Scott McIntyre, a certified public accountant for Melanson Heath & Co., said unlike some of his clients, Franklin was fiscally stable in 2009.

"I think it's a very good report," McIntyre said.

He told the council that the reports didn't show a significant shift from fiscal 2008 numbers, including the town's general fund, which recorded a $3.4 million balance.

"I haven't been able to say that about all my clients," he said.

Read the full article in the Franklin Gazette here

The business transacted during the Town Council meeting of Wednesday, March 3rd can be found here.

Look for Letter to the Editor

FYI - I can't find the "Letter to the Editor" written by Ted Klowan, Jr on the Wicked Local website but you can read his excellent and logical argument in this week's Franklin Gazette. The hard copy should have been tossed in your driveway.

FYI - The Franklin School Committee took the time to post an image of the newspaper copy here

J.F. Kennedy School PCC plans recycling fundraiser

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

J.F. Kennedy School PCC plans recycling fundraiser

via Wicked Local Franklin News RSS by GateHouse Media, Inc. on 10/29/09

 The J.F. Kennedy Parent Communication Council (PCC) will hold a recycling fundraising event on Saturday, Oct. 31, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at the J.F. Kennedy Elementary School parking lot, Pond Street, Franklin.

Bring clean redeemable bottles and cans. No water bottles. The group will also accept computers, electronics and appliances for recycling. Fees for these items vary from $5-$20. All computer hard drives will be destroyed and items will be properly handled by our professional recycler.

Proceeds from this fundraiser will be used by the PCC for educational programs for the J.F. Kennedy Elementary School students.

For more information contact Blanca Di Giacomo at dijoc@comcast.net.

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Fall Family Day - moved to Sunday, Oct 11

The New England Center for the Performing Arts 2nd Annual Fall Family Festival will be held on Sunday, Oct. 11, 12-4 p.m., at 1350 West Central St., Rte. 140, Franklin, the site of their future new school and presentation facility.

The New England Center for the Performing Arts posted the change to the schedule on their events calendar.

Updated 11/4/09, due to the weather postponed again until next Sunday, the 11th

The original notice was found in my Wicked Local Franklin RSS feed.

golf tourney as scholarship fundraiser

For more information, please check the Wicked Local link:

Jenna Pasquino Memorial Foundation plans golf tourney scholarship fundraiser: "

The Jenna Pasquino Memorial Foundation will hold its first annual golf tournament on Saturday, Oct. 17 at the Blissful Meadows Golf Club, Chockalog Road, Uxbridge.

 

Services available at Tri-County

The Auto Tech Program provides oil changes, tire repair, rotation, and mounting, front end and brake realignment, and much more. Additionally, the Carpentry, Facilities Management, and HVAC&R Career Programs offer a variety of services upon request.

Two benefits from this, you should be able to get a service for a reasonable price, and the students get to learn from real work.

Tri-County offering vocational services to public

from Wicked Local Franklin News RSS by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Franklin 4th of July - Event Schedule

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Franklin 4th of July celebration schedule

via Wicked Local Franklin News RSS by GateHouse Media, Inc. on 6/25/09

The town's 4th of July Celebration Committee is gearing up for the town's annual Independence Day festivities on the town common, which begin next Wednesday and run through July 5. Below find the schedule of events.

Wednesday July 1

6-10 p.m.: Booths (optional) and rides open; Okey Dokey DJ.

Thursday July 2

6-10 p.m.: Booths and rides open (no children's entertainment)

7-1o p.m.: Local youth bands

10 p.m.: Fireworks at Franklin High School, Oak Street (Rain date: Monday, July 6)

Friday July 3

10 a.m.-10 p.m.: Everything Open

10 a.m.: Children's parade at town common

11 a.m.-7 p.m.: Children's activities

12-2 p.m.: Okey Dokey DJ

2-5 p.m.: Random Play

5:30-6:30 p.m.: Okey Dokey DJ

7-10 p.m.: Digger Dawg

Saturday July 4

Children's Day

9 a.m.: Road race registration

10 a.m.-10 p.m.: Everything open

10 a.m.: Children's road race

11 a.m.: Adult road race

11 a.m.-7 p.m.: Children's activities

12-12:45 p.m.: Jamie Barrett performs

12:45-2 p.m.: Okey Dokey DJ

2-4 p.m.: Franklin Idol under 14

4-6:30 p.m.: Franklin Idol 15 and up

7-10 p.m.: Corvairs

Sunday July 5

1-7 p.m.: Everything open

1- 2:30 p.m.: Parade

3-7 p.m.: Children's activities

3-5 p.m.: Interfaith music concert

6 p.m.: Franklin Idol winners announced

7 p.m.: Closing ceremonies (Raffle drawings and lowering of flag)

CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES

Friday July 3: Children's parade at 10 a.m., Parrot Lady at 11 a.m., Lunch with Elmo at 12 p.m., SpongeBob Craft at 1 p.m., Cinderella Story at 2 p.m., Photo with Elmo at 3 p.m., Creature Teachers from 4-7 p.m.

Saturday July 4: Children's road race at 10 a.m., Photo with SpongeBob at 11 a.m., Lunch with Cinderella at 12 p.m., Story with Elmo at 1 p.m., Franklin Idol (under 14) 2-4 p.m.; Princess Photos, 4 p.m., Dinner with Super Heroes, 5 p.m., Snow White Story, 6 p.m.

Sunday July 5: Parade, 1-2:30 p.m., Regal Reptile from 3-5 p.m., Super Hero Phohtos at 5 p.m., Snow White Craft at 6 p.m., Franklin Idol winners announced at 6 p.m.

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Franklin 4th of July celebration schedule

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Franklin 4th of July celebration schedule

via Wicked Local Franklin News RSS by GateHouse Media, Inc. on 6/25/09

The town's 4th of July Celebration Committee is gearing up for the town's annual Independence Day festivities on the town common, which begin next Wednesday and run through July 5. Below find the schedule of events.

Wednesday July 1

6-10 p.m.: Booths (optional) and rides open; Okey Dokey DJ.

Thursday July 2

6-10 p.m.: Booths and rides open (no children's entertainment)

7-1o p.m.: Local youth bands

10 p.m.: Fireworks at Franklin High School, Oak Street (Rain date: Monday, July 6)

Friday July 3

10 a.m.-10 p.m.: Everything Open

10 a.m.: Children's parade at town common

11 a.m.-7 p.m.: Children's activities

12-2 p.m.: Okey Dokey DJ

2-5 p.m.: Random Play

5:30-6:30 p.m.: Okey Dokey DJ

7-10 p.m.: Digger Dawg

Saturday July 4

Children's Day

9 a.m.: Road race registration

10 a.m.-10 p.m.: Everything open

10 a.m.: Children's road race

11 a.m.: Adult road race

11 a.m.-7 p.m.: Children's activities

12-12:45 p.m.: Jamie Barrett performs

12:45-2 p.m.: Okey Dokey DJ

2-4 p.m.: Franklin Idol under 14

4-6:30 p.m.: Franklin Idol 15 and up

7-10 p.m.: Corvairs

Sunday July 5

1-7 p.m.: Everything open

1- 2:30 p.m.: Parade

3-7 p.m.: Children's activities

3-5 p.m.: Interfaith music concert

6 p.m.: Franklin Idol winners announced

7 p.m.: Closing ceremonies (Raffle drawings and lowering of flag)

CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES

Friday July 3: Children's parade at 10 a.m., Parrot Lady at 11 a.m., Lunch with Elmo at 12 p.m., SpongeBob Craft at 1 p.m., Cinderella Story at 2 p.m., Photo with Elmo at 3 p.m., Creature Teachers from 4-7 p.m.

Saturday July 4: Children's road race at 10 a.m., Photo with SpongeBob at 11 a.m., Lunch with Cinderella at 12 p.m., Story with Elmo at 1 p.m., Franklin Idol (under 14) 2-4 p.m.; Princess Photos, 4 p.m., Dinner with Super Heroes, 5 p.m., Snow White Story, 6 p.m.

Sunday July 5: Parade, 1-2:30 p.m., Regal Reptile from 3-5 p.m., Super Hero Phohtos at 5 p.m., Snow White Craft at 6 p.m., Franklin Idol winners announced at 6 p.m.

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Wicked Local Franklin News RSS using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

Commuter rail seeks customer feedback

In an effort to be more responsive to customers, the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad today introduced a program to solicit feedback from customers and to better inform management on all areas of performance including fare collection, cleanliness and on-time performance.

In a press release, Richard A. Davey, general manager of the commuter railroad, said, "It is critical that we hear from customers about our performance and that we remain accountable through providing accessible performance statistics are to riders.

"By putting our on-time performance on the internet and in stations, we will ensure riders have every opportunity to know about our efforts to provide safe and reliable commuter rail service."

The commuter rail company is asking customers to grade performance, by signing up to take part in a week-long electronic survey about the service they have experienced on their train. Customers completing this survey will be entered into a drawing to win a free monthly pass. As part of its customer information efforts, the company will post monthly on-time performance numbers online at www.mbcr.net and at South, Back Bay and North stations.

This is the latest MBCR effort to better understand the service their customers receive and to provide customers with easily accessible performance records for all commuter rail trains operated by MBCR on behalf of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Davey said.

The program is part of MBCR's ongoing effort to raise awareness of the company's goal to achieve at least 95 percent on-time average performance throughout the system and to improve the traveling experience.

MBCR operates and maintains the fifth largest commuter rail network in the United States under a contract with the MBTA. MBCR provides service to 40 million passengers a year in nearly 80 cities and towns in Massachusetts, as well as Providence, R.I.

This was originally posted on the Franklin/Wicked Local Gazette

My 2 cents: If the MBCR/MBTA really wants to listen to the riders, all they need to do is pay attention to what the riders are already saying on their blogs or in Facebook, Twitter, etc. about the performance. Even Clever Commute is a better peer-based information delivery system on what is hapening with the schedule than the current T-Alerts.

"developed powerful programs to address these needs"

Horace Mann Middle School science teacher James Schliefke is at space camp this week after earning a scholarship from Honeywell.

Schliefke, a resident of Franklin, was one of 288 teachers from 16 countries and 47 states chosen to take part in the Honeywell Educators @ Space Academy programs at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

The Honeywell Educators @ Space Academy programs provide teachers with new and innovative techniques to educate their students about science and math.

The programs focus on space science and exploration in a variety of classroom, laboratory and real-life astronaut training, including: a high-performance jet simulation, scenario-based space missions, land and water survival training, and state-of-the-art flight dynamics programs.

Schliefke is the only teacher from Massachusetts chosen to attend.

Read more about this visit to Space Camp on the Wicked Local site here

Schliefke will be posting "Letters from Space Camp" and those can be read here.

"hard work will pay off"

By Ken Hamwey/Daily News correspondent

Sun May 31, 2009, 12:30 AM EDT

Tom Geysen never played varsity sports in high school or college, but that didn't stop him from becoming one of Franklin's top-notch coaches.

The 64-year-old Geysen, who won Hockomock League championships in girls soccer and boys track, also was a high-caliber coach in boys basketball and softball. Retired from education since 2003 after 35 years of teaching English, Geysen continues to direct the Panthers' girls soccer team and the boys track squad.

Read the full article about Tom Geysen on the Wicked Local pages here

Block Party - Downtown Franklin 5/21/09

FRANKLIN - The Franklin Downtown Partnership announced special activities planned for the next "Third Thursday" on May 21, 4:30 to 8 p.m. Join downtown businesses on the third Thursday of every month for special offers, discounts and fun activities for the entire family.

The May theme is a Block Party, featuring acoustical entertainment on the outdoor patio at the newly opened Cafe Dolce and a Beader Night Party at Sara Paan Beads.

Following are the planned activities:

Cafe Dolce, 17 East Central St.: Free live, acoustical entertainment in the outdoor patio and complementary muffins and scones during Third Thursday. Visit www.cafedolce.net for details.

Sara Paan Beads, 16 East Central St.: Staff will help customers finish a piece during the "Beader Night Party" and give special demonstrations on creating multi-strand necklaces, loop earrings and more. Refreshments will be served. Visit www.maysjewelry.com for more details.

Artbeat, The Creativity Store, 9 Summer St.: Children are invited to meet local author/illustrator Debra Wainwright, who will read from her new book, "That Kind of Dog." Get a signed copy of the story and take a picture with Bramble. Free craft projects can be made while enjoying light refreshments.

Other downtown business will participate in the event.

Read the full article online at the Franklin Gazette

Beautification Day - 1000 flowers today

FRANKLIN -

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is preparing for its 2009 events and festivals.
On May 16, the Partnership and Franklin Garden Club will kick off the year with their annual Downtown Beautification Day. Volunteers will meet at the town center to plant more than 1,000 flowers. Due to the economy this year, the group is reaching out to businesses and residents asking for donations to assist with the cost of the flowers and the winter decorations. All contributions are tax deductible. Contact Eileen Mason at 508-330-4234 or emason11@verizon.net to volunteer or sponsor the beautification project.

Read more about event that the Downtown Partnership is holding online at the Franklin Gazette

"a community treasure"

FRANKLIN -

The Franklin public school system is one of the best in the nation. It has always stood high in national and state testing. All of this has not been an accident. It is the solid result of some damned good teaching over the last five decades.

I joined the Franklin school system as a teacher some 43 years ago when I graduated from college. For the next 34 years, I observed some truly dynamic growth both intellectually and in the physical school environment.

The students of Franklin have always been special. They have always had a wonderful sense of community and have always, in my experience, responded to any problem with kindness and understanding. As time passed, I saw each new generation growing in toleration and understanding. It is my considered opinion that the young people of Franklin are very special.

I have seen hundreds of gifted and dedicated people serving as faculty over the past five decades giving of themselves and to their students unselfishly.

Read the remainder of James Johnston's essay here

"car crash in Bellingham"

Jenna L. Pasquino, 20, of Franklin died early this morning when the car she was driving crashed into a telephone pole, police said.

Pasquino was traveling south on North Main Street at about 2:19 a.m. when her 1998 Toyota Avalon crossed the double line, hit a telephone pole on the opposite side of the road, and flipped over, police said.

Read the remainder of the article in the Franklin Gazette here

"bold moves to change the public perception"

To the Editor:
As part of my transition into the role of Majority Leader this session, I will focus my energy on several key issues — many of them substantive and some symbolic.

Amidst a dire economic climate and talk of increasing taxes, it is imperative that we as public servants do more to regain the trust of our constituents that has been so badly eroded. The cloud of controversy under which three Speakers of the House have left their posts is an example of a few spoiling the view of the many. How do we — the countless other public servants who work honestly on behalf of the citizens of this state — begin to alter the public perception?

The answer is an ethics overhaul. We need thoughtful, meaningful, and sweeping reform that will effectively — albeit slowly — rebuild the integrity of elected officials and restore trust to those who elected us.

Read the full article written by Rep Jim Vallee in the Franklin Gazette here