Reminder: Arts and Culture Roundtable - Nov 21

Franklin Cultural District Partners and Franklin residents and business owners are invited to join the Franklin Cultural District Committee (FCDC), the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) in discussing culture, arts, the humanities, and economic development in Franklin’s Cultural District. 

The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 21 at 7 PM at the Franklin Senior Center, 10 Daniel McCahill Street.

Luis Edgardo Cotto, Cultural Districts Program Manager for MCC, and Annis Whitlow Sengupta, PhD, Assistant Director of Arts & Culture for MAPC, will be the featured speakers. Their presentations will focus on the mission of Franklin’s Cultural District. They will provide information about contributing to culture, arts and the humanities and supporting economic development in Franklin.

For questions and/or additional information, please contact Nancy Schoen, Chair, at nschoenfranklinculture@gmail.com.

 

Reminder: Arts and Culture Roundtable - Nov 21

Decorate Downtown for the Holidays with the Franklin Downtown Partnership and the Garden Club - Nov 24

The Franklin Downtown Partnership and the Franklin Garden Club are joining forces to decorate the downtown on Sunday, Nov. 24. Volunteers are needed to help install wreaths, bows and greenery.

Interested volunteers will meet Beautification Chairperson Eileen Mason at 9 a.m. on Nov. 24 at the downtown bridges. Community service hours are available for students. Groups and teams are encouraged to participate. Help is also needed on Saturday, Nov. 23 at noon at Hillside Nurseries to sort greens.

“We enjoy making the downtown Franklin festive during the holidays every year,” Mason said. “We’re a group of volunteers and we’re only able to take on these projects with a lot of help from the community. We are very appreciative of all the volunteer help and Hillside Nurseries for sourcing the greens, wreaths and decorations. Thank you to the Franklin DPW for its support as well. We hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday season!”

Anyone interested in volunteering or donating to this event can email emason4234@gmail.com.

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is a non-profit, 501©3 organization comprised of more than 290 businesses that supports downtown revitalization and streetscape efforts, and organizes events such as the Strawberry Stroll and the Harvest Festival. For more information please visit www.franklindowntownpartnership.org.

Decorate Downtown for the Holidays with the Franklin Downtown Partnership and the Garden Club - Nov 24

Franklin High School Winter Concerts - Dec 4, Dec 10

Franklin High School is pleased to invite you to celebrate over 200 student musicians as they perform their annual Winter Concert. This year, we will be presenting our concert over two nights. 

On Wednesday, December 4, the String Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra will perform Fanfare for the Common Man by Copland and Finlandia by Sibelius. The Combined Chorus, Chamber Chorus, and Treble Chorus, with pianist Cate Gallagher, will present works by local RI composer, Michael C. Kregler (“Babylon’s Fallin’” and “I carry your heart with me”), “Famine Song” by VIDA, “Duet of the Flowers” from the opera Lakmé, “Pure Imagination” from the classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory , and more!

On Tuesday, Dec. 10 the FHS Concert Band and Wind Ensemble will present a concert featuring the music of Robert W. Smith, including “The Divine Comedy - The Inferno, Purgatorio, The Ascension, Paradiso” and “Inchon & Encanto” plus Andrew Boysen Jr's “By My Side”. Together, the Wind Ensemble and the Concert Band will close the concert with two selections including “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson.

NEW THIS YEAR! Through the generosity of the Franklin Cultural Council, Regency Transportation and the support through the Franklin Music Boosters, we are thrilled to perform for the first time in our new formal concert attire. Thank you and see you there!

Both concerts will take place at 7:00 PM in the Franklin High School auditorium. A $5 donation is requested at the door.

 

Franklin High School Winter Concerts - Dec 4, Dec 10

Katie Holbrook = new Softball Coach at FHS

via HockomockSports.com we hear that Franklin has announced Katie Holbrook as the new Softball Coach at FHS.

Franklin High athletic director Tom Angelo announced last week that Katie Holbrook had been hired to fill the softball coaching vacancy created by Kate Fallon’s move to rival King Philip. Holbrook is the owner of Brand New Ballgame, a baseball and softball training facility in Wrentham, and has coached club and showcase softball teams for more than a decade.

Holbrook was familiar with the Franklin program, community, and players from her role at Brand New Ballgame, and was excited about making the Panthers her first high school coaching role.

“Between them coming in for team practices or working in private practice or clinics with some of the kids, I’ve gotten a chance to really know them over the last six or seven years,” Holbrook said in a phone call this week. “I had a tie to Franklin and when Kate moved over I thought it’s a good, strong program, there’s a desire for strong leadership and I have a good tie to the community. It was the right place.”

She also noted that the familiarity with the players could make the transition easier. She said, “They know who I am at least by reputation, so I think that’s helpful. They know I care about Franklin, that I know about softball, and that I do this day-in, day-out. So, I think the buy-in period may be a little shorter for me than maybe someone else who was new to things.”

Continue reading the article online
https://hockomocksports.com/franklin-announces-katie-holbrook-as-new-softball-coach/

Katie Holbrook = new Softball Coach at FHS

FHS robotics team takes 2nd Place at WPI #SavageSoccer

via Twitter we share some success for the FHS robotics club from the weekend:

Incredibly proud of FHS Robotics! Yesterday we had 2 teams compete in #SavageSoccer at #WPI and had one robot make it to the finals, ultimately coming in 2nd! #STEAM #teamwork pic.twitter.com/b0ujGOOebO

— Alyssa Taranto (@MsTaranto) November 17, 2019

What is savage soccer?

"Savage Soccer began in 1995 and has continued since as an annual event hosted at WPI. Initially created as part of a university project (IQP), it is now coordinated each year by WPI students in their free time.

Savage Soccer is designed to help students learn about basic robotics principles and teamwork. The original focus was a way to get students 'psyched up' for the FIRST Robotics Competition. From its inception through the 2001 game, it challenged students to modify a radio controlled car with authorized parts that could best perform certain tasks like moving ping pong balls into goals while avoiding obstacles and other hazards. In 2002, the kits became more advanced as we started using the Robovation/Vex kits to make for a better competition and a more realistic version of FIRST. Each year the game is modified to present new goals and challenges for teams to test their creative abilities."

Continue reading about Savage Soccer at WPI  https://users.wpi.edu/~savage/About/

2nd place team (Twitter photo via @MsTaranto)

 

Franklin Economic Development Survey - your chance to provide input

The Town of Franklin, in conjunction with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) are conducting a community survey regarding economic development in our town. 

Please click on this link to access the survey form:
https://forms.gle/6SJpXeWPvg2H37A96 

This survey will be available until December 13. 

There are hard copies available in the Town Administrator's office if needed. Thank you in advance for your input, ideas and feedback!

Franklin Economic Development Survey - Provide your input!

In the News: Medway votes to approve bag ban; new exit numbers coming to i495/MassPike

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Medway voted to ban carry-out plastic bags at its Fall Town Meeting Tuesday night in an effort to reduce litter and promote environmental sustainability. 

By a show of hands, Article 5 was approved by a little over half of residents present, amending the town’s general bylaws by adding a new article called “Article XXXII Plastic Bag Reduction.” The ban targets plastic check-out bags sold or provided to customers at any town establishment, but the following are still acceptable:

• Thin plastic bags used to protect delivered newspapers
• Laundry or dry-cleaning bags
• Thin film bags, typically without handles, used to contain produce, meat or fish
• Bags sold in packages containing multiple bags intended to be used for home food storage, garbage, waste, pet waste or yard waste
• Product bags (bag integrated into packaging of a product)
• Town Pay-As-You-Throw trash bags"

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20191119/medway-bans-plastic-check-out-bags

"Exit numbers on Massachusetts highways will be changing over the next two years, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. 

The state currently utilizes a sequential exit numbering method and will change to a mileage-based exit system in order to comply with a federal mandate, which was laid out in 2009. 

Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Delaware are the only three states that do not comply with the federal mandate at this time."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20191119/mass-pike-and-495-are-among-massachusetts-highways-that-are-getting-new-exit-numbers

"Our mission is to connect, protect and celebrate our local communities”

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"New Media Investment Group and Gannett finalized their merger Tuesday, putting top executives in position to move ahead with plans they believe will transform the new company’s local and national news brands, including USA TODAY, into a reinvented digital media powerhouse. 

The merger creates the largest U.S. media company by print circulation and one that will vie for the nation’s biggest online news and information audience. 

The new company’s CEOs – Mike Reed, who will lead the overall public entity under the name Gannett Co., and Paul Bascobert, who will lead an operating company called Gannett Media Corp. – told USA TODAY in a joint interview that they have a compelling opportunity to reinvent the business and expand digital revenue. Both said the company will continue to focus on its journalistic mission. 

“Our mission is to connect, protect and celebrate our local communities,” Bascobert said. “Great journalism really is the core of that mission. The question really becomes, what’s the sustainable and exciting business model that powers that mission?”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/zz/news/20191119/ceos-of-new-gannett-pivot-needed-for-digital-transformation-as-merger-completes

Franklin dog park looking for volunteers Saturday morning, Nov 23

Hello dog lovers.

We need volunteers on November 23, Saturday at 9 AM to spreed wood chips. We need extra wheelbarrows, shovels and rakes.

Refreshments will be there for the volunteers.

Thank you,

Furry Friends of The Franklin Dog Park volunteer committee 

Franklin dog park looking for volunteers Saturday morning, Nov 23

 

Vacancy - Franklin Planning Board, Associate Member

Vacancy - Franklin Planning Board, Associate Member

"The Town of Franklin is seeking to fill a vacant Associate Planning Board member position.

The Planning Board, established under Massachusetts General Laws (MGL) Chapter 41, Section 81A, is an elected board comprised of five members, each with a four year term, and one Associate Member. The Associate Member participates in all Planning Board hearings, but only votes on Special Permits if one of the members is unable to act.

Franklin Planning Board's primary responsibilities are to administer the Subdivision Control Law pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 41 and to issue certain special permits and site plan approval under the Town of Franklin Zoning By-Laws in order to ensure the public safety, interest and welfare of the residents of the Town.

For more information on the Planning Board please visit their page:   www.franklinma.gov/planning-board.

Please consider giving your time, expertise and perspective on behalf of your community. To apply please visit the Town's website and fill out the online volunteer form at:   http://franklinmaboards.vt-s.net/newcaf.php."

More about what the Planning Board does can be found in the Annual Report
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/08/franklin-election-2019-what-does.html

Vacancy - Franklin Planning Board, Associate Member