Congratulations to the Tri-County Valedictorian (R Hall) & Salutatorians (N Elounasse & J Robertson)

via Tri-County RVTHS

Congratulations to the Tri-County Valedictorian (R Hall - right)
& Salutatorians (N Elounasse - center & J Robertson - left)

Congratulations to our Valedictorian, Rebecca Hall from Franklin — a standout scholar whose dedication, curiosity, and leadership have set the bar high for all of us.

We also celebrate our two incredible Salutatorians:

🌟 Nourhane Elounasse from Walpole

🌟 James Robertson from Walpole

Their hard work, determination, and commitment to excellence have made a lasting impact on our school community.

Help us congratulate these outstanding students as they prepare to take the next big step in their journeys 👏🎉

#WorkHardTodayCounts

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Franklin TV: "we (and our volunteers) created $1,766,464 of 'stuff' !!!

It’s where the magic happens.

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director 05/24/2026

Srsly? Yep. The success (or failure) of any business relies on accurate information that comes from the back office – accounting data. How much ‘stuff’ did you sell? How much did it (really) cost you? Where’s your profit? Truth in numbers.

we (and our volunteers) created $1,766,464

The above summary sheet is one of a few Excel worksheets that, together, divine the actual value of our work – our social worth – as a community organization.

If there’s anything that we could consider our ‘report card’, this spreadsheet is it. 

Although we are a nonprofit 501(c)3 charitable organization, we strive to measure what we produce in terms of its value – it’s actual market (street) value. Each year we attach commercial market rates to all that we do, item by item. If we didn’t exist, this is what folks would have to pay a business for our programming efforts.

What does it mean? In cell R2 we (and our volunteers) created $1,766,464 of ‘stuff’.

Our annual cable carrier funding is only $560,000. (and falling) – yet we persist.

Persisting. Producing. Prevailing. It’s what we do. It’s there – in the numbers.

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  

Voice of Franklin: Should Norfolk County be continued as a government agency?

May 21, 2026

Dear Norfolk County Residents,

It is that time of the year when local budgets in the 28 communities that make up Norfolk County get voted on.  If your town is like my town these are tough budget times.  Communities are trying to wrestle with funding budget priorities.

The 28 towns and city that make up Norfolk County are paying almost 8 million dollars to the Norfolk County Commissioners and Norfolk County Government in a yearly tax assessment sent from Norfolk County.  It is time for the communities of Norfolk County to examine whether this 8 million dollar county tax is better kept in the local towns to fund their budget priorities.

There has been wasteful costs to the taxpayers as these elected and appointed Norfolk County officials try to justify and defend their illegal and unlawful actions in a number of Massachusetts courts.  In Fiscal Year 2024 over $200,000.00 was spent by the Norfolk County Commissioners on legal fees.  Just this Fiscal Year 2026 over $159,913.00 has been spent by the Norfolk County Commissioners in legal fees through March 31, 2026 with 3 months to go in the fiscal year.  County Director John J. Cronin and the Norfolk County Commissioners have voted and received an additional $50,000.00 for legal monies with their vote on December 10, 2025 and another separate $50,000.00 for legal monies on top of this with their vote on May 6, 2026.  Is it time the 28 communities investigate wasteful spending and see what the Norfolk County Commissioners are doing and spending the taxpayers’ money on?  After all each of the 28 towns and city of Norfolk County are potentially liable for the debts and liabilities of this Norfolk County Government.

The Norfolk County Commissioners accepted in 2023 10 million dollars for selling the Quincy District Court House.  Could your community use any of this 10 (ten) million dollars?  After all it was the communities of Norfolk County that built this court house and maintained all these years this court house.  Yet the Norfolk County Government did not even ask or offer the local communities to share in this 10 million dollars.

There have been negative findings by independent auditors who have examined Norfolk County’s financial books.  On December 15, 2021 Lynch Marini & Associates Inc. Certified Public Accountants wrote “…the County funded mandate was deficient in the range of $197,000.00 to $282,000.00 for fiscal year 2020”.  Would your town allow such deficiencies? 

The independent auditor Lynch Marini & Associates Inc. Certified Public Accountants reported another audit finding on August 21, 2023 “For the current fiscal year this leaves a potential range of misstatements within the County’s financial statements between $645,000.00 and $2.3 million between respective fund balances (General Fund and Deeds Excise Fund).”  Would your town tolerate any such misstatements within your town’s financial statements?

Norfolk County did not like what the certified public accountants Lynch Marini found and reported.  However, even the new auditor brought in by the Norfolk County Commissioners, Powers and Sullivan LLC CPAs and Advisors on May 3, 2024 reported a material weakness when they wrote “These large fluctuations indicate that this is a systemic problem in how the accounts are being used and not a one-time error”.  Would your town tolerate systemic problems in town financial accounts as well as a material weakness audit finding?

It is well documented the various poor decisions the Norfolk County Commissioners and their County Director John J. Cronin have made when it comes to interfering with the Registry of Deeds and its operations. There has been unsound management by Norfolk County General Government that in this day and age should be striving to be efficient, effective and relevant.

The Norfolk County Commissioners and the County Director John J. Cronin have lost in a number of different courts in litigation involving the Registry of Deeds including a loss in the highest state court in Massachusetts, the Supreme Judicial Court.  Norfolk County Government has violated a number of Massachusetts state laws by unlawfully interfering with Registry operations and misappropriating taxpayer public monies designated by state law for Registry use.  When elected and appointed officials that run Norfolk County General Government make poor decisions, abuse their power and break the law that should be a signal to the people who live in the communities of Norfolk County to take a closer look at this layer of government.

Sincerely yours,

Bill O’Donnell
Norfolk County Register of Deeds

If you have something to say, you can find the guidelines here

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html

Letter from State Rep Vaughn to Mass DEP on Kingsbury Pond Issue

Via State Rep Marcus Vaughn

Letter from State Rep Vaughn to
Mass DEP on Kingsbury Pond Issue

"On Tuesday, I formally sent a letter to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) requesting clarity, accountability, and action regarding Franklin’s water withdrawals and the ongoing concerns surrounding Kingsbury Pond.

This natural resource is deeply important to Norfolk — not just for its ecological value, but for the residents, families, advocates, and wildlife that rely on it. Kingsbury Pond is a cherished part of our community, and its continued decline deserves urgent attention.

I want to sincerely thank the many Kingsbury Pond advocates, residents, abutters, scientists, and environmental voices who took the time to share written testimony, concerns, and firsthand observations with my office. Your advocacy continues to help drive this important conversation.

On Wednesday, our office also had a preliminary phone call regarding this matter, and we are now looking forward to scheduling a more comprehensive meeting in the very near future. We have specifically requested that a select number of residents, along with Norfolk Town Manager Rob Garrity, be included as part of these critical discussions to ensure local voices remain at the table.

Please know I will continue fighting for the residents of Norfolk and for the advocates working tirelessly to protect Kingsbury Pond. We must do everything we can to preserve this valuable natural resource and hold the proper agencies accountable so this cherished resource is protected for future generations."

Rep Vaughn shared images of the letter, a copy of those images can be found in one album - https://photos.app.goo.gl/rrpYKTzd1gmVyeWz9

Shared from - https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Dnwq9Md99/

Town of Franklin offices & schools closed Monday, one day scheduled delay in curbside pickup

Town of Franklin offices & schools closed Monday,
one day scheduled delay in curbside pickup

via the Town of Franklin:

"Please note that Town offices will be closed on Monday, May 25, in observance of Memorial Day.

Trash and recycling collection will be delayed by one day during the week of May 25."

Shared from - https://www.facebook.com/share/18Zvz6wrGo/

Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm schedule for Sunday, May 24, 2026

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 

Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm schedule for Sunday, May 24, 2026

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