More Perfect Union - wfpr.fm: 82 - Trump On CNN (audio)

In this episode, the group sits down to discuss the recent airing of Trump at Town Hall from CNN; why it was a blunder for the network, how other Republicans play into this, how it impacts the upcoming election, the Democrats response, and more...

Audio file -> https://more-perfect-union.captivate.fm/episode/more-perfect-union-82-trump-on-cnn

wfpr.fm: A More Perfect Union (audio)

More Perfect Union - WFPR

Discussing American Politics and Current Events

Peter Fasciano, Dr. Michael Walker Jones, Dr. Natalia Linos, Jeff Roy, Chris Woolf and Nick Remissong host a round table discussion on current events and American politics, bringing about thoughtful conversation, compelling discourse, and a look at what the future might hold for the United States.

Find all the More Perfect Union episodes online -> https://more-perfect-union.captivate.fm/episodes  or subscribe with your favorite podcast app

Voices of Franklin: Colin Cass - "Democrats for Dooley" half true

We received a letter in Franklin this week titled “Democrats for Dooley” and signed—“sincerely”—by two people, Dan Fallon and Daniel Ranieri.

Ranieri may be for Dooley, but he’s not a Democrat.  He’s a registered Republican.

Ooops.  I’m sure he’s sorry if he confused anyone.

When you claim to be a Democrat and you’re actually a Republican, this is called LYING.

Colin Cass

Franklin, MA 02038

To add your voice to the discussion, please follow the guidelines

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

Voices of Franklin: Colin Cass - "Democrats for Dooley" half true

Frank Presents: Rachel Plukas & Allan Earls (video)

Democratic Town Committee Chair Rachel Plukas and Republic Town Committee Chair Alan Earls sat with Frank Falvey to discuss the role and background of the town committees in MA.

Video link -> https://youtu.be/3Je8yBqMLeY

For all the Franklin election information for the State Nov 8, 2022 election visit

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/10/election-collection-2022-state-election.html

Election Collection 2022: State election November 8

CommonWealth Magazine & Boston Globe cover the MA GOP convention

"BOTH OF THE Republican candidates for governor achieved their goals at the Republican state convention Saturday in Springfield – and they did it without ever mentioning the popular GOP incumbent they are seeking to replace, Charlie Baker. 

At a convention where delegates appeared to tilt toward the right, Geoff Diehl, a strong supporter of Donald Trump, cruised to an easy victory, capturing 71 percent of the delegate vote."

Continue reading the CommonWealth Magazine article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/diehl-wins-doughty-advances-at-gop-convention/

"Republican activists Saturday overwhelmingly endorsed a Donald Trump-backed conservative for governor at the Massachusetts GOP convention, where speakers leaned heavily into national themes and culture war debates, railing against abortion, characterizing Democrats as “evil,” and issuing vague yet vulgar warnings about the state of education. 

Geoff Diehl, a former Whitman state lawmaker who’s trumpeted Trump’s false claims the 2020 election was rigged, received 71 percent of the 1,194 votes cast by party delegates, winning the party’s backing for governor. Diehl, also a former US Senate candidate, far outpaced Chris Doughty, a Wrentham business owner running for office for the first time, who cleared the 15 percent threshold of delegate support needed to appear on the Sept. 6 ballot."

Continue reading the Boston Globe article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/05/21/metro/massachusetts-republicans-gather-springfield-with-trump-backed-geoff-diehl-likely-get-activists-nod/

The Franklin Republican Town Committee Announces Edward W. Brooke Scholarship

The Franklin Republican Town Committee (RTC), the official organization of registered Republicans in the Town of Franklin, has announced that it is offering a $1,000 scholarship to a graduating senior at Franklin High School. 

The only requirement is that students applying must demonstrate an understanding of Senator Brooke's legacy and its relevance today. Applicants must submit a brief essay on this topic.

Scholarship information is available from the school starting March 4. The deadline at Franklin High School is Mar. 21.

 

Wednesday, May 25, 2022 is the tentative date for in-person Awards Night at the high school.

 

Republican Senator Edward W.  Brooke, the first black ever elected to the US Senate, represented Massachusetts from 1967 to 1979. He was also a decorated veteran of World War II.

Republican Senator Edward W.  Brooke

State Senate Candidates Debate Oct 6, 2020 (YouTube video)

The State Senate candidates for the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District participated in a debate broadcast by the North Attleboro cable TV station and available via YouTube.

Senator Becca Rausch is running for re-election as the Democratic candidate and current Franklin Town Councilor Matt Kelly is running as the Republican candidate.

Candidate webpages:

• Rausch - https://www.beccarausch.com/
• Kelly - https://mattkellyforsenate.com/

Video link = https://youtu.be/0Nj5584lkqE

 

 

"committee members typically support candidates of the party at different levels"

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

"As Super Tuesday approaches, most know which presidential candidate they’ll be voting for. But for those in some communities, what about those other names on the ballot - those running for town and state committee seats?

Massachusetts is among a few states that list town and state committee members alongside presidential candidates to be voted on during the Super Tuesday primary. But what exactly do town and state committee members do, and how do they affect local, state and national politics?

Why are state and town committee candidates on the Super Tuesday ballot, and what do they do?

These locally-elected candidates act as a bridge between local party issues and state issues; they’re elected every four years. Local caucuses are held in individual communities to narrow down who appears on the Super Tuesday ballot."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200301/why-are-town-and-state-committee-members-on-super-tuesday-ballot-and-what-do-they-do


Specimen ballot for the March 3 Presidential Primary for Town of Franklin
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IT2O5dnk16Y7zaF6IDGqj_r9CCYVTf33/view?usp=sharing

"committee members typically support candidates of the party at different levels"

 

Massachusetts Republican State Committeewoman, Patricia Saint Aubin, Endorsed for Reelection by Taunton’s First Female Mayor

Patricia Saint Aubin of Norfolk, the incumbent Massachusetts Republican State Committeewoman for the Norfolk, Bristol, & Middlesex Senate District, which includes Attleboro, North Attleboro, Plainville, Wrentham, Norfolk, Franklin, Millis, Sherborn, Natick, Wellesley, Needham and Wayland, has been endorsed by Taunton Mayor Shaunna O'Connell.

Saint Aubin, who is looking to extend her term of service to the district on March 3, when party elections coincide with the Super Tuesday primary day, is a life-long Republican and I regularly attends nearly all of the Republican Town Committee meetings in her 11-town and one city district. She is also a member of the Republican Town Committee in Norfolk. “In addition, I have missed only one State Committee meeting since I was elected in 2012,” she says.

“As MassGOP Budget Chair, Patricia has streamlined expenses to provide candidates like me more donation monies,” said O’Connell. In addition, O’Connell noted, Saint Aubin has worked tirelessly for all Republican candidates as` boots on the ground,’ including when “she came to Taunton to door knock for my recent mayoral race.” I urge you to re-elect a hard-working campaigner like Patricia Saint Aubin to a third term as your Republican State Committeewoman,” O’Connell added.

Saint Aubin has worked for the campaigns of numerous Republican presidential, senatorial, and congressional candidates and many, many campaigns for state Representative and Senate within the Bay State. Saint Aubin herself was a candidate for the office of State Auditor in 2014 and was endorsed by the Boston Globe.

The Massachusetts Republican State Committee is the governing body of the Republican Party in Massachusetts. Members of the State Committee play a key role in building the Republican Party in their districts: they recruit candidates, help with fundraising, register new voters, and grow the local Republican City and Town Committees in the district. One state committeeman and one state committeewoman are elected from each state senate district every four years. This year’s State Committee election will be held in conjunction with the Presidential Primary on March 3, 2020.

Patricia Saint Aubin Left and Taunton Mayor Shaunna O'Connell

MA Republican State Committeewoman, Patricia Saint Aubin, Supports Republican Contender Matt Kelly

Patricia Saint Aubin of Norfolk, the incumbent Massachusetts Republican State Committeewoman, joined dozens of other activists this evening for the formal announcement by Matt Kelly of his intention to reclaim the Norfolk, Bristol, & Middlesex Senate District for the Republican party. Saint Aubin represents the district within the state GOP.

Kelly, a Franklin businessman and long-time member of the Franklin Town Council, promised to make sure everyone in the district is fully represented in the legislature and that the needs of local communities, faced with rising costs and government mandates, are considered when new legislation is proposed. 

Matt Kelly, center, has announced his candidacy for State Senate. His wife, Lesley is shown to the left and GOP State Committeewoman Patricia Saint Aubin is to the right

Saint Aubin, who is looking to extend her term of service to the district on March 3, when party elections coincide with primary day, was enthusiastic about Kelly’s decision to run against first-term Senator, Democrat Rebecca Rausch of Needham. “Matt has shown his long-term commitment to tackling tough local issues and I’m sure he will make a big impact on Beacon Hill,” she said.

“I am a life-long Republican and I regularly attend nearly 100 percent of the Republican Town Committee meetings in my 11-town and one city district,” which includes Attleboro, North Attleboro, Plainville, Wrentham, Norfolk, Franklin, Millis, Sherborn, Natick, Wellesley, Needham and Wayland, says Saint Aubin. She is also a member of the Republican Town Committee in Norfolk. “In addition, I have missed only one State Committee meeting since I was elected in 2012,” she says.

Saint Aubin has worked for the campaigns of numerous Republican presidential, senatorial, and congressional candidates and many, many campaigns for state Representative and Senate within the Bay State. Saint Aubin herself was a candidate for the office of State Auditor in 2014 and was endorsed by the Boston Globe.

The Massachusetts Republican State Committee is the governing body of the Republican Party in Massachusetts. Members of the State Committee play a key role in building the Republican Party in their districts: they recruit candidates, help with fundraising, register new voters, and grow the local Republican City and Town Committees in the district. One state committeeman and one state committeewoman are elected from each state senate district every four years. 

 This year’s State Committee election will be held in conjunction with the Presidential Primary on March 3, 2020. “I encourage all Republican voters to make their voice heard on March 3; I hope to be Re-Elected in order to continue to help Republican candidates such as Matt Kelly for State Senate,” adds Saint Aubin.

Republican State Committeewoman, Patricia Saint Aubin, seeks reelection

Jan 7, 2020 Patricia Saint Aubin of Norfolk, an experienced businesswoman, athlete, and activist has announced her bid for reelection to a third term on the Republican State Committee. First elected in 2012, Saint Aubin currently sits on the Executive Committee of the MassGOP as the Budget Chair, where she is spearheading efforts to improve efficiency and transparency in party operations.

In her business career, Saint Aubin has worked for Shawmut Bank, John Hancock, Connecticut Mutual (now MassMutual), and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in finance and management roles. A competitive swimmer since age six, each summer Saint Aubin participates in Swim Across America, a 22-Mile Relay Swim in Boston Harbor which raises money for Dana Farber Cancer Institute. She is always a top fundraiser.

“I am a life-long Republican and I regularly attend nearly 100 percent of the Republican Town Committee meetings in my 11-town and one city district,” which includes Attleboro, North Attleboro, Plainville, Wrentham, Norfolk, Franklin, Millis, Sherborn, Natick, Wellesley, Needham and Wayland, says Saint Aubin. She is also a member of the Republican Town Committee in Norfolk. “In addition, I have missed only one State Committee meeting since I was elected in 2012,” she says.

Patricia Saint Aubin

Saint Aubin has also worked for the campaigns of numerous Republican presidential, senatorial, and congressional candidates and many, many campaigns for state Representative and Senate within the Bay State. Saint Aubin herself was a candidate for the office of State Auditor in 2014 and was endorsed by the Boston Globe.

The Massachusetts Republican State Committee is the governing body of the Republican Party in Massachusetts. Members of the State Committee play a key role in building the Republican Party in their districts: they recruit candidates, help with fundraising, register new voters, and grow the local Republican City and Town Committees in the district. One state committeeman and one state committeewoman are elected from each state senate district every four years. This year’s State Committee election will be held in conjunction with the Presidential Primary on March 3, 2020.

“I encourage all Republican voters to make their voice heard on March 3 and, especially, that they will give me a chance to continue my work for the party that I care so deeply about,” adds Saint Aubin.

voters in both parties “not only disagree over plans and policies, but also cannot agree on the basic facts”

We need to do something about this. If we, fellow residents and neighbors within Franklin, can not conduct a civil conversation, we are all in trouble. 

Where do we start? 
 

"Three years ago, Pew Research Center found that the 2016 presidential campaign was “unfolding against a backdrop of intense partisan division and animosity.” Today, the level of division and animosity – including negative sentiments among partisans toward the members of the opposing party – has only deepened.

...

For the most part, Republicans are more likely than Democrats to ascribe negative characteristics to people in the opposing party, with one exception: 75% of Democrats say Republicans are “more closed-minded” than other Americans, while 64% of Republicans say the same about Democrats.

Most partisans view the other side as ‘closed-minded’; Republicans see Democrats as ‘unpatriotic’ Yet Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to view members of the opposing party as unpatriotic. A 63% majority of Republicans say that, compared with other Americans, Democrats are “more unpatriotic.” Just 23% of Democrats say the same about Republicans.

The survey also finds that partisan hostility extends beyond politics. Fewer than half of Democrats (45%) and just 38% of Republicans say that while members of the other party feel differently about politics, they share many of their other values and goals. Majorities in both parties say those in the opposing party do not share their nonpolitical values and goals."

Continue reading the article at the Pew Research Center page
https://www.people-press.org/2019/10/10/partisan-antipathy-more-intense-more-personal/

voters in both parties “not only disagree over plans and policies, but also cannot agree on the basic facts”

In the News: GOP group urges voters to ‘blank’ Baker

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

"As he runs for a second term against Democrat Jay Gonzalez, Gov. Charlie Baker is now also facing a different campaign from his right, as a conservative group urges Republicans to blank their ballots in the gubernatorial contest. 

The Massachusetts Republican Assembly on Thursday announced its “Blank Baker” campaign, saying the governor has displayed a hesitance “to support fellow Republicans,” and alluding to his decision not to vote for either candidate in the 2016 presidential election. 

“In an election that offers no actual gubernatorial choice to advance the cause of common sense or conservatism, the Massachusetts Republican Assembly will invoke Baker’s own standard: Do not vote for the lesser of two evils,” the group said in a press release."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20181023/gop-group-urges-voters-to-blank-baker

Governor Baker official state page  https://www.mass.gov/orgs/office-of-the-governor

Campaign page   https://www.charliebakerma.com/

Jay Gonzalez campaign page  https://jay4ma.com/

Election Information for Nov 2018

GOP primary candidates for U.S. Senate

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

"In a state where polls show Sen. Elizabeth Warren is popular and President Donald Trump is not, beating the incumbent Democrat for U.S. Senate will be a challenge. 

But three Republican candidates are nonetheless convinced toppling Warren is not only possible, but ultimately important for Massachusetts residents and Americans across the country. 

“No one contributes more to the negative dynamic in Washington than Elizabeth Warren,” said Beth Lindstrom of Groton, a small-business owner and cabinet member of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a fellow Republican. “If we want a new tone, then we are going to need a new senator.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180822/trump-warren-complicate-gop-primary-for-us-senate

Campaign pages for each of the US Senate candidates

Republican primary:

• Beth Lindstrom https://bethforsenate.com/
• Geoff Dieh https://diehlforsenate.com/
• John Kingston https://johnkingston.com/

Senator Elizabeth Warren 
Senate page  https://www.warren.senate.gov/
Campaign page  https://elizabethwarren.com/

GOP primary candidates for U.S. Senate

Franklin Republican Town Committee statement on Immigration Event Cancellation

"It is with regret that the Franklin Town Republican Committee announces the cancellation of Thursday night’s talk on immigration by a noted subject matter expert Jessica Vaughan. Due to gross and persistent misrepresentations about Ms. Vaughan and the nature of this event and the implicit threat of disruption by demonstrators and hecklers, our hosts at the Veterans of Foreign Wars who were well aware of the topic and speaker in advance cancelled the event.

Although Jessica has been a respected voice on news media outlets across the country and across the political spectrum -- and has testified before Congress -- she has somehow run afoul of the Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization funded in part by billionaire George Soros -- which has alleged, on what basis we can’t imagine, that Jessica is associated with or sympathetic to a “hate group.” Perhaps those peddling these untruths simply fear accurate information about an important subject in American life today. 

What has happened to the America of Liberty Trees, Patrick Henry’s rousing “give me liberty or give me death,’ and the generations of Americans who risked and sometimes lost their lives fighting to protect our ideals and rights. Freedom of assembly and speech are first and foremost among the rights we all hold dear. So, it is with great sadness that we record the cancellation of this non-partisan event offered as a service to citizens. Intimidation, insinuation, and character assassination through prejudicial, inflammatory, and false language is now the rule rather than the exception. And, so often, particularly on college campuses, this is married to the implicit threat of violence and vandalism. These trends are a true threat to our country and our civil society. Sadly, today they arrived in Franklin with some local Democrats contributing."

“Immigration is a controversial topic in the public discourse today'

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

"Chanting “Immigrants are welcome here, say it loud and say it clear,” and holding up signs that read “Hate has no home here,” about 20 protesters gathered in front of the Veterans of Foreign Wars building to support immigrant communities. 

The demonstration was initially planned to protest a discussion on immigration hosted by director of policy studies for the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) Jessica Vaughan that would have taken place in the building Thursday night. 

However, the event, sponsored by the Franklin Republican Town Committee, was cancelled during the afternoon after Larry Bederian, commander of the VFW Post 3402, refused to host political events under the VFW’s roof. 

“We will not have a part of it. We are neutral,” said Bederian. “The VFW is not to be used for political harassment.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170518/franklin-group-hate-has-no-home-here

sign on some Franklin lawns

Thursday's Boston Globe covered a study by MIT on the effects of immigration on Boston's economy.

"At hotels, nursing homes, and restaurants in and around Boston, roughly half the workforce is made up of immigrants. Among doctors, scientists, and software engineers, a third were born in another country. 

Greater Boston’s economy relies on immigrants much more heavily than the country as a whole. And with the city’s unemployment rate at less than 4 percent and foreign-born workers providing nearly all the growth in the labor market in recent years, a continued stream of immigrant workers is essential for the local economy to thrive, according to a report out Thursday by MIT researchers that provides a detailed breakdown of who these local immigrants are and where they work. 

President Trump’s clampdown on immigration could have serious consequences on Boston-area employers, local workforce development and business leaders say, and some are calling for more liberal immigration policies to fuel the region’s economic growth."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2017/05/17/mit-study-immigrants-vital-boston-economy/l9PszENhVRsffVWvQVa1yO/story.html?event=event12

"Executive Summary

Immigration is a controversial topic in the public discourse today. Are we a stronger nation and economy because of our historic openness to immigration or should we close the borders and restrict access? What would happen to the economy if we took these steps, and what would be the impact on jobs, employers and economic growth?

The goal of this report is to answer these questions for the Boston area. We will see that our
economy and our firms depend heavily on immigrants, and the implications of restricting
immigration are grim indeed.

America is a nation of immigrants, as is Massachusetts and the Boston area even more so. In
2015, immigrants accounted for 13 percent of the United States civilian population, yet they
represented 16 percent of the Massachusetts civilian population and 22 percent of the Boston area civilian population. Even more strikingly, immigrants make up 29 percent of the adult working age civilian population in the Boston area.

If immigrants represent a large fraction of the people in the Boston area, then it makes sense to expect that they are important to the local economy. This report addresses this, but does so by focusing on a narrow version of the question – how do immigrants contribute to the workforce of the employers in the region? The many other contributions of immigrants to our economy—such as their consumption of goods and services and their entrepreneurial energy—will be left to another investigation.

The findings in this report are based on an analysis of large scale surveys conducted in 2014 and 2015 and additionally on interviews with employers that we conducted during the winter of 2017.

Details on the surveys and how we organized the data are provided in the box on methods below.

Some of the highlights of our findings are:
• Boston immigrants are settled members of our community. They are just as likely to be married and have children as are natives, and 68 percent have lived in the United States for 11 years or more.
• Boston’s immigrants come from all parts of the world. For example, 32 percent are from Asia and 25 percent are from the Caribbean and Central America.
• Boston’s immigrants constitute 27 percent of employees aged 25 to 64. Many industries are
heavily dependent on them, and in 18 industries immigrants constitute 20 percent or more of the workforce. For example 22 percent of employees in professional, scientific, and technical industries, 56 percent of employees in hotels and motels, 53 percent of employees in home health, and 29 percent of employees in hospitals are immigrants. The Boston region could not succeed economically nor provide goods and services to its citizens without the contribution of the region’s immigrant employees.
• Employers speak highly of the contributions of immigrants to the success of their firms and express concerns that immigration may be curtailed.
• Immigration is a key source of growth for our workforce. In 2015, a remarkable 54 percent of working age people moving into the Boston area were immigrants, and two-thirds of them came directly from abroad.
• Despite the central role of immigrants in our workforce, significant challenges to fulfill the
true potential of immigrants remain. Too many immigrants have low earnings and low levels of education. Policies to address these challenges are important."


The full MIT Study PDF can be viewed here
https://jvs-boston.org/images/pdf/Osterman%20Report%20-%20Final.pdf

The full MIT Study PDF can be viewed here

FRTC - Scholarship Award

Once again the Franklin Republican Town Committee has taken the lead in providing opportunity for Franklin students. The FRTC is pleased to announce that they have offered a $500 scholarship for their annual Scholarship contest. The winner of the scholarship will be announced at the FHS Awards Night. The applicants submitted 500 word essays specific to the following quote:

“The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.” Patrick Henry

The quote is attributed to Patrick Henry, one of the most respected patriots in United States history. Mr. Henry is not only one of our most admired founding fathers but was also an influential champion of Republicanism.

Reminder: Fiscal Responsibility: A Taxpayer’s Perspective - March 5th

The Franklin Republican Town Committee is proud to sponsor the following event:

What: Fiscal Responsibility: A Taxpayer’s Perspective
Who: Mass Fiscal Alliance, Paul Craney, Executive Director (speaker)
Where: Alumni Restaraunt (391 East Central St, Franklin, MA)
When: Thursday, March 5th, 2015; 7-10pm

Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance is a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to promoting better government and right-of-center fiscal and economic policy solutions. 

They have an office near the Statehouse in Boston and their website is www.MassFiscal.org and they launched a first of its kind, online and real-time, state legislative scorecard which may be found at www.MassFiscalScorecard.org

screen grab of MassFiscal webpage

Fiscal Responsibility: A Taxpayer’s Perspective - Mar 5th

The Franklin Republican Town Committee is proud to sponsor the following event:

What: Fiscal Responsibility: A Taxpayer’s Perspective
Who: Mass Fiscal Alliance, Paul Craney, Executive Director (speaker)
Where: Alumni Restaraunt (391 East Central St, Franklin, MA)
When: Thursday, March 5th, 2015; 7-10pm

Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance is a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to promoting better government and right-of-center fiscal and economic policy solutions. 

They have an office near the Statehouse in Boston and their website is www.MassFiscal.org and they launched a first of its kind, online and real-time, state legislative scorecard which may be found at www.MassFiscalScorecard.org

screen grab of MassFiscal webpage

Franklin Scholarship Award Winners

Nicole Higgins and Laura Murphy received the Franklin Republican Town Committee Scholarships at the Franklin High School Awards Night. Each graduating senior was presented with a $500 scholarship and flowers by Dr. John Jewell, member of the Franklin School Committee and Franklin Republican Town Committee. 

Miss Higgins and Miss Murphy submitted the highest ranking essays based on Ronald Reagan's quote, "America is too great for small dreams." 

The recipients are active members of the Franklin community. The various high school activities of Nicole Higgins includes junior and senior class president, town council school committee representative, vice-president of the community service club and secretary of Young Americans for Freedom. She has also given extensive hours of community service through a variety of organizations including but not limited to the food pantry, Salvation Army, Care Packages for Troops, Relay for Life and the Brain Tumor Association. Nicole plans to pursue an education degree. 

Laura Murphy served as the varsity tennis captain and took part in Mock Trial. She was a member of the National Honor Society, FHS orchestra, Tri-M Music Honor Society and United States Figure Skating Association. Her list of volunteer work includes CCD teacher, assisting the Food Pantry and the Santa Foundation as well as taking part in fundraising and school volunteering, Laura plans on attending college to pursue a degree in biomedical engineering.

The Franklin Republican Town Committee congratulates the recipients and wishes them the best in their academic goals. The FRTC raised money for their annual scholarship through sales of their booth at the Franklin Fourth of July Celebration. Additional information about the FRTC's meeting and activities may be obtained at franklinmagop.com. The FRTC believes in advancing the core values and principles of our country's founding fathers."

Why I, C. Stolle Singleton, am running for State Representative in the 10th Norfolk District

This press release from C Stolle Singleton arrived in email Monday night:

I believe that now is the time to usher in a new generation of innovative ideas and fresh, energetic leadership for Franklin, Medway, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This is why I am running for State Representative in the 10th Norfolk District.

A recent CNBC survey of “America’s Top States for Business” revealed that Massachusetts ranks 49th for the “cost of doing business.” In other words, Massachusetts is nearly the most expensive state to run a business in the United States, second only to Hawaii. The Democratic Super Majority on Beacon Hill has done far too little to address high taxes, rising healthcare costs, staggering electricity prices, and excessive government regulation. As a result, this collective burden continues to suppress economic growth, discourage job creation, and drive countless Massachusetts businesses and families to relocate to other states. 

I am running for State Representative because I hope to buy a home and to start a family in Massachusetts and I want the best possible opportunities for my family and yours. My younger sister and I cherished growing up in Franklin and I want my grandchildren and yours to choose to raise their families in our community. I believe that Massachusetts can and should be a place where businesses and families decide to – and can afford to – put down roots, grow, and prosper. 

While I anticipate that some may make my age an issue during this race, I am more concerned about the age of the old ideas that led us to struggle every year to sustain our local aid for essential services, led us to implement a regressive sales tax increase in the height of the Great Recession, and left us with a lack of oversight over government benefits, such as the cash assistance given out on EBT cards. My generation is inheriting a mess associated with poor decisions and a lack of balance on Beacon Hill, so it is unequivocally the time for a woman my age to take a stand. 

Furthermore, I am running for State Representative because I want to ensure that Franklin and Medway continue to have a strong advocate for our community’s interests on Beacon Hill. With the unique perspective and invaluable experience of having already worked for the House of Representatives, I know how to get things done. This legislative session I drafted over 17 pieces of legislation, several of which were passed into law. My legislative experience means that I understand how to reach across party lines to preserve our local aid and the Chapter 70 funding for our community’s exceptional public schools. In short, from day one I will be an effective leader in crafting meaningful reforms and guiding them through the legislative logjam.
Public service is a privilege and if I am afforded the privilege of representing the residents of Franklin and Medway, I will work full-time to give back to the district where I learned that hard work, compassion, and perseverance will be met with success. 

If you believe in a Massachusetts that can do better, please vote C. Stolle Singleton in the Republican Primary on Thursday, September 6th.

For additional information on her campaign, you can visit her website
http://www.votesingleton.com/