https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html
Providing accurate and timely information about what matters in Franklin, MA since 2007. * Working in collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio (wfpr.fm) since October 2019 *
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Voices of Franklin: Gretchen Donohue - "supporting the necessary override for public school funding"
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Voices of Franklin: Dear Franklin Town Council & School Committee, "Please, vote to put the override on the ballot in June"
Voices of Franklin: Dear Franklin Town Council & School Committee, "Please, vote to put the override on the ballot in June" |
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html
Saturday, March 23, 2024
Voices of Franklin: Letter to Planning Board on Autumn Hill Development
- The Autumn Hill plans as submitted can be found https://www.franklinma.gov/planning-board/pages/autumn-hill-senior-village-488-and-496-summer-street-02022024
- The 5 post series on the original proposal for the Residential 7 zoning change referred to can be found http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/01/part-5-full-residential-vii-timeline.html
Voices of Franklin: Letter to Planning Board on Autumn Hill Development |
Thursday, February 22, 2024
Voices of Franklin: Objection to the Senior Development Proposed on Summer Street for Franklin, MA
- The Autumn Hill plans as submitted can be found https://www.franklinma.gov/planning-board/pages/autumn-hill-senior-village-488-and-496-summer-street-02022024
- The 5 post series on the original proposal for the Residential 7 zoning change referred to can be found http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/01/part-5-full-residential-vii-timeline.html
Voices of Franklin: Objection to the Senior Development Proposed on Summer Street for Franklin, MA |
Sunday, January 7, 2024
Voices of Franklin: ECDC Pickup & arrival schedule changes
Voices of Franklin: ECDC Pickup & arrival schedule changes |
Monday, January 30, 2023
Voices of Franklin: former Davis Thayer neighborhood parents raise concerns for School Committee
Gretchen Donohue
Saturday, November 5, 2022
Voices of Franklin: Karen Landers is Yes for Question 1
Wednesday, November 2, 2022
Voices of Franklin: Ted McIntyre - Strong Support for Senator Rausch
Senator Rausch should be re-elected because she is the only candidate in this race who has forged the widespread collaborative network needed to continue delivering for our values and our community. She has both the successful track record and the broad support to prove it. Senator Rausch is endorsed by more than half the State Senate, the very people who are now, and will be, her direct colleagues. The list includes the Senate President, the Senate President Pro Tempore, the Senate Majority Leader, and every other member of Senate Leadership.
On top of that, the vast majority of local elected officials in our district have endorsed Senator Rausch. These are the people whose recommendations should weigh heavily in Rausch's favor -- they know and appreciate her skills in serving the district. You can see the impressive list at www.beccarausch.com/endorsements. Senator Rausch has been endorsed by the overwhelming majority of State Representatives in our district, including State Representative Jeff Roy, whom Rausch’s opponent inappropriately name-dropped in a recent mailing. That mailing was an explicit attempt to mislead voters. Indeed, the letter falsely claimed support from Democrats and was signed by someone who is, in fact, a registered Republican in Bellingham. This kind of disinformation campaign runs afoul of common decency and basic respect for us, the voters.
Rausch's opponent has also tried to dodge his staunchly right wing record as he seeks higher office and promotes his own personal gain. His record speaks for itself, and that record has earned him the badge of being among the farthest right-wing extremist politicians in the entire Commonwealth, per the American Conservative Union. He has repeatedly voted against abortion access, birth control access, climate action goals, workers, voting rights, and protecting LGBTQ+ youth from the serious harms of abusive conversion therapy. Every one of those votes is documented.
You are smarter than Shawn Dooley thinks you are. Get the facts. Resist the lies. Join me in voting for Senator Becca Rausch on or before Tuesday, November 8.
Ted McIntyre, Ph.D.
Franklin MA
Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Voices of Franklin: Colin Cass - "Democrats for Dooley" half true
Monday, October 24, 2022
Voices of Franklin: Mark and Mike Lenzi on the proposed Transfer of an all alcoholic license to Table & Vine (Big Y)
Sunday, April 17, 2022
Voices of Franklin: Colin Cass says "Please sign candidate nomination papers!"
Candidates in Massachusetts who want to be elected to any public office this fall need something right now.
They need large numbers of qualified voters to sign their nomination papers before May 10. (No need to get tangled in the weeds: the numbers and qualifications depend on the offices sought.)
People seem confused about this. Your signature on a nomination paper commits you to nothing.
It shows only that you helped a candidate get into the race. This is crucial for all candidates (you can sign for as many as you please) and completely harmless to you.
So if candidates who want to run in your district ask you to sign their nomination papers, give them a break.
Franklin, MA
Voices of Franklin: Colin Cass says "Please sign candidate nomination papers!" |
Tuesday, January 18, 2022
Franklin Matters information service updates
As part of the integration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) you likely have seen some changes to this home page and or to some posts.
Two additions
- The daily schedule for Franklin TV and wfpr.fm is shared. This is in addition to the weekly post sharing the programming guide. We'll be watching the stats (such that are available) to see if this addition is making a difference.
- "Ask Franklin Matters" is back in a top of fold web page spot. I had introduced this when we started the "Talk Franklin" radio interview series during 2020. This is a new year, hence a new opportunity. A couple of question have already come in so that is good. Hopefully, this feature will help answer your questions.
Two reminders
- This is a daily digital newsletter and you have a chance to have your say (with a question - as noted above) or a comment/email. You should also know that the "Voices of Franklin" is really the same as a "Letter to the Editor". It has been used primarily during the election season but is a feature available any time you feel the need to write. Guidelines here -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html
- The community calendar functions best when all the events are available to the community. Organizations with a Google calendar can integrate automatically. If you don't have one, you can use the form to submit the event -> https://forms.gle/oPdi8X3ZbHHyrHzo6 If all else fails, send me an email. Be sure to include the basics of the event (who, what, when, where, etc.)
This Franklin news service (daily newsletter, podcast, Twitter, etc.) is my public service effort for Franklin but I can't do it alone. I 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
Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for reading/emailing/commenting/listening, etc.
Friendly reminder: The best way to remain informed is to subscribe for the daily newsletter -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/welcome.html
Franklin Matters information service updates |
Thursday, January 6, 2022
Voices of Franklin: Ted McIntyre on the "crisis in the democratic process"
America is trapped in a set of interlocking crises, which the anniversary of the January 6th insurrection puts in high relief. Each crisis by itself could be overwhelming, but it is not hyperbolic to say that the multiple simultaneous emergencies present a generational challenge.
The tests of our time are as big as any faced by America from the Revolution to WWII. Either we rise to the occasion with new ideas or we will sink into a civilizational quagmire. The stakes are indeed that high.
The list of crises is daunting. The Omicron variant will kill thousands this winter if the Delta does not. The new variant is simply the next wave of a preventable disease, exacerbated by the Fox TV-induced delusional behavior of 'anti-vaxxers'. It is fair to say that a segment of the population living in an alternate reality is a crisis all by itself.
Inequalities in income and opportunity are a crisis, made extravagantly clear by billionaires joy-riding in their space ships while others die from a lack of insulin. Constitutional rights, long secured by the Supreme Court's dedication to probity, are at risk due to the assertion of extreme legal philosophies. Rising above all this is the threat of climate change, where urgent and transformative action needs to begin now.
One crisis, however, stands out in high profile in the very near term. This is a crisis in the democratic process. The imminent risk to American democracy demands immediate attention, because its resolution is foundational to addressing all the other crises. The seeds of authoritarianism have been germinating for a long time, but the former guy's big lie--that the election results were not accurate--has been adopted by cynical actors in states across the nation. It is important to note that these cynical actors are almost exclusively conservative members of the GOP.
Legislatures in red states across the country are actively suppressing the votes of minority communities. We in MA should not feel immune to the impact of these threats to others’ rights in other places. Our votes in Franklin are devalued by voter suppression in Atlanta. Worse, these GOP extremists are changing the very rules under which the elections are certified. (Who knew that was even a thing before 2020?) These process changes mean that no matter what the actual vote count, GOP legislatures can discard the voters’ choice. Such a power in extremists’ hands will come home to roost in the 2024 presidential election, where Q-Anon--style secretaries of state in places like GA, AZ, PA, and MI will be able to ignore actual votes and submit the slate of presidential electors that they prefer.
There will be no need of an insurrection at the US Capitol in January of 2025, because the coup will happen in state capitols across the nation. The solution to these woes lies with Congress, which can mandate sane election rules for the whole country. Passing such laws with Democratic votes is prevented by the filibuster and the Senate’s timidity in facing the question. The issue should be addressed now, before the new year. This kind of progress can happen only if the filibuster, an old and racist tool designed to prevent progress, is modified.
Protecting our democracy is not partisan issue. Republicans of good will can support voting rights. Citizens of Franklin should demand that Senators Warren and Markey act immediately in ways that reflect the seriousness of the moment. Hardball tactics--for example stripping recalcitrant legislators like Manchin and Sinema of committee assignments, or stalling Senate business until these important issues are considered--may be needed to force the Senate to take action.
The battle is joined in the US Senate. Time is short. 2022 is too late. Please call or write your senators and urge them to do whatever is needed to save our democracy.
Franklin resident
Voices of Franklin: Ted McIntyre on the "crisis in the democratic process" |
Monday, November 1, 2021
Voices of Franklin: Karen Landers - Time for a change on the Planning Board
Perhaps, it is time for a change! We should thank each of them for giving their time and expertise to ensure that all residential and commercial projects that have come before the Planning Board have correctly followed the zoning, building, and town bylaws before being approved. That has been no small task, considering all the growth that has occurred in all of those years.
But now, the town has high hopes for the two new candidates who are currently seeking election to the Planning Board.
In addition, both Jennifer and Beth have no potential conflicts of interest that could detract from serving on the Planning Board and making decisions on all projects that need approval.
Thank you,