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 *
Monday, November 9, 2026
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW): Episode 328 - Wine In The Word With Randy Frazee
Tuesday, September 29, 2026
Downtown Revitalization Series: Franklin For All podcast episodes - part 2 of 2
#5 - Conversation on Franklin's walkability & insights from Worcester (audio)
FM #962 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 962 in the series.
This session of the radio show shares the audio recording of the housing and zoning discussion with Brad Chafee, Melanie Hamblen, Cobi Frongillo and Dean College Chancellor Ed Augustus.
Brad, Melanie, Ed and I were in the Franklin TV Studio on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. Cobi joined us for the discussion via Zoom.
Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-962-walkability-worcester-insights-03-15-23
This session of the radio show shares the audio recording of the housing and zoning discussion with Brad Chafee, Melanie Hamblen, Cobi Frongillo and Joe Halligan. We were all in the Franklin TV Studio on Wednesday, April 12, 2023.
Consider this a continuation of the downtown zoning discussion from the “Franklin For All” project which is underway with review and discussion at the Economic Development Subcommittee Plus meetings that Melanie Chairs and for which Cobi is Vice-Chair.
We were joined by Joe Halligan for this session to include his insights as a former Planning Board member, Franklin developer, and recently appointed to the Master Plan Update Committee.
Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-974-franklin-for-all-discusses-buildable-affordable-04-12-23
This session of the radio show shares the audio recording of the housing and zoning discussion with Brad Chafee, Melanie Hamblen, Cobi Frongillo, and Sam Williams. Most of us were in the Franklin TV Studio on Tuesday, May 30, 2023. Cobi joined us via the Zoom conference bridge.
Consider this a continuation of the downtown zoning discussion from the “Franklin For All” project which is underway with review and discussion at the Economic Development Subcommittee Plus meetings that Melanie Chairs and for which Cobi is Vice-Chair.
We were joined by Sam Williams for this session to include his insights as the Vice-Chair of the Design Review Commission.
The conversation centered on design aspects of the ongoing Franklin For All discussion. Design Review had come up in a couple of the prior sessions so we decided to spend some time on it here with Sam.
This session of the radio show shares the audio recording of the housing and zoning discussion with Brad Chafee, Melanie Hamblen, and Cobi Frongillo. We were joined by Town Administrator Jamie Hellen and Town Council Chair Tom Mercer for this discussion on new growth. Most of us were in the Franklin TV Studio on Tuesday, May 30, 2023. Tom joined us via the Zoom conference bridge.
Consider this a continuation of the downtown zoning discussion from the “Franklin For All” project which is underway with review and discussion at the Economic Development Subcommittee Plus meetings that Melanie Chairs and for which Cobi is Vice-Chair.
The conversation centered on new growth and how the zoning decisions have a relationship with the budget.
Monday, September 28, 2026
Downtown Revitalization Series: Franklin For All podcast episodes - part 1 of 2
I had an internal debate on what order to list these episodes and decided that the chronological order was probably best. You can listen to any or all as you choose.
#1 - This Franklin For All Discussion reveals insights on process and accessory dwelling units - 03/15/22 (audio) (39 minutes)
FM #755 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 755 in the series.
This session of the radio show shares my conversation with several members of the Economic Development “Plus” Committee to talk about the Franklin For All process. We recorded this via the Zoom conference bridge Mar 15, 2022.
Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-755-franklin-for-all-discussion-03-15-22
----------#2 -Downtown Zoning Discussion with Councilors Hamblen & Frongillo - 12/19/22 (audio) (45 minutes)
FM #904 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 904 in the series.
This session of the radio show shares the audio recording of my conversation with Town Councilors Melanie Hamblen and Cobi Frongillo. We met in the Franklin TV Studio on Monday, Dec 19, 2022.
#3 - Downtown Zoning Discussion with D'Errico, Frongillo & Hamblen - 01/18/23 (audio) (60 minutes)
FM #922 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 922 in the series.
This session of the radio show shares the audio recording of my conversation with Joel D’Errico, Melanie Hamblen and Cobi Frongillo. Joel, Melanie and I were in the Franklin TV Studio on Wednesday, January 18, 2023. Cobi joined us for almost all of the discussion via phone.
#4 - Listen to this discussion on housing, zoning, and getting the process to produce what we need (audio) (107 minutes)
FM #942 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 942 in the series.
This session of the radio show shares the audio recording of the housing and zoning discussion with Brad Chafee, Melanie Hamblen and Cobi Frongillo. Brad, Melanie and I were in the Franklin TV Studio on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. Cobi joined us for the discussion via Zoom.
Monday, August 31, 2026
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW): Episode 323 - Destination Weddings, Wine, and the Language of Italy With Jennifer Martin (audio)
- The Story Behind the Blog: Why Jen started Vino Travels Italy and a sneak peek into her upcoming quarterly newsletter.
- Destination Weddings: Pro-tips from Jen’s book on navigating the logistics and magic of planning a wedding in the Tuscan countryside.
- Italian Wine 101: An overview of Italy’s complex wine laws, plus Jen’s personal bottle recommendations and authentic food pairings.
- The Language of Italy: We discuss the beauty of learning Italian and how regional dialects and nuances change as you travel through the peninsula.
Thursday, March 26, 2026
Talkin’ TC Podcast on expansion of lifelong learning (video)
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| Talkin’ TC Podcast |
Saturday, March 7, 2026
Tri-County podcast features Pedro Martinez, Commissioner of DESE (video)
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| Tri-County podcast features Pedro Martinez, Commissioner of DESE (video) |
Sunday, February 1, 2026
Talkin' TC! New Episode Alert! (video)
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| (L-R) Congressman Jake Auchincloss with Kahlil Mateus |
Monday, January 19, 2026
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW): Episode 307 - Wine Social Media Star Kelly Axelrad (audio)
- Her content approach and strategies.
- How she promotes her brand and chooses collaborations.
- How she balances her life as a global wine adventurer and a full-time social media personality.
- Don't miss the chance to learn from a true wine industry innovator!
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW): Episode 306 - A Spirited Sip with a Wine Maverick Raymond Blake
Sunday, January 4, 2026
Exploring The Wonderful World of Wine Podcast with Kim & Mark (video & audio)
FM #1621 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1621 in the series.
We sat with Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi of the award winning Wonderful World of Wine show to explore wine tasting and podcasting. We recorded this virtually via Zoom on Thursday, December 18, 2025.
While our conversation covers a broad range of topics, we start with Kim and Mark introducing themselves and their background in the wine industry.
The recording runs about 51 minutes
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The Wonderful World of Wine episodes can be found -> https:thewww.wine/
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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.
This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We 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
And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do
Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.
For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com
The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.
I hope you enjoy!
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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"
Monday, September 29, 2025
The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW): Episode 299 - Vino Therapy With Kelly Lewis
Guest: Kelly Lewis, founder of The Wine SpaWebsite: thewinespapdx.comSocial Media: @winespa_pdxHosts: Kim and MarkPodcast: The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW)Website: thewww.wine










