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 *
From the time of our country’s founding 250 years ago, the story of America has been one of the constant efforts of Americans—from all races, ethnicities, genders, and abilities—to make real the belief that we are all created equal and have a right to have a say in our democracy. We will be telling their stories over the next several weeks because now, as ever, “We Are America.”
Dr. Jason Herbert is a historian, public scholar, and outdoorsman from Kentucky. Herbert tells us about the Acadians, French settlers expelled from British Canada, who helped to create today’s Cajun culture.
FM #1750 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1750 in the series.
This session shares my conversation with School Committee Chair Paul Griffith. We had our discussion via Zoom on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. We condense and get into the explanations behind the key items from four recent meetings:
Our conversation covered the following topics:
Joint Budget Subcommittee meeting - April 16
Joint Town Council & School Cmte meeting May 12
School budget discussion at budget hearing #1 - Wednesday, May 20
School Committee meeting - May 26
Our conversation runs about 43 minutes. Let’s listen
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"
FM #1749 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1749 in the series.
This session shares the Town Council Communications Subcommittee Meeting. The meeting was held in the Council Chambers at the Municipal Building on Thursday, May 28, 2026.
Subcommittee Chair Caroline Griffith, members Jane Callaway-Tripp, Max Morrongiello, and Gene Grella also participated. Town Administrator Jamie Hellen, Operations Manager Julie McCann and Director of Communications & Community Engagement Liz Kalaijian participated.
The recording runs about 3 hours & 50minutes, so let’s listen in.
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"
Every graduation is a special event. This year Tri-County wrapped up another graduation, and the evening was spectacularly Summery. This graduation was also poignant. It’s the end of an era as the current school building closes for the last time.
Hats in the air, and a new group of TC graduates become tomorrow’s successes. Next year, a new era will begin for the undergrads as they move to their new venue.
Greetings from Beacon Hill! I hope you had a peaceful and meaningful Memorial Day weekend and are enjoying these last few days of May. Last week, the Senate passed a $63.4 billion budget that invests in our towns and cities, boosts public education, promotes affordability, and advances our shared values.
Rausch Report
Over three long days of debate, during which we considered more than a thousand amendments, we unanimously passed a budget that spends our tax dollars wisely and responsibly. I’m proud to have secured $500,000 for priority projects in every town in our district, as well as numerous statewide amendments that boost our investments in civics education, women’s history, environmental protection, and more, as well as an amendment to advance democracy by enhancing candidate safety.
May is also Jewish American Heritage Month and Asian American and Pacific Islander Month. I was pleased to continue my annual social media tradition of uplifting Jewish Americans with a connection to Massachusetts. I was also honored to join my fellow lawmakers in passing the PROTECT Act to limit cooperation between ICE and state and local law enforcement, recognizing our state’s history of immigration while enhancing safety, security, and democracy for us all.
Read on in this month’s Rausch Reportto learn more about the FY27 budget and the PROTECT Act, a recap of the ways we celebrated Jewish American Heritage Month, details on upcoming June events in the district, and more.
For real-time updates, please follow me on Facebook and Instagram. If you are a constituent and need assistance, please don’t hesitate to call me and my team at (617) 722-1555, email me at becca.rausch@masenate.gov, or attend upcoming office hours. We are here to help.
Yours in service,
Senator Becca Rausch
Continue reading this edition of the Rausch Report
17 student were recognized for achieving the Seal of Biliteracy in one or more languages other than English
A number of school department retirees from the Central Office or individual schools were recognized for their years of service
Superintendent Giguere presented his evidence as part of his evaluation. The subcommittee will collect additional feedback from committee members and prepare the final evaluation for review at a future meeting
The committee entered Executive Session, not to return to open meeting, to discussion negotiation strategy
Jamie Barrett has compiled a set of recordings by himself (and others) singing the following songs:
FPS Elementary School Music Educators (L to R: Allison Fuller, Jamie Barrett, Mary MacMurray, and Brian Gustafson) sing our National Anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” 2022
Scott Mason and I will be doing a presentation at the studios of Franklin TV at 23 Hutchinson Street when we will examine the three buildings that make up today's Depot Plaza on Main Street.
This is the block where J. J. Newberry and W. T. Grant did business for many years. And there have been others too that we will discuss. We'll also look at the buildings that stood there before the plaza was developed. It is sure to bring back many memories for long-time Franklin residents.
This program will have a live studio audience and will not be broadcast live. Instead, it will be taped for future viewing on Franklin TV.
I hope you can make it! I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!!!!!
The newly confirmed Fed Chair Kevin Warsh is beginning his tenure as head of the Federal Reserve. The Fed is the nation's central bank, but you can’t walk into a branch to open a checking account. Instead, the Fed's decisions can make your car payments cheaper or a job harder to find.
So how does the Fed work? Glad you asked! USAFacts Founder Steve Ballmer just dropped this new video on the Fed and we couldn’t wait to share it with you.
Join Steve as he breaks down the Federal Reserve's complex role in the American economy. He'll break down complicated concepts, provide visuals to shed light on the institution, and even make a few costume changes.
This is the first Spotlight edition of the USAFacts newsletter, which we’ll send when we have a cool new way to explore data with you. You can expect to get them about once a month.
Here's a preview of what you'll find in the video, plus data to understand the Fed's role in your economic well-being:
The Federal Reserve is the most important bank you’ll never use.
It’s a bank for banks. It holds cash reserves, moves money between banks, and can lend to them whenever needed.
The Fed has five responsibilities. The one that affects you most directly is its mandate to conduct monetary policy to keep inflation in check and employment high. Through it, the Fed can influence interest rates across the entire economy. (Here are the other four.)
Speaking of inflation
When the Fed lowers interest rates, it can lead to the running economy “hot.” It can make it cheaper for you to buy a house, get a car loan, or borrow money to open a business. But if money’s easier to borrow, it can fuel inflation.
Last month’s inflation rate was 3.8%. The Bureau of Labor Statistics measures inflation through changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a metric designed to track the price of a “basket of goods and services.”
Think a dollar doesn't go as far as it used to? You're right. Track how the dollar’s value has changed with our inflation calculator! Explore the value from 1913 to now, or at any point in between.
Workers’ wages aren’t keeping up with inflation. Nominal wages rose 3.6% from April 2025 to April 2026, while prices grew 3.8%.
When the Fed raises interest rates, it can lead to the economy running “cold,” making things more expensive and slowing inflation. When borrowing is hard, it can slow the economy and drive up unemployment.
How the Fed influences interest rates
The Fed changes the interest it charges on loans it gives and pays on other banks' cash reserves it holds, effectively setting the limits at which other banks can charge interest. The average overnight rate at which banks transact is called the federal funds rate. Get a jargon-free explanation of the federal funds rate from Steve himself.
If the Fed raises the federal funds range, your bank’s costs go up. Your bank might raise interest rates on new loans. Mortgages, car loans, credit cards, and short-term business loans all get more expensive. That can ripple across the economy: people buy less, inflation can decrease as demand falls, less demand means companies may need fewer workers — causing unemployment to rise.
The federal funds rate target range has changed about 30 times in the last 10 years. In 2022, inflation climbed well above the Fed’s 2% goal. In response, the Fed raised the federal funds target range seven times in a single year.
The Fed uses the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCE) to measure inflation. The PCE tracks changes in the prices consumers pay across the economy. This differs somewhat from the CPI (the inflation measure most Americans are familiar with) because the two indexes use different methods and baskets of goods and services to calculate price changes.
Sometimes interest rate changes aren't enough, so the Fed uses other tools. One of them is to create money. (Sounds nice, right?) Here’s how.
