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 *
Via Instagram, Franklin TV, and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the Winter sports competition for Franklin High School on Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Girls Basketball = Canton, 42 @ Franklin, 68 – Final
Boys Basketball = Franklin, 61 @ Canton, 50 – Final
"Franklin head coach Mike Masto knew that Canton was going to rattle off a run at some point.
But by the time it came, and with the cushion that his Panthers had built, they were more than ready to absorb it.
Franklin created a 20-point lead early in the second half, which was plenty of breathing room after the Bulldogs made a push late in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to single digits. The Panthers reestablished a double-digit lead going into the fourth and kept the Bulldogs at a distance the rest of the way, securing a 61-50 win on the road."
Continue reading the recap of this game By Ryan Lanigan || HockomockSports.com Editor
FM #1627 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1627 in the series.
This session shares my conversation with School Committee member Reis Hansen. We had our discussion via Zoom on Friday, January 16, 2026. We condense and get into the explanations behind the key items from the recent School Committee meeting January 13, 2026.
Our conversation covered the following topics:
Early insights on role as school committee member
Subcommittee work on Policy & Horace Mann Legacy
Meeting recap
Recognition of cheerleaders
FHS trip to Galapagos for 2027 was approved
FHS 2026-27 Program of Studies Update
how courses are added, selection by students
Office of Teaching & Learning District Assessment Presentation
The role of teaching & learning
The use of data to provide support and interventions as needed
MCAS still used just not a requirements for graduation
Franklin Childcare Presentation
The planning underway for initial opening for 9 student with 2 teachers
For school dept personnel first, then Town employees
Further expansion possible for community over time
Can provide revenue to sustain program
We close with a discussion on screen time and use of technology in the classroom
based upon a resident comment
Our conversation runs about 72 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"
Via Instagram, Franklin TV, and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the Winter sports competition for Franklin High School on Friday, January 16, 2026
Boys Basketball = Franklin, 52 @ Milford, 41 – Final
Girls Basketball = Milford, 42 @ Franklin, 66 – Final
– Franklin drilled 12 threes as a team and used a huge second quarter run to earn a big win over Milford. It is Franklin’s fifth win in a row, moves them to 0.500 for the first time this season, and puts the Panthers alone in first in the Kelley-Rex. Milford got off to a good start. Ava Baglione scored eight points and Katelyn Kearnan added four as the visitors took a 12-11 lead after one. Franklin took full control with a dominant, 24-3 second quarter. Freshman Brielle Nicholls sparked the Panthers, knocking down three from beyond the arc and scoring 13 points in the frame. Ava Bonney added a pair of threes and scored eight points in the frame. Milford edged the third quarter by a point, as Kearnan scored six and Reagan Cunningham and Abby Murphy each scored four. Franklin never allowed the Hawks to mount much of a comeback and Kendall Mone scored six of Franklin’s 16 in the fourth to put the game away. Nicholls finished with a career-high 19 and Bonney added 14 – both hit four threes. Mone added a career-high 13 points, while Tessah Rodrigues scored eight and Sophia Sacramone had seven.
For other results across the Hockomock League (subscription required)
We're seeing a big wave of reports about phone scams claiming you owe back taxes. But it's not the IRS calling, it's a scammer using a company name like "Tax Resolution Oversight Department."
If someone calls you out of the blue offering to help you fix a tax issue, hang up. Here's how to spot the scam.
Board of Assessors and Town Staff: The Economics of Development, residential valuations are based upon residential property sales and comparables. Commercial Industrial valuations are more complicated in that there is a revenue factor for how much money the operations is actually making (confidentially reported to the Assessors) along with several other factors. The repeated phrase was "it's complicated"
We did hear that there is NO issue with water supply or sewer capacity. Police and Fire are understaffed (but managing as best they can for the volume), Schools built extra capacity as part of the redistricting effort. The per pupil amount talked of is not what each net new student would cost. There are existing capacities to handle some number of students without adding a teacher.
The capital budget first pass was approved after a lengthy discussion. Town policy calls for funding multiple stabilization accounts, this year only the OPEB account was proposed for funding due to the budget shortfall and that it had not been funded last year.
The OPEB fund resolution passed 8-0-1 (1 absent)
The first pass at the tier 1 capital requests accounted for $1.8M and was proposed to amend to remove the sprinkler system work required at the Senior Center. The amendment was meant to reserve the additional $750K for the potential budget deficit. The motion to amend after a lengthy discussion failed by a 1-7-1 (1 for, 1 absent, 7 against removal for the item). The vote on the original resolution passed 7-1-1 (7 for, 1 against, 1 absent)
The Franklin School Committee meeting on Tuesday, Jan 13, 2026 with all 7 members present in Council Chambers to cover a very full agenda in almost 4 1/2 hours.
Via Instagram, Franklin TV, and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the Winter sports competition for Franklin High School on Tuesday, January 13, 2026
Boys Basketball = Stoughton, 52 @ Franklin, 75 – Final
– Stoughton got off to a strong start and had the lead after a quarter but Franklin surged ahead with 21 points in the second quarter and put the game out of reach with 22 points in the third quarter. Senior Traevon Jones was on fire in the opening quarter, hitting a trio of threes and finished with 13 of his 20 points (tying a career-high) in the opening frame as the Black Knights had a slim 17-15 edge after one. But Franklin started to attack the rim with success in the second: Ben Scaccia, Nas Johnson, Jack Sullivan, Justice Samuels, and James Crowley all hit shots from the floor as the Panthers pushed ahead, 36-27, going into halftime. It was more of the same in the third as Franklin had seven more two-point field goals, went 5-for-5 from the line, and sophomore Danny Santos hit a three as Franklin created plenty of separation, 58-39, going into the fourth. Crowley finished with a career-high 22 points to lead all scorers, Santos added 17 points, Sullivan scored 15 points, and Samuels chipped in with 10 points. Anthony Alessi added 13 points for the Black Knights.
Girls Basketball = Franklin, 65 @ Stoughton, 26 – Final
- Franklin had 11 players score and held Stoughton to single digits in three of the four quarters to run away with a big win (their fourth in a row) that pushes the Panthers into a first-place tie with Milford atop the Kelley-Rex division. Stoughton was held to just one made field goal in the first and freshman Brielle Nicholls scored seven of Franklin’s 13 to give the visitors a nine-point lead after one. Franklin exploded for 21 points in the second, with Evelena scoring seven and four Panthers knocking down threes. Momentum continued to be with the road team in the third, as Liz Dumais (six points, eight rebounds, and two blocks) scored four and Franklin outscored the Black Knights 16-6 to make it a 30-point lead. Even with most of its starters on the bench for the whole fourth quarter, Franklin added 15 more, including four off the bench from Devyn Cairns. Dobecki, Nicholls (five rebounds, six steals, and three assists), and freshman Chloe Gordon each scored nine points for the Panthers, while Ava Bonney scored eight and Tessah Rodrigues and Sophia Sacramone each finished with seven. Raine Tat was Stoughton’s high scorer with seven and she grabbed nine rebounds. Isabel Belmonte chipped in with five points and five boards in the loss.
FM #1626 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1626 in the series.
We sat with Samantha Piette, entrepreneur creating Piette Petal Co, an artisanal florist operating on the internet and in pop up shops for now.
We talked about her road to floral arrangements, the build up to Valentine’s Day and all that she offers. We recorded this virtually via Zoom on Monday, December 29, 2025.
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"
"Here in Massachusetts, we operate differently. We actually talk to each other, we trust science and understand evidence, and we don't dwell in rhetoric - we focus on action and meaningful results that are going to generate positive outcomes for people in their daily lives."
I joined Al Correia on "That Milford Show" for a wide-ranging conversation about the state budget, my Community Immunity Act to uplift public health in the Commonwealth, and much more.
"Another beautiful reason to create is because it reclaims your most valuable resource which has been robbed of us. And that's our attention. In a society that profits from you being stuck on your phone, giving your attention to art is a rebellious act. That means when you write that little piece of poetry, it isn't just a nice thing to do with your time. It is a revolutionary thing to do with your time.”
Via Instagram, Franklin TV, and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the Winter sports competition for Franklin High School on Friday, January 9, 2026
Boys Basketball = Franklin, 51 @ Attleboro, 75 – Final
- Attleboro built an early double-digit lead and then ran away with it in the second half, handing head coach Mark Houle his 400th career win with a convincing decision over Franklin. The Bombardiers were up 10 at the end of one (18-8) and at half time (33-23) and then dropped 22 points in the third quarter to create a comfortable cushion going into the fourth. Seven different Bombardiers contributed to the scoring in the big third quarter, including seven from senior Ladainian Rodrigues, who finished with a team-high 20 points and 11 rebounds. Senior Connor Houle added 10 points and seven assists, and junior Devin Dufresne chipped in with 11 points, including five in the opening quarter to help the hosts get off to a strong start. Sophomore Danny Santos scored a team-high 16 points for the Panthers while senior Ben Scaccia chipped in with 13 points.
Girls Basketball = Attleboro, 52 @ Franklin, 68 – Final
– Franklin used a quick start, leading by nine after the first quarter, and carried that to a third straight win (and fourth win in the last six games). Tessah Rodrigues and Liz Dumais combined for 11 points in the opening eight minutes, as the Panthers jumped out to an 18-9 lead. The rest of the game was just about even. Dumais and Rodrigues combined for 10 points in the second to push the advantage to 11, then the Panthers sank a pair of threes and went 8-for-16 at the line in the third to make it a 13-point edge going to the final quarter. Tia Williamson scored nine of her team-high 16 points in the fourth, but the Panthers scored 21 in the frame to close out a big win. Dumais finished with 18 points, with three triples, to lead Franklin. Rodrigues added 15 points and freshman Brielle Nicholls scored 10. Kaylee Fernandes chipped in with seven. Mia Cooper knocked down three shots from beyond the arc and had a career-high 14, while Jenna Callahan and Lola Ronayne each scored six for the Bombardiers.
Gymnastics = Franklin, 136.90 @ Foxboro, 133.15 – Final
"Franklin 136.9 Foxboro 133.15 - To say we are beyond proud of this team is an understatement!! This team of 6 competitors has been improving every meet. Tonight was such a blast. They had a great practice week, worked hard and tonight it paid off! Season Highs on all events from many, season high team score and top 4 on Beam with NO FALLS!! They killed it!!
Vault - Ciara O’Brien with a season high of 8.5, Kendra Love 8.5, Season high for Abby Robillard 8.6 and Alivia with a 9.35.
Bars - Ciara 6.2, Season Highs from Veronica Pimentel 7.9, season high from Abby 8.1 and a tied season high from Alivia 9.2.
Beam Alert NO FALLS all season highs - Veronica 9.15, Chrissy Beaupre 9.2, Kendra 9.3 and Alivia 9.65
Floor - Season high Chrissy 7.8, Abby 8.1, season high Kendra 8.55 and season high Alivia 8.75. Keep up the good work girls!
