Boston Globe: "answers will be forthcoming pending the outcome of the investigation”

School officials are investigating after Franklin High School fans heckled an opposing team’s players during a varsity baseball game with homophobic, racist, and antisemitic slurs.

Joshua Hanna, the principal of Franklin High School, said in a letter to families Friday that officials “denounce such behavior and are outraged” about the heckling, which had happened the night before and was directed at a team from Sharon.

“Our hearts go out to the Sharon community,” Hanna said. “There is no place for such behavior in our schools and at school events.”

The slurs were yelled by a group of Franklin fans gathered near a fence along the left-field outfield area during the night game held in Franklin, according to Hanna.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/05/07/metro/deep-concern-outrage-after-franklin-high-fans-target-sharon-players-with-homophobic-racist-antisemitic-slurs-during-game/ 

Coincidentally, the School Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday, has an update on "Approaches to Student Behavior Presentation – Lucas Giguere, Josh Hanna, Craig Williams," The full meeting agenda can be found online

https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/scagenda_5-10-22.pdf 

Boston Globe: "answers will be forthcoming pending the outcome of the investigation”

Furry Friends of Franklin Dog Park need your help Sat, May 14 to spread some mulch

Dacey Field dog park

"Hello dog lovers. Save this date.  

Furry Friends of the Franklin Dog Park Volunteer Committee needs your help on Saturday May 14th at 9:30 am to spread 30 yards of fresh wood chips.  

We need shovels, rakes, and wheelbarrows. Refreshments will be there for those who help and Gino’s famous peanut butter, blueberry dog biscuits for our furry friends.  

Thanks.  "

Shared from Facebook ->   https://www.facebook.com/groups/1551606135109407/permalink/3157913507811987/ 

Franklin Public Schools: Bus Registration for the 22-23 School Year is open

Bus Registration for the 22-23 School Year is open! Families must register each student individually before June 13th to guarantee their seat.  

Our online registration on FamilyID makes it easy.  

Visit our transportation page for registration details: https://buff.ly/2PeUnRr or https://www.franklinps.net/district/transportation

Franklin Public Schools: Bus Registration for the 22-23 School Year is open

Shared from Twitter -> https://twitter.com/FranklinPSNews/status/1522692441589297152

It's May! And time for Stamp Out Hunger & the Empty Bowls Dinner

Empty Bowls, Stamp Out Hunger and more!

May 2022 Stamp Out Hunger Stamp Out Hunger has returned to Franklin! On Saturday, May 14, Franklin letter carriers will pick up donated goods from town residents at their mailboxes and deliver them to the Franklin Food Pantry. There are two ways you can help. You can sign up to volunteer to help unload the food, sort, and date check donations and/or you can leave specific food items at your mailbox for your letter carrier to pick up and return to the Pantry. #franklincanstampouthunger Sign Up to Volunteer! Get your tickets today and join us and the Franklin High School Empty Bowls Club on Thursday, May 19. Attendees will receive a simple meal of soup and bread and leave with an empty bowl to remind them that somewhere, someone's bowl is empty. There will also be a silent auction, a giving wall, and a kids' art table! Buy your tickets here or at the door (cash or check only at the door!) The Empty Bowls Club has been generously supported by the Franklin Cultural Council. We have a variety of Empty Bowls Sponsorships available for businesses and individuals who want to support The Pantry. Sponsorships range from "Soup Starter" at $500 to "Pot of Gold" at $3000. Visit here for more information or to sign up! #FranklinCanfillemptybowls. Empty Bowls Tickets

Franklin Food Pantry | 43 WEST CENTRAL STREET, Franklin, MA 02038 Sent by loften@franklinfoodpantry.org powered by Try email marketing for free today!

Finance Committee: Budget Hearing #1 - General Government - May 9, 2022 - 6:30 PM

Finance Committee 

Meeting Agenda & Meeting Packet 

Monday, May 9, 2022  - 6:30 PM

 
Agenda
1. Call to Order

2. Public Comments

3. Approval of Minutes

a. March 9, 2022

4. 2022 Capital Budget Round 2

5. FY23 Town Administrator Operating Budget Hearing:

FY23 Town Administrator Budget Materials website

https://www.franklinma.gov/town-budget/webforms/fy-23-budget-materials

a. General Government - Accounts 111 Town Council, 123 Town Administrator, 131 Finance Committee, 135 Comptroller, 141 Assessors, 147 Treasurer-Collector, 151 Legal, 152 Human Resources, 155 Information Technology, 161 Town Clerk, 164 Elections & Registration, 176 Appeals Board (ZBA), 177 Planning & Growth Management, 184 Agricultural Commission, 192 Public Properties & Buildings, 196 Central Services

b. Human Services - 510 Board of Health, 541 Council on Aging, 543 Veterans Services

c. Culture & Recreation - 610 Library, 630 Recreation, 690 Historical Museum, 691 Historical Commission, 695 Cultural Council, 696 Cultural District Committee.

d. Debt & Interest - 710 Debt Service - Principal, 750 Debt Service - Interest

e. Employee Benefits: 910 Retirement & Pension, 945 Risk Management (Liability Insurance)

6. Future Agenda Items

7. Adjourn

The agenda document includes remote connection info -> https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/_2022-05-09_finance_committee_agenda_1.pdf

FY23 Town Administrator Budget Materials website

Space Needs & Facilities Assessment Subcommittee - May 10 - 6 PM

Franklin Public Schools

Franklin School Committee

Space Needs & Facilities Assessment Subcommittee

May 10, 2022 = 6:00 P.M.

Municipal Building – 3rd Floor Training Room

Agenda

Call to Order

● Discussion of Data

o Current residential building projects in town

o Home and condo sales, year to date

o Specialized program space needs (current)

o Updated space utilization (K-8)

o Franklin district map layers

o Other

● Update on Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) and

Davis Thayer Elementary School

● Adjourn

The agenda doc includes remote connection info

https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/spaceneedssubcom-5_10_22.pdf

classroom at FHS when it opened

Franklin Police on FHS baseball vs Sharon incident

"Franklin Vs Sharon Baseball Game Incident 

It was brought to our attention by the Franklin School Department that fans at a Franklin High School baseball game yesterday (Thursday) allegedly made antisemitic, racist, and homophobic epithets towards players of the Sharon baseball team.

The Franklin Police Department in no way supports or condones this alleged behavior. The matter is currently being investigated by the Franklin School Department. The FPD will assist the School Department if needed but there is no current criminal investigation into the matter.

If information arises that warrants a criminal investigation one will be opened."

Shared from the Twitter thread beginning with -> https://twitter.com/franklinpolice/status/1522753283596632064

Franklin Observer also reports on the incident

https://franklinobserver.town.news/g/franklin-town-ma/n/78156/fhs-makes-news-again-wrong-reasons

Franklin Police on FHS baseball vs Sharon incident

Panther News: Friday, May 6, 2022 (video)

Panther News for Friday, May 6, 2022, Video link -> https://youtu.be/d4cMEI73CYc

Suffragan Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of MA, to visit St John’s on the Feast of Pentecost

The Right Reverend Gayle E Harris, Suffragan Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, to visit St John’s on the Feast of Pentecost.

Right Reverend Gayle E Harris

On Sunday, June 5th at 10 AM, St John’s is pleased to welcome Bishop Gayle Harris as Presider and Preacher for its Family Service on the Feast of Pentecost. Pentecost, fifty days after Easter, is the day that Christians celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit, and it’s often thought of as the birthday of the Church. 

Bishop Harris will celebrate the Eucharist and distribute Communion, and will offer a children’s sermon. After the service, she will have an informal conversation with the congregation during a potluck lunch. 

All are welcome to attend.

St John’s Episcopal Church, 237 Pleasant Street, Franklin

• For more information:

Call 508-528-2387 Email Admin@StJohnsFranklinMA.org
Like us on Facebook / See our website at www.stjohnsfranklinma.org 

Download a copy of this information as a reminder ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pybW3ebs7XWaIEcCmxlfuPO-kkWqzwqi/view?usp=sharing

Economic Development Subcommittee discusses Franklin For All objectives (audio)

FM #789 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 789 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the audio recording of the Economic Development Subcommittee meeting held on Wednesday, May 4, 2022 in the Council Chambers.  

Quick recap:

• Next Franklin for All Forum is scheduled for May 16, at THE BLACK BOX. MAPC may provide the recommendations beforehand to enable a worthy discussion as they are looking for feedback on the high level proposals. The subcommittee expressed desire to have such documentation beforehand. While MAPC was present they did not commit to do so,

• Much of the meeting was simply discussion among the subcommittee on the goals, how to accomplish them, etc. Towards the end of the discussion, they did get to some of the key items in that some of the process for making things “by right” need to be improved, so the discussion on what those should be can be expected to occur at subsequent meetings. 

The recording of the meeting runs about 56 minutes.   

Audio link ->  https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-789-economic-development-subcmte-mtg-05-04-22

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Meeting agenda doc -> 

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/2022-05-04_edc_agenda_.pdf

Franklin TV YouTube video ->  https://youtu.be/UnEXp2fNNtU 

 

My notes taken via Twitter and captured in one PDF can be found here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Sirs0iYh47R0ECMd0VBWK16NIpKNGhP8/view?usp=sharing

--------------

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

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!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

 

Economic Development Subcommittee discusses Franklin For All objectives (audio)

More Perfect Union: 046 - MA Attorney General Candidates (With Quentin Palfrey and Shannon Liss-Riordan) (audio)

"In this episode, the group is joined by two of the candidates running for the position of Massachusetts Attorney General; Quentin Palfrey and Shannon Liss-Riordan. The two discuss their backgrounds in government and law, the issues facing the Mass Attorney General's office currently, what they'd aim to achieve if elected and so much more. "

Audio link ->  https://more-perfect-union.captivate.fm/episode/046-ma-attorney-general-with-quentin-palfrey-and-shannon-liss-riordan

More Perfect Union:  046 - MA Attorney General Candidates

 

If all we get is 5%, maybe it is time to ask what can we do better?

When most people toss a plastic bottle or cup into the recycling bin, they assume that means the plastic is recycled – but a new report lays bare how rarely that actually happens.

According to the Last Beach Cleanup and Beyond Plastics, the organization behind the report released on Wednesday, the recycling rate for post-consumer plastic was just 5% to 6% in 2021.

The Department of Energy also released a research paper this week, which analyzed data from 2019, and came to the same number: only 5% of plastics are being recycled. The researchers on that report wrote that landfilled plastic waste in the United States has been on the rise for many reasons, including “low recycling rates, population growth, consumer preference for single-use plastics, and low disposal fees in certain parts of the country”, according to a press release.

Continue reading the article (subscription may be required)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/04/us-recycling-plastic-waste 

Last Beach Cleanup & Beyond Plastics report -> 

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5eda91260bbb7e7a4bf528d8/t/62726edceb7cc742d53eb073/1651666652743/The+Real+Truth+about+the+U.S.+Plastic+Recycling+Rate+2021+Facts+and+Figures+_5-4-22.pdf

Dept of Energy report ->    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921344922002087?via%3Dihub

 

If all we get is 5%, maybe it is time to ask what can we do better?

Franklin's Event Outlook: May 6, 2022 to May 12, 2022

May is blossoming and events are increasing, be careful as COVID is still among us. Boomer will be out at Dean as thy graduate their 156th Class. The Rail Trail 5K runs/walks on Saturday. Franklin Federated holds their silent auction and there are events at the Library and THE BLACK BOX to take in.

Friday, May 6

12:30pm - TOPS - Take off Pounds Sensibly
2:00pm - An Afternoon with Mark Twain and Stephen Foster,
8:00pm - T.3

Saturday, May 7

10:00am - Historical Museum (always free)

10:00am - FBRTC 11th Annual 5K

11:00am - Dean College Commencement

Sunday, May 8 = Mother's Day

11:00am - 2022 Spring Fling Silent Auction

1:00pm - Historical Museum (always free)
1:15pm - Second Sunday Speaker

Tuesday, May 10

7:00pm - We’re Not Making This Up! Sisters in Crime New England

Wednesday, May 11
7:00pm - Physician Assisted Suicide

Thursday, May 12
6:30pm - Poor Richard’s Women: a presentation from author Nancy Rubin Stuart 

Find the full calendar  https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/blog-page.html

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://forms.gle/oPdi8X3ZbHHyrHzo6

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar

The School district calendar is found  https://www.franklinps.net/calendar-by-event-type/26

Community Calendar

Franklin Downtown Traffic Alert -> Dean Commencement Saturday, May 7 at 11 AM

The Class of 2022 Commencement Ceremony will be held in front of Dean Hall (rain or shine), along Awpie Way, on Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 11:00 AM

For more about the Commencement visit   https://www.dean.edu/alumni/commencement/ 

Dean's mascot "Boomer" out on the lawn for major events

Second Sunday Speaker Series: Leigh Schoberth, "Stone Walls of New England" - May 8

Join us at the Franklin Historical Museum Sunday, May 8 as Historic New England's Leigh Schoberth presents Stone Walls of New England.

Stone walls are an iconic landscape feature of New England. They once served a functional purpose, but today they are threads through time, defining the region's historical identity. Leigh Schoberth, Senior Preservation Services Manager at Historic New England, will trace the history of stone wall building through a preservation lens. Join us to learn how to identify types of stone walls and their unique characteristics to consider when taking on repairs.

The lecture will cover the big picture history of stone walls in the region, as well as review Protections (laws) and preservation efforts and maintenance basics for homeowners. There will be time for questions as well.

Doors open at 1:00, admission is always free. The Second Sunday Speaker Series is sponsored by the Friends of the Franklin Historical Museum. 

The museum is located at 80 West Central Street, is wheelchair accessible and entry is always free.

You can also visit the Historical Museum on the web at   http://franklinhistoricalmuseum.org/   

or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FHM02038

Franklin Historical Museum, 80 West Central St