A Celtic Christmas with Robbie O'Connell and Rose Clancy Dec 10

View this email in your browser A Celtic Christmas Celebration featuring Robbie O'Connell and Rose Clancy Dec 10th 8PM $25 The Circle of Friends Coffeehouse presents a Celtic Christmas Concert on Saturday, December 10th at 8PM featuring Robbie O'Connell and Rose Clancy. Together they create a delightful musical tapestry to celebrate the season.  The music has a distinct Celtic flavor and extends from the little known Kilmore carols of Wexford to the Irish-American vaudeville stage. They explore both the Christian and Pagan traditions surrounding the Winter Solstice in a mixture of songs and instrumental pieces that create a delightful musical tapestry to celebrate the season. Robbie O'Connell was born in Waterford, Ireland and grew up in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary. A nephew of the Clancy Brothers, he began touring with his uncles in 1977 and recorded 3 albums with them. In 1979 he moved to Franklin, Massachusetts. He has also toured extensively with Mick Moloney and Jimmy Keane, and also with Eileen Ivers and Seamus Egan in the Green Fields of America.  In 1992 he appeared at Carnegie Hall with the Clancy Brothers and was also seen by an estimated 500 million people worldwide on the telecast of a live tribute to Bob Dylan at Madison Square Garden, a performance which Rolling Stone magazine described as "breathtaking". http://www.robbieoconnell.com/ Fiddler Rose Clancy was born in New York into a musical family hailing from County Armagh, Ireland, an area immersed in traditional Irish music. Rose's musical career began at an early age performing with her family's musical group, The Clancy Tradition. Rose learned traditional music from her father, Eugene Clancy of the Irish Ramblers, in the "at my father's knee" tradition. The Circle of Friends Coffeehouse is a non-profit organization affiliated with Franklin's First Universalist Society. Concerts are presented in a smoke free and alcohol free environment at the Society's handicapped accessible Meetinghouse, 262 Chestnut St. in Franklin, and begin at 8:00 PM; doors open at 7:30 PM. Beverages and gourmet desserts will be available. Tickets for these shows are $25.  Please call (508)528-2541 or visit http://www.circlefolk.org/ to purchase tickets or for more information. Upcoming Shows Jan 7        Christine Lavin and Don White Jan 28      Peter Mulvey Feb 11     Joe Crookston

Circle of Friends Coffeehouse · First Universalist Society · 262 Chestnut St · Franklin, MA 02038 · USA

In the News: Rotaract Club chartered at Dean College

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Franklin Rotary Club has chartered a Rotaract club at Dean College. The 19 charter members, all Dean students, attended a recent Rotary Club meeting where they were formally inducted into Rotaract by Rotary District Gov. Steve Sager, from the Westborough Rotary Club; Franklin Rotary President Theodore Katsaros; and Carlos Aguilera, Franklin rotarian and the Rotaract Club adviser. 

The students already have a list of projects they intend to do to help out in the Franklin community."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161203/franklin-rotary-club-charters-dean-college-rotaract-club

Rotaract Club established at Dean College

Photo was taken during the induction of individual members by Mr Sager.
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/11/rotaract-club-established-at-dean.html

Budget Subcommittee Meeting - Agenda - Dec 7, 2016

The Budget SubCommittee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 6:30 PM in room 205.

The posted agenda can be found here and viewed in the embedded PDF file below
http://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/news/budget_committee_meeting_12-7-16.pdf

Who are the members of the subcommittee?

• Tom Mercer (Chair)
• Matt Kelly
• Deborah Pellegri
• Peter Padula

The complete listing of the subcommittee and members can be found on the revised Town of Franklin webpage
http://www.franklinma.gov/town-council/pages/town-council-subcommittees-liaisons

construction progress on the library - looking to get the exterior closed up for the winter

Franklin Line notice - Forge Park Station platform

The mini high platform is closed at Forge Park/ 495 Station today due to track work. A portable lift is available.

Affected stops:

• Forge Park/495

Last updated: Dec 03 2016 06:54 AM

Franklin Line MBTA train arriving at Franklin Dean Station

Franklin's Festive Holiday Stroll

tree decorated at Dean College

Hundreds of families enjoyed the Franklin Downtown Partnership's annual Holiday Stroll Thursday evening. Thank you for supporting this great community event! The weather was seasonably chilly and many storefronts were decorated beautifully for the season. 

Many thanks to Roberta Trahan and Jennifer Hurst, the Holiday Stroll co-chairs, for organizing the stroll!

Our sponsors helped make the night festive and fun!

Gold Sponsors for this event were Dean College and Dean Bank.

Silver Sponsors were DCU, D.G. Ranieri Real Estate, Franklin Ford, Middlesex Savings Bank and Rescom Exteriors.

Bronze Sponsors were Beaux Regards Photographic Art by Marjorie Sardella, BMW Gallery of Norwood, Boston Solar, Flynn/Wirkus/Young Attorneys at Law, Franklin Central Pizza, Franklin Driving School, Franklin Girl Scouts, Simon’s Furniture, Tom Fricker Heating and A/C.

Thank you to the Franklin DPW and the Franklin Police Department for your help, too!  

We have many more photographs. Check them out in our Google Album or on the Downtown Partnership Facebook page! 


Note: this was shared from the Franklin Downtown Partnership page
http://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/2016/12/franklins-festive-holiday-stroll_2.html

"we at least have a baseline"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"In response to the statewide vote to legalize recreational marijuana, the Economic Development Committee voted in favor of new rules regarding any dispensaries in town. 

The committee, meeting Wednesday afternoon, voted to recommend that any facilities be located in the same zones that allow medical marijuana - the town's two industrial parks and a portion of Grove Street. It also was in favor of a 2 percent local option tax on sales. 

Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting said it would be best if the town was prepared for January 2018, when recreational sales facilities could open under the ballot question's provisions. 

"Under the law, you can't prohibit the activity," he said. "The idea - in the short run, at least until we know more - is to implement rules and zoning to keep it out of downtown."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161202/franklin-committee-recommends-marijuana-rules

Halligan, Vallee, Bissanti (chair), Pfeffer, and Padula left to right across the front 

Follow this link to listen to the audio recording of the full Economic Development Committee meeting from Wednesday evening, Nov 30.

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/12/fm122-economic-development-committee.html

Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA Area: FRI 12/2/16 - THU 12/8/16

FRIDAY 12/2/16
10:30am   Knitting Circle for Adults @ Franklin Public Library
2-4pm   Holiday Party @ Franklin Public Library

SATURDAY 12/3/16
6am-12pm   Pancake Breakfast with Santa @ Elks Lodge
9am-2pm   Annual Christmas Fair @ St. John’s Episcopal Church
9-10am   School Committee Coffee Hour @ 23 Hutchinson St.
11:30am   Santa Foundation's Jingle Bell Run @ Olive Day School, Norfolk MA
2-5pm   Bubbles and Bark @ Pour Richard’s
2-3pm   Author Susan Kapatoes @ Franklin Public Library
7:30pm   FPAC Presents: The Nutcracker @ Franklin High School
8pm   Circle of Friends Coffeehouse presents: Ellis Paul @ FUSF

SUNDAY 12/4/16
7:30-10:30am   Sunday Morning Breakfast @ Franklin Rod and Gun Club - open to public
2pm   FPAC Presents: The Nutcracker @ Franklin High School
2-6pm   Shopping @ The Winery at La Cantina Winery (shop local businesses in one place)
7pm   New England Irish Harp Orchestra @ St. John’s Episcopal Church

MONDAY 12/5/16
4pm   Krafty Mondays (ages 6-12) @ Franklin Public Library

TUESDAY 12/6/16
7pm   Franklin Garden Club Meeting @ Franklin Senior Center

WEDNESDAY 12/7/16
7:30pm   Laughter Yoga @ FUSF

THURSDAY 12/8/16
5-9pm   SAFE Coalition’s Substance Abuse Drop In Center @ St. John’s Episcopal Church

For all the Town of Franklin Public Meetings click HERE.

For event details click HERE.

*If you have any suggestions or events for the calendar, please email Renata@BetterLivingRE.com and shersteve@gmail.com

FM#122 - Economic Development Committee pans the bag bylaw proposal

The audio recording of the Economic Development Committee (EDC) here in Franklin, MA. at their meeting on Wednesday, November 30, 2016.

FHS students making the presentation at the EDC meeting

This internet radio show or podcast is number 122 in the series for Franklin Matters. This captured the audio recording of the Economic Development Committee meeting held on Wednesday, Nov 30, 2016.

My notes from the meeting have been posted to the Franklin Matters webpage. The meeting agenda is also available and links are provided. I did use Twitter to record some of my notes from the meeting and then used Storify to summarize the meeting.

Plastic Bag Bylaw

After some contentious discussion and nitpicking, the plastic bag measure was declined to move forward by a unanimous vote. Additional work was acknowledged as required to be done. To the students credit, they took this in stride and are prepared to do the work and bring the measure back.

Recreational marijuana zoning

The Committee also voted to bring forward a measure to allow Franklin to implement a 2% tax on the sale of recreational marijuana and to adjust the zoning to use the existing adult and medical marijuana overlays to also include recreational marijuana. Both of these actions are in advance of the first sale sometime in 2018 with additional State level regulations to be announced before then. The Town Council should see this at one of their meetings in December.

There will be a brief pause in the recording when the first discussion finishes, there was a 2 minute break. I did remove that section of the recording and picked up when the meeting resumed to cover the second topic.

Without further ado, here is the recording of the meeting


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

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but I can't do it alone. I can use your help.

How can you help?

• If you like this, please tell your friends and neighbors.
• If you don't like this, please let me know.

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements.

Thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
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 and Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission

I hope you enjoy!


The Storify reporting
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/12/plastic-bag-bylaw-put-aside.html

The agenda post
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/11/economic-development-committee-to-take.html


You can also subscribe and listen to the audio on iTunes = search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters on iTunes

Registration Open for Adult Ed Winter Classes

So much going on. Check us out!

WINTER REGISTRATION IS OPEN!                          Check our catalog and Register *Art, Exercise, Dance *Food and Wine   *Kids' Corner  *Language  *Digital Photography  *Financial Planning  *Sports - Badminton, Basketball and Volleyball Classes begin January 9 The Center for Adult Education and Community Learning 218 Oak Street Franklin, Massachusetts 02038 (508) 613-1480 Franklin Public Schools                  Lifelong Learning Institute The Center for Adult Education and Community Learning www.FranklinLifelongLearning.com

Sent by adulted@franklin.k12.ma.us in collaboration with Try it free today

To view the catalog online   http://cms5.revize.com/revize/franklinlifelong/Winter%20for%20print%20brochure%2011%2015%20final%20no%20links.pdf

Senator Ross: November/December 2016 State House Update

Senator Richard J. Ross, State House Update, Nov-Dec 2016 View this email in your browser Facebook Twitter Website LinkedIn State Senator Richard J. Ross (R-Wrentham) proudly serving the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District. State House Room 419 Boston, MA 02133 Ph: 617-722-1555 Fax: 617-722-1054 Email: richard.ross@masenate.gov Dear Friends, As we all prepare to be with our loved ones during the holidays, let us remember that this month is about recognizing the many gifts for which we have to be thankful. I want to especially thank my constituents who voted in this year's election. I am humbled to yet again be re-elected as your state senator. The new legislative session begins in January, and I am eager to hear the concerns, ideas, and suggestions of my constituents. Your priorities are my main focus and I strive to represent all of your needs on Beacon Hill. These next few weeks, please enjoy time spent with family and friends. As always, do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Thank You I would like to thank my constituents, the voters of the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District, for re-electing me to the Massachusetts state Senate. I am honored and humbled to have been given the opportunity to serve this district again for a fourth consecutive term. The past six years have consisted of listening and working to address the concerns of the 12 cities and towns I represent. Every day on Beacon Hill, I will continue to work diligently to ensure the strong and independent voice of my constituents is heard. As the new legislative session begins, I will continue to focus on the priorities of my district, such as local aid, public safety and economic development, while striving to maintain a cost effective government. Because the voice of my constituents is so important to doing my job, I encourage you to reach out to my office and attend district office hours so that I can better understand the areas of our state government that need attention. Through our partnership, it is my hope that the Baker-Polito administration will be able to work with the Legislature on many reforms in order to achieve change that will better our district. It is a privilege to continue to serve as your state senator and to earn your trust. Thank you. – State Senator Richard J. Ross MBTA COMMUTER RAIL DELAYS UPDATE These past several weeks my office has received many calls and complaints regarding the commuter rail service and delays, particularly the Franklin and Needham lines. My staff and I are aware of your concerns and have been in contact with a liaison from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) as well as Keolis Commuter Services which operates the commuter rail system in Massachusetts. October and November are known as the "slippery rail season" which has caused many difficulties for commuter rail services on the Franklin and Needham lines this fall. Wet leaves being ground into the tracks create slippery conditions and make it especially difficult for trains to operate safely at normal speeds. During this time,  the commuter rail operator conducts regular cleanings of the tracks at night and throughout the day to ensure safe travels for all passengers. While Keolis did experience significant delays in service this fall, they are hoping to improve their performance in the coming weeks. As the slippery season comes to an end in December, this will bring a relief from the wet leaves that slow travel. A recent under-staffing on trains that lead to longer travel times will be remedied as a group of new hires just begun work a week ago. An increase in staff members will alleviate burdens on the current crew and help trains function more efficiently. In addition to wet tracks and staffing issues, some of the older train sets experience more mechanical issues. Fortunately, Keolis is currently implementing a plan to increase the coach and locomotives maintenance capacity, with close to 60 new hires that should be operational by January. The MBTA has also rented some extra locomotives to help improve locomotive availability in the short run. The Franklin and Needham lines both have a high proportion of single track where delays on one train can ripple across the entire line. Both lines, and especially the Franklin line, also must coordinate with other incoming trains as they share their track with the Stoughton and Providence lines, and with Amtrak traffic. However, recent adjustments to the schedules should improve the overall on time performance. The MBTA and Keolis listened to the Needham constituents and changed the schedule for train 606 back to 8:02 am, which should reduce overcrowding on train 604. Keolis is very excited to welcome their new General Manager, David Scorey, who brings a wealth of international experience and knowledge to the table. While there have been setbacks, their goal is to achieve long term and sustainable quality service. Keolis is taking the necessary steps to effectively change the system they inherited, and to provide quality reliable transportation for all passengers. Commuter rail riders with concerns regarding issues such as service delays can contact Keolis Customer Service via hotline or email. The customer service line can be reached at 617-222-3200 or by email at customerservice@keoliscs.com. All complaints are noted and logged to better improve the commuter rail service. We also recommend that you follow them on twitter @MBTA_CR and sign up for their T Alerts on the MBTA website. There are also a number of smart phone apps, like the Transit App, that can provide valuable information about the MBTA transportation system. As always, if you have any other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 617-722-1555.

This newsletter was shortened for publication here. To view the full and complete newsletter follow this link -->>  View this email in your browser

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