Franklin's Event Outlook: Dec 1, 2023 to December 6, 2023

Friday, December 1

6:30pm Alex Cohen (live music) (Raillery Public House)

7:00pm New Dancer Showcase  (ticketed event) (Dean College)

Saturday, December 2

9:00am Christmas Fair (holiday gifts, etc.) (St John's Episcopal Church)

10:00am Holiday Wreath and Arrangement Sale (Daddarios Hardware) 

10:00am Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

10:00am Train Town Franklin; Part 2 Opens (Franklin Historical Museum)

1:00pm New Dance Showcase  (ticketed event) (Dean College)

2:00pm The Nutcracker (ticketed event) (Franklin High School)

2:00pm Ian Kabat: Art exhibit opens (67 Degrees Brewery)

6:00pm Northeast Groove (live music) (67 Degrees Brewery)

7:00pm New Thespian Showcase  (ticketed event) (Dean College)

7:30pm The Nutcracker  (ticketed event) (Franklin High School)

8:00pm Ellis Paul (ticketed event) (Circle of Friends Coffeehouse)

8:00pm Viva Las Elvis: A Vegas Christmas (ticketed event) (THE BLACK BOX)

Sunday, December 3

9:00am Santa & Mrs Claus at the Franklin Police Station

12:00noon Holiday Market (67 Degrees Brewery)

1:00pm Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

1:00pm Train Town Franklin; Part 2 (Franklin Historical Museum)

2:00pm The Nutcracker  (ticketed event) (Franklin High School)

Tuesday, December 5

6:00pm Franklin Garden Club - meeting (Franklin Public Library)

Wednesday, December 6

10:00am Veterans Coffee Social (Franklin Senior Center)

1:00pm Senior Scribblers (writing group) (Franklin Senior Center)

6:30pm Franklin Art Association (Franklin Senior Center)

Thursday, December 7

6:00pm Open Mic (6 Degrees Brewery)

6:30pm Franklin LGBTQ Alliance - monthly meeting (Franklin Public Library)

7:00pm Faculty Dance Works (Dean College)

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The Franklin Art Association Art Gallery remains open during business hours at Escape into Fiction (Main St, Franklin)

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

The Cultural calendar displays only the cultural events      https://www.franklinculture.org/things-do/pages/calendar

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 

Franklin's Event Outlook: Nov 24, 2023 to November 30, 2023

These are some of the Franklin Garden Club wreaths & arrangements for sale Saturday, Dec 2

The Franklin Garden Club will sell decorated holiday wreaths and cemetery arrangements on Saturday, December 2,  from 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM at Daddario’s Hardware Store, 528 West Central Street, Franklin, MA.  

In addition, holiday fresh floral arrangements will be sold on Instagram and Facebook beginning December 16. The Franklin Garden Club Instagram handle is @franklingardenclubma. The sales will benefit several different club activities. 

Payment for all purchases can be made with cash, check, credit card or Venmo.

some of the Franklin Garden Club wreaths & arrangements for sale

The real wreaths will be decorated in a variety of colors and styles and will include eye-catching bows and other ornamentation. Many will include a variety of greens, as will the cemetery boxes.  All items will be reasonably priced:  wreaths - $30; cemetery planters and swags- $20. The floral arrangements, created with fresh flowers and greens, will feature either holiday or winter themes and will be priced from $15 - $40.

Club Co-Presidents Pat Donnelly and Mary Anne Dean stated, 

“We are very excited to offer area residents the opportunity to purchase beautiful holiday wreaths and arrangements created by members of the Franklin Garden Club.  This will help those who may not have the time to decorate their own wreaths or make arrangements, while also assisting the Club. "

All proceeds will benefit Garden Club activities, including the Club scholarship, pine tree seedling program for elementary school students, some of the Franklin Common and library plantings, and education programs open to the public. 

The Franklin Garden Club is a member of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts.

This Talk Franklin covers the FY 2025 budget cycle starting with the tax rate for FY 2024 getting set (audio)

FM #1107 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1107 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my "Talk Franklin" session with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen. We had our conversation in the Municipal Building on Tuesday, November 28, 2023.  

Topics for this session

• Budget cycle starting new with tax rate hearing pinning FY 2024

• Tough decisions face in FY2025 and beyond

• Migrant housing situation stabilized

The recording runs about 39 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Jamie on Tuesday, November 28, 2023. Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1107-talk-franklin-11-28-23

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Town Administrator page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/administrator

Talk Franklin podcast page -> https://anchor.fm/letstalkfranklin 

Agenda for Tax rate hearing Nov 21, 2023  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/november_21_2023_town_council_tax_hearing_agenda.pdf 

Budget cycle and financial terms audio with Chris Sandini & Kerry Bertone

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/04/the-town-of-franklin-budget-cycle.html

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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

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"

This Talk Franklin covers the FY 2025 budget cycle starting with the tax rate for FY 2024 getting set (audio)

Franklin Downtown Partnership presents the Holiday Gift Guide for 2023

The Holiday Gift Guide is too long to share here so you can find the full set of content in on PDF file ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j7JAyTsmduZYjgLjkKn6vy59MMRjSz-K/view?usp=drive_link

One item left off the gift guide to consider is the Think Franklin First gift cards

https://franklingiftcard.com/   Introduced in Dec 2020, you can find the FAQ on the gift cards -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/12/faqs-for-thinkfranklinfirst-gift-cards.html

https://franklingiftcard.com/

Buy Local

Keep It Local Support Franklin Businesses Thank You to the Sponsors of this Holiday Newsletter: GOLD SPONSORS: Camford Property Group, Inc., D.G. Ranieri Real Estate, The Enclave of Franklin BRONZE SPONSORS: DCU Mary's Holiday Lights Light Up Downtown Franklin and Beyond   Franklin Downtown Partnership 9 E. Central St., Franklin | 774-571-3109

Franklin Downtown Partnership | 9 E. Central St., Franklin, MA 02038 Sent by franklindowntownpartnership@gmail.com powered by Try email marketing for free today!

Rausch Report: Sharing Light This Holiday Season (November 2023)

Your monthly Beacon Hill update from Senator Becca Rausch. 

View this email in your browser Dear Friend, I hope you had a very happy Thanksgiving. The holiday season is a chance to spend time with the people we love, eat nourishing food, reflect on the year behind us, and look ahead with full hearts.   These last 8 weeks have been an emotional roller coaster for so many of us. I decided over the course of these many days that I needed to do something with these emotions and use my platform to address what we've seen unfold since October 7. In my last newsletter, I shared that I co-authored the Massachusetts Senate resolution supporting the people of Israel, the victims of Hamas's terrorist attack, and those who are being held hostage. Since then, I have continued to vocally denounce and condemn antisemitism in our communities, our Commonwealth, and our nation. I also led a bipartisan nationwide open letter to President Biden, Vice President Harris, and all Members of Congress signed by nearly 300 state lawmakers from more than half the states in the country denouncing antisemitism and Islamophobia and committing to further educational efforts to expose and reduce anti-Jewish prejudice and extremism. In addition, I hosted an open community space for people impacted by the terrorism and violence in Israel and the attendant antisemitism, communicated with all the superintendents in our district about the drastic rise in antisemitism, collaborated with our partners in the Healey-Driscoll Administration to secure the near-immediate remediation of antisemitic graffiti on the Mass Pike, and have been in conversation with local, national, and international leaders including Israel's Special Envoy for Combatting Antisemitism about productive next steps for this critical work.  We have much more to do to address the stark rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia and combat hatred in all its forms. I will continue these efforts in many ways, including my service as a member of the Hate Crimes Task Force. (In that capacity, I was honored to join the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and statewide leaders in equity and inclusion as Governor Healey announced new strategies for addressing identity-based incidents of hatred. One of these strategies is the creation of the "Hate Crimes Awareness and Response Team" (HART), which is tasked with improving statewide data collection efforts to identify patterns and trends, developing training with the Municipal Police Training Committee, and improving coordination across all levels of law enforcement. As we experience record levels of hatred and bigotry, these strategies are both timely and sorely needed. Read more here.)  This month's Rausch Report includes legislative updates, a roundup of district events, joyful events happening in our communities, and more.   For real-time updates, please follow me on Twitter, 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.    Wishing you and yours a happy, safe, and joyful holiday season.  Yours in service,     Senator Becca Rausch    In Committee As Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources, we held two hearings this month about animals, fishing, hunting, and trapping. Our committee has now held ten public hearings, all of which were hybrid for easier public access, and we have heard testimony on a whopping 348 bills. I look forward to working with my House Co-chair Dan Cahill to advance important environmental protection and preservation legislation.  Also this month, I testified on five bills I filed as part of my legislative portfolio. These bills would expand abortion access (S.1114), protect people from doxing (S.1116), safeguard the freedom of the press (S.1115), prevent minors from overdosing on dextromethorphan (S.1456), and modernize birth certificates (S.1459).     On the Floor Earlier this month, I voted yes alongside my Senate colleagues to pass two important pieces of legislation before the winter recess: An Act Relative to Pharmaceutical Access, Costs, and Transparency (the PACT Act) and the Supplemental Budget to close out Fiscal Year 2023.     Improving Pharmaceutical Access, Cost, and Transparency  The bipartisan PACT Act would make urgent and much-needed reforms to the pharmaceutical system in the state by lowering the cost of drugs at the pharmacy counter and improving oversight of the pharmaceutical industry. It also creates more equitable access to life-saving medications by providing a free, no-cost sharing option for certain drugs used to treat chronic illnesses. I secured two successful amendments to enhance transparency and accountability. This legislation now moves to the Massachusetts House of Representatives for consideration.    Supplemental Close-Out Budget  The Senate's supplemental close-out budget totaled $2.81 billion and contained several provisions to support the ongoing operations of programs and services that benefit the residents of the Commonwealth, including $250 million to address the ongoing need for emergency housing. I joined my colleagues on a successful amendment to improve oversight, transparency, and accountability for contract compliance among emergency housing providers. The supplemental budget also included:  $75 million for school districts impacted by special education tuition rate increases;  $15 million for disaster relief for municipalities impacted by storms and naturals disasters that occurred in 2023;  Funding to implement collective bargaining agreements; and  $500,000 for the Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning Youth.  I filed a single amendment to the Senate close-out budget that would have permanently fixed our state primary scheduling problem. As I said in my remarks on the floor, the statutorily dictated state primary date is so bad that the Legislature has had to change it every election cycle since 2012. Once again, this close-out budget moves the state primary date, and once again, it will be held on the day after Labor Day, yielding a host of problems for access to the ballot, engagement among candidates and voters, and logistics for our local clerks. Our current statutory law governing the scheduling of our last-in-the-nation state primary is a detriment to democracy and must be changed. While this amendment was unsuccessful, I will keep pushing for this necessary shift to align our state primary with the overwhelming majority of similar state primaries in the nation, which are held in late Spring. I've filed legislation to generate this change as well (S.435 and S.439).   I am pleased to report that earlier today, after advocacy from me and many of my colleagues, an agreement was reached between the two chambers on a compromise bill. I look forward to its adoption in both the House and the Senate so collective bargaining agreements and other matters may be funded and finalized and the state comptroller can close the books on Fiscal Year 2023. Our mailing address is: The Office of Senator Becca Rausch Massachusetts State House, Room 215 24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02133  Note this newsletter was shortened for publication here. To view the full set of content, follow this link -> https://mailchi.mp/masenate/monthlynewsletter-17586993

Weekly Wellness Update from the Franklin Health Department - Diabetes Awareness Month

Via the Franklin Health Dept

"November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Diabetes is the eighth leading cause of death in the U.S. 

You can prevent type 2 diabetes by making lifestyle changes to build health habits! "

Learn more today:  https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention/lcp-details.html 

Weekly Wellness Update from the Franklin Health Department - Diabetes Awareness Month

Franklin TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) schedule for Friday, Dec 1, 2023

• wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Friday

9:00a/12:00p /6:00p Chapters – Jim Derick  Insightful, life-affirming stories and interviews

10:00a/1:00p/7:00p Music to Lift the Spirit - Jim Derick & Frank Falvey

11:00a/2:00p/8:00pm Senior Story Hour – Senior Center Scribblers Group

• Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel         (Comcast 6, Verizon 26) = FRIDAY

9:00 am Frank Presents: Daniela Masters Pt 2

10:00 am Riffin' on Main Street: Raye Lynn Mercer

11:00 am Senior Connection: Joe Landry

12:00 pm Brook'n'Cookin: Meatballs

12:30 pm ArtWeek: Theater in the Open

1:00 pm Physician Focus: Winter is Coming

1:30 pm Pizzapalooza: Margherita Pizza

2:00 pm New England Candlepins: Summer 2018 Show 6

3:00 pm Winning Ways with the MIAA: Districts

4:00 pm Extended Play Sessions: Alice Wallace

5:00 pm Franklin Interfaith Thanksgiving 2023

8:30 pm Circle of Friends: Seth Glier

• Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel        (Comcast 8, Verizon 28) = FRIDAY

7:00 am Public School Concert: MICCA Showcase Pt. 2 03-14-18

8:30 am Mental Health: Raeleen Gallivan

10:00 am FHS Varsity Field Hockey: v Walpole 11-15-23

12:30 pm ArtWeek: Ed Iannuccilli

1:30 pm Public School Event: Annie Sullivan Winter Music 2022

3:00 pm FHS Theater Company: Cinderella

5:30 pm FHS Varsity Swimming: v Taunton 01-13-22

8:30 pm FHS Boys Varsity Soccer: v Needham 11-11-23

• Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 9, Verizon 29) =  FRIDAY

8:00 am  Zoning Board of Appeals 11-09-23

11:00 am  Economic Development: 11-02-23

2:00 pm  Zoning Board of Appeals 11-09-23

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf   

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