What's happening in Franklin, MA: Thursday, June 20, 2024?

Thursday, June 20

8:30am Town Council Office Hours (Franklin Senior Center)

9:00am Fallen Hero: Edward A. Kelly (Veterans Walkway, Town Common)

5:00pm CANCELED - Rotary Spaghetti meal

6:00pm FHS Football Fundraising w/ Jamie Barrett (La Cantina Winery)

6:30pm Kevin Hurchen (live music) (Raillery Public House)

7:00pm Author and Moderated Q & A with Mercury Stardust (Franklin Public Library)

7:00pm 350 Franklin Node Meeting (FUSF & virtual)

9:00pm Tom Abbott (Live music) (3 Restaurant)

**  Town Meetings today

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School Meeting

Event Date:  Thursday, June 20, 2024 - 7:00pm

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/events/bfccps_meeting_3.pdf

ZBA Meeting (CANCELED)

Event Date:  Thursday, June 20, 2024 - 7:30pm

What's happening today in Franklin? 

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

Why are there multiple calendars?

There is a Cultural events calendar upon which other community events are layered to create the Community calendar.

Respectfully, the Library and Senior Center calendars are too full of events to include all their events so we tend to focus on the major events. Town and School meetings are also kept separate. Links for all the calendars are shared here:

The Cultural calendar displays only the cultural events    

https://www.franklinculture.org/things-do/pages/calendar

Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Library calendar of events ->    calendar link

The Senior Center calendar of events ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/node/39/events/month/39/2023-12

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 Public Library opens this Chronicle piece on "Libraries are evolving into community centers with multi-services"

"Books represent only a small part of what draws today’s patrons to public libraries, which have evolved into thriving community centers with multi-services.

"We're a passport agent, we do notary, we do technology help—if you don't know how to use your phone, you come in, you get technology assistance. We offer so much more than books,” says Liane Verville, the director of the Fall River Public Library.

Greg Peverill-Conti’s day job is as an information services supervisor for the Wellesley Free Library. As co-creator of the nonprofit Literary Land Project, he’s visited libraries across the country, as well as most of those in Massachusetts, to explore, document, and promote what he sees as the vital and evolving role of public libraries in our communities.

"People have this idea that libraries are museums or books, that they're just these anachronistic institutions that aren't really relevant,” Peverill-Conti says. “And we saw again and again, that's not true."

Continue reading the article and watch the video which opens at the Franklin Public Library -> https://www.wcvb.com/article/public-library-free-massachusetts-boston-public-kitchen-outdoor-tools-household-equipment-plants/61162807

screengrab from Chronicle piece on Libraries are evolving

Farmers Market Friday! What's happening? Which vendors are scheduled?

The Franklin Farmers Market is scheduled for each Friday from June through October, weather permitting, from 2 to 6 PM on the Town Common. 

• Which vendors are scheduled for this week? 
• What activities or entertainment are scheduled? 
• Any food trucks scheduled?

Check out the image for answers to those questions!

Farmers Market Friday! What's happening? Which vendors are scheduled?

For additional info visit the Farmers Market website ->   https://www.franklinfarmersmarketma.com/

BalletFranklin Announces New Director - Russell Clarke

BalletFranklin, the ballet conservatory at the Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA), is thrilled to announce Russell Clarke as their new Director. 

Clarke was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland. He received his ballet training at the Royal Ballet School in London. During his time at the Royal Ballet School he performed with the Royal Ballet Company in productions that included The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. Clarke joined Ballet Arizona in 2007 and performed principal roles in Don Quixote, Christopher Wheeldon’s Polyphonia, Twyla Tharp’s The Golden Section, George Balanchine’s Movements for Piano and Orchestra, La Valse, La Sonnambula, The Four Temperaments, and Ib Andersen’s Play, 1052, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mosaik, Symphonie Classique, and The Nutcracker. 

Russell Clarke

Clarke received critical acclaim for the role of the Poet in George Balanchine’s La Sonnambula and was praised by the New York Times for the role of Phlegmatic in Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments. Clarke originated a principal role in Andersen’s Diversions, which was seen on the Kennedy Center Stage in June 2010. In Clarke’s final season with Ballet Arizona he originated the principal role in Ib Andersen’s world premiere of Cinderella, which received critical acclaim. After retiring from Ballet Arizona, Clarke went on to direct the Community Dance Academy at Walnut Hill School for the Arts for four years. He is currently an Associate Professor at The Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Professor of Dance at Dean College. Clarke began teaching at FSPA in 2023. 

Current BalletFranklin Director Cheryl Madeux will assume the role of Artistic Advisor for the ballet conservatory program. Madeux received her training at the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts. She has enjoyed a long professional career, dancing with such venerable companies as the Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and principal dancer with the Hartford Ballet under the direction of Kirk Peterson. Madeux performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe and has been coached by such ballet luminaries as Igor Youskevitch and Eleanor D’Antuono. 

BalletFranklin is proud to incorporate American Ballet Theatre’s National Training Curriculum, a high-quality level-based program with age-appropriate technique backed by a comprehensive approach to child development and dancer health. Introduced in 2010 by Cheryl Madeux, who is currently an ABT examiner, the ballet conservatory at FSPA promotes a positive atmosphere of learning while challenging and preparing each student for their goals in the arts.

For more information, prospective students and families are encouraged to visit balletfranklin.com, call 508-528-8668, or stop by the studios at FSPA. BalletFranklin is located at the Franklin School for the Performing Arts at 38 Main Street, Franklin MA.  Follow BalletFranklin on Instagram (@balletfranklin) and Facebook. 

Children's Museum fund raiser at Panera, June 22

Children's Museum fund raiser at Panera, June 22

via Children's Museum of Franklin: 

"Screenshot this and your meal is planned for this Saturday, June 22! 

Bring this flyer or enter code FUND4U at online checkout and 20% of sales will benefit the Children’s Museum of Franklin this Saturday"

Shared from -> https://www.facebook.com/share/iSJoDTuPWNLtDiWt/

For more about the Children's Museum of Franklin and to help their fund raising efforts ->  https://www.childrensmuseumfranklin.org/

ACCEPT Education Collaborative Learning Center Receives $75,000 Skills Capital Grant

Executive Director Dr. Donna Flaherty is pleased to announce that the ACCEPT Educational Collaborative has been awarded a $75,000 Skills Capital Grant, courtesy of the Healey-Driscoll administration. 

On Monday, June 10, nearly $15 million in Skills Capital Grants were awarded to schools across the state to support them in upgrading technology and instructional lab spaces, expanding career programs for young people and adults and increasing capacity in workforce training programs across Massachusetts.

ACCEPT Education Collaborative Learning Center Receives $75,000 Skills Capital Grant

The $75,000 in funding will be used to expand ACCEPT's college and career learning opportunities through the purchase of zSpace technology. zSpace is a mixed-reality technology that combines virtual and augmented reality, allowing users to experience a life-like, virtual learning environment. This technology increases students' curiosity, critical thinking and engagement, and deepens understanding of course materials.  

Through the use of zSpace, ACCEPT is developing exposure to entry-level positions in the healthcare industry, newly developed course work and early introduction to a college classroom environment. 

The Skills Capital Grants are awarded by the state's Workforce Skills Cabinet, which aligns education, economic development, and workforce policies to meet employers' demand for skilled workers in every region of Massachusetts. The competitive grants are awarded to educational institutions demonstrating partnerships with local businesses and aligning curriculum and credentials with industry demand to maximize hiring opportunities.

"I would like to offer a sincere thank you to the Healey-Driscoll administration for awarding the ACCEPT Educational Collaborative Center this generous grant,"  Executive Director Flaherty said. "This grant will prove to be invaluable to all of our students in their pursuit of learning, and we appreciate everything the administration has done to place the utmost importance on their education."

For more about ACCEPT visit their page -> https://accept.org/

Pokémon card show on July 14

We are hosting a Pokémon card show on July 14th 2024 from 11 AM - 4 PM at 15 Main St. Franklin MA inside Depot Plaza.

Vendor tables are sold out. We typically carry 15-20 dealers at the show. No admission fee, Free parking and lots of fun!

Pokémon card show on July 14

Pokémon Trainers Universe has been hosting this event for just a little over 3 years and we were the first show to host only Pokémon cards, this is an exclusive card show meaning no sports cards. We have dealers from all over New England who show up. The people going to the show can get cards appraised, buy cards and sell cards and related memorabilia.

Pokémon Trainers Universe is one of our two stores within the building. PTU carry’s the largest inventory of single cards in New England and is becoming a destination for collectors. We specialize in rare and hard to find quality cards. Open Monday-Saturday. Closed Thursdays and Sundays. Sign up on our mailing list to be notified of all future events!

We also have a Pokémon club on the first Monday of every month on site from 630PM-830PM.

Poke Trainers Universe | Pokemon | Franklin, MA, USA (pokemontrainersuniverse.com) Sincerely, Rod Crochiere

SAFE coalition provides FREE NARCAN training

Via the SAFE Coalition: 

SAFE coalition provides FREE NARCAN training

"Save a life.
Carry Narcan.

Over 100,000 community members lose their life to overdose every year. A higher rate of overdoses happen during the summer months.

One pill can kill.

Fentanyl, Xylazine, and Nitazene are dramatically impacting the rate at which someone experiences an overdose.

You and your loved ones are worthy of support. You are not alone.

We train and provide Narcan at no cost:
email us at info@safecoalitionma.org"

Shared from -> https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8XlVUhxEey/

Steve's PMC Party at the Winery - June 23

A fund raiser for Steve Saleeba's Pan Mass Challenge (PMC) Ride is scheduled for June 23 from 2 to 6 PM at La Cantina Winery.

Additional details contained in image:

Steve's PMC Party at the Winery - June 23

Have a dog (or 2)? Dogtopia is now open

Via Dogtopia:

"We are NOW OPEN and so excited to be part of the Franklin community!  

We have already met some amazing pups and can't wait to meet more!  

Meet and Greets are free for a limited time so schedule yours with us today!"

Shared from -> https://www.facebook.com/share/p/SnoMp4CCYnk3yYVg/

For more about Dogtopia, visit their page -> https://www.dogtopia.com/massachusetts-franklin-village/

You can listen to the interview with Kerry Sequoia-Begs, the General Manager of the new Dogtopia franchise opening in the Franklin Village Mall Plaza -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2024/06/dogtopia-franklin-village-opens-june-17.html

Have a dog (or 2)? Dogtopia is now open

Boston's Walking City Trail website is updated and ready to help

Miles Howard (@MilesPerHoward) posted:

How it started >>> How it's going

The original Walking City Trail website is being put out to pasture today.

The new and expanded website, which was made possible through generous direct support from several of you, continues to live and grow at https://t.co/F7WwUHdhlw  or  https://www.bostontrails.org/

Onward!

Shared from -> https://t.co/0fSHh8VRxi

Boston's Walking City Trail website is updated and ready to help

Franklin TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) schedule for Thursday, June 20, 2024

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

9:00a/12:00p/6:00p Turntable – with Dave Butler and Paul Guarino
Our 2-hour deep dive into the great albums

11:00a/2:00p/8:00pm Frank Presents – Notable Local Conversations

 

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

7:00 am     Fallen Heroes Pt 3
7:30 am     Memorial Day Breakfast 2024
9:00 am     Metrowest Symposium: Sharing Identity on Social Media
10:30 am     SAFE Coalition: The Hamlins
11:30 am     Cooking Thyme: Grillin'
12:00 pm     Brook'n'Cookin': Peppers
12:30 pm     Cooking with Linda: Rigatoni Al Forno
1:00 pm     ArtWeek: Theater in the Open
1:30 pm     Pizzapalooza: Deep Dish
2:00 pm     New England Candlepins: Summer 2018 Show 2
3:00 pm     Riffing on Main Street: Michael Walker Jones
4:00 pm     Winning Ways with the MIAA: Student Athletes May 2024
5:00 pm     Celebrate with Pride: Sioo
6:30 pm     Extended Play Sessions: Season 10 Show 11 - Kemp Harris
8:00 pm     Frank Presents: Wayne Dunnebier
9:00 pm     Endless Konnections: Legrand Lindor
10:00 pm     Tri County Graduation 2024

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

7:00 am     Public School Concert: Lifelong Music Pt. 2 05-14-19
8:30 am     Public School Event: Sullivan Spring Music 2024
11:00 am     FHS Graduation 2024
1:30 pm     ArtWeek: Ed Iannuccilli
2:30 pm     Winning Ways with the MIAA: Student Athletes May 2024
4:30 pm     FHS Varsity Softball: v St. Paul Diocesan 06-01-24
8:30 pm     FHSTC: Footloose

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

7:30 am     Conservation Commission 06-13-24
2:00 pm     Conservation Commission 06-13-24
7:00 pm    Conservation Commission  - LIVE - Chambers  963 9679 9942

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

Watch Listen Read all things that matter in Franklin MA

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Wednesday, June 19, 2024?

Wednesday, June 19 = Juneteenth

6:00pm  June Wine & Charcuterie Event

** No Town Meetings today (all Town/School buildings closed for holiday)

What's happening today in Franklin? 

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

Why are there multiple calendars?

There is a Cultural events calendar upon which other community events are layered to create the Community calendar.

Respectfully, the Library and Senior Center calendars are too full of events to include all their events so we tend to focus on the major events. Town and School meetings are also kept separate. Links for all the calendars are shared here:

The Cultural calendar displays only the cultural events    

https://www.franklinculture.org/things-do/pages/calendar

Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Library calendar of events ->    calendar link

The Senior Center calendar of events ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/node/39/events/month/39/2023-12

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

THE BLACK BOX Sings… Concert Series opens June 28

THE BLACK BOX, the region’s premier music, theater, and event venue, is thrilled to bring back THE BLACK BOX Sings… Concert Series outside under the stars this summer. Modeled after the popular cabaret series “54 Sings” at 54 Below in NYC, THE BLACK BOX continues THE BLACK BOX Sings… Series this June and August. The series celebrates the music of musicals, composers, and artists sung by Franklin Performing Arts Company favorites. Table seating and general seating are available. In case of inclement weather, the event will be moved inside. 

Kicking off the 2024 series is THE BLACK BOX Sings… WAITRESS on June 28th at 8:00pm. Starring Emily Koch (Broadway’s Waitress, WICKED, Kimberly Akimbo) and Jim Hogan (Waitress on tour, Broadway’s Kimberly Akimbo) with Ali Funkhouser, April Lisette, Dan Callaway, Robbie Rescigno, Nick Paone, and an ensemble of Franklin Performing Arts Company favorites. Join THE BLACK BOX for a celebration of the beloved Sara Bareilles score.

THE BLACK BOX Sings… Concert Series opens June 28

On August 3rd at 7:00pm, THE BLACK BOX Sings… FROZEN. TBB will present a concert celebrating the music of the highest-grossing animated film of all time: Disney’s Frozen. The concert will feature a narrated telling of Elsa and Anna’s story with live performances of the film’s songs as well as new music written for the Broadway production. Enjoy the memorable songs of Kristen and Robert Lopez in concert outside at THE BLACK BOX! 

THE BLACK BOX Sings… TAYLOR SWIFT on August 11th at 7:00pm. A cast of Franklin Performing Arts Company favorites will pay tribute to the most-streamed artist on Spotify: Grammy Award-winner Taylor Swift. 

Closing out the 2024 series will be the return of THE BLACK BOX Sings… WICKED on August 17th at 8:00pm. Pianist Austin Davy from the Wicked tour accompanies an FPAC all-star cast featuring Katie Gray, Ali Funkhouser, Nick Paone, Hallie Wetzell, and Tim Ayres-Kerr. Join THE BLACK BOX for a celebration of the music of WICKED and the story of the Witches of Oz.

Tickets and more information are available at THEBLACKBOXonline.com or by calling the box office at 508-528-3370. THE BLACK BOX is located at 15 W. Central Street in downtown Franklin, MA. 

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node: Meeting, Thursday, June 20

The 350 Mass Greater Franklin Node will hold our next meeting this Thursday, June 20, 7:00-9:00 PM.  Please add it to your calendar. 

The meeting will be on Zoom: Join on Zoom   

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81930304274?pwd=Tm9VdGxYcDFaVTVDUkwyT3YvUnlFdz09

Meeting ID: 819 3030 4274    Passcode: 350ma

Dial-in +1 646 876 9923

As usual, we will share information about 350 Mass, and discuss and plan for local and state activities. Also, attendees at our Node meeting will share developments in their cities and towns, including a focus on Franklin. 

 

FOR YOUR ATTENTION: THIS WEEK: Mass Power Forward Lobby Day, Thursday, June 20.  Sign up to join activists across the state on our decentralized lobby day and meet with your legislators around Mass Power Forward's priority bills. Learn more and RSVP here.. (350 Mass is a leader in the Mass Power Forward coalition.)    

Also, looking ahead to July: Climate Justice Can't Wait—Rally and March in Boston, Saturday, July 13. Join our Mass Power Forward coalition and our youth allies from Mass Youth Climate Coalition as we march on the State House to demand climate justice. RSVP here. Sat, Jul 13, 1 pm, Boston Common Bandstand, 139 Tremont St, Boston.

 

On a personal note, as I wrote in the notice of the previous meeting,  I (Ralph Halpern) am resigning from the Node because I am moving to a new home northwest of Boston. My wife and I are retired now and plan to start a new phase in a 55-plus condo community with, best or all, closer proximity to our young grandson and his parents. I expect to switch my 350 Mass affiliation to another Node, so I look forward to seeing many of you at rallies and events. As for our Greater Franklin Node, the work continues under Carolyn Barthel's tremendous leadership. In July, emails about meetings and activities will come to you from Node member Steve Derdiarian. If you're already active with the Node, thank you and keep up the good work. If you want to play a role confronting the enormous challenges we all face, I recommend 350 Mass and our Node as a great way to learn and participate.

 

For more news about ongoing and upcoming events, please sign up for the Climate Weekly email. Also, check out upcoming events on the 350 Mass website. 

 

We look forward to another informative and action-oriented Node meeting. We hope you can join us, in person or on Zoom. We will send a reminder on Thursday.

 

Thank you. 

 

Node Co-coordinators,

Carolyn Barthel
Ralph Halpern

Ralph Halpern
ralph.halpern@comcast.net
781-784-3839 (h)

339-203-5017   

School Committee with a light agenda list has heavy discussions (video)

The Franklin, MA School Committee met on Tuesday, June 18 as scheduled. While the agenda line item list was relatively light, the main topic for discussion only, dealing with the aftermath of the failed override vote to fund the schools was rather heavy.

Franklin TV video replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcxG4nP96wQ

The School Committee agenda -> 

https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/scagenda_6-18-24.pdf

 

Packet folder is where all the documents released for the meeting are stored (note: some of them after the meeting)

https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/pages/june-18-2024-school-committee-meeting-packet

My notes collected in one PDF file ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bPdSl_iiJ_lSDyK8hAT9Rt262UZpM8dI/view?usp=drive_link

School Committee with a light agenda list has heavy discussions (video)

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT - Rotary Club of Franklin MA Pasta Dinner, 6/20/24 - IS BEING POSTPONED!

Greetings all!

postponed to TBD

Due to the rising temps, and where Thursday, June 20^th, heat is expected to reach triple digits, it has been decided that the health and wellbeing of our Franklin Senior Citizens and residents of Franklin Housing Authority, is far more important than our Rotary Annual Pasta Supper. We will postponing this event until further notice.

This was not an easy decision to make and we cannot thank you all enough, for your continued support of Rotary Club of Franklin MA.

We will reach out again, once a new date has been selected.

Yours truly,

Diane

Diane M. Padula

Boston Globe: "The beginners guide to celebrating Juneteenth"

"For more than one-and-a-half centuries, the Juneteenth holiday has been sacred to many Black communities.

It marks the day in 1865 enslaved people in Galveston, Texas found out they had been freed — after the end of the Civil War, and two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.

Since it was designated a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth has become more universally recognized beyond Black America. Many people get the day off work or school, and there are a plethora of street festivals, fairs, concerts and other events.

People who never gave the June 19 holiday more than a passing thought may be asking themselves, is there a “right” way to celebrate Juneteenth?

For beginners and those brushing up on history, here are some answers:"

Find the answers in the Boston Globe article (subscription may be required) -> 

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/06/18/nation/juneteenth-celebration-guide/

Dancer Prescylia Mae, of Houston, performs during a dedication ceremony for the massive mural "Absolute Equality" in downtown Galveston, Texas, Saturday, June 19, 2021.STUART VILLANUEVA/ASSOCIATED PRESS