Franklin Food Pantry Expands Shopping Hours!

Dom Agostino, one of The Pantry’s volunteer greeters

Great news! 

Registered clients can shop inside The Pantry during Walk-in Shopping, on Tuesday from 2 PM to 3:30 PM. 

No appointment is necessary for Walk-in Shopping, and the visit is considered a client’s once per week opportunity to receive assistance from The Pantry.

Walk-in Shopping offers the flexibility and convenience that so many of our clients have requested, and healthy proteins, dairy, fruits and vegetables, pantry staples, and personal care and cleaning items that clients depend on.

To become a client, or for more information, please visit The Pantry website at www.franklinfoodpantry.org, or contact Laura Du, Client Services Manager, at Ldu@franklinfoodpantry.org, or 508-528-3115.

April highlights for Library events include a typewriter orchestra, yup typewriter orchestra (audio)

FM #1414 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1414 in the series. 

This session shares my conversation with Mitzi Gousie, Programming and Outreach Librarian with the Franklin Public Library. We had our discussion on Monday, March 24, 2025 in the Franklin TV & Radio Studio.

 

We talk about 

• Reviewed the regular open hours, book sale and holiday scheduling for the month

• Open on Sundays 

• Book sale weekend April 11 & 12

• Closed Sunday & Monday, April 20, April 21 

• Library events for April 2025

• Family events

• Kiddos, or “littles”

• Teens

• Adults

The show notes include links to the Library page and to the calendar of events where registration for some of the events is required/recommended.

The recording runs about 28 minutes, so let’s listen in. Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1414-franklin-public-library-april-2025-highlights-03-24-25/

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Mitzi Gousie’s email -> mgousie@minlib.net 

Franklin Public Library page ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/233/Franklin-Public-Library 

New event calendar -> https://www.franklinma.gov/942/Calendar-of-Events 

April Library newsletter -> https://www.franklinma.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=48 

April press release -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/whats-happening-at-library-in-april-2025.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

• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

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"

April highlights for Library events include a typewriter orchestra, yup typewriter orchestra (audio)

For grins: my Grok generated profile (Grok is the Ai for Twitter/X)

"Steve Sherlock, a relentless live-reporter of Franklin's council and school meetings, believes local elections shape the future more than any other —catch him geeking out over agendas and Zoom links with a fervor that'd make even the dullest budget hearing sound like a blockbuster. 

For grins: my Grok generated profile

FranklinMatters is dishing out a daily buffet of Franklin, MA highlights, from TV schedules to solar sites and funky 12-tone tunes 

The X community, like

@FHSSports

praising their sports coverage, actively tags FranklinMatters in local school sports updates"

Each time I look at it, three times yesterday, it changed slightly each time

https://x.com/FranklinMatters

Rausch Report: Bills Meet the Sorting Hat 🎩 (March 2025)

Rausch Report: Bills Meet the Sorting Hat  (March 2025)

Dear Neighbor,

I hope you're having a happy Women's History Month! In what's become an annual tradition, all month long I've been recognizing outstanding women from across the district in a social media series celebrating these often-unsung leaders. (Click or read more about these women below.)

Speaking of amazing women from our district, I watched live as Sunita Williams, a NASA astronaut, science educator, and Needham native, splashed down into the Gulf of Mexico and was greeted by a pod of dolphins! Her perseverance through her eight-day-turned-nine-month mission on the International Space Station has inspired many, and her safe return has brought great relief and rejoicing. Welcome home, Suni!

March has been lively at the State House. We welcomed farmers, fishermen, and foresters for Agriculture Day, when the Great Hall is transformed into a smorgasbord of local food samples and knowledge. I hosted a panel for Massachusetts Civics Learning Week, hearing from students about the significant impact of Civics Education Trust Fund grants. As Senate Chair of the Environmental Committee, I also co-hosted a Green Budget Briefing with House Chair Christine Barber and environmental advocacy organizations to discuss our state's environmental agencies' vital work stewarding our incredible natural resources.

Last month, legislators received their committee assignments; this month, bills were assigned to committees based on their subject matter, with the House and Senate Clerks' offices serving as switchyard and sorting hat. The committees I chair, the Joint Committees on Environment and Natural Resources and Municipalities and Regional Government, have received 324 and 178 bills, respectively. That number is sure to grow, and I look forward to reviewing and hearing testimony on all 500+ bills.   

Read on in this month's Rausch Report for legislative updates, a glimpse into the amazing women from our district who we recognized throughout this Women's History Month, a snapshot of events I attended, information and updates on upcoming town elections, and more.

For real-time updates, please follow me on Bluesky, 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.     

Yours in service,  

 

Senator Becca Rausch  

Continue reading the Rausch Report online -> 

https://mailchi.mp/masenate/monthlynewsletter-18246370

Mental Health: Amanda Ayer & David Gove (video)

Dr Anne Bergen: 

"Welcome to Mental Health, the crisis of our time. 

My name is Anne Bergen. I am the host of this series of programs brought to you by Franklin TV whose mission is really to bring important topics relevant to the community out so we can inform the residents aware of issues that are very very important. 

The issue we have to address is mental health."

Video link ->  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNf1U5CtzVo

Mental Health: Amanda Ayer & David Gove (video)

FHS Class of 2026 fund raiser at Panera April 14

FHS Class of 2026 fund raiser at Panera April 14

 

"Join us at Panera on 4/14 (a half day) for a fundraiser! 

Either show the flyer to the cashier or use the code FUND4U on the app or at the kiosk in-cafe. 

Any participation is greatly appreciated!"

Shared from ->   https://www.instagram.com/p/DHoGK7ppw6U/

First amendment under attack

Dan Kennedy writes: "New at Media Nation. We are in a very dark place as the Trump administration targets the First Amendment"

'My ethics and diversity class on Wednesday was devoted to a brief overview of First Amendment law. The class comprises nine graduate students and advanced undergrads, and they have shown throughout the semester that they are engaged and compassionate young people. I began with a video in the news. You’ve probably seen it. It shows black-clad, masked thugs, apparently with ICE, approaching a young woman on a sidewalk at Tufts University, hauling her off to a van and driving her away. Her name is Rumeysa Ozturk, and she’s a Ph.D. student and a Turkish citizen who’s in the U.S. on a student visa. It’s the latest shocking image in a series of shocking images we’ve been subjected to recently as the Trump administration — my friend Adam Gaffin of Universal Hub has simply taken to calling it “the regime” — tracks down international students who have been involved in some form of pro-Palestinian activism and targets them for deportation."

Continue reading the article -> https://dankennedy.net/2025/03/27/we-are-in-a-very-dark-place-as-the-trump-administration-targets-the-first-amendment/?

Shared from -> https://www.facebook.com/share/1AKo532oeS/

Speaker Announcement: State Reps. to Join Policy Webinar

Join us April 3rd at 6 pm via zoom!

Dear Neighbor, I am excited to announce that State Representatives Andy Vargas, Meghan Kilcoyne, and Manny Cruz will join our Statewide Policy Agenda Webinar next Thursday, April 3rd at 6:00 PM on Zoom. As primary sponsors of our priority bills, we are thrilled join our policy webinar and share why they decided to champion these important pieces of legislation.  In addition to hearing remarks from our bill sponsors, we will take a detailed look at our priority bills, discuss AHMA's strategy for getting them passed, and end with a Q&A session.  I hope to see you there and share our exciting legislative priorities! Register Today Sincerely, Mike Kriesberg Policy and Advocacy Manager at Abundant Housing MA Become an AHMA member today! AHMA is a membership organization that is open to everyone. We stand up for abundant housing for all in communities across Massachusetts. We drive policy at the state and local level by identifying pro-housing changemakers, building the power of local organizers, and connecting a statewide network. Become a member today and join our statewide coalition. Together, we can make Massachusetts for everyone. Join our network!   Abundant Housing Massachusetts 50 Milk Street 16th floor Boston, MA 02109 United States

Milford Daily News: "Voters in Natick approved a $7 million tax override during Tuesday's annual town election"

Natick voters pass $7M override

Milford Daily News: "Voters in Natick approved a $7 million tax override during Tuesday's annual town election"

Key takeaways:

• Natick voters approved a $7 million tax override to fund recurring costs and save municipal and school jobs
• The $7 million override passed comfortably, with 4,645 votes in favor (60.5%) and 3,034 opposed
• Voter turnout was about 30%, with 7,775 ballots cast among 25,878 registered voters

Shared from Facebook -> https://www.facebook.com/share/15GtY9y1vs/

Whether you're in the "Circle of Concern" or "Circle of Control" nurture your circle of friends

nurture your circle of friends 

Via Dr. Julie Gurner (@drgurner)

"Great reframe for any day that you feel a bit out of the right headspace, is to focus on the "Circle of Control."

If you can't control it, you don't need to spend energy on it.

Shift up your perspective, and take on the right things."

Shared from ->  https://t.co/Fa7YLujU4t

Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm schedule for Friday, March 28, 2025

Yes, Franklin has it's own radio station -> wfpr.fm. Franklin Public Radio has a brand new schedule for the locally produced shows that fill our air waves. 

It ia available anywhere, anytime at wfpr.fm or in the local Franklin, MA area at 102.9 on the FM dial.

Tune in to listen to the following:

Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm schedule for Friday, March 28, 2025

8:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 6:00 PM - Franklin Matters Radio – Steve Sherlock
Franklin and its local government, services and events 

• This segment features my conversation about the Party For The Pantry scheudled for March 29 https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/talking-all-about-party-for-pantry.html

9:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 7:00 PM

10:00 AM, 3:00 PM, and 8:00 PM - Talkin’ the Blues – Jim Derick & Nick Remissong. 2 hours of awesome blues music, info, interviews

11:00 AM, 4:00 PM, and 9:00 PM - “The Vibe” show plays music for everyone searching for some enjoyment, some dance, a happy or thinking mood, and most importantly, having fun.  Tune in to wfpr.fm and listen to “DJ Vibe” spin music across many genres and join this new vibing experience

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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