Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm Schedule for Wednesday, April 9, 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 is 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 Wednesday

8:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 6:00 PM   Franklin Matters Radio – Steve Sherlock 

Franklin and its local government, services and events  (repeats Saturday at 2 PM)  

This session of the radio show shares the April event highlights at the Franklin Library -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/april-highlights-for-library-events.html

9:00 AM, 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM  The Wonderful World of Wine – Mark Lenzi, Kim Simone    All about wine, its culture, lore and finer points.    (repeats Saturday at 1 PM)  

Mark & Kim are Diving Deep into Italian Wine with Andrea Eby

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/the-wonderful-world-of-wine-www-diving.html

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

Franklin TV schedule for Wednesday, April 9, 2025

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

7:30 am Mental Health: Rion James

8:30 am Conversation of Hope: Black & Jewish Voices in Harmony

10:00 am FUMC: Cathy Cargill Koch

11:30 am Cooking Thyme: Sweet Corn Risotto

12:00 pm Brook'n'Cookin: Tai Salad

12:30 pm Cooking with Linda: Pork Chops

1:30 pm Pizzapalooza: White Pizza

2:00 pm New England Candlepins: Summer 2019 Show 4

3:00 pm Candlepin New Generation: Show 1

5:30 pm Concerts on the Common: Heather Deary & Carolyn Rae

8:30 pm U. S. Army: Jazz Ambassadors 04-01-19

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

7:00 am Lifelong Music: Strings School 01-22-25

8:30 am All-Town Concert: Band 2025

10:00 am SAFE Coalition: Michelle Palladini

11:00 am Cultural Council: BT ALC Big Band

12:30 pm FHS Varsity Softball v Attleboro 04-26-24

5:30 pm FHS Varsity Baseball v Oliver Ames 03-31-25

9:00 pm Track and Field: v Taunton 05-18-21

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

8:00 am  Town Council 03-19-25

2:00 pm  Town Council 03-19-25

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: Tuesday, April 8, 2025 ???

Library & Senior Center events

Tuesday, April 8

* Franklin Art Association Art Show and Sale Exhibit (Norfolk Public Library)
* Help BFCCPS scholarships by eating at Sante Fe Burrito (Santa Fe Burrito Grill)

6:30pm Dance Fitness Class (John F. Kennedy Memorial School)
7:00pm Musical Bingo (Raillery Public House)
7:00pm FBRTC Rail Trail Cmte Mtg (Franklin TV and Radio)
7:00pm FHS Chamber Concert (Franklin High School)

 

For additional details on Library & Senior Center events ->  

https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

**  Town Meetings today   **

Design Review Meeting Cancelled

April 8, 2025, 7:00 PM

Franklin School Committee - Policy Subcommittee

April 8, 2025, 6:00 PM = https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04082025-1668 

Franklin School Committee Meeting

April 8, 2025, 7:00 PM = https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04082025-1669 

Friends of the Franklin Public Library Meeting

April 8, 2025, 7:00 PM @ Friends of Franklin Library Community Room (no agenda posted)

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What's happening today in Franklin? 

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 Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendars

Surprises and activities to be found at Franklin’s Ladybug Trail Spring Walk - April 26

Ladybug Trail Spring Walk

Lots of surprises will be popping up at the Ladybug Trail Spring Walk on April 26. As the Town of Franklin gets ready to welcome Spring with the 3rd annual spring walk, shops will be there to welcome you and offer fun activities. The rain date is April 27.

Look for events and activities at public places like Dean College, the Franklin Library, and the Historical Museum. At least 15 retailers will welcome visitors with treats, discounts, and promotions.

The goal is to search for where ladybug sculptures are in the downtown area. Along the way, walkers will enjoy ladybug-themed cupcakes, food samples, discounts on products and services, meal deals and photo opportunities.

Get your map at the Historical Museum, the library, and participating businesses. The trail map shows walkers where the ladybug sculptures are located.

People can walk the trail any time of the day or evening. You can start as early at 9 AM at the Historical Museum, where you can get the trail map, learn about the ladybug cultural trail, the story behind the ladybug and its connection with Franklin.

Go shopping or take a break for coffee, gelato, lunch or dinner as you walk along the trail.

Trail visitors will also love the colorful art gallery in the open space next to Birchwood Bakery. This formerly uninviting alleyway has become a canvas for many local artists who painted colorful murals.

The Ladybug Cultural & Historical Trail is located in downtown Franklin in the heart of Franklin’s Cultural District. Walkers search for 2-foot-wide fiberglass ladybug sculptures tucked among buildings, businesses and residences, tying together approximately 25 historical and cultural sites.

 

Visitors should note that the ladybug that is usually found at 157 Cottage Street will not be at this location until May when the new Children’s Museum of Franklin opens their doors.

The trail is open year-round. Walk it at your leisure any time of the week.

“The Ladybug Trail Spring Walk is the perfect time to celebrate spring and see all that downtown Franklin has to offer,” said Lisa Piana, Franklin Downtown Partnership’s Executive Director. “There are many new shops in addition to the established shops. There’s a lot of culture and history too. It’s a great way to learn about our community.”

The Downtown Partnership would like to thank Middlesex Savings Bank and Eileen Mason at RE/MAX Executive Realty, who sponsored the trail map for the Ladybug Trail Spring Walk.

For more information about the Ladybug Historical & Cultural Trail, follow the Downtown Partnership at:
https://www.instagram.com/franklindowntownpartnership/  and  
https://www.facebook.com/franklindowntownpartnership.org/

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is a non-profit 501c3 organization made up of more than 350 business owners, residents, and community leaders working to revitalize downtown Franklin. Residents can join the Downtown Partnership for only $25. The Partnership manages events like the Strawberry Stroll, the Harvest Festival, the Ladybug Historical & Cultural Trail, and initiatives such as beautification, streetscape design, greenspace, alley murals, and sculpture projects. For more information go to www.franklindowntownpartnership.org.

Franklin Ridge & Veterans Mem. Dr. Extension FONSI & NOI-RROF

All: As mentioned in the March 13th email below*, the Town has received a $850,000 grant for the Veterans Memorial Drive Extension project. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has requested the Town repost the attached notice, which is a combined Notice that satisfies two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the Town of Franklin: a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) notice; and a Notice of Intent to Request Release of Funds (NOI-RROF).  

As required the Town completed an environment assessment (EA) of the project's potential impacts, and has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Anyone disagreeing with this determination or wishing to comment on the project may submit directly to HUD or to the Town of Franklin's Department of Planning & Community Development. All comments received by April 12, 2025 will be considered by the Town of Franklin prior to submission of a request for release of funds.  

On or about April 13, 2025 the Town plans to submit a Request for Release of Funds and Certification to HUD for the release of the $850,000 in CPF HUD funding.

Thank you for your attention to this issue.

Bryan W. Taberner, AICP

Director of Planning and Community Development

355 East Central Street

Franklin, MA 02038-1352

Phone: 508-520-4907

Email: btaberner@franklinma.gov

* March 13 email as referenced was posted here ->

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/comment-period-open-until-march-25-2025.html

 

 

Comment period open until April 12, 2025 on Environmental Assessment for Veterans Memorial Drive Extension

Love Garden Project - An Accessible Earth Day Community Initiative - April 19 at 10 AM

Love Garden Project - Apr 19 at 10 AM

"This initiative is led by Lauren Sanford, director of Grieving Hearts, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals through grief, in collaboration with Ali Rheaume, founder of Rise Up. Rise Up is a social hour that connects the community with individuals navigating life with disabilities and is a welcoming space to be yourself, relate with others, and have fun together. ⁠
⁠
While the Love Garden is a space to express creativity and positivity, it will also serve as a space to honor peoples loved ones and serve as a reminder of the importance of community support, healing, and hope. The project invites participants to create art that reflects love, resilience, and self-expression while also offering a space for those processing grief."

Shared from -> https://www.instagram.com/p/DIJ6fVrPLac/

FHS girls & boys lacrosse teams post wins on Monday, rain reschedules remainder of sports

Via Twitter, Franklin TV, and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the Spring sports competition for Franklin High School on Monday, April 7, 2025

Baseball = Franklin @ Foxboro – Postponed to TBA.

Softball = Foxboro @ Franklin – Postponed to Tuesday, 4/8 at 3:45.

Boys Lacrosse = Franklin, 15 @ Milford, 4 – Final

Girls Lacrosse = Milford, 2 @ Franklin, 17 – Final
– Hannah Blongastainer, Maeve Grasso, Emma Bissinger, and Morgan Lovell all played well defensively to help the Panthers get a big win at home. Maisie Streeseman notched four saves in net for the win and seven different Franklin players had a point.

Boys Tennis = Foxboro @ Franklin – Postponed to Tuesday, 4/8 at 3:45.

Girls Tennis = Franklin @ Foxboro – Postponed to Tuesday, 4/8 at 3:45.

For other results across the Hockomock League (subscription required)

https://hockomocksports.com/mondays-schedule-scoreboard-04-07-25/

FHS Panther sports results shared via Twitter & subscription to HockomockSports.com

Franklin Public Schools Celebrates Successful Unified Basketball Season

Superintendent Lucas Giguere congratulates the Franklin Middle School Unified Basketball program on a successful winter season, drawing more than 50 student athletes from all three of the district's middle schools.

Franklin Middle School Unified Basketball players are divided into two teams, the Blue Team and the White Team, including students from Annie Sullivan Middle School, Remington Middle School, and Horace Mann Middle School. The program was established at the middle school level in Franklin three years ago.

Players and program partners faithfully attended practices after school and developed basketball skills throughout the season, such as passing, dribbling and shooting. The student athletes embraced teamwork, while cheering each other on and learning together about the fundamentals of the game of basketball.

 

middle school Blue Team and the White Team

Both the Blue Team and the White Team won some games and lost others, enjoying well-earned victories and showing good sportsmanship when they lost. The Franklin teams played against middle school Unified Basketball teams from North Attleboro, Holliston, West Bridgewater and Foxboro.

One of the highlights of this year's season was that a pair of siblings, Kat Conway and her brother Tristan Conway, got to play on opposite teams and were able to support one another while doing so.

“My favorite thing is the unity it brings between neurotypical and neurodivergent kids," Kat said. "Everybody gets to play.”

Mason Donovan, a sixth grader at Annie Sullivan Middle School, is one of the all-stars of the Franklin Unified Basketball middle school program. Mason said his favorite part of Unified Basketball was simply “being on a team so we could help each other win the games.”

Lizzie Morrison, principal of Annie Sullivan Middle School, congratulated all of the Franklin students on a great season.

"It is such a wonderful opportunity for students to shine in the spotlight during a healthy, competitive season,' Principal Morrison said. "Unified Basketball at the middle level has been very popular since it was established three years ago. The program provides opportunities for students with and without disabilities to bond over their strengths and form friendships."

Superintendent Lucas Giguere congratulated the Unified Basketball teams and thanked everyone who helped make this season possible, including the coaches, REACH Counselor Leslee Differ, special education teacher Brian Bujold, Franklin Police Officer Amanda Ayer, special education teacher Susan Egan, and special education adjustment counselor Lisa Burger, who is also a board-certified behavior analyst for the district.

"The Unified Basketball program at the middle school level has been an incredible addition to our community," said Superintendent Lucas Giguere. "Congratulations to all the student athletes on an incredible season. And thank you to all of our coaches, parents and volunteers. This amazing program would not be possible without the coaches and the parents and supporters who attended the games and cheered on our teams."

Additional photos can be found on the FPS page -> https://www.franklinps.net/article/2132179

Franklin TV live streaming for FHS sports & concerts this week

Franklin TV live streaming for FHS sports & concerts

 

 

Schedule for the week for Live Streams from Franklin TV.

Please checkout Franklin Pride TV on YouTube for sports -> https://bit.ly/FTV-Schools

 

Shared from -> https://www.instagram.com/p/DIHG3u1ufan/ (Note: given the spring weather, the outdoor broadcasts may be dependent upon the weather)

 

 

Did you know that the 3rd Annual Pen to Picture Festival features Raúl the Third ???

3rd Annual Pen to Picture Festival features Raúl the Third

Since 2023, Franklin Public Library and the Franklin middle schools have joined forces to host world-renowned graphic novelists and celebrate the art of storytelling. On May 10, Franklin's 3rd annual Pen to Picture Festival will welcome Raúl the Third to the Franklin Public Library. This town-wide event is free and open to all families. 

Raúl the Third will share his process, art, and latest titles. He is the author and illustrator of many elementary and middle grade books, including The Snips: A Bad Buzz Day, Stuntboy: In the Meantime, Stuntboy: In-Between Time, The Lowriders series, and multiple picture books. Breakout sessions, photo ops and book signing will also be available.

Pen to Picture originated three years ago, the result of a collaborative effort among Ms. Bree Comeau (Franklin Public Library Asst. Youth Services Librarian) and Franklin middle school reading specialists Pam Allard and Erin O’Leary. The three literary leaders recognized their students’ growing appetite for the graphic novel format and sought funding from their schools’ parent organizations to create a town-wide festival. Pen to Picture’s mission is to expose Franklin families to contemporary titles and creators and foster the creative relationship between art and the written word. 

In its first year, the program welcomed Scott Magoon, Matt Tavares, and Maris Wicks; built on its overwhelming success, Pen to Picture welcomed Jarrett J. Krosoczka the following year.  

Graphic novels (a literary format) have exploded in popularity and both librarians and reading specialists are excited to welcome local authors and illustrators to engage students in an appreciation of the genre, learn about the process and time required to develop a graphic novel, and champion the relationship between visual arts and storytelling. We invite the community to join us at the library on Saturday, May 10. 

This year, Pen to Picture is made possible by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. 

April Monthly Meeting for Franklin Bellingham Rail Trail Committee - Apr 8 at 7 PM

Meeting Tuesday night at Franklin.TV. We'd love to see you there

View this email in your browser April Monthly Meeting Hello!   Tuesday night we will have our monthly meeting at Franklin.TV, 23 Hutchinson Street, Franklin at 7pm.  We'd love to see you there! The minutes from our previous meeting can be found here on our web site. The agenda for this month's meeting is here.   Warm regards, Franklin & Bellingham Rail Trail Committee Copyright © 2025 Franklin & Bellingham Rail Trail Committee, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Franklin & Bellingham Rail Trail Committee PO Box 68 Franklin, Ma 02038

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Family Science Night – Free Event - Thursday, April 10 from 5:30 to 8 PM

Thursday, April 10 from 5:30 to 8 PM

Family Science Night – Free Event! 

 

Join the FHS Science National Honor Society on Thursday, April 10th, from 5:30 – 8:00 PM for an exciting night of interactive experiments, hands-on activities, and live demonstrations!

 

Theme: Movie Night! Each science group—covering topics from biology to forensics—has chosen a movie to bring their subject to life.

 

FREE ENTRY! This event will be accepting donations for the Franklin Food Pantry.

Bring your family and friends for a night of science, fun, and discovery—we can’t wait to see you there!

 

Shared from ->https://www.facebook.com/share/p/12AnT185KeA/

Pour Richard's wine tasting Saturday, Apr 12 from 1 to 4 PM

Pour Richard's wine tasting Saturday, Apr 12

 

"We’ve got a beautiful line up for next Saturday’s Easter tasting - Greek, Italian + some wheelhouse Pinot and Vouvray for your perfect pairings. 

1-4 Saturday the 12th! 

Cheese counter will be restocked this Tuesday!"

Shared from -> https://www.instagram.com/p/DIHj0dfpOzm/