Providing accurate and timely information about what matters in Franklin, MA since 2007. * Working in collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio (wfpr.fm) since October 2019 *
At 70-years young, Army Veteran Tim App will travel this October to participate in the 41st running of the Army’s 10-mile Road Race being held in our nation’s Capital on October 12th. This will be his first time running in the DC event.
The 10-mile race is conducted by the Army’s Military District of Washington (MDW) whose operations seek to deter, prevent, and respond to threats aimed at DC’s Capital region. The Race’s proceeds will benefit the Army’s Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) unit which provides resources and programs to the Army’s population including families of those now serving our country.
Since its inception in 1985, the event has hosted 488,191 runners from around the world. This year’s event anticipates 35,000 runners and 900 Teams comprised of military, civilian, wheelchair, and wounded warrior athletes. Tim chose to run in this year’s race in honor of the Army’s 250th birthday and for the successes he has achieved from his service to our nation. Tim commented “I am running the Army 10-miler as a celebration of all that I have accomplished, and that all started with my decision to join the Army, although an active conflict, the Vietnam Conflict, was raging.” He had voluntarily enlisted in the Army immediately following High School.
Tim App
After his service to our country, he moved to Massachusetts where he held various leadership roles within the Department of Corrections - for 27 years! Following his retirement in 2003, he became an adjunct Professor at both Northeastern University and Stonehill College where he taught Corrections Practices, Sex Offender Programming and Ethics for 22 years.
Tim took a hiatus from running after his military duty. He resumed his running career after his Niece’s toddler was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. His Niece started a 5K race to support her daughter and other children suffering from this rare form of cancer and asked him to run in the event. Sadly, his Grand Niece passed away at age 3 and Tim carries a picture of her with him on his armband for each and every training run and racing event.
An active member of Franklin’s American Legion Post 75, Tim serves as their Sargeant-at-Arms and remarked that “The Post does a tremendous amount of community work and I felt it fitting to run the ATM for the first time, on behalf of the Post.” He also supports the Franklin community through his work with the St. Vincent DePaul charity at St. Mary’s. In addition, he works with Meals on Wheels delivering food to Franklin residents in need.
Tom App ran last year’s Daytona 5K Race where he placed 3rd in his division
The armband of his Grand Niece is visible on his right arm.
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Natalee Webb-Rubino joined the Air Force in 1976 becoming its 1st female Aircraft Mechanic (Crew Chief) and at Kadena AFB in Okinawa, Japan. In 1999 she founded the 11K road race in Stoneham created to honor and recognize Veterans. At the time, it was the only 11K in America. In 2009 she became the City of Melrose’s 1st female Veterans Service Officer. She was first in her family to attend college full-time earning a bachelor’s degree in PR and Strategic Communications at Bridgewater State University graduating with honors in 2019. Her essays on Veteran matters have been published in Franklin, North Attleboro, Melrose, Milford, and Stoneham
Hosts Kim Simone and Mark Lenzi explore all things wine with you!
Kim and Mark of The Wonderful World of Wine (WWW) welcome the visionary Kelly Lewis to the show to uncork the secrets of vino therapy. The founder of the first-ever wine spa in the United States, Kelly shares how her travels led to a career-defining "aha" moment. She explains the fascinating history of this wellness practice, tracing its roots to other countries and sharing the hurdles she overcame to start.
Episode 299 - Vino Therapy With Kelly Lewis
The trio delves into the nuts and bolts of vino therapy—what it is, how it's prepared, and what a treatment entails. Kelly reveals her process for sourcing wine and building key relationships with vineyards. The conversation also touches on the incredible recognition her spa received, being named "one of the greatest places of 2025" by Time magazine.
Listeners will also learn about the health and wellness benefits of vino therapy and of non-alcoholic options. Kelly also details her exciting partnership with a French vineyard and a line of skincare products. Finally, she discusses her passion for educating others on the art and science of vino therapy.
The local ballot is FINAL. Town Clerk Nancy Danello posted the updated report as of Monday, September 22, 2025. Nomination papers have been validated for Town Council, School Committee, Town Clerk, Board of Assessors, Planning Board, and Planning Board (Associate Member) candidates for their entry on the ballot.
The ballot was finalized after September 22 and sent to the printers. Printed copies are expected back to the Town Clerk during the week of October 6, 2025. Mailing of the absentee and vote by mail ballot requests will begin once the copies come back from the printers.
There is/are
1 candidate for the Planning Board (Associate Member)
1 candidate for the Board of Assessors
2 candidates for 2 spots on the Planning Board
8 candidates for 7 spots on the School Committee
1 candidate for 1 spot for the Town Clerk
15 candidates for 9 spots on the Town Council
The Board of Health position remains without a candidate. If any one is interested in running as a "write in" candidate, stop by the Town Clerk's office to get info on how to do that. All write in votes will require a hand count for those ballots and getting the info from the Clerk can make their work easier to accomplish.
Ken Ojukwu, candidate for Town Council, is the first of a goodly series of interviews to share and create informed voters in advance of the 2025 Biennial Election held at FHS on November 4.
Early voting does beginning Oct 17 in the Town Clerk office during business hours. Our intention is to complete the interview series before Oct 13.
With the coming month of October designated as National Family History Month, it is the perfect time to begin exploring the stories and traditions of our ancestors and learning about the experiences that have shaped our families for generations.
By exploring our family history, we can gain a deeper understanding of our roots and connections to the past. Have you ever wondered where some of your family traditions come from, or wanted to uncover the root of a family story passed down through the generations?
exploring the stories and traditions of our ancestors
Today, millions of Americans are on the hunt for clues to find out more about themselves and their family’s background. According to an ABC News report, genealogy is ranked the second most popular hobby in the United States. Genealogy websites get more than 100 million hits per year. But its popularity does not end there. There are also genealogy television shows, college courses, and businesses. Therefore, a survey that revealed 78% of people want to research their ancestry should not really surprise us. And the search for answers may just lead you right to the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds, thanks in part to our History Comes Alive program.
For some, the Registry of Deeds may not be the first place that comes to mind when trying to trace your family's history. However, it can be a great place to start your genealogical journey. We have a wealth of information and cutting-edge technology to assist you. The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds possesses approximately 13.1 million land records, recorded in 42,028 Registry books dating back to when Norfolk County was created in 1793. Some of these records include deeds, liens, foreclosures, mortgages, conveyances, trusts, and mortgage discharges.
What can you learn from these documents? Plenty. You can discover where a family member lived. What they generally paid for the property by looking at some of the recorded documents such as the deed as well as any mortgage filings. When and who they sold it to. And if while owning the property they faced any financial burdens, such as an attempted foreclosure or having a lien placed on their home. There are even recorded deeds from the second President of the United States John Adams one of which involved the Town of Quincy that outlined some of President Adams’ philosophies.
These records do not just tell us about property—they tell us about people. The Registry’s digitized archives and transcription efforts have made it possible to uncover stories of civic leaders, veterans, and everyday residents who shaped our communities. These discoveries directly support the creation of the Notable Land Records Booklets, which highlight historically significant properties and individuals across Norfolk County. By combining genealogical tools with land record research, we are able to document and celebrate the people and places that defined our local history—making it accessible and meaningful for future generations.
However, you might also say, “That sounds like great information, but it is impractical for me to get to the Registry given my work schedule.” Well, thanks to technology that is no longer a problem, you can do it from the comfort of your home computer or cell phone 24/7. Just go to the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds website www.norfolkresearch.org hit the Search for Your Deed button and type in the name you are looking for. If they owned property in Norfolk County you will find records all the way back to the 1700’s. We made this research process even easier for you through our History Comes Alive Transcription Program where all the Registry documents written in hard-to-read cursive penmanship from 1793 to 1900 were transcribed into clearly readable print.
In addition to the wealth of information at the Registry, both on sight and via our online records database, the Registry’s Genealogy Research and Resource Center has 4 workstations dedicated to genealogy research. These workstations have free access to Ancestry.com and American ancestors.
These databases can help you continue your journey as you try to discover your roots by gaining access to records across Europe and across the world wherever your families are from. You can find census records, draft cards, and prison records for ancestors who may not have been on the straight and narrow.
The primary mission of the registry is always the security, accuracy, and accessibility of our communities’ land records and reliable service to the residents of Norfolk County, but if you think about it, the registry also records history every day, accurately preserving a detailed chain of events on Norfolk County properties from 1793 to the present. The addition of the Genealogy Research and Resource Center only adds to the wealth of information you can find at the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds. So, whether you are a historian, genealogist, or simply curious about your family history the Registry might have some clues to help you discover your roots.
FM #1517 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1517 in the series.
This session shares the Franklin (MA) Town Council meeting held on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. 7 of the 9 members of the committee were present (Chandler, Pellegri absent).
Quick recap:
Town Clerk Nancy Danello provides update on biennial election status
School Cmte Chair Dave Callaghan provides an update on school opening and traffic issues being worked
2 new hires effectively back filling for positions authorized within the reduced Police Dept staffing were sworn in and pinned by family members
2 public hearings were opened separately; one for the 2 commercial kitchen bylaws to enable the operation of a commercial kitchen within a residence if on septic (not on town sewer); and second, a set of 6 bylaws to create the Crossing Neighborhood zoning district. It would be similar to the Downtown zoning with a couple of exemptions. Councilor Frongillo recused himself from these discussions and votes as his father's business operates in the proposed zoning area
In legislation for action
all 8 of the zoning changes moved to a second reading
The Council voted to formalize the early in person voting schedule for the November election as announced
A couple of water & sewer extensions were approved
A definition of a collection container was accepted and authorized to extend the current use by religious organizations to non-profits, in particular the American Legion and VFW
A presentation on Solicitation Permits by Police Chief Thomas Lynch and Deputy Police Chief James West was made to provide some info on the process in response to an incident earlier this year.
In the Town Administrator's Report 2 key items were covered;
one a series of personnel moves; B Taberner's replacement was announced, M Kinhart and M D'Angelo are retiring, Breeka Li Goodlander to return from pregnancy leave in mid-Oct;
second, the Assessors revealed new growth will be about $271,000 shorter than projected earlier this year. This will need to be adjusted somehow before the tax rate hearing in Nov/Dec. It seems to be reflecting the slowdown in growth due to interest rates, uncertainty, and the 'nimby-factor', etc.
The Council entered into executive session not to return to public meeting
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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