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 *
Our Annual Open Board Meeting will take place as our neighborhood block party. Come to our 23 Hutchinson St. studios.
Join us, Saturday, August 29nd at 3:00pm. If you plan to attend, please RSVP by August 25 to: info@franklin.tv
It’s open to all Franklin businesses and residents. We’ll meet-and-greet and enjoy the day starting at 3:00 PM. Come hungry, enjoy great food and all the fixin’s – along with tunes and fun.
You can also tour our studios and learn about Franklin●TV and wfpr●fm. We’ll also briefly review the past year’s progress and plans for the future. At our meeting you may cast your vote for new and/or renewing board positions.
Excerpt from our bylaws: (Available on our website.)
Section 15. Election of Director by the Membership (a) Members shall be notified by the Clerk of the election of a director by the Membership at the Annual Meeting. Said notice shall be in accordance with the notice provisions of Section 4 of this Article IV. (b) Any eligible voting Member may be nominated for election to the position of Director by:
(i) Written notification to the Clerk no later than seven (7) days prior to Annual Meeting; or (ii) By nomination from the floor of the Annual Meeting made and seconded by no less than three (3) eligible voting members.
Thanks to our board members who contribute their time and energy to help make Franklin●TV all that a public access TV studio can be. If you would like to become involved either as a volunteer or to create your own TV or radio programs at Franklin●TV and wfpr●fm, just send an email to: info@franklin.tv with your contact information. You can also call us to explore your ideas. 508-541-4118.
Please join us at our Franklin●TV event. Come meet, greet, chow down, have fun, and learn all about local TV and radio in Franklin.
FM #1782 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1782 in the series.
This session shares the Town Council Communications Subcommittee Meeting. The meeting was held in the Council Chambers at the Municipal Building on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
Subcommittee Chair Caroline Griffith, members Jane Callaway-Tripp, Max Morrongiello, and Gene Grella also participated. Town Administrator Jamie Hellen, Operations Manager Julie McCann and Director of Communications & Community Engagement Liz Kalaijian participated.
Quick recap:
The joint email response policy was approved by the subcommittee to bring to the full Council as amended (4-0 vote)
The vote on social media guidelines for elected & appointed officials as amended was also approved to send to the full Council by a 4-0 vote
Discussion on the work plan, Max raised some items discussed in prior meetings that did not make it to this listing
Discussion on the scope of the committee, is it for Town Council communications or for communications on all of Town business?
The recording runs about 2 hours & 23minutes, so let’s listen in.
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"
The MBTA and Keolis Commuter Services (Keolis), the T’s operations and maintenance partner for Commuter Rail, announced today that fare gates at Ruggles Station will begin operating on Monday, August 3.
“The installation of Commuter Rail fare gates at Ruggles is just the next step by the MBTA as we follow through on our commitment to improve fare collection and reinvest back into the system that our riders depend on,” said Interim Secretary of Transportation and MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “With gates already in service at North and South Stations and coming soon to Back Bay, we’re demonstrating to the public that every fare makes a difference toward improving service for everyone. Thank you to the Healey-Driscoll Administration and our Legislative partners for their leadership and support of public transit, to the MBTA and Keolis project teams for their dedication in delivering the fare gates project, and to our riders at Ruggles for their patience and understanding.”
“The introduction of fare gates at Ruggles Station continues the effort to improve and modernize fare collection across the Commuter Rail system,” said Keolis CEO and General Manager John Killeen. “Our goal is to make the transition as seamless as possible for passengers. Staff will be on site at Ruggles to address any questions or concerns as the gates are activated.”
The station will feature seven fare gates, including two wider, accessible gates that provide sufficient room for wheelchairs, scooters, bicycles, luggage, and strollers.
Once the fare gates are operational, riders will notice the following fare collection changes:
Riders will be required to tap or scan their tickets or passes to enter and exit at Ruggles.
Riders will still need to show tickets to conductors on board to verify that their ticket zone matches their trip.
Riders who arrive at Ruggles without tickets will be required to purchase them through the mTicket app or from a staff member stationed at the gates.
Passengers can use the following types of tickets to exit and enter the gates: the mTicket app, CharlieCards and CharlieTickets with printed zones, $10 Weekend Pass paper tickets, Amtrak tickets, and active military IDs. Reduced fare passengers must still buy a ticket or pass (at a reduced rate). Stored value CharlieCards used for the bus and subway are not accepted at Commuter Rail fare gates.
Customer service staff at Ruggles are available to assist passengers with questions about the fare gates. Project details and more information are posted online at MBTA.com/CRgates, including a how-to video.
The use of fare gates improves fare collection, replaces platform ticket checks, and creates a more consistent fare-paying experience for passengers across transit modes. The design and configuration of the fare gates build on the lessons learned during the implementation of gates at North Station in 2022 and South Station in 2025, and incorporate global best practices in fare collection.
At South Station, mTicket activations have grown by 32% compared to this time last year, and on-board ticket sales have grown by 16% for lines serving South Station following the installation of fare gates. Passengers have tapped tickets or passes more than 19.5 million times at North Station and South Station since the gates were introduced. The next station to receive fare gates is Back Bay Station, where they are expected to begin operating in early 2027.
This is the deep philosophical question over which this nation is currently divided.
Is reality, like, what’s actually happening before our eyes? Or is it what the hateful, self-enriching ghouls who run this country tell us is happening, despite blindingly obvious evidence to the contrary?
Trump won the 2020 election! Iran has been totally defeated! Dead ICE victims weaponized their cars! The economy is spectacular! Vandals wrecked the Reflecting Pool!
Pulling food assistance from millions of Americans? A great and glorious triumph!"
Consider contributing to the Franklin Food Pantry to help our neighbors that have lost or seen their SNAP benefits reduced - https://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/
The Franklin Police Department is seeking a compassionate, licensed (or license-eligible) mental health professional to join our team as a Co-Response Clinician.
In this rewarding role, you'll partner directly with Franklin Police officers to respond to calls for service, provide on-scene crisis intervention, conduct clinical assessments, connect individuals and families with community resources, and help improve outcomes during behavioral health emergencies.
🕒 Schedule:
Wednesday–Friday: 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM (40 hours/week; schedule subject to change)
💰 Salary: $71,000–$85,000 annually
We're looking for someone with:
✔ Master's degree in social work, psychology, counseling, or a related field
✔ 2+ years of crisis intervention experience
✔ Experience working with law enforcement and knowledge of the Co-Response model
✔ Strong communication, collaboration, and crisis management skills
📅 Priority Application Deadline: August 8, 2026
📧 How to Apply:
Email your resume and cover letter (or a Town of Franklin employment application) in Microsoft Word or PDF format to apply@franklinma.gov with "Co-Response Clinician" in the subject line.
Join us in making a meaningful difference by connecting individuals in crisis with the care and resources they need while helping keep our community safe.
A full job description and posting can be found here:
"I am thrilled to share that @jared.cooney.horvath renowned neuroscientist and author of “The Digital Delusion” will be joining me @aimeebergergirvaloctand @senatorjamesmaroney for a conversation on the impact of classroom technology on our kids’ learning.
Jared is to ed tech what @jonathanhaidt is to cellphones.
Our See Me 5K Run, Walk, and Roll is more than an event—it’s a message.
See my strengths. See my full humanity. See me, not just my challenges or diagnosis.
Join us on Saturday, September 19 at Hopkinton State Park to challenge stigma, promote well-being, and spread the message that people experiencing mental health and other life challenges are valued, whole, and vital members of our communities. Proceeds from this event benefit The Michael Jones Memorial Fund at Advocates.
About Advocates
Advocates is a nonprofit organization providing comprehensive services for people facing developmental, mental health, or other life challenges.
About The Michael Jones Memorial Fund
The Michael Jones Memorial Fund provides funding for activities, resources, and other items that will positively impact the quality of life, health, and wellness of people served by Advocates.
FM #1781 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1781 in the series.
This session shares the Franklin (MA) School Committee meeting held on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at 7:00 PM. 6 members of the Committee participated, 5 in person, 1 remote, and 1 absent.
Quick recap
After opening the meeting, the Committee entered Executive Session for about 15 minutes returning to open session. In open session, they voted to approve Cafeteria Workers, Secretaries and Van Drivers Unions Contracts by a 6-0-1 roll call vote (1 absent)
Voted to send policy JKAA - Prevention Criteria for use of Physical Restraint, Seclusion and Time-outs for Students to a second reading, via 6-0-1 roll call vote (1 absent)
Voted the elimination of policy CL - Administrative Reports via 6-0-1 roll call vote (1 absent)
Voted the approval of the FSC Meeting, Conduct & Discussion Structure manual via 6-0-1 roll call vote (1 absent)
Voted the approval of the Consent Agenda via 6-0-1 roll call vote (1 absent)
Some updates from the existing subcommittees, some done for the school year, Horace Mann Legacy to meet on 2nd Monday beginning July (except October)
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!
------------------
You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"
I write this short letter today out of concern for the safety of your children. During the past few days, I have observed groups of kids riding their E-bikes together on the sidewalks of Chestnut Street. I have noticed they are moving at a relative high rate of speed, and going both with and against the direction of car traffic.
My main concern is this: the leaders of the group seem to be older kids who are more skilled and comfortable on the bike, while the followers seem to be less experienced and less confident, but still moving fast trying to keep up! These less experienced followers are moving faster than they probably should be, and I doubt they are able to pay attention to turning cars and the bikes around them.
I have also seen a group of kid e-bikers moving pedestrians off the sidewalk to let them pass; not the way it should be, and more opportunities for accidents.
When we lived in New Jersey, I belonged to an organization called the David D. Hammar Foundation, which organized annual bike rides to raise attention and funding around bike safety for kids and adults. David Hammar was killed by a motor vehicle while riding his bike during early morning hours in September 2006. His death is a solemn reminder of how serious the consequences of sharing a road with bikes and cars can be.
Parents, please pay attention to your kids cycling skills, abilities, and learn who they are cycling with. Talk to them about good, safe and fun biking practices. And of course, make sure they are riding with helmets on! Let's keep the summer fun and free from tragedy!
