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| Franklin First Newsletter - Volume 4 for Franklin, MA |
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| Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm schedule for Saturday |
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| Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm schedule for Saturday |
FM #1456-1457 This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1456-1457 in the series.
This session (1456) shares the FY 2026 first budget hearing held by the Franklin (MA) Town Council on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. All 9 of the members started the meeting in Council Chambers (1 left not feeling well during the meeting). The Full Budget hearing #1 recording runs about 4 hours
Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1456-town-council-mtg-budget-hearing-1-05-21-25/
This session (1457) shares the FY 2026 second budget hearing held by the Town Council Meeting of Thursday, May 22, 2025. The budget hearing happens after the ABCC license transactions are completed. 7 members started the meeting (2 absent), 1 left during the meeting, leaving only 6 to make the final votes. The Second meeting recording runs about 2 hours
Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1457-town-council-mtg-budget-hearing-2-05-22-25/
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Budget hearing #1
The Franklin TV video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/live/OBuOFLY5kZY?&t=184
The Council agenda and associated budget documents can be found here ->
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05212025-1752
My notes captured via Twitter/X during the session are collected in one PDF file
https://drive.google.com/file/d/11W1dMjvh9zB0X9Bqw8CgfLus5YZG7arZ/view?usp=drive_link
FM posting of video & recap ->
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/town-council-spends-4-hours-reviewing.html
Budget hearing #2
Franklin TV video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/live/KxgDYAmr-zM?&t=95
The agenda and released documentation for this session -> https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05222025-1753
My notes as captured via Twitter/x during the session can be found in one PDF ->
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Zc-q92nV-paFAQ3DXWbqcucn-NRwRCVE/view?usp=drive_link
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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 out. 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"
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| Town Council FY 2026 Budget Hearing #1 & #2 - Held on May 21 & May 22, 2025 (audio) |
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| Library & Senior Center events |
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| What's happening today in Franklin? |
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| Memorial services for Krishna Atulkumar Patel - Saturday, May 31, 2025 |
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| 2025 Annual Meeting |
"Panthers win thrilling 1st round playoff match over Hopkinton 3-2!!
All 3 wins go 3 sets with Anna Powers winning in singles.
Brooke Daniels & Sydney Tolonen were down 2-5 in 2nd set to come back and win. Avalon Thomes & Katie Yelle fought off 3 match points before winning 7-5"
https://x.com/fhs_gvtennis/status/1928239615376261377
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| BFCCPS students 1 |
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| BFCCPS students 2 |
● Chittesh Patel received an Honorable Mention for his project The Green Revolution: Building a Sustainable Future with Renewable Energy● Aagam Shah won first place in the MSEF and also qualified for the Thermo Fisher Junior Challenge with his project Optimizing Hydroelectric Power with a Siphon
● Aisiri’s Praveen received an Honorable Mention for her project Wind Wars: Bernoulli vs. Structures● Mahathe Logesh won second place and also won the Thermo Fischer Award with her project Uncovering Hidden Sugar in Food● Navya Satishkumar has won first prize in State Science and Engineering Fair for her project A Study of Concentrated Indoor Air Pollutants and Poor Ventilation in Urban Households: Sources, Health Effects, and Mitigation Strategies.
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| BFCCPS students 3 |
The Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School's mission is to assist parents in their role as primary educators of their children by providing students with a classical academic education coupled with sound character development and community service. Our mission is supported by four distinct, yet interconnected pillars that provide for a collaborative, rigorous education for all students. These pillars guide, direct and define the school in all it does.
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| Franklin Senior Center puts out call for volunteers to help in the Common Grounds Cafe |
.jpeg "Lillian Zhou recipient of the Massachusetts Region Scholastic Art and Writing Award") |
| Lillian Zhou |
The Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School's mission is to assist parents in their role as primary educators of their children by providing students with a classical academic education coupled with sound character development and community service. Our mission is supported by four distinct, yet interconnected pillars that provide for a collaborative, rigorous education for all students. These pillars guide, direct and define the school in all it does.
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), Department of Agricultural Resources and the Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA) today announced the launch of the fifth year of the Growing Wild program, encouraging the public to preserve and protect pollinator habitats by inspiring residents to plant native species and pledge their gardens in support of pollinators. To commemorate this initiative, Governor Maura Healey proclaimed May 30 as “Growing Wild Day” in Massachusetts, marking a major milestone in the state’s expanding effort to protect native species and restore pollinator habitats.
As part of this year’s program, Growing Wild is offering free pollinator starter kits at 18 nurseries and six DCR parks across the state starting on Friday, May 30, 2025. Additionally, DCR, for the first time, has partnered with Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, and Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe to offer plants to Indigenous communities for their use and enjoyment. Native plants like Milkweed and Joe Pye Weed are valued in Indigenous culture and traditions. In honor of the program’s fifth year, state and local leaders will gather at Rogers Spring Hill Garden Center in Haverhill for a public launch event celebrating the program’s continued growth and impact across the state.
May 30 “Growing Wild Day”
"Growing native plants and attracting pollinators in our gardens is a great way to show our commitment to protecting nature and wildlife,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “The Growing Wild program helps us to transform lawns into safe havens for pollinators like bees and butterflies. I am proud to be a part of the Growing Wild community and to use native plants in my own backyard.”
As part of this year’s initiative, and in celebration of the start of National Pollinators Month in June, Growing Wild is offering free starter kits that include two one-gallon native perennial plants, native seed packets, and educational resources on pollinator-friendly gardening. Kits will be available starting on Friday, May 30, while supplies last at 18 participating nurseries and three Tribal community sites, participating in the program for the first time this year. Kits will also be available at the six DCR parks on the following days and times:
“The Growing Wild program enables us to partner with our state agency and nursery partners to give residents the tools to create and nurture their own pollinator and native plant gardens, helping make our landscapes more resilient,” said DCR Commissioner Brian Arrigo. “Through this program and the free Growing Wild starter kits, we are fostering a sense of shared stewardship of our public and private green spaces, protecting biodiversity, enhancing the natural beauty of our communities. Together, we are nurturing a brighter, greener future, one garden at a time.”
“We are excited to see the Growing Wild program grow year after year,” said MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle. “Residents who plant native and supporting pollinators are helping to build a more resilient food system, so this kind of public engagement initiative is important for agricultural sustainability in Massachusetts.”
Pollinators—primarily bees, butterflies, and other insects—are critical to our ecosystems. Approximately 75% of flowering plants and 35% of the crops we consume depend on them to reproduce. In Massachusetts, native pollinators are essential to sustaining biodiversity and ensuring a healthy food system. Yet, these species face mounting threats from habitat loss, invasive plants, pesticide use, and climate change. Growing Wild offers residents a powerful way to help reverse this trend—one native plant at a time.
Whether using a Growing Wild starter kit or purchasing native plants independently, Massachusetts residents can help make an environmental impact by registering their gardens on the Massachusetts Pollinator Map, a growing visual record of native plantings across the state. The statewide pollinator map not only shows this collective progress but also reinforces Massachusetts’ leadership in sustainability and climate resilience.
“As green industry professionals, we’re proud to support residents in creating beautiful, healthy, and environmentally responsible landscapes,” said MNLA Executive Director Rena Sumner. “Local nurseries across Massachusetts are here to help people identify native plants and make pollinator-friendly choices that have a real impact.”
Since its launch, Growing Wild has distributed nearly 6,000 starter kits since 2021, totaling an estimated 6.5 acres of pollinator habitat across the state. To learn more, find educational materials, native plant guides, find a nursery, pledge your garden, and for a full list of participating nurseries visit the MNLA Growing Wild website, mnla.com/growingwild.
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), an agency of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, oversees 450,000 acres of parks and forests, beaches, bike trails, watersheds, dams, and parkways. The agency’s mission is to protect, promote, and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural, and recreational resources for the well-being of all. To learn more about DCR, our facilities, and our programs, please visit www.mass.gov/dcr. Contact us at mass.parks@mass.gov.
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| Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm schedule for Friday |
8:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 6:00 PM - Franklin Matters Radio – Steve Sherlock covering Franklin, its local government, services, and events
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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