Fallen Hero Recognition: Edward A. Kelly - June 20, 2025 - 9 AM

There is a Fallen Hero Recognition event today (6/20/25) at 9 AM on the Town Common Veterans Walkway to honor First Lieutenant Edward A. Kelly, U.S. Army. 

This program will include the placing of a Memorial Wreath for the day, the playing of Taps, a salute from those present, and a reading of whatever history  may be available for that veteran.  This is a way of keeping the memory of that veteran alive.

Fallen Hero: First Lieutenant Edward A. Kelly, U.S. Army

First Lieutenant Edward A. Kelly, U.S. Army, was born on May 28, 1915, son of Michael and Ellen Kelly. Edward lived with his parents and one brother at 129 Fisher Street.  

First Lieutenant Edward A. Kelly was an officer in the regular army having enlisted on November 13, 1934. When conflict broke out, 1LT Kelly was sent to a tank outfit for training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He was then ordered to the Hawaiian Islands to serve in an amphibious tractor outfit. 

1LT Kelly died a short time later on June 20, 1944, at age 29, while serving in Hawaii.  

1LT Edward A. Kelly was survived by his wife, Rose, and a child who were living in Los Angeles, CA at that time.  

First Lieutenant Edward A. Kelly was interred in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 17, 1949.

Fallen Hero: 1LT Edward Kelly

For the full series of Fallen Heroes you can visit this linkhttp://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/franklin-fallen-heroes-series.html 

For the schedule of Fallen Hero recognitions 

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2024/03/honoring-our-franklin-veterans-who-died.html

 

For the full published series of Fallen Heroes you can visit this link
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/franklin-fallen-heroes-series.html

Photo album of the Fallen Hero pillars along the Veterans Walkway

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oRGdmq9krLNEBnjJ7 

Strawberry Stroll a Big Hit for Vendors and Visitors

Franklin’s 21st Annual Strawberry Stroll was a huge success. Main Street was filled with thousands of people of all ages and more than 125 vendors enjoying the start of summer and strawberry season. 

A record number of shortcakes were sold. Proceeds go toward next year’s Stroll. Both vendors and visitors loved the celebration all the way from the Little Shop parking lot to Franklin Library. 

Dean College’s Bulldog inflatable mascot was on the front lawn at Ray House on their campus where kids played. At the library, a bubble machine had kids chasing bubbles near the Benjamin Franklin statue. Next to the bubbles, kids played Inflatable ball games, chalk art on the walkway and cornhole on the lawn.

record number of shortcakes were sold

At the other end of Main, at the Little Shop of Olive Oils parking lot, the Children’s Museum of Franklin had activities, building blocks and science fun at their booth. 

In the middle of Main, music from Dom DeBaggis and Heath Nisbett filled the afternoon air. At Dean College the Padula Band played jazz and blues tunes; Rep. Jeff Roy entertained with his great guitar playing. The Desi Swag Dancers performed in colorful costumes. Fun pop music backed up Feet in Motion while they danced in the street.

The Franklin Historical Museum staff introduced their strawberry patch in front of the museum on route 140. Alan Earls, Chair of the Historical Commission, spoke about the legacy and importance of Franklin’s agricultural history. Next door, the First United Methodist Church opened their doors for people to shop the huge display of recycled and upcycled clothing at their Community Closet.

“This year's Strawberry Stroll was such an incredible event. We are already getting great feedback from vendors on how much they liked how the event went straight up Main Street to the Library,” Scott Martin said, president of Franklin Downtown Partnership, organizer of the stroll. “The crowds were bigger than ever, we hit our high mark for the Strawberry Stroll.”  

A big thank you Denise Pearson and the Dean Bank staff as well as Bill Ingram, Dean College and FDP Board member, and the Dean College staff who prepared and dished out a record number of strawberry shortcakes this year, Martin added.

Thank you to MyFM Radio 101.3 for broadcasting live all day. Special thanks to all our volunteers; Kevin Johnson, Stroll event chair; Scott Martin, FDP president who coordinated the day; and Roberta Trahan and Pandora Carlucci, vendor coordinators.

Thank you again to the Strawberry Stroll sponsors, said Lisa Piana, Franklin Downtown Partnership’s Executive Director. And many thanks to the police, DPW, and all who help make this event a success each year.

Follow the Franklin Downtown Partnership and keep up with their many activities on:

https://www.instagram.com/franklindowntownpartnership/  and  

https://www.facebook.com/franklindowntownpartnership.org/

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization made up of more than 350 business owners, residents, and community leaders working to revitalize downtown Franklin. Residents are welcome to join the Downtown Partnership for only $25. The Partnership manages events like the Strawberry Stroll and the Harvest Festival, and initiatives such as beautification, streetscape design, greenspace, alley murals, and sculpture projects. For more information go to www.franklindowntownpartnership.org.

Additional Franklin Matters photos of the event ->

https://photos.app.goo.gl/nvJNHReQzAKv24C96

 

What vendors and activities are at the Farmer's Market today - June 20, 2025 ??

We are glad you asked.  

Thanks to the good folks operating the Franklin Farmer's Market, we have the answers to share. 

For additional info, you can also check the Farmers Market page ->   https://www.franklinfarmersmarketma.com/

What vendors and activities are at the Farmer's Market today - June 20, 2025 ??

Town Council hears of Chief McLaughlin retirement, Electric Youth performance, and approves union contracts (video)

The Town Council met as scheduled on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 in the Council Chambers with 8 present initially and the 9 joined in progress.

The Franklin TV video is available for replay ->  https://www.youtube.com/live/RpRNbG1tXVw?&t=188

Agenda doc ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06182025-1788

Electric Youth made their annual 'bon voyage' appearance to perform an a cappella number

Quick recap:

• Fire Chief McLaughlin reads statement announcing his retirement on or before Oct 1, 2025. He lists the accomplishments of his time here including that the Department has multiple qualified candidates to replace him. Town Administrator Jamie Hellen confirms later in the meeting that the position posting will be for internal candidates only.
• Electric Youth made their annual 'bon voyage' appearance to perform an a cappella number fittingly "Time of my Life" from the Dirty Dancing movie
• Appointment to the Council on Aging: Elizabeth Sawyer, approved
• Appointment to the Disability Commission: Cheryl Fisher, approved
• La Cantina was approved for their Farmers Market license
• The Community Survey results were released and explained. Results can be compared with over 500 communities. Good response rate, among the best at 20%, effectively a better representation of the sense of the community with the random sample selection. Paid via Federal grant money as a pilot program. No definitive timeline for a next survey. Likely a discussion later this year on what the results can be used for
• Report ->  https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/5956/8a-Polco-Survey-Final-Report
• Presentation doc ->   https://franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5945/Polco---The-NCS-Presentation-Franklin-MA-2025
• Town presentation doc by Town Administrator Jamie Hellen ->   https://franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5946/Town-of-Franklin---The-NCSPresentation
• All the details in the survey are posted on one Town page ->   https://franklinma.gov/974/National-Community-Survey
• Motion made and approved to create the Franklin 250 Celebration Committee. Up to 13 members with some specific representation and some at large residents, Term thru June 30, 2029. Plan the year long celebration, engaging, calendar, programs, access, etc. The committee needs to be of people who are willing to do the work. Town staff as ex officio to assist the committee, the committee needs to do the work. Discussion on council membership in "at large role"
• Resolution 25-39: FY25 Budget Transfers. Balancing the books better before they close out June 30. Out of $150m budget balancing on $40k is amazing
• Councilor Cormier-Leger arrives at 9:25 PM. Council enters Executive Session shortly after to discuss contract negotiation.  They returned approx. 15 minutes later to approve 7 motions certifying the contract with Town side bargaining units. All received the same 2.5% COLA that the School teachers agreed to, for a 3 year term.
• Meeting adjourned

My complete set of notes captured during the meeting

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bUOaCgv7a1pv5MHGIqweTwmKy2MkAEjW/view?usp=drive_link

State Rep. Jeff Roy Visits Franklin's Horace Mann Middle School to Discuss Recess Legislation with Sixth Graders

Superintendent Lucas Giguere and Horace Mann Middle School (HMMS) teacher Joe Corey are pleased to share that students recently welcomed State Rep. Jeff Roy for an engaging conversation about the legislative process and an important bill that directly impacts them.

On a recent visit to the school, Rep. Roy met with the Grade 6 Team Lightning students to discuss pending legislation that would mandate 30 minutes of unstructured recess daily for all students in grades K-8. The visit was the latest in a series of civics-focused learning opportunities for students, who have been studying how bills become laws and advocating for causes for which they care.

State Rep. Jeff Roy recently visited with students at
Horace Mann Middle School to discuss the
legislative process and a pending
recess bill. (Photo Courtesy Franklin Public Schools)

Team Lightning educators — Mr. Joseph Corey, Ms. Lauren Goode, Mrs. Erin Bouchard and Mr. David Foster — facilitated the event, during which Rep. Roy shared his support for the recess bill and walked students through the steps of the legislative process. He noted that while the bill enjoys bipartisan support, the state’s legislative calendar runs in two-year cycles, meaning that even well-supported ideas can take time to become law.

"I really enjoyed how he explained the process of making a law," said student Clare Fisk. "It let me understand how our law would get passed. I also really liked when he told us examples of how other laws got passed."

Rep. Roy also expressed his appreciation for the students’ civic engagement, especially after learning they had submitted written testimony to the Joint Committee on Education in response to a May 6 hearing on the bill. Many students watched the hearing live in class and followed up with persuasive letters and poems advocating for recess.

"I have never met an important person of authority before," said student Sebi Ciporkin. "Their presence actually gave me goosebumps."

Students found the experience both inspiring and informative, from understanding the legislative timeline to learning about the differences between emergency bills and standard filings.

"I enjoyed meeting with my elected representative and senator because it is cool to learn more about the law-making process and it is just overall pretty cool to meet with someone who represents our state," said student Desi Camp.

The visit followed a similar conversation with state Sen. Becca Rausch, who met with students earlier this year. Both lawmakers offered students encouragement and advice for strengthening their advocacy efforts.

"They listened to our research, told us that they were on board, and then told us their facts," said student Theo Perry. "They listened to our poems and were surprised, impressed and kind."

Rep. Roy, a Franklin resident and parent of three HMMS alumni, shared memories of his own children enjoying recess and expressed concern that middle schoolers today often go without it due to academic time-on-learning requirements from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

"We’re so proud of our students for engaging so deeply with the democratic process," said Superintendent Giguere. "Their thoughtful questions, persuasive writing and respectful dialogue with elected leaders demonstrate the powerful impact of student voice."

Franklin's Early Childhood Development Center Holds Inaugural Special Olympics Young Athletes Game Day

Superintendent Lucas Giguere and Principal Kimberly Taylor are proud to share that the F.X. O'Regan Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) hosted its first-ever Special Olympics Unified Young Athletes Game Day on Friday, June 6.

The event celebrated the remarkable efforts and achievements of Franklin’s youngest Unified athletes — preschool students who have been practicing teamwork and motor skill development throughout the spring as part of the Special Olympics Young Athletes Program.

Under the guidance of ECDC Physical Therapist Jodi Klein and a dedicated team of staff coaches, these young students learned important physical and social-emotional skills while embracing the core values of inclusion and support.

"We had a wonderful group of athletes and coaches for our inaugural year of Young Athletes," said Klein. "I think Game Day represented a wide array of the skills we worked on for several months, including balance, jumping, eye-hand coordination, teamwork and sportsmanship. It is a privilege to be able to do this work with our littlest athletes and get them started with healthy habits in a positive, inclusive environment."

Franklin's Unified Young Athletes receive medals at
the inaugural Special Olympics Unified Young
Athletes Game Day on Friday, June 6.
(Photo Courtesy Franklin Public Schools)

The Game Day event featured a full slate of festivities, beginning with opening ceremonies, a flag salute and a proud recitation of the Special Olympics Athlete Oath: "Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."

Families, classmates and staff cheered on the young athletes as they participated in a series of fun and skill-based activities, showcasing all they have learned and accomplished together.

"We are so proud of this group of students for being our first Preschool Unified Athletes Team, and can't wait to see how this program expands in the future," said Principal Taylor.

"These students have shown great determination, teamwork and joy, and it was so meaningful to watch them shine during their Game Day," said Superintendent Giguere. "This program represents the best of what we value in Franklin — inclusion, community and support for every learner."

Rise Up - Saturday for some game time - June 21 at 10 AM

Rise Up is this Saturday and I'm excited to see you for social time and... game time!

Date: June 21st

Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Location: Franklin United Methodist Church, 82 West Central Street, Franklin (Parking and ramp/door on the left side)

Agenda: 

- open social time

- group intros

- What Do You Meme game

- open social time

- wrap up

Hope to see you there!

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This one-hour social meet-up is intended to be a safe space for:

• individuals navigating life with disability to meet others they can relate with
• community partners to learn more about the population and share resources
• support persons to meet other support persons

For additional information about this event, please visit ->  https://alirheaume.com/rise-up

Navigating life with disability? Check out the Rise Up group meeting Saturday at 10 AM to see if it is for you

One Week Until MLT Program: How Are Your Local Birds Doing?

Hope to see you in Upton next Thursday, June 26th at 6:30 pm!

View this email in your browser Dear Neighbor, We hope to see you in person on Thursday, June 26th, for Metacomet's annual business meeting and program!  We will gather at 6:30 p.m. at the Upton Community Center, 9 Milford Street (Rte 140). Our program will be on the state of Massachusetts birds, including visitors such as this beautiful Yellow Breasted Chat, which was banded and released at a preserved property in Uxbridge last fall. Prior to the meeting, please take a few moments to read our Annual Report which is now available on our website at this link: 2025-MLT-Annual-Report.pdf Our membership meeting is an important part of our annual governance. We encourage you to attend, ask questions about our progress and recent activities, and vote on the key motions to allow the Trust to fulfill our governing by-laws. But if you can't attend in person, please consider sending your proxy in ahead of the meeting so that we can reach a quorum of our voting membership. The proxy form is the at the bottom of the first page of the report at the link above. Email a photo of your signed proxy to info@metacometlandtrust.org by June 25th. If you would like to volunteer to serve on the Board or other committees, please contact me for more information at Lisa.Mosczynski@metacometlandtrust.org. In Conservation, Lisa Mosczynski President Board of Directors Membership Donations, Gifts of Land or Conservation Restrictions, or donations of items to be auctioned are deductible on the Federal 1040. Our Federal Tax-Exempt ID is: 04-3020897.  How Are the Birds?       Metacomet will host Brandi Van Roo, Ph.D. and Beth Milke for a presentation on the health of our wild bird populations when they speak at our annual meeting on June 26th. The program will be held at the Upton Community Center at 9 Milford Street (Rt. 140) in Upton.      Brandi Van Roo is a professor of wildlife biology at Framingham State University. Her research includes bird breeding behavior as well as migrant bird banding for conservation purposes. She trains undergraduate students at banding stations in Ashland, Uxbridge and Douglas.      Beth Milke has lived in Uxbridge for 35 years, since her husband Paul retired from the military.  She grew up in suburban Philadelphia, PA and her early background included business education and mass communications. Her reincarnation as a nature lover began after spotting bluebirds in her yard shortly after moving in and then meeting an experienced local birder.  This meeting led to a 12-year stint banding songbirds and small owls at local parks. Most recently, Beth serves as a Volunteer-in-Parks with the National Park Service, leading birdwalks and maintaining River Bend Farm's Pollinator Garden for Blackstone Heritage Corridor, Inc.     A silent auction with wild bird-focused items, refreshments and information on land preservation will also be offered. If you would like to contribute an item to our fundraiser, please write to susan.speers@metacometlandtrust.org. We Love Where We Live -- And We Know You Do, Too! Copyright © 2025 Metacomet Land Trust, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Metacomet Land Trust P.O. Box 231 Franklin, MA 02038

Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm schedule for Friday, June 20, 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 Friday

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

• This features the Appreciation Event hosted by State Rep Jeff Roy recognizing the affordable housing unit returned to active use for the Franklin Housing Authority   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/06/audio-recording-of-fha-appreciation.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   

Watch Listen Read all things that matter in Franklin MA

Franklin TV schedule for Friday, June 20, 2025

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

7:00 am Franklin Art Association: Vincent Crotty

8:30 am Frank Presents: Jamie Barrett

10:00 am Riffin' on Main Street: James Johnston

11:00 am Senior Connection: Spaghetti Bolognese

12:00 pm Brook'n'Cookin: Meatballs

12:30 pm Cooking with Linda: Mac 'n' Cheese

1:30 pm Pizzapalooza: Margherita Pizza

2:00 pm New England Candlepins: Summer 2019 Show 8

3:00 pm Winning Ways with the MIAA: Shaun Hart Pt 1

4:00 pm Chad Hollister Band

9:30 pm Mary Anning: Fossil Hunter

 

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

7:00 am FHS Concert Hour 02-26-25

8:30 am Mental Health : Amanda Ayer & David Gove

9:30 am Cultural Council: BT ALC Big Band

11:00 am FHS Senior Awards Night 2025

1:30 pm FHS Theater Company: Lord of the Flies

2:30 pm All-Town Showcase 2024: Band

4:00 pm FHS Varsity Baseball v King Philip 06-09-25

9:00 pm Tri County Graduation 2025

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

8:00 am Zoning Board of Appeals 06-05-25

2:00 pm Zoning Board of Appeals 06-05-25

 

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: Thursday, June 19, 2025 ???

Thursday, June 19 = Juneteenth

8:30am State & Town Officials Office Hour (CANCELED)

5:00pm Board Game Night (Pete's Nerd Emporium)

7:00pm 350 Mass Greater Franklin Node Meeting (First Universalist Society Franklin)

7:00pm BEN 4 Franklin Mtg (This session canceled)

7:30pm Musical Bingo (Teddy Gallagher's Irish Pub)

7:30pm Electric Youth 2025 Bon Voyage (THE BLACK BOX)

**  NO Town Meetings today   **

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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-calendar