'Just Make it' Art Club - Sunday, Sep 7

Free and open to the public. All creatives & craftspeople welcome. Bring your own project, or come to learn something new.

Don't have a specific project in mind? We'll have supplies on hand to make mala bead bracelets and paper lanterns.

'Just Make it' Art Club - Sunday, Sep 7

The club is primarily targeted at adults, but well-behaved kids and teenagers are welcome to attend. Children ages 6-12 are also welcome to Dharma School.

Art Club meets in the dining room.

Staying after the Sunday Dharma Program? Grab a slice of pizza on us before digging into your project.

• RSVP to receive reminders.
• Learn more about the Art as Practice retreat

When: Sunday, September 7, 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Where: Providence Zen Center, 99 Pound Rd, Cumberland, RI 02864, USA

Shared from ->  https://tockify.com/providence.zen.center/detail/41/1757260800000/6

Call for artists for a special Pop-Up Arts Exhibition this fall

Call to Artists!

Call for artists for a special Pop-Up Arts Exhibition this fall

We’re seeking artists from across the region for a special Pop-Up Arts Exhibition this fall.

Showcase your work, connect with fellow creatives, and be part of a vibrant regional celebration of the arts!

Installation opportunity & pop up exhibit, works on paper- see the link below.

Apply now — limited space available!

Additional info -> https://www.franklinma.gov/1107/Call-for-Visual-Artists

Franklin Fire Dept hosts technical rescue training

Franklin Fire hosted a technical rescue training drill today (07/21/25) at Indian Rock in town. We were joined by our peers from Bellingham and Millis Fire Departments.

These collaborative trainings ensure that when low-frequency, high-risk technical rescue incidents occur, your local fire department’s are skilled, equipped, and ready to respond.

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

Offshore wind power progress via the New Bedford Light

Offshore wind power progress via the New Bedford Light

As Vineyard Wind has ramped up construction this summer, the project is now sending power from 17 turbines to the Massachusetts grid, up from four in May, according to a quarterly investors report released on Wednesday.

It amounts to about 220 megawatts of the 800-megawatt project, or 27% power production, with enough energy to power more than 100,000 Massachusetts homes. Iberdrola, the parent company of Avangrid, one of the project’s developers, also said in its new report that the project expects to reach 30% power by the end of July — and “full COD,” meaning full commercial operation date, by the end of this year.

 

Read the full story: https://newbedfordlight.org/vineyard-wind-nears-30-power-production/

How Boston is handling climate in the face of riding tides via The Guardian

Via The Guardian, we can read: 

"As the Trump administration dismisses global heating, the coastal city is getting on with becoming one of the most climate resilient in the world. Here’s how

Patrick Devine, a captain for Boston Harbor City Cruises, shows me on his phone the scenes here in September 2024. The water was ankle-deep outside the door to his office on Long Wharf, one of the US city’s oldest piers, obscuring the pavements and walkways, surging into buildings and ruining vehicles in the car parks. “It just gets worse and worse each year,” says Devine, who has worked here, on and off, since 1995. “I’ve gotten used to it, so it’s just knowing your way around it.”

A waiter at Chart House restaurant in Boston

Much of Boston has got used to this. Devine has his own supply of sandbags now, for example. Next door to his office is the Chart House restaurant – when Long Wharf flooded last September, customers merrily sat at outside tables, holding their feet above the waterline, as servers with black bin bags for trousers waded over to bring them their lunches. The restaurant’s floor level is lower than that of the wharf, so the water came up to knee level in some areas. “It’s just part of business,” says one waiter, as he points out how the plug sockets are all at waist height. The place has flooded three times in the year he’s worked here. “We just clean it up, squeeze it out, open the doors, dry it out. It is what it is.”

Continue reading the article (subscription may be required)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jul/24/flood-boston-climate-deniers-trump-administration-coastal-city-resilient?CMP=share_btn_url

Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm schedule for Friday, July 25, 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 my conversation with Chris Flynn on the Horace Mann project -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/07/actor-chris-could-use-your-help-in-this.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   

Franklin TV schedule for Friday, July 25, 2025 (Your local Public, Education & Government "PEG" station)

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

7:00 am Sons & Daughters of Italy: Paolo DiGregorio

8:30 am Frank's Musings: Supreme Court

10:00 am Riffing on Main Street: Amy Adams

11:00 am Senior Connection: Ariel Doggett

12:00 pm Brook'n'Cookin': Quinoa

12:30 pm Cooking with Linda: Trifles

1:30 pm Pizzapalooza: Meat-Lovers Pt. 2

2:00 pm New England Candlepins: Summer 2018 Show 2

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

4:00 pm 4th of July 2025: Midnight Ride

6:30 pm Celebrate with Pride 2025: Sioo

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

7:00 am Public School Event: Elementary Music Pt. 1 06-04-18

8:30 am Mental Health: Raeleen Sullivan

9:30 am All-Town Showcase 2024: Chorus and Orchestra

11:00 am FHS Graduation 2025

1:30 pm ArtWeek: Theater in the Open

2:30 pm FHS Concert Hour 02-26-25

4:00 pm FHS Varsity Baseball v Oliver Ames 03-31-25

9:00 pm FHS Theater Company: Cinderella

• 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, July 24, 2025 ???

Thursday, July 24

Library & Senior Center events 

5:00pm paint "Sunset Light" and help support the Franklin Food Pantry (Franklin Food Pantry)

6:00pm Jamie Barrett (live music) (Napper Tandy's, Millis)

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

9:00pm Joshua David (live music) (3 restaurant)

For additional details on Library & Senior Center events ->        

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

** Town Meetings today   **

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School Meeting

Thursday, July 24 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07242025-1825    

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, July 24 Time:7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/451?fileID=5417 

------------

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

Circle of Friends Coffeehouse: 2025-2026 Tickets on Sale Now!

Tickets are now on sale for our 2025-2026 concert season!   Our first concert is on Sept.13th featuring Chris Smither followed by Richard Shindell on October 18th. The rest of the schedule can be found at our website circlefolk.org.  Many of these shows will probably sell out, so buy your tickets early! Find Out More Copyright © 2025 Circle of Friends Coffeehouse, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Circle of Friends Coffeehouse First Universalist Society 262 Chestnut St Franklin, MA 02038

Circle of Friends Coffeehouse: 2025-2026 Tickets on Sale Now!

Town Council spends almost 5 hours conducting business on Wednesday (video)

The chock full agenda for the only July meeting of the Franklin Town Council kept the group active until almost 11 PM (6 PM start).

All 9 councilors participated initially. Councilor Frongillo recused himself during the Crossing Neighborhood discussion and did not return for the remainder of the session. 

Councilors Dellorco and Hamblen were commended twice by Chair Mercer for coming to the meeting in person (from their vacation) to allow the group to avoid roll call on every vote (not just the bylaw acceptance that requires it whether remote or not)

The Franklin TV video for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Dc10zX_m3k

The agenda docs and supporting material ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07232025-1829 

My full set of notes captured during the meeting in one PDF ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HG6gba9gs32QQmenYy89A426iD-eGNLd/view?usp=drive_link

Amy Adams talks about the Wind Phone & healing with heART (audio)

FM #1483 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1483 in the series. 

constructing the Wind Phone*

This session shares my conversation with Franklin artist extraordinaire Amy Adams. We had our discussion in the Franklin TV & Radio Studio on Monday, July 21, 2025.

 

Our conversation covers some of Amy’s work and approach

• The Wind Phone comes to Natick

• Dealing with grief

• Healing with HeART

• Mural and other projects

The recording runs about 51 minutes, so let’s listen in. Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1483-amy-adams-on-the-wind-phone-healing-with-heart-07-21-25/

--------------

* image of the wind phone construction edited from Amy's reel

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1295208835547147

Painting Venus - Amy’s art portfolio page -> https://www.paintingvenus.art/ 

Andrea Gibson quote we opened with:  

“I have never met a heavy heart that wasn’t a phone booth with a red cape inside

Some people will never understand the kind of superpower it takes for some people to just walk outside

Some days I know my smile looks like the gutter of a killing house

But my hands are always holding tight to the ripchord of believing”

Shared from Instagram ->   https://www.instagram.com/p/DMK1OK8ofa2/

The Wind Phone is located to the right of the entrance for the Common Street Spiritual Center. You do not have to enter the center. The Wind Phone is combined with art through Project Healing with HeART. It is dedicated to the community, for all that have been lost.  13 Common St, Natick, MA 01760, USA

• US Wind phone website  -> https://www.mywindphone.com/united-states-windphones 

• Food Pantry storage project -> https://photos.app.goo.gl/NjvmBZKtsqLpDPvF6 

While traditionally we think of 5 senses, the 6th sense came to my mind during my conversation and it turns out there are many more  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sense  

-------------

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. 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!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"