Farland Corp. acquires Guerriere & Halnon, Inc

"We’re excited to share that Farland Corp. has acquired Guerriere & Halnon, Inc., bringing together two experienced teams in civil engineering and land surveying.

As part of this transition, the Franklin office has joined our Milford office at 333 West Street, Milford, just minutes away.

While the location is changing, the things that matter most are staying the same: the same familiar team, the same phone number, and the same commitment to our clients and community.

We’re especially grateful to the Franklin community for the trust and relationships Guerriere & Halnon has built over the years. We look forward to continuing those relationships while providing even more resources and capabilities as one combined team.

Thank you, Franklin for your continued support! "

#FarlandCorp #GuerriereAndHalnon #FranklinMA #MilfordMA #CivilEngineering #LandSurveying #OneTeamOneVision

Morning conference in Boston on "Housing, Land Use, and Building Reform" - Sept 15

via The Boston Foundation (TBF)

"On September 15th, TBF and Boston Indicators with Boston Society for Architecture are hosting a morning conference on Housing, Land Use, and Building Reform.

Regulatory barriers have been blocking the construction of homes that Massachusetts needs, especially small multifamily buildings like triple-deckers and townhouses. For generations, these were the homes that gave families a first foothold, a place to raise kids, save money, and lay down roots in our region. Please join Boston Indicators for a morning forum on how today’s regulatory problems evolved over time, and what to do about it.

MA has no shortage of people working to fix these systems and policymakers have been making progress in recent years, and we hope you'll join us to hear from leading experts making the case for reform. The morning conference will include time for discussion and networking with policymakers, advocates, architects, builders, planners, real estate professionals, and academics working toward better rules for small multifamily housing construction."

"The leading experts who will speak at the event are: • Jonathan Berk, who will provide a briefing on his new Boston Indicators report, “Delayed by Design: How the Permitting Process Stalls Housing in Massachusetts, which will be released at the event. • Sam Naylor, who will speak on building code reform and share his recommendations for small multifamily housing in Massachusetts, drawn from two Boston Indicators reports that he authored, and • Amy Dain, who will discuss comprehensive regulatory reform, including comparison of state reform efforts across time. There will also be time for discussion and networking with policymakers, advocates, architects, builders, planners, real estate professionals, and academics. Breakfast will be available at 8:30 AM

And lunch will be available at 12:00 PM"

Register at the link : https://www.tbf.org/Events/2026/September/Housing-Land-Use-and-Building-Reform

Shared from - https://www.instagram.com/p/DcgaRpEjSAP/  & https://www.instagram.com/p/DcJi6utnEPw/

Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office to host “House to House for Heroes” veterans’ outreach in Avon on September 26th

Sheriff Patrick McDermott, the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office, and the Town of Avon’s Veterans’ Service Office will host a veterans-focused “House to House for Heroes” outreach effort on Saturday, September 26, 2026, in Avon.

This community-driven initiative allows volunteers to meet the men and women who have given so much to their country through their honorable military service and provides them with an opportunity to deliver essential information about the many benefits, services, and resources available to those veterans.

Avon will be the tenth Norfolk County Community visited by volunteers through this veterans' outreach from the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office.

The event will begin at 9:30 AM on September 26th with a kickoff ceremony at VFW Post 8892, located at 263 E Main Street in Avon. From there, volunteers will be assigned homes to conduct their door-to-door outreach of Avon’s veterans.

“House to House for Heroes has proven to be an effective way to raise awareness in the veteran community about the resources and financial support available to them,” said Sheriff McDermott. “It’s also proven to be an incredible way for volunteers to learn about the patriotic service and dedication of the veterans in their neighborhoods through one-on-one meetings at veterans’ doorsteps.”

Volunteers will distribute informational packets that include guidance on accessing veterans’ benefits, healthcare services, housing and employment resources, and contact information for veteran-focused organizations.

Previous successful House to House for Heroes outreach events have been hosted by the Sheriff’s Office in Holbrook, Canton, Foxborough, Stoughton, Walpole, Norfolk, Weymouth, Braintree and Quincy.

Volunteers from communities surrounding Avon are welcome and encouraged to participate.

Volunteers are asked to arrive by 9:30 AM at VFW Post 8892 in Avon, ahead of the kickoff ceremony.

Avon House to House for Heroes:

Date:         Saturday, September 26, 2026

Location: VFW Post 8892, 263 E Main Street in Avon

Time:  9:30 a.m.     Volunteer Arrival & Kickoff Ceremony

10:00 AM  Door-to-Door Veteran Outreach Begins

No advance registration is required. 

House to House for Heroes will take place rain or shine.

Franklin Public Radio wfpr.fm schedule for Thursday, August 27, 2026

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:

8:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 6:00 PM - Franklin Matters Radio – Steve Sherlock covering Franklin, its local government, services, and events  (Repeats Saturday at 3:00 PM)

• This hour features the School Committee Policy Subcmte meeting held on Tuesday, August 11, 2026  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/08/school-cmte-policy-subcommittee-reviews.html

9:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 7:00 PM - first hour

10:00 AM, 3:00 PM, and 8:00 PM - second hour

Turntable – "Enjoy a fun experience with co-hosts The Vibe and Pauly G sharing personal discussions about a featured rock n roll vinyl record (1st hour) and the best, all music Vibe Playlist (2nd hour)"  

• The Turntable Show features Stevie Wonder’s “Songs in the Key of Life” Album Hour and live recordings from the Natural Wonder record in the Playlist Hour.   
• “Songs In The Key of Life” debuted September 28, 1976 at number one on Billboard’s 200 chart becoming only the 3rd album to achieve that and the 1st by an American artist.  
• Enjoy the R&B fun music of a true music industry icon.

Find the playlist ->  https://tinyurl.com/TurntablePlaylists

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 Thursday, August 27, 2026 (Your local Public, Education & Government "PEG" station)

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

9:00 am Aging Agenda: Arthur Vigeant

10:00 am Franklin Matters: Kitchen Center

11:33 am Cooking Thyme: Ice Cream

12:03 pm Brook'n'Cookin: Taquitos

12:35 pm Learn to Cook with Linda: Sticky Buns

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

2:00 pm New England Candlepins Summer 2023 Show 8

3:00 pm Candlepin New Generation: Show 11

3:30 pm Aging Boldfully: Julie Booth

4:30 pm Veterans' Call: Lauren Turner

5:30 pm Rockin' The Boroughs

9:00 pm Circle of Friends: Vance Gilbert

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

7:30 am      Winning Ways with the MIAA: Shaun Hart Pt 2

8:30 am FHS Winter Music: Band and Wind Ensemble

10:30 am Mary Anning: Fossil Hunter

12:30 pm Cultural Council: BT ALC Big Band

2:00 pm Arts Advocacy: Fundraising

3:00 pm FHS Varsity Softball v Hopkinton 04-25-26

9:00 pm FHSTC: Curious Case of the Cottingley Fairies

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

8:00 am Conservation Commission 08-13-26

11:00 am Economic Development 08-04-26

2:00 pm Conservation Commission 08-13-26

7:00 pm Conservation Commission  Chambers ??  897 8846 7620

7:00 pm 250th Anniversary Committee FLOOR 3  974 0008 8938 

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: Wednesday, August 26, 2026 ???

Wednesday, August 26

8:00am    Early Voting - State Primary    (Town Clerk's Office)

1:00pm Scribblers Writing Group (recording session) (Franklin Senior Center)

6:00pm Recording Session: Once Upon A Town (Franklin TV and Radio)

6:30pm Bingo night (Kings Brick Oven Pizza & Pub)

6:30pm Franklin Elks Bingo Night (Franklin Elks Lodge #2136)

7:00pm Smarty Pants Trivia (Raillery Public House)

For additional details on Library events -> https://www.franklinma.gov/942/Calendar-of-Events

For additional details on Senior Center events ->   

https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9890

***  Town Meetings today ***

Council on Aging Board Meeting

Wednesday, August 26 Time: 11:00 AM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08262026-2470

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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

Dean College Announces 2026–2027 Performing Arts Season

Dean College proudly announces its 2026–2027 performing arts season, featuring theatre and dance productions performed by Dean students and brought to life in collaboration with accomplished faculty, guest artists, choreographers and directors. Running from October through May, the season includes four mainstage theatre productions, four major dance concerts and four student showcase productions.

“This season gives our students opportunities to explore ambitious works, develop their individual artistic voices and share their talents with the wider community,” said Stephen Ursprung, Dean of the Schools of Performing Arts. “From contemporary musicals and thought-provoking plays to original student and faculty choreography, each production reflects the creativity, collaboration and professional preparation at the heart of Dean’s performing arts programs.

This season also arrives at a meaningful moment, as the nation marks its 250th anniversary. While not every production speaks directly to patriotism, the season as a whole is shaped around the question of what it means to be American: how we exist in community with one another, how we face challenges as a society, and how we embody ingenuity, collaboration and resilience in the face of adversity.   

Regularly priced tickets range from $12 to $22 per show. Full-season ticket packages offer a 25 percent discount off the regular single-ticket prices. The Full Season Package (eight performances) is $132 for the general public and $72 for senior citizens and non-Dean students. All shows for Dean students are $5.  

The Theatre Series Package (four performances – “The Skin of Our Teeth,” “Urinetown,” “August: Osage County,” and “9 to 5”) is $66 for the general public and $36 for senior citizens and non-Dean students.  

The Dance Series Package (four performances – “Fall Dance Concert,” “Faculty Dance Works,” “Choreographers’ Concert,” and “Dance Company”) is $66 for the general public and $36 for senior citizens and non-Dean students.  

Ticket packages are now available online at www.dean.edu/performance. Individual show tickets will be available beginning September 8.  

Continue reading the press release which includes additional details on each performance

https://www.dean.edu/news-events/story/dean-college-announces-2026-2027-performing-arts-season/

School Committee welcomes new administrators, approves handbook changes, gets updates on hiring, transportation & facility projects (video)

The Franklin School Committee met as scheduled on Tuesday, August 25 in Council Chambers. 6 of the 7 members were present; 1 participated remotely (O'Sullivan) (hence all votes were via roll call), 1 member absent (Callaghan).

Franklin TV video is available for replay - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOqCiAbY_s4

The agenda doc - https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08252026-2467 

Quick recap:

• New administrators and Central office personnel were introduced and photos taken to share with the community
• Human Resources provided a hiring update, in a better position now with 17 openings than the prior 3 years, some of the openings are in the process of being fulfilled
• Review of the chnages to the school handbooks for the high school, middle school, elementary and ECDC. Mostly minor changes at the lewer levels some key chnages for the upper grades
• Later in the meeting, the handbooks were approved so they will be distributed electronically to all the parents and families
• Update on Transportation, only 40 on the waitlist, approx 280 had been on the waitlist, some having moved within the district or into the district but the majority simply missed the registration deadline in June
• bus schedules and routes are posted to the Schools page https://www.franklinps.net/o/fpsd/page/transportation/
• bus passes will be distributed by the schools when they open, elementary students will get a tag for their backpacks, middle and high school will get the standard pass
• Update on facility projects, some completed across the district some still in process, some funded but scheduled for later in the school year or next summer due to potential disruption of the school operations
• Committee entered Executive Session not to return to open meeting

My complete set of notes captured during the meeting

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HWfAJ6oObFg475FYzqh8NS-TjQ3poSit/view?usp=drive_link

Photo album of the handbook updates https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ggp9R1C5182HgZY58

Photo album of the Transportation update

https://photos.app.goo.gl/HwiGhfnd4DcgfNQn8

Photo almbum of the Facilitiy updates

https://photos.app.goo.gl/8RnTJnVhvbCK9oMt6

Mitzi gives us the inside view on the event highlights for the Library in September 2026 (audio & video)

FM #1802 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1802x in the series. 

This session shares my conversation with Mitzi Gousie, Programming and Outreach Librarian with the Franklin Public Library. We had our discussion virtually on Saturday, August 22, 2026.

 

We talk about 

• Reviewed the regular open hours, book sale and holiday scheduling for the month

• Sunday hours (1:30 to 5 PM) return on September 13

• Book sale weekend Sep 18 & Sep 19 

• Library event highlights for September 2026

• In calendar order rather than by category this time around

Registration for those events required should be done through the Town website, Library page. There are nefarious folks trying to convince folks otherwise via Facebook. Be safe, use the official Town and Library pages.

The show notes include links to the Library page and to the calendar of events where registration for some of the events is required/recommended.

The recording runs about 19 minutes, so let’s listen in.

Audio link -  https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1802-franklin-public-library-sept-2026-event-highlights-08-22-26/

Video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-wLaLjXquA

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

Mitzi Gousie’s email - mgousie@minlib.net 

Franklin Public Library page -  https://www.franklinma.gov/233/Franklin-Public-Library 

Library event calendar - https://www.franklinma.gov/942/Calendar-of-Events 

September 2026 newsletter -  (to be added, still showing the August edition)

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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"

Franklin Navratri Is Back! October 17, 2026

"Get ready to celebrate, connect, and dance the night away! 

The Indian Cultural Association of Franklin (ICAF) is excited to bring our community together once again for Franklin Navratri — an evening filled with culture, music, fun, and celebration! 

Thank you for your continued support and for helping make this tradition so special. 

Mark your calendar and stay tuned for more details. We can’t wait to celebrate with you! 

Interested in hosting a vendor booth?

For details and inquiries, please email Contact: ICAFMA@gmail.com."

Shared from - https://www.instagram.com/p/DcZgPj0D7wU/?

ICAF Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563869237280#

Save the date: You're invited to the Sculpture Park - Sep 10

We’re excited to share that the Franklin Sculpture Park is entering a new chapter as we refresh and expand our digital presence on the Town of Franklin’s website. As we prepare to welcome two new public art installations to the park, we’re updating our online resources to better showcase the artwork, artists, educational opportunities, and community stories that make the Sculpture Park such a special place.

The refreshed webpages will provide visitors with an easier way to explore the park’s collection, learn about current and upcoming installations, discover the artists behind the work, and find information about accessibility, programming, and the park’s connection to the surrounding natural environment.

As we continue to grow the Sculpture Park’s collection, we remain committed to creating a space where art, nature, education, and community come together. We invite you to explore the updated website and follow along as we prepare to welcome these exciting new additions.

Take a peek at the updated Franklin Sculpture Park webpage here!

https://www.franklinma.gov/1000/The-Franklin-Sculpture-Park

Live music at the Farmers Market features Kaye Kelly, this Friday, August 28

Live music at the market this Friday!

We’re excited to have @one_creative_life (Kaye Kelly) joining us on Aug. 28 from 2–6 PM! Come spend the afternoon at the market, shop from your favorite local vendors, grab something to eat, and enjoy some live acoustic music from Heather.

This performance is sponsored by the @franklinculturalcouncil02038 and the @masscultural

Shared from - https://www.instagram.com/p/DceTZOqlFrO/