"it just takes a little planning"

Residents get a free ride

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

Fri Jun 20, 2008, 05:50 PM EDT

FRANKLIN -

For the past few months, Franklin resident Janaina Santos has been "out-and-about" - shopping, taking trips to the library or to Boston - more than she has in a while, thanks to the new public bus, she said.

The Franklin Area Bus, operated by the Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority and funded part by a grant program, has only been in town three months, but Santos is already a regular, she said.

"I think it's awesome. It's good - I'm satisfied with it," said Santos, smiling and taking a seat on the bus beside her daughter after picking up a few groceries at the Stop & Shop on Rte. 140.

Instead of walking or getting a ride with a friend, Santos rides the bus nearly every day now to go to work at the Franklin Senior Center, when she needs to run errands, shop, or get to the train station to head to the city, she said. Her children take the bus to the library, Santos said.

"It's very good. I think it's going to be helpful in the wintertime, for everybody. They should continue to have it," Santos said.

Santos is one of about 25 Franklin residents who now regularly benefits from the town's lengthy battle to bring the public bus to town, and who took advantage of GATRA's one-day, nationwide campaign, "Dump the Pump," and got a free ride yesterday.

Read the full story in the Franklin Gazette here

Have you ridden the bus yet? The schedule is available on the Town website.

"You are all truly blessed"

By Jeff Ghiringhelli/Daily News correspondent

GHS

Posted Jun 20, 2008 @ 11:34 PM

---

FRANKLIN —

The town's oldest residents were honored yesterday at the seventh annual Nonagenarian Tea, held at the Franklin Senior Center.

Seniors age 90 and up gathered in the morning, surrounded by their families, to celebrate their gifted lives.

Thirty seniors were given a rose and a citation, with Franklin Town Council member Bob Vallee present to hand out the citations.

"Congratulations to all of you," Vallee said. "You are all truly blessed."

Senior Center Director Karen Alves served as master of ceremonies and gave special recognition to the two centenarians present at the tea.

Helen Beghosian, 104, who still cooks and goes for walks, and Lilian Pisani, 100, were given bouquets to recognize their vitality.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

"it's a discussion worth having"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Jun 20, 2008 @ 11:28 PM

---

FRANKLIN —

The school district could save up to 20 teacher jobs, officials say, if Town Council agrees to Councilor Robert Vallee's request to give schools $1 million from the stabilization account in July.

Taking action to prevent 47 teacher layoffs is "critical," Vallee said at the council's June 18 meeting, then making a motion to put the subject on Town Council's July 9 agenda for discussion. Only five councilors were present for the meeting, and the item barely made it on the agenda.

In anticipation of possible pressure from various town departments for further funding for operational costs from the stabilization account, the Finance Committee at its June 17 meeting unanimously voted to send a strong message to Town Council that such action is "inappropriate," except for unemployment costs, said Finance Committee Chairman Jim Roche.

The cost of laying off 45 people is about $675,000 in unemployment costs, according to Superintendent Wayne Ogden.

Bonding companies downgrade towns that continually use stabilization funds, Roche said, noting that Franklin has been taking money from that account for operational expenses for the last four years.

"We can't afford our interest rate to go up because we're foolishly spending our stabilization funds," Roche said.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

Local Scenes

Dipping into the archives, this was originally posted a year ago.


The Flickr photo set can be found here


The blog postings can be found here:

Landscape Changes

Parmenter School gets ready

Planning Board is hard at work

Free stuff

St Rocco - Fund Raising

St Rocco - Ferris Wheel

St Rocco's - and the band played on

New Fire Station

Angles

Stone Wall creator

Stone Wall

MBTA Station 2

Union St Paved

Main Street Construction

Korean War Memorial

Persian Gulf Memorial

Vietnam Conflict Memorial

detritus from Honey Dew

Got enough signs?

Franklin MBTA 2

Franklin MBTA Station

Stone wall creator

Stone wall

Angles

New fire station

Main St construction

Summer St Fountain

Water cell

Franklin Welcome

WW II Memorial

WW I Memorial

Spanish-American War Memorial

Civil War Memorial

Revolutionary War Memorial

Main Street View

Oak St School

Penny Lane

Senior Center (new)

Senior Center (current)

Dean College

Public Library

Franklin Town Common 1

Franklin Town Common 2

MBTA Station downtown

The Rome Restaurant

Isabella's Groceria

St Mary's

Enjoy!

"We just can't lay off 45 teachers"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Jun 18, 2008 @ 11:04 PM

---

FRANKLIN —

At Councilor Robert Vallee's insistence, Town Council last night voted to discuss at their next meeting, on July 9, giving schools $1 million to avoid some of the massive teacher layoffs.

"I'm very concerned about 47 layoffs at the schools," Vallee said, suggesting the council consider taking $1 million out of the town's stabilization account to fund teachers' jobs.

Earlier in the budget season, Town Council agreed not to tap into stabilization this year for operational costs such as teacher or staff salaries in order to keep sufficient funds in that account.

Vallee made the same proposal in budget discussions prior to the failed $2.8 million Proposition 2 1/2 tax override ballot question on June 10.

"I think it's critical. It's irresponsible for us to do nothing about this. We just can't lay off 45 teachers without the town taking action," Vallee said.

Councilor Joseph McGann seconded Vallee's motion, and after a few moments of looking around at one another and some raised eyebrows, Chairman Christopher Feeley said he would vote to put it on the July 9 agenda.

"I'm always in favor of a good debate," Feeley said, but noted he will not support the move.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

"I know what I want to do now"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Jun 17, 2008 @ 10:12 PM

---

FRANKLIN —

Three months ago, 19-year-old Kristin Graci's life was "pretty crazy, always busy" as a typical college student in the middle of her second semester at Arizona State University.
The former Franklin High School varsity softball starting pitcher was still figuring things out - like what path she wanted to pursue in life. She was enjoying college, spending time with her boyfriend and was looking forward to summertime.
In April, she contracted the flu, which Graci and her loved ones soon discovered was merely a harbinger of a much more foreboding illness.
When two viruses immediately followed, doctors thought Graci might have mononucleosis, but suspected worse, she said.
Graci moved out of her dorm, flew back home on a Sunday, and started undergoing tests at Dana Farber on Monday, she said.
In two days, doctors told her she had leukemia. She spent the next five weeks in the hospital.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

Kristin's obituary can be found here:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bostonglobe/obituary.aspx?n=kristin-e-graci&pid=141427072

"We're pretty excited about that"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Jun 18, 2008 @ 12:06 AM

---

FRANKLIN —

With a $15,000 donation from the Lions Club, the Franklin Fourth of July Coalition no longer has to worry about how to pay for the fireworks at this year's five-day celebration.

The gift fully funds the fireworks, said Lions Club President Mark Sawyer.

"Everything's really come together in the last month-and-a-half, two months. Everything's pretty much all set," said coalition co-Chairman Michael Kelly.

"We've all worked together ... (former event co-Chairman) Charlie Oteri and (Town Clerk) Debbie Pellegri have helped us tremendously in the transition. I'm excited about ... the whole thing," Kelly said.

The first day of festivities, on Wednesday, July 2, will include rides and a disc jockey from 5 to 10 p.m. on the town common, said Warren Revell, coalition secretary.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here