Monday, October 4, 2010

Comedy Night - Nov 12

Franklin Special Education Parents Advisory Council (SEPAC)
2010 Evening of Comedy Fundraiser!

Date: Friday November 12, 2010

Time: Doors at 6:30, show at 8

Location: Milford Doubletree Hotel Ballroom, 11 Beaver St. Milford, MA 01757


Ticket cost: $30 in advance/ $35 at door (includes show and appetizer buffet)

We are happy to announce our 3rd annual Comedy Night

Featuring:
Door prizes throughout the evening
AMAZING silent auction
Our infamous balloon raffle
And, of course, TONS OF LAUGHS


TICKETS ON SALE NOW:
Email Sarah Montani, SEPAC fundraising committee chair, at sarahmontani37@gmail.com.


Franklin, MA

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Native Plants of Franklin

Greetings Franklin! It has been two weeks since I posted the last mystery plant - sorry for that unexpected delay. The hint for this week's plant is "the fruit is a lot more interesting than the flowers." And here is the flower:



I cheated here: I had to aim the camera up into the flower to get a good picture. The flowers are a pretty yellow on the inside, and they bloom from summer all the way through until the fall, but they hang downward like bells, so they aren't particularly showy.

The plant itself is a foot or two high, a bit fuzzy, perennial, and , if you know your veggie garden plants at all, you might think it looks like a tomato or potato plant. That's because it's a relative. This is called ground cherry, or more specifically, "clammy ground cherry", or Physalis heterophylla. And just like its more well-known veggie cousins, this plant has edible parts.





Ground cherry is perhaps most closely related to the tomatillo. Just like the tomatillo, it produces edible fruit in a papery husk. This is what the husks look like when they are developing.




And these are the husks when the fruit is ready to harvest. Which, by the way, is right now, so get out there and look in the weeds for this plant. If you find some, you may get a tasty treat.



The fruit itself is a marble-sized berry that is yellow or orangy when ripe, and tastes like a combination of a tomato and pineapple.

One word of caution: like the tomato, tomatillo, and potato, this plant is in the nightshade family of plants. Nightshade plants are all typically poisonous to some degree, which is why we don't eat tomato leaves or green potatoes. To be safe, don't eat any portion of the ground cherry plant except for the ripe berries.

But don't let this put you off from sampling these delicious native fruits! Ground cherries used to be more common as backyard vegetable garden plants, but seem to have been forgotten in recent years. I hear they make good pies, but I wouldn't know, because I ate all of my berries before I had a chance to cook them.

Here is next week's mystery plant. It's a tree actually.



Here's a hint: this tree is nearly extinct. I'll tell you all about the effort to restore the tree in next week's post, along with where you can go to see it growing in and around Franklin.


Michelle Clay writes about gardening here in Franklin at the Clueless Gardeners Blog.

Franklin, MA

Traffic Survey Comments - Yes and No

The survey conducted on the Franklin Downtown Partnership website resulted in many comments for an against the proposal to change the Main St traffic flow from 1-way to 2-way.

While the survey is not an exact science nor can the results be taken as an 'official' reflection of the will of the people, the comments do provide valuable insights.

While the Town Council did indicate that they are for the change to 2-way traffic, they will still need to vote on a bylaw change to do so. The bylaw change will require additional discussion at 2 public meetings (of the Town Council).

What do I think one should take from the comments?
The need for better communication on the details, the reasons, and the numbers remains great. While some number of folks have spent a lot of time working on this over the years, and I have great respect for that effort, there are folks who are just now becoming aware of it, who need to be able to find clear information on what the change is and how it was arrived at.

As much time as I personally have spent reporting on what is happening in and around Franklin, I do not feel that I have all my questions answered. This is what is continuing to drive my own efforts to share what information I can. This website (Franklin Matters) and the information shared here is not and has never been about me. I truly believe that Franklin matters. I do believe that information sharing can be improved. Franklin doesn't have nor can it afford a "Community Information Director". Hence I have assumed that title on a volunteer basis.


These are the comments associated with NO

Comments to Traffic Survey Where They Responded No


These are the comments associated with YES

Comments to Traffic Survey Where They Responded Yes

Prior posts
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/09/downtown-traffic-survey-says.html


Franklin, MA


Town Council - Agenda Document - 10/6/10

The full agenda document included details on the subjects scheduled for discussion on Weds, Oct 6 can be viewed below.

Of note:

1 - I would spend some time on the DelCarte proposal to fix the dams. The dams are currently breeched and in need of repair. The space is gorgeous. The potential for developing some trails to safely walk amongst and enjoy this natural beauty is tantalizing. If you have had the chance to visit Stony Brook in Norfolk or Borderland St Pk in Easton, this space within Franklin's own borders can provide that experience.

2 - There is a new bylaw proposed to better identify and have maintained the abandoned property that is located within Franklin,

TC_20101006_agenda


Franklin, MA

In the News - Library

A birthday bash at Franklin Library

by 

If you haven't visited the library, you can take a virtual tour by video
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Library/tours


Franklin, MA

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Franklin Chargers helping the Franklin Food Pantry

The E2 Franklin Chargers Football team hopes to collect 500 canned goods this Sunday (Oct 3, 2010) for the Franklin Food Pantry.
Public Relations Manager Chuck Findlen said the team is challenging other squads to collect the most goods, and has already collected 350 pounds of items.
Drop-offs can be made to bins located at the Beaver Street field. Collection will start at 8 a.m.
For more information, visit www.franklinchargers.net.
This was originally posted to the Milford Daily News here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x55987296/Help-Franklin-Chargers-collect-canned-food


Disclosure: I am on the Board of Directors of the Franklin Food Pantry and I approve of this activity to help members of our community.

Franklin, MA

Blackstone Valley Bike Path Moves Forward

If you Haven't had an opportunity to ride or walk along the Blackstone Valley Bike Path, I would recommend it. Especially now as we get into the fall colors, the bike path will be a nice place to visit.



Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:



via Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation by Klark Jessen on 10/1/10

Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray today announced $15 million in Accelerated Bridge Program funds for design and construction of the first segment of the Blackstone Valley Bike Path.  Once completed, the proposed 48-mile trail will connect Worcester to Providence.  Improvements to this path will also support the the East Coast Greenway, a project to create a 2,900-mile trail system linking cities along the coast from Maine to Florida.

Lieutenant Governor Murray joined state and local officials to celebrate the first phase of the project, a 2.5-mile pathway including 11 bridges between the Triad Bridge in Millville located in the Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park and along the Rhode Island border.
The Blackstone Valley Bike Path will connect historic and cultural sites, natural resources, recreation facilities, and commercial and residential areas. The project is a joint effort between MassDOT and the Department of Conservation and Recreation.  Design is underway with construction expected to begin in spring 2012.

Things you can do from here: