THE BLACK BOX New England Artist Series: Roomful of Blues - Nov 10

"The eight-piece blues band is led by guitarist Chris Vachon and features singer Phil Pemberton, bringing his sweet and soulful vocals to the ensemble’s jazzy, jump-blues musical roots. 

Their winning combination of jump, swing, blues, R&B and soul remains their calling card, as does their ability to fill the dance floor. Along with new members, bassist John Turner, trumpeter Doug Woolverton, drummer Chris Anzalone, and keyboardist Rusty Scott, and longtime members baritone and tenor saxophonist Mark Earley, tenor and alto saxophonist Rich Lataille, Roomful keeps on rockin’ in 2017."

Scheduled for THE BLACK BOX on Friday,November 10, 2017  8:00 PM
https://www.theblackboxonline.com/events.php?id=1043

THE BLACK BOX New England Artist Series: Roomful of Blues - Nov 10

For more about The Roomful of Blues  https://www.roomful.com/

THE BLACK BOX Local Artist Series: Ben Gardner's Boat - Chick Magnets

Presented by THE BLACK BOX Local Artist Series on Saturday, November 11, 2017 at 8:00 PM.

• The Chick Magnets features a lineup of veteran players and multi-instrumentalists, featuring bluesy keyboards, saxophone and trombone, plus a healthy commitment to vocal harmonies.

• The acoustic rock band, Ben Gardner’s Boat, features members Jeff Roy, Don Larsen, Tom Grillo, Pat DeGregorio and Scott Mueller.

Tickets available at THE BLACK BOX
https://www.theblackboxonline.com/events.php?id=1067

THE BLACK BOX Local Artist Series: Ben Gardner's Boat - Chick Magnets

Reminder: Franklin Newcomers and Friends Club: Brenda Reed - Nov 8

The Franklin Newcomers and Friends Club will meet on Wednesday, November 8. We are pleased to host as our speaker, Brenda Reed, currently the Director for Lifelong Community Learning in Franklin. Reed is a former chief executive for the New England Press Association, a former public servant – both elected and appointed – a former founder and co-owner of a successful weekly newspaper, and a former Attleboro mayor and School Committee member.

In those positions Reed has been at the intersection of public policy and business management. She understands the crucial importance of good organization, setting priorities, feasible strategies, attention to detail, the need to collaborate successfully with staff team members, volunteers, and the public.

She will be speaking about the Lifelong Community Learning programs and the opportunities for partnership. Lifelong Community Learning is a program of the Franklin Public Schools Lifelong Learning Institute and is dedicated to providing quality learning experiences for residents in the Town of Franklin and surrounding communities.

We invite any resident of Franklin, or a surrounding town that doesn't have a Newcomers Club, to join us at "3" Restaurant, 461 West Central Street, Franklin. Complimentary appetizers and beverages are provided and a cash bar is available. We meet upstairs at 7:30 PM on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. We run our meetings September through May. Additionally, we hold many fun and varied events to stay connected throughout the year. 

For more information, please visit our website www.franklinnewcomers.com or our Facebook page, Franklin Newcomers and Friends Club.

Franklin Newcomers and Friends Club: Brenda Reed - Nov 8

Help with the Franklin St. Mary’s St. Vincent de Paul Thanksgiving food baskets

Each year, the St. Vincent de Paul headquarters in Stoughton offers the Franklin St. Mary’s St. Vincent de Paul Thanksgiving food baskets ($10 each) for distribution throughout the community. If you are in need of assistance for Thanksgiving, please call the St. Vincent de Paul office at (508) 918-2291.

The St. Mary’s St. Vincent de Paul Society will be conducting its 9th annual Thanksgiving Food Drive on the weekend of November 18 and 19, to enhance the baskets from HQ and to restock our food pantry shelves. 

Suggested items to donate include applesauce, cranberry juice, popcorn, peanut butter, jelly, jams, cookies, crackers, bread mix, pudding, candy corn, cranberry sauce, stuffing, cereal, fruit cocktail, coffee/tea/cocoa, boxes of chocolate, canned yams and vegetables, rice, chowder, and a Thanksgiving tablecloth or decoration.

Donations may also be dropped off any time between now and November 19 and may be placed in the boxes at the doors of the church. 

Please know that these donations will give many families in the community a memorable Thanksgiving dinner. Thank you for all your help and support!

Help with the Franklin St. Mary’s St. Vincent de Paul
Thanksgiving food baskets

"constant crowding during certain lunches"

Anna Eppihimer, Pantherbook student, writes the latest on the cafeteria crowding at the high school. For the record, the State wanted the school sized for 1500, the town fought for and the high school was built for 1600. With almost 200 more students than it should have, it is not surprising to have some space issues.

"This year, Franklin High School reached its highest enrollment in history. 1,792 students are currently enrolled, causing the lunchroom to overflow. 

The cafeteria isn’t as big as the school would have liked, and the administration, faculty, central office, superintendent, and student leadership are working on solutions to this crowding problem. 

Paul Peri, the principal at FHS, says he “recently ordered more lunchroom furniture.” He went on to say the new tables and chairs will be put into the main hall outside the lunchroom. Mr. Peri is also looking to get more high top tables for the main hall. 

The new furniture will alleviate some of the cafeteria crowding, and will provide a quieter area for students during their lunches."

Continue reading the article online
https://franklinpanthers.us/student-life/2017/11/06/getting-cramped-yet/

Finding a seat at lunch has become a challenge. (Pantherbook photo)

In the News: Davis Thayer treks to Food Pantry; Library reopens

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"For at least a decade, it has been a tradition this time of year. With Thanksgiving approaching, the fifth-graders at Davis Thayer Elementary School hoist bags and boxes full of donated food and household items and make a short jaunt - a parade of cheerful and excited good will - over to the Franklin Food Pantry. 

On Monday morning, this year’s class took their turn at keeping the tradition going - a charitable campaign the students said they look forward to as they work toward their final elementary school year. The delivery of the goods is the culmination of a few weeks of collecting donations from the school community, with students in kindergarten up to fifth grade gradually amassing their contributions until it is time for the fifth grade walk to the pantry.

“I like how we get to walk over to the food pantry, and help people,” said Devin Curley, sitting at a table in the school cafeteria Monday morning, bag full of non-perishables dangling from his hands as he waited for the signal to line up and begin the procession."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20171106/students-make-annual-trek-to-franklin-pantry

Many thanks to all those who donated to our annual Franklin Food Pantry Food Drive! We surpassed our goal, collecting 517 items! #DTDaily pic.twitter.com/1SRPHBXHFK

— Davis Thayer School (@DT_Bobcats) November 7, 2017

Davis Thayer photo via Twitter https://twitter.com/DT_Bobcats/status/927690865937735682

“We’re all back!” exclaimed the woman pushing two carriages as she ferried five cherry-cheeked children down the corridor on the lower level of the Franklin Public Library on Monday morning. 

The exuberant greeting brought an even wider grin to the face of Director Felicia Oti - a feat, considering how widely she was already smiling - as she navigated the small crowd moving from a program room following the “Move Along” story time. 

“And we are so happy to see you!” she responded. 

Inside the program room her joy expanded even further. “Listen to all of the happy noises!” she exclaimed. “Everyone is so glad to see us, and we are even happier to see them!”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20171107/franklin-library-opens-after-renovation-project

Franklin Candidate for Town Council: Patrick Casey

Patrick Casey (PC) and I (FM) conducted this interview via an email exchange as our calendars could not align in time before the election on November 7.

FM: Tell me a bit about yourself, your family, and your life here in Franklin? What is your Franklin story?

PC: I grew up in Franklin with my six brothers and four sisters on Oakland Parkway. There were a lot of competitive games, pranks, and adventures but a lot of hard work as well. My parents made it clear that in order to maintain a strong family we would need to 1. Make sacrifices, 2. Take responsibility, and 3. Get along with one another. Since I was the fourth oldest, I naturally took on a leadership role. 

Each day presented new challenges with an infinite amount of logistics and problems that needed to be solved. Therefore, it was imperative for me to wear many hats whether it was to change diapers, do yardwork, figure out groceries etc. It was INSANE but also very rewarding.

I attended the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School from Kindergarten to eighth grade and was part of the first graduating class. My parents, along with a small group of friends, founded the school in 1995. Their goal was to provide the students with a rich education while instilling strong morals. I then went to Franklin High School where I played soccer and baseball. If I wasn’t playing sports, then I was working for the town whether it was reffing games or being the gate guard at Chilson beach. 

After high school, I attended Saint Anselm College where I studied Communication and Political Science. My four years were filled with many great experiences such as attending candidate forums at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, developing strong critical thinking skills in liberal arts classes, and participating in community service organizations.

FM: What experience or background will help you to serve in this role? What do you bring to the table that helps to set you apart from the others?

PC: I have helped struggling communities in Mexico and numerous states across the U.S. through various service groups. The objective of these trips was to forgo our vacations and provide our services to the homeless, elderly, and victims of substance abuse. I was responsible for fundraising. preparing the budgets, and organizing the logistics so that our services would be properly executed. These experiences have heightened my awareness of the great good that local governments can do to influence an entire community’s future trajectory.

Over the last four years, I have developed critical analytical and business skills while working for IDG which has been recognized as the #1 Tech Media Company in the world. It has been extremely eye opening to see how technology is constantly changing our everyday lives. The experiences and knowledge that I have gained by working with C-level executives and tech decision makers has been truly rewarding. This insight will allow me to share the technological advancements that Franklin will need to take in order to truly prosper.

FM: What do you see as your role’s biggest challenge and do you have any suggestions on how we can resolve it?

PC: Balancing the budget for FY19 will be a top priority of mine should I be elected to the Town Council. Of course, those concerns must necessarily be tempered by the obvious responsibility we all have to help those in need and provide required services. I believe that all the town councilors need to work together with the utmost care and responsibility to find a balance that serves all parties. 

That being said, the tax payers deserve a fiscally conservative group of individuals who can decide on where to make the appropriate cuts to services while strategically growing the commercial sector. This will not only help us in avoiding an increase in the tax rate but will also provide opportunities for the constituents to find jobs within the town. Franklin will only be a successful town as long as the budget is well maintained. Therefore, I believe we will need to highly scrutinize every fiscal decision and stretch every tax dollar so that we keep Franklin economically strong and stable.

Another top priority of mine is to address the opioid epidemic. Over the last few years, our town has seen the devastating effects of this terrible problem. In 2016, Franklin had 59 overdoses and nine deaths relating to opioid use. A single overdose is too many. Yet I think that we can all agree that the number of incidents will continue to climb if we do not collectively take action. It is time to bring this issue to the forefront before we lose more of our loved ones and to educate our children before tragedy strikes another family. 

I am a current member of the SAFE Coalition that is working to help struggling individuals and families get the resources they need in order to fight this disease. A few members and I are currently carving out the details of a fundraiser that would hopefully bring in $100,000. This money would be the beginning of a scholarship fund where families can apply for aid so that their loved one can enter rehab. The SAFE Coalition has already made significant strides, but I believe that the council needs another voice to confront this issue.

FM: The Franklin Cultural Council submitted this question for Town Council candidates:

"As you know, Franklin has applied to the state for an official Cultural District designation in town. What do you feel is the role of arts and culture in Franklin, and what is your plan to advance that agenda?"

PC: The arts, music, and live performances in Franklin are very important aspects to our community. Not only do they showcase talent and hard work, but they are also an important way for the citizens to display their values, emotions, and ideas. We are very lucky to have places such as the Franklin School for Performing Arts and the Black Box to have individuals perform and grow. Also, these places provide social and economic gains which brings life to the downtown. 

I believe it will be vital for the Franklin Downtown Partnership, which I am a member, to work closely with the Cultural Council so that we can continue to grow the downtown. It is an exciting time for Franklin and I would be honored to work with the dedicated individuals of the Cultural Council on all upcoming projects.

You can follow up with Patrick via email at patrickrcasey5@gmail.com
or visit his campaign Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PCaseyforTownCouncil/

Noteworthy: This information is intended to help the Franklin voters when we all head to the ballot box on November 7. The interview candidates have had an opportunity to review the text before publishing to ensure the accuracy of our discussion. 

Offer to Candidates 2017
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/08/offer-to-candidates-for-franklin.html 

Election Collection - 2017