Appraisal Day - March 9

One of the busy days at the Franklin Historical Museum was the prior Appraisal Day. Lots of folks waited in line to have their antiques appraised. Some found big value, some found little value, all found many stories associated with the items.

Franklin Historical Museum, 80 West Central St, Franklin, MA

You can find more about the Historical Museum on their webpage
http://www.franklinhistoricalmuseum.com/

and follow them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FHM02038

FHS Basketball results vs. North Attleboro

From HockomockSports.com we get the Friday night results:

This was the type of game that would be expected from the top two teams in the division and with the division lead at stake. North Attleboro and Franklin went back and forth tossing haymakers, but in the end it was the Rocketeers that were able to toss the knockout blow. 

“This is our house and it’s our last home Hockomock league game for us seniors, so we just said that we’ve worked too hard not to come out and avenge ourselves,” said senior captain Ali McHugh about North’s attitude coming into the game. “We didn’t play well the first time, but we just wanted to come out and punch them in the mouth…metaphorically of course.” 

North got revenge for a loss in the Field House back in January by holding on for a 66-60 victory that puts the Rocketeers 1/2-game ahead of the Panthers in the race for the Hockomock League title. Senior guard Jill Costello and junior Danielle Perron each finished with 15 points and junior Melissa Beaupre had 14 for the Rocketeers.

Read the full article here
http://www.hockomocksports.com/1/post/2014/02/north-gets-revenge-on-franklin-and-takes-division-lead.html


The FHS boys basketball team did better against North Attleboro

North Attleboro, 54 @ Franklin, 80 - Final - Marcus Giese led Franklin with 22 points and 16 rebounds, Chris Rodgers chipped in with 13 points and sophomore Tim Prunier added 11 points and four assists. North captain Jake Lang and freshman Tommy Reynolds led the Rocketeers with eight points each.

The full Friday night scoreboard of results across the Hockomock League can be found here
http://www.hockomocksports.com/1/post/2014/02/hockomock-schedule-scoreboard-020714.html

Regional Dispatch Center receives a Community Innovation Challenge (CIC) grant

Representatives Jeffrey Roy, Shawn Dooley, along with Senators Richard Ross and Karen Spilka today announced the Regional Dispatch Center for Franklin, Wrentham, Norfolk and Plainville is one of 37 projects slated to receive funding from the $4 million Community Innovation Challenge (CIC) grant program. The program incentivizes and supports regionalization and other cost saving initiatives that will change the way local governments do business to maintain service delivery and stretch every tax payer dollar as far as possible. 

The grant provides $20,000 to fund the 4-town GIS Mapping Project to assist with the Regional Dispatch Center established by the Legislature in July of last year. Known as of House No. 2189, the law allows Franklin, Wrentham, Norfolk and Plainville to construct, equip, operate and maintain a consolidated regional public safety communications and dispatch center. 

Left to right, Ross, Roy, McCarragher, Dooley

“The CIC Grant is essentially the foundation for the Regional Dispatch Center,” said Franklin Fire Chief Gary McCarraher, who was at the State House on Thursday to collect the grant. “It will create a model for better, faster response times, enhanced efficiency and it will allow towns to share resources across borders.” 

"This grant comes on the heels of the passage of the bill establishing a regional dispatch center in our communities, and will supply the necessary mapping technology to make it successful," said Representative Jeffrey Roy (D-Franklin). "Combining the dispatches for all of the towns will improve the response times, save taxpayer dollars, and make the citizens of the region safer. And this grant provides some of the state-of-the-art tools and latest technology that will enhance public safety." 

“I am pleased that Franklin’s innovative GIS mapping project is receiving this critical funding. The project is a terrific example of communities collaborating on creative, more efficient ways to provide local services and use information technology effectively,” said Senator Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). 

“I am so pleased to see the towns awarded this grant, which will be an important step towards developing the Regional Dispatch Center,” said Senator Richard Ross (R-Wrentham). “This innovative plan will go great lengths toward providing high quality and efficient emergency response in the communities.” 

“As a citizen, an on-call firefighter/EMT, and a State Representative of this community, I am extremely proud that we have been awarded the Community Innovation Challenge (CIC) Grant. This will help fund our Regional Public Safety Dispatch Center which will provide enhanced services to our towns, resulting in more rapid emergency response while providing the cost benefit of shared services,” said Representative Shawn Dooley (R-Norfolk)

Photo courtesy of Rep Jeff Roy

Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA Area: FRI 2/7/14 - THU 2/13/14

FRI 2/7   3:30pm-4:30pm   Silly Science and Mystical Math: Levers and Pulleys and Gears ... Oh My. Grades 1-4, Franklin Public Library. Registration required.
FRI 2/7   6:30pm-8:30pm   Art Night Uncorked. Franklin Art Center.
FRI 2/7   7pm-11pm   Comedy Night to benefit Franklin Fusion Softball. Elks Lodge, Franklin.
FRI 2/7   7pm   You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown - The Musical. Horace Mann Middle School Auditorium, Franklin.


SAT 2/8   10am-noon   Surviving the Challenge of Caregiving. Hampton Inn, Franklin.
SAT 2/8   2pm   You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown - The Musical. Horace Mann Middle School Auditorium, Franklin.
SAT 2/8   7pm   Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. New England Chapel, Franklin.

SUN 2/9   10am-2pm   Yard Sale/Raffle Fundraiser to benefit Munroe Family. VFW Post, Franklin.
SUN 2/9   11am-4pm   Destination Dog Open House. 7 Forge Parkway, Franklin.
SUN 2/9   1pm-4pm   Free Classes to Sample at the Hockomock YMCA branches.

MON 2/10   7pm   Planning Board Meeting, Franklin Municipal Building, Council Chambers.

TUE 2/11   11:30am-1pm   Discovery Luncheon: Emeritus Assisted Living. Hampton Inn, Franklin.

WED 2/12   6:30pm   Report Card Changes Info Session. Kennedy and Oak Street Schools. Oak Street Elementary School - Library. Franklin.
WED 2/12   7pm   Town Council Meeting, Franklin Municipal Building, Council Chambers.

For camps, activities and happenings for upcoming February vacation visit Franklin Living blog.

For more details on above events click HERE and select the event of interest.

*If you have any suggestions for the calendar, please email Renata@BetterLivingRE.com

"We make a life by what we give”

Did you know it that in leap years, February is the only month that ends on the same weekday it begins. You don’t need to worry about that this year as this is not a leap year. However, it does remain the shortest month of the year. So there is only so much time left to plan and execute for Valentine’s Day.

Yes, that day.

All hearts and flowers.

Maybe some bling.

Maybe a Franklin Pride bead?

Franklin Pride

Aside from wearing it proudly, the best part about the Franklin Pride bead is that each purchase contributes to the Franklin Food Pantry. You make someone happy with the Franklin Pride bead and you help a neighbor. That sounds like a win - win!

Franklin Pride with bracelet

This Valentine’s Day wouldn’t that be a nice touch to add to the gift?

Franklin Pride with necklace

The Franklin Pride bead can be purchased through this link. Franklin Pride can be purchased (as shown) with a choice of necklace, or bracelet, or the bead alone.

The Franklin Food Pantry is pleased to collaborate with Confidence Beads and Beads for a Cause to make the Franklin Pride Bead available to you. Confidence Beads operates the store, handles the transaction and delivery of the item(s) you order. They will periodically make the donation to the Food Pantry based upon your purchases.

“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

― Winston S. Churchill

This was also posted to the Franklin Food Pantry website

Democrats to elect delegates to state convention (2014)

Democrats in Franklin will be holding a caucus at the Franklin Public Library, in the Community Room on Saturday, March 1st at 10:00 am to elect fourteen (14) delegates and three (3) alternates to the 2014 Massachusetts Democratic Convention, where Democrats from across Massachusetts will vote to endorse candidates for statewide office. The convention will be held on Friday June 13 and Saturday, June 14, 2014
at the DCU Center in Worcester. Check-in for the caucus will begin at 9:30 am.

Candidates running for statewide office need 15% of the delegates elected at the caucuses to gain a place on the primary ballot. Attending the convention is a great way to network with Democrats and progressive organizations across the state.

Franklin Democrat Town Committee

"This is going to be an exciting year as we build on our recent successes and prepare for the elections in 2014," commented Massachusetts Democratic Party Chairman Senator Tom McGee. "Caucuses are the next step in growing our community organizing strategy for victory. People who were part of candidate campaigns in 2012 and 2013 have the opportunity to become part of their local Democratic Party organizations."

"We have a lot of great candidates running for statewide office," Senator McGee added. "Anyone who is interested in getting involved in a campaign for Governor, Lieutenant Governor or any other statewide office, can attend their local caucus and learn how to get involved.

The caucus is open to all registered Democrats in Franklin, and the Democratic Committee welcomes participants. Delegates will be divided equally between men and women, and all ballots will be written and secret. Youth, minorities, and people with disabilities who are not elected as delegates or alternates may apply to be "add-on" delegates. The Franklin Public Library building is handicapped accessible. Details on the rules can be found at www.massdems.org.

The Franklin Democratic Town Committee normally meets on the third Monday of the month at the Franklin High School, in the media center. For more information on the caucus or the committee please contact the committee Chair, Denise Schultz, at 508-612-5950 or DeniseLynnSchultz@gmail.com or http://www.franklindemocrats.com/.

For general information on the Convention or the Democratic Party please contact
617-939-0800 or contact@massdems.org

In the News: Democratic governor candidates, Franklin Ed Foundation, BAA virtual marathon

The five Democrats running for governor met on Wednesday to debate the state's troubled child welfare agency, a proposed $2.2 billion rail line and health care. 

Candidate Don Berwick has become more fully supportive of a single-payer, MassHealth-for-all health care system, while his rival for the office Joe Avellone has become vocal in opposing that tack. 

"The more I've looked at it the more I'm convinced it's the right way to go," Berwick told the News Service after a debate at the Boston Globe. At a forum in Jamaica Plain, Berwick said he would favor the universal health care model supported by some liberal activists if health care costs continue to grow.

See more at: http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20140205/NEWS/140207806/1994/NEWS#sthash.6UqW3MDI.dpuf

The Franklin Education Foundation has set a date for this year’s Trivia Bee. 

The foundation, which supports teachers at Franklin Public Schools with annual grants, will hold its popular fundraising event Wednesday, March 19, at 7 p.m. at the Horace Mann Middle School, 224 Oak St. 

Since 1997, the Bee has been the foundation’s largest fundraiser, helping it donate more than $300,000 to the schools.

See more at: http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20140206/NEWS/140207869/1994/NEWS#sthash.hYIqgZJe.dpuf

The Boston Athletic Association today announced the launch of a new mobile app that will allow a virtual community of runners to participate in this spring’s Boston Marathon. 

Available for Apple and Android devices, the application lets runners from all over the world pick a distance of their choosing and participate “in the athletic spirit of the event,” a press release from the association said.

See more at: http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20140205/NEWS/140208355/1994/NEWS#sthash.Xdf8zsoQ.dpuf