Annual Military Exhibit to open at Franklin Historical Museum

The annual Military Exhibit, honoring those who served, will open at the Franklin Historical Museum on Sunday, November 9th. 

This year, we recognize the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I. 

Although the US did not enter the war until 1917, the focus of the exhibit will be the more than 400 Franklin men and women who served in the Great War. Much research was done to find wartime articles from the pages of the Franklin Sentinel, Franklin’s semi-weekly newspaper at the time. Included are stories of hometown boys injured and killed in battle, copies of letters written home from the trenches, and details of the support and sacrifices made by those on the home front. 

The story of Franklin native Eddie L. Grant, the only professional baseball player killed in WWI, is told as part of the exhibit. Grant had retired from baseball and was well past the age of being drafted, but enlisted in September of 1917 at the age of 34. Dean College (then called Dean Academy) recognized their brave former student by naming their athletic field in his honor. 

Many items were donated and loaned to the museum for this exhibit. The Cargill family donated photographs of father and grandfather W. Milton Cargill who served in the Naval Military Band. Copies of musical scores written by Cargill during the War are on display. 

The ceremonial helmet of Michael Kearney was donated for display by his grandson Chris Kearney. Many will know the name Michael Kearney as the owner of Kearney’s Drug Store, which served the town for many years on Main Street. 

These items as well as numerous other photos, uniforms, and WWI memorabilia will be on display. In addition the Museum’s collection of other historical military uniforms that honor all of our local heroes will be exhibited. 

The Franklin Historical Museum is open Sundays 1:00-4:00pm, Thursdays 5:00pm-8:00pm (except Dec. thru Feb.), and Saturdays 10:00am-1:00PM. The Museum is located at 80 West Central Street.

Franklin Historical Museum

Franklin Historical Museum

Blackstone River Theatre - Peppino D'Agostino and a contra dance!

THANK YOU! This year's Solstice Fest was our biggest yet... stay tuned for more on the 2015 festival set for June 20!  COMING SOON TO BRT!                     Ongoing   Zumba with April Hilliker on Mondays, 6:30 PM     Saturday, November 8  PEPPINO D'AGOSTINO Sunday, November 9, 4-6 pm  CONTRA DANCE with WHITE SQUALL and caller Paul Wilde Friday, November 14  Cumberland Land Trust Winetasting Fundraiser Saturday, November 15  KIMBERLEY FRASER & TROY MACGILLIVRAY Thursday, November 20  7 PM, FREE  AJAX - Greek tragedy   by Sophocles presented by Providence College and Salve Regina University, followed by forum on veterans issues Saturday, November 22 CHANTERELLE featuring JOSEE VACHON Saturday, November 29  BRT HOMECOMING CONCERT & SILENT AUCTION FUNDRAISER Atwater-Donnelly, Eastern Medicine Singers, Phil Edmonds, Bertrand Laurence, Robbie O'Connell, Pendragon, Mary Ann Rossoni & Rick Bellaire Saturday, December 6 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 7th annual BRT HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR & FESTIVAL Sunday, December 7 2 PM and 5 PM shows! 3rd annual IRISH DANCE CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR featuring TIR NA NOG IRISH DANCE Saturday, Dec. 13, 8 PM AND  Sunday, Dec. 14, 7 PM $18 adv / $20.00 day of show BLACKSTONE RIVER THEATRE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION!   Quick Links... BRT Website     BRT Classes       Peppino D'Agostino Directions to BRT Tickets often available at door but to ensure a seat CALL FOR RESERVATIONS 401-725-9272 Please understand that when a show is SOLD OUT, it truly is! We must adhere to fire codes and it truly is not possible to fit "just one more"... especially when we have had several people ask to do the same! If a show at BRT has an advance price & a day-of-show price it means: If you pre-pay OR call in your reservation any time before the show date, you get the advance price. If you show up at the door with no reservations OR call in your reservations on the same day as the show, you will pay the day-of show-price. NOTE for prepaid tickets or if reservations have been made but not pre-paid: If you reduce the number of tickets requested or paid for at the box office on the night of the performance, that ticket must still be paid for! BRT requires 24 hour notice for cancellations or you will be charged for all seats reserved. Dear Steve, This Saturday we bring back the amazing acoustic fingerstyle guitar virtuoso Peppino D'Agostino... not to be missed! And on Sunday from 4-6 PM we will be presenting a CONTRA DANCE with the band White Squall and caller Paul Wilde... lots of fun and fine for singles and beginners so come on out and have some fun on the dance floor! THANK YOU FOR VOTING YES ON QUESTION 5! This bond passed with 60% approval and we are glad it did! Now the hard work begins as we identify and prioritize capital projects for Blackstone River Theatre, get estimates, and begin fundraising as the proposal will require matching dollars... much more to come but an unprecedented opportunity for the Rhode Island arts community, BRT included! Thank you to RISCA and Randy Rosenbaum for spearheading this effort and getting the word out... and thank YOU for voting YES! Don't forget to LIKE us on Facebook to get late-breaking news and really expensive gifts. Well, not that last one but definitely the first part... Please share what we do with your friends! www.facebook.com/pages/Blackstone-River-Theatre/165592431396    Hope to see you soon... Russell Gusetti, Executive Director   VIRTUOSO GUITARIST PEPPINO D'AGOSTINO Contemporary fingerstyle guitarist Peppino D'Agostino emerged on the musical scene in the late 1980s and helped redefine the boundaries of the acoustic guitar. His virtuosic technique, penchant for open tunings, and percussive effects are the basis of his unique compositional style which has been inspiring musicians and audiences alike for years. Add to that his natural warmth, playfulness, and broad musical tastes and you have the recipe for what he calls "minestrone music." Hailed as "a guitarist's guitarist" by Acoustic Guitar magazine and "a giant of the acoustic guitar" by the San Diego Reader, D'Agostino was voted "Best Acoustic Guitarist" by Guitar Player magazine readers in 2007. D'Agostino continues to evolve and grow in ways that would have been hard to predict when he was first showcasing his melodic yet emotionally intense style on his first recordings. 'Every Step of the Way" was named one of the top three acoustic guitar albums of all time by Acoustic Guitar magazine readers in 2008. D'Agostino's simultaneous immersion in the classical guitar and rock worlds, has culminated in his most recent solo recording, "Penumbra." Combining a keen sense of melody with virtuoso technique, D'Agostino has created a style that is as likely to charm casual listeners as to stun fellow guitar pickers. Don't miss this wonderful musician in an intimate theatre atmosphere!    Event Info Saturday, November 8, 8 P.M., $15.00 at Blackstone River Theatre 549 Broad Street, Cumberland, R.I.  Call 401-725-9272 for reservations www.riverfolk.org A CONTRA DANCE WITH WHITE SQUALL We hope you'll join us as we bring back contra dances to BRT! Today's dance will feature the Providence-based band White Squall comprised of Andrew Grover on fiddle, Ned Quist on guitar and Alice Pace on percussion. The band has been together since 2003 and are currently the house band for the Brown University contra dances. The caller will be Paul Wilde. Contra dancing is a fun, informal event featuring easily learned dance steps such as those experienced in traditional square dancing. No experience is necessary and you do not need to bring a partner with you as it is customary to switch partners many times over the course of the evening. All dances are taught by the caller, each dance lasts about 10 minutes, and the dancers are often in constant movement.... join us for what we hope will become a bi-monthly dance tradition at BRT!    Event Info Sunday, November 9, 4-6 P.M., $10.00 at Blackstone River Theatre 549 Broad Street, Cumberland, R.I.  Tickets at the door! www.riverfolk.org

Forward email to a friend! Blackstone River Theatre | 549 Broad Street | Cumberland | RI | 02864

Franklin Library: Coffee and Craft for Adults

Ladies and gentlemen, you get to have coffee and a craft in the afternoon today at the Franklin Library. The event starts at 1:30 PM. You'll create 'lovely table decor' using old screens.

coffee and craft for adults

Screens is not a term I am familiar with in this context. The dictionary did not help me either. Would this also be called a place mat?


This was shared from the Franklin Library page here
http://franklinpl.blogspot.com/2014/11/coffee-craft-for-adults.html

8 minus 3 is 5 not 6

The math is elementary. Take 3 from 8 and you are left with 5. And when you are the Town Council that needs 6 votes to ensure a 2/3 requirement, you are left with a real problem.

Such was the situation that occurred at Wednesday's meeting for one key vote on the Cook's Farm project.

The Council currently has only 8 members due to the resignation of Glenn Jones. The Special Election to vote in the new councilor occurs on Dec 16th. Three councilors recused themselves from the discussion and vote creating this situation. The councilors recused were Padula, Mercer and Bissanti.

In the meantime, the Cook's Farm project is on hold waiting to get the final permits issued so they can begin work. After verification of the requirements for the Planning Board, Attorney Mark Cerel determined that the one vote the Council was able to make was sufficient to allow the Planning Board to issue their approval.

If that turns out to not be the case, then the next Council meeting (scheduled for Nov 19th) the Council will need to look at their alternatives.

Franklin Art Center ladybug on display at the Town Common in August

My notes from the meeting reported from the Council Chambers can be found here

• Live reporting - Closing

• Live reporting: Action Items

• Live reporting - Presentations

• Live reporting: Town Council - Nov 5, 2014

• 
  

Much ado about her hats

There was mush ado in a short period of time within the closed group on Facebook called "Friends of Franklin". The issue was raised that Susan Johnson, the colorful and friendly crossing guard at the Oak St school crossing had been told she could not wear her hats any more.

Despite the attempts to quell the fury that erupted, the comments continued and a petition started to circulate. The petition is not necessary.

Some folks need to consider what is on Facebook carefully before responding. Facebook is not designed to make it easy to review all the comments, however in cases like this, a review of the comments would have revealed this was a non-issue but that did not stop some from continuing to raise the alarm.

A tempest in a teapot, over a hat, and all for a non-issue. The back story on the incident is summarized in the text of this email from Superintendent Maureen Sabolinski

Last spring there was an accident at the Oak St school crossing  

MA Dept of Labor (DoL) investigated this summer - meeting with Jeff Nutting, DPW, Franklin Police and Franklin Human Resources 

The Dept of Labor gave some guidelines for crossing guards - (apparently DoL investigates when there is any accident with a crossing guard) 

Lisa Trainor met with Ms. Johnson and suggested that the hats are a distraction. Lisa supervises the crossing guards.

Lisa and I met this morning, what the DoL provided are guidelines and not regulatory so it is within our purview (Franklin Schools) to mandate compliance. 

Lisa chatted with Ms. Johnson this morning and told her it was her choice to wear hats if she wants to 

Note: this is one of the crossing areas that will be getting the new signals currently in use at the King St crossing to Parmenter School. This new signal will hopefully help to slow down the traffic and make it safe for the kids to be crossed by Ms Johnson.

school zone speed reducing signs

The August 6th Town Council meeting discussed the signs
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/08/town-council-meeting-summary-aug-6-2014.html

Kenny Hadley Big Band this Sunday, Nov 9th

Savor an Afternoon of Big Band Music and Delicious Fare!

Kenny Handley Big Band

Sunday, November 9, 11 AM

THE BLACK BOX

15 West Central St. Franklin, MA

FPAC proudly presents this critically acclaimed 16-piece juggernaut, led by drummer Kenny Hadley and boasting masterful musicians with performance ties to Big Band legends Woody Herman, Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich and more. 

Franklin's Artistry Kitchen serves up the afternoon's inspired cuisine which includes an assortment of Bagels, Mini Blueberry Muffins, Mini Cinnamon Buns, Mini Cranberry Scones; Golden Buttermilk Waffles with Assorted Toppings: Fresh Strawberries, Chocolate Chips, Chantilly Cream, Vermont Maple Syrup; Frittata with Broccoli, Red Pepper, Onion and Fontina Val D'aosta, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Home Fried Potatoes, Orange Juice, Coffee and Tea. Cash bar available. Brunch begins at 11 AM with entertainment starting at 12 noon. 

Tickets for show can be purchased anytime prior to showtime and at the door subject to availability. Tickets for brunch must be purchased by Thursday Nov. 6th at 12 noon.

Tickets can be purchased online here
http://www.theblackboxonline.com/
  

Franklin Girls Softball League - registration open for the 2015 season

Registration is now OPEN for the 2015 Spring season. We have made an adjustment to our Spring season division alignment that we are very excited about. Next year, we are expanding from 4 divisions to 5 divisions to better align girls by grade and physical skills.

The Instructional division will be for Kindergarteners and Pre-K players that want to be introduced to the game of softball.

The Intermediate division will be for 1st and 2nd graders, and will be for first time players, as well as for players that played in instructional looking to refine their fundamentals.

The newly-created Minor division will be for 3rd and 4th graders, with the focus being on expanding on the fundamentals, as well as introducing the skill positions, like pitcher and catcher.

The Junior division will be for 5th and 6th graders, where we will be introducing competition, by keeping standings and introducing playoffs.

The Senior division will be for 7th graders and above and will be our highest level of play in the Spring Season.

This new alignment will eliminate the need to divide grades up into separate divisions, or to group three grades together, which can put players at risk for injury by having girls playing with girls on a level outside of their skill set.

For more information about the new divisions, please visit the Spring Rec page on www.fgsafastpitch.org

Register for Spring Softball