Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA Area: FRI 6/19/15 - THU 6/25/15

FRI 6/19   12-6pm   Franklin Farmers Market at The Town Common
FRI 6/19   6:30pm   Art Night Uncorked at Franklin Art Center
FRI 6/19   8-9:50pm   Frozen Friday DJ Public Skate at Pirelli Arena

SAT 6/20   9am-4pm   Book Sale at Franklin Public Library
SAT 6/20   11am-3pm   Franklin Solar Challenge Open House - 476 Maple St
SAT 6/20   2-5pm   4th Annual BBQ Fundraiser - Troop 99 - Franklin Rod and Gun Club
SAT 6/20   7:30pm   Electric Youth Bon Voyage Concert at The Black Box

SUN 6/21   9am-12pm   Bag Sale at Franklin Public Library

WED 6/24   6:30pm   Cupcakes and Cards Decorating Class at The Cake Bar. Registration required.

NOW - 6/30   The Ladybug Trek Small Business Scavenger Hunt

For all the Town of Franklin Public Meetings click HERE.

For event details click HERE.

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

The Franklin Education Foundation Announces 2015-2016 Grant Awardees

The Franklin Education Foundation (FEF) has awarded 9 grants totaling approximately $19,500 for the 2015-2016 school year to teachers who represent all educational levels in the Franklin public school (FPS) system. A committee composed of FEF representatives and FPS staff read all proposals through a blind review process and selected the recipients. 

Franklin Education Foundation

The committee also awarded the inaugural FEF Pinnacle Award to Mr. Nick Goldman of Oak Street Elementary School for his proposal to introduce heart rate monitors into the elementary physical education/health curriculum. The Pinnacle Award is given to the highest scoring application and provides up to $5000 for the project budget. 

“Consideration was given to need, innovation, impact, and integration with other school programs when selecting applications for funding. All of the selected proposals were meritorious. Mr. Golman’s proposal was selected for the Pinnacle Award because it sought to integrate heart rate monitors into the elementary physical education/health curriculum, and also to provide the anonymous heart rate data to fifth grade math teachers to use in their classes. This has never been attempted in Franklin Public Schools and impressed the committee as the being most innovative application.” stated Kit Brady, FEF President and Chair of the Grant Review Committee.

This year’s other recipients are: 

Franklin High School

• Dawn-Marie Fernandes, Jennifer Spencer, Judy O’Neill, “FHS Goes Global” passport program
• Dr. Carolyn Fortuna, Dan Hudder, Sam Rosen, Storyteller for 12th grade children's literature class
• Jane Hogan, “Language as art” cultural installation; and Brenna Johnson, Community outreach through the arts afterschool club

At the middle school level, recipients are: 

Remington Middle School 

• Tulani Husband-Verbeek, Book club with author visits by Skype; and Karen Lindblom, Motivational game creation workshop for teachers

At the elementary school level, recipients are: 

Oak Street School 

• Tracie O'Brien, Home book bag program for grades 1-2

Parmenter School

• Jean Wolf, Summer book clubs for students and read aloud book bags for parents

Since its inception in 1997, the FEF has awarded over $325,000 in grants to FPS. Yearly fundraisers such as next November’s Harlem Wizards basketball game, the annual Trivia Bee, as well as an annual fund campaign, provide much appreciated support from businesses, families and organizations for the FEF grants. 

To see a list of programs the FEF has funded over the years, visit www.franklined.org. The Franklin Education Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization. All gifts are fully tax deductible.

FHS Softball and Baseball Hockomock League All Stars

Both the FHS softball and baseball teams have two players named to the All Star team and one honorable mention according to voting by the coaches released by Hockomock Sports.

FHS Panthers

Softball

Sabrina LoMonaco
Briana Flaherty

Honorable Mention
Maddie Connelly

Baseball

Nick Santucci
Anthony Chaiton

Honorable Mention
Zane Byrne



The full listing of the Hockomock League All Stars can be found here for softball

http://www.hockomocksports.com/blog/the-2015-hockomock-league-softball-all-stars


and for baseball

http://www.hockomocksports.com/blog/the-2015-hockomock-league-baseball-all-stars

In the News: Fire Dept keeps 4, Police still looking for suspect

The fire department will not have to cut the four firefighters it hired in 2013 with money awarded from the Federal Emergency Management Agency despite the grant expiring this year. 

Franklin Fire Dept

Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting said officials only needed to find enough extra money to pay for three out of the four positions in next fiscal year’s budget. 

Also, with the department no longer understaffed, it did not pay out as much overtime and instead used the savings for salaries, Nutting said.

Continue reading the article here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150619/NEWS/150615893/1994/NEWS

For additional insights into the FY 2016 budget check out the budget hearing reporting for the Finance Committee and Town Council meetings here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/p/meeting-notes.html

The police are still looking for the gunman who robbed a woman on June 4 in the driveway of her Forest Street home. 

Franklin Police Chief Stephan Semerjian Wednesday would not say if detectives have identified the suspect, described only as a white male in his 20s who is approximately six feet tall. 

Also, Semerjian did not reveal if police have circulated any images or drawings of the suspect since the robbery two weeks ago.

Continue reading the article here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150619/NEWS/150615892/1994/NEWS

Franklin Solar Challenge open house - June 20

via Brett Feldman:

The Solar Challenge is hosting an open house on Saturday, June 20 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 

The event will be held at the Patel residence, 476 Maple St., Franklin. Come see a rooftop solar array in action and ask questions of the installer and the homeowner. 

There will be free brunch food as well. For more information, call 508-808-4556 or email franklinsolar@solarflair.com.

Franklin Solar Challenge

Related posts

Original posting of Open House schedule

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/05/the-franklin-solar-challenge-can-help.html

Solar installers are busy
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/06/local-solar-installers-say-they-have.html

Free Public Forum - Synthetic Turf - Is It Safe for Our Kids?

Tuesday, June 23 - 7:00 PM

Note: Twitter updated with a change in forum panelists (6/19/15 pm)

OPEN INVITE @LaurenWBZ @BramBerkoWL @EagleTrib @EagleEyeMoser @EagleSportsZone @BEediteditor @ZComeau_MDN pic.twitter.com/Fd1lmchcK8

— Turf Grass Forum (@turfgrassforum) June 19, 2015

Where:
Concord-Carlisle High School Auditorium
500 Walden St, Concord, MA

Partnership Encourages Residents to Shop Local During Construction

The Franklin Downtown Partnership wants to remind everyone to shop locally during the downtown Franklin roadway and streetscape improvement project.

The Partnership is working with the Town of Franklin to communicate construction updates in an effort to help residents get around downtown more easily. The FDP is also collaborating with local groups like the Small Shop Co-Op, the #ShopFranklin - Supporting Small Business Facebook group, and WMRC First Class Radio to help encourage residents to shop locally.

"If you have a favorite business or restaurant, please make that extra effort to visit them frequently. Traffic issues, like the harsh winter, can affect a business's bottom line. It's important that we all be patient with the process and help these businesses thrive," says Partnership President Nicole Fortier.

The $7.25 million, state-funded improvement project began in mid April. When finished, residents will see two-way traffic, improvements designed to slow traffic and increase pedestrian safety, and aesthetic improvements like plantings, greenspace and new lighting.

The FDP will help communicate the Town of Franklin's construction updates about parking, alternate routes and road closures on its website, franklindowntownpartnership.org, and on its Twitter feed and Facebook page.

"The Partnership is also collaborating with local groups to help encourage people to shop locally. There are several great promotions and 'shop local' efforts happening in Franklin this spring, and we will help get the word out about them. Businesses are working very hard to earn and keep your business," says Lisa Piana, the Downtown Partnership's executive director.

One example of that collaboration is the Small Shop Co-Op, created by The Cake Bar co-owners Tracie Turinese and Angie McMillan. The co-op has launched the Lady Bug Trek scavenger hunt. Using a smartphone app, shoppers will visit participating local businesses and compete to win prizes.  

Ladybug Trek

"We are all working toward making this construction process go as smoothly as possible for our businesses and residents. The Streetscape project is a key component to the revitalization of downtown Franklin, which the Downtown Partnership has been working toward since 2001. Ultimately a strong downtown is good for the whole community," adds Piana.

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is a nonprofit, 501©3 organization made up of business owners, community leaders and residents working together to stimulate economic development downtown and create a positive impact throughout the area. The FDP runs the annual Strawberry Stroll, Harvest Festival and Holiday Stroll, and is involved in economic development, beautification, streetscape and greenspace design, and networking initiatives.

The FDP currently has over 200 members and welcomes all businesses and residents. For more information, go to www.franklindowntownpartnership.org, or contact Executive Director Lisa Piana at (774) 571-3109 or downtown.franklin@yahoo.com.