Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA: FRI - Mar 29 to THU - Apr 4

Friday, March 29

10:00am

 Knitting Group

10:30am

 Happy Feet! (Community Room)

5:00pm

 FHS Musical Tech Week

7:00pm

 FHS Musical Performance

7:30pm

 FSPA Ballet Conservatory presents Coppelia

Saturday, March 30

8:00am

 ACTION & IMPACT: Community Arts Advocacy Day 2019

9:30am

 Christian Zen Retreat

10:30am

 Kids Art Class (FOFL Room)

2:00pm

 FSPA Ballet Conservatory presents Coppelia

2:00pm

 College Prep for teens and parents (FOFL)

7:00pm

 FHS Musical Performance

7:30pm

 FSPA Ballet Conservatory presents Coppelia

8:00pm

 RUNA @ Circle of Friends Coffeehouse

Sunday, March 31

2:00pm

 FHS Musical Performance

2:00pm

 FSPA Ballet Conservatory presents Coppelia

Monday, April 1

10:30am

 Move Along

11:00am

 Toddler Playgroup

3:00pm

 Monday Crafternoons

3:30pm

 Dungeons & Dragons for Kids ( Teen Room)

6:30pm

 Community Garden Meeting

7:00pm

 OSKEY Rehearsal

7:00pm

 Jazz Ambassadors - United States Army Field Band!

7:00pm

 Friends of the Franklin Library Meeting

Tuesday, April 2

9:30am

 Cool Cruisers

10:30am

 Get Ready for Kindergarten

3:30pm

 Play S.t.e.a.m.

7:00pm

 The SAFE Community Forum

7:00pm

 How to Speak Wine

7:00pm

 Friends of the Franklin Library Book Group

Wednesday, April 3

10:30am

 Terrific Toddlers

11:00am

 Toddler Playgroup

4:00pm

 Construction Junction

6:30pm

 Christian Zen Weekly Meditation

7:00pm

 OSKEY Rehearsal

7:00pm

 Franklin Art Assoc - Monthly Meeting

Thursday, April 4

9:30am

 Baby Tummy Time

10:30am

 Story & Craft

5:45pm

 FAA Booster Mtg

6:00pm

 Volunteens

6:30pm

 Lenten Soup Supper and Book Study

For the interactive version, please visit

http://www.franklinmatters.org/p/blog-page.html

For the Town of Franklin Public Meeting Calendar

http://www.franklinma.gov/calendar

Submit an event for the Community Calendar, please use this link

https://goo.gl/forms/7Pr1iBuAiIna7cUo2

Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA: FRI - Mar 29 to THU - Apr 4

Franklin Residents: 2019 DPW Construction Projects

Here is an interactive map of the DPW's updated project list for the current (2019) construction season.

Please keep in mind that although the work identified is anticipated to occur in the time frame of the 2019 construction season, it is always subject to change as certain projects may be delayed and other may be added to the list.





Or go directly to the Town page
https://townoffranklin.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=dd40cc6768364be392f6d0ff42156fa2

Franklin Residents: 2019 DPW Construction Projects

Franklin High School presents Seussical the musical

Franklin High School presents Seussical the musical. 

Performances are scheduled for Friday, Mar 29 at 7:00 PM; Saturday, Mar 30 at 7:00 PM, and Sunday, Mar 31 at 2:00 PM.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the door.

Download a copy of the poster 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0ey44FDRZQYeXlORFdiU0h3SUZNWXJMTFFqTG15TzItT3k0/view?usp=sharing

Franklin High School presents Seussical the musical

3 National Merit Scholars named at Franklin High School

"Congratulations to Franklin Panthers Sidhartha Chaganti, Alexandra Krylova, and Gerard Collins for earning the National Merit Scholars certificate. 

The National Merit Scholarship program is an academic competition managed by The National Merit Scholarship Corporation, established in 1955. Approximately 16,000 high school students, less than 1%, compete as National Merit semi-finalists, but only 7,500 students are acclaimed as National Merit Scholars. 

To be eligible, a student must take PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test), along with other requirements such as completing all four years of high school. The Scholarship program views scores based on states, so each student has an equivalent chance at winning. The National Merit cutoff scores most likely change every year."

Continue reading the article online at Pantherbook
https://franklinpanthers.us/top-stories/2019/03/25/national-merit-scholars-certificate-goes-to/

Sidhartha, Gerard, and Alexandra, on receiving National Merit Scholars certificate of Merit. This puts them in an elite group of scholars across the country.  FHS Administration

Franklin Public Library April 2019 Newsletter

See what's happening at the Franklin Public Library during the month of April. Read your copy of the newsletter here:
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/news/april2019librarynewsletter.pdf

The Library will be closed Monday, April 15 for Patriots Day, and Sunday, April 21 for Easter. 

The Library's regular hours are Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Friday and Saturday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Sunday, 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM.

Franklin Public Library April 2019 Newsletter
(library at night - Franklin Matters photo)

FTC Consumer Alert: Operation Donate with Honor continues

Operation Donate with Honor continues by Rosario Méndez Attorney, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC Last year, the FTC and state charity regulators joined in Operation Donate with Honor to stop sham veterans charities from lying to donors.  Today the FTC is announcing that it shut down two more operations that collected donations with false promises of helping veterans and military service members. Read more online https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/03/operation-donate-honor-continues?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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"No state has imposed a sugary drinks tax"

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

"The average child consumes enough sugary drinks each year to fill a bathtub - more than 30 gallons - according to two organizations that this week recommended a suite of policy options aimed at reducing kids’ access to such beverages and encouraging healthier alternatives. 

Sounding an alarm bell over potential health impacts, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association issued a series of recommendations, including raising prices of sugary drinks through an excise tax, with revenues dedicated “in part toward reducing health and socioeconomic disparities.” 

The pediatricians group said the policy statement marks the first time it has recommended taxing sugary drinks. Other recommendations include efforts to decrease sugary drink marketing to children and teens and making healthier drinks like water and milk the default option on children’s menus and vending machines. 

“We’re probably on sugary drinks where we were 20 years ago on tobacco, where people are still not 100 percent convinced that there’s a problem,” Allyson Perron of the American Heart Association told the News Service. “More and more things are coming out - the high rates of young children with diabetes and heart disease and really unhealthy weights. We have kids that have high cholesterol when they’re in elementary school, we’re seeing an increase in cases of heart disease and stroke in the young, and part of that is the unhealthy diet.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190328/legislators-eye-soda-tax

9th Annual Franklin & Bellingham Franklin Fives Road Race 5k & 5 Mile & 3.1 or 1.5 Mile Walk

Please join us for the 9th Annual Franklin & Bellingham Franklin Fives Road Race!

Registration: 8:30 – 9:45 AM
Start Time: 10:00 AM

Start / Finish: 628 Washington St. Franklin, MA (Remington School)
Run 5 K or 5 Mile courses through residential neighborhoods
Walk 1.5 or 3.1 miles through residential neighborhoods

Entry Fee: $30 prior to race day, $35 day of the race, $15 for Students

Chip Timing by Spitler Race Systems

DJ with sound system

Food Tent and Raffle Giveaways

Prizes awarded to top 2 overall male & female runners and top 2 male and female runners in each age group and top running team.

Event details and schedule
Certification & Course Details USA Track & Field Sanctioned Events offer a robust, low cost insurance policy, require organizers to time the race and award prizes based on age groupings, require organizers to provide a safe race for all participants and post the results on the internet within 24 hours of the conclusion of the race. All participants MUST sign the waiver form listed below.

Run: 5 K loop on paved roads

Run: 5 mile loop on paved roads

Walk: 1.5 or 3.1 miles on the race route

Location: 628 Washington Street, Remington Middle School, Franklin, MA 02038 From 495: Take Exit 16 (King St) heading West for approx. 1.1 Miles. Go past Hunters Run and turn left on Lord Way, the approach road to the school. Park & register straight ahead.

Register online
https://www.active.com/franklin-ma/running/distance-running-races/9th-annual-franklin-and-bellingham-franklin-fives-road-race-5k-and-5-mile-and-3-1-or-1-5-mile-walk-2019?

9th Annual Franklin & Bellingham Franklin Fives Road Race 5k & 5 Mile & 3.1 or 1.5 Mile Walk

Wine Tasting 101 - April 9

Sit Down Educational Wine Tasting Events Held In The Franklin Liquors Wine Room Partnering With Franklin Lifelong Learning

Wine Tasting 101
We all know how to drink wine, but did you know there's a difference between Drinking and Tasting? At this sit down educational tasting we will explore how to taste wine like the experts do. How the wine looks, smells and tastes will all be explained and explored.

Using these tips you will be able to communicate better with friends, retailers, restaurants and wine geeks.

Tuesday April 9 - Sign Up
https://reg.abcsignup.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0079-0003-ff1aa4301754482eaa65092f2316b8c8

 Wine Tasting 101 - April 9

MassBudget: Decades-Old Tax Cuts Now Exceed $4B in Lost Revenue

Benefits mostly go to highest-income households

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. March 27, 2019 Decades-Old Tax Cuts Now Exceed $4B in Lost Revenue Benefits mostly got to highest-income households Decades-old income tax cuts have been depriving the Commonwealth of revenue for years - revenue for education, transportation, and programs to help families make ends meet. The loss now exceeds $4 billion per year. The households that have benefited most from these tax cuts (implemented over the late 1990s and early 2000s) are those with the most income, according to a new Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) report. "These past tax cuts have had a lasting effect on our Commonwealth. We are seeing the effects now: in our inadequate education funding formula, in our aging transportation infrastructure, and in long waitlists for housing vouchers and early education," said Kurt Wise, Senior Policy Analyst and author of the paper. Over two-thirds of these past income tax cuts go to the top 20 percent of Massachusetts households, by income. Meanwhile, the lowest 40 percent of households receive only 7 percent of the tax benefits. "Reviewing and reversing these rate cuts is just one example of the many opportunities to raise new revenue in ways that also can help turn our upside-down tax system right-side up," said Marie-Frances Rivera, President of MassBudget. Read the report http://massbudget.org/report_window.php?loc=Income-Tax-Cuts-Cost-Massachusetts-Over-$4-Billion-Annually.html The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, 15 Court Square, Suite 700, Boston, MA 02108 Sent by mrivera@massbudget.org in collaboration with Try it free today

In the News: Ryan Martin selected 'Celtics Junior Broadcaster'; Grave search for America's first published poet

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

Ryan Martin selected 'Celtics Junior Broadcaster'

"Like many 14-year-old boys, Ryan Martin enjoys playing baseball and basketball. But unlike some of his peers, he already knows what he wants to do when he can’t play sports anymore. 

Ryan aspires to be a sports broadcaster, and earlier this month he got a taste of what his adult working life might look like. He was selected as a “Celtics Junior Broadcaster” after submitting a short video of himself to the NBA team, and his reward was to join the radio and TV crews for a March 14 Celtics game against the Sacramento Kings at TD Garden. 

Ryan was interviewed on air by NBC Sports Boston anchor/reporter Kyle Draper. He also joined Celtics commentator Sean Grande of 98.5 The Sports Hub for the radio station’s halftime show. 

“That night was truly unbelievable,” Ryan told the Daily News last week. “Just seeing the Celtics shooting around and being three inches away from (players) Al Horford and Aron Baynes. It was really a great experience.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190328/franklins-ryan-martin-14-joins-celtics-as-junior-broadcaster

Grave search for America's first published poet

"Anne Bradstreet was the North American continent’s first published poet, yet her legacy has largely been lost to time. 

Now, professors and students at Merrimack College in Massachusetts are trying to pinpoint her burial site while at the same time restoring her legacy and what they say is her rightful place in the pantheon of Western literature. 

“Even though we don’t know much about her, she was a household name in the 17th century, both here and in England,” said Christy Pottroff, an assistant professor of English at Merrimack. 

Bradstreet’s 1650 book of poetry, “The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America,” was a sensation both in the Colonies and in her native England, where people were fascinated by her accounts of everyday life in the New World."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190327/search-on-for-burial-site-of-americas-first-published-poet

The Poetry Foundation has additional material on Anne and her poetry
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/anne-bradstreet

Poetry Foundation photo of Anne Bradstreet

FTC Alerts: Robocallers, you’re out

Robocallers, you're out by Rosario Méndez Attorney, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC Most robocalls are prohibited by law, but scammers and dishonest people continue to send them. And even some legitimate companies violate peoples' privacy rights with illegal robocalls. Today the FTC announced several victories in the fight against illegal robocalls. Read more online at the FTC https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/03/robocallers-youre-out?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FM #161 - School Start Times Report - 3/26/19 (audio)

FM #161

This internet radio show or podcast is number 161 in the series for Franklin Matters.

This recording shares the School Start Times Advisory Committee report to the Franklin, MA School Committee on Tuesday, March 26, 2019 in the Council Chambers.

School Superintendent Sara Ahern leads with the intro and overview before handing off to Kit Brady and FHS Deputy Principal William Klements who cover most of the presentation before Sara comes back to close it out.

My notes from the session can be found here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/03/live-reporting-school-start-times.html

Recall that the applications for the Start Times Advisory Committee were accepted early in 2018
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/01/friendly-reminder-school-start-times_15.html

The Committee was appointed at the Feb 27, 2018 meeting and began work shortly after that
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/02/live-reporting-discussion-action-items.html

The Start Times presentation is displayed here

School Start Time Recommendation from Franklin Matters

Or downloaded from here
https://www.slideshare.net/shersteve/school-start-time-recommendation

If the School Committee decides to make the start time change, it would be effective no earlier than the 2020-2021 school year. As the meeting closed Tuesday, there was no indication of when the Committee would take this up for a formal vote.

If you have questions, the School Committee has been making themselves available. The coffee hour schedule is posted. Their contact information is available. Each School Committee meeting has a portion for audience input for items not on the agenda. During the meeting, there are spots for input for those items on the agenda. Take advantage of these opportunities and raise your questions.

School Committee page https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-committee

The total meeting recording runs just about 1 and 45 minutes. Yes, this is a long one. Settle in comfortably, have my Franklin Matters live reported notes handy, and have the Start Times presentation at hand.

Without further ado, here is the audio recording.





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This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but I can't do it alone. I can always use your help.

How can you help?

In particular, if you have an interest in real estate, zoning or construction, I would like someone to help us by following the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, and or the Conservation Commission meetings. I’ll provide the guidance on note taking and sharing. You need to bring an inquisitive, open mind and willingness to learn and share.

Overall:

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors.
• If you don't like this, please let me know.

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements.
Thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes = search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters on iTunes

FSPA Ballet Conservatory presents Coppelia

The Franklin School for the Performing Arts Ballet Conservatory will present Coppelia at THE BLACK BOX March 29-31. The ballet tells the story of Swanhilda who is engaged to Franz, but he has his eye on a mysterious girl sitting on the balcony of Dr Coppelius’s house. Franz doesn’t realize that she is a doll whom the toymaker is trying to bring to life and when Swanhilda and her friends sneak into the Doctor’s workshop, it looks as though he has succeeded. Love triumphs over all in this comedy of mistaken identity and the finale is a joyful celebration of the lovers’ wedding. Coppelia is an enchanting, family ballet, perfect for young and old alike.

The students of FSPA’s Ballet Conservatory will be joined by guest artists Clyde Nantais (formerly of Boston Ballet), Lucas Melfi (Conservatory alumnus), and Rosario Guillen (Franklin Performing Arts Company’s The Nutcracker). The production also features original costume design by Merrie Whitney.

FSPA's Ballet conservatory Program offers classical ballet education of the highest quality. An extensive range of training and performance experiences provides exceptional opportunities for students of all ages and levels interested in the study of classical ballet. The FSPA Ballet curriculum is based on the foundations of the new American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum. As of 2015, all teachers on the Conservatory Track have been certified in the NTC program.

Coppelia is staged by FSPA Ballet Conservatory Director Cheryl Madeux. Madeux received her training at the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts under the direction of Sharon Dante and Donna Bonasera. Ms. Madeux has enjoyed a long professional career, dancing with such venerable companies as the Joffrey Ballet and American Ballet Theatre, and as principal dancer with the Hartford Ballet. Ms. Madeux has performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe, worked with leading choreographers including Gerald Arpino, Kirk Peterson, and Twyla Tharp, and been coached by such ballet luminaries as Igor Youskevitch and Eleanor D’Antuono.

Her extensive classical repertoire includes all the full-length classical productions as well as principal roles in The Nutcracker, Giselle, Coppelia, The Firebird, Balanchine’s Serenade, Spectra de La Rose and much more. Among her accomplishments, Ms. Madeux was awarded first place in the National Society of Arts and Letters Ballet Competition at age 15, was a finalist in the Third Paris International Ballet Competition and the Prix de Lausanne, and was awarded a Level 1 Presidential Scholar in Dance. Many of Ms. Madeux’s FSPA Ballet Conservatory students have been accepted to some of the most prestigious summer programs available and a select few recently participated and advanced to the finals of the Youth America Grand Prix in NY. Ms. Madeux is also a summer faculty member for the ABT® Young Dancers Program in NY and an examiner for the ABT® National Training Curriculum.

For Coppelia tickets and more information on the FSPA Ballet Conservatory, visit www.FSPAonline.com or call 508-528-8668.

FSPA Ballet Conservatory presents Coppelia

TOM RUSH with Matt Nakoa at OCC Coffeehouse - April 5

OCC COFFEEHOUSE

Original Congregational Church

1 East Street, Wrentham, MA 02093

Phone: 508-384-3110

OCC Coffeehouse Website

The two concerts listed below are the final ones of our 2018-2019 season. Tickets for the Tom Rush show are selling briskly, so it is likely they will sellout. Tickets for all shows are available at the church office, 508-384-3110, or at www.musicatocc.org.

TOM RUSH with Matt Nakoa

Friday, April 5, 7:30 PM

Tom is a gifted musician and performer, whose shows offer a musical celebration and journey into the tradition and spectrum of what music has been, can be, and will become. His distinctive guitar style, wry humor and warm, expressive voice have made him both a legend and a lure to audiences around the world. His shows are filled with the rib-aching laughter of terrific story-telling, the sweet melancholy of ballads and the passion of gritty blues. 

TOM RUSH with Matt Nakoa at OCC Coffeehouse

Rush's impact on the American music scene has been profound. He helped shape the folk revival in the '60s and the renaissance of the '80s and '90s, his music having left its stamp on generations of artists. James Taylor told Rolling Stone, "Tom was not only one of my early heroes, but also one of my main influences." Country music star Garth Brooks has credited Rush with being one of his top five musical influences.

Matt Nakoa,Tom's keyboard player and vocalist, now tours internationally, recently performing at The White House, throughout India, and regularly with folk music icon Tom Rush. Matt's piano music has received favorable reviews in publications including The New York Times, and his film scoring has been featured by Disney.

Tickets are $45, in the church sanctuary.

OCC Coffeehouse is a non-profit organization affiliated with the Original Congregational Church in Wrentham. Doors open 30 minutes before the concert. Please call 508-384-8084, email occmusic99@gmail.com, or visit http://www.musicatocc.org for more information.

Inside the FHS Mock Trial Team's historic advance to the Finals

Each year, the Mass. Bar Association sponsors our statewide competition. They create a fictitious fact pattern. This year's case was a criminal case centered around a police officer's use of deadly force. The charges were brought under federal law as a civil rights violation. 

Teams had to explore and present on issues concerning whether the police officer's use of deadly force was objectively reasonable and if not, whether the excessive force was willful. Each side, Prosecution and Defense, has three witnesses. Attorneys must prepare direct and cross examination questions and an Opening Statement and Closing Argument.

Essentially, the entire season is one long single-elimination tournament. The 132 participating schools are placed into 32 geographical regions. In these preliminary trials, two schools face off in local courtrooms. Each school is told in advance which side they will play. This year, each of our preliminary round trials were extremely close. Franklin emerged as the Regional representative to the next round, which was held at Clark University on March 3.

From that point on, schools do not know which side they will represent until 15 minutes before the match. The two schools are told to meet in an assigned room and flip a coin. The winner of the coin toss decides which side they want to play. Interestingly, Franklin lost the coin toss every time.

This year, Franklin advanced to the Finals for the first time in school history. We were the last public school left in the tournament. The state Finals are held each year at historic Faneuil Hall in Boston. A three-judge panel adjudicates the trial. Franklin lost to the Winsor School, which has won the championship five out of the past eight years.

The FHS Mock Trial Team Roster is shown below. Giving a big shout out to the attorney coach, Mike Doherty.  The team also had help along the way from Rep. Jeffrey Roy and one of Mike Doherty's associates, Attorney Andrew Kepple.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bnvsjoEStLVQi2H0OKDoS1krq6lm0HDF/view?usp=sharing

FHS Mock Trial Team at Fanuel Hall (@MockWalsh photo)