Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Notice of Public Hearings - (1) Modification of a Section 15 License & (2) New Section 15 All Alcoholic Beverages License - April 10, 2024

  • Notice of Public Hearing - Modification of a Section 15 Wine & Malt Beverages Package Store License - Table & Vine, Inc.


  • Notice of Public Hearing - New Section 15 All Alcoholic Beverages Package Store License - Shikshapatri Corporation d/b/a Dacey's Market & Deli

Notice of Public Hearings
Notice of Public Hearings

Franklin TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) schedule for Tuesday, Mar 26, 2024

  • wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Tuesday

9:00 AM 12:00 Noon and 6:00 PM  Jazz Journey – with Pamela Hines
2 hours. An insightful tour of Jazz Greats in a golden era

11:00 AM 2 PM and 8:00 PM SAFE Radio– Jim Derick and Dr. Anne Bergen Addressing issues of Drug Abuse Disorder 

  • Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 6, Verizon 26) = TUESDAY

7:30 am Joe Landry: Hurricane of 1938
9:00 am Mental Health: Amy Frigulietti
10:00 am Frank Presents: Corey Shea
12:00 pm Brook'n'Cookin: Brownies
12:30 pm Second Sunday Speaker Series: Valentine Cards
1:00 pm Pizzapalooza: Meat-Lovers Pt. 1
2:00 pm New England Candlepins: Summer 2018 Show 5
3:00 pm Candlepin New Generation: Spring 2019 Show 2
3:30 pm Riffin' on Main Street: Katherine Kennedy
4:30 pm Winning Ways with the MIAA: Districts
5:30 pm Physician Focus: Oral Health
6:00 pm Senior Connection: Spaghetti Bolognese
7:00 pm Martin Luther King: Music and Spoken Word
8:30 pm Fallen Heroes Pt 2
9:30 pm Franklin Art Association: Dave Kaphammer

  • Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel        (Comcast 8, Verizon 28) = TUESDAY

7:00 am Public School Event: FHS Jazz Cafe 2023
9:00 am Lifelong Music: Band
11:30 am Rec Basketball: 6th - 8th Grade Girls Championship
2:00 pm Mental Health: Amy Frigulietti
3:30 pm Winning Ways with the MIAA: Districts
4:30 pm FHS Girls Varsity Basketball v Andover 02-29-24
6:30 pm All-Town Showcase 2024: Band
8:30 pm FHS Boys Varsity Hockey v Xaverian 03-07-24

  • Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 9, Verizon 29) = TUESDAY

8:00 am School Committee 03-19-24
12:00 pm Master Plan Committee 03-20-24
2:00 pm School Committee 03-19-24
7:00 pm  School Committee  LIVE, Chambers  832 4990 8868 Code 537009

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf 

Monday, March 25, 2024

Franklin Husband and Wife Teach Dance for a Good Cause

With Spring in full bloom, Kevin and Anna Balcom are teaching dance to benefit Boston Children’s Hospital. Dance4Dreams, an 8-week introductory West Coast Swing dance series, will be held on Tuesdays beginning April 16  from 7:00 - 8:30 PM through June 4 at the Franklin Elks Lodge located at 1077 Pond Street, Franklin, MA 02038. 100% of proceeds will benefit Boston Children’s Hospital.

Dance Instructors:  Anna & Kevin Balcom, with their son Zachary.

Dance Instructors: Anna & Kevin Balcom, with their son Zachary.


Anna Balcom and Kevin Balcom have been dancing collectively for over 40 years. Anna, a Franklin resident, dances Classical, Contemporary Ballet, Salsa, Latin Ballroom, Modern Jive, and West Coast Swing. Kevin, a lifelong MA resident, started his dance journey in Country Line Dancing, and rapidly became exposed to many other styles, with a competitive and educational focus on West Coast Swing.

This event combines their passion for dance with their deep appreciation for Boston Children’s Hospital. For over 150 years: 
“Boston Children’s Hospital has been dedicated to improving and advancing the health and well-being of children  around the world through its life-changing work in clinical care, biomedical research, medical education and community engagement. Boston Children's is ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. 
It is home to the world's largest pediatric research enterprise, and it is the leading recipient of pediatric research funding from the National Institutes of Health. It is the primary pediatric teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School. Boston Children’s treats more children with rare diseases and complex conditions than any other hospital.” -Boston Children’s Hospital.
Anna encourages all to join, “whether you are a beginner or an expert, swing on over for a good cause!”

Ages 16+ are welcome. No prior dance experience or partner required. $15/person per class. Cash preferred. No advance registration required.

For inquires or questions, contact Anna Balcom at 508-808-4675 or visit www.dance4dreams.com.

Check out the Senior Center event outlook for this last week of March 2024

"Ain’t no stoppin’ us at the Franklin Senior Center. 
There are tons of activities to choose from this week! 
Have an idea for a program or class?! Let us know what you’d like us to add!"
#franklinma #seniorcenter #aintnostoppingusnow #franklinseniorcenter

For details on these highlight events, or on the regular daily schedule, please visit the Senior Center online at -> https://www.franklinma.gov/fsc

Reminder: School Committee schedules Special Meeting to hear Comprehensive School Facilities Assessment Update

Franklin Public Schools - Franklin School Committee
School Committee Special Meeting
March 26, 2024 - 7:00 - 8:00 PM

Municipal Building – Council Chambers


Comprehensive School Facilities Assessment Update
● Locke & Associates
o Portrait of a Graduate & Educational Visioning Report

Tri-County Regional: This episode of Talkin' TC features Graphics instructor Ms. Brianna Boothe (video)

Tri-County Regional (@TriCountyRVTSD) posted Sat, Mar 23, 2024:
In the latest episode of Talkin' TC, we hear from one of our own, Graphics instructor Ms. Brianna Boothe. Ms. Boothe shares some great wisdom and advice. Come along on her journey by listening. #TalkinTC  Video link -> https://t.co/j1dYP8Q8LB

Reminder: detour starting Monday, March 25 for Beaver St interceptor construction

Reminder: detour starting Monday, March 25 for Beaver St interceptor construction
Reminder: detour starting Monday, March 25 
Starting Monday, March 25 a detour through Tri-County Drive will be in place.

Residential traffic only on Pond St., Rolling Ridge Rd., Hilltop Rd. and part of Old West Central St. The detour will be in place Monday thru Thursday from 7:30 AM until 5:00 PM.

During this construction phase, the adjacent medical building remains accessible, though Starbucks will be accessible via 140 only. Access to this area may look different as work continues. We are working with school staff to ensure safety.

Please visit our interactive construction map for details

We will update and communicate regularly via social media, our dedicated email list, and the construction map.

Register O'Donnell’s “Suits for Success” Expands Partnership

Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O’Donnell recently partnered with The Office of Youth Employment and Opportunity of Boston to donate more than 300 articles of smart casual clothing, business attire, and suits for the 2024 City of Boston Youth Jobs & Resource Fair.

For individuals just starting out on the road to success, the high price of a suit can be an insurmountable obstacle, and it can represent a missed opportunity.

Register O'Donnell’s “Suits for Success” Expands Partnership
 Register O'Donnell’s “Suits for Success” Expands Partnership


“It is my great pleasure to donate these men's and women's suits and dress clothes on behalf of the residents of Norfolk County, and I hope that by partnering with the Office of Youth Employment and Opportunity, we can help to eliminate some of the barriers for young job seekers, empowering them to present themselves confidently in interviews,” stated Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O’Donnell.

The goal of the 2024 City of Boston Youth Jobs & Resource Fair is to connect young job seekers with over 150 employers. The event features job placement opportunities, and career development workshops. For more information contact the Office of Youth Employment and Opportunity at https://www.boston.gov/departments/youth-employment-and-opportunity or email them at Youthline@boston.gov.

“It’s a great partnership for the future because sometimes we don’t have access to a lot of suits,” said Jasmin Argueta, Youth and Career Development Coordinator for the Office of Youth Employment and Opportunity. “A donation like this allows for the youth to have access to clothes that they need for interviews or to have clothes for when they get a job in the future.”

Since the Registry started the “Suits for Success” program in February 2009, it has distributed more than 12,000 articles of clothing to local charitable organizations.

“During the past decade and a half, we have learned that programs like ‘Suits for Success’ work,” said O’Donnell. “This program has given many people a valuable resource to help them on the path to success. It is rewarding just to help others in our community who may be looking to take that next step in a search for a job.”

The Youth Engagement and Opportunities Program finds job prospects, develops, and engages Boston's youth. Their mission is to prepare young individuals to enter the workforce by supplying them with the necessary tools to do so, including training, clothing, and networking.

“Coming to job fair and finding out that they are able to have access to professional clothing that they might not have at home can play a lot with someone’s confidence, knowing that they are able to show up to a job interview in a nice suit,” said Argueta.

The “Suits for Success” program, developed by Register O’Donnell, partners with groups like Interfaith Social Services of Quincy, Father Bill’s & MainSpring of Quincy, the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System Voluntary Service Program, Needham community council, Circle of Hope in Needham, United Parish’s Thrifty Threads, St. Vincent de Paul in Plainville, St. Francis House in Boston, Suits and Smiles in Jamaica Plain, InnerCity Weightlifting, New Life Furniture Bank of Massachusetts in Walpole, and The Office of Youth Employment and Opportunity of Boston to assist those who are in need of clothing as well as household items. The mission of “Suits for Success” is to collect donations of suitable clothing to be distributed to individuals who may need appropriate attire for employment interviews.

“I want to thank the individuals of Norfolk County and the surrounding communities who have taken the time and effort to donate to the “Suits for Success” program making, the partnerships we have with nonprofit organizations throughout Norfolk County and beyond possible,” stated O’Donnell.

If you would like to stay up-to-date on upcoming Registry of Deeds events, programs, and real estate information, you can sign up for our Registry email updates at www.norfolkdeeds.org, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/norfolkdeeds, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/norfolkdeeds.

The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds, located at 649 High St., Dedham, is the principal office for real property in Norfolk County. The Registry is a resource for homeowners, title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities, and others with a need for secure, accurate, and accessible land record information. All land record research information can be found on the Registry’s website, www.norfolkdeeds.org. Residents in need of assistance can contact the Registry of Deeds Customer Service Center at (781) 461-6101 or email us at registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org.

Watch "The Anxious Generation Art Project" on YouTube (video)

"Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt believes childhood itself has gone missing. And he and artist Dave Cicirelli are teaming up to tell that story at the scenes of the crime.

Haidt argues that for a little over a decade, we’ve been raising children in an environment hostile to human development. Kids are spending upwards of eight to nine hours a day on their phones and very little time playing in the real world with other kids. Their mental health has suffered and their real-world childhood has been taken away from them.

Based on the essential findings of Haidt’s book, The Anxious Generation, we're blanketing the centers of media, government, and tech in provocative images and installations that remove the filters from the phone-based coming of age.  

This guerilla art takeover is anchored by a ten-foot-tall “Missing Childhood” milk cartons in prominent public spaces. These cartons will not just tell the tragic story of youth’s mental health decline but also be a forum for passerbyers to share their personal experiences with this dramatic shift in childhood."

The Boston Globe has a Q&A with Jonathan Haidt on the Anxious Generation ->   https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/03/24/opinion/jonathan-haidt-the-anxious-generation/


This is the last week to apply for the Knights of Columbus Scholarships

The Knights of Columbus 1847 St Mary Parish Franklin is accepting applications for The Robert Simmler PGKKnights of Columbus Sacred Heart Council Scholarships. They are offering two scholarships, one in the sum of $3000 and the second $1000 scholarship.  

The applicants must be a registered member of St Mary’s Parish in Franklin, and must be graduating from High School in Spring 2024 and progressing onto their first year of study at a 2 or 4 year college/university.  All interested applicants please submit a completed scholarship application postmarked on or before the application deadline of March 28, 2024.

The application form is available from the banner on the St Mary parish website www.stmarysfranklin.org  or on the Knights of Columbus website https://www.kofc1847.org/ .  

Please fill in ALL information accurately and clearly, and then submit the completed application to             
Knights of Columbus 
Sacred Heart Council 1847
St Mary’s Parish 
c/o Michael Swan 
38 Madison Ave 
Franklin, MA 02038

The scholarship recipients will receive payment upon completion of their 1st semester of studies and upon proof of enrollment in the 2nd semester.

If more information is needed, please contact Mike Swan: 508-404-4792 

Franklin TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) schedule for Monday, Mar 25, 2024

  • wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Monday

9 AM 12 PM and 6 PM Talkin’ the Blues – Jim Derick & Nick Remissong
2 hours of awesome blues music, info, interviews

11 AM 2 PM and 8 PM A More Perfect Union – Discussing American Politics and Current Events - Peter Fasciano, Dr. Michael Walker Jones, Dr. Natalia Linos, State Rep Jeff Roy, and Nick Remissong hold a round table discussion on current events and American politics, bringing about thoughtful conversation, compelling discourse, and a look at what the future might hold for the United States.

  • Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 6, Verizon 26) = MONDAY

8:00 am SAFE Coalition: Michelle Palladini
9:00 am The Millis Berfield Band
12:00 pm Brook'n'Cookin: Brownies
12:30 pm Second Sunday Speaker Series: Valentine Cards
1:00 pm Cooking Thyme: Grillin'
1:30 pm Pizzapalooza: Meat-Lovers Pt. 1
2:00 pm New England Candlepins: Summer 2018 Show 5
3:00 pm Candlepin New Generation: Spring 2019 Show 2
3:30 pm Veterans' Call: Dave Hencke
4:30 pm Norfolk County Prevention Coalition: L. E. A. P.
5:00 pm Winning Ways with the MIAA: Districts
6:00 pm Extended Play Sessions: Season 10 Show 2 - Paul Kelly
7:00 pm Frank Presents: Corey Shea
9:00 pm Circle of Friends: Joe Jencks

  • Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel        (Comcast 8, Verizon 28) = MONDAY

10:00 am All-Town Showcase 2024: Band
11:30 am All-Town Showcase 2024: Chorus
2:30 pm SAFE Coalition: The Hamlins
4:00 pm FHS Girls Varsity Basketball v Andover 02-29-24
6:00 pm Winning Ways with the MIAA: Districts
7:00 pm FHS Boys Varsity Basketball State Finals 03-17-24
9:00 pm FHS Theater Company: Cinderella

  • Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 9, Verizon 29) = MONDAY

8:00 am Planning Board 03-11-24
12:00 pm Master Plan Committee 03-20-24
2:00 pm Planning Board 03-11-24
7:00 pm   Planning Board  Live, Chambers  963 3506 3182

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf  

Sunday, March 24, 2024

ALARM Robotics wins 2nd place at BSU competition! (video)

4H ALARM Robotics won the 2nd place finalist award with its alliance partners while competing with 36 other FRC teams at the NE District BSU Event 2024.

ALARM Robotics is a local non-profit community team which has been mentoring students in robotics since 2007 and is set up in Franklin’s very own historic Red Brick School. ALARM stands for ‘A Lot of Awesome Robot Makers’. The team participates in FRC–-FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION run by FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). We accept students from 8th to 12th grade from Franklin and neighborhood towns. 

 

The FIRST Robotics Competition is a mix of sports and engineering. It is a crossfit workout for the muscle upstairs!  Here students get to learn how to build robots, specifically machining, computer aided design and programming. Teams design a new robot every season, the theme of this season was “Crescendo

ALARM Robotics wins 2nd place at BSU competition!
ALARM Robotics wins 2nd place at BSU competition!

The 4H ALARM team participates in competitions in the New England area. After the game kick-off in January, the students and mentors work for over 9 weeks, sometimes putting in over 20-30 hours every week to design, build and program a robot for doing specific tasks for the challenge.

Our robot, Hydra, is a 120 lbs. robot programmed to pick up and shoot foam notes into a target area. Its name was inspired by the mythical immortal beast with immense power. At Bridgewater State University, our robot was flawless in placing the shot and rarely missed or bounced. Much like any other sport, the goal is for the robots to score maximum points throughout the 2:30 minute game. At the end of each of the 3v3 matches, the robots have to hang on a “stage” during the endgame.
Hydra, is a 120 lbs. robot
Hydra, is a 120 lbs. robot

4H ALARM Robotics has been teaching robotics at the Franklin Public Library over the past few months and they presented their outreach work at the competition and also won the Team Spirit Award. This award "celebrates extraordinary enthusiasm and spirit through exceptional partnership and teamwork furthering the objectives of FIRST”.

The team's next competition will be at Worcester Polytechnic Institute from March 29,30,31st. 

4H ALARM Robotics is supported by generous sponsors- Dassault Systemes, Pratt & Whitney, TE Connectivity, Gene Haas Foundation, General Dynamics-Mission Systems, Mathworks, Natural Resources Management, Tib Family and partners 4H and the Franklin Public Library. 

Students participating in FIRST Robotics Competitions are eligible to apply for nearly $22 million in scholarships from more than 200 colleges and universities.

Riffin' on Main St: James Johnston (video)

Dean College President Ken Elmore has a podcast or interview series called Riffin' on Main St. In this episode he talks with Franklin historian James Johnston.



Franklin TV: Live Sports Radio

Coming to you from Tsongas Arena.

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director 03/24/2024

Last week we were not allowed to cover the State Roundball Finals because we were blacked out by the NFHS network. https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/

We cablecast and live-stream as many Franklin games as possible. All for free. NFHS live-streams the big high school sporting events – for a subscriber fee.

For those of you who missed it, this week:
Sunday, 7:30 pm FHS Boys Varsity Basketball State Finals 03-17-24
Monday, 7:00 pm FHS Boys Varsity Basketball State Finals 03-17-24
Thursday 10:00 am FHS Boys Varsity Basketball State Finals 03-17-24

That said, we’re hoping to come to some accommodation with NFHS in the future.

Franklin TV:  Live Sports Radio
Franklin TV:  Live Sports Radio


We did cover the game live on Franklin Public Radio as an ‘experimental’ ‘B’ plan. Lots of laptop computers were involved to broadcast the event – as a Zoom meeting. Our sports guys, Jay Horrigan and Pete Royce were at the mic in Tsongas. I was at home as the Zoom host. Another laptop at our wfpr transmitter site was ‘listening’. The whole enchilada was connected up by still more remote computers.

It Takes a Village – of Computers.

Thanks for listening to 102.9 wfpr●fm. 
And – as always – thanks for watching.


Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf   

FHS O'Leary named MVP for Hockomock League boys basketball

2024 Hockomock League Girls Basketball All Stars

Below are the official 2024 Hockomock League Girls Basketball All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.

HOCKOMOCK LEAGUE MVP
Camryn Collins, Foxboro

HOCKOMOCK LEAGUE ALL STARS
Chloe Fales, Franklin
Sasha Tracey, Franklin

Honorable Mentions
Olena Malymina, Franklin

Shared from (subscription required)

2024 Hockomock League Boys Basketball All Stars

Below are the official 2024 Hockomock League Boys Basketball All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.

HOCKOMOCK LEAGUE MVP
Sean O’Leary, Franklin

HOCKOMOCK LEAGUE ALL STARS
Bradley Herndon, Franklin
Caden Sullivan, Franklin
Henry DiGiorgio, Franklin
Sean O’Leary, Franklin

Honorable Mentions
Andrew O’Neill, Franklin

Shared from (subscription required)

FHS O'Leary named MVP for Hockomock League boys basketball
FHS O'Leary named MVP for Hockomock League boys basketball

FHS' Carlucci, Sauer, & O'Connell recognized for Hockomock League Wrestling

2024 Hockomock League Wrestling All Stars

Below are the official 2024 Hockomock League Wrestling All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.

KELLEY-REX DIVISION MVP
Michael Boulanger, Milford

DAVENPORT DIVISION MVP
Cyrus Jones, Sharon

HOCKOMOCK LEAGUE ALL STARS
  • Riley Carlucci, Franklin
  • Jack Sauer, Franklin
Honorable Mentions
  • Weylan O’Connell, Franklin

Shared from (subscription required)

FHS' Carlucci, Sauer, & O'Connell recognized for Hockomock League Wrestling
FHS' Carlucci, Sauer, & O'Connell recognized for Hockomock League Wrestling

Dean College announces Commencement Speaker & Honorary degree recipients

Dean College is excited to announce that we will present honorary degrees to Executive Director of the Mass Cultural Council, Michael J. Bobbitt and former U.S. Ambassador to Croatia and Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations in Afghanistan, Peter W. Galbraith at our 158th Commencement Exercises. 

Michael J. Bobbitt will also address the graduates as our Commencement speaker. 


Dean College announces Commencement Speaker & Honorary degree recipients
Dean College announces Commencement Speaker & Honorary degree recipients

Migrant crisis: State Senate votes to limit time in family shelter

"As the state burns through the hundreds of millions already set aside to fund Massachusetts’ emergency shelter system, the state Senate late Thursday voted to inject millions more into the system, and limit the amount of time homeless families, including migrants, can stay.

The 32-8 vote, which happened shortly after 9 p.m. Thursday night, sets the stage for what will likely be a contentious debate with the House, which passed its own version earlier this month.

The proposal is part of a spending bill meant to buoy the strained shelter system through the end of the fiscal year, and help fund it into 2025. While the Senate proposal diverges from the House’s bill on some key details, both chambers are now united behind the concept of restricting, for the first time since the inception of Massachusetts’ right-to-shelter law, how long the state should provide a place to sleep for homeless families."

The Senate legislation differs in many ways from the House’s proposal
The Senate legislation differs in many ways from the House’s proposal

"As Massachusetts struggles to find housing for an influx of migrants, a Globe analysis of state data finds that few wealthy communities are hosting emergency shelters for homeless and migrant families while the bulk are in middle-income cities and towns.

Of the 94 communities hosting emergency shelters, more than half have a median household income below $100,000, while just nine of those communities — including Acton, Concord, and Lexington — have household incomes above $150,000.

The state says its process for placing shelters is driven by the availability of space and factors such as their proximity to critical services such as public transportation.

But many communities say they are having trouble providing all the resources people need, such as transportation and translators, and worry the strain on their limited resources will reach a breaking point."
Buried within the Globe article above was this piece which I missed while I was away in February (subscription maybe required) ->   https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/02/09/metro/boston-migrants-globe-analysis/