What's happening in Franklin, MA: Friday, May 8, 2026 ???

Friday, May 8

10:00am Knitting Group (Franklin Public Library)

1:00pm Thrifty Threads (Franklin Federated Church)

5:00pm The Little Shop | Passport to the World Tasting Series

6:00pm dayTREAT "Remarkably Bright Creatures" movie release party (Pour Richard's)

For Library events -> 

https://www.franklinma.gov/942/Calendar-of-Events

For additional details on Senior Center events ->   

https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

Note: Senior Center checking on why their events are suddenly being shown as "All Day". You can use the monthly newsletter for specific program/event times

***  NO  Town Meetings today   ***

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Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendar

FREE Women’s Health Expo scheduled for May 20, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM

The Franklin Board of Health is hosting a Women’s Health Expo on May 20, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at New England Chapel (300 E. Central St., Franklin, MA). 

Save the Date: Women’s Health Expo -
May 20, 2026 for Franklin, MA

This indoor event aims to educate, empower, and support women in taking charge of their health and overall well-being.

Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with local vendors and healthcare partners offering valuable information and resources on:

• Preventive care

• Common health conditions affecting women

• Nutrition and fitness

• Overall wellness and healthy lifestyle choices

In addition, the Dana-Farber mobile mammography van will be on-site from 7:00 AM to 3:15 PM, providing convenient access to important breast health screenings.

Please refer to the event flyers for additional details: Women's Health Expo & Mammogram Van Flyers

All are welcome to attend.

Download the flyer as a reminder or to share - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V6UHPzYxz4J-zEheK72Y61SeecxETVvf/view?usp=drive_link

Shared from - https://www.franklinma.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/111

FY 2027 Budget Narrative: Commission on Disability

From the Town Administrator's FY 2027 Budget narrative, each department's story is worth sharing.

General Purpose

The primary functions of this Commission are to educate about disability, advocate for persons with disabilities, and act as a resource for those who may require disability-related services or have concerns.

Staffing

● There are currently Seven (7) Volunteer Members which will increase to nine (9) Volunteer Members

○ Includes: One (1) Chair

○ Includes: One (1) Vice Chair

○ Includes: One (1) Clerk

Strategic Initiatives & Accomplishments

● Hosting a Disability Expo for several years to provide the public with disability-related resources and services

● Advocating for important accessibility improvements and ADA compliance in the Town of Franklin, including the successful new Dean MBTA Station accessible platform

● Connecting numerous Franklin residents to much-needed disability-related resources

● Completing a “Disability-Related Services” public document and publishing it on the COD website to help guide residents to needed resources

● Developing an "Accessibility In Franklin” public document to help residents easily look up locations and events in town to determine how accessible they are for their own personal needs

● Attending town events such as the Senior Expo, and planning to attend town events such as the Strawberry Stroll, to spread awareness and education about disability and how the COD can help residents

● Establishing a consistent process for reporting, recording, and monitoring revenue received from handicap parking violations, in accordance with Chapter 40, Section 22G

● Creating an Accessibility Working Group to connect the COD with the Town Department Heads

● Supporting the municipal staff in achieving Title II digital compliance

● Advocating for and working with the Town Council and Town Administrator on accessibility goals within the town goals

FY27 Requested Budget Highlights

● This is a level-funded budget, which was just created two years ago.

The PDF of this section - 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11oK2sD2HIZ5urkhVSXxES5Ei9o8telrz/view?usp=drive_link

For the full FY 2027 budget narrative -  https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8912/FY27-Budget-Narrative-FINAL-1

The complete set of FY 2027 budget information can be found 

https://www.franklinma.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=577

Franklin, MA: Agenda for joint Town Council & School Committee meeting on Tuesday, May 12

Franklin Town Council

Agenda & Meeting Packet

May 12, 2026 = 7:00 PM

This is a joint meeting of the Franklin Town Council and Franklin School Committee.

Meeting will take place at the Franklin Municipal Building: 

355 East Central Street - 2nd Floor, Council Chambers

1. PRESENTATIONS / DISCUSSION

a. Discussion and potential selection of bidders from the Request for Statements of Interest issued by the Franklin Town Council and School Committee for a strategic plan.

i. Request for Statement of Interest for Development of a Strategic Plan   https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/9423/2026-04-17--Req-for-Information-Strategic-Plan

ii. Presentations (via Zoom) 

7:00 - 7:30: Raftelis  

 https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/9322/Raftelis

7:35 - 8:05: Capital Strategic Solutions 

 https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/9321/Capital-Strategic-Solutions

8:10 - 8:40: BME Strategies 

 https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/9320/BME-Strategies

2. ADJOURN

Note: Two-Thirds Vote: requires 6 votes

Majority Vote: requires majority of members present and voting

The agenda doc also contains remote participation info

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05122026-2302

Talking with Amy Adams about the Wind Phone coming soon to Franklin (Audio)

FM #1743 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1743 in the series. 

The wind phone as installed in Natick

This session shares my conversation with Franklin artist extraordinaire Amy Adams. She is a member of the Franklin Art Association. We had our discussion in the Franklin TV & Radio Studio on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.

Our conversation covers Amy’s work and approach

• The Wind Phone comes to Franklin’s Sculpture Park

• Dealing with grief, healing with HeART

• Readiness to deal with grief

The recording runs about 41 minutes, so let’s listen in.

Audio link -  https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1743-talking-with-amy-adams-about-wind-phones-04-29-26/

--------------

Painting Venus - Amy’s art portfolio page -> https://www.paintingvenus.art/ 

US Wind phone website  (as mentioned) -> https://www.mywindphone.com/united-states-windphones 

First recording on the wind phone (and art overall) (Nov 2024)

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2024/11/talking-art-with-amy-adams-audio.html 

Prior recording about the Natick phone installation (July 2025)

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/07/amy-adams-talks-about-wind-phone.html 

Video of the welcoming remarks when the wind phone opened in Natick (July 2025)

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/07/wind-phone-natick-welcoming-remarks-by.html

-------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. 

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

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

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

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/  or www.franklin.news 

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!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

FHS Outdoor track results vs Taunton; 2 wins on Tuesday

Catching up to share the results of the FHS Outdoor Track results of the meet vs. Taunton on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. 

Thanks to the FHS Track Boosters

Shared from - 

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Ky9GTf2cV/

Spring Rising Stars scheduled at THE BLACK BOX on May 21

Spring Rising Stars scheduled at
THE BLACK BOX on May 21

"THE BLACK BOX presents a crowd favorite with its Spring Rising Stars! 

Talented young singers deliver powerful performances of pop and rock songs in a cabaret setting!"

Tickets available online - https://theblackboxonline.com/rising-stars-pop-rock-cabaret/

FBRTC Monthly meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 12

FBRTC Monthly meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 12

via Franklin Bellingham Rail Trail Committee

"Our next meeting is on Tuesday, May 12th at Franklin.TV, located at 23 Hutchinson Street, Franklin at 7 PM.

We'd love to see you there!"

Shared from - https://www.instagram.com/p/DX_zHyggMZM/

Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm schedule for Friday, May 8, 2026

Yes, Franklin has it's own radio station -> wfpr.fm. Franklin Public Radio has a brand new schedule for the locally produced shows that fill our air waves. 

It is available anywhere, anytime at wfpr.fm or in the local Franklin, MA area at 102.9 on the FM dial.

Tune in to listen to the following:

Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm schedule for Friday

8:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 6:00 PM - Franklin Matters Radio – Steve Sherlock covering Franklin, its local government, services, and events 

• This hour shares  Talking about "Celebrate with Pride" ->    https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/05/fm-1737-this-is-franklin-matters-radio.html

9:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 7:00 PM

10:00 AM, 3:00 PM, and 8:00 PM - Talkin’ the Blues – Jim Derick & Nick Remissong. 2 hours of awesome blues music, info, interviews  Showcasing the "Blues" as a basis for and influence of Country, Jazz and Rock and Roll, here and worldwide.

11:00 AM, 4:00 PM, and 9:00 PM - “The Vibe” show plays music for everyone searching for some enjoyment, some dance, a happy or thinking mood, and most importantly, having fun.  Tune in to wfpr.fm and listen to “DJ Vibe” spin music across many genres and join this new vibing experience

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

Franklin TV schedule for Friday, May 8, 2026 (Your local Public, Education & Government "PEG" station)

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

8:30 am  Frank Presents: Djuna Perkins

10:00 am  Aging Boldfully: Anne Bergen

11:00 am  Senior Connection: Disabilities Commission

12:00 pm  Brook'n'Cookin: Taquitos

12:30 pm  Cooking with Linda: Italian Sausage

1:30 pm      Pizzapalooza: Margherita Pizza

2:00 pm  New England Candlepins Summer 2023 Show 1

3:00 pm  Candlepin New Generation: Show 4

3:30 pm  Winning Ways with the MIAA: Student Athletes Pt 1

4:30 pm  Franklin Art Association: Anna P. Wert

6:00 pm  SAFE Coalition Gala 2026

9:00 pm  Circle of Friends: Cheryl Wheeler

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

7:00 am  All-Town Chorus & Orchestra 2026

8:30 am  Sons & Daughters of Italy: Ciambotta

9:30 am  6th Grade Winter Music 02-10-26

11:00 am  FHS Theater Company: Lord of the Flies

2:00 pm  FHS Concert Hour 02-25-26

3:30 pm  FHS Varsity Baseball v Catholic Memorial 04-21-26

8:30 pm  Franklin Footlighters: Footloose

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

8:00 am  Zoning Board of Appeals 03-05-26

2:00 pm  Zoning Board of Appeals 03-05-26

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

Watch Listen Read all things that matter in Franklin MA

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Thursday, May 7, 2026 ???

Thursday, May 7

3:00pm Back to Life: Youth Theater Project (SAFE Coalition)

6:00pm Annual Memorial Porketta (Franklin Rod & Gun Club)

For Library events -> 

https://www.franklinma.gov/942/Calendar-of-Events

For additional details on Senior Center events ->   

https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

Note: Senior Center checking on why their events are suddenly being shown as "All Day". You can use the monthly newsletter for specific program/event times

*** Town Meetings today ***

For Library events -> 

https://www.franklinma.gov/942/Calendar-of-Events

For additional details on Senior Center events ->   

https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

Note: Senior Center checking on why their events are suddenly being shown as "All Day". You can use the monthly newsletter for specific program/event times

***    Town Meetings today   ***

Franklin Commission on Disability

Thursday, May 7 Time: 4:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05072026-2279 

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School - Board of Trustees Meeting

Thursday, May 7 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05072026-2286 

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, May 7 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/593?fileID=9052 

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Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendar