Franklin Matters Radio

This episode combines the Franklin Public Radio news briefing spots for the week of August 30, 2026.

• The outlook for the week ahead August 30 through September 5, 2026
• The look back at the week that was August 23 through August 29, 2026

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The text and links referenced can be found at Franklin Matters Weekly

https://www.franklinmattersweekly.org/2026/08/september-opens-with-host-of-meetings.html

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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 out. 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!

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

This session shares the Voices of Franklin session held on Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at the Franklin Senior Center. Yes, there can be important conversations between the generations. This shares the first of a series of "Voices of Franklin.”

Coordinated by Franklin Interact Club, Franklin Rotary Club, Franklin Senior Center, and Franklin Recreation. Held at the Franklin Senior Center and the audio recording was made by Franklin TV.

About a dozen seniors and about 15 high school students gathered for a few games, some lunch (and conversation) then, the center piece discussion of the day.

A defining statement was provided. Participants would raise the red card or green card; if they disagreed they would raise their red card or if they agreed, their green.

Moderator Ryan Jette would then follow up with some of the individuals who raised red or green and the conversation ensued.

The next session is scheduled for November 19 at 12:30 PM also at the Senior Center. Starting with lunch (approx. 30 minutes) then getting into a brief presentation on Public Safety with Town of Franklin Police & Fire Chiefs moderated by Ryan Jette. The next session output will be available with audio & video.

Audio link (approx. 40 minutes)

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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 out. 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"

This session shares the Franklin (MA) School Committee meeting held on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 7:00 PM. 6 members of the Committee participated, 6 in person, 1 remote.

Quick recap

• The Superintendent Report provides updates on multiple items; planning for Sept, transportation, hiring status (positions open, a better view to be provided next time), work on facilities progressing. Ms Melotti out on maternity leave, Dr Bob Dutch back to fill in while she is out, important school start dates on webpage - https://www.franklinps.net/o/fpsd/page/school-calendars/
• Joint presentation and updates on summer learning from Student Services and Lifelong Learning. Slides shown were captured in one photo album https://photos.app.goo.gl/7BGZeLN2QWEezqFw7
• Annual report submission approved, minor formatting remains to be done by the Town as the annual report book is prepared for publication
• The 2nd reading on the restraint policy was approved as amended by the Policy Subcmte meeting prior
• Consent agenda was also approved. All votes, by the way, were via roll call and passed 7-0

Let’s listen (approx. 64 minutes)

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Franklin TV video is available - https://www.youtube.com/live/VMpYB91A8Fw?&t=27

The Agenda document - https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08112026-2448

My notes captured during the meeting in one PDF

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hvmIVrFX0EwMzsGCAbVXWcNqeu2T-DO8/view?usp=drive_link

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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 out. 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"

This session shares my conversation with Chasity Cheng, Deputy Director and Jillian Rochat, Activities Coordinator. We had our discussion in the Franklin Senior Center on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.

We talk about

• All the key event highlights for Sept 2026
• Change in fitness class on Tue/Thu to ensure safety of participants, limited to first 35
• Senior Center Yard Sale - Saturday, Sept 12
• Nominations for Stella Jeon Silver Spirit Award close Sept 22
• First Senior Center Art Gallery - Sep 24
• Senior Expo scheduled for Oct 2, programs canceled for the afternoon of Oct 1 to prepare for the Expo

The show notes include links to the Senior Center page, the calendar of events, and to subscribe to the monthly newsletter.

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

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To sign up for the Senior Center Art Gallery contact Jillian Rochet at 508-528-4945 or via email at [email protected]

September 2026 newsletter ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10676/September-2026-Newsletter?bidId=

Franklin Senior Center page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/583/Franklin-Senior-Center-Council-on-Aging

The newsletter archive page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/585/Connection-Newsletter

Senior Center calendar view (just FSC events) -> https://franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37&showPastEvents=false

Subscribe to the newsletter -> by calling 508-520-4945

My Active Center -> https://myactivecenter.com/

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

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 out. 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 it!

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

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

This session shares my conversation with Mitzi Gousie, Programming and Outreach Librarian with the Franklin Public Library. We had our discussion virtually on Saturday, August 22, 2026.

We talk about

• Reviewed the regular open hours, book sale and holiday scheduling for the month
• Sunday hours (1:30 to 5 PM) return on September 13
• Book sale weekend Sep 18 & Sep 19
• Library event highlights for September 2026
• In calendar order rather than by category this time around

Registration for those events required should be done through the Town website, Library page. There are nefarious folks trying to convince folks otherwise via Facebook. Be safe, use the official Town and Library pages.

The show notes include links to the Library page and to the calendar of events where registration for some of the events is required/recommended.

The recording runs about 19 minutes, so let’s listen in.

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Mitzi Gousie’s email - [email protected]

Franklin Public Library page - https://www.franklinma.gov/233/Franklin-Public-Library

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

September 2026 newsletter - (to be added, still showing the August edition)

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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 out. 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"

This episode combines the Franklin Public Radio news briefing spots for the week of August 23, 2026.

• The outlook for the week ahead August 23 through August 29, 2026
• The look back at the week that was August 16 through August 22, 2026

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The text and links referenced can be found at Franklin Matters Weekly

https://www.franklinmattersweekly.org/2026/08/last-week-of-august-light-on-meetings.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 out. 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"

This session of the radio show shares our “Talk Franklin” discussion with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen. We recorded our conversation virtually via Zoom on Monday, August 17, 2026.

Key topics

• Mid-summer status
• Town Council & contract extension
• A validated budget for FY 2027
• Joint Budget working on a strategy
• More topics coming
• Sept 2
• Town available land and facilities
• Sept 16
• Legislative update with Senator Rausch & Rep Roy
• Presentations by Food Pantry, SAFE Coalition, 250th Celebration
• Sept 3
• Police station building committee
• Economic Development
• Split tax workshops
• UMass students study on downtown

The recording runs about 37 minutes. Let’s listen to our conversation.

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Town of Franklin page - https://www.franklinma.gov/

Notify Me - sign up for notification on meetings and agendas https://www.franklinma.gov/list.aspx

Subscribe to Franklin First newsletter https://www.franklinma.gov/m/newsflash

Community calendar https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

Town Administrator contract press release https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/08/franklin-town-council-approves-town.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 out. 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"

This episode combines the Franklin Public Radio news briefing spots for the week of August 16, 2026.

• The outlook for the week ahead August 16 through August 22, 2026
• The look back at the week that was August 9 through August 15, 2026

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

The text and links referenced can be found at Franklin Matters Weekly

https://www.franklinmattersweekly.org/2026/08/a-relatively-quiet-week-ahead-lets.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 out. 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"

Two young authors came to the Franklin TV & Radio Studio on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 to talk about their new book, “Super Kids”. You get to meet TJ Bowser and Christopher Charles and hear their story about this book, the first of a series.

We talk about

• Their goal
• Their collaborative writing process
• And to “not give up”

Our conversation runs about 15 minutes.

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You can buy the book on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H6CN33PZ

The book/authors website https://sites.google.com/view/superkids-book/super-kids

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

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 out. 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 www.franklin.news/ or www.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!

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

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

This session shares the Franklin (MA) Town Council meeting held on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. The Council conducted this session as scheduled beginning at 6 PM. All 9 members participated in Chambers.

The Council voted to enter Executive Session immediately and about 4 hours later returned to open session, voting to return to open session before the recording was enabled.

This post Executive Session portion was successfully broadcast to cable subscribers and to YouTube but unavailable for Zoom.

Recap:

There was only one action item on the agenda, to negotiate the Town Administrator contract in Executive Session, and then to vote on it in the public portion of the meeting.

Motion to approve contract, second, passes 5-4 (4 = no, Callaway-Tripp, Grella, Griffith & Molloy) (Note, there should have been a roll call as the video did not capture the hands raised.) (Note, it would also have been good for the Council to inform the community of what was in the contract that they wrestled so long with.)

Franklin TV YouTube video -

- Part 2 return from Executive Session https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy8O3CvNhHI

- Part 1 - open meeting enters Executive Session https://www.youtube.com/live/KVGmbhOOM_A?&t=132

Agenda doc for this session - https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08122026-2444

The audio link (leaving out the trouble with re-opening the Zoom session)

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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 out. 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"