framingham.com (*** TEST SITE ***)

Category: General Interest

Framingham’s NEW News Network

New Framingham News Outlet!

FRAMINGHAM, MA – Being one of the largest towns in the U.S. of A., Framingham has a plethora of online news. There are community websites, (such as www.framingham.com), online newspapers, lots of blogs, team and organization website and many, many more online information resources.

The worst problem is finding time to browse them all — up until now that is.

Introducing WWW.FRAMINGHAM.NET !!

Using something called “RSS”, (Really Simple Syndication), most blogs and some other types of websites automatically prepare a newsfeed. Many blogs prepare several of these feeds, (e.g.- one of the 5 latest articles, one for just a certain category of posts, and others which contain user comments or other info).

The purpose of the RSS feeds is (more…)

November 30, 2010
Pinefield’s 6th Annual Jingle Bell Day

Jingle Bell Days are here again!

FRAMINGHAM, MA – Be sure to make your way down to Saxonville on December 4, 2010 from 11:00am – 4:00pm for the 6th Annual “Jingle Bell Days“.

For the past five years, Jeff Underwood of Robinson’s Hardware has pulled together the other merchants at Pinefield Shopping Plaza, (along with a few 2-legged and 4-legged special guests) for “Jingle Bell Days”.

This year Toys for Tots are being collected for the Marine Corps., Please Bring a Toy to Donate!

Here’s some of what’s scheduled for this year: (more…)

November 30, 2010
Framingham Tree Lighting – Friday Dec. 3, 2010

Guarded by a giant wooden soldier, Framingham children gather at the Memorial Building waiting for Santa and the town tree lighting (2007)

FRAMINGHAM, MA – On Friday, December 3, 2010 the Town of Framingham will hold its 19th ANNUAL HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING outside of the Memorial Building, (Framigham Town Hall), which is located at 150 Concord St., in Downtown Framingham.

Events start at 6:15pm as people gather in front of Town Hall for holiday music in eager anticipation of Santa’s arrival and the lighting of the Town Tree.

Each year Santa Claus flies into an undisclosed Framingham location where he is met by Framingham Fire Fighters. This year they’ll help Santa avoid all the road construction and downtown traffic and see that he safely arrives at the Memorial Building by 6:45pm, in time for the tree lighting.

At 7:00 p.m., everyone is invited to come inside Nevins Hall for music by the Framingham Public Schools Elementary and Middle School Band, photos with Santa, hot cocoa, cookies and candy canes.

Video above is from 2007 Framingham Holiday Tree Lighting

The evenings events are sponsored by Town of Framingham, Downtown Solutions, Framingham Rotary Club and The Metrowest Daily News.

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November 25, 2010
Town Hall Closed November 25 & 26, 2010

FRAMINGHAM, MA – The Memorial Building, (Framingham’s Town Hall), will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 25th and 26th, 2010 for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

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November 24, 2010
Westboro Baptist Church Coming to Framingham

Shirley Phelps of the hate group that calls itself the Westboro Baptist Church.

FRAMINGHAM, MA – I got a call yesterday afternoon. The woman said a reporter left a message saying they were from Framingham and wanted to interview her, but didn’t leave a call-back number, so she searched the internet and found the phone number for framingham.com

She asked if she was reaching “a news outlet”, and I told her we do run some news articles along with other Framingham local community information.

Then I asked her, “Did you do something newsworthy?”

Her short reply, “we picket“.

I asked her name…

She said her name was Shirley Phelps-Roper. Then she said, “we were going to picket in your town on the 4th, but we’re going to come on the 3rd instead so more of the kids will be outside the school than will go to that fag play“.

She told me she’s “the lawyer for the [Westboro Baptist] church“, and that she answers the phone calls and email. Then rather proudly mentioned that she is one of 13 siblings, and she herself is the mother of 11 children.

Knowing I was talking to someone who loves the sound of their own voice, I gave Shirley a go-ahead “uh-huh” and said, “Oh, you’re from that church in Kansas“, and mentioned I’d read “something about it”.

Shirley went on about The Laramie Project (more…)

November 18, 2010
Danny O’Connor Boxing Match Cancelled

Homecoming boxing match canceled.

FRAMINGHAM, MA – A boxing exhibition featuring Framingham native champion boxer Danny O’Connor has been canceled. Citing difficulties in obtaining the necessary permits to hold the match in Nevins Hall, the bout has been rescheduled to Nov. 20th and moved to the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT.

O’Connor who grew up in Saxonville and wrestled at Framingham High has already racked up an impressive professional boxing record. Among other titles he was a 2008 National Golden Gloves Champion, 2008 US Future Stars National Champion, and a 2008 Alternate US Olympic Boxing Team member. O’Connor is undefeated in his professional boxing career.

According to a press release from Warriors Boxing promoter Leon Margules the match featuring O’Connor which was billed as “The Homecoming“, was canceled due to what he describes as [Framingham’s] “bizarre bureaucracy“.

In the press release Margules claims; “representations were made to me by town officials that I would be able to sell (more…)

November 2, 2010
Halloween in Framingham 2010

Oct. 30th — Rediscover Pinefield Shopping Center and join in the fun with a children's costume parade, crafts (at McAuliffe Library), a Classic Car and Antique Truck Show, safe store-to-store Trick or Treating and more! (Event sponsored by Robinson's Hardware and other Pinefield merchants).

FRAMINGHAM, MA – Below is a list of just some of the Halloween activities taking in place in Framingham during the week leading up to Halloween ..but first, a little history about the origin of this wickedly fun holiday.

It’s been a couple thousand years since the ancient Celtic people celebrated Samhain, a holiday occurring on the last day of October which marked the end of summer and time for harvest — a time when the Celts believed the line between the living and the dead grew thin and spirits of the dead could return to Earth, (as ghosts). The Celts would dress in costumes and light bonfires as part of the rituals.

Conquered by the Romans, the Celtic harvest rituals were combined with two Roman holidays, Feralia, (a day to commemorate the dead), and Pomona, (a day to honor the godess of fruit and trees). As Christianity became more widespread, All Saints Day, (called “Alholowmesse” in early English), was celebrated on November 1st to honor Roman Catholic Saints and martyrs, and “All Souls (Day)”, to honor all departed souls was celebrated on November 2nd.

Eventually Alholowmesse become known as “All-hallows (Day)”. Since the Celtic holiday of Samhain was celebrated the night before, it became (more…)

October 22, 2010
Fall Workshops at FPAC-TV
Watch Framingham Public Access TV!

FRAMINGHAM, MA – Framingham Public Access Corporation (FPAC) is pleased to announce its 2010 Fall Workshop Schedule for members of the Framingham Community. This season’s offering will include entry-level courses, as well as specialized offerings for people interested in non-linear, computer-based editing and in sports television production.

All courses are scheduled for Thursday evenings from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. For multi-session workshops, please make sure to attend ALL nights.
- Camcorder – September 9, 16 & 23: Learn how to shoot great video with a digital camcorder.
- Final Cut Pro – September 30, October 7 & 14: Learn the basics of non-linear editing with (more…)
September 2, 2010
Framingham House Lottery

FRAMINGHAM, MA – The Town of Framingham is hoping at least three new home owners will be moving into Downtown Framingham this fall.

In October a lottery agent will be orchestrating the sale of two single family homes and one condominium unit the Town purchased as foreclosed bank owned properties. The homes were purchased using a portion of the $1.2M in Federal Stimulus money awarded to the Town and slated specifically for neighborhood stabilization.

After purchasing the homes, the Town hired a contractor who rehabilitated the properties to get them ready to go back on the market.

The Town of Framingham will be holding a public information meeting to (more…)

August 16, 2010
FPAC TV Names New Executive Director

Bill McColgan, FPAC-TV Executive Director

FRAMINGHAM, MA – Framingham Public Access Corporation has chosen Bill McColgan to lead Framingham’s non-profit public access cable station. McColgan brings over twenty years of broadcast journalism and management experience to FPAC. “I’m very excited by the potential for FPAC to be an outstanding resource to the Town of Framingham,” says McColgan. “At a time when most media are not able to devote a lot of resources to localism and covering the community, our role has never been more important. We give the community a voice and a way to communicate.”

A graduate of Stanford University with a BA in Communication and International Relations, McColgan earned an MBA from Boston College. His previous positions include Director of Programming Development and Executive Producer for (more…)

July 23, 2010