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Tag: 2010

  • Framingham Blizzard Warning – December 26,2010

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – The Town of Framingham’s automated emergency phone system dialed town residents twice today.

    The first call was to announce that the National Weather Service has issued a Blizzard Warning for today — from noon on Sunday, December 26, 2010 until Monday, December 27 at 6:00pm, and the town could expect 15″ to 20″ snow.

    Residents were advised that there would be no parking on all artierial roads, (which are posted with red and white signs).  Also, the call advised that although standard odd/even parking was in effect for all non-arterial roads, that residents were advised to seek off street parking as vehicles will be towed if they interfere with plowing operations.

    A second call came advising residents that no trash pickup would occur on Monday December 27, 2010, and reminding residents not to place trash or recycling recepticles on the curb (as snow cleanup will likely still be taking place).

    Monday would have been a heavy trash day as it will be the first scheduled trash pickup day after Christmas.  In past years, before the phone alert system was in place and used for such notices some residents would put trash out that would not get picked up, and it would either hinder snow plowing — or barrels were hit by plows causing a mess, (needless to say, the barrels did not fare well).

    Trash and recycle schedules are moved up by one day, (e.g.- if your trash was to go out Monday, it should be put out Tuesday instead — if your regular day is Tuesday, put it out Wednesday, etc).

    If you have questions or problems regarding either snow removal or trash pickup, contact the Framingham Department of Public Works, (Highway Division or Solid Waste Division), at (508) 532-6030.

    For (non-emergency) issues related to parking during the storm, (vehicle blocking a street, parking questions, etc),  contact the Framingham Police at (508) 872-1212.

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  • Christmas Services in Framingham (2010)

    Christmas Services in Framingham (2010)

    Photo and illustration (c)2010 RMH, all rights reserved.
    Merry Christmas to all from Framingham, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – Below is a list of Christmas services, masses and other events held at Framingham churches and houses of worship during the week of December 20th through 26th, 2010.

    Armenian Church of the Holy Translators – American Christmas Eve Carole and Prayer Service, (in English), Friday, December 24, 4:00PM.

    Crossroads Community Church – Friday December 24, 2010, Christmas Eve Service at 8:00PM.

    Edwards Church (UCC) – Christmas Eve Services: Friday, December 24, 2010, 5:00PM Intergenerational Christmas Pageant, 9:00PM Candlelight Service of lessons, carols, and poetry.

    First Baptist Church of Framingham – Christmas Eve Worship, Friday, December 24, 2010 at 7:00MP.  Service will include special music and candlelight.

    First Parish Framingham – Friday December 24, 2010, Christmas Eve – Traditional Candle Light Service at 5:00PM and 7:00PM. Singing of “the old carols”, candle lighting.  (Note: 5:00pm service is more ‘small-child’ friendly!)

    First United Methodist Church – Christmas Eve, Friday December 24, 2010, services at 7:00PM and 11:00PM.

    Grace Congregational Church –   Christmas Eve Service with Candles, Carols and (more…)

  • Laramie Project Closes After Sellout Weekend

    Laramie Project Closes After Sellout Weekend

    PHOTO - Matthew Shepard
    ~=Matthew Shepard=~(12/1/1976-10/12/1998)

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – After months of planning, casting, rehearsing and finally performing the play — “The Laramie Project” closed after its second sellout night at Framingham High School.

    I didn’t see the play. I’ll admit to never going to a play unless my kid was in it. What I did see and hear were an incredible amount of civil rights “in action” and discussed and debated in the schools and on the streets of Framingham.

    The photo of Matthew Shepard on this page is so nobody forgets that the The Laramie Project is about a murder. A 21 year old kid was killed by two cowards.  The murderers attempted to use the fact that Matthew Shepard was gay as an excuse for how their planned robbery went very wrong.

    The killers were Meth-heads.  They were too lazy to work for a living. The robbery was all about “getting money for drugs“.  They singled out (more…)

  • WBC Protest in Framingham

    WBC Protest in Framingham

    Framingham, MA - December 3, 2010, Westboro Baptist Church police barricade setup for protest.
    Early a.m. police barricade at A St. and Concord St. as police control traffic near Framingham High School.

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – Under the cover of darkness T.V. news trucks quietly pulled into the old State Lumber parking lot at the corner of School Street and Concord Street.

    It was still before dawn as reporters fixed their hair, straightened their jackets and ties, and cameramen readied their equipment.

    The Assignment: Get some film of the Westboro Baptist Church members who are in town to protest the play, “The Laramie Project“.

    The controversial play is about the murder of a gay 21 year old University of Wyoming student,  Matthew Shepard, who was beaten and left to die in 1998 and how the community dealt with the issue.

    The Westboro Baptist group travels around the country protesting the play, but are perhaps even better known for protesting at the funerals of US Soldiers who were killed in war.

    The play will be performed at Framingham High School tonight and (more…)

  • Framingham Tree Lighting – Friday Dec. 3, 2010

    Framingham Tree Lighting – Friday Dec. 3, 2010

    Framingham Children Wait for Santa on the Steps of Memorial Building (2007)
    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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  • 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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  • Westboro Baptist Church Coming to Framingham

    Westboro Baptist Church Coming to Framingham

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

  • “Thanks for Giving” Fund Raiser

    “Thanks for Giving” Fund Raiser

    Thanks for Giving
    For the last 21 years, Mark and Karen Curtis who run the Eagles Grill in downtown Framingham have provided a free Thanksgiving meal to all who need or want one-last year it was over 1,200 meals. They even deliver 450 meals to shut-ins on that day as well. Over the years, they have not solicited donations. This is the first year that some local churches have had to discontinue offering their Thanksgiving meals, and the Salvation Army has canceled their free Thanksgiving dinner as well. Please help support The Eagles Kitchen Thanksgiving Dinner!

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – From November 15, 2010 until November 25, 2010 framingham.com is running a “Thanks for Giving” fund-raising special.

    To help support The Eagles Kitchen Thanksgiving Dinner, and to promote Framingham businesses we are giving 50% OFF standard ad rates for all advertising orders placed this week if the advertiser donates the remaining 50% to help fund the dinner.

    Here’s how it works: Any local business that orders online advertising on framingham.com during the “Thanks for Giving” promotion will get a 50% discount off standard published rates, then the business sends a check or money order payable to “Eagles Kitchen Thanksgiving Dinner” for the other 50%.

    For example: If an advertiser chose a $720/yr package, they would get that package for 50% OFF — making the cost only $360, (for a full year of advertising — that’s less than $1.00 a day!)

    If you own a Framingham business, or know someone who does, let them know about the “Thanks for Giving” promotion. (more…)

  • Pop Culture Super MegaFest in Framingham

    Pop Culture Super MegaFest in Framingham

    Christopher Lloyd, Doc Brown in Back to the Future, Rev. Jim on Taxi at Framingham Super MegaFest
    Meet Christopher Lloyd who played ''Doc Brown'' in the ''Back To The Future'' movie trilogy, and also starred as the lovable ''Reverend Jim'' on the hit t.v. series TAXI. Lloyd began his film career as an unnamed character in the movie ''Airport'' in 1970.

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – What do Reverend Jim from Taxi, Peter Tork from The Monkees, a Gigantic Animated Talking Robot, Playboy Playmate Cathy St. George, Chewbacca from Star Wars and Gary Sohmers of The Antiques Roadshow all have in common?

    Answer: They will all be at Super MegaFest, (and the Come Together Fest concert), the weekend of Saturday & Sunday, November 20th and 21st,  2010 when pop culture lovers and the popular icons they love will converge on Framingham’s  Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center for New England’s largest multi-media fan festival.

    …and that’s just a partial lineup of the fun packed weekend that’s planned!

    While it takes a whole website just to list who and what will be there, here’s a few more stars you may see, meet or get autographs from; Norman Reedus, (Murphy MacManus in The Boondock Saints), Gary Lewis (of Gary Lewis & The Playboys), Marina Sirtis, (of Star Trek Next (more…)

  • Callahan Center Happenings for November 2010

    Callahan Center Happenings for November 2010

    The Raymond J. Callahan Senior Center, Framingham, MA (USA)
    Located at 435 Union Avenue, the Callahan Center is open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – The following information is about support groups, activities and services at the Callahan Senior Center for the month of November, 2010:

    Support Groups at Callahan Senior Center:

    • Bereavement Support Group: Mondays, November 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 at 10:00 am.
    • ‘Better Breathers’ Support Group: Wednesday, November 10 at 12:00 pm.
    • Caregivers’ Support Group: Wednesday, November 24 at 1:00 pm.
    • Diabetes Support Group: Tuesday, November 30 at 10:00 am.
    • Grandparent Support Group: Wednesday, November 24 at 7:00 pm. Please call the Center to confirm in the event of a change.