People, Power, and Politcs

Former Cannabis Control Commission Chairwoman Shannon O'Brien is suing both the commission and Treasurer Deb Goldberg seeking compensation for alleged retaliation she faced during her time leading the agency and for damages she incurred throughout the legal battle to get her job back. Meanwhile, Goldberg's office said O'Brien is dredging up old issues that have already been litigated to generate attention. Shannon O'Brien Complaint filed 8/20/26 against CCC and Treasure Deb Goldberg O'Brien's lawsuit, filed Thursday in Suffolk County Superior Court, rehashes a two-year-long legal battle between her and Goldberg that highlighted internal strife within the CCC. It also comes months after Gov. Maura Healey appointed an entirely new commission under a recent law that reformed the marijuana industry and its oversight body while removing Goldberg's authority to appoint commissioners to the agency. That law terminated O'Brien's tenure and she was not reappointed.

FRANKLIN

New Town Website Does Not Support “Cut and Paste” of calendar entries. Go to https://franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx to view directly. Steve Sherlock from Franklin Matters has kindly compiled and and shared the below information. Thanks Steve!

The last full week of August but it is another week before we get to Labor Day. The calendar does things like this sometimes.

The Planning Board is scheduled to meet on Monday, Aug 24. The major new item has changed its scheduled debut to Sept 28 - the Depot Plaza proposal moved out to Sep 28

The 250 Anniversary Historical Significance subcommittee is also scheduled to meet on Monday. A listing of healthy discussion points on what and how to cover the 250th is on tap.

The School Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, new administrators are introduced, the handbooks are up for approval, there is an update on hiring status, and facilities project work that was accomplished during the summer.

The Conservation Commission is scheduled for Thursday. A few public hearings are lined up in addition to their general business items.

The full 250th Anniversary Committee is scheduled for meeting Thursday with an invitation to the community to participate and provide input on what else can or should be considered for the celebration in 2028.

Closing out this week, the annual block party for Franklin TV & Radio is scheduled for Saturday at 3 PM. The community is welcomed to check out the studio, enjoy some food, music, and converse with the folks working on the video and audio production. Maybe there is a show idea you’d like to explore. Come on out to 23 Hutchinson St for the block party.

For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendar at Franklin.news/ where each day, that day's events are posted on the top of the page, the TV and radio schedules are on the bottom, and all the other goodness falls in-between.

*** Event & Meeting schedule (with agendas) as of Town pages 8/21/26 6:30 PM ***

Planning Board Meeting

Monday, August 24 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08242026-2465

250th Anniversary Celebration Historical Significance Subcommittee Meeting

Monday, August 24 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08242026-2464

Franklin School Committee Meeting

Tuesday, August 25 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08252026-2467

Council on Aging Board Meeting

Wednesday, August 26 Time: 11:00 AM

No agenda available at this time

Pole Petition Hearing

Thursday, August 27 Time: 10:00 AM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08272026-2460

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, August 27 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08272026-2466

250th Anniversary Celebration Committee Meeting

Thursday, August 27 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08272026-2463
—-----------

*** Looking back at the week that was ***

Town/ School meetings

• No broadcasts for meetings this week

All Access programming

• Jason Poulos, Democratic Candidate for the State Primary running against US Rep Jake Auchincloss returned to the Studio for a second session with Frank Falvey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzGolJwaHsg

—-----------

For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendar at Franklin.news/ where each day, that day's events are posted on the top of the page, the TV and radio schedules are on the bottom, and all the other goodness falls in-between.

Town calendar -> https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx

Community calendar -> https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

Subscribe for the daily dose of information -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/welcome.html

Subscribe for the weekly dose of information -> https://www.franklinmattersweekly.org/p/subscribe-for-email.html

MEDWAY

Medway’s new website, likewise, does not readily support cut and paste. Go to medwayma.gov.

STATE HOUSE and BEYOND

Primary election voting is already underway and it accelerates during the last full week before the Sept. 1 primary elections. More than 282,000 mail-in ballots have been returned to local clerks in Massachusetts, and that number is climbing. As some voters begin paying more attention to their choices, candidates compete by filling social media and airwaves with ads. Saturday, Aug. 22 this year has a unique distinction. Since it's both the deadline to register to vote and the first day of early in-person voting, an unregistered voter on Saturday can do something that the Legislature has actively worked to prevent in recent years - register to vote and vote on the same day. The Legislature has repeatedly turned down popular bills authorizing unregistered voters to join the process during early in-person voting or on Election Day itself. The bottom line: unregistered but otherwise eligible voters will lose their opportunity to participate in the primaries beginning Sunday. Question 4 on the Nov. 3 ballot would require voters to be able to register and vote on Election Day, as they can in many other states. Turnout numbers in Massachusetts have lots of room for improvement. In the 2022 state primary, turnout was 21.8% and there were 1,052,414 ballots cast. Of those, 49.7% were cast on Election Day, 45.6% were mailed in, and early in-person voting accounted for 4.6% of ballots – roughly half of the voting occurred before Election Day. The major threads running through primaries here center on the depth of anti-incumbent sentiment, the strength of efforts by progressive Democrats to topple incumbents and the vibrancy of candidates hoping to break through in races for open seats. The many legislators without primary opponents have been able to coast through August, but Beacon Hill has taken a deferential attitude toward lawmakers who are in competitive races. The urgency lawmakers attached to a series of major bills approved by both branches weeks or months ago has vanished, with a deference to campaigning and vacations taking precedence over finishing the work facing conference committees.

Monday will start the week off with the appointment of an interim higher education commissioner, someone who will step in when Noe Ortega resigns next month as the new academic year gets started ... Tuesday will bring the second of two meetings this week of the revived Public-Private Partnership Commission, which is supposed to provide an extra layer of oversight as MassDOT attempts to rebid last year's failed service plazas contract ... U.S. Rep. McGovern, who has no primary or general election opponent this year, will be busy bouncing around his district from farm to farm starting Wednesday and into Thursday ... and the order Gov. Healey announced earlier this month to restrict the sale of kratom in Massachusetts takes effect Friday.

Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026

SHORTSLEEVE ON KELLER: GOP gubernatorial candidate Brian Shortsleeve joins political analyst Jon Keller's weekly talk segment "Keller at Large" to discuss his tax cut plan, his work on the MBTA, and what makes him the best candidate against Maura Healey, according to Keller. (Sunday, 8:30 a.m., WBZ-TV)

MARKEY ON @ ISSUE: U.S. Sen. Ed Markey joins NBC 10's weekly segment "@ Issue Sit Down." (Sunday, 9:30 a.m., NBC 10)

CAPE AND ISLANDS DA DEBATE: Cape and Islands District Attorney Rob Galibois and his Democratic primary challenger, Michael Giardino, meet for a debate. Giardino was assistant DA in the Cape and Island District Attorney's office from 2012 to 2024, according to his website. The debate will air on the Pat Desmarais show on WXTK 95.1. (Sunday, 10 a.m., 95.1 WXTK or livestream on iHeartRadio | Livestream)

LACHENMEYER WALK ACROSS 12TH HAMPDEN: Michael Lachenmeyer, Democratic candidate for state representative in the 12th Hampden District challenging Rep. Puppolo, walks across the district. He will begin in Monson at 10 a.m. and make his way toward Springfield over the course of approximately six hours, according to his campaign. He plans to talk to voters throughout the walk. (Sunday, 10 a.m., Monson)

"ON THE RECORD" | WCVB's political talk show "On the Record" hosts a program with pre-produced packages of all six Democrats running for Seth Moulton's seat in the Sixth Congressional District. (Sunday, 11 a.m., WCVB)

MINOGUE RALLY: Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue holds a campaign rally. Media can contact press@minogueforma.com. (Sunday, 5 p.m., Kowloon Restaurant, 948 Broadway, Saugus)

Monday, Aug. 24, 2026

P3 OVERSIGHT COMMISSION: MassDOT's Public-Private Partnership Infrastructure Oversight Commission meets — the first of two on consecutive days — to review the state's public-private partnership statute, the procurement process and the RFP requirements for the redo of a service plazas procurement. The commission was revived to provide oversight of MassDOT's re-procurement of the contract to rehabilitate and operate 18 state highway service plazas. MassDOT restarted the process after its original roughly $1 billion, 35-year award to Irish operator Applegreen fell through in September 2025 amid a legal challenge from losing bidder Global Partners; the state inspector general later found the procurement had too many flaws. The commission held its kickoff meeting July 8. (Monday, 9 a.m., MassDOT District 3 Headquarters, 499 Plantation St., Worcester | More Info)

HAVERHILL DOUBLE-TRACK: MBTA General Manager Phil Eng and David Armstrong Fink, administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, highlight the Haverhill Double-Track Project, a $140 million effort the FRA is funding along the Haverhill Line. The MBTA says the work will increase capacity and reliability for Commuter Rail, Amtrak, and freight service while supporting the state's regional rail goals. (Monday, 9:15 a.m., Ballardvale Station, 195 Andover St., Andover)

HIGHER ED BOARD: Board of Higher Education holds a special meeting to appoint an interim commissioner of the Department of Higher Education. Commissioner Noe Ortega is stepping down in September after about four years on the job so "he and his wife can be closer to aging family members," the department said. (Monday, 10 a.m. | Agenda and Zoom)

HOUSE: House meets in an informal session. (Monday, 11 a.m., House Chamber | Livestream)

SENATE: Senate meets without a calendar. (Monday, 11 a.m., Senate Chamber | Livestream)

WORCESTER SCHOOL RENOVATIONS: State and local officials hold a press conference on renovations at Worcester East Middle School funded through the state's Improving Ventilation and Air Quality grant program. U.S. Rep. McGovern said $4 million will replace all 375 windows at the school. The $100 million IVAQ program, which funds indoor air quality improvements at public schools statewide, was established by the Legislature using federal American Rescue Plan money. McGovern, Sen. Moore, Reps. Keefe and Donahue, Mayor Joseph Petty, City Councilor John Fresolo, City Manager Eric Batista and Worcester Schools Superintendent Brian Allen also attend. (Monday, 12:45 p.m., Worcester East Middle School, 420 Grafton St., Worcester)

Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026

P3 OVERSIGHT COMMISSION: MassDOT's Public-Private Partnership Infrastructure Oversight Commission meets for the second time in as many days. The commission was revived to provide oversight of MassDOT's re-procurement of the contract to rehabilitate and operate 18 state highway service plazas. (Tuesday, 9 a.m., MassDOT District 3 Headquarters, 499 Plantation St., Worcester | More Info)

EARLY CHILDHOOD NUTRITION: On Strategies for Children's "9:30 Call," Stephanie Ettinger de Cuba and Carley Ruemmele of Children's HealthWatch, a research network based at Boston Medical Center, will present results and policy recommendations from a new study focusing on nutrition in early childhood education and care settings. They plan to cover providers' financial challenges, the Child and Adult Care Food Program administration and technical support, and the costs for the state to provide nutrition to young children. (Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. | Zoom)

CCC MEETING: Cannabis Control Commission meets with plans to take a vote regarding amendments to the emergency regulations commissioners adopted in June to meet a deadline within a new law overhauling the state's cannabis industry. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., 2 Washington Sq., Worcester | Access and Agenda)

LOTTERY COMMISSION: State Lottery Commission meets. Treasurer Goldberg chairs the meeting. (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m. | For access, contact the Lottery's Legal Department at (781) 917-6057 or via email gpolin@masslottery.com)

CCC PUBLIC HEARING: Cannabis Control Commission holds a public hearing on testing regulations and protocols as part of the process for implementing a new law overhauling the state's cannabis industry. (Tuesday, 11 a.m., 2 Washington Sq., Worcester | More Info and Access)

BOSTON LABOR COMMITTEE: Boston's Committee on Labor and Economic Development meets virtually for a public hearing on a more than $12.8 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies for the Office of Workforce Development to administer in collaboration with Boston Public Schools. The grant would fund the Skilled Trades Initiative, which is meant to boost vocational training, pre-apprenticeship opportunities and students' participation in Registered Apprenticeship programs, according to the meeting docket. (Tuesday, 2 p.m. | Access and More Info)

MCGOVERN IN BERNARDSTON: Congressman McGovern attends a ribbon cutting celebration for the newly constructed Bernardston Fire Station. (Tuesday, 3 p.m., 167 Northfield Road, Bernardston | Livestream)

NEW BEDFORD INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS: MassDOT hosts a virtual public hearing to present the design for a proposed project that consists of the reconstruction of the intersection of Mount Pleasant Street and Nash Road in New Bedford. (Tuesday, 6 p.m. | More Info and Register)

MAIL-IN VOTING REMINDER: Mail-in ballots must reach local election offices or drop boxes by close of polls on Election Day, Sept. 1, in order to be counted, per Secretary of State William Galvin. His office suggests that if a voter hasn't mailed their ballot back by Tuesday, Aug. 25, they should hand-deliver it to a drop box, an early voting site or their local election office. (Tuesday | Voting Info)

Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026

FARM TOUR: U.S. Rep. McGovern hosts the first day of his 16th annual district-wide farm tour, visiting farms across the Pioneer Valley to hear about challenges facing local growers and highlight the fruits, vegetables, dairy, and other products of his Second Congressional District. McGovern is scheduled to stop at Winter Moon Roots Farm in Hadley (8 a.m.), Mapleline Farm in Hadley (9:15 a.m.), Thomas Farm in Hadley (10:25 a.m.), Marty's Local in South Deerfield (11:35 a.m.), Pioneer Gardens in Deerfield (2 p.m.), and Good Bunch Farm in Shelburne Falls (3:30 p.m.). (Wednesday, 8 a.m., various locations)

SCHOOL BUILDING AUTHORITY: Massachusetts School Building Authority board meets. Treasurer Goldberg chairs the meeting. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., For access, contact the MSBA's director of external affairs at Maria.Puopolo@MassSchoolBuildings.org)

CADET PROGRAM INFO: Massachusetts State Police hosts a Cadet Program information session for people to meet current cadets and learn about the program, the application process and how to prepare for the Cadet Exam. (Wednesday, 11:30 a.m. | More Info and Register)

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL: MassDOT hosts a webinar about Safe Routes to School infrastructure funding opportunities, marking the opening of the application period. The session will cover eligible projects, the application processes and questions. (Wednesday, 12 p.m. | More Info and Register)

CCC SOCIAL EQUITY CLINIC: Cannabis Control Commission hosts a clinic and information session on social equity program applications, which open Sept. 1. (Wednesday, 1:30 p.m. | More Info and Access)

SHORTSLEEVE RALLY: Gubernatorial candidate Brian Shortsleeve holds a campaign rally with Taunton Mayor Shaunna O'Connell appearing as a special guest. O'Connell is a former state representative who has served as Taunton's mayor since 2020. (Wednesday, 5:30 p.m., Polish Club, 314 Bay St., Taunton | Register)

Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026

DCR STEWARDSHIP: DCR Stewardship Council Conservation Committee meets. Agenda includes a review of the committee's performance against strategic oversight plan goals, plus a discussion of future goals. (Thursday, 9 a.m. | Agenda and Zoom)

FARM TOUR: U.S. Rep. McGovern continues to visit farms in the northern and eastern parts of his Second Congressional District to discuss issues facing farmers. McGovern plans to stop at Sholan Farms in Leominster (9 a.m.), Valley View Farm in Templeton (10:30 a.m.), Red Apple Farm in Phillipston (11:45 a.m.), and The Brewery at Four Star Farms in Northfield (1:15 p.m.). (Thursday, 9 a.m., various locations)

ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONS: Board of Allied Health Professions meets with plans to hear comments from professional associations. (Thursday, 9 a.m. | Access and Agenda)

RETIREMENT BOARD: State Retirement Board meets. Treasurer Goldberg chairs the meeting. (Thursday, 10 a.m. | For access email MSRBCommunications@tre.state.ma.us)

MASS CULTURAL COUNCIL: Mass Cultural Council holds a remote business meeting, at which staff present the fiscal 2027 spending plan for the board's approval. Once approved, the agency can launch this year's grant cycles and programs. An update on the council's search for a new executive director is also on the agenda. Deputy Director David Slatery has served as acting executive director since January. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Agenda | Livestream)

SENATE: Senate meets in an informal session. (Thursday, 11 a.m., Senate Chamber | Livestream)

SPILKA IN NATICK: Senate President Spilka gives keynote remarks at the grand opening and ribbon cutting of T Market, an Asian supermarket in Natick. (Thursday, 11 a.m., Natick Mall, 2nd floor, 1245 Worcester St., Natick)

SHORTSLEEVE IN WORCESTER: Republican gubernatorial hopeful Brian Shortsleeve holds a campaign rally in Worcester, his final event in the city before the Sept. 1 primary. Lieutenant governor candidate Shawn Oliver also attends. (Thursday, 6 p.m., Nuovo Restaurant, 92 Shrewsbury St., Worcester)

RUSH-YU DEBATE: Sen. Michael Rush faces off against primary challenger Persis Yu in the first public forum where the candidates have appeared before voters side-by-side in the race for the Norfolk & Suffolk Senate seat. Rush is a member of Senate leadership and hasn't been challenged since 2012; Yu is running on her experience as a civil rights attorney and working mom, saying she would bring generational change to the seat. Patrick Roath will also attend the event hosted by the Dedham & Westwood Democratic Town Committees, according to their Facebook page. Roath is challenging Congressman Stephen Lynch on Sept. 1. (Thursday, 7 p.m., Dedham Middle School, 70 Whiting Ave., Dedham)

Friday, Aug. 28, 2026

USS CONSTITUTION UNDERWAY: USS Constitution gets underway from the Charlestown Navy Yard, firing a 21-gun salute off Fort Independence on Castle Island at about 11:30 a.m. and a 17-gun salute as she passes U.S. Coast Guard Base Boston, the former site of the shipyard where she was built and launched in 1797. The underway will be visible from the Boston Harborwalk, Castle Island and the Charlestown Navy Yard. The world's oldest commissioned warship afloat, the USS Constitution served in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812. (Friday, 10 a.m., Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston)

KRATOM ORDER: State Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein's emergency order to temporarily classify all forms of kratom into Schedule I under state law takes effect. The order says that kratom, a leafy tropical tree native to Southeast Asia whose unregulated products are widely sold at gas stations and convenience stores, is an "imminent hazard to the public safety." Possession or distribution of kratom by any food, retail or other business constitutes an "imminent health hazard," and local boards of health, inspection departments and municipal governments can pursue "any enforcement action consistent with a finding of an imminent health hazard, up to and including summary suspension of a municipal license or permit held by the establishment including, but not limited to, a permit to operate," the order says. Massachusetts has recorded more than 100 kratom-associated deaths since 2020, including eight so far this year. Some people use kratom to self-treat conditions like substance use disorder and opioid withdrawal, but the products can vary dramatically in potency due to the addition of other substances. "Stores need to remove kratom substances from their shelves," Gov. Maura Healey said last week. "And again, I'm doing this because I care a lot about people's health and safety, particularly the health and safety of young people."(Friday)