May 15, 2025: Festivals for food and grief

We have to lift you up after the tumult of yesterday’s conversation, and we do it with music since our favorite time of year is swiftly approaching. June 20-22, the Green River Festival will descend on the Franklin County Fairgrounds, bringing over 40 bands, local vendors and our community together (with hopefully better weather than last year). For the second year, John Sanders of DSP Shows is at the helm of USS GRF, and we talk to him about the lessons learned from last year, the gems in this year's lineup and how music brings us all together in times of trial.While we’re in the neighborhood, we sneak around the corner to Franklin County Technical School (FCTS) where the students have just been given an important resource on campus. We chat with school counselor Taryn Canfield about the brand new food pantry for students and how you can help them keep it stocked. Plus, we welcome back Congressman Jim McGovern and discuss some of the struggles he’s been facing since the death of his daughter, including the ICE raids in Worcester and protecting SNAP benefits and other budget line items that need fighting for on Capitol Hill.