Hybrid 

This is a discussion group usually held on the first and third Fridays of each month, covering local, national, and world news. The discussion provides an opportunity to share your observations and opinions on the news and to learn from other participants.

Articles of interest are distributed among the group by email in the week before each meeting, and topics to discuss are selected by the group at the beginning of each meeting.

March 6, 20, 2026

April 3, 17, 2026

May 1, 15, 2026

June 5, 2026

10 am - 11:30 am

Paul Mullin is the facilitator for this discussion group.

Hybrid

License to Browse: Safety While You Scroll will focus on traversing the expansive landscape of the internet, smart devices, and the ever-widening reach of artificial intelligence. From security basics to protecting your private information, "License to Browse" will provide you with practical steps you can take to ensure confidence and safety while using your devices.

This presentation will be broken into two parts:

Part One will be an introduction to safety features and settings that are built into smartphones, laptops, tablets, etc.

Part Two will expand on these settings and features and will delve deeper into how they can be used in real-world settings and digital environments.

The presentations will be a combination of lecture and group discussion. Participants are encouraged to come with questions and a willingness to engage in a communal conversation and education.

Date: April 9, 23, 2026

10:00 am - 12 pm

Location: Ed Ctr, room 107

Tyler Provencher is the Program Coordinator for the Greater Franklin Digital Literacy, a free, county-wide support program offering educational resources, technology guidance, and support to the broader Franklin County community. Greater Franklin Digital Literacy offers a combination of group presentations and individualized tutoring opportunities.

Hybrid

Agatha Christie served as a nurse in World War I. When she turned to mystery writing, she may have used her pharmaceutical knowledge to provide the means of murder in her novels.

The presentation will attempt to communicate Parker's enthusiasm for chemistry generally and for poisons specifically to members of Goldleaf.

A brief analysis of the symptoms of each poison and the presentation of the poison by Christie will be mentioned.

Parker will not provide drinks or snacks :)

Date: 1:00 - 2:30 P.M., April 28, 2026

Location: Education Center, room 107

Chuck Parker taught chemistry in public high schools and as an adjunct for Crowder College, Webb City, and Missouri Southern State University in Joplin until 2017.

He is especially enamored with alkaloids (caffeine is an alkaloid). The more he explored alkaloids and their deleterious effects on people, the more he investigated the use of poisons in mystery novels. Agatha Christie is remarkably accurate with her depictions.

Chuck has typically presented subjects concerning Muslim histories, such as the Crusades, the Ottomans, and the roots of Islamic extremism. However, his chemistry background kept crying for equal time.