John B. McGuinness of Somerset passed away on February 12 at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. He was 89. Born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio, he lived in Rochester, New York before moving to Somerset in 1974. John served in the US Navy toward the end of the Korean War into the late 1950s. He worked …

CEREMONIAL LIGHTING – Township Councilwoman Shepa Uddin, mayor Phil Kramer, Deputy Mayor Alex Kharazi, and Township Councilmen Shubhendu Singh and Ram Anbarasan (left to right) after the ceremonial Moon Crescent was lit at the Township’s annual Ramadan Lighting ceremony. More than 150 people gathered at the Franklin Township Senior/Community Center February 15 for the township’s annual Ramadan Lighting of the …

FOCUS – Jamila McRiney takes a moment before sinking the first of two free-throws with seconds left in the Somerset County Tournament game against Gil St. Bernard’s. Aleah Sunkins scored a double-double and Alissa Myers sunk the 100th 3-point shot of her career during the Franklin High School Lady Warriors basketball team’s upset victory over Gil St. Bernard’s February 14 …

State Assemblyman Joe Danielsen (File photo). Three bills designed to protect immigrants, reintroduced after they were vetoed by former Gov. Phil Murphy before he left office in December, were reported out of a state Assembly committee February 12. The Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee – chaired by Franklin resident Assemblyman Joe Danielsen (D-12) – advanced the bills, which aim …

A special concert performance of a new musical commemorating George Washington and troops crossing the Delaware River on Christmas 1776 prior to the battles of Princeton and Trenton is set for 7 p.m. February 28 at Franklin Middle School – Sampson G. Smith campus, 1649 Amwell Road. The musical, “The Crossing: A Revolutionary New Musical … In Concert,” will feature …

Carol W. Rossler passed away on February 11 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Somerville. She was 88 years old. Born in Queens, New York, Carol was the daughter of the late Joseph and Agnes (Hirsch) Wagner. She was raised in Elmhurst and attended Cathedral High School in Manhattan. She then went on to graduate from the Katharine Gibbs …

01/11/2026 A business located in the area of Somerset St. was the victim of a shoplifting during the afternoon hours. A male exited the store without paying for merchandise valued at approximately $200. The male is known to business as a former employee and frequent shoplifter. A Somerset resident was the victim of a theft in the area of Somerset …

NEW COUNCILMAN NAMED – Shubhendu Singh, the newly appointed member of the Township Council, speaks February 10 after his swearing-in. A 61-year-old Princeton Highlands resident was picked February 10 to fill an unexpired term on the Township Council. The Council chose Shubhendu Singh from among three candidates proffered by the township Democratic Party. Singh fills the Ward 1 seat vacated …

EXPLAINING THE SITUATION – Township attorney Lou Rainone explains to an objector why the Council cannot delay approval of five affordable housing-related ordinances at the February 10 meeting. The Township Council on February 10 approved on second reading five ordinances relating to its affordable housing plan, but not without a speed bump. The five ordinances were: 4489-26, which creates inclusionary …

By Bill Connell, Somerset. I think it was inevitable my wife and I would move back to Franklin when we bought our house, due to our ties here.  Regardless, I was at the beginning of a 15-year run working in New York City, and access to the train was a primary concern. My most notable commute was Sept 11th, I didn’t …