Widener University congratulates Brittney Jones of Somerset for achieving dean’s list status during the fall 2022 semester. The dean’s list recognizes full-time students who earned a grade point average of 3.50 and above for the semester. Danielle Trovato of Somerset was named to Ithaca College’s Fall 2022 Dean’s List.

BUDDING HISTORIAN – 13-year-old Markus McParland described parts of his history book on Kingston to members of the township Historic Preservation Commission on March 7. A 13-year-old Kingston resident is putting the final touches on a voluminous history of the Village and is looking for help in tying up some loose ends. Markus McParland, an 8th Grader at the Yinghua …

Franklin Day returns to Colonial Park this year, and organizers are looking for corporate sponsors, food vendors and exhibitors. The annual festival, which hasn’t been in the park for several years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will be held from noon to 5 p.m. September 23 at the park’s Knob Hill Grove near Lot C.

Franklin Parks & Recreation will host the 2nd annual Franklin’s Forever 55 “Got Talent” show on March 24. The doors will open at 4 p.m. for a prompt start time of 5 p.m. at the Community/Senior Center, 505 DeMott Lane.

By Elakkiya Elamaran, Somerset. The Franklin Township Youth Center is an amazing community center that we have right here in Franklin Township. You can visit their website at https://www.franklintwpnj.org/departments/youth-center. There are so many different things you can do like going to the basketball court they have, visit their library, go to the dance studio and much more!

George H. Maurer, of Somerset passed away on February 23 at St. Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick. He was 86. Born in New Brunswick, he was a lifelong resident of the New Brunswick/Franklin Township area. George was the Manager and Projectionist for the Princeton Garden Theater and Playhouse Theatre during the 70s and 80s, as well as the Eric …

BROADWAY BOUND – Township resident Ethan Joseph made his Broadway debut at age 11, in “Tina, The Tina Turner Musical. At 12 years old, township resident Ethan Joseph has appeared in a Broadway musical, an independent movie, as well as on Off-Broadway. And from the looks of things, his journey is just beginning.

NEW LIBRARY BRANCH – Library officials expect the current Franklin Park Branch to close around March 21, with this new branch opening several weeks later. The new Franklin Park branch of the Public Library should be opening around the middle of April, a library official recently said. The “tentative” date for a temporary certificate of occupancy for the branch, located …

NEW SIGNS COMING – The Open Space Advisory Committee discussed new signs for Naruta Park, pictured here, and was asked to consider renaming the Negri-Nepote Grasslands Preserve to honor two deceased township residents. The renaming of the Negri-Nepote Grassland Preserve and new signs for what will be Mettler and Naruta Park was discussed at a recent meeting of the Open …

STATE AID INCREASE – Schools Superintendent John Ravally said the increase in state aid is “timely.” (File photo.) The Franklin Township school district is targeted to receive more than $21 million in state aid for its K-12 program in Fiscal Year 2024, a nearly 38 percent increase in the amount it received for Fiscal Year 2023, according to figures recently …