NEW SIGN DESIGN – Kevin Dixon, a planner hired by Dollar Store, explains the sign the company wants to put on its new location on Route 27 in Kingston. An oversized sign for a new Dollar Store moving into a Kingston strip shopping center was approved February 16 by the Zoning Board of Adjustment. The store is taking over the …

Members of the SGS/HSCC Players are fine-tuning their performances in “The Wiz Jr.” ahead of opening night on February 17. The musical is an adaptation of the 1970’s hit, “The Wiz,” which itself was an adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”

Attorney Francis Linnus led the charge of lawyers speaking against the proposed ordinance amendments. Update: The Township had to re-do the ordinance’s public hearing on February 14 because the notice advertising the first hearing did not include the Municipal Building’s address, making it defective. No new arguments were presented either for or against the ordinance during the second public hearing, …

A 53-year-old township woman was scammed out of more than $300,000 late last year in what police call a cryptocurrency scam. The woman, whose name was redacted from a copy of the Incident Report obtained by the Franklin Reporter & Advocate through an Open Public Records Act request, told township police that she lost the money on four occasions in …

FEES GOING UP – Recreation Director Beau Byrtus’ recommendations for fee increases were unanimously approved by the Advisory Recreation Council on February 8. Fees will increase for two popular summer programs run by the township Recreation Department. Summer Camp and the evening swim programs will see new charges, as a result of action taken February 8 by the Advisory Recreation …

James Gagliastro, of Somerset, passed away on February 12 at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. He was 76. Born and raised in Hoboken, he also lived in Jersey City before moving to Somerset in 1991. Jim worked as a Risk Management Analyst for JP Morgan in New York City, then later as a Realtor for Prudential …

A South Brunswick man used a cab as his getaway car after allegedly robbing a Route 27 bank branch on February 9, police said on February 13. The 46-year-old man allegedly received an unspecified amount of cash from a bank teller after passing the teller a note demanding $5,000, according to a press release from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.

FROM DOWNTOWN – Senior Jake Novielli, No. 22, sinks one of his 10 three-point shots during the February 10 SCT game against Bernards. To say Franklin High School’s Jake Novielli was locked-in from the three-point zone during teh Warriors’ February 10 game against Bernards would be an understatement. The 6″2′ Senior hit sank 10 shots from downtown, scoring a total …

The Franklin High School Lady Warriors secured their spot in the Somerset County Tournament quarterfinals round February 10 with a decisive 43-21 over Immaculata High School. Junior Iyanna Cotten recorded a double-double, scoring 16 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. She also tallied two assists, a block and six steals.

The following students have earned the esteemed honor of placement on the Dean’s List at The College of New Jersey for the fall 2022 semester. To achieve this honor, a student must carry 12 or more credits that semester and earn a 3.5 (or above) grade point average: Cristian Herrera Alpizar, Chemistry – ACS; Anushka Pradhan, Non-Matric Visiting;  Julia Calvo, …