LOBBYING FOR RESOLUTION – Mohammed Turan was one of many members of the township’s Palestinian community and their supporters who once again tried to convince the Township Council to pass a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Members of the township’s Palestinian community and their supporters were once again unsuccessful on May 28 in convincing the Township …

An amended $71.8 million 2024 budget was passed by the Township Council at its May 28 meeting. The amended budget includes nearly $1.7 million in additional anticipated revenue, including about $1.5 million in state Department of Community Affairs money for Franklin Youth Center programs.

HISTORIC GAME – Sophomore Kayla Duncan goes for some of her 88 passing yards May 28 during the flag football Big Central Tournament championship game. The Franklin High School Lady Warriors’ flag football championship game May 28 could have been called the Kayla Duncan show: The sophomore threw for 88 yards, scored the tying touchdown and then scored what turned …

Early voting for the 2024 Republican and Democratic Primary Elections will be available to eligible voters at the Franklin Community Center, 515 DeMott Lane from May 29 through June 2. The polling location will open at 10 a.m. every day, closing at 8 p.m. through Saturday and at 6 p.m. on Sunday.

MISSING A NAME – This “get out the vote” postcard, sent by FTRMC secretary Pat Stanley, omits the name of Steve Gillooly, one of two candidates up for the committee seats. A candidate for a municipal Republican committee seat in the 24th District is calling foul over a campaign postcard sent by the Franklin Township Republican Municipal Committee’s secretary in …

SSP Architects and FirstBank announce the 4th annual “Tee Up for Teachers” golf outing, hosted at the Heron Glen Golf Course in Ringoes on June 24. This event, organized to benefit the Franklin Township Warrior Education Foundation (FTWEF), aims to provide vital grants to educators of Franklin Township Public School District, fostering innovative educational programs beyond traditional budget constraints.

NEW PRINCIPAL – Lorri Vaccaro speaks to the Board of Education after she was named the new principal of Hillcrest Elementary School. Hillcrest Elementary School has a new principal. Lorri Vaccaro, a veteran principal from the M orris school district, was named by the Board of Education May 23 to fill the position vacated by longtime Hillcrest principal Albert Fico.

A 19-year-old township man was convicted on May 10 of a charge related to the 2022 beating of a man on Hamilton Street. Yahmir Brown was convicted of 2nd Degree Aggravated Assault, according to a press release from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.

STREET WOES – Township Councilman James Vassanella said that he’s noticed that since Covid, overall conditions on the Easton Avenue corridor have declined. Some short-term “fixes” to Easton Avenue traffic issues my be put in place before major reconstruction work is set to begin later this decade. That was the upshot from a May 20 forum on safety issues with …

State Assemblyman Joe Danielsen (D-17) will bring his mobile office to two township library branches in June. The mobile office will be at the library’s Franklin Park branch at 64 Clover Place from 1-4 p.m. on June 10 and at the main branch, 485 DeMott Lane, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 18.