YMCA ANNOUNCEMENT – Township Councilman Ram Anbarasan announced that a feasibility study concluded the township would support a YMCA branch. An idea that was first broached about 20 years ago, but never materialized, is coming back in focus. Officials at the Greater Somerset YMCA announced June 27 that a feasibility study recommended they move forward with placing a YMCA branch …

A 68-year-old North Brunswick resident died on June 26 as a result of an accident earlier that day at Route 27 and Bennington Parkway. Franklin Township Police received a 9-1-1 call about that accident at about 11:22 a.m., according to a press release from the department.

CONTRACTS APPROVED – The Board of Education on June 20 approved a number of contracts for goods and services. The Board of Education at its June 20 meeting approved purchases totaling $3,499,932.68. The Board approved an $85,000 purchase of a dump truck for the District’s Buildings & Grounds department. The truck will be provided by either Nielsen AutomotiveGroup or Pellegrino …

GRIFF SENTENCED – Matthew Rennie and Ranait Griff, left to right. Griff was recently sentenced on a charge of Failure to Report Child Abuse. (Photo: Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.) A former Rutgers Preparatory School coach who admitted failing to report the abuse of a Rutgers Prep student by another coach was sentenced on June 22 to probation and barred from …

More than 250 newly minted Franklin High School graduates returned to the school late in the evening of June 23 to celebrate their new status. The event was Project Graduation, the annual party for graduates that always occurs the night of graduation. The evening begins at 9 p.m., and runs through 4 a.m. Participants can’t leave, and many bring sleeping …

POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE – Students make their way into the gymnasium for the FHS Class of 2023 commencement exercises. There are now 609 more young men and women who can call themselves graduates of Franklin High School. The threat of bad weather forced the Class of 2023 commencement ceremony indoors to the gym on June 23, but impending rain didn’t …

ON THE HOT SEAT – Corey Chase, a traffic engineer for the developer of the proposed B9 Schoolhouse warehouse project, testifies during the June 21 Planning Board hearing. The traffic engineer for the proposed B9 warehouses at Schoolhouse and Mettlers roads came under prolonged questioning from the Planning Board and public during a continuation of the application’s hearing at the …

Damaris Sanchez Rivera and her partner Anna Maria, along with various friends and family, celebrated the grand opening of her new men’s and women’s hair salon, D Styles Beauty & Barber Shop, June 21 in the Stop & Shop Plaza at Route 27 and Veronica Avenue. The Franklin Reporter & Advocate stopped by:

Dr. Guillermo A. Garcia of Somerset passed away on June 19 at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. He was 78.Born in Pijao, Colombia, he immigrated to the United States in 1970, settling in New Brunswick, and has lived in Somerset for 50 years.He worked as a Medical Doctor in the Emergency Department of Robert Wood Johnson …

NEW PRINCIPAL – Jennifer Stein, the newly named principal at Franklin Park School, speaks after her appointment at the June 20 Board of Education meeting. The Board of Education named a new school principal and vice-principal at its June 20 meeting. Jennifer Stein was named the new principal at Franklin Park School, and Angela Pape was named the new vice-principal …