BUDGET TIME – Public Safety Director Quovella Maeweather prepares for her comments to the Township Council at its first 2023 budget hearing on March 13. Budget requests for a number of township departments were heard at a special March 13 Township Council hearing. The hearing was one of two that will be held before the township’s 2023 budget is introduced, …

Alex Kharazi, leader of the township Interfaith Coalition, has been tapped by township Democrats to run for a Township Council At-Large seat. (File Photo). A political newcomer and three incumbents will carry the banner for township Democrats in the June 6 primaries for Mayor and At-Large Township Council members. Leading the ticket will be Mayor Phil Kramer, who is seeking …

BUDGET TIME – Schools Superintendent John Ravally explains some elements of the tentative FY 2024 district budget at the school board’s special open Finance committee meeting on March 9. Update: The Board of Education on March 16 voted to introduce it’s tentative FY 2024 budget. It now goes before the Somerset County Executive Superintendent for review, and final adoption in …

SHERIFF’S K-9 UNIT – L to R:  Somerset County S/O Edward Pawlick & K9 Mac, S/O Daniel Soffer & K9 Caesar, S/O David Daneker & K9 Patriot, S/O Michael Kromar & K9 Casanova, S/O Justin Nielsen & K9’s Anna and Benning in front.  (Photo: Somerset County Undersheriff Tim Pino.) Three K-9s in the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office will receive donated bullet …

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 …