CELEBRATING THE RELAUNCH – Mayor Phil Kramer speaks to the Franklin Reporter & Advocate’s PJ Parker July 15 during the Dunkin relaunch celebration in Village Plaza on Easton Avenue. The Dunkin’ at Village Plaza on Easton Avenue marked its re-grand opening July 15 with a ribbon-cutting-style celebration that drew the mayor, a state assemblyman, two county commissioners, township and police …

FBLA COMPETITORS – Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School students recently attended the Future Business Leaders of America National Leadership Conference. SCVTHS attendees included (l-r) Supervisor of Academics Randee Benaksas, Krishay Patel of Hillsborough, Guru Puduru of Bridgewater, Jacob Berman of Bridgewater (8th Place, Human Resource Management) , Arjun Buch of Hillsborough, Matteo Gillio of Hillsborough, Ariana Jain of Hillsborough, Bhumija Grandhe of Bridgewater, Siyaa Choudhary of Somerset (3rd place …

A FEW CORRECTIONS – Township Councilman Ram Anbarasan suggested some changes to the proposed cannabis business ordinance amendment. Update: The ordinance was approved at the Council’s August 11 meeting.

RELIGIOUS COMMEMORATION – Attendees at the 5th annual Eid-al-Adhr celebration at the township Senior/Community Center on July 12. More than 200 people packed the Franklin Township Senior/Community Center on July 12 to celebrate Eid al-Adha, one of the most important Islamic holidays, commemorating the sacrifice that the Muslim Prophet Ibrahim was prepared to make to show his fealty to God.

06/14/2026 A 30-year-old Somerset resident was arrested for eluding and assault during an investigation in the area of Nevius Pl. The resident fled from police during an attempted motor vehicle stop in the area of Rt. 27. The resident was later located and assaulted investigating officers. The resident was processed and released on a summons. 

WATERLOGGED – Water begins to pool on South Middlebush Road in-between July 9 storms. On-and-off-again rain storms caused flooding in several spots in the Township on July 8.

WHEN IN THE COURSE OF HUMAN EVENTS – Mayor Phil Kramer reads part of the Declaration of Independence July 8 during the township’s participation in a nationwide event commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration’s first reading. Twenty township residents took part in a national exercise on July 8: the reading of the Declaration of Independence.

NEW PLAN DETAILS – Bill Feinberg, the project’s architect, told the Commission of the changes made to the plan during the July 7 hearing. The township’s Historic Preservation Advisory Commission on July 7 approved a certificate of appropriateness for a two-building retail center planned for Route 27, on the site of Somerset County’s original courthouse, clearing the way for a …

SHOWING THE PLAN – Architect Robert Grimaldi on July 7 takes the Historic Preservation Commission through the plans for converting the former McDonald’s in Village Plaza into a Popeye’s. The township’s Historic Preservation Advisory Commission voted unanimously July 7 to grant a Certificate of Appropriateness for the conversion of a former McDonald’s in the Village Plaza on Easton Avenue into …

MAYBE NEXT YEAR – Environmental Commission member Stan Jaracz brought up the idea of substituting a drone show for fireworks at next year’s Independence Day celebration at the July 6 meeting. Members of the Township Environmental Commission on July 6 discussed the possibility of replacing the township’s annual Fourth of July fireworks display with a drone light show, citing air …