Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul (left to right) sign bottles of their Mezcal, “Dos Hombres,” at Bottle Republic on Easton Avenue on May 17. More than 200 people stood in a line – some for hours – that wrapped around the Easton Franklin Shopping Center at Cedar Grove Lane and Easton Avenue for a chance to “meet and greet” the …

By Arnold Schmidt, Somerset. It appears that after significant pushback from Franklin residents (over 2,000 petition signatures and 100s of social media postings and discussion) the Levin Corporation will soon be submitting a revised application for the Kmart site. The new application may decrease the height (“only” three stories instead of four), and possibly include room for some retail, but they …

Positive coronavirus test results were reported for another 27 Franklin residents, the township Office of Emergency Management reported on May 17. That brings to 13,466 the number of Franklin residents who have tested positive for the virus since mid-March 2020, OEM reported. The deaths of 233 Franklin residents have been attributed to the virus, OEM reported. Note: These are the latest …

Gary John Pultro, Sr., of Somerset passed away on May 15 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. He was 64. Born in New Brunswick, he was a lifelong resident of Franklin Township, graduating from Franklin Township High School. He proudly worked in construction as General Superintendent for Skanska Building USA, based out of New Jersey. Gary served …

Chuck Martin, a member of the Trails Advisory Committee, describes the demonstration plot program to the Environmental Commission on May 16. The Trails Advisory Committee wants to know more about the township’s native grasslands and is looking to the Open Space Advisory Committee for help. The Trails Committee wants to re-establish 10 “demonstration plots” at the Negri Nepote Grasslands Preservation …

Positive coronavirus test results were reported for another 75 Franklin residents between May 14 and May 16, the township Office of Emergency Management reported on May 14. There were 38 new cases reported on May 14, 30 new cases reported on May 15 and seven more cases reported on May 16, OEM said. That brings to 13,439the number of Franklin …

Tayyab A. Ware of Augusta, Ga. and Todd Smith of Edison, left to right, were sentenced May 10 for the murder of a Franklin Park resident. (Photos: Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.) Two men were sentenced to state prison on May 10 for their role in the 2020 murder of a township man. Tayyab A. Ware, 31, of Augusta, Ga. was …

When hometown hero Furman Kugler crossed the finish line in 1940 ahead of Johnny Webber of Milwaukee to win the first Tour of Somerville bicycle race before a crowd of 20,000, Mayor Freas Hess told a reporter, “Maybe we should do this again next year.” They did, and with the exception of the World War II and a two-year pandemic …

Township Councilwoman Kimberly Francois cuts the ceremonial ribbon at the Franklin Township Youth Center as Township Manager Robert Vornlocker and Mayor Phil Kramer (left to right) look on. A half-century of talking about it and 15 years of planning came to fruition on May 14 with the Grand Opening of the Franklin Township Youth Center at 429 Lewis Street. Set …

Positive coronavirus test results were reported for another 58 Franklin residents, the township Office of Emergency Management reported on May 13. That brings to 13,364 the number of Franklin residents who have tested positive for the virus since mid-March 2020, OEM reported. The deaths of 233 Franklin residents have been attributed to the virus, OEM reported. Note: These are the latest …