The June fire that destroyed a Hamilton Street store and closed the plaza in which it was located forced the relocation of the annual Halloween on Hamilton trunk or treat event, but it didn’t affect attendance. Ghouls, goblins, superheroes and several Michael Jacksons gathered at Nora Plaza for what has become a business district tradition.

The Board of Education at its October 27 meeting approved contracts worth $482,554.86. The approved contracts were:

Takeover proposals involving two major restaurant companies helped produce the week’s biggest stock market gains among the 32 companies tracked by the Franklin Reporter & Advocate Market Watch, even as Wall Street ended October with a sharp technology stock selloff.

WINNER! – This photo, taken by Laura Herndon at North Branch Park, was the winner in the Events category in the 2025 photo contest. (Photo: Somerset County Parks Commission.) The Somerset County Park Commission will accept submissions for its 2026 Photo Contest from November 1 through December 31, 2026.

BOO! – Students at Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School participated in the school’s annual Halloween Trunk-or-Treat event. (Photo: TEECS). Submitted by TEECS.

Franklin Township’s cannabis tax collections rose more than 57 percent in the third quarter of 2026 compared to a year ago, but the increase was driven entirely by one cultivation business, according to financial records submitted to the township.

Weekend and Multi-Day Events Welcome World to George Washington’s Rockingham, Franklin Township: Rockingham State Historic Site, Friday through Sunday, Oct. 30-Nov. 1, 10 to 11 a.m. daily. Visitors can learn about George Washington’s final Revolutionary War headquarters through an illustrated presentation in the historic Dutch barn. The program includes reproduction artifacts and information about tours of the grounds. The historic …

NEW TEECS CLUB – Lt. Col. Michael F. Castania speaks to students in Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School’s new Aviation Club. (Photo: TEECS). Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School has created an Aviation Club, giving students a new opportunity to explore the science, technology, and possibilities of flight.

State Assemblyman Joe Danielsen, a township resident, has introduced legislation that would require police to obtain warrants before using automated license plate reader information to track vehicles identified at multiple locations, as communities across the country continue reconsidering their use of the controversial surveillance technology. Danielsen, D-17, introduced Assembly Bill A5637 on October 15. The measure would impose new restrictions …

A 200,000-square-foot Bass Pro Shops store featuring an 80,000-gallon aquarium, restaurant and indoor entertainment center will open Nov. 11 in Sayreville, while a new supermarket combining traditional American groceries with Indian specialty foods is preparing for its official grand opening in Edison.