Mrs. Yimei Wang passed away on May 1 at the Complete Care Center in Clark. She was 49 years old. Born in Fujian, China, Yimei was the beloved daughter of the late Yijing Wang and Guifang Lin. She received her education in Fujian and, at a young age, cared for her parent’s full-time, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to family. Yimei …

The Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School’s VEX IQ Robotics Team, X-Stream, placed 41st in their division among hundreds of elite teams from across the globe at the recent VEX IQ Robotics World Championships held in St. Louis, Mo. X-Stream advanced through regional competitions before earning qualification for the New Jersey State Championship held at New Jersey Institute of Technology in …

SECURING THE SCENE – A Franklin Township Police officer runs crime scene tape in front of a Hamilton Street business May 1 after a reported shooting. There were no reported injuries in a May 1 shooting incident on Hamilton Street, police said.

A 54-year-old Ellenwood, Ga., man remained in Somerset County Jail, Somerville May 2 on murder and weapons charges following an incident at a Davidson Avenue hotel. Franklin Police Department received a call at about 2 a.m. May 2 from the man, asking that an officer respond to the hotel on a report of injuries, according to a press release from …

HOW TO SPOT A SCAM – Some of the attendees at the AARP-NJ-sponsored seminar on spotting and avoiding frauds and scams in the East Franklin Fire Department’s hall on April 30. More than 50 older adults gathered April 30 at the East Franklin Fire Department’s community hall on Pinegrove Avenue for a community education event focused on the growing threat …

CHAMBER HONOREE – Damiano Orsillo, owner of Piazza Orsillo on Cedar Grove Lane, at the April 29 Franklin Township Chamber of Commerce gala. The Franklin Township Chamber of Commerce celebrated its annual gala April 29 at the Marigold on Hamilton Street, recognizing a broad slate of community leaders, local businesses, educators and volunteers who have shaped the character of one …

NEW SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR – James Overton speaks to the Board of Education April 28 after he was named the new vice-principal at Franklin Middle School – Hamilton Street campus. An educational veteran was appointed as the new vice-principal at Franklin Middle School — Hamilton Street campus at the Board of Education’s April 28 meeting.

By Sadaf Jaffer and Minister Elorm Ocansey. On the eve of his death, Rev. Dr Martin Luther King Jr. stood in Memphis as a witness. The speech we remember as “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” was a warning. Dr. King spoke of wages withheld, of labor exploited, of systems that consumed Black bodies and called it order. He spoke of …

EXPLAINING THE PROCESS – Schools Superintendent John Ravally tells the Board of Education about the challenges faced by District officials in creating the FY 2027 budget at the April 28 meeting. School taxes for the average Franklin Township homeowner will rise $481 this year under a $246.6 million school budget approved April 28 by the Board of Education.

BY THE NUMBERS – Township Manager Robert Vornlocker reviews the proposed 2026 municipal budget at the April 28 Township Council meeting. The average Franklin Township homeowner will pay $74.26 more in municipal taxes this year under a $75.3 million budget introduced by the Township Council on April 28.