Christa McLaughlin glanced over to the group of five 1st Graders eating their lunch at a table in her classroom. “Boys and girls,” she said, “do you like books?” “Yes!” the students answered. Their answer did not come as a surprise. McLaughlin, herself a book lover, has been stoking that passion for books in her students during her teaching career. …

​Bridgewater, NJ- The Somerset Patriots have re-signed Atlantic League All-Star right-handed pitcher David Kubiak for the 2019 season. “I’ve gotten too used to winning in Somerset to want to go anywhere else,” said Kubiak. “I’m pumped to get back to work and put number seven in the trophy case!”  Kubiak enters his third season with the Somerset Patriots and fourth in …

Elementary school parents will see new report cards beginning with the 2019-20 school year. The new report cards are designed to be easier to read and present more information, said Dan Loughran, the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction. The new school year will also usher in longer marking periods for the elementary schools, Loughren told the Board of Education …

Black History Month was celebrated at Franklin Park School Feb. 28 with musical and dance performances and biographical sketches of famous black Americans. Members of the Franklin Park School Choir sang “Wade in the Water” and “O Desayo,” and students from the Franklin Park School Student College Dancers performed to “Count on Me” by Bruno Mars. Visiting for the day, …

An open letter to Franklin Township Democratic Municipal Committee Chairman Mr. Ron Jordan And Somerset County Democratic Committee Chairwoman Ms. Peg Schaeffer: Dear Mr. Jordan and Ms. Schaeffer, I’m writing to you specifically as a member of the Asian Indian community living in Franklin. I hate to have to bring that up than plainly saying that I am a Franklin …

Members of Central Jersey College Prep Charter School’s Black Student Union led the schools celebration of Black History Month Feb. 28. The program included a presentation of famous black Americans as well as musical and dance performances. Tiffany Bennett, a senior, helped form the BSU and coordinated the Black History Month celebration. Many students, she said, “don’t know what black …

Archie Taylor Jr., 88, passed away on February 25 at Regency Heritage Care Center in Somerset. Mr. Taylor was born February 6, 1931 in Elizabeth to the late Archie and Anna Hommestrade. Archie grew up in Linden and honorably served in the US Air Force after high school. While in the service, he was stationed in Newfoundland, Canada, where he …

The Franklin High School Lady Warriors on Feb. 27 booked a slot in the NJSIAA North II, Group IV semi-finals by delivering a definitive defeat to the Hunterdon Central Regional Red Devils, 73-42. The closest Hunterdon got was a 6-6 tie in the opening minutes, but a 7-point run – a converted defensive rebound, followed by a nice 3-pointer by …

If you want to know what powers Township Councilman Rajiv Prasad’s almost obsessive refusal to understand that residents oppose him for his ethical lapses only, and that his ethnicity has nothing to do with it, all you need do is go back to this statement he wrote in a July 29, 2015 email concerning the Catalpa Park debacle: “When you …

Update: 19-year-old Ryan M. Salvagno has been charged with assault, a disorderly person’s offense and harassment, a petty disorderly person’s offense after he allegedly tried to take a “Make America Great Again” cap from an 81-year-old man, assaulting him in the process. A release from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office said that Salvagno followed the victim out of Shop Rite …