The Horticulture Department of the Somerset County Park Commission is accepting reservations for wedding ceremonies and photos at three locations in the Colonial Park Gardens. The Colonial Park locations are: the Arboretum (for ceremonies and photos), the Perennial Garden, and the Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden (for photos only). The fee for each garden is $150.00 per hour.

The notion of “paying it forward” can be traced back to the ancient Greeks; it is the idea that one does not repay a kindness one was granted back to the benefactor, but, rather, finds someone else in the same situation and lends a similar helping hand. “Paying it forward” has been explored in plays, books and movies through the …

Mary Ruperto, 94, passed away surrounded by her family on December 29 at St. Peter University Medical Center in New Brunswick. Mrs. Ruperto was born April 29, 1924 in Somerset to the late Concetto and Carmella (Sansone) Georgiana. She lived in New Brunswick from 1947 to 1962 before settling in East Brunswick. Mary was a longtime parishioner at St. Mary …

The body of a former township first responder and, most recently, Virginia police officer returned home December 28, escorted by a caravan that began at the start of the New Jersey Turnpike. Brian Kanterman, 25, died Christmas morning in Stafford, Va., where he was a Deputy Sheriff and a Certified Correctional Officer. Kanterman suffered a heart attack, according to a …

Irving Green, 85, passed away on December 26 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Somerville. Mr. Green was born December 13, 1933 in Leipzig, Germany to the late Harry and Silvia (Soldinger) Green. In 1938, he immigrated to the states and settled in Brooklyn, NY. He lived in Somerset for many years, retiring in Aventura, Fl. before relocating to …

Township police and county detectives are investigating the shooting of a 25-year-old North Brunswick man that may have occurred late on Dec. 24 near Stothoff Street. Officials from an unnamed area hospital contacted police at about 12:17 a.m. Dec. 25 to report that they were treating a man with a gunshot wound. The man underwent surgery and is expected to …

Helen Koza, 94, passed away December 24 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. Mrs. Koza was born November 19, 1924 in Newark to the late Jon and Pauline (Soltys) Glodek. Helen lived in Somerset for more than 40 years and was previously from Irvington. She was a sales associate for Goldfingers Children’s Store in Irvington and shortly …

Mrs. Olga Sudia passed away on Christmas day at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. She was 80 years old. Mrs. Sudia was born in New York City and lived in Brooklyn and Bayside, Queens before moving to Somerset in the mid 1960s. Mrs. Sudia worked as a Lunch Aide for the Franklin Township Board of Education for …

This week’s podcast features news about the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletics Association investigating a possible bias incident at a boys’ basketball game, the “Call for Peace” town meeting held at Parkside Community Center, and comings and goings at the Board of Education. Music is “The Holy Child” by Ikos David Clifton with the choirs of Peterborough Cathedral.

The Board of Education wants to hear from former township students. The board at its Dec. 20 meeting approved the release of two surveys, one targeted to Franklin High School graduates in the classes of 2016, 2017 and 2018, and a second aimed at students from all Franklin schools.