Nearly 200 people gathered at the Masjid-e-Ali mosque on Cedar Grove Lane Oct. 28 in a vigil for the victims of the Tree of Life synagogue shootings in Pennsylvania. Organized by the Franklin Township Interfaith Council, the vigil featured comments from local politicians and faith leaders from throughout the township, state and Canada.

The Hamilton Street Business District and the township’s Parks and Recreation department partnered Oct. 28 for the annual Trunk or Treat event at John’s Plaza on Hamilton Street. In years’ past, the two events were held at separate locations, It was felt by organizers that it would be better to combine the two events into one.

Analysis

A vigil for the victims of the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting will be held from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at Masjid-e-Ali Mosque, 47 Cedar Grove Lane. On Oct. 27, a gunman opened fire in the synagogue, killing 11 and injuring six others in what has been called the deadliest attacks on Jews in the United States.

NEW BRUNSWICK – Several Franklin High School students took home awards Oct. 26 at the inaugural “Y Vote Essay and Video contest awards ceremony, held at the Eagleton Institute at Rutgers University. One student received an Honorable Mention for her essay, while a team of students won 3rd Place in the video competition of the event, which was sponsored by …

By Bill Connell, Somerset. I have been a member of the Open Space Advisory Committee for the better part of a decade. As part of our charge we review the data on deer and help modify hunting policy recommendations to the Township Council as needed. Some of those changes have made headlines, in fact, the changes have been minor. They …

A group of MacAfee Road Elementary School students represented their classmates Oct. 25 when they delivered about 200 hand-made cards to patients at the St. Peter’s University Hospital’s breast cancer center.

The Mettlers Road bridge was closed on Oct. 23 for emergency repairs which are expected to take four weeks. Somerset County Engineer Matthew Loper said the work consist of emergency repairs to the brick arch of the bridge.

The Franklin Township Community Foundation on Oct. 24 voted to return to donors the remaining contributions to a proposed “Peace and Non-Violence” monument park. The vote effectively kills the project that has sparked controversy in the township over how Township Councilman Rajiv Prasad (D-At Large) handled its approval process and his characterization of the park’s opponents.

A member of the Township Human Relations Commission said at a recent meeting that the people who opposed a proposed “Peace and Non-Violence” monument park were “white racists.” The member, John Tibbs, said at the commission’s Sept. 24 meeting it was the same people who several years ago opposed Catalpa Park because of plans to install cricket pitches there.