Lillian Thomas, 82, entered eternal rest on Dec. 15, 2016 at McCarrick Care Center in Somerset. Mrs. Thomas was born September 20, 1934 in Oak City, N.C. to the late Mead and Agnes (Baker) Manning. She was one of 13 children. She lived in South River for many years before settling in North Brunswick. Lillian was a faithful member of …

Dennis Almeida passed away early Friday at St. Peters University hospital in New Brunswick at the age of 57. Dennis was born in Brooklyn but lived for many years in Franklin Township. He was a longtime member of the Laborers Local 77. Dennis was an avid sports fan who always made sure to bet on his Mets or take a …

By Bill Connell, Somerset. About a year or so ago I called the Stage House restaurant and asked the hostess if I could make a song request. “You’ve lost that loving feeling.” I said “I really love that song.” Being polite she put me on hold and asked the manager. She came back on and said she could not honor …

More than 100 members of a township mosque gathered there Dec. 17 to celebrate the birthday of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad. The faithful gathered at the Masjid-e-Ali mosque on Cedar Grove Lane to hear several speakers talk about Muhammad, and equate his life to the present day. “It’s not just that we celebrate the day the prophet was born, we …

Nearly one in every 10 township school-aged child lived in poverty in 2015, a figure that is 41 percent higher than in all of Somerset County. In its annual Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates for 2015, released Dec. 14, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 9.4 percent of children aged 5 to 17 years in the township live below …

The 2016 winners of an annual poster contest for the township’s school children were celebrated at the Dec. 13 Township Council meeting. The contest is sponsored by the township Municipal Alliance for the Prevention of Substance Abuse. This year’s theme was “We Can Be Above The Influence And Still be Influenced.” “Students did a great job in translating their thoughts …

A proposal to honorarily rename Cedar Grove Lane “Interfaith Lane” received the town’s approval, and has an advocate on the county level. That’s important because any move to place an honorary name on the county owned road would require approval from the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders. The Township Council at its Dec. 13 meeting unanimously agreed to ask …

The state Assembly’s appropriations committee recently advanced two military veterans’-related bills co-sponsored by Assemblyman Joe Danielsen (D-17). One bill would establish a pilot program to assist disabled and low-income veterans in paying for housing modifications, and the second would extend state civil service eligibility for non-combat veterans. The first bill, known as the New Jersey Housing Assistance for Veterans Act …

Mrs. Janina Mychajlowycz passed away early Dec. 14 at Parker at McCarrick in Somerset. She was 87 years old. Mrs. Mychajlowycz was born in Poland, present day Lithuania. She had lived in Hightstown for many years and was a homemaker. She was predeceased by her husband Walter in 2009. Mrs. Mychajlowycz is survived by her sons, Andrew Mychajlowycz and his …

A $160,000 playground system for Inman Park was among the more than $360,000 in good and services purchases authorized Dec. 13 by the Township Council. That contract – totaling $160,699 – went to MRC of Spring Lake. The council also authorized: A $12,460 contract for four portable radar signs from All Traffic Solutions of State College, Pa. A $17,900 contract …