Several hundred members of the township’s West African community gathered Jan. 9 to celebrate their impact in the November 2015 elections. Special guests at the event, held at the Holiday Inn on Davidson Avenue, were the local winners in the election: State Assemblyman Joe Danielsen, (D-17), Mayor Phil Kramer and At-Large Township Council members Shanel Robinson, Kimberly Francois and Rajiv Prasad. …

About 125 competitors from around the region converged on Franklin High School Jan. 9 for the second Rubic’s Cube competition hosted by the school’s Red Cross Club. The club uses the event as a fundraiser, and, according to club co-president Ashwin Pozath, has seen participation grow from the inaugural event held in late 2014. “The World Cube Association liked how …

Township police detectives are investigating two shootings that occurred within two weeks of each other late last month. No one was reported injured in either of the shootings, which left bullets in two homes. At 4:31 p.m. on Dec. 17, the FTPD received a 9-1-1 call reporting shots fired in the area of Victor Street, police Sgt. Phil Rizzo said. Numerous …

The Board of Education on Jan. 7 voted to reduce the number of public meetings it holds in 2016, a move the school board president said  would streamline the decision-making process and allow staff to focus on things other than meetings. But one board member objected to the change, saying it may not allow for thorough discussions of policy issues. Starting …

The Board of Education voted to retain its top leadership, and the three winners in the November election were sworn in to their seats at the Jan. 7 reorganization meeting. Included in the swearing in was newest board member Laurie Merris, who won the seat vacated by former board member Betty Whalen. Also sworn in were returning board members Margaret …

The Franklin Township Municipal Youth Services Commission was recently awarded two grants totaling $7,500 by the Somerset County Freeholders. The money was part of $90,000 in grants awarded by the Freeholders to 14 youth services commissions representing all 21 Somerset County towns according to a press release on the awards. The awards were presented at a Freeholders’ meeting. The Franklin …

For the second time in seven years, an application to turn a vacant building on Old New Brunswick Road into a retail center has been approved by the Planning Board. The board unanimously approved the application of Onyx, LLC to turn the 53,000-square-foot building at 785 Old New Brunswick Road into a strip center. The center would be located next …

A tip to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office led to the arrest of a 20-year-old township man on a gun charge, but not before the man crashed his car into two other vehicles while trying to elude police, authorities said. Police charged Donte Dowdell with 2nd Degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon and 2nd Degree Eluding Jan. 4, after Dowdell allegedly tried …

Submitted by Terry Ladd, Rutgers Prep. On Tuesday, January 5, Rutgers Preparatory School (founded in 1766) commemorated the first day of school in its 250th Anniversary year with an all school assembly in the Upper Gymnasium. The assembly featured a processional of students by grade carrying banners created for the event, an historic slideshow, and a group photograph of all …

Submitted by Ana V. Kelly, St. Matthias School. A St. Matthias School 8th Grader received an award for her efforts during a Model United Nations Conference at Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft. Julia Kebuldaze won the Premiere Delegate Award for her portrayal of Nathaniel Folsom during a historical role play of the Continental Congress. In all, 26 8th Graders from the …