The Fall drama presentation at Franklin High School is the children’s fantasy, “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.” One of the seven “Chroniclas of Narnia” stories written by C.S. Lewis, the story is about four siblings – two brothers and two sisters – in World War II England who find passageway to a magical world – Narnia – through …

Hillcrest Elementary School is losing its principal, but Sampson G. Smith Intermediate School is getting one. And they are the same person. Evelyn Rutledge, currently the Hillcrest principal, was named the new SGS principal Nov. 19 by the Board of Education. Rutledge will assume her new position on Jan 1, 2016. She will be paid a pro-rated yearly salary of …

By Dr. Sayed M. Rizvi, Clifton. The recent terrorism in Paris is sadly yet another heinous, deplorable and inhumane attack on humanity. These acts of hate and evil need to be confronted and halted one way or the other. Everyone, be it regular citizens, the government or members of a particular faith, must come in unison to stop these atrocious …

Late-night patrons of Planet Fitness on Easton Avenue were evacuated Nov. 17 when an employee detected an unknown odor. The employee called police at about 10:11 p.m., reporting the odor and smoke, police said. The employee evacuated the members as firefighters from Middlebush Volunteer Fire Department arrived. Firefighters were on the scene less than half an hour before clearing it. …

Nov. 10 A Bobcat mini digger valued at $17,000 was stolen from Groundscare Landscaping of Somerville while it was parked on Pierce Street. § A 2002 Kawasaki KX500 dirt bike, valued at $3,000, was stolen from a Marigold Lane garage. § Mbalu Mansaray of Somerset was cited for careless driving after her car collided with one on Somerset Street driven …

The 38th annual Festival of Trees is set for Dec. 4-27, and decorators are being sought to display their handiwork. Individuals, local and civic groups, scout troops, businesses and others are invited to design, decorate and submit a tree for the event, which will be held at the Somerset County Park Commission’s Environmental Education Center, 190 Lord Stirling Rd., Basking …

The 2014-2015 school year violence and vandalism report contained a mixed bag of results. On the one hand, reported violence, weapon and drug infractions and harassment, intimidation and bullying by students decreased in the district as a whole. But the percentage of students suspended increased in six of the district’s nine schools, and incidents of vandalism rose slightly from the …

Anytime Fitness has teamed up with a celebrity chef to help provide Thanksgiving meals to the needy, and to help people burn off the Thanksgiving meal calories. The fitness company, with a location at Franklin Boulevard and Hamilton Street, has partnered with Chef G. Garvin in producing a #BurnTheTurkey recipe collection that takes a tongue-in-cheek look at exercise. The collection includes …

With the atrocities of ISIS in Paris and elsewhere fresh in their memories, Muslims who gathered at a township mosque Nov. 14 were told that they must “build bridges” in their communities. The event was the annual interfaith program at Masjid-e-Ali Mosque to honor the life of Imam Husain Ibn Ali, a 7th Century figure who, with about 70 of his …

The roof on the school district’s administration building on Amwell Road needs to be replaced, the Board of Education was told at its Nov. 12 work session. “The roof is leaking pretty badly,” schools Superintendent John Ravally told the board. Ravally said he will have a resolution for the board at its Nov. 19 action meeting to hire Design Resources …