A morning fire in a Route 27 auto repair shop has closed part of the state highway and sent the shop’s owner to the hospital. The 68-year-old owner of Classic Motors, Franklin Park – who police did not name – was taken to an area hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation, police said.

The two hot topics of the past year or so failed to manifest themselves at the voting booth in the Nov. 3 election, an FR&A analysis of the results shows. Although they were the subjects of several heated Township Council meetings and endless debates on social media, the development of Middlebush and Catalpa parks failed to result in the threatened voter …

Oct. 27 Ryan Williams of Manasquan was cited for careless driving after his car collided on New Brunswick Road with a car driven by Ariana Gass of Somerset. Williams was pulling out of Cedar Grove Center and said he did not see Gass’s car.

By Bill Connell, Somerset. More than once in local politics I have seen where the answer or the reaction to the question is far, far worse than the question itself. This situation is no more evident than with Township Councilman Rajiv Prasad. His interpretation and reaction to his detractors was embarrassing for him and the whole Democratic Party.

Township Councilman Phil Kramer handily won the mayor’s race, and his Democratic running mates swept the Township Council race in the Nov. 3 election. With all districts reporting, Kramer, currently a councilman from Ward 3, garnered 5,045 votes and his challenger, current Mayor Chris Kelly, received 3,208 votes.

Two incumbents and a newcomer won election to the Board of Education in the Nov. 3 election. Board members Richard Seamon and Margaret Steele and first-time member Laurie Merris will start their new terms in January 2016.

Incumbent state Assemblyman Joe Danielsen (D-17) easily won election to his first full term in the lower house in the Nov. 3 election. Danielsen’s running mate, Joseph Egan of New Brunswick, also won his re-election bid.

Bridgewater, NJ – Somerset Patriots right-handed pitcher Connor Little has signed with the Atlanta Braves organization.  

An editorial analysis. A political flier put out last weekend by the Somerset County Republican Organization supporting the mayoral bid of Chris Kelly has ruffled the feathers of his Democratic rival.

By William Galtieri, Somerset. When Chris Kelly ran in 2007 his message was clear that the only way to control taxes is to control spending. Now as acting mayor, he has reversed that opinion doing the complete opposite. He has voted to spend more of taxpayers’ money, wanting to spend more than anyone else on the Township Council but not …