Three township men are among eight people charged March 11 by federal authorities with operating a heroin trafficking organization in Essex and Middlesex counties and the township. Daniel “Spree” Newsom, 35, and David Miller, 38, were arrested March 11 and charged with one count each of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.

Three of the four township residents who were named “Outstanding Women” in the county were honored at the March 10 Township Council meeting. Michéle Samarya-Timm, Joanne Polito and Lisa Frey were given council commendations for their accomplishments. The fourth honoree, Betty Barber, was not at the meeting.

A lifelong township resident was one of two new police officers sworn in at the March 10 Township Council meeting. Taking the oath were Kenneth Reid II and Patrick Nurthen.

The Franklin High School Lady Warriors repeated as the NJSIAA Section 2, Group 4 champions March 10 with a 79-43 victory over Piscataway High School. Three Warriors broke double digits in the win – Adreana Miller with 24 points, Jaeda Wildgoose with 16 points and Mary Trossi with 12 points.

The 14-ton weight restriction on the Amwell Road bridge must be “strictly observed” if the structure is to remain open until it can be replaced later this year, the state’s top transportation official said March 1o. The bridge, which was suddenly closed Jan. 16 for emergency repairs, is set to be reopened on March 11.

Update: State Assemblyman Joe Danielsen (D-17) will temporarily work out of three locations in the township municipal complex on DeMott Lane. Video taken by state Assemblyman Joe Danielsen during his walk-through of his former office, destroyed along with other businesses’ offices in a March 6 fire.

UPDATE: The sectional finals game against Piscataway has been moved to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, at FHS. The Lady Warriors advanced to the NJSIAA Group 4, Section 2 finals March 6 with a decisive victory over the Westfield High School Blue Devils, 67-56.

UPDATE 2: The township Office of Fire Prevention has determined that the cause of the fire was not suspicious, according to a message from township police. But, because of the extensive damage to the building, “the actual cause of the fire could not be determined.” UPDATE: Two firefighters were injured fighting a blaze Mach 6 at an Easton Avenue office …

Two families were displaced March 5 after a fire in a Dewald Avenue apartment building. There were no injuries in the fire, which was discovered by township police at about 2:14 p.m., according to a press release from the police department.

Arnav Tolat got a pretty big surprise March 4 when he walked into the Franklin Middle School library. Waiting for the 8th Grader were a number of his classmates, teachers and school and district administrators,  all of whom gathered to congratulate Tolat on wining two major awards in the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) Foundation’s InvestWrite competition.