One of the most sacred days in the Shia Muslim calendar was commemorated Nov. 9, as area Shia gathered at the Masjid-e-Ali Mosque on Cedar Grove Lane to remember the martyred grandson of the Prophet Mohammad. The day featured poetry and lectures on the legacy of the killing of Husain Ibn Ai and about 70 of his followers and family …

The Vietnam-era musical “Hair” is running on weekends now through Nov. 23 at Villagers Theatre, 475 DeMott Lane in Somerset. The musical is about a group of teenagers “searching for truth, peace and love in a Vietnam War-era America,” according to a release about the production.

The Franklin High School freshman football team ran all over the Immaculata Spartans Nov. 7, notching a 30-12 win. The win brings the team’s record to an even 4-4, with arch rival Piscataway looming next week.

A lawsuit filed in Bergen County that involves township police and a former Municipal Court Judge has been moved to Somerset County, according to a published report. A report appearing in the Cliffview Pilot, an online news site covering Bergen County, says that state Superior Court Assignment Judge Peter Doyne recently ruled that a civil suit against officials in several …

The Modern Motion Dance Studio will present its annual holiday program, “A Very Modern Nutcracker” at 2 p.m . Dec. 13 at Franklin Middle School, Francis Street. The show features ballet and jazz dance pieces with children ages 3 through 18. The school uses a blend of the traditional Tchaikovsky score with contemporary musical arrangements for the party scene, Drosselmeyer, and pas …

The scheduled closing of Route 518 between Canal Road and Carroll Place has been delayed, according to a statement from Somerset County. The three-quarter mile stretch was originally scheduled to be closed to all traffic between Nov. 10 and 24, and then during work hours from Nov. 24 through Dec. 23.

Township property owners who carry flood insurance will see their premiums decrease 5 percent this year, thanks to an improved rating in a voluntary program run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Called the Community Rating System, the program provides incentives to towns to take actions to minimize flood risk that are greater than the floodplain management practices mandated by the National …

The Rutgers Preparatory School on Easton Avenue will receive an award from the township’s Environmental Commission for the school’s “many contributions to the environment of Franklin Township.” The school was notified that it would receive the commission’s “Organization Environmental Stewardship Award” in an Oct. 27 letter, according to a press release. The award is scheduled to be presented at the Nov. …

A township family’s negligence lawsuit against the Board of Education was given new life recently by a state Appellate Court panel. The three judges remanded to Superior Court the lawsuit brought by Freddy Florian and his mother, Carmela, which a Superior Court judge sitting in New Brunswick had dismissed on summary judgment.