By James Bevere. To the Franklin High School Community,

Mayor Brian Levine thought he wasn’t going to have to do any campaigning for himself until at least next year. He was wrong.

There wasn’t  a lot of crying on the first day of school at MacAfee Road School, but that doesn’t mean emotions weren’t running high. “I’m holding back the tears,” Brittany McGuire said, after she left her son, Xavier, for his first day of Kindergarten.

A number of school children in the township and surrounding area will start this school year with supplies donated by a local foundation. Gina Bowser, founder of the Zakee Bowser Enrichment Foundation, late last month held her annual giveaway of backpacks and school supplies at the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens, Route 27.

It’s not just Warrior athletes who go home with trophies. Members of Franklin High School’s varied academic competition teams did well during the 2013-2014 school year, mostly without the publicity and accolades afforded champions of sport.

By Richard Seamon, Somerset. Over the past 14 years, I have had the privilege of serving two terms on the Franklin Township Board of Education – which encompassed a total of 6 years and 8 months.  During my first term, I played a significant part in the successful referendum for the new High School and then served on the Facilities …

Township police, in conjunction with the Board of Education, will conduct a multi-pronged school safety initiate during the week of Sept. 2. Traffic laws will be “aggressively enforced” around schools and bus stops, and police will visit schools to meet with administrators and students, according to a release about the initiative.

625 New Brunswick Rd., Somerset, NJ (732) 563-4213 Open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. (Check monthly calendar for schedule updates.) Bingo Tournament – Every Thursday Bridge Lessons – Every Friday, 10:30 a.m. Caram – Daily (East Indian Game Similar to Billiards) Computer Instruction – Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Advance registration required. Games (i.e., Scrabble, Dominos, Checkers, Yahtzee) …

There’s a scene in a 1932 episode of the “Our Gang” comedies – called “Freewheeling” – in which two of the Little Rascals find themselves in a driverless carriage careening down a hill. At one point, one of the characters, Dickie, turns to his pal, Stymie, and says, “Where are we going?” “I don’t know,” Stymie says, “but we’re on …

Intermittent closures and detours will greet drivers on some township streets in the coming weeks as road projects get underway. The most immediate project will take place on John F. Kennedy Boulevard, between Webster and Renfro roads. That project is expected to begin on Aug. 29 and will continue on Sept. 2 and 3.