A GROWING SECTOR – Five of the township’s cannabis-related businesses recorded sales of at least $1 million in the first half of 2025. (File photo). Cannabis-related businesses in the township generated more than $278,000 in sales taxes in the first half of 2025. That translates to nearly $14 million in sales, and a Franklin cannabis industry on track to eclipse …

About 100 people gathered at the Township’s Cultural Arts Gazebo on July 17 to take part in a nationwide national day of action in memory of the late Congressman John Lewis. Called “Good Trouble Lives On,” the rally was reportedly one of 1,500 held around the country to protest the policies of the Trump Administration.

06/29/2025 A business located on Somerset St. was the victim of a shoplifting during the morning hours. An unknown male exited the store without paying for merchandise valued at $200. The suspect fled the area on a bicycle. 

EXPLAINING THE PLAN – Brian Debarbieri, architect for 500 Atrium Drive LLC, talks about construction details of the two planned warehouses. A proposal to raze a vacant office building on Atrium Drive and build in its stead two small warehouses was presented to the Planning Board at its July 16 meeting. The developer, 500 Atrium LLC, wants to build a …

06/22/2025 A business located on Somerset St. was the victim of a shoplifting during the early morning hours. An unknown female exited the store without paying for merchandise valued at $15. Patrol canvassed the area for the suspect with negative results.

Newkirk and Evergreen Resurfacing -Completed Rodgers Ave Area Resurfacing -All paving completed. 

Patricia Szucs passed away peacefully surrounded by family at the CentraState Hospital in Freehold on July 14. She was 82 years old. Born on April 8, 1943, in New Brunswick, Patricia was the beloved daughter of the late Joseph Redmond and Anna Dwyer. She was raised in New Brunswick where she attended Sacred Heart Elementary School and graduated from St. …

High school football teams from New York and New Jersey met at Middlebush Park July 12 for the second annual Ed Wilson 7×7 Tournament. The tournament is name din honor of Franklin High School football coach Blair Wilson’s father, who was a longtime Pop Warner coach.

Diane M. Wanat, of Somerset, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family, on July 9. She was 80 years old. Born in Orange, she lived in Union, Watchung and Livingston before moving to Somerset 20 years ago. She worked as a Social Worker for the Livingston Board of Education for more than 20 years before retiring in 2005. Diane …

MAKING HIS CASE – Justin Burns, IDI Logistics’ Northeast Market Officer, described his company’s project to the Zoning Board of Adjustment on July 10. A 212,500-square-foot warehouse targeted for the corner of Davidson Avenue and Executive Drive was approved July 10 by the Zoning Board of Adjustment. The 45-foot-tall warehouse, proposed by IDI Logistics of Atlanta, Ga., will replace three …