SPECIAL RECOGNITION – Franklin Food Bank Executive Director with U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar at the Congressional Hunger Center’s annual Hunger Leadership Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Franklin Food Bank.) The Franklin Food Bank was recently recognized nationally with the 2025 Community Champion Hunger Leadership Award at the Congressional Hunger Center’s annual Hunger Leadership Awards Dinner. Food Bank Executive Director Derek Smith accepted the award on behalf …

5/18/2025 A Somerset resident was the victim of a fraud. The victim invested $56,000 into a crypto currency app called Idea Pro. The victim attempted to withdraw almost $10,000,000 from the app, however, the funds never made it to his bank account. The victim contacted Idea Pro, and they requested $183,00,00 for technical assistance. At this point, the victim realized …

The Franklin High School Class of 2025’s Salutatorian and Valedictorian were named June 6 at the annual Senior Awards Night ceremony. During the evening, thousands of dollars in scholarships were announced, as were the winners of various academic honors.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER – Schiro Withanachchi, the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Rutgers University – Camden, speaks to the TEECS Class of 2025 at their June 5 graduation. The world needs scientists, but it also needs leaders who care, the Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School Class of 2025 was told at its graduation ceremony on June 5. Speaking to the …

HONORING EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS – Rebekah Solomon, principal at Franklin Middle School – Sampson G. Smith Campus speaks about her school’s educators being honored. Twenty teachers and teachers’ aides were honored June 5 as the best in the district at the annual Educators of the Year Breakfast, held at the Imperia by Dhaba on Easton Avenue. Each of the District’s 10 …

TARGET AREA – An aerial view of the properties targeted in the Planning Board’s June 4 resolution. Five parcels totaling about 3.5 acres, located along Franklin Boulevard near Lewis Street, were designated as being in need of redevelopment by the Planning Board at its June 4 meeting. The five lots are being eyed by Township officials for affordable housing, a …

TALKING FINANCES – Parents listen to strategies to affording college costs during the College STEADY program at Sampson G. Smith school on June 3. An inaugural college exposure fair drew about 200 middle school students and their parents to Franklin Middle School – Sampson G. Smith campus on June 3. The fair, called College R.E.A.D.Y., was designed by school administration …

Franklin High School student Hayagreev Shankar Karthik is one of more than 2,900 winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by U.S. colleges and universities, announced by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Shankar Karthik’s scholarship was financed by Rutgers University, where physics is the planned course of study.

PLANNING THE PARTY – Historic Commissioner Bob LaCorte talks about the ideas being formed for the Township’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding. The newly minted chairman of the as-yet-unnamed committee to plan the Township’s commemoration of the country’s 250th anniversary recently gave a few sneak peeks into early planning of the event. Bob LaCorte, who was …

Submitted By The Franklin Township Police Department. Franklin Township and surrounding communities have seen a rise in bear sightings. While bears typically avoid humans, certain conditions can increase the risk of encounters. Residents are urged to take precautions to stay safe and help prevent attracting bears to their homes.