A proposed design for new historic village identification signs was shot down Dec. 3 by the Historic Preservation Advisory Commission. The commission gave Tiffany Delaney, the township’s special projects coordinator, a new set of guidelines for what chairman Andrew Burian said he hoped would be a more “elegant” design.

Parents and players in the Franklin Youth Basketball program got to know each other Dec. 3 at a pre-season “meet-and-greet” pizza party held at the Eternal Life Christian Center, Franklin Boulevard, Somerset. The event was designed to show the participants that the league is “more than just the team your kid is on,” said Ron Jordan, the league’s founder.

The extent to which trees were cleared at Middlebush Park sparked some comments from two Environmental Commission members at the Dec. 2 meeting. Commission vice-chair Arnold Schmidt and member David Triggs voiced some concern over the number of trees that were cleared for the park, and over the lack of a buffer between the park and nearby residents.

The annual Chanukah Festival, featuring the lighting of a giant Menorah, was held Dec. 2 at the Shop-Rite on Elizabeth Avenue, Somerset. Co-sponsored by the supermarket and the Hillsborough-based Chabad Center for Jewish Life, the festival featured Chanukah music and refreshments.

A Village Drive resident reported Nov. 29 that someone broke into their storage unit and stole and broke Christmas items. The resident told police the burglary happened sometime during November. The storage unit is located in the building’s laundry room, police said.

A Mark Street resident got a scare Nov. 29 when a gasoline can caught fire next to his outdoor fireplace. Police said the resident, who they did not identify, said he was lighting charcoal in the outdoor fireplace in preparation of cooking chicken when the small can caught fire.

Nov. 29, 2013 Bruce Jefferson of Hopewell was told police he was driving down Route 518 when a black footrest fell off a truck traveling ahead of him. Jefferson said that as he was slowing, his car was struck in the rear by one driven by Anthony Gaylord of Plainsboro. Gaylord said he could not stop in time to avoid …

The Gospel Shepherds, a singing group comprised of Franklin Township residents, will perform a free concert at 4 p.m. Dec. 7 at the Middlebush Reformed Church, corner of Amwell and South Middlebush roads. Formed in 1996, the group has toured Sicily and has performed at many local events, according to its Web site.

The final evaluations for the Spring, 2014 Franklin Township Baseball League are set for 4-7 p.m. Dec. 7 at the Rutgers Preparatory School’s lower gym, 1345 Easton Ave. in Somerset. Participation in baseball and softball is open to residents of Franklin, South Bound Brook and Piscataway.

Following are the December events scheduled by the Quail Brook Senior Center, 625 New Brunswick Rd. in Somerset. The center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call (732) 563-4213.