The Township Council Nov. 26 voted to buy a new Dodge Durango for the Department of Fire Prevention and lease copiers for the finance and animal control departments. The 2014 Durango is needed by the Fire Prevention department because of the addition of a new fire inspector, according to a memo from Township Clerk Ann Marie McCarthy.

A Texas man on Nov. 24 took an early morning dip in the pond in front of the DoubleTree Hotel on Atrium Drive. The problem was that he was in his car when he did it.

There were some atypical members of the public at the Nov. 26 Township Council meeting; a contingent from Boy Scout Troop 113. The Scouts were on hand to fulfill a scouting Merit Badge requirement.

New Brunswick should “ante up” if the township has to do any additional water supply testing in the wake of charges that the neighboring city’s former water department operator falsified three year’s worth of water tests. That was the word Nov. 26 from Township Councilman Brian Regan (At-Large) and Mayor Brian Levine after the council was told of a possible …

Nov. 23, 2013 Jie Cui of Princeton told police that she was driving down Route 518 when suddenly a piece of debris flew at her windshield. She said she swerved to the right to avoid it, but hit a mailbox at 18 Rt. 518.  Police said they could find no debris in the road.

Words and Pictures by Joe Valencia I had the pleasure of seeing The Perfect Alibi Quintet perform at Pagano’s UVA Restaurant and Wine Bar in Bradley Beach on Nov. 15. I am friends with the guitar player and manager, John Abbott, and have been wanting to see them perform for a while and finally got my chance. My only regret …

Students at Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School, Cortelyous Lane, Somerset, held a number of charitable fundraisers over the last few weeks. The school’s “Dress-Down Week,” in which a $10 donation was made to “dress down” for one day, raised $3,290, said school principal Oguz Yildiz.

Organizations within Franklin Township and in the greater Somerset County area offer opportunities for holiday donations. Most immediately, the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens, 771 Somerset St., Somerset, will hold a food collection on Nov. 24.

More than $9 million worth of contracts related to the proposed school referendum and energy saving program were approved at the Nov. 21 Board of Education meeting. The board awarded a $6,958,910 contract to SSP Architectural Group, Bridgewater, for architectural design and administrative services for the ambitious referendum projects and the Energy Savings Improvement Program.

The owner of a Franklin “cash for gold” store was indicted on several charges related to last summer’s Operation “Somer Gold” sting by local, county and state law enforcement. David H. Rubin, 55, of Highland Park, owner of Wireless Source/Cash For Gold on Hamilton Street, was indicted on charges of 3rd Degree fencing, 3rd Degree receiving stolen property, two counts …