News-pourri

The 19th annual running of the Renaissance Cyclists Defeating Cancer United bicycle fundraiser was held September 20 at the Township Senior/Community Center. More than 100 riders participated in the event, which offered ride lengths of three, 10, 30 and 50 miles, as well as a 3-mile walk. The event raises money for prostate cancer awareness and screening. Shirley Spruill, the …

A milestone was reached September 20 at the Millstone Valley Fire Department – the 30th running of the Ladies Auxiliary Tricky Tray fundraiser. The fire department’s truck bays were filled with tables filled with people, residents of Franklin as well as surrounding towns. They all spent about the event’s first two hours choosing for which of the more than 100 …

INDOOR PLAYGROUND APPROVED – Hang Lin, foreground, owner of Bounce Air Adventure Park, tells the Zoning Board of his plans for the new location in Rutgers Plaza. An indoor children’s play park targeted for an empty space at Rutgers Plaza on Easton Avenue was approved September 18 by the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Called Bounce Air Adventure Park, the roughly …

PROTESTING THE PRELATES – A group of Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA congregants yell at a van carrying two church prelates as it drives away following a Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting on September 18. Chaos erupted after the September 18 Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting when members of the Ukrainian community chased two top prelates of the Ukrainian …

EXPLAINING THE PLAN – Engineer Mitchel Ardman reviews the subdivision plan for Temple Beth El at the September 17 Planning Board meeting. A Hamilton Street synagogue received approval on September 17 to cut pieces from two lots to make a third, which would be sold off to a developer for a single-family home. Temple Beth El needs to sell the …

EXPLAINING THE OPTIONS – Darren Mazzei, the Township’s consulting engineer, reviews four options for the construction of Catalpa Park at the September 16 Open Space Advisory Committee meeting. The long-anticipated Catalpa Park is once again the topic of Township conversation, but this time the conversation is focused on finances. The Township Council on September 9 rejected all bids on the …

Following is an update on the Township’s 2025 road resurfacing program. Sebring Rd Area Resurfacing – Contractor working on concrete work.  Sebring Rd Annapolis St – THIS STREET HAS BEEN PULLED FROM THE PROJECT. WILL BE ON FOR NEXT YEAR.  Lexington Rd Phillips Rd – PAVED Francis St – PAVED Link Rd School Ave Lewis St – PAVED Van Doren Ave …

LEADING THE CHARGE – Mayor Phil Kramer led the Franklin delegation in a virtual public comment session run by state environmental officials about permit applications for a controversial natural gas pipeline project. More than 170 area residents – including a healthy contingent from Franklin – took to the Internet September 10 to persuade the state Department of Environmental Protection to …

A variety of performances are set for two stages on Franklin Day, which is scheduled for noon to 5 p.m. on September 13 in the municipal complex on DeMott Lane. Additionally, vendors and organizations will have tables to promote their products and services, and a number of food trucks are also scheduled to be there. On the Main Stage, the …

The Township will once again run its annual curbside leaf collection program starting the last week of October, and running through the end of December. Leaves only can be placed in 30-gallon biodegradable paper bags available at home improvement stores. Leaves should be placed at curbside by 7 a.m. on the Monday of the week scheduled for pickups. Pickup will …