News-pourri

Township students entering 6th Grade this Fall, and their families, are invited to the annual 6th Grade Takeover event at the Franklin Youth Center, 429 Lewis Street, from 2-6 p.m. on June 13. The event will give students and parents an opportunity to explore the Youth Center, connect with peers, and learn about the many programs and activities available throughout …

Community members of the Claremont Road Elementary School gathered May 20 in the school’s gymnasium to take a trip around the world. The event was the school’s second annual International Food and Culture Festival, the brainchild of former vice-principal Angela Pape, and continued by the school’s current administration. Don’t Miss Out! No other media outlet covering Franklin Township brings you …

PLEASANTLY SURPRISED – Township resident Dave Robinson said he was pleasantly surprised by the proposed ordinance amendment limiting warehouses and banning data centers. The Township Council on May 12 made it’s latest attempt to limit the impact of warehouses in the township with the introduction of an ordinance amendment creating design standards for warehouses. Don’t Miss Out! No other media …

HONORED FOR A CENTURY IN BUSINESS – Mark DiGiovanni, the third-generation owner of Guaranteed Motor, thanks the Township Council for its proclamation commemorating the company’s 100 years in business at the May 12 meeting. The Franklin Township Council on Tuesday honored Guaranteed Motors and its owner, Mark DiGiovanni, marking the towing and auto service business’s 100th anniversary of serving the community. …

Here is the latest update from the 2026 Street Resurfacing Program: Sterling Rd Area Resurfacing – Bid Awarded Don’t Miss Out! No other media outlet covering Franklin Township brings you the depth of information presented by the Franklin Reporter & Advocate. Period. We are the only truly independent media serving the Eight Villages. But we can only do that with …

DETAILING OBJECTIONS – Peter Steck, a planner hired by opponents to a plan to raze the Ukrainian Cultural Center, testifies about his objections to the application at the May 7 Zoning Board hearing. A planner testified May 7 that a proposal to demolish the Ukrainian Orthodox cultural center on Davidson Avenue and replace it with a 258,150-square-foot warehouse is riddled …

Four township-based culture and arts groups were among 27 organizations in Somerset County awarded a total of $283,450 in 2026 through the County History Partnership Program (CHPP) and Local Arts Program (LAP). Made possible by the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission, the LAP Grant is funded through a partnership with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, while …

EXPLAINING THE PLAN – Samantha DeAndrea, Director of Planning for Somerset County, tells the Planning Board about the County’s subdivision application at the May 6 meeting. The Township Planning Board voted unanimously May 6 to approve a Somerset County application to subdivide a 32.9-acre property on Canal Road, preserving nearly 24 acres as permanent open space in the Millstone Valley …

LOOKING AT CRICKET TEAMS – Parks and Recreation Director Stephen Dahl and Advisory Recreation Council Chairman Keith Stewart (left to right) led the discussion on cricket teams at the May 6 Council meeting. Franklin Township’s Parks and Recreation Department is preparing a review of cricket field permits after discovering that some teams have manipulated their player rosters to qualify for …

A NEW SEASON – Parks & Recreation Director Stephen Dahl tells the Advisory Recreation Council about new programs and events coming up in the Spring and Summer. The township’s Parks and Recreation Department is launching a slate of new and expanded summer programs this season, including a debut theater camp, an upgraded concert series and the first outdoor pickleball tournament …