General News

Participants in a June, 2020 Juneteenth march in the township. (File photo) The Somerset County Democratic Black Caucus’s first Juneteenth Parade is set for 11 a.m. June 18, with the starting point being the Pine Grove Manor School, 130 Highland Ave. The parade will wend its way up Highland Avenue to Hamilton Street, ending at Naaman Williams Park, 42 Matilda …

Chuck Martin, a member of the Trails Advisory Committee, describes the demonstration plot program to the Environmental Commission on May 16. The Trails Advisory Committee wants to know more about the township’s native grasslands and is looking to the Open Space Advisory Committee for help. The Trails Committee wants to re-establish 10 “demonstration plots” at the Negri Nepote Grasslands Preservation …

Performance Rehabilitation & Regenerative Medicine will hold its inaugural 5K charity run/walk, “Conquer the Island,” from 10 a.m. to noon May 14 at Duke Island Park in Bridgewater. All proceeds from the event will go to the “30 Days for Clean Water” program run by  Mission Clean Water, a New Jersey-based 501c3 nonprofit that focuses on providing clean drinking water …

Applications will be accepted through June 1. Applications are now being accepted for the Franklin Township Police’s Youth Police Academy, to be held from July 14-22, 2022. The program is open to students in 8th to 12 grades. The application deadline is June 1. The academy will be held daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and is open to …

Blair Wilson and Bill Grippo (left to right) at the Franklin Food bank headquarters. Blair Wilson has been a supporter of the Franklin Food Bank for more than a decade; now he has a title to go with that effort. Bill Grippo, who created the Food Bank’s Ambassador Program several years ago, said on March 27 that Wilson is the …

An online portal designed to prevent underage drinking, drug use, and teen dating violence was recently launched by two non-profit organizations. EmPoWER Somerset and Safe Communities Coalition of Somerset / Hunterdon Counties have partnered to create the web site, SoberTruth4Youth.org. The portal features eight short videos developed by the Safe Communities Coalition and other community partners such as Safe+Sound Somerset …

Deputy Mayor Crystal Pruitt was one of a number of Franklin residents included on the 2022 InsiderNJ African-American Power List. (File Photo). Five Franklin residents have been named to the 2022 InsiderNJ African-American Power List. The list includes more than 100 Black leaders in the state, representing politicians, community activists, and religious leaders, among others. Topping the list for Franklin, …

The township Community/Senior Center off DeMott Lane remains closed as cleanup continues following a sprinkler pipe burst. Township Manager Robert Vornlocker said on February 8 that the pipe has been repaired, but “the carpeting throughout the offices and in several rooms will have to be replaced.” A carpet installer was expected to be at the center on February 8, Vornlocker …

A partnership between the Franklin Township Public Library and the Somerset County Library System of New Jersey, through which members of each can borrow items from affiliated libraries, is seen by officials as a model of cooperation between the SCLSNJ and independent libraries in the County. Through the program, Franklin Township library patrons can borrow materials from and take advantage …

Discarded Christmas trees will be picked up by the township Public Works Department on January 10 and January 18. All lights, wires, decorations and tinsel should be removed from trees. All trees should be out on curbs by 7 a.m. Jan. 10. Trees can also be brought to the Convenience Center on Berry Street on any date the center is …