News-pourri

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 …

From left, Somerset County Commissioners Director Shanel Robinson, Mayor Phil Kramer, Commissioners’ Deputy Director Melonie Marano, Township Councilman Ram Anbarasan and Township Councilwoman Shepa Uddin cut the ribbon at the Franklin Food Bank’s March 27 re-opening. Township officials and Franklin Food Bank supporters were on hand March 27 to celebrate the “re-opening” of the Food Bank, and to welcome the …

The Hamilton Street Special Improvement District’s $53,222 budget for 2022 was approved by the Township Council at its March 22 meeting. The budget is usually funded by a special assessment on property owners in the Hamilton Street Business District, but this year the Hamilton Street Advisory Board decided to use surplus and not impose an assessment.

Submitted by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Coastal & Northern New Jersey. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Coastal & Northern New Jersey is seeking volunteers who live or work in Somerset County to become mentors to several local children.  

Deborah Mitchell, who administers the township’s CDBG program, speaks to the Council at its March 22 meeting. Representatives from some of the organizations asking for more than $150,000 in federal grants made their pitches before the Township Council on March 22. The money is coming from the federal Community Development Block Grant program, which is designed to fund programs that …

Armando Quiroz was named to the newly created Supervisor of World Languages position at the school board’s March 17 meeting. The Board of Education on March 17 hired a veteran Spanish teacher to fill its newly created World Languages supervisor position. Armando Quiroz most recently was the Supervisor of World Languages and ESL for the Summit school system, a position …

Schools Superintendent John Ravally said that the County’s improving COVID-19 situation led to the recommendation to lift the indoor mask mandate in schools. Anticipating low Covid-19 activity in the Township and Somerset County, the Board of Education on March 17 voted to remove the mandatory indoor mask mandate as of March 21. Schools Superintendent John Ravally said at the meeting …

An artist’s rendering of a Belmont Drive warehouse approved by the Planning Board. A 150,000-square-foot warehouse on Belmont Drive was approved March 16 by the Planning Board. The developer, South Plainfield-based The Harbor Group, will raze an existing one-story office building to build the warehouse.

A $2 million decrease in water utility collections may lead to a rate increase during the year, the Township Council was told on March 15. Township auditor Andrew Hodulik told the Council during its second budget hearing that the utility’s fund balance decreased from $10 million to $8 million over the last year.

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.