News-pourri

In response to a question from a resident posed at the December 21 Board of Education meeting, schools Superintendent John Ravally announced that the district would be distributing COVID-19 vaccines. The school district’s faculty and staff could receive a COVID-19 vaccine by late February or March, a district official said on December 22. That’s because the school district’s application to …

More than 500 pieces of winter apparel will be donated to local children in need, thanks to a clothing drive sponsored by state Assemblyman Joe Danielsen. Danielsen (D-17) is working with the township-based Zakee Bowser Enrichment Foundation to distribute the clothing collected during his “Head to Toe” clothing drive.

Somerset County officials are working on designating COVID-19 vaccination sites in the county, a spokesman said on December 21. Two vaccines – by New York-based Pfizer and Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Moderna – have been given emergency use approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are now being shipped to states.

The Franklin Food Bank was one of several organizations recently benefiting from the generosity of Somerset County residents. The Food Bank was given a $1,558 grant through the Adopt-A-Family (AAF) program, which is sponsored by the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders and participating local food banks.

Somerset County Freeholder Director Shanel Robinson and Freeholder Brian Levine. (Photo: Somerset County.) Somerset County Freeholder and former township Mayor Brian Levine was among several outgoing county officials honored for their service at the final Somerset County Freeholders’ meeting of the year. Levine served two terms on the Freeholder board; he was unsuccessful in his bid for re-election in November.

Members of the Indo American Club, Canal Walk residents and The Sodhani Foundation with their Franklin Food Bank donation. Township residents are coming together during the holidays to help those in need. Starting with the Thanksgiving holiday, residents donated so that others could enjoy the season.

With about 150 school staffers out due to COVID-19-related issues, the school district on December 15 decided to temporarily pause in-person learning. The district will revert to remote learning from December 21 through January 19, according to a letter to parents from schools Superintendent John Ravally.

The school district has cut ties with the organization that has been administering weekly COVID-19 tests to students and staff due to issues with the test processing, a school district administrator said. The district has also stopped dealing with the lab processing the tests, the administrator said.

An annual toy drive held at the Ukrainian Center on Davidson Avenue will be contactless this year, in light of coronavirus concerns. The Unity Holiday All Stars event is set for noon to 2 p.m.

FTPD Lieutenant Jolanda Lacewell is the first female Black police lieutenant in township history. A bit of township history was commemorated at the December 8 Township Council meeting when the FTPD’s first female Black lieutenant was among 11 command-level officers who received their ceremonial swearings-in. Lt. Jolanda Lacewell, a 24-year veteran with the Franklin Township Police Department, and her 10 …