News-pourri

A DeMott Lane resident started spreading the Christmas cheer a little earlier than usual this year, but for a good reason. Ralph Biondi doesn’t create the colorful Christmas playland in his front yard simply because he likes the lights and the holiday, which he does.

By PJ Parker. Santa began his rounds early in Franklin on Nov. 24 at the Franklin Township Animal Shelter on DeMott Lane for its annual Santa Open House.

Township students received $11,000 in scholarships Nov. 23 at the second annual Warrior 4 Life Scholarship Foundation gala. Two longtime community leaders were also honored as “Warriors for Life” during the evening.

More than a dozen families in the township and a neighboring town will have a happy Thanksgiving this year, thanks to a local church and the FTPD PBA. Members of True 2 Life Ministries and representatives of Franklin Township Police PBA Local 154 traveled throughout the eight villages and into South Bound Brook to deliver complete Thanksgiving dinners: turkeys, stuffing …

The township held its annual commemoration of Veterans’ Day on Nov. 12 in the Municipal Building and outside in Veterans Memorial Park. Coordinated by township resident Bob LaCorte and Saffie Kallon, the township’s special projects manager, the observance included members of the Canal Walk Veterans Club, the Franklin High School Junior ROTC, Cub Scout Pack 195 and the Franklin Township …

Several dozen area military veterans joined state Assemblyman Joe Danielsen for breakfast Nov. 9 in what has become an annual tradition. Hosted by the Stage House Tavern on Amwell Road, Danielsen’s annual Veterans’ Day breakfast is his way of saying thank-you to his fellow veterans for their service, Danielsen (D-17) said.

Angry residents forced the Township Council to remove from its Nov. 8 agenda a resolution that would have excused Councilman Rajiv Prasad’s four-week absence from his official duties. The excused absence would have taken away the threat of the council declaring Prasad’s seat vacant in December.

Update: The Township Council passed the ordinance on second reading at its Nov. 8 meeting. The new rules go into effect immediately. Township manager Robert Vornlocker said the striping and signage could go up as soon as Nov. 9, weather permitting.

Township Deputy Mayor Shanel Robinson helped make history Nov. 6 when she became one of the first two Democrats elected to the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders in nearly 40 years. Election Day 2018 also saw the apparent return of two former Board of Education members and the victory of an incumbent.

Two township residents were among the winners in the fourth annual “Show us Somerset County Through Your Camera Lens” photo contest for residents and county staff. John Carroll won first place in the amateur architecture and urban design category, and Julie Daigle won second place in the community and events category.