News-pourri

Submitted by Week of the People, Inc. Week of the People, Inc., (WotP) in partnership with the Somerset Community Action Program (SCAP) and the Hamilton Street Marketing Committee presents a Back-to-School Event from 2-7 p.m. Saturday, August 25, at Naaman Williams Park, 1 Matilda Ave.

The Colonial Park spray park’s construction site should not impact the Franklin Day festival in September, a township official said. The spray park is being built on a 1.6-acre parcel next to the playground off Colonial Drive. The festival, which has drawn more than 20,000 visitors, is adjacent to the construction area.

The Township Council on Aug. 14 approved the idea of placing a “Peace and Nonviolence” monument park on township open space, but not before some testy exchanges and surprises, not the least of which was that council members would be voting on it at all. While it OK’d the idea of a monument park there, the council balked at approving …

Township Councilman Rajiv Prasad knew that construction of the four statues planned for a proposed “Peace and Nonviolence” monument park began months ago, even though the idea of placing the project on township open space has not yet received Township Council approval. Work on the statues was underway at least by early March, according to a review of Prasad’s and …

Update: The resolution the council will discuss would allow for the placement of so-called “Alternative Treatment Centers” to grow, cultivate and dispense medical marijuana in the township’s light manufacturing zones. Those zones, M-1 and M-2, allow for light manufacturing and industrial uses on minimum 5-acre and 2-acre lots, respectively.

A local state legislator looks to play a role in what promises to be groundbreaking marijuana legislation due later this year. State Assemblyman Joe Danielsen (D-17) is working to include key segments of medical marijuana legislation he introduced into the final bill, which is now being formed in a Democratic caucus.

The replacement of a 20-foot-long stretch of water supply main on Amwell Road, near Van Cleef Road, should be done by the end of the week, township officials said. The main burst on Aug. 6, sending what some witnesses said was a geyser of water into the air.

A raccoon that was attacked by a pet dog on Hollywood Avenue was found to have rabies, county health officials said. The altercation between the dog and raccoon occurred on Aug. 1, according to a press release from Somerset County. The raccoon was picked up by township Animal Control, and was sent to the public health laboratory at the New …

Six candidates have filed for the three Board of Education seats up for contention in November’s election. In addition to incumbent Laurie Merris and former board president Ed Potosnak, former board member Pat Stanley has submitted an application to run.

Students in grades Kindergarten to 9 made good strides in math during the last school year, the Board of Education was told at its last meeting. The students showed better growth during the 2017-18 school year than they had in the previous year, according to internal testing, the board was told at its July 26 meeting.