News-pourri

The Franklin Township Municipal Youth Services Commission was recently presented with a $5,000 grant for its Youth Council, Franklin Youth Prevention and Empowerment program and Boys Council. The ceremonial check was presented by Freeholder Peter Palmer to Youth Initiative coordinator Bruce Medley. “The Board of Freeholders is pleased to present funding for so many worthwhile, fun and educational programs for …

Two Somerset County projects that will close township bridges for several months this year and next are just about ready to go. The most immediate project will require the closing of part of Blackwells Mills Road from July through mid-September, while the second project will mean the closure of part of South Middlebush Road for 10 to 12 weeks, probably …

“Several” summonses for not obeying the township’s law regarding sidewalk cleanups after snow storms have been handed out by police since the Valentine’s Day weekend storms, a police spokesman said. Several storms spanning from Feb. 12 to Feb. 18 dumped as much as 20 inches of snow on Franklin Township, according to the New Jersey State Climatologist. The township’s ordinance …

The school district is still without an interim Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, apparently thanks to an outburst from an audience member at the Feb. 20 Board of Education meeting. The position was vacated when interim schools Superintendent Evany pagan was appointed at the end of last month. The board was holding the required public hearing on the proposed …

Privatization of some positions and the search process for an interim schools Superintendent are among the topics to be discussed at a special meeting of the Board of Education set for 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17 at Franklin Middle School. The school board will discuss privatization of the district’s paraprofessionals and substitute teachers, and the interim superintendent’s search process, according to …

There will be a new home going up on Ray Street soon, but it won’t be what its developer initially envisioned. The Zoning Board at its Feb. 6 meeting made it clear that the plan for a four-bedroom, two-story home at 57 Ray Street wasn’t going to pass muster, so its developer – Diamond Investor & Builders – substituted plans …

The design of a new recreation park, to be built by the developer of the Summerfields housing project, was approved Jan. 28 by the Township Council. And although a concept plan shows two bocce ball courts, they’re not included in the final design. What is included, though is a softball diamond, a “tot lot,” a high school-regulation size soccer field, …

The DeForest B. Soaries Jr. Senior Residences at Somerset building was officially opened on Jan. 28. Located at 630 Franklin Blvd., the 64-unit building is geared toward senior citizens and veterans. “Twenty years ago we embarked upon the mission of revitalizing the neighborhood along the Route 27 corridor south of the St. Peter’s cemetery,” said the Rev. DeForest Soaries, after …

[wpgmappity id=”10″]   Mylar balloons released near an overhead transformer at Pine Grove and Highland avenues the afternoon of Jan. 29 sparked a power outage that affected more than 1,200 customers in the township and New Brunswick. The outage was first reported at about 2:45 p.m., said Public Service Electric & Gas spokeswoman Lindsey Puliti. She said that all customers …

The school district has launched an internal investigation as to why a child left on a school bus for five hours Jan. 28 was reported as being in school. Franklin Township police are also investigating the incident, said department spokesman Sgt. Philip Rizzo. A statement from schools Superintendent Edward Seto said the student’s attendance was marked “verified,” even though the …