News-pourri

The Franklin Township Board of Education approved more than $446,000 in contracts, purchases and service agreements at its August 27 meeting, including a $75,000 award for an online elementary Spanish program and nearly $44,000 for phone lock pouches. The spending was spread across three agenda items: a 20-part contract approval list totaling about $371,354, the award of a technology recycling …

RALLY MODERATOR – Bill Davis, the host of the August 27 Community Rally commemorating the 1963 March on Washington, speaks during the rally. Speakers at an August 27 community rally commemorating the 63rd anniversary of the March on Washington urged ralliers to vote in the coming midterm elections and to deepen their activism, warning that the nation is facing what …

A FEW QUESTIONS – School Board member Bill Grippo had some questions about the proposed Board goals at the August 27 meeting. The Board of Education voted Aug. 27 to adopt six goals for the 2026-27 school year, reworking the language of one goal, keeping a disputed word in another and taking on a certification effort that schools Superintendent Jamil …

EXPLAINING CHAIN OF COMMAND – Schools Superintendent Jamil Maroun, sitting at his first Board of Education meeting, explains the draft “chain of command” document soon to be released to the public. Schools Superintendent Jamil Maroun previewed a draft “chain of command” document at the Aug. 27 Board of Education meeting, a step-by-step guide that tells parents, students and staff whom …

Please note due to extreme heat and weather conditions these dates are subject to change  Pierce St (Cedar Grove to Davidson) -Paved 

EXPLAINING THE PROGRAM – Nicholas Solomon, the District’s Director of School Management, describes the use of “phone pouches” under the new school policy at the August 27 school board meeting. The Board of Education voted Aug. 27 to spend $43,950 on 2,400 locking phone pouches, part of a district plan to enforce New Jersey’s new “bell-to-bell” ban on student use …

Here’s what’s happening in and around Franklin over the weekend: Friday, Aug. 28

FOOD INSECURITY ROUNDTABLE – U.S. Senator Cory Booker participated in a roundtable on the nation’s deepening food crisis on August 24 at the Franklin Food bank. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) told food bank leaders from across New Jersey on August 24 that he intends to keep the U.S. Farm Bill bottled up in the Senate Agriculture Committee unless Republicans agree …

BACK-TO-SCHOOL GIVEAWAY – Parents and students line up at the Franklin Youth Center on Lewis Street for the annual backpack and supply giveaway August 22. The Franklin Youth Center handed out backpacks, school supplies and health resources August 22 at its annual Ready, Set, School event, an effort to send Franklin Township students into the new academic year prepared and …

Here are events in a variety of venues in the area happening August 21 through August 23. Friday, August 21