News-pourri

CALLING FOR SUPPORT – Sami Shaban, the Board of Education vice-president, asks the Township Council for a resolution calling for a cease fire in the Hamas-Israeli war. Members of the township’s Muslim community once again on May 14 asked the Township Council for a resolution calling for a cease-fire in the Hamas-Israeli war, and once again left disappointed. This was …

READY TO ROLL – Somerset County Sheriff Darren Russo (pointing) and Mayor Phil Kramer (right) talk before the 2024 Police Unity Tour set off for Washington, D.C. Four Franklin Township police officers were among nearly 400 men and women in blue who assembled in front of the Public Safety Building on DeMott Lane on a very rainy May 10 in …

PROPOSED BUILDING – An artist’s rendering of the proposed multi-purpose building at the Rutgers Prep campus on Easton Avenue. Representatives from Rutgers Preparatory School on Easton Avenue have begun seeking the round of necessary approvals for a proposed new multi-purpose building. Their first appearance was at the May 7 Historic Preservation Advisory Commission meeting, where they gave commissioners an advanced …

With construction on the McDonald’s replacement location in Rutgers Plaza well underway, engineers for the project received on May 7 a thumbs-up to remove branding elements from the current restaurant in Village Plaza. A representative of the engineering company, Excellence Engineering, appeared before the township Historic Preservation Advisory Commission for its approval of the plan. The Historic Commission’s Certificate of …

GRANT RECIPIENT – Schools Superintendent John Ravally said the grant money will be used to develop ready made lesson plans. (File photo). District teachers will be able to spend more time teaching and less time planning curricula with the help of a $200,000 state grant. Franklin was one of 18 school districts across the state sharing in nearly $2 million …

Nine township middle and high school students were recently honored with Paul Robeson Youth Achievement Awards, given by the Raritan Valley Community College’s Paul Robeson Institute for Ethics, Leadership and Social Justice. In addition to heavy Franklin representation among the current student honorees, the April 11 awards ceremony’s keynote speaker was Tiana Joy Jackson, a member of the 2019 state …

A food drive to benefit the Franklin Food Bank is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 5 at Stop & Shop, 3333 Route 27, In Franklin Park. The drive is sponsored by the Central Jersey Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. This event underscores the Sorority’s commitment to public service and its mission to foster the …

AD HOC COMMITTEE MEETS – The Township Council’s ad hoc committee on retail signage chose to hold its first public meeting virtually on April 29. Changes to the Township’s retail signage regulations that take into account a businesses’ location rather then set broad-brush standards may be in the offing. That was the upshot from the first open meeting of the …

BUDGET EXPLAINER – Board of Education Business Administrator Stephen Fried explains the tax implications of the Board’s FY 2025 budget, approved at the April 25 meeting. The Board of Education on April 25 approved its $194.1 million FY 2025 general fund budget, which carries a small school portion tax increase. The newly minted budget is roughly $7 million more than …

JOYFUL DAY – Canal Walk HOA Board of Directors member Bruce Blum and Erick Kasner, commander of the Canal Walk Veterans Club (left to right) cut the ribbon at the dedication of the development’s refurbished Veterans Park. Canal Walk’s military veterans gathered April 24 to dedicate a refurbished Veterans’ Park and celebrate the baker’s dozen among them who received awards …