News-pourri

CHAMBER GALA – The Franklin Township Chamber of Commerce held its 63rd annual gala April 19 at The Marigold. The Franklin Reporter & Advocate received one of seven awards given to organizations and people honored by the Franklin Township Chamber of Commerce at its April 19 annual gala. The Reporter co-publishers, Bill Bowman and PJ Parker, were honored in the …

TALKING TREES – Tara Kenyon, the township’s open space consultant, told the Open Space Committee what steps needed to be taken to bring about the Memorial Forest. A plan that’s been talked about for two decades may be getting a little closer to reality. The Open Space Advisory Committee on April 18 endorsed a plan to develop a site plan …

PROJECT DESCRIBED – Adnan Khan, an engineer hired by the project’s developer, tells the Planning Board about the proposed 25-unit mixed-use building. A three-story, 25-unit mixed-use building was approved for a tract on Hamilton Street by the Planning Board at its April 12 meeting. The building, targeted for a half-acre lot at the corner of Hamilton and Shevchenko Avenue, will …

FORMER CHAIRMAN – Bob LaCorte, left, longtime leader of township Republicans, resigned in the middle of an effort to oust him from his position. (File photo.) The longtime chairman of the Franklin Township Republican Municipal Committee earlier this year resigned in the midst of a bid by dissatisfied committee members to oust him. Bob LaCorte, who served as the Municipal …

The township Environmental Commission has scheduled two cleanups for later this month. The first is set for Mile Run at 9:30 a.m. to noon on April 15, while the second clean-up is set for Naaman Williams Park, from 3-6 p.m. on April 19.

SCOUT’S HONOR – Dalton Vassanella speaks at the conclusion of his Eagle Scout Court of Honor April 2 at St. Matthias Church. Boy Scout Troop 154 formally welcomed its newest Eagle Scout with an Eagle Scout Court of Honor on April 2. Dalton Vassanella, a senior at St. Joseph’s High School in Metuchen, was given his Eagle Scout Court of …

A Republican candidate for Township Council has been disqualified by the Township Clerk on residency issues. James Holzheimer, a retired Franklin Township Police Officer, had hoped to run for one of the three At-Large Council seats up for grabs in November.

UP, UP, AND AWAY – Stephen White of COSI uses a model rocket to make a point during one of his presentations to students at Pine Grove Manor School on March 31. Students at Pine Grove Manor Elementary School were the beneficiaries March 31 of a special partnership between the Franklin Food Bank and an Ohio-based science museum. The museum, …

Submitted by the Somerset County Board of County Commissioners. The Somerset County Board of Commissioners is utilizing American Rescue Plan funds to support a second year of Franklin Township YMCA’s Camp SOAR at Colonial Park for under-resourced children from Bound Brook, Manville, Franklin, and South Bound Brook. The Commissioners agreed to fund an additional three weeks in 2023 to extend the Camp SOAR …

NEWEST EAGLE SCOUT – Dalton Vassanella speaks after receiving his commendation from the Township Council. The Township’s newest Eagle Scout received a commendation March 28 from the Township Council. The Scout, Dalton Vassanella, is the son of Township Councilman James Vassanella (D-Ward 5.)