Politics

Township resident Robert Quinn has announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for one of the two state Assembly seats in the 17th District. This would be Quinn’s first attempt at running for public office. The seats are currently in Democratic control, being filled by Joe Danielsen – also a township resident – and Joseph Egan of New Brunswick. In …

Township resident Daryl Kipnis will kick off his 2017 state Senate campaign with a Jan. 5, 2017 reception at The Imperia, 1714 east Ave. Kipnis, an attorney, hopes to win the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent and presumptive Democratic nominee state Sen. Bob Smith for the 17th District seat, which represents Franklin, Milltown, New Brunswick, North Brunswick and Piscataway. The …

The U.S Congress’s Black Caucus is likely to take a more “in your face” approach starting next year in dealing with any Republican attempts to roll back Progressive gains, an audience at First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens was told Dec. 10. The speaker was U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12), who appeared at a town hall meeting at the …

The final tallies of the Nov. 8 write-in votes were released this week, and they show that 543 write-in votes were cast, with the bulk of them going to the two late-starting Board of Education candidates. Andre Fryson and Kunal Lakhia announced their candidacies for the school board on Facebook, after well after the filing deadline had passed. Their brief …

Township Councilman Charles Onyejiaka successfully defended his position and two incumbents and a newcomer were elected to the Board of Education on Nov. 8. School board incumbents Nancy LaCorte and Christine Danielsen won re-election, and newcomer Ardaman Singh won the seat being vacated by board member Julia Presley, who did not seek re-election. In another race involving a township resident, …

A printer’s error led to the names of Township Council candidates being left off the ballots sent to some residents, but that problem should be rectified this weekend. That’s the word from Somerset County Clerk Brett Radi, who said the affected ballots were sent to residents who live in District 24, which is part of Ward 3. Incumbent Charles Onyejiaka, …

                    Analysis/Opinion A campaign flier supporting the re-election of Somerset County Sheriff Frank Provenzano stretches the truth in claims made about Provenzano’s Democratic opponent, and in the Sheriff’s Office’s role in influencing the county’s crime rate, an FR&A analysis shows. The flier incorrectly claims that actions taken by Provenzano’s opponent – retired township police …

Proposed bills co-sponsored by state Assemblyman Joe Danielsen that would ban steel animal traps and allow terminally ill people to end their lives were recently approved by Assembly committees. The bills, A-2451 and ACR-25, now face votes by both houses of the state Legislature. A-2451, called “The New Jersey Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act” would create a process by …

The state’s largest police and fire unions have endorsed a retired township policeman in his bid to become the Somerset County Sheriff. The New Jersey State PBA, the New Jersey State Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives endorsed former township Lt. Darrin Russo during an event Oct. 5 at The Palace at Somerset …

The Middlesex-Somerset County Police Benevolent Association (P.B.A.) Conference has endorsed Democratic candidate Darrin Russo in his bid for Somerset County Sheriff. “From his commitment to enhancing cyber security and building community relationships, to his plan to forge critical partnerships with the local police departments, Darrin Russo’s vision for law enforcement will better protect residents,” John Granahan, co-chair of the Middlesex-Somerset …