Speak Out!

By Bill Connell. Democracy was at work Saturday, April 5, at the Municipal Gazebo with the “Hands Off” rally. They had a fairly decent attendance despite the yucky weather. We are in truly unusual times. I also know after last week’s stock market performance, I will be working till I’m 90 years old.  While watching the rally, a thought crossed …

By Mayor Phil Kramer. I read Mr. Bill Connell’s letter to the editor on March 19, 2025 regarding the Open Space budget. Before I begin, full disclosure—Billy and I are friends. That doesn’t stop him from holding my feet to the fire when he thinks it’s important, as it should be. Readers should also know that beyond his role as …

By Bill Connell, Somerset. I am a citizen member of the Open Space Committee, and I would like to talk to the good citizens of Franklin.    Tuesday night, March 18, the Township Council reviewed the 2025 budget for Open Space.  While discussing increasing the Public Works burden on the fund by more than 50 percent, Mayor Phil Kramer implied that the …

By W. David Burns Franklin Township residents and folks all across central New Jersey are paying increased attention to the impact that the proliferation of enormous warehouses and the armada of out-sized tractor-trailer trucks that service them are having on our daily lives.  Paying close attention is essential.  Why?  Because it is no exaggeration to claim that the very character …

By Township Councilmember Ed Potosnak. Likely by now you seen, or heard, about a sign with a picture of a child and the words “penis” and “vagina” on DeMott Lane.  Once again, the zebra has shown its true stripes. Hate. The statement they are making on DeMott Lane ignores basic biology and the fact that many people are born intersex. …

By Bill Connell. The passing of legendary Board of Education member and president Eva Nagy put me in a reflective mood.  I am slowly fading into the woodwork, but when she was president you could not turn a corner without seeing my ugly mug. I was an avid supporter of the Middle School theater program and an antagonist ( I like …

By John Felix. This year Dr. Martin Luther King day coincides with inauguration day of the 47th president of the United States. For those of us who consider education a fundamental and social right, this rare occurrence of simultaneous MLK and Inauguration Day is noteworthy considering the staunch advocacy of MLK for education and potentially the beginning of the end …

By Jenny C. Kafas, Volunteer to Franklin Township’s Environmental Commission Fall is perhaps the most beautiful time of year. The summer greenscape is transitioning into a landscape full of color as the leaves change before dropping to the ground. It’s all stunning until you have to spend a dreadful day going outside to rake. I remember as a kid having …

By Beverly Lawson. At the Township Council meeting on October 22, 2004, a resolution was passed to cap the number of cannabis shops in town at 18, which have already been approved. It appears that no limit was set before this decision. I recall the meeting on September 13, 2022, when numerous townspeople approached the microphone to voice their concerns …

By Robert Petersen. County governments control a significant portion of our property tax bill, and with property taxes already sky-high, it’s critical that those dollars are spent wisely. Unfortunately, under the leadership of Democrat Party Chair Peg Schaffer, the current Somerset County Commissioners appear more focused on rewarding political insiders than being responsible stewards of our tax dollars. Concerns have …