Week in Review: School Taxes on the Rise; Arson Charges

Lawrence Township police are working to identify a man who stole an iPhone from the hand of a woman as she was walking in Quaker Bridge Mall last week.

Ben Franklin School Participates in St. Baldrick’s Event

By having their heads shaved, the 34 members of Ben Franklin's team raised over $8,500 to support research into fighting childhood cancers.

LTPS Among 'Best Communities for Music Education'

Lawrence Township Public Schools was among the school districts honored recently in the 14th annual "Best Communities for Music Education" survey by the NAAM (National Association of Music Merchants) Foundation.

Vehicle Hits House After Driver Steps on Wrong Pedal

Lawrence Township police said the 51-year-old Trenton woman - who did not have a valid driver's license - was trying to make a U-turn on Betts Avenue when she stepped on her vehicle’s accelerator instead of the brake.

Mercer County Tourism Up for 3rd Consecutive Year

Expenditures in Mercer County were $1.13 billion in 2012, an almost 4 percent increase from 2011 and an all-time high.

Lawrence Schools Honored at N.J. Character Education Conference

Lawrence Middle School is a 2013 New Jersey School of Character.

In other recent Lawrence Township crime news, police are investigating an attempted burglary at Al’s Service Station on Route 206.

Notre Dame’s Annual Pink Out Raises Money for Mammography Screenings

Notre Dame High School students donated $2,500 to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton Foundation to support need-based mammography screenings for patients who lack insurance or the resources to pay for such services.

The materials are available free of charge to all Lawrence Township residents from the township's ecological facility on Princeton Pike.

Slackwood School Celebrates Pi Day

Second-grader Saketh Bireddy was able to recite the mathematical constant Pi - the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter - to 27 decimal places.

School Board Approves Budget for 2013-2014 Year

The tax rate to support Lawrence Township public schools for the 2013-2014 year will climb to $2.43 per $100 of assessed value – an increase of about 7½ cents over the current school year.

Lawrence Police Seek to ID Woman in Bank Fraud

The woman fraudulently withdrew $2,100 from a bank account belonging to an Illinois resident, according to Lawrence Township police.

Lawrence Township police said Jeremy Smith, 27, was previously arrested for allegedly trying to sell marijuana to a man who instead pulled out a gun and robbed him of the narcotics back in February.

Woman Hurt as Thief Steals Her Cell Phone at QB Mall

The 23-year-old was texting when a man approached her from behind and grabbed her phone. It was the second such crime to occur at Quaker Bride Mall in Lawrence Township in the past week and a half.

Police: Fire Was Started by Man With History of Arson

Lawrence Township police earlier this week charged Paul Wilkins, 29, of Ewing, with arson for allegedly starting a brush fire on Monday. Wilkins previously served time in prison for starting a three-alarm blaze in Philadelphia.

Lawrenceville Patch Editor Bids Farewell

March 29 was the last day for editor Michael Ratcliffe at Lawrenceville Patch. Patch assistant regional editor John Saccenti will be coordinating coverage of Lawrence Township until a new editor is chosen.