Monday, June 3, 2013
The program collects food for local food pantries.
The county kicked off its Curbing Hunger program in a special ceremony Monday at the Food Bank Network of Somerset County in Bridgewater. This is the 19th annual food drive to help boost food supplies at the network, the Franklin Township Food Bank and other Somerset County food pantries. The Curbing Hunger food drive is held throughout June to benefit organizations that help the hungry. In addition, this year there is an online option to donate food by clicking here. YouGiveGoods will deliver the food directly to the local food bank. “Many families are still struggling due to the extended recession and Hurricane Sandy,” Freeholder Director Peter Palmer said in a release from the county. “The demand at our food banks continues to exceed …
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Towns set times for parades, picnics and more — even a commemorative motorcycle run.
Memorial Day is an important occasion in Somerset County, and Patch towns throughout the county will pause and remember those who served — or who are serving now — the nation with a full schedule of parades and other events. "Everyone should honor those who fought for us," said Sari Mazen, owner of the Bagel Bin in Bernardsville, which will serve breakfast after the flag-raising at Olcott Square in the center of Bernardsville at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, part of a weeklong series of activities to recognize Memorial Day in that little borough. Mazen said she also has arranged for Bernards High School to provide the school's Madrigal singers, trumpeters, and a student who will read a poem at Wednesday morning's ceremony. "It's going to be really …
Thursday, May 2, 2013
The first day of drop-off will be May 4.
The First Saturday of the Month Drop-off Event for recycling in Somerset County will take place this weekend on Polhemus Lane in Bridgewater. The event will be held at the Somerset County Recycling Center from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The event allows residents to drop off tires, clean textiles and usual curbside items all at once when they are too busy to do so during the week. In addition, residents can take the opportunity to donate food items for the local food bank. Residents are allowed to drop off up to eight tires with or without rims, scrap metal, antifreeze and other usual curbside items, including chipboard items, plastic bottles and containers all marked #1 through #7. Chipboard items include gift, show, shirt and all other …
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Public hearings on proposed increase planned in Freehold Wednesday.
The Somerset County freeholders are unanimously opposed to JCP&L's request for a $31 million rate increase. The board approved a resolution at its Tuesday meeting that says the hike isn't justified "due to JCP&L’s failure to properly respond to outages caused by Hurricane Sandy and Irene, along with the [2011] Halloween Blizzard and other storms, resulting in Somerset County residents being frustrated and dismayed by JCP&L’s poor communication and its overall lack of leadership and supervision of repair efforts that led to unnecessary delays and long response time.” The state Board of Public Utilities will hold a pair of public hearings at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. today in Freehold, during which Assemblywomen Amy Handlin and Caroline …
Thursday, April 18, 2013
View the interactive map of SAT scores and median household incomes for the 11 public high schools in Somerset County.
In Somerset County, income and SAT scores seem to go hand in hand. Of the 11 public high schools in Somerset County, the three with median household incomes of less than $65,000 are seeing average SAT scores among students in the 1300s, according to data from the state's recently released New Jersey School Performance Report. They are Manville, North Plainfield and Bound Brook. On the flip side, six of the public high schools in the county with students coming from homes with a household income above $100,000 had average scores in the 1600s and 1700s. According to the New Jersey School Performance Report, the benchmark for SAT scores is set at 1550, with the expectation that those who achieve it will earn at least a B- in their first year …
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Dispose of documents often used to gain control of accounts at one of 11 county events in 2013, which begin Saturday in Hillsborough.
Sometimes there's just not enough days to go around, but each week we'll give you an idea of something to do to relax, spend time with family or just take some time for yourself. And taking steps to protect yourself from identity theft may help make sure you're able to fully enjoy time with your family later—which is why we're featuring Somerset County's Operation Secure Shred events this week, which begins with an event Saturday in Hillsborough. You've surely seen the headlines about identity theft—it's the fastest category of crime, according to law enforcement officials. The “2013 Identity Fraud Report,” released in February 2013 by Javelin Strategy & Research, reported identity fraud incidents increased by more than one million …
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Those who turn in their guns will receive money.
Somerset County is holding a gun buyback program on two separate days in four locations around the county, with no questions asked. The program will be held April 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and April 6 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be four locations—the Community Service Center on Stonehouse Road in Bernards Township, the First Baptist Church on Somerset Street in Somerset, the Community Baptist Church on Grove Street in North Plainfield; and St. John Episcopal on West High Street in Somerville. According to a release from the Bridgewater Township Police, unloaded guns should be wrapped and tied or taped, then put in a box, bag or case to be sold back. The program will pay $100 for operable handguns, $100 for operable rifles/shotguns and…
Monday, March 25, 2013
We look at places that take the longest to navigate.
Somerset County is a very busy place—between all the major highways that converge there to the many side roads, there always a lot of cars out at all times. So we want to know what you think are the busiest intersections throughout Bridgewater, Basking Ridge (such as mornings by Ridge High School), Green Brook, Warren, Watchung, Hillsborough, Bernardsville, Bedminster and beyond. Where do you usually get stuck in traffic? Take our poll and let us know in the comments where are the most difficult roads to navigate.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Residents at various Somerville, Bridgewater, Hillsborough locations in last 2 weeks urged to contact a doctor.
The New Jersey Department of Health has confirmed one case of measles in Somerset County and is investigating two other reported cases of measles in people determined to be at locations in the area from March 6 to March 12. Measles is a very contagious viral illness spread through the air that can cause serious medical complications, according to a release from the department. A list of locations, dates and times have been provided for when anyone could have been exposed to those found with, and suspected of having, measles. In the first case, confirmed March 13, a local health department was made aware of a medical center employee who developed fever and a rash on March 8. This person had contact with a known laboratory-confirmed case of …
Saturday, March 9, 2013
This 2013 proposed budget is 1.7 percent higher than last year's.
The Somerset County Board of Freeholders introduced a $214.7 million 2013 budget Thursday, according to a release from the county. A public hearing on the budget will be held April 11 at 5 p.m. at the county administration building on Grove Street in Somerville. "The 2013 budget reflects the same types of tough choices that have been seen in every budget cycle for the last few years," said freeholder, and county finance chairman, Robert Zaborowski in a release. "What makes this year a little bit different is that we believe we may finally be seeing a turnaround in the economic conditions facing the county, and a sign that future budgets may not be left to choose between further cuts in service and raising tax revenues." The 2013 budget is …
Dale Burke
2:14 pm on Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Great to live in a patriotic town! more ›