HOW WE LIVE

Daily Rundown, Friday, Oct. 13

Brad Wadlow
Courier News and Home News Tribune
Fanwood Democratic council candidates Anthony Carter (left) and incumbent Russ Huegel.

Curbside recycling program

Fanwood Democratic council candidates Anthony Carter and incumbent Russ Huegel recently highlighted Fanwood's curbside recycling program. The program was begun a year ago after more than 28 years of residents hauling recyclables to a drop-off center. The response to the curbside program has been overwhelmingly positive, according to a news release. Huegel was chairman of the Council Public Works Committee at the time and a supporter of the curbside program. Carter was also a supporter as a resident. Fanwood can download a free smartphone app, Recycle Coach, to help keep track of the recycling schedule and the calendar of brush and leaf pickups plus the various county drop-offs for hazardous household materials, scrap metal and larger appliances. Visit www.fanwoodnj.org/departments/recycling-center/.

READ: Daily Rundown, Thursday, Oct. 12

Dinner show features tribute to Valli

The Knights of Columbus 2nd Annual Variety Dinner Show will feature the Jersey 4 Band performing a tribute to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons at Our Lady of Lourdes Community Hall, 390 Route 523, Whitehouse Station, on Saturday, Oct. 14. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with dinner; show starts 8. Cost is $45 per person, which includes show with dinner, beer, wine and dessert. Info and tickets: Tom DiQuollo at 908-217-4330 or Roman Hnidj at 908-256-9760. Visit www.eventbrite.com/e/tribute-to-frankie-valli-and-the-four-seasons-dinner-and-show-tickets-36638766537.

Adopt-A-Family to aid needy residents

Somerset County Freeholder Patricia Walsh has announced the eighth annual Adopt-A-Family program that will help provide Thanksgiving meals for needy families, and extended thanks the hundreds of donors who have given generously in prior years. The program has collected $96,103 in donations since its inception in 2010. The estimated cost of a Thanksgiving meal is $40. Anyone wishing to donate may send a check to any of the following local programs:

  • Food Bank Network of Somerset County, PO Box 149, Bound Brook, NJ 08805; 732-560-1813
  • Franklin Food Bank, PO Box 333, Somerset, NJ 08875-0333; 732-246-0009
  • Feeding Hands Inc., Emmanuel Church, 100 Grant Ave., Somerville, NJ 08876; 908-397-6452
  • Hillsborough Food Pantry, Attn: Social Services Department, 379 South Branch Road, Hillsborough, NJ 08844; 908-369-3880
  • Reformed Church of Bound Brook, PO Box 347, South Bound Brook, NJ 08880; 732-356-9345
  • SHIP — Samaritan Homeless Interim Program, 87 E. High St., Somerville, NJ 08876; 908-393-9545.

On the memo line of your check, write Adopt-A-Family and the name of the town where you wish your donation to go. If $40 is difficult for you, any amount will be gratefully accepted. Go to www.co.somerset.nj.us/Home/ShowDocument?id=26564 to complete and print the donation form.

Middlesex Borough police blotter

On Sept. 22, Bryan Flores-Gomez, 21, of Bound Brook, was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, hindering apprehension and obstructing the administration of law, and Anthony Media, 21, of Bound Brook, was arrested and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia following a motor vehicle stop on River Road at Baekeland Avenue. Both were released on their own recognizance. Officer Anthony Painchaud investigated.

On Sept. 23, Nicholas Chavez, 20, of Piscataway, was arrested and charged with distribution of CDS, distribution of CDS within 500 feet of a public park, possession of CDS, possession of drug paraphernalia and obstructing the administration of law and Devin Eodice, 20, of Piscataway, was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of CDS following the investigation into a report of an individual brandishing a knife near the 800 block of Voorhees Avenue. Officers Matthew Tripp, James Dolinski and Paul Muldowney investigated.

On Sept. 24, a resident of South Lincoln Avenue reported that someone entered an unlocked, screened-in porch and removed a Huffy bicycle with a reported value of $149.

On Sept. 25, Carrie Platten, 40, of Piscataway, was arrested and charged with DUI, possession of CDS and possession of drug paraphernalia and Kenneth Hargrow, 45, of Woodbridge, was arrested and charged with possession of CDS and possession of drug paraphernalia following a motor vehicle stop on Lincoln Boulevard at Jill Court. Officer Paul Steffanelli investigated.

On Sept. 25, a 17-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl, both of Piscataway, were arrested and charged with distribution of marijuana, distribution of marijuana with 500 feet of a school, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia following a motor vehicle stop on Lincoln Boulevard at Mountain Avenue. Both juveniles were released to their respective guardians. Officer Anthony Painchaud investigated.

On Sept. 26, Carrie Platten, 40, of Piscataway, was charged with possession of CDS following an investigation of a report of a female lying near the roadway of South Avenue. Officer Scott Christofides investigated.

On Sept. 27, Juan Aponte, 47, of Piscataway, was arrested and charged with shoplifting cleaning supplies from the Dollar General, 294 Lincoln Blvd. Aponte was released on his own recognizance. Officer Marc Arancio investigated. 

On Oct. 1, a resident of Greenbrook Road reported that someone stole a Kent Chaosl BMX bike, left unlocked and unattended in the front yard of the residence. The value of the bicycle was reported as $135. Officers Paul Steffanelli and Paul Muldowney investigated.

On Oct. 1, Gerson Artola, 22, of Middlesex, was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia following a motor vehicle stop on Harris Avenue at Delaware Avenue. Artola was released on his own recognizance. Officers George Pilesky and Robert Dangler investigated.

On Oct. 2, four 14-year-old boys — three from Middlesex, one from Easton, Pennsylvania — were arrested and charged with burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, theft and criminal mischief. Investigation revealed that the group smashed a first-floor window, entered Monter Lite Co., 560 Lincoln Blvd. and removed items from the business. Patrolman Richard Szymczak and Detective Sean Flanagan investigated.

Candidate forum in Peapack-Gladstone

The Peapack-Gladstone Woman’s Club will sponsor and moderate a Candidates’ Debate Night, beginning at 7:30 pm Oct. 19 at the Borough Hall Gym, 1 School St., Peapack-Gladstone. It is open to the public. The candidates — Democrat Amy Dietrich and Republicans Lisa Saunders and Roy Smith — for two open Borough Council seats will answer questions on local issues. No questions will be taken from the audience. However, the Peapack-Gladstone Woman’s Club is accepting suggested questions from the public until noon Oct. 18. Questions can be submitted to peapack.gladstonewc1922@gmail.com.

From left: Joe Rea, Grand Knight Joe McGeehan and Tom Frantz.

Council Awards presented

The South Plainfield Knights of Columbus Council 6203 handed out their 2016-2017 End of Year Highest Council Awards on Wednesday, Oct. 4. Grand Knight Joe McGeehan presented the 2017 South Plainfield Knights of Columbus Family of the Year Award to Joe and Lucille Rea and the Knight of the Year Award to Tom Frantz. Visit www.kofcsouthplainfieldnj.com.

BW NICE Businesswoman of the Year

Sejal Sharma has been selected as this year’s Businesswoman of the Year from BW NICE Inc. Somerset County Chapter. Sharma oversees operations, business development, corporate relations, and strategic planning for the Executive Health Program as well as Bloodless Medicine and Surgery at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. Sharma will be honored at the BW NICE Inc. Somerset County Chapter’s second annual Red Shoe Luncheon and Fashion Show on Friday, Nov. 17, at the Bridgewater Manor. Proceeds from the event will go to BW NICE’s charity partner, Safe+Sound Somerset, a not-for-profit agency dedicated to serving domestic violence victims and their children. Visit www.bwnice.org.  

Hospital, Toyota rev up for cause

The Greater New York Toyota Dealers Association will hand over the keys of mobility on Saturday, Oct. 14, to engineers and clinicians at Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick, as they team up in the "pit" to build adaptive, custom motorized cars for kids with special healthcare needs. In partnership with Go Baby Go, a national nonprofit program, children with disabilities will get a jump-start on their cognitive, language and motor skills — all while having fun. Visit www.childrens-specialized.org; www.facebook.com/childrensspecialized or www.toyotanewsroom.com

Scholarship dinner at St. Mary's

The St. Mary's Holy Name Society will sponsor their Scholarship Dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, in the St. Mary's Parish Center, 30 Jackson St., South River. The menu will be pierogi, stuffed cabbage, sauerkraut and kielbasa, rye bread, coffee, tea and dessert. Tickets, $12; children younger than 12, $5; younger than 5 free. Tickets are on sale in the Parish Office during office hours and will also be sold at the door. Takeout available from 4 p.m. Visit https://stmarysr.org/.

Hungarian music in New Brunswick

Hungarian Broadway type music and songs will be presented Sunday, Oct. 15, at 2:30  p.m. at the Hungarian American Athletic Club's auditorium, 233 Somerset St., New Brunswick. Singers and actors from Budapest will perform Hungarian classics. Tickets are $20 and lunch will be served for $10 beginning at 12:30 p.m. Visit http://haac.us/.

Thompson receives business award 

State Sen. Sam Thompson has been named a Guardian of Small Business by the New Jersey chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). Thompson was chosen for this award for consistently advocating for the needs of small business owners statewide. Visit www.facebook.com/SamThompsonNJ/posts/1503488953065167.

Sustainable forest management forum

Dr. Jerry F. Franklin, one of the country's leading authorities of sustainable forest management, will be the speaker at the inaugural Charles Newlon Forestry Forum at Duke Farms in Hillsborough on Friday, Oct. 20. Doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets are still available for the dinner program. Tickets will not be available at the door, but can be purchased at CharlesNewlonForestryForum.eventbrite.com or www.njforests.org/Charles-Newlon-Forestry-Forum. Cost is $45 plus processing fees. For more info, contact Ken Taaffe at taaffeforestry@gmail.com or 609-261-3875.

Watley named BRAVO! regional VP

BRAVO! Group Services has named Dorel Watley to the position of regional vice president. Watley will be responsible for overseeing daily operations throughout the Virginia/North Carolina/South Carolina portfolio. BRAVO! headquarters is in Green Brook. For more info, call 866-OH-BRAVO or visit www.bravogroupservices.com.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski welcomed Boxed co-founder and CEO Chieh Huang to a Union County Means Business Lunch & Learn event in Mountainside. Huang, one of the country’s top entrepreneurs, was the guest speaker offering insights about Boxed, an app-driven, online national bulk retail company. Business owners and managers from Union County attended the session, sponsored through the Freeholder Board’s Union County Means Business initiative in support of local businesses. For more information about Union County Means Business visit ucnj.org/ucmb or contact Deana Mesaros at 908-659-7412 or dmesaros@ucnj.org.

Read more articles and stay in touch with your local news by clicking here

Email news tips to cnmetro@MyCentralJersey.com or hntmetro@MyCentralJersey.com