General News

Six area families that were “adopted” by a township church will be sure to have a hearty Thanksgiving dinner this year. That’s because the families – two each in the township, South Bound Brook and Somerville – received holiday baskets complete with turkey and all of the fixings. Members of True-2-Life Ministries on Victor Street “adopted” the families for Thanksgiving, …

Bill Grippo, the longtime head of the township’s July 4th celebration committee, was commended by the Township Council at its Sept. 13 meeting. The commendation, Grippo said, “belongs to all the people” who contributed to the event. “Every year I go about the fun of asking for money for this event, and every year there are more donors,” he said. …

The 15th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks were observed in the township throughout the course of the day. At about 8:30 a.m., an observance organized by Mayor Philip Kramer was held at the township’s 9-11 Memorial near the library. Among those in attendance were Township Councilman Charles Onyejiaka (D-Ward 3), Township Councilman Rajiv Prasad (D-At Large), Alex Kharazi, head …

Saying he was “frustrated” with the slow pace of arranging for their meetings to be televised, Mayor Phillip Kramer Aug. 24 told the Library Board of Trustees, to, essentially, “get it done.” “I am suggesting that you task January (Adams, the library director) to get it done,” Kramer told the board. “Find the cheapest way.” Kramer’s frustration stems from the …

Update: An interesting wrinkle developed Aug. 24 in the “adopting” of Cedar Grove Lane by the two Somerset County Sheriff’s candidates. Incumbent Sheriff Frank Provenzano, at a press event in the township that morning, said that his office had adopted the entire stretch of Cedar Grove Lane from Amwell Road to Easton Avenue. His assertion was confirmed by Somerset County …

The first installment of about 400 backpacks filled with school supplies, destined for area schoolchildren, was distributed Aug. 20 at First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens on Route 27. The backpacks were collected and distributed by the Zakee Bowser Enrichment Foundation, an 18-year-old charity founded in memory of a New Brunswick teenager killed in 1997. The event was the sixth …

A township woman stopped by Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick Aug. 5 for a reunion of sorts. Tamara D’Ambra, accompanied by her mother, husband and three children, wanted to say “thank you” to the hospital’s Mobile Health Services and medical staff who helped save her life in June. D’Ambra, 44, suffered a major heart attack at home …

By Somerset County Freeholder Brian Levine. Crescendo. Each day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland builds in a type of crescendo as the speakers take the podium to address the delegates during the evening. In turn, each of the four days builds in a crescendo as the days progress. The finale of any national party convention culminates the crescendo …

By Somerset County Freeholder Brian Levine. I will say, up front, that I may have broken the rules. It just seemed like a good idea at the time. On Day 3 of the Republican National Convention, I arrived at our venue, The Quicken Loans Arena (known as “the Q”) as I had on the previous days. After going through security, …

By Somerset County Freeholder Brian Levine. As with most endeavors, the exciting and high intensity portions – the actual attendance at the Republic National Convention – is intense. The more mundane procedures, such as communications and logistics, are just as important. As for the latter… The RNC provided us with an app for our smart phones to keep track of …