News-pourri

Student proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Science, and Math are approaching pre-pandemic levels, but there still are some gaps that need to be addressed, school district officials said recently. Proficiency rates took a hit from the 2019-2020 school year – the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic – through the 2020-2021 school year when all students were learning at home …

CHECKING THE NUMBERS – Board of Education candidates Bill Grippo and Erica Inocencio check the tally board at Par2Play on November 7. The Democratic Mayoral and Township Council slate, and a slate of Board of Education candidates which includes an incumbent, appear to be on the road to victory in the November 7 General Election. The candidates enjoyed leads in …

CLASS PICTURE – Members of the Leadership Somerset class of 2022 at Patriots’ Ball Park. (Photo: Leadership Somerset.) Adults aged 18 years and older who live or work in Somerset County and would like to make a positive impact in their community through the Leadership Somerset program have until November 11 to apply. Programs such as Leadership Somerset “build skills …

FALL CLEAN-UP – Volunteers help a Somerset County senior prep their yard for another winter during Somerset County’s Annual Volunteer Fall Clean-Up. (Photo: Somerset County Office of Volunteer Services.) Senior and disabled homeowners who need help with annual fall leaf-raking and other yard work should contact the Somerset County Office of Volunteer Services at (908) 704-6301 or email JDambeck@co.somerset.nj.us by November 9. …

DEFENDING HIS RECORD – Republican Mayoral Candidate Brian Levine says information about past legal difficulties released recently by Somerset County Democrats is just a “diversion.” (File photo). The Republican candidate for Township Mayor has denounced as a “smear campaign” and a “mountain out of a molehill” the revelation by Somerset County Democrats that he had been removed as executor of …

BAN THE TRUCKS – Planning Board member Robert Thomas convinced the Planning Board to ask Somerset County to look into banning trucks from some County roads. In the latest salvo against the widespread development of warehouses and their attendant truck traffic, the Township Planning Board wants Somerset County to disallow the big rigs on all or parts of some County …

The Howe House in Colonial Park is one of four historic sites receiving nearly $1 million through Somerset County’s Historic Preservation Grant Program. Organizations received grant money for the stabilization, rehabilitation, restoration, and/or preservation of historic sites. The funds were made possible by the Somerset County Board of County Commissioners through the Somerset County Open Space, Recreation, Farmland and Historic Preservation …

Goblins and ghouls and Taylor Swifts were spotted throughout the township in the days leading up to, and including, Halloween. As has been the practice for the past number of years, “Trunk or Treats” events were held in multiple locations. Celebrations were held by schools, by private businesses and by teh Township. On October 28, the Township Recreation Department held …

A township adult medical day care center was one of 21 centers throughout the state identified by state officials to have over-billed for Medicaid-eligible services between 2016 and 2021. The center, Rainbow Home Medical Day Care on Campus Drive, was cited by the state Office of the Comptroller for having over-billed $12,050.10. The company repaid the over-billed amount in August …

OBJECTOR – Shade Tree Commissioner Arnie Schmidt said he was not in favor of taking PSE&G’s offer of 40 free trees because the area targeted for them has not yet been prepared. An offer by Public Service Electric & Gas to give 40 trees to the Township received a rocky reception at the October 26 Shade Tree Commission meeting. After …