VOL. 65, NO. 18
Friday, April 30, 2021
hillsboroughbeacon.com
$1
Route 206 Doctor’s Way to Valley Road project breaks ground By STEVEN BASSIN Staff Writer
The one-mile stretch on Route 206 from Doctor’s Way to Valley Road is “up to bat” for expansion, as Gov. Phil Murphy stated at the groundbreaking ceremony of the project on April 27 in Hillsborough. Route 206 will be widened into four lanes between Doctor’s Way and Valley Road and brings Hillsborough Township and the surrounding communities one step closer to finishing up the entire Route 206 bypass. The $41 million federally funded project will help enhance safety and ease traffic congestion for residents and travelers of Route 206 and is slated to be finished by the summer of 2024. New traffic lights, a median barrier and jughandles are all part of the Route 206 road-widening project between Doctor’s Way and Valley Road, which will be done in three phases and mostly worked on at night to impact less residents. These fixtures will eliminate left turns to and from properties located along Route 206 and will direct turns onto newly signalized intersections and jughandles.
STEVEN BASSIN/STAFF
From left to right: Congressman Tom Malinowski, Hillsborough Township Maypr Shawn Lipani, Gov. Phil Murphy, New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti and Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker break ground to start the Route 206 project on April 27 in Hillsborough.
“The widening project has been our focus not just for a couple of years but for decades,” said Hillsborough Township Mayor Shawn Lipiani at the ceremony. “I look forward to the completion of the entire project which will bring immediate relief to Hills-
borough and our residents.” Deputy Mayor Frank DelCore, Committeewoman Janine Erickson, Committeeman Doug Tomson and Committeeman Jeffrey Wright were all in attendance for the groundbreaking ceremony. Somerset County Commissioner
Director Shanel Robinson was also on hand for the event. To begin the festivities, Murphy commended local officials for their efforts to make the Route 206 infrastructure project possible to provide residents with a “strong and resilient future,” even
calling Hillsborough one of the state’s “gemstone communities.” “The old 206 was not up to the task,” Murphy said. “A twolane highway is not going to cut it in the 21st century. Over the past decade, through both federal and state funding, the New Jersey Department of Transportation has been undertaking a vicious project to alleviate the congestion on this roadway to make travel not only efficient but safer. “This work will also allow the township to grow in a way that allows it to keep the neighborhood feel that is the reason why so many new families have chosen to call Hillsborough home,” he said. State government officials who attended included New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner Diane GutierrezScaccetti, New Jersey Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker and New Jersey Congressman Tom Malinowski. During her speech, GutierrezScaccetti spoke about how the project will make Route 206 safer to drive on for the over 30,000 vehicles that are said to travel on the highway per day.
See GROUNDBREAKING, Page 4A
Steve Kalafer remembered as ‘chairman, father-figure and friend’ By LEA KAHN Staff Writer
SUBSCRIBE 856-779-3800 ext 3022
An entrepreneur, a genuine “people person,” a philanthropist and a dedicated baseball fan – that’s how friends and associates described Steve Kalafer. Kalafer, who owned a string of car dealerships and who launched the Somerset Patriots – a DoubleA affiliate of the New York Yankees baseball team – died of cancer on April 21. He was 71 years old. Kalafer, who was born in Essex County and who grew up in North Caldwell, graduated from Rider University in 1971. He bought his first auto dealership when he was 26 years old, and grew it into a string of car dealerships – Flemington Car and Truck Country, Clinton Honda and Jaguar Land Rover Princeton. Bob Zito, whose public relations firm represented Kalafer and his business interests, wrote in an email that Kalafer had a knack for making very person feel important. He loved people. “It was stunning to me when I would be with Steve that he would remember people, names and places like very few people can. I have actually worked with two people in more than 40 years
of work who had the ability to do that,” Zito said. “His love of people – of his family, his extended family, his employees, of the arts and baseball – had a way of galvanizing everyone he met. Steve was remarkable. “My daughter got a text from one of her friends. He had met Steve when he was 12 years old, and Steve told him to visit him when he was ready to buy his first
car. The young guy did, and he said in the text that ‘(Steve) did give me a great deal,’ “That was Steve,” Zito said. Kalafer was also involved in philanthropy, including supporting Somerset County food banks, Somerset County Commissioner Director Shanel Robinson said in a release. “Steve has been a vital member of the Somerset County com-
munity for decades as a businessman, an advocate for health care and the arts, and primarily as an extremely generous benefactor and friend,” Robinson said. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kalafer ensured that the county’s food banks were filled during the holidays and also pushed for advanced medical services at RWJ Somerset Hospital in Somerville, Robinson said.
Kalafer was also a lifelong baseball fan who loved the New York Yankees, according to a release from the Somerset Patriots. He founded the baseball team more than 20 years ago and was its chairman emeritus, according to a release from the Somerset Patriots. Kalafer’s love of baseball can be traced to the games he attended See STEVE KALAFER, Page 7A
Army veteran named Hillsborough grand marshal Hillsborough resident Thomas Cellilli, Jr., a U.S. Army veteran, has been named Hillsborough Township’s grand marshal for 2021. “Mr. Cellilli was to have been the grand marshal in 2020, when Memorial Day festivities were cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions,” Lipani said in the statement. “We are pleased to now honor him in 2021.” Cellilli was born in Ludlow, Massachusetts, and along with Philomena, his wife of 52 years, is a 40-year Hillsborough resident. They have two sons, four grandsons, two granddaughters and a great granddaughter. Cellilli enlisted in the Army during the Vietnam Conflict and com-
PHOTO COURTESY OF HILLSBOROUGH TOWNSHIP
Hillsborough resident Thomas Cellilli, Jr., a U.S. Army veteran, has been named Hillsborough Township’s grand marshal for 2021.
pleted basic training at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia. He attained the rank of E-5 and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service Overseas while managing the Classified Message Center and the highly classified Operation Command Post in the Sky, according to information provided by the township. Cellilli is a lifetime member of VFW Post 8371 where he has served as both trustee and post adjutant and currently holds the position of post commander since 2018. Cellilli also holds posts, volunteers or is involved with the VFW District 15 Senior Command Staff; the Somerville Disabled American Vets Chapter 16; committees in Hillsborough Township; Mary,
Mother of God R.C. Church; and UNICO Service Organization Membership. Cellilli began his career in the private sector at Allstate Insurance Company as a licensed sales representative and progressed to managing various New Jersey Claims Offices. Cellili went on to create the first Allstate Underwriting Fraud Investigation Unit in the country and served on various state boards with regards to insurance fraud prevention. Cellilli was also the chief operating officer of both Penn Executive Diagnostic Center Inc. and Pattern Analysis Inc and has also volunteered for pro bono work for the New Jersey Special Investigators Association.
NEED NEW CARPET OR FLOORING?™ Schedule your FREE estimate today!
Loo OURk for INSI AD DE!
1-800-526-RUGS (7847) • smartcarpet.com Publication of the Time Off Section Temporarily Suspended The publication of the Time Off section has been temporarily suspended. Articles that run in the Time Off section will be published in the main section of this newspaper.
Index
Call us
Calendar.......................... 2A Classified....................... 11A Lifestyle .........................N/A Town Forum ...................... 4A
News: ....................... (609) 924-3244 Classified: .................. (609) 924-3250 Advertising: ................ (609) 924-3244 To subscribe: .... (856) 779-3800 Ext. 3022
HILLSBOROUGH BEACON 421 Route 206 Hillsborough, NJ 08844 609-924-3244 Hillsborough Beacon (USPS 504-120) is published every Friday by Packet Media LLC, 421 Route 206, Hillsborough, NJ 08844. Periodicals postage paid at Hillsborough, NJ 08844 and at additional mailing office. Postmaster send address changes to: Hillsborough Beacon 421 Route 206 Hillsborough, NJ 08844. Mail Subscription Rates The current Automatic Renewal rate is $10.11 and is charged on a quarterly basis. The one year standard rate is $50.93. Out of country rates are available upon request. All advertising published in the Hillsborough Beacon is subject to the applicable rate card, copies of which are available from he advertising department. Hillsborough Beacon reserves the right not to accept an advertiser’s order. Only publication of an advertisement shall constitute final acceptance.