HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP Parks & Recreation Department
Check out our Fall 2019 Program Guide inside
OCTOBER 2019 FREE
COMMUNITYNEWS.ORG
Walk among the stalks
Several seats up for grabs Nov. 5
A little sheepish
Howell farm showcases annual corn maze
By Samantha Sciarrotta
ssciarrotta@communitynews.org
By LoiS LeVine Summer has faded fast from the rearview mirror, and with it comes fall and all its predictable signs: Pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks, the crunch of dried brown leaves under our feet, and...corn mazes? Yes, corn mazes! One of the most popular family events of the season, a corn maze is simply a series of pathways cut through a corn field. Unlike a labyrinth, which only has one, non-branching path, and only one entry and exit point, there is more than one way to find the exit out of a maze. Here in New Jersey there are several farms that create corn mazes as a fall activity for the public: A. Casola Farms in Holmdel, Etsch Farms in Monroe and K & S Farms in East Windsor. Terhune Orchards in Lawrence has a seasonal corn maze as well. But one of the most wellknown and well-visited corn mazes in Mercer County is at Howell Living History Farm in Hopewell. “Mazes are historical,” said farm director Pete Watson, who has been with Howell for 35 years. “The earliest mazes were found on the tombs of Byzantine pyramids, and they were also built into the knaves of See HOWELL, Page 7
Autumn Lloyd and Nathan Anastasi pet a sheep at the Hopewell Har vest Fair Sept. 21, 2019. For more photos, turn to Page 16. (Photo by Suzette J. Lucas.)
Unwind with music at Stage Depot New music forum held at train station every fourth Wednesday By JenniFer GoetZ It’s not always easy to face the music when time is short and schedules are packed; however, research has shown that taking time to step away from the work week grind can do wonders for your health. One way to unwind midweek is to spend time with family, friends and your commu-
nity watching and listening to music. As of Sept. 25, The Stage Depot, a new music forum hosted at the Hopewell Railroad Station, will offer music to the community every fourth Wednesday of the month, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. For the Stage Depot’s first-ever event, local musical talents Grant Peterson and Greg Merkle were featured. This month’s forum will be held Oct. 23. While the event is free to the public, a $5 donation is suggested to benefit the night’s performing musicians. Light refreshments are also served
for patrons looking for some time to get out, relax and enjoy the music. “We like to have homemade treats there, and to bring fresh flowers,” said Vicki Margulies Margulies, Stage Depot’s organizer. Margulies is no stranger to the music scene. Prior to this weekly Hopewell event, she helped run a monthly musical gathering called the Blue Pomegranate, which took place outside the Blawenburg Reformed Church in Skillman. “First I got involved helping with the music, very soon after I See STAGE DEPOT, Page 8
Jack’s GREENHOUSE & FARM
Mums • Pansies • Perennials • Trees • Shrubs Come check out our TREE sale! See Our Ad & Coupons On Page 10
Election day is coming up next month, and one township committee race plus two school board races are at the forefront for voters in the Hopewell Valley. Mayor Kristin McLaughlin and newcomer Courtney PetersManning will square off against incumbent John Hart and Edward Jackowski for two seats on the Hopewell Township Committee. Hopewell Township and Hopewell Borough voters will each have several board of education candidates to choose from. On the Borough side, Jessica Grillo and Elizabeth Maziarz are running for one seat on the board. Five candidates are running for two township seats: Michael Coco, Peter DiDonato, William Herbert, John Mason and Ashutosh Pathak. The Hopewell Express sent each candidate a questionnaire. Their responses start on Page 10. There are also a number of uncontested races happening in town: Paul Anzano for Hopewell Borough Mayor, Chris Fossel and David Mackie for Hopewell Borough Council, Joseph Lawver for Pennington Borough Mayor and Charles “Chico” Marciante and Beverly Mills for Pennington Borough Council. Each candidate wrote a brief statement about what they hope to accomplish in the coming term. Their responses can be found online at communitynews.org.
NOW OPEN IN PENNINGTON!
3 Tree Farm Rd. (Just off Rt. 31 in Pennington Point) Proud to be part of the Hopewell Valley community! See our ad on page 15
1179 NEWARK, NJ