Advance Robbinsville
OCTOBER 2019
FREE
Walk among the stalks
COMMUNITYNEWS.ORG
Candidates focus on Foxmoor, Route 130
Neck and neck
Area farms host mazes, pumpkin picking and more to kick off fall season
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 path- Robbinsville High’s Heather Stauffacher races a Steinert opponent to the ball during ways cut through a corn field. a 2-0 win at Steinert High School Sept. 17, 2019. For more field hockey coverage, Unlike a labyrinth, which only turn to Page 22. (Staff photo by Samantha Sciarrotta.) 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 But support from the we’ve been receiving,” Semmel Monroe and K&S Farms in East Robbinsville community has said. Windsor. Terhune Orchards in Originally, the family was helped the Semmel family get Lawrence has a seasonal corn back on their feet. Residents to be forced from its home on maze as well. rallied to donate over $22,000 Sept. 3. But the bank granted But one of the most well-known by Julia marnin to the GoFundMe page cre- Semmel a time extension to and well-visited corn mazes in ated in Joel’s name. Most of raise the $50,000 that is owed Mercer County is at Howell Living The lives of Robbinsville’s that amount was raised over after support from and negoHistory Farm in Hopewell. Semmel family were rocked one weekend in late August. A tiations between the mayor “Mazes are historical,” said in early August after the unex- handful of donations trickled in of Robbinsville and the bank. farm director Pete Watson, pected passing of April Semmel, a few weeks later. Although community support who has been with Howell for a beloved wife and mother of The page, created by Alison has been massive, the family’s 35 years. “The earliest mazes four children. Sussman, set a $50,000 goal— fundraiser still needs to reach were found on the tombs of April’s husband, Joel funds for the mortgage so the $50,000 as soon as possible. Byzantine pyramids, and they Semmel, and their children Semmels can remain in their “My wish is that within a couwere also built into the knaves faced further hardships after home and to help them regain ple years from now I can be in a of churches. The Hampton the loss—their family home stability in their lives during a position to pay it forward and be Court Maze in England was was on the brink of foreclo- period of upheaval. able to help out somebody else created in the 1600s. For a very sure and in need of many, many “To say thank you is nowhere that may be in a similar situanear enough for all of the help repairs. See FALL, Page 8 See SEMMELS, Page 16
Residents pay it forward Community rallies to raise money for family
Robbinsville voters will have plenty of choices when they head to their polling places this election day. Six candidates are running for Robbinsville Township Council, and three seats are up for grabs. Incumbents Chris Ciaccio, Dan Schuberth and Ronald Witt will square off against Roland Allen, Paul Kranz and Rakhi Upadhyay. Four candidates are up for three seats on the Robbinsville Township Board of Education: newcomer Avery Hutchinson and incumbents Christopher Emigholz, Craig Heilman and Jane Luciano. The Robbinsville Advance asked each candidate to fill out a questionnaire outlining their views on issues like affordable housing, Route 130 and the school district’s student activity fee. Their responses can be found starting on Page 10. Elsewhere on the ballot, there are several state and county races to look out for. First, four candidates are up for two state assembly seats: Daniel Benson, Michael Bollentin, Wayne DeAngelo and Bina Shah. At the county level, Brian Hughes and Lishian “Lisa” Wu are running four a fouryear term as Mercer County Executive. Nina Melker and Andrew Koontz are running unopposed for two three-year terms on the Board of Chosen Freeholders.
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