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SEPTEMBER 2025
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Debate rages over future of Trenton Water Works City officials fight back as state pushes for utility’s overhaul
BY BILL SANSERVINO
Tensions over the future of Trenton Water Works boiled over in August as city leaders resisted mounting pressure to relinquish sole control of the troubled utility. The state Department of Environmental Protection says the 200-year-old utility — serving more than 225,000 people in Trenton and four neighboring towns — is teetering on the brink of failure. Officials from the state and
Cardinals girls’ soccer player Caelyn LaFlamme battles with an opponent for the ball.
LaFlamme how far would brings quiet you go if they leadership to LHS soccer were sick?
cares about recognition, but she deserves a lot more than she gets.” Emily Palombo wants some noise to be Through her first three seasons, made about Caelyn LaFlamme, who may LaFlamme has been a steadying inflube low-key in terms of publicity but is a ence at center midfield for Lawrence. She huge key to success for the Lawrence High defends well and is a key disruptor in haltgirls soccer team. ing an opponent’s transition. When the “She’s this quiet force,” the Cardinals Cardinals are in possession, the senior Welcome to Capital Health. coach said. “She goes unnoticed somekeeps the offense moving ahead. See SOCCER, Page 17 times, but she’s really crucial. She never When someone you care about is sick, you’ll do whatever it takes to make sure they get the best care. And so do we.
BY RICH FISHER
LTPS prepares classrooms, tech and staff for school year EDITED BY BILL SANSERVINO
While classrooms sit empty during summer break, Lawrence Township Public Schools has remained active behind the scenes, preparing for the start of the 2025–2026 academic year with facility upgrades, staff development, student programming, and enhanced safety training. Throughout July and August, district staff have been engaged in a wide range of initiatives aimed at ensuring a
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surrounding towns argue it must be restructured. But city leaders, residents and water employees are pushing back, citing fears of lost autonomy, job security and community control. TWW serves all of Trenton and Ewing, and portions of Hamilton, Lawrence and Hopewell townships. The DEP has had a continuous presence at the plant since 2022 under a Unilateral Administrative Order, which gave the state temporary operational oversight. The regionalization plan calls for the creation of a new public utility that would operate the system. See TWW, Page 5
smooth and secure start to the school year. “Even when students are away, the work to support them never stops,” district officials said in a statement. Emergency preparedness remains central to summer operations. Members of the LTPS leadership team completed intensive safety training sessions, including CPR, First Aid, EpiPen administration, Stop the Bleed protocols, and reunification procedures in See SCHOOLS, Page 8
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