Hamilton Hamilton PPost ost
OCTOBER 2021
COMMUNITYNEWS.ORG
ElEction 2021
Green is good
3 council, 3 school board seats up for a vote this fall
Hydroponic Geo Greens farm in Mill One at Hamilton may offer a glimpse of the future of agriculture
By JOe EMaNsKi
By Cara LaThaM
Late on a Friday afternoon in September, Desmond Hayes was putting the finishing touches on a paint job of the interior walls of his new hydroponic vertical farm facility while simultaneously juggling business calls. From painting to developing partnerships with local business owners to handling all necessary paperwork, Hayes’ entrepreneurial spirit is driving the launch of Geo Greens LLC (previously named Geoponica Greens) in mid-November in Hamilton’s Mill One building, located just off Nottingham Way in Hamilton Township. Hayes is involved in virtually every aspect of getting his new 2,000-square-foot farm up and running. He attributes his faith in himself and his strong convictions about sustainability and ending hunger to getting him to this point. “It’s a risk and a leap of faith, and if you trust in what you are capable of doing, you will succeed,” he explains, noting he has experience growing in the hydroponics industry for four years now. So what exactly is he See GREENS, Page 11
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The newly renovated and enlarged interior of historic Nottingham Tavern in Hamilton Square. (Photo by Thomas Kelly.)
Their courage Historic Nottingham Tavern and compassion reopens after renovations inspire us all. By ThOMas KeLLy
In the 230 years since, this tus for quarantine and reno-
vations, the lit neon signs morphed into written a tem-in chalk Onehotel morning, a message appeared are a welcome perance house, a bar which On a crook in the road in front of an RWJBarnabas Health facility. The words sight in the called Nottingham Way, in serves no alcohol, and also neighborhood. couldn’t have been simpler, or more soul stirring, The Nottingham Tavern what was then called Not- into various shops and livor more ing accurate. quarters. A portion of was begun after Prohibition tingham Square, there is an intersection with a road called the building was also a car- and has occupied the Mercer Mercer Street. Mercer Street riage house, sheltering car- Street portion of the corner drawn wag- building complex ever since. was blazed through the Colo- riages and horse “Heroes When tavern owner Dick the carriage nial woods by Quakers travel- ons. A nod to work here.” ing between their churches in house usage is on the sign Voss passed away in 2016 after outside, featuring a silhouette owning and bartending at the Princeton and Crosswicks. tavern forthat nearly 40 years, of words a horse wagon These roads were used Three ofdrawn gratitude andwith encouragement the landmark property was passengers. before the American Revolucapture the courage and compassion of health This historic tavern has in jeopardy. Longtime Hamiltion, as early as 1720. At these workers here and across America. To share your undergone extensive reno- ton resident and businessman crossroads in 1790, a hotel thanks or to support our Emergency Fund, Gerry Brady saw an opportuvations in the past year and Response was built, with a roaring firevisit has rwjbh.org/heroes reopened this Septem- nity to both preserve history place in the barroom’s corner ber. After an 18-month hiato warm the weary travelers. See taVERN, Page 8 And please, for them, stay home and safe.
See our ads in SIX09 section pgs 2 and 17
Hamilton voters will get to decide the identity of three members of township council and three members of the board of education when they go to the polls this fall. Whether that means mailing in a ballot or the old-fashioned trip to a voting booth is up to each voter. Three Democrats and three Republicans are vying for seats on council. The three Democratic candidates — Rick Tighe, Anthony Carabelli and Charles “Chuddy” Whalen — currently occupy those seats. Two other Democratic council members — president Pat Papero and vice president Nancy Phillips — are not up for re-election this fall. Trying to unseat them are three first-time Republican candidates: Bob Diszler, James Boozan and Joe DeMarco. Three incumbents are also running for school board: Sue Ferrara, Richard Kanka and Angelo Hall. Four others are challenging them, including former school board members Jeff Hewitson and Anthony Celentano, as well as Joe Novembre and Steph Willams. For more election coverage, turn to page 18.
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