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OCTOBER 2021 FREE
A new voice
School election contested
On the ball
Meet the LTPS’s recently hired communications officer
Six candidates running for three open seats on Board of Education
By ReBeKAh SchrOeDer
By BiLL SANserViNO
At only 23, Eshaya Draper aims to be the ambitious and extremely young man taking charge. He is the new operations manager for Lawrence Township Public Schools, a position under the Superintendent’s Office. Draper started on April 27, succeeding Lana Mueller, who retired May 1 after 26 years of service. “I think I grew up with a lot of background in the arts, and performing arts, specifically. So that was always a joy, and I enjoy seeing any type of artsrelated things go on,” he said of his original direction for a career. “But I feel like I always had a natural inclination to go this route. It’s funny to see it come to fruition like this.” Right out of high school in New Brunswick, he began working in the same district he grew up in, calling it an “amazing experience” that he had anticipated since childhood. “I knew from like a kid that I always wanted to give back to the community,” he said, always hoping to help out in academic affairs. “But I think a lot of it can be attributed to my mother.” Draper has an associate degree in liberal arts and See DRAPER, Page 9
Two local races on are the ballot in this year’s election on Nov. 2, but voters will choose between candidates on only one of them. Incumbents Christopher Bobbitt and James Kownacki, both Democrats, are running unopposed in the race for two four-year seats on Lawrence Township Council. This ensures that the Democrats will continue to hold a 5-0 lock on the governing body through at least 2024, when three seats will be open. In the race for the township School Board, six candidates have filed for three open seats. Incumbents Jo Ann. Groeger and Kevin Van Hise are being challenged by Lauren Berger, Falk Engel, Drew Greenspan and Robert Pluta. Board member Joyce Scott, whose term expires on Dec. 31, opted to not seek re-election. Lauren Berger has been a resident of Lawrenceville for 3.5 years. and has a son, Jackson, a fourth grader at Lawrence Intermediate School. After graduating from college, she rode horses professionally and then had a successful retail management career. She was a stay-at-home See ELECTION , Page 5
Goalie Gwyn Moore helped the LHS girls’ soccer team to a 4-2 start as of Sept. 27. See story on Page 12 for more on the team. (Photo by Rich Fisher.)
Ida a disaster for Mercer FEMA funds available for stormrelated property damage By ReBeKAh SchrOeDer
In early September, New Jersey saw remnants of Hurricane Ida wreak havoc on the garden state with excessive flooding and tornadoes. Thirty residents died, including two who perished in Mercer County. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) stepped in to help, establishing several Disaster
Recovery Centers (DRC) across the affected areas. On Sept. 6, President Biden approved major disaster declarations for New Jersey, concentrating on incidents from the period of Sept. 1 to 3. Ewing’s DRC opened on Sept. 14, established at Hollowbrook Community Center on 320 Hollowbrook Drive. Representatives from multiple state and federal agencies such as FEMA, U.S. Small Business Administration, New Jersey State Office of Emergency Management, and others will be available to answer questions from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, as well as 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. on weekends. The DRC aims to help survivors file claims for financial compensation, provide resources, and aid with other forms of disaster assistance. It will remain an active location until the community is no longer in need of services to recover from the disaster. FEMA has an online resource, New Jersey Remnants Of Hurricane Ida, that gives a rundown of information about the overall crisis. Federal aid is being provided for homeowners, renters, businesses, and others in need, including survivors who are not legal U.S. See FEMA, Page 2
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