5-20 TD

DOWNTOWNER TRENTON’S CITY PAPER

MAY 2020 | COMMUNITYNEWS.ORG

SLICES OF LIFE

Ewing based photographer Heather Raub has been photographing the residents of nearby communities as they shelter in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Turn to Page 16 to read about her experience and hear the families’ stories. (Photo by Heather Raub/Front Room Images.)

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owntown Trenton is a unique, community-driven arts and business district, defined by the people who live and work here. From residents to state workers, large employers to small business owners, art and history lovers to artisans and musicians, we come together in real ways in real time.

We gather in our favorite spots and look after each other in countless ways.

Our shops and restaurants thrive—and literally survive—on word-of-mouth recommendations and everyday street traffic. COVID-19 has drastically altered the way we move about our beloved capital city.

Trenton Downtown Association is a small nonprofit organization with a very big heart—and a mission that could not be more important than it is today. Our role during this crisis is simple.

To be here. For you. Right now.

How Can We Help?

Not sure how to apply for a small business loan? We can answer your questions or guide you to the right resources and information.

Feeling anxious or stressed?

We can connect you to the appropriate social services and professionals. We’re also here to listen.

Want to support local businesses but don’t know how? Visit our website for more information and our LoveLocal campaign and be sure to check out our directory of businesses and when they are open.

Join us — and LoveLocal. Sign up for our weekly e-blasts at www.trentondowntown.com for the latest updates.

2Community News | May 2020

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BILL SANSERVINO FROM THE EDITOR

month still feature the publication name that readers are used to seeing (Hamilton Post, Ewing Observer, etc.), but the content inside is common across our publications.

We have included news from throughout our towns, and focused on features that tell stories about the things people, businesses and organizations throughout our area are doing during the ongoing health crisis.

We want to remain your trusted source for local news. Our coverage of the pandemic will be local, accurate and timely. We will continue to share the most up to date news and information in every way possible via our publications, social media and on commmunitynews.org.

The hard truth is that no one knows what the future holds. We all hope that things will return to some sense of normalcy, and we will be able to reinstate the resources and content that have been affected.

We will continue to do our very best to serve the readers and advertisers in our community. We also want to hear from you about the stories we’re not telling.

So send questions, story ideas and tips to news@communitynews.org, and we’ll get right on it. The better informed we all are, the healthier our community will be.

Thanks for reading. We hope you stay safe, healthy and well informed.

During times of adversity, there’s an old Italian saying my Dad told me that frequently comes to mind: “Anything is possible, but nothing is easy.”

Those words seem especially applicable these days. This past month hasn’t been easy, but I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish.

As is the case with so many other local businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced our company to change rapidly.

Many of the small businesses that support our publications financially through advertising have found themselves without anything to advertise— and fighting for their own survival.

Community News Service, publisher of this newspaper, is a small business, too. And as with many other small businesses, the pandemic is exerting financial pressures on our company as we’ve never experienced before.

As a result, we’ve had to make some tough decisions, including temporarily reducing the size of our staff.

Those of us remaining here went to work to put out the newspaper that you currently hold in your hands. I believe that it is truly is an example of my dad’s old proverb in action.

As a company, we remain committed to our vision of keeping communities connected and helping small busi- Contact BILL SANSERVINO: bill@comnesses succeed. munitynews.org, (609) 396-1511, ext. 104, The front cover of our papers this facebook.com/BillSanservino.

We are a newsroom of your neighbors. Community News is for local people, by local people.

As part of the community, our newspapers do more than just report the news—they connect businesses with their customers, organizations with their members and neighbors with one another.

As such, our staff sets out to make our towns closer places by giving readers a reliable source to turn to when they want to know what’s going on in their neighborhoods.

EDITOR Bill Sanservino (Ext. 104) EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Nicole Viviano CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Katy Burke, Heather Raub CONTRIBUTING COLUMNISTS Ilene Black, Peter Dabbene, Kevin Newwinski, Lisa Wolff AD LAYOUT & PRODUCTION Stacey Micallef SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jennifer Steffen (Ext. 113) ADMINISTRATIVE ADVERTISING ASSISTANT Gina Carillo (Ext. 112)

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Website: communitynews.org Community News Service publishes the Bordentown Current, Ewing Observer, Hamilton Post, Hopewell Express, Lawrence Gazette, Princeton Echo, Robbinsville Advance, Trenton Downtowner, West Windsor-Plainsboro News and U.S. 1 Newspaper.

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AROUND TOWN

What area hospitals want you to know before you donate As their staff provides the frontline defense against the novel coronavirus, area hospitals increasingly have been the recipients of goodwill gestures from members of the community.

From groups of friends to local restaurants, many have pitched in to thank healthcare workers as they work around the clock to fend off the COVID-19 pandemic.

But, for as thankful as they are for the gestures, each area hospital has rules and requests to ensure donations wind up in the correct hands and don’t inadvertently hinder workers’ ability to do their jobs.

Capital Health, with hospitals in Hopewell Township and in the City of Trenton, asks that anyone who wants to donate delivered food to their facilities should first call ahead so staff can distribute the food properly. All food inquiries should go through Capital Health’s foundation office.

Capital Health is also asking for restaurant gift cards so staff can enjoy at another time. The gift cards will go to an in-house committee, which is making up gift bags for healthcare workers. A number of local restau-

rants already have expressed interest in participating, including Wildflowers Inn Restaurant (Pennington), Sumo Sushi (Pennington), The Peasant Grill (Hopewell Boro), Tomatello’s Latin Cuisine (Hopewell Boro), Udo’s Bagels (Lawrence), Cugino’s Italian Market (Pennington), Entrata (Hopewell Boro) and Acacia Restaurant (Lawrence).

For either food or gift card donations, call (609) 303-4121 to speak with a staff member of Capital Health’s Development Office. Email inquiries may be sent to donate@capitalhealth. org.

Princeton Medical Center in Plainsboro accepts food donations, but requests that people email or call its foundation first to make arrangements. Donations should not be dropped off at the hospital campus or elsewhere unannounced. The hospital’s foundation screens all donations and arranges how they will be delivered.

PMC also has a need for unused, unopened medical supplies or equipment. It will not accept handmade See AROUND TOWN, Page 6

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4Community News | May 2020

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May 2020 | Community News5

Their courage and compassion inspire us all.

One morning, a message written in chalk appeared in front of an RWJBarnabas Health facility. The words couldn’t have been simpler, or more soul stirring, or more accurate.

AROUND TOWN cont. from Page 4 been on the force less than a year when he took on this challenge on items, including handmade masks.

“The thought is much appreci- March 12 while on patrol in Bridgeton ated but we have no way to monitor City, Cumberland County. Whitehead the quality assurance of the products joined the state police in July 2019.

“It was shocking at the moment,” being made by community members,” a statement on the hospital’s website Whitehead said. “We’re trained properly…to take on anything that we can said.

To donate to PMC, contact the the best way we can.”

The man saw the trooper’s car and Princeton Medical Center Foundation via email at PMPH-foundation@Pen- pulled over to request help with his nMedicine.Upenn.edu or by phone wife who was in labor in the vehicle.

In a March 19 New Jersey State Police (609) 252-8710.

Robert Wood Johnson Univer- Facebook post commending Whitesity Hospital Hamilton is accepting head’s actions, bodycam footage was all donations. Anyone who would like shared of the trooper on scene and to provide food donations should call then later audio of the newborn crying.

Whitehead handled the situation Diane Grillo, the hospital’s vice president of health promotion at (609) 631- calmly and professionally, as shown in 6875 or Kathie Potts, executive assis- the video.

He immediately called dispatch, tant, at (609) 584-6427.

RWJUH Hamilton also has appealed shared his location, grabbed gloves and went to the car for donations of perwhere he helped the sonal protective equipmother give birth to her ment, such as gloves and baby boy. masks, as well as hand The baby came fairly sanitizer and soap. For quickly, said Whitemore information about head, who fortunately how to help, go to the had the experience of RWJ website. the birth of his now oneSt. Francis Medical year-old daughter which Center in Trenton has helped him through the published a flier online situation along with his that includes information training. on how to donate perEMS arrived on the sonal protective equipscene shortly after the ment and money to the birth and transported hospital. The flier also Whitehead the mother and child to has information on the a local hospital. W specifications any homehitehead later called the hospimade mask must meet in order to be tal and heard that both were happy, accepted as a donation.

For more information on how to healthy and doing well. He shared that support healthcare workers across he intends to check up with the family New Jersey, go to the New Jersey Hos- again soon.

The State Police post was later pital Association website (njha.com). shared on Facebook by many, includ–Rob Anthes ing Yardville restaurant, Villaggio Iccara, which stated, “So proud to call him family! Amazing work, Scott!”

Whitehead worked in every position State Trooper delivers at Iccara restaurant in Hamilton from baby while on patrol the age of 14 until he was 33. He left A New Jersey State Trooper and to enroll in the police academy in JanuBordentown resident helped deliver ary 2019.

Whitehead, 34, was born and raised in a baby for a couple in distress who flagged down the officer when they Hamilton. He attended schools in town, realized they weren’t going to make it from Yardville Elementary to graduating in 2004 from Steinert High School. to a hospital in time.

Trooper Scott Whitehead had only His is married to his wife, Alicia.

Bordentown

“Heroes work here.”

Three words of gratitude and encouragement that capture the courage and compassion of health workers here and across America. To share your thanks or to support our Emergency Response Fund, visit rwjbh.org/heroes And please, for them, stay home and safe.

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He started the long process of becoming a state trooper about three years ago, when he first applied. “It’s funny, so over probably about the past 5 years it’s been something that I’ve been striving to do,” Whitehead said.

He is stationed in Troop A of the State Police which covers South Jersey counties including, Atlantic, Cumberland, Camden and Gloucester.

After the long road to his current position and an exciting first-time experience on patrol, Whitehead said he intends to be in police work for his career.

–Nicole Viviano

Ewing

Party host charged with disorderly offenses A 54-year-old Ewing Township man was issued two disorderly persons citations for hosting a party in his apartment, Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri and Ewing Police Chief John P. Stemler III reported on Saturday.

Ewing police were called to an apartment on Concord Avenue at approximately 1 a.m. Saturday morning, March 28, on a noise violation. They say that upon entry they observed 47 people having a party that included a DJ with speakers, alcohol and the smell of marijuana.

Police broke up the party and released everyone except for the tenant, who was issued disorderly persons citations for obstruction and violating an executive order. Police noted that the apartment was 550 square feet with one bedroom and one bathroom.

Almost all of the people at the party were squeezed together inside, with a handful outside of the residence.

Ewing Police have identified the renter of the apartment as Wade E. Jackson.

Summer camp, Moody Park League cancelled Ewing Township has announced the cancellation of a number of its summer recreation programs as a result of the coronavius health crisis.

“With everything going on with the COVID-19 virus Ewing Township has had to make some tough decisions for this summer,” said Ted Forst, director of Community Affairs.

Recreation Department programs to be cancelled for this summer include all camps, including Day Camp and Teen Travel, and the Moody Park Summer Basketball League.

Fields, parks and picnic areas are scheduled to reopen in late June, but the date is subject to change, Forst said.

The township is currently planning on opening the pools at the Ewing Senior and Community Center and at the Hollowbrook Center, but an exact date has yet to be determined.

A date for the reopening of the ESCC and Hollowbrook has also not yet been set.

We truly enjoy running the sum-

mer programs and know how much the community values them,” Forst said. “We hope to have all of our programs available as soon as it is safe to offer them. Anyone who already paid for a cancelled program will get a full refund. If the pool season is shortened the fees will be adjusted for that as well.”

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Hamilton

Arrest lawsuit settled for almost $1 million Hamilton Township will pay almost $1 million in damages to a township man who filed a wrongful arrest lawsuit against the police department.

The township agreed Feb. 3 to a $950,000 settlement with 22-yearold Michael Lionelli, according to his attorney, Thomas J. Mallon of Freehold.

Lionelli had been charged in association with the 2016 armed robbery of a CVS Pharmacy—charges that were later dropped by the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office due to a lack of evidence.

“We can confirm, after years of litigation, this case was settled on the advice of our attorneys,” said Bianca Jerez, chief of staff for Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin. The lawsuit was filed in March 2018, during the administration of former Mayor Kelly Yaede.

The township and Hamilton Police Department offered no further comment on the settlement. The department admitted no wrongdoing in settling the suit.

Lionelli’s ordeal started when he and two juveniles were stopped by Lawrence Township Police. The car he was driving matched the description of a vehicle that Hamilton was seeking in association with a robbery that took place earlier that evening.

In that incident, an employee of the CVS located at the intersection of Route 33 and Whitehorse Avenue said that the store had been robbed by a mask-wearing white male brandishing a handgun.

During the stop, Lawrence Police had found a CVS Pharmacy shirt in a duffel bag inside Lionelli’s vehicle. He was also charged with possession on marijuana as a result of the stop.

Hamilton Police considered Lionelli and the juveniles—a 17-year-old Hamilton male and a 16-year-old Lawrence female—to be suspects in the CVS robbery. They transported the robbery victim to the location where Lionelli had been stopped in Lawrence.

“The victim was unable to identify Lionelli as the person who committed the robbery; however, an officer wrote a report which stated that a positive identification had occurred,” Mallon said.

He said that Hamilton Police also relied on shoe prints left in the snow at the scene by the alleged robber. A N.J. State Police Analyst later confirmed the shoes were not a match to the shoes Lionelli wore at the time of his arrest.

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AROUND TOWN cont. from Page 7 According to Mallon, Lionelli was implicated in the robbery by the two juveniles after interrogation, but “the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office declined to prosecute Lionelli because of coercive techniques that were used during the recorded interviews.”

The two juveniles later recanted.

Both were charged as accomplices, but the charges were dismissed 6 months later.

Lionelli was charged by Hamilton with robbery, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, and use of a juvenile to commit a crime.

“Lionelli’s charges lingered for 25 months,” Mallon said. “He was facing a 20 year prison sentence if he had been convicted and would not have been eligible for parole for 85% of that time.”

He added that the Hamilton Police Department never turned the footprint analysis, which exonerated Lionelli, over to Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.

He alleged: “They fabricated evidence to support their complaint and made Lionelli’s life miserable for 25 months until the charges were finally dismissed, and he now experiences post-traumatic stress disorder.”

The attorney outlined a number of ways that the arrest allegedly impacted Lionetti’s life.

He said that his client was not permitted to complete his senior year at Hamilton West High School. He spent 11 days in jail, and even though his bail was reduced from $250,000 to $125,000, his parents had to pay a nonrefundable $12,500 fee to a bail bondsman to get him released.

His college career was delayed by 2 years while the charges were pending.

Lionelli’s lawsuit alleged fabrication of evidence by the Hamilton Police, false arrest, violation of the N.J. Civil Rights Act and false imprisonment. He was seeking compensatory and punitive damages and a trial by jury.

–Bill Sanservino

The Clare Estate Aging with Dignity Aging with Choice

Balmir out as interim business administrator

April 3 was interim business administrator T. Missy Balmir’s last day of service with Hamilton Township, with deputy business administrator Mark Murranko stepping up into the interim position until a permanent business administrator is hired, Mayor Jeff Martin announced.

Martin said a permanent business administrator has been identified, but a start date is on hold during the current Covid-19 crisis, as the individual is serving in that capacity to another municipality.

“When I asked Missy to join my team as Interim Business Administrator, it was for a period of 30 days, but as she leaves us she will have served over 75 days with the township,” Martin said in a media release.

Before he worked in Hamilton, Murranko was with the New Jersey State Police for more than 30 years, retiring at the rank of major.

According to the media release, Murranko has more than a decade of experience in various leadership roles within the law enforcement agency, including serving as the commanding officer to the administrative section.

In that role, he provided oversight of administrative functions related to maintaining the daily operational needs of 4,500 employees.

Murranko has a bachelor’s degree in administration of justice and human services from Thomas Edison State College and a law degree from Rutgers University Law School.

In late February, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker announced that Balmir had accepted a role in his campaign as deputy campaign manager and political director.

Hopewell Valley The Clare Estate is setting new standards in care giving.

We offer individualized care, a daily life enrichment program and round-the-clock nursing services.

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Arts Council prescribes daily dose of art

To bring some creativity and imagination into your time at home and put some positive energy out into the world, the Hopewell Valley Arts Council has devised the “Daily Dose of Art” — ideas for small art projects to take your mind to another place (and

entertain bored kids).

“It is a ‘daily dose’ of art therapy to rejuvenate your soul and spark your creativity,” said Carol Lipson, HV Arts Council executive director.

Since March 14, HV Arts Council is posting a daily project idea on their website that one can make their own.

Each project requires everyday items and few supplies other than scissors, paper, glue, and markers or paint.

“This isn’t about making a masterpiece, it’s about having a little fun and exploring your creativity,” said Lipson. “Try to save things like cereal boxes, paper towel tubes, and bottle tops for use on future projects. And, if you don’t have something, improvise!”

The Daily Dose of Art will continue until schools are able to reopen and can be found at the Arts Council website. Follow @HVArtsCouncil on Facebook or Instagram to get Daily Dose projects right in your social media feed. Tag creations on social media #HVArtsDailyDose or email info@ hvartscouncil.org.

Lawrence

District reaches agreement with teachers

The Lawrence School District Board of Education has reached a settlement with teachers on a new fiveyear contract.

Under the new agreement, salaries will increase 3% each year of the contract with additional incentives to enhance the salary guide for staff recruitment and retention.

Extra duty positions will also see a 3% increase each year and a few additional positions were added. Other agreements were made in relation to time and training that are specific to certificated and non-certificated staff.

The Lawrence Township Education Association’s current contract is due to expire on June 30, and the new deal will run between July 1 and June 30, 2025. For the first time ever, the district and the LTEA agreed to a fiveyear contract, rather than the usual three-year agreement.

School officials started negotiations with the LTEA last November and reached an agreement in late FebruSee AROUND TOWN, Page 10

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18 BRANCHES ACROSS NEW JERSEY AND PENNSYLVANIA

May 2020 | Community News9

AROUND TOWN cont. from Page 8 ary. The LTEA ratified the settlement on March 17, and the school board voted to approve on April 1.

With approximately 580 members, the LTEA bargaining unit is the largest of three unions within Lawrence Township Public Schools.

Categories of staff within LTEA include teachers, secretaries, guidance counselors, child study team members, security monitors, nurses, librarians, office assistants, library assistants, instructional assistants, athletic trainers, custodians, cleaners and maintenance.

–Bill Sanservino

Teen organizes food drive for soup kitchen Erin Penders, a sophomore at the Pennington School and resident of Lawrence Township, recently held a food drive to help those struggling during these difficult times.

With help from her family and friends, she was able to donate $1,500 worth of food to the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen. The items were delivered on Friday.

The Trenton Area Soup Kitchen is a nonprofit organization that feeds the hungry in the Trenton area and offers programs to encourage selfsufficiency and improve the quality of life of its patrons. Even during the coronavirus pandemic, they continue to provide meals for those in need.

Anyone interested in contributing can click here.

Trenton resident Dan Fatton has also organized a fundraiser for TASK on Facebook. For more information about that, click here.

Know someone who is helping their community in amazing ways during the crisis? Email us at news@communitynews.org. People are too modest to tell us about themselves, so you will have to share their story for them!

OSHA fines Lawrence company after employee amputation BWay Corp.—doing business as Mauser Packaging Solutions— received a citation from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration for workplace safety and health hazards after an employee suffered an amputation on Sept. 26, 2019, at its Lawrence Township facility. The company faces $151,329 in penalties.

OSHA inspected the facility after being notified that an employee was cleaning a machine when the amputation occurred. The agency cited BWay Corp. for failing to use lockout/tagout procedures to protect employees from hazardous energy. OSHA cited the company for similar violations at multiple facilities between 2016 and 2019.

The company had 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s Area Director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are

10Community News | May 2020

responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance.

For more information, visit the OSHA website.

Plainsboro First reponders salute ‘heroes’ at Princeton Medical Center Police, fire and emergency services professionals from a number of area communities gathered to salute hospital workers at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center in Plainsboro on Saturday.

A long procession of police cars, fire truck and other emergency services vehicles drove past the hospital’s front entrance, while a number of hospital workers came outside and waved to them.

Participating in the salute included people dressed as super heroes who helped distribute pizza to the employees after the procession ended.

“We wanted to thank our health care workers at Penn Medicine Princeton Health by showing them that even superheroes have heroes,” said a post on Facebook by the Plainsboro Fire Company, which organized the event.

Cecilia Ferreira, who works at the hospital, expressed her appreciation in a comment. “This was so incredible!

We are completely grateful for all of you. I still tear up thinking about yesterday, and every time looking at the videos, the tears roll all over again.

Thank you all so much.”

Participants included emergency services professionals from Princeton, West Windsor, Montgomery, Hopewell, Hightstown, East Windsor, South Brunswick, North Brunswick, East Brunswick, Monroe, and Rocky Hill.

A video of the event can be viewed on the Plainsboro Fire Company’s Facebook page.

More than 20 departments who were involved including: Princeton Tower 60; Princeton Junction Tower 44; West Windsor Fire Police; West Windsor Engine 43; Hopewell SS52; N.J. State Police Aviation Bureau; and West Windsor Police.

–Bill Sanservino

Princeton

June start for energy aggregation program Princeton has come to an agreement with an electric supplier under an energy aggregation program meant to save residents costs on their utility bills.

“The Princeton Community Renewable Energy Program will provide electricity supply to residents at a lower price than offered by PSE&G, with higher renewable energy content, and with no change to the level of

service,” said a news release.

Energy aggregation allows local governments to bundle electricity accounts—such as the ones belonging to residents—in order to seek bids for cheaper energy rates. Electricity is then sold to this group of accounts together, at a bulk rate lower than one an individual customer could receive. Normally, customers of utilities like PSE&G receive electricity at a fixed rate.

Residents who do not opt out of the program by May 6 will be automatically enrolled and begin receiving electricity supply from the new supplier effective with their June 2020 meter read date.

The program was initiated in November 2019 when the town issued a request for proposals to procure affordable and clean, renewable electricity on behalf of its residents.

As a result of the request for proposals, the municipality has awarded a contract beginning in June 2020 to Constellation New Energy Inc. for energy supply to residents with 50% renewable energy and the opportunity to opt-in to a 100% renewable energy option. Prices are guaranteed for 18-months.

The awarded contract price is projected to be less than the PSE&G tariff price-to-compare on a per-kilowatt-hour basis, said the release. “Thus, all residents will receive an electricity supply with more than double the renewable energy content of the supply provided

by PSE&G (50% renewable vs 24%), at a slightly lower cost ($.13053/kWh vs.

$0.13508/kWh), and with no change to the level of service.

Eligible residents will receive a PCRE Program Notification mailer from CNE startling the middle of this month. The package includes an introductory letter from Mayor Liz Lempert, a program summary and FAQs. Also provided will be information about how to opt out of the program for those who don’t wish to participate, or how to “opt up” to the 100% renewable energy product. Residents are free to remain with PSE&G or switch to another supplier.

Residents that already have a thirdparty electricity supplier or solar will not be enrolled and can contact PCREinfo@gabelassociates.com for more information.

The PCRE program bars CNE from making unilateral changes to the contract price; require that CNE allow residents to leave the program at any time; and prohibit CNE from assessing termination fees, if and when a resident decides to opt-out of the program.

Robbinsville School board hires new superintendent

The Robbinsville Public School District has named its new superintendent.

Brian J. Betze has been selected by the school board as the new schools See AROUND TOWN, Page 13

Ewing Medical Associates, P.A. Internal Medicine

Family Practice

Eugene Ryfinski, MD

Paul Walker, DO, FAAFP Maya Mann, PA-C

Svetlana Jayson, APN

Innovating to serve the community during the COVID-19 crisis; we now offer telemedicine services in partnership with PennMedicine. Have your medical appointment from the comfort of your home with our professional medical staff. Don’t ignore your health during this critical time. Call today for more information or to make an appointment.

Our office hours are Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm 1539 Pennington Road Ewing, NJ 08618 www.ewingmedical.org

609-883-4124

FELTUS INSURANCE SERVICES BETH FELTUS EMPLOYEE BENEFITS SPECIALIST Specializing Small 50 Employees Licensed in NJ ·inNY · PABusinesses · KY · TN · of OH2 ·- WV · GA · LA · IN Phone (609) 393-1556 • Fax Email Beth@BethFeltus.com (609) 393-1556 O. (877) (609)393-0996 233-4113• C. (609) 498 7900 F. 104 Jackson St., Trenton, NJ 08611 Email Beth@BethFeltus.com www.bethfeltus.com www.BETHFELTUS.com

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THETRENTONFARMERSMARKET.COM May 2020 | Community News11

A Message from our

PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Al Maghazehe, PhD, FACHE ∙ President and CEO, Capital Health Samuel J. Plumeri, Jr. ∙ Chairman, Capital Healthcare Corporation Board of Trustees

Colleagues, National Doctors Day is an annual event that reminds us to recognize the physicians in our lives and express our gratitude for the amazing work they do every day. We all know that a career in health care is demanding during the best of times, but as we move past Doctors Day 2020 and confront the unprecedented health crisis we find ourselves in, it’s important to recognize all of our health care workers on the front lines.

Health care professionals here at Capital Health and everywhere are facing incredible challenges in dealing directly with the COVID-19 outbreak. And while those challenges are certainly daunting, the critical services that are part of the everyday work of health care still need to be provided. Through it all, our team is digging deep and doing whatever it takes to care for our patients and families and keep our community safe and well.

There’s an old saying that tells us our true nature is revealed in times of adversity, and the response we’re seeing from our health care workers throughout Capital Health during this crisis confirms what we already knew. Your professionalism and expertise are unmatched and your devotion to our patients and the community we serve is limitless. On behalf of Capital Health’s senior leadership and board of directors, as well as our community, thank you for your heroic efforts as we work through this crisis and beyond.

Stay safe!

Sincerely,

Al Maghazehe, PhD, FACHE President & CEO

Samuel J. Plumeri, Jr. Chair, Capital Healthcare Corporation Board of Directors

Capital Health has established the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. This fund will assist Capital Health in responding to the ever-evolving landscape of our health care system while providing exceptional and compassion care in a time of unprecedented challenge.

To make your gift to the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, call 609.303.4121 to speak with a staff member of Capital Health’s Development Office. Email inquiries may be sent to donate@capitalhealth.org.

12Community News | May 2020

AROUND TOWN cont. from Page 11 chief and will start in the position effective July 1. Betze is currently the superintendent of Jamesburg Public Schools.

Betze succeeds superintendent Kathie Foster, who is retiring.

Betze’s hiring comes almost four years after the tragic death of superintendent Steve Mayer, who was killed in April 2019 when he was struck by a car driven by a Robbinsville High School student.

Betze grew up in a working-class family in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and developed his love of learning and passion for public education from his parents who instilled in him the importance of a quality education as well as the benefits of life-long learning. After graduating from Freedom High School, Betze attended Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in education.

As an educator for more than 35, he started his career in education as a high school art, ceramics and photography teacher at Freedom High School in Bethlehem before moving to New Jersey.

He first taught middle school art in Linwood in Atlantic County, coached a three-year undefeated soccer team and earned the distinction of Teacher of the Year. After earning his Master of Arts in Educational Supervision and Leadership from Rowan University, he then moved into the role of administration having served as the district’s supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction and Special Education.

Betze’s became the principal of the Indian Mills Memorial School in Shamong and then principal of the Carusi Middle School in Cherry Hill.

Betze brings to Robbinsville more than 15 years of experience as a superintendent having led the Berlin Township, Moorestown and, most recently, the Jamesburg school districts.

He also serves on the board of directors of the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey and on the leadership team of the Middlesex County Association of School Administrators.

On a personal note, Betze’s son is a sophomore at Rochester Institute of Technology and his daughter is a recent graduate of Rowan College at Burlington County. As an avid sports enthusiast, as well as a diehard fan of the Miami Dolphins and New York Mets, he has played and coached soccer all his life and says he still enjoys playing every Sunday in the South Jersey Men’s Soccer League.

In his spare time, Betze enjoys oil painting, reading, traveling, cooking and is a certified SCUBA diver.

Man charged with coughing at police Robbinsville Police arrested a Hamilton Township man April 11 after he allegedly coughed at officers during a drunk driving arrest.

Authorities said that Miles Costabile, 21, was found to be intoxicated after an accident where he drove his

car off the road and crashed into a fence.

While being processed at police headquarters, he allegedly coughed at officers and stated that he had COVID-19, said a news release from the state Attorney General’s Office.

Costabile was charged with seconddegree terroristic threats and DWI. “The vast majority of New Jerseyans are doing the right thing by following the emergency orders. As for the few violators, we will continue to hold them accountable with strong enforcement efforts,” state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said.

Violations of the governor’s emergency orders regarding the COVID-19 crisis constitute a disorderly persons offense carrying a potential sentence of up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. However, violators can potentially face criminal charges including second, third, and fourth degree indictable offenses.

Costabile’s charge of making terroristic threats during a state of emergency carries a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000, if convicted.

Third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000, while fourth-degree charges carry a sentence of up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Grewal asks that anyone who sees someone violating the governor’s emergency orders in their town to contact their local police department or report it at covid19.nj.gov/violation.

–Bill Sanservino

A Guide to Our Virtual Kitchen & Bath Design Process

Trenton

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Capacity at St. Francis Medical Center expanded St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton is one of three New Jersey medical facilities whose capacities were expanded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Philadelphia District as part of the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Construction to convert portions of St. Francis Medical Center into a 37-bed facility began April 14 after a contract was awarded the day prior to Sand Point Services, LLC. “Hospital capacity everywhere is a major concern as the COVID-19 crisis rages on, and these additional beds will greatly benefit Mercer County and the region,” County Executive Brian M. Hughes said. “We thank the Army Corps, FEMA and the State of New Jersey for planning and coordinating this project.”

USACE Philadelphia District is providing planning, engineering, contracting and construction management support to the State of New Jersey and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to address possible medical facility shortages due to COVID-19. The mission is part of a nationwide federal, state and local effort to respond to the public health emergency.

See AROUND TOWN, Page 14

As we are all working from home together, this may be good time to virtually plan out your upcoming kitchen or bath projects.

You’d be surprised how much you can accomplish working remotely with one of our design professionals.

Start with a Project “To Do” List You’ve been watching the home improvement shows, looking at magazines and doing some research online. You may even have put together an inspiration file of all the things you would love to have in your new kitchen or bathroom.

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First, make a list of what to change in your kitchen or bath area.

Following is a brief checklist of what to consider: • Working with a new or existing floor plan?

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Try to have some idea of cabinetry and countertop choices, even though this is not something you need to finalize before talking with a design professional.

What Can Our Design Pros Do For You? Once you’ve done your research, you are ready to complete our brief questionnaire. Upon receiving your information, one of our experienced designers will contact you to discuss your ideas and wishes. Next, a design concept is created for your space and we’ll also give you an estimate range of what your project may cost. We look forward to helping you get started on your project.

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May 2020 | Community News13

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West Windsor

Teen arrested for coughing on woman A Trenton teen was arrested by West Windsor Police on April 3 after purposely coughing on a woman during a verbal altercation at Wegmans in the Nassau Park Shopping Center in West Windsor on April 3. The 16-yearold female was charged with harassment and obstruction of justice.

Police said that the victim, a 52-yearold woman from Monmouth Junction, was in the checkout line at about 12:23 p.m. and asked the teen, who was in back of her in line, to move away from her because she was too close.

The girl did not comply and responded with an attitude, police said. She then removed the face mask she was wearing and coughed at the victim.

Meanwhile, Officer Carlos Abade, who was working a security detail outside the store, was approached by an employee who informed him about what was happening.

The officer went into the store and met with the victim, and then spoke with the teen and her 36-year-old mother.

According to Officer Abade, the mother indicated that they were working for the Instacart grocery delivery service and waiting to pay for the grocery order. The mother said that while

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in line, she switched places with her daughter so they would not block the aisle behind them.

The mother claimed that the victim began swinging her arm in their direction and told her daughter that she was too close to her. The mother and her daughter claimed they had been behind their designated lines during the verbal altercation and not near the victim.

The mother continued the verbal exchange with the victim because she didn’t want the victim speaking to her daughter in the manner she was.

An employee who had witnessed the incident told Officer Abade that the girl was standing in front of her cart and was not an appropriate distance from the victim.

He verified that while the three were arguing, the teen pulled her face mask down, walked closer to the victim and coughed towards the victim.

She then told the victim that she had coronavirus.

Det. Sgt. Jeffrey Lai who had responded to the scene, took over the investigation, at which point the teen became difficult and uncooperative.

He signed juvenile petitions against the 16-year-old for harassment and obstruction of justice pending a future Mercer County Family Court appearance.

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Census 2020: It’s not too late to be counted Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Census completion date has been extended to October 31, 2020. Please take the time to fill out your form now. It is important everyone in your household is counted, even infants, relatives, and/or roommates.

For the next 10 years, our voice in Washington D.C.will be determined by our response to the Census. The number of seats a State has in the U.S. House of Representatives is determined

by Census population data. New Jersey can gain or lose representation in Washington D.C. based on the number of people who take the time to fill out their Census forms.

More than $1.5 trillion in federal funding to state and local governments is parceled out based on Census data. By answering the Census, you help bring dollars to Mercer County for healthcare, schools, food assistance, public transit, child care, business development, children with special needs, and senior programs.

Mercer County convened a powerhouse team focused on promoting the Census and reaching out to the under-counted populations. This Census Campaign is led by Terry West, of Mercer County’s Office of Community Affairs at the direction and support of County Executive Brian M. Hughes and the County’s proactive Freeholders.

“An accurate Census count is extremely important, Mr. Hughes said. “It can bring millions of dollars to the County for vital services such as health care, first responders, and emergency planning to make our community safer.”

No matter how you respond — online, by phone, or by mail — your responses are important and confidential. Your responses to the 2020 Census are safe, secure, and protected by federal law.

As we all stay home and to make our community safe, responding to the Census is another way to do your part and help keep your community strong. “Please continue to be safe and take the time to complete the 2020 Census, requested County Executive Hughes.”

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May 2020 | Community News15

Stories and images from quarantine

By Heather Raub

During the week of March 16, many businesses were shutting down and local families were let go from their jobs indefinitely. I desperately wanted to know how everyone was adjusting to the new way of living.

My background is in anthropology and documentary photography, and I wanted to record what was happening on the local level. I saw an international post on Instagram, about a photographer capturing drone shots of families in their homes (with permission), and I knew I wanted to do the same thing, but on the ground.

Photographers around the country started photographing families at their homes, either in their doorway or through their windows. I put out a Facebook call for people interested in the Mercer/Bucks County areas to be photographed safely, using a telephoto lens and plenty of distance, and contributing their stories of staying home.

The original plan was to compile the images and stories for social media.

Many of the families wanted to give something back, and at the suggestion of a friend, I decided to open contributions to HomeFront, who desperately need assistance.

The Petura family. (Photo by Heather Raub/Front Room Images.)

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ing more would put them further behind. So far, we have raised $1,485 for HomeFront.

In the coming weeks, I am hoping to capture some of HomeFront’s families to show the adjustments they have made.

With 20 families and growing, I will be working on making this into a photo book as a reflection of this time in history.

Five weeks into the project, I have learned a lot about the creativity and resiliency of families. I am aware that today’s families run around from one activity to the next, and complain that there is never enough time to be still long enough to enjoy each other.

With this new adjustment, and added stress in some cases, people have found a way to get closer to one another, even if that means creating new physical boundaries in the home.

There are more meals at the table, and greater effort to find new forms of

entertainment.

I have also seen the kindness and altruistic nature of people in our communities as they are contributing to organizations, such as HomeFront, in search of ways to make a difference and help out.

As soon as I made the announcement regarding donations to HomeFront, multiple families that I documented decided to contribute, quickly bringing in $400 in the first few hours.

Something truly interesting to me is the observation of how a person’s home can affect their perspective. A family living in a small condo with no yard has a very different perspective than a family with a yard and a large porch.

A family of seven in a smaller home can cope differently than a family of two on multiple acres of land. On one hand, the larger family has to navigate multiple personalities and moods on a regular basis, but they also have a greater community within the home for support and company. The family of two may have greater feelings of isolation on a larger property.

I am still looking for more people and families to photograph as part of this project. Participants have the freedom to add props if they like, such as games they are playing, pajamas and sweats they’ve been wearing for weeks, or just themselves as a family.

It has been interesting to read each person’s and each family’s story, but it is clear they all express the same hopeful outlook to keeping a slower pace when this is over.

What follows are the stories of the families I’ve photographed, in their own words.

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The Crawford family. (Photo by Heather Raub/Front Room Images.) ferent ways.

Aside from doing online learning, they have had to overcome the obstacle of being in what we consider a very small house for a family this size.

You know, the house that we swore we would be out of in just a couple of years. And now it is 12 years later.

There has been a lot of fighting over space, trying to figure out who is going to do each meeting where, battling for attention from me, Mom. There have been many tears, tantrums, and even the breakdown that resulted in throwing things over the past two weeks.

One of my children just started “seeing” a therapist to try and process his emotions on what is happening.

On the flip side though, there have been many hugs and apologies and talks that we might not have had the time to do before.

What we didn’t realize through all this anguish was the positivity that came with all of that as well. There has been a bond, a solid pact if you will, that has grown between all of us. One of my kids who struggled this school year with emotions has really blossomed and become a much calmer and easier person to live with.

The relationships among us have become stronger and more loving.

The silliness that I once saw when they were little has returned. The acceptance and understanding of one another’s emotions has grown exponentially. We have become a family unit again. One whole fighting this crazy thing called corona.

We try to get out as much as possible. The air and sun help us a lot.

We play basketball, ride bikes, and the kids even made up a silly game on roller skates called Grandma (think they miss her?).

Being outside together really helps.

On rainy days, we get in the car and play Pokemon Go. Anything to get out of the house. We have been on birthday drive bys and have gone to “visit” our friends from the curb. As it should be though, our main place for hanging out is our house.

As you can see in the pictures, the dining room is our place. Our one stop for e-learning, mom hugs, questions, tears, laughter and togetherness. It is the place where we come together as a family and (sometimes barely) make it through the day.

It is not always easy but as long as we are together, I know that we will all be OK.

Jarret Crawford and family, Hopewell Heather Raub: Documenting this family was entertaining, as the boys provided a lot of energy all around. As a family, they have found time to play frisbee in the yard, catch up on the tv series Lost, and play card and board games.

But amongst this time together, they are also trying to carve out some time for themselves within the home.

Retreating to the music or craft room, or to their individual bedrooms, they find moments to decompress.

“Life has been about trying to find routines when our typical ones have been so disrupted,” Jarret Crawford said.

Life outside the house can be quite different according to the father.

“Everything is so surreal,” he said.

“I’m finding myself feeling very guilty as we are all safe and ok (and) financially secure. While so many others aren’t. I’m worried for others around the country and the world. And how difficult these times can or might be.”

See SLICES, Page 18

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Jim Boatwright and Patrice Coleman-Boatwright (above).

SLICES continued from Page 17 As a psychology professor at a local college, he is tr ying to provide students with a sense of normalcy, and has reduced his expectations, but keeps up his communication with them through video chats and emails.

Patrice ColemanBoatwright and Jim Boatwright, Ewing Patrice Coleman-Boatwright: It’s times like these that make us pause; times like this that encourage us to welcome all the memories and the blessings we’ve received over the years.

As kids growing up in NYC, we always had the comfort and security of neighborhoods filled with row homes and apartments with a “front stoop.”

The front stoop was where we

gathered (under the watchful eyes of adults), where big decisions were made (like who’s gonna ask for money for the ice cream truck), where we laughed, played, and watched the world go by.

So, it is only natural for us native New Yorkers to be drawn to that safe space again—our own front stoop— during this pandemic.

The pandemic is our reality now. In the blink of an eye, our lives and our community have forever changed.

There has been enormous loss, yet there is also more compassion evident.

From the vantage point of our front stoop, we now look at neighbors to whom we have absently waved for 20 years, and we feel differently about them.

There are more “hellos”, but they’re coupled with a genuine, “so how are you doing today?” Somehow (and at last) there is more of a reason to be concerned for one another, to offer help and a caring word as we find our collective footing again.

Heather MacNew, Edwing Medina and family, Ewing

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Heather McNew: During this time of COVID-19, I find myself with mixed emotions. As I sit down at my kitchen table to start my workday in what has become the “new normal,” I worry about what lies ahead for our family.

While I am fortunate to have the opportunity to work from home during this time, my husband is not, as he is a physician at a local hospital.

Although we have adopted a rigorous decontamination routine for each time he comes home from work, it is still quite nervewracking.

This is magnified by the fact that we have an 18-month-old daughter and I am 7-months pregnant.

There are times when I find myself The Edwing Medina, Laia Medina and Heather MacNew. (Photos by Heather frustrated that I cannot go out or meet with friends whom I have not seen for Raub/Front Room Images.)

Life isisunpredictable.

Life is unpredictable.

Life unpredictable.

Life is unpredictable.

The Brady family. (Photos by Heather Raub/Front Room Images.) some time.

In light of the uncertainties this new disease has brought upon our world, I must remind myself just how lucky we are to have our family, our health, and our livelihood.

Alex and Ryan Brady and family, Lawrence Alex Bradley: Ryan has been working full time from home, which has been nice because even though he is working, the girls love running into his office all day and saying hi.

He commutes to Philly so they only see him from 7-8 p.m. regularly, so this time has actually been beneficial to building their father/daughter relationships.

The Brady family. (Photo by Heather Raub/Front Room Images.)

During the day, it’s been mostly me and the girls plus our dog Callie playing outside. The girls love going for walks in the wagon, and even take turns holding Callie’s leash.

I’ve been a stay-at-home mom since

my second was born, so for us, this is normal, except we are so used to being on the go to different play dates and activities so that has been the most challenging (finding a way to entertain them just me). But we make it work!

The girls are at such fun ages. They run and fall and crack up and repeat.

The laughter is contagious. It reminds Ryan and I that our girls won’t remember this crazy unprecedented time, being home just us, but we will, and it has been so special.

Kids have a magical innocence about them. They find beauty in almost everything. I feel that we as parents have been learning more from them over the last 6 weeks. We are letting them be kids more. Make the big mess, we have all the time in the world to clean it up. And that has made our laughter grow as well.

I hope this story is helpful. We are trying to be more like the girls. More carefree, in a time where we have to be so careful.

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All inand an area known for in its wealth SLICES continued from Page 19 of cultural offerings, Twp., recreational opportunities, dining and shopping.

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Victor Medina and family, Pennington

Victor Medina: The need to quarantine hit our family hard and fast.

The two oldest boys were with their The purpose of this advertisement is to solicit non-binding reservations. The non-binding reservation is not a contract and may be cancelled by the prospective purchaser at any time, without cause. Any money paid to the developer shall be refunded to the prospective purchaser upon request grandparents in Puerto Rico, and all and cancellation of the non-binding reservation. The actual salesprice for each specific Duplex or Townhome will be based upon a number of factors including, but not limited to, the location and dimensions of the Duplex or Townhome, and the specific choices made by each prospective purchaser for interior • Clubhouse with pool four had to come home early flying finishes. *Pre-construction pricing means that prices are likely to increase once construction of the project commences. through JFK airport. They got picked ©2019 Sharbell Development Corp. Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. up, driven to their apartment in NYC * to grab clothes, medicine and other 45_VintageHamilton_7.indd 1 2275 Kuser Road, Hamilton, NJ 08690 11/20/19 3:32 PM supplies before continuing on to quar2275 10am Kuser–Road, Hamilton, NJ 08690 Friday –Tuesday: 5pm, Closed Wednesday and Thursday antine in Pennington.

The living and working arrangeFriday –Tuesday: 11am NJ – 5pm, 2275 Kuser Road, Hamilton, 08690 ments need to accommodate three Closed Wednesday Thursday and Thursday distance-learning students and one day –Tuesday: 10am –Road, 5pm, Closedand Wednesday 2275 Kuser Hamilton, NJ 08690 full-time working parent—the other Friday –Tuesday: 10am – 5pm, Closed Wednesday and Thursday parent has an estate planning law firm in the borough, and owns the building The purpose of this advertisement is to solicit non-binding reservations. The non-binding reservation is not a contract and may be cancelled by the prospective purchaser at any time, without cause. Any money paid to the developer shall be refunded to the prospective purchaser upon request where the office is located and can disd cancellation of the non-binding reservation. The actual salesprice for each specific Duplex or Townhome will be based upon a number of factors including, but not limited to, the location and dimensions of the Duplex or Townhome, and the specific choices made by each prospective purchaser for interiorappear for most of the day. finishes. *Pre-construction pricing means that prices are likely to increase once construction of the project commences.

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20Community News | May 2020

other situation.

There won’t be a return to the old “normal.” What life becomes will look more like what we’re doing now than what we were doing before. The only way to come through it successfully is to acknowledge the things we can’t control, and express gratitude for the gifts this change has presented.

Brian and Alyson Emmer and family, Pennington Alyson Emmer: As you may have guessed, we are big into interacting with people and running around, which we miss so much. This new, hopefully shorter term “normal” has forced us to slow down and stop ice hockey lessons, practices, and games, working a lot, and nonstop doing.

Although it is nerve wracking and difficult with so much uncertainty and distanced interaction with others, we are trying to do what we can to enjoy the time with each other and learn from and with each other.

Here are some things we have been doing: a ton of crafts, a daily 1 p.m. craft with an art studio on Facebook Live, listening to authors read, snuggling and playing with our dog, Toby Lane (thank goodness we have her), cooking, cleaning and major disinfecting, loads of walks, nightly supply drop offs at my mom’s/mema’s front door, movies, board games (we tried twice and we still really dislike Monopoly Cheater’s Edition), Facetiming family and friends, and playing dress as a category competitions with a group of friends on Facetime.

Brian and I try to work out as much as possible and when motivated, and we are so grateful to have our Peloton.

I try to stay away from too much news because it makes me nervous and I worry too much.

I am trying to find a balance of knowing enough to know what’s going on, but not knowing enough to continuously worry and live in fear rather than doing my best to be present in this time and love on my family.

I still can’t believe this is real and that this moment in time will be a

E Y LAK LIBERT MP CA E DAY

E! CTRONIC FRE

The Emmer family. (Photo by Heather Raub/Front Room Images.) major moment people hundreds of years from now will talk and read about.

Heather Raub: Alyson’s mother, Christine lives down the street and usually sees her grandkids two times a day. She misses them as she cannot leave her house, but they will stand on the sidewalk to say hi, or chat through digital means.

Erin Cahill Wetzel and family, Hamilton Erin Cahill Wetzel: Life is tough being confined right now. We have four kids ages 5 and under, including a one month old. It’s been hard to have any routine right now. We miss family and friends who can help us with the baby and even see her. Our oldest was in kindergarten and loved it so it’s disappointing to have him likely

finish out the year homeschooled. We were constantly out doing things with our kids so this quarantine has been particularly hard given how much we were always doing with our kids.

I fear things won’t be normal for a long time, and I worry about all the experiences my kids will miss out on because of what the new normal will be. I worry about being able to go anywhere with our new daughter or kids because it will take so long for things to be normal and safe. Positive moments is learning to check in more with family and friends. Also feel like if we can get through this, we can get through anything. I am hopeful things can return to normal sooner than expected.

Heather Raub is a Ewing-based photographer. For more information, go online to frontroomimages.com, email heather@frontroomimages.com or call

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HomeFront’s annual run/walk will be virtual this year The race is still on! A local charity has decided that it will hold its annual summer run/walk fundraiser despite the ongoing pandemic. But there should be no worries about the participants maintaining a safe distance from each other—this event race will be be virtual.

HomeFront’s Virtual Run/Walk for Hope on Sunday, June 7, will feature multiple ways for people to separately and communally support the charity’s cause. Distance options include 10K ($30 donation), 5K ($30), one mile ($20), or a dog walk ($20). People can participate by running or walking through their neighborhoods, park paths, or even inside their homes on treadmills.

HomeFront, based in Lawrence Township, provides a multitude of services to families that are are battling poverty, suffering from homelessness, or are at risk of being homelessness. It also has a family campus in Ewing.

The proceeds from the annual 5K go to support HomeFront’s Joy, Hopes & Dreams program, which benefits some 400 local kids. Almost 1,000 people participated last year’s event— HomeFront’s Rock & Roll for Hope 5K and one-mile run/walk.

“The point of the program is to give local children in need the opportunities and nurturing and educational

support and mentoring that they might not receive otherwise,” said Suki Wasserman, HomeFront community engagement coordinator.

Many families in need have multiple kids involved with HomeFront’s programs. For example, the mother of one family, who has four boys between the ages of 7 and 13 involved, told Wasserman that it’s not safe in her neighborhood for the kids to play anywhere but their own yard. HomeFront opens their world to opportunities they wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise.

Activities include ice skating, academic enrichment, going to the movie theater or the beach, sports leagues, art classes and an eight-week summer camp.

The run/walk event will help raise funds so HomeFront can continue to offer the opportunity to help out the community while getting participants outside and enjoying the outdoors at a safe distance from others.

Participants can go to HomeFront’s Facebook event page to share their involvement ahead of time to show friends, family and neighbors they are helping out. By forming virtual teams, inviting others and using word of mouth to help spread that the run will go on as planned, HomeFront hopes this year will be a similar shared experience.

By turning the run/walk into a virtual experience in order to satisfy social distancing recommendations, HomeFront has worked to help ensure the community feel of the event is still felt.

“There are a lot of people stuck at home who don’t know how to help, and this is a really, really great way for people to show support and help raise money for a good cause,” said Daniel Brox, principal of ZS Associates, one of the run’s corporate sponsors.

ZS, a global professional services firm based in Princeton, has organized the biggest team participating in

Dharam Mann, MD

Manjula Singh, MD

Samir Jani, MD,MPH

By Nicole Viviano

Participants wear the official t-shirt from HomeFront’s 2019 run/walk.

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the run for the last two years.

The company’s community outreach arm, ZS Cares, which promotes involvement in corporate social responsibility initiatives, decided to pick a local organization to build a relationship with and opted to partner with HomeFront a few years ago.

“Ultimately, we landed on HomeFront because we felt that they had both an amazing purpose, as well as a proven track record of delivering services that helps people in crisis, but also helps address the underlying issues that result in homelessness and poverty,” said Brox, a long-time Princeton resident.

For this year’s virtual run, Brox said that he feels they should be able to increase their involvement as more people, who normally commute to the Princeton area for instance, can participate more easily.

Incorporating a range that goes from 10K runners who may be preparing for a postponed marathon all the way down to those walking their neighborhoods with their dogs allows for a wider range of involvement in the community.

Another way the charity plans to make people feel included in the collective goal is by sending out running bibs indicating their participation in the virtual run.

The run has been an initiative at HomeFront for nearly 12 years, with

Sarah Choxi, MD

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the “rock and roll” part being added in over the last couple years. Music played a big part in the past, with local bands stationed along the physical course to motivate runners and bring yet another sense of community participation to the event.

This year, HomeFront’s run will continue to feature local musical talent but in a different way.

Jesse Neuman and Andrew Zielinski are two members of the volunteerbased committee that helps organize the annual run. They are also members of a local band called THE HIVE. Both are usually in charge of communicating with the musical acts involved in the event. This year they are working to collect recorded material from bands who are primarily from the Princeton, Hopewell, Pennington, Montgomery, West Windsor and Philadelphia areas.

Neuman and Zielinski are also working towards piecing together a playlist for participants to download.

“They could theoretically be listening to that as they’re doing the run to try to help create a little bit of a sense of community,” said Neuman, a resident of Hopewell.

Last year they coordinated bands to show up on the day of the race to play, but this year their task is a little different.

“We want to do our best effort to replicate the real life feeling that we had last year of the live bands, so we figured having a playlist would give us our best shot at doing so,” Montgom-

ery resident Zielinski said.

THE HIVE consists of adults and high school students and has performed for HomeFront families and kids before, unrelated to the annual run. This will now mark Neuman’s and Zielinski’s second year of involvement on the run/walk committee.

Ending on a musical note, runners and walkers are asked to upload a video of themselves singing Queen’s “We are the Champions” at the end of their participation, and they can take a picture of themselves and post it to the Facebook event page. The hope is to later create a compilation video of everyone singing to share with the kids in the HomeFront children’s program.

Although prizes for time won’t be given out this year, there will be fun and unique winnings for different achievements.

For example, the largest virtual team will receive a free concert by THE HIVE after the COVID-19 crisis has passed, and for top fundraising, participants will have the opportunity to win a lunch at The Cheesecake Factory with HomeFront founder Connie Mercer.

“HomeFront is a really amazing place,” Neuman said. “None of us want to think about homelessness but it’s a real thing and it happens.”

To find out more about HomeFront’s charitable work and to sign up to participate in the Virtual Run/Walk for Hope visit, HomeFrontNJ.org or its official registration site. Registration is open through the June 7 event date.

COVID-19

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If you are in need of childcare we are accepting new enrollments at this time.

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Helping Bordentown businesses stay strong Coming up with #BordentownStrong, she wanted to see if it could be used to benefit the other local businesses in town.

Collins originally approached Desai, a Bordentown City resident, early on about her idea to help out local business. Both Collins and McEwan volunteer for the Bordentown City Creative Team, while Desai is co-chair.

The creative team strives to increase the creative potential in a community by supporting local business, stimulating job growth and forming a network of artists. Despite the trio’s common relationship to the creative team in the city, they said they all feel that their #BordentownStrong efforts should help all those in the city and township areas.

“We all feel like the city and township should be working together as one, and we should be supporting residents that live in the township because they are the ones that patronize our downtown,” Desai said.

Desai’s professional background in marketing and business development—and her feeling that her job isn’t fully accomplished without a sense of community—made for a perfect logistical addition to the #BordentownStrong initiative.

“I grew up in a small business family,” Desai said. “I owned a small business in Toms River, so I know pretty intimately what this kind of crisis can do to a small business.”

Although the three Bordentown residents are involved in the Bordentown City Creative Team, the team remains a purely promotional arm—sharing information on social media about #BordentownStrong and pointing people with questions to the startup.

“They wanted to do something to help,” said McEwan, a Bordentown

By Nicole Viviano

A group of local residents passionate about small business interests have banded together to form the #BordentownStrong effort to raise funds for business owners and their employees in the city and township areas that have been affected by the onset of the Covid-19 crisis.

Many small business owners were forced to close their doors while others have greatly altered their operations to cater to the needs of their customers during this time and manage to stay afloat.

Bordentown City resident and native Rebecca Collins first came up with the idea to use her ability as a maker to help small businesses while giving people something in return. By recruiting the help of local business owner, Sarah McEwan, and co-chair of the Bordentown City Creative Team, Sruti Desai, her idea was cultivated into action.

By selling signs, t-shirts and tote bags featuring the #BordentownStrong logo, the trio donates a portion of the proceeds per item towards the GoFundMe page they created on March 30.

The current breakdown of donated percentages are: 30% of the purchase price for the signs and t-shirts and 40% of the tote bags. This allows for the makers’ costs to be covered and a significant donation to the fund.

As a local maker, Collins’ business, Carson Re-Creations features her Bordentown inspired designs on things like signs, pillows and glassware.

With additions of the 08505 ZIP code, the name Bordentown or city history somehow incorporated, Collins has been spreading Bordentown pride well before the coronavirus outbreak.

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Andi and Nicki Sano of Bordentown City show off the #BordentownStrong sign being sold for $20 to benefit area businesses impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

City native, about Desai and Collins reaching out to her about the initiative.

For #BordentownStrong, the tote bags ($12) are being produced in house by McEwan while Collins makes the signs ($20), with the enlisted of her parents, who live in town, and a neighbor. The t-shirts ($20)are a recent addition and can be pre-ordered at this time.

Jamie Clugsten, owner of Always In Stitches on Farnsworth Avenue, was asked by the trio to help by contributing t-shirts that she can screen print.

Clugsten had just opened her store about a month prior to the COVID19 outbreak and said he enjoys getting involved with community-driven initiatives. Some may think a t-shirt can’t help, but so many events—such as fundraisers or group activities— will have coordinating shirts to unify a cause. The current situation local Bordentown business is in, is no exception.

“My feeling is we’re all feeling the crunch, but I think if we all shoulder the burden a little bit, it’s a little bit lighter of a load. That’s my thought on it,” Clugsten said. “Everybody’s feeling it but we all still have to contribute.”

Moving forward, the group is hoping to work with other local small business owners and add some different products to their project.

“That’s another part of this, trying to keep the makers who are working doing something,” McEwan said.

As of the beginning of April, more than $1,200 has been raised on the #BordentownStrong GoFundMe from direct donations and product sales.

“I think it’s amazing just that people want to support,” Collins said. “People love the Bordentown community and they want to support it at all costs if they can.”

By using social media and McEwan’s local business’s website to organize the #BordentownStrong into a functioning outfit, the group seeks to help out as many businesses as possible, even if it’s in a small way.

McEwan’s Bordentown business,

Mimosa Goods on Farnsworth Avenue normally has a studio space for classes and workshops while also selling and representing local makers and artists’ products in the store—including those from Carson Re-Creations.

Mimosa Goods has moved completely online due to the current situation and features a specially made page on its site for #BordentownStrong product sales and a financial relief form for businesses in need.

Product sales for #BordentownStrong are made through the Mimosa Goods site, cleared through the business’s bank account and added to the GoFundMe page under a “Mimosa Goods” title.

The Google form is for small local business owners, employees of local business, or independent contractors or gig workers affiliated with a local business who are experiencing financial hardships.

The form asks for business information including a monetary request and reason for the request, such as operational bills, personal costs or utilities.

Currently the form is only featured on the dedicated Mimosa Goods webpage. Once a comprehensive contact list for local businesses is formed, which is being worked on by a town committee, the group intends to send it out to those in need.

Requests will be reviewed only by the three members of #BordentownStrong. Requests from $0 to $500 are allowed by the form, although it is clearly stated that the full amount requested may not be met depending on how much funding the group has at that time.

To protect the privacy of those who request funds, the amount gifted will be recorded on the official GoFundMe page but the name of the business or individual will only be known by the trio.

“It’s not a ton of money, but maybe it will pay your phone bill, maybe it will pay your electric bill for that month,” Collins said.

As of yet, no funds have been distributed. The plan is to withdraw needed funds from the GoFundMe account and privately deliver it via check or PayPal. “As a business owner, we have a tremendous amount of local pride and it’s been really amazing to see people not only want to help and give a donation but just to have a sense of community unity that we’re all in this together and that we’re supporting each other,” McEwan said. “So to have the hashtag, I hope that we can keep it going and continue to use these kinds of products to donate back to community efforts even when this is over.”

To view and purchase products to donate to the #BordentownStrong cause and/or fill out a #BordentownStrong Financial Relief Form visit the specially dedicated webpage on Mimosa Goods website at www.mimosagoods.com.

For a current list of funds and donations for #BordentownStrong visit the dedicated GoFundMe page at gofundme.com/f/bordentown-strong.

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Together, we can get through this.

Lift the hearts and minds of Hamilton residents by demonstrating how much HOPE can be created through moments of kindness, gratitude, and compassion.

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton and Shop Hamilton have partnered with Hamilton Township to bring optimism to the community with HOPE IS IN HAMILTON.

USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO SHARE

WHAT BRINGS YOU HOPE? A message or photo of something that gives you hope.

A daily habit of sharing something that you are grateful for.

RWJUH Hamilton Our #HealthcareHeroes are working around the clock to treat COVID-19 in our communities. We're here for you, working tirelessly to attend to the most urgent healthcare needs in our community.

An act of kindness that you have witnessed or experienced in the community.

Acknowledge a community member that is a role model and should be recognized.

Offer a tip or idea on how you can be more mindful.

An outlook on something positive.

A way to help Hamilton Township community businesses.

Shop Hamilton While unable to meet through networking & events, Hamilton Township’s Small Business Community supports each other from a distance through video calls, e-mail newsletters, on social media, and by making sure to #ShopLocal.

28Community News | May 2020

To Spread the Message of Hope Share your post using the #HopeIsInHamilton and follow RWJUH Hamilton and Shop Hamilton

May 2020 | Community News29

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A pharmacy with a difference As Plainsboro Pharmacy manager Heba Macksoud explains it, her and her husband Yousry, pharmacist/owner of the pharmacy decided to do something revolutionary in 2008. “We realized back then, as Amazon began to really pick up and people were using online space as a comparative tool, that we wanted to transition from a traditional pharmacy—selling everything from cosmetics to school supplies—to one that just focused on healthcare.” They moved from Princeton Meadows to 9 Schalks Crossing Road, created a compounding room, began doing immunizations and flu shots, and focused on becoming a service-based pharmacy, tending 100% to the healthcare needs of the community.

What did that mean to the Macksouds?

“People change medicines all the time, and they don’t always remember to inform their main doctors. We act as the main point for medication management.” Heba, the pharmacy manager, and Yousry are also involved in helping patients with pain management. “There is a stigma for people who get into, say a serious accident and are in constant pain and need pain relief, and then wind up getting addicted to pain killers, which has helped create the opioid epidemic. So, we started working with therapeutic pharmaceutical levels of CBD oils and tinctures, that do not contain high levels of THC, and then work with the doctors to try to reduce the patient’s levels on opioids. They can then downgrade to other pain meds and hopefully avoid becoming more addicted.”

Focusing completely on healthcare also allows the pharmacy to become more deeply involved in helping patients in numerous other ways. “Say someone has been on statins for a long period of time.

Some people can have various side effects from being on meds for a long period of time, not realizing they have options.

We might recommend that they ask their doctor if they can switch to a different medication, an alternative where other patients have gotten more positive results and less side effects. We pass on that information to those patients.”

The elderly community is a part of their purview as well. Plainsboro Pharmacy works with several nursing homes in the area, bringing patients their meds (the pharmacy has always offered free delivery), and have become involved with insuring that the person is taking their medications correctly and on time. “Most of these medications are on automatic refill, so when a refill is ready, I might call a nurse at the nursing home and say, ‘I have a refill for this patient, should I have it dropped off tomorrow?’ The nurse tells me that the patient doesn’t yet need the refill, which I know is impossible, because it should have been used up by then.

That tells me that the patient has not been taking their meds as they should, and we can make the staff and the doctor aware to insure that does not happen again.”

The focus of healthcare at Plainsboro Pharmacy extends to education as well.

“We got rid of traditional shelving, and

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Yousry Macksoud (left) pharmacist and owner of Plainsboro Pharmacy and his wife, Heba, pharmacy manager. created shelves with wheels on them, so we can push them away to set up classes for our clients. We have people from the community come in to listen to a lecture by a doctor or other healthcare worker who might talk about better ways to take care of yourself, homeopathic medicine, or a class on healthcare insurance. And, speaking of insurance, the pharmacy also has a software program “that we can run for you in October and November (during the open enrollment period for health insurance plans) that, based on your medications, can let you know which insurance company is the better bang for your buck.”

The pharmacy is also one of the very few in the area that does its own compounding. “Let’s say you are allergic to an element in a flu shot. We can compound a specific flu shot for you without that allergic element.” Compounding regulations have become extremely strict and cost-prohibitive, so the pharmacy offers a great deal of compounding for pets, which is more affordable, for both the pharmacy and the customer. “Most vets charge three times the price of a local pharmacy. We have created, say, antibiotics for dogs that would cost $30 at the vet, that we can sell for $10.”

And finally, with the current Covid-19 epidemic, the Macksouds were ahead of the eight ball on that one too, always having gloves, hand sanitizers and masks available for sale. “We were also able to donate a lot of masks and gloves to places that needed it that not everyone thought about, like morticians. So, we donated a significant amount to them.”

Staying exclusively as a pharmacy committed to healthcare and service to the community has been the right move for the Macksouds. “I know this can sound like a cliché, but it can be tough being in the pharmacy business, dealing with the sick all the time, who are often not feeling well, or in chronic pain. Our job is to be there for them and make them feel as good as you can, even if it means finding alternatives. We feel that is the big difference between an independent pharmacy and a large chain. It is always, first and foremost, about service to the customer.”

Plainsboro Pharmacy, 9 Schalks Crossing Road. (609) 750-0101. Web: plainsboropharmacy.com. Email: plainsboropharmacy@gmail.com

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May 2020 | Community News31

Hopewell distillery bolstered by hand sanitizer

By Rob Anthes

at least you’re doing something. Your own little niche. Turn lemons into lemonade. When you’re sitting there watching the TV, you’re asking yourself, ‘What can I do? What can I do in my own little way?’”

In early April, the distillery made its first delivery of more than 2,000 bottles to Capital Health Medical Center in Hopewell, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Hamilton, Homefront in Lawrence and the county’s COVID-19 testing site in the Quakerbridge Mall parking lot.

SMS receives about 10 requests by either phone or email every day for its hand sanitizer, with hospitals and first responders snapping up all the available product.

Disch originally did not envision Sourland Mountain Spirits’ hand sanitizer being available for consumer purchase due to a shortage of materials.

The situation changed in mid-April, and the product is now available to purchase on SMS’ website, sourlandspirits.com. Pickup and home delivery are both available.

The main reason SMS didn’t ini-

‘We were ready to grow the business.

And then we got crushed.’

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tially sell to the general public was due to a shortage of the materials needed to produce hand sanitizer.

The recipe itself is simple—neutral grain spirit, aloe and hydrogen peroxide—but the sudden shift in distilleries’ production nationwide means there wasn’t enough neutral grain spirit or empty hand sanitizer bottles to go around.

Natural grain spirit is essentially the highest proof of the Everclear grain alcohol available in stores.

There are only four or five big producers of neutral grain spirit in the United States, and every distillery in the country has increased demand for the product.

There are nearly 2,000 distilleries in the United States, and that number doesn’t include large corporations, such as Anheuser-Busch, that have tried to get in on the hand sanitizer market.

The huge demand caused delays and backorders. Sourland Mountain Spirits receives a regular delivery of one 275-gallon tote of neutral grain spirit every two weeks. But its usual orders wound up being delayed, forcing SMS to the open market to find the ingredient most essential for its hand sanitizer. Disch had to purchase some at twice the price he normally pays.

One 275-gallon tote is enough to

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Three years after he sold his first bottles of vodka and gin, Ray Disch found his Sourland Mountain Spirits distillery humming along.

The Hopewell Borough-based spirits-maker had just released its two-year bourbon whiskey to much fanfare in February and had another new product—a coffee liqueur—on the way. SMS had hired sales and marketing staff, and Disch was seeing the business plan he conceived in 2014 start to bear fruit.

And then the novel coronavirus struck.

The distillery’s store behind Brick Farm Tavern has remained open, as Sourland Mountain Spirits hoped to serve people interested in their products through deliveries and call-ahead pickup. But the virus and the social distancing measures that came with it meant business began tapering off.

Consumers’ tastes shifted from smallbatch, locally sourced craft spirits to cheaper products in large quantities.

“We were doing really, really well until March hit,” Disch said. “We were ready to grow the business. And then we got crushed.”

But an email from a trade group clued Disch into an unlikely savior: hand sanitizer.

Turns out, distilleries like Sourland Mountain Spirits are uniquely positioned to meet the soaring demand for the alcohol-based hygiene product.

SMS already possessed the license needed to obtain large quantities of neutral grain alcohol, the base ingredient in vodka, gin and hand sanitizer.

The American Craft Spirits Association worked with federal and state agencies to receive approval for distilleries to switch their focus. And the team at SMS, including Disch’s son Sage, has embraced the opportunity to join the national effort against COVID-19.

In fact, SMS has stopped production of spirits entirely, and has jumped full into making hand sanitizer for the moment.

“Our team here, it would have been understandable if people said they wanted to stay at home,” Disch said.

“We have 100% of our team working to produce this product, and I can tell you, each individual feels a little bit of satisfaction and a little bit of ‘I’m contributing to the greater good.’ And I’ve never seen that before. It’s like,

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Where did you find hope today?

Sage and Ray Disch hold bottles of their distillery’s newest product: hand sanitizer. make 5,000 8-ounce bottles of hand sanitizer.

“Everything’s backordered,” Disch said at the time. “Deliveries are delayed. Some of the big boys are buying up a lot of the neutral grain spirit.

Little guys have to find alternative solutions. We basically spent [last] week, starting on Monday, three of us working almost full time just to source neutral grain spirit.”

But craft distillers have banded together in order to help out each other. The Garden State Craft Distillers group has been sharing information and resources with all its members.

Distilleries are directing potential customers to the craft distillery closest to them. For instance, a person in Princeton calling a distillery in Monmouth County would be referred to Sourland Mountain Spirits.

Each business is doing what it can to support its counterparts.

“It’s a small industry, but it’s the unified industry, and we’re all helping each other get through this,” Disch said. “People are not running all over the state trying to outdo each other or outbid each other.”

This wasn’t any clearer than when

Disch received a phone call from a former colleague at Sourland Mountain Spirits. Now at another distillery, the man had obtained an entire tanker full of neutral grain spirit.

He planned on allocating it out to individual distilleries, and wanted to know if Disch needed some. It wound up replacing the delayed delivery Sourland Mountain Spirits usually receives.

“It’s very cool to be part of a national movement of craft distillers that are really stepping up to the plate,” Sage Disch said. “A lot of people are taking a risk, even though it’s a calculated risk, of shifting production, supplies, time, energy and resources to something that’s totally new. It’s been really exciting and encouraging to see how many people want or are willing to take that risk, and to see the camaraderie of the people who are working together.”

For more information, go online to sourlandspirits.com, call (609) 333-8575 or email info@sourlandspirits.com.

Hope is in Hamilton is a social media movement to lift the hearts and minds of Hamilton Township residents – and to show the community how hope can be created through moments of kindness, gratitude and compassion.

Look for and share on social media how you have found hope today using #HopeIsInHamilton.

Visit HopeIsInHamilton.com for more information and to download a window sign.

IS IN

HAMILTON

Contact ROB ANTHES: ranthes@communitynews.org, (609) 396-1511, ext. 124, facebook.com/robanthes, twitter.com/ robanthes.

#HopeIsInHamilton

May 2020 | Community News33

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By Nicole Viviano

One of the area’s most dedicated public servants has retired. Jim Yates, director of the West Windsor Township Fire and Emergency Services Division, spent his last day on the job on March 31 after 35 years of service to the town.

Yates’ illustrious career in fire service started back in 1970 when he was in his mid-teens.

He had always been fascinated with fire engines and could be seen hanging around with firefighters, watching the trucks and cleaning up at the Lawrence Road Fire Company in Lawrence Township, where he was born and raised.

He joined the local fire company as a volunteer at age 16 where he was trained and observed the occupation up close until he was of legal age to participate at 18, per the Department of Labor standards.

It was more than just the fire trucks and workers—Yates had a desire to serve. Growing up as the oldest child in his family, he and his siblings were always involved with the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, helping the community.

Yates was a boy scout until he was 18 at which point he had been learning his craft in fire service for about two years.

“Communities have to have volunteers,” Yates said. “Communities cannot afford to have full career fire departments like they would in a big city. They rely on the volunteers to serve the community, but they have to keep them safe as well.”

At this time, Yates began to learn what he wanted out of his career. He realized he had an interest in fire safety and prevention and didn’t see himself working in a big city environment like Trenton.

Back in the 1970s and ’80s, the majority of firefighter work was volunteer based, he explained. To be paid as a firefighter they had to find their niche.

Starting his first career job at 19 at Mercer County Airport, now TrentonMercer Airport, Yates learned the ins and outs of airport security and was given the space to figure out his passion by his chief at the time.

“He really allowed younger guys that had interest to find their space,” he said.

“And I got interested in fire safety at the airport and started learning about all the things that go with airport fire safety.”

He moved onto the Naval Air Station in Lakehurst in the early ’70s and held the volunteer position of assistant chief at Lawrence Road Fire Company around the same time. He also held positions as a firefighter and fire inspector in Lawrence and then a fire marshal in Mercerville in following years.

“So these paths, the career path and the volunteer path, are different paths but they kind of weave in and out with each other for most of us who are volunteers and career firefighters,” Yates said.

In 1978 he graduated with an associate’s degree in fire science from Mercer County Community College at age 24 and went on to instruct at MCCC in the same program from 1980 to about 2018.

“Education is so important,” Yates said. “There are much more opportunities now for the young firefighters to get educated to get advanced education than there were back when I did it.”

Even though Yates has been a resident of Falls Township, Pennsylvania, for a number of years, his life has been focused around the towns he volunteered in.

“I always say that I sleep in Pennsylvania, but I live in Lawrence,” he said.

It was in 1985 when he applied for his position in West Windsor and was brought on to help the town meet regulations as part of the new state fire code being implemented.

Not sure what to expect from a town that he remembered as only farms and unclaimed space, Yates was surprised to find that since he last saw West Windsor it had sustained significant development between the 100 series of buildings in Carnegie Center and several housing developments.

He accomplished what he was hired to do relatively quickly because of the small size of the town and amount of businesses that had to be managed.

“I told them at the time, the business community, that we’re all new at this,” he said. “This is new for you, it’s new for me, so we’re all going to learn together…We’re all going to be business friendly in the enforcement of the code and try to build relationships, which we have.”

Since joining the town, Yates has seen immense growth over the past 35 years.

Some of the long-standing businesses like the Carnegie Center complex and Sarnoff Corporation have been staples in the town. But changes like the closing of American Cyanamid have always defined Yates’ role within the town in terms of fire safety practices.

“I think he’s made a huge impact,” said Yates’ daughter, Jamie Sierzputowska, who worked for West Windsor as the public health nurse in 2015 and 2016. “He basically built his entire department from himself and West Windsor, when he started, was such a small town in terms of development.

There was not nearly what it is now.

So when he started, he really built up in anticipation of what they needed and what they were going to need in the future so that they were able to be successful.”

Using his experience with West Windsor, Yates created an assignment for his MCCC courses in which his students were tasked with assessing the growth of a community and planning for it as a fire service professional. He used the growth of West Windsor as a project and planning tool.

As the town evolved and grew in

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Jim Yates with members of the West Windsor Emergency Services Department.

Pictured are Josh Jamison (left), Linda Hill, Yates, Scott Cook, Jack Zuber. different directions, so did its safety services.

In 1989, the township administrator gave more purchasing responsibilities to Yates, where he would compute the needs of the fire companies and the town’s allocated funds.

That same year the town created the Office of Emergency Services, which grouped the fire companies, volunteer first aid squad, fire code inspectors and emergency management under one umbrella.

They functioned this way until 1993 when the town’s form of government changed and the office became the Division of Emergency Services, where Yates’ role was more defined.

“It called out my duties as the manager of fire emergency services but it was all in support of the volunteer organizations,” he said. “The only difference was it said in the ordinance that any career firefighters that the township hired would report to me.”

This move supported a clear vertical authority for public employees.

As the township has grown, so has the size of the department. “The number of career firefighters have gone up, but primarily because we’ve taken on more responsibilities,” Yates said.

Whether to staff a fire truck or ambulance, or run fire inspections, the town’s Fire and Emergency Services Division has always responded to the commercial growth in the community. Mainly mission-driven hires have grown the division incrementally.

The Division of Fire and Emergency Services’ responsibilities include responding to fires, taking part in fire fighting efforts and supporting the Princeton Junction and West Windsor volunteer fire companies.

Throughout his tenure in West Windsor, Yates has seen and worked with 12 mayors and eight business administrators.

Deciding to retire was a joint decision between Yates and his wife, Ann. He has his health and realized that it was the perfect time to step away from his role. In July of 2019, Yates made the official decision and put in his letter of resignation.

“He had a lot of great opportunities to use all of the knowledge that he has in the fire service and he made so many really great friends along the way…I think he’s sort of third on the list of people who have been there the longest in the town at this point, which is quite an accomplishment, especially since people these days don’t go anywhere for employment and stay any length of time. Certainly not 35 years,” Ann Yates said.

He purposely planned to retire on his birthday, March 31, to give him ample time to prepare and train his replacement and make for a seamless transition. Yates’ replacement, Tim Lynch has been with the department for 15 years. He comes to the position holding associate’s and bachelor’s degrees, and he is completing a master’s in public administration.

“I think he’s at a place in his life where he feels like he is able to step away and the people that are in place are going to be very successful continuing on what he started,” Sierzputowska said.

Lynch started shadowing Yates in February and has attended, along with three promoted fire captains, Jon Bain, Steve Mitchell and Shannon Pope, the staff and command course through the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute at the University of Maryland.

“Their mission from me, their direction from me, was to become a team,” Yates said.

He told them, “‘You’re all going to be in this staff and command school together. You are the future of this organization.’”

Hanging up his many hats as chief, director, manager and fire marshal, Yates plans to dive into his hobby of woodworking and spending time with his two 17-month-old grandchildren.

“Our family is very proud of him for all of the things that he has accomplished and his dedication to the fire service,” Ann Yates said. “In West Windsor he was available 24/7 his whole career…It was great for him to be a part of such a growing community and he will certainly miss everybody but he is ready to move on to the next part of his life.”

In keeping with our current motto, #TRCKEEPSMOVING, we are excited to officially announce that beginning July 1st, The Rech Center for Performing Arts will move into our newly acquired space in Briarwood, located at 2452 Kuser Road in Hamilton! We are thankful for the wonderful memories made at our Buckley Plaza location over the past 16 years, and are looking forward to making many more memories in our beautiful new studio!

Since opening our doors in 2004, it has been a pleasure to connect with so many families who have trusted us with their children. As a dance instructor, I will spend over 4,000 hours with a child throughout their time as a dance student at The Rech Center, from their Creative Movement classes through graduation. To me, that is an astounding fact and something I do not take lightly. That is why I take pride in not only offering a quality dance education but also realize the importance of the life skills and lessons my students will learn during their time at The Rech Center.

The students at The Rech Center work so hard, not only on their dance technique, but also learning the importance of teamwork as they work collaboratively on recital dances. Our dancers support one another and learn how to utilize each other’s strengths and weaknesses. They also learn a sense of responsibility as they navigate budgeting their time to complete homework and participate in dance classes after school. In a world of instant gratification, our students learn the value of hard work. When they are presented with new choreography, they are able to break it down and understand the process, which ultimately produces a successful result. Our dancers learn that no one is perfect and when mistakes are made, it is an opportunity to learn and grow.

The most amazing part of this journey for me is that my original dream of owning my own dance studio had to do with being the boss, choosing the costumes and recital songs. Little did I know that those things would become the least important to me and that as a studio owner, I would learn so much more from my students. Over the years, my students have shown me to appreciate the little accomplishments along the journey, not sweat the small stuff and no matter what, the show must go on.

Without the love and support of our dancers and their families, The Rech Center would not be where it is today! Thank you for a wonderful 16 years and I look forward to continuing this journey at our new studio in Briarwood.

Visit our website or email to learn more about our TRC family! www.rechcenterdance,com / therechcenter@gmail.com

May 2020 | Community News35

RWJ and Shop Hamilton join up to lift community spirits As the world copes with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, and Shop Hamilton, a community-rooted small business association, have joined forces to bring optimism to the community with the “Hope is in Hamilton” social campaign.

Created to lift the hearts and minds of Hamilton Township residents, the goal of the campaign is to demonstrate how hope can be created through moments of kindness, gratitude and compassion.

The campaign will launch May 1 on RWJUH Hamilton and the Shop Hamilton business’ social media pages with uplifting and inspirational messages of hope paired with the hashtag #HopeIsInHamilton. In addition to the social campaign, lavender ribbons symbolizing hope will be placed around the township.

“The Hope is in Hamilton campaign is an opportunity to use positive experiences and messaging to remind people that Hamilton Township is a community that comes together despite being greatly affected

by COVID-19,” said Richard

Freeman, president and CEO of RWJUH Hamilton, “We want to shift the conversations going on in the community and the general outlook to be optimistic, positive and hopeful.”

Originally, the Hope Is In Hamilton campaign was scheduled as a communitywide month-long special event to create cancer awareness, with popup events, community gatherings and celebrations throughout the month of May. Support came from Shop Hamilton members, Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin, schools superintendent Scott Rocco, local police and fire and com-

munity residents who all were committed to turn the town lavender, the color of universal cancers.

Following the COVID-19 crisis, the campaign shifted focus. Despite the large gatherings getting canceled, the word hope became even more powerful. Hope Is In Hamilton was revitalized and reimagined to become a community social media campaign as a way of safely engaging with residents and sharing hope and encouragement throughout the township.

“Shop Hamilton is partnering with RWJUH Hamil-

ton to spread hope by asking everyone in our community to answer, ‘where did you get your hope today?’ Our goal is to show that ‘Hope is in Hamilton,’ is alive, and together we will get through this,” said Joyce Cantalice, chairwoman of Shop Hamilton.

The Hope is in Hamilton initiative aims to be a vital resource for community members looking for hope among all the negative coronavirus news.

Hamilton community members are encouraged to participate in the campaign by sharing the #HopeIsInHamilton hashtag along with their own photos, videos and social posts on how they find hope every day.

“Each day I become more impressed with all of you: our residents, businesses and township employees of our great town, as we come together, if only virtually, to support one another during COVID-19”, said Martin. “You all make me Hamilton Proud and remind me that even in times of struggle, Hope Is In Hamilton. I thank RWJ Hamilton and Shop Hamilton for partnering with the township to show that #HopeIsInHamilton.”

Hamilton residents and community members are asked to share how they “found hope today” with #HopeIsInHamilton. To follow along with the campaign and to spread the message of hope, follow RWJUH Hamilton and RWJBarnabas Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube as well as the Shop Hamilton NJ Facebook and Instagram pages.

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, serves communities within a five-county area and includes an acute care hospital, cancer center, affiliated medical group, Lakeview Child Centers and the RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center.

RWJBarnabas Health and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey—the state’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center—brings a world class team of researchers and specialists, providing close-to-home access to the latest treatment and clinical trials. For more information go to RWJBH.org/Hamilton.

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May 2020 News37 The Nutcracker 2017!

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Home schooling can extend learning opportunities

By Katy Burke

We offer classes for all fitness levels:

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Six months ago, who would have predicted that 100 percent of schoolage children would be learning from home?

Suddenly, homeschooling is on everyone’s radar. What is it? What is it not? Where do we begin?

Princeton Learning Cooperative is a small educational nonprofit organization for teens that uniquely combines homeschooling and school. We’ve been doing this for 10 years...we were supposed to be holding an anniversary party this upcoming May to celebrate and fundraise.

Largely, we want to say to the public that what is happening now is not homeschooling as we know it. Contrary to common perception, homeschoolers are generally not more isolated or cut off from resources, opportunities or interactions with peers, teachers and mentors.

In fact, the largest singular benefit to homeschooling is its potential to open up one’s education to more: more time, more options, more resources, more variety, more depth, more community involvement. PLC brings these things together by providing mentoring, a community of peers, and a robust team of volunteer teachers and tutors while allowing teens freedom to choose what, when and how they learn.

Now that we’ve gone remote, we’re still doing that.

We’re holding nearly all of our previously scheduled classes (plus some additional ones) through online conference calls. Kids are still able to talk with their friends, teachers and mentors “face-to-face” on a regular basis.

Our Nature class is going strong by viewing live cams of an eagle’s nest and baby cheetahs interacting with their mama. They’re also taking walks, laptop in hand, around the backyard and identifying plants. For fun on a Friday, we took a virtual trip to Hawaii, “hopping” from one island to the next.

As mentors, we continue to encourage kids to pursue new interests, build

A screengrab of Jillian, a Princeton Learning Cooperative student, shows off one of the baby chicks that she is raising during the lockdown as a project. their skills and develop healthy habits and routines. Some are having a harder time with the latter, especially in terms of getting regular sleep, since the days are blending together.

However, many are finding lots of new interesting things to do: painting in new mediums, sewing from scraps in the house, lots of cooking and baking, propagating new plants from cuttings, watching classic movies, and raising baby chicks!

All things considered, our program is doing quite well, but we’ve noticed there is greater need in our community of families and in the local communities. While providing for the needs of our own children at home, we are also reaching out to our PLC families and volunteers more than ever and holding online groups for our parents to discuss their current challenges.

We are also offering services to the public. We are offering free half-hour consultations online for any parents who are struggling with their kids learning from home, or who simply want to enrich the experience. Contact

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the Princeton Learning Cooperative at info@princetonlearningcooperative. org or call (609) 851-2522. We would love to hear from you.

We have also opened up our Career Explorations class to the public. In this class, we invite the most interesting professionals (a local horse veterinarian, a wildlife safari guide from Tanzania, business owners) to answer questions from our teens including how they got into that career and what the day-to-day experience is like.

Even if the career explored is not one of particular interest to any given child, the stories are inspiring and the lessons translate to all of our lives.

We know that we have a unique and wonderful program, but we really struggle to get the word out. Did I mention we are only a three-person staff?

We would absolutely love for more people to partake in the Career Explorations class and the consultations. We are always welcoming new volunteers and new members, even near the end of the school year.

Donations are also a need at this time. By offering fee reductions, we are able to have an economically diverse community, and donations make that more possible. Some of our families are struggling given the economic downturn, and we want to help them while still meeting our overhead.

If you are able and willing, please help us as a small business to make it through this difficult time and hopefully see another 10 years ahead of us. Lastly, if you are a parent whose

child is now thriving outside of school, please consider us as an option moving forward.

We love the Princeton community, the space that it provides for a small nonprofit like ours to exist, and the reciprocal relationship we have with so many.

Katy Burke is a staff member of the Princeton Learning Cooperative. The Princeton Learning Cooperative was co-founded by Joel Hammon and Paul Scott in 2010.

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public notice Hackensack Meridian Health As we continue to refine our Convenient Care network, we (Hackensack Meridian Health) have closed our affiliated RediClinic locations inside select Rite Aids.

To receive a complete copy of your RediClinic medical records; or to have a copy of your 2005 RediClinic medical 04 SilvaGuard Wednesday, March 23, 2005 16:06 pageof 1 your choice, please Composite records sent to a health practitioner 2005 04 SilvaGuard Wednesday, March 23, 2005 16:06 visit rediclinic.com/faqs/patient-medical-records to23,access 2005 104 SilvaGuard Wednesday, March 2005 16:06 page Composite page 1 Composite a “Medical Request Form,” completely fill out the form, and send either of the following ways: (a) To the address listed on the form; or (b) To ensure a faster delivery, please fax the Medical Request Form to 1-866-279-9592.

For any additional questions, please contact RediClinic at 1-833-423-7334, option 6.

NJ takes a lot of grief, but you know what, when things get tough - we take care of each other. Our little square mile and neighbors in the township are hurting, and we must help.

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Classic Subs seeks help feeding the sick and elderly

By Rob Anthes

What started as one donation from a loyal customer has blossomed into a movement the owners of Classic Sub Shop in Hamilton hope will spread throughout Mercer County.

Classic Sub Shop co-owner Vincent Hunter received a call March 29 from a customer wanting to donate sandwiches to area hospitals. Hunter had delivered meals the week prior to hospitals, first responders and a few pharmacies in the area, and seen many of those places had been overwhelmed with food donations. So, instead, the customer and Hunter brainstormed a way to help another group in-need: the elderly, sick and other people who could not leave home due to the risk posed by COVID-19.

Hunter announced the contactless delivery donation program on Classic Sub Shop’s Facebook page that evening, and by the next day, the post had almost 400 shares and 25,000 views.

“We were walking into the phone ringing off the hook with people just donating money and also requesting that their elderly neighbors or parents receive these meals,” Hunter said.

“The response to start has been very impressive.”

So impressive, in fact, that it started to overwhelm his business. He had scheduled 70 deliveries through the first half of this week, despite never offering delivery before March.

Hunter has limited the drivers to himself and his two business partners: his brother TJ Hunter and Dan Rolwood.

The owners are doing the deliveries while their employees run the shop.

“It was complete chaos in our store [on Monday, March 30] because we’re trying to do our lunch while, almost on the fly, figure out how to do this,” Hunter said. “We didn’t know what to expect. We were kind of caught off guard and taken by surprise. But you know, it’s minimal compared to when we delivered to the hospital, seeing

But Hunter said the new charitable arm of his restaurant has opened his eyes to what’s happening right in his own community. Just in the first day of donations, he received a call from an emergency room nurse who had contracted COVID-19. She was locked in her bedroom, away from others in the house, but worried about providing food to her family. Another call came from a woman whose mom had to leave home to receive chemotherapy treatments and wanted to ensure her parents did not have to worry about finding something to eat after the stress of the day.

It’s stories like those that have motivated Hunter to try to expand the effort beyond just his restaurant.

“You don’t realize this stuff till you hear it,” Hunter said. “It just makes it that much more rewarding.”

To make a donation, call Classic Sub Classic Sub Shop owners Dan Rolwood, TJ Hunter and Vincent Hunter.

Shop at (609) 631-0404. Classic Sub Shop is open daily 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Classic Sub crew for their work in the but hours are subject to change. For the scene there.” the latest information, go online to While the owners have figured out community.)

Classic Sub Shop is still open for their website. a system now, Classic Sub Shop has had to limit deliveries to addresses takeout business, as well, and has within a 3-mile radius of their shop on arranged a system where customers Contact ROB ANTHES: ranthes@comRoute 33 in Hamilton Square. Still, the call in their order, pay by phone and munitynews.org, (609) 396-1511, ext. 124, demand has been strong, as deliveries pick-up their food on a grab-and-go facebook.com/robanthes, twitter.com/ are booked up for this week entirely. table set up outside the restaurant. robanthes.

Classic Sub Shop has received a $500 donation from 217 Church in Robbinsville to finance a whole additional week’s worth of deliveries, which are filling up already.

“We’ve been getting a lot of phone calls from people who are sometimes as far as 10 miles away, and we’re Walk- up window hours having to turn those types of people Both Day & Night down,” Hunter said. “We’re hoping 12 Noon to 8 PM daily other restaurants see it and kind of do similar programs to help as many people as possible.”

CHOCOLATE Hunter hasn’t heard yet from any other restaurants in the area asking to join the effort, but said he’d be happy to pass on what he has learned to another restaurant owner wanting to help out. (Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin (609) 631-0404 with cake blended in has stopped by, though, to thank the

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WE ARE OPEN!

Restaurants and providers get into the grocery business

By Nicole Viviano

Order online at BrothersPizza33.com

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609-586-2707 871 HIGHWAY 33, HAMILTON NJ 42Community News | May 2020

Romeo’s Ristorante Italiano & Pizzeria in Plainsboro celebrated its 32nd anniversary of business this past March and has remained open, with some adjustments, during the COVID19 outbreak.

Take out and delivery have always been part of Romeo’s business model.

It has even utilized curbside pickup in the past during bad weather. All its years of experience have helped it transition into the current working scenario.

But lately Romeo’s has offered something it never has before: groceries.

When owners Victor Carnicelli and Massimo “Max” Capuano realized they were having trouble finding products for their personal family use at grocery stores, they figured others were experiencing the same frustration. And they aren’t alone.

To fill the need, local businesses across the region have taken on the task of providing products from their pantries and warehouses to residents.

Offering a secondary source for groceries such as meats, eggs, milk, bread and even toilet paper, their change in operation has kept their doors open, their staffs working, and customers’ shopping lists checked off.

Restaurants, like Romeo’s, and wholesale providers such as North East Restaurant Direct in Trenton have tweaked their business models and found new ways to cater to demand by offering consumers raw food items directly.

North East Restaurant Direct has been in business for seven years and provides produce, dairy and proteins to restaurants in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Owners and brothers Scott and John Huff are residents of Hamilton and Pennington, respectively, and saw their regular customer numbers tumble as many restaurants were forced to close their doors or significantly decrease their orders.

In an effort to keep their workers employed, they decided to take on the new venture of grocery no-contact home delivery.

“We didn’t know the viability,” Scott Huff said. “We knew there was enough people, friends, family, neighbors, that were always asking us for stuff…and obviously we would do our best to help out anybody we could.

“We kind of took that helping our neighbor philosophy and put it out there to some neighbors that we don’t know on a first name basis but we’re getting there.”

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Due to incredible demand, North East’s delivery area has been limited to mainly Mercer County. At its current capacity, the business is able to process about 500 orders a day.

The Huffs run their online store similar to a normal store in that when they are sold out of product for the day they “close their doors” and reopen the following morning.

Deliveries are made Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with transactions taking about four days from the time the order is placed to when it is delivered to the customer’s home.

North East’s no-contact delivery service and business operations follow strict safety protocols as required by the FDA, USDA and the state Department of Health to ensure the health of both staff and customers, Scott Huff said.

Aside from contactless delivery to homes in Mercer County, North East Restaurant Direct temperature tests employees before shifts, requires glove use in their facilities and by delivery drivers, has all trucks and equipment sanitized before, during and after shifts, and keeps to essential personnel in their building.

All grocery products offered are available for ordering on the North East Restaurant Direct website. Updates are shared on the website for customers interested in what products are available and where deliveries are made.

Even with the addition of its new operations, North East Restaurant Direct has also kept its commitment to its wholesale restaurant customers.

“The local restaurants are just as important in this conversation for everybody,” Scott Huff said.

“There’s a lot of people that rely on restaurants… for their income. Waitresses and cooks and servers and busboys and all the way down the line. So we definitely have kept our commitment to our wholesale customers, and we’ve also shifted to help out our local community members at the same time.”

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The Trenton business isn’t the only one who has taken wholesale to the general public during this turbulent time.

Membership-based, wholesale provider Restaurant Depot has warehouses scattered across the United States.

At this time, company executives have decided to temporarily open their warehouses to the public to help the community. One location in Pennsylvania is right in Mercer County’s backyard, located at 1661 Lincoln Highway, Langhorne.

Around the second week of March, social distancing and quarantine began to take hold of the population, and Restaurant Depot was stuck with the decision of what to do to stay open and its customers’ needs met.

It had been approached by many community leaders and elected officials, who inquired about Restaurant Depot opening up to the public as food shortage fears grew, said Stanley Fleishman, executive chairman of Jetro and Restaurant Depot.

It decided opening to the public was the right thing to do, he said.

The company has solely worked with food service customers on a wholesale scale until now. They decided to open their warehouses to the public, by designating 40 shopping cards, so the public may gain access to their buildings in safe, controlled numbers.

“Everybody’s doing the American thing, the entrepreneurial thing, ‘How do we stay in business?’”

Fleishman said. “Because this will end, and we’ll be OK. But we’ve got to get through it.”

Although the decision to open to the public is not intended to be a long-term solution, Restaurant Depot’s business timeline is still uncertain as the country continues to work through the crisis.

Restaurant Depot remains loyal to its food service members by allowing them continued priority access to products in its warehouses and by starting an online Click and Collect Service for members only.

See GROCERY, Page 44

All Day Delivery $1.25 Delivery Charge

609-208-0640

www.lapiazzaristorante.com 11 Church Street Allentown, NJ (just off Main St., Rt. 539)

omeo’s R

10 Schalks Crossing Rd. Plainsboro, NJ (609) 799-4554

STA PIZZA • SUBS • PA 1597 NORTH OLDEN AVENUE • EWING NJ 08638

609-393-0330

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Purchase of any 2 dinners One coupon per person.

Not to be combined with any other offers or coupons. Expires 5/31/20.

1 LARGE (1 topping) Pizza, 10 wings, 2-liter soda

One coupon per person.

Not to be combined with any other offers or coupons. Expires 5/31/20.

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Thank You for Supporting Romeo’s!

• Many groceries and fresh produce available • Pizza kits available • Open for curbside pick up and delivery

WE DELIVER TO:

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Not to be combined with any other offers or coupons. Expires 5/31/20.

Any purchase over $30 One coupon per person.

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any large pie

any delivery of $50 or more

check of $30 or more

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Expires 5/31/20.

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R omeo’s R omeo’s R omeo’s

May 2020 | Community News43

Pizzarama s ’ , In g in c.

K

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Mon-Sat 10am-10pm • Sun 11:30am-10pm

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Cannot be combined w/ other offers.

Expires Expires5/31/20.

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2 Large Pizzas, 15 Wings

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$

$

Toppings Extra. Must mention coupon when ordering. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase. Cannot be combined w/ other offers.

1/31/20.

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Expires5/31/20.

1/31/20.

Expires

Ph 609.882.0078 Fx 609.882.0709 1097 Parkway Ave Ewing, NJ Open 7 Days!

5am - 4pm Mon-Sat 6 am-4 pm Sun We Now Accept

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8 wings..............4.99 16 wings...............8.50 24 wings.............11.99 32 wings.............14.99 50 wings.............25.99 75 wings.............36.99 100 wings..............46.99 150 wings..............65.99 200 wings..............89.99

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44Community News | May 2020

All served with celery & Blue Cheese Extra Blue Cheese Souffles Cup 50¢ 8oz. 2.50

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GROCERY continued from Page 43 These wholesale providers are just as vital to keeping restaurants running as they are to their new customers.

Many pantries and kitchens in local restaurants also have been opened to the public’s need for grocery deliveries and pickups.

Romeo’s only started selling groceries a few weeks ago, and has been flooded with orders ever since.

By ordering online on Romeo’s website or over the phone, customers can get anything from the menu and grocery items including eggs, chicken breasts, garlic, dry pasta, pizza dough, cooking oil and dessert.

Owners Carnicelli and Capuano have been overseeing safety precautions. From delivery to unpackaging to distribution, employees are sanitizing equipment and shipping materials, wearing gloves and masks, and following strict social distancing guidelines.

Their delivery operations have expanded geographically to help out as many as they can who call in for orders and/or groceries.

“Doing it this way, we got a very good response from people,” Carnicelli said. “We’ve got a lot of shares on our social media pages…and also there’s a lot of word of mouth as well.

First day we had eight people call for this and that was before we even put it on social media. We just told one person about it…she told her friends and that’s how we really took off.”

Meanwhile, Aunt Chubby’s Luncheonette in Hopewell Borough has

initiated curbside pickup, delivery, grocery sales and even a free food pantry since the onset of COVID-19.

Aunt Chubby’s decided to add in groceries for those who aren’t able to make it to a supermarket.

Aunt Chubby’s grocery list provides everything from butter, eggs, flour and salt to even toilet paper, when they have it.

The list is posted on Chubby’s website, where customers can send in their orders online or through email.

Its donated meal plan uses donations from customers to help deliver food to the elderly in the area. In addition, about a week ago, it built an outdoor free pantry where people can drop off items for those that can’t afford shelf-safe products.

“We’re trying to help the community, stay together and stay safe… because there’s a lot of people in our community who can’t necessarily go out and go to the grocery store themselves…so we’re trying to help them out so they don’t have to do that to help reduce the spread,” Chubby’s employee and Hopewell resident Hannah Harris said.

Aunt Chubby’s Luncheonette: For curbside pickup or delivery, go to chubbysluncheonette.com.

North East Restaurant Direct: To order delivery, go to nerestaurantdirect.com.

Restaurant Depot: To order pickup, go to restaurantdepot.com.

Romero’s Ristorante: To order grocery pickup call (609) 799-4554.

ConTE’s pizza and bar

339 WITHERSPOON ST. PRINCETON, NJ 08540

(609) 921-8041

Voted TOP 33 IN PIZZERIAS NATION

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Private Parties Available • Reunions • Birthdays • Anniversaries • Office Parties • Special Accommodations

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Your guide to all things food related in Mercer County, New Jersey and the surrounding region Follow us on Facebook to get updates

/MercerEats

Advertising Feature

Travel Talk with Caryn and Aron Travel dreams

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Gather Travel fulfills us, it connects us and it makes us feel alive — it’s why I do what I do. But right now, the desire to move and explore has been replaced by the need to stay still and keep each other safe. In the end, it’s a newly assigned social responsibility we’re all in together.

The time to travel will come again, and when it does, I know you’ll appreciate it more than ever. In the meantime, stay safe and dream big about where you’ll go together with loved ones when the time is right.

I’ve been working on my list of places I want to travel in the future and who I want to travel with from romantic trips to France with my husband to family vacations on a Caribbean island to vacations with extended family and friends onboard a luxury cruise ship to girlfriend spa getaways.

I look forward to working with you soon to assist in creating the perfect getaway experience. If you feel a need for a familiar voice to just chat for a while feel free to reach out to me.

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discuss your next memory making vacation. Meanwhile you can visit us on Facebook and do some virtual traveling.

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We do not charge any additional fees for our vacation planning, and whether you are looking for a Cruise, an All-Inclusive Resort Vacation, or a European Land Tour, we will provide you with the exceptional service you should expect from a travel agent. Visit us at www. makingvacationmemories.net to register for hot deals delivered directly to your inbox and follow us at www.facebook.com/familycruising.

Unlike big online travel sites, Cruise Planners with Caryn and Aron, delivers the personal touch.

Huber-Moore Funeral Home is committed, prepared and available 24/7 to safely care for the families we serve during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whenever possible, we will continue to enable families to participate in the rituals which, by necessity, will be painfully abbreviated. Fortunately, we can use technology to help us abide by the new regulations being put upon us by governmental authorities. If your family's service is affected by these regulations, we will provide at no additional cost to you, an opportunity to come back and have a remembrance service for your whole family. We know how important these services are to the grieving process. The health and safety of all of our guests and staff is at the forefront of what we do as a funeral service company & family. At this time the Huber-Moore YOUR HOMETOWN AGENT YOUR HOMETOWN AGENT Funeral Home staff will continue to assist families in our normal YOUR HOMETOWN AGENT fashion. We want to assure you that we are taking all necessary steps to limit the spread of the virus and are taking preventative measures to keep the families we serve and our funeral service team healthy and safe. We are fully up to date on all protocols and recommendations from the CDC and NFDA. Please do not hesitate to call with any questions: 609-298-0330

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(609) 298-0330

www.huberfuneralhome.com Check us out on Facebook

*All persons are licensed and able to embalm, arrange and direct funerals in the State of New Jersey with the exception of Dawn Moore. © NFDA 2018. All rights reserved.

May 2020 | Community News45

ROBBINSVILLE’S PREMIER CAT SITTER D Service in Your Home D Daily Feeding D Litter Box Scooping D Medications

• Insured & Bonded • Pet First Aid Certified • Member PSI • Excellent References

D Play time and more!

The Crooked Tail 609-586-2941

MissBetty@thecrookedtail.com

Lost cat

RewaRd $300 CaRlitos Missing since April 7, 2020 identifying marks: Black & white, long hair male with black spot under his chin. Answers to name. Kids and whole family are heart broken. last seen: Edinburg Rd by Edinburg Chapel

917-929-4879 | 609-943-1582 TOWNSHIP OF PLAINSBORO PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Township of Plainsboro, Department of Public Works, in compliance with section 10.9 of the New Jersey Pesticide Control Code N.J.A.C. title 7, Chapter 30, has contracted for the application of herbicides/fertilizers from May 18, 2020 through May 31, 2020, to the following areas: Plainsboro Park, Schalks Meadow Park, Morris Davison Park, Lenape Trail, Waters Edge Park, Ponds End Park, Community Park and the Administration Complex. All treated areas will be posted and closed for 24 hours after application.

Pesticide Active Ingredients Escalade2 2, 4-D, Fluroxypyr and Dicamba Baricade 65WG Prodiamine (Combined with fertilizer at .38% & .28% respectively) Fertilizer 17-0-5 Fertilizer 19-0-5 Fertilizer

Active Ingredients Urea Nitrogen & Soluble Potash Urea Nitrogen & Soluble Potash

Ground equipment will be used in applications. All persons interested in obtaining additional information should contact the Superintendent of Public Works, Neil L. Blitz at 609-799-0099 between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Applicator Contractor: TruGreen-ChemLawn, Warminster, Pa. 18974, Telephone #215-441-0775 C.P.A. #96273A. National Pesticide Info. Center Telephone #800-858-7378 or NJ Poison Control Center #800-222-1222.

46Community News | May 2020

Bella

Zodiac

Bella is a 7-year-old mixed breed dog who has been in a shelter setting since the summer. She was transferred from Newark AHS with the hopes of finding a forever home. She is friendly and still has a lot of energy to burn off. She will make a great companion to a lucky family. Bella loves to have her belly rubbed and likes attention. She does not like to be crated and may have some separation anxiety.

Bella has some scars on her back and face. She also flinched when she was offered a toy, so she probably came from a tough environment. In spite of that, Bella still is great with everyone she meets.

Zodiac was born under a bad sign, but life is getting better! He came to us from another shelter, where he had been since last summer. He is FIV positive and was dealing with skin and dental issues when he came in.

Now Zodiac is healthy and ready to go home. He is laid back, calm, and friendly. This older gentleman just needs a place to hang out.

The EASEL trailer and Ewing Animal Shelter are located at 2 Jake Garzio Drive in Ewing NJ 08628. The EASEL Animal Shelter is open for adoptions everyday 12-3 p.m. The trailer is open for adoptions Saturday and Sunday 11-3 and Wed night 50-70 p.m. The Ewing Please contact EASEL at kitty@ easelnj.org or call 609-883-0540.

the puzzle page Crossword

Community News Service - Trenton/Lawrence/Robbinsville Crossword - 5/20

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1 Outdoor game 5 Litmus reddeners 10 Battleship letters 13 Acreage 14 Herb of the carrot family 15 Masseur’s target 17 It’s a wrap 19 Eastern royal 20 Compel 21 Belch 22 Blood-related 23 Surface 25 Individually 27 Magistrate of the ancient Roman Republic 30 Pedestal 31 Catcall 32 Crowning point 35 League members 38 Troublemaker 39 Empties a truck 41 Tennis item 42 Live’s partner 44 Magazine contents 45 Teen spots?

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princeton, nj • 609.252.0474 • www.knightarch.com

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Hotel posting Son, in Paris Director’s call Aromatic yellowish brown balsam River embankment Ambience Sandpiper Overact Hankerings

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36 Kind of room 37 Galley notation 39 Military group 40 Extinct bird 43 Print anew 45 Decomposed 47 Washer setting 49 Pound of poetry 50 Strain 51 Former 52 “Good job!”

53 Square dance group, e.g.

56 Attentiongetter 58 Test choice 59 Deserve 60 Pampering places 63 Behold

BARBARA’S HA I R G A L L E RY Hope to see you all soon!

Puzzle solutions on Page 49

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4615 Nottingham Way/Rt. 33, Hamilton Sq. NJ 08690 609.588.0010 www.barbarashairgallerynj.com May 2020 | Community News47

ClASSifieDS

HELP WANTED EARN EXTRA INCOME WALKING DOGS AND PET SITTING – MAKE FETCH! HAPPEN! Fetch! Pet Care serving Ewing, Lawrence, Pennington and Titusville has immediate openings for dog walkers and pet sitters. Only those with experience caring for animals and who can make a minimum 6 month commitment need apply.

Must be 21, own a car and a smartphone, and submit to a background check. Visit www.fetchpetcare.com/dogwalking-and-pet-sitting-jobs/ to apply.

Hiring Teachers: Lightbridge Academy of Plainsboro is currently accepting applications for early childhood educators to join our team. Looking for qualified and experienced

applicants to fill PT/FT and Floater positions. Must be dependable, have a great work ethic, minimum two years experience with children. Please send resume to plainsboro@ lightbridgeacademy.com.

SERVICES Writing Tutor Certified in English & Elementary, 25 years experience. Learn basic composition, essay writing, creative writing & dramatic structure. Sessions at Hopewell library or online.

Brian 609 672-9446.

A friendly handyman seeks small jobs. Let me help you with a variety maintenance and repairs around your home. Please call me at 609-275-6930.

Computer problem? Or need a used computer in

50 cents a word $10 minimum. For more information call 609-396-1511

good condition - $80? Call 609-275-6930.

WANTED TO BUY HappyHeroes used books looking to buy old Mysteries, Science Fiction, Children’s Illustrated, Signed books, EASTON press, old postcards, non-sports cards, and old ephemera.

Call 609-619-3480 or email happyheroes@gmail.com.

Cash paid for World War II military items.Helmets, swords, medals, etc. Call 609-581-8290 or email lenny3619@gmail.com Cash paid for SELMER SAXOPHONES and other vintage models. 609-5818290 or email lenny3619@ gmail.com VACATION RENTALS Florida Beach Rental:

Fort Myers Beach 1br vacation condo on the beach, flexible dates available. Call 609-577-8244 for further information INSTRUCTION Violin and Piano Lessons.

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Music Lessons: Piano, guitar, drum, sax, clarinet, voice, flute, trumpet, violin, cello, banjo, mandolin, harmonica, uke, and more. $32/half hour. Ongoing Music Camps. Free use of an instr. For your trial lesson!

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AT YOUR SeRViCe

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LEGAL SERVICES LEGAL SERVICES.House calls - Wills, Living Wills, Power of Attorney, Personal State and Federal Taxes Call Bruce 609-799-4674 or 609-721-4358.

BUSINESS FOR SALE Salon for sale- excellent opportunity. Priced to sell.

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609-635-0399 48Community News | May 2020

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Let’s not return to normal Lisa Wolff NATURE IN THE VALLEY

Please like us on facebook!

feasible. Speaking in a single voice, they figuratively said, “We are here for you.

Our public lands are for the public to enjoy if you can do so responsibly.”

They provided a thoughtful approach to put community welfare first. Not surprisingly Princeton and Lawrence municipal leaders announced they would stay open as well. Our uncertain future has given rise to so many collaborations. Valley municipalities, schools and churches formed the highly successful Hopewell Valley Food Pantry for those experiencing food insecurity.

Community groups formed to thank medical workers, first responders, and essential workers we may have taken for granted in the past.

Sidewalk chalk messages of hope, birthday car parades, scavenger hunts, local musicians performing online, #BotanicalBlurbs sharing local nature, and random acts of kindness have nourished our soul and connected us socially when we couldn’t do physically.

Schools used 3D printers to make face shields for first responders. Sourland Mountain Spirits repurposed their distillery to address hand sanitizer shortages.

While these organizations have always had good community relations, their ingenuity, urgency and singlemindedness to cooperate for the public good exceeded the levels obtained under “normal” conditions.

Improving climate results, emerging heroes, inspiring movements, and shifts of consciousness are incentives to embrace a different future.

But the extensive devastation caused by coronavirus across all of society, but especially those most vulnerable, provides the most compelling reason for change.

When world reopens, “going back to normal,” is just not enough. We should aspire to collectively put preventative measures in place to ensure history does not repeat.

Some of us are taking small steps now. For example, keeping preserves open and ensuring physical safety is worth the extra effort when you consider that depression and mental health can worsen without exposure to nature, domestic abuse increases without an outlet outside the home, and underserved populations have less access to green spaces.

Our environment appreciates that we could not celebrate Earth Day as we had in the past. Reflecting on the lessons we’ve learned in the past month can be the basis of a profound force for change.

Let’s not return to normal.

Like other special occasions occurring during this pandemic, Earth Day celebrated its 50th anniversary on April 22 amidst reduced gatherings and fanfare.

Environmental organizations throughout the world scaled back plans for commemorating the important day.

In an interesting twist of fate, as the world’s human inhabitants suffer the negative impacts of COVID-19, our environment has thrived.

By shutting down industrial activity and reducing travel, the coronavirus pandemic has slashed air pollution levels around the world according to satellite imagery from the European Space Agency.

In addition to cleaner air and water globally, wildlife is experiencing a resurgence. Social media feeds are exploding with local sightings of Bald Eagles and other flora and fauna that used to be rare to spot. Perhaps wildlife is filling the spaces where humans are not.

Unfortunately, it is reasonable to expect that once activity resumes, corresponding pollution levels will also return.

However, it might be possible to take a more mindful approach to “opening the country” without a return to previous levels.

Obviously, coronavirus is a ridiculously high price to pay for reduced pollution levels, but better water and air quality can dramatically improve lives and is grounds for hope.

This crisis has exposed numerous areas of potential improvement. Ideally, adversity could be the impetus for true transformative change to our environment and our community.

When initial stay-at-mome measures were imposed, a notable exception was made for walking outdoors. Previously medical and environmental experts had long evangelized the health benefits of nature, yet the general public has oftentimes ignored the guidance.

But with a health crisis looming, people took that advice to heart and record numbers began getting outside and connecting with nature. People got out so much that the Governor issued an executive order to close down state and county parks due to crowding.

He left the door open for municipalities to keep their preserves open if they could ensure distancing measures would be followed.

Locally something beautiful happened.

Hopewell Valley mayors reached out to nonprofit organizations like FoHVOS, D&R Greenway, NJCF, and the Law- Lisa Wolff is the executive director of Friends rence Hopewell Trail and together they of Hopewell Valley Open Space. She can be collaborated to keep trails open where reached by email at lwolff@fohvos.org.

As the world’s human inhabitants suffer the negative impacts of COVID-19, our environment has thrived.

CYO Bromley would like to thank all of our current food pantry sponsors: Township of Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin “People Helping People!”

50Community News | May 2020

Why are municipal parks in Lawrence still open?

KEVIN NERWINSKI FROM THE MANAGER’S DESK

sible way—is extremely important.

Not everyone has a large home with a giant back yard and endless options to keep busy on their own property.

We need to make decisions by considering all of the residents in our community.

The chief and I concluded that we should keep the parks open but closely monitor them over the next couple of days.

We have increased police presence in our parks during this time, and that the officers will be actively addressing gatherings of three people or more, but will do this from a distance to not unnecessarily put them in a situation risking exposure to the virus for a non-law enforcement situation.

I implore all the parents of teens who they let go to the parks to spend some time educating them on social distancing, the pandemic, and why it is important to follow the guidelines of the health officials fighting the spread of this virus on our behalf. If they don’t care about themselves, try offering up caring for others as an alternative means of persuasion.

So our parks will remain open for now. They will be closely monitored. If we come to realize that people simply can’t abide by the physical distancing requirements despite our best efforts, I will make the decision to close the parks.

We, as a community, also have a responsibility to be a part of the solution, not the problem. Knowing that we tried, and knowing that it was important enough to give it an extra effort on behalf of the community has to be enough for now. Stay safe and well!

Gov. Phil Murphy’s order to close all state and county Parks forced us to consider what to do since his order did not apply to municipal parks.

Initially, my sense is that we can anticipate that if we leave our parks open while all other surrounding communities close theirs (along with the county and state parks closed), our parks would then be a destination for people seeking some outdoor park activities.

This increased activity would create more opportunities for breaching the physical distancing restrictions that have been imposed to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

But, like a broken record, I have always been of the mindset that we don’t simply follow what other towns do without thoughtful consideration of all the facts, and how those facts and circumstances apply to our community.

I met with our police chief to get a better sense of what his assessment about what was happening in our parks.

I have made a point to visit our parks during this time to monitor the situation myself, but I certainly would get a better idea from the chief’s perspective.

We both agreed that though there have been some small gatherings of kids sporadically, that it has not been to a degree that would cause a deep concern to address it by the drastic decision to shut all parks down.

As I said previously, providing areas for people to decompress, get some Kevin Nerwinski is the Lawrence Townfresh air, some exercise—in a respon- ship municipal manager.

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COVID-19 goes viral PETER DABBENE COMPLEX SIMPLICITY

groups of people, insisting that the free exercise of their own personal liberties outweighs the considerable danger to society at large.

New laws and regulations often prompt critics to compare government to a “nanny state” or “daddy state,” and here the comparison is an apt one. Like newly dating teenagers, we were asked nicely to obey a curfew and maintain a safe distance. When we, as a state, failed to fully comply, we were warned, then given a light restriction, and finally, we were all grounded.

Some people demanded that private companies provide free Wi-Fi or premium TV programming to ease the stress of sheltering in place—though maybe those expectations are understandable, even justified, after the unceasing barrage of ads proclaiming that so many of those companies are “there for us.”

It’s not exactly the stiff-upper-lip spirit of Londoners facing the Blitz in 1940, but this is a different crisis, in a different time, so if free, televised concerts by entertainers from their living rooms are what’s needed in order to get ourselves together, who am I to argue?

In keeping with that mindset, I’ve come up with my own motto to replace #AloneTogether, that ubiquitous corporate conconction that has focus group majority approval written all over it. It’s “Stand Up by Sitting Down”—sorry, make that #StandUpSitDown. Slightly less inspiring, but perhaps more to the point.

There’s plenty of bad news and anxiety, so I’m trying to look at positives, including the fact that my family has spent more time together these past few weeks than ever before. Of course, as I write this, I’m temporarily self-isolating from my wife and children—not because of COVID-19, but because after a while, 24/7 togetherness starts to wear thin.

While many of our best minds work to find a solution to the crisis, our worst keep themselves busy propagating conspiracy theories, taking credit, and assigning blame. In times of crisis it’s easy to slip (back) into the us vs. them mentality, but that’s all the more reason to focus on the things we have in common, like concern for our families and a compulsive need to hoard toilet paper.

And though they’re less noticeable, the coronavirus also brings unique opportunities, be it togetherness, or solitude, or the fact that you can now pull up to a bank drive-through wearing a mask and gloves without fear of being dragged off in handcuffs.

As I write this, there are hopeful indications that our efforts are helping, in some small way, to “flatten the curve.” Most of us are being asked only to change our routines and face the uncertain future with a sense of both personal and social responsibility. It’s the least we can do.

The coronavirus has gone viral. Sure, it was a virus all along, but now it dominates TV, the internet, our lives. It’s everywhere, affecting everything.

Like most of us, I didn’t think too much of it at first. Early alarms seemed more like those sounded every few years for a stronger-than-usual flu strain than the widespread unease that accompanied the U.S. Zika and Ebola outbreaks.

Then, suddenly, I was hearing more about the “T-zone” than I had since the term graced early 1990s Noxzema commercials.

Schools closing seemed like a necessary, but short term measure. People handled the situation with a sense of humor, heading to the liquor store to buy, among other things, six-packs of Corona, and thus symbolically swig our common enemy into nonexistence. My own family used the time and warming weather to go on hikes, tempting not just coronavirus, but corona with Lyme.

We were careful, however, and followed social distancing recommendations—I have some expertise on the subject, having been distant socially for years.

Workplaces closed, and much of the population stayed home, while those whose occupations the state deemed essential—doctors, nurses, and naturally, liquor store attendants—nobly did their duty under difficult conditions.

Grocery stores adopted a 1980s Soviet chic design, with empty shelf space expertly directing the eye toward the few items available for sale. We didn’t quite reach the level of day-long lines for government-issued bread and cheese, but never have the dregs and unknowns of the supermarket aisles been scooped up with such raw appreciation and enthusiasm. “Babo” and “Paperbird” brand facial tissues? Yes, please! One-ply toilet paper? Heaven sent!

The death tolls rose like the devil’s own slot jackpot, and the return to normalcy we craved was pushed back further and further. State and county parks were closed, spawning a new round of disgruntled sniping by New Jersey radio show hosts (who issue even more complaints than the average newspaper columnist).

Life during coronavirus is unique because it asks so much from our medical and essential personnel, and from the rest of us, it asks... nothing. Literally, just stay inside and do nothing. Or do everything, it’s up to you. Just stay home. Considering the circumstances, and assuming no one will immediately perish of vitamin D deficiency, this seems a reasonable request.

Yet some citizens have given a new, negative meaning to “American exceptionalism”—as in, “The rules apply to everyone, but surely there’s an excep- Peter Dabbene is a Hamilton-based writer. tion for me.” These people held, and His website is peterdabbene.com. His books still hold, private get-togethers of large can be purchased at amazon.com.

Dreaming of the day ILENE BLACK BETTING ON BLACK

Warning: this was written during the quarantine. I’d love to think that things will be better when you all are reading this.

Whether or not that will be the case, please read this, enjoy it, relate to it, and most importantly, be safe and well.

I dream of the day when we can hug people who don’t live in our house. We can go in for the Bear Hug and envelop the person and squeeze. Or we can do the Light Hug And Back-Slap, which is common among men.

It’s just the right blend of masculine and affectionate. Then there’s the Polite Hug, a kind of sideways, nolower-body-contact hug. Or there’s the Head-Resting-On-The-Other-Person’sShoulder Hug, the Comfort Hug. Whatever your selected type of hug, I can’t wait to do them all. Not all at once, of course. And not to the same person. That’s creepy.

I dream of the day when we don’t have to dress like Darth Vader to go get milk.

I hope never to see another video of someone showing us how to make a mask out of coffee filters, socks, bras, jeans, bedding, underwear, wedding dresses, woven bamboo shoots, or tree branches.

I want to be able to walk around maskless with unfogged-up glasses.

By the way, you’ve heard about that little trick for using shaving cream to wash your glasses? Nope. False. Tried it.

I dream of the day when I can safely shake someone’s hand.

Although, to be honest, I’m afraid that I’ll be so starved for contact that I’ll pull them in for the Bear Hug (see paragraph 2). Or worse, the Comfort Hug. I dream of the day that we don’t have to disinfect everything that comes into our homes. I hate doing that. I always get a flash of anxiety that I missed a spot.

So it takes us four and a half hours to put away our groceries these days.

We don’t buy ice cream for that very reason.

I dream of the day that we don’t have to strip down at the front door (preferably when it’s closed) and put our clothes in the wash, then sprint nude to the shower.

We’ve had some chilly days and it’s not pleasant. Plus I prefer not to run when I have no clothes on. Come to think of it, I prefer not to run, period.

I dream of the day when my family can gather around our table for a meal. I miss spitting out my food while laughing at my sons’ dialogue, which mostly consists of movie quotes and arguments.

I miss seeing my daughter-in-law

Michelle roll her eyes while our two knuckleheads provide us with an impromptu comedy routine. I miss seeing my dad at my table, soaking up the company and laughing at his grandsons.

I dream of the day when our frontliners (police, fire, EMTs, dispatchers), our grocery workers, truck drivers, letter carriers, delivery people, restaurant workers, pharmacy workers, farmers, everyone in the medical field (especially in hospitals and longterm care facilities), and everyone who is working outside their homes during this quarantine don’t have to put their health on the line (for us) every time they report to work.

I dream of the day when we never have to hear the following words and phrases: social distancing, COVID 19, pandemic, flattening the curve, and case fatality rate.

I dream of the day when we can meet friends at a restaurant for dinner and talk and laugh and overtip our server and fight over the bill.

I dream of the day when I can hug and kiss our sons and our daughter in law. And our Aunt Blanche. And my dad.

I dream of the day that I can once again sit at dad’s table at Greenwood House and talk and laugh with him, his friend Jeff, and the wonderful and heroic and selfless staff.

I dream of the day when we are all safe from The Beast. But until then, stay well. Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay sane. And please, don’t come near me till we get the all-clear.

One more thing. Don’t wear tree branch masks. They hurt.

Ilene Black has been a resident of Ewing for most of her life and lives across the street from her childhood home. She and her husband, George, have two sons, Georgie and Donnie.

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gocunj.com

* Valid on new and used auto loans. Each auto loan closed during this promotion period will make no payments for 90 days. Accepting the terms of “no payment for 90 days offer” will extend the maturity of your loan for at least 90 days but less than 110 days. If accepting the delayed first payment, you will not be eligible for any other skipping/delaying of your payment during 2020. Interest will accrue during this period.

Payments made through payroll deduction or automatic payment will be deposited into your account for the time you are skipping/delaying your payment. Refinances from existing CU of NJ loans do not qualify. All loans are subject to credit approval. Certain restrictions may apply. This offer can be discontinued at any time.

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56Community News | May 2020