Branchburg News - October 2022

School Year Starts Strong

Ready to welcome students at Whiton Elementary School on the first day of school Sept. 6 are owl mascot “Hootie” (worn by Teressa Senchisen, PTO Coordinator), Linda Kaminsky, Roseann Boehm, and Alice Willard.

The Branchburg Township School District launched the 20222023 school year with students re turning on Sept. 6. Despite the rain that clouded the first day of school, students and staff were excited to begin a more traditional year than the previous two years. Undoubt edly the past two years have been challenging for students and staff; however, the district is optimistic about what lies ahead in this up coming school year.

All staff returned on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 1 and 2. Dur ing this time, staff were greeted by Superintendent Dr. Karen A. Chase and Board President Terri Joyce. On Day 2, Dr. Lee Ann Jung, international consultant, spoke to the importance of inclu sivity in the learning environment before staff prepared for the ar rival of students.

Whiton Elementary School welcomed back 559 students to its Kindergarten to Grade 3 program, Stony Brook Elementary School welcomed back 284 students in Grades 4 and 5, and Branchburg Central Middle School’s Grades 6-8 enrollment totaled 411. The district plans to resume all events and activities this school year.

As shared with the Board of Ed ucation at its July 21 meeting, the district will focus the 2022-2023 school year on three areas - safety/ security, well-being, and student engagement. These are essential for student and staff wellness and the district will continue to part ner with the community to make enhancements in these areas.

If you wish to learn more about school programs, visit branchburg. k12.nj.us.

Branchburg Mayor Explains Ballot Question on Warehouse/Distribution Prevention

Following is a letter from Branchburg Township Mayor James Schworn regarding a strat egy to prevent large commercial warehouse/ distribution type facil ity development in the township:

Dear Fellow Residents,

I hope this letter finds you healthy, and your family had a safe and enjoyable summer.

The purpose of this letter is to update our residents on the poten tial development of large vacant properties within town and the recent actions taken to mitigate the anticipated adverse impact of the developments.

The Township Committee re cently passed an ordinance that would allow the inclusion of the following question on the ballot at the General Election in November:

“Should the Township of Branch burg expend public funds to ac quire land within the Route 22/28 corridor for the purpose of prevent ing large commercial warehouse/ distribution type facility develop ment in favor of development more beneficial to the community and its residents?”

The warehouses we see pop ping up all over have large truck volumes operating at all hours of the day and night. Preferably we would like to see ratables like the ones we have worked with that would bring in a manufacturing component as the primary purpose of the business.

Many residents have asked why there is need to include this ques

tion on the ballot and for what purpose? I hope I can provide an answer to this and other questions regarding potential development in town. (I will try my best to keep the explanation brief and concise but it will not be easy so please bear with me).

As you are aware, the Township Committee had successfully lim ited overdevelopment in Branch burg for the past two decades and the committee has a proven his tory of actively fighting develop ers and their attempts to rezone commercial and farmland prop erties to allow high density resi dential developments. There have been multiple instances where the Township was sued by developers due to these efforts, often times going as far as the Appellate court and in each case, the Township prevailed. We are not opposed to

affordable housing, and it should be noted the Township fully met its previous Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) Round One and Round Two obligations. However, we are adamantly opposed to court ordered high density developments that take precedence over our mu nicipality’s legal and constitutional right of self-governance.

As a reminder, all of the develop ment currently being undertaken in the Township is a direct result of a court ordered and approved settlement of Branchburg’s Round Three COAH Obligation. COAH’s Round Three Obligation retroac tively (and irrationally) covered a period from 1999-2024 resulting in a statewide housing obligation (or need) of approximately 280,000 homes!

Branchburg’s Round Three af Continued on page 6

—Submitted by Branchburg Township School District

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Upcoming Events

Cat Adoption Oct. 1, 15, 22, 29

Bernie’s Buddies Cat Rescue will hold cat adoption events at Bark ley’s Marketplace, 3150 Route 22 (near ShopRite Branchburg), 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Fall Flea Market Oct. 1

Bradley Gardens Community Church, 124 Old York Rd., Bridge water, will host from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Dog Walks Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24

Barkley’s Marketplace hosts Com munity Dog Walks at 6:30 p.m. at White Oak Park. Meet at the pond fountain. Check Barkley’s Market place - Branchburg on Facebook for last-minute weather info and updates or call 908-997-0506.

Coffee with the Mayor Oct. 8

Meet informally with Mayor James Schworn 9:30 to 11 a.m. in the courtroom at the Municipal Building.

Midland School Open House Oct. 13

The Midland School, 94 Read ington Rd., hosts from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Midland serves students ages 3 to 21 with intellectual and de velopmental disabilities. Tour the building and see the classrooms in

session. There will be a Question & Answer session with the presi dent/ CEO and school principal. To register, email Maureen Finn at finn@midlandnj.org or call 908800-9961. For more information, visit www.midlandnj.org.

Kirkside Garage Sale Oct. 15

Kirkside’s semi-annual garage sale will be held outside from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 199 Route 28 in Bridgewater. Rain date is Oct. 22. Items are priced starting at a dol lar, featuring jewelry, baby items, toys, glassware, household items, electronics & tools, a large selection of DVDs & CDs and books.

All proceeds benefit Kirkside, a shared home for seniors spon sored by the North Branch Re formed Church. For more infor mation about Kirkside, call the church office at 908-725-2313.

Historic Open House Oct. 16

The historic Andrew Ten Eyck House on Old York Road will be open for tours from 1 to 4 p.m. on the third Sunday of every month, if the flag is flying. Stop by to experience one of Branchburg’s treasures.

Diversity Festival Oct. 16

The Somerset County Board of

Commissioners will host a free, public, outdoor event for people of all ages that will feature ac tivities, entertainers and food that reflects the county’s diverse population from 12 to 4 p.m. in Somerville on Grove and Main Streets.

Quilting Guild Open House

Oct. 21

The Hunterdon County Quilt ing Guild will hold the annual open house at 9:30 a.m. at the Readington Reformed Church, 124 Readington Rd., Reading ton. All are welcome. Following the business meeting, the guest speaker will be Stephen Hobbs, a nationally known quilter. For more information, see https:// hcquiltingguild.wixsite.com/ hcquiltingguild.

Branchburg Rotary Tricky Tray, Trivia, Tiny Tastes

Oct. 21

Rotary of Branchburg will hold a giant fundraiser at Raritan Valley Community College. Doors open at 6 p.m. There will be baskets galore with three different value tiers as well as some big-ticket items. Tickets cost $35 in advance and $40 at the door and will include

This

Recycling: Oct. 3, 17 & 31

For info call 732-469-3363 or visit www.co.somerset.nj.us/recycle

a free sheet of tier one tickets, Trivia Game with prizes, as well as free tastings from many of Branchburg’s restaurants. Email bbrotary7475@gmail. com for your reservation. Ro tary will contact you with links and payment info.

Professional Pet Portraits Oct. 22 Barkley’s Marketplace, 3150 Route 22 (near ShopRite Branch burg) will host from 6 to 8 p.m. Appointment is required. Info and registration: barkleysmarketplace. com.

Somerset County DisAbility Expo Oct. 22 Somerset County residents are in vited to meet representatives from more than 30 county, state, and local agencies and businesses pro viding disability-related informa tion at the Senior Wellness Center at Bridgewater, 876 E. Main St. Transportation can be arranged in advance for residents who con tact the county by Friday, Oct. 7. For more information, contact the Somerset County Office on Aging and Disability Services at 908-704-6346, toll free at 1-888747-1122 or via email SAvellan@ co.somerset.nj.us.

FOOD TRUCK • LIVE MUSIC FARM ANIMALS • HAY MAZE

Branchburg Township’s 1st Oktoberfest Oct. 22 Branchburg Recreation and lo cal fire companies will host a fall family festival from 1 to 3 p.m. at White Oak Park. Biergarten, axe throwing, live music, kids activi ties and food trucks will be fea tured.

Cub Scout Pack 185 Learns Self Defense On Aug. 27,

Branchburg Township will con duct leaf pickup Oct. 10 through Dec. 9. There will be a minimum of two (2) pickups in your area. Rake leaves to the curb area. Do not rake them into the road, drain age ditch or within 10’ of a catch basin. Leaves can be taken to the Dumpster Facility by residents on normal days of operation. As an alternative to disposing of your yard waste consider composting or mulching.

Old York Road Bridge Construction Delayed

The replacement of the Old York Road Bridge over Holland Brook has been delayed after a construction layout survey er ror, according to the Somerset County Engineering office.

The bridge, located approxi mately 700 feet east of the in tersection of Old York Road and Holland Brook Road, was fully closed to vehicular and pedes trian/bicycle traffic, on March 1. The detour route takes driv ers along Holland Brook Road,

Hillcrest Road and Dreahook Road. Construction had been estimated at 5 1/2 months. According to the county, “The contractor prepared a cor rective action plan to address a construction layout survey er ror that is delaying the continu ation of work.” At press time, the plan was under review by the NJDEP. Once construction resumes the project will take approximately three months to complete.

Scouts from Branchburg Cub Scout Pack 185 along with friends and siblings were trained in Bully Prevention and Self Defense by two-time World Cham pion Martial Artist Brian Peterson at Raritan Valley ATA. Pictured are (front row) Hunter Vail, Michael Aiello, Alex Horta, Evan Fogarty, Mikayla Dahl, Christopher Horta, Andrew Owen, James Dahl, Matthew Fogarty, Julian Mu niz, Trevor Feldman, (back row) Cubmaster Mike Aiello, Emma Muniz, Lucas Spear, Brian Peterson, Angie Aiello, Evan Spear, and Deacon Vail.

By Roberta Milano

Boy Scout Troop 1776 of Ne shanic Station remained busy all summer long with grass cutting at the Neshanic Reformed Church and Mill Lane Cemetery, local Eagle Scout projects, Summer Camp and the 15th Annual Blood Drive on Aug. 24 in memory of a past scout parent, Silvano G. Zobele, who passed away 16 years ago.

After taking a pandemic pause,

Troop 1776 Organizes Memorial Blood Drive

our Troop resumed its work with the Blood Center of New York (NYBC) which also supports New Jersey Blood Services. The blood drive was conducted at the Neshan ic Reformed Church on Amwell Road in Hillsborough, which is the Troop’s sponsor organization.

This blood drive was a true com munity event which had blood do nors coming from all over the area, including Hillsborough, Neshanic

Station, Branchburg and Fleming ton. Boy Scout Troop 1776 orga nized the event, promoted it with posters, flyers, word of mouth and social media. The scouts made their own Blood Drop costume to en courage passersby to stop in, and it worked. The Blood Center collected 37 units of blood in just a few hours. Additionally, Troop 1776 is al ways accepting new members. Con tact info@bsa1776.org.

require the

are issued by banks and thrifts

with

Scouts at the Blood Drive, from left, are Dean Milano (Eagle Scout), Jonathan Long-Kuster (First Class Scout), Advaith Gaddam (Scout), Victor Holmund (Tenderfoot Scout) and Devin Milano (Organizer of the Event and First Class Scout).

Wreaths Across America Event Planned

Rolling Thunder Inc. National, headquartered in Neshanic Sta tion, will sponsor the 10th An nual “National Wreaths Across America” on Saturday, Dec. 17, at noon at Somerset Hills Memorial Park in Basking Ridge. The orga nization’s goal is to place wreaths on 1,650 Veterans graves at Som erset Hills. Your donation will

help make this project successful.

Send checks to: Rolling Thunder Charities®, Inc., Wreaths Across America PO Box 327, Neshanic Station, NJ 08853. Organizers are Gus Dante, Co-Chair, Gov. Af fairs, POW/MIA Matters, Roll ing Thunder Inc. National, and Joe Weaver, Chairman, Wreaths Across America.

Squad

If you are an Emergency Medical Technician, or if you are interested in becoming an EMT, the Branchburg Rescue Squad wants you. Individu als who would like to be part of this team and to stand ready to help the community, please go to http://www. branchburgrescue.org/ and complete an online membership application. Training, uniforms, and equipment will be provided by the Rescue Squad at no cost to the volunteer.

Branchburg Friday Night Men’s Softball League

Champs

This summer, the winning team of the Branchburg Friday Night Men’s Softball League was “We Got The Runs!!!” The team went 18-0 for a perfect season and a second championship in a row. Pictured are (from left, front row, kneeling) Fred Vonhorn, Michael Loria, Walt Byleckie, Chris Sasso, Sal Longo, (back row) Matt Hennicke, Ben Lyman, Christian Piombo, Jim Jagt, Tommy Diamente, and Derek Vonhorn.

–Submitted by Sal Longo

STONE

Branchburg Mayor Explains Ballot Question on Warehouse/Distribution Prevention

Continued from Front page

fordable housing obligation was over 1,000 affordable homes re sulting in a potential total build out of 5,000 homes. (4,000 market units and 1,000 affordable units)

We successfully settled for a little over 1,800 total units which includ ed multiple age restricted develop ments.

Unfortunately, the story does not end with Round Three - Round Four begins in 2025 and Branch burg will be assigned another ob ligation of housing “need” despite the fact that our Round Three developments will not have been completed.

We are often asked, “Why not just rezone the properties to restrict residential development?” It’s a good question, but the New Jersey Supreme Court deemed affordable housing an inherently beneficial use for the purposes of rezoning for residential development regardless of the existing zoning. In a nutshell, a property currently zoned com mercial, office space or farmland could be rezoned residential by court order under the auspices of affordable housing. A municipal ity that does not meet its affordable housing obligations is subject to a Builder’s Remedy Lawsuit which is a court ordered rezoning to allow

high density cluster developments.

This brings us back to the ref erendum. There are several large parcels of land within the Town ship that are not currently zoned for residential development. Two of the parcels are located on the northside of town along the Route 28 corridor. We believe these prop erties could be targets for density or cluster housing based on the yet to be determined Round Four ob ligations. Further, the current zon ing allows for commercial devel opment including the construction of manufacturing facilities with warehousing. The size of the prop erties could support a 300,000+ square foot facility.

We do not have any predeter mined plans for these properties but simply believe there is a better use and purpose than cluster hous ing or large industrial development.

The Township is asking for your feedback and direction through the referendum. Bear in mind, we are not even certain the owners would sell the properties to the Township but we want to preserve the option to purchase and develop the prop erties in a manner that has a direct and positive benefit to the residents.

The referendum is non-binding but if voted No, then no action will take place whatsoever. If the referendum is voted Yes, then the Township will have the “option” to acquire the properties but would be under no obligation to do so. The market value of the properties is estimated at $25 million and would result in a potential tax increase of approximately $220 per household if we acquired the entire parcels. The referendum would also allow for the alternative purchase of a portion of the properties which

would also mitigate the ability for the development of large manufac turing facilities or cluster housing. The owners would still retain their right to develop the remaining por tions. The owners are under no obligation to sell the properties, in whole or part, to the Township. All purchases would be fully transpar ent and would be subject to manda tory public readings and Township Committee approval.

Our ultimate goal in this effort, and in all matters of government, is to protect the quality of life of our families. The referendum vote will provide direction to the Commit tee in developing and administering land use strategies that are fully aligned with our residents’ wishes.

We appreciate your feedback on this issue and we thank you for your continued support.

~ Mayor James Schworn

TOWNSHIP OF BRANCHBURG

Municipal Building News | in print and online at www.branchburg.nj.us

Work is Your Play

RECREATION NEWS***

SPOOKY SEASON IS HERE! REGISTRATION STILL AVAILABLE

Fall programs are underway, providing kids and adults with a variety of activities to choose from. Online registration can be found here: https://register.communitypass.net/Branchburg Check out the Fall Program Booklet on the Branchburg TWP website under Recreation for all upcoming programs & events

FALL EVENTS

TRAIL TROMP stroll along the South Branch on Saturday, October 1, from 10am 12pm.

HALLOWEEN MOVIE in the PARK Friday, October 14, 6:30pm at the White Oak Park Pavilion, “Haunted Mansion”

TRICK OR TREAT TRAIL @ WOP, Sunday, October 30th: 1:30 4pm Register ONLINE for these FREE Events!

RADIO CITY

CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR TRIP Tuesday, December 6th. Bus leaves @ 1:00pm, for a 5:00pm show. Tickets are $92 for orchestra seating and coach bus transportation. Tickets are still available, please register online for tickets or call the Recreation Department.

Follow us on Facebook @ BburgRecDept

GENERAL ELECTION GUIDELINES

The 2022 GENERAL ELECTION WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8 The last day to register to vote for the General Election is October 18, 2022. To register or to see if your registration status is up to date, visit https:// nj.gov/state/elections/voter registration.shtml.

Voting Options In person voting

All polling locations in Branchburg Township will be open from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Your polling location will be noted on your sample ballot. A list of polling locations can also be found on the Branchburg Township website at www.branchburg.nj.us, in the Document Center under Election Information.

In-person Early Voting - Somerset County will have six locations open from October 29 to November 6. These locations will operate on Sundays from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and all other days from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Early voting is considered a completed vote and cannot be amended later. Early Voting locations will be located at: BERNARDS TOWNSHIP - Bernards Township Community Center Garage, 289 South Maple Ave, Basking Ridge, NJ; BRIDGEWATERMunicipal Court, 100 Commons Way, Bridgewater; FRANKLIN Community Center, 505 DeMott Lane, Somerset; HILLSBOROUGHMunicipal Building, 379 South Branch Road, Hillsborough; MONTGOMERY Municipal Building, 2261 Route 206, Belle Mead; NORTH PLAINFIELD - North Plainfield Community Center, 614 Greenbrook Road, North Plainfield.

Voters also have the option to Vote-By-Mail. If you have opted into Vote By Mail for all future elections, you will automatically receive a Vote By Mail ballot. If you require a Vote-By-Mail application, they can be found on the Township’s website at www.branchburg.nj.us in the Document Center under Election Information. Please note the instructions listed on the application. A Ballot Drop Box is located outside the main entrance of the Municipal Building for the receipt of Vote-By-Mail Ballots up to 8:00 PM on Election Day. This box will be monitored with 24/7 surveillance. If you do not have access to a printer and need an application or require additional information, please call the Clerk’s Office at 908-526-1300 ext. 104. For information on all voting options, visit the Somerset County Clerk's website at: https://www.co.somerset.nj.us/residents/election guidelines.

Embers Burst Into Flame

generate thought and build creative answers to perplexing questions. It is as if nature is guiding human evolution to higher intelligence by flashing colorful prompts to articu late a creative response. Creativity is the foundation of knowledge and its application -- a warm up exer cise for the immersion into disci plined technology, ruled by logic and reason.

fur. This celestial palette, stirred by the rushing wind, spurred on by the sun’s heat clashing with the night’s cool air, disperses the colors to tint the rising river mist.

The hot breath of August turns September mornings into a smol dering mist as embers of summer’s end burst into an explosion of Oc tober color.

The early morning autumn mists, so prominent along the rivers and brooks that flow gently across the landscape, stir the imagination to reach back in time to a place where magic was the accepted answer to the wonders of nature.

Dark green leaves turning to flu orescent orange is the stuff of won derment. The purpose of which is to

The heavy white mist rising from the river overflows the pastures, providing a blank slate into which the light of dawn infuses clouds of ever-changing color. A band of in tense pastels emerge from the night and rest upon the horizon to await the sun’s arrival. The first color to appear is a layer of fireball red which cools to an orange glaze, so intense, it appears the world is on fire. Purple streaks fading to rose, pink and salmon support layers of golden yellow, chartreuse and sul

The early morning light show vanishes into thin air as the sun rises to its zenith above earth. Bril liant blue sky, unmarked by clouds, stands in contrast to the colorful October foliage. Late afternoon herds of fluffy white clouds appear animated as their structures are constantly reshaped by the whim of the wind. Each bold cloud, com posed of delineated puffs of white, bordered by shades of gray, com pel interpretation as they resemble earthbound faces, animals and ob jects. Again, a playground for the imagination to run wild, compli ments of autumn weather. It is easy to understand how humans used the sky to interpret messages from the beyond, as true in paleolithic times as it is today. Playing with clouds is to share the exact same emotion and interpretive conclu sions as long-gone ancestors. The clouds become a portal in that way, piercing the impenetrable wall of time to prompt creative interpreta tion, likely more aligned than dif ferent.

It is the colorful autumn foli age which garnishes the late day clouds and dramatic morning river mists of October. At a dis tance, woodlands appear as a single

undulating blanket, woven with colorful threads, showing irregu lar swatches of yellow, green and scarlet. Viewed as a time lapse, the colors expand southward, while the northern edge reverts to earth tones of grayish brown as if consumed while on the run, from the hungry wolves of winter.

Brilliant, blaze orange oak leaves defy imagination in their inten sity, and stand in bold contrast to the conservative green, brown and gray tones that dominate the land scape. Like a flash of fire, its sight demands our absolute attention as sure as the flash of a lightning bolt. In that long moment of awe, imagi nation, held in abeyance by reality, rushes in to disrupt the continuity of time.

October is totally dedicated to autumn and all its glorious color, a time when golden mists and bil lowy white clouds mark the transi tion between summer and winter; a perfect agreement between two polar opposites.

The trail of Octobers past, is a familiar well-worn path through time, lit with the brilliance of golden leaves, beckoning the trav eler deeper into a world of timeless beauty.

Contact jjmish57@msn.com. See more articles and photos at winterbearrising.wordpress.com.

Blaze orange leaves adorn this local black oak. Nature’s seasonal clock has struck 10, autumn has arrived as October takes out a full-page ad to showcase its array of brilliant color.

Troop 185 Sails the Florida Keys

tems. Other time was spent paddle boarding with dolphins, fishing, and of course sailing.

The troop also enjoyed be ing back at the Somerset County 4H Fair in August selling cheese

Berry,

Bouziotis,

row)

Chmura,

Lauducci, Ethan Miller, Ryan Chmura, Luke Bouziotis,

Ghosh, Jason Lauducci, Jonathan Lopez and Mr. Miller.

By Evan Berry, Troop 185

Scouts from Troop 185 partici pated in Scouting’s High Adven ture Seabase Stem-Eco Adventure out of Islamorada, Florida, this past July. Spending their week living aboard two 42-foot sail

boats, the scouts explored coral reefs and mangroves by snorkel ing and kayaking.

Scouts learned about the four major marine habitats of the Flori da Keys studying the delicate bal ance of plant and wildlife ecosys

What matters most to you in life?

It’s a big question!

The future looks brighter when you’re more prepared. We’ll help you plan for what you expect to achieve in lifeand any changes you may encounter along the way. Let’s start developing a personalized financial plan so you can gain the confidence to focus on what matters to you - today and tomorrow. We are here to help you live the life you’ve earned.

October 2022 • The Branchburg News 9 steaks, curly fries and refresh ments. Fundraisers like this help our scouts enjoy high adventure trips like Seabase as well as our monthly outings throughout the year. Troop 185 invites eligible

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Orleans to Perform at RVCC Theatre

The Theatre at Raritan Valley Community College will kick-off its 2022-2023 season in style as it welcomes the band Orleans to lo cal audiences, Friday, Oct. 7, at 8 p.m.

Orleans is best known as the pop/rock band that brought audi ences the classic ’70s hits “Still the One,” “Dance with Me,” and “Love Takes Time.” Now in its 49th year, Orleans has produced a

body of work spanning more than 16 albums and four DVDs.

Tickets cost $40, $30, and $25. To purchase tickets or for addi tional information about any of the productions in RVCCArts’ 2022-2023 season, contact the Box Office, 908-725-3420, or or der online at www.rvccArts.org.

Senior citizen, student, and group discounts are also available for most performances.

Preschool

Hours: 6:45 to 6

2

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childbumc@gmail.com 908-526-9596

Rotarian Joe Horner and Diane Bonanno, Rotary Food Drive Coordinator, are pictured at a donation station at ShopRite in Branchburg.

By Diane Bonanno, Food Drive Coordinator

The Rotary Club of Branch burg and the Food Bank Network of Somerset County sponsored a Food Drive at the Branchburg ShopRite on Saturday, Sept. 10. With the help of the Somerville High School Interact Club and members of the Somerville Rota ry, 26 volunteers collected 5,392 lbs. of sorely needed food to fill the shelves of the Food Bank fa

Rotary Club of Branchburg Holds Successful Food Drive cility at 7E Easy St. in Bound Brook. It was the fifth drive the club conducted in support of the Food Bank, and it was a big suc cess at a critical time.

There were many reasons why the drive instantly provided many of the items that were in short supply at the Food Bank. For the first time a shopping bag with an attached grocery list of critical items was handed to every shop per who entered the store. Thanks

to the assistance of Bill Caulfield, ShopRite manager, a huge display of reasonably priced canned and boxed food items that were in high demand at the food bank and corresponded to the shopping list was located at the entrance of the store. These three things made it convenient and easy for anyone who was interested in making a donation. Happily, the residents of Branchburg responded enthu siastically to these improvements.

The Branchburg Rotary con ducts many other community ori ented projects each year including those directed at helping veterans, supporting high school seniors with scholarships, recognizing high school juniors who are ser vice oriented and providing food to a local pantry in Bound Brook each Sunday, to name a few. If you are interested in supporting any of these projects or finding out what the club is working on you are welcome to join members at 7:30 a.m. any Wednesday at the Stoney Brook Grille in Branch burg to get an idea of what is hap pening.

The Food Bank can still use assistance. Individuals can drop off donations at the warehouse between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. any weekday or make a donation at somersetfoodbank.org.

Scouting for Food Drive Oct. 28, 29

Boy Scouts of America Patri ots’ Path Council will conduct the Scouting for Food Drive for the Food Bank Network of Som erset County on Friday, Oct. 28, 6-8 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 29, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the following locations: Branchburg Munici pal Building, White Oak Park –Snack Shack pavilion area, Old Towne Park pavilion, Marshall Street Park pavilion, ShopRite of Branchburg, Branchburg Rescue Squad, North Branch Fire House. Drop off food donations at those locations. Scouts will not be distributing shopping bags and collecting door to door this year.

To make a monetary donation visit https://www.somerset food bank.org/need-help/give-funds/.

Branchburg Historical Society Flea Market and Antique Sale

Oct. 8 & 9

The Branchburg Historical So ciety will host an outdoor Flea Market at the Andrew TenEyck House on Old York Road during the Somerset County Journey Through The Past event Oct. 8 and 9.

Members of the public are in vited to sell at this event. A good crowd usually attends this annual Somerset County event. Contact Sue Winter 908-369-2027 for info. Sellers must bring their own tables and remove any unsold items.

Also on that day are tours of the historic TenEyck House and the annual Historical Society An tique Sale.

Items to be sold include col lectable miniature soldiers in sets, costume jewelry, and comic books, a treadle sewing machine and an antique trunk.

Contact Jacquelyn D’Albero 732-803-7096 with questions on Scouting for Food or scouting in general.

Items most needed include baby formula, boxed pasta, breakfast cereal, canned beans, canned chicken, canned fruit, canned meats (Spam, stew), canned or boxed soup, canned spaghetti or ravioli, canned spaghetti sauce, canned tomatoes, canned tuna, canned vegetables, dry beans, fruit juice, granola protein bars, jelly, kids snacks, macaroni & cheese, oatmeal, peanut butter, mashed potatoes, rice, shelf-stable milk, tea, coffee, bar soap, body wash, deodorant, diapers (baby, adult), face masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, hand soap, mouthwash, shampoo, toilet paper, toothbrush, toothpaste, wet wipes, dish deter gent, laundry detergent, hot/cold cups, paper plates, cleaning prod ucts, paper towels, sandwich bags.

—Submitted by Eileen Bufe

Branchburg Generosity Fuels Pedals for Progress

collected bikes and sewing ma chines every September for the last decade. If you missed the collection, you can contact Ro tary and a volunteer will pick up your bike for next year’s collec tion.

For more information about Pedals for Progress contact Dan Matyola 908-685-1090 danma tyola@gmail.com or Kip Bate man 908-757-7800.

Rotary Club of Branchburg and Rotaract work together Sept. 10 to collect bikes and sewing machines. Volunteers pictured include Doug Bateman, Kip Bateman, Dan Matyola and Ileen Bradley.

Pedals for Progress provides bicycles and sewing machines to poor people overseas for trans portation and job opportunities. This year, thanks to the Branch burg Rotary and coordinators Kip Bateman and Dan Matyola and the residents of Branchburg, 119 bikes and 23 sewing ma chines are on their way to devel oping countries.

The Rotary Club of Branch burg in partnership with Pedals for Progress (P4P), a non profit organization that focuses on re cycling bicycles properly, has

If you would like more in formation about Rotary’s many community service programs or information on how to join, con tact Dr. Julie Juliano at 908-6858080. You can also visit the Rotary Club of Branchburg Facebook page or join club members any Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m. for breakfast at Stoney Brook Grille in Branchburg.

—Submitted by Kathy Feigley

Tricky Tray, Trivia and Tiny Tastes Oct. 21

Branchburg Rotary will hold a giant fundraiser on Friday, Oct. 21, at Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC.) Doors open at 6 p.m. The event theme is “Tricky Tray, Trivia, and Tiny Tastes from Branchburg.”

There will be baskets galore with three different valued tiers as well as some big ticket items.

Entry tickets cost $35 in ad vance and $40 at the door and in clude a free sheet of Tier 1 tickets, Trivia Game with prizes, as well as tastings from many of Branch burg’s restaurants.

Save the date and email bbrota ry7475@gmail.com for your res ervation. The Rotary will contact you with links and payment info.

Branchburg Woman’s Club Hosts Author, Welcomes New Members

By Kate Sarles

Branchburg Woman’s Club will host author and historian Linda Barth at the Oct. 19 general meeting at 7 p.m. in the Whiton Hills Community Center. Barth will present “The Garden State, Where Ideas Grow. A History of Invent ing in New Jersey from Thomas Edison to the Ice Cream Cone.”

Are you looking for a club that invites personal growth through continuing education, new ideas and a chance to meet women from across the state and nation? The BWC may be for you. Please join us for two general meetings to “try on” membership. You can learn about our Achievement Day and the Performing Arts Festival which give members an oppor tunity to showcase their personal talents and receive recognition for their creativity. Winning entries may go on to the state and nation al competitions. Along the way members develop lifelong friend

ships. The club’s activities are all voluntary. Some members may choose to just attend the club’s Lunch or Dinner Bunches. Others may be interested in the state proj ect, a charity chosen for a two-year period of support. This year, The Emmanuel Foundation, an orga nization devoted to children and their families suffering with brain cancer, is the designated charity.

These are just a few of the activ ities of the Branchburg Woman’s Club. Contact us at 908-458-6832 or at branchburgwomansclub@ gmail.com.

This Month In Branchburg History

One Year Ago, Oct. 2021

- The Neshanic Volun teer Fire Company helped out at Story and Craft Time at the Branchburg Library in Neshanic Station on Oct. 6. Firefighters met with children and told stories about fire trucks and putting out fires.

Five Years Ago, Oct. 2017

- Michael Skomba, an 11th and 12th-grade Social Studies teacher at Somerville High School, was named Somerset County Teacher of the Year by the state Department of Education.

10 Years Ago, Oct. 2012 - Superstorm

Sandy veered into Branchburg and visited Louka’s Last American Din er on Route 22 East, where it would imitate Parliament/ Funkadelic and tear the roof off the sucker.

Louka’s was then demolished and later replaced by Stax, a pancake cafe.

25 Years Ago, Oct. 1997 - Old York School Principal Joseph Capanna, who was retiring after 31 years with the district, received a standing ova tion at a school board ceremony honoring him.

Clover Court Scarecrows Come Out to Play Mid-Month

A Spiderman scarecrow was created by Jill, Eric, Brianna, Matthew, Sean and Ryan Hannum.

By Kristin Herman

Clover Court neighbors decided on a Superhero theme for the 7th Annual Scarecrow Decorating Contest in 2021. Each household used its ‘spidey senses’ and deco rated its scarecrow as a superhero. On reveal day, a Sunday in midOctober, the Clover Court resi dents brought their scarecrows out and then walked from scarecrow to scarecrow to evaluate. They ended the evening at one of the neighbor’s houses, enjoying ap petizers and good company. The kids absolutely love seeing the scarecrows every year. Year after year, more and more people walk down and drive by to see the fan

tastic creations. It is a great addi tion to the Halloween decorations and a fantastic tradition.

Kristin, Gary, Kai & Sydney Herman are pictured with their Incredibles scarecrows.

This year, the scarecrows will be displayed in mid-October. Stay tuned for the theme. All are wel

come to come by to see them, but drive slowly, there are always kids out playing.

Call Robert directly.

you.

Campers Raised Funds for Vincent R. Gagliardi Foundation

Buy Bracelets for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

pink bracelets to raise funds for breast cancer research. Since her mother’s diagnosis last year, Mad die decided she wanted to help increase awareness of the disease and to raise money to benefit Me morial Sloan Kettering where her mother sought treatment. She also wants other kids who are dealing with a parent’s cancer to know that they are not alone and it gets better.

Branchburg CORN

Why didn’t the skeleton go to the Halloween dance?

He had no body to go with.

Pictured are Holly Howard-Scanlon, Camp Director, and Bill Caldarola, Recre ation Dept. Program Director, presenting a check to Kelly Gagliardi (center) for the Vincent R. Gagliardi Foundation.

The Branchburg Rec Department Summer Camp selected the Vincent R. Gagliardi Foundation as the summer 2022 fundraising recipient. Camp fun draisers included bake sales, bbqs, and a pie in your eye event, raising nearly $5,000.

8, 2021. The Gagliardi family started a foundation in his memory to raise money for Somerville High School Se nior scholarships.

What did the farmer say to the green pumpkin?

Why orange you orange?

What did a Jack-o-lantern say to the pumpkin?

Vincent Gagliardi, age 17, was killed in a tragic car accident on Oct.

w e a l t h m a n a g e m e n t

Maddie Loonan, an 8th grader at Branchburg Central Middle School, is making and selling

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, Maddie hopes that the Branch burg Schools, local sports teams, and others will support her efforts and purchase bracelets for $5 each. To order bracelets, contact Mad die’s mom at robbinloonan1@ gmail.com.

—Submitted by Robbin Loonan

Cut it out!

When is a pumpkin not a pump kin?

When you drop it; then it’s squash!

What’s a ghost’s favorite dessert? I scream!

C F

I n v e s t m e n t s : A s s e t A l o c a t i o n R e t i r e m e n t P a n n n g A n n u i t i e s

T r a d i t i o n a l B r o k e r a g e E q u i t y I n v e s t m e n t s E d u c a t i o n P l a n n i n g

F i x e d i n c o m e I n v e s t m e n t s

F i n a n c i a l S t r a t e g i e s :

R i s k M a n a g e m e n t :

L i f e n s u r a n c e

D i s a b i l i t y I n c o m e I n s u r a n c e L o n g T e r m C a r e I n s u r a n c e

R ™ a r e c e t f c a t o n m a k s o w n e d b y t h e C e r i e d F n a n c a P a n n e r B o a d o S t a n d a r d s n c T h e s e m a r k s a r e a w a d e d o n d v d u a s w h o s u c c e s s f u y c o m p e t e t h e C F P B o a d s n t a a n d o n g o i n g c e t f c a i o n e q u r e m e n s S e c u i i e s o f f e e d h o u g h E q u t a b l e A d v i s o s L L C m e m b e F N R A S P C n v e s m e n a d v s o y p r o d u c t s a n d s e r v c e s o f e e d t h o u g h E q u a b e A d v s o s L L C a n S E C r e g i s e r e d n v e s m e n t a d v s o r A n n u y a n d n s u a n c e p r o d u c s t h r o u g h E q u t a b e N e w o r k L L C R C H P a n n n g G o u p s n o t o w n e d o o p e r a e d b y E q u a b e A d v s o r s o r t s a f l a e s P

14 The Branchburg News • October 2022 J A R R E T T D E W E L D E , C F P ® C E R T I F I E D F I N A N C I A L P L A N N E R ™ p r o f e s s i o n a l j a r r e t t @ r i c h p l a n n i n g g r o u p c o m T e l : ( 7 3 2 ) 3 8 4 9 1 9 2 R I C H P l a n n i n g G r o u p , L L C 5 0 D i v i s i o n S t r e e t S u i t e 5 0 1 S o m e r v i l l e , N J 0 8 8 7 6 “We are completely amazed and tru ly grateful for the continued support we have received from the Recreation Dept. and our Branchburg community,” said Kelly Gagliardi, Vincent’s mom.

Maddie Loonan

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD: Type your ad exactly as you want it to appear. Ads are limited to 30 words (phone numbers count as one word). Mail your ad along with a check for $20 made payable to “The Branchburg News” to The Branchburg News, PO Box 5351, Branchburg, NJ 08876

ASSISTANT TEACHERS op portunities at Kangaroo Kids, an accredited child care program. Looking for an energetic, positive, patient person with family friend ly values who enjoys working with young children. Educational opportunities available and we will train. CDA preferred but not required. Sick time, retirement plan and many benefits including a supportive, positive work envi ronment. Responsibilities include educating and caring for young children including feeding, chang ing diapers, reading, and singing to babies and good customer ser vice with the families. A chance to work in a high energy, happy environment where you are al ways welcomed with a smile! Call 908-231-7800 or email staff@kan garookidschildcare.com.

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MUSIC LESSONS: Guitar, Bass, Ukulele, Harmonica, Keyboard at my Branchburg home studio. De greed with over 25 years teaching/ performing experience. Youngsters, adults, retired folks. Call Sig 908-231-0492. Leave message.

PART TIME JOB for insurance coder/biller for small mental health practice on a monthly ba sis. Perfect for retired person or homemaker with some healthcare office experience. Reply with re sume to trr115@optimum.net or call 908-218-9062 for further info.

Service for Somerset Regional Animal Shelter

Brianna Simoncelli and Har mony Karroll from Troop 62314 in Branchburg earned their Bronze award by completing 20 hours of service. They planned, organized and collected donations for the Somerset Regional Ani mal Shelter. They collected more than $300 and purchased items for the shelter including animal food, cleaning supplies, toys and leash es. They also received donations of these items. They made cat toys with household items. The girls love animals and learned about the importance of adoption of animals and how animal control works. They were able to work on budgeting and making sure they were able to get the items needed by the shelter with the money they collected.

—Submitted by Jessica Karroll

Harmony Karroll and Brianna Simoncelli

45 Anderson Road

92 Arapaho Trail $575K

216 Arbor Way $167K

306 Azalea Terrace $185K

412 Azalea Terrace $310K

52 Bernard Street $705K

156 Brandon Court $645K

1708 Breckenridge Drive $315K

673 Case Road $620K

1304 Churchill Circle $677,590

1305 Churchill Circle $645K

1306 Churchill Circle $685K

47 Harlan School Road $634K

129 Lamington Road $549,900

89 Libby Lane $685K

23 Logan Drive $355K

1438 Magnolia Lane $330K

405 Mathers Lane $725K

104 Omni Court $810K

26 Oriole Road $855K

845 Parsonage Hill Road $700K

520 Red Crest Lane #B $350K

7 Rolland Drive $600K

7 Sioux Lane $490K

1110 Van Arsdale Drive $827K

756 Vanessa Lane $560K

429 Whiton Road $432K