Archive for August, 2011

ELIZABETH -- A Plainfield man who led police on a chase through five towns and at one point tried to run down a state trooper was convicted following a bench trial before Superior Court Judge Stuart Peim. »

TRENTON – Gov. Chris Christie conditionally vetoed a bill that would have banned a controversial procedure to drill for natural gas, earning the ire of environmentalists. »

EDISON – Edison Township Public Schools has partnered with Blackboard Inc. to launch a custom-designed mobile application to enhance school and district communications, the company announced today. »

TRENTON—Nearly 29 percent of New Jersey school districts – 170 of the 589 school districts and educational services commission tracked by the New Jersey School Boards Association – changed superintendents in 2010-2011, according to an NJSBA report. »

CARTERET- Carteret Councilwoman Susan Naples and Councilman Randy Krum will mark the beginning of the campaign season with a "Canvassing Kick-off" event on Tuesday, Sept. 6. The pair will join Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman and a host of volunteers in what will be the start of an aggressive campaign for re-election. »

ELIZABETH -- A Plainfield man was sentenced to 20 years in state prison Monday, having been found guilty of drug charges in March, Union County Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow said. »

SOUTH AMBOY -- On Aug. 16, the Dowdell Library Foundation gave $2,000 to the Sadie Pope Dowdell Public Library of South Amboy. »

ROSELAND – Residents and business owners affected by storms and flooding face major challenges in recovering from their losses. The New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJSCPA) has prepared a Disaster Recovery Guide in hopes of providing at least a measure of assistance for those in crisis. »

ROBBINSVILLE – With the fall interscholastic sports season about to begin, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Association (NJSIAA) -- the non-profit group that represents the best interests of more than 250,000 student athletes from 433 accredited public, private, and parochial high schools -- has announced a pair of significant updates. »

PERTH AMBOY-- Raritan Bay Medical Center’s Perth Amboy Auxiliary, one of the oldest hospital auxiliaries in the New Jersey, is holding its 10th Annual Gift Auction and Luncheon Sunday, Sept.18, at noon, at ZPA Hall in Perth Amboy. Proceeds from the fundraising event benefit the medical center’s new Center for Women at Perth Amboy. »

Dear EarthTalk: I am a retailer and have had customers ask whether the plastic bags in wine boxes are BPA free or not. What can I tell them? -- Chris Tod, via e-mail »

SOUTH BRUNSWCIK -- On Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. – noon, Middlesex County’s office of Rutgers Cooperative Extension will present a gardening seminar at the EARTH Center, 42 Riva Ave, Davidson’s Mill Pond Park, South Brunswick. The topic will be, “Green Screens for your Yard”. »

UNION – The YM-YWHA of Union’s senior department is planning a September Bash on Wednesday, Sept. 21, from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. The program features music by Ted O’Connell, who plays an array of popular songs that encourage singing and dancing. »

Welcome to Rosa’s Black History, Past & Present. I’m Rosa Harrington, president of Youth Reading To Senior Citizens, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Each month, I will give you a quiz on Black history to help increase your interest and knowledge in the subject. »

UNION COUNTY – New Jersey, like the rest of the country, is facing potentially crippling nurse and nurse faculty shortages. Without enough prospective nursing students to fill the gap or sufficient nurse faculty to teach them, the Garden State’s health would suffer. »

CLARK -- Carl H. Kumpf Middle School in Clark will be one stop on a 20-week national tour called “Change My World Now,” which aims to promote self-acceptance, self-reliance, tolerance, and self-worth in students. »

LINDEN – City residents can make use of the fully-equipped wood shop at The Gregorio Recreation Center, 330 Helen Street. »

SOUTH AMBOY -- On Thursday, Oct. 6, TGI Friday’s in Old Bridge will host a “Dining to Donate” fundraiser in collaboration with the Dowdell Library Foundation to benefit the South Amboy Dowdell Library. »

LINDEN -- Linden resident Kier Thompson, a junior at Fairleigh Dickinson University, is spending the fall 2011 semester studying at Wroxton College, FDU's overseas campus in Oxfordshire, England. At FDU, he is enrolled in the theater undergraduate program. »

WOODBRIDGE –The Woodbridge Township Office of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service has issued a storm and flood watch advisory for Thursday, Aug. 25. This alert is unrelated to Hurricane Irene, which is not expected to impact the New Jersey area until Saturday. »