Thursday, May 2, 2013
The first day of drop-off will be May 4.
The First Saturday of the Month Drop-off Event for recycling in Somerset County will take place this weekend on Polhemus Lane in Bridgewater. The event will be held at the Somerset County Recycling Center from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The event allows residents to drop off tires, clean textiles and usual curbside items all at once when they are too busy to do so during the week. In addition, residents can take the opportunity to donate food items for the local food bank. Residents are allowed to drop off up to eight tires with or without rims, scrap metal, antifreeze and other usual curbside items, including chipboard items, plastic bottles and containers all marked #1 through #7. Chipboard items include gift, show, shirt and all other …
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Public hearings on proposed increase planned in Freehold Wednesday.
The Somerset County freeholders are unanimously opposed to JCP&L's request for a $31 million rate increase. The board approved a resolution at its Tuesday meeting that says the hike isn't justified "due to JCP&L’s failure to properly respond to outages caused by Hurricane Sandy and Irene, along with the [2011] Halloween Blizzard and other storms, resulting in Somerset County residents being frustrated and dismayed by JCP&L’s poor communication and its overall lack of leadership and supervision of repair efforts that led to unnecessary delays and long response time.” The state Board of Public Utilities will hold a pair of public hearings at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. today in Freehold, during which Assemblywomen Amy Handlin and Caroline …
Thursday, April 18, 2013
View the interactive map of SAT scores and median household incomes for the 11 public high schools in Somerset County.
In Somerset County, income and SAT scores seem to go hand in hand. Of the 11 public high schools in Somerset County, the three with median household incomes of less than $65,000 are seeing average SAT scores among students in the 1300s, according to data from the state's recently released New Jersey School Performance Report. They are Manville, North Plainfield and Bound Brook. On the flip side, six of the public high schools in the county with students coming from homes with a household income above $100,000 had average scores in the 1600s and 1700s. According to the New Jersey School Performance Report, the benchmark for SAT scores is set at 1550, with the expectation that those who achieve it will earn at least a B- in their first year …
Monday, April 8, 2013
Somerset County made quick stop in center of Basking Ridge for a road project.
The center of Basking Ridge on a small stretch of South Finley Avenue was closed for about five hours on Monday, while Somerset County remilled and repaved a small section of the road near the intersection of Oak Street, according to information from Bernards Township Police. The county completed all work that was necessary during Monday's construction said Bernards Township Police Lt. Ted Reese. Drivers were detoured away from the center of town during that time. The road reopened as of about 4 p.m., Reese said.
40.70657
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1 W Oak St, Basking Ridge, NJ
/articles/basking-ridge-center-reopens-after-county-road-work
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Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Those who turn in their guns will receive money.
Somerset County is holding a gun buyback program on two separate days in four locations around the county, with no questions asked. The program will be held April 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and April 6 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be four locations—the Community Service Center on Stonehouse Road in Bernards Township, the First Baptist Church on Somerset Street in Somerset, the Community Baptist Church on Grove Street in North Plainfield; and St. John Episcopal on West High Street in Somerville. According to a release from the Bridgewater Township Police, unloaded guns should be wrapped and tied or taped, then put in a box, bag or case to be sold back. The program will pay $100 for operable handguns, $100 for operable rifles/shotguns and…
Monday, March 25, 2013
We look at places that take the longest to navigate.
Somerset County is a very busy place—between all the major highways that converge there to the many side roads, there always a lot of cars out at all times. So we want to know what you think are the busiest intersections throughout Bridgewater, Basking Ridge (such as mornings by Ridge High School), Green Brook, Warren, Watchung, Hillsborough, Bernardsville, Bedminster and beyond. Where do you usually get stuck in traffic? Take our poll and let us know in the comments where are the most difficult roads to navigate.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Residents at various Somerville, Bridgewater, Hillsborough locations in last 2 weeks urged to contact a doctor.
The New Jersey Department of Health has confirmed one case of measles in Somerset County and is investigating two other reported cases of measles in people determined to be at locations in the area from March 6 to March 12. Measles is a very contagious viral illness spread through the air that can cause serious medical complications, according to a release from the department. A list of locations, dates and times have been provided for when anyone could have been exposed to those found with, and suspected of having, measles. In the first case, confirmed March 13, a local health department was made aware of a medical center employee who developed fever and a rash on March 8. This person had contact with a known laboratory-confirmed case of …
Saturday, March 9, 2013
This 2013 proposed budget is 1.7 percent higher than last year's.
The Somerset County Board of Freeholders introduced a $214.7 million 2013 budget Thursday, according to a release from the county. A public hearing on the budget will be held April 11 at 5 p.m. at the county administration building on Grove Street in Somerville. "The 2013 budget reflects the same types of tough choices that have been seen in every budget cycle for the last few years," said freeholder, and county finance chairman, Robert Zaborowski in a release. "What makes this year a little bit different is that we believe we may finally be seeing a turnaround in the economic conditions facing the county, and a sign that future budgets may not be left to choose between further cuts in service and raising tax revenues." The 2013 budget is …
Monday, March 4, 2013
It's that time of year to buy Girl Scout cookies!
As a former Girl Scout, there are a few important things to know: the Girl Scout Promise and Girl Scout Law, all the camp songs and the perfect pitch for selling Girl Scout cookies in your town. We still know the Girl Scout Law, we haven’t forgotten the lyrics (and accompanying dance steps) to “Make New Friends” and we’ll always remember ringing the neighbors' doorbells with a Brownie sash on, ready to recite why they needed at least 20 boxes of Thin Mints. Girl Scout cookie season is upon us, which means that you now have the chance to buy 20 boxes of Thin Mints, if you so desire. And we're sure you do. So, where can you buy Girl Scout cookies in Somerset County? Here are a few places and dates they will be sold there, according to the …
Let us know what roads you would never cross on foot.
The Tri-State Transportation Campaign (TSTC) recenty determined that Route 22 is the most dangerous road in Somerset County for pedestrians based on the number of deaths over a three-year span—but that's not the only place to watch out. A total of four pedestrian deaths were reported on Route 22 between 2009 and 2011, in addition to others on Weston Canal Road and Route 619. And these figures, of course, don't include motor vehicle fatalities—that have nothing to do with pedestrians—including the death of a Bound Brook resident on Route 22 in Bridgewater Thursday. But there are other roads throughout Somerset County while, not as dangerous, still pose some kind of threat when trying to cross. So we want to know what roads you consider too …
Karen B
10:35 am on Thursday, April 25, 2013
They need to raise their rates for two reasons: 1) Give them the resources required to modernize our infrastructure so it can be as good as other countries. I was in China and they properly invest. Everything is new not like here where lobbyists and loud mouth governors steal from the people 2) To encourage people to NOT use so much electricity powered by coal. Our skies are dirty and the next … more ›