Trillium Charter School Unanimously Approved by Flemington Planning Board

Flemington, Feb. 28 2010 -- The Flemington Planning Board has unanimously approved the Trillium Charter School to be located at One East Main Street in downtown Flemington. School Founders and administration will now begin working on converting the former town administrative offices to the Trillium Charter School. Individual classrooms, common areas, an outdoor garden and more will all be built.

Parent Advocate, Michael Karpinski, who attended the planning board meeting said, "The meeting was very positive. Board members and town residents were excited and pleased with the proposal. They hope the school will bring more life and business to a once bustling downtown Flemington."

The free public school will open its doors this September with to up to 152 students from the sending districts of Flemington-Raritan, Delaware Township, and East Amwell Township and surrounding areas. The school, which will be the first charter school in Hunterdon County, will enroll students for Kindergarten through Grade Four, and grow by one grade each year to ultimately serve Kindergarten through Eighth Grade. Applications are currently being accepted for September enrollment and are available at http://school.trilliumeducation.org.

The school's mission is to educate according to three commitments: to each learner as an individual, each learner as a member of families and communities, and to the Earth. The school will focus on supporting the development of the whole child: intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally. Small class sizes and project-based learning are two of the ways that Trillium Charter School will achieve this mission.

Rose King, Lambertville resident, educator, and Lead Founder of Trillium Charter School, "In the last three years, we've been amazed at the level of public interest in our mission. Many people collaborated in the chartering process and we believe that Trillium Charter School will be an outstanding public school option for students and their families."

Families interested in learning more about the school can attend the school's monthly information sessions, held at the Hunterdon County Library Headquarters, at 7:00pm on the second Tuesday of each month. They can also attend the Silent Auction scheduled for March 20th at 7:30pm at the Shaker Caf in Flemington. More information about these events and the school is available at http://school.trilliumeducation.org

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Clinton Township police blotter

SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENT, 4:15 p.m. Feb. 23. An empty school bus driven by Colleen Niedermeyer, 40, of Washington (Warren) was stopped on northbound Route 31 near the intersection with Country Club Drive when it was rear-ended by a 2004 Kenworth tractor-trailer driven by Vincent Lee, 35, of Daytona Beach, Fla. No injuries were reported. The left lane of Route 31 had to be closed for approximately a half hour while heavy-duty tow trucks removed the two vehicles. Patrolman Sean Ross issued Lee a summons for careless driving. The State Police assisted by conducting a commercial vehicle inspection of the tractor-trailer.

STALKING, 10:15 p.m. Feb. 24. Patrolman John Tiger charged a 55-year-old man, who resides at the Fountain Motel, in connection with a domestic violence incident. The man allegedly followed a 43-year-old woman, also a resident of the Fountain Motel, throughout the day, police say. At one point, he kicked in the door to her room, engaged her in a verbal argument, grabbed her by the wrist, and stole a knife from the room before fleeing, police say. The two previously had a dating relationship. The man was charged with stalking, burglary, theft and defiant trespass. When he was unable to post the $5,000 bail, the man was transported to the Hunterdon County Jail.

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Man charged with stalking at Fountain Motel

A 55-year-old man who lives at the Fountain Motel on Route 22 has been charged with stalking another motel resident.

Patrolman John Tiger arrested the man at about 10:15 p.m. Wednesday in connection with a domestic violence incident. The man allegedly followed a 43- year-old woman, also a resident of the Fountain Motel, throughout the day, police said. At one point he kicked in the door to her room, engaged her in a verbal argument, grabbed her by the wrist, and stole a knife before fleeing, police said. The man was charged with stalking, burglary, theft, and defiant trespass. The two had previously had a dating relationship, police said. Bail was set at $5,000. When he was unable to post the necessary bail, the man was transported to the Hunterdon County Jail.

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Clinton Township police blotter

BURGLARY, 11 a.m. Feb. 21. Sometime between 7 p.m. Feb. 20 and 11 a.m. Feb. 21, the front door was smashed at a business at Country Square Plaza on Payne Road. An unknown amount of money was reported stolen. Det. Paul Bate is investigating.

MARIJUANA, 12:55 a.m. Feb. 21. Patrolman Drew MacQueen stopped a vehicle driven by Peggy Snowden, 46, of Hagerstown, Md., on Route 22 for failing to signal lane changes and other erratic driving. During the stop, MacQueen discovered Snowden's driving privileges were suspended and her travel story conflicted with her passengers' travel story. Readington police Officer Chris Heycock and Ronan, his drug-sniffing K-9, responded to the scene and Ronan indicated that the vehicle contained drugs, police said. A short time later, officers discovered one pound of marijuana inside the vehicle, according to police. Snowden, Joseph Middleton, 24, and Tanaishia Russ, 20, both also of Hagerstown, were charged with possession of more than 50 grams of marijuana with intent to distribute. Snowden also was charged with driving while suspended, operating a motor vehicle while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance, and failing to signal a lane change. Middleton was taken to the Hunterdon County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail. Snowden and Russ were released on their own recognizance. Sgt. Matthew McGill and Patrolman Andrew McCluskey assisted. MARIJUANA, 4:30 p.m. Feb. 18. Patrolman Joseph SanGiovanni stopped a vehicle after observing it with a driver's side brake light out on Route 22 near Petticoat Lane. Backup officer Sergeant Thomas DeRosa saw pieces of marijuana on the shirt of passenger, Eddie Brown II, 22, of Irvington, police said. Brown was soon found to be in possession of a small amount of marijuana in a folded $100 bill that he had concealed in his sock, police said. SanGiovanni charged Brown with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana. He was released on his own recognizance The driver, Victorio Williams, 22, of Rahway, was issued a motor-vehicle summons for failing to maintain lamps.

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Soup update

Posted via The Food Chain » Flemington

From the Rotary Clubs, the results of Monday's Hunterdon County Soup Cook-Off:

Bragging rights to the Best Soup in Hunterdon County was earned by Chef Christopher Beall from Lambertville Station for his “Crab and Corn Chowder.” The Lambertville Station will be able to display the SOUPER BOWL trophy for a year, until the next competition in February 2011.

The Hunterdon Rotary Clubs of Flemington, North Hunterdon, Clinton Sunrise, Lambertville-New Hope sponsored the annual event.

The Silver Medal winning soup was “Tomato Bisque” presented by Joe Clyde of the Sergeantsville Inn. The Bronze Medal winning soup was “Chicken and Sausage Gumbo” presented by Brit Ash of Cook to Order/South Main Bistro in Flemington. More than 300 people attended the event and almost $4,000 was raised for food pantries in Hunterdon County. The event was sponored this year by Shop Rite of Hunterdon County.

The event also spotlighted local Rotary clubs and the service projects of Rotary International in the community and the world. The Haitian Relief effort of Rotary International was demonstrated through the Shelter Box program, which provides a large tent, supplies and water purification for 10 persons.

Other participating restaurants included:
55 Main
Baker's Treat
Basil Bandwagon
Beaver Brook Country Club
California Grill
Max's 22 Ristorante
Milford Oyster House
Mom's Restaurant
Mountain View Chalet

Cortes & Hay Title Agency moves to new Flemington headquarters

One of Flemington's oldest businesses has packed up and moved - but just a few doors away. Cortes & Hay, Inc., a title agency based in the borough for nearly 40 years, has moved from its 80 Main St. address to 110 Main St., also the home of Team Capital Bank.

"We were very happy in our old space, but the new headquarters just made good business sense," said Cortes & Hay President David Hay. "Cortes & Hay owns the building at 110 Main St., and the office configuration is a better fit for the current structure of our company." Since its formation in 1971, Cortes & Hay has become a cornerstone of the real estate business not just in Hunterdon County, but statewide. The company is experienced in residential, commercial and industrial title insurance throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania with satellite offices in Hoboken and Easton, Pa., where it operates as ABCO of Northampton, LLC. "We can handle every type of transaction: from multiple tract assemblage in Cape May, to improvements on leased land in urban counties, to residential subdivisions, we offer complete confidence and expertise in all areas," said Hay of the 14-employee company. "We also specialize in 1031 exchanges and settlement services, whether for property sale, purchase or refinancing, and with attorney assisted closings." The office move was in part impacted by the company's decision a few years ago to go paperless. In the past, the firm's employees would sometimes have to manually search through 60 years of hard paper when conducting a title assessment. Today, nearly everything is computerized, providing enhanced speed and efficiency - as well as cost savings on reduced office space and utilities. "Providing the absolute best client service has always been our mission and that is why we were really ahead of the industry curve on the decision to go paperless," Hay said. "Our clients want expeditious service and they want to work with someone they can trust. Our clients know that they will receive great service from Cortes & Hay's dedicated staff, most of whom have 20 years experience." The company and Hay have been recognized as community leaders for many years. Hay is a past chairman of the Hunterdon County Parks Commission and past president of the Clinton chapter of Business Networking International (BNI). Hay was instrumental in the founding of Team Capital Bank and the financial institution's continued success. He also is an honorary board member of the Community Builders Association and member of the New Jersey Land Title Association. "We are very committed to the Hunterdon community," Hay said. "My son Justin is Vice President and Chief Financial Officer so it's more than just a business for us - it's a passion for the whole family - but we also understand that changing times require new approaches to business." Hay also serves as president of 1031 Exchange Company, LLC, which serves as a qualified intermediary to help investors defer capital gains tax on business-use or investment properties. He also is the president of a land investment group Sterling Enterprises, LLC. For more information on Cortes & Hay, please visit www.corteshay.com or call (800) 239-4952

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Clinton Township police blotter

UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A GUN, 7:50 p.m. Feb. 19. Jihad Thorne, 20, with addresses in Plainfield and Allentown, Pa., was stopped on Route 22 near Petticoat Lane because he was not wearing his seat belt and his license plate lamps were out. During the stop, Sgt. Thomas DeRosa saw a large folding knife in Thorne's glove box and noticed that Thorne was overly nervous, police said. DeRosa contacted the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office and secured a search warrant for the vehicle where investigators found a loaded Colt .45 handgun, police said. After Thorne was unable to produce a firearms identification card, DeRosa charged him with unlawful possession of a handgun, failure to wear a seatbelt and failure to maintain lamps. Thorne was transported to the Hunterdon County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.

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RAC Cheer in Hunterdon County takes off running

RAC Cheer is a brand new competitive cheer program that is dedicated to giving each cheerleader the ultimate cheerleading experience. We strive to get to know each individual, help them set and reach goals, learn the value of commitment and team work and ultimately see their dreams become a reality. We are located out of the Raritan Athletic Sports Center, 97 River Road in Flemington NJ. RAC Sports center is a facility for volleyball and basketball, as well as promoting other extra curricular for local children, teens and young adults.

The RAC's coaching staff's mission is to offer the best technical cheer and tumbling training possible for these young athletes. RAC Cheer teaches them to be exceptional people. Focusing on teamwork, integrity, and structured safe workouts, RAC team members learn how to encourage one another while building their self-confidence. Our program has been designed to enable Hunterdon County's Pop Warner cheerleaders and cheerleaders in similar programs, continue to build and strengthen their cheerleading and tumbling skills to prepare them for future years as High School Cheerleaders.

In our inaugural season, we have developed a team consisting of 15 members, ranging from ages 8-13. In our first competition, the RAC Cheer team has won honors at the TNT Allstars Ultimate Blast-Off 3 winning first place in their Youth Intermediate Division.

Team Members include: Sabrina Besser, Leigh Ann Cook, Leah Creter, Hannah Davis, Emily Huddy, Olivia Huddy, Kassandra Ibrahim, Josie Libero, Grace Marciniak, Katherine Mensching, Kelly Mensching, Jessica Munday, Kaitlin Redling, Alexa Restaino, Tori Rozansky.

Assistant Coaches: Erica Searfoss, Shaina Hawkins.

Heach Coach/Co-Owner: Laura Jo Vitale-Bender

Director/Co-Owner: Deborah Libero

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Insight Financial of Flemington announces new partner

Flemington-based Insight Financial Services recently appointed H. Wayne Tillman as partner.

Tillman joined the firm in 2004, has helped shape its growth strategy, and is responsible for managing the Bridgewater office. He is a registered financial planner in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and North Carolina and is a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor. Prior to joining Insight Financial, Tillman was a project manager with AT&T, responsible for billing and finance management. For more about his firm, visit www.insightfinancialservicesllc.com.

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In the soup in Hunterdon

Posted via The Food Chain » Flemington

Augusto F. Menezes/MyCentralJersey

I wasn't able to be at the Hunterdon Rotary's annual Soup Cook-Off at the Hunterdon Central Regional High School Commons in Flemington last night, but photographer Augusto Menezes was, and he captured lots of the steamy goodness being sampled, in his photo gallery.

Tomato bisque, Sergeantsville Inn (LOIS HEYMAN photo)

I don't know who won this year, and Gus didn't find out either, because his deadline rolled around before the winner was announced. But I do know Ed Coss from the Milford Oyster House won last year for his crab soup, and I also happened to have sampled one entry on my own this week, the Sergeantsville Inn's tomato bisque, on their premises. I think I just might have had to vote for that one.

Oliver! production to help the people of Haiti

The Ensemble Theatre of New Jersey will present two benefit performances of "Oliver!" Lionel Bart's musical based on the Charles Dickens classic. All proceeds from these performances will go the people of Haiti who are struggling to survive following a devastating earthquake.

The Ensemble Theatre of New Jersey and its parent organization Franklin Theatre Works are registered nonprofit theatre arts programs open to all elementary through college students and young adults in Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren counties. All proceeds from these performances will go the Lambi Fund of Haiti, a unique nonprofit, grass-roots organization with a mission to assist the popular, democratic movement in Haiti by promoting the social and economic empowerment of the Haitian people. For more information about the Lambi Fund of Haiti, visit www.lambifund.org. "Oliver!" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 19 and Saturday, March 20 at the Clinton Township Middle School Theatre. Tickets are $10. Audience members are encouraged to buy early online at www.ftwetnj.org to get reserved seating. To purchase tickets, call 908-310-0041. Tickets also will be available at the door.

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Learn Quickbooks and do your own taxes

Polytech Adult Education Division has moved the start date of its 10 QuickBooks evening classes to Thursday, March 18 to accommodate students interested in doing their own taxes this year.

Quickbooks, a personal accounting software program, will be offered on Thursday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. for $225 at the Bartles Corner Campus of Polytech. Whether a novice or CPA, the course will cover navigation, income and expense accounts, bank account registers, creating invoices and receiving payments, tracking time, creating budgets and more. CPE credits are approved for CPAs.

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Polytech seeks advisors for new career academy

The new Career Academy of Health Sciences at Polytech, scheduled for launch this fall, is developing an advisory board and interested community stakeholders are sought to help develop the academy infrastructure.

The $100,000 planning grant requires the formation of a strong committee and grant Coordinator Robert DeVoto has been reaching out to community to identify members who will support and sustain the new health sciences program at the school. The Career Academy will have an advisory panel made up of a diverse professional population that can include teachers, health care workers, business executives, administrators or industry representatives. Interested residents can call 908-806-2855, ext. 112 or visit www.hcpolytech.org/Career Academy of Health Sciences for more information.

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March Programs at Hunterdon Libraries

#1

HIKING THE TRAILS OF HUNTERDON COUNTY

Alice Oldford and Sue Dziamara, authors of the book “You Can Get There From Here,” present “Hiking the Trails of Hunterdon County” at the Hunterdon County Library on Wednesday, March 3 at 7:00 pm.

Part of the Skylands Region, Hunterdon County is bounded on the west by the Delaware River with a view of Pennsylvania.  Farm fields, forests, hills, wildlife and two reservoirs-as well as historic homes, farms and estates-describe the landscape of Hunterdon County.  The County is home to parks and trails offering outdoor opportunities to folks of all ages!

Alice and Sue will be discussing as well as signing their book.  This will include a slide show of some of the trails as well as talk about some of the special sites along the trials.

Free, but space is limited.  Reservations are required. Please call (908) 788-1434 or visit the Library website’s Events Calendar at www.hclibrary.us.  The Hunterdon County Library is located at 314 Route 12 in Flemington, NJ.

 #2

TCHOBANOV PERFORMS THE MASTERS

 Alexander Tchobanov will be coming to the Hunterdon County Library on Wednesday, March 10 at 7:00 pm to give another of his great piano performances.  After bringing down the house two years ago, Tchobanov will perform the masters, Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin and Liszt.

 A graduate of the Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers, Tchobanov has also played at Carnegie Hall, won various piano competitions, and performed live on radio stations, including NPR and WGBH. A native of Bulgaria, Tchobanbov currently resides in Flushing, NY.

Free, but space is limited.  Reservations are required. Please call (908) 788-1434 or visit the Library website’s Events Calendar at www.hclibrary.us.  The Hunterdon County Library is located at 314 Route 12 in Flemington, NJ.

Photo attached (tchobanov.jpg): Alexander Tchobanov

#3

FOUR HAND PIANO CONCERT

Join us at the North County Branch Library on Thursday, March 11 at 7:00 for a unique concert featuring two pianists at one piano. Music from Mendelssohn, Holberg, Grieg, Lambert and Bernstein will be performed.

Husband and wife team Carolle-Ann Mochernuk and Paul Keuter are well-known for their 4-hand piano in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area.  In addition to performing in Europe, they most recently received a special citation for their playing in the Grieg International Competition in Oslo. 

Free, but space is limited.  Reservations are required. Please call (908) 730-6135 or visit the Library website’s Events Calendar at www.hclibrary.us.  The North County Branch Library is located at 65 Halstead Street in Clinton, NJ.

 #4

FOLK MUSIC ROCKS IN LATEST BOOK BY AWARD-WINNING LOCAL AUTHOR

 International award-winning author Stephanie P. Ledgin, of Alexandria Township, delivers an exciting new overview of folk music–its history, personalities and more–in her latest book, Discovering Folk Music.  Ledgin will offer a short presentation from her book and will be signing copies at the Hunterdon County Library on Tuesday, March 9 at 7:00 pm and again at the North County Branch Library on Saturday, March 13 at 2:00 pm. There are a number of local connections in Ledgin’s book, including a paragraph about and a photo of the Hunterdon Central Fiddle Club, taken at the main branch of the Hunterdon County Library, and a photo of the Greek youth dancers at the annual Opa! festival in Flemington.

From indigenous music to Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen singing “This Land Is Your Land” side-by-side at the pre-inaugural concert for our first African American president—folk music has been at the center of America’s history.  From the Colonial era to sixties protest music to avant-garde 21^st century performers, Ledgin presents the genre as surprisingly diverse, every bit epitomizing our national melting pot, embracing America’s multi-cultural traditions. Demonstrating the relevance of folk music in our everyday lives, the book provides special emphasis on the folk revival era, when Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Odetta, and Peter, Paul and Mary sang out and influenced subsequent generations. Interviews with such legends as Janis Ian, Tom Paxton, Jean Ritchie, and Nora Guthrie, Woody’s daughter, add color.

Endorsed by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame president Terry Stewart, Discovering Folk Music is a groundbreaking look at 21st-century folk music in our rapidly changing digital world, family-friendly while ripe for rediscovery by the Woodstock generation.

 Commissioned a Kentucky Colonel in 2008, Ledgin was recognized in 2007 for her career achievements when she received the Charlie Lamb Award for Excellence in Country Music Journalism, bestowed by the International Country Music Conference in cooperation with Belmont University in Nashville. She was Director of the New Jersey Folk Festival at Rutgers from 1994-2003 and is a founding member of Folk Alliance International. Ledgin is the author of two previous books, Homegrown Music: Discovering Bluegrass and From Every Stage: Images of America’s Roots Music, the latter of which generated a three-year traveling photo exhibition that included stops at Lincoln Center and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, among others.

Free, but space is limited.  Reservations are required. Please call (908) 788-1434 to register to attend at HCL or (908) 730-6135 for NCB. You can also visit the Library website’s Events Calendar at www.hclibrary.us. 

#5

VACATION MEDITATION WITH KALA DEVI

 Kala Devi will be presenting a workshop on Vacation Meditation at the North County Branch Library on Thursday, March 18 at 7:00 pm.   What is Vacation Meditation?  It is a concept of Kalá Devi based on the teachings of the great gurus to promote inner peace and happiness through a combination of music, storytelling and meditation.

 This Experiential Workshop is designed to facilitate the participant to independently access a peaceful state of mind at any time and any place, which in turn provides the person the tools to face life’s everyday challenges with a balanced and open mind and heart. Storytelling for the Soul and Spiritual Flute Music is a 2- presentation comprised of three main components: Meditation, Music and Storytelling

 Initially Kalá Devi will create a calm atmosphere through some deep breathing exercises and some gentle asana postures to allow the body to feel a conscious stillness, followed by flute meditation music and a short period of silence. Selected short stories will follow which exemplify the morals and ideals of spirituality and many have a humorous touch to them. The stories and accompanied music come from many different cultures and incorporate the teachings of many faiths.  The Experiential Workshop will end with a solo flute performance often improvisational in nature.

 Kala Devi is the alter ego of Andrea Brachfeld, flutist, composer, arranger, producer, educator and business owner.  Over these past 30 years she has recorded more than a dozen CD’s with many artists.  Her breakthrough performance as the flutist for the popular Latin band Charanga ‘76, catapulted her into Salsa history and fame as the first female flutist to play this music in the United States.

 Free, but space is limited.  Reservations are required. Please call (908) 730-6135 or visit the Library website’s Events Calendar at www.hclibrary.us.  The North County Branch Library is located at 65 Halstead Street in Clinton, NJ.

Hunterdon & Somerset to Partner on Non-Profit Symposium

The Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce, with the Somerset County Business Partnership, the Somerset County United Way, United Way of Hunterdon County, and the Boards of Chosen Freeholders of Somerset and Hunterdon Counties will collaborate for the presentation of "Business Perspectives In Non-Profit Management" on Monday, March 8, 2010. The full-day symposium will run from 8:00 A.M. to 3:15 P.M. at Raritan Valley Community College, 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, New Jersey.

The presentation is geared to non-profit organization leaders, board members, staff, and volunteers. The discussion will focus on strengthening organizational missions, stimulating strategic thinking, and creating dialogue that will improve management practices to enhance business performance and service delivery.

The morning keynote speaker will be Dr. DeForest Soaries, Jr., Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset New Jersey. The afternoon keynote will be delivered by Dr. Donald Scarry, Principal Economist for New Jersey Economics, in addition to over 30 years experience as a research economist for the New Jersey Department of Labor and the New Jersey Business & Industry Association.

Breakout sessions throughout the day will focus on "Creating a Board Culture for Success," "Non-Profit Leadership," "Benefiting from Strong Media Relations," "Fundraising: Strategies that Work," "Attracting & Retaining Great Board Members," and "Which Social media Outlet is a Fit for Your Non-Profit."

Fee for the full-day session is $10 if pre-registered and $25 at the door. Reservations are requested by Friday, February 26, 2010. Payment may be made to the Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce, One Church Street, Suite 73, Flemington, New Jersey 08822. Registration is also available online at www.hunterdon-chamber.org. For information call 908-782-7115.

The symposium is sponsored by TD Bank.

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Unwanted athletic shoes accepted through end of month

Destinations Personal Fitness Coaching of Flemington and Sneakers Plus teamed up with Nike USA to help improve communities, reduce solid waste and repurpose unwanted athletic shoes during the month of January. The program was so successful that it was extended through the end of February.

Destinations is donating worn-out sneakers to the NIKE Reuse-A- Shoe Sneaker Recycling Program. Worn sneakers will be turned into Nike Grind, a material used for playgrounds, running tracks, tennis courts, basketball courts and playing fields. For each pair of used sneakers donated, Sneakers Plus will give a discount for a replacement pair. "Destinations is proud to work with Sneakers Plus," said Destinations owner Susan Kibler. "Footwear is the most important investment you can make when you are working out. Worn-out or inappropriate footwear will not only hold you back, it could lead to injury." Shoes will be accepted until Sunday, Feb. 28. Sneakers can be dropped off at the Destinations Flemington studio at 47 Maple Ave. For more information, contact Carolyn McCann at 908-782-6555, ext. 12 or e-mail Carolyn@destinationspfc.com.

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Hunterdon official sees room for improvement despite top health ranking

John Beckley isn't content to rest on the county's laurels.

Don't get Beckley wrong. The director of the Hunterdon County Health Department is pleased with the conclusions of a recent study of all 3,016 of America's counties that rated Hunterdon tops for health in the state of New Jersey.

But Beckley pegged some areas where the county could improve.

Binge drinking among adults is one area, he said. "There's an area where we have real room for improvement," said Beckley, noting the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's data said 16 percent of Hunterdon adults reported engaging in binge drinking within the past month. The average figure among all New Jersey's 21 counties was 14 percent.

"I don't know, and I don't want to speculate," said Beckley when asked for a possible reason for the high figure. But he said there's plenty that can be done to address the issue, noting the topic is likely to come up during the next regularly scheduled meeting of representatives of agencies throughout Hunterdon that deal with substance-abuse issues. That session is scheduled for Thursday (Feb. 25).

The foundation's rankings are based on several factors, including rates of death and disease -- information that is derived from health agencies and private organizations that track such things as obesity rates, tobacco use and alcohol consumption. Overall, Beckley and other Hunterdon health officials were very pleased with the findings of the foundation, which is recognized as one of the Northeast's leading philanthropic organizations whose mission includes improving health care, according to its Web site.

"Where we are today is reflective of all the work that's been done in the past," said Beckley, who added that a network of entities and agencies that operate within Hunterdon -- and not the county government itself -- is mainly responsible for the ranking.

"Employers provide health insurance, the United Way raises money and invests in organizations that provide services, Hunterdon Prevention Health Resources (HPHR) is all about preventing substance abuse," he said. "The faith community preaches about the importance of getting flu shots to their congregations."

Beckley singled out public-school districts across Hunterdon for being vigilant toward health issues, such as the swine-flu outbreak, and communicating rapidly with parents online via their list serves. "They were extremely effective partners," he said.

The extent of the county's health-care network also was cited as a factor in the ranking.

The foundation found that Hunterdon has 209 primary-care providers for every 100,000 people, nearly 70 percent more than the statewide rate of 124. "We have a solid primary- and pediatric-care network throughout Hunterdon County," said Robert Wise, president and CEO of Hunterdon Healthcare, the county's largest nonprofit health-care organization, which includes Hunterdon Medical Center in Flemington.

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Hunterdon Central teacher arrested on sex charges

Hunterdon Central Regional High School teacher Michael Seiler, 34, of Holland Township, was charged today with attempted sexual assault on a minor and attempt to enfanger the welfare of a child after he allegedly gave sexually explicit directions in an online chat room to someone he believed to be a 13-year-old girl.

Seiler, also an assistant soccer coach at the school, was arrested after a search warrant was executed at his home by detectives from the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office and the Burlington County Prosecution's Office. He was remanded to the Burlington County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail with a 10 percent option. In November, Seiler was online in a chat room and contacted an undercover detective in Burlington County posing as a 13-year-old girl. Seiler then instructed the "girl'' to touch herself in a sexual manner and send him nude pictures of herself so he could use them to masturbate, authorities said. Seiler faces up to 15 years in prison.

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Study ranks Hunterdon N.J.’s healthiest county

A widely recognized independent philanthropic organization devoted to improving health care rates Hunterdon as New Jersey's healthiest county.

The Princeton-based Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released its findings following a study of the nation's 3,016 counties, according to Hunterdon County Health Officer John Beckley. The rankings are based on several factors, including rates of death and disease, according to the foundation. That information is derived from health agencies and private organizations that track obesity rates, tobacco use and alcohol consumption. The goal is to mobilize communities to overcome health barriers and make their county a healthier place to live, the foundation said in a news release. "That Hunterdon County is ranked as the healthiest county in New Jersey is indeed good news for all of us who experience what this county has to offer on a daily basis," said Beckley.

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Families join pupils in exploring science at Readington school

In an effort to make learning fun while bringing families together, Holland Brook Intermediate School this month has continued an annual program, which teachers say is an alternative approach to the standard curriculum.

The school began hosting Family Science Nights about 12 years ago, familiarizing fifth-grade students with science equipment through engaging trivia questions and science experiments, said Kelly Patterson, fifth-grade teacher. Patterson was trained to facilitate the program by staff at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, where the concept was initiated. Family Science Nights are held for 90 minutes one day a week for four weeks. The next program is scheduled for Feb. 24 and will be led by Patterson and special-education teacher Linda Rakowitz. During the program, fifth graders may have to solve a problem, conduct an investigation, do an experiment, tackle an engineering challenge or make a prediction. On Wednesday evening during the program's second session, about 15 pupils and their families tried out the "impossible knot,'' which tested each participant holding an end of a rope and trying to tie a knot without releasing the ends. "The kids really enjoy their parents being on their school turf and seeing what they are involved in,'' Rakowitz said. The groups then performed ""This and That,'' an experiment where the children acted out as birds and attempted to pick up paper "moths'' from the ground. Patterson said the activity tested how birds adapt to their surroundings. At the end of the session, those who answered correctly to such questions as "What percent of a potato is water?'' received a prize. The answer was "78 to 80 percent.'' During the next program on Feb. 24, families will use dowel sticks to construct a 4-foot high structure without talking to each other during the experiment. On March 3, they plan to make ice cream inside two coffee cans. Parent Cathy Sadlon, a township resident for 10 years, performed the experiments with her twins, Christopher and Nicole, 10. She said her children are eager to learn more about science though the hands-on program. Jake Hamilton, 10, brought his brother, Will, 12, who attends Readington Middle School, back to the program. Will had participated when he was a fifth grader at Holland Brook and said he was looking forward to it. "I thought it was interesting when I first did it,'' Will said. "You get to do so many different things.'' The boys' father, Bill Hamilton, also gave the program the thumbs up, saying, "It's a great experience. We've been doing this for years and we keep coming back for more.'' For more local news or to share your own news, visit www.flemington.injersey.com

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