SOUTH BOUND BROOK – The community is rallying to help the families who lost their homes to fire last week No one was injured in the fire which destroyed two houses on Lincoln Street near the Franklin border at about 4:30 p.m More than 10 volunteer fire companies from neighboring towns assisted the South Bound Brook Fire Department in extinguishing the blaze which has left two families homeless "We would like to thank all of our mutual aid, as well as the South Bound Brook Fire Company Ladies auxiliary, the South Bound Brook public works department, and all of the residents who helped on scene," the South Bound Brook Fire Department wrote in a Facebook post " We are proud to help our community and we are even more proud when our community comes together to help each other!" Operation Code Red organized by borough resident Samantha Hanlon has started a drive to help the families who lost everything in the fire that will continue "until the families are back on their feet." pet supplies for a small dog and a large a dog feminine hygiene products and other toiletries and toys and activities for children 6 to 9 years old More: Century-old Bound Brook landmark may be demolished for apartment building Donations can be dropped off at the Hanlon family's Millstone Service Center with a portion of the proceeds "to support these two families as they begin to rebuild." The popular restaurants will also be accepting cash donations "While we can't replace what was lost, we can all come together to offer love, support, a meal and a helping hand," the restaurants wrote on Facebook. A GoFundMe drive has also been started by Silke Von Dyck with the goal of raising $3,000 2025 at 5:12 pm ET(Jennifer Sneed with Gateway Affairs)(Jennifer Sneed with Gateway Affairs)BOUND BROOK NJ — Join the Borough of Bound Brook and the Bound Brook Revitalization Partnership on a fun and informative walking tour and pub stroll through downtown Bound Brook during the Battle of Bound Brook Living History Weekend The tour will be led by local leaders and provide attendees with stories about Bound Brook's colorful history as the oldest town in Somerset County and information will be shared about what new things are happening in Bound Brook Interesting information about Bound Brook's past and present will be shared on the walk through the downtown and stops will be made along the way at participating locations for food and drinks Restaurant partners will provide free samplings of food Desired beverages are for purchase by attendees at each bar "The Bound Brook Revitalization Partnership and the Borough of Bound Brook once again are excited to spotlight the downtown with this walking tour and pub crawl Our partners enjoy hosting the Battle & Brews event attendees and showcasing their establishments Event attendees get to learn more about our rich history and about other happenings around Bound Brook that may spark interest to check out," stated the Bound Brook Revitalization Partnership The event is hosted by the Borough of Bound Brook and the Bound Brook Revitalization Partnership 2025 marks the first year the National Society of the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution will recognize the Battle of Bound Brook commemoration as a national event Registration is required via Eventbrite Annual Battle & Brews Event Highlight Video Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Isabella Marusiak (11) of Bound Brook delivers a pitch against Pingry during the softball Somerset County Tournament quarterfinal at The Pingry School in Basking Ridge .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jake Tiger | For NJ Advance MediaPowered by a dozen strikeouts from Isabella Marusiak 12th-seeded Bound Brook battled to a 5-2 win over 13th-seeded Rutgers Prep in Bound Brook in the first round of the Somerset County Tournament Marusiak allowed only five hits and two runs on top of her 12 strikeouts Rachel Gurczeski paved the way on offense for Bound Brook (5-9) Katelyn Cunha also pitched in two each of runs Kate Dougherty had 12 strikeouts for Rutgers Prep (3-8) Jake Tiger can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices Welcome to the Borough of Middlesex (NJ) website Our site features customer-friendly information and resources to help better serve our residents reminder: this years volunteer fair is this saturday Union & Somerset County Clean Communities Programs Mayor’s Alliance for a Cleaner Green Brook Waterway Scotch Plains and Bound Brook invite you to choose a site along the Green Brook and register to join us for a multi-site clean-up on Saturday May 10 2025 from 9:30AM - 12PMWhere: Mountainview Park (300 John F Kennedy Dr Parking in the Mountainview Park parking lot next to the High School) Gloves/trash bags/supplies will be provided Welcome to the Borough of Middlesex web site Our site features customer friendly information and resources to help serve you better Please contact us if you need any assistance Copyright © Middlesex Borough, NJ • All Rights ReservedWebsite Design: Positive Solutions Just two years away from its 250th anniversary, the April 13, 1777 Battle of Bound Brook between the Continental Army and British Crown Troops will be marked this weekend with a series of colorful events on both sides of the Raritan River in Bound Brook and South Bound Brook The highlight of the weekend will be the reenactment of three skirmishes during the battle an encampment at the Abraham Staats House where soldiers of the American Revolution will perform drills and demonstrate camp life including open fire cooking More: Somerset County seeking volunteer tour guides for historic homes Parking for events in South Bound Brookis available along Main Street and on the streets in the area of the Soldiers Encampment Parking in Bound Brook is available throughout the town and in Billian Park Intermittent street closings are expected during the weekend in South Bound Brook and Bound Brook to accommodate the march and battles by the soldiers a four-column force of 4,000 British Crown troops led by Lord Charles Cornwallis attacked a small American garrison of about 500 commanded by General Benjamin Lincoln in Bound Brook capture the garrison and provisions and gain a foothold in the war against the Continental Army an advance column led by Hessian Jaeger scouts fighting for the British were pinned down by Colonial soldiers who put up a spirited resistance at the Old Stone Arch Bridge on the north side of the the Queens’ Bridge The skirmish bought time for the bulk of the American force in Bound Brook as British forces poured into the area When a second column of 1,000 British soldiers charged over the Queen’s Bridge to attack The American army regrouped in the area later in 1777 in a larger encampment called First Middlebrook .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Cosentino | For NJ Advance MediaSantino Cignarella tossed a two-hitter with five strikeouts and had two RBIs at the plate while Keegan Fullman went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs in Princeton Day’s 10-0 win over Bound Brook in Bound Brook two RBIs and a run for the Panthers (5-11) The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! 2025 at 11:05 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The incident was reported on Sunday at around 10:30 p.m NJ — An adult man was hit by an NJ Transit train on Easter Sunday and was scheduled to arrive at Newark Penn Station at 11:15 p.m. crossing in Bound Brook as it was approaching the Dunellon station The man was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries There were no reported injuries to the 55 customers and crew New Jersey Transit Police are leading the investigation Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com BOUND BROOK – A developer wants to demolish the landmark Union Avenue building that once housed the Bound Brook Inn and construct a three-story apartment building is scheduled to appear before the borough Planning Board on April 10 with a plan to demolish the building which most recently housed America's Florist and Pop's Bicycle Shop and construct 64 apartments over a first-floor commercial space of 1,820 square feet The plan calls for 38 one-bedroom and 26 two-bedroom apartments The first floor will also have a 2,370-square-foot lobby with trash Parking for the apartment building will be provided at grade level beneath the apartments More: Appeals court tosses Bound Brook man’s murder conviction over jury instructions built in 1913 bought from the Sears Roebuck Catalog The model was called "The Magnolia" and it was patterned after the Cambridge house where poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once lived The property was bought by New Horizons in May 2023 for $1.475 million from 227 Property LLC Alfred Nangeroni opened the Bound Brook Inn in 1922 and the establishment offered both a restaurant and hotel rooms it was advertised as "A Safe Place to Dine" and offered Thanksgiving dinner for $2 With seating for about 130 people in the main dining and banquet rooms the Bound Brook Inn was the place to go for special occasions to the Union Avenue location in 1994 and renamed it America's Florist .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Dylan McCoy | For NJ Advance MediaEvan Canica threw a complete game and drove in two RBIs on offense as Manville secured a series sweep Manville (8-5) held a 3-0 lead after the fourth inning Bound Brook (1-10) got back into the game with a two-run sixth inning but Manville scored in the seventh and pitched a clean inning to secure the result Canica recorded 11 strikeouts and had two hits and Brandon Wright had two stolen bases for Manville Bound Brook plays host to Princeton Day on Saturday Dylan McCoy can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By John Lewis | For NJ Advance MediaBrandon Shimp struck out 11 over five innings of one-hit ball and backed his own effort with two hits at the plate It was the fourth win in five games for the Mustangs (7-5) who jumped on top with four second-inning runs Robert Petrone added a pair of hits and two RBIs fell to 1-9 with its seventh straight loss John Lewis can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) BOUND BROOK − The apartment building boom is continuing in the borough with a new complex proposed on Talmage Avenue Talmage Urban Renewal is scheduled to appear before the borough Planning Board on Feb 13 with a proposal to build a four-story mixed-used building on Talmage Avenue in Bound Brook's West End neighborhood west of Vosseller Avenue and backing on the NJ Transit Raritan Valley Line tracks The property is in the borough's Redevelopment Zone 2 Talmage Urban Renewal proposes to merge the three lots on the site into one 29,678-square-foot property The developer is also proposing 15% set-aside for affordable units with a payment-in-lieu for the remainder That will require a variance because the borough ordinance says there should be a 25% set aside for affordable housing Bound Brook has accepted the state Department of Community Affairs' prospective goal of providing for 31 affordable units in the next 10 years More: NJ man appeals murder conviction, challenging testimony of jailhouse 'snitch' Another variance is required because the developer is proposing 23 bicycle spaces when the borough ordinance calls for 51 A variance is also required for the rear yard setback to the railroad's right of way The borough ordinance required 5 feet while the developer is proposing none This project could be the second new apartment building in the West End neighborhood nearer Main Street and the downtown business district has 49 apartments and two retail spaces BOUND BROOK - With no definitive date that the Bound Brook Memorial Library may re-open, the Somerset County Library System has announced "with deep regret" it will no longer provide outreach services to the borough as of Jan The Library System's decision comes after the search for an alternative location for library services was unsuccessful while the century-old building on the corner on High and Hamilton streets undergoes asbestos removal and other improvements with no available building solutions expected within the next five years the (Library System) is forced to cease operations in Bound Brook as it finalizes its 2025 budget," according to a Library System statement “We are deeply saddened by this outcome and recognize the impact it will have on the community,” said Brian Auger but after careful consideration and exhaustive efforts this is the only viable option moving forward We remain committed to serving Bound Brook residents and look forward to the day when a newly renovated Bound Brook Library will once again provide essential services to the community.” The discovery of asbestos contamination in the library in October 2023 prompted the suspension of in-person operations But Bound Brook is still looking for the money for the asbestos removal and to make various improvements to the building including making the first-floor compliant with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act the borough explored various funding opportunities for the project the borough anticipated realizing $1.38 million from Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreements from nine development projects and $1.7 million from the sale of its sewer system to New Jersey American Water The sale money was earmarked to pay down the borough's debt More: Bound Brook library may not reopen until next year Bound Brook agreed with the Library System in 2005 to make the improvements “We are working through identifying the necessary funds to address the environmental issues and ADA upgrades at the Bound Brook Memorial Library,” said Jasmine McCoy we remain open to and are continuing efforts to partner with an appropriate temporary location in Bound Brook that could provide holistic library services while the asbestos issue at our branch is abated." McCoy said Bound Brook remains "committed to doing everything we can to resume local library services in Bound Brook and are thankful to the Somerset County Library System for all the assistance they have been providing to our community.” McCoy said the borough intends to address the remediation needs in this year's budget Because of its partnership with municipalities the County Library Commission relies on towns to provide and maintain appropriate facilities the Library System was able to provide mobile services in the borough's commuter lot near the train station copying and internet services that the Bound Brook Memorial Library used to offer were provided out of the Municipal Court Bound Brook will revisit a new contract with the Library System once am alternative location can be found Bound Brook residents can visit any SCLSNJ branch to continue using online resources and use Home Borrowing services by emailing homeborrowing@sclibnj.org or calling 908-458-4938 Bound Brook’s first public library was demolished and the current building was constructed by local builder Alexander Morecraft The building was created as a memorial to Bound Brook’s service men and women who served in World War I and cost between $50,000 and $55,000 which BOUND BROOK – A three-alarm fire destroyed several homes and injured a firefighter on Vosseller Avenue Friday morning borough firefighters responded to reports of a fire in an alley between two buildings on Vosseller Avenue police said the wind caused the fire to spread to both houses One firefighter was taken to a local hospital with a minor injury More: Two hurt in Hunterdon County crash on Thursday Firefighters from several companies through Somerset and Middlesex counties responded to help fight the blaze All residents were found uninjured and are being helped by the Red Cross Both buildings were heavily damaged and are set for demolition closing Vosseller Avenue through the weekend The cause of the fire is currently under investigation Email: alewis@njpressmedia.com Alexander Lewis is an award-winning reporter and photojournalist whose work spans many topics BRANCHBURG – Police are tracking down who was responsible for abandoning more than 20 small dogs in three Somerset County communities over the weekend were corralled in Branchburg on Saturday by the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter The other Shih Tzu or Maltese dogs were also found abandoned in Bound Brook and Franklin According to a Facebook post by the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter in Bridgewater all 11 dogs found in Branchburg "will need substantial vet care (spay/neuter "While we cannot change the dogs’ heartbreaking past or how they ended up in Branchburg, please join us in focusing on preparing these precious souls for a much better future," the shelter wrote in a Facebook post With vet costs expected to run into the thousands the shelter said monetary donations are needed because the funds provide flexibility to respond to the dogs’ needs Donations can be made through the shelter's website or through the Friends of the Somerset Regional Animal website More: The first cat cafe is opening in Somerset County. Here are the details Branchburg officers were dispatched by Somerset County Communications to the area of Renda Drive off Pleasant Run Road on a report of a stray dog Officers located the dog and requested assistance from the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter which captured the animal police officers were dispatched by Somerset County Communications to White Oak Park on Baird Road on a report of stray dogs in the area of the park and Branchburg Central School across the road officers saw there were several dogs in the area and requested assistance from the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter police were dispatched to a stray dog report on Thoroughbred Drive about a half mile north of the school Police found the dog and again the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter responded and captured the canine police were dispatched to another stray dog report in the area of Millenium Way about a mile southeast of White Oak Park and discovered the canine the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter responded and captured the dog Chief Buck thanked Somerset Regional Animal Shelter for its assistance The Branchburg Police Department and the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter are continuing their investigation into who abandoned the dogs Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to contact the police department at 908-526-3830 via the STOPit app or through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) All anonymous STOPit reports and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential BOUND BROOK – A state Appellate Court has upheld the dismissal of charges against a Bound Brook couple who allegedly aided their son after their son shot a friend and left him for dead The Appellate Court ruled Friday that the third-degree charge of endangering an injured victim be dismissed against David and Cindy Keogh in connection with their son Ryan who was found guilty by a jury in April 2022 of murdering Terrence C. Coulanges on Jan. 9, 2019 at their Bound Brook home in Bound Brook Ryan Keogh was sentenced to 53 years in state prison after a jury found him guilty of murder false swearing and tampering with evidence The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office charged Mr Keogh with not calling 911 after they arrived at home and saw that Coulanges had been shot the prosecutor’s office did not allege that they aided or assisted their son in the shooting Superior Court Judge Peter Tober dismissed the charges against the couple because state law requires that they aided their son in the infliction of  Coulanges’ injuries Tober based his decision on testimony by a forensic pathologist that Coulanges died within two minutes of being shot and before the couple arrived home after Ryan Keogh had called his mother following the shooting The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office appealed Tober’s decision but the Appellate Court agreed with Tober that Coulanges “died well before there was an opportunity” for the couple “to engage in endangering.” Ryan Keogh’s appeal of his conviction is pending before the Appellate Division. BOUND BROOK - Police Chief Richard Colombaroni is being remembered as "a true pillar of the community" and a "courageous leader." who was also a former Bound Brook fire chief like his father known throughout Bound Brook as "Ricky," became police chief in April 2023 40 years after he joined the police department as a dispatcher in 1983 Chief Colombaroni devoted himself tirelessly to ensuring the safety and well-being of our community," the police department wrote on its Facebook page announcing his passing and his leadership shaped the department and the lives of countless individuals." More: Bound Brook rejects redevelopment plan for Mediterraneo Bakery site In 1983 he was hired as a police dispatcher when the police department worked out of a former gas station on the site of the present headquarters and borough hall He attended the Municipal Police Academy in Sea Girt and in December 1983 He was promoted to lieutenant in 2015 and became chief in April 2023 Colombaroni served as chief of the Bound Brook Fire Department from 1999 to 2000 and was a member of the fire department for 42 years "Even in the face of the most difficult battle − his valiant fight against pancreatic cancer − Chief Colombaroni showed the same resilience and determination he exemplified as a police officer and firefighter," the police department wrote in the announcement "He faced each day with strength and dignity demonstrating the true meaning of courage both on and off the job Chief Colombaroni will forever be remembered as a man of honor Gathering with family and friends will be from 3:30 to 8 p.m A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m Interment will follow at Bound Brook Cemetery Arrangements are by Hagan-Chamberlain Funeral Home Joe’s Meat Market in South Bound Brook hosts sold-out waited dinner service in its humble deli space with white tablecloths and candles surrounded by pizza boxes and potato chips 20-year-old chef and son of deli owner Joe LaCorte Joe’s Meat Market opened Giovanni’s Italian Restaurant in a former church fellowship hall next to the deli at 113 Clinton St 21 and can be made by calling 848-305-4467 the restaurant will have space for walk-ins Local fame: How 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives' helped Somerset County restaurants Giovanni’s Italian Restaurant continues the upscale dinner service that Giovanni began hosting in the deli about a year ago — but with a modern elegant and minimalist vibe featuring lights imported from Italy Seats for 120 people fill three dining rooms also suitable for private events and weddings where on packed weekend nights patrons sat on the pizzeria side of the space Just as he used to do at Joe’s Meat Market’s Friday and Saturday night dinners and $24 pork chop giambotta at Giovanni’s Italian Restaurant On-screen: These are all the Central NJ restaurants that have been on 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives' “People aren’t just coming in for a roast beef sandwich — they’re also coming in and ordering tomahawk steak." When Joe’s Meat Market was featured on “Diners Giovanni was the youngest chef ever on the show at 18 he has capitalized on his television stint by creating Instagram videos most who began following him after he appeared on the Food Network people visit from throughout the tristate area to try the food — and take a photo with him Go: 113 Clinton St., South Bound Brook; giovannis-nj.com Contact: JIntersimone@MyCentralJersey.com BOUND BROOK – First-year Plainfield High School baseball coach Waldy Arias and his Cardinals made the nine-mile trip west to Bound Brook’s Billian Legion Park a good one Plainfield beat Bound Brook 7-3 Wednesday in a non-conference game played on a drab blustery day that seemed much colder than temperatures in the low 40s being reported More: Baseball April roundup: Results, analysis, links for GMC, Skyland and area Union County More: Baseball: Vote for your pick for reader’s choice Player to Watch in Central Jersey Senior Ben La Paz started and went 4 2/3 innings for the win Senior Andrew Cabrera relieved and went 2 1/3 to finish the game Plainfield won its first season opener since 2021 was an outstanding infielder at Plainfield He went on to play four solid seasons at Campbell University (NC) His roommate at Campbell was Los Angeles Angels’ shortstop Zach Neto His road game roommate was pitcher Thomas Harrington recently called up to the Pittsburgh Pirates Arias replaced his high school coach Sean Radu who left to take the position at East Brunswick Magnet Arias was an assistant coach for Radu last year when Plainfield finished 4-13 Plainfield is facing the challenge of playing inexperienced players some whose first taste of the sport is when they get to high school One bright spot is 6-foot-6 first baseman Jasiah Wynn who backed up center Najai Hines on the Cardinal’s state Group 4 championship team Junior left fielder Dayyan Beverly is another inexperienced player who is starting “I’m gonna try to be involved in the summer leagues – in previous years we have been without a feeder program they come into high school never having played before,” said Arias were tied 3-3 and then scored the last four runs of the game “I thought overall it went well for our first game,” Arias said We have to be better at hitting with two strikes We struck out eight times especially with runners in scoring position with less than two outs but I think the kids played hard until the end The Crusaders started freshman righty Ryan Cunha Senior catcher Lucas Coleman had a couple of hits for Bound Brook Coleman is a very important part of the team three sophomores and a junior who hasn’t played baseball since he was in grammar school and three seniors – two who have significant varsity playing experience,” said Bound Brook coach Dave LePoidevin “The kids are working hard and getting better each day.” Bound Brook will open its Skyland Mountain Division schedule Tuesday at home against Belvidere Plainfield opens the Union County Conference Valley Division schedule Thursday at home against Linden BOUND BROOK – A plan to build a three-story mixed-use building with 15 apartments on the site of the former Mediterraneo Bakery on West Union Avenue has been rejected by the borough's Planning Board The board voted 5-3 to deny the plan by Lopresti-Clearview LLC based on concerns that the proposal did not meet the borough's parking requirements The plan called for the demolition of the 6,000-square-foot building at the intersection of Clearview Place and Union Avenue The developer's original plan proposed a four-story building with 16 apartments but that was downsized to a three-story building with 15 apartments A total of 20 parking spaces would be provided on the first floor under the apartments A variance was required from the board because the borough ordinance requires 29 spaces More: NJ releases new affordable housing quotas. See your Central Jersey town's numbers The first floor would also have retail space a management office and a common room for residents The second floor would have four one-bedroom apartments and four two-bedroom apartments while the third floor would have three two-bedroom apartments and two three-bedroom apartments Board members balked at the number of parking spaces with worries that residents would have to find on-street parking spaces on both Union Avenue and Clearview Place Board members also said the development would have a negative impact on the adjacent residential neighborhood and residents' on-street parking needs One resident told the board that on-street parking is not allowed during snowstorms and there are already parking problems in the neighborhood generated by Union Avenue businesses said the positive aspects of the project outweighed the possible negative impact of the parking The mayor said that if the proposal was not approved there would be the danger of another vacant property on Union Avenue Lopresti-Clearview had originally proposed the apartment building in March 2022 but that Planning Board application was later withdrawn At the beginning of 2023, the developer proposed a hockey training facility with an ice rink on the property Lopresti-Clearview purchased the .34-acre property in July 2021 for $600,000 from Antonio The property has been vacant since the closure of the Mediterraneo Bakery in 2021 not for the ambiance,” said Giovanni LaCorte Joe’s Meat Market will open Giovanni’s restaurant It will continue the upscale dinner service that Giovanni began hosting in the deli about a year ago — but with a modern Looking back: Another Somerset County restaurant will be on 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives' Seats for 120 people will fill three dining rooms where on packed weekend nights patrons sit on the pizzeria side of the space Just as he does at Joe’s Meat Market’s Friday and Saturday night dinners like $25 homemade rigatoni with truffle cream sauce sundried tomatoes and burrata; $20 chicken Parmesan with vodka sauce and penne vodka; and $60 lobster oreganata with mussels Local fame: Have you tried all of these Somerset County restaurants that have been on TV? “I have a lot of people on Instagram who say I’m just an Instagram chef and I just make videos and that’s not true at all,” he said “One of the biggest challenges is people think of my age and don’t think I’m actually doing the work.” After he graduated from Somerville High School in 2022 LaCorte worked at the deli every day of the week he spent years washing dishes before slowly making his way to kitchen prep But after three months working much more than full-time in the deli he wanted to learn more about his real love in the kitchen: fine dining So he dropped one day of work at the deli — only to work for free that day in Staten Island restaurant kitchens Giovanni brought the new skills he learned from New York including how to use fresh herbs and how to use liquors in sauces back to Joe’s Meat Market when he approached his father about using the church fellowship hall they bought in March last year as a restaurant rather than its planned use as a catering hall On-screen: How 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives' helped Somerset County restaurants He told him to host dinners at the deli and if they were successful in a year they would make the hall into a restaurant But it wasn’t a steaming success right off the bat as soon as he posts his Instagram video about the weekend specials on Thursdays calls start coming in to make reservations It’s a dream come true for the 20-year-old who would always run into kitchens as a little kid when his parents took him out for dinner and speaks about the hot stainless-steel rooms like they're Eden itself “There was always something in my heart directing me to go into the kitchen,” he said Go: 113 Clinton St., South Bound Brook; instagram.com/giovannisitalianrestaurant113/; opening in late December looked like it was about to get away from the Bound Brook High School boys basketball team Wednesday night in the opening round of the Central Group 1 Tournament Ninth-seeded Piscataway Magnet continued to make shots and was sustaining a comfortable lead that hit 10 points twice in the second half  But the Raiders also continued to pile up fouls and that was what really turned the game the No Bound Brook (13-13) rallied for a 68-63 win that advanced it to Saturday’s sectional quarterfinal at top-seeded Thrive Charter (formerly Trenton Catholic) at 3:30 p.m The Crusaders extended their streak of winning first-round sectional games to 10 dating back to a loss to Keyport that ended the 2013-14 season Bound Brook looked headed for a similar fate before Raiders’ senior big man Joel Polynice fouled out with 4:33 left in regulation powered by senior guard Jackson Morrison and junior forward Dorian Roundtree limited our turnovers and we drew some offensive fouls,” said Morrison More: Boys basketball: Junker helps Gill St. Bernard’s past Rutgers Prep for SCT crown More: Boys Basketball: Wortman emerges, helps Colonia repeat as GMCT champs Morrison has been part of several memorable tight postseason wins notably a 50-49 victory over Raritan his freshman year in a Central 2 semifinal and a 46-45 sectional quarterfinal win over Rumson-Fair Haven as a sophomore the Crusaders are back to being a Group I school Lenny (Magnet coach Len Reyes)  is a really good coach and had them ready to go,” said Bound Brook coach Anthony Melesurgo I thought they made a lot of good plays and a lot of tough shots so we're lucky to win but anytime you win in this part of the season it’s a good thing.” which finished the season 17-10 with a second-place finish to Dunellen in the Greater Middlesex Silver Division became a different team when Polynice went out with 18 points Senior Taron Caldwell and sophomore Ken Mckindra had 14 points apiece “We have had a lot of issues with our main players getting in foul trouble I guess partly because sometimes they put themselves in a bad position,” said Reyes “We try to teach them you know all the right things not to reach and keep your hands out When he (Polynice) went out we were fouling fouling and kept accumulating fouls and they made their free throws Bound Brook now gets a chance to play a powerful charter school that pushed Somerset County Tournament finalist Rutgers Prep last week before losing 71-63 “Our season hasn’t gone the way we would have loved but it’s a new season and we’ll give it our best against Trenton Catholic,” said Melesurgo .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Reed Becker | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comAaron Parisi went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two stolen bases in South Hunterdon’s 13-1 win over Bound Brook in West Amwell South Hunterdon had a seven-run second inning to put the game out of reach for Bound Brook Starting pitcher Mason Currie went four strong innings for South Hunterdon allowing just three hits and a run while striking out seven and walking none Jack Budrewicz hit a triple and scored three runs while Trevor Lingerfield also came around to score three times and had three stolen bases South Hunterdon (6-5) will host Keyport on Saturday while Bound Brook (1-8) will travel to face Manville on Tuesday Reed Becker can be reached at rbecker@njadvancemedia.com 2025 at 4:29 pm ET(Victor Tarrazi)(Victor Tarrazi)Update: Vosseller Avenue in Bound Brook will be closed between Talmage Avenue and West Second Streer for the next three days due to Fire Dept activity Somerset County Safety announced Friday night NJ — Firefighters are battling a three-alarm fire at a home in Bound Brook on Friday Check back as more information is released 2025 at 4:48 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Bound Brook Memorial Library at 402 E High St NJ — The Bound Brook Library is closing and its future fate remains unknown as asbestos issues plague the building we have made the difficult decision to end our outreach operations in Bound Brook 31," according to the Somerset County Library System of New Jersey Asbestos was initially discovered in October 2023 causing the Bound Brook Memorial Library at 402 E High St the Borough of Bound Brook explored various funding opportunities and no funds were available for appropriation at the time we have explored every possible option to secure an alternative location for library services our efforts have not led to a viable option," said the library system "Without a suitable space for library services and with no prospects of one becoming available in the next few years we have made the difficult decision to discontinue our outreach services." and we share in the disappointment of the community We remain hopeful for a future when we can once again serve Somerset County’s oldest town in a newly-renovated Bound Brook Library," continued the library system Bound Brook released a statement on Tuesday announcing that it intends to set aside funding in its 2025 budget to address asbestos remediation of the Bound Brook Memorial Library and ADA upgrades required by the Somerset County Library System until the necessary funding is secured and the mandatory updates are made the library must remain temporarily closed and Somerset County Library services suspended "We are working through identifying the necessary funds to address the environmental issues and ADA upgrades at the Bound Brook Memorial Library,” said Jasmine McCoy Business Administrator for the Borough of Bound Brook we remain open to and are continuing efforts to partner with an appropriate temporary location in Bound Brook that could provide holistic library services while the asbestos issue at our branch is abated We are committed to doing everything we can to resume local library services in Bound Brook and are thankful to the Somerset County Library System for all the assistance they have been providing to our community." the Somerset County Library System was able to provide mobile services in the Borough of Bound Brook’s Commuter Lot located near the train station during the fall of 2024 through January 2025 printing and internet services that Bound Brook Memorial Library used to offer have been provided out of Bound Brook’s Municipal Court Bound Brook residents are directed to visit one of the other 10 active locations under the Somerset County Library System For help with general library inquiries residents can contact the Somerset County Library System at 908-458-8415 or by email to ask@sclibnj.org Additional information about the Somerset County Library System can be found by visiting sclsnj.org 2025 at 9:29 pm ETAmerica's Florist is located at 227 W Union Ave (Google Maps)A rendering of the mixed-use residential development NJ — Developers are proposing to demolish the long-standing America's Florist on Union Avenue in Bound Brook and replace it with a 64-unit three-story mixed-use residential development The application proposed by New Horizon Properties LLC was first heard by the Bound Brook Planning Board on Aug The continuation of the application is being heard on March 13 The project is proposing a 75,270 square foot building with the first floor for businesses The second and third floors will each include 32 units(19 one-bedroom units and 13 two-bedroom units) The Planning Board meeting will be held on Thursday at 7:30 p.m BOUND BROOK – The Bound Brook Memorial Library may not reopen until next year after closing due to asbestos found during renovations this year's municipal budget year didn’t cover the cost of abating the asbestos or bringing the renovations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) After failing to get grants or acquiring the funds from the state this year Longo said the borough plans to add the money to next year’s capital budget “We plan to make the asbestos repairs and bring the building up the ADA compliance next year,” said Longo we hope to get the project done as soon as possible but we are at the mercy of the contractors the bidding process and the legal process.” Longo said he believes Bound Brook could still receive a grant before the end of the year which would allow the repairs to start earlier the funds will not be available until next year The library has been closed since October when it announced on its website that the facility on the corner of Hamilton and High streets would close for a week because of asbestos found in the newer part of the building Less than a week after that announcement, the library closed for long-term repairs without a timeline The library said said it would attempt to find a temporary location Unfortunately for residents of Bound Brook and South Bound Brook the library will stay closed for the foreseeable future The Somerset County Library System (SCLSNJ) is using vans to provide services to residents the SCLSNJ will use the municipal courtroom in Borough Hall More: Somerville, South Bound Brook projects recognized with Somerset County history awards Library vans have been parked in the commuter lot at the Bound Brook Train Station from 10 a.m every Wednesday since May providing internet access A little more than a month ago SCLSNJ also started four more outreach programs on Tuesdays Wednesdays and Thursdays offering library services around Bound Brook WednesdaySomerset County’s Mobile HELPS Van at the New Jersey Transit commuter lot, 106 E. Main St. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Memorial Park, 78 Elizabeth St., in South Bound Brook from 11 a.m. to noonThursdayCodrington Park, 200 Thompson Ave. from 2 to 5 p.m.More: Upcoming novel details young man's coming of age in early 1990s Bound Brook saids the mobile services will continue until the library finds a temporary home or reopens we’ll be doing less of that outreach,” said Auger we will be doing those outreach activities.” The Bound Brook Memorial Library is not just significant because of the services it provides Caitlin Gaetani (12) of Bayonne pitches during the softball game between Weehawken and Bayonne at 64th Street Stadium in North Bergen .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Cosentino | For NJ Advance MediaBayonne overcame deficits in the bottom of the seventh and 11th innings to outlast Bound Brook 5-4 in Bayonne The Lady Bees (6-2) pushed a run across in the seventh to force extra innings and neither team scored again until Bound Brook went ahead 4-2 in the 11th Bayonne answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning for an exciting walk-off win Winning pitcher Caitlin Gaetani went all 11 innings and allowed one earned run on two hits while striking out 20 drove in a run and scored and Sophia Diaz had a hit knocked in a run and scored twice for Bound Brook (1-7) SOMERVILLE - Ryan Keogh, found guilty by a jury in April 2022 of murdering Terrence C. Coulanges on Jan. 9, 2019 in Bound Brook arguing that the judge didn't allow a full cross-examination of a jailhouse "snitch" and that his 50-year prison sentence was excessive Keogh also argued in his appeal that Superior Court Judge Peter Tober should have instructed jury members that they could have found him guilty of the lesser offense of passion/provocation manslaughter The 63-page appeal also contends that the judge should not have allowed a detective in the trial to give his opinion about the social media posts between Keogh and Coulanges the appeal maintains the judge made an error in instructing the jury about possibly finding that Keough had acted in self-defense against an intruder Keogh was sentenced to 50 years in state prison without parole on the murder charge by Tober The Somerset County Prosecutor's Office had asked for a life sentence without parole calculated killer," Keogh told the judge before he was sentenced The sentencing came after the judge turned down a request by Keogh's lawyers to overturn the verdict and order a new trial because of testimony by a jailhouse informant Somerset County Assistant Prosecutor Frank Kolodzieski told the judge that even without Wesley's testimony More: NJ Supreme Court to rule if Bound Brook couple's rights were violated in homicide probe The jury did not accept Keogh's defense that he shot Coulanges, an Old Bridge resident, in self-defense The investigation began at 7:36 p.m. Jan. 9, 2019, when the Middlesex Borough Police Department received a 911 call reporting shots fired at a Farm Lane home in Bound Brook Bound Brook police went to the scene and found Coulanges outside the home with gunshot wounds to the right thigh and left chest Police and medical personnel started life-saving measures Coulanges was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick where he was pronounced dead But detectives interviewed neighbors who said they heard gunshots around 5:45 p.m an hour and 51 minutes after Coulanges was shot Keogh talked to Wesley several times when they were both incarcerated in the county jail Wesley testified that Keogh asked him if he could develop a self-defense strategy in the trial Wesley had taken paralegal courses during a previous incarceration adding that Coulanges had come to the house "looking for a fight." calling Wesley a "snitch," argues that Wesley testified against Keogh in exchange for avoiding a "three-strikes" sentence on a pending first-degree robbery case and was hoping to get probation instead "despite having spent most of his adult life in prison." The appeal argues that Keogh's defense lawyer was not allowed to cross-examine Wesley about a previous case in which he gave testimony against a man named Taron Hill but then was exonerated when the New Jersey Attorney General’s Conviction Review Unit deemed Hill to be innocent of that crime Keogh also argued that Tober did not consider weighing mitigating factors in handing down the sentence one of which was that Keogh had no previous record as an adult The case was argued before the Appellate Court on Jan .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Bove | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comSamantha Kalinak went 2-for-4 with a RBI for Gill St Bernard’s in its 4-3 win over Bound Brook in Bound Brook Bernard’s moved to 3-1 in the Skyland Conference Valley Division and is tied in the loss column for second place with Ridge Delaware Valley is on top with a 4-0 record Bernard’s to take an early lead it would never relinquish Marissa Hays and Mia Marusiak all had multi-hit games for Bound Brook (1-5) The N.J. High School Sports newsletter now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now and be among the first to get all the boys and girls sports you care about, straight to your inbox each weekday. To add your name, click here Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription Matt Bove can be reached at mbove@njadvancemedia.com BOUND BROOK – The Ridge High School softball team was focused on getting off to a good start after starting 0-5 last year and then losing a big haul to graduation with a four-year starting battery and a big group of underclassmen the Red Devils find themselves in a new division – and go into the year as one of the top contenders – which made a quick start even more imper Thanks to their ace and some timely hitting Senior right-hander Kari Murray tossed a two-hitter freshman Hailey Cuyun doubled in the tying run and what proved to be the game-winner crossed on an error Tuesday and the Red Devils rallied past Bound Brook for a 2-1 win in a Skyland Conference Valley Division meeting at Tea Street Field “We knew coming into this week that these two games against Bound Brook could possibly decide the division,” said Ridge coach Brian McCarthy whose team competed up in the Raritan last year “(BB coach) Shannon (DeLuca) does a great job up and down with the team and has a stellar young group who played really well doesn’t shy away from it and even welcomes it “They’re (among) our biggest competition in our (division) right now so I knew I couldn’t have bad mistakes,” said Murray who escaped a couple jams and worked out of several bad counts More: Softball roundup: Daily results and links for Skyland Conference, GMC, area Union County More: Softball preview index: Links to Courier News and Home News Tribune 2025 preview package which won the Valley Division last year before moving up took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning and then scored on a safety squeeze by Marissa Hays But Ridge found the equalizer and the winner in the top of the sixth Freshman Kelly Ross reached on a leadoff walk before Cuyun ripped a laser-beam double into the right-center field gap to plate the run although she was thrown out at third base trying to stretch whose grounder to second base was bobbled and then thrown past first base allowing courtesy runner Sydney Perla to score the go-ahead run Bound Brook threatened in the bottom of the sixth as Isabella Marusiak reached on a one-out walk before Ava Dedousis drew a free pass with two outs but Murray struck out the next hitter to squelch the uprising Murray allowed an unearned run on two hits – a wind-blown blooper by Dedousis in the second inning and a sinking line drive hit by Lili Caprara in the fifth inning that was nearly snagged on a dive by Price which came on her first of the season to end the first inning “She had a couple at-bats when she was down 3-0 and 3-1 she battled back and came up with some big strikeouts when we needed them.” “They were a little flat today,” DeLuca said You can’t win a game like this with two hits.” Marusiak was also excellent in the circle for the Crusaders Ridge catcher Kersten Murray blooped a single to center field in the third inning Staff writer Simeon Pincus has been covering NJ sports since 1997, and has been on the softball beat since 1999. He can be reached at CourierSoftball@aol.com 2024 at 10:07 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Just Jersey & The South Bound Brook Fire Company is presenting the festival at Memorial Park in South Bound Brook on Saturday NJ — The inaugural Taco & Empanada Festival is returning to Somerset County this weekend Just Jersey & The South Bound Brook Fire Company is presenting the festival at Memorial Park in South Bound Brook on Saturday The family-friendly festival will include gourmet food trucks 250-foot long zipline going through the festival Admission is $5 and those under 5 are free The event is a benefit for the South Bound Brook Fire Company Attendees are also asked to bring a non-perishable canned or boxed item to help support the food pantry For more information click here 2024 at 3:04 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Seoul Fried Chicken off Union Avenue(Route 28) in Bound Brook NJ — Two new Korean fried chicken joints are opening in Somerset County Seoul Fried Chicken(SFC) of Edison is expanding to open new locations at 600 W Union Ave.(Route 28) in Bound Brook and 2017 Route 27 in Somerset "Seoul Fried Chicken is a Korean fast-casual restaurant, melding of founders’ fondest childhood memories in the kitchen – especially recipes from their mother combined with Hansong, the chef’s passion and dedication for delivering quality food within a warm setting," according to sfc-co.com The restaurant's fresh chicken is never frozen "We take pride in our homemade sauce and we cook them from scratch every day," according to SFC For more information or to follow SFC visit sfc-co.com or instagram.com/sfcseoulfriedchicken BOUND BROOK - Since Stan’s Chitch’s Café closed in April on Columbus Place residents have lamented the demise of the landmark pizzeria where they enjoyed thin-crust pies and a neighborhood gathering spot for 86 years But when Columbus Place is renamed Chitch’s Place on Monday ceremony at the corner of Columbus Place and Talmage Avenue that will include a new street sign and a proclamation from Mayor Dominic Longo “We are so honored to have made such an impact on the community that they decided to do this It’s been our life for 50 years and to have the town to pay tribute to it is amazing,” said Renee Cote former owner of Stan’s Chitch’s Café who worked there with her parents for 50 years 'It's in the dough, it's love:' Stan's Chitch's Café to serve last pizza after 86 years The borough decided to rename the street as part of an initiative to focus on the history and local businesses of Bound Brook And perhaps no establishment in town fits that mark quite like Stan’s Chitch’s Café closed the family-run pizzeria in "one of the hardest decisions my family has ever had to make,” Cote said Another restaurant will be moving into 14 Columbus Place No details of the new restaurant are available Italian eats: Neighborhood gem marks 50 years of serving 'unapologetically old-school NJ Italian' food Cote and Kurkowski retired after the closure and have been relaxing and "seeing what life is like without having to be there 24/7,” laughed Cote But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t miss her former life in some ways I saw some people more than I saw my own family,” she said “You get to know them and they become your family.” 16; corner of Columbus Place and Talmage Avenue in Bound Brook currently of Piscataway and formerly of Linden Avenue was sentenced on his conviction for second-degree sexual assault by contact of a victim less than 13 years old Galvan will not be eligible for parole until he serves 85 percent of the sentence The sentence requires Galvan to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law and places him on Parole Supervision for Life Somerset County Superior Court Judge Jonathan W Romankow noted Galvan’s predatory behavior On July 25, a 12-year-old child reported that she was sexually assaulted in Bound Brook by an unknown man, later identified as Galvin, who she met on social media, said McDonald. Read More: Aggravated Sex Assault Of Child Charge Filed Against Bound Brook Man She said that she met Galvin on social media and he arranged for transportation for the 12-year-old girl to his home in Bound Brook where he sexually assaulted her according to an interview she gave to a Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Abuse Unit detective and Bound Brook Borough Police Detectives Following an investigation and DNA results without incident in Bound Brook and charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault second-degree sexual assault by contact and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child On May 14, 2024, a Somerset County Jury convicted Galvan of second-degree sexual assault by contact and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child after six days of trial the State was represented by First Assistant Prosecutor Annemarie Mueller and Litigation Paralegal Supervisor Amy Vandergoot 2024 at 4:50 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Photo from the Bound Brook Revitalization Partnership’s 2023 Fall Festival where the "Sanderson Sisters” made an appearance during the Trunk-or-Treat (Photo courtesy of the Bound Brook Revitalization Partnership)BOUND BROOK NJ — The Bound Brook Revitalization Partnership (BBRP) announced a weekend of free activities for the community the weekend kicks off with Haunted Bound Brook: Mischief Night Madness followed by their annual Fall Festival on Sunday "We're thrilled to bring these two exciting events to downtown Bound Brook," said Natalie Pineiro Downtown Managing Consultant for the Bound Brook Revitalization Partnership "Whether you're looking for a spooky adventure or a fun day out with the family We hope to see residents and visitors come together to celebrate our community and the vibrancy of Bound Brook." Haunted Bound Brook: Mischief Night Madness will begin at 6:30 p.m. taking participants on a 55-minute walking tour through the historic streets of downtown Bound Brook The tour will feature chilling legends like Bloody Mary and the Jersey Devil providing an unforgettable experience as guests navigate the mystery and folklore that surrounds these stories For more information, and to purchase tickets visit bit.ly/BBRPMischiefNightMadness the fun continues with the BBRP’s annual Fall Festival The festival will be held on Main Street between Mountain Avenue and Hamilton Street and will feature a variety of activities for all ages The event promises a day of festive fall entertainment for everyone to enjoy The Festival is presented by the BBRP in partnership with Bound Brook Recreation Department and the Bound Brook PTO For more information on these events and all other happenings in Bound Brook, visit downtownboundbrook.com