As the NC State Extension Consumer and Community Horticulture Specialist, Professor Lucy Bradley develops partnerships and resources to promote environmental stewardship and individual mental and physical health through gardening She works with Extension agents, Extension Master Gardener Volunteers℠, a team of Extension professionals, and a variety of outstanding partners to inspire and support home gardeners, community gardeners, preschool gardeners, and therapeutic horticulturalists While Bradley’s gardening and community work operates like a grassroots campaign her programs and resources influence local to international audiences Bradley joined the faculty at NC State University and has contributed in a variety of ways including as associate department head and department Extension leader for horticultural science Bradley builds teams to identify opportunities create resources and offer training that inspires people to take action “I love working with NC State Extension in the Department of Horticultural Science,” says Bradley “Surrounded by excellence and generous partners I do meaningful work that makes a difference for people A Florida native, Bradley’s grandfather was an amateur amaryllis plant breeder and her father was an avid gardener who inspired her love for plants and nature.  Bradley’s interest in working with people and systems led her to earn a master’s degree in organizational psychology from Purdue University She then began her career working with community groups in Arizona It was while in Phoenix that Bradley served as an Extension Master Gardener volunteer and recognized gardening could be a catalyst for connecting people to transform communities and schools “Inner city gardens turned strangers into neighbors as people worked together to raise food, beautify the community and introduce children to nature,”  says Bradley. “For example, we transformed a concrete schoolyard into an urban wildlife program.” in plant biology from Arizona State University During that time she served as an urban horticulture agent with Arizona Cooperative Extension Bradley has won many national awards, including being selected as the 2024 Outstanding Extension Horticulture Educator by the American Society of Horticultural Science (ASHS).  In addition, she and Charlotte Glen, Ed.D., the NC State Extension Master Gardener℠ program manager were awarded the 2024 ASHS Extension Outstanding Education Materials Award for producing the “Consumer Horticulture Extension Professional Onboarding Newsletter Series.” The series delivers 11 weekly newsletters featuring helpful resources introducing horticulture Extension specialists tips for operating the Extension Master Gardener Volunteer℠ program commitment to inspiring and empowering others to achieve excellence and dedication to Extension’s mission are evident in every project she leads including the award-winning newsletter for new Extension professionals,” says Glen “Just as her support in my role as Extension Master Gardener℠ program manager has motivated and equipped me to create positive change the practical advice and resources Lucy shares in the newsletter ensure that new Extension professionals feel supported and empowered to reach their full potential from day one.” Bradley has led exceptional teams in developing powerful tools, including the award-winning NC Extension Gardener Handbook reaching 193,000 users across the globe in 2023.  With the vision and technical leadership of Rob Ladd, former NC State Extension Application Development Specialist,  and the management of Kathleen Moore, Bradley led the development of the Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox which has reached 6.8 million users and over 14 million views in the past year alone “The Toolbox is a free online plant database that assists you with selecting a plant that will thrive in your location and provide the functions important to you,” says Bradley. “For example, a shrub that attracts pollinators, is resistant to deer and has pink flowers in the summer You identify what you have to offer the plant (amount of space etc.) and select the desired characteristics to generate a list of plants matching your criteria Coordinated by Bradley and Scott Zona, Ph.D., a botanist, and the Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox manager, the NC Extension Master Gardener Volunteers℠ have added more than 5,000 plants to the database “One of the hardest things in Extension is to keep all the good ideas from getting in the way of opportunities for excellence,” shares Bradley one of your most important skills is identifying several key areas to develop expertise and programs and graciously redirecting people with good ideas outside those focus areas to other sources of support.  “If you try to address every request and implement all the good program ideas you dilute your capacity for powerful impact and burn out quickly ‘That is a great idea; let’s figure out who can support you in making it happen.’” Sign up to receive monthly news and updates from the Department of Horticultural Science straight to your inbox Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" NC State is an equal opportunity institution. BRIDGEWATER – A township nonprofit will be presenting plans to build The Bridge House a group home for temporarily displaced young adults Visions & Pathways headquartered in the Bradley Gardens section of Bridgewater is scheduled to appear before the township Zoning Board of Adjustment on Nov According to papers filed with the township most Bridge House tenants will be young adults The program will not serve anyone under the age of 18 Bridge House will be staffed 24 hours a day and will receive support from other organizations and other Visions & Pathways staffers Somerset County awarded Visions & Pathways $1.165 million to support Bridge House one of the largest grants in the county's history and the single largest grant received by a minority-run organization The Federal Home Loan Bank of New York also awarded $400,000 to support the project More: Bridgewater designates former Ethicon site on Route 22 for redevelopment. What it means The ground floor of the facility is proposed to have two offices The first floor will have four studios with kitchens The second floor will have six studios with kitchens about 25% of youth who have aged out of foster care become homeless and Bridge House will help the community's need to provide stability for a high-risk population in a "normalized" setting Bridge House will be eligible to be claimed by Bridgewater as a way to help meets its newly proposed affordable housing obligations The state Department of Community Affairs said last month that Bridgewater has a prospective need of 474 affordable housing units Visions & Pathways said it will file a deed restriction on the property for a minimum of 30 years to ensure the units qualify as affordable A use variance is required because the property is in a single-family zone The Bridge House is an amended plan for a project approved in 2012 by the Somerset Home for Temporarily Displaced Children the organization opened the first nonprofit privately run youth shelter in New Jersey in Bradley Gardens 2025 at 10:55 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The event on April 4 includes dinner NJ — A Basket Raffle Fundraiser benefiting the Bradley Gardens School will be held on April 4 The event also includes dessert,a cash bar There will be more than 200 baskets at the event with prizes such as TVs Tickets can be purchased online by clicking here For questions email bgsbasketraffle@gmail.com Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 2025 at 10:22 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The dinner will be held from 4 to 8 p.m at the firehouse at 24 Old York Road in Bridgewater NJ — The Bradley Gardens Volunteer Fire Company is hosting an all-you-can-eat Corned Beef Dinner on Saturday 2025 at 6:49 pm ETBradley Gardens Volunteer Fire Company with the historic fire truck (Alexis Tarrazi/Patch )(Alexis Tarrazi/Patch )(Alexis Tarrazi/Patch )Bradley Gardens Volunteer Fire Company with their new pumper truck NJ — After 68 years of serving the Bradley Gardens Volunteer Fire Company the historic Diamond T fire truck will soon be getting a new life The fire company donated the truck to the New Jersey Fire Museum and Memorial in Allentown on Saturday to be restored and placed on display for everyone to enjoy the decision to donate the truck was not an easy one who was among the last members to ride the truck while in service "I feel good about it because I know it is not going to be rotting here We were a group together and I always found a way to take care of that truck," said Lomasto "I promised them I would look out for the truck.. The 1957 Diamond T fire truck came to the fire department back when they were located on Brahma Avenue in the Township The truck's last day in service was in 1985 The truck was stored for a while in one of the fire station's bays until there was a need for room to store water rescue boats The truck was then moved outside and placed under a canopy The department firefighters continued to do maintenance on it to keep it going for as long as they could The truck was used over the years for parades and funeral processions for volunteer firefighters The last time the truck was used outside of service was in 2013 Deputy Chief Charlie Gill was one of the last mechanics to work on the truck "I always worked on the brakes and getting the engine running," said Gill the cost to continue to maintain the truck and especially to repair the old-style brake line was too much for the volunteer department Taxpayer money does help cover the equipment needed to run the fire department any costs associated with the fire station itself have to be raised by the fire department it does cost a lot of money trying to keep it stored and everything and maintenance and all of that," said Gill President of the Executive Officers for the department checking with the Somerset County Historical Society "We just kind of were at a dead end until we found this museum and that's when they decided it makes sense since they're going to fix and restore it," said DeLorenzo Secretary of the Executive Board for the museum said once they were contacted about the truck they came out to see it and immediately wanted it It is restorable in that they can shine that up The museum will restore the fire truck for free and then put it on display for everyone to see Bradley Gardens can still request for the truck to be brought back to them if they need it for special events "I figured it was a better place for it to go and see it be back to its glory days from back from 1957," said Gill of donating their truck the fire company also welcomed its new E-One Typhoon Pumper They also held their first ever luncheon for the fire company where they installed Line and Executive Officers Member of the Year - Robert MihalovFirefighter of the Year - Phil Langon Top Cadet/Junior ResponderJunior FF/EMT Nick Dysko Line OfficersChief - Chris DeLorenzoDeputy Chief - Charlie GillCaptain - Joey DeFilippis1st Lt - Cesar AbellaChief Engineer - Phil Langon Executive OfficersPresident - Michelle DeLorenzoVice President - Ken Zielaznicki Secretary - Rob HanlonTreasurer - Cesar AbellaSgt At Arms - Mike MarsiglianoTrustees - Mike Lamastro Bradley Gardens Volunteer Fire Company is entirely volunteer-run and always looking for new members. If interested in volunteering, message the fire company's Facebook page at facebook.com/bgvfc21 or call 908-725-1250 2024 at 1:10 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The sale itself will be held on Saturday NJ — The Bradley Gardens School PTO is hosting a Toy Sale of gently used toys Anyone with toys in good condition that they would like to donate to the sale they can drop them off at the main entrance to Bradley Gardens School any day during the week of Dec Locals are invited to do some holiday shopping while supporting Bradley Gardens school and students The items remaining after the sale will be donated to the United Breast Cancer Foundation If you have any questions about the sale or whether an item is acceptable for donation, contact Lindsay Knight Rath at knight.lindsay@gmail.com 2024 at 6:31 am ETRendering of the proposed addition at Bradley Gardens Elementary School (Bridgewater Planning Board Meeting Video)Rendering of the proposed addition at Bradley Gardens Primary Elementary next to the Pre-K and Kindergarten playground (Rendering of the proposed addition at Bradley Gardens Primary School.)Rendering of the proposed addition at Bradley Gardens Elementary School (Bridgewater Planning Board Meeting Video)Rendering of the proposed addition at Bradley Gardens Elementary School from the front of the school view (Bridgewater Planning Board Meeting Video)Map showing that the proposed addition would be situated next to the Pre-K and Kindergarten playground (Bridgewater Planning Board Meeting Video)Floor plan (Bridgewater Planning Board Meeting Video)BRIDGEWATER NJ — Plans for an addition at Bradley Gardens Elementary School were unveiled on Tuesday night in Bridgewater Alexis Goldman of Solutions Architecture presented the plans to the Bridgewater Planning Board on Tuesday as part of a courtesy review on behalf of the Board of Education "The purpose of this addition is because the Bradley Gardens Elementary School is the only school in the district that does not have two large spaces for gatherings," said Goldman "All of the other schools have an independent large gym and then a multi-purpose space where they have auditorium-type events and a cafeteria." was put forth to make sure this school was "equal to all the other schools," said Goldman The addition would consist of a new cafeteria and electrical room(which would allow for air conditioning in a future project) The project also includes renovating four classrooms north of the addition and providing room for full-day kindergarten along with toilets for each of those rooms Bridgewater Township Engineer William Burr said at the meeting that he felt that stormwater seems to be adequately addressed with the project "There is an underground detention system proposed and we heard testimony that this was sized to the new stormwater requirements The project is expected to go out to bid in three to four weeks and the will begin construction a month or two after the award of bid "If the weather is good we will start when the building permits are issued The project is expected to be completed by March or April of 2026 at the latest Councilman Michael Kirsh asked about safety barriers being put in place during construction to keep staff and students away from the construction site Goldman assured Kirsh that safety measures would be put in place 2025 at 4:25 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}At around 2 p.m Raritan Police and Fire were dispatched to a structure fire on Helene Place near the Bradley Gardens section of Bridgewater NJ — One child was hospitalized with burns and two other young children and an adult were treated following a house fire in Raritan Borough on Monday were evacuated by a Raritan volunteer firefighter The second level of the house was engulfed in flames A 2-year-old child suffered burns to one of her arms and was taken to a local hospital and the adult were treated for smoke inhalation The 2-year-old child who was hospitalized is in stable condition Responding fire departments included Raritan The fire remains under investigation by the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office 2024 at 12:12 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Santa Claus will once again be making his way through Bridgewater Township atop a fire truck for the 2024 holiday season NJ — Santa Claus will once again be making his way through Bridgewater Township atop a fire truck for the 2024 holiday season Santa will drive through everything between Union Avenue and E Main Street starting at Chimney Rock Road working west toward the Somerville border Santa will come through everything north of Union Avenue starting at the Somerville border working east This will include all neighborhoods off Thompson Avenue to escort Santa around the Green Knoll primary area No presents will be delivered during our Santa run this year the run will be held on Saturday Santa will arrive on a fire truck with lights and sirens and spend a few minutes with your children and grandchildren before posing for a few pictures To sign up, fill out the registration form here All of these fire departments serve the Bridgewater Township area and are completely volunteer-run They need your help to continue helping residents Check with your local fire department to find out how you can volunteer 2024 at 1:29 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}(Shutterstock)BRIDGEWATER NJ — Visits and pictures with Santa Claus are treasured traditions for many Bridgewater families kids have several chances to see jolly old St Santa is also holding court at several shopping malls in the local area Santa will be available for photos in a new home in the Bridgewater Commons set amidst 25 garland-topped light curtains (each adorned with thousands of white glistening lights) and candy-cane-inspired twists cascading from high above Kris Kringle will sit in a grand velvet chair in front of a redesigned set that includes a majestic new 30-foot tree with a 5-foot topper additional 10-foot trees and scenic elements as well as new "Elf Training" interactives on the line to entertain kids (and their parents) while they wait Photo packages will be available for purchase Reservations for photos will be available Monday through Thursday from Nov Fridays through Sundays during that period will be walk-ins only From Dec. 13 through Dec. 24 also will be walk-ins only. For more information and to make a reservation, visit www.bridgewatercommons.com In addition to helping those in need at Santa’s birthday party 2024 at 3:06 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Bradley Gardens Primary School (Alexis Tarrazi/Patch)BRIDGEWATER NJ — A new playground is coming to Bradley Gardens Primary School in Bridgewater ahead of the new school year The Bridgewater-Raritan School Board accepted the Bradley Gardens Parent Teacher Organization(PTO)'s donation of $19,402 to replace the playground at the school off Pine Street Demolition started about a week ago with the old playground equipment already removed to make way for the equipment "Thank you so much for that and enhancing our student environment," said School Board President Barry Walker at the July 23 Board of Education meeting The Board also accepted a $6,923 donation from the Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School PTO for a water filling station and seven water fountain mats 2025 at 9:19 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The home burglary happened on Feb NJ — Thieves looking to steal a vehicle broke into a Bridgewater home with residents inside early Monday morning said Bridgewater Police Chief John Mitzak to Patch on Monday at a home on Ardmaer Drive in the Bradley Gardens section of the Township There were no injuries and people were home at the time "Early investigation leads us to believe that the suspects were looking to steal a vehicle No other information was released as the burglary remains an active investigation 2024 at 3:05 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A fire broke out at a home on Poplar Street in Bridgewater on Wednesday NJ — A sleeping resident was awoken to a fire in his home thanks to a working smoke alarm said Country Hills Fire Chief Patrick Doherty The fire was reported at 79 Poplar Street at 9:13 a.m One resident was home and asleep on the first floor when the fire started The resident and his dog were able to escape the home The investigation determined that the cause of the fire was not suspicious and a preliminary finding revealed that it was caused by an outlet being utilized by an air conditioning window unit Emergency responders included: County Hill FD RWJ Rescue Squad and Bradley Gardens Rescue Squad Bradley Gardens Volunteer Fire Company is entirely volunteer run and always looking for new members. If interested in volunteering message the fire company's Facebook page at facebook.com/bgvfc21 or call 908-725-1250 If interested in volunteering with Country Hills, message the fire company's Facebook page at facebook.com/CountryHillsVFC or visit countryhillsfd.org or call 908-725-7070 2024 at 7:23 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Hannah Bartlett (Bridgewater Township Police)Update: As of 9:08 p.m. Frederick Brittain said Hannah Bartlett was found in the park in good health about two hours after the police received the call she was missing NJ — The Bridgewater Police are asking the public for help to find a missing child on Monday was last seen in the area of Duke Island Park on Old York Road in the Bradley Gardens section of the Township Anyone with information is asked to call 908-722-4111 2024 at 9:50 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A rendering of the renovated Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School auditorium NJ — Renovation work throughout the school district is moving forward after the Board of Education awarded more than $3 million in bid contracts at its last meeting the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District Board of Education awarded three bid contracts to Pharos Enterprises LLC for $898,000 for the High School Auditorium renovations; $1,026,000 for toilet renovations at Eisenhower Intermediate School; and $1,186,000 for toilet renovations at Hillside Intermediate School Really renovate the whole area plus fix the outside of the auditorium," said Superintendent Robert Beers at the meeting Beers added the renovations will also make it more easy to distinguish where the main entrance to the auditorium is "Whenever I go there it’s a little bit confusing as far as what door you use and when you see folks going to a performance you see them going to different doors so we’re going to try delineate where the main entrance to the auditorium is," said Beers These are examples of the most recent projects awarded via competitive bid as a part of the district-wide referendum Payments were also issued for improvements to take place in 2025 for: Additionally, the Board will go out to bid for kindergarten classroom renovations and the Bradley Gardens addition project The Bradley Gardens addition would consist of a new cafeteria The project also includes renovating four classrooms north of the addition, redistributing the space, and providing room for full-day kindergarten along with toilets for each of those rooms. Read More: Bradley Gardens Elementary School Addition Unveiled In Bridgewater "There is quite a lot going on for projects within the next year," said Beers But for a program centered on “secret” vegetable gardens Community Veg Marion and Friends of the Elizabeth Taber Library organized a tour through five produce-producing gardens across town Monday the 16-bed garden of Sarah Mitchell and Paul Bradley Barbie Burr said the rain was “good for the crops.” Burr is president of Community Veg Marion, which operates a community vegetable garden made up of allotments on a piece of previously dead land “Real gardeners like the rain,” she later said The annual vegetable garden tour began last year and it aims to catalyze even more vegetable gardening in Marion “We’ve had a lot of fun with it,” Mitchell said as visitors walked through her and Bradley’s garden which grows zucchini and lettuce among several other edible plants Mitchell said she and Bradley “give away a lot of vegetables.”  was characterized as “a cook’s backdoor garden,” and the space grew crops like rhubarb Also present was a monkey puzzle tree — which Giblin said could grow to 60 feet “if it likes the environment” — and “bee-attracting flowers.” Giblin’s garden also grew spices — like oregano for flatbread pizza or lemongrass with coconut milk for mussels Virtually on the bank of the Sippican River Mark Perkins and Alice Rice’s garden stretched from near the front of their home all around the back Perkins said the garden doesn’t use any Marion water “Your plants will love you if you use rainwater,” he said Twenty pounds of cucumber — of multiple varieties — had grown in the garden Another stop on the tour was Sippican School and its garden cultivated in collaboration with the Marion Institute as part of the Grow Education Program said he’s been maintaining the garden through the summer so that “things are ready” when students come back radishes and blackberries among several other crops “It’s been a really successful first season,” Sander said At the community vegetable garden on the triangle of recovered land by the Marion Council on Aging Burr said the event had been a “tremendous success.” People love to garden “in their own style” and so the allotments at the community space will “deepen in their individuality,” according to Burr And all of the gardens open for visitors during the tour “were loved” by their gardeners Sunnynook Farm in Rochester had also donated unsold seeds to the seed bank at Taber Library in the last week “There’s just this constant sharing” in gardening 2024 at 3:31 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Bradley Gardens Primary School NJ — In preparation for full-day kindergarten the school district is planning a pilot program set to begin for the upcoming 2025-26 school year at two schools The district is planning on implementing the pilot five-day full-day kindergarten program the for 2025-2026 school year at Adamsville and John F Kennedy Primary schools "to ensure we ready for a districtwide launch in 2026-27," said Superintendent Robert Beers at the Sept "This pilot will be focused on ensuring that the facilities and staffing are all ready for a successful district-wide launch in 2026-2027," said Board member AJ Joshi All kindergarten students in the Adamsville and JFK homeschool areas will be able to attend This will be the first time the school district will implement full-day kindergarten. This follows a vote to pass a $2.46 million referendum last November In order to get the district ready for the full-day program, a $13.68 million contract for an addition at the middle school was recently passed by the Board at the Aug A groundbreaking for the beginning of construction at the middle school is expected in the next couple of weeks The addition will create a traditional middle school environment spanning grades 6-8 Adding sixth grade to the current Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School will free up space at the primary schools allowing the district to implement the full-day kindergarten program as planned The entire cost of the addition and the steps needed to implement the full-day kindergarten program are projected to cost $34 million The passing of the referendum resulted in a tax increase for an average Bridgewater home by $90 per year and an average home in Raritan 2024 at 11:43 am ETOn July 3 at around 12:40a.m. a crash was reported on Route 22 West near Birdsall Lane (Bradley Gardens Rescue Squad)On July 3 at around 12:40a.m. (Bradley Gardens Rescue Squad)BRIDGEWATER NJ — A driver is hospitalized following a crash into two utility poles off Route 22 in Bridgewater said Bridgewater Police Traffic Safety Sergeant Dan Hennessey and rolled over several times before striking a second utility pole Members of the Green Knoll Fire Department and Robert Wood Johnson Hospital Paramedic unit responded to the scene to render aid to O’Malley O’Malley was taken to Robert Wood Johnson at New Brunswick for further treatment The cause of the crash is still under investigation and no charges have been filed at this time Anyone with information regarding the crash is asked to contact Officer Arturo Gonzales of the Bridgewater Township Police Department or the Bridgewater Traffic Safety Unit at 908-722-4111 ext The Bradley Gardens Rescue Squad also came to the scene to help The Squad is a volunteer organization serving the Bradley Gardens community of Bridgewater since 1950 For more information on becoming a volunteer email membership@rescue39.org or visit rescue39.org 2024 at 1:27 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Here are some of the important 2024-25 school year dates to get on the calendar: (Shutterstock)BRIDGEWATER NJ — Summer is almost over for Bridgewater-Raritan students The first day of school in Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District is Wednesday These schools house students from Pre-K through 4th grade Eisenhower and Hillside Intermediate Schools include grades 5 and 6 The Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School includes grades 7 and 8 And the High School includes grades 9 through 12 Here are some of the important 2024-25 school year dates to get on the calendar: School will close on the following days if Snow Days are not used: Monday To see the full calendar click here 2024 at 3:54 pm ETBradley Gardens VFD apparatus would follow behind the Bridgewater-Raritan Marching band (Thom Horvath)Members of the color guard and military veterans lead the parade down Old York Road (Thom Horvath)Two members of Bradley Gardens Rescue Squad salute the flag after laying a wreath to pay their respects (Thom Horvath)The Bridgewater-Raritan Marching band would later perform at the memorial service in Ardmaer Park and community members marched through Bridgewater as part of the Annual Bradley Gardens Memorial Day Parade and Services on Monday The parade and services were hosted by the American Legion Post #327 on Monday in the Bradley Gardens section of the township ran down Old York Road and ended at Ardmaer Park off Oak Street At the park various groups laid a wreath at the memorial to honor those members of the military who have made the ultimate sacrifice 2023 at 1:28 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Heimlich hero Giselle Felice-Carter NJ — Gizelle Felice-Carter and Kim Szucs were enjoying lunch alone with each other during their workday as teachers at the Bradley Gardens Primary School The mood was lively and funny on this Monday Felice-Carter’s classroom that educates students in Grades Kindergarten and First for the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District But the atmosphere changed quickly — thanks to a mere carrot "We were laughing about something and I was eating a carrot at the time," recalled Ms who is a Teacher’s Assistant for Grades 2-4 at Bradley Gardens Gizelle then told me to not choke and said ‘otherwise I will have to do a Heimlich on you.’ " “I then said to Kim that you really do need a Heimlich Felice-Carter’s first attempt to unclog that carrot from her friend’s throat was unsuccessful But she gave it a second shot and followed through the valuable training that she received this past summer when she and other staff members in the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District learned the Heimlich Maneuver as part of their lessons when she joined up to become a BR Cares On Site Manager That training for the school district’s After/Before School Recreation & Enrichment Program came in quite handy—and it proved to be a lifesaver “I knew that there was no time to make a call for help so I gave it another try,’ Ms “The second time it worked and out came the carrot,” she happily reported “I think she may have used more force the second time,” Ms “Our nurse said I was fine so we worked for the rest of the day,” Ms “I yelled at Kim and said ‘don’t do that again,’ “ Ms Abdominal Thrusts or commonly called the Heimlich Maneuver is a first aid procedure used to treat upper airway obstructions or choking by foreign objects American doctor Henry Heimlich is often credited for its creation that occurs when performing abdominal thrusts that involves the rescuer standing behind a patient and using their hands to exert pressure on the bottom of the diaphragm This compresses the lungs and exerts pressure on any objects lodged in the trachea “I am so thankful that I had that training,” Ms This life-saving procedure was also called on in the school district earlier this winter when a person was saved from choking on food by Giuliana Orsillo a hero who holds the position of Head Cafeteria/Playground Assistant at the Hamilton Primary School Hamilton Principal Tim Beaumont hailed his staff member for coming to the rescue on that February day Orsillo for her quick thinking and decisive action Bradley Gardens Principal Barbara Binford also spoke for the entire school when she saluted her teacher “We are all very proud of Giselle for rising to take action and save Kim,” Principal Binford said This press release was produced by the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District The views expressed here are the author’s own 2023 at 1:39 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The sale itself will be held on Saturday If you have toys in good condition that you would like to donate to the sale you can drop them off at the main entrance to Bradley Gardens School on Thursday "Please join us to do some holiday shopping while supporting our school and students," said the PTO The items remaining after the sale will be donated to the United Breast Cancer Foundation and Thifts & Gifts in Somerville For questions about the sale or whether an item is acceptable for donation, contact Lindsay Knight Rath at knight.lindsay@gmail.com 2022 at 9:33 am ETLeading the way are members of the Bradley Gardens American Legion followed by a procession of local officials (Courtesy of Thom Horvath)Two members of Bradley Gardens Rescue Squad salute after placing a wreath honoring the men and women of the armed forces that made the ultimate sacrifice (Courtesy of Thom Horvath)North Branch Engine 49-8 apparatus was one of many fire companies that participated in the parade (Courtesy of Thom Horvath)Bridgewater Raritan High School's Marching Band provided the music as they headed down Old York Road and township officials marched down Old York Road as part of the annual American Legion Memorial Day parade and ceremony The American Legion Post #327 hosted the parade in the Bradley Gardens section of town on Monday which began on Beach Avenue and marched to Ardmaer Park for a ceremony A Memorial Service was then held at the memorial at the park off Oak Street Old York Road was closed between 10:30 a.m Bridgewater Mayor Matthew Moench and Councilmen Filipe Pedroso and Michael Kirsh attended the event and shared some words 2023 at 3:48 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The fair will be held on Saturday NJ — The Bradley Gardens Fire Volunteer Company(BGFVC) Auxiliary is hosting a Fall Vendor Fair on Saturday The fair will be held at Bradley Gardens Fire House at 24 Old York Road in Bridgewater from 10 a.m light refreshments will be available for purchase All proceeds will benefit the BGVFC Auxiliary and Fire Company A state appellate court has upheld the conviction of a Bridgewater man in the murder of a Bradley Gardens section woman in 2009 The appellate judges on Monday denied Gary Wilson's request for post-conviction relief because he claimed he was mentally impaired when he pleaded guilty to the murder of Carolyn Stone on Memorial Day 2009 in the back yard of an Oak Street home Wilson was sentenced to 45 years in state prison by Superior Court Judge Robert Reed Wilson argued that his guilty plea in 2011 was made not knowing or voluntarily because he was suffering the "negative symptoms" of the four anti-psychotic drugs – Depakote Lexapro and Seroquel – he was taking for his bipolar disorder Wilson said he was "not thinking clearly" when he pleaded guilty Wilson also said that his lawyer was ineffective because he failed to consult a psychiatrist or pharmacologist to evaluate his medication drug use and alcoholism to support a diminished capacity or intoxication defense But the appellate court rejected his arguments saying he presented no evidence to support his "bald assertions." READ: Killer testifies: She laughed, I snapped "Wilson provides no expert opinion that his prescribed medications impaired his ability to knowingly and voluntarily enter his plea," the appellate court wrote The court also referred to a report before the trial that found "when Wilson was compliant with his four medications cooperative and his speech was productive and spontaneous." That same report also found that when he was intoxicated and not taking his medications his self-control was "extremely limited" and "engaged in violent behavior likely representing the manic phase of bipolar disorder." Wilson confirmed to Reed that he could understand what was happening in court He also said that he and his lawyer had spent a lot of time going over the facts of the case before he pleaded guilty for his assertion that counsel ineffectively allowed him to plead guilty while he was impaired," the appellate court wrote in its decision Wilson pleaded guilty to dropping a cinderblock twice on Stone's head at the end of a night of partying at the Bradley Gardens home Mike Deak is a reporter for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. 2022 at 2:52 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}"Dave always gave all and was a kind soul always willing to lend a helpful hand to anyone in need," the fire company said "He will truly be missed by all.​" His age and cause of death were not immediately available (Bradley Gardens Volunteer Fire Company)BRADLEY GARDENS NJ — A former Bradley Gardens Volunteer Fire Company Chief David Whitesell has died Whitesell served the fire company for 47 years fire commissioner for Bridgewater District 2 He served as Vice President of the fire company until his death and Head Trustee to the company's relief association His age and cause of death were not immediately available and was a kind soul always willing to lend a helpful hand to anyone in need," the fire company said 2023 at 4:52 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The arrests happened on Tuesday 5 in the Bradley Gardens section of the township NJ — Two people were arrested and charged in connection with multiple motor vehicle burglaries in the Bradley Gardens section of Bridgewater Township announced Bridgewater Township Police Chief John B were charged with third-degree burglary and fourth-degree theft a Beach Avenue resident called 911 to report that they had just seen three people on their surveillance cameras trying to break into motor vehicles The resident reported the actors fled south toward Old York Road Bridgewater Police and Raritan Borough Police patrol units went to the area Officers found two people matching the descriptions Soto and Murray were arrested after they were found to have items stolen from multiple vehicles in the neighborhood Murray had a baggy containing a white powdery substance suspected to be a controlled and dangerous substance (CDS) six motor vehicle burglaries were reported in the Bradley Gardens section of town forced entry was not used on any of the burglaries Bridgewater Police Detectives are working to identify the third suspect and find additional victims Soto and Murray were lodged in the Somerset County Jail Charges against Murray for possession of CDS are pending laboratory testing Additional counts of burglary and theft are pending The Bridgewater Police are reminding residents to remove valuables from their vehicles 2023 at 1:49 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The drive will be held on July 29 and 30 (Bradley Gardens Volunteer Fire Company)BRIDGEWATER NJ — The Bradley Gardens Volunteer Fire Company is hosting a boot drive on July 29 and 30 to help raise money Volunteer firefighters will be on Milltown Road south of Route 202 between the hours of 1 and 5 p.m Residents can say hello and support their local firefighters If interested in volunteering with Bradley Gardens, message the fire company's Facebook page at facebook.com/bgvfc21 or call 908-725-1250 2023 at 2:26 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The Bradley Gardens Volunteer Fire Company is located at 24 Old York Road in Bridgewater NJ — Bridgewater volunteer firefighters are in need of help to repair its aging 100-year-old firehouse the Bradley Gardens Volunteer Fire Company is hosting a unique high-energy music and audience interactive comedy show a live Dueling Pianos event will be held on Saturday The event will be held from 6 to 10:30 p.m A dueling piano consists of two grand pianos and an audience that will laugh and dance into the night Throughout the night the piano players play audience-requested songs The pianists sing and battle back and forth with comedic commentary and hilarious banter two piano players face each other and take turns singing and songs are masterfully executed by professional musicians The event will include a buffet dinner provided sponsored by Mangia Buono caterers in Raritan including chicken There will also be a cash bar and 50/50 tickets available Door prizes have been donated from The Hive Scott's Florist and other local businesses All sales benefit the 100 percent volunteer fire department to help ensure they can serve the community the fire company needs help repairing its aging firehouse Prior to that the building was a stagehouse and then a school "It is one of the oldest buildings in Bridgewater Township for emergency response It has more upkeep and we strive to do as much as we can," said Bradley Gardens Volunteer Fire Company President Michelle DeLorenzo Some of the ongoing repairs include roof leaks from the old chimneys and a parking lot riddled with potholes and in need of repaving who not only serve Bridgewater but help surrounding towns are doing their best with what they have but DeLorenzo said they "need help with donations." For more information visit the event page here or for tickets click here 2024 at 10:06 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The all-you-can-ear breakfast with the Easter Bunny will be held on Saturday NJ — Easter is just around the corner and the Bradley Gardens Volunteer Fire Company Auxiliary is hosting an all-you-can-ear breakfast with the Easter Bunny on Saturday attendees can take pictures with the Easter Bunny The event will be held at the Bradley Gardens Volunteer Fire House at 24 Old York Road in Bridgewater from 8 a.m Presale tickets are available now through March 11 where guests can save $2 on every ticket purchased For more information or to buy tickets for Breakfast with the Easter Bunny click here. 2024 at 8:22 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The break-ins were reported between Friday night and Saturday early morning NJ — Multiple vehicles in Bridgewater Township and Raritan Borough were broken into and ransacked over the weekend Between Friday night and Saturday early morning multiple vehicles in the Bradley Gardens section of town were burglarized specifically on Oak Street Raritan Police noted that an arrest has been made for the theft of a motor vehicle from the same neighborhood last week "There is one common denominator with all of these thefts….all of the cars have been unlocked Bridgewater Police added that criminals who are ransacking vehicles are looking for a quick and quiet opportunity They are not looking to smash a window and draw unnecessary attention in the quiet of the night An unlocked door is exactly what they’re searching for please LOCK all windows and doors to both your vehicles and homes The first step in protecting yourself from becoming a victim of a property crime is practicing effective home security measures," said Bridgewater Police Bridgewater Police offered the following safety tips for residents: 2023 at 8:30 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Cuddly Construction at 137 Old York Road in Bridgewater NJ — Have your hard hats handy and get ready for some cuddly construction fun The stuff your own animal business is located at 137 Old York Road in Bridgewater and was "created and is operated by parents for parents." Cuddly Construction "focuses on you creating a unique birthday package because we understand the stress and frustration involved in organizing a child’s birthday party Although we can’t take away all of the pain of party planning we can alleviate a lot of it by creating a fun Each cuddly friend includes a star or heart insert the store is hosting a Cuddly Construction's Thanksgiving Day Special from noon to 6 p.m A stuff "Tom The Turkey" kit for $20 that includes instructions and a free T-shirt for the Turkey For more information on Cuddly Construction visit facebook.com/cuddlyconstruction cuddlyconstruction.com 2022 at 11:17 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}(Shutterstock)BRIDGEWATER NJ — A fire alarm was set off at Bradley Gardens Primary School on Tuesday afternoon prompting emergency officials to respond the school staff called and confirmed that it was indeed a false activation," said Bridgewater Police Lt Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here. Don't miss local and statewide announcements. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters. We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money Warsaw - Mr. W.L. Bradley, 84, passed on Saturday, February 19, 2022 at home. The celebration of his life will be held on Sunday, February 27, 2022 at 1:00pm with a viewing on Saturday, February 26, 2022 from 2:00pm to 8:00pm at J.B. Rhodes... View Obituary & Service Information Bradley created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories Available by phone 24/7 (919) 735-2221 Subscribe Now By CJ Lotz Diego February/March 2023 She now had the chance to design a glass-walled garden room there a place to sprout seedlings in even the chilliest days of late winter scanning her collection of camellias and citrus in terra-cotta planters “I had little places all over the yard with pots and things,” she recalls Waldo had just two requests: Save as many of the mature pine trees as possible When she called a Savannah landscape architect and family friend, Thomas Angell of Verdant Enterprises “I want the greenhouse to look like it has always been there.” Angell recommended a spot south of the house with strong sun exposure where only a few pines would have to give way “We ended up with a couple of shallow steps up to a parterre garden,” Angell says He designed raised brick beds surrounding a central fountain all drawing the eye to the place where a glass conservatory would eventually rise Covered structures for growing vegetables trace back to Roman times, but Southerners have perhaps been most influenced by the greenhouses popularized in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century France and England, where gardeners cultivated exotic pineapples, palms, and orchids far from their native habitats. When Bradley learned about Hartley Botanic a company that makes Victorian-inspired glasshouses in Northern England and ships them all over the world Using leftover Savannah-gray bricks from the main house her crew laid a foundation—the landing spot for the fourteen-by-twenty-six-foot greenhouse which arrived in three containers from the United Kingdom along with a team of installers from Hartley’s U.S “Everything was numbered and ready,” Bradley remembers “All I had to supply were the ladders and the property Decorative fleurs-de-lis line the rooftop of Bradley’s greenhouse but most of the design reflects practical garden know-how “I didn’t want to slip and slide while I work so we used bluestone for the flooring,” she says there’s gravel for drainage.” The glass lets in every bit of daylight and ceiling vents open and close hydraulically according to the weather The rare Savannah freeze no longer threatens her young seedlings “Savannah is in hardiness zone 8b,” she explains “but because of our location on a tidal river and having the greenhouse to grow plants in The greenhouse becomes an orangery when she shuffles her potted citrus in and Meyer lemons throughout the coldest months Her camellias wind down a path near the greenhouse and number more than five hundred varieties including a group of ten that honor the First Ladies of Georgia “I collect the seeds as they drop and use the greenhouse for a warm place to propagate them.” She has also mastered the technique of air layering cloning older camellias with cuttings wrapped in sphagnum moss a huge deep pink bloom that is still blooming for me in mid-March a large white formal bloom with a faint splotch of pink named for a Savannah lady who was the mother of a dear friend.” and so I picked up as many acorns as I could hold in my hands and pockets,” she says three years after his greenhouse gift came to life and he lived long enough to see his wife of fifty-eight years spend entire afternoons with her hands in soil “I’m going to try to grow some live oaks,” she says of her pocket full of acorns and wait for it to sprout in her greenhouse One day she’ll carry the saplings outside and plant them hoping they root where there’s a clear view out to Herb River CJ Lotz Diego is Garden & Gun’s senior editor she wrote G&G’s bestselling Bless Your Heart trivia game she graduated from Indiana University and now lives in Charleston where she tends a downtown pocket garden with her florist husband The entertaining and home goods shop brims with elegant finishing touches and surcees The celeb design duo inspires with stunning Tennessee digs (that welcome visitors!) in a new book spring’s most beloved appetizer gets the stylish platter it deserves The future of conservation in the South just got a little bit brighter—and not just for salamanders but they’re the craftsmanship of local crustaceans called lawn lobsters The drawls are receiving a lot of flak across the internet but a North Carolina linguist argues they’re actually pretty accurate Sections of the township were broken down on the list Bradley Gardens was ranked as the 43rd best place to live in New Jersey in 2022 followed by Martinsville ranked at 49th best Bradley Gardens also ranked the fourth highest in Somerset County Bernardsville took the top spot in the county Niche.com uses up-to-date data from dozens of public sources including the Department of Education Census to compile a comprehensive assessment of the overall livability of an area The website compiles statistics throughout the year and also takes into account thousands of reviews Here's how Niche graded each section of Bridgewater Township in the following categories: Bradley Gardens received an overall Niche Grade of A+ for 2022 Martinsville received an overall Niche Grade of A+ for 2022 Green Knoll received an overall Niche Grade of A+ for 2022 Finderne received an overall Niche Grade of A for 2022 The top 10 best places to live in New Jersey are: See the full list of ranked towns here. Learn about researchers' methodology here Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com