JAMESBURG – The Borough Council has selected a new mayor following the resignation of Mayor Thomas Gibbons was appointed to temporarily serve as mayor on Nov will serve as mayor until a successor is elected in the November 2025 general election according to the resolution approved by the Council Councilman Brian Taylor cast the lone no vote Councilman BertinLefkovic was absent from the meeting Gibbons resigned due to health issues on Nov. 8 Council President Thomas Emens served briefly as acting mayor until a replacement was appointed The Republican Committee submitted the names of three candidates for the Council's consideration the other candidates were Louie Hornberger and Michelle Scott “I have sat thru so many council and committee meetings but it doesn't really prepare you for the gavel,” Spillane said I am blessed to have so many supportive and knowledgeable friends and colleagues to guide me on this journey Spillane is a lifelong resident of the borough and 1990 graduate of Monroe Township High School She has a bachelor's degree in telecommunications and has been a licensed cosmetologist since 1993 Spillane was first elected to the council in January 2013 She lost her bid for reelection but was elected again in 2021 and 2024 She also serves on the borough's Land Use board She has been a member of the County GOP Committee for at least 20 years She formerly served as the Republican Municipal Chair for six years She is a member of the Middlesex County Republican Women's Club for almost 15 years She is also the New Jersey Federation of Republican Women Sergeant at Arms and member of the Board of Governors The municipal committee will meet soon to provide the names of candidates to replace Spillane on the Council Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com please subscribe or activate your digital account today Democrats have a 4-2 council majority; both Republican seats up on Tuesday Jamesburg Mayor Thomas Gibbons resigned on Thursday setting the stage for four Republican county committee members to set a three-person shortlist for a 4-2 Democratic borough to choose from a Republican who took office in January after ousting three-term Mayor Marlene Lowande in 2023 He said serving about 21% of his four-year term has been “one of the greatest honors” of his life “I feel a strong calling to dedicate more of my time to my family and my faith,” he said “I look forward to focusing on these foundational aspects as I transition away from public service.” The two Republican seats on the council are on the ballot next week Incumbent Shannon Spillane is seeking re-election on a ticket with Joseph Schillieri the Republican municipal chairman; the other GOP incumbent The Democratic candidates are James Kozee and Tracey Madigan Half of the eight GOP county committee seats in Jamesburg are vacant will have fifteen days to meet and come up with three names to present to the council; the council may either pick one as the interim mayor the four Republicans on the county committee will make the call Gibbons ran unopposed in the 2023 Republican primary despite being off the line without the backing of the local GOP That doesn’t matter; the party who won the election fills the vacancy on an interim basis The GOP has had an oddly friendly relationship with Democrats in recent years; even after winning two seats in 2021 they didn’t run council candidates in 2022 and 2023 Voters will fill Gibbons’ unexpired term next year in a June special primary election in June and a November special general election The winner would become mayor as soon as the 2025 election results are certified It is not every day that a Princeton undergraduate becomes mayor It’s even rarer when they call their hold on the position into question Thomas Emens ’25 has taken time away from his thesis research and coursework to serve as the acting mayor of his hometown in the wake of the unexpected resignation of the previous mayor Gibbons — who was elected for a four-year term in November 2023 — resigned Gibbons attributed the decision to a “strong calling” to dedicate more time to his “family” and “faith.” In an interview with The Daily Princetonian Gibbons also cited health issues as factors leading to his resignation Gibbons told the ‘Prince’ that he is leaving Jamesburg in good hands with Emens “It was something that I [gave] a great deal of thought to and I would not have resigned if I thought the town was in bad shape in terms of leadership … So I felt that it was a good opportunity for me just to turn it over to people who run the town the right direction and I could take care of my personal issues my life as well,” Gibbons said.   I thought he was a young upstart; I had no clue as to what his background was,” Gibbons said how invested he was in doing what was right for Jamesburg … the more I spoke to him Emens is no stranger to public office: Since 2023 he’s served on Jamesburg’s town council and was selected to serve as Council President in 2024.  Emens is the President of the Princeton Transfer Association and has served on the Pace Center’s Civic Leadership Council He also participates in the American Whig-Cliosophic Society and was a 2024 intern with the Princeton Scholars in the Nation’s Service Initiative He briefly held this position earlier in the year when Gibbons was on leave because Jamesburg’s government is set up in a “weak mayor strong council” format — where more power is reserved for the council members — Emens has still played a major role in the town council as President.  reflected on his first impressions of Emens “When he eventually made it to the council and that hasn’t changed … He works tirelessly.” While council members have expressed faith in Emens, whether or not he is legally permitted to stay in the role is a point of contention. According to New Jersey law if the resigning mayor is a nominee of a political party then the municipal committee of the political party has the right to select three candidates from which the council selects a successor he was not nominated by the Republican county committee was the one who called for a legal review of the situation “He’s been working on a lot of our legal opinions with our attorney because this was a little bit of a unique situation.” Councilwoman Samantha Rampacek told the ‘Prince.’ “He’s been doing a fantastic job in his role.” The initial opinion from the borough attorney said that because of possible ambiguity in the law the borough may have needed to involve the state legislature or a judge to clarify the borough is now following the original approach suggested by the law 25 to vote on three candidates put forth by the Jamesburg Republican party.  Raffetto did not respond to requests for comment but it looks as though Emens will likely have to vacate the mayorship and return to his — more powerful — position as Council President “My position is I want us to get this right for Jamesburg because regardless of how this works … I want us to make the right decision so that we’re compliant with state law,” Emens told the ‘Prince’ before the council made a final decision.   He told the ‘Prince’ that he thinks political onlookers can often get too caught up in “palace intrigue,” suggesting that who belongs in the positions is a less important matter Emens maintains that his ultimate goal is to reimagine how the town handles its affairs what he calls the “Jamesburg way.” He says this is in order to alleviate problems like infrastructure updates and budgetary issues due to payments of “salaries pensions,” which means renegotiating contracts.  He described that the town’s current governance structure “has led to an incentive structure of ‘I’m only going to do the bare minimum and I know I’m going to get promoted’ … people don’t want to upset each other because in Jamesburg “Nobody wants to go in and do hard negotiations because you give your friend what they want so that everyone gets along That’s the kind of ‘Jamesburg way’ that I ran saying needs to change,” Emens said.  Emens will continue to balance wrapping up his senior year at Princeton with his responsibilities to his borough He sees his learning at Princeton as being closely tied to his policy work His experience entering the mayorship actually tied back to his senior independent work “My thesis is actually on how mayors manipulate taxes to get reelected,” Emens said “I’m writing about mayors and their bad behavior and I’m in the seat of one right now.“  Emens' by-the-book behavior may come as no surprise Christopher Bao is an assistant News editor and the accessibility director for the ‘Prince.’ He is from Princeton and typically covers town politics and life Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com The Special Borough Council meeting scheduled for Nov said he is resigning due to a health issue "It comes down to priorities," Gibbons said "Service to the community is very important to me Gibbons also wrote that he has "a strong calling to dedicate more of my time to my family and my faith both of which have been invaluable sources of strength and purpose throughout my life I look forward to focusing on these foundational aspects as I transition away from public service." He said it is "with a mixture of gratitude and reflection" that he leaves office The borough "is in really good hands now" and is "financially moving in the right direction," he said Gibbons, a Republican, ousted longtime former Mayor Marlene Lowande A special Borough Council meeting will be held 7 p.m a federal and state holiday − at Borough Hall to discuss the process for filling the vacancy for the remainder of the term A legal review is being completed by Borough Attorney Fredrick C Raffetto on the procedure for filling the vacancy and the Borough Council is awaiting that guidance on next steps Emens will serve as acting mayor until a successor is appointed More: NJ releases new affordable housing quotas. See your Central Jersey town's numbers Gibbons served one term as a borough councilman He was the former president of the Board of Trustees of the Jamesburg Library He serves as assistant superintendent with Fernwood Cemetery Association James the Less Church and is a member of the Jamesburg Historical Association the Knights of Columbus and Jamesburg Elks Gibbons founded the Bicycle Recycle Project a foundation he started in his wife's memory which provides scholarships to promising music students He also collects used instruments and donates them to schools for students whose parents cannot afford rentals "Serving as mayor has been one of the greatest honors of my life and I am incredibly thankful for the trust and support that the people of Jamesburg have placed in me," Gibbons wrote in his resignation letter I have been continually impressed by the strength and resilience of our community," Gibbons also wrote celebrated achievements and worked to create a Jamesburg we can all be proud of." Get important news about your town as it happens Get the top stories from across our network Are you sure you want to unsubscribe from daily updates a 25-year-old woman was reported missing on Friday Jefferson has ties to the South Jersey area Anyone with information is asked to contact Det JAMESBURG – A judge has ordered a recount in last month’s borough council race in which four candidates vying for two seats were separated by less than 50 votes Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Pedro J ordered that the voting machines used in the election will be opened at noon Wednesday The request for a recount was made by candidate Tracey Madigan on Nov Republican candidates Joseph Scillieri and Shannon Spillane received 1,070 and 1,054 votes Madigan's petition for a recount says errors may have been made by the optical scanners in reading the vote-by-mail and provisional ballots No objection was raised by any of the candidates for a recount Following last month’s election, the Borough Council selected Spillane to replace Mayor Thomas Gibbons, who resigned Nov. 8 due to health issues Spillane's successor on the Borough Council is expected to be appointed at the Dec A student and a teacher suffered burns during a cooking class at Monroe Township Middle School on Wednesday The student came in contact with an open flame during the class The teacher in charge of the class quickly attempted to smother the flames A student used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames The student was airlifted to a burn center The teacher sustained minor burns and was transported to a local hospital via ambulance The students in the class who were exposed to the fire extinguisher were evaluated by both school staff and Monroe Township EMS and released The school was temporarily evacuated due to the incident but has since resumed normal activities JAMESBURG - The Borough Council welcomed a new council member to the dais Patricia Bisignano was unanimously chosen at the Dec 18 Borough Council meeting to fill Republican Mayor Shannon Spillane's unexpired term on the Council Spillane will serve as mayor until a successor is elected in the November 2025 general election The Jamesburg Republican Committee submitted three names to the council for consideration the candidates were Louis Hornberger and Michelle Scott More: Jamesburg taps longtime GOP operative as new mayor the Borough Council will again consider three candidates which were submitted by the Jamesburg Republican Organization to temporarily fill Spillane’s new term on Council former Councilman Brian Taylor and Louis Hornberger The candidate selected will serve on the Borough Council until a successor is elected in the November 2025 general election A 4-year-old child drowned in a pond behind a home in Middlesex County on Wednesday Police were called to a Monroe Township home around 6:50 p.m Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Monroe Township Police Chief Griffin M The child was found in a pond 50 yards from the back deck of the family’s home who was rushed to Princeton Medical Center where they were pronounced dead The incident is being investigated by Detective Steven Menhart of the Monroe Township Police Department who can be reached at 732-521-0222 or Detective Stephanie Redline of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office who can be reached at 732 745-3316 JAMESBURG – The borough is receiving much-needed funding which will aid in the police department's return to borough hall where it was forced to relocate from nearly three years ago due to significant flood damage from the remnants of Hurricane Ida The state Fiscal Year 2025 Budget provides $500,000 secured by Democratic representatives from the 14th Legislative District to fund an addition to Jamesburg Borough Hall so the Jamesburg Police Department can continue providing their police and dispatch services without fear of weather-induced disruptions The funding will also be used to bring the department’s headquarters up to modern regulatory and code-compliant standards "We are extremely grateful for the Senator and the Assembly members for continuing their support of the borough,” Mayor Thomas Gibbons said “With these funds we will be able to begin the process of moving the police department back to borough hall after the debacle that FEMA caused for us Words cannot express our gratitude to our state partners in assisting the borough to continue to operate efficiently.” 2021 storm caused damage to the basement of borough ball on Perrineville Road "The sheetrock was saturated with water and there was a lot of mold," Gibbons said The department was forced to relocate to the former Jamesburg First Aid Squad site on Gatzmer Avenue where it remains today "The first thing we had to do is mitigate the problem with the water coming in," the mayor said More: 91-year-old Jamesburg man crafts hundreds of birdhouses 'to make people happy' The borough received $224,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to mitigate the flooding but additional funding was needed to bring the police department back home The $500,000 will go a long way toward completing the project the borough was told it would receive $2.5 million from FEMA for repairs “Ensuring our police facilities are fully functional is a top priority of ours,” said Council President Thomas J Emens said in January the Borough Council established a special committee to address the operational challenges faced by the police department and to secure funding for necessary capital improvements The committee reached out to Greenstein's office for assistance the next month "We are deeply appreciative of the support from Sen and Assemblywoman McCoy for these crucial improvements and we look forward to working together in the future," Emens said chair of the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee recently paid a visit to borough hall on July 29 “I have and will continue to support providing law enforcement with what they need to do their jobs effectively,” Greenstein said.“ When police headquarters like Jamesburg’s suffer damages and are forced to relocate due to weather it threatens to disrupt their services when they are needed most This investment will make their headquarters more resilient in the face of weather-related disasters and more able to respond to local emergencies when those events do occur.” “This funding is crucial for maintaining the safety and efficiency of our local police force,”DeAngelo said “Ensuring that the Jamesburg Police Department has a secure and reliable base of operations is essential to effectively serving and protecting the community and its residents.” “Hurricane Ida wreaked havoc on homes and buildings throughout the Garden State and the Jamesburg Police Department was not immune to the devastation,” McCoy said “This budget allocation will not only help the department in its efforts to rebuild but will also enhance its capabilities to handle future emergencies.” JAMESBURG – Borough voters will again be asked if they want to shop local for marijuana The Borough Council passed a resolution earlier this summer to place a non-binding referendum on the November ballot to gauge if residents favor marijuana retail businesses in Jamesburg the council does not have to follow the voters' wishes "The Council must approach the issue of cannabis dispensaries with an open mind and base our deliberations on formal research," Council President Thomas Emens said and listen to public feedback before making any decisions It is crucial that our decisions are grounded in thorough research I believe we owe it to our residents to conduct due diligence and reach a decision based on solid evidence." elected officials "are interested in ascertaining the sentiment" of voters as to whether the Council should adopt an ordinance to permit the establishment and location of one or more adult-use/recreational retail marijuana business within the borough with a not to exceed 2% tax on each sale In the November 2021 general election, the question was placed on the ballot and approved by residents by a vote of 571 to 538 But until recently no further action was taken having cannabis dispensaries in the borough has been a topic of discussion on social media More: Will Jamesburg police, displaced since 2021, ever return to their headquarters? members of the governing body began engaging directly with residents to gather their feedback Emens said he and Councilman Bertin Lefkovic discussed the possibility of including a non-binding question on the ballot to gauge public opinion A majority of the Council felt that a non-binding question alone would not provide comprehensive feedback and suggested additional ways to gather public input that could supplement the ballot question Initially, the council voted against putting the non-binding question on the ballot until more thorough methods of public engagement were established, Emens said. They then agreed to implement a town-wide survey and other stakeholders to voice their opinions The survey was distributed with a tax billearlier this year and circulated online A well-attended town hall meeting was held July 10 with a thoughtful exchange of ideas from both proponents and opponents of dispensaries the council decided to place the non-binding question on the ballot to capture the broader community's opinions," he said a Special Committee on Cannabis Dispensary Research was established to analyze public feedback and conduct the necessary research to guide the governing body in making an informed decision on whether to allow cannabis dispensaries in Jamesburg the committee will also provide recommendations on key considerations such as the number and other regulatory aspects of dispensaries "I believe that gathering comprehensive feedback from the public is essential," he said "This approach allows us to hear from all residents and community stakeholders it's our responsibility to conduct thorough research and make an informed decision about the potential for cannabis dispensaries in Jamesburg." "It is reasonable and fair to have this question on the ballot in November," Mayor Thomas Gibbons said thus giving the council more information regarding voter feelings about a possible dispensary." But the average voter may vote for or against a dispensary based on popular feelings and inaccurate information Voters should take into consideration that there is no way of confirming that a dispensary will increase borough revenue significantly and the 2% is 2% of state sales tax and not total dispensary sales Small mom-and-pop dispensaries will not be able to afford to operate in Jamesburg leaving the larger dispensaries the opportunity to use Jamesburg as a tax write off in which case there would be zero income to the borough A recreational drug dispensary to possibly fund town recreation is the ironies of ironies and comparing a cannabis dispensary to a liquor store is like comparing one negative to another negative a negative times a negative is a positive," the mayor said a cannabis dispensary will be added to the number of liquor stores in the area may be replaced by a Mexican takeout restaurant Burrito Bowl, with locations in Monroe and Howell wants to open at the former Mendoker's Quality Bakery site at 34 W LLC is scheduled to appear before the borough's Land Use Board on Sept Burrito Bowl's menu includes Mexican takeout food The restaurant also offers custom-made bowls Sunil Ratwani and his wife Ruby Bhalia opened the first Burrito Bowl in July 2020 and the second in April 2022 Mendoker's Quality Bakery was a landmark in Jamesburg since it opened in 1932 The business had been such an integral part of the community that a sign at an entrance to the borough reads: “Welcome to Jamesburg More: Jamesburg puts legal weed shops back on November's ballot, but voters don't have full say The business announced its closing in 2016 LLC is proposing a take-out restaurant on the first floor and a residence on the second floor A use variance is required because the building will have more than one use JAMESBURG – The Republican candidates remain the winners of last month’s borough council election following a recount on Wednesday Joseph Scillieri and Shannon Spillane received 1,068 and 1,051 votes according to Middlesex County election officials while Democrats Tracey Madigan and James Kozee received 1,036 and 1,023 Scillieri received 1,070 votes and Spillane while Madigan received 1,037 and Kozee,1,025 25 filed the petition to recheck voting machines and recount paper ballots Her petition said errors may have been made by the optical scanners in reading the vote-by-mail and provisional ballots Following last month’s election, the Borough Council selected Spillane to replace Mayor Thomas Gibbons, who resigned Nov. 8 due to health issues JAMESBURG – The body of a 36-year-old borough man was recovered Sunday from Thompson Park Lake Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Jamesburg Police Chief James Craparotta said Jamesburg police received a 911 call around 10:26 a.m and Perez was identified following an investigation by Jamesburg Detective Jim Dennis and Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Detective Javier Morillo The prosecutor's office said there was no signs of trauma to Perez's body and an autopsy will beconducted by the Middlesex County Medical Examiner's Office to determine an official cause of death Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Dennis at 732-521-0011 or Detective Morillo at 732-745-8843 Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime please subscribe or activate your digital account today is being challenged by Republican Thomas Gibbons for reelection Lowande is running with incumbent Thomas Goletz and Bertin Lefkovic who are seeking two three-year seats on the Borough Council Previous government service (boards and elected office): Councilmember 2001-2004 I have been mayor for 12 years and I feel there is more I would like to do I am willing to do what is necessary to achieve the results that make our town better every day From keeping the streets clean to community events and supporting sports programs for the kids Why should people vote for you instead of your opponent I hope the residents know how much I care about them and Jamesburg I will continue to work hard and get as much for Jamesburg as I possibly can to help the town and the residents and I am willing to take on any task that will bring a better quality of life to the residents What are the three biggest challenges facing your town and what is your approach to solving them We received a $1 million grant this year for the Wigwam Pond area That is the area that floods Forsgate Drive and Downtown West Railroad Avenue Another challenge is getting our Police Department fully operational We are using a temporary space but are planning on some remodeling of Borough Hall to get them up and running properly Finding new way to be fiscally responsible by seeking out more grants and shared services that help the town without adding further costs or burdens on the residents as we did with our police department and Helmetta Election 2023: Voting has begun in NJ. Here are three ways to cast your ballot in this fall's election Do you have any special projects you would like to achieve in office We just recently reopened our Public Library totally renovated They were also flooded and now we have a new Library and Community Center for all residents to enjoy What would you do to bring new businesses to Jamesburg Many new businesses were set back because of COVID and asked for extensions on their projects Working with them and giving them time to recover is important concerts downtown and many new businesses are opening and being celebrated Previous government service (boards and elected office): One term as a Jamesburg councilman former president of the Board of Trustees of Jamesburg Library vice president of Fernwood Cemetery Trustees lector and religious education teacher for St member of the Jamesburg Historical Association and the Knights of Columbus Volunteer activities: Founder of the Bicycle Recycle Project I receive and fix donated bicycles that I give to recent immigrants and other people in need a foundation I started last year in my wife’s memory I collect used instruments and donate them to schools for students who parents cannot afford rentals It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while I’ve lived in Jamesburg for four decades and see so much potential that hasn’t been developed Marlene Lowande has consistently supported the special interests of one individual ignoring the needs of businesspeople and her constituency The following three: Lowande’s performance as the police chief’s puppet; the elementary school curriculum which fails to adequately prepare Jamesburg’s students for their entry into Monroe High School; and unnecessary spending which has led to our high taxes and little to show for it Local: Jamesburg Public Library reopens after major renovation What are the three biggest challenges to my town and my approach to solving them looking at every item on it and reining in unnecessary spending I’d like to foster meetings between Jamesburg and Monroe superintendents to align our curriculum school calendar and professional in-service days We need to get a business improvement district and/or Chamber of Commerce to boost our local restaurants and other businesses I hope to find someone to finally take over our legendary Mendoker’s Bakery Do I have any special project you would like to achieve in office Finishing the restoration of Buckelew Mansion I’d also like to improve recreation services for both seniors and children by sharing services with surrounding communities I would like to establish an ADA-compliant recreation area for physically challenged individuals restarting a Chamber of Commerce toempower the business community I’d like to make Jamesburg a dining destination with special offers and perhaps even a shuttle bus I will look to surrounding communities that have successful downtowns and duplicate their success you can find James Sodano in the basement of his Jamesburg home in a plume of sawdust and cigar smoke pieces of wood and hardware strewn about higgledy-piggledy corralling the tools to the proper baskets the workshop's rooms are back to Sodano's working order "He's always down there," said daughter Linda Fennessy "Climbing over things to get what he needs they end up flowing around the basement again." There's been little relaxing in his golden years the former teacher took to a habit of completing word search and sudoku puzzles and teaching himself woodworking Birdhouses have become the staple for the 91-year-old craftsman "I just love to work with my hands," he said Sodano had never made a birdhouse − or much of anything "He was always like this even before he retired," said Fennessy "He was always like a go-getter kind of person "I really don't do it for the money," Sodano said moved to the borough from Woodbridge about 28 years ago the birdhouses were a way for Sodano to stay busy and make people happy the style he favors − and what is most requested − are the log cabin birdhouses he tended to make birdhouses that looked like churches or schoolhouses The log cabin is a design of his own creation that "just came to me one day." It takes about a day and a half to make a log cabin birdhouse "It takes him a long time to cut every log," Fennessy said "There are probably 36 logs on each one and he has to taper them to the peak Not that he is a "tree hugger," but Sodano also tries to use a lot of recycled wood and not waste any of the materials He comes from a generation that "does not like to waste," Fennessy said The birdhouses also always get bird inhabitants "So many tell us that they get birds living in them," she said His parents came from Italy and his oldest sister was born there He and his two other sisters were born in Newark "He was the youngest by about 10 years," Fennessy said I don't think his feet touched the ground until he was about 5 years old." And all the Sodano siblings lived into their 90s with one sister passing away in September at age 100 Fennessy swears it is the Mediterranean diet the family follows that keeps them so long-lived olive oil and salt − that could be the key He has to have that with his meal," Fennessy said Her parents moved to the Iselin section of Woodbridge when they married in 1960 and Fennessy remembers growing up in a two-family home with her grandparents Fenessy describes her dad as a very "matter of fact old school" type of man and the "best father ever." Physically he's only gotten a little slower in his movements but "he's sharp as a tack" − still doing long division in his head and driving Cheryl Makin is an award-winning features and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: Cmakin@gannettnj.com or @CherylMakin A longtime restaurant in Jamesburg known for its eclectic food and friendly staff is closing its doors Fiddleheads Restaurant New American Bistro at 27 East Railroad Ave will close at the end of business on Sunday June 18 General Manager Brian Blatz and Executive Chef Dan Davis “It's exactly 19 years since we took it over and 31 years since its initial opening by the Colluras,” they wrote in an email to staff last week Recent challenges have been too great to continue running the 60-seat “Even with the support of all of you reading this we just cannot muster enough to remain in business in this environment,” the email said adding serious illnesses to Davis have taken a huge toll on the business … “It was everything to us and we met so many fine people along the way.” Blatz was working in publishing and Davis in IT when their jobs came to an end in 2003 and 2004 Davis suggested the New Brunswick residents get into the restaurant business “Dan had a background in restaurant management and at the time cooked at home for our house parties “The business just happened to be for sale at the time.” realized immediately that customer engagement was very important "You follow protocols on how to do certain things but the rest in terms of food and how you engage with customers Being in the restaurant business is not “all peaches and cream,” Blatz said “You really don’t anticipate this when you’re opening up a business and we rolled with it for as long as we could we’re going to marry it and we embraced that." 'A neighborhood institution': Iconic Liberty Tavern in Fords closes after 74 years When outdoor dining was permitted during the pandemic “Every time Carl (Archer) came into the restaurant we would point him out and say he is our hero What Blatz said they’ll miss most is their customers and employees but we are glad that we have had this wonderful opportunity and have met all these wonderful people,” he said and some have even become their close friends but it did become a special place for a lot of people," he said "So many people referred to it as their home restaurant They would say let’s go to Brian and Dan’s 'It's in the dough, it's love': Stan's Chitch's Café serves last pizza after 86 years Blatz said the restaurant has been packed since last week’s announcement He and Davis have no specific plans for the future and for sticking with us all these years,” the two wrote in their email A GoFundMe campaign was launched to help support Davis and Blatz who are struggling with significant medical expenses in addition to the restaurant closing JAMESBURG – Two borough men have been charged with attempted murder in a stabbing and shooting early Friday morning March 8 to the area of West Railroad Avenue where officers found a victim with critical stab wounds gunshots were heard in the area of East Railroad Avenue and the officers then observed two men running away was located by officers and taken into custody An investigation determined that after the victim sustained injuries He was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and listed in critical condition while a second victim was treated and released with a gunshot wound Vilchis-Conde was charged with two counts of attempted murder possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose Crime: Bernardsville man charged with knifepoint robbery was taken into custody March 9 and charged with attempted murder possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and possession of a controlled dangerous substance The men were lodged at the Middlesex County Correctional Center pending a bail hearing The Jamesburg Police Department was assisted by the Monroe and Edison policeDepartments New Jersey State Police K9 Team and the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Sgt Jason Muller or Detective Jim Dennis of the Jamesburg Police Department at 732-521-0011 JAMESBURG – For the first time one of the district's two schools was named a Blue Ribbon School Kennedy Elementary School is one of only nine schools in the Garden State cited as an "Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing School" for 2021 Schools in this category have made significant advances in closing subgroup achievement gaps in English language arts and mathematics over the past three to five years The designation was surprising and affirming special education resource teacher and president of the Jamesburg Education Association.  "This award is the direct result of the individuals who dedicate their careers to providing nothing less than the best educational experience for all," Sanger said "My colleagues and I at JFK Elementary School are proud of the efforts and rich "It’s through our school’s vision that these achievements are possible And it’s through the compassion and commitment of the members of the Jamesburg Education Association that JFK catapulted into the national spotlight." The district's demographics include a 54% population of Hispanic learners as well as students who fall into populations of 34% white The Front Street school houses about 465 students.  "Because we are such a tiny little school," Sanger said Sometimes schools struggle in different areas we have a very high Hispanic population we have a lot of English language learning students and we closed the gap That means that we now are on level with other schools for performance we are one of nine schools in New Jersey to get the blue ribbon and the only one of the nine in New Jersey to close the gap." "Our students are so proud," Sanger continued "It takes a long time to complete the process to be awarded a Blue Ribbon." the district hosted a ceremony on March 22 and a parade on April 1 Every student was given their own Blue Ribbon and made a heart depicting what they love about their small town The hearts are now displayed on the walls of the school The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes public and private elementary middle and high schools based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups Schirra Elementary School in Old Bridge received a Blue Ribbon designation in the “Exemplary High Performing Schools” category 325 schools were honored from around the country Other Garden State schools recognized were North End School in Cedar Grove, Hillside Elementary School in Closter Weymouth Township Elementary School in Dorothy Holman Elementary School in Jackson, Torey J Sabatini Elementary School in Madison and Wemrock Brook School in Manapalan Cheryl Makin is an award-winning features and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: Cmakin@gannettnj.com or @CherylMakin.  A 24-year-old Jamesburg man has been sentenced to 70 years in state prison for the fatal stabbing of his father and another man living in the home they all shared, and then setting the house on fire Jaree Kitchen was sentenced Friday by Superior Court Judge Thomas J Buck to 60 years in prison for two counts of murder under the No Early Release Act and 10 years for aggravated arson which will run consecutive to the murder sentence Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone announced Jamesburg police responded around 3:19 a.m Arriving officers spotted flames coming from the house before the Jamesburg Fire Department arrived on scene and extinguished the blaze An investigation conducted by Jamesburg Police Sgt Jason Muller and Detective Jim Dennis and Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Sgt Deon McCall determined Kitchen had recently returned to Jamesburg from Georgia to live with his father the father and son began having issues which led to a physical altercation in which Jaree Kitchen fatally stabbed both his father and another resident of the home in an effort to destroy and cover up the murders in the home Kitchen was indicted on two counts of murder two counts of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon and two counts of tampering with evidence Kitchen was convicted of the charges by a jury on June 1, 2022 following a presentation of the case by Assistant Prosecutors Amber Gibbs and Caitlin Lavery MIDDLESEX COUNTY - Another police department will be protecting the Helmetta community beginning Friday Helmetta and Jamesburg entered into a six-year shared service contract giving Jamesburg full responsibility for all police and dispatch services within Helmetta until June 30 Helmetta Mayor Christopher Slavicek said "a resolution was passed this evening approving the transition of police services from Spotswood to Jamesburg Police effective July 1 "Jamesburg Police will assume full responsibility of all police services with no lapse in emergency and/or public safety coverage," he wrote and PBA for your support to Helmetta throughout your tenure Please keep an eye out for communication to include a Meet & Greet event." In 2018, Helmetta disbanded its police department and the council approved a police service contract with Spotswood Helmetta borough attorney Joseph Youssouf said a meeting was held with the Borough of Spotswood and they told us that it was no longer economically viable for them to provide police coverage for the borough June 30 will be the last day of coverage by Spotswood police department Jamesburg approved a resolution for the shared service agreement at a special council meeting Tuesday Jamesburg guarantees that a minimum of one fully trained full time police officer will patrol Helmetta 24 hours a day Helmetta will pay $712,500 for the first year $845,500 for the fifth year and $883,500 for the final year Additional fees would be charged for such things as special events that require more than one officer be assigned to Helmetta The contract further states that the agreement can be terminated for any reason provided the party seeking the termination provides a written notice to the other party 12 months in advance of the termination Jamesburg Mayor Marlene Lowande said the borough has been in talks with Helmetta since April "It's difficult to find a shared service that will actually bring revenue to your town especially if you're a small town," she said "This really was a good opportunity for us to partner with another small town and to have an opportunity to add some revenue to our base I think it's a good thing for Jamesburg and I think it's good for Helmetta these guys are truly about community policing and being out there in the public and getting to know the residents a few of our police officers even came from Helmetta Police Department when they were let go More:Helmetta 'abused its discretion' in rejecting development plan, court rules Lowande said she doesn't yet know exactly how much revenue Jamesburg will make She said there are start up costs involved "There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes," she said "We want our officers to be able to use the old Helmetta police headquarters when officers are down there." Lowande said Spotswood and its Chief of Police "have been absolutely helpful and wonderful in this transition and our Police Chief and Captain have taken the reigns on this and have done a good job." More:Spotswood, Helmetta announce plans for joint Independence Day celebration She also said the Borough Council approved resolutions authorizing the hiring of two new police full-time officers to assist with the Helmetta plan "We hired two police officers yesterday (Tuesday) as a result of the Helmetta plan," Lowande said "There may be two additional hirings in the near future." Jamesburg had a police complement of 16 and the two new hires will bring it to 18 Jamesburg also recently hired two others for full and part time dispatcher positions but that has been in the works since January and had nothing to do with Helmetta JAMESBURG – Commercial real estate firm Lee & Associates New Jersey announced it’s negotiated a $4.4 million sale of Forsgate Commons a 26,295-square-foot office building in the borough was initially attracted to the property’s Central Jersey location the building size and its stately construction,” Lee & Associates’ Beth Chezmar said in a news release Dan De Palma of North American Realty represented the buyer “The ample parking capacity and ability to occupy a portion of the building on closing were major factors in my client’s decision to move forward with the acquisition,” De Palma said Originally constructed in 1930 as Jamesburg High School Forsgate Commons was renovated for multi-tenant office use in the 1980s Art Deco building features a park-like setting with easy access to the New Jersey Turnpike Route 130 and other regional thoroughfares Its tenants include many long-term occupiers in a range of industries Also see:Sanofi moving 1,900 employees from Bridgewater to Morris starting next year Forsgate Commons’ healthy historic performance speaks to the desirability of the Greater Brunswick office market With an inventory of nearly 670 buildings totaling 8.6 million square feet this Northern New Jersey submarket maintains a vacancy rate well below regional averages Lee & Associates New Jersey has locations throughout the state and represents the regional operation of Lee & Associates one of the nation’s largest agent-owned commercial real estate brokerage and property management firms the company maintains more than 75 offices in the U.S Lee & Associates’ 1,500-plus team members assisted with more than $32 billion in transactions JAMESBURG - It's an end of an era for two longtime borough businesses iconic bakery that has tempted the palates of customers for 84 years which has been a staple in the community for years announced in a Facebook post Sunday that it was forced to close its doors permanently as of Monday READ: Efinger Sporting Goods closing Bound Brook store READ: Metuchen's Boro Hardware to close after 61 years READ: Fire-damaged 25 Burgers in Bound Brook to reopen Read more articles and stay in touch with your local news by clicking here "We have weathered many storms together in this great town and have celebrated so many special occasions with so many families over the years," the Facebook post by owners Ed and Nicole Mendoker said "We consider our loyal customers as part of our extended family and it is heartbreaking to see our time come to an end We have done everything in our power to keep our ovens hot and our handcrafted items on the shelf but have become burdened with too many setbacks that we cannot overcome We will not let our quality suffer for any reason." The business has been such an integral part of the community that a sign at an entrance to the borough reads: Welcome to Jamesburg Customers far and near expressed their disappointment with the closing on Facebook So many great memories," wrote Patricia Vash I would still come in every trip back," Matt Sebastiano wrote "Thank you so much for the smile that you put on my and my family's face for 37 years Ed and Nicole wrote late Monday afternoon: "Thank you for all the well wishes they mean a great deal to us There isn't much in this world aside from family what I love more than baking I was born on a bakers bench and there is flour in my veins teaching them my trade that has been so good to my family for generations Most of all I will miss the first birthday cakes of my customers children and when they are old enough to come in to the bakery watch the smiles on there faces when the " cookie lady" gives them a cookie reading this posts makes me regret it more with each word Thank you for the opportunity to be your Baker." "It's sad," said Monroe resident Ruth "Wuzzy" O'Carroll "The customers have become like part of the family but a lot of people were able to get things from us that are now sold over the internet or in the box stores." The business opened in 1974 as The Right Track on Railroad Avenue two or three blocks from its current location the business changed its name to Body & Soul and relocated to the Apple Plaza on Applegarth Road in Monroe where they remained for about eight years before moving to a new location on Railroad Avenue in the borough "We moved to what was the former home of a go-go bar "On the roof they had a picture of a keg of beer with suds coming out." cosmetics and a selection of Christian literature It was going well until the town told us we couldn't use it for assembly We stopped that about a year ago and that really cut our business." O'Carroll said a going-out-of-business sale has been going on at the store since Oct Mayor Marlene Lowande did not respond for a request for comment Staff Writer Susan Loyer: 732-565-7243; sloyer@gannettnj.com JAMESBURG – The Borough Council approved an ordinance last week that allows certain marijuana businesses to operate in certain areas of town 18 permits one business that holds a Class 3 Cannabis Wholesaler License and one business that holds a Class 4 Cannabis Distributor License as issued by the state Cannabis Regulatory Commission with the approval of the borough, as a conditional use conditions and restrictions set forth within the ordinance in the following zoning districts – NC Neighborhood Commercial District CBD Central Business District and RB Retail Business District All other marijuana operations and classes of licenses are prohibited from operating in the borough.   "the Borough Council has determined that allowing and regulating one or more classes of cannabis business within the borough is at this time necessary and appropriate safety and welfare of the borough’s residents and members of the public who visit and amending its Land Development Ordinance to permit such cannabis-related activities specified herein within certain geographic boundaries within the borough NJ legal weed: Dispensaries barred from selling edibles 'resembling food' — for now The ordinance establishes operational requirements for a cannabis wholesaler or distributor facility including only allowing the businesses to operate between 9 a.m The ordinance says that a cannabis wholesaler and distributor "shall undertake best efforts to employ at least one borough resident for every 10 employees of the business.”   a 1% transfer tax payable to the borough will be collected on receipts from the sale of cannabis or cannabis items from a wholesaler to another establishment and a user tax payable to the borough in the amount of 1% on receipts from the sale of cannabis or cannabis items will be imposed on any concurrent license holder operating more than one cannabis establishment The transfer and user taxes will be in addition to any other tax imposed by law.  aerosolize or otherwise consume any cannabis item in a public place within the borough a private motor vehicle while in motion or parked in any public place within the borough or a private property not their own without the express permission of the owner or other person having authority to grant such permission Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.  JAMESBURG – Republican challenger Thomas Gibbons appears to have ousted longtime Democratic Mayor Marlene Lowande Lowande ran with Democratic incumbents Thomas Goletz and Bertin Lefkovic Goletz received 587 votes while Lekovic received 479 NJ election results 2023: Live updates from Central Jersey, races being called MONROE - The state has approved funding to close the New Jersey Training School for Boys here and the Female Secure Care and Intake Facility in Bordentown Chris Christie announced the reform of New Jersey's juvenile justice system Monday with a $162 million bond to finance the closure of the two Civil War-era youth prisons. Two smaller state of the art juvenile rehabilitation centers will be built — one in Ewing Mercer County, the other in Winslow Township The facilities will house between 40 and 72 youth offenders A news release from the governor's office Monday did not provide a timeline for when the new facilities will be built and when the existing antiquated Jamesburg and Hayes facilities will be closed The  initiative represents the largest investment in New Jersey’s juvenile justice infrastructure and was made possible by New Jersey’s implementation of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) that began in 2004 and has reduced the population at New Jersey’s juvenile detention centers by 68 percent Subsequent commitments to the Juvenile Justice Commission (JJC) have been reduced by 82 percent “The New Jersey Training School at Jamesburg is one of the oldest most antiquated youth prisons in the nation and the time has come to close its gates for the last time,” Christie said in the news release.  “We have an obligation to serve our youth and protect our communities but now we will do so using a model that maximizes opportunities for personal rehabilitation and growth of developing young people.” hundreds of people rallied outside the ornate iron gates of the New Jersey Training Schools for Boys and called for the facility who chairs a criminal justice reform task force at her church said she never knew there was a youth prison in her town because it's located off the beaten track She said she was concerned about the large number of children of color in correctional facilities Many of the youths housed at the facility are from the state's urban communities making it difficult for rehabilitation when families are so far away Several people at the rally expressed concerned that youth offenders would become adult inmates Others who attended the rally stressed the mission to transform New Jersey's youth incarceration system into a community-based system with intensive wraparound services “Gov. Christie’s plan to close two of New Jersey’s failed youth prisons is one of the most significant youth justice reforms in 150 years,” said Ryan P president and CEO of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice which launched a campaign in June to close Jamesburg and Hayes the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice and over 50 partner organizations launched “150 Years is Enough,” a campaign to close Jamesburg and Hayes and invest in the creation of a community-based system of care Attorney General Porrino and the entire administration for their leadership in declaring that 150 years of failed youth incarceration is enough and that it is time to fundamentally transform our broken youth justice system," Haygood said He said New Jersey has the worst racial disparities among its incarcerated black and white youth in the nation A black child in New Jersey is more than 30 times more likely to be detained or committed to a youth facility than a white child 70 percent of incarcerated kids were black and just 8 percent (only 18 kids) were white The disparity persists even though black and white youth commit most offenses at similar rates “Our primary goal is to ensure that our state’s youth — regardless of the color of their skin — receive the rehabilitation they need to mature and grow into responsible adults," he said "Doing so would position New Jersey to be a national leader in transformative youth justice.” The town mayor is hoping a public use is found for the property.   "We look forward to working with the state our legislators and stakeholders to ensure the property remains out of commercial development and continues to provide a public service and benefit to our community," said Monroe Mayor Gerald W Built in 1867 to house thousands of young people and comprising 68 buildings sprawled over 900 acres the facility is no longer effective or sustainable Incarcerating this small number of youths on an aging and largely empty campus is inefficient making it difficult for families to visit limiting the critical role families can play in the care and rehabilitation of the youths It costs more than $300,000 to house each youth at the training school for a year. Attorney General Christopher S Porrino has contrasted the cost to more than four years at Harvard with enough cash left over to purchase a luxury car as a graduation gift READ: New Brunswick teen sentenced to 6 years READ: Juvenile charged with stealing cop car, impersonating officer READ: 17-year-old girl charged in East Brunswick Vo-Tech school stabbing The cost to construct the new facilities will be offset by the estimated $20 million a year in savings by closing Jamesburg and Hayes The savings can be applied to support additional therapeutic and delinquency prevention services and will enhance community safety and serve youth and their families before they have any initial contact with the juvenile justice system “We’ve worked hard to reach this milestone in service of juveniles who have entered our juvenile justice system," Porrino said "With the closure of a Civil War-era youth prison the construction of state-of-the-art rehabilitation centers and cost savings that can be repurposed for education and reentry of juvenile offenders there is no question we will have better outcomes.” These efforts are supported by the Annie E “New Jersey is nationally recognized for its success in safely reducing the number of youths who are incarcerated and for implementing community-based alternatives to detention,” said Kevin M Juvenile Justice Commission executive director.  “This complete overhaul of New Jersey’s juvenile secure settings is precedent setting and will prompt others to follow throughout the country just as they followed our lead in drastically reducing the number of pre-sentenced juveniles held in secure settings through the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative.” The New Jersey State House Commission approved the plan Dec. 7 with the subsequent approval of the Economic Development Authority on Dec. 12 The New Jersey Joint State Leasing and Space Utilization Committee gave the final approval to the plan Dec. 18 and the bond financing closed Jan. 8 Staff Writer Suzanne Russell: 732-565-7335; srussell@mycentraljersey.com  JAMESBURG – A family-owned landmark is closing its doors after serving customers for more than eight decades A final last call will be made today at Parkside Tavern also known as Sloppy's, located at the corner of Lincoln and Gatzmer avenues "It's going to be a bittersweet ending for me," said borough resident Barbara Yesaitis, whose family has operated the tavern at the site since 1933 Hopefully we'll get a nice crowd on Friday and get to say goodbye."  Barbara said she is looking forward to the next chapter of her life.  The third-generation business started as a dry-goods store which sold items such as penny candy and flour "The fourth generation has been through the place but they are not old enough to do anything yet," he said The business was run until 1933 by their grandparents, John and Veronica Yesaitis, who came to the U.S the couple converted the business into a tavern John said the nickname Sloppy's came about because his grandfather used to fill a mug with beer and slide it to his customers at the bar.  When their grandfather died in 1940, unable to read or write English their grandmother managed to keep the business going until sometime in the 1950s when their father also was there cooking for the tavern's regulars.  The business flourished over the years attracting customers in the construction trades, blue collar factory workers locals and others.      which was only along one side of the wall "The place was packed from the bar to the wall," he said.   There was also a full menu that included hot dogs "We used to have a lot of customers that worked the third shift in the factories and would come in after work," Barbara said "We would cook for them and they would cash their checks here We had generations of families come through the door."  "Some of our customers died," Barbara said.  The business is currently under contract to be sold.  Barbara frequented the bar in her early years "On Sundays, I would dust the bottles," she said "I would also come for lunch when I was in school."  When one of the bartenders left, she took over the job "My father forced me into the bar, but once I got into the bar, I didn't want to go back into the kitchen," she said What Barbara said she will miss most is her customers.  "Some of the customers have become really good friends over the years."  which used to open at 7 a.m., most recently was open weekdays at 8 a.m. Saturdays and noon on Sundays. If business was brisk the bar remained open until 2 a.m.  she said, "it's second nature to me."   Barbara's niece, Melissa Yesaitis, started working for the business in the late 1980s.   "I worked in the kitchen and I still work in the kitchen And the patrons at the tavern on Thursday agreed as they raved about her cooking "The best part of being here was always being around the family," Melissa said Melissa said she'll also miss the clientele.  about five others work at the tavern.  Customer Ted Lamotta of Monroe has frequented the tavern for 46 years.  "I worked in the area and started coming here for lunch and it was reasonable," he said "People from the trades would come here for lunch People from businesses in town would come here They had specials every day and the food has always been homemade It was three people deep here at lunchtime It will definitely be an establishment that's going to be missed."  he said, is Barbara and her family, the food and the camaraderie.  "I went to a lot of places in the state and people would ask where I live," he said "I would say in Monroe near Jamesburg and they would say ‘Did you ever go to Sloppy's?’ I told them there aren't many people I run into that didn't go to Sloppy's."  but it was the clientele and people that made you come back," said borough resident Tom Smigel who has been a customer for about 30 years.  and they are really great," said Randy Speranza of Helmetta who became a customer 46 years ago. "The atmosphere is always great The people they do get are really friendly."    "I liked hearing the old stories from the retired guys and reading the paper," said borough resident Jim Osadacz who has been a customer on and off for 30 years. "The company is real good and so are the food and specials."  Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey Contact her at 732-565-7243 or sloyer@gannettnj.com.  NEW BRUNSWICK – A Jamesburg man has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for a hit-and-run crash in which a South Brunswick man was killed Peter Prete, 59, was sentenced by Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Andrea Carter after previously pleading guilty to knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash resulting in death a third-degree crime, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond J Prete also will be subject to the loss of his driver's license for one year once he's released from prison Prete was driving a Jeep Wrangler in the area of Cranbury and Davidson Mill roads near the East Brunswick border when he was involved in a crash with a motorcycle driven by Cory Holsten of the Dayton section of South Brunswick.  More: Muhlenberg College student from NJ with passion for theater, fraternity killed in crash Prete fled the scene and Holsten died from injuries suffered in the crash Holsten was a 2012 graduate of South Brunswick High School and worked as an electrician's assistant for Cougar Power & Electric in Piscataway He was arrested and charged following an investigation by South Brunswick Patrolroman William Merkler and Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Detective Jonathan Berman NEW BRUNSWICK - Two Jamesburg brothers are facing drug charges after more than 2,000 individual doses of heroin nearly $1,000 in cash and drug paraphernalia were found following a search warrant executed at their home, police said were arrested and charged Wednesday following the execution of a search warrant at their Pergola Avenue home around 5:30 a.m. READ: Helmetta man accused of 60 New Jersey car burglaries READ: Insight sought on possible relocation of Jamesburg Post Office within borough the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Drug Task Force and the Jamesburg Police Department have been conducting a narcotics investigation Detectives seized about 50 bricks of heroin (which is in excess of 2,000 individual dosage units) cash totaling $872 and a scale and grinder both used in the manufacture and distribution of narcotics Ortiz was charged with possession of heroin a third degree crime; possession with intent to distribute heroin a second degree crime and two counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin near public property (county park) Barbosa was charged with a disorderly person’s offense of possession of marijuana This case is in addition to two separate indictments in which Ortiz is charged with resisting arrest possession of a controlled and dangerous substance (cocaine) possession of a controlled and dangerous substance with intent to distribute possession of a controlled and dangerous substance with intent to distribute near school property Anyone with information is asked to contact Lt Scott Crocco of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Drug Task Force at 732-745-8390 or Jamesburg Sgt Staff Writer Suzanne Russell: 732-565-7335; srussell@mycentraljersey.com  The campaign to close one of New Jersey’s most infamous juvenile detention centers was marked with a rally earlier this week outside the gateway to a facility that many say is the beginning of the state’s school to prison pipeline spent two years as a teenager inside New Jersey’s largest juvenile corrections center the New Jersey training school for boys formerly known as Jamesburg Kussman is one of nearly two hundred people rallying outside the Monroe township facility calling for it’s permanent closure Kussman says the facility is just one of many in a system that is setting kids up for failure Jamesburg first opened its doors on June 28 1867 exactly 150 years ago something Ryan Haygood President and CEO of The New Jersey Institute for Social Justice says is no coincidence Haygood says 73 percent of juveniles behind bars throughout the state are children of color proof that the system is still plagued by racial disparities that have clear historical significance Haygood says research clearly shows that youth incarceration leads to a range of negative consequences including trauma adding that it is that very research that is leading to changes in policy around youth incarceration that can be seen throughout the country executive director of the state Juvenile Justice Commission defends the work being done saying his agency runs successful programs that help young offenders 47-year-old William Latimore spent six years inside the Jamesburg facility Latimore was sent to Jamesburg following a string of petty theft crimes at the age of 14 Latimore recalls the abuses he often faced at the hands of the staff Jamesburg was among 13 facilities nationwide identified in a 2010 federal report by the department of justice as having high rates of juveniles subjected to abuse particularly sexual abuse Latimore says the abuses and lack of real rehabilitation are what have motivated him to join the fight The more than two hundred demonstrators including more than 40 community organizations like the ACLU and tee NAACP share that same sentiment JAMESBURG – The borough Land Use Board has denied a proposal to build apartments on Gatzmer Avenue Alex & Gabriel Properties LLC sought use variance approval to remove the existing one-story building at 258 Gatzmer Ave and build a two-story building with four one-bedroom and 20 two-bedroom apartments with sufficient parking spaces.  Under the proposal, the developer would dedicate a half-acre parcel of land at the site as open space.     Use variance relief was required because residential units are not permitted in the Retail Business District Zone Development: Mixed-use project with 38 apartments proposed in North Brunswick Development: 316 apartments, grocery store planned for Plainfield's West Front Street If the Land Use Board had granted the relief the applicant would subsequently have filed an application for preliminary and final site plan approval "It was denied because it was not zoned for residential use," Lowande said "They did not feel it was appropriate to change the zoning in that section of town right now."  The increased traffic the project would bring to the area was also an issue "That's a hard intersection to begin with," the mayor said where only a few people would go at one time compared to an apartment complex, where you are going to have your major comings and goings at rush hours, was an issue Trying to have children cross there would be a nightmare."  Many residents also spoke out against the project "Everybody on that board does it on a volunteer basis," Lowande said "They do it because they care about this community and they are going to listen to residents and we're going to do what we can within the law."  "definitely something should be there, but it should be for the betterment not the detriment of this community."  Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today A 24-year-old Jamesburg man was convicted of the 2019 stabbing deaths of his father and another man living in the house they all shared, and then setting the Sheridan Street house on fire to cover up the murders Jaree Kitchen was found guilty last week of the murder of his father following a two-week jury trial, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone announced Kitchen also was convicted of aggravated arson possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose two counts of desecrating human remains and tampering with evidence in the Nov Kitchen is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct During the trial Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutors Amber Gibbs and Caitlin Lavery presented evidence and testimony showing that Kitchen had recently returned to Jamesburg from Georgia to live with his father but shortly after his arrival the father and son began having issues This erupted into a physical altercation that resulted in Kitchen fatally stabbing both his father and Fisher to death on Nov The investigation was led by Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Sgts Jason Muller and Detective Jim Dennis JAMESBURG – This is a small borough with a long patriotic history of paying tribute to veterans On this Memorial Day — before the borough’s 131st parade which many consider the oldest in the state — officials will dedicate a new monument honoring past and current residents who served their country in times of war will display more than 350 names of both living veterans and those who have died The names are inscribed on five Vermont white granite slabs “This project has been three years in development,” Allan E commander of the American Legion Star Post 127 “Most of that time was spent gathering names of Jamesburg and area residents who served in World War II “We really tried to get all the people who served,” he said More than 10 percent of the population of Jamesburg served in World War II Those names — both men and women — take up three and a half of the five slabs.” Construction at the site began in September with the preparation of the footings and foundation for the granite slabs “There is a new lighting scheme and additional brick walkways constructed,” Brown said one behind each of the granite slabs with an American flag flying proudly over the monument.” The commander said the new monument complements an already existing World War I memorial that was placed in the park in 1920 The post is one of the first in the nation as it was authorized in 1919 just a few months after the American Legion national charter was established in September 1919 Brown said much of the credit for the new memorial goes to Post Adjunct Robert E Garvey III who is acting as the project manager Handling the many subcontractors for the project “Bob’s attention to detail and requiring sub contractors to adhere to a 100 percent commitment to providing superior quality work shows as the construction moves on,” Brown said “Everyone who worked on this was top-notch They all really had a feel for this and knew it was a special thing from the town.” The memorial was funded by the Legion and many donations Monday’s dedication ceremony will follow the borough’s 131st Memorial Day parade 10 a.m the parade loops the park and around Railroad and Gatzmer avenues Also marching in the 45-minute parade will be the Wells Fargo stagecoach Central Jersey Police and Fire Pipes & Drums the Grim Details Drum Corps and local organizations including the Boy and Girl Scouts and Little League teams The historical Lincoln Coach,sponsored by the Jamesburg Historical Society “When Abraham Lincoln needed a ride from the train in Trenton to the statehouse “James Buckelew from Jamesburg was at the station and Lincoln picked out his coach and said he would take a ride from that one Refreshments will be served at the fire department at 82 West Railroad Avenue and the Elks Hall at 74 West Railroad Avenue Staff Writer Cheryl Makin: 732-565-7256; cmakin@njpressmedia.com JAMESBURG – Two people were found dead following a fire early Wednesday morning at a borough home were discovered shortly after the fire was reported on Sheridan Street around 3:45 a.m. acting Middlesex County Prosecutor Christie L Bevaqua and Jamesburg Police Chief James J 53, was one of the people who died in the fire No words can explain how I feel right now,” she said She was unsure who the other victim might be The cause of the deaths remains under investigation pending the completion of autopsies by the Middlesex County Medical Examiner's Office Firefighters were dispatched to the single-family home to battle the blaze No firefighters or police officers were injured Among those called to the scene were the Jamesburg Fire Department the Middlesex County Office of the Fire Marshal and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office An investigation into the cause of the fire is active and is continuing Anyone with information is asked to call Jamesburg Detective Sgt Jason Muller at 732-521-0011 or Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Detective Deon McCall at 732-745-3848 and other forms of mayhem from throughout the Central Jersey area for the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey OFFICE FOR WHICH YOU ARE A CANDIDATE: Mayor (current councilman) What makes you qualified to do the job better than your opponent The truth is that the Jamesburg Borough Council which has had a democratic majority for the last 50 or so years has not taken up many of the ideas I have brought forth for public discussion or action as councilman I have diligently worked to present innovative ideas to my council colleagues including installing solar panels on public buildings and schools which could save the borough 30 percent over 15 years ways to create a synthesis with the Jamesburg and Monroe Township education curricula and have strongly urged council to explore dangerous public safety issues related to signage and dangerous intersections It is time for some new ideas and innovation What would you consider to be the single most important issue you’ll face in office if victorious understand the value of a good education system for our children myself and my council running mates Joe Scillieri and Sam Lawrence III will work hard with the superintendent and board of education to help improve this important area Jamesburg’s younger students attend Monroe Township High School and so my education platform ideas include alignment of the Jamesburg and Monroe elementary curricula and increased synergies with Monroe’s board of education This will put Jamesburg’s students on even par once they reach the high school level Why should voters trust you to do what you say you’ll do The record has shown that I have diligently tried to bring about change and new ideas to council I am fortunate to know many of the borough’s residents and have listened to their concerns and ideas in earnest while on the campaign trail I have lived in Jamesburg for most of my life and have a true love and affection for this community MONROE - A GoFundMe.com account has been set up to help pay for the funeral expenses of a 19-year-old Jamesburg man who died Wednesday in a motorcycle accident here Melanie Michalowski Fazio said tragedy struck her family Wednesday when her cousin known as  "Mikey," died in a motorcycle accident She said Parker did not have any insurance nor did his mother because he was an adult She said Parker had just started life on his own with an apartment and a job She said the funds would be used for Parker's mother to give her son a proper burial READ: Monroe business owner charged with $1M fraud READ: The Greek grows his playland with more facilities in Monroe Parker was driving a 2005 Honda CBR motorcycle south on Half Acre Road around 1:37 p.m Wednesday approaching the intersection with David Brainerd Drive was making a left turn from the northbound lane of Half Acre Road onto David Brainerd Drive Police said the motorcycle and Lexus collided in the southbound lane of Half Acre Road Parker was ejected from the motorcycle and suffered severe head and internal injuries Schaffer suffered a minor leg injury and was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick Sergeis Jangols and Officer Daniel Mosakowski of the Monroe Township Traffic Safety Division Anyone with information or who may have witnessed the accident is asked to contact the Monroe Township Police Traffic Safety Division at 732-521-0222 Staff Writer Suzanne Russell: 732-565-7335; srussell@mycentraljersey.com Some residents in Middlesex County have been dealing with significant flooding after overnight heavy rains from Hurricane Henri — which had been downgraded to a tropical storm by Sunday morning Cranbury and Jamesburg both saw roughly eight inches of rain fall overnight, according to the National Weather Service. Photos of a flooded out Main Street were shared by Cranbury Mayor Michael Ferrante to Facebook on Sunday where he urged residents to stay off the roads if at all possible Jamesburg was dealing with an overflowing creek causing a current in front of a CVS as seen in a video clip shared to Twitter by local resident Video also was taken in the borough by CBS New York, showing serious flooding along much of the downtown area along East Railroad Avenue and Forsgate Drive In Helmetta, first responders from surrounding communities helped rescue residents by boat amid serious flooding, as seen on Facebook in photos shared by Chris Slav Plainsboro also received seven and a half inches while Helmetta was drenched by over six inches of precipitation as of 8:30 a.m A section of Route 1 in the Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick was closed Sunday morning due to flooding part of Long Beach Island also got walloped by half a foot of rain overnight Long Beach Township was dealing with localized flooding from nearly six and a half inches on Sunday In Surf City, Scojo's Restaurant shared a couple photos to Facebook showing the outdoor dining area largely underwater but they were closed for Sunday waiting for the flooding to recede The effects of the storm were not yet over for North Jersey, according to New Jersey 101.5 Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow That region was expected to see another three to five or more inches of rain as the weekend wrapped up wind and coastal flooding impacts in New Jersey should be minor going forward CBS New York showed the flooding in downtown Jamesburg while cautioning about potential storm surge for parts of New York Gallery Credit: Michael Symons Hurricane Henri dumped about eight inches of rain in parts of Middlesex County, leaving behind flooded out roads and basements on Sunday in New Jersey.\nRead More Cranbury and Jamesburg both saw roughly eight inches of rain fall overnight, according to the National Weather Service. Photos of a flooded out Main Street were shared by Cranbury Mayor Michael Ferrante to Facebook on Sunday Video also was taken in the borough by CBS New York, showing serious flooding along much of the downtown area In Helmetta, first responders from surrounding communities helped rescue residents by boat amid serious flooding, as seen on Facebook in photos shared by Chris Slav A section of Route 1 in the Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick was closed Sunday morning due to flooding Route 130 is flooded and @SoBrunswickPD is assisting stranded motorists pic.twitter.com/42QeXCeZmb In Surf City, Scojo's Restaurant shared a couple photos to Facebook showing the outdoor dining area largely underwater The effects of the storm were not yet over for North Jersey, according to New Jersey 101.5 Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow 635 am: Significant flooding ongoing in Mercer and Middlesex Counties, specifically from East Windsor Township to the Jamesburg and South Brunswick areas. Travel in these areas is strongly discouraged! #njwx JAMESBURG – The Jamesburg Public Library will temporarily close after Saturday for a much-needed makeover will be redesigned and reconfigured with new furniture The project will take roughly 50 days to complete with an anticipated reopening around May 31 a member of the library’s Board of Trustees "This project is a bold and long overdue investment in our library which will ensure that the JPL is an asset to our community and a destination for residents for many years to come,” Emens said "We look forward to working with all of our community partners to build a bright future for the Jamesburg Public Library." The reconfigured upper level will house an updated book collection with a permanent children’s section, a redesigned patron service area, and stations for technology. The lower level will become a community center with a lounge reading area, tutoring and studying space for students, and a meeting area for the public, according to the library's website The project includes replacement of the library’s restroom toilets and sinks and painting the library’s main room More: Forsgate Commons in Jamesburg sold to nonprofit for $4.4 million The project also includes upgrades to electric and landscape The past few years have been difficult for the library as it navigated the pandemic and a recovery storm damage the library began thinking about ways to optimize space to meet the community's current and future needs "This renovation project is our way of turning these challenges into an opportunity to upgrade our facilities to better serve the residents of Jamesburg," Emens said The Board of Trustees allotted $145,000 for capital improvements in the library’s 2023 operating budget repurposing funds that were unused when the library was closed during the pandemic "The library is thrilled to write its next chapter," said Library Director Gabriella Oakley "We look forward to seeing everyone during our grand opening later this spring." Jamesburg residents with library cards will be able to check out books at any other consortium member libraries in neighboring towns They will also be able to access e-books and other digital media online through Hoopla and Libby and sign up for temporary library cards OFFICE FOR WHICH YOU ARE A CANDIDATE: Borough Council I am not an incumbent but bring a fresh perspective as a long-time Jamesburg resident a retired business owner who successfully ran several large-scale endeavors in the areas of engineering and construction and I will devote a majority of my time to this office Jamesburg has experienced chronic flooding from significant flooding including the devastating rains in July 2005 Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy in 2012 which produced massive flooding damage resulting in home destruction and business closings What has been done under the management of the democratic majority Middlesex County began a study and Watershed Protection and Restoration Plan for Manalapan Brook and Watershed cited that the worst areas were in Jamesburg My fellow running mates and I have a plan to remedy this problem Another area that we will work on is redevelopment of the downtown business area by working to bring in new business and support existing ones I believe in Jamesburg and will work tirelessly to improve it by bringing refreshing leadership on council As a licensed professional engineer I have a strong sense of not only what needs to be done regarding the borough’s infrastructure Welcome Mickeymickey@disney.comManage MyDisney AccountLog OutVictims in fatal New Jersey fire were stabbed 2019Liz Cho with the latest on a fire that killed two people in Jamesburg New Jersey -- New Jersey authorities have charged a man with murder in the stabbing death of his father and another person Middlesex County authorities charged 21-year-old Jaree Kitchen on Friday with two counts of murder and second-degree aggravated arson and other charges in connection with the death of his father 53-year-old Clifford Kitchen and a family friend The body of Clifford Kitchen and the family friend were discovered Wednesday inside their single-family home following a fire that engulfed the Jamesburg residence WABC-TV reports an autopsy revealed both victims had been stabbed Jaree Kitchen is also charged with hindering prosecution possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and destroying physical evidence told the TV station that her brother "had a huge heart." The investigation into the fire and stabbing is ongoing JAMESBURG – The second victim in a double-fatal stabbing and fire at a Sheridan Street home last week has been identified was identified by the Middlesex Regional Medical Examiner’s Office Middlesex County Acting Prosecutor Christopher Kuberiet and Jamesburg Police Chief James Craparotta said in a release EARLIER: Jamesburg fire: Son charged with stabbing father in double-fatal arson An investigation determined that Kitchen's 21-year-old son allegedly stabbed the two men before setting the home on fire The medical examiner’s office determined the manner of death for both victims to be homicide by fatal stab wounds EARLIER: Fatal Jamesburg fire claims two lives Jaree Kitchen has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder third-degree hindering his own prosecution third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and fourth-degree destroying physical evidence He is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center pending a detention hearing scheduled for Wednesday The investigation is active and is continuing Jason Muller of the Jamesburg Police Department at 732-521-0011 or Detective Deon McCall of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-745-3848 Staff Writer Nick Muscavage is an award-winning watchdog reporter whose work spans many topics and has spurred the creation of a state law. Contact him: 908-243-6615; ngmuscavage@gannettnj.com; @nmuscavage JAMESBURG – The Jamesburg Public Library will reopen next month after a much-needed makeover "We are excited to welcome patrons back to the library and we invite everyone to join us as we cut the ribbon on our newly renovated building and begin this exciting new chapter," said Councilman Thomas J "I think this project was a bold step toward revitalizing our library so that it will be of value to our community and serve our residents for many years to come The renovation work came out even better than I was expecting and I’m excited for the public to see the library’s makeover." The library was temporarily closed in April for renovations The reconfigured upper level will house an updated book collection with a permanent children’s section, a redesigned patron service area, and stations for technology. The lower level will become a community center with a lounge reading area, tutoring and studying space for students, and a meeting area for the public, according to the library's website please subscribe or activate your digital account today.