SOMERSET — The recent Board of Selectmen election may have been decided in mid-April, but the campaign is not quite over On April 14, Costa defeated Thomas Mello for an open selectmen’s seat. Costa won with 1,174 to 1,157 votes There won’t be a recount, said Holly McNamara, a former selectman and part of a group calling itself the Somerset Integrity Coalition But they’ve decided to challenge the election nonetheless 2025 results: Here's who voters picked in Somerset's town election Members of the Somerset Integrity Coalition say they are airing concerns dating to Costa’s time in the town police force Among them is an incident where Costa was investigated for striking a fellow officer They also claim Costa was attempting to sway voters at polls during the town’s early-voting sessions in violation of state law Costa denied the group’s characterizations calling the assault incident “horseplay” for which he was reprimanded and saying the electioneering claims are unfounded “Somehow the other side found out about it and is trying to make an issue out of it but it certainly wasn’t electioneering,” Costa said This has not stopped members of the group from speaking out about what they called a “cover-up” by the town administrator Members have filed public records requests for information they say will prove their case — including a request to see security camera footage of the polling places where Costa was present — and said they've sought guidance from the Attorney General's Office Lengthy meetings: Are local government and school board meetings getting too long? Some say limits needed. about 14 Somerset police officers including a retired lieutenant were at a firing range preparing for a day of shooting and engaging in small talk an officer whose name is redacted from the report was “suddenly struck on the buttocks from behind” by Costa with a wooden stick The officer was not injured but said “the strike did hurt and that the Chief stated something to the effect of I should have hit you harder,” Ullucci’s report states The officer was upset and “everyone fell silent.” Another officer reported the incident to police union leadership a month later Ullucci conducted an investigation in December 2023 The reporting officer said he had been uncomfortable lodging the complaint “for fear of reprisal,” and the officer who was hit said “he thought the Chief was joking around but felt it was inappropriate.” Ullucci wrote in his report that neither officer requested any specific action against Costa beyond his being spoken to about the incident Ullucci’s report states that he spoke with Costa who “recognized the action was inappropriate and took accountability for his actions.” The matter was then considered closed Ullucci did not disclose the incident to POST, the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission a state accountability group that documents incidents of disciplinary action against police officers statewide Per POST Commission regulations, “minor matters need not to be reported” if the law enforcement agency “has implemented an informal resolution process (i.e. of which documentation must be provided to POST upon request.” The kinds of minor matters not necessary to report include “discourtesy Several members of the Somerset Integrity Coalition called Ullucci’s not reporting the incident to POST a “cover-up” to protect Costa George McNeil, the town’s police chief from 2014 until he resigned in 2021, said Ullucci’s decision to label the incident a minor matter is “not up to him … It’s not up to the town administrator to say officials at POST said they cannot speak on this incident or about whether this specific event should have been reported “The POST Commission cannot confirm or deny the existence of any investigation or comment on cases that may be pending,” said a spokesperson A POST spokesperson said generally incidents that must be reported include complaints of bias actions that result in serious bodily injury or unprofessionalism including policy or procedure violations conduct unbecoming an officer and the like saying “there was no bullying under my administration.” as was stated in the reports,” Costa told The Herald News on April 29 the union wanted to bring it to the town administrator’s attention he didn’t want any further action or consequences Costa said Ullucci spoke to him and “got my side of the story obviously indicated that in the future I should refrain from that type of horseplay.” Ullucci writes in his report that Costa “seemed upset that [the complaint] had reached my desk,” and that after discussion Ullucci told him the incident had been “inappropriate.” sometimes it’s difficult to remember that … you’re not one of the guys anymore,” Costa said Ullucci and a representative from the police union did not yet respond to requests for comment Costa’s opponents say he was present at polling places two out of Somerset’s three early-voting days They claim he was campaigning in the polling places in violation of state law that prohibits campaign activities within 150 feet of the polls Opponents claim he was “shaking hands … having conversations” and “giving out merch,” McNamara said “Todd thought he could slip by and be in early voting without anybody around and he could pull a fast one And he’s got to be held accountable for it,” said Somerset resident Dan Smith Costa insisted his political opponents are mischaracterizing the situation but it certainly wasn’t electioneering,” he said he would visit the polls to see the voter turnout figure “so I could keep track of the number of people who were voting early I wasn’t wearing any buttons or anything like that I’ve been enforcing electioneering laws for 30 years,” Costa said Shauna Geary, member of the Somerset Integrity Coalition said Mello has filed a public records request for security camera footage of the polling place Group members said they want to determine when Costa was present at polls political candidates are not allowed to linger within 150 feet of the polling place except to vote themselves and should not be election observers for their own campaigns Violations of state law that include handing out cards or materials intended to influence a vote within 150 feet of the polling place are subject to a fine of not more than $20 Costa said he did not visit the polls again “He sent his wife,” said Geary, referring to retired police officer Tracey Costa According to the Secretary of State’s Office, Somerset has 15,193 registered voters The percentage of those who voted for Board of Selectmen is 15.3% everything else is off the table and you can’t contest the election,” she said “So [Mello] decided … I’m not going to do it We’re going to do this and question the election and contest it.” “He won that election by 17 votes,” Smith said Somerset County residents can bid on a selection of office equipment used vehicles and other miscellaneous items at the upcoming Spring Surplus Auction residents can browse the online surplus inventory and place bids to purchase auction items The auction will close with staggered end times starting at 2 p.m Residents can preview the list of auction items and are encouraged to read the terms and conditions of sale before bidding. Photos of the available items and vehicles will be posted on www.govdeals.com/somersetcounty by 8 a.m Item inspection is recommended at the South County Public Works Facility There are no registration fees charged by the auction company Full payment is due no later than five business days from the time and date of when the auction closes Items purchased must also be removed within 10 business days from the time and date of when the auction closes The buyer is responsible for all loading and transporting of property Visit www.govdeals.com. For further information, call 908-752-7807 or email surplussale@co.somerset.nj.us James Rew was the hero as Somerset roared back to beat Essex by three wickets at Taunton Rew’s uncanny calm belies his years and, at 21, he became the youngest player to make 10 first-class centuries since Denis Compton. Out just before the close for 116, the winning runs were thumped by Craig Overton, a straight six off Simon Harmer for a first victory of the season. A draw at Sophia Gardens was much more than the sum of its parts, eight Glamorgan fielders crowding Derbyshire’s Luis Reece for the final over with one wicket needed, after a brave declaration from Sam Northeast. Ben Kellaway pocketed both career-best batting and bowling figures. “First away game we had a 30-yard boundary and then we had a snake pit, and then you come here and they have already played two games on a wicket.” 18h ago19.51 CESTThrill Southampton: Hampshire 470 DRAW with Durham 511 and 61-0 Taunton: Somerset 145 and 325-7 BEAT Essex 206 and 259 by three wickets Headingley: Warwickshire 253 and 186-5 BEAT Yorkshire 205 and 232 by FIVE WICKETS Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 431 and 256-7 dec DRAW with Derbyshire 350 & 308-9 Old Trafford: Lancashire 450 and 255-8 DRAW with Gloucestershire 589-8dec Grace Road: Leicestershire 304 and 175 BEAT Northamptonshire 191 and 156 by 132 runs Lord’s: Middlesex 238 and 266-8 BEAT Kent 129 and 473 by two wickets Updated at 19.36 CEST19h ago19.31 CESTMiddlesex BEAT Kent by two wicketsZafar Gohar 19h ago19.25 CESTGlamorgan DRAW with DerbyshireSophia Gardens: Glamorgan 431 and 256-7 dec DRAW with Derbyshire 350 & 308-9 19h ago19.21 CESTEight… 19h ago19.20 CESTSeven men round the bat… 19h ago19.19 CESTOne over left at Sophia Gardens: one wicket for Glamorgan to grab. Updated at 19.19 CEST19h ago19.16 CESTAt Sophia Gardens, Glamorgan need a wicket off 12 balls; at Lord’s, Middlesex need 12 runs off 24 balls, Kent two wickets. 19h ago19.03 CESTPendulum swings back at Lord’s: Middlesex need 20 runs from seven overs. Two wickets left. 19h ago19.02 CESTAnd Dal is stumped, Glamorgan need just one wicket. 19h ago19.01 CESTDerbyshire need 49, Glamorgan need two wickets. Five overs left. 19h ago18.55 CESTLancashire DRAW with GloucestershireA great effort by the Gloucestershire bowlers thwarted by some late-order fortitude from Lancs Gloucestershire 13 points, Lancashire 12 20h ago18.22 CESTTime for me to write up for the paper, but do follow the three thrillers BTL. 20h ago18.21 CESTThe new ball has been taken at OT, and given straight to van Buuren, but Lancs look like they’ll get away with this one. I forgot Derbyshire – who are almost swaggering to their target – Andersson (64) and Dal (19) the men at the crease. They need 86 from 13 and a bit overs at Sophia Gardens. Five wickets in hand. Updated at 18.22 CEST20h ago18.14 CESTAnd now Rob Bailey gives an LBW! The brave Eskinazi limps away and the pendulum swings. Middlesex need 51 , eight down. 20h ago18.00 CESTDavies pulls, rolls the wrists, but Richards is waiting under the shade of the stand at deep midwicket and catches it low in the breadbasket. A third wicket for Parky! Middlesex 312-7, 53 needed. Updated at 18.15 CEST20h ago17.56 CESTEskinazi has returned to join the in-touch Davies. 55 needed, four wickets in hand. Updated at 17.58 CEST20h ago17.54 CESTParky strikes! Hollman caught at short leg for 103. Nerves, nerves, nerves, at Lord’s. 20h ago17.45 CEST“There was also a run out, is one way of putting it,” writes Gary Naylor. “THERE WAS ALSO A RUN OUT! is another.” 20h ago17.38 CEST"What's the point?" Ryan Campbell criticises Hampshire pitchDurham’s head coach doesn’t pull his punches: “It is one of those games where you look back on and think ‘what is the point?’. We played as well as I expected us to play. “Until we start to get wickets right in this competition it is pretty disappointing. First away game we had a 30 yard boundary and then we had a snake pit, and then you come here and they have already played two games on a wicket. “I’m not going to tell everyone else what to do but it is disappointing to play on things like this. If you want to play good first-class cricket you need good cricket wicket. This one gave the bowlers no chance. Some of the things that are going on, I’m not sure what is going on.” 21h ago17.34 CESTA hundred for Luke HollmanWell played! A first f-c hundred, in his first match as a specialist batsman. He takes off his helmet, gives the badge a kiss, and waves his bat at his teammates crowded onto the Lord’s balcony. 21h ago17.30 CESTDespite DBD’s best effort, it seems Middlesex are going to chase this down! Hollman is one short of his hundred, Jack Davies a steadfast sidekick. 102 needed. 21h ago17.07 CESTDivision One table1 Nottinghamshire (played 4) 70 21h ago16.55 CESTHampshire DRAW with DurhamSouthampton: Hampshire 470 DRAW with Durham 511 and 61-0 Time to go home after only 20 wickets fell in four days. Southampton: Hampshire 470 v Durham 511 and 61-0 bad light stopped play Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 431 and 256-7dec v Derbyshire 350 and 136-4 Derbyshire need 202 to win Old Trafford: Lancashire 450 and 178-6 v Gloucestershire 589-8dec Lancs lead by 39 runs Lord’s: Middlesex 238 and 243-5 v Kent 129 and 473 Middlesex need 122 to win 21h ago16.38 CESTLancs not looking entirely at ease here. 22h ago16.33 CESTTom Latham to play for Warwickshire next weekThe Bears hope that Latham, whose arrival in Birmingham was delayed because of a hand injury, will be available for Surrey’s visit next Friday. 22h ago16.22 CESTAnd now Madsen – time to hammer down the hatches, lads. Two wickets each for Leonard and Kellaway. Derby 122-4. 22h ago16.20 CESTDerbyshire have lost Lloyd, Jewell, Came and energy. 119-3. And another at OT! Balderson caught behind off van Buuren. Lancs 160-6, leading by 21, and now knee deep in the dirt. 22h ago16.06 CESTWhat a pose A picture I took of Kapil Dev bowling in the MCC v Rest of the World match at Lord's, August 20th 1987. He took 0 for 54 and 1 for 21 on a pitch which favoured the batsmen. In 221.1 overs, the Rest of the World bowlers only took 10 wickets for 739 runs (there was also a run out) pic.twitter.com/8G867oCguA Unions urge energy giant EDF to take action as concerns mount over health of construction staff Workers building the troubled Hinkley Point C nuclear reactor in Somerset have raised concerns that the construction site is overrun by rats The Unite and GMB trade unions are understood to have warned the developer, the French energy giant EDF that urgent action is needed because the rodents are “everywhere” The growing vermin population has prompted fears over the health of the workforce building Britain’s first new nuclear power plant in a generation which is running years late and billions of pounds over budget A source on the site told the Observer: “They’re all over A second source confirmed that the trade unions had broached the issue with EDF describing the number of rats on the site as “quite grim” the more rubbish on the site – and the canteens are not clean either It has just become worse over time,” the source added Around 3,000 more jobs will be created at Hinkley Point over the next 18 months with about 15,000 people in total expected to work on the site as construction reaches its peak the plant will be capable of powering 6m British homes But EDF is under pressure to deliver the plant by the early 2030s after significant delays and spiralling costs have saddled the company with growing debts Workers have claimed that the financial pressures faced by EDF have had a damaging impact on their working conditions and pay pipe fitters and welders downed tools in November in a row over security access to the site The action short of a strike took place after workers claimed that only five fingerprint scanners were provided to allow entry for 13,000 workers on site ‘You see them just sat there looking at you.’ Photograph: Andregric/Getty Images/iStockphotoA small number of workers represented by the Prospect trade union downed tools twice late last year after complaints over pay Prospect has also raised concerns over the use of cheap labour on the project while some of its suppliers employ people from overseas they expect all workers to be treated fairly and consistently EDF is in line to earn a fixed rate for the electricity generated by Hinkley’s reactors but only once the reactors begin operating higher construction costs must be borne by the company EDF warned last year that the final cost of the project could soar by a third It is also struggling to find new investors to help complete the work after its partner CGN agreed to finance 33.5 per cent of the original costs of Hinkley Point but it has refused to make any further cash injections after the UK government blocked its involvement in EDF’s planned Sizewell C nuclear project over concerns about China’s participation in critical national infrastructure A spokesperson for Hinkley Point C said: “As is common across all large construction sites there will be occasions when the presence of vermin is noted A specialist company has carried out a survey and measures are in place to address the issue We are committed to working alongside our trades union partners to provide the best environment for all of our workers.” The GMB and Unite trade unions declined to comment This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media Yankees promote top prospect Lombard to Double-A SomersetMay 5th NEW YORK -- George Lombard Jr. is on the move Ranked as the Yankees' No. 1 prospect by MLB Pipeline the 19-year-old infielder has been promoted from High-A Hudson Valley to Double-A Somerset as first reported Sunday by ESPN's Jeff Passan A source confirmed the move regarding Lombard who had a .329/.495/.488 slash line in 24 games for the Renegades stealing 11 bases (in 13 attempts) while working 23 walks against 22 strikeouts "Great head on his shoulders; loves the game smart heady player," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on Monday you've seen him slowly turning into a man and [a] big physical presence ''The ease with which he can make plays and moves in the field doing a good job so far of controlling the strike zone -- George is someone we're super excited about He certainly earned that next step up to Somerset I'm excited for him and the start he's off to Most of Lombard's defensive action has come at shortstop though he has appeared once at second base and once at third base this season third base and shortstop in Major League camp with the Yankees this spring when he batted .231 (6-for-26) with two homers and four RBIs in 14 games MLB Pipeline has forecast Lombard's big league ETA for 2027 but his early-season promotion to Double-A could indicate a willingness to fast-track him toward the Bronx The son of former Major League outfielder and current Tigers bench coach George Lombard Sr. Lombard was the Yankees' first-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft (26th overall) out of Gulliver Prep high school in Miami Lombard's Double-A debut could come on Tuesday when the Patriots visit the Akron Rubberducks (the Cleveland Guardians' Double-A affiliate) at 6:35 p.m Each Monday, the Daily American will select nominees for Female and Male Athlete of the Week in Somerset County for the spring sports season and voters will have through Wednesday at 5 p.m Votes are limited to one per IP address or computer network Last week's results Berlin Brothersvalley pair voted Somerset County Athlete of the Week for April 21-26 Athletes can be nominated via email to sports@dailyamerican.com Please include details of their achievements for that week only including any notable statistics or results All email submissions will be considered but not necessarily selected as a nominee The winners will be featured in the top performers section in the following Tuesday's Daily American print edition Follow Daily American Sports on Facebook and @dailyamericanmedia on Instagram (This story has been updated to correct some inaccuracies.) SOMERSET — Throughout the frigid winter, The Pink Bean coffee shop works its Mojo to keep the masses warm And it appears things are continuing to heat up at the Somerset cafe in more ways than one starting in March and that's certainly the case at 202 Slades Ferry Ave. where javaphiles will be met with exciting new surprises in the coming months Pink Bean owner Bonnie Souza announced that plans are underway to renovate what was once the greenhouse space located on the property "We are so excited to reveal our new space for you," states a Feb. 28 post on Pink Bean’s Facebook page The year in eats: 2024 brought many tasty new Greater Fall River restaurants. Have you tried them all yet? a three-phase renovation project is slated to kick off next week which will require a brief closure of the Pink Bean location Stock up now to avoid Pink Bean withdrawals Portuguese bolo sandwiches and tasty treats for a week The Somerset store will be closed starting Sunday "Bear with us as we improve and expand our space for an even better experience!" the post states Something brewing? Pink Bean closes Fall River coffee shop, but maybe not for long. Souza confirmed that renovations will include "expanding the cafe itself and creating an upscale outdoor patio" where the greenhouse once stood The greenhouse had been used to house flowers for sale in the summer as well as a space for various gatherings and events until it was torn down last year There is no closure anticipated for Phase 2 and 3 of the renovation project the Slades Ferry property also includes outdoor seating in the warmer months Fall River loses Pink BeanPink Bean's latest development comes a little over a year after Souza closed up shop at their original storefront on Purchase Street in Fall River after 10 years The downtown spot had been converted to a pared-down Pink Bean Express location — to complement their larger more highly trafficked Somerset shop that opened in 2018 — before eventually outgrowing its Fall River home Intentions at the time were to remain in the city, said owner Bonnie Souza, stating in February 2024 that she was eyeing a location that "looks very promising for us to open a much larger Pink Bean in Fall River" that mirrored Somerset smoothies and vegan and gluten-free options Souza also owns a wholesale bakery in Fall River New England Muffin Co. at 337 Pleasant St. is the supplier of the bolos levedos — Portuguese sweet muffins — that are a key ingredient in many of Pink Bean's breakfast sandwiches BRANCHBURG – Police are tracking down who was responsible for abandoning more than 20 small dogs in three Somerset County communities over the weekend were corralled in Branchburg on Saturday by the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter The other Shih Tzu or Maltese dogs were also found abandoned in Bound Brook and Franklin According to a Facebook post by the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter in Bridgewater all 11 dogs found in Branchburg "will need substantial vet care (spay/neuter "While we cannot change the dogs’ heartbreaking past or how they ended up in Branchburg, please join us in focusing on preparing these precious souls for a much better future," the shelter wrote in a Facebook post With vet costs expected to run into the thousands the shelter said monetary donations are needed because the funds provide flexibility to respond to the dogs’ needs Donations can be made through the shelter's website or through the Friends of the Somerset Regional Animal website More: The first cat cafe is opening in Somerset County. Here are the details Branchburg officers were dispatched by Somerset County Communications to the area of Renda Drive off Pleasant Run Road on a report of a stray dog Officers located the dog and requested assistance from the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter which captured the animal police officers were dispatched by Somerset County Communications to White Oak Park on Baird Road on a report of stray dogs in the area of the park and Branchburg Central School across the road officers saw there were several dogs in the area and requested assistance from the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter police were dispatched to a stray dog report on Thoroughbred Drive about a half mile north of the school Police found the dog and again the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter responded and captured the canine police were dispatched to another stray dog report in the area of Millenium Way about a mile southeast of White Oak Park and discovered the canine the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter responded and captured the dog Chief Buck thanked Somerset Regional Animal Shelter for its assistance The Branchburg Police Department and the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter are continuing their investigation into who abandoned the dogs Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to contact the police department at 908-526-3830 via the STOPit app or through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) All anonymous STOPit reports and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential Meyersdale's Cole Yoder and Karleigh Beal were voted 2025 Daily American Somerset County Breakout Baseball and Softball Player Baseball and softball players across Somerset County are having breakout campaigns in 2025 Daily American sports editor Adam Ripple selected baseball and softball players who are excelling on the diamond These athletes were not on the preseason players to watch list The Daily American is running polls for readers to choose who they believe is the Somerset County Breakout Baseball and Softball Player Breakout baseball players Somerset County baseball players having breakout campaigns in 2025 Breakout softball players Who are the 2025 Somerset County breakout softball players? (This story has been updated to add new information.) (WJAC) — Strong storms rolled through the region again Thursday night leaving behind some damage a falling tree crushed a pickup truck in Davidsville Brianne Krebs says strong winds brought down a tree on 215 Yoder Lane "had the storm hit five minutes prior We had just walked in the door and she had drove down the road whenever this hit." Recapping the Yankees’ minor-league affiliates’ results from May 4th Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: W, 4-2 at Syracuse Mets GIDP — depth catcher has played well with Scranton2B Brendan Shewmake 1-3 All-Over-It Alex. #WhereLegendsRise #RepBX pic.twitter.com/6xWJ3qyfoh Double-A Somerset Patriots: W, 5-4 at Richmond Flying Squirrels GIDP — came through with the winning homer in the eighthRF Garrett Martin 2-5 2 K3B Alexander Vargas 1-5CF Cole Gabrielson 0-5 0 K (save) — nothing like a three-pitch save Rebellions are built on hope.@Yankees No. 15 prospect Rafael Flores barrels a two-run homer to give Somerset the lead!The Patriots have scored four unanswered runs to jump back in front. pic.twitter.com/YNtD45Dkx6 High-A Hudson Valley Renegades: Postponed vs In case you missed it though, you won’t see George Lombard Jr. in this section any longer, with the top prospect on his way to Double-A Somerset Low-A Tampa Tarpons: W, 12-4 vs 3 K - was sitting 95-96 mphCole Zaffiro 2.1 IP Florida Complex League Yankees: Off The 24-year-old fell to the ground clutching his left side just above the hip after taking a quick single off Jack Leach to put him on 99 He had been feeling the same area while batting and remained prostrate while being treated before being helped to his feet Cox stayed at the wicket just long enough to hit a boundary off Leach and reach his ton at which point he immediately retired hurt He took no further part in the Essex second innings and was replaced in the field when Somerset batted confirmed the extent of the injury at the close of play which our medical staff are in the process of assessing," he said because it is a Sunday it has not been possible to get the injury scanned that will happen as soon as possible tomorrow and we will know a lot more then "He played a tremendous innings and it was a shame he was not able to go on." A broken finger forced Cox to miss England's tour to New Zealand last year On Friday he was recalled to the squad for the Test match against Zimbabwe later this month The England squad are expected to assemble in London next week before a training camp in Loughborough leading into the four-day Test which will be played at Trent Bridge on May 22-25 The encounter will be England's first Test against Zimbabwe since 2003 SOMERSET — Voters decided three major contested races at the polls Monday in Somerset's annual town election and in each of those races winners succeeded at filling vacancies on the Somerset Berkley Regional School Committee and on the K-8 School Committee a landslide vote Mello for the open seat on the Board of Selectmen left vacant by Selectman Jacob Vaught In an exceedingly tight race with a difference of 16 votes Incumbent Christine Courville faced off with Carlton Medeiros and John Ventura in a vote-for-two gamble for three-year terms on the Somerset School Committee (K-8) with Courville and Ventura coming out on top with 1,242 votes Pasternak ran uncontested for a three-year term to fill a vacancy on the Somerset Berkley Regional School Committee O’Brien nimbly defeated Theresa Vasques to fill a one-year seat on the regional school board currently the chairman of the assessor’s office ran for re-election and secured 1,690 votes DiBiaso reclaims seat on Diman's School CommitteeReturning candidate Donald M DiBiaso renewed a three-year term on the Diman Regional Vocational Technical School Committee with 1,694 votes Marcotte in a vote-for-two race on the ballot Bradbury finished with 1,673 votes and Marcotte trailed behind with 1,005 one-year term on the library's board of trustees and took home 1,735 votes — more than any candidate in each race secured another three-year term on the Water and Sewer Commission A five-year term on the Planning Board was sought by William F Souza swept in with 1,035 votes in a close race Maryellen Aspden ran uncontested for the five-year term with the Playground and Recreation Commission and collected 1,725 votes; a seat on the Somerset Housing Authority was reclaimed by Christopher Migneault with 1,719 votes The Somerset Patriots defeated the Richmond Flying Squirrels in game one of a six-game series at The Diamond in Richmond The Patriots set a season-high with five home runs Somerset also collected a season-high 15 hits Somerset hit five home runs as a team for the first time since 6/7/24 vs and strikeouts in his fourth start of the season and did not factor into the decision At Your Beck and CallThe 2021 @Yankees' second-round draft pick Brendan Beck posted a new season-high in pitches, strikes, and strikeouts.4.1 IP | 5 H | 2 R | 6 KPitches (Strikes): 72 (53) pic.twitter.com/zdh5kvlwlP Beck is second in the Eastern League in AVG (.149) third in WHIP (0.67) and fourth in ERA (0.93) After allowing a sacrifice fly in the second inning Beck’s scoreless streak to begin his Double-A career ended at 16.1 IP spanning four starts Beck has allowed two earned runs across 19.1 innings this season 2 K) picked up his second win of the season in his team-leading ninth appearance out of the bullpen this season 3 R) crushed his first multi-home run game at the Double-A level DYLAN JASSO GOES YARD AGAIN! 🌟Jasso blasts his first multi-home run game at the Double-A level! pic.twitter.com/w134KgKmiN Jasso became the second player on the Patriots to tally a multi-home run game (Jones Jasso hit two home runs in a game for the third time in his career with the first two occurrences coming with Single-A Tampa Jasso tied Rafael Flores for the second most home runs on the team and entered into a six-way tie for third in the Eastern League K) blasted his eighth home run of the season in the third inning ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER SPENCER JONES HOME RUN!The @Yankees' minor league leader in home runs hits his eighth of the season! pic.twitter.com/DEehbRoA7R Jones continues to pace the Eastern League with eight home runs one home run shy of tying the Minor League lead K) led the team in hits and collected three legs of the cycle We saw the @Yankees have a multi-home run inning and thought we'd give it a try. pic.twitter.com/eTXxCZ6iKT The performance marked Hardman’s third career four-hit game and his first since 7/28/23 vs 2 K) hit his fifth home run of the season in the eighth inning at an exit velocity of 109.6 mph and an estimated distance of 434 feet FIVE BIG BOOMS!@Yankees No. 15 prospect Rafael Flores hits the 5⃣th home run for Somerset! Patriots lead 7-2 in the eighth! pic.twitter.com/iFvTTfbg3G Flores has hits in ten of his last eleven games over which he is 15-for-44 (.341/.348/.659) with 11 RBI Flores leads all Yankees minor leaguers with 19 RBI this season Box Score Postgame Notes PSE&G is the official postgame notes sponsor of the Somerset Patriots Just like the Patriots stack up wins because of smart coaching PSE&G has the expert advice you need to start saving up to 30% on your energy costs.* Answer three simple questions on the PSE&G website you’ll get a recommendation for a home energy assessment that suits your needs To get started, visit pseg.com/EnergyCoach. A fast-casual burrito chain known for customizable burritos and 16 sauces is planning to open its first New Jersey restaurants in Somerset Hot Head Burritos will open five stores in the counties in partnership with RSRN Hospitality 'Dining scene-changing': Modern Mexican steakhouse with flame-lit bar opens in Old Bridge “We’ve been eyeing New Jersey for quite some time and this exceptional group is exactly the kind of partner we were looking for to lead the charge,” said Kelly Gray co-owner and corporate vice president of Hot Head Burritos local insight and commitment to quality make them a great fit for the brand and we’re confident they’ll bring Hot Head’s signature flavor and energy to the communities they serve.” quesadillas and tacos in 85 locations across eight states Staff Reporter Jenna Intersimone: JIntersimone@MyCentralJersey.com getting some work done or watching a movie — surrounded by soft That’s the concept of cat cafes and cat lounges people pay by the hour to hang out with cats Somerset County’s first cat cafe will open its doors Twenty to 30 adoptable cats will be housed there at all times thanks to foster partnerships with local animal shelters there will be a lot more to do at Catcetera than just hang out with cats ‘etcetera’ means ‘the leftovers’ and this is about leftover cats events and feelings all rolled up in one,” said Bridgewater resident Wendi Zimmerman who co-owns Catcetera alongside Manville resident Jessica Adams “Catcetera will be a wide scope of things besides just petting cats.” The spot will host several events per week including cat yoga sensory-friendly nights and senior hangouts The latter two are especially important to Zimmerman Luxury suites, dog facials: Morris Animal Inn pet resort and spa opens in Warren “My daughter is autistic so we are very aware of overstimulation," she said "And one of my mom’s biggest fears was going to a nursing home and not being able to have her cat with her so I feel for a lot of seniors in that situation." She hopes that visitors to Catcetera will adopt three to five cats per week and cats are scared in corners or clawing to get out,” Zimmerman said “The lounge environment gives you a place where you can sit down on a couch and see the true personalities of the cats It’s a lot less stressful for both them and humans.” Adoption fees will go back to the local rescue where the cat is fostered from Cats in need: Here's how to help NJ kittens like Berry, who was born with spina bifida Catcetera will also sell pre-packaged snacks and drinks including vegan and gluten-free items from local bakeries Items for sale both in-store and online will include clothing and worked at a veterinarian office as a teenager — where she was known for being able to handle “unmanageable” cats and currently has two cats named Alanis and Penelope Local news: The new Stone Tavern is finally open at the former Bridgewater Houlihan's Zimmerman re-evaluated her career in the decorative plumbing industry Zimmerman drew back to times when she had visited Catsbury Park an Asbury Park cat cafe where she has fostered and adopted two cats “I saw how happy Catsbury Park made people and the events and community building they did and I wanted to bring that closer to home — that feeling where people can walk in and feel like they belong and feel good.” Zimmerman said “No one is ever sad when they’re petting a cat.” Go: 44 W Somerset St., Suite B, Raritan; catceteranj.com; opening this summer Contact: JIntersimone@MyCentralJersey.com There has been a distinct shift in attitudes towards London’s place in the art market. Some haveclaimed a stale over-saturation of ‘safe’ shows – often paintings In an age where strenuous PR and social media efforts have challenged the necessity of physical spaces risk-taking is essential in cementing the brand of smaller galleries Markets and tastes have shifted along with economic states – no one seems to understand what’s going on For Hauser & Wirth – one of the world’s leading galleries, risk-taking has always played a role intheir rapid success. Their recent Somerset show, An Uncommon Thread A gallery location in a rural farming town of just 2,800 people challenges the quick-moving, citycentric model. London suffers the consequences of its relentless pace. One day you’re hot, the next day you’re not. Now, it’s not uncommon for galleries to be in small towns or rural locations – Gstaad in Switzerland has a population of just 9,000 yet houses Gagosian is a rural farming town with a population of 2,800 I’ve visited Hauser & Wirth Somerset twice in the last month and leisure-goers touring the gallery alongside the ‘artscrowd’ I’ve never personally witnessed this in their London locations generally they are doing exhibitions with well-established ordead artists Very rarely are mid-career or emerging artists brought to these regional areas.Household names such as Andy Warhol or J.M.W Turner attract visitors willing to pay or donate,especially in areas with lower casual footfall So why does this risk in Somerset work?“There is a freedom felt in Somerset Considering the simple contrast even in rental prices theability to show emerging and mid-career artists in London is trumped in comparison by large spaces in regional areas,” Bornholt states And whilst this seems obvious on reflection rarely does one acknowledge a large-scale regional approach – especially in a city-centric international market With a farm shop and multiple bars and restaurants on site their Somerset location fosters a sense of community that feels almost impossible in London It goes without saying that smaller galleries couldn’t risk packing up and relocating to Somerset— or any rural farm location larger galleries with the funds should be taking the risks that smaller galleries can’t afford to Large galleries could generally use rural locations to ‘test’ emerging artists with local communities who tend to be more responsive and vocal than Londoners I’m not stating that’s what H&W Somerset necessarily do but risk-taking can undeniably occur more prevalently in large spaces outside of London Showcasing new experimental mediums comes with less financial pressure in rural locations—a potential indicator of why this model works so well “Even if the drive is an hour away for some The space isn’t just a location for collectors and art lovers but a place where the community can engage in contemporary art without having to travel to London Even if you aren’t versed in art history or visual references visitors to our farm shops and bars are invited to engage with our artists hopefully not feeling intimidated by the pretense of fine art as can sometimes be the case in London,” Bornholt expresses My friend’s mum drove us to the gallery (she’s a local but had never visited) and was blown away by the display of art she hadn’t seen before Seeing new materials (Isabella’s latest show featured no paintings) was a profound experience for her Although regional locations do get shows featuring renowned artists as stated earlier – they’reusually dead or well-established Even that alone can come with a level of intimidation creating an expectation to ‘understand’ the seriousness before entering showing completely innovative techniques from relatively unknown artists (at least to farming villages) creates access in a way that’s typically reserved for Londoners like myself Showing emerging artists priced up to £20,000 may not be so viable in Mayfair for example It may work for a large warehouse in East London but unless the artists themselves are on an intense trajectory Curator Bornholt states: “We wanted to collaborate with galleries who were taking risks andpushing boundaries with their artists… we get to showcase emerging and earlier-to-mid-careerartists outside London in an almost museum-like setting.” This simple risk enabled through thegallery’s global successes is such a crucial element of why Somerset does so well and are able to participate in city-derived art scenes without facing tubeconfusion or rancid pollution a slice of contemporary culture is placed on their doorstep talent unfortunately doesn’t always equate to success The ability to stand out also depends on suitable space: a work might look terrible in a cramped Hackney group show but a huge wall in Somerset allows for a significant museum-like setting – a much cleaner way for visitors to absorb perhaps more conceptual artworks I want to question the large galleries making millions per month yet producing boring uninspiring shows – ones that may sell out to collectors but do nothing to pushthe boundaries of art We all have our opinions on large galleries but I really want to stress the difference in approach that Hauser & Wirth are taking They could easily rely on showing guaranteed names yet they continuously invest in developing the wider art ecosystem Their expansive list of niche locations and residency programmes and their genuine sincerity – all mark how a globally leading gallery should champion art beyond commercial incentives and so-called ‘champions of art’ to actually push boundaries – stop hiding behind commercial staleness or blaming the ‘terrible art market’ to excuse a lack ofcuratorial ambition.The UK needs to remain a risk-taker in art and while things may seem bleak,we can look to curatorial efforts from those such as Isabella Bornholt with a bit of hope that things might get exciting again Learn more Art Plugged is a contemporary platform inspired by a relationship with the broader arts communities. We provide our audience with curated insight into the world of art, from exhibitions to artist interviews and more. We strive to showcase all mediums of art from all corners of the globe, so we have you covered whether you’re a casual art lover or a serious collector. I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice James Rew made a century to help Somerset beat Essex by three wickets at Taunton and secure their first Rothesay County Championship Division One win of the new season still requiring what looked an unlikely 105 runs moved on from his 65 overnight to reach 116 and push the hosts side past 300 before he was trapped lbw by Simon Harmer (four for 120) Craig Overton finished unbeaten on 53 as he guided Somerset to their target ahead of lunch at 325 for seven picking up 19 points as Essex slipped to a first defeat in their four Championship matches Essex director of cricket Chris Silverwood confirmed Jordan Cox was set for a scan on a side injury which could dash his hopes of a playing in England’s Test match against Zimbabwe at the end of the month Cox – who missed out on a debut in New Zealand before Christmas after breaking his thumb in the nets – had been forced to retire hurt immediately after scoring a century during the second innings on Sunday having given time for the edema (swelling) and bruising to settle down I think we all heard the moment it happened when he gave a cry after playing a shot,” Silverwood said “Jordan doesn’t seem to have much luck when it comes to England call-ups but his century here on a testing pitch showed just what a good player he is Monday’s other top-flight fixture ended in a draw between Hampshire and Durham at the Utilita Bowl where Ben Brown reached his third-highest Championship score With Hampshire having resumed at 429 for seven while Matthew Potts and Codi Yusuf shared seven wickets to bowl the hosts out with a deficit of 41 Durham openers Alex Lees (30) and Emilio Gay (23) put on 61 around frequent rain breaks before hands were shaken on the result just before 4pm leaving Hampshire unbeaten and up to fifth Luke Hollman made a first County Championship century to help Middlesex secure a dramatic two-wicket victory over Kent at Lord’s Stephen Eskinazi (41) and Jack Davies (59) pushed Middlesex on before leg-spinner Matt Parkinson took two quick wickets, but Zafar Gohar’s unbeaten 30 and Toby Roland-Jones’s 23 not out saw the hosts through at 366 for eight with just one over left. Lancashire duo Luke Wells and Tom Hartley set in to frustrate Gloucestershire as their match ended in a draw at Emirates Old Trafford. Gloucestershire had declared on their overnight 589 for eight, taking a lead of 139, before reducing the home side to 160 for six ahead of tea. However, Wells (36) and Hartley (37) shared a seventh-wicket partnership of 69 to help Lancashire on to 255 for eight, with a lead of 116 and only eight overs left. It also finished as a draw at Sophia Gardens as Derbyshire held out against Glamorgan. Glamorgan resumed at 132 for five, with Ben Kellaway going on to hit a career-best 74 and Chris Cooke finished unbeaten on 49 as the home side declared at 256 for seven. Derbyshire were left needing 338 runs to win in 65 overs. However, Ned Leonard took three wickets and Kellaway claimed career-best figures of five for 101 – with two in two balls – before the visitors stayed through to end on 308 for nine. Martin Andersson made 78. BRIDGEWATER – It may be time for Spencer Jones to start looking for apartments in Scranton The 23-year-old Somerset outfielder is tied for the Double-A lead with seven home runs and striking out a bit less as he continues to climb the Yankees farm system Now knocking on the door of his first promotion to Triple-A Scranton Jones has impressed with his work ethic and willingness to adapt Although his strikeout rate remains relatively high at 34.8 percent it’s an improvement from the pace of his system-record 200-strikeout campaign in 2024 and so far has worked really hard on being consistent and trying to put the barrel on the ball to hit pitches in the zone,” said Patriots manager Raul Dominguez more mature with what he’s doing in the cage to prepare better More: All eyes on top Yankees prospect beginning 2025 season with Double-A Somerset the 25th pick in the 2022 MLB Draft from Vanderbilt soared through the system to Double-A in late August of the following year but has stalled a bit since As Somerset began a two-week road trip Tuesday he was hitting .256 with 27 home runs and 100 RBI in 162 games with the Patriots 235-pounder is hitting a homer every 12.71 plate appearances albeit in a significantly smaller sample size Jones has not spoken to reporters since Somerset’s pre-season media day but Dominguez was confident that his slugger will be able to maintain this level of consistency moving forward and they tried to work so hard with him in spring training trying to put that plan together with him,” he said It’s good when the players are getting that result they’re going to trust in it and keep going … he’s just got to stay consistent.” SOMERSET — It’s election season in Somerset, and the 2025 annual election will be host to three major contested races whose outcomes will be decided at the polls on Monday This year’s election will seek to fill vacancies in the Somerset Berkley Regional School Committee with two terms expiring in the K-8 School Committee Two candidates are closing in on one seat on the Board of Selectmen Incumbents of municipal offices brace for a standoff as numerous challengers vie for seats in town government ahead of the Town Meeting in May While elections are usually scheduled ahead of the May meeting School Committeeman Victor Machado has shared news of his latest proposal to push next year’s election back a couple months Machado’s petition will be decided at the May meeting when new officials will officially take the stage Here’s a breakdown of who’s in the running this year Jacob Vaught’s three-year term as a selectman will come to an end with voters determining whether Todd V Assessor’s chair running for re-electionDonald P Setters will appear on the ballot for the Office of the Assessor He is currently the chairman of the assessor’s office and is running for re-election Could the town save money? Somerset looks at redistricting its elementary schools Incumbent Christine Courville will face competition from Carlton Medeiros and John Ventura in a vote-for-two gamble for three-year terms on the Somerset School Committee (K-8) SBR School Committee to fill 1- and 3-year termMichael J Pasternak will run uncontested for a three-year term to fill a vacancy on the Somerset Berkley Regional School Committee O’Brien will face Theresa Vasques in a match to fill a one-year seat and term due to expire DiBiaso is in the running to reclaim a three-year seat on the Diman Regional Vocational Technical School Committee Elizabeth Almeida will not be in the running Where court case stands: Somerset says Brayton Point violated scrap order 11,195 times is seeking another three-year term on the Water and Sewer Commission A five-year term on the Planning Board is sought by William F One five-year term with the Playground and Recreation Commission and another with the Somerset Housing Authority are uncontested with incumbents Maryellen Aspden and Christopher Migneault Polls on Monday, April 14, will open at noon and close by 8 p.m. at the Somerset Berkley Regional High School at 625 County St. where all voting precincts are asked to report to the student dining hall In order to cast your ballot, you must be registered to vote by Friday, April 4. All absentee or mail-in ballots must be received by the town clerk no later than five days prior to the election To claim an absentee ballot, you must apply online and sign off on a physical absence The last day to apply for an absentee or mail-in ballot is April 7 Early voting is scheduled to take place in the first-floor hearing room of the Somerset Town Offices at 140 Wood St has played 45 first-class games since his debut in the tour match against India in 2021 The left-hander notched up his maiden ton in the format in just his fourth game but could not make another hundred that season when he ended the County Championship with 1,086 runs in 14 games with five hundreds No other batter from Division One made as many hundreds Rew was unable to replicate his form the following year scoring 726 runs at 36.30 in 2024 with two hundreds He started this season with a knock of 152 against Worcestershire batting alongside Tom Banton during his epic triple hundred he brought up his tenth first-class hundred He walked out at 54-4 and held anchor at one end to take the team over the line helped by valuable half-centuries from Lewis Gregory and Craig Overton Rew is now the youngest Englishman since Denis Compton in 1939 to make ten hundreds in red-ball cricket Compton had got to the landmark at 20 years and 353 days while Rew got there at the age of 21 years and 114 days Pa (WJAC) — Emergency officials say an early morning fire has destroyed an old apartment building in Somerset County Authorities say the fire started just before 5:30 Tuesday morning along the 400 block of Morris Avenue in Boswell flames were shooting out of the top floor windows Boswell Fire Chief Chad Snyder says that no one was injured in the fire Snyder says the building was originally built in the 1800's and was originally a bank that was later converted into an apartment building It's unknown if anyone was living in the building at the time of the blaze First responders remain on scene as of 8 a.m stay with 6 News as we continue to learn more WP: Mason Albright (2-2)LP: Baron Stuart (0-1) NJ- Cole Carrigg cranked a grand slam home run and the Yard Goats took advantage of 11 Somerset walks and defeated the Patriots by the score of 19-4 on Friday night at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater The 19 runs scored are the most runs scored in any game in franchise history It is the second time this season the Yard Goats have established a new mark for runs in a game as they scored 16 runs April 6th vs Somerset at Dunkin’ Park Carrigg had three hits and drove in five runs Braiden Ward had a pair of doubles and drove in four runs and Kyle Karros and Nic Kent each drove in three runs as the Yard Goats improved to 2-2 on the six-game road trip Mason Albright pitched five innings to earn his second straight win The Yard Goats scored the first run of the game in the first inning as Cole Carrigg came home on a wild pitch by Somerset starter Baron Stuart The Patriots tied the game at 1-1 with a run in the bottom of the inning when Garrett Martin doubled home Rafael Flores against Hartford starter Mason Albright The Yard Goats took a 2-1 lead in the second inning on another wild pitch by Stuart as Juan Guerrero scored Braiden Ward smashed a two-run double to right field scoring Jose Cordova and Zach Kokoska to make it 4-1 Yard Goats Hartford added five runs in the third inning and knocked Stuart from the game Nic Kent added a two-run double and Kyle Karros contributed with a two RBI single to make it a 9-1 game Cole Carrigg cranked the Yard Goats second grand slam home run this season off reliever Luis Pacheco in the sixth inning to make it 13-1 Somerset scored two runs in the fourth inning but the Yard Goats answered with another big inning and put up six runs in the fifth inning to make it 19-3 The inning was highlighted by six consecutive hits with RBI’s from Kent The Yard Goats continue the six-game road trip on Saturday evening at 6:05 PM RHP Jack Mahoney will start for the Yard Goats and LHP Edgar Barclay will start for the Patriots The game will be broadcast on the Free Audacy App and MiLB.com The Yard Goats return home next Tuesday to host the Baltimore Orioles affiliate Somerset Pitching Holds of Yard GoatsPatriots 2 WP: Cam Schlitter (2-1)LP: Gabriel Hughes (0-1)S: Ryan Anderson (1) NJ- Somerset starter Cam Schlitter fired seven scoreless innings helping the Patriots to a 2-0 win over the Hartford Yard Goats on Thursday night at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater Schlitter allowed a pair of singles in the third inning but worked out of a bases loaded one-out situation and finished the game with a season-high nine strikeouts Spencer Jones cranked his league-leading 7th home run off Hartford starter Gabriel Hughes an opposite field solo shot in the first inning Hughes pitched well and retired 14 of 17 batters faced with six strikeouts The Yard Goats fell to second place in the division one half game behind Binghamton who has won eight consecutive games Somerset took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Spencer Jones hit a solo home run over the left field fence off Hartford starter Gabriel Hughes The Yard Goats righty retired the next nine batters before allowing a two-out double to Rafael Flores in the fourth inning The Yard Goats threatened against Somerset starter Cam Schlitter in third inning and loaded the bases Jose Cordova led off with a walk and Jose Torres and Braiden Ward help loaded the bases with one-out singles the Yankees #11 prospect retired the final two batters with an infield popup and grounder to end the inning Schlitter sat down the final 14 Yard Goats hitters from the third inning on The Patriots added a run in the sixth inning when Dylan Jasso homered off reliever Victor Juarez Juarez struck out four consecutive Patriots in the sixth and seventh innings The Yard Goats continue the six-game road trip on Friday evening at 6:35 PM LHP Mason Albright will start for the Yard Goats and RHP Baron Stuart will start for the Patriots SOMERSET — Those who've passed by the landmark Somerset train recently may have noticed that it's getting a facelift The formerly black railroad car is now bright, fire engine red. And that's not the only change happening at the unique Lees River Avenue dining spot, which was just vacated by Chew-Chew Craft Kitchen in early February End of the line for Chew-Chew: Another restaurant closes its doors at unique Somerset spot But it won't be long until the area's most quirky and recognizable food fixture will be welcoming the community aboard once again Railway Pie is on track for a summer debut at the 938 Lees River Ave., according to an announcement April 7 "The RBC team is pumped to announce we are opening a second location in Somerset We are renovating the historic dining car at the corner of rt6 and Lees River Avenue." The owners of Rehoboth Baking Co. is gearing up to open a second location with a slightly tweaked concept and name that suits its new home Chef Paul Booras founded Rehoboth Baking Co. in early 2022 as a family venture with his son Will Booras 'It’s for the neighborhood': Rehoboth Baking Co — with its monster cinnamon rolls — is a secret, sort of It got its start in a converted garage in a quiet Rehoboth neighborhood open only one day a week with a limited menu of English muffins expanding to five days a week and a menu that ranges from home-baked breads desserts such as "monster cinnamon rolls" and breakfast offerings to lunch and dinner salads and sandwiches and a rotating roster of takeaway meal options And it is well-known for its lineup of creative pizza pies Now Booras is taking his passion for cooking to Somerset is "coming soon" to a newly renovated historic dining car at the corner of Lees River and Route 6 The restaurant is aiming for a June opening, according to the Rehoboth Baking Co. website "Like and follow Railway Pie to watch the renovation process unfold," Rehoboth Baking Co For updates on Railway Pie, keep an eye out on its newly launched Facebook page or check out its website www.railwaypie.com, which is currently in the works The Somerset High School (Somerset Independent) Solar Jumpers team is the reigning champion of the Solar Car Challenge Electric-Solar Powered Division official race photographer for the Solar Car Challenge KY) – With a shared passion for science students at Somerset High School (Somerset Independent) have combined their skills and creativity to design and construct a solar car capable of competing in races it’s not just about the car or the competition; it’s about learning teamwork and pushing the boundaries of what they thought was possible said he was looking for an inclusive type of project that implemented soft skills character development and project-based learning initiatives The Solar Jumpers program provides students with experiences that include planning “It starts producing skill sets in students and starts letting them see how things play in the big picture and how all things are interrelated with one another the idea was to come up with a program that did this and the Solar Car Challenge … is one of the best programs out there to incorporate all of those things that we’re trying to,” Coleman said The Solar Car Challenge was established by Lehman Marks in 1993 to help motivate students in science and engineering and to increase alternative energy awareness The challenge teaches high school students around the world how to build roadworthy solar cars The Somerset Solar Jumpers are the reigning 2024 Solar Car Challenge national champions in the Electric-Solar Powered Division winning all four daily lap awards as well and the Chris Jones Sportsmanship Award Members of the Somerset High School Solar Jumpers team following the 2024 Solar Car Challenge The Solar Jumpers team is preparing to make a large impression on the judges at the Solar Car Challenge this year by prioritizing collaboration over competition Coleman said the students are focusing on attention to detail and sharing everything with one another when it comes to building the solar car like the backbone of this team is not one of us here probably the four of us alone couldn’t have made that car by ourselves So many people will have to come together and work and dedicate themselves to building this car for it to end up a success,” said John Lakey a senior at Somerset High School and Solar Jumpers mechanical lead and driver for the 2025 competition a senior at Somerset High School and member of the Solar Jumpers said the physical and social skills he has learned are incredible but he believes the biggest thing he has gained from the program is a new state of mind Ledford said he thinks about what the team is doing next and less of what he is doing working with the team and everything because you can’t just be yourself; you have to be a team,” Ledford said The first requirement for the 2025 Solar Car Challenge began with an intent to race form which consists of a team declaring their interest in the competition The second requirement for all teams is to provide detailed designs and schematics by March 1 The third requirement is an eight-minute presentation video covering the entire build and engineering design process The fourth requirement is the pass a three-day “scrutineering” process where all mechanical components and functions of the car are tested and evaluated Students must pass all stations by the end of the third day to be eligible to race over the next four days Coleman said the purpose of these requirements is to act as proof that the students have done the work on their own Advisers are not allowed to be present or assist during this process Students must demonstrate that they designed and were responsible for all aspects of the build and answer all technical questions posed by the teams of industry judges and engineers “Once the team passes all checkpoints and earns the right to compete in the race students will be required to manage all aspects of the four-day 2025 closed-track race at the famed Texas Motor Speedway,” Coleman said They make race decisions based upon immediate conditions as the race progresses by collecting weather and vehicle data with telemetry systems on the car.” Some of the most memorable and challenging moments for the team surrounded issues with the car’s design and came just days before their first major race a senior at Somerset High School and Solar Jumpers co-captain said the team discovered issues surrounding the motor and the car was struggling to drive up hills “We thought for a second we couldn’t go to the race because we wouldn’t have been competitive at the race because our car couldn’t drive properly But we were able to figure it out and we ended up purchasing a new motor that was really good for our car and that was a really rewarding experience,” Ruble said The team meets with Coleman over the weekends to continue working on the solar car Ledford said Coleman also provides extra time for the students to dedicate to the building of the car during one of the classes he teaches throughout the day the skills they’ve gained through this project will carry them far beyond high school into studying engineering in college The students balance the rigorous work of building the car with their academic responsibilities by using planners The Solar Car Challenge 2025 competition will be held at the Texas Motor Speedway from July 16-23 Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) publishes Kentucky Teacher to communicate directly with the state’s 40,000 public school teachers The stories of this award-winning publication include news workable ideas for guiding students to higher levels of achievement The Somerset County Business Partnership (SCBP) on Monday announced a multi-year partnership agreement with Unity Bank which includes exclusive naming rights to the Somerset Business Hub at its new location at 50 Division St state-of-the-art facility designed to drive growth and collaboration among the business community the Hub now proudly carries the moniker “Powered by Unity Bank,” emphasizing the bank’s commitment to empowering businesses in the region Designed with versatility and technological advancement in mind the Business Hub offers a variety of features tailored to meet the needs of Somerset County’s dynamic business environment The Hub is free and open to the business community providing businesses the opportunity to utilize the space for educational programming It combines business education with an energizing and fun environment that inspires collaboration and innovation “Thanks to Unity Bank’s commitment, we were able to build the Somerset Business Hub as a modern conference center for our business community,” said Chris Edwards, president & CEO of Somerset County Business Partnership “Hundreds of businesses have already used the Hub for educational programming we can reach even more small businesses that need our services.” James Hughes, president & CEO of Unity Bank said the bank is honored to partner with the SCBP and to support the Somerset Business Hub “This collaboration reflects our commitment to empowering entrepreneurs and strengthening our community,” Hughes said we’re investing in a brighter future for Somerset County’s business leaders.” a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held recently at the Business Hub featuring Unity Bank leadership and SCBP board members (L-R) SCBP Board Secretary Thomas Casey; Unity Bank Business Development Officer Carmen Cerreto; Unity Bank Chief Lending Officer James Donovan; Unity Bank Chief Retail Officer Daniel Sharabba; SCBP Board Chairperson Monica Martinez Milan; Unity Bank President & CEO James Hughes; Unity Bank Marketing Director Crystal Rose; SCBP President & CEO Chris Edwards Sign up to receive our daily e-news service six days per week It features important business news and information for a business like yours New Jersey Business Today is delivered to your inbox at 4:00 pm You will also receive a digital edition of New Jersey Business magazine at the beginning of the month LOWELL — The No. 6 Somerset Berkley boys basketball team had not won a state championship in 71 years the Raiders were not going to denied against No "It feels great right now," a jubliant SBR senior co-captain Alex Crook said after the Raiders knocked off three-time state champion No That's all we've been talking about all year It was the third championship title in school history for SBR and first true basketball state championship for the school on 625 County St championships — 1948 and 1954 — in Tech tournaments at Boston Garden "The kids came to play today," longtime SBR head coach Bob Slater said It's important for people to know how much time these kids put into it Junior Dom Taylor led the way for the Raiders (24-1) with a game-high 17 points Junior guard Colten Pacheco finished with 14 points and senior guard Brendan McDonald ended with 12 points Senior center Finn Bjork also had a double-double with 11 points and 17 rebounds FOLLOW LIVE: Updates from Somerset Berkley, Malden Catholic boys basketball state final Seventy-one years and this group of guys did it." Aboubaker Nimaka paced the Lancers with a team-high 14 points Malden Catholic top scorer Matt Gaffney was held to just 7 points and did not score his first point until 4:55 of the third quarter More: From coaching staff down to players, Somerset Berkley's chase at history a team effort SBR missed its first five shots but then knocked down its next four McDonald led the way with seven points in the quarter as the Raiders took a 14-6 lead SBR continued to blitz the Lancers and opened up a 27-10 lead with 5:06 left before halftime Malden Catholic outscored the Raiders down the stretch Max Finlaw scored all of his nine points in the first half did all the little things for SBR when he went into the game early in the second quarter due to Bjork collecting his second foul but thanks to the work of Raiders athletic trainer Susan Medeiros he was quickly back on the floor the following series He finished with a pair of critical steals "Alex (Crook) is such a tough kid," Slater said He brings us a lot of energy when he's on the court We talk about energy all the time and he does a great job with that SBR continued its dominance in the third quarter and won the quarter easily 24-11 to go up 54-29 with eight minutes remaining in the game scored seven points along with Taylor to go up by 25 points follow through on a Pacheco fast break miss at the buzzer to make the score who scored just four points in the first half As the minutes and seconds counted down in the fourth quarter the Raiders fan base and bench began celebrating avenging last season's game against Malden Catholic in the Final Four Now the town of Somerset can celebrate its heroes Malden Catholic 44Somerset Berkley 14 18 22 11 — 65 Somerset Berkley (65): Colten Pacheco 6 0-0 14; Dom Taylor 7 0-0 17; Finn Bjork 5 1-2 11; Max Finlaw 3 1-1 9; Brendan McDonald 5 1-2 12; Alex Crook 0 0-0 0; Jacob Louro 0 0-0 0; Zachary King 0 0-0 0; Kaven DosSantos 1 0-0 2; Kelan Langlois 0 0-0 0; Brady Carpenter 0 0-0 0 Malden Catholic (44): Matt Gaffney 2 3-4 7; Aboubakar Nimaka 7 0-0 14; Abie Camara 3 0-0 6; Ben Howard 1 2-2 4; Mamadou Camara 3 0-1 6; Colin Mannke 2 0-0 5; Adrian Howell 0 0-0 0; Carducci Chery 0 0-0 0; Jeremiah Figaro 1 0-0 2 Herald News and Taunton Daily Gazette sports editor Steven Sanchez can be reached at ssanchez@heraldnews.com Two-Time Batting Champion LeMahieu Helps Somerset Beat Yard GoatsPatriots 7 WP: Brendan Beck (2-0)LP: Blake Adams (1-1) on a Major League rehab assignment with the NY Yankees had three hits including an RBI double and solo home run and helped Somerset defeat the Yard Goats 7-3 on Tuesday night at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater Benny Montgomery and GJ Hill had a pair of hits for the Yard Goats and Kyle Karros had a hit to raise his batting average to .362 The Yard Goats are in first place in the division and their four-game winning streak was snapped LeMahieu cracked an RBI double in his first at bat scoring Dylan Jasso giving Somerset a 1-0 lead against Yard Goats starter Blake Adams Later in the inning Rafael Flores belted a two-run double to make it 3-0 Patriots Garrett Martin connected on his second home run Somerset starter Brendan Beck worked five scoreless innings with three strikeouts The right-hander sat down seven of the final 8 batters faced to record his second win of the season The Patriots added a run in the second inning as LeMahieu hit a home run to center field off reliever Evan Shawver to make it 6-0 Somerset made it 7-0 in the fourth inning as Jasso homered off of Alec Barger The Yard Goats rallied for three runs in the sixth inning off reliver Indio Diaz Hartford loaded the bases and scored their first run on a sacrifice fly by Jose Torres GJ Hill followed with an RBI double and Juan Guerrero scored on a wild pitch to make it a 7-3 game two Patriots relievers retired the final 10 Yard Goats hitters to end the game The Yard Goats continue the six-game road trip on Wednesday afternoon with a noon game RHP Connor Staine will start for the Yard Goats and RHP Bailey Dees will start for the Patriots The broadcast is available on the Free Audacy App and MiLB.com What took place in the final 16 minutes as they took the floor for potentially the final time turned into a comeback for the ages "I knew we were a better team than the first half," said Raiders senior co-captain Max Finlaw after SBR advanced to its first title game time in 71 years by beating Masconomet Regional I kept telling the guys that this is not going to be our last game together The No. 6 Raiders (23-1) move on the championship game at Tsongas Center at a time and date to be determined. SBR, which won its 20th straight game, will play a rematch against top-seeded and three-time defending state-champion Malden Catholic. Last season the Lancers held off the Raiders upset bid "We did not have a lot of kids playing tonight but those starters played their hearts out," Raiders head coach Bob Slater said The kids knew what they had to do in the second half More: 'Unsung hero' of Somerset Berkley boys basketball team has his big moment SBR came out with a full-court press in the second half that rattled Masconomet (21-2) The Raiders went on an 18-4 run that tied the game at 36-36 11 rebounds and 4 steals) hit one of two free throws to give SBR its first lead since the first quarter The Raiders ended the third quarter with a 44-38 lead SBR were outrebounded 25-13 in the first half as the Chieftains took a 32-18 lead into the locker rooms "The first half was more of us being lazy and being in a daze," Bjork said we just locked down on what we needed to do Junior Dom Taylor came up big in the fourth quarter for SBR He finished the night with four 3-pointers and shut down Masconomet leading scorer Jimmy Farrell to just three points in the final 16 minutes Farrell managed to get the Chieftains off to a hot start with 12 points in the first half "Our two junior starters — Taylor and Colten Pacheco — you knew they were going to turn it around at some point," Slater said Masconomet junior Jamason Vella (16 points) kept the game close in the fourth quarter but back-to back buckets by Bjork and Pacheco's free throws down the stretch helped seal the win "We were extremely confident in the locker room," Taylor said "We were here last year and we got back into the game We said we have to do the same thing in this game Senior guard Brendan McDonald controlled the offense in the second half and set the tempo on the floor Pacheco ignited the Raiders' all-out press throughout the second half Finlaw finished in double figures with 11 points McDonald said after game that his goal since his freshman season was to make it to the title game The last time SBR won a state title was in 1954 They also captured one championship in 1948 Slater and his Raider squad wants to create their own history The 2002 team had an amazing run to the Final Four led by Tony Gaffney whose team won the South Sectional title that season "Just to get another game and now have a chance to win a state championship I don't think the kids realize how much they've done for our community Masconomet (58): Thomas Denton 4 0-0 9 ; Jamason Vella 8 0-0 16; Cal Weidman 1 0-0 3; Devin O'Brien 3 2-2 9; Jimmy Farrell 6 1-1 13; Hunter Rossi 2 1-1 5; Ryan Richardson 0 0-0 0; John Green 0 1-2 1 Somerset Berkley (66): Colten Pacheco 2 4-4 8; Dom Taylor 6 2-2 18; Finn Bjork 6 4-6 16; Max Finlaw 5 1-2 11; Brendan McDonald 6 0-0 13; Alex Crook 0 0-0 2; Jacob Louro 0 0-0 0; Zachary King 0 0-0 0; Kaven DosSantos 0 0-0 0; Kelan Langlois 0 0-0 0; Brady Carpenter 0 0-0 0 That's not a fire in Somerset: Here's when gas line testing will be completeThe Herald NewsDon't panic — if you see a huge plume of fire in Somerset it may look frightening but is nothing to worry about which is visible as a large flame shooting into the air The site of the burn “is located on the old power plant property west of the North Gate near the intersection of Brayton Point Road and Oneil Road,” police said in a statement “This is a normal and controlled maintenance operation,” police said adding that they've received several dozen calls It will continue every day this week until 5 p.m Police said gas company personnel and the Somerset Fire Department are on hand The Somerset Patriots were defeated by the Hartford Yard Goats in game two of a six-game series at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater 4 K) made his third start of the season and did not factor into the win Dees threw a season-high in pitches (82) and innings pitched (5.2) Beeter has made three rehab appearances with Somerset since making his MLB debut on 3/29/24 @HOU R) scored the first run for Somerset in the second inning and ripped a double in the following frame Martin has collected an extra-base hit in both games this series after he hit a two-run home run in game one of the set on Tuesday K) got on base once to extend his on-base streak to 11 games Gabrielson stole his seventh base of the season tying him with Portland’s Ahbram Liendo for the Eastern League lead at the end of the game Gabrielson is 9-for-33 (.273/.419/.455) with 5 RBI Colmenares is the sixth position player this season to make his Double-A debut with Somerset and came around to score in the seventh inning Box Score Postgame Notes and federal government websites often end in .gov Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address Before sharing sensitive or personal information make sure you're on an official state website Groundbreaking for SCI Somerset began in September 1991 as part of an administrative initiative to increase cell space and to ease overcrowding in the PA correctional system Casey officially dedicated SCI Somerset on April 13 Initial construction appropriation was $82.2 million An additional $10 million was allocated for the construction of two housing units in 1997 Average Number of Full-Time Employees: 652 Inmate Population: Current Inmate Population PA Correctional Industries: SCI Somerset has a PCI laundry shop that employs 99 inmates Community Work Program: The SCI Somerset CWP crew serves in the community by mowing It also is used to set up for local community functions and pick up trash Reentry Service Office: In order to ease a reentrant’s transition after release and improve community reintegration the Reentry Service Offices (RSOs) are designed to provide information and services to inmates who are within 18 months to their minimum and/or release date Reentry Parole Agents (RPAs) oversee the RSOs and work with other DOC staff members to facilitate various workshops including Life Skills The RSO utilizes its computer lab to assist reentrants with resume writing as well as providing community connections for services they may need upon release Superintendent's Assistant: Christie Schenck Protestors hope to chase Elon Musk out of his White House advisory role by discouraging business with the electric car company he owns Dozens of so-called “Tesla Takedown” protests took place around the country over the weekend One such rally took place at Somerset Mall in Troy where more than 100 demonstrators gathered on the sidewalk outside because of the Tesla store inside Organizer Hank Kennedy says the goal of the protest is to get Elon Musk to leave his advisory role in the White House They hope to hit the world’s richest man in his wallet by discouraging others from doing business with his electric car company Listen: Tesla Takedown protestors rally outside Somerset Mall “I do not think he has any conscience in his body,” says Kennedy “I think the only way he will respond is if he feels some sort of economic pain.” The stock market price for a share of Tesla has dropped by about 25% in the last month. It’s down 46% since President Trump took office. the electric vehicle maker is only down about 9% since the November election Tesla’s value had soared to record highs in December says for him the protests are also about calling out the Trump administration’s policies If I just sit by on the sideline and just let it happen Kennedy says the group did get some support from passing motorists “We also get some people who flip you the bird,” said Kennedy “I had some friends of mine…last week somebody threw a cup filled with ice at them And that’s why I think these charges that we’re violent are so ridiculous.” There have been incidents of Tesla vandalism nationwide law enforcement groups say those acts have been carried out by individuals and are not largely coordinated WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today Donate today » WDET is a community service of Wayne State University CONTACT Membership Sponsorship Studio Rentals Technical Support Pitch Us a Story Help/FAQ Other Inquiries Shows Podcasts Schedule Listen Live Contests & Giveaways SUPPORT WDET Membership Leadership Circle Car Donations Business Sponsorship Broadcast Partners Program More » INSIDE WDET About Staff Jobs & Internships Public File FCC Applications Patriots 2WP: Carson Skipper (1-0)LP: Clayton Beeter (0-1)S: Matt Turner (3) NJ- The Yard Goats broke a 1-1 tie with three runs in the 7th inning off NY Yankees reliever Clayton Beeter and defeated the Somerset Patriots 4-2 on Wednesday afternoon at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater with Somerset on a Major League rehab assignment walked three of five batters faced and surrendered a go-ahead RBI single to Kyle Karros Jose Torres tied the game with a solo home run in the sixth inning Brayan Castillo and Matt Turner allowed just one run in 7.1 innings to secure Hartford’s fifth win in six games Somerset took a 1-0 lead on a bases loaded walk in the second inning Patriots starter Bailey Dees worked out of trouble over the first three innings before allowing a solo homer to Jose Torres The Yard Goats rallied for three runs in the seventh inning off Clayton Beeter Dyan Jorge led off the inning with a walk and sole second base Zach Kokoska’s deep fly to left field scored Karros to make it a 3-1 game Benny Mongomery scored on a wild pitch to give the Yard Goats a 4-1 lead Somerset scored a run in the seventh inning to make it a 4-2 game Brayan Castillo came in and struck out Spencer Jones as the tying run to end the inning The Yard Goats continue the six-game road trip on Thursday evening at 6:35 PM RHP Gabriel Hughes will start for the Yard Goats and RHP Cam Schlitter will start for the Patriots The game will be broadcast on Newstalk 1080 WTIC and available on the Free Audacy App and MiLB.com