For the latest information on your township’s trash collection or town office information visit your local town’s website. Here are current updates for selected towns:
ROBBINSVILLE, NJ (MERCER)– Municipal Offices are closed on Tuesday, February 2 and Tuesday’s trash collection is postponed to Saturday, February 6. Any questions please contact the Public Works Department at 609-259-0422. See Robbinsville Township’s website for all updates here.
ALLENTOWN, NJ (MONMOUTH)–Borough Hall is closed on Tuesday, February 2nd. Due to a heavy accumulation of snow today, overnight and into tomorrow, Borough Hall will be closed on Tuesday, February 2nd with our municipal office staff working remotely. All calls will go to voice mail. For an email directory click here. We do not have an update on tomorrow’s recycling collection at this time. An update will be posted once it is available. Tomorrow’s Council meeting is still scheduled for 7PM. All elected officials are asked to attend remotely on Zoom. For Allentown updates see this link.
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–Township Offices will be CLOSED tomorrow, Tuesday, February 2nd. Garbage collection scheduled for Tuesday, February 2nd will be cancelled in order to assist with the snow removal process. The Hamilton Township Council meeting is still scheduled for Tuesday, February 2nd at 6:30 PM via Zoom. Participants may join by visiting: http://www.zoom.us/join or by phone 1-929-205-6099 Meeting ID: 946 3214 8692 Passcode: 444652 Please remember to exercise caution if you must travel. To see when your street is scheduled to be plowed be sure visit Snow Plow Sal.
No Township Curbside Garbage Collection Will Occur Tomorrow Tuesday, February 2. Garbage Collection for Area #2 residents, normally on Tuesday, February 2, will be on the next scheduled collection date of Friday, February 5.
Residents are strongly reminded toremove ALL vehiclesfrom Township roadways to allow for snow removal.
Residents are reminded to clear all snow from sidewalks and fire hydrants within 24 hours of the end of the snow fall.
SOUTH BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIP, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–DUE TO THE INCLEMENT WEATHER, REPUBLIC SERVICES HAS CANCELLED ALL TRASH AND RECYCLING COLLECTIONS FOR MONDAY FEB, 1ST AND TUESDAY, FEB 2ND
They are scheduled to resume regular operations on Wednesday, February 3rd. All of Monday’s and Tuesday’s material will be collected next week on their regular day. Sorry for any inconvenience. Any further questions, please call the Garbage and Recycling Dept. at (732)329-4000 Ext 7274
EWING TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–UPDATED TRASH PICKUP DELAY INFORMATION FOR FEB. 2ND, 2021
Due to the weather conditions scheduled trash pickup for today, Monday February 1st, has been delayed until Friday, February 5th, and the scheduled trash pickup for Tuesday, February 2nd, has been delayed until Saturday, February 6th.
Please do not put out your trash for these delayed pickups until the rescheduled day to help keep the road clear for plows. Thank you for your cooperation and stay warm.
METUCHEN, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Chief David Irizarry of the Metuchen Police Department announced today that an Allentown man has been arrested and charged with defrauding a bank.
Robert Nuccio, 52, of Allentown was arrested and charged with two counts of identity theft, two counts of forgery, two counts of false government documents, one count of theft by deception, one count of attempted theft by deception, one count resisting arrest, and one count of hindering apprehension following an investigation by officers of the Metuchen Police Department. The investigation determined that, on January 9, 2021, Nuccio fraudulently withdrew approximately $13,000 from the TD Bank in Metuchen after he displayed a fake driver’s license bearing another person’s identifying information. Further investigation revealed that, on January 10, 2021, Nuccio returned to the bank in an attempt withdraw an additional $7,500 where he again displayed a fake driver’s license. Nuccio was arrested following a foot chase by responding patrol officers as he exited the bank.
Nuccio is presently lodged at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center where he is pending a detention hearing in Superior Court.
The investigation is active and ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective James Keane IV of the Metuchen Police Department at (732) 632-8561.
As is the case with all criminal defendants, the charges against all Nuccio are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–The Mercer County Firemen’s Association 2020 Memorial Service that was originally scheduled for May 6, 2020 was postponed several times due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. This year’s Memorial Service was held at Colonial Fire Company Hamilton Township Station 18 and was hosted by Union Fire Company Hopewell Township Station 53. Hamilton Township Station 18 has a large hall and is big enough to hold the service while complying with COVID-19 guidelines.
The annual Memorial Service is held to honor members of Mercer County Firemen’s Ladies Auxiliary and Firefighters in Mercer County. All fire departments in Mercer County are represented and Hope Fire Company of Allentown, Monmouth County is also a member.
This year’s Memorial Roll was read honored 14 Ladies Auxiliary members and 36 firefighters. As each name is read a white carnation is placed in a Maltese cross and firefighters salute and family members stand as the name of their loved one is read.
2020 Mercer County Firemen’s Association Memorial Service. Video by Dick Cunningham, Broadcast Productions-East Windsor Station 46
Scenes from the 2020 Mercer County Firemen’s Memorial Service. Photos by: Dennis Symons, Robbinsville Township Fire Department (Ret.)
ALLENTOWN, (MONMOUTH)-HAMILTON (MERCER)–Halloween was celebrated a little different this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Parades were canceled or a different type of event was held and candy was distributed sometimes using a long pipe or other creative ways to practice social distancing. Many wore masks while out trick-or-treating.
Since the usual Halloween Parade sponsored by Hope Fire Company could not be held normally, the firefighters had a smaller version and had DJ Nebbs playing music throughout town. The usual costume judging was held online this year and not in person to provide social distancing.
Scenes throughout Allentown for Halloween 2020
Scenes from Moro Drive in Hamilton Township, including the well known Farina Family Fightmare
Hamilton Township’s Angela Reitter performs on Moro Drive as she gives out candy to trick-or-treaters. Also has a Facebook Page: ColorMeHoopy
ALLENTOWN-ROBBINSVILLE, NJ (MONMOUTH-MERCER)–Last night October 20, the Robbinsville Township Police reported a driver, driving erratically in Robbinsville. RTPD tried to stop the vehicle and after a short pursuit Robbinsville Police broke off the chase.
In Allentown, at 9:37 pm, Patrolman Daniel Dascoli attempted to initiate a motor vehicle stop of a 2010 Red Nissan Maxima, which was driving erratic in the Borough of Allentown. The driver who was later identified as Hector Rentas of Allentown, PA, failed to stop his vehicle and subsequently crashed on Old York Road in the area of Cliffwood Drive. The vehicle ended up crashing on the Robbinsville Township side of Old York Road.
Through the investigation Ptl. Dascoli discovered a loaded 9mm handgun with a high-capacity magazine within reach to the driver in plain view, as well as controlled dangerous substance in his possession.
Ptl. Dascoli observed several possible indicators of alchol consumption present. Rentas was transported to Captial Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton for a medical evaluation. Once released, Rentas was later charged with Unlaful Possession of a Firearm, Possession of a High-Capacity Magazine, Possession of Controlled Dangerous Substances and Eluding Police. Rentas was later lodged in Monmouth County Correctional Institution.
The Robbinsville Township Police Department was reviewing the incident and some charges could be pending in Robbinsville Township with same driver.
*** The media and public are reminded that criminal charges are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. ***
BREAKING NEWS REPORT: From radio and on scene reporting. Once official police information becomes available the story will be updated with any additional information and any corrections made.
October 20, 2020
ROBBINSVILLE, NJ (MERCER)–A man driving erratically was trying to elude police tonight in Robbinsville. Police tried to stop the vehicle and gave a short chase but the chase was terminated for safety reasons. A short time later, the same vehicle fitting the description was again driving erratically in Allentown and fled north bound on Old York Road.
The vehicle appears to have lost control hit a tree and came to rest on the side of Old York Road.
The Hope Fire Company of Allentown, Allentown EMS, and Capital Health Paramedics responded to the scene.
Robbinsville’s K9 officer was called to the scene and a gun and drugs were recovered from the vehicle.
Robbinsville Township Police were on scene investigating. No official police details were available tonight.
Check back later tomorrow once further information becomes available the story will be updated with further details and any corrections made.
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–The visiting Allentown Redbirds were stung by the Hamilton West Hornets this morning. The final Score was Hamilton West 38, Allentown 7.
FREEHOLD, NJ (MONMOUTH)–As you may be aware, this year’s November General Election in New Jersey is being conducted primarily by mail-in ballots, per State mandate. On November 3, 2020, Election Day, limited polling locations will be open for voting on paper provisional ballots only, except for disabled voters.
Voters across Monmouth County are receiving their mail-in ballots this week and are encouraged to contact the County Clerk’s Election Office at 732-431-7790, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with any questions about the delivery of their ballots.
Due to this unprecedented change in our election process, Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon has provided a comprehensive webpage on MonmouthCountyVotes.com, explaining this year’s election process.
In addition, our office has provided video tutorials, including an animated step-by-step video informing Monmouth County voters of how to properly complete and return their mail-in ballots. The tutorial also explains how the paper ballots are reviewed and verified by the Monmouth County Board of Elections.
The video can be viewed on our Facebook and YouTube pages. We encourage you to share this important information with your friends and neighbors.
Election Hotline Established to Secure Election Integrity
To help ensure free and fair elections in Monmouth County, the County Election Offices and Prosecutor’s Office have established an election hotline. To report any issues of voter fraud or misconduct in Monmouth County, residents can call the County Prosecutor’s Office hotline at 855-786-5878.
“Our democratic system of government depends on free and fair elections and, as such, election integrity and security is important to all of us,” said County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni and County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon. “For these reasons, our offices are working together to further safeguard the electoral process.”
Upcoming Dates and Voter Deadlines
Monday, October 12th: All County Offices closed in observance of Columbus Day
Tuesday, October 13th:Voter Registration Deadline for the November General Election
Friday, October 30th: Application Deadline for General Election Mail-In Ballots by Electronic Means for Qualified Overseas Civilian and Military Voters
Tuesday, November 3rd at 8 p.m.: Close of the polls; Deadline to deliver mail-in ballot by U.S. Postal Service mail, Drop Box, or in-person to the County Board of Elections at 300 Halls Mill Road in Freehold or at assigned Polling Place.
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–The 2020 cross country season kicked off today in Hamilton as Allentown, Hamilton West and Trenton met at Veterans Park. Trenton High School was the host of the cross country meet.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions meets are limited to the amount of people who can race, the start line is spread out and masks are required before and after running. It was good to see everyone back out on the course racing again as high school fall sports kick off for the season.
Check back for scoring information.
Check photo galleries below:
Boys Race:
Girls race:
Congratulations to the boys & girls teams on the win against Trenton! Great seeing everyone back racing again! #AHSPROUD
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–The lengthy process of restoring public utilities after a major storm has been an issue plaguing rural residents for quite some time. Assemblyman Ron Dancer wants to ensure rural areas are given the same level of priority as the rest of the state and has introduced two bills speed up restoration after thunderstorms, snowstorms, and other major events.
The first bill (A4761) would give public utilities and cable television companies the ability to use drones to survey damaged infrastructure.
“Drones are a powerful tool in assessing damage and assisting with repairs after a major storm,” said Dancer (R-Ocean). “Other states have allowed utility companies to use drones with much success. We cannot afford to continue to have slow restoration times, so it makes sense to allow the utility companies to use drones to speed up the process.”
Dancer’s second bill (A4763) would require the Board of Public Utilities to create new regulations to require that electric companies prioritize communities where at least 40 percent of residents rely on private wells for drinking water and septic systems for sanitary disposal of waste. Additionally, watering stations would also be required.
“Many people do not realize when a home in a rural area loses power, they often lose access to drinking water, as well as, flushing and refilling toilets,” said Dancer. “A priority restoration plan must be put into place to avoid leaving rural areas without access to their basic life essential necessities. When people are without basic necessities for days, it could lead to major public health and safety issues.”
NJ Legislative District 12 covers: Allentown, Chesterfield, Englishtown, Jackson, Manalapan, Matawan, Millstone (Monmouth), New Hanover, North Hanover, Old Bridge, Plumsted, Roosevelt, Upper Freehold, Wrightstown
ALLENTOWN, NJ (MONMOUTH)–INDIANAPOLIS, IN (September 16, 2020/National FFA Organization) – The Allentown FFA chapter of Allentown, New Jersey has been recognized in 2020 National Chapter Award Program from the National FFA Organization.
The program recognizes outstanding FFA chapters from throughout the country that actively implement the mission and strategies of the organization. These chapters improve chapter operations using the National Quality FFA Chapter Standards and a Program of Activities that emphasizes growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture. Chapters are rewarded for providing educational experiences for the entire membership.
Chapters that received star ratings during judging this summer and will be recognized at the 2020 National FFA Convention & Expo, Oct 27-29, which will be held virtually this year.
All star-rated FFA chapters receive honors made possible by corporate sponsor John Deere.
“Feeding some 9 billion people by mid-century brings with it unprecedented challenges for today’s farmers,” said Amy Allen, manager, national corporate contributions for John Deere. “The skills and experiences learned though the National Chapter Award Program will help meet the critical needs.”
The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 760,000 student members as part of 8,700 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
UPPER FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, NJ (MONMOUTH)–The 5th Annual NJ Fire Museum Open House and Firefighters Memorial Services were held today at the Fire Museum. There were views of several generations of apparatus and equipment, demonstrations, food served by Hope Fire Company, and a memorial service held at the NJ Firefighters Memorial for fallen firefighters.
ALLENTOWN, NJ (MONMOUTH)–An Allentown resident told MidJersey.News that around 11 pm last night a delivery crew installed a Vote-By-Mail Drop Box in front of Allentown at Borough Hall on Main Street. There are currently 17 Vote-By-Mail Drop Box locations for Monmouth County, this is the furthest west serving Western Monmouth County.
Pursuant to State law, the November 3, 2020 General Election will be conducted primarily by Mail-In Ballot in New Jersey.
If you wish to place your Mail-In Ballot in a secure drop box, below are the locations throughout the County which will be available starting the week of September 15. Addresses in the list below are clickable and will bring up Google Maps.
Voters can drop their voted Mail-In Ballot into these Board of Elections Drop Boxes anywhere in the County up until 8 p.m. on November 3, 2020. You do not have to be a resident of the town where the drop box is located. Be advised that these drop boxes are under video surveillance and are monitored by the Monmouth County Board of Elections, which can be reached at 732-431-7802.
For more information about the General Election process, click here.
ALLENTOWN, NJ (MONMOUTH)–On September 3rd, 2020 around 3:05 PM, Ptl. Daniel Dascoli #8232 was on patrol in the area of Allentown-Yardville Road. While on patrol, Ptl. Dascoli observed a red Mazda with several motor vehicle violations driving down Allentown-Yardville Road.
After initiating a motor vehicle stop in this area, Ptl. Dascoli through investigation discovered that the driver, who is identified as Edwin Y. Sackie Jr, maintained an active Fourth Degree Sexual Assault warrant out of the state of Michigan. This warrant stated that it was Full Extradition from the state of Michigan.
Ptl. Dascoli spoke to authorities in Michigan who confirmed the warrant. Edwin Y. Sackie Jr. was placed under arrest and later transported to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold without incident.
*** The media and the public are reminded that criminal charges are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. ***
Join in the fun of TAVI’s Great Allentown Scavenger Hunt by sending an email with your name, address, and number of participants to dwinknj@aol.com. Once your email is received you will be registered as a participant and will receive clues and instructions on how to complete the hunt. Register before August 30, 2020. The Great Allentown Scavenger Hunt ends at midnight on August 31, 2020. Everyone who finds all 29 sites and emails us back (as explained in the instructions you will receive when you register) will be entered into our prize drawing.
Participation is FREE! We are very grateful for any donation to support this and other TAVI projects for our community.
ALLENTOWN, NJ (MONMOUTH)–The Allentown Business Community Association has posted a notice on Facebook that the 2020 Fall Festival also known as the “Harvest Festival” is canceled this year due to COVID-19 concerns. See below:
THE 2020 HARVEST FESTIVAL IS OFFICIALLY CANCELLED.
After 35 consecutive years, the Allentown NJ Fall Harvest Festival will not be held this fall. The cancellation is due to the NJ statewide shut down. Our upmost concerns are for the safety of our community, our attendees and our businesses. We hope to see everyone again next year. Thank you and be safe.
Prints and cards at available at Dragonfly Design Studio 6 Church Street Allentown, NJ
PSE&G Reports 9,3958 power outages with 292,052 customers affected as of 12:30 pm
JCP&L Reports 527,305 customers affected at of 12:30 pm
Atlantic City Electric reports 4,448 active outages with 64,761 customers affected as of 12:30 pm
JACKSON, NJ (OCEAN)–Governor Phil Murphy visited Jackson Township this morning to assess damage from Tropical Storm Isaias with Senator Sam Thompson, Ocean County Freeholder Director Joe Vicari, and Mayor Mike Reina. Government officials are continuing to work closely with the utilities to get the lights back on as quickly and safely as possible.
MidJersey.News has been monitoring fire department, police and EMS activity and fire departments from our area have been sent to several locations overnight and this morning for carbon monoxide issues dealing with generators too close to the house or running in a garage. Please use these appliances properly, keep them far away from the home, and also make sure you have batteries in your carbon monoxide detectors and verify they are working.
Upper Freehold and Allentown, Message from Hope Fire Company:
Good Morning. We realize that some will be without power for a few days. HFC will be opening it’s doors for anyone that is in need of charging devices from now until 4pm. We do have charging stations setup in our meeting room for your convenience. We ask that you please wear masks when coming into our facility and, to practice social distancing measures, we will be allowing up to 10 people in at a time. Also, we do have bagged ice that we can give you (2 bags per person) and should you need to use our showering facilities, that area is open as well. Non-potable water will be available so please, bring your buckets or containers. Again, masks are required and you must be symptom free to enter the building. Should you have any questions you can email me at president@hopefirecompany.com or reach out to me directly at 609-556-9764.
North Hanover, Jackobstown:
We have put the hose out for residents to get water if needed. While clean water direct from our well we don’t recommend it for drinking but if you need to flush a toilet it will work. Bring your own container. The station is closed to members only at this time, please do not enter the station for any reason. Thank you
As of 11 AM this morning @PSEGdelivers is reporting that ~5,000 Hamilton customers continue to be w/o power. The majority of these outages are in the Yardville & Mercerville sections of town. We are working closely with them and will continue to update you on restoration. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/r7TF4HLPBt
There are still numerous roads closed, trees and wires down please avoid those areas and do not go around cones or barricades. Stay far away from any wires because you will not know if they are live or energized, leave that up to the professionals to determine.
⚠️⚡ As crews clear hazards and make repairs, please STEER CLEAR of all downed or low-hanging power lines! Always assume they are energized + dangerous. Use extra caution where lines are tangled in trees or debris.
Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) is restoring service to customers who lost power due to Tropical Storm Isaias. JCP&L is offering free water and ice to customers remaining out of service. Customers can pick up water and ice at the following locations:
(Last updated 8/5/2020)
BURLINGTON COUNTY
Acme Supermarkets, 18 Broadway Rd. Store 7908, Browns Mills
ESSEX COUNTY
Shop Rite of Millburn, 220 Main Street, Millburn, Essex County
Kings, 778 Morris Tpke, Short Hills, Essex County
HUNTERDON COUNTY
Shop Rite of Hunterdon, 50 Rte 513 BLDG D, Clinton, Hunterdon County
Shop Rite of Hunterdon272 Rt. 202 & Rt. 31, Flemington, Hunterdon County
Kings, 531 U.S. Hwy. 22 East, Whitehouse Station, Hunterdon County
Following severe weather, our crews activate a formal process to restore customers as quickly and safely as possible. Learn how we prioritize restoration work: https://t.co/sFbFOsJlMx 2/2 pic.twitter.com/avru96VULy
UPDATE 10am: ~575K of 2.3M customers reported a power outage or damage associated w/#Isaias. We've restored power to 275K customers+have less than 300K customers still out. Crews, including mutual aid from as far as Canada, working 24/7 to restore power: https://t.co/70cgEy3JMqpic.twitter.com/nO6fMJx3oP
PSE&G Reports 4,568 power outages with 265,283 customers affected as of 1:30 pm
JCP&L Reports 552,736 customers affected at of 1:30 pm
The winds from Tropical Storm Isaias have created problems with trees and wires throughout every town in the area, do not travel unless necessary.
Roads closed, multiple Power outages, blown transformers, live wires burning, trees and debris in the roadway with multitude of other problems are some of the things first responders are dealing with at this hour.
1 PM EDT August 4 update: Hazard weather conditions including heavy rainfall, strong winds, and tornadoes are occurring across northern New Jersey, southeastern New York, and eastern Pennsylvania. More detailed local info: https://t.co/SiZo8ozBbn#Isaiaspic.twitter.com/qphH8sX3KB
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 4, 2020
Emergency Management and Police Departments remind that 9-1-1 is for emergency use only. Restrict travel due to many trees, wires and debris in roadways and do not cross barricades.
Millstone Township reports: All residents should shelter in place. Many trees down throughout the Township and many roads are closed. Windsor Road/Perrinville; Rochdale Ave ; Rising Sun Tavern ; Agress Road/Bittner Road; Bittner Road/Millstone Road; Backbone Hill Road/Schoolhouse to White Birch; Sweetmans Lane near Stillhouse Rd; Mercy Mount Rd; Bessie Court.
Robbinsville Gordon Road Tree On Wires
Robbinsville Gordon Road Tree On Wires
Hamilton Township Edgebrook Road
Hamilton: Wires on fire Yardville-Allentown Road
Hamilton: Wires on fire Yardville-Allentown Road
Threatening skies by the Hamilton Post Office, Route 130
Threatening skies by Hamilton Marketplace
Merrick Road closed by Edgebrook low hanging trees with wires
Hamilton Township Merrick Road by Edgebrook low branches with wires
Allentown, NJ wires down
Allentown, NJ tree blocking North Main passable in shoulder
Allentown, NJ tree blocking North Main Street passable in shoulder
Alert – Significant wind damage around town. Over 36 trees have fallen in last 90 minutes. Widespread power outages and closed roads. Avoid any travel. @NWS_MountHollypic.twitter.com/uuij195Pw5
High winds have taken down several trees around town. Here Middlesex County Road Department works to clear a downed tree from Route 522. #HurricaneIsaiaspic.twitter.com/Vka3g5QG9j
Tree into a residence on Lakewood Road, no injuries. Special Operations is on scene to evaluate the residence for structural damage.#NeptuneWeatherpic.twitter.com/cVTnvqkqtH
Severe storms often result in dangerous situations. A power line does not have to be in contact with the ground to be dangerous. A low-hanging power line is just⚡as⚡dangerous.⚡
⚠️ STAY FAR AWAY from ANY downed or low-hanging wire + report it ASAP to 888-544-4877 or 9-1-1. pic.twitter.com/n5CZ7SBFRd
Governor Murphy and Colonel Callahan Advise New Jerseyans to Prepare for Hurricane Isaias
TRENTON – Governor Phil Murphy and Colonel Patrick Callahan today advised New Jerseyans to prepare for the impact of Hurricane Isaias. Additionally, a tornado watch has been issued throughout the state. The Office of Emergency Management will continue to monitor the conditions of the hurricane and are working with counties to address any storm-related needs.“As Hurricane Isaias continues to move throughout our state, we encourage all residents to take necessary precautions to stay safe and secure,” said Governor Murphy. “Our main concern is public safety, and our emergency response team is prepared to help New Jerseyans with any needed assistance during this time.”New Jersey State Police Superintendent and State Director of Emergency Management Colonel Patrick Callahan stressed the importance of connecting the public with reliable information sources to further assist them in their individual preparedness plans.“Events such as Superstorm Sandy have taught us that awareness and preparedness saves lives. We encourage everyone to stay connected and be prepared,” said Colonel Callahan. “Make time with your family to build a kit, a go-bag, and create a communication plan. Tune in, log-on, opt-in, ‘like’ or ‘follow’ state, county, local and federal agencies for credible disaster-related information such as alerts and warnings; situational awareness updates; and where to find help. Personal connections matter, too. After you’ve completed your household preparedness activities, be a good neighbor and lend a hand to someone who may need assistance.”A list of New Jersey’s County Offices of Emergency Management, with social media and local alert system links, may be found on our newly redesigned New Jersey Office of Emergency Management Website: www.ready.nj.gov.NJOEM also recommends specific emergency preparedness actions:Make an emergency kit: Emergency kits will allow individuals and families to survive several days without access to food, water or electricity. Emergency kits should include at least a three to five day supply of non-perishable food and water, prescription medications for up to two weeks if available, baby supplies, pet supplies and any additional items for special medical needs such as an extra pair of eye glasses and batteries for hearing aids. Your kit should also include important phone numbers for doctors as well as car cell-phone chargers. While gathering your emergency kit, pack a go-bag for your family as well. Your family go-bag should be something such as a duffle bag or gym bag that is easily accessible so you can grab it and go in the event that a firefighter or police officer knocks on your door and tells you to evacuate immediately. These bags should include items such as prescription medication, food, water, extra clothing, and copies of important documents and phone numbers to get you through the first few critical days. For information on how to put a family emergency kit together, visit www.ready.nj.gov. Make an emergency plan. Make plans with family and friends in case you’re not together when any type of emergency – natural, technological or man-made – occurs. Discuss how you will contact each other, where you will meet and what you will do in different situations. Become familiar with your town’s evacuation routes. For information on how to put a family emergency plan together, visit www.ready.nj.gov. Pets are family too! Be sure to include them in your emergency plans by visiting www.animalemergency.nj.gov.
Stay informed: NJOEM recommends the following ways to stay informed about emergencies:
Online: Use credible websites to get information about natural hazards and emergency preparedness. NJOEM works closely with the National Weather Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency regarding forecasts and other important disaster news.
National Weather Service NJ is covered by two different weather stations: Mount Holly, NJ for most of the State and Upton, NY for the NE part of the State. For Northeast NJ residents and commuters to/from New York City, please visit: www.weather.gov/okx/. For the rest of New Jersey please visit: www.weather.gov/phi/.
Register Ready: www.RegisterReady.nj.gov – New Jersey’s Special Needs Registry for Disasters allows NJ residents with disabilities or access and functional needs and their families, friends and associates an opportunity to provide information to emergency response agencies, so emergency responders can better plan to serve them in a disaster or other emergency. The information collected here is confidential and will not be available to the public. The information will be held securely and only used for emergency response and planning.
NIXLE – Subscribe to the NJ State Police (NJSP) on Nixle Connect at http://local.nixle.com/new-jersey-state-police/. New Jersey residents can register to receive messages by sending a text message with their zip code to 888777 (data rates may apply depending on your plan). Online registration is also available at www.nixle.com
CMAS – the Community Mobile Alert System – this nationwide system is now being used the National Weather Service to transmit urgent weather info to your cell phone. A warning means the hazard is imminent; a watch means conditions are favorable for the hazard to occur. Your cell phone must be WEA (Wireless Emergency Alert) enabled to receive these messages.
NOAA Weather Radio: A nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from the nearest National Weather Service Office. NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. NOAA Weather Radios are typically inexpensive, readily available in stores and can often be programmed for your specific area. http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/
UPPER FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, NJ (MONMOUTH)–A newly discovered comet that was found on March 27, 2020 called comet Neowise can bee seen just after dusk and the early morning hours for the next few days. The next time you’ll be able to see comet Neowise will be 6,766 years from now so you might want to get a look at it tonight just after dark.
If viewing it is best to use a application such as “Star Walk 2” to help find the elevation and area in the sky to look. Just after dark it can be seen in the north west sky and in the early morning hours it can be seen in the north east sky.
Tonight look north west about an hour after sunset and you’ll have about an hour to see it before it dips below the horizon at 11:25 pm. The comet will rise in the north east around 2:54 am and can be seen until about an hour before sunrise but as the sun rises the view of the comet fades quickly so earlier the better.
If viewing bring binoculars, spotting scope or telescope for the best view. For the next few days you can see it with the naked eye after that you will need optical assistance.
If photographing suggested items would be:
Tripod
Lens 300 mm or longer.
Shutter release or use timer in camera so you do not get shake.
Manual focus on comet or other distant object and hyper focus in “live view” zoomed in if you have that option.
Shut off image stabilizer (if camera has it) to prevent a shake effect.
You will also need to find an area with a large field with a clear view to the north west sky for after sunset and a north east view for before sunrise. Take many different exposures and bracket in “manual mode” to make sure you get the exposure correct.
The comet can be seen all over the country in the night sky. The images below were taken in Upper Freehold Township near the border of Robbinsville Township.
Comet Neowise as seen early morning hours of July 14, 2020
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–After a long wait for outdoor graduations due to the COVID-19 pandemic Allentown High School’s Class of 2020 was able to have a full commencement this afternoon. This was Allentown High Schools Ninety-Fifth commencement.
The ceremony was held outdoors at Arm & Hammer Waterfront Park due to COVID-19 restrictions.
