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Mercer County executives offer July 4 fireworks safety reminders

Summer is synonymous with barbecues and outdoor parties, parades, and fireworks. As warmer weather leads to more outdoor gatherings and as Independence Day and its celebrations approach, it is vital to remember how dangerous fireworks can be. They can cause serious burns, eye injuries, and fires.

The National Fire Protection Association offers these tips on ways to celebrate without using fireworks.

If you choose to use fireworks, please remember that only certain kinds are legal in New Jersey. Permissible fireworks are limited to hand-held or ground-based sparklers, snakes, and glow worms; smoke devices; and trick noisemakers, including party poppers, snappers and drop pops. The sale, possession and use of all other fireworks requires a valid permit.

If you plan on using fireworks, please follow these tips:

  • Ensure that you only use fireworks that are legal in New Jersey.
  • Never allow young children to handle fireworks.
  • Older children should use them only under close adult supervision.
  • Never use fireworks while impaired by drugs or alcohol.
  • Wear protective eye gear if you are using fireworks or are standing nearby when someone else is.
  • Never hold lit fireworks in your hand.
  • Never light fireworks indoors.
  • Only use fireworks away from people, houses and flammable material.
  • Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
  • Never ignite devices in a container.
  • Do not try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks.
  • Soak both spent and unused fireworks in water for a few hours before discarding.
  • Keep a bucket of water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that don’t go off or in case of a fire.

Also, please remember that sparklers, which many kids love, are dangerous. They burn at temperatures high enough to melt some metals. Sparklers can quickly ignite clothing and account for more than 25 percent of emergency room visits for fireworks injuries.

For more information on fireworks safety, please contact the Mercer County Youth Fire Setter Advisory Committee at 609-278-4845 or rtaylor@mercercounty.org.

The Mercer County Department of Human Services fosters a comprehensive human service delivery system that enhances the health, safety, and quality of life for all residents of Mercer County. The department’s goal is to create an environment of public trust by empowering and strengthening individuals and families, advocating for sound policy, mobilizing resources, and acting as champions for those citizens who are most vulnerable and in need of services.

Through its offices and divisions, the Department of Human Services provides funding to community-based organizations for those organizations to provide direct services to Mercer County residents. The department does not provide direct services to Mercer County residents but directs Mercer County residents to where they can access services. With this funding, the Department of Human Services complies with procurement practices in accordance with the New Jersey Public Contracts Law 40:A:11-1 et seq.

— Mercer County offices

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Local Events

– Mercer Monthly newsletter:

Mercer plans COVID vaccine clinic for kids 6 months to 5 years

Mercer County’s Division of Public Health will offer COVID-19 vaccines to children 6 months to 5 years at a special vaccination clinic on Thursday, June 30, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton, announced Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes.

 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends vaccinating all children in the age group with one of two separate COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech.

 

“Parents of very young children have expressed their concern about potentially exposing their unvaccinated baby or toddler to the virus in congregate settings such as daycare centers and social gatherings,” Mr. Hughes said. “For parents who have anxiously waited, we are pleased to now be able to offer these FDA-approved vaccines at our county-run clinic.”

 

Read More: Mercer plans COVID vaccine clinic for kids 6 months to 5 years

 

County’s electric vehicle charging stations up and running

he electric vehicle (EV) charging stations that the County of Mercer has installed at 11 of its facilities are now open and available for public use, County Executive Brian M. Hughes announced.

 

 

“The availability of additional charging stations around Mercer County will benefit electric vehicle owners and, we hope, help reduce the ‘range anxiety’ that might prevent other consumers from investing in electric vehicles,” Mr. Hughes said. “This initiative will also help raise awareness about the environmental benefits of gasoline alternatives as we further our commitment to increasing sustainable practices throughout the County.”

Read More: County’s EV charging stations now up and running

Deadline to enter Mercer County Senior Art Show is July 15

 

Calling all artists age 60 and older! Submissions are being accepted for the annual Mercer County Senior Art Show, which will take place July 22 through Aug. 5 at the Conference Center at Mercer County Community College.

The exhibit features works of art created within the past three years, and not previously entered in a Mercer County Senior Art Show or the State Senior Art Show, and is open to all Mercer County residents age 60 or older. Applicants may submit one piece of art in any of the following categories: acrylic, craft, digital imagery, drawing, mixed media, oil, pastel, photography, print, sculpture, and watercolor. The registration deadline is July 15.

For information and registration, go to: https://www.mercercounty.org/…/culture…/senior-art-show or call (609) 989-6899.

County donates reusable bags to area agencies

In response to New Jersey’s new progressive bag ban, Mercer County handed out the majority of its first round of 10,000 bags to local agencies serving the most vulnerable citizens. Pictured with County Executive Brian M. Hughes is Joyce E. Campbell, Executive Director of the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK). Ms. Campbell told Mr. Hughes that the reusable bags will be beneficial to visitors and clients at TASK, whether they are used to carry goods home from the facility or to use for shopping elsewhere where they might otherwise incur a bag fee.

Other agencies receiving bags were Arm in Arm, Rise, HomeFront, Jewish Family and Children Services, Mercer Street Friends, Ginny’s Pantry at Christ Presbyterian Church, CYO of Bromley Food Pantry, East Trenton Collaborative – Urban Promise Trenton, Loaves & Fishes Soup Kitchen at St. Mary’s Church, Sacred Heart Church, and Trinity Episcopal Church.

The new law is meant to prevent litter and encourages the use of reusable bags by phasing out single-use plastic and paper bags.

Mercer offers fresh-produce vouchers to qualifying older adults

The Mercer County Office on Aging/Aging & Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) is accepting applications for the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, which provides vouchers for the purchase of fresh, nutritious, unprepared foods such as fruits, vegetables and herbs to low-income older adults.

“With foods provided from authorized farmers, the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program not only helps increase the nutritional health of our communities, but also increases the demand for locally grown produce and boosts the income of farmers who produce and sell locally grown products,” said County Executive Brian M. Hughes. Last year, the Office on Aging/Aging & Disability Resource Connection distributed vouchers to 1,430 Mercer County older adults, he added.

Read more: Mercer offers fresh-produce vouchers

Four correctional officer candidates graduate from academy

Four Mercer County correctional police officer candidates recently completed the 110th Correctional Police Officer Academy at the Camden County Correctional Police Officer Training Academy, Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes announced.

Above, from left, Officers Nicolas Martin and Corey Frost, both of Lawrence, and Albertito Colon and Alex Episcopo, both of Ewing, flank Mercer County Correction Center Warden Charles Ellis. Pictured at left are Officer Corey Frost, who was awarded the Academic Achievement Award for averaging a 98.6 through 55 examinations, and also was chosen by his peers to receive the 110th Class Peer Leadership Award; and Officer Albertito Colon, who was presented with the Marksmanship Award as the outstanding marksman of the class.

State to accept pre-applications for rental assistance waiting list

Many low-income residents can qualify for vouchers for safe and sanitary housing through the State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP). The SRAP waiting list is now open for pre-applications, which will then enter a lottery for the statewide SRAP program in the Elderly, Family, Disabled, and Homeless categories.

Elderly applicants must serve as head of household and be 62 years of age or older. For the Family category, the head of household must be 18 years of age or an emancipated minor. To qualify in the Disabled category, the head of household or spouse must be permanently disabled. Applicants in the Homeless category must lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

 

All pre-applications submitted online during the open enrollment period from Monday, July 11, at 9 a.m. until Friday, July 22, at 5 p.m. will be entered into the lottery. Those selected in the lottery will join the wait list and will be eligible to receive SRAP vouchers as they become available. For more information, including income limits and the link to apply (once the lottery opens), go to https://nj.gov/dca/divisions/dhcr/offices/srap.html

Most Mercer County offices to be closed for Independence Day

Most Mercer County government offices and facilities, including all branches of the Mercer County Library System, will be closed Monday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day.

 

 

In addition to being closed July 4, the County Connection office in Hamilton will be closed Saturday, July 2.

 

The following County facilities will remain open: Trenton-Mercer Airport (except administrative offices), Correction Center, Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Services Communications Center.

 

The following Mercer County Park Commission facilities will be open July 4: Hopewell Valley Pool, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Mercer County Park Marina and Spray Park, noon to 6 p.m.; Tennis Center, 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and County golf courses, 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. The Wildlife Center will accept patients by appointment only from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the holiday weekend. The Outdoor Education Environment will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with no appointment necessary. Howell Living History Farm, Mercer County Stables, Tulpehaking Nature Center and Park Commission administrative offices will be closed July 4. For more information on Park Commission facilities, visit www.mercercountyparks.org

EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Join the fun at the LHT Full Moon Bike Ride! 

 

 

The Lawrence Hopewell Trail Full Moon Bike Ride at Mercer County’s Mercer Meadows park is back after a two-year hiatus. A fantastic night of fun and music capped off with a moonlight ride through the park on Saturday, July 9, from 8 to 10:30 p.m.

Register here!

 

Mercer County 4-H Fair set for July 30-31 at Howell Farm

The annual Mercer County 4-H Fair will take place Saturday, July 30, and Sunday, July 31, at Howell Living History Farm in Hopewell Township.

The fair includes animal shows and exhibits, homemade ice cream, hay rides, pony rides, music, magic shows and farm tours, as well as displays by the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County, Mercer County Wildlife Center Friends, Mid-State Beekeepers Association and many more. Admission and parking are free. Please bring a non-perishable food donation for Rutgers Against Hunger.

Visit the 4-H Fair page on the Cooperative Extension of Mercer County website for information and updates, including a listing of projects that the general public and 4-H members may enter in the fair. https://mercer.njaes.rutgers.edu/4h/fair/

Summer is here. Experience nature!

Upcoming Mercer County Park Commission nature programs include:

  • “Wellness Walk” – Saturday, July 2, 10 a.m. to noon, Tulpehaking Nature Center parking lot. Free, all ages. Registration required at https://abbottmarshlands.org/events/
  • “Kayak Nature Tours” – Thursday, July 7, Mercer County Park Marina (weather permitting). $30 in county, $35 out of county. Ages 16 and up. Registration required.
  • “Naturally Friends: Butterfly Bonanza” – Saturday, July 23, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Howell Living History Farm. Free, all ages. Registration required.

For a complete list of Park Commission nature programs and registration information, click here or on the image.

Mercer County Park’s Summer Concert Series announced

Upcoming shows at Mercer’s CURE Arena!

Mercer County’s CURE Insurance Arena’s 2022 schedule is shaping up with something for everyone. Upcoming events and shows include:

  • Sanju Baba Chale Amerika, Aug. 27
  • GHOST “Imperatour,” Sept. 9
  • Jeff Dunham: Seriously?! Oct. 23 (rescheduled)

TRENTON THUNDER 2022 SEASON SCHEDULE

 

COVID-19 INFORMATION

COVID-19 vaccine now available for young children

Vaccination against COVID-19 is now available for everyone 6 months and older. The FDA and CDC have authorized the use of smaller, pediatric doses of both Pfizer (under age 5) and Moderna (under age 6) in children at least 6 months of age. For more information on COVID-19 vaccinations and where to get one, visit https://covid19.nj.gov/vaccine

 

 

A helping hand for homeowners in need

If you have experienced a financial hardship and an increase in housing-related expenses associated with the coronavirus pandemic that created a risk of mortgage delinquency, mortgage default, foreclosure or property tax lien, the Homeowner Assistance Fund may be able to help. Click here or on the flyer for more information and to apply.

 

Assistance may be available for renters affected by COVID-19

As New Jersey winds down the COVID-19 eviction moratorium, the State has introduced critical protections to renter households who experienced economic hardships during the pandemic. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a temporary eviction moratorium. To take advantage of state and federal protections, you should complete both the State’s self-certification form and the CDC declaration. To fill out these forms and find more information, visit the State’s web page dedicated to this. You also may call 609-490-4550 for assistance.

In addition, the Mercer County Department of Human Services may be able to help renters and landlords. For more information, visit the County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program web page.

 

Looking for work? County, state offer job-seeker services

As a result of COVID-19, many New Jerseyans are facing economic insecurity and are seeking benefits and resources to help them safely get back to work. Mercer’s One-Stop Career Center offers a variety of services to job seekers throughout the county, including free virtual job preparation workshops and links to job listings. Click here for information. The State’s COVID-19 Information Hub provides links to the New Jersey Career Network and other resources.Click here for information.

 

SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Doing business with Mercer County

Mercer’s Business Outreach program helps minority, veteran, and women-owned small businesses learn how to do business with county, state and local governments. Contact James Chambers Jr., Coordinator, at (609) 989-6212; jchambers@mercercounty.org or Wendy Sturgeon, 609-989-6503; wsturgeon@mercercounty.org

  • SBE – Small Business Enterprise
  • WBE – Woman Business Enterprise
  • DVOB – Disabled Veteran Owned Business
  • MBE – Minority Business Enterprise
  • VOB – Veteran Owned Business

We are excited to help you! Click here to learn more about the program.

Categories
Environment Local News

Mosquito management becomes a community effort

Reducing breeding habitats is key strategy for Mercer Mosquito Control 

 

Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes notes that even though the County runs a highly sophisticated Mosquito Control program to safeguard the health of residents, mosquitoes, which can carry insect-borne diseases, remain a reality in the area throughout the warmer months. However,  there are measures that residents can take to help control the population.

 

“Mosquitoes are a backyard problem, and community involvement is crucial for success in controlling them,” Mr. Hughes said.

 

“I urge our residents to take some simple measures, such as eliminating standing water in and around their homes, to protect themselves and their families from mosquitoes.”

 

Female mosquitoes lay eggs on the walls of water-filled containers. To keep those eggs from hatching and becoming adult mosquitoes, residents should do the following:

  • Empty out water from containers in your yard such as buckets, recycle bins and potted-plant saucers.
  • Store tires indoors or away from rain. Check for tire recycling programs in your area.
  • Empty and replace water in bird baths at least once a week. Remember: water plus seven days equals mosquitoes.
  • Make sure drain pipes slope downward. These drain pipes are dominated by Asian tiger mosquito immatures, and this species is an aggressive day biter.
  • Maintain your pool. Remove water from tarps and pool covers.

Other steps residents can take include keeping mosquitoes out of the home by installing or repairing window screens and using air conditioning when available; and preventing mosquito bites by using an Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellent with an active ingredient such as DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD).

 

 

Mosquito Control to the rescue!

Mr. Hughes said Mercer County Mosquito Control practices what is known as Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM) to suppress local mosquito populations, making both larval and adult surveillance programs the backbone of its operations. To see the team in action, watch the Mercer County Mosquito Control video! 

 

Mercer County Mosquito Control is actively fighting mosquitoes during the summer and early fall. To receive email alerts regarding spraying, click here and enter your email address for Mosquito Control news.

For Mosquito Control service, submit your request online here

Categories
Lifestyle Local News News Now!

Hughes: County’s electric vehicle charging stations now up and running

TRENTON, N.J. – The electric vehicle (EV) charging stations that the County of Mercer has installed at 11 of its facilities are now open and available for public use, County Executive Brian M. Hughes announced.

 

 

“The availability of additional charging stations around Mercer County will benefit electric vehicle owners and, we hope, help reduce the ‘range anxiety’ that might prevent other consumers from investing in electric vehicles,” Mr. Hughes said.

 

“This initiative will also help raise awareness about the environmental benefits of gasoline alternatives as we further our commitment to increasing sustainable practices throughout the County.”

 

The cost of purchasing and installing the 11 dual-port, Level 2 ChargePoint Chargers was offset in part by an $88,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Pay$ to Plug In Program as part of Gov. Phil Murphy’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to the harmful effects of climate change. Pay$ to Plug In was designed to expand the state’s growing network of electric vehicle infrastructure, allowing residents, businesses and government agencies to purchase and drive electric vehicles. Eligible costs include those necessary for, and directly related to, the acquisition, installation, operation and maintenance of new EV charging stations. The County is pursuing funding to offset the remaining cost of the total $393,827 project.

Level 2 charging adds about 10 to 20 miles of range to a plug-in electric vehicle per hour of charging time. The cost for EV users is $1 per hour for the first four hours of charging time, and then $5 per each additional hour until the vehicle is fully charged. Download the ChargePoint App via the Apple App Store or Google Play or visit https://www.chargepoint.com/drivers to sign up for a ChargePoint account.

On recommendation of the County Planning Department, the new ChargePoint charging stations were installed and are now available for public use at the following County-owned locations. The charging stations are available 24/7 except where noted.

 

The charging stations are available 24/7 except where noted.

  • Boathouse at Mercer Lake, 334 South Post Road, West Windsor
  • Hopewell Valley Golf Course, 114 Pennington-Hopewell Road, Hopewell
  • Mercer County Administration Building, 640 South Broad St., Trenton
  • Mercer County Improvement Authority, 80 Hamilton Ave., Trenton
  • Mercer County Office Park, 1440 Parkside Ave, Ewing
  • Mercer County Technical Schools Assunpink Center, 1085 Old Trenton Road, Hamilton; Sept. 1 – June 30, Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.; July 1 – Aug. 31, Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • . to 4 p.m.; July 1 – Aug. 31, Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Mercer County Technical Schools Sypek Center, 129 Bull Run Road, Ewing; Sept. 1 – June 30, Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.; July 1 – Aug. 31, Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Mercer Meadows (Hunt House), 197 Blackwell Road, Hopewell Township; 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Will be adjusted to 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. after daylight-saving time ends.)
  • Mercer Oaks Golf Course, 725 Village Road West, West Windsor
  • Mountain View Golf Course, 850 Bear Tavern Road, Ewing
  • Princeton Country Club, 1 Wheeler Way, West Windsor

  • Drivers of all types of vehicles are reminded that EV charging spots are for charging, not parking.  Visit ChargePoint’s website for tips on EV etiquette. For additional information on charging electric vehicles, visit the “Drive Green” section of the NJDEP website.

Categories
Education Local News Science Sports & Gaming

Professor from leading NJ Kinesiology school co-authors field-changing book with the American College of Sports Medicine

Dr. Avery Faigenbaum from TCNJ’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences collaborates on new fitness book with the American College of Sports Medicine. 

 

“Troubling trends in youth physical inactivity have created an urgent need to activate this generation of boys and girls…”

  • Avery Faigenbaum, Professor, TCNJ

 

 

EWING, NJ – Avery Faigenbaum, PhD, professor of kinesiology in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences(SNHS) at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), has co-authored a field-changing book, “Essentials of Youth Fitness,” with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

A report from UNICEF found 52% of people ages 13 to 29 were less physically active in 2020 from pre-pandemic levels.

Outlining evidence-based exercise recommendations for children and teenagers, the publication will act as a foundation for an entire curriculum to be offered by the ACSM for physical fitness students and educators nationwide.

 

Explaining the importance of exploring this subject area, Faignebaum remarks, “Troubling trends in youth physical inactivity have created an urgent need to activate this generation of boys and girls before they become resistant to our interventions later in life.”

 

“Exercise professionals and coaches often design exercise programs for young people as if they were miniature adults. That idea cannot be further from the truth. A child’s physical and emotional development, how they process information and learn concepts and the level of engagement of their support system must be considered to develop a safe, effective program,” says Francis Neric, national director of certification for ACSM.

 

“Dr. Avery Faigenbaum’s depth of research and application of pediatric exercise science and long-term youth athletic development is second to none. He has a gift of seamlessly connecting science to practical application that exercise professionals at levels can learn from.”

 

TCNJ’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences’ Dean Carole Kenner explains, “Dr. Faigenbaum’s co-authorship on this pathbreaking subject is a shining example of our faculty’s dedication to advancing health sciences. We’re honored that our world-leading scholars continue to partner with esteemed organizations like the ACSM to shape a better future for youth physical fitness.”

 

TCNJ’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences educates aspiring health professionals to become future leaders across the healthcare industry. Faculty work closely with local healthcare partners to provide students with applicative skills and foundational knowledge. The nationally acclaimed school is dedicated to preparing individuals—through programs in nursing, public health, exercise science, and physical education teaching—for the many rewards of guiding people, communities, and populations toward improved health outcomes. The School is nationally recognized as aHealthy People 2030 Champion.

 

Contact Information

Crothers Consulting | info@crothersconsulting.co | (800) 831-3840

Categories
Culture Local News

Most Mercer County offices to close for Independence Day

TRENTON, N.J. — Most Mercer County government offices and facilities, including all branches of the Mercer County Library System, will be closed Monday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day.

 

 

In addition to being closed July 4, the County Connection office in Hamilton will be closed Saturday, July 2.

 

The following County facilities will remain open:

Trenton-Mercer Airport (except administrative offices), Correction Center, Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Services Communications Center.

 

The following Mercer County Park Commission facilities will be open July 4:

Hopewell Valley Pool, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Mercer County Park Marina and Spray Park, noon to 6 p.m.; Tennis Center, 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and County golf courses, 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. The Wildlife Center will accept patients by appointment only from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the holiday weekend. The Outdoor Education Environment will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with no appointment necessary. Howell Living History Farm, Mercer County Stables, Tulpehaking Nature Center and Park Commission administrative offices will be closed July 4. For more information on Park Commission facilities, visit www.mercercountyparks.org.

Categories
Culture Local News Politics

County Clerk to offer free photo ID cards for veterans during Fourth of July holiday

TRENTON, N.J. — As the Fourth of July approaches, Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello reminds Mercer County residents that for Fourth of July Veteran ID cards will be free on the following days:

 

July 5 to July 15, and (the County Clerk’s Office is closed Monday, July 4)

 

ID cards that indicate a Veteran’s status have become very useful as many stores and home improvement retailers now offer discounts to veterans. Veterans can receive their photo ID cards by visiting the Mercer County Clerk’s Office located on the 2nd Floor of the Old Courthouse at 209 South Broad Street in Trenton.

The Clerk’s I.D. department is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Normally, veterans pay a special reduced fee of $10.00, half the normal price of a general ID card.

 

The requirements for a Mercer County ID card are:

  • Must be a Mercer County resident for at least 6 months.
  • Must produce the following:
    • A valid birth certificate with a raised seal or a naturalization certificate.
    • A valid NJ Motor Vehicle License or voter registration card or, lease agreement.
    • Voting Profile
  • To have their US military veteran status designated on the ID card, veterans must also produce or register their DD-214 honorable discharge papers with the County Clerk’s Office.   

 

RECORDING OF DD-214 

A Certificate of Release – Discharge from Active Duty, or DD-214 Form for short, is generally issued when a service member is honorably discharged from active military duty. The document contains information that is usually needed to verify military service for benefits, retirement, employment, and membership in veterans’ organizations. Additionally, recording a DD-214 Form is free of charge to Mercer County Veterans in the Clerk’s office.

 

“Because military papers can get damaged or lost, veterans should take advantage of the opportunity to file copies of their DD-214 discharge papers with the Clerk’s Office,” said Sollami Covello, whose office maintains and preserves official documents and records for Mercer County.

“If a copy of discharge papers are needed in the future, a veteran, an immediate family member, or a legally recognized representative of their estate may obtain one with proper identification,” noted Sollami Covello.

For further information on how to obtain a Mercer County photo identification card, please call the Clerk’s office at 609-278-7108

Categories
Culture Local News

Juneteenth event at Capital City Farm to highlight African Americans’ impact on agriculture

TRENTON, N.J. — The Mercer County Park Commission is celebrating Juneteenth by highlighting the contributions of African Americans, past and present, in agriculture and food advocacy at Capital City Farm on Saturday.

 

 

The family-friendly event at this urban farm in the City of Trenton, will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., June 18.

There will be activities engaging youngsters and supporting the Trenton Literacy Movement by distributing free children’s books to a Literacy Corner where children can sit on hay bales and read with their parents and local volunteers. There will also be a scavenger hunt during which participants will find answers all around the farm to the clues in their “passports.” The first 50 hunters who complete their passports will receive $10 bookstore gift cards.

Hands-on activities including corn milling, lettuce seedling planting, and bee abode building will keep the young people busy as they listen to live music and taste African-inspired recipes. Fresh produce grown on the farm will also be available, free of charge, while supplies last.

 

 

Farm visitors will be invited to take a tour of the farm, which is deceptively larger than it looks. Crops include all sorts of vegetables, such as carrots, kale and collards, flowers and fruits. While touring, guests will also learn a little about Booker T. Whatley, Tuskegee University agricultural professor; Dr. James Still, New Jersey’s “Black Doctor of the Pines” and self-taught botanist; Meredith Taylor, a Rutgers University professor whose research focuses on urban agriculture; and many other familiar and unfamiliar people and organizations.

 

Community partners who have contributed to this event include the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, the Garden State Agrihood Project, the Conservatory of Music and Performing Arts Society, and the Conservatory Mansion. The Center for Child and Family Achievement, The Watershed Institute, and the African American Cultural Collaborative contributed the children’s books.

Capital City Farm is located at 301 North Clinton Ave. in Trenton. For more information about the farm, visit the Mercer County Park Commission website.

Categories
Culture Local News

Juneteenth program at Howell Farm to feature tours of historical farmhouse

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Visitors to Howell Living History Farm can join historical interpreters on a free wagon ride and tour of the circa-1790 farmhouse, where Revolutionary War-era New Jerseyans lived and farmed the land that now makes up Mercer County’s Pleasant Valley National Rural Historic District, Saturday, June 18.

 

Photos: The Captain Henry Phillips House and historical interpreter Ivey Avery.

 

Saturday’s program is being held in observance of Juneteenth, which commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans.

Tours begin at 10:30 a.m. in the barnyard, where visitors will board a wagon to travel down the driveway, across Moore’s Creek and through the woods before disembarking at the Captain Henry Phillips House. There they’ll meet historical interpreters Ivey Avery of Trenton and Pete Curtis of George Washington’s Mount Vernon, who will be wearing period attire for a unique discussion of the history of the house and the people who lived in it before and after the 1804 passage of New Jersey’s Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery.

Avery and Curtis are experienced historical interpreters who have presented the lives of Black Americans throughout our history, in both first- and third-person styles. With additional support from Howell Farm historian Larry Kidder, they will guide visitors through the house and tell the story of Nance, an enslaved woman who lived there with her children, while also discussing the ways that other Black residents of Pleasant Valley lived before, during and after the abolition of slavery in New Jersey. Following the tour, light refreshments will be served outside.

 

 

Wagon tours depart from the barnyard at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., and 12:30, 1:30 and 2:30 p.m., and are limited to 20 participants per session. Up to 10 spaces per tour may be reserved online via the Mercer County Park Commission CommunityPassportal, and the remaining 10 will be kept available for walk-ins on a first-come, first-served basis.

Guided tours of the circa-1900 “Howell Farm farmhouse” will also be offered throughout the day, beginning at 11 a.m., 12 noon, and 1, 2 and 3 p.m. The farm will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tours of both farmhouses, as well as admission to the farm, are free.

Howell Farm is owned by the County of Mercer and operated by the Mercer County Park Commission. It is located at 70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell Township, NJ 08530. For more information, please visit www.howellfarm.org or call the farm office at 609-737-3299.

Categories
Local News Travel & Leisure

Trenton-Mercer Airport manager receives leadership award from aviation professionals’ organization

EWING, N.J. — Trenton-Mercer Airport, Manager Melinda Montgomery, A.A.E, received the Leadership Award for her “outstanding” work as Committee Advisor to the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) Young Professionals Committee, and for her “dedication and commitment to the aviation industry.”

 

Photo: Melinda Montgomery, Trenton-Mercer Airport manager, accepts the American Association of Airport Executives Leadership Award from AAAE Chairman Laurence J. Krauter, AAE, AICP, at the 94th Annual Conference and Exposition in Seattle June 6-8, 2022.

 

The award was presented to Ms. Montgomery by AAAE Chairman Laurence J. Krauter, AAE, AICP, at the 94th Annual Conference and Exposition, held this year June 6-8 in Seattle.

 

“Melinda Montgomery’s work at Trenton-Mercer Airport has never been contained by a perimeter fence,” said Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes. “She eagerly shares her enthusiasm about our airport and the industry in general, and I heartily congratulate her on being recognized by her peers for her leadership with young professionals in the field of airport management.”

 

At the conference, Ms. Montgomery, of Hamilton Township, passed the gavel after completing her term as president of the Northeast Chapter of AAAE, and was named to the organization’s Board of Directors. Additionally, she sits on the AAAE Policy Review Council.

 

Photo: Melinda Montgomery, seventh from left, with members of the AAAE Young Professionals Committee at the 94th Annual Conference.

 

Founded in 1928, AAAE is the world’s largest airport professional organization representing individuals who work at public-use commercial and general aviation airports.

 

Trenton-Mercer Airport, which celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2019, serves as a valuable transportation hub and economic engine for the entire region. As airport manager, Ms. Montgomery directs, plans, manages and organizes the daily operations of the airside, landside and terminal operations of the county-owned facility, one of three commercial airports in New Jersey.

 

Located in Ewing Township, the airport is home to commercial air carrier service connecting nearly 1 million customers each year to an array of destinations. More than 20 aviation tenants including the aviation units of a number of Fortune 500 companies, the New Jersey State Police and the New Jersey National Guard, and two general aviation service facilities also are located at Trenton-Mercer.