Category: Culture

Ethnic cultures as newsmakers

Categories
Culture Lifestyle Local News Travel & Leisure

US Transportation Secretary tours Trenton-Mercer Airport

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently joined Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes, and other County and local officials for a tour of Trenton-Mercer Airport that enabled Secretary Buttigieg to see firsthand why the County is seeking federal funding to support its efforts to replace the airport’s antiquated, undersized passenger terminal as well as the air traffic control tower.

Photo: April 12 tour of Trenton-Mercer Airport. From left: U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Airport Manager Melinda Montgomery, Deputy Administrator Aaron T. Watson, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann (behind Ms. Watson Coleman) and County Executive Brian M. Hughes.

 

Mercer County received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval last year to move forward with the design and construction of a new terminal that will better accommodate current airport users as well as future growth.

 

“I thank Congresswoman Watson Coleman and her staff for arranging Secretary Buttigieg’s visit and the tour led by Airport Manager Melinda Montgomery and Deputy Administrator Aaron T. Watson, who oversees the airport,” Mr. Hughes said.

 

 

“Our federal and state representatives, along with our County Commissioners, Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann and other local leaders, have been extremely supportive of Trenton-Mercer airport as it has evolved into a premier travel hub and economic engine both for the County and the region.”

Categories
Culture Local Events

Mercer celebrates Asian-Pacific Heritage Month

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month – a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States.

A rather broad term, Asian/Pacific encompasses all of the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia (New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands), Micronesia (Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia) and Polynesia (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island).

 

The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. Chinese immigrants were the most workers who laid the tracks.

MERCER COUNTY is home to many who self-identify as Asian or Pacific Islander. Yet, theirs and their ancestors’ rich heritage, stories and contributions are often overlooked. During Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, I encourage everyone to fully engage with Mercer County’s diverse communities to learn about each other, to promote acceptance and inclusion, and to work together to advance education, tolerance, and love for one another. Below you’ll find a calendar of events to start you on your journey.

~ Brian M. Hughes, Mercer County Executive

 

Panel: AAPI Curriculum, One Year Later

Tuesday, May 2, 7 to 8 p.m.; Virtual via Zoom, Princeton Public Library.Panelists give an update about implementation of New Jersey’s AAPI curriculum mandate, AAPI curriculum professional development opportunities, and tips on educational advocacy. Register

Ukulele and Polynesian Dancers

Thursday, May 11, 3 to 4:30 p.m., Mercer County Library Lawrence Headquarters Branch. 2751 Brunswick Pike. Lawrenceville, NJ 08648. 609-883-8292. Celebrate Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. Listen to Ukulads and Ukuladies Band of New Jersey play traditional songs and enjoy the performance of the Tehani Mid-East and Polynesian Dance troupe. Registration appreciated.

 

“A Hyphenated Spirit,” Ethnic Prejudice and Japanese American Incarceration during WWII

Monday, May 22, 7 p.m., virtual, Mercer County Library System

. A 1983 Congressional Blue-Ribbon Commission declared that the incarceration of Japanese American citizens during the Pacific War (Executive Order 9066, issued by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1942) had been a “grave injustice” caused by “race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.” Indeed, this dark chapter of American history resulted in the relocation of 117,000 people including 70,000 US Citizens, based solely on their ethnic heritage.  This talk will investigate the history behind why the US population in 1942 was willing to accept that individuals of Japanese descent had a “hyphenated spirit” and, therefore, should be denied their civil rights. Ultimately, we will interrogate the specter of the landmark, ethnically-based Executive Order 9066 to understand how it still haunts contemporary US politics. Presented by Dr. Anne Giblin Gedacht, Assistant Professor of History at Seton Hall University. Please email hopeprogs@mcl.org to register to receive link to program. Registration is required.

 

Amplifying Asian American and Pacific Islander History

Tuesday, May 23, 7 to 8 p.m. Princeton Public Library – Community Room. In this session, participants will explore the influences and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in U.S. History from the 19th through mid-20th centuries.

 

Film and Q&A: “Who Killed Vincent Chin?”

Tuesday, May 30, 6 to 8:30 p.m.; Princeton Public Library – Community Room. A screening of the award-winning 1987 documentary is followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Christine Choy.

Categories
Culture Government Local News Politics Programs & Events

County Clerk says to look for the arrival of Vote by Mail ballots, now

TRENTON, N.J. — Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello announces that the County has begun to mail out Vote by Mail ballots for the upcoming June 6 Primary Election, to voters.

 

For those wishing to apply to vote by mail, applications are to be returned to the County Clerk’s office, located at 209 South Broad Street, 2nd floor, Trenton, no later than May 30. Applications can be found online NJ DOS – Division of Elections – Vote-By-Mail (state.nj.us)

 

The deadline for voters that wish to drop off their vote by mail ballot in person, at the Clerk’s office, is June 5, at 3 p.m. The County Clerk cannot accept faxed or emailed copies of an application for a vote by mail ballot unless you are a military or overseas voter, since an original signature is required. To request an absentee ballot, click NJ DOS – Division of Elections – Vote-By-Mail (state.nj.us).

 

Voted ballots for the June 6 primary may be returned to any drop box location within Mercer County by 8 p.m. on June 6. They may also be returned to the Mercer County Board of Elections, located at 930 Spruce Street, Trenton, by that same deadline. You can track your ballot here, NJ DOS – Division of Elections – Track My Ballot (state.nj.us).

 

Early voting will be held from June 2 to June 4, Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Early voting locations can be found Elections | Mercer County, NJ.

 

For more information, visit the Clerk’s election page, New Jersey Department of State – Division of Elections – NJ Voter Information Portal, or call Sue Hansen at 609-989-6495.

Categories
Culture Environment Lifestyle Local News Programs & Events Science

Mercer County Park Commission celebrates Earth Day, Arbor Day by planting trees

Green industry organizations and professionals celebrate Arbor Day Friday, April 28 with the collaborating event of planting of 20 “Jersey Grown” native trees by the Mercer County Park Commission – John A. Roebling Memorial Park at the Hamilton-Trenton border.

Photo: A group from ISLES Climate Corps plant trees and shrubs at Mercer Meadows.

Volunteers will gather at the Spring Lake section of the park, off Sewell Avenue, at 10:30 a.m. to plant native trees appropriate for the site conditions.

The Park Commission looks forward to hosting the NJ Nursery and Landscape Association (NJNLA), The NJ Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture, Richard A. McCoy Horticultural Services LLC, the Northeast Organic Farming Association of NJ and the NJ Green Industry Council and thanks them for their generous donation of native trees.

A tree planting demonstration will be given by McCoy Horticultural Services as part of the volunteer planting event.

The Park Commission’s Stewardship Department celebrated Earth Day by hosting volunteer groups to help plant native trees and shrubs last week.

Photo: Staff from First Trust Bank plants native trees and shrubs along the Lawrence -Hopewell Trail in Mercer Meadows

 

The volunteer groups included ISLES Climate Corps, First Bank staff from Lawrence Township, Students from the College of New Jersey, Tulpehaking Nature Center staff and New Jersey Watershed Ambassadors.

 

With the help of these generous organizations, over 600 native plants were installed at Mercer Meadows in Pennington, NJ. Over the course of three weeks, a total of 1,400 native shrubs and trees will be planted to replace invasive vegetation that was removed from Mercer Meadows.

 

The County thanks all the volunteers for their hard work!

Categories
Culture Farewell Services

The talented, well-known Jamaican-American singer, actor and activist Harry Belafonte died Tuesday

Harry Belafonte died Tuesday, April 25 in Manhattan, N.Y. He was 96.
Belafonte was an American singer, actor and activist, who popularized calypso music with international audiences in the 1950s.
He  is one of the few performers to have received an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony, although he won the Oscar in a non-competitive category, according to Wikipedia.
Belafonte was born: March 1, 1927, Harlem, New York, NY
He was married to: Pamela Frank (m. 2008), Julie Robinson (m. 1957–2008), Marguerite Belafonte (m. 1948–1957)
And is survived by his children: Shari Belafonte, David Belafonte, Adrienne Belafonte Biesemeyer, Gina Belafonte
Categories
Culture Government Local News Politics

Mercer County Clerk’s website now features sample ballots for upcoming Primary Election

TRENTON, N.J. — Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello is reminding Mercer County voters that sample ballots for the upcoming Primary Election on June 6 are now available for online viewing.

 

The sample ballots of Mercer County’s 12 municipalities can be accessed by visiting the Mercer County Clerk’s website at https://www.mercercounty.org/government/county-clerk/election-sample-ballots and are listed by municipality.

 

“As your County Clerk, I am charged with preparing Election ballots. I urge voters to go to our website and read their sample ballots carefully,” said Sollami Covello.

 

More information about sample ballots for the upcoming election or election-related information can be obtained by contacting Sue Hansen at 609-989-6495, or visiting our office at 209 South Broad St., 2nd floor, Trenton, during business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

 

For polling locations, please visit https://nj.gov/state/elections/vote-polling-location.shtml. Also, get additional election information by visiting our website at this link: http://www.mercercounty.org/government/county-clerk/elections.

Categories
Art & Life Business Culture Economics

B&G Foods announces date of first quarter 2023 earnings conference call

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — B&G Foods, Inc. (NYSE: BGS) announced today that it intends to issue a press release with first quarter 2023 financial results after the market close on Thursday, May 4, 2023.

 

B&G Foods has scheduled a conference call at 4:30 p.m. ET that same day to discuss the results. Hosting the call will be Casey Keller, President and Chief Executive Officer and Bruce Wacha, Executive Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer.

 

The earnings press release and live audio webcast of the conference call can be accessed at www.bgfoods.com/investor-relations. A replay of the webcast will be available following the conference call through the same link.

 

About B&G Foods, Inc.

Based in Parsippany, New Jersey, B&G Foods and its subsidiaries manufacture, sell and distribute high-quality, branded shelf-stable and frozen foods across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. With B&G Foods’ diverse portfolio of more than 50 brands you know and love, including B&G, B&M, Bear Creek, Cream of Wheat, Crisco, Dash, Green Giant, Las Palmas, Le Sueur, Mama Mary’s, Maple Grove Farms, New York Style, Ortega, Polaner, Spice Islands and Victoria, there’s a little something for everyone. For more information about B&G Foods and its brands, please visit www.bgfoods.com.

Contacts

Investor Relations:

ICR, Inc.

Dara Dierks

866.211.8151

Media Relations:

ICR, Inc.

Matt Lindberg

203.682.8214

Categories
Culture Lifestyle Local News Programs & Events Sports & Gaming Travel & Leisure Weather & Environment

Mercer County Park Commission plans their ‘Come Out and Play’ for an overnight in May at Rosedale Park!

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, N.J. — The campfire will be crackling, children will be laughing and stars will be visible in the night sky during the Mercer County Park Commission’s Come Out and Play Campout scheduled for Saturday, May 20 to Sunday, May 21, weather permitting.

 

Families will be able to spend the night at Rosedale Park and experience the park like never before. The Come Out and Play Campout is designed to provide a unique summer experience. Cost for in-county residents is $25 per person; out-of-county residents, $35 per person.

 

Join us for naturalist-led stargazing and nighttime games. There will also be live music, roasting hot dogs and s’mores by the campfire. Wrap up the event the next morning by enjoying a complimentary breakfast, an early bird-walk or family craft before heading home. Registration opens Monday, May 1.

 

Registration is open to individuals and families with children ages 6 and over. Children under 18 years old will not be permitted to attend without a registered adult. Pets and alcohol are not allowed.

Register on Community Pass at http://register.communitypass.net/mercer

For more information, email natureprograms@mercercounty.org or call (609) 888-3218.

Categories
Art & Life Business Culture Lifestyle Sports & Gaming

Great Clips ® launches Show Your Flow campaign, asking NHL® fans to share their unique hockey hair flows

Six Fans Will Be Selected and Enshrined in the First-Ever Virtual Hockey Hair Hall of Fame

NHL All-Star Jack Hughes, Canadian Hockey Star Sarah Nurse and Social Media Influencers to Help Select Inaugural Class

 

MINNEAPOLIS — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Great Clips, the Official Hair Salon of the NHL, today launched the Show Your Flow campaign, which encourages fans to share photos and videos that put a spotlight on their unique and individual Hockey Hair styles.


From April 17 to May 7, fans can share a photo or video of their Hockey Hair on social media or through www.GreatClips.com/HockeyHair. On Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, fans must post a photo or video that best showcases their Hockey Hair, include the hashtags #ShowYourFlow and #Contest, tag @GreatClips as part of their post and follow the brand on their respective channels. To enter on Facebook, fans must comment on the entry post on the brand’s U.S. or Canada pages with a video or photo showing their Hockey Hair, include the hashtags #ShowYourFlow and #Contest and follow the brand. For complete contest and sweepstakes rules and information, click here.

 

For three straight weeks, one fan that has submitted content on social media or via the campaign website will be randomly selected each week to receive a $100 USD Great Clips gift card and a $100 USD NHLShop.com gift card (or equivalent value in CAD).

 

From all the submissions, Great Clips, Inc. and a panel of judges will select six inaugural members to be enshrined into a virtual Hockey Hair Hall of Fame. The six inductees will receive free haircuts for a year and signed memorabilia from NHL All-Star Jack Hughes and will be featured on Great Clips social and online channels. The inductee with the highest score by judges will receive a Grand Prize package that includes a trip to Nashville to attend the 2023 NHL Awards. The prize package includes two tickets to the NHL Awards, roundtrip airfare, hotel accommodations and $300 for food and local transportation.

 

Great Clips, Inc. and the judges will score the six members of the Hockey Hair Hall of Fame based on the following criteria:

  • Creativity and originality, showing how their Hockey Hair is unique to them, their fandom and their personality (45%)
  • Demonstrating their passion for hockey and Hockey Hair and how that passion enhances their fandom (35%)
  • Overall quality and appeal of the content (20%)

 

Members of the Hockey Hair Hall of Fame voting panel include two-time NHL All-Star and New Jersey Devils Center Jack Hughes, Canadian women’s hockey star Sarah Nurse, national talent show finalists and TV stars The Cline Twins, and hockey fan and influencer Jesse Pollock. Great Clips also partnered with popular influencers and professional dancers Cost n’ Mayor to choreograph a routine that flaunts their Hockey Hair and great moves. All influencers received haircuts from Great Clips stylists to get their Hockey Hair flows looking great for the 2023 Stanley Cup® Playoffs. To view a Show Your Flow compilation video, click here.

 

“Since 2019, Great Clips has celebrated the best Hockey Hair flows of NHL players past and present, but we know that great Hockey Hair goes beyond the pros,” said Lisa Hake, vice president of marketing and communications at Great Clips, Inc. “For the first time, Great Clips wanted to spotlight, memorialize, and reward fans for their unique and individual Hockey Hair flows through the Hockey Hair Hall of Fame. And, fans can visit their local Great Clips salons to achieve the Hockey Hair flows that fits them best.”

 

Great Clips will also have TV commercials running throughout the 2023 Stanley Cup® Playoffs featuring Jack Hughes and Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche). Great Clips collaborated with the NHLPA to secure NHL players featured in TV commercials. The brand also is featuring NHL-themed creative within its salons across the U.S. and Canada and in digital ads in a robust NHL media package.

 

To participate in the Show Your Flow campaign and for tips and tricks to rock great-looking Hockey Hair all season long, visit www.GreatClips.com/HockeyHair.

 

Great Clips is also the official hair salon of the NHL Players Association and the NHL Alumni Association.

 

About Great Clips, Inc.

Great Clips, Inc. was established in 1982 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Today, there are over 4,400 independently owned Great Clips® salons throughout the United States and Canada, making it the world’s largest salon brand. Great Clips is 100 percent franchised, and salons are owned locally by more than 700 franchisees across the U.S. and Canada. Great Clips® franchisees employ more than 25,000 stylists. Great Clips® franchised salons provide value-priced, high-quality haircare for men, women and children. Getting a great haircut at a Great Clips® salon is more convenient than ever with Online Check-In, ReadyNext® text alerts and Clip Notes®. To check in online, visit GreatClips.com or download the free app. For more information about Great Clips, Inc. or to find a salon location near you, visit GreatClips.com.

 

About the NHL

The National Hockey League (NHL®), founded in 1917, consists of 32 Member Clubs. Each team roster reflects the League’s international makeup with players from more than 20 countries represented, all vying for the most cherished and historic trophy in professional sports – the Stanley Cup®. Every year, the NHL entertains more than 670 million fans in-arena and through its partners on national television and radio; more than 191 million followers – league, team and player accounts combined – across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube; and more than 100 million fans online at NHL.com. The League broadcasts games in more than 160 countries and territories through its rightsholders including ESPN, WBD Sports and NHL Network in the U.S.; Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada; Viaplay in the Nordics, Baltics, and Poland; YLE in Finland; Nova in Czech Republic and Slovakia; Sky Sports and ProSieben in Germany; MySports in Switzerland; and CCTV5+ in China; and reaches fans worldwide with games available to stream in every country. Fans are engaged across the League’s digital assets on mobile devices via the free NHL® App; across nine social media platforms; on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio™; and on NHL.com, available in eight languages and featuring unprecedented access to player and team statistics as well as every regular-season and playoff game box score dating back to the League’s inception, powered by SAP. NHL Original Productions and NHL Studios produce compelling original programming featuring unprecedented access to players, coaches and League and team personnel for distribution across the NHL’s social and digital platforms.

 

The NHL is committed to building healthy and vibrant communities using the sport of hockey to celebrate fans of every race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status. The NHL’s Hockey Is For Everyone™ initiative reinforces that the official policy of the sport is one of inclusion on the ice, in locker rooms, boardrooms and stands. The NHL is expanding access and opportunity for people of all backgrounds and abilities to play hockey, fostering more inclusive environments and growing the game through a greater diversity of participants. To date, the NHL has invested more than $100 million in youth hockey and grassroots programs, with a commitment to invest an additional $5 million for diversity and inclusion programs over the next year.

 

About the National Hockey League Players’ Association

The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), established in 1967, is a labour organization whose members are the players in the National Hockey League (NHL). The NHLPA works on behalf of the players in varied disciplines such as labour relations, product licensing, marketing, international hockey and community relations, all in furtherance of its efforts to promote its members and the game of hockey. In 1999, the NHLPA launched the Goals & Dreams fund as a way for the players to give something back to the game they love. Over the past 22 years, more than 80,000 deserving children in 34 countries have benefited from the players’ donations of hockey equipment. NHLPA Goals & Dreams has donated more than $25 million to grassroots hockey programs, making it the largest program of its kind. For more information on the NHLPA, please visit www.nhlpa.com.

NHLPA, National Hockey League Players’ Association and the NHLPA logo are registered trademarks of the NHLPA and are used under license. © NHLPA. All Rights Reserved.

 

About the NHL Alumni Association

The NHL Alumni Association (NHLAA), established in 1999, is an organization devoted to bettering the lives of all former NHL players and their families. The NHLAA exemplifies this commitment to its members in many different ways, including financial assistance, mental and emotional wellness support, physical care, post-playing career transition and family aid, all in furtherance of its efforts to ‘Honour the Past’. Since its inception, the NHLAA has become the largest membership of retired professional hockey players and focuses on making tomorrow better than today for all NHL Alumni throughout their journey. To learn more, and to view our latest news posts, please visit us at www.nhlalumni.com.

The Alumni logo is a trademark of the NHL Alumni Association. © NHL Alumni Association 2023. All Rights Reserved.

NHLPA, National Hockey League Players’ Association and the NHLPA logo are registered trademarks of the NHLPA and are used under license. © NHLPA. All Rights Reserved.​

Contacts

Beatrice Zvosec

952.746.6552

Beatrice.Zvosec@greatclips.com

Categories
Culture Government Programs & Events Regulations & Security

Cintas’ Fire Protection Division celebrates 20 years of impact

In two decades, Fire Protection has become a national leader in the industry

 

CINCINNATI — (BUSINESS WIRE) — $CTAS — The Cintas Corporation (Nasdaq: CTAS) Fire Protection Division, a national leader in fire sprinkler systems, fire alarms, fire suppression systems, extinguisher inspections, emergency signage and training, is celebrating 20 years of growth, leadership and success.


Cintas launched its Fire business in April 2003 as part of its then-combined First Aid, Safety and Fire Division. It began with a small acquisition in New Jersey and 24 employee-partners and has continued to grow since.

 

Tuesday, Cintas operates the Fire Protection division as a separate business unit1. It employs more than 2,500 employee-partners across the United States operating service locations, processing centers and dedicated support centers.

 

John Amann, President and COO of Cintas Fire Protection since 2016, is proud of the division’s important value proposition.

 

“We help our customers protect their most valuable assets: their people, their property and their businesses,” Amann said. “It’s a responsibility that we never take lightly.”

 

Cintas’ commitment to providing fire protection services has recently extended beyond its customers to support those who help people facing fire and fire-related emergencies.

 

The division’s relationship with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) includes philanthropic support for the families of those who have lost their lives in service of others during fire emergencies, as well as ongoing business support for its Prevent the Preventable program which provides education and resources to communities to help reduce fire and other hazards and help improve firefighter safety.

 

Cintas is a Chief Sponsor of the NFFF’s 9/11 Memorial Stair Climbs, its annual fundraising campaign that includes hundreds of events around the country that observe and remember the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, and raise money to support surviving family members of the fallen fire heroes. In the last two years, Cintas has helped raise more than $150,000 for the foundation.

 

“Our corporate culture is what sets us apart,” Amann said, “We aim to do things the right way, and we try to be a great community member. We service our customers with integrity, attention and care and we help our customers protect what’s most important to them. And we’re helping support the fire industry and its people and families who risk their lives to help others.”

 

As Cintas Fire Protection celebrates two decades of growth, success and leadership in the industry, its first two decades of success have set the stage for its future.

 

“The next 20 years of Cintas Fire Protection look even more exciting,” Amann said, “I can’t wait to see opportunities that will occur along the way.”

 

About Cintas Corporation

Cintas Corporation helps more than one million businesses of all types and sizes get Ready™ to open their doors with confidence every day by providing products and services that help keep their customers’ facilities and employees clean, safe, and looking their best. With offerings including uniforms, mats, mops, towels, restroom supplies, workplace water services, first aid and safety products, eye-wash stations, safety training, fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems and alarm service, Cintas helps customers get Ready for the Workday®. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas is a publicly held Fortune 500 company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CTAS and is a component of both the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and Nasdaq-100 Index.

 

1 In Cintas Corporation’s financial reporting, Fire Protection is reported under “All Other.”

Contacts

Lizz Summers, Cintas Director of Corporate Affairs, summerse2@cintas.com, 513-972-2859