Category: Local News

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D&R Greenway Land Trust announces dates for in-person Spring 2023 Native Plant Sale

PRINCETON, N.J. — D&R Greenway announces over fifty species of healthy local plants are ready for purchase at their annual Native Plant Sale sales taking place this spring in April. The Nursery is on the grounds of D&R Greenway’s Conservation Campus at the Johnson Education Center, One Preservation Place, [off Rosedale Road] Princeton, NJ 08540.

 

A bee collects pollen from an Echinecia (cone flower) plant

Planting natives enhances home gardens in natural beauty, attracts butterflies and birds in the landscape, and contributes to protection of a healthy bioregion.

 

Tina Notas, Director of Land Stewardship for D&R Greenway, remarks, “By adding locally-grown native plants to your garden, you’ll be rewarded with a melodious chorus of pollinators, including native birds. There are so many gorgeous native plants to choose from that will benefit wildlife and support our ecosystem.”

 

D&R Greenway’s comprehensive online catalog for review provides thorough plant descriptions, and pro-tips from D&R Greenway’s experienced Stewardship team. The catalog clearly addresses specific home garden conditions, such as filtered sun and varying soil conditions.

 

Possibilities include “Wildflowers, Herbaceous Shrubs, Trees, Ferns and even Grasses” as well as popular Cardinal flower, Purple Coneflower, Winterberry Holly, Blueberry, and Oaks.   https://drgreenway.org/shop/native-plants/

 

D&R Greenway’s native trees, shrubs, perennial wildflowers, grasses, and ferns are grown either on-site or purchased from reputable local native-plant growers. Native Plant Nursery specimens are grown from locally sourced starter plants, and are free of harmful nicotinoid insecticides. Planting natives that evolved locally requires less maintenance, in terms of fertilizer, water and pesticides.

 

The sale dates are: Thursday, April 20, 12:00 – 4:00 pm; Friday, April 21, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm; and EARTH DAY: Saturday, April 22, 9:00 am – 11:30 pm. Native Plant Sale proceeds support D&R Greenway’s preservation and stewardship mission. www.drgreenway.org.

 

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About D&R Greenway Land Trust:

D&R Greenway Land Trust is an accredited nonprofit that has reached a new milestone of over 22,000 acres of land preserved throughout central New Jersey since 1989 and 44 miles of trails.

 

By protecting land in perpetuity and creating public trails, it gives everyone the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors. The land trust’s preserved farms and community gardens provide local organic food for residents of the region—including those most in need. Through strategic land conservation and stewardship, D&R Greenway combats climate change, protects birds and wildlife, and ensures clean drinking water for future generations. D&R Greenway’s mission is centered on connecting land with people from all walks of life.

 

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Culture Lifestyle Local News

Vote for your favorite piece of TrashedArt in contest at Lawrence MCL

One person’s trash is another person’s TrashedArt! Accepted entries in the Mercer County Library System’s 14th annual TrashedArt Contest, which celebrates Earth Day by encouraging patrons to turn ordinary trash into extraordinary art, are on display through April at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch.

 

Patrons can view photographs of the artwork and vote for the “People’s Choice” awards in person at each of the nine library branches and virtually on the MCLS website at www.mcl.org. Winners will be announced Tuesday, April 18, at 6:30 p.m. at the TrashedArt Contest Reception at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch, 2751 Brunswick Pike. Please register online for the TrashedArt Reception at www.mcl.org.

 

The photographs also will be used to create a virtual gallery that will be shared on the MCLS social media channels and website. To view past virtual galleries, visit the MCLS YouTube Channel (and search for “Virtual TrashedArt Reception Slideshow (2020),” “TrashedArt 2021 Virtual Contest Gallery,” and “TrashedArt Contest 2022 Gallery”).

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Culture Environment Local News Science

Mercer County Wildlife Center seeks volunteer support

The Mercer County Wildlife Center, a rehabilitation facility whose goal is to release wildlife back into the wild, will hold orientations for new volunteers Sunday, April 2, from 1 to 3 p.m. and Saturday, April 8, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Wildlife Center in Hopewell Township. 

 

Volunteers must be able to commit to one four-hour shift per week from April through September. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age and are required to attend one orientation session. Volunteer duties are varied and include enclosure cleaning, meal preparation, laundry and other miscellaneous tasks that help ensure the proper care and health of the Wildlife Center’s patients.

 

Those who are interested are required to attend only one of the two sessions. If you would like to attend, please email Kimberly Dawes, Volunteer Education Coordinator, at mcwcvolunteers@gmail.com. Pre-registration is required. These are the only orientations scheduled for the 2023 season.

 

The Wildlife Center, which is owned by the County of Mercer and operated by the Mercer County Park Commission, is located on Route 29 in Hopewell Township. For more information about the Wildlife Center or other Park Commission facilities, visit www.mercercounty.org/parks.

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Business Culture Healthcare Lifestyle Local News News Now! Programs & Events

As COVID-Era SNAP Benefits End, HelloFresh Increases Support to Help Those Facing Food Insecurity

  • 100,000 additional meals will be donated to food banks across the country
  • HelloFresh announces the temporary opening of an additional free Community Fresh Market in Colorado

 

NEW YORK — (BUSINESS WIRE) — HelloFresh, the world’s leading meal kit company and food solutions group, announced today an increase in their “Beyond the Box” program to support food banks as COVID-19 SNAP benefits have expired.

 

As part of its mission to support those facing food insecurity, the company pledges to provide 100,000 additional meals across a number of its brands – HelloFresh, Green Chef, and EveryPlate – this Spring to food banks and non-profit partners around the country – an extension to their existing donation programs.


The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides assistance to 41 million people suffering from food insecurity by providing them a monthly benefit to use on food purchases. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, as millions of people lost their jobs, SNAP benefits were temporarily increased to help low-income families. The supplemental benefits expired this February, as a signal that the pandemic is coming to an end. This month, the average SNAP household has seen at least $95 less in benefits, with some seeing a reduction of $250 or more.

 

“While an end to the pandemic is a welcome note, many families continue to face food insecurity, especially with record inflation contributing to higher food costs,” said Jeff Yorzyk, Senior Director of Sustainability for HelloFresh US. “Many people are turning to their local food banks to help fill the void – unfortunately some of which are not equipped for the influx. Our goal is to help our partners put healthy, nutritious food on the tables of as many Americans as possible in this time of need.”

 

HelloFresh is donating 100,000 extra meals, including meal kits, ready-to-heat dinners and nutritious sides to food banks including Table to Table in New Jersey, Second Helpings Atlanta in Georgia, Tarrant Area Food Bank in Texas and St. Mary’s Food Bank in Arizona. The company is also increasing support by adding a second temporary Community Fresh Market in Colorado. This farmer’s market style distribution, hosted by Denver-based hunger relief organization, We Don’t Waste, will be open bi-weekly from April through July, to whoever needs it and will provide a variety of fresh produce, proteins and dairy items at no cost.

 

“This is a critical time for our community. With the reduction of SNAP benefits on top of rising inflation for food, we’ve seen food insecurity increase and demand for our programs has skyrocketed. We’ve seen a 63% increase in attendance at the Community Fresh Markets from this time last year. And seniors, experiencing an even greater reduction in benefits, have nearly doubled in attendance,” said Arlan Preblud, Founder and Executive Director for We Don’t Waste. “We’re now providing food access to over 10,000 individuals each month through these markets. We Don’t Waste is really grateful to work with partners like HelloFresh. They are helping us provide consistent food access to help strengthen our community.”

 

Beyond the Box helps those in need

HelloFresh aims to change the way people eat, forever, inclusive of those facing food insecurity. Their US-based social impact program called Beyond the Box, focuses on reducing food waste and creating a more equitable food system for those in need.

 

The program consists of their “Meals with Meaning” initiative, launched in 2020, as a response to the pandemic and elevated rates of food insecurity. To date, Meals with Meaning has provided more than 4 million free meal kits to individuals in need, with each kit containing HelloFresh ingredients and step-by-step recipe cards to create home-cooked meals.

 

Through the remainder of the year, HelloFresh will increase their Meals With Meaning donations in Newark, New Jersey. In partnership with the City of Newark and food-rescue organization, Table to Table, this site represents the company’s first and largest Meals with Meaning program.

 

“More than 850,000 people in New Jersey depend on federal food assistance to sustain themselves or their families,” said Amiri Baraka, Jr., Chief of Staff for the City of Newark. “With inflation so high, individuals are struggling to put food on the table right now. We need to ensure that those who need help have access to it. We’re incredibly grateful for companies like HelloFresh who are partnering with us to fill this critical need.”

 

HelloFresh also continues to focus on its sustainability and social impact efforts by contributing nearly 19 million pounds of surplus food in the US in 2022, supporting more than 40 food banks and pantries across the country.

 

To learn more about HelloFresh’s Beyond the Box program, including Meals with Meaning, visit https://www.hellofresh.com.

 

About HelloFresh

HelloFresh is the world’s leading meal-kit company. Founded in Berlin in November 2011, the Company now operates across 18 international markets. In 2022, HelloFresh furthered their mission to “change the way people eat forever” by delivering more than 490 million meals to customers across the U.S. HelloFresh was voted the Most Trusted Meal Kit Delivery Service in America in 2021 and 2022 by Newsweek. HelloFresh has offices in New York, Chicago, and Boulder. For more information, visit www.hellofresh.com.

Contacts

Press

Abigail Dreher 860-922-4598
Associate Director, Corporate Communications prusa@hellofresh.com
HelloFresh US www.hellofresh.com

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Business Culture Government Lifestyle Local News News Now! Regulations & Security

Mercer County Exec. Brian M. Hughes announces that Moody’s Investors Service reaffirms Aa2 rating

Healthy score reflects confidence in county’s fiscal management, and saves taxpayers money

Citing the county’s conservative budgeting, strong governance and its growing and diverse economy, Moody’s Investors Service on Tuesday reaffirmed Mercer County’s global long term and short-term ratings at Aa2, County Executive Brian M. Hughes announced today.

 

 

“This news reflects Moody’s confidence in Mercer County’s ability to manage its finances,” said County Executive Hughes.

 

“This reaffirmation recognizes the county’s stable finances, shows businesses that Mercer County is a great place to grow, and cites our access to job centers.”

 

In announcing their decision, Moody’s analysts noted that Mercer County “is well positioned to continue its trend of satisfactory finances,” and that Mercer’s economy “has grown faster than the nation’s.”

 

The pandemic has only a limited impact on the county’s economy, and in December 2022, the unemployment rate was 2.5 percent, lower than state or national rates, according to Moody’s.

Mercer County has consistently held a solid credit rating. Higher bond ratings mean the county can borrow at lower interest rates and make the county’s bonds more attractive for investors, thus saving taxpayer money.

 

Also, yesterday, Moody’s Investors Service has assigned a Moody’s Investment Grade MIG 1 rating – the highest quality — to Mercer County’s $155.4 million Bond Anticipation Notes of 2023, Series A, stating the rationale for the rating “reflects the county’s strong underlying credit quality, reflected in its Aa2 stable issuer rating, and demonstrated history of market access.”

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Business Lifestyle Local News

Cenlar promotes Rene Gonzales to Chief Technology Officer

EWING, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Cenlar FSB, the nation’s leading mortgage loan subservicer, announced today that Rene Gonzales has been promoted to Chief Technology Officer.

Rene, a seasoned IT leader with significant experience in large mortgage servicing operations, joined Cenlar in 2018 and quickly assumed responsibility for IT infrastructure and operations. He has a proven track record with directing transformational efforts, managing programs and projects, improving operational efficiency and integrating, implementing and developing new solutions.

 

In his role as Chief Technology Officer, Rene is responsible for providing strategic technology leadership to Cenlar’s business units. Additionally, Rene also leads solution architecture and innovation initiatives, partners with leaders to leverage technology to generate value and help achieve Cenlar’s business objectives and strategy.

 

“I have worked closely with Rene on a variety of projects, and I have grown to respect his dedication, commitment to excellence, and his ability to quickly adapt to fast technological change,” said Chief Information Officer Steven Taylor. “I also respect his strong sense of value and his people-centered leadership style. I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate Rene on his work that proved his abilities. His demonstrated skills are what earned him the CTO role.”

 

During his tenure at Cenlar, Rene has provided technical direction and leadership for the new telephony platform implementation, the company’s cloud strategy and migration, and the rapid and successful shift to remote operations during the pandemic.

 

Prior to joining Cenlar, Rene held IT leadership positions at PHH Mortgage, Altisource, Ocwen Financial Corporation, Ally Financial, GMAC and JPMorgan. Rene also served honorably in the United States Army and the Army Reserves for 28 years, including mobilization tours supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Noble Eagle, retiring at the rank of Major.

 

“I look forward to being the CTO and continuing our efforts to deploy innovative technology that demonstrates value to the company and our clients and their homeowners,” said Rene.

 

About Cenlar FSB

Cenlar FSB is the nation’s leading subservicer, servicing loans in 50 states and its U.S. territories. Cenlar boasts a loyal and growing client base including banks, credit unions and mortgage bankers. Our employees, strategically located throughout the United States, are dedicated to customer satisfaction and teamwork that drives client solutions unparalleled in quality, flexibility and innovation. Headquartered in Ewing, NJ, Cenlar is industry rated and audited regularly by independent third parties.

 

For more information, visit www.cenlar.com.

Find us on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cenlar-fsb/

Contacts

Adrienne R. Kowalski
Corporate Communications Director

arkowalski@cenlar.com

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Culture Government Lifestyle Local News Regulations & Security

Mercer County to salute Vietnam War veterans March 29

TRENTON, N.J. — Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes invites the public to join the County in recognizing National Vietnam War Veterans Day on Wednesday.

 

Photo: The Mercer County Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Mercer County Park.

Presented by Mercer County Veteran Services, the event will take place at 11 a.m. at the Mercer County Office Park gym, 1440 Parkside Ave., Ewing.

 

“I encourage the community to come out and help us remember the service and sacrifice of our Vietnam War veterans,” Mr. Hughes said.

 

“We cannot forget the brave soldiers who served our country during that conflict.”

 

Mr. Hughes will give opening remarks at the event, and Dr. Gerald Novik, a U.S. Army Vietnam veteran, will serve as keynote speaker. The program also will include the traditional placement of a wreath and a salute to fallen soldiers by Marine Corps League Trenton Detachment #207.

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Culture Government Local News Politics

Women’s History Month features Barbara Boggs Sigmund, political trailblazer

Barbara Boggs Sigmund (1939-1990) was the first woman elected mayor of Princeton when she won the 1983 election.

 

During her term, Sigmund dealt with issues related to affordable housing and town development. She previously served on the Princeton Borough Council and the Mercer County Board of Freeholders where she held the position of president in 1979 and 1980.

 

Sigmund grew up in a politically-minded family. Her father, former Congressman Hale Boggs, was a Democrat from Louisiana. He died in a shocking 1972 plane crash in the midst of his term as House majority leader. Her mother Corinne Lindy Claiborne Boggs succeeded him in Congress. Before his death, Sigmund’s father served for 31 years and her mother carried on the family legacy for another 20 years.

 

In 1974, Sigmund joined the staff at the Center for the American Woman and Politics at the Eagleton Institute at Rutgers University. Princeton University honored her by establishing the 2001 Barbara Boggs Sigmund Symposium on Women and Poverty. Sigmund suffered from cancer for many years of her life and was widely known for her iconic eye patch.

 

Source: New Jersey Women’s History

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Government Lifestyle Local News Programs & Events Regulations & Security

County Clerk advises residents on home title scam, Property Alert Service

TRENTON, N.J. — Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello reminds County residents about home title theft that can occur when someone forges the deed to your property so that the title is no longer listed under your name.

This kind of theft usually coincides with identity fraud. Con artists often use a falsified or stolen identity to hide their involvement in the theft. Then, they create a fake document that transfers ownership of the property to their own name instead of the name of the valid owner. Some property owners are much more likely to fall victim to deed theft such as seniors, individuals with second homes, or identity-theft victims.

 

To ensure that one’s property is protected, Sollami Covello reminds residents to register for the County Clerk’s Property Alert Service to provide property owners with important alerts concerning their properties. The Property Alert Service is completely free and alerts Mercer County property owners when the Mercer County Clerk’s Office records a document affecting a specific property. Residents can sign up for the alert system by going to https://records.mercercounty.org/PropertyAlert/ and registering.

 

It should be noted that the Property Alert Service does not prevent fraudulent activity from occurring; it helps monitor activity and transactions on properties. 

 

Anyone who suspects fraudulent activity should contact authorities. Additionally, if a County resident feels they have been victimized by property fraud, they may call our County Clerk’s Property Alert Hotline at 609-989-6470.

 

For more information, please visit the Mercer County Clerk’s website at https://www.mercercounty.org/government/county-clerk or call the office’s main number at 609-989-6465.

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Government Lifestyle Local News Programs & Events

New program in Mercer County can assist homeowners with HECM reverse mortgages

TRENTON, N.J. — County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello would like to inform homeowners in Mercer County with Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM) about a new program from the federal government.

 

The HECM is a reverse mortgage loan insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) for borrowers who are at least 62 years old.

 

“As the County’s property recorder, I strive to keep residents informed of programs that exist to help them, especially when they may be under financial stress,” said County Clerk Sollami Covello.

 

This government-insured loan allows homeowners to convert their home equity into cash. HECM borrowers are a particularly vulnerable population and continue to experience difficulties due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. To remedy this, the federal government has taken significant steps to help facilitate economic recovery from the pandemic.

 

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which oversees the HECM program, recently announced a new repayment option that will provide protection for borrowers who have fallen behind on their property charges.

 

The Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) provides financial assistance to eligible homeowners who have suffered financial hardships during COVID-19.

 

Mortgagees may provide a borrower with a COVID-19 “HECM Property Charge Repayment Plan” if the borrower has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and is currently on a standard repayment plan. The maximum length of a repayment plan is 60 months. This 60-month time-period is not reduced by any time that a borrower utilized a standard HECM repayment plan.

 

For more information on this program, call the FHA Resource Center at 1-800-CALL-FHA, email answers@hud.gov or visit www.hud.gov/answers.

For more information on the services offered by the Office of the Mercer County Clerk, please visit the Mercer County Clerk’s website at https://www.mercercounty.org/government/county-clerk or call the office’s main number at 609-989-6465.