Tag: Mercer County

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Local News

Signage highlights partnerships to connect Circuit Trails

PRINCETON, N.J. — With funding from the William Penn Foundation, D&R Greenway plans to develop

From left – D&R Greenway Land Trust President & CEO Linda Mead; Bordentown City Mayor James Lynch; Joel Dowshen of the Abbott Marshlands Council; and Kay Widmer, representing Friends of the Abbott Marshlands. All welcome the new sign at Bordentown Beach that signals community partnerships.
— Provided photo

more interpretive signage like the new one at Bordentown Beach that connects communities.

As part of its new “Community Conservation” initiative, D&R Greenway, Abbott Marshlands, and TravelStorys App will partner to connect the Greater Philadelphia and Greater Trenton Circuit Trails.

The connectivity of these trails will feature historical and educational signage along their paths. There will be about four new signs.

“D&R Greenway’s expertise lies in maximizing existing partnerships and building new partnerships at all levels – State Government, County Government, Municipal Government, corporations, community groups, nonprofit organizations and individuals,” says President and CEO Linda Mead.

D&R Greenway recognizes all the beneficiaries of land preservation, and so the new totem-designed signage at Bordentown Beach in the Abbott Marshlands lists collaborators of the effort.

The sign helps to promote the use of the Circuit Trails, Tulpehaking Nature Center, and the TravelStorys app.

“D&R Greenway has acted as the leader to bring all these groups together to understand the importance of connecting communities and merging resources to do so,” Mead says.

“The signage will also acknowledge the perseverance and volunteer work of key community people, those who ultimately protect and care for our watershed with boots on the ground,” she says.

For 25 years now, D&R Greenway has been working toward preservation and stewardship of the Abbott Marshlands. It has worked with Mercer and Burlington counties to make the Abbott Marshlands and the Circuit Trails the robust community assets they are today.

An oasis of natural beauty, the Abbott Marshlands is a unique urban wetland where osprey, marsh wrens, and many kinds of butterflies and dragonflies live. There are also the occasional beluga whale and harp seal.

Human visitors include students on field trips, hikers, cyclists, bird watchers, canoeists, kayakers, fishers, hunters, photographers and artists.

Folks along these trails can also enjoy the offerings at the Tulpehaking Nature Center created by D&R Greenway and N.J. Green Acres Program in partnership with Mercer County.

Along with 15 new signs and trail maps, the new TravelStorys app that was released in 2017 provide paddling and walking tours, enabling visitors to imagine journeying back in time.

This app allows them to navigate Crosswicks Creek in the Abbott Marshlands, visit the bluffs that witnessed Lenape Indian life, early English settlers and French royalty. App users can hear the sounds of a railroad, summer insects and the call of an osprey while learning about key events that shifted the course of American history.

Both the app and new signage along the regional network of hundreds of miles of multi-use trails, enhance community connections, and will soon add the Tulpehaking Nature Center, Abbott Marshlands and Lawrence-Hopewell Trail to the Circuit network.

The William Penn Foundation not only funds the new signage for the Circuit Trails, but it also funds the Alliance for Watershed Education, which is a group of 23 nature centers that bring educational programs to the public with a goal of protecting natural resources of the Delaware River Watershed. More than 15 million people get their drinking water from the Delaware River Watershed.

D&R Greenway Land Trust and the Tulpehaking Nature Center are members of the Alliance for Watershed Education.

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Local News

Black women’s group blesses families for Christmas

From left, NCNW President, Angela Battle presents toys to Liabron Martin, 12, in the middle, who is standing next to his mother at the right.
– Photo by Michelle Dryden

TRENTON, N.J. — Just in time for Christmas, The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) — Mercer Section, and Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church of Trenton, held a food and toy drive at the church Friday, with hopes to make the holidays happy for many families.

“We asked the pastor to identify 25 families that we can be a blessing to,” said Lossie Whitaker-Thornton, vice president of NCNW, Mercer Section.

Families with children were present to choose from many toys like dolls and trucks, and games that were on separate tabletops and labeled by age and gender.

They were also giving away 24 whole turkeys that weighed about 10-15 pounds each, a ham, and six chickens to three families.

Christmas bags packed with turkeys and the trimmings for families.
– Photo by Michelle Dryden

Thornton said the turkeys they were giving to families included all the trimmings such as cranberry sauce, apple cider, dinner rolls, cornbread, string beans, yams, and macaroni and cheese.

The NCNW, Mercer Section is a newly formed organization that’s a branch of the national organization. It was formed in January 2017, but became and official section in March. It held its installation service Sept. 30 at the Pines Manor in Edison. There are about 63 members.

“This is our first year at Mt. Zion A.M.E. We partnered with them,” said Thornton.

The pastor of Mt. Zion A.M.E., Rev. Frank Smart was happy to have the NCNW at his church.

“Because it’s a national council, it’s an honor to have them choose Mt. Zion from the many other churches in Trenton,” said Smart. “We see it as an honor. As far as the members, we always want to lend a helping hand, a supportive hand, and this is a time of the year that we’d like to do it.”

The NCNW, Mercer Section does many other community-based activities that have positive impact on families, children, and especially women of color.

Some member of NCNW, Mercer Section, at their food and toy drive at Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church in Trenton.
– Photo by Michelle Dryden

Since becoming a Mercer County organization, they have held a health fair in the summer, had financial literacy and entrepreneurship events, voter registration, and Pennington Day in May where businesses came out to support each other.

They have plans for upcoming events such as a Legacy Jazz Brunch in February at Mountain View Golf Club in Ewing, and they are looking into a scholarship luncheon for college students, said Rev. Dr. Angela Battle, President of NCNW, Mercer Section.

Educator and political leader, Mary McLeod Bethune founded the NCNW in 1935. It is a nonprofit membership organization comprised of 36 national African-American women’s organizations and more than 230 community and campus-based sections.

NCNW’s mission is to lead, empower and advocate for nearly three million women, their families and communities.

“We seek to harness the collective power of women of African descent, so that they may realize their full potential and create a just society that enhances the quality of life for all people,” their mission states.

For more information about NCNW, or the Jazz brunch, call (973) 634-1176, or e-mail lossielwt@aol.com.

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Education

For 100 years now, Trenton College Club awards scholarships to public high school girls

The Trenton College Club recently awarded these nine girls $9000 in scholarships awards at a ceremony at First Presbyterian Church in Hamilton. (Provided photo)

HAMILTON, N.J. — The Trenton College Club branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) recently awarded $9000 in scholarships to deserving high school girls during a ceremony at First Presbyterian Church in Hamilton.

Trenton College club is 106 years old and has been awarding scholarships since 1917. It is a local 50-members branch of the AAUW that has chapters all over New Jersey and is a national organization.

The President of Trenton College Club, Maggie Kramer, said they are invested in the education of Mercer County public schools’ female students because “it is the mission of the AAUW and we are the Trenton branch.”

The overall mission of the Trenton College Club branch and that of the AAUW state that it is interested in “advancing equality for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.”

This organization has grown in size and in giving over the last 106 years and has donated money to causes beyond education.

“In the last 10 years, we have given over $51,000 to the Kiwanis Club, $1,000 each year to Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK), $1,000 to the Salvation Army…,” stated Kramer.

While some of their charities and donations are available just by word-of-mouth, the Trenton College Club chapter reaches out to guidance counselors in all Mercer County public high schools to inform them of scholarship applications for their female seniors.

The Scholarship Committee Chairperson, Mary Margaret Murphy, said, “We get tremendous satisfaction in seeing the bright, engaged, focused and smart girls that the schools in Mercer County are turning out. They are focused on their goals and we are happy to award them these scholarships.”

Corresponding Secretary, Marilyn Silverman, said that at the award dinner, each girl stood up and thanked the Trenton College Club for their scholarships and “told us what she’s going to do with the money and how the money is going to help her achieve these goals.” She added, “they’ll be studying in very interesting fields such as accounting and medicine.”

The nine Mercer County high school female senior awardees were students from Hamilton West, Steinert, and Ewing High School. From Hamilton West were Ashley Gerstnicker, Victoria Blankenmiller, and Amanda Sensi; from Steinert were Nicole Bumbera, Danielle Standifer, and Sabrian Queval; and from Ewing High School were Olivia Czelusniak, Caroline Unger, and Chidiebube Nwadiobgu.

Categories
Local News

Re-opening route 1 jug handles, priority to Princeton-area residents

WEST WINDSOR, N.J. — A concerned resident appealed to Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders at their formal meeting last Thursday, to act on their behalf to re-open route 1 jug handles.

David C. Parris, curator of natural history for the State for New Jersey is a resident of Penns Neck Village near Route 1 in West Windsor, where there have been traffic troubles because DOT has closed jug handles to traffic. Photo by Michelle Dryden

David C. Parris, curator of natural history at the State of New Jersey, and resident of the troubled area, complained to the board that the citizens in the village of Penns Neck, a section of West Windsor Township, need relief from the chaotic traffic burden that the closing of the route 1 jugs handles has been causing them.

Parris said, “Our businesses are suffering.” He talked about “a community where we won’t have any businesses left soon.”

Parris is annoyed that the State Department of Transportation (DOT) closed two jug handles off the route 1 highway as a test or pilot to see if it would reduce traffic flow along the corridor.

Parris described his Penns Neck community as a rural, good, old-fashioned, right-angled street community with inner-circle businesses.  He said it is good if people are going to retire and continue to live there and walk to everything. But even then, there could be accidents for pedestrians, he warned.

He said that the AT&T business has been suffering, because of the bad driving habits of drivers through the community, who use their driveways. He said there have been like two accidents in a day.

He along with other residents and businesses, have been affected by these closures. Instead of the community, which is in the Princeton/West Windsor area, having less traffic, there is a build up and a lot of illegal turnings.

Parris complained that drivers “think they can drive through the intersection turn into their drive way and drive turn out the other driveway immediately be headed into Princeton as long as there is no traffic backup.”

Both the State and West Windsor Township have to invest in police presence in the area to curb the illegal driving activities.

Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders holds their formal meeting on Sept. 27, 2012. Photo by Michelle Dryden

The residents of the affected areas do not believe that their voicing their concerns individually is effective. Therefore, they have organized a group they hope to get DOT’s attention.

“Forming a citizens group called Smart Traffic Solutions, the residents are rallying against a DOT test program that has shut down the Route 1 jug handles at Washington Road and Harrison Street temporarily,” writes Bridget Clerkin at The Times of Trenton.