Two major November hurricanes slammed into the same part of Nicaraguan coast, laying waste to the Miskito village of Haulover. Faced with a future of intensifying storms, the residents must now consider whether to abandon their way of life by the ocean and move inland.
— NYT: Top Stories
Residents in nursing homes have been prioritized as among the first groups to get the vaccine.
— NYT: Top Stories
TRENTON, NJ — Luckily for residents who lived in the burnt out homes on Colonial Avenue, no one died last Sunday.
A big, devastating fire damaged five homes in the middle, right side of the block, and left homeowners and residents to find shelter in hotels and with families and friends.
Many lost their lives’ belongings and some said they do not want to return to the block even if their homes are repaired.
A resident said the fire started on the third floor of his mother’s home and that he believed it was due to electrical problems.
However, officials have not reported a sure cause.
Hamilton Township and the City of Trenton are offering free rabies clinics for dogs and cats, starting this weekend.
The clinics will start in Hamilton Saturday at 9 a.m. to noon, and in Trenton Mondays, Jan. 22nd and 29th at 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Pet owners are required to be residents of either city, and will have to prove residency with proper ID, and follow other rules, said township officials.
“In New Jersey, it’s mandatory for dogs to have these vaccines in order to receive a New Jersey dog license,” said Jeff Plunkett, Hamilton Township director of health.
Additionally, “if an animal has rabies and it’s not treated, it could be fatal,” he said. He also reminded that if a rabid animal bites a human being, there could also be human fatality as well.
New Jersey sponsors these free rabies clinics statewide, with Hamilton Twp. offering about five each year for about 40 years now.
In Trenton and Hamilton, pet owners should make sure their animals are muzzled, if they bark, on a leash, and cats need to be in carriers when they arrive at the clinics, said Officer Jose Munoz, chief of the Trenton Humane Law Enforcement Division and manager of the Trenton Animal Shelter.
Dogs and cat owners are to arrive at 72 Escher St., in Trenton, Monday morning, with proper ID and paperwork of previous vaccinations, if they wish to participate in the rabies clinics. If eligible, their pets will receive a three-year shot.
In Hamilton, pet owners who want their dogs and cats vaccinated should go to 320 Scully Ave. Saturday morning, with proper ID, and adhere to the safety precautions for their animals.
The animals should be 6 months, or older.
Hamilton Twp. expects around 300-350 pet owners to participate this weekend.
Plunkett said it has always been a free clinic and it is economically helpful to residents.
Kathryn Gist of Trenton, who is owner of an 8-year-old Boston Terrier said, “I might check it out. That’s a good thing because sometimes I might not have the money, but my dog already has a doctor.”
Plunkett advises that these rabies vaccines protect the dogs and other animals and the humans they interact with in our communities.
WEST WINDSOR, N.J. — Local officials and the Tennis Center in Mercer County Park welcomed the unique sport of pickleball to four new ‘’pickleball only’’ courts during a ceremonial ribbon cutting Nov. 17. 
– Provided photo
The Mercer County Park Commission, County Executive Brian M. Hughes, joined by other local officials such as Freeholders John Cimino and Pat Colavita, and East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov cut the ribbon to open the new courts in the park.
“Pickleball has become increasingly popular throughout the country, and we’re pleased that people can now enjoy the game on regulation courts right here at the Mercer County Tennis Center,” said Hughes.
Pickleball is a lively racket sport that combines elements of tennis, ping-pong, and badminton. Two, three or four individuals play the game using paddles made of wood or composite materials to hit a perforated plastic ball, similar to a wiffle ball, over a net.
“The great thing about pickleball is that it’s easy to learn and can be played by people of all ages,” said Hughes.
A pickleball court is similar to the overall size of a badminton court, which is 20 feet by 44 feet for both singles and doubles play. However, the net is lowered 36 inches on the ends and 34 inches in the middle. There is also a 7-foot no-volley zone on each side of the net to prevent “spiking.” 
– Provided photo
By comparison, a regulation tennis court is 27 feet by 78 feet for singles, and 36 feet wide for doubles.
In any event, pickleball players serve the ball diagonally, starting at the right-hand service square. Only the side that serves can score points. The player continues to serve the ball alternating service courts until he or she faults. The first side scoring 11 points and leading by at least two points wins the game.
The fee to play pickleball at Mercer County Park is the same as playing tennis. Mercer County adult residents may purchase a 2018 tennis/pickleball ID card for $70. The rate for Mercer County juniors/seniors is $35 for the year. And, the non-resident ID card costs $105.
However, if players need light on the courts to play after daylight hours, there is an additional $2 cost. Also, if players decide not to purchase the yearly ID card, the cost is $7 per person each time they play.
Pickleball court times runs for 90 minutes per game. Players may reserve a court three days in advance with their ID cards.
The 2018 ID card is available for purchase at https://register.communitypass.net/mercer.
TRENTON, N.J. — Early Saturday afternoon, the Mill Hill District section of downtown Trenton experienced more than an hour of power outage that inconvenienced residents and businesses in the area.
– Photo by Michelle Dryden
Shortly after Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G) electricians arrived on the scene, they discovered that the cause of the outage were the party balloons made of aluminum-like materials that were hanging on the wires along Market Street between South Broad and Jackson streets. 
A PSE&G workman explained that the materials the balloons are made of, ignited with the electricity in the power wires and caused the loud explosion that the folks in the neighborhood heard at the moment of the power outage.
One resident commented that she now realizes how much she is attached to her television and computer because she really wanted the power back on so she can get back to them.
The electricians quickly restored electric service to the neighborhood after removing the balloons from the power lines and then turning back on the power fuse.
The Old Mill Hill Society, (OMHS), a group that plans Trenton’s historic Mill Hill District annual Garden Tour, hopes to raise money from the garden tours to help fund the OMHS Grant Program.
This program “helps residents keep their homes up to historic standards,” said Kari Brookhouse, president of OMHS.
The 22nd annual Mill Hill Garden Tour is scheduled for June 8, 2013 from noon to 5 p.m. Residents of Mill Hill volunteer to have their gardens open so that visitors can see them. This year’s garden tour theme is “Urban Farming.” Therefore, visitors will see a variety of gardens that will include vegetables and flowers.
“It is a very fun event, brings the community together, promotes the City and the neighborhood and raises money for the grant program,” said Brookhouse.
Please visit the Mill Hill section of Trenton to see our beautiful gardens. For more information, click on the following link: http://www.trentonmillhill.org/events-garden.html.
Mill Hill Garden Tour from Michelle Dryden on Vimeo.
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 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.
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.