3-24 BC

Steve Benowitz, 78, longtime mayor and township champion

BY JOE EMANSKI AND SAMANTHA SCIARROTTA

Bordentown Township lost a dedicated public servant last month when Stephen Benowitz died on Feb. 10 at the age of 78.

Benowitz served as an elected member of the Bordentown Township Committee from 1979 to 1981 and from 2013 to 2023. He had been selected by his fellow committee members to serve as mayor every year from 2017 to 2023.

Benowitz had resigned from his role as mayor and committee member on Dec. 31, citing health concerns.

“The township has lost a remarkable man and a true giant of public service. Steve’s indelible legacy will forever be felt in Bordentown Township.

On behalf of the Township Committee, I offer the most sincere condolences to Steve’s wife, Ellen Benowitz, and his entire family,” Bordentown Mayor Eugene M. Fuzy said in a Feb. 12 statement released by the township.

“There is so much to say about Steve’s love of public service, love of Bordentown, and love for everyone who worked for the betterment of

the township. He will be truly missed,” Fuzy said.

Benowitz was born in Philadelphia in March 1945. He moved with his family to Roosevelt, a small community in Monmouth County, graduating from Hightstown High School.

His father, Bernard, was as a salesman and his mother, Frances, worked at Bamberger’s in the Princeton Shopping Center where McCaffrey’s is now. Benowitz himself worked part time in the menswear department.

Roosevelt’s population when he was a kid, he said, was around 750 people. Benowitz remembered seeing Eleanor Roosevelt speak when she attended a school dedication to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and he said the town was a haven for artists like Ben Shahn, who had a studio with a frog pond where Benowitz and his friends would play in grade school.

Benowitz went on the get an associate’s degree in liberal arts from Trenton Junior College, now Mercer County Community College. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history at Rider University and a master’s in special education from Trenton

See BENOWITZ, Page 14

African-American Sites Tour gets fresh

Jersey

Bordentown’s county bowling championship a true team effort

BY JUSTIN FEIL

Anmol Sidhu spent the fall juggling soccer, marching band and Madagascar: A Musical Adventure, but this winter turned his focus solely to bowling.

It has paid off for the Bordentown Regional High School senior who made an enormous jump in one year to put himself

in position to help the Scotties earn the Burlington County Scholastic League Tournament championship on Feb. 1.

“There was a little bit of pressure because we talked as a team that we wanted to take that home,” said Sidhu. “We came so close last year. The year before we did well too. But we weren’t able to take it home. As a team, we talked about how much we

wanted that win. I wanted to step up for my team and put up a good game and a good series.”

Sidhu had the top boys series at Laurel Lanes of 660, including a career-best 246 in Game 3. Right behind him was junior Lucien Carr with a second-best 654 series and a 240 high game. Bordentown finished with 2,910 pins to blow away Westhampton

See BOWLING, Page 16

A site highlighted in the newly updated Burlington County African American Historic Sites Tour Guide is the New

Manual Training and Industrial School in Bordentown. The state-supported co-ed boarding school for Black secondary-level students was nicknamed “The Tuskegee of the North.” For more information, turn to page 11.

RWJUH Hamilton March Healthy Living / Community Education Programs

SUPPORT GROUPS

CARING FOR LOVED ONES WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS

Monday, Mar. 4 & 18; 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

SWEET SUCCESS SOCIETY: A DIABETES GROUP

Monday, Mar. 4; 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Monday, Mar. 11; 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

ADULT CHILDREN CARING FOR PARENTS

Monday, Mar. 4 & 18; 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m GOT STRESS?

Wednesday, Mar. 6; 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP

Wednesday, Mar. 6; 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. GRIEF & LOSS SUPPORT GROUP

Thursday, Mar. 7 & 21; 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. WHAT’S EATING YOU?

Monday, Mar. 11; 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

LETTING GO OF CLUTTER

Tuesday, Mar. 12; 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

BARIATRIC WEIGHT LOSS SUPPORT GROUP

Tuesday, Mar. 12; 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

PREDIABETES CONNECT GROUP

Tuesday, Mar. 19; 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP

Wednesday, Mar. 20; 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

WISE WOMEN

Thursday, Mar. 28; 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

KIDS IN THE KITCHEN: NATIONAL NUTRITION

MONTH

Thursday, Mar. 7; 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

The theme for National Nutrition Month is “Beyond the Table”. Let’s learn how to make healthy choices now to maintain health for a lifetime! Empower kids with culinary skills and nutrition knowledge to become their healthiest selves! For children 5 years and older. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Taryn Krietzman, RDN. Fee: $5 per person

DANCE IT OUT!

Monday, Mar. 11; 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Never miss a chance to move and let all your worries go. Dance the stress away by grooving head-to-toe. All ages welcome, no experience required.

MEMORY SCREENING

Tuesday, Mar. 12; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Are you concerned about “senior moments’? The Mini-Mental State exam is a quick assessment to discern normal aging versus potential problems. In addition, you will learn ways to improve your memory. Must arrive 15-30 minutes early to receive the exam.

HOPE FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE SERIES, BRUNCH AND LEARN

Wednesday, Mar. 13; 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Our Monthly Health Focus features our “Hope for a Bright Future Series” designed to empower you with tips on prevention, early detection, and advancements in cancer treatments. Early detection can improve outcomes. Join our conversation on colorectal

*Registration and free Membership required to attend the Better Health Programs

cancer that will be both engaging and informative. Our panel will include Meera Yogarajah, MD, Maulik D. Shah, DO, Rachel Perez, Gastrointestinal Patient Navigator

TAKE HOME COLO-RECTAL KIT

Thursday, Mar. 14; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Participants will attend a lecture about colon health, and receive a stool sample kit to take at home and mail back.

BUILDING OUR CAPACITY TO TALK ABOUT RACE

Monday, Mar. 18; 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Do you ever find yourself walking on eggshells, having heated arguments or not knowing what to say about topics related to race, racism, DEI, antiracism or white privilege? Let’s unpack some of these ideas, practice mindfulness and build our capacity to have courageous and embodied conversations that help build a healthier, more connected community. Nathalie Edmond, PsyD, RYT-500, Licensed Clinical Psychologist.

UNDERSTANDING MEMORY LOSS

Tuesday, Mar. 19; 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Many people worry about experiencing memory loss as they age. Memory loss is not a normal part of aging. Although most people have heard of Alzheimer’s, many do not know that other diseases that affect memory. Join us to learn about diseases that affect memory as well as the best strategies for diagnosing, treating, supporting brain health and improving quality of life. Presented by COPSA-Institute

YOGA CLASSES

Tuesday, Mar. 5 & 12; 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Krystal Loughlin, certified RYT will be leading this gentle yoga class using traditional postures, and breathing techniques offering modification of the poses for your body so that you can confidently participate. Beginners welcome. Must Register.

MEDITATION CLASSES

Tuesday; Mar.5 & 12; 11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

Krystal Loughlin will lead this meditation class focusing on reducing stress and bringing inner peace. See how you can easily learn to practice meditation whenever you need it most. Beginner’s welcome.

NEW - CHAIR YOGA

Tuesday, Mar. 5 & 12; 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Krystal Loughlin, certified RYT, is introducing Chair Yoga to our Better Health Program. Using a chair for seated poses and also for balancing

poses, this class is perfect for those who haven’t moved their bodies for a while, recovering from an injury or have mobility/balancing difficulties. A great place to start practicing yoga to help boost your flexibility, find inner peace, unwind and stretch. Many options are given to customize the practice for YOU!

A SENIOR SOCIAL GROUP

Wednesday, Mar. 6, 20 & 27; 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Wednesday, Mar. 13; 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Please join us for our ongoing program “A Senior Social Group,” gathering in a collaborative setting to exchange thoughts, feelings and experiences amongst peers. This is a safe-zone designed to be welcoming and understanding of all attendees while exploring this season of our lives – the ups and the challenges. This is a weekly program. Please feel free to attend one or all.

for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION FOR BEGINNERS

Wednesday, Mar. 20; 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m

Calm your anxious mind and tense body with the relaxing and healing practice of Mindfulness Meditation. No experience necessary. Patti McDougall, BSN, Integrative Therapies Nurse, RWJUH Hamilton, Community Health.

HEALTHRYTHMS® DRUM CIRCLE

Wednesday, Mar. 20; 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Drum your cares away with our monthly Drum Circle. It’s lots of fun and a great stress reliever. Beginners welcome, drums will be provided. Mauri Tyler, CTRS,CMP $15 OSTEOPOROSIS SCREENING

Thursday, Mar. 21; 10:00 a.m.– 12:00 p.m. Ultrasound of the heel and personalized information.

WHY ARE MY EARS RINGING? - A NEW APPROACH TO TINNITUS MANAGEMENT

Wednesday, Mar. 27; 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m

While tinnitus is a fairly common problem, there are many effective methods to treat and alleviate tinnitus. Join Lorraine Sgarlato, Au.D. to learn about the latest in treatment options.

DR. ALI HOSTS A “JEOPARDY PARTY”

LUNCH AND LEARN

Thursday, Mar. 7; 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

A new Jeopardy focused on Innovations in Medicine. Tables will compete as teams as we test your knowledge. Don’t panic, this will be fun and interactive and there will even be prizes along with lunch.

NUTRITION, THE MEDITERRANEAN WAY

Thursday, Mar. 14th; 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Ever encounter a memorable and mouthwatering description of food in a book? Join us as we Greek-out over some seriously delicious literary eats and how they fit into a healthful Mediterranean dietary pattern. Enjoy being a studioaudience member as Taryn Krietzman, RDN does a live taping of this program for virtual at-home viewers.

TAI CHI CLASSES

Thursday, Mar. 21 & 28; 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

REIKI SHARE

Wednesday, Mar. 27; 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. For folks who have been Reiki certified (at any level) to come share the gift with fellow practitioners. Give a session, get a session. Please bring a sheet and small pillow.

COLOR ME HOOPY: HOOLAHOOPING FOR FUN & FITNESS!

Thursday, Mar. 28; 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m

If you think you can’t hoola-hoop, you are mistaken! This class is so much fun that you don’t even realize that you are working out! It’s much easier with an “adult sized” hoop, provided at the class. No experience necessary. Angela Reitter, Certified HoopLove Coach and Hoola-Fit Instructor. $15

DINNER WITH A DOCTOR: OPTIMIZING MEN’S HEALTH AT ANY AGE

Thursday, Mar. 28; 6:00 p.m. -7:30 p.m.

Deep Trivedi, MD, of New Jersey Urology in Lawrenceville will hold an open dialogue about integrative approaches and best-life discussions pertaining to lifestyle, diet, and supplementation relating to men. Additional focus will also include the latest developments in anti-aging and health span improvements. Dinner will be provided.

*All programs require registration and are held at the RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Rd., Hamilton, NJ, unless otherwise noted.

GROUNDS FOR SCULPTURE PUZZLING PAINTING

How does one piece of the big picture contribute to the greater whole? In this relaxed group painting workshop, each participant receives one portion of a larger image to paint onto a canvas using their choice of style and color. The finished canvases are then assembled together to reveal the collective artwork made by the group. This activity demonstrates how connections are made and individual perceptions can be seen in new ways.

Date: Wednesday, March 20, 2024; 1 to 2:30

EXCLUSIVE* (see details below)

*EXCLUSIVE to any Better Health Member who will be a first-time participant attending a Grounds for Sculpture activity sponsored by Better Health. To register, email BHProgram@rwjbh.org

Date: Thursday, March 21, 2024; 10:30 to Noon open to all Better Health Members

Location: Grounds for Sculptor, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, NJ 08619

City commissioner James Lynch resigns after 35 years

Long-time Bordentown City Commissioner James E. Lynch, Jr. has submitted his resignation from the board, effective March 1.

In an interview, Lynch told the Current that he was stepping down to spend more time with his family, including his young grandchildren, and to safeguard his health. Lynch has served as an elected member of the board of commissioners since 1989.

“It’s been a real pleasure doing what I’ve been doing over the last 35 years,” he said. “I’ve served with a lot of really good commissioners over the years. I’ve been blessed to have been able to work with these people and move the town in some sort of direction that you see it today. I want to give a big thank you to everybody — the commissioners, the city staff, the public works department, the police department. We’ve been blessed with the best police department. I can’t say enough good things about them.”

He said that the township is in good hands with Mayor Jennifer Sciortino and

Deputy Joe Myers, and backed them to select an able successor to occupy his seat on the board.

Sciortino and Myers released a statement on Feb. 22:

“Commissioner Lynch has made many contributions to the city during his 35 years in office and we all wish him well in his future endeavors.”

The next board of commissioners election is not scheduled to take place until May 2025. State statute dictates that Sciortino and Myers have 30 days to reach a mutual agreement on appointing a successor to temporarily fill the position until November.

A special election will then be held during November’s general election to allow voters the opportunity to fill this position for the remainder of the current term, which runs until May of 2025, when all three seats will be up for election.

Bordentown City elections typically take place in May.

“We look forward to working together to ensure that the residents of Borden-

town City are fully represented by their governing body and that the critical services they expect and deserve will be delivered,” read the statement from Sciortino and Myers.

County launches grant program to help veteranowned businesses

Veteran-owned and military personnelowned businesses located in Burlington County can now apply for a grant up to $20,000 to assist them with their economic recovery and growth.

The Burlington County Military and Veteran-owned Business Grant Program launched this month and is now accepting applications from eligible businesses. The program was created by the Burlington County Commissioners to assist businesses owned by veterans or activeduty, Reserve or National Guard service members.

A total of $500,000 of Burlington County’s American Rescue Plan Act funding

has been dedicated to the program.

“Burlington County is the chosen home of tens of thousands of veterans, along with thousands more active-duty and reserve service members. These heroes deserve our gratitude, respect and support and we continue to prioritize programs to help them and their families,” said Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson.

To be eligible for a grant, businesses must be located in Burlington County, must have majority veteran or military service member ownership, and must have incurred a Covid-19 related loss or hardship.

Applications are now being accepted and awards will be made on a rolling basis until funding is exhausted. The County contracted with Community, Grants, Planning and Housing to help administer the grant program so applications are thoroughly reviewed and awards made quickly.

For more information about the program and how to apply, visit co.burlington.

Events:

Sports:

Letters: jemanski@communitynews.org

Website: bordentowncurrent.com

Facebook: facebook.com/bordentowncurrent

Twitter: twitter.com/mercerspace

9,000

The county reports that last year, the office helped over 2,700 veterans obtain nearly $15 million in compensation and benefits.

In 2021, Burlington County became one of the first counties in New Jersey to receive a governor’s We Value Our Veterans Community Award.

Burlington County Restaurant Week to return March 3–9

Winter weather may be hanging on, but local foodies have plenty to be excited about this season with the return of Burlington County Winter Restaurant Week.

The winter celebration of Burlington County’s best restaurants, taverns and eateries is scheduled for March 3-9 and will once again look to showcase some of the region’s best food, drinks, deserts and appetizers.

Burlington County breweries, distilleries, wineries and food trucks have been invited to participate.

nj.us/2063/VeteranMilitary-Owned-Business-Grants, call (609) 755-5711 or email burlcovets@cpgh.net.

The Military and Veteran-owned Business Grant Program is one of several initiatives launched by the County to help small businesses impacted by the Covid19 pandemic and ensuing economic downturn.

Near the start of the pandemic in 2020, the commissioners created the Health Emergency Loan Program, also known as HELP. That program offered zero-interest loans to assist them to continue operating through the health emergency.

The county also launched a business portal on the county website to provide a single location for new and established businesses to go for information and links to business assistance, financing, workforce development, business promotions and other resources.

The business portal has an online map and directory of veteran-owned businesses operating in Burlington County so residents can easily locate and support these enterprises. Veteran- and military-owned businesses that want to be listed should contact the commissioners’ public information office at news@ co.burlington.nj.us.

Burlington County also has a Military and Veterans Services office that works with veterans organizations and officials at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst to keep veterans and service members informed about initiatives and events that might benefit them. Staff assist veterans with casework related to their benefits.

The weeklong event is sponsored by the Burlington County Commissioners, Sen. Troy Singleton and the Burlington County Regional Chamber of Commerce. Throughout the week, they will highlight participating businesses by making visits and posting spotlights about them on social media.

Participating restaurants and eateries are also encouraged to create special menus, dishes or discounts to offer customers, which the county will promote.

Burlington County Restaurant Week was first created in 2019 as an economic development initiative to showcase restaurants and their importance to local communities. It quickly grew to become one of the County’s biggest and most popular business initiatives.

Due to its popularity, the event was expanded to twice a year with winter and summer versions. More than 60 restaurants participated in the inaugural Winter Restaurant Week in 2023.

Bordentown restaurants that the county has confirmed will take part in Restaurant Week include HoopHouse Bakery and Cafe, Palermo’s and Villa Mannino.

Bordentown Street Fair evolves into the Steel Mill Street Fair

The City of Bordentown has bid “adieu” to the May Bordentown Street Fair, which the Burlington Mercer Chamber of Commerce organized since 1977. The chamber has announced that this year, year, the 45th May Street Fair, will continue to be held the third weekend in May less

See NEWS, Page 6

Burlington County Commissioner Tom Pullion visits Marcello’s Coal Fired Restaurant and Pizza in Bordentown during a previous Burlington County Restaurant Week.

than 5 miles south, in Roebling.

The rechristened Steel Mill Street Fair is set to be held on Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a rain date of Sunday, May 19. The new location is the grounds of the Roebling Museum, site of the historic John A. Roebling Steel Mill.

The chamber says that the Steel Mill Street Fair will have expanded food choices from past years, as well as new attractions and longer hours. The River Line Roebling Train Station is adjacent to the venue.

The chamber has thanked Florence Township and Roebling Museum for their support in supporting the May Street Fair. The chamber says that proceeds from the street fair go toward business scholarships to local high school seniors at Bordentown Regional, Northern Burlington and Florence Township High Schools.

Web: steelmillstreetfair.com.

Bordentown Writers featured in regional poetry project

Bordentown writers Roberta Clipper and D. Ryan Lafferty will be featured readers in the Bordentown FP Poetry Project set for Sunday, March 3,

2 p.m., Old City Hall, 11 Crosswicks St., Bordentown.

Clipper is a nationally published poet and short story writer and a retired Rider University writing instructor. Lafferty is the author of poems for children and adults, a small press publisher, and an English teacher at Northern Burlington County Regional School District.

Now in its third year, the poetry project honors Frances “Fanny” Parnell (FP), the 19th century Irish poet and nationalist who died at her ancestral home in Bordentown in 1882.

This year’s March 3 reading also features several other noted regional and state writers:

Luray Gross, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Arts Council Poetry Fellowship recipient, Geraldine R. Dodge Poet, and past Bucks County Poet Laureate.

Todd Evans, Willingboro-based poet and regional spoken word and theater event coordinator.

Steve Nolan, Newtown, Pennsylvania, author of two volumes of poetry as well as a licensed clinical social worker with 30 years working with the military, including chief of combat stress for Paktika Province in Afghanistan.

Nicole Rollender, Willamstown based New Jersey State Council on the Arts Poetry Fellow and author of the poetry

collections “The Luster of Everything I’m Already Forgetting” (Kelsay Books, 2023) and “Louder Than Everything You Love” (Five Oaks Press).

Daniel Weeks, Eatontown, New Jersey, poet, historian, and musician, and author of the book “We No More Sang for the Bird: A Poem of World War I” (Ragged Sky Press, 2023).

Bordentown resident, writer, and former U.S. 1 arts editor and New Jersey State Council on the Arts administrator Dan Aubrey is the event’s coordinator and host.

The reading is a presentation of the Old City Hall Restoration Committee, a volunteer group dedicated to providing awareness and funds to restore the historic landmark building in downtown Bordentown. Admission is free, and a limited open reading will follow the presentation. Old City Hall is located at 11 Crosswicks Street, Bordentown, New Jersey.

For more information, contact oldcityhallprograms@gmail.com.

Middle school to host Color Run April 27

Bordentown Regional Middle School will host its annual Color Run event on Saturday, April 27.

The event is open to the public and

will be held rain or shine. Check in will begin at 9 a.m., with the Color Run starting at 11. Registration is $25 and includes a T-shirt if registration is completed by March 22.

Those interested in taking part can register online at my.cheddarup.com/c/ bordentown-regional-middle-school-pto.

As part of the festivities, the Bordentown Regional Middle School PTO will also hold an auction fundraiser.

The PTO says that it has used money raised from past fundraisers to purchase items that are not included in our school’s budget, including field trips. It requests auction donations in the form of goods, services, tickets, or gift certificates. Both the Color Run event, as well as, the auction is open to our local community.

The PTO is also seeking bronze, silver and gold sponsors for the event. Bronzelevel sponsors get a logo on a lawn sign displayed along the race course. Silver sponsors get a logo on a sign and on the sponsor banner.

Gold sponsors receive a business name on the back of the event T-shirts, business logo on a lawn sign and the sponsor banner, plus two free tickets to the color run and two T-shirts.

The school is located at 50 Dunns Mill Road. For more information, email to brmspot@gmail.com.

MARCH

BI-MONTHLY NEWS FROM CAPITAL HEALTH

Lawrenceville Neurology Center Joins Capital Health

Lawrenceville Neurology Center, a respected practice offering a comprehensive range of neurology services in Mercer County since 1981, has joined Capital Institute for Neurosciences. Supported by Capital Health’s hospitals in Trenton and Hopewell Township, New Jersey, the Institute has long advanced the level of neurologic care available to patients in Mercer and Bucks counties. With the addition of Lawrenceville Neurology Center’s offices in Lawrenceville and Princeton, the Institute expands access to neurology services to meet the growing health needs of residents in the region.

“Lawrenceville Neurology Center was founded more than 40 years ago based on a principle of providing innovative neurological care combined with skill, experience, and compassion,” said DR. KIMBERLY PALANGIO, fellowship trained clinical neurophysiologist and lead physician at Lawrenceville Neurology Center. “We’re excited to continue that tradition as part of Capital Health and its Capital Institute for Neurosciences, a proven leader in providing comprehensive neurological services for patients from throughout the greater New Jersey/Philadelphia region.”

“Capital Institute for Neurosciences meets the highest standards of care for the most complex neurological conditions,” said DR. DUSTIN ROCHESTIE, director of Neurology and Neuro Critical Care and director of the Stroke Program at Capital Institute for Neurosciences. “With the only comprehensive stroke center in the region certified by The Joint Commission at Capital Health Regional Medical Center, the addition of the Lawrenceville Neurology Center team reaffirms

our commitment to ensuring that our patients in Mercer and Bucks counties receive the best care possible and experience longer and healthier lives.”

Over the next few months, Lawrenceville Neurology Center’s office at 3120 Princeton Pike will be changing its name to Capital Institute for Neurosciences – Lawrenceville. The former practice’s Princeton office at 8 Forrestal Road will become Capital Institute for Neurosciences – Princeton. Appointments can be made at both locations, which remain home for the team of board certified neurologists that includes Drs. Kimberly Palangio, Aissa Alexeeva, Nicole Hartmann, Paul Kaiser, Nidhi Modi, Anitha Nimma, and Manuel Vergara, as well as physician assistant Selena Fucci. Many of these providers have multiple board certifications as well as fellowship training or certification in areas of specialization such as neurophysiology, vascular neurology, epilepsy, neuromuscular disorders, and multiple sclerosis. The Capital Institute for Neurosciences – Lawrenceville office also includes fully accredited neurophysiology, vascular, EEG, and EMG laboratories that offer a range of diagnostic services.

At Capital Institute for Neurosciences, patients benefit from a multidisciplinary team of specialists which include neurologists, endovascular neurologists, epileptologists, neurosurgeons, neurosurgical oncologists, neuropsychologists, and other specialized physicians, as well as other critical team members who provide an outstanding continuum of care from diagnosis to treatment and recovery at Capital Health.

To schedule an appointment at the new Capital Institute for Neurosciences offices in Lawrenceville and Princeton, call 609.896.1701. Visit capitalneuro.org to learn more about the Capital Institute for Neurosciences.

Capital Health Receives Funding to Continue Statewide Violence Intervention Program

One of 11 in New Jersey and the Only Hospital in Mercer County Region to Receive Grant Money

When the New Jersey Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program (NJHVIP) launched in 2020, Capital Health was selected as the only hospital in Mercer County to be part of a statewide effort to combat violence as a public health crisis in the community it serves. As part of an ongoing effort to provide victim assistance and reduce violence, a new round of funding was recently announced by Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin. This grant allocates $5.2 million for the continued support of hospital-based violence intervention programs at Capital Health and 10 other hospitals throughout New Jersey.

“The NJHVIP is built on a proven model that reduces repeat injury by reaching victims of violence at the time of crisis,” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health. “With medical treatment and recovery as a starting point, those who choose to participate in the program leave program sites like Capital Health engaged in important services that can include crisis intervention, conflict mediation, peer support, and connections to mental health and substance abuse interventions, all aimed at breaking the cycle of violence that is common in some neighborhoods.”

The NJHVIP at Capital Health is managed through its VICTORY Program, which stands for Violence Intervention for the Community Through Outreach Recovery. The program aims to break the cycle of violence by:

… Identifying and connecting victims of violence to appropriate social support services.

… Reducing the reoccurrence of violence and the need for repeat trauma/emergency care.

… Educating Capital Health staff about providing care that promotes a sense of safety and empowerment for victims of violence and peer-to-peer support for health care workers.

The new funding comes from the Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Fund, which helps the communities most impacted by cannabis criminalization. This grant cycle will ensure that funding continues through December 31, 2024. Bristol-Myers Squibb Trauma Center at Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton and Capital

Dr. Eric Schwartz, vice president of Community Health and Transformation and executive director of Capital Health’s Institute for Urban Care and Nathalie Laurent, coordinator of the Institute’s Violence Intervention for the Community Through Outreach Recovery (VICTORY) Grant Program, were invited to present information about VICTORY at the Capital City Community Coalition meeting hosted in October 2023 by Capital Health Board of Directors member Reverend John R. Taylor.

Health Institute for Urban Care partner with Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton and Millhill Child & Family Development to implement the program. To learn more about the VICTORY Program, visit capitalhealth.org/victory.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Trauma Center at Capital Health Regional Medical Center, a level II New Jersey state-designated trauma center, offers advanced emergency care for severely injured patients involved in motor vehicle crashes, falls, and assaults with knives, guns, or blunt objects. One of only 10 designated trauma centers in New Jersey, it is the regional referral center for severely injured patients in Mercer County and adjacent parts of Somerset, Hunterdon, Burlington, and Middlesex counties as well as nearby areas of Pennsylvania. To learn more, visit capitalhealth.org/trauma

Capital Health Institute for Urban Care works to advance the health and well-being of Trenton residents by growing and aligning Capital Health’s services with a robust network of community partners in the City of Trenton to improve medical care while overcoming the complex social determinants of health. To learn more about the Institute, visit capitalhealth.org/urbancare.

Capital Health Introduces

Next-Generation Leadless Pacemaker

If a person is diagnosed with a heartbeat that’s too slow or too fast, their cardiologist may recommend a pacemaker to send electrical impulses to the heart to control its rhythm. A traditional pacemaker is often surgically implanted under the skin near the collarbone and connected to the heart through wires (or leads) that transmit the electrical signals to the heart. Physicians and staff from Capital Health Heart and Vascular Institute recently performed a minimally invasive leadless pacemaker implant at Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton, New Jersey that doesn’t need cardiac leads to deliver therapy and represents the latest advance in cardiac arrhythmia therapy.

Leadless pacemakers are appropriate for certain patients with significant bradycardia (slow heartbeat) or chronic atrial fibrillation (heart arrhythmia that causes the heart’s top chambers to quiver and beat irregularly). Through a minimally invasive procedure, DR. SCOTT BURKE, medical director of Cardiac Electrophysiology and a board certified, fellowship trained cardiac electrophysiologist at Capital Health Cardiology Specialists, inserts a catheter into a patient’s leg to guide the Aveir VR LP leadless pacemaker through a vein and implant it directly into the heart’s right ventricle.

“This next-generation leadless pacemaker from Abbott packs many innovations into a one-piece device that is smaller than

a AAA battery,” said Dr. Burke. “It is the world’s only leadless pacemaker specifically designed to be easily retrieved when the device needs to be replaced or if a patient’s therapy needs to be changed. Other benefits include a battery life that is up to two times longer than existing leadless options and a unique mapping capability that allows us to precisely determine the correct placement of the device before final attachment in the heart.”

Capital Health’s Electrophysiology team, with experts from Capital Health Cardiology Specialists, performs procedures like leadless pacemaker implants to manage and treat patients with conditions that involve abnormal electrical behavior of the heart. To make an appointment at Capital Health Cardiology Specialists, or to find an office near you, visit capitalhealthcardiology.org.

Capital Health Heart and Vascular Institute offers comprehensive care with a multi-specialty approach highlighted by the most up-to-date techniques and treatment options. With multiple locations throughout the greater Mercer and Bucks county region, the Institute features the most sophisticated technology guided by highly trained clinical experts in medical fields such as cardiac surgery, general and interventional cardiology, nephrology, podiatry, interventional radiology, vascular surgery, and wound management and hyperbaric medicine. For more information, visit capitalheartandvascular.org.

Keeping Life Sweet: Understanding Diabetes for a Healthier You

Thursday, April 4, 2024 | 6 p.m.

Location: Zoom Meeting

Laura Moran, certified diabetes care and education specialist at Capital Health, will help you understand the process of diabetes in the body, targets and goals for blood sugar readings, and nutrition and exercise guidelines to keep you healthy and enjoying life.

This event will be taking place virtually using Zoom. Register online at capitalhealth.org/events and be sure to include your email address. Zoom meeting details will be provided via email 2 – 3 days before the program date. Registration ends 24 hours before the program date.

Wellness at Work

FREE UPCOMING HEALTH EDUCATION EVENTS

Register by calling 609.394.4153 or register online at capitalhealth.org/events and be sure to include your email address. Please register early. Zoom meeting details will be provided via email 2 – 3 days before the program date. Registration ends 24 hours before the program date.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024 | 6 p.m.

Location: Zoom Meeting

According to the American Institute of Stress, 83% of workers in the U.S. suffer from work-related stress. Jenna Straus, licensed clinical social worker from Capital Health Behavioral Health Specialists, will discuss coping strategies to help improve your mental health at work. Maria Fierszt, manager of the Wellness Center at Capital Health, will also share exercises you can do at your desk while you work.

Introduction to Tai Chi

Wednesday, April 3, 2024 | 6 p.m.

Location: Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell

NJ PURE Conference Center, One Capital Way, Pennington, NJ 08534

Tai chi is a form of exercise that helps you to relax your body to reduce stress, release tension, and improve breathing, balance, and coordination. With these benefits, you are able to sleep better and heighten your body awareness, which gives you more energy and allows your body to stay connected. Robert Langley, a tai chi instructor from the Capital Health Wellness Center, will lead this program and help you experience tai chi for the first time! Please wear comfortable clothing.

Entertainment from parades to parties, like the Joshua Harr Shane Foundation’s annual March fundraiser at Mercer Oaks Golf Course in West Windsor, above, are events worth wishing for, page 2.

Photos by RDNE Stock project via Pexels, left, and Audrey Amelie for Bluestone Lane, right.

St. Patrick’s Day 2024: Entertainment, Music & More

By Rebekah Schroeder

March your way to experiencing the pride of the Emerald Isle with these St. Patrick’s Day-themed events throughout the greater Mercer County region, many of which feature Irish inspirations and truly celebrate the culture of “craic.” * * *

The Original St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Hamilton

Nottingham Fire House, 200 Mercer Street, Hamilton. Saturday, March 9, 12:30 p.m. opening ceremony and 1 p.m. parade start. Rain date is Saturday, March 23. Free. Since its inception in 1985 and subsequent move from Trenton to Hamilton, “The Original St. Patrick’s Day Parade” has become an annual expression of Irish pride for residents of Mercer County and beyond.

After an opening ceremony kicks off the festivities at 12:30 p.m., the parade route begins a half-hour later at the Nottingham Fire House on Mercer Street.

This year’s two co-grand marshals are Kevin and Maryann Meara, the founders

The “Original St. Patrick’s Day Parade” starts at the Nottingham Fire House in Hamilton again this year on Saturday, March 9, with Co-Grand Marshals Kevin and Maryann Meara, center and left , alongside Miss St. Patrick’s Day Kayla Adams, right, pictured at the parade luncheon in AOH Hibernian Hall on February 15. Photos courtesy of the City of Angels website.

of the Hamilton nonprofit organization City of Angels, which the couple established in 2008 after the death of their son, Kevin

“KC” Meara, from a heroin overdose at the age of 24.

For more than 15 years, COA has helped individuals with substance use disorders and mental health issues by providing a range of services, including recovery support, treatment referrals, and community outreach, according to its website, cityofangelsnj.org

demic, such as when President Obama signed the “21st Century Cures Act” in 2016, as well as the White House’s roundtable for “International Overdose Awareness Day” in 2022. For more on the Mearas, see cityofangelsnj.org/kevin-and-maryann-meara

This year’s “Miss St. Patrick” is Kayla Adam, a senior at New Egypt High School in Plumsted Township who works at the Trenton Ancient Order of Hibernians, Msgr. Crean Division #1, where her father, treasurer Dave Adam, is an officer.

* * *

Other events are planned after the parade and throughout the month of March by local Irish organizations, according to the City of Angels website, cityofangelsnj. org/grand-marshal, including dinners, parties, a Tricky Tray, Gaelic Mass, and more.

The Trenton AOH Division #1 will host an afterparty in the AOH Hibernian Hall, 2419 Kuser Road in Hamilton Square, at 3 p.m., as well as a holiday celebration on March 17 at the same time.

Another Trenton Irish group, the AOH Joe Cahill Division #10, hosts its own gathering with a cash bar and live music from 3 to 8 p.m. at the American Legion Post #458 North Trenton, 1438 Brunswick Avenue, in Trenton.

Tickets are $25 for ages 21 and older and $10 for anyone under 21. Food and one complimentary drink are included.

EDITOR

Rebekah Schroeder

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Community News Service

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Phone: (609) 396-1511

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In honor of the couple’s commitment to advocacy, this year’s parade theme is “Service Through Sacrifice.”

The parade committee selected the Mearas—who both cite Irish roots, were born in Trenton, and have lived together in Hamilton with their family for five decades—to serve as co-grand marshals in December 2023.

Kevin Meara is a former longtime Hamilton Township councilman, notably the only person in such a role to have been elected to office as both a Democrat and a Republican.

In addition to his time in local government, Kevin spent four decades in the energy industry with PSEG, while Maryann is a retired teacher’s aide for the Mercer County Special Services School District.

The Mearas have been invited to the White House several times as a result of their work with COA to present and participate in events addressing the opioid epi-

Rounding out the tricolor trifecta of gettogethers is The Sons and Daughters of Erin’s annual “St. Patrick’s Dinner Dance” from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Nottingham Ballroom, 200 Mercer Street, with dinner, Irish beer, wine, and refreshments.

The Irish pub Tir Na nOg holds a “Grand Marshal Night” at 1324 Hamilton Avenue, Trenton, in recognition of the Mearas on Wednesday, March 20.

Then, on April 20, the Trenton Irish Heritage Association Scholarship Committee’s 13th “Tricky Tray” returns to Lawrenceville’s Notre Dame High School, 601 Lawrence Road, with doors opening at 5 p.m. and the first drawing at 7 p.m.

Participants must bring their own food and drinks. No alcohol is permitted. Tickets are $10 each.

More information: hamiltonparade.com or cityofangelsnj.org/grand-marshal.

See ST. PATRICKS DAY, Page 6

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• What are stem cells? Stem cells are the bank cells within your body that can morph in many different types of cell depending on what your body needs them for. Stem cells are your body’s repair systems.

• What is PRP? PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. PRP is created from a sample of your own blood, which is drawn from the patient and then put into a machine to separate the platelet-rich plasma from the rest of your blood.

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Nottingham Tavern, Killarney’s to Host Live Music After the Parade

Looking for more luck of the Irish around town after the parade ends? The Nottingham Tavern at 9 Mercer Street will have food flowing and three bands scheduled throughout the day, including Radio Fiction at 3 p.m. and Deep Release’s performance at 9 p.m. nottinghamtavern.com

Meanwhile, Killarney’s Publick House, located at 1644 Whitehorse Mercerville Road, continues in the spirit of the parade with Irish food, dancers, live music, and more.

On St. Patrick’s Day, Sunday, March 17, Killarney’s features more of that Irish flair with a special menu and an all-day lineup of live music on the outside patio, walk-ins only, as the restaurant opens bright and early at 8 a.m.

According to the Facebook page for the event, this features performers from the Kotelnicki School of Irish Dance in Hamilton, local acts like Mark Sacco and Electric Stingray, as well as a “special appearance by Hibo’s Pipes & Drums.” killarneyspublickhouse.com.

The Nerds “St. Pat’s Eve!” Party and Dinner Show at Cooper’s Riverview

Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton. Saturday, March 16, 7 to 11:30 p.m. Doors open at 6, buffet starts at 7, and showtime is 8 p.m. Price: $15 to $45.

Get a taste of the Mercer County nightlife with a St. Patrick’s Day-themed “Dine and Dance” event at Cooper’s Riverview, a “waterfront dining and entertainment” venue located right on the Delaware River in Trenton, featuring popular cover band The Nerds

Described as “America’s Party Band Fun-omenon,” The Nerds are a Jersey Shore staple with an onstage gimmick of dorky fashion and thick-framed personas riffing off a series of Saturday Night Live sketches about a fictional group of the same name.

The quartet has maintained this comedic style through nearly four decades of performing pop and rock songs together.

Over the years, The Nerds have shared the stage with everyone from Sheryl Crow to Jon Bon Jovi to Maroon 5, as well as being the house band for MTV’s “Ultimate Cover Band Contest,” which they also hosted.

Doors open at 6 p.m., with the St. Patrick’s Day buffet dinner and drinks, includ-

The classic Jersey Shore rock-pop cover band The Nerds performs at Cooper’s Riverview in Trenton for a “St. Patrick’s Eve” party and dinner show on Saturday, March 16. Photo courtesy of The Nerds website.

ing “American favorites,” available an hour later at 7 p.m.

In addition to the band’s 8 p.m. concert in the Colosseum Event Hall, Cooper’s will also have a house DJ playing the main dance floor.

Multiple ticket packages are avail-

able, starting at $15 general admission, which includes access to both the main bar and dance floor party, but with seating described as first come, first served in a non-reserved area.

The GA price will be higher at the door.

The gold package for the show and din-

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ner is $35 and includes general admission, access to the Cooper’s dinner buffet with carving station, and seating in the Colosseum Event Hall.

The platinum rate is $45 and includes general admission, the dinner buffet, VIP seating near the dance floor and in the main event hall, as well as access to a VIP bar area.

According to the Eventbrite page for the event, eventbrite.com/e/the-nerds-st-patseve-coopers-riverview-saturday-night-dinnerand-show-tickets-827530996487, both those in the gold and platinum tiers must pay an additional 15-percent service charge at the end of the dinner experience.

More information: coopersnj.com/ events-old/r9sk8s7pa74b994-n7kee-hhrex4scyf-3nlpg-y33nt

Cookie Decorating Class at Killarney’s Publick House

Killarney’s Publick House, 1644 Whitehorse Mercerville Road, Hamilton. Thursday, March 14, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Price: $55 per person.

Killarney’s Publick House, described on its website as an “old-school Irish alehouse,” brings seasonal imagery to life with a “St. Patrick’s Day”-inspired cookie decorating class for all ages on Thursday, March 14, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Participants will learn and take home six baked creations in this how-to guide to holiday imagery taught by Deana’s Cookie Couture, a shop based in Newtown, Pennsylvania, but designed by and with promotional materials from 6 B’s Creations

Both businesses offer custom-order personalized cookies for purchase, but Deana’s Cookie Couture is a member of 6 B’s Cre-

08629 | www.priornami.com

ations’ “Teaching Partners” program, which develops monthly class sets for its participants to teach.

Tickets are $55 per person. To register, visit the Deana’s Cookie Couture website at deanascookiecouture.com. All supplies are provided in class at this event, and limited seating is available.

More information: deanascookiecouture.com.

Hopewell Valley Central High School’s 5K Lucky Bulldog Dash

Hopewell Valley Central High School, 259 Pennington Titusville Road, Pennington. Saturday, March 16, 8 a.m. registration and 9:30 a.m. race start. Price: $35 per person, discounts available.

On your mark, get set, and go green! Walk or run in Hopewell Valley Central High School’s “5K Lucky Bulldog Dash,” a fundraiser to support senior programming for the HVCHS Class of 2025, on Saturday, March 16, 9:30 a.m. at 259 Pennington Titusville Road.

USA Track & Field New Jersey has sanctioned the event and will certify the 5K course prior to the race, which also qualifies as part of USATF’s “2024 Grand Prix” series with a point value of 500.

Decorate cookies to your heart’s content at Killarney’s Publick House in Hamilton, where you can recreate these “golden” designs from 6 B’s Creations under the instruction of Deana’s Cookie Couture on March 14.

Price: $65 per person.

Whether it’s preserving the natural green or the Irish spirit, the D&R Greenway Land Trust and Voices Chorale NJ are paying tribute to the hue with another music and dance benefit, “Celebrate the Green,” on Friday, March 15, from 6 to 9 p.m. at D&R Greenway’s Johnson Education Center, One Preservation Place, in Princeton.

The competition is on no matter rain, snow, or shine, with awards given to the top three male and female contestants overall, as well as the top three male and female contestants in each age bracket, the groups of which are: 15 and younger; 16 to 19, 20 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, 50 to 59, 60 to 69, 70 to 79, 80 to 89, as well as 90 and older.

The two organizations have teamed up for a night of entertainment featuring the Parnell Irish Band, humorous storytelling, Irish country dancing, and even singalongs by the fire pit.

… and more!

After completing the “Dublin Road” course, participants can enjoy a day of music and fun hosted by the HVCHS PTO. Prizes will be awarded to the top team and individual themed costumes, as well as to “anyone who can catch the Leprechaun” spotted around the Pennington campus.

“Guests are encouraged to wear green and experience a pub-style setting while enjoying beer, wine, and a light pub supper,” the press release continues, while other opportunities include a silent auction of “unique items” in support of Voices Chorale NJ.

Registration fees are $35 per person, with all participants 18 years of age and younger receiving a $5 discount at checkout.

To register online or donate, see the event’s page on the Race Roster website at raceroster.com/events/2024/83118/ hopewell-valley-5k

Registration opens at 8 a.m. on the day of the event. In addition to benefiting the HVCHS Class of 2025’s future senior events, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to a local charity.

More information: raceroster.com/ events/2024/83118/hopewell-valley-5k

“Celebrate the Green” with the D&R Greenway Land Trust and Voices Chorale NJ

D&R Greenway Land Trust, 1 Preservation Place, Princeton. March 15, 6 to 9 p.m.

Tickets are $65 per person with limited seating. To purchase a seat, visit drgreenway.org, voiceschoralenj.org, or call 609-924-4646.

The Parnell Irish Band plays both modern and traditional instruments, bringing guitar, drums, and fiddling to enliven the event and entice the crowd into joining.

For a list of the band’s musical selections or more information, see esteemlivemusic.com/live-musicbands/international-live-music-bands/ parnell-irish-band

Voices Chorale NJ is a nonprofit, auditioned chorus based in Hopewell with about 40 members from central New Jersey and Pennsylvania, headed by artistic director Dr. David A. McConnell, “to bring outstanding music to the public, inspire audiences, and provide performance opportunities for singers and local musicians.”

Photo courtesy of 6 B’s Creations.

Photo courtesy of the D&R Greenway Land

Mercer Eats

Empanadas, Kebabs and Crabs: New in Food & Dining

By Joe Emanski

Empanadas are on a roll. Not literally, of course.

The deep-fried (and sometimes baked) turnovers, once a rare find in the area, are turning up on more menus every year. Usually filled with savory fillings like beef, chicken and cheese, empanadas can also be sweet. They are popular throughout South America and up into the Caribbean.

Hamilton-based food trucks Hotpanada

and Chic Gourmet Empanadas have opened for business in recent years and built up loyal followings. Hopewell-based Catalina Empanadas, which makes a baked, Chilean style empanada, can be found in several seasonal farmers markets in the area.

Now one empanada vendor has found a permanent home at the year-round Trenton Farmers Market: Jasmine’s Nadas, which opened up a stand in the market in 2023 and moved into the market last month.

Owner and chef Jasmine Wesley comes

from a Puerto Rican background and says her fried empanadas are made in the Puerto Rican style.

“In Puerto Rico, we call them pastelillos,” she says. “But every time I was saying that, people were like, ‘What?’ So we were like, ‘Let’s just call them empanadas,’ and then I shortened it to ‘Jasmine’s Nadas.’”

on Facebook with my menu for about a year,” she says. “Trying to get the word out any way I could.”

In October 2022, she got an invitation from the New Egypt Flea Market to set up a stand there. Then last spring, Trenton Farmers Market manager Bill Kearney contacted Wesley about establishing a second location there.

She opened in August. That proved successful enough that Kearney offered her the spot recently vacated by The Lunchbox.

Welcoming Dr. Maulik ShahGastroenterologist

Jasmine’s Nadas offers traditional fillings like beef, chicken and cheese in the empanadas. But Wesley is not afraid to get creative. She estimates that she has made more than 50 varieties over the years, including pepperoni pizza, garlic potato, butternut squash and chicken Cordon Bleu. She also makes dessert empanadas such as her apple pie and cherry pie varieties.

Dr Maulik Shah is an expert in general gastroenterology procedures as well as advanced endoscopic procedures such as ERCP, endoscopic luminal stenting, and EMR. He has a strong passion for teaching and routinely gives lectures to the community on a variety of gastroenterology disorders.

Abdominal Pain

Women’s Digestive Health

Diverticular Disease

Liver Function Abnormalities

Pancreatic

“I grew up in Point Pleasant, so I have a lot of different influences,” she says. “And we like pork in Puerto Rico, so we do a lot of things with pork as well.”

Wesley, who worked for many years as an accountant, has always enjoyed cooking. For parties and potluck dinners, she would often make empanadas to take with her. Friends and co-workers who tried them told her they were good enough that she should start an empanada business.

After she was laid off in the early days of the pandemic, Wesley decided to just do that.

She started out by making empanadas to sell at fairs and festivals in the Point Pleasant Beach area.

“I was literally spamming mom groups

From ST. PATRICKS DAY, Page 7

Friends for the Abbott Marshlands, in its ongoing efforts to connect the climate and community statewide.

More information: drgreenway.org or voiceschoralenj.org

The new spot’s full kitchen has allowed Wesley to add tacos, burritos and quesadillas to the menu, along with some other Puerto Rican specialties like papas rellenas — a potato croquette stuffed with meat.

While Jasmine’s Nadas does not have tables for sit-down service at this time, she said her husband is beginning work on a new paver patio that she hopes will be completed in time for customers to sit outside in the warmer weather and enjoy their food.

“When people walk into the lobby, they will see my daughter or my cousin. If they look in the kitchen, they will see my husband or me,” she says. “When you walk in, I want you to feel like you’re walking into my living room.”

The Trenton Farmers Market is open Thursdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., but because Jasmine’s Nadas now has its own entrance, Wesley says, she plans to

hours of festive fun to support a cause on Saturday, March 16, from 7 to 11 p.m.

Established in 2000 by Judith Harr Shane to honor the legacy of her late son, the JHSF provides financial assistance to family caregivers for medical expenses by navigating the process for them and raising money to pay the sources of each bill directly.

2271 Rt 33, Suite 110

Hamilton, NJ 08690

Ph: 609-917-9917

The Joshua Harr Shane Foundation’s St. Patrick’s Day Party at Mercer Oaks

Mercer Oaks Golf Course, 725 Village Road West, West Windsor. Saturday, March 16, 7 to 11 p.m. Price: $115.

601

As both an annual fundraiser and cocktail party for the nonprofit organization, the Joshua Harr Shane Foundation’s “St. Patrick’s Day Party,” held every year at the Mercer Oaks Golf Course in West Windsor, features Irish music, an open bar, a four-course dinner, green beer, and four

Through a partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Hamilton, JHSF has opened four rooms on site, most recently the Joshua Harr Shane Patient Evaluation Suites at the Cancer Center at RWJ Hamilton, its fourth project thus far, in November 2022.

Tickets are $115 per person and include a choice of chicken, steak, or fish. Guests are encouraged to wear green.

To register, see the EventBrite page for the event, eventbrite.com/e/st-patricks-dayparty-tickets-807028843997?aff=erelexpmlt

stay open later, perhaps as late as 8:30 or 9 p.m. Web: facebook.com/jasminesnadas

In other TFM news, The Borscht Belt Delicatessen has announced that it will soon open a stand in the market. The Jewish-style deli started out in the Stockton Market in 2021 before moving to Newtown, Pennsylvania, last year.

The Borscht Belt is fronted by celebrity chef Nicky Liberato, the former co-host of the Netflix show “Restaurants on the Edge.” The deli menu includes favorites like bagels with lox, Reuben sandwiches, matzoh ball soup and knishes. The farmers

market menu has not yet been revealed. * * *

The Nassau Park Pavillion has welcomed a couple of fast-casual chains in recent months:

Bluestone Lane, a New York-based café looking to popularize Australian coffee in the U.S., and Just Salad, an 18-year-old chain with eight locations in New Jersey. Web: bluestonelane.com

Despite its name, Just Salad has wraps, soups, smoothies and “warm bowls” like the chicken fajita bowl and spicy tofu crunch bowl. Just Salad diners can filter the menu

by categories such as keto, vegan, paleo, gluten-free and climatarian. Web: justsalad.com * * *

Across the street at Quaker Bridge Mall is the recently opened DoneRight Doner Kebab, which has the look of a chain restaurant, but isn’t — yet. The fastcasual, 100% halal restaurant specializes in Turkish street food, offering chicken, lamb and falafel dishes, familiar appetizers such as hummus and baba ganoush, and franchising opportunities. Web: donerightdk. com

And over in Pennington, Gretalia Hospitality Group, the folks behind PJ’s Pancakes, Osteria Procaccini, More than Q and Mi España, have opened the chainfriendly concept Union Boil Co. in the Pennington Shopping Center. Union Boil has lobster rolls, crab cakes, clam chowder, oysters and everything else you would expect a seafood boil restaurant to have — including the $250 Union Boil platter, which comes with jumbo shrimp, crab legs, crawfish, andouille sausage, corn and potatoes and serves six to eight people. Web: unionboil.com

girls TRAVEL TRYOUTS

Summer

Ewing Recreation Department

Camps & Pools

campS 2024 week of MArch 25

Office for these programs. Online registration for seasonal memberships, swim lessons and Senior Swim/ Water Aerobics is required at communitypass.net. Labor Day is the last day that the pools will be open.

The Hamilton Wildcats are an all-female travel soccer club focused on training and player development. In partnership with the Hamilton Girls Soccer Club and NJ rush, the Wildcats provide a complete soccer experience for girls age 5 to 19. The Wildcats are looking for girls who are ready for the travel soccer challenge from birth years 2017-2007 to form new teams and supplement established teams.

The Ewing Community Pools System offers two pools for seasonal members and daily patrons. The pools have shaded areas, pool furniture, changing rooms and shower facilities and ESCC has a snack bar. The Hollowbrook Pool located at 320 Hollowbrook Drive, is scheduled to open on weekends & Memorial Day on Sunday, May 26. Operating hours are Sunday to Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Saturdays can be rented for private events, email Raquel at rince@ ewingnj.org to schedule an event. The ESCC pool will open on weekends & Memorial Day starting Saturday, May 25, and both pools will open full time starting on Monday, June 17, from noon to 8 p.m. Swim lessons start with evaluations on Saturday, June 15, and space is limited. Senior Swim and Senior Water Aerobics start on Monday, June 17; seniors needing assistance registering can register at the Senior

The Ewing Recreation Summer Camp will run from June 24 – August 23 for grades K – 5 and is held on the grounds of the Fisher School and Ewing Senior & Community Center (ESCC). The hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday. Early hours are from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and late hours are from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Online registration is required at communitypass.net. Teen Travel will be for grades 6 – 8 and will run from July 1 – August 16. The camp will travel four days a week and stay in Ewing the other day. Campers can participate in day camp on weeks Teen Travel is not being held. Camp also offers a Counselor in Training program for children entering 9th grade.

For more information on these programs call the Ewing Recreation Office at 609-883-1776 x6203. You can also go to ewingnj.org, Community Affairs. See ad, page 13.

Sawmill Summer Camp offers Day Camps, Diverse Abilities Camp, and Specialty Camps for youth, K through age 15.

• 50 acres of outdoor space

• Special Events are the highlight of the week! Foam parties, magicians, bounce houses, water slides, and more!

• Daily swim lessons are offered as an add-on.

• We partner with Girl Scouts, First Tee Golf, Zumba, Penn Medicine Princeton Health, and more.

With a summer full of unforgettable experiences, anything is possible!

Summer campS 2024

Princeton Ballet School

Nurturing Dancers of All Ages

Princeton Ballet School, the official school of American Repertory Ballet, nurtures dancers of all ages, providing them opportunity to develop their technique and artistry in a rewarding environment.

The Princeton Ballet School Summer Intensive (ages 13 and up) attracts students from all over the globe to study with distinguished and inspiring faculty. Princeton Ballet School holds auditions throughout the United States and accepts video auditions from national and international students for the advanced program.

Students in the Advanced Intensive are also considered for the school’s year-round Trainee program, the direct feeder into American Repertory Ballet’s second company, ARB2, which is also ideal for post–highschool students looking to launch their professional careers. As an educational institution certified to provide F-1 visas, Princeton Ballet School has the ability to accept international students from nearly anywhere in the world for its Summer intensive, Trainee program, and ARB2.

The Summer Intensive Intermediates program, for ages 11 and up, is modeled after Princeton Ballet School’s acclaimed Advanced Summer Intensive and offers the

same personalized ballet training, alongside jazz and new choreography.

The Summer Intensive Juniors program is for children ages 9-11,with a focus on musicality, basic technique; building strength and flexibility; increasing coordination; and dynamics of movement — all while having fun with friends!

Princeton Ballet School also offers fun and rewarding Children’s Summer Courses, beginning with Hand-in-Hand classes for 3-year olds to explore the world of rhythm and dance. All levels of classes for children ages 4-12 are offered throughout the Summer, no previous dance experience required!

For more information, please visit arballet.org or call Princeton Ballet School at 609-921-7758

See ad, page 14

Liberty Lake Day Camp

Kids Discover Their Potential at Summer Camp

By Andy Pritikin

Life is hard. We know this, and yet so many children grow up sheltered from hardships, as their wellmeaning parents unknowingly hold them back. In Adam Grant’s book, “Hidden Potential,” (2023) he lays out the importance of children working through tough situations, to build the character skills needed to be a successful adult.

Grant explains, “Character is often confused with personality, but personality is your basic instincts for how to think, feel, and act. Character is your capacity to prioritize your values over your instincts.” It’s more than having principles. Character is the learned ability to live by your principles.

While I’m not advocating suffering, children do need to experience and

Summer campS 2024

learn from the inevitable challenges they encounter, in order to strengthen their inner-resilience. “Successful people of character are able to overcome life’s hurdles because they learn how to get comfortable being uncomfortable.”

Starting something new – Summer Camp, college, or a new job, can be an impactful challenge. Of course, kids would rather sit home and stare at their screens! But we know better, and it’s our job to teach kids to push beyond their perceived limits and cultivate the confidence and courage to abandon their comfort zone.

Facing fears, and confronting discomfort are skills that if not strengthened in childhood, may never be gained as an adult.

In the alarming new book about A.I., “The Coming Wave,” (2023,) author Mustafa Suleyman explains how during times of exponential technological growth, “those that survive are the ones best able to adapt.”

Like it or not, technology is replacing everything it possibly

can, making interpersonal HUMAN skills the priority for future generations to learn and master. At ‘old school’ Summer Camps, we hone these critical thinking skills hands-on.

Yes, Summer Camp is a lot of fun, but equally as important, are learning and honing character skills like meeting new people, trying new things, speaking up, and asking questions. Toss in some extreme heat, and the opportunity to experience life without digital screens, and Summer Camp can prove to be a seriously impactful, building block of experiences.

Andy Pritikin is the owner/ director of Liberty Lake Day Camp in Bordentown NJ, past president of the American Camp Association NY/NJ, and host of “The Day Camp Podcast.”

More information: www.

libertylakedaycamp.com. See ad, page 15

Camps run from June 24 through August 23

Camp days include swimming, arts and crafts, nature, special events, entertainers, theme days, athletics, dance and drama.

Register and pay before April 10th and save $25! Swim Lessons at HCC: Evaluations, Saturday, June 17th. Sessions are on Monday evenings and Saturday mornings.

TEEN TRAVEL: July 1 - August 16 kids entering grades 6 - 8

Travel 4 days a week and one day at camp. Trips to Amusement parks, beaches, aquarium, rock climbing, bowling , laser tag, skating and much more. $370/week for residents $74/day, NonResidents: $470/week, $94/daily. Campers can attend day camp weeks of June 24 and August 19.

All activities at ESCC and Fisher school, except trips.

GraceWay Bible Church

Camp Mercyville Is a Community Favorite

If you are looking for a place for your family to thrive in their relationships with Jesus and each other, GraceWay is the church for you! With over 40 ministries, there is something for everyone! The best way to see if GraceWay is the church home for you is to visit us for Sunday Services at 9 or 10:45 a.m. Childcare and Sunday School is available. Visit our website (www. gracewaybc.org) for more information.

Summer campS 2024

Kelsey Theater

Reach for the Stars — Register Now!

Summer is an especially busy time for children’s ministries. Our seven-week summer day camp, Camp Mercyville (www.campmercyville. org), has been providing quality childcare for over a decade. Our full-day Vacation Bible School/

Adventure Camp is a community favorite! Push the Rock basketball camp helps children become better athletes, teammates, and grow in their relationship with Christ. Summer Family Nights includes family-fun, worship, and small groups for the whole family on Wednesday evenings. We will be hosting an Open House on Monday, March 18, at 7 p.m. Visit our website (www.gracewaybc.org) or contact our office (609-586-0223) to find out more.

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A few weeks can last a lifetime! Find out at Tomato Patch Summer Workshops in Theater, Dance, Vocal Music, Video and Visual Arts! Students make lasting friendships and wonderful memories while becoming an accomplished performer and artist.

Now in its 51st year, Tomato Patch is the longestrunning, most successful multi-disciplinary Visual and Performing Arts program in Central New Jersey. Featuring classes for all school age students, Tomato Patch is taught by a talented staff of professional artists. Check us out online at www.tomatopatch.org.

Summer CourSeS for Children

Princeton | Ages 3-12 (no prior experience needed!)

JuniorS

Princeton | Ages 9-11

intermediateS

Princeton & Cranbury | Ages 11 - 14

Summer campS 2024

Lawrence Hamnett Soccer Association

Spring Registration Is Open

Lawrence Hamnett Soccer Association (LHSA) has opened up their Rec Soccer registration for the upcoming Spring season. LHSA provides a soccer environment that stresses a relaxed, fun-oriented approach to the game where we focus on basic soccer skills and provide a fun competitive approach to games with a high standard for good

Tomato Patch Workshops is a multidisciplinary full-day Theater, Dance, Music, Visual Art and Video summer program for ages 10-18 in two sessions:

Session 1: Ages 13-18

June 24 through July 18. No Tomato Patch July 4 and 5. Only $1,100.

Session 2: Ages 10-12

July 22 through August 8. Only $1050.

Hours are 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. with before and after care available.

Tomato Patch Workshops culminate in The Festival Of The Arts!

Unlike every other performing arts camp, Tomato Patch allows you to major in one subject and take classes in other areas. Become a triple threat!

The Master Class is full-day acting intensive summer program for ages 13-18 only in two sessions:

Session 1: June 24 through July 19 – No Class July 4, 5. Only $1,100.

Session 2: July 22 through August

TOMAT O PATCH

Youth Theater, Dance, Vocal & Visual Arts Programs at Kelsey Theatre

REGISTER NOW FOR SUMMER 2024 Session 1

$1,100 Session 2 $1,050

Session 1 ages 13-18

June 24 - July 18 (no classes 7/4, 7/5)

Session 2 — ages 10-12

July 22 - August 8

sportsmanship and fair play.

The recreational soccer program is open to any child from any town ages 3 and up. The program offers weeknight training sessions led by trainers from the New York Red Bulls along with games on the weekend. Each session is roughly 1 hour long where kids will have fun learning the game, competing in games and meeting new friends.

To register or find more information on the program or times for specific age groups, visit us at http:// lawrencehamnett.com.

See ad, page 16.

9. Only $1,050.

Hours are 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. with before and after care available.

The Master Class in Theater culminates in A Night of One Acts!

For more information and to view class schedules visit www. tomatopatch.org or call 609-570-3566

Conveniently located on the West Windsor Campus of Mercer County Community College. Visit us online at www.tomatopatch.org or email projects@mccc.edu or Call 609-5703566 for more information.

Still looking for something during the school year? Junior Tomatoes is 10 week-long Saturday morning theater workshops exploring creativity, movement, improvisation, and more from September through June for ages 4-12 in three sessions. All classes culminate in performances for family and friends! Visit www. tomatopatch.org.

See ad, page 15

Master Class Session 1 — ages 13-18

June 24 - July 19 (no classes 7/4, 7/5)

Master Class Session 2 — ages 13-18

July 22 - August 9

REGISTER:

Sawmill Summer Day Camp

A Journey of Discovery and Fun

The Hamilton Area YMCA’s Sawmill Summer Day Camp, nestled in the heart of Mercer County, is your child’s gateway to an unforgettable summer experience. With 50 acres of sprawling outdoor space and the largest pool in Mercer County, this camp is a haven for fun, learning, and adventure. During five fun-filled days packed with excitement, campers are encouraged to find their spark, embrace a sense of wonder, forge new friendships, and embark on thrilling adventures.

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE at Sawmill Summer Camp!

Discover What Makes Sawmill Camp Special:

Find Their Spark: Our camp is a nurturing ground where kids develop essential skills, grow in confidence, and form new friendships. As they

Summer campS 2024

engage in diverse activities, from outdoor play to learning to swim, they gain valuable personal development skills. These experiences help shape their identity and passions, influencing their academic pursuits, relationships, and future career choices.

Find Their Sense of Wonder: The great outdoors is a world of discovery at Sawmill Camp. We understand the importance of outdoor play. Our camp promotes active engagement with the environment and with their peers, fostering respect and consideration for the world around them. Camp provides kids the perfect opportunity to discover the outdoors and get their bodies and imaginations more active.

Find Their Adventure: Every day at our camp is a new adventure, a chance for kids to stretch their imagination and embrace creativity without the fear of failure. This freedom allows them to explore and express themselves in ways they might not elsewhere.

Find Their Friends and Fun:

Sawmill Camp is more than a summer getaway; it’s a social hub where lifelong friendships are formed. Here, children learn to collaborate, build relationships, and navigate conflicts, all while having the time of their lives.

A Summer of Enrichment:

Recognizing the multifaceted benefits of camp, we’ve planned an exciting summer filled with theme weeks, special events, and new experiences. Campers will immerse themselves in a wide-range of activities, including arts and crafts, music, science, dance, sports, and swimming. Our highly trained counselors are committed to making your child’s summer both safe and exhilarating.

Children look at camp as a fun way to spend the summer in the sun and splashing in the pool, but parents understand that camp allows kids to reap many life benefits that will follow them through their lives long after the sun has set on their summer camp days.

Join Us for a Summer where ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

At Sawmill Summer Day Camp, we’re dedicated to creating an environment where every child can find their adventure and fun. We invite you to be a part of our vibrant community this summer. For more information and to register, please visit hamiltonymca.org/camp.

See ad, page 11.

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County updates guide to local Black historic sites

Burlington County celebrated Black History Month in February with the release of a new tour guide of notable African American historical sites.

The 28-page Burlington County African American Historic Sites Tour Guide is an update to one that was first created in 1998 by the Burlington County Cultural and Heritage Department and Advisory Committee. It spotlights 19 historic sites located across nine municipalities, including:

Burlington Island. One of the earliest places in New Jersey where Black enslaved people were brought.

Oliver Cromwell House in Burlington City. Oliver Cromwell was a decorated Revolutionary War soldier who served under General George Washington

The Dr. James Historic Office and Education Center in Medford. Dr. James Still, the largely self-taught physician who became renown “Black Doctor of the Pines” due to his successful medical practice and natural herbal remedies.

“From Burlington Island to the free Black settlement of Timbuctoo and the numerous Underground Railroad stops located here, Burlington County is full of important historic sites and people,” said

Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson. “We want this history to be celebrated and accessible, and updating this guide will help expose more people to Burlington County’s historic treasures and their continued relevance.”

Three of the sites in the guide are new additions that were not listed in the original 1998 pamphlet. They are: The Underground Railroad Museum of Burlington County in Eastampton, and the William F. Powell Monument and the Richard Watson Gilder House, which are both in Bordentown.

The Underground Railroad Museum of Burlington County is located in the County’s Historic Smithville Park and includes artifacts, exhibits and artwork about the Underground Railroad and the 16 documented hideouts in Burlington County, as well as other parts of Black history, including some of the abolitionist leaders who lived here.

The William F. Powell Monument honors the prominent Black educational administrator who was once the head of Bordentown and Camden’s Black schools. He also served as a U.S. minister to Haiti.

Richard Watson Gilder, born in Bordentown, was the editor of Century Magazine

hide freedom-seeking enslaved people.

The guide’s update coincides with a statewide effort to preserve and showcase sites important to Black history, heritage and culture through the creation a New Jersey Black Heritage Trail. The New Jersey Historical Commission is currently accepting nominations for the first markers for the trail.

Applications can be found online at nj.gov/state/historical/his-black-heritage-trail.shtml and are due March 8.

in New York and a close confidant of U.S. Presidents Grover Cleveland and Theodore Roosevelt and writers Mark Twain, Walt Whitman and Robert Louis Stevensen. Prior to the Emancipation Proclamation, his family’s home on Crosswicks Street in Bordentown City was used to

Sen. Troy Singleton co-sponsored the legislation to create New Jersey’s Black Heritage Trail. “Black Americans have made an indelible mark on our county and our entire state. Their contributions and achievements have stretched across hundreds of years and touched all aspects of life,” Singleton said. “Efforts like Burlington County’s and the New Jersey Black Heritage Trail ensure these achievements are promoted and understood by residents across New Jersey and beyond.”

Copies of the Burlington County African American Historic Sites Tour Guide are online at www.co.burlington.nj.us/201/ Board-of-County-Commissioners. Paper copies will also be printed and distributed by the county.

William F. Powell. The William F. Powell Monument in Bordentown has been added to the county’s guide to local Black historic sites.

State College. Benowitz began his career teaching at the Yardville Youth Reception and Correction Center and then moved on to Rahway State Prison. But he wanted to get back into public education, and he ended up working as the director of special education at Burlington County Technical Schools for 30 years.

Benowitz and wife Ellen were married in 1967, and moved to Bordentown in 1969. They have two children — Frank and Jill — as well as three grandchildren (Rebecca, Francine and Maddie) and two great-grandchildren (Raymond and Jackson.)

Benowitz told the Current in 2017 that his reasons for running for office in 1978 were simple:

“I just wanted to give back to my community and do the right thing,” he said. “I had no vested interests whatsoever. I know people have a bad image of politicians. I can look people in the eyes and say, ‘I’ve never taken a dime in my life.’ It’s the same thing today.”

Benowitz told the Current that he decided to run again in 2012 after attended every committee meeting that year and noticing that commercial business was rarely discussed.

After he was elected again in that year, he immediately set out to market the township as an attractive development spot, hoping that more commercial business would help flatten out taxes.

Benowitz was mayor when the township passed an ordinance prohibiting recreational cannabis-related businesses to operate within its boundaries in 2021, as well as in 2022 when the township reversed that decision.

Curaleaf, which operated as a medical cannabis dispensary after opening in August 2021, began selling recreational marijuana in 2022, after the revision.

“We try to do what’s best for our community. We carefully consider all the different options, and we do what we feel is best for our community. That’s all

this opportunity to lead our town for over a decade. I wish everyone health and happiness.”

* * *

Eugene M. Fuzy succeeded Benowitz as mayor this year, after serving as his deputy mayor for five of the past seven years.

Fuzy told the Current that he had been serving on the environmental commission when Benowitz recruited him to run for a seat on the committee.

“Steve is going to be missed, that is for sure,” Fuzy said. “Steve always had the township and its residents in the front of his mind all the time.”

Fuzy also paid tribute to Benowitz in his Jan. 6 remarks upon taking up the mayor’s role.

“Steve Benowitz left some big shoes to fill and will be missed... He was very big on two sentiments about us as local officials and the public. He would say we are the bridges to government, and we need to give transparency. I believe in both.”

Fuzy rued at the time that the committee would be losing Benowitz’ deep historical knowledge of the township he had lived in for 55 years.

“Steve’s been in the town since the 60’s. He knows a lot of different factors through that time period, the different people you need to talk to, the historical impacts of all that has happened in the township during that time,” Fuzy said.

Michael Theokas, Bordentown Township’s business administrator, was hired on Benowitz’ watch.

I care about, it’s what we’re elected for,” Benowitz told the Current in 2022.

In a statement released Dec. 26 announcing his resignation, he said that to serve the people of Bordentown Township has been his “distinct honor and pleasure. It is with deep regret that my health has required an abrupt ending to this service.”

Benowitz expressed confidence that the township was in good hands. “The team we have created will continue to serve our constituents with the same level of commitment that makes me so very proud to be a resident of this great town. I greatly appreciate our residents, fellow township committee members and township staff to have been allowed

“Mayor Benowitz was (until this year) the only mayor I worked for in the township, but I had the privilege of working for several mayors in my public career, and he was certainly one of the best if not the best that I’ve had the opportunity to work for,” Theokas said.

Theokas said Benowitz was “always available, always helpful and always extremely supportive. He was a really excellent mayor to work with — it was

Sen. Troy Singleton, left, swears Steve Benowitz in as Bordentown Township mayor, Jan. 7, 2023. With Benowitz is his wife, Ellen. (Facebook photo.)

Bordentown Township Mayor Steve Benowitz cuts the ribbon for Curaleaf in Bordentown on Aug. 27, 2021. (Facebook Photo/Burlington Mercer Chamber of Commerce.)

really collaborative, and that was the way he wanted it.”

Theokas hailed Benowitz as a dedicated public servant, not just as an elected official, but also from his time as a school administrator.

“All the things he would consistently say in public meetings, he truly meant,” Theokas said. “He really wanted to build a bridge between government and the public. He really enjoyed being out among the constituents and helping them solve problems. There is no question that the health and vitality in the township was his number one priority at all times.”

Theokas said Benowitz struck a good balance as mayor between seeing the big picture of today and understanding what the township’s needs were going to be in the future.

“Obviously, he was the mayor that was presiding over the committee that hired me, and has been mayor every year since, so I’m particularly thankful for all that he’s done for me personally and professionally,” Theokas said. “I count him as a friend, certainly as a mentor, and as somebody that, when it comes to serving the public, someone that I aspire to be. A great man, a great public servant, and I’m sure that when he gets healthy, he’s still going to be around, and we look forward to that.”

Sen. Troy Singleton and Assemblyman Herb Conaway presented a ceremonial resolution in honor of Benowitz at the Jan. 6 township committee meeting, at

which Fuzy and Aneka Miller were sworn in as mayor and deputy mayor.

Sen. Troy Singleton posted a tribute to Benowitz on Facebook: “I was extremely saddened to learn of the passing of former Bordentown Township Mayor Steve Benowitz. He leaves behind a legacy of public service, as he was an upstanding leader for this community for years. I consider myself privileged to have had his counsel and friendship during my time in the Legislature. My deepest sympathies to his family, staff, and friends,” he wrote.

Kelly Lozito was selected by the township committee to take Benowitz’ place on the committee. Lozito got to know Benowitz as a member of the township’s environmental commission.

“The one thing everyone knew about Steve is that he was very, very dedicated to the success of the town and making sure of the town was supported and people were supported,” Lozito told the Current. “His dedication to Bordentown was amazing.”

* * *

A new Steve Benowitz Memorial Scholarship Fund has been established in Benowitz’ memory. Donations to the fund can be sent to the “Steve Benowitz Memorial Scholarship Fund.” Checks should be made payable to Bordentown Township Senior Citizens Club and mailed to care of Dorothy Sherman, 13 Linden Road, Bordentown, NJ 085051507. (Memo on check: Memory of Steve of Benowitz.)

Tech’s 2,746 and third-place and defending champion Burlington Township’s 2,693. Bordentown placed seventh on the girls’ side with 1,750 pins.

“It meant a lot, especially since Burlington Township has had a big dominance over the conference for the past few years,” Sidhu said. “So to be able to have me and Lucien put up a really big performance in that tournament, putting up the No. 1 and 2 series, it meant a lot to be able to take the win home.”

The Bordentown boys fashioned a 16-2-1 record heading into the new-look state tournament. Instead of all teams in a sectional bowling at one site as in the past, the state tournament now follows the bracket-style format of most other state sports. The fourth-seeded Scotties were set to host No. 5 seed Wall in the quarterfinals of the Central Jersey Group 2 bracket as they look to close the season on a high note.

“No matter what happens it was an overall success,” Sidhu said. “We talked to our coach and we actually had a better overall pin count than we did last year. I remember last year we always thought that team was so good and there was no way we could be this good next year. We were back-to-back division champs. We kept saying we need to try to keep that to get that three-peat as division champs. I remember how happy we were when we heard we beat our pin count from last year, we have higher averages, and that we got that division championship again. It’s an overall success no matter what happens next, although we’re going to put up a fight no matter who we’re versing.”

Bordentown graduated top bowlers John Murphy and John Bassett from last year’s team that also won 16 matches. This year they duplicated that win total in the regular season and added a BCSL tournament title thanks to big improvements from the returning players.

“We finished with the same exact record as last year,” said Bordentown coach Ron Jones. “They were excited as all heck because we lost No. 1 and 2 in the lineup, they graduated. They were scrambling to see who was going to be No. 1 and No. 2 and they all stepped up and some days it was Grant Pillik, some days it was Anmol, some days it was one

of the other guys. Luc Carr had his turn in the barrel being the head dog. They all put up.”

Pillik, a junior, narrowly had the team’s top average of 186.32, barely one pin ahead of Carr’s 185.29 average. Carr has improved from last year, and Pillik’s jump of 28 pins is astounding. Then there’s Sidhu, who in just his second year bowling for Bordentown climbed from a 144.77 average as a bowler who bounced back and forth between varsity and JV to this year’s 174.88 average.

“Grant’s put it all together,” Jones said. “Anmol, this was only his second year. He came into us new last year and he was a big surprise. We were counting on him.

Luc Carr has been bowling a 180 aver-

age since he came to us as a freshman three years ago. When they both came, Grant was the low man on the pole and Luc was the top dog. Right now they’re going neck-to-neck for top average in the BCSL.”

Sidhu has taken off in his second season. He grew up fond of bowling with his family, but when he got to high school he tried to pursue another love, basketball. He didn’t make the team his freshman or sophomore year and he turned his attention in the winter to bowling. It was a learning experience his first year, but he has improved dramatically in his second season.

“A little bit of it is maturity and a little is experience,” Sidhu explained. “I remem-

ber last year, I would bowl on varsity and I would kind of get nervous and get all these feelings and get in my own head. This year it was a lot less mental. I was able to have a mental toughness. I knew I can do this, I can put up the numbers I need to, I was able to execute. Last year, I would bowl bad on varsity, they would move me to JV and I’d put up a 200 game. It was always mental with me, but I was able to get over that this year.”

The improvements of Sidhu and Pillik reflect the work put in by the pair over the last year. They have gone from trying to contribute to the varsity a year ago to fighting to lead the team along with Carr. For Sidhu, it has meant bowling twice as many games this year with almost three times as many pins.

“It was always back and forth last year,” Sidhu said. “One day, Grant Pillik, who’s having a great year this year – he bumped his average up 10-20 pins – we were friends off the lanes but when we were on the lanes we were always fighting for that last spot (on varsity). It was a little bit of a competition between us.”

Sidhu knew from the outset of the season that this year would be better. He came out of the gates with a 639 series against Westhampton in the first match of the year and followed with a 626 series against Egypt. It set the groundwork for a huge jump this year.

“It really shocked me the first week,” Sidhu said. “I think I bowled about a 630 series and 640 series in the same week and I got BCSL Bowler of the Week for our conference. I was shocked. I think that the first two 600 series I ever bowled and it was the first week back. You obviously can’t sustain that 200 average always, but it was a nice start to the year. It showed me even if I can’t hold this, I can hold a good average and I keep bowling well and come up in those big moments like at the tournament.”

It was Pillik and Sidhu who started a mini celebration at the BCSL Tournament when they saw their team score and realized that Westhampton was too far behind to catch the Scotties. The official scores weren’t known until the very end, but Bordentown knew they had the title and Sidhu was thrilled to play such a big part of it in his final tournament as a senior.

“I definitely felt it especially since that

Bowler Anmol Sidhu in action for Bordentown. (Photo by Kimberly Fithen.)

was our last real tournament since they changed the sectional and state tournaments to bracket-style,” Sidhu said. “So that was our last real tournament. We had the winter tournament and the invitational. We did well in both of those, but we weren’t able to win either of them. To get that one big tournament win in my high school career was really nice.”

Bordentown reached the second qualifying round of the Burlington Township Invitational and placed ninth at the Olympic Conference Holiday Bowl Tournament at Laurel Lanes earlier in the year. But they put it together when it counted the most relying on the balance that has helped all year.

Along with the top trio are junior Joey Klama, sophomore Tyler Brown, freshman Ken Teague, senior Aidan Bramley and sophomore Ryan Wood. All carry averages over 152 in part because of the way the upperclassmen have passed down pointers particularly on the art of two-handed bowling.

“The two that graduated last year, John Murphy and John Bassett, they would take the other kids and show them,” Jones said. “That’s what’s going on now. There are two kids that are in the top seven now that at the beginning of the year, they were one-handed straight ball bowlers at the beginning of the year. The both of them now are two-handed curve ballers and they’re both pushing their averages into 160-170 whereas they were 130-140 as a straight baller. It’s all because Grant and Luc and Anmol showing them this is how you do it.”

“You can be a good bowler bowling with two hands, you don’t need to bowl traditionally. It’s really about what works for you as a person. There are people on our team where we talk to them about switching, they try it, and it doesn’t work for everybody. It’s something where you work at one and it’s kind of natural what you feel more comfortable with.”

He’s proud to now be carrying on the Bordentown tradition of passing along all that he knows to younger team members. The mentoring dynamic has helped the Scotties improve and develop into a championship team.

“I definitely feel it,” Sidhu said. “I remember last year with John Murphy, he was one of the seniors, he was a twohanded bowler and he really sold it. He would work with us and show us the tricks. Now I see myself doing it. I’ll say move over a board, open up their line, switch how many revs they’re getting, switch their speed. It feels nice mentoring, it feels nice mentoring and leading the team as one of the captains.”

‘You can be a good bowler bowling with two hands. It’s really about what works for you.’

Sidhu’s interests go beyond the lanes. His fall was ridiculously busy. He practiced Mondays and Tuesdays with the Bordentown marching band, spent Tuesday-Saturdays practicing and playing defense for the Scotties soccer team, and then fit in Madagascar practices immediately after school for their November shows.

“It was a lot of working things around with the different teachers and they really worked with me to let me do everything that I love to do,” Sidhu said.

Sidhu spent last year adjusting to twohanded bowling. It was something he had dabbled with, but never too seriously.

“Since I started on the bowling team I have been a two-handed bowler,” Sidhu said. “Growing up, I always watched ‘Dude Perfect,’ and they made a video with the famous bowler Jason Belmonte, he’s like 12-time world champion. He pioneered the two-handed bowling technique. I remember with my family I would try it and they would all make fun of me and joke around with me, ‘Oh, you need two hands to bowl.’ I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was sowing the seed for my future.”

Sidhu didn’t need a hard sell last year to take it up. He was looking for a way to be the most consistent bowler possible, and it clicked for him.

“I wanted to figure it out,” said Sidhu.

Sidhu is cutting back from multi-tasking as much as he prepares for college and his future. He plans to study chemistry with a minor in forensics with hopes of pursing a profession in forensics of chemical engineering. He will turn his athletic attention to his final year of spring track and field where he throws shot put and discus, but he has thoroughly enjoyed his development and being able to contribute heavily to Bordentown’s memorable bowling season.

“I always loved bowling with my family so it always had a special place in my heart,” said Sidhu. “I really enjoy bowling more than track. I grew up playing soccer since I was about 5 so they’re about equal to me. I just love doing both. Bowling is a little easier to do recreationally. I can just go out with my friends or family to a lane. They all don’t like it because I beat them now but we still have fun.”

is the new

Ask The Doctor

The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that people begin colorectal cancer screening at age 45, rather than 50, which was the previous recommendation. The updated guidelines consider the benefits of early detection and treatment for adults with no personal history or increased risk of the disease.

Meera Yogarajah, MD, at the Cancer Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJUH Hamilton), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Jersey’s only National Cancer Institute -Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, shares more about this change and why it is important.

can be helpful in preventing more people from dying of colorectal cancer.

See our ads in SIX09 section pgs 5 and

What does colorectal cancer screening entail? Colorectal cancer screening is used to detect cancer and remove precancerous polyps. There are several types of colorectal cancer screening methods. In colonoscopy, the rectum and entire colon are examined using a colonoscope, a flexible lighted tube with a lens for viewing and a tool for removing tissue. If your doctor finds polyps, they are removed and sent to a lab for further testing. Most patients receive some form of sedation during the test. The advantage of colonoscopy is removal of benign polyps will prevent these growths from turning into a cancer.

Why did the recommendation change? Research shows a recent increase in colorectal cancer occurring in younger adults. These cancers may be associated with poorer outcomes, as they are diagnosed later.

In response to this trend, the USPSTF, an independent volunteer group of experts in prevention and evidencebased medicine, reviewed new data and concluded that screening for colorectal cancer in adults who are 45 to 49 years old

In sigmoidoscopy, the rectum and sigmoid colon are examined using a sigmoidoscope, a flexible lighted tube with a lens for viewing and a tool for removing tissue. During sigmoidoscopy, abnormal growths in the rectum and sigmoid colon can be removed for analysis (biopsied). People are usually not sedated for this test. However, only the last 20 percent of the colon is examined. Both polyps and colorectal cancers can bleed, and stool tests check for tiny amounts of blood in feces (stool) that cannot be seen visually. With these tests, stool samples are collected by the patient using a kit, and the samples are returned to the doctor. People who have a positive finding with these tests will need to have a colonoscopy. Additionally, some newer stool tests rely on detection of DNA from

tumors in the stool sample, increasing the accuracy beyond using detection of trace blood alone.

Why is it important to follow these guidelines? According to the American Cancer Society in 2024, an estimated 106,590 cases of colon cancer and 46,220 cases of rectal cancer will be diagnosed in the US, and a total of 53,010 people will die from these cancers.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the nation. Colorectal cancer usually does not cause any symptoms until it is advanced and starts to spread through the body. Most colorectal cancers can be prevented through screening and testing at regular intervals, leading to detection and removal of polyps.

Colorectal cancer is largely reventable. This is why it is extremely important to follow the recommended guidelines and get an initial screening at 45 years of age for those at average risk or earlier for those at higher risk.

Stop colon cancer — get screened!! Visit rwjbh.org/colonscreening to make an appointment near you.

Coming up this month at RWJU Hospital Hamilton

For more information, call (609) 5845900. To register for a program or for schedule changes go to rwjbh.org/events.

TuESday, MarCh 5

Breast Cancer Support Group. 6-7:30 p.m.

The Cancer Center at RWJUH Hamilton, 2575 Klockner Road, Hamilton. This Support Group welcomes those who have received a breast cancer diagnosis in all phases of their journey. Meetings are held in the lobby of The Cancer Center at RWJUH Hamilton. The group is led by an

Oncology Nurse Navigator and Certified Oncology Social Worker. It offers participants an opportunity to share personal experiences, helpful resources, and methods of coping with feelings of anxiety and distress. For more information please contact Patty Hutman Parker, BSN, RN, OCN, at 609-584-2836 or Roberta Weiner, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, at 609-584-6680.

WEdNESday, MarCh 13

hope for a Bright Future Series—Brunch and Learn. 10-11:30 a.m. Join Meera Yogarajah, MD, the Cancer Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJUH Hamilton), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Jersey’s only National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, for March’s monthly health focus designed to empower people with tips on prevention, early detection, and advancements in cancer treatments helping to provide “Hope for a Bright Future.” Dr. Yogarajah will provide participants with information on colorectal cancer awareness, early detection and colorectal cancer. This program’s panel will also include Maulik D. Shah, DO, Gastroenterology, and Rachel Perez, Gastrointestinal Patient Navigator, The Cancer Center at RWJUH Hamilton.

TuESday, MarCh 19

Gynecologic Cancer Support Group. 2-3:30 p.m. The Cancer Center at RWJUH Hamilton, 2575 Klockner Road, Hamilton. This Group meets in the conference room at the Cancer Center at RWJUH Hamilton. It brings individuals with gynecologic cancer the support, education, and empowerment they need to move along the path to recovery. Topics discussed include coping with the emotional impact of cancer, adjusting to changes during and after treatment, and managing concerns about recurrence. This program is facilitated by Roberta Weiner, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, Certified Oncology Social Worker. For more information, call (609) 584-6680.

Dr. Meera Yogarajah

Clara Barton, American icon and Bordentown pioneer

Bonnie Goldman and Steven Lederman

BURLINGTON HISTORY

March is not only Women’s History Month, but it is also Red Cross Month.

Women’s History Month was first celebrated in March 1987. Red Cross Month was first celebrated in March 1943 by Franklin Delano Roosevelt to raise awareness of the organization and its humanitarian mission.

By honoring American icon Clara Barton, the Bordentown Historical Society celebrates both Women’s History Month (because of all her incredible accomplishments) and Red Cross Month, becayse Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross in 1881. She led that organization as its president for the next 23 years, a position of leadership and authority that was unprecedented for women at that time.

Clara Barton made her impact on Bordentown, the State of New Jersey, and the country by teaching in Bordentown in 1852. She began teaching in the oneroom schoolhouse that is still standing at the corner of Crosswicks and East Burlington Streets, which today is owned by the Bordentown Historical Society.

She clearly saw the need to educate the young children of Bordentown whose parents could not afford to send their children to private schools. Clara volunteered to teach for no pay. Starting with only 6 students, the number rapidly increased to 600 by the end of her first year. In so doing, she established the first public school in New Jersey.

Below are some of Clara Barton’s incredible accomplishments:

She was a teacher at a time when most teachers were men;

She was the very first full time female employee of the federal government, paid at the same rate of pay as men. Equal pay with men was unheard of at that time;

She was one of the few women to serve on the frontlines of the civil war and risked her life to care for wounded soldiers. In recognition of her efforts she became known as the “angel of the battlefield”;

She was an advocate for equal rights for all, regardless of race, religion, nationality or sex. She supported womens’ rights activists Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton; She was the first woman to lead a massive organization, founding the American Red Cross in 1881, an

organization which became the foremost disaster assistance organization in the country. She served as its president for 23 years;

Clara Barton was an early lobbyist: she urged influential politicians to adopt the treaty of geneva and she was the only female delegate attending the conference in Geneva in 1884;

She advocated for the “right of a woman to her own property, her own children, her own home, her just individual claim before the law, to her freedom of action, to her personal liberty”;

She advocated for equal pay for women, as early as 1840 stating: “I may sometimes be willing to work for nothing, but if paid at all, I shall never do a man’s work for less than a man’s pay.”

(Author’s note: we are still working on that one, Clara!)

The Bordentown Historical Society is proud of its museum-quality Joseph Bonaparte exhibit located in our Meeting House, 302 Farnsworth Ave. The BHS designed, constructed and furnished the exhibit which is the largest exhibit in the United States about the once King of Naples and Spain, and elder brother of Napoleon.

Joseph fled to the U.S. after Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo in 1815. He lived in Bordentown from 1816 to 1839 and brought with him a library that was

bigger than the Library of Congress and many famous paintings and other works of art. His estate, Point Breeze — now owned by the State of New Jersey and the City of Bordentown — covered 1800 acres. The BHS exhibit has more than 50 paintings, books, furniture and artifacts on display.

The Clara Barton Schoolhouse is open by appointment (call or email us). The Joseph Bonaparte exhibit is open 2-3 Saturdays/month (schedule is on

our website). We will also be having a number of very interesting lectures and events throughout the year. These will be listed on our website, bordentownhistory. org, phone: 609-298-1740, email: bordentownhistoricalsociety@gmail. com.

Bonnie Goldman and Steven Lederman are co-presidents of the Bordentown Historical Society.

Left: the one-room schoolhouse in Bordentown where Clara Barton was a teacher in 1852. Above: Clara Barton.