East Brunswick Sun

Investments in infrastructure, education and quality of life continue in Middlesex County

By KATHY CHANG Managing Editor

The Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners are moving full steam ahead into the new year as investments in infrastructure, education and quality of life are on the horizon.

After being selected – once again – by his fellow commissioners to lead their dais as commissioner director, Ronald G. Rios said they look to continue to “foster and create vital partnerships” that attributed to the county’s accomplishments and financial strength in 2022.

Rios reflected on those accomplishments and touched on what is next at a reorganization meeting on Jan. 5 held at the Performing Arts Center on the Middlesex College campus in Edison. Nearly 500 people were in attendance, according to a press release through Middlesex County.

“Over the past year, my colleagues and I have been proud to see our community overcome challenges and fulfill the promise of a brighter future – for our residents, for our businesses, and for our families,” Rios said. “We’ve been able to do this by building public and (Continued on page 5)

Gov. announces second extended deadline for property tax relief program

During his State of the State Address on Jan. 10, Gov. Phil Murphy announced that in concert with Senate President Nicholas Scutari and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, the state is extending the application deadline for the new ANCHOR property tax relief program to ensure every eligible New Jerseyan takes advantage of the relief.

The new application deadline is being extended to Feb. 28, giving taxpayers an

extra month to apply, according to a press release from Murphy’s office.

The deadline was previously extended to Jan. 31 to allow tenants who had been ineligible because their unit is under a Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreement to apply for the benefit, according to the press release.

“This is money going right back into the pockets of roughly two million New Jersey middle class and working home-

PHOTO COURTESY OF CINDI SUTERA Girl scout troops are gearing up for Girl Scout Cookie Season, which officially launched Jan. 12. An East Brunswick Police officer stops to support girl scout troops of Girl Scout Inclusion Troop 82590 of New/North Brunswick.

New Jersey Blood Services (NJBS), a division of New York Blood Center, which provides blood for local patients, is looking for a few good volunteers.

The blood drive volunteer is an integral member of our team whose tasks include assisting donors with registration and/or at the refreshment area. No medical background necessary. Volunteers should be outgoing to provide friendly customer service, be able to perform tasks as needed and must provide proof of COVID Vaccination prior to volunteering. Must have transportation. All training is provided including additional precautions for the safety of our team and blood donors. For additional information call or text Sharon Zetts, manager of NJBS Volunteer Services at 732-850-8906 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday.

To apply online as a blood drive volunteer, go to https://www.nybc.org/ support-us/volunteer-nybc/volunteerapplication/

The collection bin at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 385 Cranbury Road in East Brunswick supports Soles4Souls, a worldwide nonprofit organization focused on making a measurable impact on people and on the planet. Soles -

4Souls turns unwanted shoes and clothing into opportunity by keeping them from going to waste and putting them to good use:

• They collect and distribute items to people across the U.S. and around the world.

• They help people launch and sustain their own small business selling donated shoes and clothing.

• They protect the environment by putting used goods to good use, instead of wasting away in a landfill.

• They aim to empower women, ensuring they have the opportunity and recognition they deserve.

Group sessions for Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) are planned for January for the parents of children ages 3-12 on Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. at a member’s home. There are 8 sessions meeting once per week.

The program is sponsored by the National Council of Jewish Women, Metro Jersey Section. For more information or to RSVP: ncjwmetrojersey@gmail.com.

The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Veterans Diversion Program is looking for veteran mentors. To find

out more information contact Megan Carduner at 732-745-4491 or Megan.Carduner@co.middlesex.nj.us.

The East Brunswick Public Library will host a webinar “Take A Business Brake: How to Start A Charity” at noon Jan. 19.

This online program is free and will be held on the Zoom platform. Please make sure you have the application installed on your computer, iOS, or Android device.

To register, go online to www.tinyurl. com/ebpl11923

The Arts Institute of Middlesex County is presenting, promoting, and supporting a multitude of arts and culture events, exhibitions, and shows throughout the month of January. These events are free to enjoy for all County residents and beyond.

January’s event highlights include:

• Art Together – Art Together is the Zimmerli’s FREE drop-in family art making workshop series. Dates include Feb. 12, March 12, April 2, and May 21 from 1-3 p.m.

• Windows of Understanding – Opening Reception – Join on Jan. 17 at 4:30 p.m. for the opening reception of Win-

dows of Understanding as the county celebrates the 6th annual run of its social justice art initiative. The opening reception will be held at Barca City, 47 Easton Ave., New Brunswick.

• Wash and Learn at the Handy Street Laundromat, 314 Handy St., New Brunswick on Jan. 18 at 4 p.m. Join Roosevelt Elementary School in this special after school literacy program that is open to all. They will be spending time reading together, doing hands-on activities, and giving out prizes.

• SEO/Web & Social Media Integration for Nonprofits – Join via Zoom on Jan. 24 at 11 a.m. for a workshop that will focus on how to generate leads and increase search rankings for a nonprofit website.

For more information visit http:// www.middlesexcountynj.gov/artsandculture for full details on all the events listed above and many more. Registration details and links to live stream events are available.

St. Bartholomew School invites the public to its Open House from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 29. The school is located at 470 Ryders Lane, East Brunswick. For more information call 732-254-7105 or visit school.stbartseb.com

federal and state chartered financial institutions without regard to age, race, color, religion, national origin, gender or familial status. Financing not valid with other offers or prior purchases. Renewal by Andersen retailers are independently owned and operated retailers, and are neither brokers nor lenders. All financing is provided by third-party lenders unaffiliated with Renewal by Andersen retailers, under terms and conditions arranged directly between the customer and such lender, which are subject to credit requirements. Renewal by Andersen retailers do not assist with, counsel or negotiate financing, other than providing customers an introduction to lenders interested in financing. Savings comparison is based on the purchase of a single unit at regular list price. See your local Renewal by Andersen location for details. NJ Consumer Affairs License #: 13VH01541700. NYC Consumer Affairs License #: 1244514. Nassau Consumer Affairs License #: H0810150000. Suffolk Consumer Affairs License #: 43991-H. NYC 1307704. Rockland County License #: H-11942-07-00-00. Putnam County Consumer Affairs License #51220. Lic # HIC.0667292 (CT) Lic # WC-35743-H22 (NY).

loan programs is provided

“Renewal by Andersen” and all other marks where denoted are marks of Andersen Corporation. ©2023 Andersen Corporation. All rights reserved. ©2023 Lead Surge LLC. All rights reserved.

Elderly woman fatally struck by motor vehicle in East Brunswick

An 82-year-old East Brunswick woman was fatally struck by a motor vehicle at the intersection of Cranbury Road and Rues Lane, according to the East Brunswick Police Department.

Police officers responded to the fatal incident at approximately 8:26 p.m. Jan. 9, police said.

The pedestrian, Samette Martin, was critically injured and pronounced deceased, according to police.

An investigation is being conducted by Patrolman Christian Longhitano and Patrolman Ryan Welch of the East Brunswick Police Department Special Operations Section.

The investigation is ongoing, and no further information is being released at this time.

Anyone with information about this incident may contact the East Brunswick Police Department Special Operations Section at 732-390-6969.

COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD

Wear your pajamas during a free Poppin PJ Party from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Jan. 20 or Jan. 21 at Brunswick Square Mall, 755 State Route 18, East Brunswick. The event is for kids 12 and under to enjoy interactive storytime, meet and take pictures with Mr. Snowman, crafts, snowball fight, dance party and free hot cocoa and cookies. Register for only one event on EventBrite.

The Middlesex County Magnet Schools have scheduled open houses on all five campuses for prospective students and their parents to become familiar with the career offerings and academic programs available.

East Brunswick Campus, 112 Rues Lane, Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon, Jan. 21, 2023.

Perth Amboy Campus, 457 High St., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon, Jan. 28, 2023. For more information visit www.mcvts.net.

N.J. recorded environmental highlights in 2022

The year 2022 will go down in history as one defined by many challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic dragged into its third year, the war in Ukraine destabilized world security and finances, and record heat, droughts and storms again brought home the reality of a changing climate. New Jersey, like everywhere else, shared the pain.

Despite these difficulties, this state we’re in made encouraging progress in 2022 on environmental protection, conservation and outdoor recreation.

Highlights include reduced plastic pollution, a partial ban on pesticides that harm bees and other pollinators, a task force studying ways to boost protections for public forests, work to implement the Environmental Justice Act, steps to advance clean offshore wind and solar energy, and more.

•

Plastic bag ban –

gas emissions while providing critical habitat for wildlife, outdoor recreation, and clean air and water.

Yet the vast majority of New Jersey’s public forests are not adequately protected against inappropriate logging, over-browsing by deer and invasive species. In 2022, a Forest Stewardship Task Force was established to develop recommendations to the state Legislature to better protect and manage public forests.

• More offshore wind and solar energy – A key part of New Jersey’s climate action plan is a transition from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy.

2022, but still need to be adopted as soon as possible.

• Warehouse development – In 2022, New Jersey continued to see significant development of massive warehouses in many parts of the state, threatening prime farmland and communities already overburdened by pollution.

The State Planning Commission issued voluntary guidelines to help municipalities plan for warehouse development, but the state and municipalities are still lacking the tools needed to deal with this challenge.

130 Twinbridge Drive Pennsauken, NJ 08110

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VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES Arlene Reyes

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PUBLISHER Amanda Phillips aphillips@newspapermediagroup.com

GUEST COLUMN

In May, New Jersey’s ban on single-use plastic shopping bags went into effect. Thanks to the state’s 2020 Plastic Pollution Reduction Act, shoppers were required for the first time to supply their own reusable bags.

By the end of the first year, New Jersey will have avoided using an estimated 3.44 billion plastic bags and 68 million paper bags, preventing tons of waste from going into landfills and waterways.

• Protecting pollinators – In 2022, Gov. Phil Murphy signed the Save the Bees bill, which limits neonicotinoid pesticide applications in non-agricultural settings like gardens, lawns and golf courses.

“Neonics” don’t just kill insect pests; they also wipe out beneficial insects, including butterflies, wild native bees and domesticated honeybees. In turn, bird populations decline because of the loss of food sources.

While the new law is a positive step, neonics are still allowed in New Jersey for agricultural uses.

• Forest Task Force – Forests and other lands sequester and store about 9% of New Jersey’s annual greenhouse

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities took a step forward in 2022 by implementing a new utility-scale solar program that will result in more clean energy while bringing down the costs of solar incentives and ensuring sound siting to protect important farmland soils and forests.

• “Outside Together” – New Jersey began working on the new Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, which will set strategies for open space and recreation for the next five years and is required to maintain eligibility for funding from the National Park Service.

• Black Heritage Trail – A new state law signed in 2022 will establish a Black Heritage Trail linking landmarks, heritage sites, museums and attractions highlighting moments of political, military, artistic, cultural and social importance in the state’s Black history.

Despite this progress, New Jersey still has plenty of work to do on environmental and conservation issues:

• Environmental Justice Law – For years, New Jersey’s poor, urban, black and brown communities have borne the brunt of environmental contamination.

In 2020, Gov. Murphy signed the landmark Environmental Justice Act to help protect overburdened communities. Rules implementing the act were introduced in the summer of

• Fixing state parks – In 2022, a partnership of conservation organizations – including New Jersey Conservation Foundation – launched the “Fix Our Parks” campaign highlighting the need for more funding and stronger enforcement to protect New Jersey’s state park system.

A report commissioned by the Pinelands Preservation Alliance found that state parks are underfunded, understaffed and facing threats from illegal off-road vehicle use and dumping. The Governor and Legislature should make increased funding a priority in the upcoming budget.

• Flood prevention – In 2022, the state Department of Environmental Protection published draft rules to better protect communities from flooding from extreme storms, like the remnants of Hurricane Ida in 2021. The public comment period ends on Feb. 3.

If adopted as written, the new rules will raise flood plain elevations by 2 feet, making it harder to build in areas near rivers and streams, protecting lives and property.

To learn more about the inland flood rules or to make a comment, go to https://dep.nj.gov/inland-floodprotection-rule/

Please continue to make your voices heard in 2023 on the need for our elected officials to address these pressing issues.

Tom Gilbert is a co-executive director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, Far Hills.

MANAGING EDITOR Kathy Chang kchang@newspapermediagroup.com

MANAGING EDITOR Mark Rosman mrosman@newspapermediagroup.com

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Volume 1, Number 3

• TOM GILBERT

private partnerships at the local, state, and federal level. These collaborations make a brighter future possible.”

Investing in infrastructure

The County Commissioners continue to build upon the foundation of Destination 2040, the County’s strategic plan for long-term economic success which is spearheaded by the Department of Transportation under the leadership of Kenny.

“Everything we do supports our vision for a brighter future for everyone who lives, works, and plays here in Middlesex County,” Rios said. “The County envisions a brighter future that grants better access to innovative spaces and cutting-edge healthcare treatment for those within and around Middlesex County through key investments in transformative community projects.”

Those projects include the County’s role as a core partner in the New Jersey Innovation Hub, which represents a significant investment in the future of innovation in New Jersey. The County will leverage its “AAA” bond rating to provide the financing mechanism for nearly $500 million in project funds. The Hub, which is planned to be built at the Ferren Mall in downtown New Brunswick,

will serve as the future command center for DataCity, the County’s living laboratory for autonomous technology, according to the press release.

Officials including Gov. Phil Murphy came together to ceremonially break ground on the project in October 2021.

Additionally, Middlesex County has invested $25 million in the Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center, also in New Brunswick.

“This elite facility will transform cancer care through a combination of research, education, and patient care,” Rios said. “The Cancer Center will provide world-class cancer treatment for residents right here in the County, while also providing academic and hands-on training opportunities for Middlesex College and Middlesex County Magnet Schools students.

“Both the Hub and the Cancer Center are designed to attract opportunity, business, and talent from throughout the County, the state, and the region.”

The new Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center is a state-of-the-art, freestanding cancer hospital featuring outpatient and inpatient capacity coupled with research laboratories, retail space and ancillary services devoted to patient wellness and is a first of its kind

quality of

in New Jersey, according to Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health.

Other key projects include the County’s investments in transportation infrastructure, including the modernization of the New Brunswick Train Station – which will see the 120-year-old station updated with the amenities and technologies needed to support a bustling train station for the future – and the construction of the North Brunswick Train Station, which is nearing the completion of the concept design phase. Both projects are being managed in first-of-their kind partnerships between the Middlesex County Improvement Authority and New Jersey Transit.

The train station/transit village project in North Brunswick began 15 years ago as a means to offer relief to one of the state’s busiest rail lines, provide quicker commutes, reduce traffic along Route 1, relieve congestion at the New Brunswick and Jersey Avenue train stations, bring revenue and ratables to the area, add construction and permanent jobs, and provide an environmentally safe alternative to driving.

The former 212-acre Johnson & Johnson complex across from Commerce Boulevard on Route 1 in North Brunswick was converted to a transit-oriented

development and is now part of Middlesex County’s Destination 2040 initiative as a future-forward growth strategy.

Rios said investments in the County’s transportation infrastructure will have multiple benefits for the county and the region.

“These projects will allow for broader access within and beyond our borders, easing commutes on major thoroughfares, attracting new revenue to the region, and allowing those within and beyond our county to better access our recreational facilities like our 19 County parks, our more than 13,000 acres of open space and preserved farmland, and our many performing arts centers,” he said said.

Investing in education

Middlesex County remains committed to building a brighter future through investments in education and career training.

“We envision a future that changes the educational landscape to nurture a new generation of entrepreneurs, inventors, collaborators, and contributors,” Rios said. “To do this, we must foster a workforce of the future and nurture a new generation of learners, by making vital investments designed

ENTERTAINMENT

Catch a Classic What to Watch

That ’90s Show

Netflix

New Series!

Thursday, Jan. 19

This direct spinoff of the hit 19982006 sitcom That ’70s Show is set in 1995, and goes back to Point Place, Wisconsin, where Leia Forman (Callie Haverda), daughter of Eric and Donna (Topher Grace and Laura Prepon, who, along with Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis and Wilmer Valderrama, make guest appearances in their original roles), is spending the summer with grandparents Kitty and Red (Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith, reprising their characters as series regulars). There, Leia bonds with a new generation of Point Place kids.

Special Theme: The Jewish Experience

TCM, beginning at 8 p.m. Catch a Classic! Thursday, Jan. 19

TCM has dedicated every Thursday in January to showcasing films that have touched on the Jewish experience. Included in the lineup for this evening are the following five films: Golden Globe nominee Crossing Delancey (pictured), about a single woman (Amy Irving) in Manhattan who meets a man (Peter Riegert) through her Jewish grandmother’s (Reizl Bozyk) matchmaker; Over the Brooklyn Bridge (1984), in which a Jewish deli owner in Brooklyn (Elliott Gould) asks his uncle for a loan, but must give up his Gentile girlfriend (Margaux Hemingway) in order to get it; longtime roommates and friends (Melanie Mayron and Anita Skinner) face challenges to their relationship when one gets engaged and moves out of their New York City apartment in Girlfriends

Detroit Pistons at Accor Arena in Paris on NBA TV. TNT’s primetime doubleheader has the Golden State Warriors at the Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets at the Phoenix Suns.

Walker: “Buffering”

(1978); a Polish rabbi (Gene Wilder) befriends a bank robber with a heart of gold (Harrison Ford) on his way to San Francisco in The Frisco Kid (1979), an unusual adventure comedy about a pair of unlikely friends; lastly, the Oscar-nominated Au Revoir les Enfants (1987), which tells the story of a Catholic boarding school in World War II-era France hiding a Jewish student from the Nazis and is based on a true incident from writer/director Louis Malle’s life.

Movies You'll Love

Maleficent

Thursday 1/19

9 p.m. Maleficent (2014, Fantasy)

Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning FREEFORM

Friday 1/20

7 p.m. Bohemian Rhapsody (2018, Biography)

Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton FX

week-old baby girl, Nick and Kristen enlist Christina Hall’s help to transform their dark and dysfunctional kitchen. Christina and her husband Josh Hall also find a potential investment property that could be more than they bargained for.

New Series!

Thursday, Jan. 19

Twenty chilling tales penned by horror manga master Junji Ito, all with the shared theme of madness, are adapted in this anime series.

NBA Basketball NBA TV & TNT, beginning at 3 p.m. Live Thursday, Jan. 19

The NBA visits France for a matchup between the Chicago Bulls and the

The CW, 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19

Cordell (Jared Padalecki) and Cassie (Ashley Reyes) intervene in a hostage situation at a server farm, and August (Kale Culley) tries to smooth things over with his grandparents.

Christina in the Country: “Diamond in the Rough”

HGTV, 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19

With three young boys and a one-

Walker Independence: “Strange Bedfellows”

The CW, 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19

Abby (Katherine McNamara) starts to question everything she thought to be true, and Gus (Philemon Chambers) makes a move no one sees coming.

Dr. Seuss' The Lorax

Saturday 1/21

7 p.m. Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax (2012, Children)

Danny DeVito, Ed Helms Nick

UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND ILLUMINATION ENTERTAINMENT

DISNEY

NICK DELANEY Bohemian Rhapsody

Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre Netflix

WARNER BROS. / PHOTOFEST

PATRICK WYMORE, NETFLIX That ’90s Show

Investments in infrastructure, education and quality of life continue in Middlesex County

(Continued from page 5)

to strengthen and grow our college; our magnet schools; and our pipeline of talented, well-prepared workers who are ready to move into – or advance in – all industries, especially the County’s key business sectors: life sciences, autonomous technology, and food innovation.”

To that end, the Middlesex County Magnet Schools and Middlesex College have undergone a transformation to better align with the County’s distinctive brand strategy and economic growth plans. The Middlesex County Magnet Schools have a new name and visual identity that accurately reflect the district’s evolution and specialized education opportunities, which include skills-based training and rigorous academic coursework.

County officials announced in June 2022 that Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools would transition into a “new era of specialized education” with a new name and rebranded logo. After a century, the school district has transitioned to being called the Middlesex County Magnet Schools.

Comprised of five separate campuses in Piscataway, Perth Amboy, East Brunswick, Edison, and Woodbridge, the schools combine to serve 2,200 highschoolers. In addition, the schools also feature an Adult Education program that benefits nearly 400 adults annually.

The County is already seeing a return on its investment in Middlesex College’s new identity, with enrollment up 3% in 2022 – far above the state and national average for two-year colleges.

Middlesex College, formerly Middlesex County College, rebranded with a name change and new logo in 2021.

The enrollment increase is expected to continue as the County’s Community, Innovation, and Opportunity (CIO) Strategic Investment Plan, which was unveiled in fall 2022, is implemented. The CIO Strategic Investment Plan – through the addition of new academic, athletic, and performing arts facilities – will transform the Middlesex College campus into a space for the entire County community and as a regional attraction, according to the press release.

Investing in quality of life

Under the leadership of the Board of County Commissioners, Middlesex County envisions a brighter future for residents that encompasses more than state of-the-art facilities and regional attractions. The County will continue to offer and invest in core services and programs geared toward making a better life for the families and individuals

who live here.

“Through our investments in talent, infrastructure, and our residents, we are building an even brighter future that is unique only to Middlesex County,” Rios said.

These investments include the County’s telehealth and community health programs, which are designed to ensure County residents have the tools they need to access vital healthcare services and education. First introduced in 2021 in direct response to issues brought to light by the COVID-19 pandemic, these initiatives were expanded in 2022, according to the press release.

Additionally, the County has put significant support behind the state’s ANCHOR Property Tax Relief Program, to ensure eligible Middlesex County homeowners and renters have access to the program. Middlesex County also continues to provide support to the most vulnerable in the community through the County’s Coming Home and Housing First Funds and remains committed to helping veterans. Since its inception, the County’s Veterans Housing Assistance program has helped hundreds of veterans, according to the press release.

Foremost among Middlesex County’s investments in quality of life in 2023 will be a focus on mental health. This will involve a comprehensive effort across a range of areas such as community services, education, law enforcement, the Arts Institute of Middlesex County, and the George J. Otlowski, Sr. Center for Mental Health, officials said.

The County is also working with a professional partner to assess County policies, procedures, and programming in an effort to identify areas of improvement. Currently underway, the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging study is scheduled to conclude in 2023.

Murphy and New Jersey Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-19) were in attendance and addressed the crowd.

“With each step forward, it becomes increasingly clearer: Middlesex County priorities and New Jersey priorities are one in the same,” Murphy said. “From its upgrades to pivotal transit facilities to its transformation of leading educational institutions, the County has served – and will continue to serve – as a microcosm of the stronger, fairer Garden State we are building.”

Middlesex County was also honored to receive messages of support from its federal representatives – U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12) – all of whom

joined the meeting virtually.

Rios also thanked County employees for their hard work and dedication, acknowledging the vital role they play in serving County residents and ensuring the success of all County programs and initiatives.

“Our County employees are the lifeblood of what we do,” he said, before speaking directly to the many employees who were in the audience: “You are the heart and soul of our operation. My fellow commissioners and I are continually in awe of your commitment to resi-

dents and businesses. We, and the entire community, thank you.”

The meeting included the swearingin ceremonies of three county commissioners and the county sheriff. Claribel A. Azcona-Barber, Charles Kenny, and Chanelle Scott McCullum won the open seats on the dais and Mildred S. Scott won the open seat for county sheriff in the November 2022 election.

Along with Rios’ reappointment as commissioner director, County Commissioner Shanti Narra was chosen to serve as deputy commissioner for 2023.

BULLETIN BOARD

Join the Middlesex County Office of Health Services for their Winter Walk Wednesdays, scheduled to take place the last Wednesday of January (25), February (22) and March (29) at the Piscataway YMCA, 520 Hoes Lane, Piscataway. This event connects residents with local doctors and educators while walking to improve their health and well-being.

Attendees will have the opportunity to have questions answered by Hackensack Meridian Health Professionals. This free event is open to the public.

For more information on other events in Middlesex County, visit www. middlesexcountynj.gov/home.

Playhouse 22 , the East Brunswick Community Arts Center, presents: Feb. 10-26 – “The Curious Incident of the dog in the night-time.”

Feb. 12-15 – 7-9 p.m. – Auditions for upcoming production of “Superior Donuts.”

Playhouse 22 is located at 721 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick. For more information call 732-254-3939.

Property tax relief program

(Continued from page 1)

owners, seniors and tenants; households in which well more than half of all of our residents live,” Murphy was quoted as saying in the press release.

“For more than a million homeowners, ANCHOR’s direct relief will effectively undo years of property tax increases, even up to a decade’s worth.

“And for nearly one million renters, ANCHOR’s tenant relief will cushion rent hikes,” said Murphy. “Today, working with the senate president, speaker and treasurer, I am proud to give every eligible New Jerseyan an extra month to apply.”

“The response to the ANCHOR program has been outstanding and I am very glad we can extend the deadline so even more New Jerseyans can take advantage of this game-changing program,” State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio said.

“There are still thousands of renters and homeowners out there who have not been eligible for property tax relief for nearly a generation who can apply and receive the rebate. We want to make sure we provide every chance for people to get their applications in and get the relief they deserve,” she said.

Under the ANCHOR program, the size of the benefit and the number of eligible applicants has increased substantially, compared to the previous Homestead Benefit (which ANCHOR is replacing), including double the number of homeowners and nearly a million tenants who had not been eligible for

property tax relief in recent years, according to the press release.

More than 870,000 homeowners with incomes up to $150,000 will receive $1,500 in relief; more than 290,000 homeowners with incomes over $150,000 and up to $250,000 will receive $1,000; and more than 900,000 renters with incomes up to $150,000 will receive $450 to help offset rent increases, according to the press release.

All payments will begin going out in late spring, regardless of when taxpayers file. Payments will be issued in the form of checks or direct deposits and are not subject to federal or state income tax.

To be eligible for this year’s benefit, homeowners and renters must have occupied their primary residence on Oct. 1, 2019 and file or be exempt from New Jersey income taxes.

Eligible homeowners can apply online, by phone, or via paper application, which can be downloaded online and returned by mail.

Tenants can apply online or download the application from the Taxation website and return by mail (there is no phone option for tenants, as this is the first time this group will be eligible for property tax relief).

Applicants are encouraged to consult the detailed information posted on the Division of Taxation website, including a list of Frequently Asked Questions, before calling the ANCHOR hotline.

For more information, visit nj.gov/ treasury/taxation/anchor/ or call the ANCHOR hotline at 1-888-238–1233.

Gov. Phil Murphy.

Middlesex County Board of Commissioners Director Ronald Rios.

Middlesex County Sheriff Mildred Scott.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY

Commissioner Chanelle Scott McCullum.

PRAYER IS POWERFUL

Oh, most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine of splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. Oh, Star of the Sea, help me and show me herein you are my Mother. Oh, Holy Mary Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth! I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succor me in this petition. There are none that can withstand your power. Oh, show me herein you are my Mother. Oh Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse in thee (3Xs). Holy Mother, I place this cause in your hands (3Xs). Holy Spirit, you who solve all problems, light all roads so I can attain my goal. You who gave me the divine gift to forgive and forget all evil against me and that in all instances in my life you are with me, I want in this short prayer to thank you for all things as you confirm once again that I never want to be separated from you in eternal glory Thank you for your mercy towards me and mine. + Say this

3 consecutive days and publish prayer after petition is granted. Do not despair Additional advice and petition. Pray the Rosary

WE GOT YOUR BACK, HIPS, KNEES & SHOULDERS, TOO.

Our bones and joints are the foundation of every movement. And at Old Bridge Medical Center, we’re ready for every knee, hip, shoulder, spine and anything else that can crunch and crack. With a top orthopedic team, innovative and minimally invasive procedures and a will that never breaks, we’re ready to get everyone back on their feet.

To learn more visit HackensackMeridianHealth.org/Ready.