KENILWORTH--On Tuesday, Dec. 9, the residents of Kenilworth will be asked to consider two public questions as part of a bond referendum. The subjects at hand are structural work and safety upgrades at the district's two schools, and a project to upgrade the district athletic fields.

Superintendent of School Lloyd Leschuk said this week that the projects included in the bond referendum are matters of long-term maintenance that the district must address eventually, such as new roofs on David Brearley Middle and High School, as well as on Warren Harding Elementary School and reconfiguration of the athletic fields to better utilize the limited space for both school sports and borough recreational use.

"These are things that are not going to go away," Leschuk said.

Continue reading "Kenilworth residents to vote on $15.7 million worth of upgrades for school" »

The road where a massive water main ruptured in Franklin Township this week will remain closed until Friday evening or longer, police said.

The 60-inch break occurred at about 11 a.m. Tuesday on Weston Canal Road, and police shut down the roadway between School House Road and Apgar Drive, Sgt. Philip Rizzo said today. The flow of the gushing water has reduced substantially, Rizzo said, but repairs are ongoing.

Officials from New Jersey American Water have urged residents in 18 Somerset, Middlesex and Union County towns to keep following the advisory to boil water before consuming, spokesman Richard Barnes said. But water pressure has been restored to the municipalities.

Continue reading "Boil water advisory still in effect in 18 towns after Franklin twp. water main break" »

CRANFORD--On Monday, November 17, the New Jersey Legislature recognized the contributions of artists and art groups to their local communities, including the Jersey Central Art Studios (JCAS) and its founder Deb Leber.

For the past few years, JCAS, an arts-focused non-profit organization lead by Leber, has made a concentrated effort to establish a visual arts center in downtown Cranford that includes artist space and open access for the public.

As part of that study, JCAS joined with the Cranford Downtown Management Corporation (DMC) to commission a feasibility study through the Bloustien School at Rutgers University.

Continue reading "JCAS recognized by State Legislature" »

A 60-inch water main break today in Franklin Township has had a ripple effect on 100,000 customers in Somerset, Middlesex and Union counties as well as Rutgers University, prompting officials to close schools and telling residents to boil water.

Complaints ranged from low water pressure to no water at all 18 towns, said Richard Barnes, a spokesman for New Jersey American Water. As a precaution, the utility issued a boil water advisory for the following towns:

Bound Brook, Bridgewater, Green Brook, Hillsborough, Millstone, Montgomery, Raritan, Somerville and South Bound Brook in Somerset County; Dunellen, Edison, Middlesex, Piscataway and South Plainfield in Middlesex County and Clark, Linden, Plainfield and Roselle in Union County.

The advisory also applies to Franklin residents, who are not directly serviced by New Jersey American water, but receive their service through the Franklin Township Water Authority, Lt. Robert Vornlocker said.

Continue reading "Residents in three counties under boil water advisory after main breaks in Franklin Twp." »

A 60-inch water main break in Franklin Township had a ripple effect on residents in Somerset, Middlesex and Union counties today, prompting school closings and a boil water advisory.

As a precaution, New Jersey American Water is advising residents in those communities to boil their water until further notice, said Maureen Duffy, spokeswoman for the utility's parent company American Water.

Schools in the Somerset County towns of Franklin, Hillsborough, Montgomery and Somerville closed, along with schools in Middlesex County's Piscataway and Dunellen.

Continue reading "Franklin Twp. water main break closes roads, schools; boil water advisory in effect" »

A fire tore through a longtime Roselle Park restaurant and banquet hall late Monday night, forcing out residents who live in the eight residential units on the second floor and keeping firefighters at bay for hours.

No one was injured in the blaze at Costa's restaurant on Chestnut Street, which began at 11:15 p.m., shortly after it had closed, Fire Chief Robert Tobe said. More than a dozen fire companies responded to the scene, located just off Westfield Avenue.

Continue reading "Fire damages popular restaurant in Roselle Park; residents displaced" »

Bertrand Camus, a 15-year veteran in the water sector, has been named chief executive officer of Suez Environnement North America and its subsidiary United Water, one of the largest water companies in the U.S.

Camus, who joined the group in 1993, will succeed Tony Harding, who will continue as chairman of the board of directors for both Suez Environnement North America and United Water. Harding also will assume the role of senior vice president for Suez Environnement International and will report to Jean-Louis Chaussade, chief executive officer of Suez Environnement.

Continue reading "New CEO to lead water company serving millions in N.J." »

One person was killed this morning in a multi-vehicle accident on the southbound New Jersey Turnpike in Linden, according to a Turnpike Authority spokesman.

The crash just south of Exit 13 involved a tractor-trailer, a delivery truck, a sport utility vehicle and two cars, Joe Orlando said. The accident blocked four lanes of traffic through the morning rush hour.

Continue reading "1 driver killed in multi-car crash on NJ Turnpike in Linden" »