Central Jersey Daily Rundown, Sunday, April 21 – MyCentralJersey.com

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Hunterdon Harmonizers to offer singing lessons

The Hunterdon Harmonizers, an a cappella singing group, will offer free singing lessons on Tuesday evenings in Flemington April 30 through June 4. Called “Ready, Set, Sing,” this series of six lessons is open to individuals of high school age and beyond. The program begins at 7:30 p.m. and will be held at the Stangl Pottery Museum, 2 Stangl Road, Flemington. Following each class, participants may remain for a portion of the Harmonizers regular rehearsals to enjoy the warm camaraderie the Harmonizers offer as they rehearse on a weekly basis. The Harmonizers actively perform in community and private events throughout Central Jersey and neighboring Pennsylvania, and welcome individuals of all ages who share a love of music and service. For more information, visit www.njharmonizers.org, call 908-806-6683, or drop by on Tuesday, April 30.

Free document shredding for Somerset County residents

The Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the county’s Public Works Department invite residents to take advantage of the “Operation Secure Shred” program for shredding of personal documents. The next shredding event will be held Saturday, April 27, at the Somerset County Public Works Garage, 410 Roycefield Road, Hillsborough. All events are held rain or shine, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., or until the trucks are filled to capacity, at which time they leave and the event is over for that day. Proof of residency is required (a current driver’s license, valid lease, tax bill or any other bill with a Somerset County address). No businesses or commercial vehicles are allowed. Residents from all 21 Somerset County municipalities are invited to have personal documents shredded at as many free, on-site mobile paper-shredding events as they wish to attend. Residents do not have to reside in the town hosting an event to participate. For more information about locations of the municipal shredding events, contact the towns directly. A listing of towns in Somerset County can be found on the county’s website at http://bit.ly/SCTowns. A schedule of shredding events and more is available at www.co.somerset.nj.us/shredding. For more information about the “Operation Secure Shred” program, contact the Somerset County Public Works Department at 908-203-6018 or publicworks@co.somerset.nj.us.

Forum to discussing youth mental health

The Interfaith Community Action Network (I.C.A.N.) will hold a discussion panel and forum navigating the topic of youth mental health. “Navigating Youth Angst: An Interfaith Forum for Parents & Teens” will include a keynote speech from Patricia Colontino,  crisis psychologist and anti-bullying specialist at Hillsborough High School, several breakout sessions and a panel discussion. Those in attendance will hear from Gil Pilarte, student assistance coordinator of Hillsborough High School; Chad Berman, student assistance counselor of Hillsborough High School, Orvyl Wilson, director of school management of Franklin Township Board of Education, and teenage students from the Hillsborough School District. “Navigating Youth Angst: An Interfaith Forum for Parents & Teens” will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 28, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 158 West High St., Somerville. Visit www.stjohnsomerville.org.

Benefit for Flemington DIY

A benefit for Flemington DIY will be held at 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, at Flemington DIY, 90 Main St., Flemington. The show is about growing up Jewish in Brooklyn in the 1960s, written and performed by Joey Novick. Tickets are $15. For tickets, visit http://bit.ly/2IIVbcg. For more information on the show, visit www.jewishish.net.

Department revived; new chair named

The law firm of Norris McLaughlin, P.A. has announced the revival of its New Jersey Matrimonial and Family Law Department by welcoming Karolina A. Dehnhard and David R. Tawil as members. They join the firm after leaving the Short Hills-based firm of Budd Larner, P.C., where they were shareholders in the Family Law Department. Dehnhard and Tawil have devoted their entire practice to family and matrimonial law matters, including divorce actions, prenuptial agreements, child custody, parenting time, alimony, child support, and domestic violence issues. They handle same-gender and international custody matters, post-judgment motions, as well as complex business valuation and high net-worth divorces. The team will be based out of the firm’s Bridgewater office and will also be debuting a new office in Short Hills to continue serving their clients in Essex County and the surrounding geographic areas. Visit www.norrismclaughlin.com.

2019 rain barrel rebates available

The Somerset County Regional Center Partnership, utilizing a grant from the New Jersey Water Supply Authority (NJWSA), has announced the 2019 Raritan River Rain Barrel Rebate Program for homeowners in Bridgewater, Raritan and Somerville is accepting applications for the eighth year of the program. Rebates are available in the amount of $50 for new 40- to 70-gallon rain barrels and $100 for those that hold more than 70 gallons. Rebates are available for up to two rain barrels at a single residence. Residential homeowners in the three communities who have previously purchased rain barrels are also eligible for rebates. Those specifically within the Peters Brook Watershed who purchased and installed after July 1, 2011 and all Bridgewater, Raritan, and Somerville residents who purchased and installed after January 1, 2014 are eligible. All require proof of purchase and installation. Rebates will be awarded on a first come, first served basis, and funding is limited. Information can be found at www.regionalcenterpartnership.org, by calling 908-730-0270, ext. 233 or emailing  rainbarrel@raritanbasin.org.

New Jersey employment records modest gain in March

New Jersey’s total non-farm wage and salary employment rose modestly in March, increasing by 3,600 jobs to mark the fifth monthly increase in the last six months, according to preliminary estimates produced by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. New Jersey reached a seasonally adjusted employment of 4,189,800. The state’s unemployment rate ticked higher by 0.1 percentage point in March to 4.1 percent. All of the gains for the month occurred in the private sector of the state’s economy, which added 4,400 jobs. Public sector employment was lower by 800 jobs for the month, with all of the contraction occurring at the local government level. For more information on concurrent seasonal adjustment in the CES State and Area program, see www.bls.gov/sae/saeconcurrent.htm.

‘Touch a Truck’ event on April 28

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation invite families with children of all ages and adults alike to climb aboard vehicles at this year’s “Touch a Truck” event on Sunday, April 28. The event will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting, in the lower Loop parking lot of the Watchung Reservation. There will also be a quiet hour, from 11 a.m. to noon, where children sensitive to noise will be able to enjoy the vehicles on display. Attendees will be able to see a variety of trucks from Union County’s Department of Public Works that are used for roads, parks maintenance and various projects. Admission to the Touch a Truck event is $5 per person, with ages 6 and younger admitted free. The price of admission also includes admission to the Wild Earth Fest. The Wild Earth Fest allows guest to meet live animals, celebrate wildlife, learn about environmental conservation and try their hand at outdoor skills. The Loop area is located off Tracy Drive in Mountainside, in between Glenside Avenue and Summit Road. There will be free programs running at the Watchung Stables and Deserted Village including lead line horse rides, face painting, hayrides and stable tours. The church/store and Maskers Barn will also be open. Attendees can shuttle for free between the sites throughout the day. Visit ucnj.org/parks.

Student newspaper honored

Quo Vadis, Middlesex County College (MCC)’s student newspaper, won six awards — including two first-place finishes — in the New Jersey Press Association annual competition. It also took second place in the general excellence category among two-year colleges. One of the first-place wins was in the Arts and Entertainment/Critical Writing category for Dana Lauria’s piece, “Author Revisits ‘Freaks and Geeks.’” Bergen Community College took second place and Camden was third. The other first place win was for Photography, where one of Samantha Cheng’s sports photos, “Colts Win By One Point,” was cited. Mercer County Community College came in second; there was no third-place winner. MCC took second place in the Overall Website category, and staff members Jade Borges, Bridget Quimby, Claudia Ugbana and Cheng were cited. Quo Vadis also came in second in the Layout & Design category, citing Cheng, Felipe Marroquin, Romit Sarkar and Harsh Godhani. The publication also came in second in General Excellence and third in the Editorial Writing category. Visit www.quovadisnewspaper.com.

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