Central Jersey Daily Rundown, Monday, Feb. 18
Brad Wadlow
Valentine's Day held at Kangaroo Kids
Learning about friends and helping others is an important part of the Valentine's Day celebration at Kangaroo Kids. Children make cards for seniors and veterans and share special treats with each other. Moms and dads also had a Valentine's treat as Kangaroo Kids staff members under the direction of lead teacher in the Waddler Room, Jackie Russano Weiss, provided a breakfast-to-go for all parents on their way to work. For more information about Kangaroo Kids special events, call 908-231-7800. Kangaroo Kids Child Care & Learning Center is at 1047 Route 28, Branchburg. Visit www.kangarookidschildcare.com.
State Police charge Linden man after Bridgewater bailout
New Jersey State Police have a man in custody after a brief pursuit that concluded at the TGI Friday's in Bridgewater. According to NJSP spokesperson Trooper Alejandro Goez, troopers attempted to stop an orange Chevrolet camaro on Route 287 North at mile marker 9.2 in Piscataway for a traffic violation. The incident remains under investigation, police said. The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Quinton Wideman, 24, of Linden, refused to stop and engaged in a pursuit with police, Goez said. The pursuit was terminated a short time later. Wideman later crashed on Route 202/206 in Bridgewater on the Somerville Circle and ran into the TGI Friday's. Goez said Wideman was located at the TGI Friday's. He was arrested and charged with eluding and given various motor vehicle summonses. There were no injuries, Goez added.
Public comment time changed
Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson announced a team of assessors from the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP) will arrive on Monday, Feb. 18, to examine all aspects of the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services. As a part of this final on-site assessment, employees and members of the general public are invited to provide comments to the assessment team. The public may call 908-575-3407 on Monday, Feb. 18, now between 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., originally scheduled from 9 to 11 a.m. Email comments can be sent to catterson@co.somerset.nj.us.
'Attracting Birds Into the Garden'
Somerset County Park Commission Colonial Park Garden staff will present "Attracting Birds into the Garden," a lecture scheduled for Saturday, February 23 from 10 a.m. to noon at Park Commission Headquarters at North Branch Park, 355 Milltown Road, Bridgewater. Rain date: Saturday, March 2. Presented by Colonial Park Gardener Amy Westlye who will discuss how providing food, water, nesting spaces, and a natural habitat will attract feathered friends into the garden all year round. Fee for the workshop is $15 per person. Registration and payment by Tuesday, Feb. 19 is required. For registration and information, visit www.somersetcountyparks.org or call 908-722-1200 ext. 5721. Participants are asked to meet in the reception area.
Lenten Fish Dinners
The South Plainfield Knights of Columbus Council #6203 and Sacred Heart Church, are sponsoring their Lenten Fish Dinners on March 22 and 29, April 5 and 12. Dinners will be served in the Holy Savior Academy Cafeteria, 149 South Plainfield Ave., South Plainfield, from 5 to 7 p.m. each Friday during Lent. The menu will feature fillet of fish (fried, broiled, parmesan) choices of cheese ravioli, penne vodka and linguini or pizza; fresh garden salad and choices of rice pilaf, French fries, macaroni and cheese, cole slaw, coffee, tea, or cold drinks, plus desserts. Prices are $10; $9 seniors and $5 for children. Takeout orders available. Stations of the Cross will be held after each dinner in Sacred Heart Church at 7 p.m. Visit www.kofcsouthplainfieldnj.com.
PROM Expo on Feb. 28
Lord + Taylor's PROM Expo will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28, at Lord + Taylor Westfield, 609 N. Ave. West, Westfield. Preview the latest styles for prom while you shop for the perfect dress, shoes and accessories. Lord + Taylor stylists will be available to provide complimentary personal styling services as well as alterations. Beauty experts will be providing mini seminars and opportunities to book day-of event appointments. Giveaways and enter-to-wins. Visit http://bit.ly/2GqoQa1.
Memoirs & Coffee book group to meet Feb. 26
Bernardsville Library's book group, Memoirs and Coffee, will meet at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 26, to discuss "Of Monkey Bridges and Bánh Mì Sandwiches: from Sài Gòn to Texas" (2018) by Oanh Ngo Usadi. The author, who lives in the Basking Ridge section of Bernards, will join the group to talk about her book. Free. Bernardsville Public Library is at 1 Anderson Hill Road in Bernardsville. Call Bernardsville Library at 908-766-0118. Visit www.bernardsvillelibrary.org.
Thompson provides tips at baseball clinic
Former Major League baseball player and batting coach Milt Thompson conducted the second annual Wardlaw+Hartridge (W+H) Baseball Clinic on Feb. 9 in the school's Laidlaw Gym in Edison. The 2½-hour session, open to players in grades 5 to 12, included student athletes from W+H and other area schools and towns. W+H varsity head coach Andrew Mulvey and Middle School head coach Tim Head also attended. Thompson, a former outfielder and World Series winning batting coach, provided instructions on many fundamental skills, including base running, throwing, fielding and batting. Thompson also shared motivational words for the young ballplayers, with an emphasis on commitment, discipline, hard work and practice. Visit www.whschool.org.
Applying funds donated by Whole Foods in Bridgewater, the Somerset County Park Foundation and the Somerset County Park Commission will continue the new Wellness Program Series. The Wellness Program Series, coordinated by the Recreation and Science Departments, will be free and will feature one health-enhancing program each month at various park locations. Topics include nature play, horticultural therapy, nutrition, meditation, self defense, outdoor recreation, and aerobic exercise. Information is available at www.somersetcountyparks.org. Upcoming: Snowshoe Hike, 3:30 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, Environmental Education Center, 190 Lord Stirling Road, Basking Ridge section of Bernards. Family and friends of all ages will join a Naturalist for a snowshoe hike on the trails at the Environmental Education Center. Participants may bring their own snowshoes or borrow a pair from the Environmental Education Center (while supplies last). Registration is required by calling 908-722-1200, ext. 5002.
'Empowerment for New Beginnings'
NORWESCAP's Career & Life Transitions Center is offering, "Empowerment for New Beginnings." A four-week series to empower women who are facing challenging circumstances or life transitions and have a desire to increase self-esteem, build confidence, fine-tune coping skills and foster a self-concept that springboards a new beginning Monday, Feb. 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 908-788-1453. Visit norwescap.org.
Dinner meeting held
ISM-NJ (NJ affiliate of Institute for Supply Management) and APICS Central Jersey held a joint February dinner meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 6, at the Radisson Hotel Piscataway/Somerset in Piscataway. Keynote speaker Mark Grieco presented on "Project Management and Techniques." Visit www.ismnj.org.
Garden art and photography exhibit
Somerset County Park Commission Leonard J. Buck Garden will begin celebrating the coming of spring by hosting the annual "Art & Photography Exhibit" focusing on the beauty of the diverse moods and seasons of Leonard J. Buck Garden. The exhibit will be presented in the Leonard J. Buck Garden Visitor's Center at 11 Layton Road, Far Hills, and will be open Tuesday, Feb. 19, through Friday, March 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday. There will be a special weekend viewing on Saturday, March 9, from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free on all days. For information on the Art and Photography Exhibit or other garden programs, call 908-722-1200, ext. 5621. Visit www.somersetcountyparks.org.
Open house on March 3
The Albrook School will be hosting an Open House from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 3. Tour the classrooms, visit the campus and meet the administrative team and staff. The open house is a family event where the children can explore the facility. Register at www.albrookschool.org. The Albrook School is at 261 Somerville Road, in the Basking Ridge section of Bernards.
Street art graffiiti on view
Celebrate the art of graffiti in the Art Space at Warren in the Somerset County Library System of New Jersey's (SCLSNJ) Warren Township Library branch, 42 Mountain Blvd. in Warren Township. The exhibition, featuring the works of the late Warren Township resident WIlliam Swenarton, will be available for the public to view through Friday, March 29. Artists interested in exhibiting in the Art Space at Warren should contact Kathy DeCristofaro at kdecrist@sclibnj.org. Visit SCLSNJ.org.
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