EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - Waste management using mechanized lifters begins in East Brunswick today.
However, there are residents that have received the new carts and are putting solid waste at the curb using the old method. The new trucks cannot pick up solid waste using the old method. If you have your carts, use them.
Carts will continue to be distributed throughout this next week.
For residents that have not received their Solid Waste and Recycling carts, your Solid Waste and Recycling will be picked up using the current method.
Starting next week, if you have cans you would like to dispose of, place them EMPTY at the curb with a sign taped to them indicating “TRASH” on the appropriate date:
North Side Collection Date: March 23, 2024
South Side Collection Date: March 30, 2024
If you keep your existing can after receiving the new ones, it cannot be used for collection moving forward.
Yellow recycling bins can be dropped off at the East Brunswick recycling center on Dunhams Corner Road where they will be recycled by the manufacturer.
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EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - Members of the Communication Workers of America Local 1031 which represents the library workers at the East Brunswick Public Library staged a protest this Saturday to bring attention to the need for "equitable salary increases" and the fair treatment of part-time workers who comprise more than 75% of the EBPL staff. This Tuesday night, March 19, workers will attend the Library Board meeting scheduled for 7:30pm in EBPL's Meeting Room 3.
Led by CWA leaders and Kathleen Hernandez, President of Local 1031, more than 30 workers and supporters marched in front of the library and in the Municipal Courtyard to express their grievances. In addition to salary concerns, issues include payment for part-time workers on days when the library is unexpectedly closed (weather or other emergency) or during a prolonged closure like 2023's renovation of the EBPL.
In a statement to TAPinto East Brunswick, CWA staff member Kristen Allissa said, "We are here because we want the Library Board of Trustees to know we want to negotiate a contract that provides equality and fairness to both full-time and part-time staff. Library employees feel the Library Board of Trustees currently treats our part-time staff, which represents over 75% of the overall staff, differently than full-time staff doing the same work, and we feel part-timers are being discriminated against simply because they work fewer hours. When working side by side, part-time staff do the same exact work as full-time employees in their respective titles. All we want is for every employee to be treated equitably."
The 2023-2026 Strategic Plan for the East Brunswick Public Library refers to the staff only as being provided sufficient professional development. It does not mention working terms or conditions.
Alpesh Shah, EBPL administrator on duty Saturday, said that the protest caused no interruption of service, as the staff hosted the annual Maker's Fair.
The East Brunswick Public Library is run by a Director who works for a Board of Trustees that includes representatives from the offices of the Mayor and Superintendent of Schools.
Currently, the EBPL is seeking a new Library Director, following the resignation of John Arthur, who completes his last week this coming Friday. All applications for this open position must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Friday, April 19, 2024.
Official documentation from CWA Local 1031 includes the following statement:
"We are the East Brunswick Library workers in CWA Local 1031, and we stand united in our demand for respect and dignity through a good union contract. We are fighting for equity for Full-Time and Part-Time workers. We are fighting to protect worker health and safety. We are fighting for equitable salary increases that recognize the current economic climate. We are fighting to modernize our workplaces to recruit and retain a talented workforce to provide the services the East Brunswick residents deserve.
Library workers in East Brunswick work tirelessly to bring high quality programming, literacy initiatives, social services, classes, scholarly exhibits, passport services, technology, art, music, and culture to our community. Every year, thousands of East Brunswick residents are positively impacted by our work.
We are asking East Brunswick residents, students, union members, and library advocates from all over to sign our petition of support as we fight for a fair contract.
We appreciate your support for public libraries and the dedicated employees who make the library work."
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EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - Grab a cup of Joe and a sweet treat at East Brunswick's newest family-owned coffee shop, Cozy Cup located at 1031 Route 18 (in the Arooga's Shopping Center).
Owner Pragash Pararajasingam is excited to serve residents "comfort food and fresh Colombian coffee" and said they'll be serving both breakfast and lunch. Saturday's Grand Opening was attended by Mayor Brad Cohen, Council President Kevin McEvoy, Economic Development Officer Robert Zuckerman, and representatives of the East Brunswick Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Cozy Cup offers a variety of well-priced sandwiches on ciabatta bread, bagels, and English muffins, at the last East Brunswick stop before drivers head down the shore or get on the Parkway off Route 18. Lots of coffee offerings and a variety of types of tea, too.
Need a frozen coffee or smoothie on your way to work or down the shore? This new East Brunswick business is the place for you!
]]>EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - The East Brunswick Human Relations Committee, EBTV, and TAPinto East Brunswick got together to answer some of your most-asked questions about parades, saints, corned beef and soda bread just in time for St. Patrick's Day this Sunday, March 17.
Okay, I'll admit it. I grew up hating Irish soda bread. Too dry. Not good toasted. Weird shape. People brought it to my house every St. Patrick's Day, and I graciously accepted it and tried to palm it off on my guests. I made sure that everyone had some to take home. Oy, such a generous hostess!
I finally learned to make it myself, to my own liking. I started with my friend Helen's mother's recipe. Helen's mom was born in Ireland and made the only edible bread I ever had. I've worked on it over the years, and now I'm pretty proud of it.
The recipe is coming up, but remember that Irish soda bread is best when eaten with unsalted butter and a generous serving of strawberry jam or Irish marmalade. Now that, partnered with a strong cup of red Irish tea, is a wonderful thing.
This year, I am keeping some for myself after the party!
The World-Famous, Outstanding, Incredible TAP into East Brunswick Irish Soda Bread Recipe St. Patrick’s Day, 2024
Ingredients: 3 and a half cups of flour, sifted or whisked
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup raisins
½ cup golden raisins (sultanas)
½ cup currants
3 tablespoons caraway seeds (optional but delicious)
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter or butter-flavored Crisco (melted but not hot)
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar. Mix in raisins and currants. Mix in caraway seeds, if desired.
In a separate bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk and shortening.
Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until just moistened. Do not overmix!
Place in the middle of a jelly-roll pan or other baking sheet with sides. Bake for about one hour.
Test with a toothpick or cake-tester. This makes a large round, low-rising loaf. Be sure the middle is cooked.
Cool immediately and remove from the pan. When it's cool, cut the loaf into 4 quarters and then into slices.
Impress yourself! Show off!
Learn to like something today!
]]>EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - Helmetta Blvd. from Old Stage Rd. to the Helmetta border is closed due to downed a utility pole and wires.
Police personnel are on scene to control traffic and assist motorists. The roadway will be accessible to local traffic only and detours are in place.
If possible, please plan an alternate route. It is unclear at this time as to how long the road will be closed, says the East Brunswick Police Department.
EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - East Brunswick Public Schools will be hosting the 15th Annual Night of Jazz on Wednesday, April 3rd. This annual event is co-sponsored by EBEF and the Mario A. DeCarolis Memorial Music Fund. This year's event will feature the Garden State Jazz Orchestra along with performances by the Hammarskjold Upper Elementary School, Churchill Junior High School and East Brunswick High School Jazz Bands and the East Brunswick High School Jazz Choir.
The Garden State Jazz Orchestra was founded in 2010 by director/saxophonist, Ken Zampella. Accredited as being a “wall of sound”, this big band is an ensemble that features a variety of musical styles from Jazz to Swing and Motown to Rock. Featuring accomplished musicians with a wide variety of experience and backgrounds, this group of individuals have come together to provide quality entertainment to people of every age, as well as promote the betterment of jazz education. Tickets are now on sale for the Night of Jazz and can be purchased at ebarts.booktix.com
]]>EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - It begins in a half hour - the week-long celebration of St. Patrick's Day here at TAP Central in East Brunswick. First, quick stop at the Brunswick Grove for a pint of Guinness Extra Stout. (I once made the poor fashion choice of purchasing a t-shirt with that product name written on it. Not good.) We have sorted out our shopping lists for the annual event we will hold next Saturday here on our own little of spot of green in Central New Jersey.
I will prepare a full meal for about 50 people. 10 corned beefs (beeves?) at least, cabbage, potatoes, colcannon, carrots, soda bread, Kosher "new" pickles, rye bread, mustard/horseradish sauce, shepherd's pie, home-made jam from our summer CSA will be the centerpiece foods. Folks will chip in either Irish or otherwise green appetizers and desserts. Of course, there will be Irish coffee and maybe a few pints of Guinness or "fizzy American beer." Yeah, right.
We are Irish and Jewish here at TAP Central, so corned beef appears often on our table. However, judging by the sales at Shop-Rite and elsewhere, corned beef may be a once-a-year food event for many people. Need an Irish hand to help you glorify this annual garlicky, salty pink entree? Let's go!
1. Buy a good one. Take advantage of the sales and do your best to buy a good-quality brisket.
2. Take it out of the bag in the sink and give it a good rinse. Take the chance to cut away most (but not all) of any extra fat. (Expect your corned beef to shrink by about 50%) Save the bag of spices. Dry the beef with a paper towel.
3. Prepare your cooking pot! In the bottom of a large stove-top pot (pasta?) or crock-pot, layer 1 roughly chopped onion, 2 chopped carrots, 3-4 chopped ribs of celery, the contents of the spice packet, a half teaspoon of ground black pepper, and 1 bottle of Guinness. (Adding beer to the cooking liquid removes some of the saltiness of the corned beef, while also giving a deeper flavor. Besides, you will then have the happy problem of finding something to do with the other 5 bottles from your six-pack!)
4. Set the beef on top and cover with with fresh water. Cover the pot. Set heat on medium/low and cook for four hours. In crock-pot on low takes the 7-8 hours. Do this before work, and come home to a house that smells like a deli. You will be ravenous.
5. While your beef is cooking, try your hand at preparing colcannon, a traditional and tasty Irish "mash" of cabbage, potatoes, leeks and butter. Peel and slice a few carrots and set them to boil. Serve them with a little butter, salt, and New Jersey honey for a colorful and tasty side dish.
6. There is no need for corned beef to be rubbery or stringy. Cook it as you would a pot roast until it is as tender as you like. (In our EB TAP family, we call this style of cooking "Florentine," after our grandmother Florence Pressman who put a pot on low or in the oven at 250 and just let it cook all day. There's no rush! Besides, you have those 5 bottles of Guinness to keep you occupied!)
7. Remove corned beef from cooking liquid and allow to rest on your cutting board for a while. Discard the cooking liquid.
8. Slice your delicious corned beef and serve with your colcannon and carrots. Accompany with rough, brown mustard (No Dijon, please. Far too winey.)
9 Be Irish for the evening, at least. Remember, smiling is required!
10. Irish soda bread recipe tomorrow!
]]>EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - The Gold Medallion, the NJ Agricultural Society's highest honor, is presented to individuals who have dedicated their lives to New Jersey agriculture, making significant contributions to the industry. Recipients include farmers, agribusiness members, and career employees who have provided leadership in various statewide agricultural organizations, created advanced marketing plans or business management tools, or otherwise taken extraordinary steps to advance the industry.
This year, New Jersey Agricultural Society is honored to present the Gold Medallion Award to Giamarese Farm and Orchard in East Brunswick, Middlesex County, NJ, says a release published by the NJAS today.
Jim Giamarese and his wife, Sue, currently farm about 35 acres in East Brunswick. It all began after the Depression back in 1941 with his great-grandfather who immigrated from Italy. He farmed in what was known then as Springfield, Long Island where he would load up his truck with produce and travel across the Brooklyn Bridge to the city to sell wholesale. Jim’s grandfather joined him, and they worked together until the farming business eventually moved to New Jersey.
The farm consisted mainly of grain and hay. Jim grew up around his family and, over time, learned the farming business. As the agricultural industry evolved, so too did Giamarese Farm led by his innovation and instincts to focus on fruits and vegetables while also bringing customers onto his farm to pick their own. In fact, Giamarese claims to be the first farmer in the area to develop a “you pick” pumpkin patch. Not only is he passionate about his harvest but he also loves tractors, trucks, and motorcycles - repairing, restoring, and rebuilding them for utility and pleasure.
“Jim has always been known as an innovator. In 1989, he received the Outstanding Young Farmer Award (a National Award) that truly showed his innovation and going above and beyond,” says Bill Hlubik, Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County. This marked the next level for Jim in representing the whole farming community and being regarded as a leader in the state’s agriculture industry.
Some of the organizations Jim has been a part of include President of NJ Agricultural Society, President of NJ State Board of Agriculture, Vegetable Growers Association of New Jersey, member of the original team who began Farmers Against Hunger, and member of New Jersey Farmer Direct Marketing Association. This February, Jim received the Distinguished Service Award at the NJ Agriculture Convention.
Sue and Jim Giamarese currently operate a seasonal farm market, offering a full line of produce, with 80 percent of the products grown on their farm. They have pick-your-own strawberries, peaches, apples, and pumpkins. They grow bedding plants and choose-and-cut Christmas trees. Their farm is part of the state farmland preservation program.
Although they do not have any children, Jim and Sue hope to find a family with as much love for farming and a deep interest in providing quality produce to local customers to carry on their faming tradition. Providing fresh, nutritious, and local food in Middlesex County is part of the legacy they wish to pass along to the next generation.
Fun Fact: Jim’s great-grandfather’s plot of land where it all started is now JFK Airport!
EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - As announced by the East Brunswick Police Department at 4:22 Monday, there is a downed utility pole and exposed wires caused byhigh wind gusts on Cranbury Road near Evergreen Boulevard (near Brunswick Memorial Home.)
Cranbury Road is now closed in both directions in the area of Dunhams Corner Road and Evergreen Blvd. Expect delays while PSEG is making repairs. The EBPD is on the scene.
"There are widespread power outages in East Brunswick. There have also been reported outages as far as South River and Monroe. Please drive safely and be patient," says Mayor Brad Cohen.
]]>EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - The New Jersey Recreation and Park Association (NJRPA) awarded the Professional of the Year Award to John Roche, Manager/Aquatics Director at the East Brunswick Recreation, Parks, and Community Services at the New Jersey Recreation and Park Association (NJRPA) Annual Awards Ceremony at Harrah’s Waterfront Conference Center in Atlantic City, NJ on Tuesday, February 8, 2024.
The Professional of the Year Award recognizes individuals who exemplify high professional standards and have made significant contributions through exceptional service to the profession, as well as noteworthy dedication to the Association.
With over two decades of experience in the aquatics industry, John Roche is a seasoned professional renowned for his leadership and expertise. His tenure includes pivotal roles at the Township's Crystal Springs Family Waterpark, where he demonstrated exceptional commitment to aquatic safety and management. Upon joining the East Brunswick Recreation & Parks Department, John swiftly obtained certification as a Certified Park and Recreation Professional, further underscoring his dedication to excellence.
John's influence extends beyond his local community; he is a respected figure in New Jersey's aquatics sector, serving as Chair of the NJRPA Aquatics Section and Vice Chair of the World Waterpark Association Public Sector Committee. Additionally, he has initiated impactful programs such as the Leadership Development Program for aspiring young professionals and the revival of the Youth Council Program, showcasing his commitment to nurturing talent and fostering community engagement.
In his multifaceted role, John oversees diverse responsibilities encompassing recreation division management, budget allocation, social media engagement, and personnel administration. Known for his compassion, professionalism, and unwavering dedication, John's recent nomination as Employee of the Month for the Township of East Brunswick reflects his invaluable contributions and positive impact on the community.
In summary, John Roche stands as an exemplary professional whose leadership has significantly elevated the East Brunswick Recreation & Parks Department and influenced various facets of the industry. His steadfast commitment to excellence and genuine care for his community embody the spirit of the NJRPA Professional of the Year Award.
The New Jersey Recreation and Park Association is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting parks and recreation; enhancing the professional development of its members; advocating sound policy and stewardship related to parks, recreation, resource management, and leisure services; and increasing awareness of the value of play and preservation of the environment to interested citizens and the public.
The purpose of the New Jersey Recreation and Park Association’s Awards Program is to honor and identify dedicated leaders, employees, and volunteers in the field of Parks and Recreation, and to recognize the State’s outstanding Recreation and Park agencies for excellence in programming, publicity, and facility design. The goal of the Awards Program is to focus state attention on the achievement of Park and Recreation agencies, to recognize the continuing efforts of staff and volunteers, and to acknowledge support extended by member agencies.
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