PISCATAWAY, NJ -- The Piscataway Cultural Arts Commission will continue the Hometown Hero Banner Program this spring, celebrating the service and sacrifice of Piscataway veterans. This initiative honors veterans by displaying their pictures on individual banners suspended from lamp posts along Hoes Lane/Rt.18, near the Piscataway Community Center, Kennedy Library, and Municipal Complex.
Residents are invited to submit photos of themselves or their loved ones who have served in any branch of the United States Armed Forces. Eligible veterans must be retired, honorably discharged, or killed in action, and must have been Piscataway residents at some point.
Photo submissions will be accepted this Saturday, March 23, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kennedy Library, located at 500 Hoes Lane, Piscataway. All photos must be UNFRAMED and labeled on the back with the veteran's name, along with the name and number of the submitter. Photos must feature the individual in their U.S. Military uniform.
For those unable to attend on Saturday or with inquiries, contact Commission Chair Kitty Juttner at 732-563-4117 or 908-230-2862.
Space is limited, submissions will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. All submitted photos will be returned.
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PISCATAWAY, NJ -- The artwork of 16 Piscataway students will hang in the district’s permanent art collection in the boardroom of the administration building through next year.
Superintendent Dr. Frank Ranelli and Board President Shantell Cherry joined Rebekah Sterlacci, Supervisor of Visual and Performing Arts and the students’ art teachers and principals to recognize the talents of the young students at Thursday’s Board of Education meeting, honoring each with a ceremony and gallery walk through with their families.
The honorees included:
Jayden James
Alejandra Hercules Amador
Charlotte Yulick
Sumaiya Yasmin
Amaya Clary
Sophia Lojko
Syeda Islam
Vritti Sahu
Sally Jiang
Jonah Jaico
Isabella Jerez Carvajal
Isabella Orellana
Simone Makwana
Natalie Jimenez
Isabella Charlize Benaojan
An unnamed student
A video has been posted showcasing the talents of the young artists and the stories behind their work. Click here to view.
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PISCATAWAY, NJ – In a display of unity and skill, Piscataway's Muslim Interscholastic Tournament (MIST) team showcased its strength at the recent MIST NJ competition held at Rutgers Livingston Campus on March 2nd and 3rd.
This year marked a milestone for Piscataway as it boasted its largest MIST team ever with 30 students. Representing a coalition of schools including Piscataway High School, Rutgers Preparatory School, Central Jersey College Prep, and An-Noor Academy, the team clinched 2nd place overall among 45 in team spirit for most cohesiveness, best chants, best dressed and other criteria.
Sponsored in part by the Muslim Center of Middlesex County (MCMC), the event saw fierce competition, with winners earning the opportunity to advance to MIST nationals this July.
Piscataway's MIST tradition runs deep, with some alumni returning as organizers. This year's Associate Director for MISTNJ, Ahmad Memon, a Piscataway High School alum, led the charge alongside fellow PHS alums Zaynab Khan, who was an organizer on the logistics team, and Rania Hashmi and Subhan Siddiqui who were competitions team organizers.
According to its website, the MIST tournament “offers a fun, educational, interactive program of competitions and workshops geared towards bringing…high school students together from around the nation to develop leadership, communication, and other creative skills.”
The Piscataway MIST team placed in the following categories:
Category 1: Knowledge And Quran
Knowledge Test 2:
Safa Asrar - 2nd Place - Rutgers Prep (competitors read a book and answer questions. winner based on best test score).
Knowledge Test 4:
Raahim Hashmi - 1st place (competitors read a book and answer questions. winner based on best test score).
Brothers Quran Recitation
Zackariya Broadnax - 2nd place - An-Noor Academy (competitors recite passages from the Quran, judged for the best-sounding recitation as well as application of rules)
Sisters Quran Recitation
Aleena Ahmad - 3rd place - An-Noor Academy (competitors recite passages from the Quran, judged for the best-sounding recitation as well as application of rules)
Brothers Quran Memorization 3
Aariz Mohammad - 1st place (competitors are randomly tested from passages of the Quran for accuracy in memorization)
Brothers Quran Memorization 2
Ibrahim Syed - 1st place (competitors are randomly tested from passages of the Quran for accuracy in memorization)
Hamza Ahmad - 2nd place (competitors are randomly tested from passages of the Quran for accuracy in memorization)
Sisters Quran Memorization 1
Noora Usman - 3rd place (competitors are randomly tested from passages of the Quran for accuracy in memorization)
Category 2: Arts
Digital Art
Ruqiyyah Shaikh - 1st place (competitors design digital art that follows the theme for MISTNJ 2024: The Treasure of Fellowship [centered around making meaningful connections with those around you]).
Photography
Raahim Hashmi—3rd place (competitors took photos that follow the theme for MISTNJ 2024: The Treasure of Fellowship [centered around making meaningful connections with those around you]. They also wrote a statement describing their work and are interviewed by judges).
Scrapbooking
Haniya Arif—2nd place (competitors created a scrapbook that follows the theme for MISTNJ 2024: the treasure of fellowship [centered around making meaningful connections with those around you]. They also write a written statement describing their work and are interviewed by judges).
Category 3: Writing and Oratory
Spoken Word
Zackariya Broadnax—3rd place—An-Noor (competitors wrote and performed a writing piece that follows the theme for MISTNJ 2024: the treasure of fellowship [centered around making meaningful connections with those around you]).
Short Fiction
Ammar Khan - 3rd place (competitors write a short fiction story that follows the theme for MISTNJ 2024: The Treasure of Fellowship [centered around making meaningful connections with those around you]).
Category 4: Brackets
Debate
Azra Bano, Raahim Hashmi - 2nd place (competitors engage in a parliamentary debate in multiple rounds, with 5 different topics including “whether the US should be called a democracy.”)
Category 5: Group Projects
Science Fair
Azra Bano - 1st place (competitors embark on a scientific experiment, presenting their findings to judges. Bano centered her experiment on AI and its implications.)
Humanitarian Service
Raahim Hashmi, Ammar Khan, Hamza Memon, Abdullah Afzal, Ibrahim Syed - 1st place (competitors plan and execute a campaign plan to raise money for third world countries in partnership with Islamic Relief USA. this year, the team raised over $3,000 for Palestine’s humanitarian disaster)
Category 6: Sports
Brothers Volleyball
Abdullah Afzal - 1st place
Overall:
2nd place Most Spirited, 2nd place Top Team
1st Top Competitor - Raahim Hashmi won top competitor in all of NJ based on the number of competitions won compared to the 500+ competitors in MISTNJ this year.
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PISCATAWAY, NJ – Patrons of John and Joan’s Road Stand in Piscataway are mourning the loss of Joan Lauria who passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday. She was 88.
Lauria established the popular farmstand with her husband, John in 1958 when they purchased the Stelton Road property. Together they farmed the land and built the business which, for over 60 years, has offered fresh local Jersey produce, flowers, vegetable plants, and seasonal items from Easter through Christmas.
According to her family, Lauria would often take a genuine interest in the lives of others, and was often seen sitting in her swing, sipping a cup of coffee or enjoying an Oreo cookie. She was known for “her caring heart, big smile, and witty sense of humor (which) will be greatly missed, but never forgotten.”
Lauria is survived by her children, John Jr., (Lynn), Timothy Sr. (Donna), William (Janice), Susan Serido and Lisa Leone (the late Richard); brother Roger Price (Madeline Bost); 15 grandchildren; and 24 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at Sheenan Funeral Home, 233 Dunellen Avenue in Dunellen.
Visiting hours will be held on Monday, March 18, from 3 to 7 pm at the funeral home. A service will be held on Tuesday, March 19 at 10 am at the funeral home, followed by burial at Lake Nelson Cemetery in Piscataway.
Read Joan Lauria’s obituary here.
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MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ - Two things are guaranteed in life: death and taxes, and New Jersey is known to be among the states with the highest property taxes. In 2023, the average tax bill for a home in New Jersey was $9,803 according to the NJ Department of Community Affairs.
The tiny Borough of Tavistock in Camden County averages $38,206 in property taxes. Among the leaders in other counties were Millburn (Essex): $24,947; Demarest (Bergen): $23,475; Mantoloking (Ocean): $23,021; Rumson (Monmouth): $22,544; Mountain Lakes (Morris): $22,441; and Princeton (Mercer): $21,372.
Among towns in Middlesex County, residents of Metuchen paid the highest property taxes, with an average bill of $12,728 (average home value: $189,372). New Brunswick residents had the lowest tax bills with $6,656 (average home value: $261,819).
South River and Perth Amboy also had some of the lowest average property tax rates among Middlesex County municipalities.
In Piscataway, homes had an average property tax bill of $8,386.
Municipality |
County |
Average Residential Property Value |
Average Property Taxes |
Metuchen |
Middlesex |
$189,372 |
$12,728 |
Highland Park |
Middlesex |
$479,991 |
$11,988 |
Plainsboro |
Middlesex |
$457,948 |
$11,439 |
Cranbury |
Middlesex |
$609,013 |
$11,005 |
East Brunswick |
Middlesex |
$95,151 |
$10,944 |
Milltown |
Middlesex |
$163,209 |
$10,822 |
Dunellen |
Middlesex |
$387,819 |
$10,499 |
Edison |
Middlesex |
$182,422 |
$10,403 |
South Brunswick |
Middlesex |
$195,224 |
$10,082 |
North Brunswick |
Middlesex |
$160,779 |
$10,003 |
Middlesex |
Middlesex |
$424,733 |
$9,353 |
Spotswood |
Middlesex |
$257,765 |
$9,229 |
Woodbridge |
Middlesex |
$79,093 |
$9,002 |
Sayreville |
Middlesex |
$145,693 |
$8,647 |
Monroe |
Middlesex |
$333,098 |
$8,523 |
South Amboy |
Middlesex |
$274,138 |
$8,463 |
Piscataway |
Middlesex |
$413,003 |
$8,386 |
South Plainfield |
Middlesex |
$124,112 |
$8,287 |
Old Bridge |
Middlesex |
$155,615 |
$8,250 |
Jamesburg |
Middlesex |
$124,694 |
$8,022 |
Carteret |
Middlesex |
$244,372 |
$7,588 |
Perth Amboy |
Middlesex |
$246,236 |
$7,412 |
South River |
Middlesex |
$292,585 |
$7,229 |
Helmetta |
Middlesex |
$208,055 |
$6,786 |
New Brunswick |
Middlesex |
$261,819 |
$6,656 |
PISCATAWAY, NJ – A Piscataway 3rd grader’s artistic abilities won her the 2023 Safe Routes to School Bookmark Contest.
Sally Jiang, a student at Grandview Elementary School, was presented with a $100 gift card last Wednesday and enough of the bookmarks to share with friends, family and school.
Co-sponsored by Keep Middlesex Moving and Provident Bank, the annual bookmark design contest was open to students in the 3rd and 5th grades across Middlesex County. This year’s theme was Active Together.
According to its website, Keep Middlesex Moving is Middlesex County’s non-profit transportation management association that works with businesses, commuters, elected officials, community groups and other partners to implement programs that reduce congestion, increase safety, and improve air quality in the county.
Keep Middlesex Moving delivers walking and biking safety education programs to elementary and middle school students, and organizes events and contests that encourage responsible walking and bicycling to school.
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