Edmund E. Bodek

by Somerset Reporter

Thursday December 04, 2008, 6:41 PM

MANVILLE -- Edmund E. Bodek, 91, entered into eternal rest on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville.

Born in Wanamie, PA to his late parents Lawrence and Lottie (Elwartoski) Bodek, he resided in Nanticoke, PA before settling to Manville in 1956.

Edmund was honorably discharged from the United States Army after faithfully serving his country as a Sergeant during World War II. He was a Purple Heart Recipient and served in the Armor Division as a tank commander while stationed in France.

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Bernard R. "Bud" Johnson

by Somerset Reporter

Thursday December 04, 2008, 5:26 PM

Bernard R. "Bud" Johnson, 85, of Bridgewater died Oct. 16 at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville.

Born in Orange, he lived in West Orange, Dover and Somerville before moving to Bridgewater in 1954.

Johnson was a music teacher with the Somerville Board of Education for over 32 years, retiring in 1981. He received a bachelor's degree in music from Trenton State College in 1948 and a master's degree from Columbia University.

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Les Chic Boutiques benefits Mountain Top School for Young Children

by Somerset Reporter

Thursday December 04, 2008, 4:46 PM

WARREN -- Temple Har Shalom will be hosting Les Chic Boutiques from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5 at 104 Mt Horeb Rd., Warren.

Included in this year's boutique are 30 fabulous vendors with a unique mix of merchandise including: men's, women's and children's apparel; jewelry; sports memorabilia; books; stationary; giftware; accessories and cookware.

There will be special events throughout the day including wonderful door prizes.

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Hillsborough Family YMCA sponsoring local families in financial deed during holidays

by Somerset Reporter

Thursday December 04, 2008, 4:38 PM

HILLSBOROUGH -- With the holidays only a few weeks away, shopping for gifts is in full swing. With many families suffering financial hardships that are felt most acutely during this time of year, the Hillsborough Family YMCA, through the Hillsborough Office of Social Services, has sponsored several local families by fulfilling their holiday wish lists.
The Hillsborough Office of Social Services provided the Hillsborough Family YMCA with names obtained from their food pantry clients and students at Hillsborough schools who receive free lunches.

These individuals had previously filled out application forms that specified the number and ages of people in their family and a wish list for presents. These wish list tags were then hung on a Christmas tree at the Hillsborough Family YMCA. Members were invited to take a tag, buy a gift and brighten someone's holiday.

According to Hillsborough Branch Director Valerie Giacopelli, "We can hardly keep the tags on the tree. Our members and staff have been so generous we can hardly keep up with the demand. We're currently looking to sponsor our fourth family. It's been very rewarding to participate in such a worthwhile program and I'd like to thank our members and staff for being so generous."

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My Library DV enables Franklin Township Library users to download films and television shows free of charge

by Somerset Reporter

Thursday December 04, 2008, 4:13 PM

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP - Andy Gross of Recorded Books, LLC, will teach residents how to access DVD-quality programming at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 16. at the library located at 485 DeMott Lane in the Municipal Complex, Somerset.

Gross will demonstrate the ease of this process and troubleshoot any issues patrons may have encountered while utilizing the video-on-demand service.

The video-on-demand service -- named My Library DV -- offers a variety of material, including such classic feature films as Battleship Potemkin, The Birth of a Nation and The Great Train Robbery; foreign features such as Agata e la tempesta and Viva Cuba; episodes of Globetrekker and Rick Steve's Europe; Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home and FitnessOnDemand.

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Bound Brook men arrested for driving around with cocaine

by Somerset Reporter

Thursday December 04, 2008, 3:23 PM

SOMERVILLE - Terrence Atkins of Cherry Avenue in Bound Brook has be arrested and charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in the third degree; possession of a firearm while distributing controlled dangerous substances in the second degree; possession of marijuana with intent to distribute in the fourth degree and possession of controlled dangerous substances with intent to distribute within 1000' of a school in the third degree.

According to documentation from the Somerset County Prosecutor's office, the investigation began on Dec. 2 when members of the Bound Brook Police Department and the Somerset County Gangs and Guns Task Force were in the area of Talmadge Avenue and Columbus Street to investigate a separate incident.

While there police approached a blue Honda driven by Atkins. He was driving around with a bag containing twelve smaller bags of cocaine in plain view inside the vehicle.

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New Jersey Transit to provide status reports at Rail Coalition Meeting

by Somerset Reporter

Thursday December 04, 2008, 3:19 PM

WESTFIELD - Elected officials, transportation professionals and the public are invited to the last Raritan Valley Rail Coalition meeting of 2008 be held at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 8, in the Town of Westfield Municipal Council Chambers, 425 East Broad Street.

NJ Transit will provide an update on the status of the same-platform transfer project. This project will allow most Raritan Valley line in-bound trains during the morning peak period to stop and allow passengers to disembark on the same platform as the connecting train into Penn Station New York.

An update also will be given on the Cross County Connection Project, which has recommended several possible connections from Cranford to Elizabeth and other possible destinations that would provide for increased connectivity for Raritan Valley line passengers to the Northeast Corridor, Secaucus Junction Train Station and Newark Airport.

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Scouts stuff the food bank

by Marin Barrett

Thursday December 04, 2008, 3:11 PM

COURTESY TOM ELYScouts from Troop 154, Bridgewater, unloaded bags of food at the Bound Brook location of the Food Bank Network of Somerset County. The troop was able to gather over 300 bags during Scouting For Food an annual event which gathers food for the needy.

BRIDGEWATER -- Boy Scouts from Troop 154 -- along with their parents and siblings -- braved the bitter chill to gather food during their annual Scouting for Food held during the month of November.

Scouts -- from every section of the township -- walked, drove and rode their bikes to place brown paper bags on stoops and mail boxes to encourage the community to donate food for the hungry during the holiday season.

On Saturday, Nov. 22, florescent green tags lined the streets as eager scouts ran to door steps to claim the goods.

"We generally gather about 500 bags per year," said Tom Ely, scoutmaster of Troop 154, who was proudly directing his troop as they unloaded canned and boxed items at the Food Bank Network of Somerset County's Bound Brook location. "We are able to feed about 100 families per year for both Thanksgiving and Christmas."

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44-year-old female from Linden sexually assaulted by Somerville man

by Somerset Reporter

Thursday December 04, 2008, 2:53 PM

SOMERVILLE - Clinton Miller, 47-year-old, of South Bridge Street in Somerville was arrested and charged with sexual assault in the second degree.

According to documentation from the Somerset County Prosecutor's office, a 44-year-old female from Linden was sexually assaulted on Jan. 5, 2008, in Somerville, by Miller.

The 44-year-old victim said she when trying to leave her estranged husband's, Miller, apartment he stopped her from exiting, placing her in a bear hug and forcing her into his bedroom and had intercourse while she resisted.

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Toys for sale in time for the holidays presented by The Bradley Gardens School Parent-Teacher organization

by Marin Barrett/Somerset Reporter

Thursday December 04, 2008, 2:49 PM

BRIDGEWATER -- The Bradley Gardens School Parent-Teacher organization is hosting a gently-used toy sale 8 a.m. till noon on Saturday, Dec. 6.

The organization is accepting only gently-used, quality donations for this sale which include: toys, books, games, puzzles and bikes that children have outgrown, abandoned or toys they simply wish to pass along to other children.

Toys with broken or missing pieces will not be sold.

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The Wallace House Historic Site holds Christmas Tours

by Somerset Reporter

Thursday December 04, 2008, 12:35 PM

SOMERVILLE -- The public is invited to visit the historic Wallace House from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7 for Christmas tours at 71 Somerset Street, Somerville.

The Wallace House, an eight-room Georgian-style mansion, was built between 1775 and 1776 by Philadelphia merchant John Wallace, who called his family's new home "Hope Farm."
During the American Revolution, General George Washington rented a portion of the home, using the rooms as his personal headquarters during the Middlebrook Encampment in 1778-1779.

The tours, conducted by costumed interpreters, will focus on 18 century Christmas practices. Visitors will also be able to view a demonstration of open-hearth cooking and listen to live music of the Colonial era.

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Bridgewater United Methodist Church Christmas Gift Fair to help people the world over

by Somerset Reporter

Thursday December 04, 2008, 11:27 AM

BRIDGEWATER -- An Alternative Christmas Gift Fair will be held 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7 at Bridgewater United Methodist Church.

Celebrate the season by honoring someone with a donation to a charitable organization (recognition certificates provided) or by purchasing jewelry, holiday decorations, and other handmade items made by artisans from around the world.

Organizations include Nature Conservancy, Fair Trade Coffee, Ten Thousand Villages, Raritan Valley Habitat for Humanity, Heifer Project International, and Refugee Resettlement. All proceeds go directly to these organizations.

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