Woodbridge Sentinel

Photo

11/26/2008

SCOTT FRIEDMAN Students perform a dance number from "Too Darn Hot" from the Broadway musical "Kiss Me, Kate" during Colonia High School's production of "A Night on Broadway," featuring performances by students and faculty, on Nov. 20.

Parts of Route 1 be closed three months

BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer — 11/26/2008

The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) has announced the three-month closure of the Route 1 southbound ramp to Ford Avenue as well as westbound Ford Avenue, west of Route 1, which started on Nov. 21. A new Route 1 ramp south of the Ford Avenue intersection will be opened to accommodate the traffic.

A Night on Broadway

11/26/2008

Above: Students perform a dance number from "Too Darn Hot" from the Broadway musical "Kiss Me, Kate" during Colonia High School's production of "A Night on Broadway," featuring performances by students and faculty, on Nov. 20. Right: Rebecca Fenderson and Anthony Reider perform "Big Spender" from the Broadway musical "Sweet Charity."

Local choir to debut in December

BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer — 11/26/2008

Under the direction of professor E. Jon deRevere, the Woodbridge Community Choir will present its debut concert on Dec. 6. The choir, which has grown to about 40 members, started rehearsing in September at the First Presbyterian Church. The choir includes Beth Amory, choir director at Woodbridge High School, and Judy Verrilli, choir director at John F.

Smokers urged to take a day to quit

BY LAUREN MORTENSON Staff Writer — 11/26/2008

T he 33rd Great American Smokeout was held on Thursday, Nov. 20, all across the country. Smokers are encouraged to stop smoking for one day with the hope that it will jump-start their decision to quit completely. According to the American Cancer Society, over 2,200 communities and 17 states have become smoke-free.

Young cheerleaders headed to nationals

BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer — 11/26/2008

WOODBRIDGE — For the very first time, the 27 girls, ages 10-13, on the Iselin Giants Junior Midget Pop Warner Cheerleading team are headed to the National Pop Warner Cheerleading Championships undefeated.

Helpline now available to youths all over state

11/26/2008

Representatives of 180 Turning Lives Around Inc. were joined recently by New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) Commissioner Kimberly Ricketts to announce the successful statewide rollout of the 2nd Floor Youth Helpline.

Young men spread the word of God through their feet

11/26/2008

NORTH BRUNSWICK — Daniel and Tristan Davis are two young adults trying to make a difference in the lives of their peers. The two township residents established Kingdom Disciples Hip Hop Praise Ministry three years ago to combine their hip-hop dancing skills with the need to talk about social issues from the Bible as they relate to social issues today.

Bill shifts legal costs to corrupt public employees

11/26/2008

MIDDLETOWN — Taxpayers would no longer foot the bill for legal costs for corrupt public employees if a bill proposed by Assemblywoman Amy Handlin (R-13th District) becomes law. Assembly Bill 289, sponsored by Handlin, was released by the Assembly State Government Committee on Nov. 13.

Police arrest suspect in Hess robberies

BY CHRIS GAETANO Staff Writer — 11/26/2008

Edison police have arrested a man suspected of being responsible for a pair of armed robberies at the Hess gas station on Amboy Avenue. On Nov. 20 around 9 p.m., Edison Detective Alan Sciarrillo, Detective Sean Forker and Detective Sgt. Richard Buck arrested Mike Rebeck at his Main Street home in Fords.

Woodbridge YMCA holiday event Dec. 5

11/26/2008

The Woodbridge YMCA at the Woodbridge Community Center, 600 Main St., will host a free Holiday Extravaganza 1-2 p.m. Dec. 5. There will be a concert with performances by the Woodbridge Township school choirs. The Y is asking concertgoers to bring an unwrapped toy for the Toys for Tots drive.

Flu shots available in Woodbridge Dec. 2, 8

11/26/2008

The Woodbridge Township Department of Health and Human Services will administer flu and pneumonia vaccines 2-4 p.m. Dec. 2 and 8 at the Woodbridge Health Center, 2 George Frederick Plaza. Flu shots are free to Medicare patients and $15 for all others.

Gift-wrap fundraiser begins Nov. 28 at mall

11/26/2008

Colonia Hadassah's Holiday Gift Wrap fundraiser will begin Nov. 28 on the lower level of the Woodbridge Center Mall. Hadassah volunteers will be available during mall hours to wrap gifts through Dec. 24. Proceeds will benefit cancer research and the Hadassah Medical Organization.

Poetry's winter schedule announced

11/26/2008

The Barron Arts Center, 582 Rahway Ave., Woodbridge, has announced the upcoming dates for the winter schedule of Poets Wednesday. All readings of featured poets begin at 8 p.m. and are free and open to everyone. Poet Deborah La Veglia heads the monthly readings and includes one or two featured readers followed by open readings. Refreshments will be served.

Fords library closed due to renovations

11/26/2008

The Fords Branch Library, 211 Fords Ave., will be closed for complete interior renovations for approximately eight weeks. Fords residents and library patrons can continue to access all library services at the Woodbridge Main Library, 1 George Frederick Plaza; the Henry Inman Library, 607 Inman Ave., Colonia; and the Iselin Branch library, 1081 Green St.

Widows/Widowers' open dance Nov. 30

11/26/2008

The Woodbridge Widows or Widowers will hold an open dance 7:30-11:30 p.m. at the Elks lodge, 665 Rahway Ave. Music will be provided by Jimmy Ray and light refreshments will be served. Admission is $10 for members and $12 for guests. For more information, call 732-381-3255 or 908-757- 0515.

Oak Tree Church to host meals, fair, more

11/26/2008

Oak Tree Presbyterian Church, 445 Plainfield Road in north Edison, will hold a "Super Soup and Sandwich Meal" every Wednesday throughout November. The meals are open to the public and are free of charge. The church will host a Christmas Market Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 6.

Benefit for educational fund to be held Nov. 25

11/26/2008

Ashlyn Marie Ferriero's family and friends are hosting the second annual The Fashion Love Ashlyn Educational Fund Benefit Dinner from 6-10 p.m. at the Royal Albert's Palace, 1050 King George Road, Fords. Ferriero, 12, died in a tragic train accident in June 2007 and her family and friends developed a scholarship program.

Church to hold calendar raffle

11/26/2008

Our Lady of Peace Church, Fords, will be selling calendar raffles. For $20, participants will have 155 chances to win a cash prize. A prize will be awarded for each day (except Sundays) from January to June 2009; participants can win more than once each month.

Christmas bazaar at Our Lady of Peace

11/26/2008

The Our Lady of Peace Home School Association's annual Christmas bazaar will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 7 in the cafeteria (located under the church, 26 Maple Ave., Fords). Breakfast will be served from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring baked ziti and meatballs.

Al-Anon helps family, friends of alcoholics

11/26/2008

Al-Anon family groups are a fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength and hope in order to solve their common problems. Anyone who is bothered by someone else's drinking is invited to call 800-425-2666 (1-800-4AL-ANON) or visit the New Jersey Al-Anon Web site at www.nj-al-anon.org for meeting information.

Tricky Tray will aid animal-rights cause

11/26/2008

The New Jersey Animal Rights Alliance will host its annual Tricky Tray beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 6 at East Brunswick High School, Cranbury Road. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Admission at the door is $6 and includes one sheet of tickets, a door-prize ticket, refreshments and baked goods.

Train exhibit, tree lighting slated

11/26/2008

The Barron Arts Center, 582 Rahway Ave., Woodbridge, will hold its annual holiday exhibition of model trains, curated by Colonia resident Michael Gelesky, Dec. 1-28. The exhibition will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 2-4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The center will be closed on Christmas Day. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome to attend.

Animals deserve our protection

11/26/2008

The frightened reaction to a Democrat being elected president expressed in the letter from Doug Donato is amazing. It's hard to know where to start in response to the mean, illinformed nonsense that this person actually took the time to write. Also, it's incredible that he would want such a sad, stupid letter to appear with his name under it.

U.S. must redouble peacekeeping in Darfur

11/26/2008

The crisis in Darfur, Sudan, has been devastating, and civilians are suffering from the violence. Armed combatants in Darfur — including Sudanese government forces, the pro-government Janjawid militia and rebel groups — have subjected women and girls to sexual violence and other brutal assaults. According to Amnesty International, on Sept.

State should protect health in the workplace

11/26/2008

During this season of thanksgiving, I am grateful I live and work in a state that protects my health in the workplace. But surprisingly, this is not the case for all New Jersey workers. Atlantic City's City Council recently revoked their decision to restrict smoking in casinos, forcing casino workers to continue to risk their health every day while earning a living.

Commissioner asked to reveal medical error data

11/26/2008

Over 98,000 people die each year as a result of preventable medical errors. A plane crash would need to occur every day in the United States for an entire year to even come close to the preventable medical error death toll. More than 150 people were tragically killed recently when an airliner swerved off the runway and crashed at Madrid Barajas Airport.

Gearing up for Black Friday is not for the faint of heart

Are We There Yet? � LORI CLINCH — 11/26/2008

Ishould have realized that the holidays were approaching the instant I received my first Christmas catalog. Of course it was mid-July at the time, so I tossed the catalog in my "things to read" pile and headed out to do yard work in hopes of mulching my worries away.

When Chris Christie leaves, there'll be big shoes to fill

Coda • GREG BEAN — 11/26/2008

For a while there, you couldn't walk out into the parking lot of nearly any diner or bar in Monmouth County without tripping over the bagmen with sacks of bribe money for local politicians.

Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser

Red State/ Blue State • DAVE SIMPSON & GREG BEAN — 11/26/2008

Dear Greg: As you know, I'm working hard to be a good loser, telling anyone who will listen that Barack Obama will soon be our president, and we must support him. I'm trying to be a lot nicer than your side was to George W. Bush.

Rosemarie Kristenson Spearnock

11/26/2008

Mrs. Spearnock, 71, of East Brunswick, died Nov. 2, 2008, at home. Her husband, John Spearnock, died in 1997. Surviving are four sons, John Spearnock of East Brunswick, Steven Spearnock of New Brunswick, William Spearnock, and his wife, Sandy, of Levittown, Pa.

Patsy Carmella

11/26/2008

Mr. Carmella, of Spotswood, formerly of New Brunswick and Edison, died Nov. 14, 2008, at home. Prior to his retirement in 2000, he managed Grand Plaza Shoe Service, East Brunswick, and Spotswood Shoe Service. He was predeceased by his first wife, Rose Punturno Carmella.

Gary A. Bucholz

11/26/2008

Mr. Bucholz, 69, of the Fords section of Woodbridge, died Oct. 31, 2008, at home. Surviving are two sons, Lonny, and his wife, Elaine, of the Colonia section of Woodbridge and Elliott, and his wife, Heidi, of East Brunswick; a brother, Robert Bucholz of Avon, Conn.; and six grandchildren. Graveside services were held at Floral Park Cemetery, South Brunswick.

Philip L. DeFrancisco Jr.

11/26/2008

Mr. DeFrancisco, 64, of Freehold, died Nov. 9, 2008, at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. He worked as a journeyman for 35 years, retiring from The New York Times in 2000.

Theresa A. Sherman Kovach

11/26/2008

Mrs. Kovach, 92, of Monroe, formerly of South River, Old Bridge and Florida, died Nov. 3, 2008, in Haven Hospice at JFK Medical Center, Edison. Her husband, Joseph, died in 1996. Surviving are two sons, Donald, and his wife, Peggy, of Edison and Carl, and his wife, Frances, of the Parlin section of Sayreville; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Robert W. Allen

11/26/2008

Mr. Allen, 73, of East Brunswick, died Nov. 4, 2008, at home. Prior to his retirement in 2001, he was employed as a truck driver with Raritan Office Supplies, Edison, where he worked for 15 years. He was predeceased by a son-in-law, Kevin, in 2008.

Patricia A. Gulics Adell

11/26/2008

Mrs. Adell, 62, of Jackson, and formerly of Matawan, died Nov. 9, 2008, at Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel. Prior to her retirement in 2006, Mrs. Adell was a parking enforcement officer for the Borough of Matawan. She was predeceased by her father, John Gulics. Surviving are her husband, Dennis; two sons, Frank and his wife, Kim Travisano, of Gilbertville, Pa.

Ahr girls soccer finishes with 17-5 mark

BY SHAWN LAYTON Staff Writer — 11/26/2008

Led by the explosive firepower of Alyssa Welsh, the Bishop Ahr High School girls soccer team finished the season 17-5 and 10-2 in the Greater Middlesex Conference Blue Division. Welsh's 34 goals led all county players and earned her All-Division and All-Conference honors. The junior captain also finished the year with nine assists.