VFW Post 9111 will hold a flea market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 26 at the post hall, 11 Henderson Road, Kendall Park section of South Brunswick.
The cost is $20 per table. Call Bob at 732-439-8950 to reserve a spot.
The Special Bowl for friends with special needs will be held from 12:30-4:30 p.m. on Jan. 26 at Our Lady of Peace Parish Center, 1740 Route 130, North Brunswick.
There will be games, pizza, dancing, entertainment and a talent show.
For more information, contact Laura Gibbons of Showstoppers Plus at 732-297-0031 (office), 732-501-1258 (cell) or [email protected]. RSVP by calling or texting.
The South Brunswick Parent Academy will present “Hidden in Plain Sight” from 7-8:30 p.m. on Jan. 23 at at Crossroads Middle School North, 635 Georges Road, Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick.
The workshop will be presented by Doug Collier, retired Drug Enforcement Administration agent and Monmouth University professor of Criminal Justice.
This hands-on, interactive workshop will provide parents with key information on the latest substance abuse trends, signs and symptoms. Collier will provide attendees with information on how alcohol, drugs and paraphernalia can be easily hidden in plain sight in a teenager’s bedroom, bathroom and other locations within a home or car, often right under the noses of unsuspecting parents or adults.
The Township of North Brunswick will hold a TV/Computer Dropoff Day from 8 a.m. to noon on Jan. 25, rain or shine, at the Department of Public Works, 45 Quarry Lane, North Brunswick.
Only TVs, monitors, laptops and CPUs will be accepted. Limit of two TVs per household.
Open to North Brunswick residents only. Must present ID upon arrival.
For more information, visit www.northbrunswicknj.gov.
Mara Carlin, coordinator of Coalition and Community Services for Wellspring Center for Prevention, will discuss an overview of vaping, and Dawn Tortajada, pediatric nurse practitioner at Robert Wood Johnson Behavioral Health, will present on the clinical effects of vaping on young respiratory system, from 7-8 p.m. on Jan. 23 at the North Brunswick Municipal Building, 710 Hermann Road, North Brunswick.
Open discussion and questions will take place from 8-8:30 p.m.
Light refreshments will be served.
For more information, call Lou Ann Benson of the North Brunswick Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Services at 732-247-0922, ext. 475.
Kiddie Academy locations in East Brunswick and North Brunswick will hold indoor STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Adventures Event at 10 a.m. on Jan. 25.
Superheroes of STEM activities include The Sky’s the Limit (measuring activity), Superhero Races (car races with ramps, angles and friction), Design a Superhero Vehicle, Melting Ice Mountain, The Fearless Funnel (demonstrating Bernoulli’s Principle), Target Blaster (creating a spoon and rubber band catapult), Glide Like a Superhero (make a plain straw fly), Secret Superhero Code (coding and programming) and Superhero Boats (demonstrating Newton’s Third Law of Motion).
Let’s Build It! activities include Cup Towers (stacking cups to build structures), Pretzel Marshmallow Building, How Much Can Your Boat Hold (creating boats that float as they are filled with weight), Three Pig Challenge (construct houses that withstand wind), Newspaper Buildings (build a strong structure with just newspaper and tape), Balancing Act (create a structure you can balance on your fingertip), Marble Pinball Challenge (learn how pinball machines work and build your own), Index Card Towers (build a tall tower using just index card and tape) and Stay Dry (create a shelter for a toy using a variety of unique materials).
Kiddie Academy of East Brunswick is located at 560 Ryders Lane, East Brunswick. Contact Jaime Moritz at 732-254-7700 or [email protected].
Kiddie Academy of North Brunswick is located at 2400 Route 27, North Brunswick. Contact Jaime Moritz at 732-422-2900 or [email protected].
The third annual Fly Fishing Show kicks off the 2020 angling season Jan. 24-26 at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center, 97 Sunfield Ave., Edison.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 24; 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 25; and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 26. Parking is free.
There will be manufacturer and retail store displays of fly rods, reels, lines, boots, waders, clothing and flies, plus guide services and lodges.
Show visitors can view continuous seminars and trip presentations; the show will have about 15 seminars, demonstrations and Destination Theater presentations each hour.
Among the 50 how-to-do-it seminars are An Introduction to Trout Spey by Tim Flagler, Mastering the Short Game with Landon Mayer, Mountain Trout with Joe Humphreys, Really Matching the Hatch with Gary Borger, Streamer Tactics 2.0 with George Daniel, and Introduction to Saltwater Fly Fishing with Jeff Currier.
Casting demonstrations include those by Humphreys, Borger, Cathy Beck, Currier, Mac Brown, Simon Gawesworth and Landon Mayer.
Featured fly tiers include Henry Cowen, Philip Rowley, Pat Dorsey, Tim Cammisa, Ed Engle, Flagler and Borger.
A continuous Women’s Fly Fishing Showcase will feature women-centered discussions, learning opportunities and discussions along with separate exhibitor venues with specialty booths catering to female anglers.
There will be 35 classes with experts. Class registration is $85 except for an 8-hour advanced casting class with Borger and Brown on Jan. 23. Tuition is $625.
Scouts in uniform can earn credits toward a fly fishing merit badge.
The regional premiere of the 2020 International Fly Fishing Film Festival is Jan. 24 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.
Fly Fishing Show admission is $18 for one day, $28 for two days and $38 for three days. Children under age 5 are free as are Boy and Girl Scouts under age 16 in uniform. Children 6-12 are $5. Active military with an ID are $10.
For a complete list of fly-fishing films, classes with experts, seminars, door prizes, demonstrations and the Scout Merit Badge program, visit flyfishingshow.com/edison-nj/ or call 814-443-3638.
Rabbi Levi Azimov of the Chabad Jewish Center of South Brunswick in South Brunswick will offer Judaism’s Gifts to the World, a new six-session course by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI).
Beginning Jan. 28 from 7:45-9:15 p.m., attendees we discover how common ideas of personal responsibility, the inherent sanctity of human life, institutionalized universal education, human equality, the dignity of a day of rest and devotion to family and a sense of purpose have their origins in ancient Judaism.
All JLI courses are open to the public, and attendees need not be affiliated with a particular synagogue, temple, or other house of worship.
Interested students should call 732-398-9492 or visit www.myJLI.com for registration and for other course-related information.
Jamesburg Presbyterian Church will hold a Merit Badge Fair on March 28, open to all Boy Scouts of America scouts.
Each class has a $15 non-refundable registration fee. Separate transactions are required for registering each sibling.
Each scout will receive one free lunch; additional food and snacks available for sale.
Scouts must be prepared. Bring a signed blue card, printed merit badge workbook for each class, pen and paper. Scouts should be dressed in Class A uniform.
If prerequisites are not completed, a partial completion will be given.
For more information, visit www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0a4daea62ca5ff2-merit. Do not call the church.
The SCORE Chapters of Central Jersey and Princeton are sponsoring the first in a series of free workshops for small businesses, HR 101: Hiring, Onboarding and Paying Employees, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Jan. 28 at the South Brunswick Library, 110 Kingston Lane, Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick.
The workshop, which will be jointly sponsored by Paychex, Inc., will be conducted by Joanne Farina, a Human Resources consultant for Paychex. Topics covered will include hiring and paying new employees, reporting new hires to the State of New Jersey, justifying the cost of employees, and understanding the difference between W2 and 1099 employees.
Future and current entrepreneurs can register for this free event at centraljersey.score.org by clicking on “Take a Workshop.”
For more information, email Jane Meyer at [email protected].
The South Brunswick Senior Center will hold its Staff Souper Bowl at 12:15 p.m. on Jan. 30 at the senior center, 540 Ridge Road, Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick.
The event is limited to the first 50 South Brunswick residents age 55 and older who register by Jan. 24.
For more information, call 732-329-4000, ext. 7670.
The South Brunswick Senior Center will hold its annual Day with the Characters from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 5.
Students from Crossroads Middle School North will perform “High School Musical.” Then, actors will have lunch with the seniors; bring a bagged lunch.
Transportation will be provided from the senior center to the school.
The trip is limited to 40 participants. Sign up in the offie by Jan. 29.
Learn about the current opioid epidemic, recognize the signs of opioid use disorder, understand opioid addiction and learn ways to manage an opioid overdose during a presentation from 7-8 p.m. on Feb. 11 at the North Brunswick Library, 880 Hermann Road, North Brunswick.
Rutgers Interdisciplinary Opioid Trainers will offer a free presentation. No registration is required.
For more information, email Ryan Miller at [email protected] or call the library at 732-246-3545.
Registration is open for the Spring 2020 South Brunswick Citizen Police Academy.
Attendees will learn a variety of police topics including criminal law, traffic enforcement, first aid, patrol tactics and criminal investigations. Students take part in hands on training on how police process crime scenes, from photographing to dusting for fingerprints. In the final practical’s, participants take on roles as police officers and apply the knowledge they learned from the class to handle various situations.
The new session will begin on March 12. Classes will be held every Thursday night in the training center at police headquarters for 11 weeks from 6:30-9:30 p.m. There will be no class on April 16th for Spring Break.
Graduation from the academy is set for May 28.
The academy size is limited, so residents are encouraged to complete their application as soon as possible. Community members must complete an application and go through a screening process. Interested community members should contact Julie Trammell at [email protected]. Applications must be submitted by Feb 20.
Any person dealing with a mental health disorder, or their loved ones, may attend the SAMHAJ (South Asian Mental Health Association of New Jersey) Central Jersey Support Group meeting from 7-8:30 p.m. on Feb. 6 at the NAMI NJ office, 1562 Route 130, North Brunswick.
For more information, visit www.naminj.org.
The 20th annual Super Pet Expo will be held from Feb. 7-9 at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center, 97 Sunfield Ave., Edison.
There will be 200 exhibitors addressing pet adoption, pet care and health, grooming, food and daycare. An array of pet gifts, treats, fashion, grooming accessories and toys will be for sale.
Freestyle disc-catching exhibitions by the Mid Atlantic Disc Dog Club include Treibball, reminiscent of soccer, for dogs who enjoy chasing, playing games, herding or problem-solving; and the Bone-A-Fied Talent Group, who will demonstrate the preliminary steps involving targets and pushing a ball with precision.
The Mister Crabs Show includes hands-on educational demonstrations of how to build a “crabitat” and the care and conservation of hermit crabs.
Repticon is a showcase of hundreds of reptiles and amphibians from around the world.
Luring 101 is for dogs who love to chase. They take center stage in an enclosed 250-foot luring course set up to give pets a high-speed run. Additional fee.
The Cat Fanciers’ Association will demonstrate cat agility.
The Garden State Cat Club of New Jersey will sponsor a Pet Me Cat Area.
Rizzo’s Reptile Discovery will show visitors the magic of reptiles.
Macaw parrots Molly, Polly and Dolly will strut their stuff for New Jersey Bird Man Bill Middleton, performing an exotic bird show in which they ride bikes, roller skate, play basketball and more.
Show hours are 3-8 p.m. Feb. 7, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 8 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 9.
One-day adult tickets are $13 for adults or $8 for children 4-11. Weekend passes are $20 for adults or $10 for children. Children 3 and younger are free, one per adult. Some events require additional fees.
Leashed pets admitted free. No retractable leashes allowed.
For more information, visit www.superpetexpo.com
The Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office will hold an 8-week-long Sheriff’s Civilian Academy for residents of Middlesex County in the spring.
The Sheriff’s Civilian Academy is designed to educate Middlesex County residents on the various functions and duties of the Sheriff’s Office.
Applications are being accepted for the program, which will be held at the Middlesex County Fire Academy in Sayreville.
The first session is scheduled for 7-9 p.m. on April 14. Classes will continue weekly on Tuesdays. One Saturday class will be held. The program culminates with a graduation ceremony scheduled for June 2.
Each session will highlight functions of Sheriff’s Office including: Defensive Tactics, K-9, Transportation, SWAT, Courts, Civil Process and Foreclosures among others. Participants also will tour the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office and the Main Courthouse located in New Brunswick.
Applications are due no later than Feb. 28. Applicants must be at least at 18 years old, reside within the County of Middlesex, have no felony convictions, not be wanted for any crime, and submit to a limited background check.
For more information, contact Sgt. Frank Sautner at 732-745-5909 or [email protected].
For more information on the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office, call 732-745-3382.
Elvis Presley will visit the Farrington Room of the East Brunswick Elks Lodge at 7 p.m. on Feb. 21.
Mike Holland will perform during the dinner show.
Cost is $15 for the show, or $25 for dinner and show.
Pre-purchased tickets offer a $2 discount on either package.
The lodge is located at 21 Oakmont Ave., East Brunswick.
For tickets, contact Aimee Schneider at 732-207-3774 or [email protected].
Registration is open for the 44th annual Rutgers Home Gardeners School, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 21 at the Rutgers University Cook/Douglass campus in New Brunswick.
The Home Gardeners School is 40 individual workshop sessions that cover an array of horticulture topics. This format allows attendees to select the workshops that are most relevant to their gardening interests and create their own personalized schedule for a day of learning. Expert speakers from commercial horticulture and landscape design firms, as well as faculty and staff from Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE), will cover topics including landscape design, common problems and solutions, annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, beekeeping, hardscaping, best management practices and deer control methods.
The registration fee is $95, but early registration is $80 is being offered through Feb. 29. An additional discounted fee of $70 is available for Master Gardeners (certificate required) through Feb. 29.
Attendees are asked to bring food donations for Rutgers Against Hunger (RAH) or pet items for Scarlet Paws Rescue.
For more information or to register, visit www.cpe.rutgers.edu/hgs or call the Rutgers Office of Continuing Professional Education at 848-932-9271.
The Township of North Brunswick has created an opportunity for ice skating across the street from the Municipal Building, 710 Hermann Road.
The ice skating rink will be open through March 1. Hours of operation will be weekdays from 5:30-8:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1:30-8:30 p.m.
Skates may be rented for $3 if sizes are available. Call the Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Services at 732-247-0922, ext. 475 weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to ensure there are no changes in operational times.
The rink will also be open for birthday parties.
For more information and training videos, visit northbrunswicknj.gov.
The Antonia Maria Foundation and Day One Sober Living will hold their 2020 spring gala, Celebrate a New Day, from 7-11 p.m. on April 3 at the South Gate Manor, Freehold.
The second annual gala will launch the partnership with Day One to help revolutionize sober living care for women in New Jersey. Together, the two organizations will be opening Leo’s House, a recovery home for women following in the footsteps of Gracie’s House. Both are located in North Brunswick.
For information on tickets or sponsorship, call 732-823-8350.
The 2020 Progressive Insurance Saltwater Fishing Expowill showcase more than 200 exhibitors selling saltwater fishing products, from new boats and kayaks to an array of accessories including fishing rods, reels and lures, from noon to 8 p.m. on March 13, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on March 14 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 15 at the New Jersey Convention & Exposition Center, 97 Sunfield Ave., Edison.
The annual event includes a seminar on filleting and preparing fish, a Fishing 101 Interactive Center, a 50-foot casting pond, a fishing simulator and free fishing for children 11 and younger.
Tickets are $13 for adults, $3 for children ages 6-11, and free for children 5 and younger when accompanied by an adult. All children 11 and under will receive free admission on March 15. Rods Go Free on March 13 – anyone named Rod or any variation of the name will receive free admission with a valid form of ID.
Tickets are on sale at saltwater.sportshows.com/.
The Heart of Oneness Holistic Expo will be held March 27-29 at the New Jersey Convention & Exposition Center, 97 Sunfield Ave., Edison.
Reiki, crystals, psychic readings, workshops and aura photography.
Hours are 5-9 p.m. on March 27, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on March 28 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 29.
Free tote for the first 150 attendees at the door on March 28 and 29.
For more information and tickets, visit www.heartofonenessholisticexpo.com.
Teens across the state can begin submitting entries for the 25th Annual New Jersey Teen Media Contest, which highlights NJ Human Services’ mission to support families.
The contest, run by Human Services’ Division of Family Development, is open to all New Jersey middle and high school-aged students. This year, the contest will accept entries in the hand-painted/hand-drawn and written word categories.
This year’s challenge to teens is to illustrate through art, including the written word, a valuable life lesson or moment that you will never forget. Teens are invited to show when parents and other loved ones provided valuable life lessons and teaching moments.
All entries must be postmarked no later than March 11. Staff from the Division of Family Development and its Office of Child Support Services will judge the contest. Winners will be selected in first, second, and third places in both the middle and high school groups, for each of the two entry categories, with each receiving a prize package at an awards ceremony in May.
Winning entries will be included in the 2021 Office of Child Support Calendar and be placed on display in the New Jersey State House in Trenton shortly after the awards event. A number of honorable mention entries will be selected for possible inclusion in the State House exhibit and possibly the calendar.
The 2020 calendar can be viewed or downloaded from the contest homepage, www.NJTeenMedia.org to serve as inspiration for the teens. The website also provides the official rules, frequently asked questions, entry forms, a look at the winners and honorable mentions from previous contests and other important contest information.
Entries can be submitted via the students’ art or English/language arts teachers, if their school is registered. Teachers and administrators can register their school by visiting www.NJTeenMedia.org or by contacting Matthew Cossel at 973-799-0200 or [email protected]. Teens whose schools are not registered can submit entries directly.
For complete submission guidelines, visit www.NJTeenMedia.org. For more information about child support services, call 1-877-NJKIDS1 or visit www.NJChildSupport.org.
Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar launched its fourth annual Above and “BEE”yond Teacher Essay Contest, which will recognize top teachers nominated by their students.
The contest is offered at Applebee’s restaurants in New Jersey owned and operated by local franchisee Doherty Enterprises: Brick, Bridgewater, Butler, Clark, Clifton, Edison, Flemington, Garfield, Hackensack, Hackettstown, Hillsborough, Howell, Jersey City, Jersey Gardens, Kearny, Lacey, Linden, Manahawkin, Manalapan, Manchester, Middletown, Milltown, Mt. Olive, Newark, Newton, North Bergen, Northvale, Ocean, Paramus, Parsippany, Phillipsburg, Piscataway, Rockaway, Tinton Falls, Totowa, Union and Wall.
Applebee’s will award four winners from separate regions with a $500 sponsorship check to use toward their classroom for the 2020-21 school year, along with an end-of-year party for their current class.
To nominate a teacher, students must submit an essay in-person at their local Applebee’s explaining why their teacher deserves to be Teacher of the Year. Students who enter will receive a free ice cream certificate (one per entrant).
Contest submissions will be accepted through March 1. Winners will be announced on April 6.
For more information about, visit www.dohertyinc.com/community-connection.
Any mothers with children up to age five are invited to join MOPS, Mothers of Preschoolers, who meet from 9-11:30 a.m. on the second Wednesday of the month from October through June at the North Brunswick Library, 880 Hermann Road, North Brunswick.
Childcare will be provided.
For more information, visit www.meetup.com/middlesex-county/mops
The MOMS Club of North Brunswick is a group of stay-at-home or part-time working mothers of children of all ages who are interested in support, cultivating friendships and fun for the children.
For more information, visit momsclubofnorthbrunswick.blogspot.com.
Central Jersey SCORE, a non-profit resource partner of the Small Business Administration, is seeking volunteers to assist people looking to start a business or grow an existing small business.
The organization is recruiting retired or current business owners and executives who want to share their experience and knowledge with today’s up-and-coming entrepreneurs. The Central Jersey Chapter of SCORE serves Middlesex, Somerset and Hunterdon counties.
Central Jersey SCORE provides in-person mentoring at a wide variety of locations and also presents seminars at local venues. In addition, the SCORE website offers tools and templates on a wide variety of topics related to organizing and managing a business and numerous online courses and webinars to assist small business owners through every aspect of business development. Services are offered free of charge.
For more information, visit www.centraljersey.score.org.