PHOTO COURTESY OF HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH

Metuchen new COVID-19 cases remain low, chamber hosting silent auction for JFK Medical Center

METUCHEN – The new COVID-19 cases in the borough remain low.

The total number of COVID-19 cases is 133 as of June 28. The borough has lost three residents to the virus, according to information provided by Middlesex County.

The Metuchen Area Chamber of Commerce is raising funds to support JFK Medical Center’s COVID-19 Response Team through a silent auction and cash contributions. For more information visit www.biddingowl.com/MetuchenAreaChamber.

The funds will go toward patient care and equipment, research, discovery and innovation, team member assistance, facilities enhancements, and post COVID-19 patient care. The silent auction ends July 18.

Outdoor dining, retail applications for expanded use of public sidewalks, public parking, public streets and private spaces are available on the borough’s website. Outdoor dining resumed on June 15.

Busch announced on June 8 the borough, in conjunction with Hackensack Meridian Health and Boxcar, will present the Halsey Movie Drive-in at the Halsey Street parking lot this summer. Local businesses have also partnered with the endeavor offering dinner and snacks.

The next drive-in film is expected for June 30. For future tickets visit https://www.boxcarapp.com/metuchen-movies.

The borough’s Recreation Department has announced sport camps with some modifications. The camps include Metuchen Bulldog Mini Soccer for ages 7-15, Metuchen Field Hockey Mini Camp for grades 1-6, multi-sports camp for ages 5-11, tennis camp for ages 5-14, tennis squirts for ages 3-5, squirts soccer for ages 3-5 and senior squirts soccer for ages 5-6. For more information contact Nancy Goldberg at [email protected] or call 732-632-8502.

The Metuchen Public Library began offering contactless pickup of library materials on June 22. Library materials can only be returned via the library book drop. For more information visit metuchenlibrary.org.

The library is co-hosting a book club lecture series with the Metuchen Human Relations Commission at 7 p.m. on July 18 via Zoom.

The book club will feature “So You Want to Talk About Race” by Ijeoma Oluo. The audiobook is available for Metuchen cardholders at www.hoopladigital.com for free. Oluo will discuss and answer questions for readers during the book club.

The Borough Pool Commission has canceled the 2020 summer pool season, which includes the Metuchen Municipal Pool (MMP) Swim and Dive team.

Bulk and metal pickup resumed on June 1. To accommodate as many residents as possible, the township’s Department of Public Works will limit pickups to no more than three items per home. To schedule a pickup call 732-632-8519.

For more information visit metuchennj.org.

For more information regarding COVID-19, call the state’s hotline at 1-800-222-1222.

For Middlesex County information visit discovermiddlesex.com/covid19/ or www.middlesexcountynj.gov/covid19.