Welcome to Lawrence Together, your community podcast for Lawrence Township, New Jersey. Today’s episode covers news and updates from Latest in Lawrence, dated Thursday, November 12th, twenty twenty six, and News from the Nest, dated November 10th, twenty twenty six. Let’s get started.
We’ll begin with a heartfelt thank you. Chief Kevin Reading and the Lawrence Township Police Department extended their gratitude to every member of our community who has served, or is currently serving, in the United States Armed Forces. Lawrence High School joined in for Veterans Day, noting that since seventeen seventy six, more than forty one million Americans have served our nation, and about eighteen million living veterans continue to inspire us. To all of our veterans, thank you.
Now, news from the Township. All municipal offices will be closed on Thursday, November 26th, and Friday, November 27th, in observance of Thanksgiving.
Township Council has created a new Arts Commission to advise Council on matters related to arts and culture. If you’d like to serve, an application is linked in this week’s newsletter.
Please note a mailing address change. The Township is discontinuing the use of P.O. Box six oh oh six. All correspondence, including payments, should now go to the Township of Lawrence, two two oh seven Lawrence Road, Lawrence Township, New Jersey, zero eight six four eight. If you have scheduled payments, please update them.
The annual tax sale, a public auction of municipal tax liens, takes place Friday, November 20th, at ten a.m. in the Council Chambers at two two oh seven Lawrence Road. This is a tax lien sale, not a sale of real property. All bidders must preregister and complete a W nine form, and there is no admittance without pre-registration. Questions can go to the Tax Collector at six oh nine, eight four four, seven oh four one.
From Public Works, leaf collection is underway and runs through December 31st, twenty twenty six. Crews collect street by street, and residents can expect three collections in their zone. Place loose leaves at the curb, at least ten feet from storm drains, and no more than four feet from the edge of the pavement. Brush collection is suspended during November and December, so please don’t put brush at the curb. Yard waste collection returns in January twenty twenty seven.
Big news for bulk collection. Starting December 4th, Lawrence is moving to an appointment based system. Visit Lawrence T W P dot com, click bulk collection, and make your appointment. If you don’t have computer access, call Public Works at six oh nine, five eight seven, one eight nine four. The limit remains three bulky items, and bulky items should not go in your cart. Wooden fencing must be cut into four foot lengths with protruding nails or screws removed. Carpet must be cut and tied into sections no wider than five feet and no heavier than fifty pounds. Mattresses and box springs must be fully wrapped in plastic, and windows and mirrors should be taped with a big X. Metal items like ovens, refrigerators, washers, and dryers are collected by appointment only through Public Works, and construction materials are not accepted.
Now for some fun from the Recreation Department. Fall and winter programs for youth and adults are here, with weekly updates on registration.
Get ready to Deck the Town Hall! The Township Tree Lighting is Thursday, December 3rd, from six to eight p.m. at the Lawrence Township Municipal Building, two two oh seven Lawrence Road. Enjoy cookie decorating, gifts and a craft for children, trackless train rides, free hot chocolate and cookies while supplies last, and live holiday music from the Galena Brass Band. Santa arrives at six thirty for the tree lighting.
The Jolly Trolley is back on Friday, December 18th, for a forty five minute ride past Lawrence’s holiday lights and displays, with hot chocolate and holiday music. Tickets are twelve dollars per person, and children two and under ride free as lap passengers. Trolleys depart promptly from Town Hall at five, six, and seven p.m. Registration is by lottery. Submit one entry per family, for up to four participants, and choose one time slot. Lottery entries close Monday, November 23rd, at nine a.m., and selected families will be contacted to complete payment. Please note the trolleys are not handicap accessible, but an accessible vehicle may follow the route upon request. Questions? Call six oh nine, eight four four, seven oh six four.
Junior Wrestling is open to first through eighth graders, with practices at Lawrence Middle School on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from six to eight p.m., beginning mid November. Register through CommunityPass or call the Recreation Department at six oh nine, eight four four, seven oh six seven. Seniors can register for Senior Center programs by calling six oh nine, eight four four, seven oh four eight.
From the Health Department, nurses offer vaccinations, blood pressure monitoring, and community resource assistance for homebound residents in the Township’s rural areas. Free at home COVID nineteen test kits, provided by Mercer County, are available at the Municipal Building North Entrance, Monday through Friday, eight thirty a.m. to four thirty p.m., while supplies last. Call the Health Department at six oh nine, eight four four, seven oh eight nine.
The Police Department has added electric bikes for officers certified in bicycle patrol, helping them reach places like Township parks, the Lawrence Hopewell Trail, and the Delaware and Raritan Canal Path, and to stay engaged at events like the Memorial Day Parade and Fourth of July fireworks. The department is also hiring per diem public safety telecommunicators to serve as dispatchers, at twenty five dollars and ninety one cents an hour with flexible hours. Prior nine one one dispatch experience is required. Resumes can be sent to Lawrence Police at Lawrence T W P dot com.
Upcoming meetings include the Planning Board on Monday, November 16th, at seven p.m., the Zoning Board on Wednesday, November 18th, at seven p.m., and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee on Thursday, November 19th, at six thirty p.m. Locations and agendas are on the Township website, and schedules may change.
Around the community, the Lawrence Historical Society and the Hightstown East Windsor Historical Society present a free talk on Colonial bank notes by A. Chris Gould, on Sunday, November 15th, from two to four p.m. at the Brearley House, one hundred Meadow Road. The Lawrence Township Environmental Education Foundation hosts Yoga in Nature on November 14th and 21st, and a Sound Bath on November 20th. Electronics recycling for residents, with proof of residency, is available Wednesdays from seven thirty to eleven forty five a.m. and twelve thirty to two thirty p.m. at the Joseph H. Mayer Junior Ecological Center, three seven oh one Princeton Pike. New Jersey also offers income based programs to lower utility bills, mortgage assistance for homeowners with COVID related hardship, a Mercer County Food Finder listing over one hundred food pantries and meal sites, and a new Disability Information Hub. And if you or someone you know is in a mental health or substance use crisis, you can call or text nine eight eight to reach a trained counselor.
Next, let’s turn to News from the Nest, from Lawrence High School. The next newsletter arrives Tuesday, December 1st.
On October 29th, Advanced Placement Spanish students from Lawrence High School visited second graders at Ben Franklin School to celebrate Día de Muertos, the Day of the Dead. It was the seventh year of this collaboration between art teacher Jennifer Skorupa and Spanish teacher Alyssa Katz. The high schoolers led activities like making papel picado, calavera drawings, and La Catrina creations.
Congratulations to the senior class, this year’s Powderpuff champions, who edged out the juniors forty seven to forty on November 4th!
Coming up, the fall show, The Great Gatsby, runs November 12th, 13th, and 14th at seven p.m. in the auditorium. If tickets show sold out online, they’ll still be available at the door for ten dollars. The cheerleaders host a free competition showcase on Thursday, November 19th, from five to six p.m. in the gym, ahead of the Colonial Valley Conference Cheerleading Competition on Saturday, November 21st, at three p.m. at West Windsor Plainsboro High School North. Competition tickets are seven dollars cash and must be requested through Coach McDowell at A McDowell Sellers at L T P S dot org. Boys interested in spring lacrosse can attend an interest meeting Wednesday, November 18th, in Room three fourteen during Resource one or two.
The Parent Teacher Organization for Lawrence Middle School and Lawrence High School hosts a fall craft fair on Saturday, November 21st, from nine a.m. to three p.m. in the high school cafeteria. Fall teacher conferences are November 23rd and 24th, and students have early dismissal on November 23rd, 24th, and 25th. School is closed November 26th and 27th for Thanksgiving.
In December, Musical Boot Camp for students auditioning for the spring musical, Rock of Ages, is December 1st from two thirty to four thirty p.m. in the cafeteria, with auditions December 7th and 8th. Senior Parent Info Night is Monday, December 7th, at six thirty p.m. in the cafeteria. The free winter choral concert is Thursday, December 10th, at seven p.m., and the free instrumental concert is Thursday, December 17th, at seven p.m. Senior cap and gown measurements are December 15th and 16th.
Student Council’s Thanksgiving food drive runs November 16th through 20th, collecting items like stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, rice, and canned vegetables, alongside Penny Wars to raise money for food drive turkeys. Junior Wade Bullard has collected more than nineteen thousand books for BookSmiles, and new or gently used children’s books can go in his donation bin at the front entrance. The class of twenty thirty is taking pre-orders for Terhune Orchards apple cider and cider donuts November 16th through 20th, and boys basketball shirts are twenty dollars, with orders due to Coach Reed by November 20th.
On November 7th, students joined scouts from Troop twenty eight and Lawrence Historical Society members to beautify the grounds of the Port Mercer Canal House, a nineteenth century bridge tender’s home. Thank you to freshmen Ava DelGrande, Aspen DeLeo, Maria Livadiotis, Emma Nunez-Pineda, and Nyla Watson, sophomores Andy Kim, Daniel Lipko, and Anas Mohamed, junior Platon Aleinikov, and seniors Jariana Lucero Lopez, James Lyons, and Jakub Momot. And congratulations to alumnus Nate Kunkel, class of twenty twenty four, the Historical Society’s new Director of Social Media.
We’ll leave you with a smile. Who does Beyonce call when she needs her roof repaired? All the shingle ladies.
That’s all for this edition of Lawrence Together. If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe so you never miss an update from our community. Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you next time.