The run starts at 9:30 a.m. and many streets will be closed during the morning.  There will be access to local residents however through traffic will be limited.

East High Street  and Grove Street in the area of the County Jail will be closed during the race.

ALL IN THE COMMUNITY ARE WELCOME!  BRING A FRIEND!

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

300 Union Ave, Somerville, NJ 08876

www.gslutheranchurch.com

Spirit Cafe is GSLC’s new worship service casually set up in the Narthex! Have questions about God? Your Faith? Curious about what it means to be a Christian in modern times? Come & ask those questions. We are here to walk with you through your journey. Deepen your spirituality through fellowship, song & small group discussion in a welcoming & non-judgmental environment.

June’s discussion will be: “Cross: Where God Is” given by special presenter, Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber!  The cross sits at the center of our faith & yet our understanding of what exactly happened on that cross remains conflicted & confusing. Was Jesus our proxy? The payment? The only way to appease an angry God?  Pastor Nadia reminds us that our theories about the cross tell us as much about ourselves & our view of God as they do about Jesus & salvation.

If you would like to view Pastor Nadia at speaking at the 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering or learn more about Pastor Nadia, visit http://www.nadiabolzweber.com/media.

Holy Communion will be offered.  Coffee and refreshments served.  Stay for a light supper after the service.

For more info email worshipchair@gslutheranchurch.org or call the Church Office 908-685-1660.

In the council race on the Republican side, Philip Decker had 235 votes and Jason Kraska had 228. For the Democrats Ken Utter received 209 votes while Jane Kobuta got 205. There are two council seats up for grabs in the November general election. In the 2012 council election Democrats swept the two available positions while in 2011 Republicans took both slots.

Download a PDF of the complete election results.

A Mile of Sun and Fun on Main Street between Grove and Doughty Streets
Scores of Vendors
Arts and Crafts Displays
Non-Stop Live Entertainment featuring
Everybody’s Everything
The Mockers
Josh Van Ness and Mama’s Stew
The Division Street Classic Car Show
Somerset County Robot Super Smackdown
Festival Food Delights
KidZone with Rides, Games and Activities

Visit springspectacular.org or call 908.526.3499 for more information.

The event is presented by the Somerville Business and Professional Association.

The Somerville library.

The Somerville Public Library, a branch of the Somerset County Library System (SCLS), is undergoing renovation work. In order to accommodate the construction schedule, the entire facility will be closed starting June 1. Renovation work is expected to take all summer, with an expected re-opening date to occur in mid-September.

The work will create a teen area in the loft, where the majority of adult fiction is currently housed. In addition, an enclosed meeting space will be created in what is now the main reading area of the library. A refurbished and relocated circulation desk, along with new book cases, new computer wiring upgrades, and lighting enhancements are a part of the planned work. Bathroom renovations and a new handicapped accessible ramp will complete the construction work.

“We are delighted to be able to refurbish and upgrade the library with the majority of the funds coming from bequests and prior savings,” notes Herbert Hall, president of the Board of Trustees of the Somerville Public Library. The $700,000 project includes monies that the Board of Trustees of the Somerville Public Library has privately raised.

Patrons with further questions can call SCLS at (908)526-4016 or visit the website at http://www.sclsnj.org. The Somerset County Library System has branches in Bridgewater, Bound Brook, Hillsborough, Manville, at the Mary Jacobs Library in Rocky Hill, North Plainfield, Peapack & Gladstone, Somerville, Warren Township and Watchung.

Meet Simon- he is only 10 years old and has been in the battle of his life for over a year! He has been in treatment in Minnesota, most recently recovering from his second bone marrow transplant.

Simon suffers from Adrenoleukodystrophy, or ALD, rare genetic disease that, in its most devastating form, destroys the coating of nerve fibers in boys’ brains. Without that coating, called myelin, the neurological system breaks down. The disease typically strikes between the ages of four and ten, leading to blindness, deafness, dementia and loss of muscle control. Bone marrow transplants can halt ALD by letting new myelin-forming stem cells take root. But it’s difficult to find a matching marrow donor, and the transplant itself is very risky.

Starting from: Saturday, 25 May 2013 8:00 AM Duration: 8 hours, 30 minutes
Repeats: Daily 1 times 

Next dates and times:

The Downtown Somerville Farmers Market is located on Grove Street between Main & East High Streets. The Market is held Thursdays from 12pm to 6pm, June 20th through October 31st

Fresh fruits and vegetables, farm fresh meats and eggs, gourmet dried fruits and nuts, baked goods, vegan treats, artisanal cheese, specialty breads, old world style pickles and olives, Polish specialty foods, all natural soaps, organic baby food, organic frozen pops, local honey, pretzels, chutneys, spice mixes, baklava, artisanal pottery, alpaca wool products, fresh juices, and more!

Check back regularly as your favorite past vendors and soon to be favorite new vendors are listed as confirmed!

Starting from: Thursday, 20 June 2013 12:00 PM Duration: 6 hours
Repeats: Weekly until Thursday, 31 October 2013 11:59 PM  on every Thursday

Next dates and times:

• 12:00 PM Thursday, 20 June 2013
• 12:00 PM Thursday, 27 June 2013
• 12:00 PM Thursday, 4 July 2013
• 12:00 PM Thursday, 11 July 2013
• 12:00 PM Thursday, 18 July 2013
• 12:00 PM Thursday, 25 July 2013
• 12:00 PM Thursday, 1 August 2013
• 12:00 PM Thursday, 8 August 2013
• 12:00 PM Thursday, 15 August 2013
• 12:00 PM Thursday, 22 August 2013

A petting zoo is part of the Tour of Somerville fun.

The Tour of Somerville Cycling Series, presented by Middle Earth, offers fun and excitement for the entire family. While spectators can see cyclists reach speeds of up to 40mph through the streets of Somerset County, they will also be able to enjoy a wide assortment of free and fun family activities.

Beginning Saturday, May 25 at 9:00 a.m., professionals will compete in a 75-mile road race, while amateur cyclists will compete in four different criterium races in the heart of Raritan. Children will be invited to participate in short bike sprints provided by the Raritan Recreation Department.

Sunday’s activities will begin well before the official cycling competition. The Twin Boro’s Scholarship Foundation is hosting a 5K run at 11:15 a.m. At 12:30 p.m., a Family Fun Ride will take place in front of Smalley Middle School on Cherry Avenue in Bound Brook. The four races, featuring cyclists ranging from amateurs to pros, begin at 1:30 p.m. in the same location. Families can enjoy good food and vendors during the bicycle races, as well as a Kids’ Bounce House provided by the Bound Brook Recreation Department.

The 70th Annual Tour of Somerville will take place on Monday, May 27, beginning with a Memorial Day Parade at 9 a.m. and a Family Fun Ride at 10 a.m., both at the Tour’s start/finish line on North Bridge and Main Streets. Starting at 10:45 a.m., some of the best cyclists in the world will take to the course, participating in six races, culminating with the 50-mile Kugler-Anderson Memorial. Sponsors and other vendors will be on-hand throughout the day to sell food, display their products, and give out samples.

The Kids’ Pavilion and the Sports and Music Festival will provide the backdrop for Monday’s Tour of Somerville. The Kids’ Pavilion will be located on the Courthouse lawn from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entertainment at the Kids’ Pavilion will include an animal petting zoo, pony rides, and inflatables. Additionally, a table will be set up for children to write or draw thank you notes to veterans.

The Sports and Music Festival will be located on Division Street from 12 noon to 5 p.m. Live music performances will be provided on the hour by: Tommy Strazza, SlackJaw, Nalani & Sarina, Chernobyl Disaster, and Fighting Seasons. At the same time, various sports demonstrations will take place. At 12:45 p.m., the Somerset Valley YMCA Gymnastics Team will take the stage. Flair Dance Academy will perform at 1:15 p.m. Everyone can enjoy the Somerville Martial Arts Academy Demo Team at 1:45 p.m. and the Prime Skate Shop Demo Team at 2:45 p.m.

Middle Earth will be selling raffle tickets prior to Memorial Day Weekend, as well as at all three days of the Series. You can enter to win a 50/50 raffle, an Xbox Kinect Bundle, or a gaming birthday party from Microsoft. Raffle winners will be chosen at the Tour of Somerville’s finish line upon completion of the day’s races, but you do not need to be present to win. Be sure to also pick up your free copy of our souvenir 2013 Tour of Somerville Cycling Series program book or purchase the official t-shirt or hat, commemorating 70 years of cycling. The t-shirts were designed by Carolina Chaves and Anna Kristjansen, students from Somerville High School. Raffle tickets, program books, t-shirts and hats will be available around the race course.

The Tour of Somerville would not be possible without the invaluable help of its sponsors: Bridgewater Nissan; Courier News; Travelers Companies, Inc.; Somerset Medical Center; Alpine Flooring; Efinger Sporting Goods; PSE&G; Somerville Bicycle Shop; Aton Computing; and the Downtown Somerville Alliance.

Middle Earth, the event organizer and beneficiary, is a nonprofit that has served youth in Somerset County for 40 years. Middle Earth’s programs offer local children a safe environment where they can use their free time constructively, engage with caring adults who listen, obtain help with homework, prepare for college and/or future employment, participate in fun group activities, and volunteer for community service opportunities. Their programs offer mentoring and teach positive decision making skills, acceptance of consequences for their actions, leadership skills, as well as basic life skills such as budgeting, cooking, obtaining a driver’s license. All of their programs guide youth in learning respect for themselves and others and choosing positive alternatives to gangs, drugs and crime.

For additional information about the Tour of Somerville Cycling Series, contact Maggie Navatto at Middle Earth at 908-725-7223 or visit www.tourofsomerville.org.

Freeholder Director Peter S. Palmer introduces a collaborative project with the Somerset County Library System as part of the county’s 325th anniversary celebration.

Somerset County officials today unveiled a special online historical project as part of the county’s 325th anniversary celebration. The date for the unveiling was chosen to commemorate Somerset County’s founding on May 22, 1688.

The Board of Freeholders and the Somerset County Library System are collaborating to offer a “My Somerset County” online scrapbook that will help populate a digital history project planned by the library system.

“We invite residents and nonresidents to share memorable experiences of Somerset County landmarks, historic sites, recreation facilities, festivals and more via photographs and comments,” said Freeholder Director Peter S. Palmer.  “These cultural artifacts will provide a glimpse into the past and in some cases will provide personal recollections about historic sites or events.

“This scrapbook will be an enduring endeavor that will act as an ‘insider’s look’ into our county’s many treasures,” he said. “We hope that it will span many decades to come and will add to our understanding of our heritage and identity.”

“The Somerset County Library System has created a place on the Web where anyone can share images of people and places that have made this county so rich in history, and the wonderful place it is today,” said Somerset County Library System Director Brian Auger.

“In its early stages, the website will be a fairly simple scrapbook.  As it develops, the Library will provide more features.  The Library is planning to enhance the site with oral histories, stories and recollections by and about people – present and past – whose contributions have made the county what it is.

“The public is invited to visit www.mysomersetcounty.org often to learn about the many treasures of Somerset County as they are posted to the online scrapbook and digital histories.  The library envisions this resource to be a rich repository of images and stories about New Jersey’s best place to live,” he said.

To be a part of the “My Somerset County” scrapbook /digital history project, you can submit a photo and comment directly by going to www.mysomersetcounty.org, selecting “Submit Photos” and completing the form. Comments should be 500 words or less and should relate to the photo submitted.  Or you can mail your photos to My Somerset County, Attn: Richard Loomis, Somerset County/ Bridgewater Library, 1 Vogt Drive, P.O. Box 6700, Bridgewater, N.J. 08807, drop them off at any of the county’s 10 libraries or make an appointment to have the photos scanned in person at the library.  Photos will be returned via U.S. mail. It is preferred that mailed comments be written in print, rather than cursive, for easy reading.

For more information about the “My Somerset County” scrapbook / digital history project, contact Richard Loomis at rloomis@sclibnj.org or 908-526-4016 ext. 171.

In addition to this project, as part of the county’s 325th anniversary celebration, the Freeholders and county Cultural & Heritage Commission are hosting a special art gallery collection at the county administration building through May 24 and a concert is planned on the courthouse green, featuring the Whitehouse Wind Symphony, on June 2 at 2 p.m. Also, the freeholders unveiled a collage featuring historic photos from the 21 municipalities in the lobby of the Somerset County Bridgewater Library.

The Somerset County Park Commission has dedicated several events to the anniversary celebration, including National Trails Day on June 1, Independence Day Family Festival on July 4 and the 1770 Festival on Oct. 6.  Visit www.somersetcountyparks.org for more information about these events.

Source: Downtown Somerville Alliance

Starting from: Friday, 24 May 2013 6:00 PM
Repeats: Weekly until Friday, 30 August 2013 11:59 PM  on every Friday

Next dates and times:

• 6:00 PM Friday, 21 June 2013
• 6:00 PM Friday, 28 June 2013
• 6:00 PM Friday, 5 July 2013
• 6:00 PM Friday, 12 July 2013
• 6:00 PM Friday, 19 July 2013
• 6:00 PM Friday, 26 July 2013
• 6:00 PM Friday, 2 August 2013
• 6:00 PM Friday, 9 August 2013
• 6:00 PM Friday, 16 August 2013
• 6:00 PM Friday, 23 August 2013