Work on Downtown Center Continues Students Look up by CRAIG TURPM on the Grant and Proposed Use Spent.” Hamilton Boulevard and Maple Road,” Kubala Said
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Guidance counselor ending career. See page A-3. r | | T 't SOUTH PLAINRELD Ine Reporter Metuchen • Edison • Highland Park • Piscataway B M 36. No. 6 _________________________ Friday, .Esbruarc-L 1222__________________________________ W cents | Briefs Work on downtown center continues Students look up By CRAIG TURPM on the grant and proposed use spent.” Hamilton Boulevard and Maple road,” Kubala said. STAFF WRITER will be held during the Borough The public hearing is held and Oak Tree avenues, Kubala Kubala said the borough toward the stars Council meeting Thursday, every year. Over the last several explained. applied for the grant funds last SOUTH PLAINFIELD - Kubala said. years the borough has received This year’s project includes year. The public hearing is held SOUTH PLAINFIELD Look for the second phase of as part of the process for receiv — As part of a unit on “The “We will listen to public com $61,000 from Middlesex County. repairing and widening Front improvements to the borough’s ing the funding. The council also Solar System and Beyond,” ment and suggestion on uses for The grants are funded using fed Street, Kubala said. The road will “downtown” center to begin this the money,” Kubala explained. eral money that is allocated to be widened to allow a left hand applied for the grants during the Franklin School fifth grade year. “In the past we have used it for counties by the state. Each turn lane onto Oak Tree Avenue. year for other projects, he noted. students made models and Borough Councilman Edward the same improvements in the municipality applies to the coun Part of property owned by For instance, last year the bor wrote brief descriptions of Kubala said this week the bor center of town. So far we’ve been ty for the funding, Kubala said. Sherban’s Diner will be used, he ough received $50,000 from the the planets, ough may get $61,000 from the successful in being able to use Last year the money was used said. Community Development Block Using a great deal of county’s Housing and the funds for this purpose. to widen roads and add lighting “We already have permission Grant to purchase a new bus for imagination, students built Community Development Block “People have agreed that this in the center of the borough. The from Sherban’s to use a small the senior citizens of the bor their models from Grant program. A public hearing is where the money needs to be downtown district surrounds piece of land so we can widen the ough, Kubala said. Styrofoam, rubber balls and gumdrops. Three tables loaded with the models and explanations Council will were lined up in the hall outside the fifth grade classrooms. view plans The fifth graders ended the unit Jan. 26 by viewing the night sky. John Miller, for PAL of the Pearl Observatory in Green Brook, set up a portable planetarium in expansion the gymnasium during the day. He showed the students By CRAIG TURPM where the constellations STAFF WRITER were in the sky. At night Miller returned SOUTH PLAINFIELD - The with telescopes and helped Borough Council will get a first the students understand look at completed plans for the what they were viewing expansion of the Police Athletic outside when they looked Building, Maple Avenue Feb. 22. The Recreation Commission up at the night sky. and Joseph DeAndrea, designer Miller will return with of the expansion, will present the his telescopes 7 p.m. drawings of the center to the Wednesday to speak to the council. The news comes on the Franklin School Science heels of an announcement by the Club about astronomy and Police Athletic League that it is what is on view in the win extending the lease of the com ter sky. plex to the borough for an addi tional 25 years. Battle of the classes The lease will now run until 2043. The previous lease would set for tonight have run out in 2018. SOUTH PLAINFIELD At Monday’s recreation com — Students at South mission meeting updated plans Plainfield Middle School for the center were presented. will be in the “Battle of the “What we’ve done is to make Classes” 7-9 p.m. tonight. the use of the space more effi Events include the hula cient and to clean up some of the hoop circle (passing the areas,” DeAndrea said during the hoop without using hands), meeting. the alligator crawl, “Over Several commission members and Under” and foul shoot were pleased to see the addition ing. Only students in the of showers to the plan. same grade will compete Commission member Calvin Gross said having showers in the against each other in two GEORGE PACCIELLO/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER (Continued on page A-3) teams made up of 20 stu The Police Athletic League may undergo a renovation sometime this year. dents chosen by lottery. “The ‘Battle of the Classes’ is based on the spirit of competition,” Assistant Principal Phyllis Man attempts to Savage said. Points are earned by cheering, banners each class makes and the num flee from police ber of tickets sold. The event is a fundrais By CRAIG TURPM Nwaenyi over when a motor er for the middle school STAFF WRITER vehicle check allegedly showed Tiger Gold program. his license was suspended. Students who are caught SOUTH PLAINFIELD - A The officer spotted him on doing good deeds by their Plainfield resident lead a bor Oak Tree Avenue during traffic teachers receive Tiger ough police officer on a slow duty. When Nwaenyi was told Gold, Savage said. speed chase through a parking to pull over he allegedly sped For the past week the lot last Tuesday. up and entered the center, middle school has held The man, attempting to police said. spirit days which end today elude a police officer, drove into Nwaenyi allegedly tried to with a pep rally sponsored the Oak Park Commons park escape via the Park Avenue exit by the Student Council. ing lot at 7:30 a.m. Jan. 26. He to the center, but, was blocked Tickets are $2 for chil got boxed in once inside the lot by traffic waiting to exit the dren and adults, $1 for PHOTO BY LIBBY BARSKY and was eventually cornered by center. He then allegedly drove senior citizens. Fifth graders at Kennedy School show off their certificates during a DARE graduation. With the students are the officer. to the a rear parking lot where Police Officers Joe Pappa and Allen LaMonda. Constantine Nwaenyi, 27, of he was blocked in by the officer, Plainfield was arrested and authorities said. Recycling center charged with eluding a police After a stand off for several will close for holiday officer. He was released after minutes Nwaenyi surrendered posting $100 bail pending a to police. SOUTH PLAINFIELD Students pass serious test hearing in South Plainfield He was issued a summons — The South Plainfield By UB8Y BARSKY talking with children was for parents. Municipal Court. for driving while suspended, Recycling Center will be An officer tried to pull police said. closed Feb. 12 for Lincoln’s CORRESPONDENT “We have to find the time,” he said. Birthday and Feb. 16 for All students received a T-shirt with the DARE President’s Day. SOUTH PLAINFIELD — Each of the elemen emblem which they wore for the graduation. The center will be open 8 tary schools in the borough was the site of a DARE The students in each school were asked to write Police seek man with a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 13 and graduation ceremony last week. an essay or make a poster relating to what they had noon-7 p.m. Feb. 17. “The real war against drugs starts in the class learned in DARE classes. Essay contest winners room,” said Police Chief Steven Merkler, a guest at received lion-bears. Poster contest winners received marijuana stash in house each graduation ceremony. “Education is cheaper a medal and a calculator. and more effective than incarceration.” Winners of the poster contest were Kristina By CRAM TURPM Officers went to the house at DARE stands for Drug iihuse Resistance Cursi and Rebecca Watts, at Kennedy School; STAFF WRITER 3:30 p.m., the poice report stat Education. Amanda Smalley, Cynthia Chang, Shanaye Thomas ed. For 45 minutes each week for 17 weeks, police and Eric LaFontane, at Franklin School; Kathryn SOUTH PLAINFIELD - A The marijuana was allegedly Inside Officers Allen LaMonda and Joe Papa visited fifth Koury, Courtney Eustice and Ashley Britton, at West Seventh Street resident is found in two places in the mas grade classrooms in the public schools and Sacred Riley School; James Olson, Mallory Cooper and being sought for allegedly stash ter bedroom. Police said there Commentary......... A-4 Heart School. Jacqueline Matchett, at Roosevelt School; Diane ing over three pounds of mari was a strong odor of marijuana The officers’ purpose was to educate students to Romano and Caitlin Monroe, at Sacred Heart juana in his house, police said in the room when it was Community Life.... A-6 avoid using drugs of all kinds, including alcohol and School. this week. entered. cigarettes, and to offer strategies that will help stu Winners of the essay contest were Jessica The 36-year-old resident was A total of 3.7 pounds of mari Sports.................... C-1 dents resist the pressure to take them. Garcia, Brett Morris and Chris Weakley, at not home when police, acting on juana was found hidden in the “This program not only educates children in Franklin School; Natalia Tamzoke and Rebecca a tip from an anonymous caller, bottom drawer of a dresser and Weekend Pius........B-1 what they should not to do and how they should say Watts, at Kennedy School; Michael Everett, Brian searched the house.