Bowi games, 181 Art in the heart, 231 Sports roundup, 28 THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2014 gm news.com S e n t i n e l North Brunswick • South Brunswick New intersection opens at Route 1 and Aaron Road By KATHY CHANG Staff Writer T he New Jersey Department of Trans­ portation (DOT) has fully opened the newly constructed intersection of Route 1 and Aaron Road. Motorists can now use the new reverse jughandle on Route 1 north. The developer of Main Street North Brunswick improved the intersection and is required to improve two others — at a total estimated cost of $10 million — as a condi­ tion of building the new transit village on Route 1. Michael Hritz, director of community de­ velopment for the township, said the design features new sections of roadway, traffic sig­ nals and multiple turning lanes to better fa­ cilitate local and cross-highway traffic. "We are particularly grateful to the Aaron Road and Hidden Lake-area resi­ dents who have patiently waited for the new jughandle to open. We understand they have been inconvenienced since the jughandle closure was extended beyond our original intention,” Hritz said. Commerce Boulevard and the intersec­ tion of Adams and Cozzens lanes, as well as a new bypass road, are in the final phases of construction and will open this summer. “It has always been a primary objective of STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER ERIC SUCAR Alisa Martinez, a patrol officer in Ocean Township, holds up a spray dispenser for Narcan, which police in central New jersey have begun the township to make sure that the flow of using to reverse drug overdoses. traffic, now anil in die future, will not be im­ peded by growth and development at the tran­ sit village site,” Mayor Francis "Mac” Womack said. “The improved intersection at Heroin crisis spurs antidote action Route 1 and Aaron Road is one of many im­ provements along the corridor that should ac­ By GREG KENNELTY mouth and Ocean counties as part of a state spiked from 53 in 2012 to 112 last year. Mon­ tually improve traffic conditions, even as the Staff Writer pilot program in response to the worsening mouth County has recorded more than 180 transit village becomes a reality.” ithin 48 hours of Ocean Township heroin epidemic. On June 17, Gov. Chris heroin-overdose deaths since 2011. Womack credited the township Planning W Board for its diligence and foresight. receiving the heroin antidote Nar­ Christie announced that the antidote would be “We can no longer turn a blind eye and “The developer, TOD Associates, and can, its police force saved the life made available to police throughout the state. dismiss this situation as an inner-city prob­ of a 40-year-old woman who had overdosed. Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor lem, or a problem seen in the poorer areas'of DOT-should be acknowledged for continu­ ing to make these improvements become a “She had suffered from addiction be­ Marc LeMieux said Narcan is a helpful tool the county,” LeMieux said. “Heroin addic­ reality,” the mayor said. fore,” Ocean Township Police Chief Steve in dealing with the problem, but it is not a tion is affecting families from every walk of Peters said. “She was staying with a rela­ cure-all. life — in the affluent suburbs, in the board Hritz said township officials are aware tive, and they had found her and they called “The epidemic of prescription opiates rooms of major corporations^ from rock that many people are eagerly awaiting the opening of Costco, which will be the first us. Thankfully they did. because if they had and heroin deaths is a staggering statistic stars to Academy Award winners and des­ returned home any later, it would have been that every person has to concern themselves perate people in desperate times.” store to open in the first phase of the transit too late.” with today,” he said. village project. Narcan is currently being used in Mon­ Heroin-overdose deaths in Ocean County (Continued on page 6) (Continued on page 20) SHOP AT HOME AND SAVE • WE COME TO YOU! • SMARTCARPET.COM See our ad in SMART|Carpet CALL 7 DAYS FOR A FREE ESTIMATE! page 5 of And Flooring! 'today's paper. 1.800.526. RUGS (7847) Fknveri « P l a n t s Boasting Great Seiecjjons of B i^ l Se e d , y< Treats^ .■s'. - Feeders. ^ H o u s e s & Accessories 2 0 % OFF Any One Item. Excludes bagged, bulk or items already on sale. Expires 7/1/14 OPEN 7 DAYS www, broc^farm s. com Mon.-Sat. Sam - 7pm We HEcapi il l mt|or credit cards! HOME & CARDEN Valid thru 7/1/14 Sun. Sam - 6pm SHfWPlACE Not all items available at both locations. Not responsible for typographical errors. Student of fire-ravaged school soars skyward By KATHY CHANG “Gabby’s essay was sweet and straight­ Staff Writer forward.” Martini said, adding that her daughter shares those qualities. T he image of an American flag and the The essay contest is held in conjunction school sign in front of the fire-rav­ with the PNC Bank and QuickChek New aged James Monroe Elementary Jersey Festival of Ballooning, which will re­ School left a sense of “hope and happiness” turn to Solberg Airport in Readington July for fifth-grader Gabby Martini. 25-27 for its 32nd year. After writing about her feelings in the For her winning essay. Gabby and her short essay, “What the American Flag family received a VIP package for this Means to Me,” Gabby was selected as win­ year’s festival and will get a chance to again ner of the 11th annual PNC American Pa­ ride in a hot-air balloon. Tickets were also triot Essay Contest. given to her fifth-grade class and school Martini’s words touched the people who judged the contest, which saw about 3,000 submis­ sions from students in second through 12th grade from all around the state, according to Joseph Whall, PNC Bank sen­ ior vice president. “Everyone had seen those photos,” said Whall, referring to the images of the charred el­ ementary school, destroyed in March by a massive blaze. Gabby wrote that the only things left standing in front of the school building were the American flag and the school sign. “The flag was a symbol of hope and happiness at our school before it burnt down,” she wrote. “That is what the flag means to me. I hope the school will be rebuilt, and the flag will stay there forever.” As the contest winner. Gabby received a visit from a 75-foot-tall hot-air balloon on June 16. The gargantuan bal­ loon was inflated on the grounds of Middlesex County College, Edison, where the 487 students in kindergarten Fifth-grader Gabby Martini, right, and James Monroe through fifth grade attended Elementary School teacher Amy Fuentes wave to onlookers as Nick Mazzocchi pilots the hot-air balloon. classes after the fire. Gabby was interviewed by a news reporter on a tethered ride in the bal­ P rincipal loon. She took another ride with her teach­ Linda Za- See the video ers. Amy Fuentes and Rochelle Schwarz, in poticzny. www.gmnews.com front of her classmates. The visit Fuentes and Schwarz said they were ex­ by a 75-foot PHOTOS BY FRANK WOJCIECHOWSKI cited for their student. hot-air balloon Spectators watch as the hot-air balloon is prepared for takeoff during a presentation Gabby said she entered the contest at the marked the start of a fun-filled week for the held for contest-winning fifth-grader Gabby Martini at Middlesex County College. friendly nudging of her mom, Lynette Mar­ students, whose last day of school was June tini, who saw information about the contest 20. Joanne LaPerla-Morales, president of buildings. The James Monroe community Wilus Way in the Iselin section of Wood­ in the local newspaper. Middlesex County College, presented a and the township as a whole banded to­ bridge for the next two years. All students “I’m always looking for new ways for plaque to Zapoticzny and gave T-shirts to gether to transform the two buildings into will be bused to the school, which is ap­ her to write,” Martini said. “This is her first all students. The college provided ice cream an elementary school. proximately 4.6 miles from their former time entering the contest, and also her first for the students at the end of the balloon The students of James Monroe will have school. ride in a hot-air balloon. Now I can say, ‘See presentation. a new home next fall. With the help of For more information on the New Jersey what can happen when you try.’ ” . The two college buildings occupied by Woodbridge Township and the Diocese of Festival of Ballooning, visit www.balloon- Gabby and her mom said they were sur­ James Monroe students were set to be de­ Metuchen, the students will attend school at festival.com. prised about being selected. molished to pave the way for new science the former St. Cecelia School building on Classified .................................34 E n tertainm ent ........................23 Real Estate ...............................29 gmnews.com Like us on C rossw ord .............................. 26 O b itu arie s ...............................20 Sports ......................................28 on the web B ^ F a c e b o o k Editorials ................................... 8 Police B eat .............................. 22 A Greater Media Newspaper www.facebook.com/CM.NSBSentinel Pedestrian safety is focus Local resident receives of latest police campaign foreign-affairs fellowship SOUTH BRUNSWICK — Bryan Fur­ fairs and diplomacy, including public pol­ NORTH BRUNSWICK — The Police periods of intense anti-texting enforcement man of South Brunswick is a recipient of icy, international affairs, public administra­ Department is managing a crosswalk en­ with advertising and media outreach.