Latest / Lawrence Together / Lawrence news from three newsletters
Transcript
- Welcome to Lawrence Together, your community podcast for Lawrence Township, New Jersey. Today's episode covers news and updates from Latest in Lawrence, dated May 21st, 2026, News from the Nest, dated May 19th, 2026, and Lawrence QuickNews, dated May 21st, 2026. Let's get started. With Memorial Day just ahead, let's begin with some important reminders from the township. Lawrence Township proudly announces that Retired Staff Sergeant James S. Kownacki has been named the 2026 Memorial Day Grand Marshal. Sergeant Kownacki served in the United States Armed Forces for more than two decades, and the township is honored to recognize his distinguished service. The annual Memorial Day Parade kicks off at 10 a m on Saturday, May 23rd, starting at the Lawrence High School parking lot and concluding at Veterans Park for the remembrance ceremony. Schools and all municipal offices will be closed Monday, May 25th. Trash collection moves to Saturday, May 23rd, and recycling pickup moves to Saturday, May 30th. Here is an important administrative notice for all residents. The Township of Lawrence is discontinuing the use of P O Box 6006 as a mailing address. All correspondence and payments should now be directed to the Township of Lawrence at 2207 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrence Township, New Jersey, 08648. If you have any scheduled payments set up for the old P O Box address, please update them as soon as possible. Also from the township: Animal Control is currently contacting more than 500 dog owners with delinquent licenses. Beginning in June, summonses may be issued for unlicensed dogs. A nine-dollar late fee is currently in effect, and rabies vaccinations must be valid through November 2026. Contact the Township Clerk's Office with any questions. The Lawrence Township Police Department reminds us that May is Mental Health Awareness Month. The department encourages everyone to check in on one another, ask for help when it is needed, and have conversations that break the stigma around mental health. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or a mental health or substance use crisis, trained counselors are available around the clock. Just call or text 9 8 8. A few upcoming board and committee meetings to note. The Shade Tree Advisory Committee meets Monday, May 25th at 7 p m. The Environmental Resources and Green Advisory Committee meets Tuesday, May 26th at 7 p m. Please note that the Lawrence Alcohol and Drug Alliance meeting scheduled for May 26th has been canceled. Meeting schedules are subject to change, so check the township website for the latest information. The Recreation Department has spring and summer programs available for youth and adults. One highlight is a Tennis Camp at Central Park Tennis Courts, running August 8th through 14th from 9 a m to noon, with options for beginners and for intermediate to advanced players. For more information, follow the Recreation Department on Facebook or call 6 0 9, 8 4 4, 7 0 6 7. For our seniors: the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program provides low-income Mercer County residents age 60 and older with forty dollars in electronic benefits to use toward locally grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs at participating markets. Funds are first-come, first-served starting May 1st. To register or learn more, contact the Mercer County Office on Aging at a d r c at mercer county dot org, or call 6 0 9, 2 4 5, 2 9 7 4. The Lawrence Senior Center can be reached at 6 0 9, 8 4 4, 7 0 4 8 to register for other programs. Also for seniors and adults with disabilities: the Medi-Cool Program, funded through the Mercer County Department of Human Services, offers air conditioning units for qualifying low-income residents. Call 6 0 9, 4 4 3, 4 4 6 4 for eligibility screening. Mercer County also maintains an updated list of cooling centers available during heat waves. P S E and G offers free pickup of old refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and dehumidifiers, with rebates of up to one hundred fifty dollars for fridges and freezers and fifty dollars for air conditioners or dehumidifiers. Appliances must be working and located at your P S E and G service address. Some restrictions apply. From the Health Department: the Lawrence Health Department offers a free monthly pediatric clinic for uninsured children, where kids receive a physical exam and immunizations from a board-certified pediatrician. Call 6 0 9, 8 4 4, 7 0 9 4 for an appointment. Free at-home COVID-19 test kits provided by Mercer County are also available at the Health Department while supplies last. A pair of community events worth putting on your calendar. The David Brearley Fun Run is Saturday, June 6th at 8:30 a m, starting at the Brearley House at 100 Meadow Road. This scenic five kilometer out-and-back route follows the Delaware and Raritan Canal and is open to runners and walkers alike. On Thursday, June 11th at noon, the Community Well, co-located with the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville, hosts a Community Lunch with a Youth Mental Health Panel. Community leaders, parents, and neighbors will come together to discuss teen anxiety and ways to better support our youth. Registration is required. And on Wednesday, July 22nd at 7 p m, the Community Well welcomes the Summer Benefit Concert featuring Sam Lardner and Barcelona, who are making a stop in Lawrenceville as part of a special benefit tour. The second annual Lawrence PRIDEfest is Sunday, June 14th from 9 a m to 2 p m at Lawrence High School, organized by Lawrence Neighbors Together. The event is a celebration of love, community, and acceptance, featuring live music, vendors, and food. A fun run and walk runs from 9 to 10 a m. Everyone is welcome. For information on attending, signing up as a vendor, or getting involved, reach out at lawrence neighbors together at gmail dot com. Mercer County Community College fall semester registration is now open. And the county has launched a new website called Mercer 250, a guide to historical sites and events highlighting Mercer County's critical role in the American Revolution, as the county prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence. Finally, rising tenth through twelfth grade students who are interested in business and local leadership can apply to serve as student representatives on the Township's Business and Economic Growth Committee for the 2026 to 2027 academic year. Applications are due Monday, June 1st. Now let's turn to news from Lawrence Township Public Schools. It has been an extraordinary stretch for our schools, full of achievements and community celebrations. The Lawrence High School varsity baseball team has won its second consecutive Colonial Valley Conference Tournament Championship. The Cardinals claimed a 3 to 1 victory at Trenton Thunder Ballpark, completing a rain-delayed game to finish the job. The team has shown grit and teamwork all season, and they now move on to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group 3 Playoffs. Congratulations to the players, coaches, families, and fans. In wonderful news for a district educator: Jeanette Capritti of Lawrence Middle School was formally honored at the May 6th New Jersey State Board of Education meeting for receiving the Milken Educator Award, often called the Oscars of Teaching. Ms. Capritti was first surprised with the award at Lawrence Middle School last October. Superintendent Dr. Robyn Klim and Dr. David Milavsky joined her at the state ceremony to celebrate this truly well-deserved recognition. There is more great news from Lawrence High School. Ten members of the school's National History Day Club have qualified for the national competition at the University of Maryland during the week of June 14th. The students competed at New Jersey's state competition at William Paterson University on May 2nd, where only two entries per project category could advance. The club is led by advisor Ms. Priscilla Taylor. Congratulations to all ten students on this outstanding achievement. The district also recently held a districtwide Jazz Night featuring student performers from Lawrence Intermediate School, Lawrence Middle School, and Lawrence High School. The concert showcased the musical growth of students from grades 5 through 12, and reflects why Lawrence Township Public Schools has been recognized as one of the Best Communities for Music Education by the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation. Lawrence Middle School had a tremendous month as well. The school's production of Dare to Dream, Jr., a Disney musical, ran May 15th through 17th. Despite the school's auditorium being under renovation, the cast and crew adapted to an outdoor rented stage, and the performances were a memorable success, directed by Ms. Baill and her team. The school's Model United Nations team also brought home awards from the Junior Model United Nations Academy Conference at Bergen County Academies in Hackensack on May 9th, competing across a wide range of international topics. Lawrence High School celebrated Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with a vibrant evening of food, music, karaoke, henna, and cultural programming, with students transforming the school's hallways for families and community members. Students in the Advocates for Innocence Club and the Social Justice class also had the honor of hosting Honorable Sherry Wilson, a judge who shared her insights on the judicial system and the pursuit of justice. Field Day season is underway across the district. Eldridge Park Elementary and Lawrenceville Elementary have already celebrated, with more schools planning their own field days in the weeks ahead. Now for upcoming dates and events from Lawrence Township Public Schools. The district's second Strategic Planning Session is this Wednesday, May 27th from 6 to 8 p m. All community members are welcome to attend and share their perspectives as the district shapes its five-year goals. Tomorrow, Friday, May 22nd, Lawrence High School students are invited to visit therapy dog "Tug" in the gym during resource periods. Pre-registration is encouraged, and the event is sponsored by the Lawrence High School Hope Squad in honor of Mental Health Month. For the senior class and their families: the Senior Awards Ceremony takes place Thursday, May 28th at 7 p m in the auditorium. Awardees should arrive by 6:30 and check in at Room 403. Family members are welcome without an R S V P. Then, the senior-led production "Around the World in 80 Days," adapted from Jules Verne's novel by Mark Brown, and directed by Darcy Jammer and Josh Kriegel, runs Friday, May 29th and Saturday, May 30th at 7 p m. Tickets are ten dollars at the door. On Tuesday, June 16th at 6:30 p m, Lawrence Township Public Schools welcomes Jeopardy champion Jamie Ding to the Lawrence High School auditorium for "A Night with Jamie Ding." Jamie Ding is a Lawrence Township resident who won 31 consecutive games on Jeopardy and finished with over eight hundred eighty-five thousand dollars in total winnings. This is a new date for the event, and all attendees, including anyone who previously registered, are asked to register again. The Lawrence Middle School and High School Parent Teacher Organization is hosting a Phillies game night on Saturday, June 20th at 7:15 p m at Citizens Bank Ballpark. The Phillies take on the New York Mets. Tickets are sixty-three dollars per person in seats behind home plate. Spots are limited, so reserve yours soon. Several summer programs are available for young people this year. Camp Westrick, a week-long music camp for singers of all experience levels, runs August 3rd through 7th. The Primetime Athletics Summer Basketball Camp for students entering grades 3 through 9 is held at Lawrence High School, with a co-ed session July 6th through 9th and a boys session July 13th through 16th, from 9 a m to 4 p m. The College of New Jersey English Department offers a free Young Writers Workshop for middle and high school students on Saturday, June 6th, available free to the first 25 students who register. And the Mercer County Rutgers 4-H Health, Body, Mind Club meets twice monthly in Ewing and the West Windsor area, helping students explore wellness, nutrition, and leadership skills. Summer and fall athletic registration for Lawrence High School opened May 15th and remains open until July 15th. Registering for the summer season does not automatically register a student for fall, so be sure to complete both registrations separately. Families who may need support with food costs over the summer should know about the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program, a federal initiative that provides one hundred twenty dollars per eligible child to use at grocery stores and farmers markets. Many families will be enrolled automatically. For more information, contact Jennifer Mahoney at j mahoney at l t p s dot org or call 6 0 9, 6 7 1, 5 4 3 5. Kindergarten registration is open for the 2026 to 2027 school year. Children must be five years old on or before October 1st, 2026. Proof of residency is required for enrollment. Lawrence Township teens between the ages of 14 and 18 who are library card holders can apply to volunteer at the Lawrence Branch of the Mercer County Library System this summer, from June 22nd through August 8th. Applications are available at the Youth Services desk through June 5th. Finally, Lawrence High School seniors and their supporters: Project Graduation, the free, adult-supervised, substance-free graduation celebration, takes place June 23rd from 11 p m to 5 a m. The community can help by volunteering or making a donation. And this evening, from 5 to 7 p m, the Students Helping Honduras club is holding a fundraiser at Urban Air Adventure Park at 2495 Brunswick Pike. If you go, be sure to mention the fundraiser at the time of purchase. Email L H S at S H H kids dot org with any questions. 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.