Latest / Lawrence Together / Fireworks, Class of 2026, and a Summer Full of Fun in Lawrence Township
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 June 25th, 2026, and the Lawrence Township Public Schools QuickNews, dated June 24th, 2026. Let's get started. The big news this week: Lawrence Township is celebrating America's 250th anniversary of independence with its annual fireworks event on Wednesday, July 1st, at Rider University. Festivities begin at six P M. Jake's Rockin Country Band performs from seven to nine thirty P M, with fireworks launching at nine thirty. The evening also includes food trucks, a Bubble Guy performance from seven to eight P M, a kids coloring table hosted by Cub Scouts Pack two-oh-six, and glow sticks available for purchase to support the Fireworks Fund. And here is a very special treat: Ben Franklin will be strolling the grounds and greeting guests from seven to nine P M, courtesy of the Lawrence Historical Society. The rain date is Thursday, July 2nd. Then on Thursday, July 9th, join the Lawrence Community Concert Band for a free Patriotic Concert at Lawrence Township Veterans Park, one hundred Oaklyn Terrace, starting at seven P M. Free hot dogs and water will be available while supplies last. Bring the whole family for a great summer evening in the park. A few quick updates from Township Hall. All Lawrence Township Municipal Offices will be closed on Friday, July 3rd, in observance of Independence Day. Drivers should also know that the Interstate 295 southbound ramp at Exit sixty-nine B to Route 206 southbound remains closed and detoured through August as part of an ongoing noise barrier installation project in Lawrence, Mercer County. The right lane on Interstate 295 southbound near that same exit is also affected. Please plan your route accordingly. Here is an important mailing address update. The Township of Lawrence is discontinuing P O Box six-oh-oh-six as a mailing address. All correspondence and payments should now go to the Township of Lawrence, twenty-two-oh-seven Lawrenceville Road, Lawrence Township, New Jersey, zero-eight-six-four-eight. If you have any scheduled automatic payments to the township, please update them as soon as possible. On the municipal front, the Township Council authorized a Request for Proposals to lease the Lawrence Neighborhood Center on Eggert Crossing Road at its June 16th meeting. Additionally, the Council will consider at its July 21st meeting whether the property at thirty-six-forty-one Lawrence Road should be designated an Area in Need of Redevelopment. That meeting starts at six P M at the Lawrence Township Municipal Building, and residents are welcome to attend. A few boards and committees updates: the Trails, Open Space and Stewardship Advisory Committee meets Wednesday, July 1st, at seven thirty P M. Please note that the Recreation Advisory Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday, July 2nd, has been canceled. The Planning Board meets Monday, July 6th, at seven P M. Meeting schedules are subject to change, so check the township website for the latest. From the Recreation Department: summer pool memberships are available for the season running June 29th through August 15th at Lawrence High School, twenty-five twenty-five Princeton Pike. Memberships are offered for individuals, families, and seniors. Weekday hours include lap swim from nine A M to eleven forty-five A M and open swim from three to five P M. Saturday hours are nine A M to noon, and the pool is closed Sundays and holidays. Call six-oh-nine, eight-four-four, seven-oh-six-four to register. Senior residents can take advantage of Senior Discount Day at the Trenton Farmers Market on the third Thursday of every month, May through August, at nine-sixty Spruce Street in Lawrence Township. Participating vendors offer a ten percent discount to seniors, and Market Street Taqueria and Witherspoon Meats offer a fifteen percent discount to seniors and veterans year-round. For questions or to arrange a ride, call the Lawrence Senior Center at six-oh-nine, eight-four-four, seven-oh-four-eight. A reminder from the Health Department: if your dog is not yet licensed, please take care of it right away. Animal Control is reaching out to more than five hundred dog owners with delinquent licenses, and summonses may now be issued. A nine-dollar late fee is currently in effect, and rabies vaccinations must be valid through November 2026. Contact the Clerk's Office with any questions. Free at-home COVID-19 test kits provided by Mercer County are also available at the Lawrence Health Department while supplies last. From the Lawrence Township Police Department: Officers Campbell and Cruz were honored to escort Team New Jersey to the 2026 Special Olympics U S A Games in Minneapolis. All of Lawrence Township is cheering you on, Team New Jersey. A few community resources worth knowing about. The Emergency Rescue Mortgage Assistance program provides financial help to homeowners who experienced a COVID-19-related financial hardship and have struggled to keep up with mortgage payments. Mercer County also maintains an updated list of cooling centers for residents struggling in excessive heat, and through the Medi-Cool program, the organization Rise, A Community Service Partnership, is providing air conditioning units for Mercer County low-income seniors and adults with disabilities. Call six-oh-nine, four-four-three, four-four-six-four for eligibility information. And if you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 9-8-8 to connect with a trained crisis counselor available around the clock. Now let's turn to news from Lawrence Township Public Schools. June 24th was the last day of school for students, who will return on September 1st, 2026. The Board Office is open this summer Monday through Thursday, seven thirty A M to three P M, and is closed on Fridays through August 22nd. Several summer programs kick off on July 6th: Extended School Year runs through August 6th, Connect Session 1 runs July 6th through the 16th, Connect Session 2 runs July 20th through the 30th, Camp Eagles for elementary students runs through July 30th, and Teen Eagles for middle and high school students also runs through July 30th. Incoming fourth graders can join the Lawrence Intermediate School Jumpstart program from August 10th through 13th. Students can also explore the district's summer learning portal on the school website to stay sharp over the break. Now for the big celebration of the season: the Lawrence High School Class of 2026 has graduated. Congratulations to the entire class, and special recognition to this year's top ten students: Joshua Liu, Sharon Vasudevan, Preeta Cyrus, Vanathi Ram, Kristian Galinov, Om Patel, Amina Ismat, Ridhima Pandey, Sai Chintagunta, and Jessica Janusz. These graduates are heading to colleges, universities, and military branches across the country. Once a Cardinal, always a Cardinal. The Lawrence Middle School Class of 2026 celebrated with a heartfelt 8th Grade Farewell Ceremony on June 17th at Rider University's Alumni Gym. Sixth graders said goodbye to Lawrence Intermediate School with a clap-out parade and a fun-filled picnic at Central Park. Third graders across the elementary schools enjoyed their own moving-up ceremonies and clap-outs as they prepare for their journey to Lawrence Intermediate School next fall. And graduating seniors returned to their elementary schools to walk familiar halls, reconnect with former teachers, and share advice and memories with younger students, a full-circle tradition that speaks to the strong sense of community in Lawrence Township Public Schools. The district had a lot more to celebrate this spring. On June 16th, Jeopardy! champion and Lawrence resident Jamie Ding joined students, staff, and families for an inspiring evening centered on curiosity, perseverance, and lifelong learning. Five Lawrence High School students led the on-stage conversation. If you missed it, look for the recording on the Lawrence Township Public Schools Rewind YouTube channel. Lawrence High School students also organized a wonderful Juneteenth celebration featuring the Gospel Choir led by graduating senior Ayomide Dada, a Historically Black Colleges and Universities panel, and reflections on the school's Advanced Placement African American Studies course. The Lawrence High School Gospel Choir also performed at the township's third annual community Juneteenth celebration at the Municipal Building, organized by the Lawrence Township Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Congratulations also go out to this year's Caring Award Recipients, recognized by the Lawrence Township Counseling Association at each elementary school: Abby Kitio from Ben Franklin Elementary School, Nora Trimble and Marianita Vasquez-Perez from Eldridge Park Elementary School, Madeleine Barnard from Lawrenceville Elementary School, and Delmy Romero Chajon from Slackwood Elementary School. Keep shining, Caring Kids. Looking ahead to September: all Lawrence Township Public Schools will implement an Away for the Day device policy, requiring that personal electronics, including cell phones, smart watches, and earbuds, remain put away from first bell to last bell every school day. The district has also completed a strategic planning process with input from more than one hundred community members, resulting in five priority areas: Health and Wellness, Safety and Security, Future-Ready Academics, Community Engagement and Involvement, and School Culture and Climate. Families who may need food assistance this summer should know about the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer Program. This federal initiative provides one hundred twenty dollars per eligible child to purchase groceries during the summer. Benefits are loaded onto an Electronic Benefits Transfer card mailed to families' homes for use at grocery stores, farmers markets, and similar locations. Many families will be enrolled automatically. For more information, contact Jennifer Mahoney at j mahoney at l t p s dot org or call six-oh-nine, six-seven-one, five-four-three-five. Finally, several summer programs are available for Lawrence families. The S E A L Academy Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math Summer Camp runs July 6th through August 14th at the Princeton Jewish Center. Camp Westrick, a music summer camp open to all skill levels, runs August 3rd through 7th. Primetime Athletics and Lawrence Recreation are teaming up for a Summer Basketball Camp at Lawrence High School for students entering grades three through nine. The Boggs Barrett Soccer Camp is available for kids ages five through sixteen. And this Sunday, June 28th, families with children ages zero through ten are invited to Lighting Lives Through Literacy from eleven A M to two P M at Barnes and Noble Princeton MarketFair, featuring student read-alouds, games, and activities that support childhood literacy. More details on all programs are available through the school district's website and online backpack. 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.