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NJ Today: Central Jersey Daily Rundown, Saturday, July 14

Brad Wadlow
Courier News and Home News Tribune
"Green Wave Monster."

Armchair Art Tours at Franklin Library 

Visit the Franklin Township Public Library, 485 DeMott Lane, Somerset at 2 p.m. Thursdays, July 19 and Aug. 16 for an armchair art tour through the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection. The July 19 Impressionism on Water program will focus on a number of Impressionist works using the touchstone of water, particular the Seine River. Among the artists highlighted will be Gustave Caillebotte, Oscar Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The Aug. 16 Young Picasso at the Met program will show Picasso's changing world through his pictures at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, from his teenage years through his twenties including his Blue and Rose periods and his early experimentation that led to Cubism. This is a free program; registration is requested but not required. Sign up via the library’s online events calendar at www.franklintwp.org or call 732-873-8700 ext. 111.

'Mystery Gem' program on July 17

The Delaware Valley Bead Society (DVBS) will present a “Mystery Gem” program at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 17 in the Café of the Hunterdon County Senior Center, 4 Gauntt Place - Building #1, Flemington. The program is free and open to the public, but non-members must pre-register. The intent of the program is to share gem knowledge with each other. If you have bought a bead or cabochon that you had never seen before, bring it to the meeting. The other members will be asked to try to identify it — there will be a contest with a prize. After the guesses are made, you will present information about the gem you brought. We are looking for gems beyond the easily identified ones — not amethyst, turquoise, garnet, etc. Unusual variants such as different colors of familiar gems are welcome. The program will be presented during the two-hour DVBS meeting. To register, email your name, address and phone number to odyssey5@ptd.net or call 908-246-1231. To learn more about the Delaware Valley Bead Society, visit www.delawarevalleybeadsociety.org. Friend the DVBS at www.facebook.com/DelawareValleyBeadSociety.

Family Fun & Flix in Warinanco Park

Family Fun & Flix, a free summer entertainment and film series presented by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, begins Tuesday, July 17 with the presentation of “Despicable Me 3” at Warinanco Park, on the border of Elizabeth and Roselle. As part of the evening’s events, UC Get Fit, a health initiative of the Union County Freeholder Board, will offer fitness fun for kids before the movie, beginning at 7:30 p.m. "Despicable Me 3" is a computer-animated action comedy film which premiered in June 2017 and is the fourth highest-grossing animated film of all time. All movies will begin at dusk, weather permitting, with everyone encouraged to bring a blanket or beach chair to claim your spot on the lawn. Bleacher seating will also be available. Refreshments can be purchased from the Good Humor Truck, hosted by TG and Sons. For more information, call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4900 or visit the Union County website; www.ucnj.org. In case of weather-related matters, call 908-558-4079 after 3:30 p.m. on the day of the show 

Five local poets will read on Tuesday, July 17, at the Kuran Arts Center in Fanwood.

Fanwood poetry event

The Carriage House Poetry Series invites you to enjoy a free poetry reading at 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 17 in the Kuran Arts Center fronting on Watson Road, 75 N. Martine Ave. The evening will celebrate the Spring 2018 publication of Tiferet Journal’s current issue and will feature five local poets. Refreshments will be served. The distinguished poets who will read include: Tom Plante, a native New Yorker who studied Geography at the University of California in Berkeley, worked for several newspapers and his essays and poems have appeared in numerous magazines, Diane Lockward, author of four poetry books and winner of the Quentin R. Howard Poetry Prize, a NJ State Council on the Arts poetry fellowship, and a Woman of Achievement Award, Ray Cicetti, writer, poet, psychotherapist, and Zen teacher whose poems have appeared in the online literary magazine, The Metaworker, and in Tiferet Journal, Donna Baier Stein, author of the novel "The Silver Baron's Wife," winner of the PEN/New England Discovery Award for Fiction and the 2017 Foreword Reviews Best Book of the Year bronze award in General Fiction, as well as the award-winning story collection "Sympathetic People," and Priscilla Orr, a resident of Hamburg, New Jersey,  author of "Losing the Horizon and Jugglers & Tides," whose poetry has been published in "Southern Poetry Review," "Nimrod" and other journals - she is the recipient of fellowships from Yaddo and the NJ State Arts Council and has received three Pushcart Prize nominations. The reading is free and open to the public. An open mic will follow the featured performances, so individuals are invited to read one poem of their choice. For more information call 908-889-7223 or 908-889-5298. For online directions, information, and to see the 2018 Poetry Series calendar, visit carriagehousepoetryseries.blogspot.com/.

Billy Joel tribute show

"We May Be Right" brings its energetic Billy Joel tribute show to the famous Rocks Off Concert Cruise Series, which will board The Cosmos at 12:30 p.m. July 15 and depart at 1 p.m. from Skyport Marina at East 23rd Street and FDR Drive. Featuring a set of "We only play 80s Joel!" and a set of time-honored classics, the Hunterdon County-based band will have you singing along all afternoon on a musical cruise of New York Harbor around the Statue of Liberty. Visit www.rocksoff.com/shows/6130 for more details about the cruise and www.wemayberight.com/ for more about the band.

Forum: Environmental threats to NJ Highlands

The Environmental Committee of the League of Women Voters of Sussex Highlands will host a forum, “Environmental Threats to our New Jersey Highlands Region and Why the Highlands Need Protection,” from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 15 at the United Methodist Church of Sparta, 71 S. Sparta Ave, Sparta. The presenters will be Elliot Ruga of the Highlands Coalition, Junior Romero of the Food and Water Watch, and Sylvia Solaun of The New Jersey Forest Watch. The afternoon’s topics to be discussed will include safeguarding our water supply, fracking and pipelines in New Jersey, and forest management in areas of steep slope and thin soil. Light refreshments will be served. The public is welcome to attend.

Zydeco-A-Go-Go

Free summer concerts at Franklin Library begin

Franklin Township Public Library will host a series of summer concerts at 7 p.m. Wednesdays starting July 18 with the Cajun and Zydeco band, "Zydeco-A-Go-Go." The concerts are free and open to the public. Enjoy an exciting 5-piece group that mixes Cajun and Zydeco songs with vintage New Orleans rock 'n' roll into a spicy gumbo of irresistible Louisiana party music, guaranteed will get you smiling and tapping your toes.

'The Chain That Saved The Colonies'

The Historical Society of Plainfield will host a lecture, “The Chain That Saved The Colonies,” at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 15 at the Drake House Museum, 602 W. Front St, Plainfield. The lecture will be given by Donald “Doc” Bayne. Seating is limited and is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Light refreshments will be served. The program suggested donation is $5 and free to members of the Historical Society of Plainfield. On-site parking is available. For directions and more information about the Drake House and the Historical Society of Plainfield, visit www.drakehouseplainfieldnj.org.

Piattino: A Neighborhood Bistro hosting brunch

Piattino: A Neighborhood Bistro, has announced it will host a Rise and Rosé Brunch at its Summit location on Sunday, July 15 at noon. Guests are invited to enjoy four courses of Italian cuisine created specifically for the tasting event, each paired with a different rosé wine, to complement each dish. Tickets to the Rise and Rosé Brunch can be purchased individually for $42 in person at Piattino of Summit or online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rise-rose-brunch-tickets-46411952399.

Eco-Explorers are recruiting

The Somerset County Park Commission Environmental Education Center (EEC), located at 190 Lord Stirling Road in the Basking Ridge section of Bernards, has opened registration for Eco-Explorers, a summer science and nature program for children ages 7 to 9. Eco-Explorers offers a series of four one-week and two two-week summer sessions of day-long programming exploring nature and science through hiking, canoeing, games, crafts and exciting day trips. The Naturalist-led series takes a hands-on approach to learning through creative expression, educational games, imagination, nature exploration and physical skill development. Eco-Explorers runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Each of the six sessions offers field trips, guest speakers, nature walks, canoeing, games, arts and crafts and more. The first one-week session, Creature Feature II (One-Week Session), from July 30 to August 3 will have campers see and learn about different creatures. Each day campers will learn about the variety of animals that live on this planet, meeting some special animal guests. A field trip, canoeing, and water games will be part of the fun. The fee is $360 per person. Visit www.somersetcountyparks.org.

North Brunswick hosts Family Paint Night

The North Brunswick Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Services (DPRCS) will host a Family Paint Night at the North Brunswick Veterans Park Pavilion from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. July 18. Cost is $45 per parent-child duo (one person per canvas). Register online at www.communitypass.net. For more information, contact DPRCS at 732-247-0922, ext. 475.

Workshop on finding your post-retirement passion

The JCC of Middlesex County, 1775 Oak Tree Road, Edison, will host a free "Find Your Passion: Know Your Power" workshop at 10:30 a.m. July 17, presented by Harvey Rich, a semi-retired CPA with his own firm, based in Hillsborough. The workshop is a high-quality, interactive learning experience for people in a small, group setting, promoting stimulating group interaction, self-exploration and interpersonal connections. It is all about finding your untapped skills and abilities if your retirement years. Rich has been a Life Coach for the last five years and has focused on his true passion of empowering people to achieve their goals, whether they be personal or career oriented. The event is open to the community as space allows.

READ: NJ Today: Central Jersey Daily Rundown, Friday, July 13

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