A MESSAGE FROM COUNTY EXECUTIVE BRIAN M. HUGHES
This edition of our Mercer Monthly newsletter highlights County government news as well as events that are taking place in November. With the 2022 general election just days away, you’ll find a reminder of early voting polling sites and secured mail-in drop box locations. You’ll also find a story about a milestone reached by Frontier Airlines and Trenton-Mercer Airport; information on the County’s initiative to set aside American Rescue Plan Act funds to support community projects; a rundown of upcoming events that salute our veterans; and more.
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Also featured are a link to a video featuring the County’s Consumer Affairs and Weights & Measures team and the important work they do; an announcement about the seasonal opening of the Mercer County Skating Center; and a listing of events taking place at the CURE Insurance Arena. And there’s a lot more going on at our parks and elsewhere throughout the month. I hope you enjoy reading about some of the many exciting things taking place in Mercer County.
Brian M. Hughes
Mercer County Executive
ELECTION INFORMATION
 Early Voting Polling Locations
Early Voting began Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022 and runs through Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022.
Hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
All registered voters can now cast their ballot in person, using a voting machine, during a nine-day period prior to Election Day, which is Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. You can choose to vote when it's most convenient for your schedule.
No matter where you live in your county, you can vote your specific ballot at any of Mercer County's designated in-person early voting locations.
There are seven early voting sites located throughout the County. The locations are as follows:
- East Windsor - Mercer County Hickory Corner Library, 138 Hickory Corner Road
- Ewing – Mercer County Office Park, 1440 Parkside Ave.
- Hamilton - Colonial Fire Company, 801 Kuser Road, Hamilton
- Lawrence - Mercer County Lawrence Library, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence
- Pennington – Pennington Fire Company, 120 Bromel Place, Pennington
- Princeton – Princeton Shopping Center Unit 260, 301 N. Harrison St.
- Trenton – Trenton Fire Department, 244 Perry St. Trenton
Secured Mail-In Ballot Drop Box Locations
EAST WINDSOR:
- East Windsor Police Station– 80 One Mile Road, East Windsor, NJ, 08520 (Municipal Court)
EWING:
- Ewing Municipal Building – 2 Jake Garzio Drive, Ewing, NJ, 08628 (In Front)
Mercer County Office Complex- 1440 Parkside Ave., Ewing, NJ 08638 (In front of building entrance along curb)
- The College of New Jersey, 1872 Pennington Road, Ewing, NJ 08618 (In front of the Administrative Services Building)
HAMILTON:
- Hamilton Golf/Call Center – 5 Justice Samuel A. Alito Way, Hamilton, NJ, 08619
- Hamilton Municipal Building – 2090 Greenwood Avenue, Hamilton, NJ, 08609 (Left side of building)
- Nottingham Firehouse – 200 Mercer St., Hamilton Square, NJ, 08690 (Right side of building)
HIGHTSTOWN:
- Hightstown Firehouse #1 – 140 N. Main St., Hightstown, NJ, 08520 (Front of building)
HOPEWELL TWP:
- Hopewell Township Administration Building – 201 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, Hopewell, NJ 08560 (at the intersection of Scotch Road)
LAWRENCE:
- Board of Elections - 930 Spruce St., Lawrence, NJ 08648
- Lawrence Municipal Building – 2207 Lawrenceville Road, (Rt 206) Lawrence, NJ 08648 (North Side-Right Side of the Municipal Building)
PRINCETON:
- Princeton Municipal Building – 400 Witherspoon St., Princeton, NJ, 08540 (Front of building, facing Witherspoon)
- Princeton University Wawa/Dinky Station- 152 Alexander St., Princeton, NJ 08540 (On the circle)
ROBBINSVILLE:
- Robbinsville Municipal Building -- 2298 NJ-33, Robbinsville, NJ 08691 (In back parking lot of Municipal Building)
TRENTON:
- County Clerk’s Office- Courthouse Annex - 209 S. Broad St., Trenton, NJ, 08608 (in front)
- Trenton City Hall – 319 E. State St., Trenton, NJ, 08608 (In back/ near Municipal Clerk's Office)
- Henry J. Austin Center – 321 N. Warren St., Trenton, NJ, 08618 (Corner of Tucker)
Trenton Central High School – 400 Chambers St., Trenton, NJ, 08609 (across from McDonald’s)
WEST WINDSOR:
- West Windsor Municipal Complex- 271 Clarksville Road, West Windsor, NJ,08550 (Between the Municipal building and the Senior Center)
POLLING LOCATIONS:
Provisional ballots will be available at the polling location in the event that the mail-in-ballots were not received and the registered voter would like to vote in this election.
Please Note: To find out your voting district, please contact the Superintendent of Elections Office at 609-989-6750.
NEWS
Frontier, Trenton-Mercer mark 10 years of service to region
Trenton-Mercer Airport on Nov. 3 marked its 10-year partnership with ultra-low fare carrier Frontier Airlines at a spirited celebration at the terminal's Sky Lounge at Ewing Restaurant.
It was a joyous occasion featuring remarks by Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes, Frontier Vice President Daniel Shurz, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann, Mercer Commissioner Board Chair Nina Melker and Princeton Mercer Chamber President Hal English, all of whom touted the economic importance of Trenton-Mercer Airport and endorsed the county's proposal to build a new terminal to replace the functionally obsolete one.
Frontier, which is the only commercial airline offering scheduled service from Trenton, will carry its 6-millionth passenger from the airport later this month.
Read more: Frontier, Trenton-Mercer mark 10 years of service to region
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Mercer to devote $3M in ARPA funds to assisting local towns
Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes and County Commissioner Chair Nina D. Melker together announced Oct. 25 that Mercer County will set aside $3 million from its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation to assist Mercer municipalities with programs and services aimed at older adults, veterans and people with disabilities.
Specifically, the set-aside must be used to support, create or augment municipal programs and services in the areas of health, social services and transportation. The program will be administered by GrantWorks, the firm managing the county ARPA allocation, which provides ARPA program compliance, documentation management and reporting.
Read more: Mercer to devote $3M in ARPA funds to assisting local towns
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Veterans saluted at several Mercer County upcoming events
NOVEMBER 11, 2022 is Veterans Day, and Mercer County celebrates our veterans in numerous ways throughout the year.
On Sunday, Nov. 6 at 11 a.m., Mercer County Veteran Services office will conduct its annual ceremony. This year it will be at Hopewell Valley Golf Club, 114 Pennington-Hopewell Road, Hopewell Township.
On Thursday, Nov. 10 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Veteran Services will hold an Expo for Veterans, highlighting goods, services, programs and discounts available to our national heroes. The Expo will be at Mercer County Office Park, 1440 Parkside Ave., Ewing.
And on Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11, All Active Duty and Veterans may enjoy a complimentary round of golf at any of our Mercer County Park Commission's courses including Mercer Oaks East/West, Mountain View Golf Club, Princeton Country Club or Hopewell Valley Golf and Country Club. (Must show Military ID to be eligible for complimentary round.)
Check out the many services offered by our Veteran Services Office by visiting them at www.mercercounty.org.
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County Executive Hughes announces annual toy drive
The holidays will be here before you know it, and Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes invites county residents, businesses and civic groups to join Mercer County employees in their annual Holiday Toy Drive. Toys can be dropped off at a number of convenient locations around the county, and the Mercer County Park Commission will ensure your gift goes directly to a deserving area child.
“The holidays are upon us, and as you shop for your friends and family, I encourage you to consider adding to your list a gift for a child whose family might be struggling at this time of year,” Mr. Hughes said. “Even the smallest or simplest item can bring a smile to a child’s face.”
The Mercer County Administration and the Mercer County Park Commission together hope to deliver plenty of joy to this year’s recipient, Toys for Tots, which joins the many other worthwhile organizations that have benefited from the generosity of Mercer County employees and residents. Unwrapped toys and gifts may be dropped at the following locations from now until Dec. 6:
- Mercer County McDade Administration Building, 640 South Broad St., Trenton
- Mercer County Park Commission, 197 Blackwell Road, Hopewell Township
- Mercer County Park Ice Skating Center
- Mercer County Park Tennis Center
- Mercer County Park Ranger Headquarters
- Mercer County Stables
- Mercer County Wildlife Center
- All Mercer County golf courses
- Howell Living History Farm
- Tulpehaking Nature Center
- Mercer County Improvement Authority, 80 Hamilton Ave., Trenton
- Mercer County Connection, Route 33 at Paxson Avenue, Hamilton
- Mercer County Department of Transportation, 300 Scotch Road, Ewing
- Mercer County Office Park, 1440 Parkside Ave., Ewing
- Mercer County One-Stop Career Center, 26 Yard Ave., Trenton
- Office of the County Clerk, 209 South Broad St., Trenton
For information, call (609) 303-0700.
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Eight Mercer residents win honors at NJ Senior Art Show
The 18 Mercer County residents participating in the 56th annual New Jersey Senior Citizen Art Show, held Sept. 23 through Oct. 27 at Meadow Lakes in East Windsor, took home eight awards, including four first-place honors.
The awards were presented at a ceremony attended by more than 250 artists and art lovers earlier this month at The Boathouse at Mercer Lake in West Windsor. The exhibit and award winners may be viewed online at www.njseniorarts.com.
Read more: Eight Mercer residents win honors at NJ Senior Art Show
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Hello from offices of Consumer Affairs and Weights & Measures
The Mercer County offices of Consumer Affairs and Weights & Measures are this month's video feature. Learn more about the team that serves to protect and educate you about consumer product safety, scams and more! Click the link to the Mercer County YouTube Channel or on the image.
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Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is now open
LIHEAP is a federally funded program helping eligible Mercer families, older adults and individuals pay a portion of their winter home heating costs. Click here for more information and click the flyer for income parameters.
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Park Commission deer management program under way
The Mercer County Park Commission is conducting a deer management program at Mercer County Park, Mercer Meadows and Baldpate Mountain. This program is meant to reduce the overabundant deer herd in the greater Mercer County region.
Bow hunting for County deer management hunters began at parks on Sept. 10. Hunting is permitted Monday through Saturday until Feb. 18, 2023. The parks will remain open to the public during bow hunting season.
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Firearm hunting will occur at Baldpate Mountain and the area north of Mercer Lake at Mercer County Park beginning Monday, Dec. 5 through Saturday, Dec. 10, and every Wednesday through Saturday thereafter through Feb. 11. The parks/regions will be closed to the public when firearms are in use. There will be no hunting on Sunday.
Hunting is only permitted by those who have applied for and met all the requirements to participate in the program.
All parks will have posted signage at parking areas and trail heads displaying the hunting schedule and closure dates as a reminder and notice to the public. Park rangers will patrol the parks during closures to ensure public safety.
Read More: Deer management program under way
Seasonal leaf pickup on County roads is in effect
Live on a county roadway? Mercer County Department of Transportation & Infrastructure leaf collection is underway. Mercer County adheres to all local ordinances. If your municipality requires leaves to be bagged, they must also be bagged on county routes. Click to download or print the 2022 schedule.
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Reach out to '988' if holiday blues begin to overwhelm
The holidays are usually viewed as a time of happiness and rejoicing. But for some people, it can be a period of painful reflection, sadness, lonlieness, anxiety and depression.
Even people who love the holidays can experience the blues during this busy season. The holidays are often a time of high emotion and demands, which can leave a lot of people feeling stressed and exhausted.
People with a prior mental health condition may be even more prone to experiencing holiday depression. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 64% of people with an existing mental illness report that the holidays make their condition worse.
The Federal Communications Commission recently approved a new 3-digit dialing code, 988, for mental health crisis and suicide prevention. 988 will connect people to the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Compassionate, accessible care and support will be available for anyone experiencing mental health-related distress, thoughts of suicide, mental health or substance use crisis. People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.
The 988 line will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for calls, texts, and chat. Learn more at www.nj.gov/humanservices/dmhas/initiatives/988/
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Most County government offices to close on November holidays
Most Mercer County government offices and facilities will be closed Tuesday, Nov. 8, in observance of Election Day; Friday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veterans Day; and Thursday, Nov. 24, and Friday, Nov. 25, in observance of Thanksgiving.
The full holiday closings announcements, which include holiday hours for the County Library System and Park Commission facilities, can be found on the County News page of the Mercer County website.
EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Lace up your skates!
The Mercer County Skating Center, located in Mercer County Park in West Windsor, opened for the 2022-2023 season on Oct. 31. Find the complete public skating schedule, as well information on skating lessons and private parties, here or call 609-371-1766.
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Upcoming shows at Mercer's CURE Arena!
Arena to welcome new professional Box Lacrosse Team, the Trenton Terror, soon. Read more.
Other upcoming events and shows include:
- Shreya Ghoshal, Nov. 4
- Rider versus Penn State Wrestling, Dec. 2
- Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market, Dec. 10-11
- Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live "Glow Party," Feb. 10-12
- East Coast Indoor Dirt Nationals, Feb. 24-25
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MERCER FAST FACTS!
War of the Worlds
"The War of the Worlds" was a Halloween episode of the radio series, the Mercury Theatre on the Air, directed and narrated by Orson Welles as an adaptation of H.G. Wells' novel "The War of the Worlds." The episode is famous for inciting a panic by convincing some members of the listening audience that a Martian invasion was taking place on a farm in Grover’s Mill, a section of West Windsor Township.
In the days after the adaptation, widespread outrage was expressed in the media. The program's news-bulletin format was described as deceptive by some newspapers and public figures, leading to an outcry against the broadcasters and calls for regulation by the FCC. Welles apologized the next morning, and no punitive action was taken. The broadcast and subsequent publicity brought the 23-year-old Welles to the attention of the general public and gave him the reputation of an innovative storyteller.
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NOVEMBER MEETINGS CALENDAR
Click for meeting locations.
- Nov. 6, 11 a.m., Veterans Day Ceremony
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Nov. 7, 1 p.m., Homelessness Outreach, Prevention, Emergency Services (HOPE) meeting
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Nov. 8, Election Day, county offices closed
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Nov. 9, 9 a.m., Planning Board; 6 p.m., Status of Women; 6:30 p.m., Youth Firestarters
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Nov. 10, Mental Health Board; 6 p.m.
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Nov. 11, Veterans Day, county offices closed
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Nov. 14, 4:30 p.m., Commission on Abused, Neglected, Missing Children
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Nov. 15, 10 a.m., Human Services Advisory Council; 2 p.m., Continuum of Care Data Committee
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Nov. 16, 3 p.m., Disabilities Advisory Council;
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Nov. 17, 9:30 a.m., CIACC; 1 p.m., Youth Services Commission
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Nov. 18, 10:30 a.m., Minority Concerns Committee
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Nov. 21, 6 p.m., Board of Commissioners Agenda & Formal (double meeting)
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Nov. 22, 9:30 a.m., Professional Advisory Committee
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Nov. 24-25, Thanksgiving Holiday, county offices closed
- Nov. 28, 2 p.m., Continuum of Care Executive Committee
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