From the Metuchen Arts Council:

The Raconteur, The Forum Theatre, and The Metuchen Arts Council will present an evening with Oscar winning filmmaker Vanessa Roth that includes a screening and discussion of her powerful new documentary American Teacher on Saturday, January 28th at 8:00 p.m. at the Forum Theatre in Metuchen.

American Teacher is a heartbreaking study of what it's like to teach in America today. The film reveals the frustrating realities of today's educators, the difficulty of attracting talented new teachers, and why so many of our best teachers feel forced to leave the profession altogether.

Co-produced by Dave Eggers and Ninive Calegari and narrated by Matt Damon, American Teacher is, according to the Washington Post, "a film about education that gets it exactly right," and raising what Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan calls, "important questions about American teachers," and sparking " a much needed conversation." The Los Angeles Times says the film "ought to be seen by anyone concerned about the fate of the public school system, and the nation as a

whole."The screening will be followed by an on stage discussion between the director Vanessa Roth and select New Jersey educators with opportunity for questions from the audience.

From Family Friends:

Feeling stuck inside this winter with a little one anxious to learn and play?  Want to get out yourself and meet other new parents?  Looking for a safe & inexpensive way to help your little one socialize before entering pre-school or Kindergarten?  Then check out Family Friends at our February Open House on Monday, February 6 and Wednesday, February 8 from (10 a.m. to 12 p.m. both days) at St. Luke's Fryer Hall, 17 Oak Avenue, Metuchen.  Watch your little ones play while you meet the other parents over coffee and a muffin.  We'll have membership information on hand and can answer any questions.

Family Friends is unique...

• Playgroups are held in the same common, neutral space twice a week, allowing children to focus on interactive play and socialization without the distraction of a new or over-stimulating environment.
• We are a non-profit, 100% volunteer-run organization, which keeps membership fees low (only $80 per family each year!) and parents/caregivers involved.
• We are non-sectarian and welcome a diverse range of members from all cultures, religions, denominations, ethnicities, and backgrounds; we reflect the society our children are entering.

If you had the opportunity to name a bookstore on Main St., what would you name it? 

"To Be Continued... Bookstore Boutique" is holding a contest, open to everyone, to share their opinion(s) for a unique and memorable name. 

Selected winning entry will receive a Grand Prize of 1 book a day for 1 year (plus the honor of having their name engraved for posterity on the façade of the store). Other prizes may be awarded to close runner-ups and EVERYONE who enters will receive a "To Be Continued... Bookstore Boutique" store credit Gift Card ranging from $5-$25 (depending on how many votes received.) 

Enter as many times as you want using our Facebook page or by emailing tobecontinued@metuchen.us with your opinion, name, age and parent's permission to participate if under 18 years of age. 

Winner will be announced in late March and then honored during our Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in April.

Disclaimer: This is not a lottery or sweepstakes. The winner will be selected based on merit & originality (maybe popularity, too) by a 3-5 person judging panel of local residents, artists & officials.

A Grand Opening and official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will take place on Thursday, January 26, at Satori Academy's latest addition, The Satori Fit Center. The official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will take place at 6:00 PM with interactive demo classes for both adults and children lasting until 8:00 pm. Representatives from the Metuchen Area Chamber of Commerce will be joined by Edison Mayor Antonia Ricigliano as we welcome the new expansion of the Satori Center to the Metuchen and Edison business community.

Located in the Tano Mall at 1199 Amboy Avenue in Edison, NJ, the Satori Fit Center is a new studio adjacent to Satori Academy. It will be used for adult fitness and martial arts programs including Kickboxing, Fitness, Strength and Personal Training.  Classes are conveniently scheduled to run opposite children's classes so parents can simultaneously get their workouts in. Satori Academy is located at 1199 Amboy Avenue in Edison, in the Tano Mall. Hours of Operation are: Monday: 10-9:00 pm, Tuesday: 12-9:00 pm, Wednesday: 10-8:00 pm, Thursday: 12-10:00 pm, Friday: 12-6:30 pm and Saturday: 9:00 - 3:30 pm For more information, please visit our website at www.satoriacademynj.com or call (732) 494-2195. 

On Friday, February 17 at 12:30 PM, Kaplan Test Prep will offer a free SAT/ACT Combo Practice Test at the Metuchen Public Library, 480 Middlesex Avenue. The 3.5 hour Practice Test helps students decide which test is right for them. Students will receive scores and feedback via email that compares their performance on each of the analogous test sections of the two exams---for example, SAT math section vs. ACT math section. This is a perfect opportunity to experience both tests, now that most colleges will accept either exam for admissions.


To sign up for the Friday, February 17 Combo test, please write Young Adult Librarian Kathy Liss at KLiss@Lmxac.org or call the Library on 732.632.8526. Space is limited. The free test has early registration open at this time for Metuchen residents in grades 9, 10 and 11, but registration will open to interested others on February 6.

Also on Friday, February 17 from 1 PM until 2:30 PM, Mrs. B" (professional cooking instructor Helen Bayer) will teach students to make their own pizza from scratch at the Metuchen Public Library, 480 Middlesex Avenue.  Participants will learn to mix and knead the dough and to top the pie with fresh ingredients. Everyone leaves the class with their own pizza to bake at home and with recipes. 

The program is FREE to all Metuchen residents in grades 6-12 and paid for by the Friends of the Metuchen Library. Registration is required and limited, due to space.  Please write the Young Adult Librarian Kathy Liss at KLiss@Lmxac.org or call the Library on 732.632.8526.

From Neve Shalom:

Neve Shalom, Saturday Evening, January 28, will conduct a Havdalah and Musical program starting at 6:00pm - Bet Class students will lead Havdalah - In memory of Debbie Friedman - all of the songs will be her compositions. Refreshments will be served. There is no charge for the "25^th Hour" Program. For more information contact Hazzan Levin - 732-548-2238 - ext. 14

Neve Shalom, in conjunction with the Northern NJ Federation of Jewish Men's clubs - Family Games is offering a special discounted ticket purchase - New Jersey Devils vs. Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday, February 26, 2012 - 1:00pm - Great afternoon game for the kids! Games are at the Prudential Center - Newark, NJ -  TICKETS - $61.00 ticket for only $40.00! Includes $10 food card! (a $71 total value) Save over 40% per ticket! Balcony seating. We are also raffling off an 8x10 autographed photo!  To Order Tickets - Mail by January 31, 2012 with payment to: Neve Shalom Men's Club, Attn: Louis Eisenberg, 250 Grove Ave., Metuchen, NJ 08840 - Checks payable to the Neve Shalom Men's Club. Please include No. of tickets, contact name, address, city, state, zip code, telephone and email. Questions? Call/Email Louis Eisenberg 732-672-9278 - eisenberg4@optonline.net OR Matthew Bonus 732-968-4489 - matlicia@optonline.net

From the Superintendent's Office:

2012 Edgar MLK winners and teachers

(Left to right)
Teachers:  Jennifer Muller, Melissa Kovacs, Andrea Elton 


Students:  Aviv Hogan Appell (Grade 5), Ashima Sharma (Grade 6), Siri Uppuluri (Grade 7)



On Monday, January 16th, the Metuchen Public Schools were thrilled to participate in the 5th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast at The Pines Manor.  This year's program, entitled, "The New Birth of Dreamers...Come Dream With Us," was sponsored by the Metuchen Area Chamber of Commerce, the YMCA of Metuchen, Edison, Woodbridge, and South Amboy, the New Hope Baptist Church, and the Second Baptist Church.  Helene Zahn did an excellent job in her role as moderator.  The audience was treated to the sounds of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Choir and an inspiring keynote address by Mildred "Millie" Scott, Middlesex County Sheriff.  In addition there were words of reflection from 6th district Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr., an invocation from Rev. Dr. Ronald L. Owens and a benediction from Reverend Mark B. McCreary.  Representing the Metuchen Public Schools were Superintendent Vincent Caputo, Edgar Principal Kathy Glutz, Edgar Assistant Principal Mike Knoth, teachers Jennifer Muller, Melissa Kovacs, Andrea Elton, and counselor Elaine Goldstein.  In addition to the winners from Edgar School, Aviv Hogan Appell (Grade 5), Ashima Sharma (Grade 6), Siri Uppuluri (Grade 7), eighth grade student David James White from the Metuchen Christian Academy was also honored.       

From the Central Jersey Fanatics Hockey Club:

We would like to extend an invitation to you and your company to become a sponsor for our 2011-2012 season. The Fanatics Hockey Club is a non profit hockey team based out of Metuchen, NJ. We are seeking sponsorship/donations from various businesses in our communities. We're committed to the long term growth and development of Roller hockey players . We provide playing opportunities to all skill sets of adult's regardless of gender and ability. The club aims to provide a warm welcome to everybody, includingsupporters, charities, and sponsors. We aim to be recognized as a charitable, social and family oriented hockey club. We are looking for sponsors who are willing to donate any dollar amount to assist in covering our major expenses such as rink time, officials, equipment, uniforms and administrative costs. In return for your contribution we will support your business with advertising. As a hockey club, we host charity hockey games to benefit various charitable organizations. During our charity events we will establish a game program which will be distributed to our patrons. Our sponsors are also provided exposure through our website www.aihlhockey.com.

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, everyone! In light of the work of Dr. King, here is a story about one member of our community who used a difficult experience and turned it into community service:

Tyreen Reuter is a mother of two young children and a stealthy supporter of Downtown Metuchen and its businesses. After almost being run down by an unsafe driver around the holidays, she reached out to MM and we printed a letter about it (http://www.metuchenmatters.com/2011/12/dangerous_drivers_causes_concern_for_citizens_and_downtown_businesses.html). This letter brought a call from the Mayor, who asked her to join the Transportation and Traffic Commission. She accepted the invitation and attended her first meeting last week. Here's what she had to say about it:

"I went to my first meeting last night - it was very eye-opening!  There are certainly a lot of issues they have been investigating and advising on.  Daniel Lebar . . . is the Chair and can probably fill you on a lot that has been going on.  Some of the issues have to do with the conditions of the train underpass at Main Street, street lamps that are out, complaints of speed and cut-throughs, etc.

In terms of the pedestrian safety issue, there are a number of things in the works already!  Officer Bauer . . . is really on top of this and can provide more detail and has some plans to alert motorists as they enter Metuchen that they need to be aware of and obey crosswalk laws.  Also, there are flyers to be handed out to pedestrians and motorists - he is procuring them.  Ideas were floated around about how to get the word out about the town taking its pedestrian safety seriously, and so there might be some publicity and perhaps the committee would have a presence at events like the Cruise Nights, Junebug, etc.  There are a couple of helpful "giveaways" (i.e., a high visibility tote bag with a pedestrian symbol and stop sign, reflective vest) that we might be able to make available to the public.

Several people have told me that they are interested in helping with any initiatives, and I am completing that list for the committee, but one thing that Mr. Lebar and Officer Bauer agreed would be extremely helpful right now is that anyone in Metuchen who experiences an incident should report it through the Borough website (see the link to the committee and form below).  This would help the police (and the committee) identify the "hotspots" that need to be addressed.  Too often attention isn't given to a crossing or situation until there is an accident, but if the public reports trouble in a particular area, then it can be evaluated."

If you have an issue to report, or want to volunteer on this safety mission, please click here. Thanks to Tyreen and the commission for making these serious issues a priority in town.

From Linda LaStella and the Junebug committee:

JUNEBUG 2012 COMMITTEE is gearing up to plan the 5^th Anniversary of the ArtFest.  The committee is in need of several key coordinators:, a WRITER, PR-PERSON to head up PUBLICITY to get the word out about the 'Bug, a GRAPHIC DESIGNER to develop this year's program, and  an organizer willing to head up SPONSORSHIP, in addition to others willing to join the team to assist with more general work. The Junebug ArtFest is the work of a completely volunteer group.  If in the past four years, you've been a Host, if you've just come to enjoy the event, we do ask you to consider joining the team in a more involved way.

FIRST MEETING:  MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 7:30pm, second floor meeting room in Borough Hall.  See you there!

Marafiki Fair Trade invites you to join us here at 20 New Street, Metuchen on Saturday, January 14 from 7 to 9 p.m. for the next event in Marafiki's American Artists Series - a show featuring the fine art jazz prints and tribal sculpture of  artist Easton Davy.  Meet Easton, have some complimentary wine and cheese, and enjoy live jazz performed by Metuchen's own David Grossman!

Easton Davy's jazz artworks have been collected all over the world for the past 15 years. Easton Davy is also known for his 'live painting' improvisations during jazz performances.  In 2004 Davy was present at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland to do a live painting with the Greg Osby Quartet during their Blue Note Records jazz performance. Later he painted live acts during events like The Dutch NuMoon Festival and the Rotterdam Museum Night. He also creates jazz CD covers for Blue Note Records (some of which will be available for sale), and various European jazz labels.