Welcome back to The Central Jerseyan in 2026! To kick off the New Year, head to the Edison Public Library on Monday for a screening of Betty Boop’s big-screen debut in Dizzy Dishes, along with other animated classics from 1930. The program is part of the library’s Public Domain Film Festival, celebrating books and films that have officially entered the public domain and are now free for anyone to use, share, and enjoy. Can’t make it in person? You can find a full list of newly released public domain titles here.

The weekend ahead includes Children’s Ghost Stories at Rahway’s historic Merchants & Drovers Tavern, the kickoff of Rahway’s free Soup Stroll, Elvis’s Birthday Party in Woodbridge, and the Super Pet Expo at the New Jersey Convention & Exposition Center in Edison on Saturday. On Sunday, sing along to Wicked at the State Theatre in New Brunswick for $12, or catch one of the final performances of The Nutcracker at UCPAC in Rahway for $46.

You can check out all of these events and more here. Of course, if you have any community events you'd like listed on our events page, please don't hesitate to contact us.

This past week, The Central Jerseyan attended some of Rahway’s final public meetings of 2025. The City Council held a brief holiday-season special meeting focused largely on shifting year-end funds and approving a contract to remove more than a dozen large trees. The Rahway Library Board of Trustees also met for a short session, approving year-end items that set the stage for decisions on funding, maintenance, and leadership in 2026.

The tree removal contract has drawn concern from at least one local advocacy group. Bob Markey of Save the Trees of Rahway said in an email that some of the listed trees appear to require maintenance rather than full removal. Markey, a certified master gardener who also runs a gardening program for YMCA campers in Rahway, also questioned the overall cost of the work, which averages more than $4,000 per tree.

City officials say multiple factors are considered when deciding whether a tree should be removed. During last week’s council meeting, Mayor’s Chief of Staff Bob Landolfi said damage to sidewalks and underground infrastructure plays a significant role in those decisions, particularly when it creates safety or accessibility issues for pedestrians, including residents using wheelchairs, strollers, or mobility aids.

Doing a pantry cleanout? Don’t toss it. Donate it! Woodbridge Township’s Little Free Pantries need unexpired, unopened, non-perishable food items and have locations throughout Woodbridge. The effort is part of the township’s Have-a-Heart Food Drive. All donations should be new, unopened, unexpired, and shelf-stable, and can include food, hygiene items, pet food, and baby diapers. You can find locations here.

Here are a couple of local picks to perk up your day and beat the winter blues.

☕ Melao Cafe and Creamery is located at 1425 Irving Street and Rahway. It's famous for its delicious waffles, arepas, sandwiches,  rolled ice cream, and stylish coffee. 

🍕D’Italia Restaurant in Woodbridge is celebrating over 30 years of serving the community. If you want to support the family-owned operation, you can eat one of the best slices around at 1500 St. Georges Avenue in Avenel.

Want to advertise with us or shout out a local business? Contact us here ➝ 

We are so incredibly grateful to our early Patreon subscribers. We could not continue this project without you. If we add just ten more Patreon subscribers, we can eliminate pop-up advertisements on the main page and return to a simpler, clutter-free home page that celebrates the things that truly matter: your neighborhoods and your stories. If you believe our communities deserve serious, independent journalism, join today and be part of what keeps it alive.

Support The Central Jerseyan on Patreon →

You can also help out by telling your neighbors to subscribe to this newsletter. Every subscriber helps support our mission of producing nonpartisan, community-oriented, quality journalism. This is currently a two-person operation, and you can help us grow stronger by forwarding this newsletter or by sharing the website.

Tell Your Friends About Us →

This week's trivia: New Jersey selected an official state fish in 1991 that thrives in clean, cold, well-oxygenated streams and rivers, making its presence a sign of healthy water. While found throughout the state, it's most common in the northern parts of New Jersey, particularly in mountainous areas like the Watchung Mountains. What is the name of this fish?

Answer to last week’s trivia:  David Bryan is the keyboardist for the rock band Bon Jovi,  who was born in Perth Amboy and raised in Edison. He was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2025.

Here’s the weather for the upcoming week.

🌤️ Sunday, January 4: Partly sunny and breezy; turning cloudy — temperatures range from 23°F to 35°F. 

❄️ Monday, January 5: Snow showers possible  — temperatures range from 23°F to 32°F. 

☁️ Tuesday, January 6: Solidly cloudy — temperatures range from 29°F to 40°F. 

🌥️ Wednesday, January 7: Mostly cloudy/overcast — temperatures range from 32°F to 46°F. 

🌤️ Thursday, January 8: Peeks of sun — temperatures range from 32°F to 45°F. 

🌧️ Friday, January 9: Light rain showers — temperatures range from 36°F to 49°F. 

🌧️ Saturday, January 10: Passing rain/misty — temperatures range from 37°F to 52°F. 

🌥️ Sunday, January 11: Mostly cloudy and breezy — temperatures range from 29°F to 42°F.

As always, you can see even more events on The Central Jerseyan website. See the full events calendar ➝ 

Have an event you’d like included in this newsletter or a tip for a local news story? You can reply to this newsletter or contact me here ➝ 

Have a great week!