Caribbean Heritage Month filled the Rahway Public Library on Saturday with live performances, food from across the Caribbean, and cultural installations. The World Cup also provided an exciting backdrop, with Haiti and Curacao both making the global tournament. Curacao made history as the smallest country to qualify.

Of course, the week ahead will mark the United States of America’s 250th birthday. What a time to both celebrate and reflect on the country’s history and contributions. One thing being an American has taught me is that while we will always have disagreements, we can all agree that fireworks and drone shows are pretty awesome!

🎆 Stars & Stripes Festival | Thurs, July 2 | 6 PM–10:30 PM | Sadowski Pkwy Waterfront, Perth Amboy | Free
Perth Amboy is going all out for America's 250th — and it's the only Central Jersey municipality doing both a drone show and fireworks on the same night. The evening kicks off at 6 PM with live music, food trucks, an artisan market, and a boat parade on the bay. A 250-drone aerial show goes up at 9:15 PM, followed by fireworks at 9:30 PM. Rain date is July 3.

🎆 Woodbridge Annual Fireworks | Thurs, July 2 | Gates open 4 PM | Alvin P. Williams Memorial Park, Sewaren | Free
Woodbridge rings in the holiday weekend at the Sewaren waterfront, with Six Sharp opening and AM Gold headlining before fireworks light up the Arthur Kill. The show is simulcast on 95.1 WOLD, so you can tune in from home if you can't make it out. Rain date is July 3.

🎆 Fireworks in the Park | Thurs, July 2 | 6–10 PM | Donaldson Park, S. 2nd Ave., Highland Park | Free
Highland Park's classic Fourth of July weekend show is a community staple — face painting, kids games, music, food, and fireworks at 9:15 PM along the Raritan River. Rain date is July 5.

🎆 Rahway Independence Day Fireworks | Fri, July 3 | 9 PM | Rahway River Park, Rahway | Free
Rahway has been lighting up the river on the night before the Fourth for as long as most residents can remember. Find your spot along Rahway River Park and enjoy one of Union County's most beloved summer traditions. No tickets, no parking fees — just show up early for a good view.

🎆 Edison 4th of July Celebration | Sat, July 4 | 5:30–9:30 PM | Papaianni Park, 100 Municipal Blvd., Edison | Free
Edison marks America's 250th with a full evening at Papaianni Park — live music, food trucks, a kids zone, a beer garden, and fireworks at dusk. A great option if you want a complete night out without driving far. Rain date TBD.

As always, you can check out our full events page for more on what’s happening around Central Jersey, and if you have a community event you’d like listed, don’t hesitate to reach out.

It was a busy week across Central Jersey. Here's what The Central Jerseyan covered.

If you drive Grove Avenue between Metuchen and Edison, read this.
Grove Avenue closed June 25 between Route 27 in Metuchen and Oak Tree Road in Edison for an NJDOT bridge replacement. The detour runs through Edison via Plainfield Road and is expected to last through at least Aug. 31. If that's part of your regular commute or school run, now is the time to find an alternate route.
Read the full story →

An independent candidate is on the Rahway ballot.
A Superior Court judge ruled Monday that three disputed petition signatures were valid and ordered the Union County Clerk to certify Hope Moran's nominating petition for the Rahway mayor's race. Moran, running as an independent, had been knocked off the November ballot after a Democratic Party official challenged her signatures. The ruling puts her back in the race.
Read the full story →

Edison High School's principal of 16 years is retiring.
Charles Ross is stepping down from Edison High School after 16 years leading the building. The district has not yet named a replacement. The school board also approved busing changes that Edison families need to know about before September starts.
Read the full story →

Woodbridge swore in five new police officers and honored a life-saving team.
Five new officers joined the Woodbridge Township Police Department Tuesday in a swearing-in ceremony at council chambers. The council also accepted a $1 million climate grant, approved a new park for Fords, and reversed course on a property acquisition it had previously approved.
Read the full story →

This week, you’re encouraged to go nuts at as many July 4th festivals as you can. Enjoy all of the fried Oreos, zeppolis, ice cream, tacos, sangrias, and whatever else you can get your hands on. Then walk it off!

June was the biggest month in The Central Jerseyan's short history. Twenty-seven stories in thirty days, covering four municipalities and more than a dozen beats, without a staff, without a wire service, and without a paywall.

A Rahway independent candidate sued to get on the mayoral ballot after a Democratic official challenged her petition signatures and won. A string of overnight burglaries hit Rahway businesses, two juveniles were arrested, and the community was kept informed at every step. Edison's city council voted 3-2 to acquire a military armored vehicle for its SWAT team, with key questions about cost and condition left unanswered before the vote. Woodbridge's school board approved plans for a brand-new elementary school in Hopelawn. Edison High School's principal of 16 years announced his retirement, along with the busing changes families need to know before September. New fiber internet providers moved into Rahway and Woodbridge, ending years of cable monopoly. The Rahway NAACP celebrated Juneteenth with college scholarships and community leaders. Rahway's Class of 2026 pulled an all-nighter at Project Graduation, a tradition that hadn't happened since 2017. And a $200,000 water utility study, paid for largely by ratepayers, was quietly buried in public records that took a formal OPRA request to uncover.

That's local government accountability, public safety, education, community, and infrastructure. All in one month. All in your backyard. None of it behind a paywall.

All of it takes time, shoe leather, and public records requests to produce. If this kind of coverage matters to you, $5 a month makes a real difference. It goes directly toward keeping The Central Jerseyan independent and reporting.

Become a Citizen Supporter →

And if this newsletter helps you stay informed, forward it to someone who should be reading it too. Every new subscriber strengthens independent local reporting and keeps more neighbors in the loop. The bigger this community grows, the stronger our coverage becomes.

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I owe you two this week!

This week's trivia: Thomas Edison's Menlo Park laboratory sits in what is now Edison Township, but the township didn't always carry his name. What was the township called before it was renamed in Edison's honor, and what year did the name change take effect?

Last week’s trivia:  Central Jersey played a starring role in the birth of American democracy. The first official Independence Day celebration in United States history did not take place in Philadelphia. It happened right here, in what is now Middlesex County, in 1778. What did General George Washington order the Continental Army to do that day, and where did it take place?

Here’s the weather for the upcoming week:

🌤️ Monday, June 29: Mostly sunny skies with calm winds developing into a light breeze in the afternoon — temperatures range from 67°F to 86°F.

🌤️ Tuesday, June 30: Mostly sunny and turning warmer, with a light southwest breeze in the morning — temperatures range from 72°F to 91°F.

☀️ Wednesday, July 1: Sunny and increasingly hot straight through the day and into the evening — temperatures range from 78°F to 99°F.

☀️ Thursday, July 2: Sunny with sweltering heat, remaining clear and very warm overnight — temperatures range from 82°F to 103°F.

☀️ Friday, July 3: Sunny, hot, and dry conditions continue as we head into the holiday weekend — temperatures range from 79°F to 103°F.

🌦️ Saturday, July 4: Mostly sunny, but keep an eye out for a 30 percent chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms on Independence Day — temperatures range from 75°F to 98°F.

⛅ Sunday, July 5: Partly cloudy skies as the extreme heat begins to break, with a slight chance of lingering showers to close out the weekend — temperatures range from 72°F to 90°F.

Have a great week!