Before we get to this week's events, a quick note. Central Jerseyan is moving off this newsletter platform. Starting September 1, this Beehiiv newsletter will stop sending. If you want to keep getting the same coverage of Rahway, Edison, Woodbridge, and the surrounding towns, follow Central Jerseyan on Patreon. It's free to follow, and you'll get the same reporting sent straight to your inbox.

Follow for free on Patreon

If you'd like to support the reporting directly, consider becoming a Citizen Supporter for $5 a month. Either way, we’re happy you’re here.

To thank you for making the jump to the new platform, all Beehiiv readers are eligible for a free month of access at the Citizen Supporter level.

Sign up now!

Nothing else changes here in the meantime. Now, on to this week's lineup.

Summer's winding down, and Central Jersey is making the most of what's left. This week's picks close out one of Woodbridge's longest-running traditions, kick off back-to-school season in Rahway, and squeeze in a little more live music and family fun before the season turns.

🚗 Woodbridge Downtown Cruise Night | Wed, Aug. 19 | 6–9 PM | Main Street, Woodbridge | Free
The last Downtown Cruise of the summer rolls through Main Street with classic cars, trophies, and DJ Chuck Leonard keeping the night moving. Organizers ask attendees to bring a canned food item or pet food donation for the local food pantry. A fitting send-off for the season, rain date is Aug. 26.

🎵 Mayor's Concert Series & Book Bag Giveaway | Thurs, Aug. 20 | 7:30–10 PM | UCPAC, Rahway | Free
Rahway pairs its summer concert series with a practical back-to-school boost, giving out free school supplies alongside a night of live music under UCPAC's roof.

🪕 Live at Cherry Street Park: Lydia Crown | Fri, Aug. 21 | 6:30–9:30 PM | Cherry Street Park, Rahway | Free
Close out the work week with indie-folk and raw acoustic storytelling on the lawn in downtown Rahway. A mellow, easy way to unwind before the weekend.

🐕 Puppy Pals Comedic Stunt Dog Show | Sat, Aug. 22 | 12–1 PM & 2–3 PM | Woodbridge High School Lawn | Free
A family-friendly break from the concert circuit, this rescue-dog show brings agility tricks and comedy for two shows Saturday. A great pick for anyone looking to entertain the kids before summer break ends.

🤠 Country Night: SouthPaw | Sun, Aug. 23 | 6–8 PM | Anchors Tiki Bar, Sewaren | Free
Wrap the week at a waterfront stage with modern and classic country hits. A relaxed way to close out the weekend before Monday rolls back around.

As always, you can check out our full events page for more on what’s happening around Central Jersey, and reach out if you have a community event you’d like listed.

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

After 118 years, Keasbey's fire district is gone. Three sides tell three different stories about why.
The Keasbey Fire District officially dissolved Aug. 12, with coverage shifting to Fords Fire District Number Seven. The state points to staffing shortfalls. The fire district says it was blindsided by a process really aimed at land. The township says it only tried to broker a deal between the district and a developer that later fell apart. Tax records obtained by The Central Jerseyan show that developer has since bought up every parcel around the old firehouse except the firehouse itself, and let nearly $71,000 in property taxes go overdue on those same parcels along the way.
Read the full story →

East Brunswick hasn't updated its property values since 1983, and officials say there's almost no one left to hire to fix it.
Mayor Brad Cohen told the council the township is stuck on a waiting list for one of the state's few approved revaluation firms. County records show at least 17 Middlesex County towns have gotten exemptions to delay their own overdue revaluations. Under the current assessment, most East Brunswick properties are valued at less than a fifth of what they'd actually sell for, though officials caution a revaluation doesn't mean every bill goes up.
Read the full story →

Fiber construction has officially begun in Rahway.
GoNetspeed broke ground this week on a $43 million buildout that will eventually bring fiber internet to more than 34,000 homes and businesses across Rahway, Clark, Linden, and Woodbridge. The first Rahway customers should be online by winter. It's part of a larger wave of competition hitting the area, with rival provider Optimum also expanding into several of the same towns.
Read the full story →

🎵 Light of Day Benefit Concert | Wed, Aug. 26 | Doors 7 PM, Show 7:30–9:30 PM | Parker Press Park, 400 Rahway Ave., Woodbridge | Free, donations welcome

Woodbridge's summer concert series closes out its Wednesday lineup with real purpose behind the music. The Light of Day Benefit Concert brings acoustic rock and singer-songwriters to Parker Press Park in support of the Light of Day Foundation, a New Jersey-born nonprofit that's raised roughly $7 million over more than two decades to fund Parkinson's research and support patients and families living with it. The organization grew out of a small birthday fundraiser in Red Bank back in 1998 and has since become a full touring event with Bruce Springsteen and other Jersey Shore musicians among its longtime supporters. This local stop is free to attend, with donations welcomed at the door, plus food, beer, wine, and vendors on site.

The Central Jerseyan expanded to East Brunswick this week, and the first council meeting alone turned up a real story. It turns out a whole slew of Middlesex County towns haven't held a property tax revaluation in decades, and that delay tends to mean a nasty spike in tax bills whenever a revaluation finally happens. There's a bigger regional story here, and I plan to keep digging into it.

Closer to home, Woodbridge's council voted this week to close a 118-year-old firehouse in Keasbey and shift coverage to a neighboring district. The township says it means faster response times and lower taxes for Keasbey residents. Fire officials there call it something else entirely: a land grab dressed up as a safety decision.

There was plenty more in between. East Brunswick imposed a $250-a-month fine on property owners who refuse to replace old water meters. GoNetspeed broke ground on fiber construction in Rahway, giving residents a new alternative to their current internet provider. And the Metuchen charity car show rolled into town, raising funds for the borough’s all-volunteer EMS squad.

It's been a lot to cover, and I'm grateful every week for the readers and Citizen Supporters who make it possible for one person to keep up with all of it.

If you're not already a Citizen Supporter, please consider upgrading your subscription. Every bit of support helps this coverage continue to expand.

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.

Tell Your Friends About Us →

This week's trivia: Since The Central Jerseyan just expanded into East Brunswick, it seems only fair to ask about it. Both New Brunswick and East Brunswick take their name from a European duchy tied to British royalty. What royal house does "Brunswick" refer to, and which king first brought that name to New Jersey?

Last week’s trivia:  That future Nobel laureate was Milton Friedman. Born in Brooklyn in 1912, he moved to Rahway with his family as an infant and graduated valedictorian of Rahway High School in 1928, just before turning 16. His father died during his senior year, so the family had little money to spare for college. Friedman won a competitive scholarship to Rutgers University, working odd jobs including waiting tables to cover the rest, and graduated in 1932. He went on to become one of the most influential economists of the 20th century and won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1976.

Here’s the weather for the upcoming week:

☀️ Monday, August 17: Sunny throughout the day with light winds — temperatures range from 68°F to 86°F.

⛅ Tuesday, August 18: Mostly sunny in the morning with increasing afternoon clouds — temperatures range from 67°F to 84°F.

⛈️ Wednesday, August 19: Partly cloudy with a chance of scattered afternoon thunderstorms — temperatures range from 65°F to 82°F.

🌦️ Thursday, August 20: Mostly cloudy during the day with brief morning showers — temperatures range from 64°F to 80°F.

☀️ Friday, August 21: Sunny and clear with low humidity — temperatures range from 62°F to 81°F.

☀️ Saturday, August 22: Clear skies throughout the day — temperatures range from 63°F to 83°F.

⛅ Sunday, August 23: Partly sunny with a mild evening breeze — temperatures range from 65°F to 85°F.

Have a great week!