The summer heat seems to settle in a little earlier every year. The official start to summer is still two weeks off. But with temps already in the 90s, sometimes the smartest move is to use air conditioning. Here are 5 fresh indoor picks across Edison, Rahway, and Woodbridge:

🖼️ Antique Picture Frame Magnet Making | Sun, June 7 | 2–3:30 PM | Edison Public Library (Main Branch) | Free
Turn your memories into framed magnets in this hands-on craft workshop. Perfect for older adults and anyone who loves a creative, low-key afternoon. No registration required.

🐾 Tails + Tales! | Mon, June 8 | 4:00 PM | Rahway Public Library, 2 City Hall Plaza | Free (Registration Required)
Kids ages 5–12 can practice reading aloud to therapy animals from Creature Comfort Pet Therapy. A sweet, calming event that children absolutely love. Call 732-340-1551 to register.

✍️ PoetsWednesday | Wed, June 10 | 8–10 PM | Barron Arts Center, 582 Rahway Ave., Woodbridge | Free
One of Central Jersey’s most consistent literary events — poets and enthusiasts gather on the 2nd Wednesday of every month. Featured reader this month: Stacey Z. Lawrence. Open to all.

📸 Photography Exhibit Opening: “My First 50 Years” by Ron Wyatt | Thu, June 11 | 6–8 PM | Barron Arts Center, 582 Rahway Ave., Woodbridge | Free
Celebrate the opening reception for this local photographer’s career retrospective. The exhibit runs through July 12; gallery hours are Mon–Fri 11 AM–4 PM, Sat–Sun 2–4 PM.

🎨 NJ Stamp & Scrapbook EXPO | Fri–Sat, June 12–13 | NJ Convention & Expo Center, 97 Sunfield Ave., Edison | Fri 9 AM–6 PM | Sat 9 AM–5 PM
A massive, fully air-conditioned crafting convention packed with vendors, workshops, and make-and-take activities. Pre-registration closes June 10. Great for crafters of all skill levels.

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

Did you remember to vote on Tuesday? Catch up on local primary election stories and results in your area.

Rahway’s three incumbent Democratic council candidates held off a challenge from an independent candidate in Tuesday’s municipal primary, securing their place on the November general election ballot. With all 24 precincts reporting, Jeffrey Brooks led the field with 2,292 votes (29.5%), followed by Joanna Miles with 2,256 votes (29.1%) and Jeremy Mojica with 1,843 votes (23.8%). Andrew Garcia Phillips, who ran under the slogan “Democrats for Rahway,” received 1,317 votes (17.0%). The three incumbents ran as a coordinated slate alongside Mayor Raymond Giacobbe, presenting a unified front against Garcia Phillips’ independent challenge. Read the full story →

New Jersey women are running for Congress at a solid clip this cycle, but a new national report highlights a persistent gap. No woman has ever served in the United States Senate from New Jersey. The data comes from the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) at Rutgers University. The report specifically flags Rebecca Bennett, the Democratic nominee in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, as the only woman challenger in the state running in a contest not currently favoring the incumbent. Read the full story →

Catch up on the local results from Tuesday’s primary elections here.

Beat the heat by taking advantage of public pools. With temps in the 90s, staying cool is a priority. These local pools let you do it while supporting your community.

Oakcrest Community Pool (YMCA of MEWSA)
📍 970 Inman Ave., Edison
📞 732-494-3232
Open weekends 11 AM–8 PM (weekdays starting June 27, 12–8 PM). 25-meter pool, tube slide, kiddie pool, volleyball, basketball, playground — 14 acres of fun. Daily guest passes available; Edison residents get a membership discount.

Walter E. Ulrich Memorial Pool (Union County)
📍 St. Georges Ave., Rahway River Park
📞 732-382-9457
Open weekends through June 28; daily 12–6 PM starting June 29. Rates: County residents $4–5 | Non-residents $8–10 (photo ID required). Concession stand, free parking. Tickets available online in advance.

Highland Grove Pool & Spray Park
📍 70 Highland Terrace, Fords
📞 732-596-4170
Open Mon–Fri 12–7 PM, weekends 11 AM–8 PM. Outdoor pool + spray park — great for little ones! Daily rates: Residents $5 | Non-residents $8.

Springwood Swim Club
📍 150 McKinley Ave., Colonia
📞 732-388-3950
Open Mon–Fri 12–8 PM, weekends 10 AM–8 PM. Pool with slide and dive area. Daily rates: Residents $5 | Non-residents $8.

Woodbridge Community Center (Indoor Pool)
📍 600 Main St., Woodbridge
📞 732-596-4170
25-yard, 6-lane indoor pool open year-round, rain or shine. WCC memberships start at $32.25/month (resident adult). Drop-in swim passes are available separately. Hours: Mon–Fri 5:45 AM–9:45 PM | Sat 6:30 AM–5:45 PM | Sun 8 AM–5:45 PM

This past week served as a reminder of why local news matters.

Primary elections are easy to miss — no presidential race at the top of the ticket, low turnout, and results that don’t make national headlines. But these are the races that shape your daily life: who sits on your town council, who controls your school board, who makes decisions about your roads, your taxes, and your parks.

Most of those stories don’t get told. Not because they’re not important, but because local newsrooms have been gutted over the past two decades. In too many towns, nobody is watching.

The Central Jerseyan exists to change that. We tracked the primary results in Edison, Rahway, and Woodbridge this week — and we’ll be there in November too. But that kind of consistent, community-level coverage only happens when readers decide it’s worth supporting.

If this newsletter helps you stay informed, consider playing a bigger role. Join us on Patreon and help keep serious local journalism alive right here in Central Jersey →

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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This week's trivia: New Jersey is home to the oldest continuously operating lighthouse in the United States. What is its name, and in which county is it located?

Last week’s trivia:  Rutgers University. In 1972, a federal court ruled that Rutgers had to officially recognize its Student Homophile League, making it one of the first universities in the country required by law to recognize an LGBTQ+ student organization.

Here’s the weather for the upcoming week:

☀️ Monday, June 8: A clear, beautiful, and completely sunny day with very pleasant conditions — temperatures range from 64°F to 81°F.

☀️ Tuesday, June 9: Bright, warm, and sunny skies continuing straight through the evening — temperatures range from 62°F to 86°F.

🌦️ Wednesday, June 10: An overcast day with some passing showers moving through the area — temperatures range from 69°F to 85°F.

☁️ Thursday, June 11: Noticeably humid with completely overcast skies throughout the day — temperatures range from 70°F to 85°F.

⛅ Friday, June 12: Mostly cloudy to start, but clearing out with late breaks of afternoon sun — temperatures range from 71°F to 87°F.

🌤️ Saturday, June 13: High summer heat returns with mostly sunny and bright weekend skies — temperatures range from 73°F to 89°F.

🌧️ Sunday, June 14: A stormy close to the week with heavy afternoon clouds and potential heavy rain or local flash floods — temperatures range from 73°F to 90°F.

Have a great week!