Robbinsville Advance

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day! 🇺🇸

Today, we celebrate the hardworking people who keep our local communities moving forward every day.

As a local media company, we’re proud to tell the stories of the organizations and neighbors who make our communities such special places to live, work and call home.

Wishing everyone a safe, relaxing and well-deserved Labor Day weekend! ❤️🤍💙

09/06/2026

Wings Over Mercer, hosted by Pennington-based Wild Bird Research Group (WBRG), returns for a second year on Saturday, October 3! This single-day birding competition and fundraiser, open to birders of all levels, is designed to celebrate the spectacle of fall migration while raising awareness for local bird conservation.

Wings Over Mercer, hosted by Pennington-based Wild Bird Research Group (WBRG), returns for a second year on Saturday, October 3! This single-day birding competition and fundraiser, open to birders of all levels, is designed to celebrate the spectacle of fall migration while raising awareness for loc...

09/05/2026

Northern diamondback terrapins are the only turtles in the world that spend their entire lives in brackish coastal environments, where freshwater and saltwater meet. Naturally, they love our state!

BY ALISON MITCHELL New Jersey Conservation Foundation Northern diamondback terrapins are the only turtles in the world that spend their entire lives in brackish coastal environments, where freshwater and saltwater meet. Naturally, they love our state!  Like many wild residents of this state we’re...

09/04/2026

Trenton-Mercer Airport has a new leadership team, with Michael Caires taking over as airport director and Matt Parker named deputy airport director.

The appointments, which were made by County Executive Dan Benson, took effect Tuesday, Sept. 1, as the Ewing airport moves ahead with long-term expansion plans and prepares for the arrival of new airline service.

Caires was selected following a national search and will oversee airport operations. Parker, who has been serving as acting assistant airport manager, will support day-to-day operations, internal coordination and implementation of the airport director’s priorities.

“Trenton-Mercer Airport is at an important point in its evolution and requires focused, accountable leadership,” Benson said. “Michael brings deep airport-management experience.

Trenton-Mercer Airport has a new leadership team, with Michael Caires taking over as airport director and Matt Parker named deputy airport director. The appointments, which were made by County Executive Dan Benson, took effect Tuesday, Sept. 1, as the Ewing airport moves ahead with long-term expansi...

09/04/2026

Allentown’s Main Street will become a showcase for music, art and local history Saturday, Sept. 12, when the Allentown Village Initiative presents the borough’s first PorchFest.

The free event will run from noon to 4 p.m. and is part of TAVI250, the organization’s yearlong celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday.

Local musicians will perform from front porches along Main Street, while local artists display their work at participating homes. Visitors also will be able to read about the history of the houses being used as PorchFest locations.

TAVI will have a welcome table where visitors can pick up a map and schedule for the afternoon’s performances.

Self-guided walking tours also will be available, giving visitors a chance to explore Allentown’s historic architecture, cemeteries and its role in the Underground Railroad.

Allentown’s Main Street will become a showcase for music, art and local history Saturday, Sept. 12, when the Allentown Village Initiative presents the borough’s first PorchFest. The free event will run from noon to 4 p.m. and is part of TAVI250, the organization’s yearlong celebration of the n...

09/03/2026

With their inaugural season less than two months away, the Trenton Ironhawks are beginning to take shape both on and off the ice.

The ECHL team spent much of the summer preparing for its first season at CURE Insurance Arena, hiring veteran coach Chuck Weber, establishing ties with the community and beginning to build a roster with strong New Jersey connections.

The Ironhawks announced Sept. 3 that they had signed their first five players: Princeton native Luke Antonacci, John Gelatt of Middletown, Anthony Firriolo of Towaco, Mikey Colella of Turnersville and Nick Carabin of Mahwah, a former Princeton University defenseman.

Antonacci, 23, played youth hockey with the Mercer Chiefs before appearing in 127 NCAA games between the University of Maine and Lake Superior State University. He began his professional career last season, appearing in 15 games with the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies.

With their inaugural season less than two months away, the Trenton Ironhawks are beginning to take shape both on and off the ice. The ECHL team spent much of the summer preparing for its first season at CURE Insurance Arena, hiring veteran coach Chuck Weber, establishing ties with the community and....

09/01/2026

When it comes to students missing school, there can be a variety of reasons.

The Princeton Area Community Foundation learned this when it set out to increase attendance rates in Mercer County schools through its All Kids Thrive Initiative, created in 2018.

Some kids missed school because of chronic illness. For others, safety concerns at the bus stop kept them away.

When kids did attend class, they were often hungry and distracted. Transportation was a barrier for some, while other families lacked stable housing.

Those experiences demonstrated that improving attendance could require addressing problems that extended well beyond the classroom.

Chronic absenteeism is generally defined as missing 10% or more of the school year. In New Jersey, that amounts to about 18 days during a typical 180-day school year, or roughly two days per month.

Through the $3 million, five-year All Kids Thrive initiative, the Community Foundation worked with 10 grantee partners.

When it comes to students missing school, there can be a variety of reasons. The Princeton Area Community Foundation learned this when it set out to increase attendance rates in Mercer County schools through its All Kids Thrive Initiative, created in 2018. Some kids missed school because of chronic....

08/31/2026

Robbinsville Extended Day expanded its summer offerings this year, adding a full-day Quantum Camp while filling every available seat in its Discover Kindergarten program.

The Robbinsville Public Schools program, known as RED, offered six weeks of academic enrichment, recreation and childcare from July 6 through Aug. 14 at Pond Road Middle School.

One of the biggest changes was the addition of a full-day option for Quantum Camp. The camp itself ran from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., but families could add care from 7 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 5 p.m., extending the day from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Quantum Camp combined academics, enrichment and physical activity. Campers took part in Mad Science programs each weekday, with themes including Chemical Curiosities, Secret Agent Forensics Lab, LEGO Brixology and NASA-STEM Explorer.

SockeyHockey was offered during the first four weeks, followed by Jet Soccer during the final two weeks.

Robbinsville Extended Day expanded its summer offerings this year, adding a full-day Quantum Camp while filling every available seat in its Discover Kindergarten program. The Robbinsville Public Schools program, known as RED, offered six weeks of academic enrichment, recreation and childcare from Ju...

08/31/2026

The Robbinsville Little League softball program continues to make history.

Teams have gone to the World Series, teams have won the World Series, players have gone on to star in high school and college.

But this year, the 8-year-olds did something no team and no league can ever do again.

There can only be one “first” program to do something, and in 2026 Robbinsville became the one.

Playing in the historic first New Jersey Little League 8-year-old state tournament, Robbinsville came away as champion by going 7-0 and outscoring opponents by a whopping 90-4 in the District 12, Section 3 and state tournaments.

The first-ever New Jersey state title wasn’t exactly on the early summer drawing board, but what manager Darren Pugh and coaches Kelly Jakubowski and Derek McClung mapped out proved to be the right game plan.

“They’re only eight,” Pugh said after RLL’s 11-1 win over Rutherford on July 31 at Tantum Park. “We’re trying to get them to do the fundamentals and see what happens.

The Robbinsville Little League softball program continues to make history. Teams have gone to the World Series, teams have won the World Series, players have gone on to star in high school and college. But this year, the 8-year-olds did something no team and no league can ever do again. There can on...