Piscataway turns National Night Out into a township showcase

For one night, Stockton Street became a community fairground. Piscataway Township August 4 National Night Out event unfolded outside the Community Center as a public-safety showcase and neighborhood gathering, with police, firefighters, township officials, local organizations, and businesses spread across the site. The township described it as a chance for residents to meet first responders, support local vendors, and spend the evening together.

The police and fire departments were a central draw. After opening remarks, the police department handed out free T-shirts and used a T-shirt cannon to launch more into the crowd. Mayor Brian C. Wahler greeted attendees and helped distribute soccer balls tied to the Senegal National Football Team, which the township said had practiced at Rutgers University in a World Cup year. Middlesex County Commissioner Chanelle Scott McCullum was there as well, speaking with residents during the event.

The rest of the night looked more like a block party than a formal program. Booths offered pamphlets, souvenirs, activities, and food for purchase, while the Piscataway Public Library ran arts and crafts for children. Families could move from a petting zoo to horseback riding, a kids’ zip line, face painting, a caricature artist, a video game truck, an inflatable slide, and the “Fun Bus.” Entertainment included a DJ, line dancing, and a performance by Black Belt World. Michele Lombardi even took a turn on the mechanical bull. The township closed its recap by thanking first responders and everyone who helped put the event together.

A small lot on Justice Street won zoning approval for a new home. Kavita Sukumar told the Board she bought a 96-by-65 lot at 40 Justice Street and needed variance relief because the width falls short of the township’s 100-foot minimum for the zone.

The discussion stayed focused on plan details, not the basic use. Staff said the proposed house was otherwise a conforming single-family home, but asked for a soil test report, fiber optic infrastructure details along Justice Street, and a correction to conflicting height figures shown on different plans. One drawing listed the house at 30 feet, while another listed 34.67 feet. Kavita Sukumar said she would revise the plans with her engineer and architect and keep the house within the 35-foot height limit.

No one from the public spoke on the application. The Board then approved it unanimously, with revised plans to be submitted and the formal resolution to come at the next meeting.