🌱 Patch AM: 3 New Members Join Bernards Township School Board For 2026

Hi there, Basking Ridge! We've got your morning read ready! Read on to stay connected. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• New Bernards school board lineup sets goals for 2026
• How a Basking Ridge man’s crime spree led to 80-year stakes
• Meet the Basking Ridge teen lighting up Canadian major junior hockey

Also on today's calendar: Meadowbrook Day Camp to Host Open House on January 11, 2026 and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: What did the hammer say after getting an A on a test? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Wednesday: Mostly cloudy and breezy, with a high of 49 and low of 32 degrees.
• Thursday: Sunshine mixing with clouds, temps: high: 48, low: 34.
• Friday: Periods of rain, with a high of 52 and low of 43 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• 3 New Members Join Bernards Township School Board For 2026 (patch.com) — Basking Ridge residents will see three familiar and new faces on the Bernards Township Board of Education as Keith Molinari, Adam Lefkowitz, and Smrithi Mohan begin their terms and Jennifer White continues as president. The board laid out 2026 goals focused on strategic planning, governance training, and long-term financial planning, and invited the community to a BT Connect meeting at Ridge High School later this month.
   

• Basking Ridge convict found guilty after violent police chase with stolen car (wpst.com) — A Basking Ridge resident has been convicted in Somerset County on multiple charges tied to a 2023 stolen-car police chase that injured an officer and involved several illegal weapons. Jurors found the 39-year-old guilty on nine counts, and with his prior record, prosecutors say he could face a dramatically enhanced prison term at sentencing later this month.
   

• OHL Announces Top Performers of the Week for December 28, 2025 - January 4, 2026 (oursportscentral.com) — A 19-year-old hockey player from Basking Ridge is turning heads in Canada’s Ontario Hockey League, earning Player of the Week honors after a nine-point stretch for the Saginaw Spirit. His breakout season and rising NHL Draft stock put a local name on the broader hockey map.
   

📸 Around Basking Ridge

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Basking Ridge

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Sunday January 11

• Meadowbrook Day Camp to Host Open House on January 11, 2026
  Meadowbrook Country Day Camp, 73 E Valley Brook Rd, Washington Township
  11:00 am

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Tuesday January 6

• January Evening Book Discussion
  Bernards Township Library , 32 S Maple Ave , Bernards
  7:30 pm

Thursday January 8

• Many Ways to Sow Perennial Seeds
  Environmental Education Center , 190 Lord Stirling Rd , Basking Ridge
  1:30 pm
• Virtual: Highlights of the High Line, with Mario Medici
  BernardsLibrary.org
  7:00 pm

Friday January 9

• Special Needs Social Hour (ages 18+)
  Bernards Township Library , 32 S Maple Ave , Bernards
  11:30 am
• Family Fitness Night
  Mount Prospect Elementary , 111 Hansom Road , Basking Ridge
  6:30 pm

Saturday January 10

• Charity Pancake Breakfast!
  22 S Finley Ave , Bernards
  9:00 am
• Family Fun - mr. RAY in Concert!
  Bernards Township Library , 32 S Maple Ave , Bernards
  10:30 am

Sunday January 11

• Friends of Great Swamp NWR January Second Sunday Program
  Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge , 32 Pleasant Plains Rd
  1:30 pm
• Family Card Games @ Bernards Township Library
  Bernards Township Library , 32 S Maple Ave , Basking Ridge
  1:30 pm

Tuesday January 13

• Virtual: Start the New Year with Meditation
  BernardsLibrary.org
  7:00 pm

Tuesday January 20

• iPad and iPhone Basics
  Bernards Township Library , 32 S Maple Ave , Bernards
  2:00 pm

📣 Basking Ridge Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Basking Ridge PatchAM possible:

• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
  Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!
• David A. Abrutyn, M.D. — 908-685-8500
  Sports Medicine, Joint Reconstruction, Shoulder&Knee Surgery
• Ridgedale Wealth Management Group – James Hofmann — (973) 534-8014
  Tailored Financial Strategies. Personal Service.
• Curbing Hunger — (908) 768-7776
  Orange Bins help curb hunger
• The NJ School of Woodwork — (908) 303-6648
  The Largest Woodworking school in NJ
• Somerset Cosmetic & Reconstructive Surgery — 908-222-0070
  A patient-centered plastic surgery practice

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Heat Up the Winter: St. James Men of Charity Host 16th Annual Chili & Chowder Cook-off —Tom Grady Read on Patch

• Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. posted a job opening for Crew Member in Basking Ridge. Apply here.
• Metasys Technologies posted a job opening for Mailroom Clerk in Berkeley Heights. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Basking Ridge here.

🗞 Nearby News

Morristown

• Morristown’s Newest Restaurant Met With Rave Reviews (patch.com)
• Protesters Take To The Streets Over Proposed ICE Facility In Morris Co. (patch.com)

Bridgewater

• Democrats Take Control Of Bridgewater Council, 1st Time In Almost 40 Years (patch.com)

Ok Basking Ridge! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I nailed it!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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