Message from Josh Losardo | July 18, 2024
Summer 2024 has certainly been a hot one. I hope you’re enjoying it as much as I am, while staying cool and hydrated whenever possible.
Whether it’s attending the kids’ baseball, softball and other games, getting to the beach or just walking our dogs when the sun finally dips, please take full advantage of these fleeting summer months before the busy fall creeps up.
I also hope you are taking part in many of the free programs we are offering Scotch Plains residents through our terrific recreation department.
Summer Concert Series
Our Summer Concert Series, live always on the Village Green and beginning at 7 pm on Thursday nights, has started. Last week, the town was pleased to feature blues music performed by Beero and Friends. Don’t miss any of these upcoming concerts!
- July 25 - there will be live classic rock by Wolf Creek.
- August 1 – get ready for live jazz performed by The Garden State Jazz Orchestra.
For this final summer concert, we have invited all those who volunteer for Scotch Plains for music and free ice cream. Our town volunteers selflessly contribute to our town in so many meaningful ways. My colleagues and I thought spending a night under the stars with some great music and well-deserved recognition is a great way to express our gratitude.
National Night Out
An important event on the summer calendar is National Night Out, to be held Tuesday, August 6 on the Alan M. Augustine Village Green next to town hall. The free event, from 6-9 p.m., is an opportunity for the Scotch Plains Police Department, as well as other first responders, to connect with residents and families. There is always free food, giveaways and other special treats. I always enjoyed putting my kids in the driver’s seat of the police cars and fire trucks. National Night Out is the ideal way in which our first responders can connect and highlight all they do throughout the year to protect and serve Scotch Plains.
Kramer Manor’s 100th Anniversary
On Saturday, July 20, Kramer Manor will celebrate its 100th Anniversary with delicious food, music and more.
To quote from a Resolution memorializing this special anniversary: “The Kramer Manor section of town was established in 1924 on fifty-one acres of land purchased by New York City-based Kramer Realties, Inc. from the estate of William A. Woodruff, and its owners, Harry and Hyman Kramer, founded this all-Black enclave on the visions and aspirations of people determined to build homes, nurture and to sustain the community as a whole.”
And the families who moved into our Kramer Manor neighborhood did just that, and for multiple generations. It is a proud community, and I am looking forward to attending their celebration on Saturday. I’m also proud that my colleagues and I unanimously supported replacing the tennis courts at Kramer Manor Park and making other improvements there as well. The celebrating begins at noon and I hope you will join us for this landmark moment.
As you can see, there are many reasons to get outside, enjoy the weather and meet and mingle with fellow residents this summer. I look forward to seeing you and, once again, would like to underscore my appreciation in serving the people of Scotch Plains.
