2026 Blog Posts

Even though I could never watch horror films…even the commercials on TV can scare me, I knew about The Blairstown Diner being featured in the original Friday the 13th Movie back in 1979.

But have you heard that a Friday the 13th prequel called Crystal Lake just finished wrapping up in Warren County last year. When released, it will be an 8-episode series that will premiere on Peacock on October 15, 2026. The series will focus on the mother of Jason Voorhees. Wonder if the creators were inspired by a town in New Jersey not in Warren but in Camden County with the name Voorhees? There’s also Voorhees High School in the adjoining county of Hunterdon.

If you dare enough to binge watch this scary series…keep on eye out for familiar scenes as this prequel came back to film in Warren County including at a Boy Scout camp called Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco located in Hardwick Township.

Recently a bi-partisan bill, 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, passed and was made into law. It contains over 40 provisions to help increase the overall supply of housing in the country in an attempt to help make it more affordable. Below from, Bi-Partisan Policy Center, are some key categories that this landmark bill addresses.

Investor Restrictions: Restricts large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes, with limited exceptions for build-to-rent properties

Supply & Innovation: Creates competitive grant programs for local governments to implement zoning reforms and pre-approved housing designs

While this new law is a huge step forward in housing reform, there are still some key factors that are up to state and local government to implement around land use and zoning, also how these national provisions are applied will determine their ultimate impact.

Supporters of the law have touted it as the most comprehensive housing reform in at least three decades and see it as a possible beginning of a national focus by our legislators to try to tackle the issue of housing affordability. Let’s hope so.

The Newton Theatre has had a long and varied history. Starting out in 1924 the stadium type design was capable of seating 1,000 patrons. From History of Newton, the “Colonial Style” design by Reilly & Hall of New York used load-bearing columns consisting of 50 tons of steel supplied by the Submarine Boat Corporation of Newark, making the building of “the safest type known to modern engineering science.”

I remember going to The Newton Theatre in the early 2000’s to see Slumdog Millionaire. Instead of seeing the typical movie previews before the showing, there was an individual playing the piano in the very front of the theatre which I thought was very cool and far more interesting.

Today it is a performing arts theater with 600 seats. It is part of the Skyland Performing Arts Center (SkyPAC) a 501(c) (3) corporation dedicated to providing programs that educate, entertain and inspire all audiences regardless of ethnicity, age or income level.

What are some of your memories of The Newton Theatre, please tell us in the comments section below.

Did you know every year on July 27th National New Jersey Day is celebrated?! Me either…The day is meant to commemorate New Jersey as the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution and join the Union. While on a state level, June 24th marks the date in 1664 when the first royal grant established the English Colony according to Calendar.com.

So, whether you celebrate on June 24th or July 27th below are some uniquely “Jersey” things to do from Visit NJ.org:

· Tour a 65-Foot Pachyderm! A National Historic Landmark, Lucy the Elephant in Margate welcomes you inside for this one-of-a-kind tour. Fun Fact: July 2021 marked Lucy’s 140th birthday!

· Visit the Doo-Wop Experience Museum in The Wildwoods and stroll the streets to check out all the fabulously funky mid-century architecture.

· Cruise the Camden Waterfront! Its pretty promenade along the Delaware River invites a leisurely stroll. While there check out the Adventure Aquarium or board the Battleship New Jersey.

What do you like to do that is uniquely “Jersey” tell us in the comments section below.

As stated in Psychology Today, “Hope is a choice, not just a passive feeling. It is an active decision to imagine a better future and take steps to build it, even when current circumstances are difficult or uncertain.”

Psychology Today goes on to further break down hope into the following traits:

· Resilience / Mental Health: Hope helps build the foundation for mental strength, allowing one to confront adversity with determination rather than giving in to despair

· Motivation: It can provide the personal agency needed to take action and execute one’s vision for improvement

Recently some of our staff were tasked with writing a new theme / message for Family Promise of Sussex County. After much discussion, we agreed upon, “Rooted in Hope, Empowering Community”. The idea being that everything we do is built on the foundation of hope. That we can, together with the individuals we work with, develop a path forward to empower those experiencing a housing crisis to achieve stability and sustainability, because everyone deserves a home.

Our 3rd annual Service Strong Veterans Fair will be held on July 18th from 11:00 -1:00pm with Christ Episcopal Church, 62 Main Street, Newton, as our host. The event is free and open to all veterans, active and reserve members and their families. We will have employers, so job seekers bring your resume as well as various agencies and companies who offer services and discounts tailored to our military community.

As we are celebrating this July 4th our nation’s 250th anniversary, we, at Family Promise of Sussex County, want to extend our deepest appreciation and gratitude to all who have served our country – past and present. This employment and resource fair is our way of saying thank you.

If you would like to be a part of our Service Strong Veterans Fair, please visit our website for sponsorship opportunities, as well as how to register as a community resource or employer. https://familypromisesussex.org/index.php/upcoming-events/

I did not grow up with formal religion and any references that I do have are Catholic as my mom was raised very strict Italian Catholic back in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Recently a friend of mine retired from working at a local Presbyterian Church. They asked her what she wanted for food and without hesitation responded, a traditional potluck dinner.

I must admit I’m a little bit leery of potlucks especially when the food is prepared outside of what I’m familiar with. My family had Auntie Gloria’s lasagna as a traditional standby…you anticipated eating it and it never disappointed. So, while I wanted to support my friend, admittedly I was hesitant to go to this retirement party as I did not know what to expect.

Well, I’m so glad that I attended. The food was varied but absolutely delicious. When I commented that to some of the parishioners, they were not surprised at all and said Presbyterians always have great potlucks.

Who knew? I did not. So, my tip is if you are ever invited to a Presbyterian potluck immediately say yes and save your appetite for a lot of delicious food and camaraderie.

The Sterling Hill Mining Museum, located in Ogdensburg, NJ, formerly known as the Sterling Hill Mine, once had one of the world’s richest zinc ore deposits and is now recognized as a National Historic Site. If that were not enough, they have recently made some discoveries and connections to a collection of native artifacts, dating back 12,500 years ago!

In the Fall of 2024 archeologists along with educators and students examined a private collection of arrowheads and stone tools. Everett Conklin, one of the researchers noted, “When I first saw the collection at the mine, it was beautiful, but there was no archaeological or cultural context. There was no timeline to help the public understand what they were looking at.”

With help from Sussex County Community College’s archeology lab and modern x-ray fluorescence analysis they were able to trace these artifacts to known quarries and other sites in Sussex County. The college is now using this collection as an educational tool helping with preserving and cataloging this very important part of our local history and its first inhabitants.

Based on these findings, the museum is developing a new paired down archeological exhibit. Conklin states, “Instead of displaying 335 artifacts, we want to curate about 70 pieces that represent specific time periods and cultural developments. Our goal is to create a meaningful, well-organized research collection that is thoroughly documented and accessible for both students and the community.”