The MOMS Club of Blairstown and the North Warren Lions Club hosted the 1st Annual Sycamore

Park Family Car Show on June 15th 2013 to benefit the Playground in Blairstown, NJ. It was filled with family fun, crafts & vendors, activities, demos, food and tons of cars! Thank you to all the wonderful family, friends and community that came out to support the Playground! In addition to the Car Show class awards, the winning playground name Patriot Park was announced. A special thank you to Kate Gerhardt for your wonderful suggestion!

The Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council present a call to artists for the upcoming exhibit Botanicals. Artists may enter works of art related to this theme, in any medium, if they members. Non-members who become members before the show can also enter their art. Celebrate the essence of summer! Does it have roots, shoots, flowers or leaves? Or maybe it has spikes, thorns, poisons or splinters! Is it waxy, fragile, sturdy or brittle? Plant life provides a banquet of diversity, from the exquisite and rare to common weeds. Please share your view of flora and fauna in this very diverse and wide open theme through your medium of choice. The Exhibit will run from July 13 to August

3, 2013. Opening reception will be held on Saturday July 13 from 4 to 6 pm. The SCAHC gallery/office located at 133 Spring Street,

Newton, NJ, 937-3830027. Prospectus and member enrollment can be found at the SCAHC website at www.scahc.org, or at the Councils office.

On July 10th at 7pm, the Warren County Library, 2 Shotwell Dr., Belvidere, will hold the first in a series of programs called Junior Archaeologist / Paleontologist Club for children, age 8 and up. Dig into the past like real archaeologists and paleontologists with a series of hands-on activities. Sign-up is required. Sign up online at www.warrenlib.org. Warren County Soil Conservation District is happy to announce that local honey will once again be available for purchase at the District office, 224 W. Stiger St., Hackettstown. Sizes include one, two, and five pound jars at reasonable prices. Call 908-852-2579 for

information. Like us on Facebook under Warren County Soil Conservation District. On Sunday evening, July 14th, from 7pm to 9pm, NAMI-Sussex will host a presentation and panel discussion about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. This free program on PTSD will be held at Bridgeway, 93 Stickles Pond Road in Newton. There is no need to register in advance. While the program is free of charge, donations to the Northern New Jersey Veterans Memorial Cemetery will be gratefully accepted. For more information, call 973214-0632, or visit www.nami-sussexnj.org. The Chatham Com-

munity Band (CCB), under the direction of Mr. Brian Conti, is seeking new members for its organization. The band is an all volunteer, adult instrumental music group. For more information about the CCB, visit www.chatham communityband.org, or email Brian Conti, briancontib@aol.com. Come celebrate the dog, pig, goat and chicken days of summer at The Barnyard Sanctuarys monthly Pet Adoption Day on July 13th, 9am to 3pm, at Tractor Supply, 128 Route 94, Blairstown. For more information, call 973670-4477. We would like to wish Jim Rasmussen a very Happy Birthday. He will be celebrating on July 15th. Have a wonderful day, Jim! The Warren County Cultural and Heritage Commission is happy to present The Iguanas, a Mexican/rock band, in a free concert on the lawn of Shippen Manor, Sunday, July 14 at 6 PM. Bring your lawn chairs, serapes, alcohol free coolers, picnic baskets, and significant others for a good ol toe tapping music performance in the heart of sweet and sunny downtown Oxford. Brook Hollow Winery announces their first annual Clam Bake August 17th, 2013, be the first to reserve your seats. Tickets available for purchase at the winery or visit www.brookhollowwiner y.com for menu items and event details. Come in Sunday July 14th from 1-3pm to enjoy live acoustic music

presented by SOL. Turn a lazy day of summer into an edge of your seat adventure on August 6th at 6 p.m. The Warren County Library Headquarters, home of the 14 foot screen, will feature an action-packed, blockbuster film starring Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman that is sure to take you into Oblivion and back. Watch as after decades of war, one of the few remaining drone repairmen assigned to extract Earths resources questions what he knows about his mission and himself. Rating PG-13. Please call 908475-6322 or visit www.warrenlib.org to register. Walk-ins are always welcome. All this and popcorn too!! Heres a history fact for you: Blairstowns original name was Smyths Mills. Many years before the revolutionary war, approximately 1760, a man by the name of Benjamin Smyth had built a gristmill. The inhabitants of Pahaquarry, now part of Hardwick, brought their grain on packhorses to be ground into flour. Smyths grist- mill was still standing at the beginning of the 19th century. The present mill on Main Street was built in 1825 and was purchased and remodeled by Blair Academy in 1904. We love hearing from you! Send your birthdays, anniversaries, and other tidbits of information to: The PRESS PO Box 430 Blairstown, NJ 07825 thepressnews@enter.net thepressnewsonline.com Dont Forget to Like Us on Facebook!

Here is a list of notable books that have been added to the collection recently at the Warren County Library: On Par: The Everyday Golfer's Survival Guide, by Bill Pennington. Little Night: A Novel, by Luanne Rice. Black Boy (P.S.), by Richard Wright. Never Tell: A Novel of Suspense (Ellie Hatcher), by Alafair Burke. Fifty Shades Freed: Book Three of the Fifty Shades Trilogy, by E L James.

Fifty Shades Darker: Book Two of the Fifty Shades Trilogy, by E L James. Secret Journeys of a lifetime: 500 of the World's Best Hidden Travel Gems (National Geographic), by National Geographic. Fugitives: Escape from Furnace 4, by Alexander Gordon Smith. W h i t e wash: The Disturbing Truth About Cow's Milk and Your Health, by Joseph Keon. For more recently added books, visit www. warrenlib.org

United Way of Northern New Jersey, NORWESCAP, AARP, Greater Providence Missionary Baptist Church and IRS-trained volunteers teamed up as leading providers of free tax preparation this year, saving low- and moderate- income residents an estimated $940,000 in tax preparation costs. Each year, United Way and local partners offer residents free tax preparation and education about tax credits. This year, with the help of a $66,000 IRS grant and 130 volunteer tax preparers, United Way partnered with NORWESCAP and Greater Providence Missionary Baptist Church to file 3,750 returns across the five-county region of Morris, North Essex, Somerset, Sussex and Warren counties. According to IRS statistics, United Way and its partners filed the largest number of tax returns as IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) providers. These filers received $5.8 million in tax refunds, including $1.5 million successfully claimed in eligible tax

credits. They also saved an estimated $750,000 in preparation and filing costs. In addition, United Way partnered with AARP in Montclair to provide the space, computers and scheduling needed for AARP volunteers to file 948 tax returns, resulting in $927,000 in tax refunds, including $323,000 in tax credits and an estimated $190,000 in savings on preparation costs. On average, tax preparers charge $200 to handle federal and state returns. Meanwhile, nearly 27 percent or 120,000 households in northern New Jersey struggle daily to afford basic necessities, such as housing, food, child care, health care and transportation, according to United Ways ALICE research. ALICE is a United Way research project that defines a population earning above the poverty level, but less than the basic cost of living. Families struggling to keep a roof over their heads and food on the

table are faced annually with trying to scrape together $200 they dont have in order to get back the taxes they overpaid, said United Way of Northern New Jersey CEO John Franklin. We are grateful to our partners and all the volunteers who helped serve these folks who rightly need our help. A major focus of the United Way tax prep campaign each year is making the ALICE population and those in poverty aware of tax credits they may not know to claim. Millions of dollars in tax credits designed specifically for low- and moderate-income working citizens go unclaimed across the country, according to the IRS. These credits can offset a residents tax liability or can result in a cash refund that can be used to pay down debt or establish savings. To learn more about United Ways efforts to provide free tax preparation for low- and moderate-income residents, visit UnitedWayNNJ.org/Inc omeTaxAssistance.

The Warren County Cultural and Heritage Commission is pleased to announce FY2013 grant awards totaling $35,900 to fourteen organizations that provide arts programming in Warren County. The following art organizations receiving financial support for their FY2013 public arts programming are: Centenary College Literature Colloquium, Hackettstown Community Band, NJ Civic Youth Ballet, Warren County Arts Corporation, Warren County Community College Visiting Author Series, Warren County Community Singers, and Water Gap Singers. The public arts programs of the following PTAs and PTOs are also receiving funding: Allamuchy Twp, Pohatcong, Washington Borough, and Washington Township. In addition, three community groups are also partially funded for their arts related activities: Friends of the Warren County Library, Hardwick Twp. Historical

Society, and the Washington Business Improvement District. For further informa-

tion, please call: 908.453.4381, 711 for relay services or visit: wcchc.org.

Summer Art Camp for Kids at the Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council July 15-19: This year will be our 6th Summer Art Camp for Kids at the Arts and Heritage Council. Camp is open to kids in 3rd through 8th grade and will be held at the Art Councils office at 133 Spring Street, Newton from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. each day. To register, call the Arts Council at 973-3830027, visit the office or email scahc@scahc.org. Wise Owl Workshops Go Native in the

Garden at the Warren County Library, July 11 from 10:30am to noon. 2 Shotwell Drive, Belvidere. Children ages 6 12 will learn how to grow native plants from seed and be able to examine, feel, and smell them as they explore how native plants can be used. Get up close with insects and learn about their life cycles and how they are bound up with native plants. Sign-up is required. Sign up online at www.warrenlib.org. How To Build A Fairy House Workshop at

Catherine Dickson Hofman Library, July 11 1pm: Young fairy lovers will embark on an enchanting challenge... to build a miniature house so appealing it would surely attract a fairy to visit! Create a whimsical habitat to take home and plant in your own garden. Wear your finest fairy attire (wings will be available) and comfortable shoes, the magic in the air may inspire you to dance. Registration is required. Ages 8 -14. Register at warrenlib.org. Grace Community Church, Hope, Presents Vacation Bible Schools Fun Fair: July 15th through 19th, 9am to 11:30am, Route 519, Hope, NJ. Preschool aged to 8th grade invited. Call 908-4594706 to register. Project SelfSufficiency will host the Girls for a Change Empowerment Pro-

gram for teen girls: Monday Friday, July 22nd 26th, 9am 1pm. To register for the Girls for a Change Summer Camp at Project SelfSufficiency, call 973940-3500 or visit www.projectselfsufficie ncy.org. Pajama Story Time at Warren County Library, July 24th and August 28th, 6:30pm: Want somewhere to wear your coolest pjs? On July 24th and August 28th at 6:30 p.m. the Warren County Library, located at 2 Shotwell Drive, Belvidere, welcomes you to Pajama Storytime! This is a half-hour program featuring a variety of stories suitable for the whole family! Please sign up online at warrenlib.org beginning July 15. Community invited to Harvest Home Dinner and Auction at the Yellow Frame Presbyterian Church on Route 94 and Yellow Frame Road, Fredon on July 27. A buffet dinner, allyou-can-eat dinner will be served from 4-7PM. A silent auction will run from 2-7PM and a live auction from 7:15 to 9:30PM. Attendance at the auctions is free. To purchase tickets call 973-383-5364. Celebrate Recovery Christ - Centered Program based on Beatitudes & 12 Steps: Tuedays, 7pm-9pm. Walnut Valley UMC, Vail Rd., Rt. 94, Blairstown. Free and open to the public. FMI, call 908-362-9713. August 25th from 10am to 4pm the Red Mill Museum Village in Clinton, NJ will host the biannual Quilt Show with an exciting new twist. With all the beauty and craftsmanship displayed as in previous years, this year's show will also include Collector's Day! Information and registration forms can be obtained by visiting http://theredmill.org/cal endarofevents.html.

Hello fellow readers, Barbara from Belvidere asked how to develop a Wildflower Meadow to replace half of her existing lawn to lessen the task of mowing. I love the idea Barbara but be-warned. A Wildflower Meadow can be low maintenance in the long run but the development takes much more doing than most of us are willing to do! Like all gardens soil preparation and weed control is of key importance. Cut the area you are converting as close as your mower blade allows and then rototill the soil removing debris and clumps. Some would then use an herbicide such as Roundup but I would suggest an organic alternative called Burnout. As a double whammy cook the weed seeds by using sheets of plastic to raise the soil temperature. The technique is called Solarization and summer is the perfect

time. Smooth out the surface by raking to remove air pockets and the soil needs to be damp to effectively kill seeds and pathogens. Place transparent plastic sheets (polyethylene 1 to 2 millimeters thick works best) and bury the edges in the soil anchoring with stones, bricks or boards to ensure a tight heat trapping seal. After 8-10 weeks remove the plastic but dont disturb the soil because the sun's weed killing heat will only penetrate a few inches. You can buy a wildflower seed mix but I believe using native species that fit your site conditions will offer the greatest success with little intervention once established. Plant your seeds in the late fall or early spring. It is suggested during the first full growing season to trim the meadow down to 8 every time the canopy reaches 18-20 even if in bloom. If you dont trim your meadow the competing fast growing weeds can smother your slower seedlings. After your garden is established, my trick is to fill in the empty or boring patches with plugs. Plugs are young plants raised in small individual cells ready to be transplanted. Its kind of like The Hair Club for Men but for your garden. Garden dilemmas?
askmarystone@gmail.com

(NAPSI)--New technology is making it easier to have a home that is comfortable in any season. This is good news for homeowners since many older homes in the U.S. still have cooling and heating systems that leave parts of a house either unbearably hot or uncomfortably cold. Choosing the right system is key since this allows homeowners to cool the rooms they use the most while saving energy in less-used areas of the house. Industry experts refer to this as zone control. Fortunately, new systems from Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating employ advanced technology that can precisely adjust each rooms temperature

to the homeowners preference. With these systems, I can be in control of the air my kids are breathing, said design expert Cortney Novogratz. Also, the zoning capa-

bilities allow me to set areas of my house at different temperatures. With seven kids, being able to set the thermostat so that different areas are at various temperatures is a huge benefit. My kids rooms can be set at a temperature where theyre comfortable, while the rest of the house might be set at another temperature. This zone-control feature helps homeowners reduce energy costs. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 50 percent of the average homes energy bill can be linked directly to cooling and heating costs, amounting to approximately $1,100 per year. Controlling your comfort on a room-by-room basis gives you more control over your energy budget.

Multiple Benefits In addition, homeowners can also receive a tax credit of 10 percent, or up to $300, for qualifying Mitsubishi Electric systems through the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. These systems benefit the environment as well. They are made of mostly recyclable parts and use an environmentally friendly refrigerant that wont pollute the environment. Control From A Distance Another feature that makes this a cool way to add comfort to your home is the fact that the system can be controlled anytime, anywhere through a smartphone or other Internet-enabled device. To learn more, visit the website at w w w. m i t s u b i s h i cooling.com.

(NAPSI)When mosquito season is here, Americans need to be vigilant about protecting themselves and their families. Not only are mosquitoes a terrible nuisance, they can carry West Nile virus, so its essential to do all you can to keep the bloodthirsty biters away. This has proven to be a challenge. Nearly 40 percent of adults dont use mosquito repellent because they dont like to put chemicals on their skin, according to a new survey conducted online by Harris Interactive. Fortunately, its now possible to beat the bite of the menacing

mosquito-gnats and midges, too-with two all-natural, area repellents: the portable Terminix AllClear TableTop Mosquito Repeller and the personal, clipable Terminix AllClear SideKick Mosquito Repeller. These additional tips from the experts at Universal Pest Solutions will also help to keep mosquitoes away: Regularly empty water from birdbaths, toys and buckets. Clean out other potential breeding areas. Cut and clear away tall grass and weeds. For more, visit allclearmister.com.

Christie Administration Awards Skills4Jersey Grant to Historic Candy Company

Highlighting Governor Chris Christies $26 million Hire New Jersey initiative, Commissioner Harold J. Wirths of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (LWD) today announced a $33,600 Skills4Jersey training grant awarded to the historic James Candy Company in Atlantic City. Skills4Jersey is part of a package of grants developed by the LWD in the weeks after Superstorm Sandy to refocus training funds on the recovery effort by offering employers in New Jerseys key industries opportunities for grants designed to expand their businesses, enable them to hire new workers, train existing workers and create more employment opportunities in the Garden State. Under this Administration, our grant programs have been designed to assist New Jersey businesses in giving their employees up-to-date skills that not only help the workers to advance in their careers, but also allow companies to remain competitive in an ever changing market. The result of such investments in our major industry clusters is a strong, viable and productive economy, said Commissioner Wirths during a tour of the boardwalk-based candy manufacturer Through the states Talent Networks, LWD is focusing on seven of the states most productive industry clusters to connect employers, job-seekers, the states One-Stop Career Centers and educational institutions to achieve the common goal of helping people develop relevant skills that lead to improved efficiencies in New Jersey companies and improved future employment opportunities for the workers. The first six Talent Networks that LWD launched in 2011 center around Life Sciences; Transportation, Logistics and Distribution; Health Care; Advanced Manufacturing; Financial Services; and Technology and Entrepreneurship. These industries drive the states economy and account for more than half of the workers employed in New Jersey as well as more than two-thirds of wages paid in the Garden State. Earlier this month, LWD launched the Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Talent Network to represent a seventh major industry cluster, and it created the Recovery New Jersey Talent Network to focus on addressing the needs of businesses impacted by Superstorm Sandy. The James Candy Company, which was founded in 1880 and continues to operate on the boardwalk of Atlantic City, is known for its signature salt-water taffy and chocolate. The company will train 26 of its 51 employees at its boardwalk location using the $33,600 training grant in courses that include lean manufacturing, business management, industrial manufacturing technology, and quality control technology. The manufacturer will match the state training grant with $35,450 in company funds. The James Candy Company is pleased to partner with the New Jersey Department of Labor again and we are excited about this training opportunity for our employees to gain skills that will help them develop, as well as help our company to advance, said James Candy Company President Frank Glaser. James Candy has manufactured candy for more than 130 years in Atlantic City. Commissioner Wirths presented James Candy President, Frank Glaser with a framed letter announcing the companys training grant award and praised the company for partnering with the LWD, as well as with the New Jersey Manufacturers Extension Program (NJMEP), a not-forprofit company that works with New Jersey's small to mid-sized manufacturers to help them become more efficient, profitable, and globally competitive.

Keep Kids Healthy And Active While School Is Out

(NAPSI)Parents like you know kids should eat healthy and be active every day, but summer break can often make that hard. With some fun, simple tips, you can ensure summer break doesnt mean a break in your familys healthy habits. Without the benefit of scheduled meals, snacks and recess provided during the school day, some kids fall into a summer slump of unhealthy behaviors, such as spending more time indoors watching TV, playing video games, and snacking on less-healthy foods. Childhood obesity is at its height in the summer months. In fact, studies show that kids gain weight more than twice as fast in the summer as they do during the regular school year. This makes summer an important time for families to pledge to be active and eat healthy together. The Network for a Healthy California (Network) is on the front lines of the battle against obesity and works to empower everyone to lead healthier, active lives. The Network has partnered with summer activity programs to launch the Power Up Your Summer! Challenge. The Challenge encourages kids and their families to get at least 60 minutes of active play every day and to fill half of each plate with fruits and vegetables. Try these simple ideas to help your kids beat the summer slump: Find safe outdoor places for kids to play, such as parks, recreation centers and pools. Dont let the heat slow you down. Dancing and hide-and-seek are great indoor activities. Limit TV and computer time to less than two hours per day. Involve the whole family in reaching a goal of 60 minutes of play every day. Fill half your plate with summer fruits and vegetables at every meal. Choose in-season fruits and vegetables, which often cost less. Rethink your drink and choose water instead of sugary drinks.

(NAPSI)Hows your head for treats? Can you name this popular food? The snack was introduced in 1893 by F.W. Rueckheim at the Chicago Worlds Fair. His brother Louis discovered a process to keep the molassescovered popcorn morsels from sticking together. Sweet and crunchy, this snack now has even more peanuts. Each package contains a prize and

now, many say, theyre better than ever. You may find classic stickers with fun facts and digital codes that unlock surprises through a free app featuring baseball and pinball games. In addition to original flavor, you can now get Butter Toffee and Kettle Corn Popcorn Snacks. Its particularly popular at ball games. As you may have guessed by now, the mystery snack is Cracker Jack.

Computer Classes and Career Seminars Offered Warren Democrats in Blairstown during July Elect Tom Palmieri
Blairstown area residents are invited to learn Microsoft Word at Project SelfSufficiencys Main Street location on Thursdays, July 11th 25th, from 6:00 9:00 p.m. Students will learn word processing techniques, including the creation of professional- looking letters, faxes, newsletters and other documents, as well as the use of mail merge features used to print mailing labels and address letters to multiple recipients. The agencys computer lab is located in the First Presbyterian Outreach Center at 35 Main Street in Blairstown. A complete roster of computer classes and employability skills courses are offered at Project SelfSufficiencys Newton location all year long, including classes in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook; QuickBooks accounting software; workshops addressing techniques for job search, interviewing, resume development and financial management; and courses designed just for seniors and men. For more information, call the Project SelfSufficiency office in Blairstown at 908-3621777, or phone the agencys Newton office at 973-940-3500. Information about the agencys services is also available at www.projectselfsufficie ncy.org.

As County Chair
The Warren County Democratic Committee (WCDC) elected Tom Palmieri as its new chairman at its biannual reorganization held earlier this month. Palmieri has been a resident of Warren County for more than two decades and has worked extensively on local, county and state campaigns on behalf of the Democratic Party. WCDC members also selected its core group of officers including: Warren County Democratic Freeholder candidate Elizabeth Gittins as WCDC vice chair; Washington Boro Councilwoman Ethel Conry as treasurer; and Elizabeth Nunez as secretary. During the June 4 primary, Democratic voters elected Kevin Doell and Mary Beth Maciag to represent Warren County as committee members on the New Jersey Democratic State Committee.

NJIT Promotes Local Resident to Full Professor

Christopher Funkhouser, a resident of Frelinghuysen Township since 2002, has been promoted to the rank of Professor at New Jersey Institute of Technology. Funkhouser, who teaches courses in the Humanities Department and is Director of the undergraduate program in Communication and Media, joined the NJIT faculty in 1997 and earned tenure in 2006. He coordinates the schools online literary arts journal Newark Review 3.0 and was the recipient of NJITs Excellence in Innovative Teaching Award for 2011-12. Funkhouser is author of two important research monographs in the field of electronic literature, Prehistoric Digital Poetry: An Archeology of Forms, 1959-1995 (2007) and New Directions in Digital Poetry (2012). He has also produced the chapbook Electro erdix (2011) and an e-book (CD-ROM), Selections 2.0, published by the Faculty of Creative Multimedia at Multimedia University (Malaysia), where he was a Visiting Fulbright Scholar in 2006. Funkhouser is a poet, scholar, and multimedia artist. In 2009, the Associated Press commissioned him to prepare digital poems for the occasion of Barack Obamas inauguration. His webpage http://web.njit.edu/~fun khous serves as a portal to his research.

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day. He recognized ice cream as a fun and nutritious food that is enjoyed by a full 90 percent of the nation's population. In the proclamation, President Reagan called for all people of the United States to observe these events with "appropriate ceremonies and activities." The International Ice Cream Association (IICA) encourages retailers and consumers to celebrate July as National Ice Cream Month. In 2013, National Ice Cream Day will be Sunday, July 21. The U.S. ice cream industry generated total revenues of $10 billion in 2010, with take-home ice cream sales representing the largest section of the market, generating revenues of $6.8 billion or 67.7 percent of the market's overall value. (Source: MarketLine, an Informa business) About 9 percent of all the milk produced by U.S. dairy farmers is

used to produce ice cream, contributing significantly to the economic well-being of the nation's dairy industry. Founded in 1900, IICA is the trade association for manufacturers and distributors of ice cream and other frozen dessert products. The association's activities range from legislative and regulatory advocacy to market research, education and training. Its 80 member companies manufacture and distribute an estimated 85% of the ice cream and frozen dessert products consumed in the United States. IICA is a constituent organization of IDFA. Ice cream's origins are known to reach back as far as the second century B.C., although no specific date of origin nor inventor has been undisputably credited with its discovery. We know that Alexander the Great enjoyed snow and ice flavored with honey and nectar. Biblical references also show that King Solomon was fond of iced drinks during harvesting. During the Roman Empire, Nero Claudius

Caesar (A.D. 54-86) frequently sent runners into the mountains for snow, which was then flavored with fruits and juices. The first official account of ice cream in the New World comes from a letter written in 1744 by a guest of Maryland Governor William Bladen. The first advertisement for ice cream in this country appeared in the New York Gazette on May 12, 1777, when confectioner Philip Lenzi announced that ice cream was available "almost every day." Records kept by a Chatham Street, New York, merchant show that President George Washington spent approximately $200 for ice cream during the summer of 1790. Inventory records of Mount Vernon taken after Washington's death revealed "two pewter ice cream pots." President Thomas Jefferson was said to have a favorite 18-step recipe for an ice cream delicacy that resembled a modern-day Baked Alaska. In 1813, Dolley Madison served a magnificent strawberry ice cream creation at President Madison's second inaugural banquet at the White House. Until 1800, ice cream remained a rare and exotic dessert enjoyed mostly by the elite. Around 1800, insulated ice houses were invented. Manufacturing ice cream soon became an industry in America, pioneered in 1851 by a Baltimore milk dealer named Jacob Fussell. Like other American industries, ice cream production increased because of technological innovations, including steam power, mechanical refrigeration, the homogenizer, electric power and motors, packing machines, and new freezing processes and equipment.

(NAPSI)Whether it's an excursion to the beach, a trip to the mountains or an outing at your favorite amusement park, the sun and warm weather of summer offer the perfect excuse to take a vacation. Still, the fondest memories from summer vacations are often of the time spent with family and friends. It should come as no surprise then that more people traditionally stay in a vacation rental in the summer months than during any other time of

the year. Vacation rentals continue to grow in popularity in large part because of the tremendous appeal they have for families and friends traveling together. Unlike hotels, vacation rentals come in all shapes and sizes to fit a variety of travel needs, from condos and cabins to beach homes and villas. The typical rental offers multiple bedrooms, allowing larger groups to stay under one roof and share the cost of food and accommodations to save money. Vacation rentals also allow guests to enjoy some extra space to

spread out as well as many of the conveniences of home that they would normally have to do without on vacation, like a fully equipped kitchen, a living room, and a washer and dryer. Perhaps the greatest benefit vacation rentals offer, though, is the ability to spend more time together. From sharing a meal at the dinner table to grilling on the patio to splashing around in a private pool, vacation rentals create a great environment for fun and relaxation. Despite the growing appeal of vacation rentals, now a $23 billion sector of the travel industry, many Americans have yet to experience the benefits of this travel option. In fact, according to a recent PhoCusWright study, only 12 percent of Americans stay in a vacation rental. Part of the reason may simply be that travelers are unfamiliar with the concept or don't know who to turn to when looking to rent a vacation home. Professionally man-

aged companies like Wyndham Vacation Rentals help guests experience the best of both worldsthe comfort of home with the service and peace of mind that comes with booking with a leading hospitality company. Rentals booked through Wyndham Vacation Rentals, for example, are all backed by its Vacation Rental Bill of Rightsa service pledge that ensures renters' most common expectations for quality, comfort and convenience are met. This summer, in celebration of National Vacation Rental Month, a time when the travel industry turns the spotlight on vacation rentals, Wyndham Vacation Rentals is offering savings of up to 35 percent at any of its 9,000 properties across the U.S., including some of the most popular beach, mountain and theme park destinations. To take advantage of this great deal and experience the benefits of a vacation rental for yourself, visit www.wyndhamvacation rentals.com.

SCCC Presents Thursdays On The Green

Sussex County Community College announces the 2013 schedule of performances or Thursdays On The Green. In keeping with tradition, admission is free and performances are conducted rain or shine. The public is reminded to bring blankets and chairs. The schedule is as follows: July 11th New Jersey Grassroots Week 6:30 PM 7:15 PM: Sussex County Oratorio Society performs interesting arrangements of popular American Folk Music 7:30 PM 8:30 PM: Patrick Fitzsimmons Band performs their original blend of New Jersey Grassroots Music July 18th Rock n Roll & Doo Wop Week 6:30 PM 7:15 PM: Derek Evan With The Goldtones perform vocal rhythm and blues (Doo Wop) from the 40s, 50s & 60s.

(NAPSI)For kids, summertime should mean food, friends and fun. For many families fighting to make ends meet, however, summer can mean struggling to stretch tight food budgets even further. Federal summer meals programs provide a solution. These free, healthy meals are available to kids and teens age 18 and under at thousands of summer meals sites across the country. Five Facts on Free Summer Meals 1) According to a recent national survey of low-income families by Share Our Strengths No Kid Hungry campaign,

43 percent say its harder to make ends meet during summer months. Families also say, on average, their grocery bills are about $300 higher every month when kids are out of school. 2) Free summer meals can help. Summer meals sites provide free meals funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, approved by state agencies and run at safe local spots such as schools, churches and community centers. Many sites also offer fun learning and recreational activities along with the food, so kids and teens can stay active and spend

time with friends. Kids say the meals are tasty and parents are pleased that they follow USDA nutrition guidelines. There are no applications to fill out and the programs do not require any proof of income. 3) Too many kids are missing out. While more than 21 million kids in the U.S. rely on free and reduced-price school lunches for their nutrition during the school year, just over 3 million get a free summer meal. 4) To help, Share Our Strength - a charitable organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger-created the No Kid Hungry campaign. It raises awareness to ensure parents and kids know about the program and works to recruit new sites, with small grants to cover startup costs and outreach staff to help them get up and running. Much of this summer meals work is done through public/private partnerships, including with the Arbys Foundation and Sodexo Foundation, the USDA, governors offices and others. 5) Finding a nearby site is easy. Go to www.NoKidHungry.org /SummerMeals, text

FOOD to 877-877 or call (866) 3HUNGRY to find a site and learn more. How You Can Help Make a Donation: The Arbys Foundation will match the first $100,000 in donations at www.NoKidHungry.org /Summer. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper about where people can find summer meals at www.NoKidHungry.org /SummerLTE. Volunteer to assist at a site by finding one at www.NoKidHungry.org /SummerMeals. Learn more at www.NoKidHungry.org /Summer.

(NAPSI)Having fun is essential to good health, experts say. So how can you hang on to your youthful exuberance? Take some advice from Peter Pan. He turned 60 last year (at least, the movie about him does) but his ability to view the world through a childs eyes endures and remains one of the best inspirations to keep the spirit of fun alive. You might like to try these ideas: Designate a

special Wear a Cape Day with your kids at the park. Stay in pjs all day long. Have a bubble-blowing contest. Form a band using instruments made from kitchen equipment. Take photos of your funniest face and text them to your friends. Put gold stars on all your work. Write with a purple pen. Instead of a latte, go for an ice cream sundae. Put streamers on all the family bikes.

Warren County Hall of Fame Seeks Nominations

Warren County boasts some of the brightest stars in an array of fields, from entertainment to sports to business. And now they will have the chance to truly star when the newest members of the Warren County Hall of Fame are chosen this fall. The Warren County Community College Foundation is now seeking nominees for the 2013 Warren County Hall of Fame class. The public is invited to send their nominations to the WCCC Foundation. Several individuals from varied backgrounds and current Hall of Famers comprise the selection committee with the winners to be announced shortly before the Hall of Fame Awards Banquet in October. The establishment three years ago of the Warren County Hall of Fame, sponsored by the WCCC Foundation, creates a forum for honoring Warren County's finest in the following fields. Nominees must either live or have lived in Warren County or serve Warren County. Nominees should be living. Public Service Business Education Sports; having an impact here in Warren County or elsewhere Arts & Entertainment - in Warren County or elsewhere Military Service (active or veteran) someone who has impacted other active or veteran soldiers with deeds "beyond the call of duty" Special Recognition - for someone who has contributed to the greater fabric of Warren County who does not necessarily fill any of the fields of consideration (if no suitable selection is available in any given year, no choice will be made) Nomination forms are available online at www.wcccfoundation.or g or requested via email halloffame@wcccfound ation.org. For further information, call 908-835-2325.

The Harmony Township Athletic Association's Major League baseball team took first place in the Warren County Baseball League tournament in Independence June 15, winning three straight games to secure the championship. The team, coached by Dave Youngman and Travis Smith, is comprised of fifth and sixth graders from Harmony Township. Pictured, front row, from left: Garrett Stoken, Luke Youngman, Casey Sena, Dirk Daniels, Chris Grafer, Tyler Smith. Back row, from left: Assistant Coach Travis Smith, Head Coach Dave Youngman, Ethan Redden, Deven Santos, Brett Dalrymple, Christian Van Scoten, Nick Santini.

Warren County Arts Group Plans Picnic

The Warren County Arts Group will hold their annual Picnic on Saturday, July 27th (rain date Sunday, July 28th) at the Robert Rush Memorial Cabin at 56 Mine Hill Rd (across from Bense Ct.) from 11 AM til 4 PM. Bring your own food, paints, easel, camera for a paintout/shoot-out for possible future display. If you are unable to attend the picnic, join us for our next meeting in September The WCARTS group meets monthly on the second Thursday at 7:00 PM, in the Oxford Township Municipal building, 11 Green Street, Oxford, NJ 07863. The public is welcome and refreshments are served.