Topics in Brief
A Community Bulletin

A rabid raccoon was picked up near Johnson Park School on June 2. In a recently-issued public health notice, Health Officer David A. Henry described Animal Control Officer Mark Johnson’s response to a call from Johnson Park School officials. He captured an adult female raccoon, which had been reported to have neurological symptoms consistent with rabies. The New Jersey State Department of Health and Senior Services confirmed that the raccoon tested positive for rabies. “We are actively investigating if there was any human or animal contact with this raccoon, but we stress the importance of staying away from wild animals (raccoons, bats, feral cats, etc.),” said Mr. Henry. Signs of rabies in wild animals include unprovoked aggression; unusual friendliness; aimless wandering; paralysis, often beginning in the hind legs or throat; vocalizations ranging from chattering to shrill screams; unusual daytime activity in nocturnal animals; and raccoons that appear to be walking on very hot pavement. People sighting wild animals that are showing the signs and symptoms of rabies are asked to contact their local Police Department and/or Princeton Animal Control at (609) 924-2728 (during the day). For more information go to http://nj.gov/health.

An official flag decommissioning ceremony will be held on Flag Day, Tuesday, June 14, at 6 p.m. in Veterans Park in Hamilton Township. Each year, the Mercer County Division of Veteran Services partners with local veterans from the American Legion Post 31 and the Hamilton Township Patriotic Committee to hold the time-honored decommissioning, also known as “flag retirement.” American flags that have become tattered, soiled, or are otherwise considered not fit for display will be burned during the ceremony. The flames will eventually be doused by firefighters from the Nottingham Fire Company of Hamilton. Veteran Services has collected thousands of flags eligible for retirement for the past several months from American Legion Post 31, private homes, the veterans section of Greenwood Cemetery in Hamilton, and government offices like the Mercer County Clerk and Sheriff’s Offices. There is no rain date for this event.

The NJ Department of Environmental Protection has issued an advisory to notify area residents that Baldwin Lake in Pennington will be treated with herbicides during the week of June 13. The DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife has hired an aquatic pesticide contractor, Great Blue Inc., to apply herbicides to water chestnut growing in Baldwin Lake in order to control the spread of this invasive exotic vegetation. For more information, call (908) 637-4125.

Forecasters with the National Weather Service are predicting temperatures in the area to reach the upper 90s Wednesday, June 8 and Thursday, June 9, and could potentially exceed 100 degrees. During daytime hours, residents can call (609) 989-6662 for assistance in coping with the heat. During non-business hours, residents are encouraged to call 911 if they experience heat-related problems.

Senator Barbara Buono (D-18), the first woman to serve as Senate Majority Leader in New Jersey, will be the featured guest speaker at the next General Membership Meeting of the Princeton Community Democratic Organization (PCDO) on Sunday, June 12, at 7:30 p.m. in the Suzanne Patterson Center, One Monument Drive (behind Borough Hall). Ms. Buono is expected to offer an inside view on issues including the state budget, school funding, and the upcoming battle for control of the New Jersey legislature. Monthly PCDO general meetings are free and open to the public.