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KINGSTON – After more than 23 years as chief of the Kingston Volunteer Fire Department No. 1, George T. Luck Jr. has retired as chief of the department.

Luck joined the department in 1966 – which encompasses Franklin Township Fire District No. 4 and South Brunswick Fire District No. 3 – serving four separate terms as chief for a total of 23 years over the course of his more than 54 years in the fire service.

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“My father, grandfather and three uncles were all members of the company, so one reason was family tradition. As a young boy I remember the excitement that was generated in the house when the fire siren blew to alert the members there was an emergency,” he said. “I would run up the street to watch the fire trucks leave the building on the way to the call. I joined the department as a junior member as soon as I was eligible.”

Back then, the department was completely made up of volunteers from the community.

“It was male dominated and the roster was composed of around 100 members. At least 40 of them were firefighters, while the rest acted in support roles, such as fundraising. The firefighting training was done mostly at the local level. I was part of the first group from our company that attended a county fire academy,” he said.

Luck said funding for the fire company came from small stipends from local governments, with the balance of money coming from fundraising activities the membership was involved in. The fundraising activities involved Bingo, door-to-door campaigns, flower sales, dinners, pancake breakfasts, and whatever else would help pay the bills and buy new equipment, he said.

“It became difficult to raise the necessary funds, so the governing bodies began to contribute more and eventually we became a fire district in 1979,” Luck explained. “The fire district is an elected body that provides for the funding of the firefighting equipment, etc.

“Today we have 48 members, of which 24 are firefighters, including women. Members are now required to attend a county fire academy where they are certified as a firefighter in New Jersey. When I first became a firefighter, we just grabbed coats, boots and helmets from the side of the apparatus. Today, everyone is assigned their own personal equipment. Then we were alerted by the fire siren on top of the firehouse, today we are alerted by pager, and text messages,” he said.

Luck said there are many stories to tell from his years of service.

“It is hard to pick just a few, from so many memorable calls. There were many that had frightening aspects to them and many that had the adrenaline flowing. The most important thing I remember from whatever call it has been, is the feeling of satisfaction of safely completing the job at hand, and for the countless thanks of gratitude received from the many individuals we have helped,” he said.

Luck’s firefighting career progressed as he was promoted to second assistant foreman – the equivalent to a lieutenant today – in 1974, then assistant chief in 1977, and chief for the first time from 1979-82. He also served as chief from 1993-2000, 2005-09 and 2016-20.

“As chief I am responsible for setting up tactics at a fire and implementing the plan to bring the fire or emergency under control in a safe and efficient manner.

“The chief also is responsible for documenting any response made, filing reports with the county and state, making sure all mandatory training is accomplished and documented. I also had to attend a variety of local chiefs association meetings along with preparing monthly reports for the fire company and fire districts.

“I was also responsible to make sure all maintenance was done on all of the apparatus and equipment. I also had the responsibility to supervise the per diem staff who worked for the fire district during the weekdays,” Luck said.

The community of Kingston is so special, Luck said, because its rich history dates back to 1675.

“It is a small village where most people know their neighbors and care for one another,” he said.

Luck will continue his work as a volunteer firefighter in Kingston, though his retirement was effective Dec. 31, 2020.

He will serve as the vice president for 2021, and will also be an engineer, which has the responsibility of teaching the operation of the apparatus to the members.

“I also hope to be able to mentor our newest members,” Luck said.

“His many hours of commitment to the Kingston community, his exemplary leadership to our members and the countless hours he has contributed in volunteer service are all to be commended,” department members posted on their Facebook page.

State Sen. Kip Bateman and state assemblymen Andrew Zwicker and Roy Freiman issued a joint legislative resolution in Luck’s honor.

“George Luck Jr.’s superb volunteerism will continue as he takes on other roles and duties in the fire company, all in addition to his extraordinary efforts as a Kingston historian, a trustee of the Kingston Historical Society, and as the cemetery secretary of the Kingston Presbyterian Church,” the resolution reads.

“The strength and prosperity of the State of New Jersey and the vitality of our American society depend upon such concerned and industrious individuals as George Luck Jr., whose steadfast courage and sense of community have greatly informed his sterling reputation. … It is altogether proper and fitting for this Legislature to pause in its deliberations to acknowledge George Luck Jr. as a man of strong character and exceptional determination.”

Contact Jennifer Amato at [email protected]

UNION COUNTY, NJ — In four months, the county has spent at least $12,231.45 and authorized up to $45,000 to defend itself against an investigation from a state agency that routes out fraud, waste and abuse, records obtained by TAPinto show.

Heavily redacted legal invoices provided through a request under New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act detail the monies paid to the law firm Kingston Coventry LLC in connection to the investigation from the Office of the State Comptroller.

TAPinto requested itemized invoices or records otherwise submitted for payment to the county, its insurers, third party administrators or other vendors involved in “in the investigation by the New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller” May 1 to Oct. 26.

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The Board of County Commissioners awarded a $15,000 contract to Kingston Coventry in May and on Oct. 20 tripled the allowable amount to be billed under the agreement to $45,000 for “general counsel and potential litigation services,” according to the resolution.

The redacted invoices reference phone calls, research, correspondence and meeting preparation but detail no specific legal matter for which those activities were conducted. Asked to explain the public spending, the county referred to commissioners’ resolution.

“The work being performed by the Kingston Coventry firm is pursuant to and consistent with the resolution appointing them,” said County Counsel Bruce Bergen in a statement through the county’s public information office last week.

A call to Kingston Coventry on Friday seeking comment for this article was not returned. The law firm on its website promotes its expertise in defending against government enforcement.

“Having formerly investigated and prosecuted scores of corporate individuals and companies around the globe, our attorneys possess the critical insights necessary to represent your entity or officers in government enforcement actions at all levels,” the firm states.

Redactions

Each of the 22 pages of invoices the county provided in response to TAPinto’s OPRA request contains redactions.

And despite there being no legal case detailed publicly, Union County OPRA compliance manager Marlena M. Russo wrote to TAPinto that parts of invoice items from services dated July 11 and 26 were “redacted as to confidential information or so as to not reveal trial strategy.”

These items reference a “30-minute call with [redacted] provided by research,” “correspondence with [redacted] requesting meeting prior to [redacted] research on [redacted]” and “review [redacted] electronic correspondence; client communications.”

The county used the same justifications for redactions to invoices for services dated Sept. 14 and 21, Russo wrote. These invoice items reference “research of [redacted] across the state review of [redacted] in preparation for meeting with [redacted] as well as a call, review of correspondence and the drafting of an email.”

“All other redactions were made as to attorney-client confidential information,” Russo wrote.

Surplus

Bruce Paterson, a Garwood resident and a thorn in the side of Union County government, has repeatedly raised the issue of the state investigation during recent meetings of the commissioner board.

At the commissioners’ Oct. 20 meeting, Paterson asked for an overview of the legal spending and said “I understand that the comptroller's office is involved in something, maybe audits.” He received no answer to that question.

Paterson told TAPinto that he has been following Union County budgets for at least 15 years and that in 2013, he noticed the surplus beginning to “climb drastically.”

Recently, Paterson said he forwarded his analysis to the state Comptroller’s Office, correspondence he subsequently provided to TAPinto. This year, the surplus stands at $142.409 million in the "remaining balance," according to the spending plan, climbing by 39% from last year.

The county has banked the monies as a result of the closures of the Union County Jail in 2021, the Union County Juvenile Detention Center in 2019 and the sale of Runnells Specialized Hospital in 2014, Paterson said.

“I spoke at many county budget hearings stating that they are hiding monies continually in each new budget where it should be returned to the taxpayers,” he said. “It is not their money it is ours. They simply ignored my statement, said they were not hiding anything. Presently, it appears I may be correct as the comptroller’s office is investigating their finances.”

Michael Politz, now a Somerville resident, grew up going to the PA Dutch Farmer's Market of Wyomissing. He started when he was about four-years-old, accompanying his mother who frequented the market due to its fresh meats and produce sold by Pennsylvania Dutch farmers.

“She always said that the food you found there was better than what you could find in a grocery store,” he said.

Now, almost 40 years later, Politz still heads to local Dutch marketplaces twice a month for homemade pretzels, chips, meats, produce and sticky buns. These days, he can be found at the Pennsylvania Dutch Farmers’ Market in the Kingston Mall in Princeton on select Thursday afternoons.

“I like the Pennsylvania Dutch Farmers’ Market in Princeton because it’s small and conveniently located for me," said Politiz, who writes the Spirits of NJ column for the Courier News and Home News Tribune. He also appreciates that the food is always fresh.

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Pennsylvania Dutch Farmers’ Market in Princeton

Politz isn’t the only one regularly heading to the indoor, year-round Pennsylvania Dutch Farmers’ Market, which is open each week from Thursday to Saturday on Route 27 in the Kingston Mall in Franklin Township (it has a Princeton address online). According to Vernon Beiler, manager of the market, about 1,000 to 1,200 people go there weekly, with about half of them being regular customers.

The market was started by Beiler’s father, Isaac Beiler, in 1992 with five vendors. Today, the market has 11 vendors, including Beiler’s Dairy, Beiler’s Fresh Meats, Stoltzfus Poultry, Lynn’s Soft Pretzels, King's Salads and Jellies, Mom's Candy Corner, King's Seafood and Grill and Sun Rise Bakery.

“My father was from Lancaster, and as a general rule, our people usually farm,” Beiler said. “However, it’s getting harder and harder for us to do that, so he was looking for alternative ways to sell. Other people had started markets in Maryland and other areas of New Jersey, so he scooped up the idea.”

According to Beiler, many people raising families enjoy trips to the Pennsylvania Dutch Farmers’ Market, and they have told Beiler they enjoy the freshness of its products and its friendly customer service.

These days, the market has been selling more and more antibiotic- and preservative-free foods in its produce and meats, said Beiler, reflecting customers' interests in such products.

Dutch Country Farmers’ Market in Flemington

The Princeton market isn’t the only destination that Central Jerseyans consider when they’re looking for high-quality meats, produce and other items. The Dutch Country Farmers’ Market on Commerce Street in Flemington is also a community staple, bringing in 800 to 1,000 weekly customers to its indoor, year-round market during its open hours from Thursday through Saturday.

According to John King, market manager, about 85 percent of their customers come regularly, especially when the holidays come around and they feel more inclined to drive long distances for specialty items.

They have been doing so since the market opened in Flemington in 2000 — before that, it operated at a more northern location for three years, and before that, it was at another Flemington location for an additional seven years.

“Our market really holds its own,” King said. “We’ve always had a steady pace of customers.”

The Dutch Country Farmers’ Market in Flemington has 12 vendors, including Marty's Candies & Canned Goods, Lil's Pretzels & Ice Cream, Beiler's Cheese & Pickles, Esh's Crafts, Hubby's Watch Service and MY Restaurant, an on-site restaurant for homestyle cooking with all meals made from scratch.

“People tell us that our meat and breads are fresher than what they can find at grocery stores,” King said. “All of our bread is baked here at the market and you can actually watch the pretzels being made from scratch.”

King said that customers love their homemade pretzels and sausages, both of which have no preservatives and are made on the premises. The market also carries a line of grass-fed beef.

“Our customers also come to our market to buy salads and other prepared foods to take home as well,” King said. “You can buy a full-course meal from us, pop it in the microwave and be ready to go since many people don’t have time to do a lot of cooking.”

Going to the markets

Pennsylvania Dutch Farmers Market is at 4437 Route 27, in the Kingston Mall, Franklin Township, and can be reached at 609-683-5260 or padutchfarmersmarket.net.

Dutch Country Farmers Market is at 19 Commerce St., Flemington, and can be reached at 908-806-8476 or dutchfarmersmarket.com.

Jenna Intersimone's "Destination Jersey" column appears Tuesdays. Her "Life Aboard The Traveling Circus" blog is at LifeAboardTheTravelingCircus.com. Tweet her at @JIntersimone or email her at [email protected].

When Gennaro’s Restaurant in Princeton closed in 2015 after 19 years it was missed by its loyal customers. In time, it would also be missed by the owner.

Gennaro Costabile had closed the restaurant in order to focus on his new endeavor: Gennaro’s Italian Market in Kingston, which kept his busy enough that it took some time for him to realize how much he missed operating the restaurant.

For Costabile, his restaurant has always been like a home where he could welcome guests, telling them it was nice to see them and making sure they had an enjoyable evening. His market has become popular for takeout meals and quality catering of his classic Italian cuisine, but he realized he had really enjoyed one-on-one contact with his customers.

To resolve that problem he bought the building next door to the market and renovated it as a restaurant featuring a pleasantly comfortable combination of wood floors, soft grays and black and white photos.

He connected the two businesses so they could share the same kitchen and chef Benjamin Brault, who had worked at the Princeton restaurant for 16 years.

He brought back most of the menu from Princeton, with some changes, but mostly it is his familiar version of upgraded Italian classics.

We started our meal with the aruguletta, $12, a towering salad of impeccable baby arugula with cherry tomatoes that were flavorful despite the time of year. A sprinkling of excellent gorgonzola and a light, bright vinaigrette brought the dish into perfect balance.

We also tried the zucchini rollatini appetizer, $13, which was tender and flavorful. Topped with the outstanding house tomato sauce, it is no surprise this dish is a customer favorite.

From among the entrees we tried the linguine Nero, $32, and a chef specialty, short ribs, $36. The linguine was a lovely tangle of black pasta, white calamari rings and pink shrimp. The pasta was al dente, but had absorbed just the right amount of the diced tomato and garlic broth, while the calamari was tender and delicate and the shrimp perfectly cooked and flavorful.

The generous portion of boneless short ribs was tender, moist and cooked in a perfectly seasoned tomato ragout with plenty of mushrooms. It was served on top of ribbons of house-made pappardelle that had been cooked to the perfect al dente.

For dessert we shared the dolce Italiano, $12, a sampler that included a cannolo, chocolate-covered marzipan and a tender, golden svogliatelle pastry. We enjoyed them all, and there was plenty to share, but the pastry, which is made in-house and sold at the market, was our favorite.

Dinner at Casa Gennaro was excellent. We enjoyed everything from the décor to the owner’s sincere pleasure in greeting us, to the food, which stands out for the quality and freshness of the ingredients and the restrained application of salt, garlic, and olive oil that allowed the ingredients to shine. Casa Gennaro is only open three nights a week, so reservations are recommended, but diners should find it well worth the wait.

Short ribs: Ditto: Tender and moist, the pappardelle had absorbed the right amount of sauce. Also, a generous portion.

Nice bonuses: Warm housemade rolls, the best and most perfectly executed espresso I’ve had in many moons (that goes for regular as well as decaf!), warmed milk for your tea.

Dessert: A must-have! I expected a good cannolo, but not the superb svogliatelle and the multi-colored marzipan square. That last is often cloying, too dense, and lacking in almond flavor. This was the opposite in all regards.

CASA GENNARO

4585 Route 27, Kingston

609-683-1212, Facebook

HOURS: 5-9 p.m. Thu.-Sat.

CREDIT CARDS: Most major.

FOOD: Excellent classic Italian dishes raised to a higher level.

SERVICE: Friendly and informed.

AMBIANCE: A relaxed but sophisticated atmosphere set in a former home decorated in soothing shades of gray with black and white photos of Italy and Italian celebrities.

COST: Antipasti and salads $12-$15, entrees $22-$36.

BYOB

RESERVATIONS: Recommended.

princeton-nurseries.JPG

A row of Princeton Nurseries Ginkgoes in fall color.

(Submitted by Doug Kiovsky)

The 100th anniversary of the former Princeton Nurseries will be celebrated tomorrow afternoon at the company’s original site in Kingston.

The nonprofit Friends of Princeton Nursery Lands is holding the free event with displays about the land, historic vehicles, live music and a birthday cake.

Karen Linder, the group’s president, said the celebration is about keeping the land alive and preserved from development or other encroachments.

“It’s really rich in history and it’s a beautiful piece of property,” she said Thursday. “We were afraid of what the other alternatives would look like.”

Princeton Nurseries was established in 1913, shortly before World War I, when William Flemer, Sr. bought the company’s first farm of sixty acres for $9,000.

Over the years the farms expanded and Princeton Nurseries bought more land, growing to become the nation’s largest commercial nursery. The company left Kingston in 1995 and closed in 2010.

Over its 85 years in Kingston, the nursery introduced vital plant varieties, including the Princeton Elm, the October Glory Maple and the Snow Queen Hydrangea, according to the Friends of Princeton Nursery Lands.

At its peak Princeton Nurseries farmed about 1,200 acres in South Brunswick, Plainsboro, West Windsor and Franklin Township. Five hundred acres of the former nursery lands remain undeveloped in South Brunswick and Plainsboro.

In 2005 a 53-acre portion of the land, the Mapleton Preserve in Kingston, was purchased to be preserved as open space by the New Jersey Green Acres program and South Brunswick Township. The former main office for the Princeton Nurseries’ site was restored and is now the D&R Canal State Park headquarters.

Linder said the FPNL formed unofficially in 1997 in response to developer interest in the land and became a nonprofit eight years later. When the nursery shut down in 2010, Linder purchased many of the tractors and old vehicles used at the site, she said.

To her, it’s a special place evoking memories of the past and should be experienced by everyone, she said.

“It’s a place that just has a unique feel driven to a large extent by the nursery,” she said. “We just didn’t want that feeling to disappear.”

The celebration will run from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Mapleton Preserve/D&R Canal State Headquarters at 145 Mapleton Road in Kingston. Contact Jon Offredo at [email protected] or (609) 989-5680.

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