DUI Lawyers in Bernards, NJ

BRIDGEWATER – The Bridgewater-Raritan High School softball team needed an injection of energy Thursday, a day after losing in nine innings at Delaware Valley and now playing Bernards for the second time in three days, looking somewhat flatter than it did during Tuesday’s decisive win.

Freshman pitcher Rachel Eng provided the spark and junior third baseman Briana Cacchio turned up the heat.

Looking very much like a deer in headlights, but showing the poise of a seasoned vet, the rookie right-hander came on to make her varsity debut in the sixth inning with her team down a run, and turned in a perfect frame. Cacchio then finally punched through a pair of runs with a two-out hit in the bottom of the frame and the Panthers claimed their second Skyland Conference Raritan Division victory over Bernards this week, 2-1 at North Bridge Street Field.

After threatening in the first and third, Bernards took the early lead, breaking through with a run in the top of the fourth inning. Krisztina Lekai slammed one off the pitching rubber for an infield hit leading off and went to second on a wild pitch. After a line out and a groundout, with Lakai crossing to third, sophomore Gracie Mongno delivered the run, rolling an RBI single into center field.

But Bridgewater-Raritan, which had been flat all day, especially at the plate, finally got the boost it was looking for.

With sophomore ace Brynn Hawley having pitched 19 innings in three days, including 12 against the same Bernards lineup, the scrappy Mountaineers put the pressure on, getting runners into scoring position in four of the first five innings. The second-year righty did a good job to work her way through most of those jams – helped by some airtight defense behind her – but Panthers coach Sandy Baranowski felt it was time for a different look and she went to the freshman hurler, who suddenly found herself making her first varsity appearance in the sixth inning with her team trailing in a tight game.

But what she lacked in stature, she certainly made up for in guile, retiring the side in order in the sixth and firing up her teammates.

“It was amazing,” Cacchio said. “Just the fact she’s so little and so nervous out there is amazing for her and we kind of fed off that.”

“She’s a good little pitcher,” Baranowski said. “She’s been starting for us on the JV, but this was a big spot. I almost didn’t pull the trigger, but sometimes you just have to trust your gut. With this new rule (seeing conference opponents twice in three days), they just saw Brynn Hawley for 12 innings in a span of two days, so we needed something a little different, and maybe that did provide the spark.”

Whether it was Eng’s effort or the fact Bridgewater-Raritan is too good of an offensive team to stay down for long, the Panthers finally went to work in the bottom of the sixth against Bernards ace Gabby Mongno, who had done a stellar job keeping the potent attack at bay, liming them to just a pair of hits to that point, doubles from Cai Mahovetz and Evelyn Fresco –

Amanda Ciser was hit by a pitch with one out, bringing up Angela Tremarco, who dropped a single into right field. The duo immediately executed a double steal, but the next hitter popped out and it looked like the Panthers would be stymied again.

But Cacchio came up looking for her first hit of the season. She worked the count to 2-2 and then unleashed a bullet toward the third-base bag that proved too hot to handle, getting through into left field and plating both runs.

“My (mindset) was just get the ball through the infield,” said Cacchio, who went 0-for-4 against Bernards opening day before walking three times at Delaware Valley on Wednesday. “There are two outs. It can’t be in the air.”

“She played the game of her life,” Baranowski said of her third baseman, who also turned in several sparkling plays on defense. “She’s up there looking for something she can handle and she’s confident. But she’s frustrated, too, and she took it out on the ball. It was absolutely hammered.”

Eng came back out for the seventh, starting the inning with her second strikeout, before getting a grounder to Cacchio, who made a nice play to gun the runner at first. Leadoff hitter Brooke Helpinstill then hit a smash toward the shortstop hole that Tremarco stopped with a dive, but Helpinstill beat the throw to first. Eng then induced a weak grounder to third to end it.

Eng earned the win, allowing just one hit and striking out two in two innings of relief of Hawley, who surrendered just a run on four hits, walking four and striking out two.

Gabby Mongno was stellar for Bernards, despite taking the hard luck loss, allowing just two late runs on four total hits, walking one and fanning five.

Despite the defeat, the game was a big step in the right direction for Bernards, especially at the plate. The Mountaineers lost seven starters to graduation, including six four-year starters, but coach Leslie O’Conner was pleased with the effort, although there’s still some cleaning up and learning to do.

“Our inexperience showed a little bit,” she said. “We were exposed in the areas we need to work on. We’re learning. We’re learning about being in tight situations and understanding how to handle those situations.

“Our hitting really improved. Our mental approach at the plate improved dramatically, just being aggressive, getting up there and bring scrappy and attacking the zone, and making pitchers throw a lot of pitches, and they did that today.”

BOX SCORE

BERNARDS (0-2) 000-100-0 – 1-5-1

BRIDGEWATER-RARITAN (2-1) 000-002-X – 2-4-0

WP: Eng (1-0) LP: Ga. Mongno (0-2)

2B: BR-Mahovetz, Fresco. SB: Ciser, Tremarco

Staff writer Simeon Pincus has been covering NJ sports since 1997, and has been on the softball beat since 1999. He can be reached atCourierSoftball@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter/X @SimeonPincus

Politics & Government

The $48.5 million budget includes expanding public safety initiatives and maintenance of all the Township's infrastructure and equipment.

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Expanding public safety initiatives and maintaining all of the Township's infrastructure and equipment continues to be the focus in the proposed 2025 budget, which calls for a tax increase.

Bernards Township Chief Financial Officer Sean McCarthy introduced this year's $48.5 million municipal budget at the March 25 Township Committee meeting, which includes a $0.253 municipal services tax rate decrease.

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This year's municipal tax rate went down 6.19 percent from last year's $0.269.

"That decrease this year is attributed to the increase in the overall assessed value we are seeing. This year, being the fourth consecutive year of a significantly reduced tax rate," said McCarthy.

A home assessed in 2025 at $871,769 will pay $88 more per year than last year or $2,202 for the municipal services portion of the tax bill. The 2024 municipal services portion of the tax bill was $2,114 for an average assessed home in the Township.

"We are clearly seeing the effect of the real estate market continuing to accelerate," said McCarthy. "The assessed values are driven strictly by the real estate market,t so as the market in Bernards Township continues to perform, as it has, we will continue to see our assessed values increasing directly correlated to that real estate market."

Overall, the budget is up 3.76 percent from last year's budget of $46,774,536 to $48,534,609 for 2025.

The main pressures driving that increase include:

This budget also mitigates a loss in state aid for 2025 of $175,000 with the municipal relief fund of 2023 and 2024 no longer being funded in the state budget, said McCarthy.

"That capital budget was the primary goal for this budget. We want to make sure that we can continue to fund our five-year capital plan and adequately maintain all the township’s infrastructure and equipment," said McCarthy. "That's been a long-term goal of ours. We’ve been building to an appropriate level of capital funding and we’re just about there this year."

A public hearing will be held on Tuesday, April 29 before the Township Committee adopts the 2025 budget. Click here to view the budget presentation or see the video below (it begins around 2:45:00):

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Brett Hodges and John Tompkins earned the endorsement of the Bernards Township Democratic Committee.

Alexis Tarrazi, Patch Staff

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — The Bernards Township Democratic Committee(BTDC) has endorsed Brett Hodges and John Tompkins, who have strong ties and demonstrated service to the local community, to run for the two seats on the Bernards Township Committee in November.

"I am extremely proud to be able to put forth two candidates who embody our democratic values in dedicating their lives to the service of others. These two men work tirelessly to give to the community around them and I couldn't ask for two more honorable and qualified people to take on the task of running and serving on the Township Committee. They are in this for all the right reasons," BTDC Chair, Jane Conklin said.

Hodges, 60, a retired executive who spent the bulk of his professional career with Prudential Financial, will seek the three-year term.

The 16-year resident and his wife, Claudia, have raised two daughters in town, both of whom attended Bernards Public Schools.

In addition to his involvement with Ridge HS programs ranging from the Forensic team to Marching Band, Hodges currently serves the community as the Lay Leader at Bishop Janes United Methodist Church, where he has acted as Treasurer and co-manager of the Evergreen Cemetery. Brett also serves on the Board of Directors for God’s Co-Op Pantry.

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Hodges believes there is an opportunity to ensure that a variety of views and approaches are heard in Bernards. Living in an environment dominated by one party, both at the national and local levels, he feels he is in a unique position to be a different voice at the table.

Hodges was raised by parents who were a public-school teacher and a minister in New York’s Hudson Valley, in a family that was defined by service and the notion of "giving back."

His upbringing, his faith, his business and life experiences have taught Hodges to "walk your talk" — a principle that is motivating his run for Bernards Township Committee.

"I believe that we can work together," said Hodges. "All persons should experience security and live with confidence that their voices are heard."

Hodges will be joined on the ballot by 26-year resident and former Wall Street broker turned entrepreneur and philanthropist, Tompkins, 61.

Raised in Ithaca, New York, Tompkins is seeking the one-year term. He and his wife Sharon have also raised two children in Bernards Township.

After a successful run on financial desks, John founded JT’s Confections in 2012, donating all profits to charity with the mission of "Helping those who help others."

Today, JT’s Confections supports many local and national organizations including St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Disabled American Vets, Summit Speech School, Homeless Solutions, The Battered Women's Shelter of NJ, and the Transition Program for young adults with special needs at Randolph High School.

In 2014, Tompkins became a Member of the Board of the Summit Speech School and spent the next ten years strengthening the school’s position for continued success. He recently stepped down from his post and will be honored at the school’s 35th Spring Benefit in May (alongside Jenna Bush Hager!) as a Trustee and Philanthropist.

Tompkins has witnessed many changes in town over the last 26 years and wants to ensure that Bernards remains a great place to live and raise a family.

"I am honored that the BTDC has chosen Brett and myself to run for Township Committee," said Tompkins. "I look forward to using my Wall Street and small business smarts as well as my philanthropic experience to help Bernards thrive."

Both he and Hodges will bring a more forward-thinking approach, proactive solutions and transparency to the Township Committee to effectively meet the challenges facing Bernards Townships now and in the future.

For more information on their campaign visit hodgestompkins.com.

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On Thursday, the state Department of Education released the 2025-26 state funding figures, showing how $12.1 billion will support schools.

Alexis Tarrazi, Patch Staff

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Bad news for Bernards Township Schools as the district is expected to get $247,891 less than last year in school aid from New Jersey as part of the latest state budget proposal.

For the fiscal year 2025, Bernards Township schools received $8,015,127; next year, the district is slated to receive $8,263,018. This is a 3 percent decrease.

"It is disappointing, but based on the memo issued by the State earlier this year, the 3% reduction is not unexpected, "said Bernards Township Superintendent Nick Markarian.

Gov. Phil Murphy's 2025-26 proposed budget is a record $58.1 billion that includes $12.1 billion for school funding, part of what he said is his administration's "ongoing and unrelenting commitment to building a New Jersey that is stronger, fairer, and more prepared for the future."

On Thursday, the state Department of Education released the 2025-26 state funding figures, showing how that $12.1 billion will support the state's K-12 schools. There are 392 districts slated to receive increased funding, 175 seeing funding cuts and seven districts whose aid amount is the same as 2024-25. Read More: See Which NJ Schools Will Get More State Aid For 2025-26

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Bernards Township is not the only school district to lose funding in Somerset County. Eight other districts lost funding this coming year out of the 18 districts in the county.

See below for a district-by-district breakdown of state school funding for Somerset County for the fiscal year 2026:

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