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Frenchtown Sun

A Frenchtown-Focused Civic Newsletter

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April, 2026 Edition

April Flowers on the corner of Bridge street Photographer: Paul Serra

Improvements to S. Washington Street scheduled to commence

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The South Washington Street improvement project is set to begin the first week of April.

The project includes the installation of some concrete curbs, construction of ADA curb ramps, some drainage improvements, hot mix asphalt milling, full-depth pavement repairs, full-width pavement resurfacing, traffic striping, signage and site restoration along Hawk Street (from Trenton Avenue to Front Street), Front Street (from Hawk Street to terminus), South Washington Street (from Trenton Avenue to River Road) and River Road (from South Washington Street to terminus at borough wastewater treatment plant).

There may be intermittent road closures during the project, but the Frenchtown Police Department will work to ensure minimal disruption.

Operation Blue Angel will help residents during medical emergencies

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The Frenchtown Police Department, in partnership with the Age-Friendly Frenchtown Initiative, now offers Operation Blue Angel, a voluntary program designed to assist Frenchtown Borough residents who are at risk of a medical or life-threatening emergency and may be home alone, unable to get to the front door to open it for help.

The program allows first responders to enter a resident’s home without unnecessary delays or potential damage to windows or doors when someone is unable to answer the door.

Participants in Operation Blue Angel are provided with a free, secured lock box that is affixed near the front entrance of their home. A house key is securely stored inside the lock box, and a confidential access code is placed on file with the Police Department.

In the event of an emergency, a police officer will access the code and use the key to accompany medical personnel into the home.

To be eligible for Operation Blue Angel, Frenchtown residents must be at least 55 years years old or have a medical condition that could lead to incapacitation; live alone or are alone for extended periods regularly. They may complete the required application and liability waiver forms and designate an emergency contact person. Visit www.frenchtownpolice.com for the application and waiver or contact the Police Department at 908-996-4820.

Who we are

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The Frenchtown Sun is published monthly by the Borough of Frenchtown to provide its residents with local news and community updates.

The content of The Sun is guided by the editorial team of Ted Brandston, Randi Eckel, Rick Epstein, John Gattuso, Jeanne Herb, Amelia Rodriguez and Maria Whelan. John Dougherty serves as the Borough Council liaison.

You are reading the first edition of The Frenchtown Sun published in April 2026, featuring news from civic and community-based organizations across the borough.

The Sun is delivered monthly free of charge to all Frenchtown Borough residents. An online edition is available at www.frenchtownsun.net.

Borough residents can request home delivery or contact the editorial team at newsletter@frenchtownboro.com or mail The Frenchtown Sun, 29 Second Street, Frenchtown, N.J. 08825.

Letter from the editor

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I moved to Frenchtown in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. What I thought would be the beginnings of a charming life in a colorful small town was instead full of distance and isolation. Despite this bleak beginning, Frenchtown has demonstrated again and again over the last six years that we are a community of generous support, value and friendship.

Whether it’s chatting with neighbors on my front porch, waving to visitors on the path during a midday run or bumping into friends old and new during Riverfest, our little hamlet on the river has become my most treasured place: my home.

During an Age-Friendly Initiative survey conducted last year, we learned that residents want to feel more connected to their community and weren’t always clear where to get important information about what was happening in the borough. I hope that this monthly newsletter helps residents feel a sense of belonging with this special town.

Everyone must start somewhere, and I dream that The Frenchtown Sun will grow over time to be a meaningful contribution to our community. I hope you will join me on this journey to share all that this magnificent borough has to offer.

—Maria Whelan

Meet your mayor

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Brad Myhre

BRAD MYHRE was born and raised in Frenchtown Borough and has served as mayor since 2015.

During his tenure, Myhre has helped lead several important infrastructure improvements and redevelopment initiatives that have strengthened the community and supported the borough’s continued growth. In addition to his work in local government, Myhre is a dedicated fan of the New York Giants and Penn State Nittany Lions football, and enjoys spending time with friends, testing his knowledge during trivia nights at Wild Fern Brewery.

Meet your Borough Council

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Michele Liebtag

MICHELE LIEBTAG is President of the Frenchtown Borough Council and Commissioner, overseeing the police and fire departments. She has been a borough resident since 2003. Michele is also the vice chair of the Hunterdon County Democratic Committee and the political and education director for CWA Local 1036.

Kathleen Bernhardt

KATHLEEN BERNHARDT was elected to the council in 2025. She is the council liaison to the Frenchtown Library and the Department of Public Works. Bernhardt has been a resident of Hunterdon County for more than 30 years, living in Frenchtown since 2018. A former Frenchtown business owner (The Junto Emporium), Bernhardt can now be found most evenings working as hostess at FiNNBAR.

John Dougherty

JOHN DOUGHERTY was elected to the council in 2023. He has been living in Frenchtown since 1993. He has served on the borough’s Planning/Zoning Board for more than a decade. He is a hydrogeologist with extensive experience assessing groundwater contamination at Superfund sites across the United States.

Bill O’Brien

BILL O’BRIEN was elected to the council in 2020. O’Brien has been a Frenchtown resident since 1997. He was a member of the Frenchtown Environmental Commission from 2014 to 2020. He enjoys wandering and exploring the beautiful Delaware Valley with his camera.

Hannah Opdyke

HANNAH OPDYKE was elected to the council in 2022. She serves as the Economic Development Committee chairperson and a member of the Public Safety/OEM Committee. Born and raised in Frenchtown, Opdyke is co-owner of the Sunbeam General Store. She actively donates her time and resources to local causes.

Elaine Warner

ELAINE WARNER was elected to the council in 2021. She serves on the Sanitation & Public Health, Public Safety/OEM, and Budget/Finance/Personnel Committees, in addition to her work on the council. Warner grew up in Lambertville where she raised her family. Warner is a small-business owner in Hunterdon County.

Much-anticipated improvements coming to Harrison Street sidewalks

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After more than a year of coordination with property owners along Harrison Street, all required access agreements have been secured, clearing the way for long-awaited sidewalk improvements. The project will include resetting existing pavers to eliminate tripping hazards and upgrading non-compliant ADA ramps to improve accessibility for all residents.

The Borough of Frenchtown was awarded a 2016 Safe Routes to School grant totaling $472,000 through the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority to support this effort. While these grants typically move from award to construction within five to seven years, this project faced additional delays due to stringent federal requirements, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the time-intensive process of securing access agreements from all adjacent property owners.

The project is expected to go out to bid this spring, with construction scheduled to begin at a time that minimizes disruption to Frenchtown Elementary School. Once complete, these improvements will enhance pedestrian safety and accessibility along a key corridor in the Borough.

Police focus on distracted driving

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The Police Department received various grants throughout the year for traffic enforcement. April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Officers will be conducting distracted driving enforcement details throughout the borough.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) National Prescription Drug Takeback Day is Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This program offers safe, free and anonymous disposal of unused or expired medications. The Frenchtown Police Department is a collection site year-round.

Community Calendar

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 5-7 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2 p.m.

TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 1p.m – 4 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2 p.m.

MONDAY, APRIL 13, 6 p.m.

TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 7 p.m.

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 8 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 8-11 a.m.

SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2 p.m.

TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.

SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 2 p.m.

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 6 p.m.

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 7 p.m.

TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 6:45 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 7 p.m.

County Senior Center offerings

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The Hunterdon County Senior Center, located at 4 Gauntt Place in Flemington, offers a variety of programs, activities and opportunities. Membership to the Senior Center is free for all county residents 60+ years of age. Offerings at the Senior Center include:

Planning/Zoning Board of Adjustment

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The Planning/Zoning Board of Adjustment meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of every month at Borough Hall. All meetings are also streamed live, via Zoom on the borough webpage, and past meetings can be viewed on the borough’s YouTube channel.

Frenchtown School

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In March, therapy dogs visited Frenchtown School students for Read Across America week. Ms. Pickering from the Frenchtown Library came to read to the elementary students. For her visit, students made puppets of their favorite characters from their favorite books and dressed as those characters for the puppet parade.

After spring break, students will take field trips to the Liberty Science Center, the N.J. State Museum, and the eighth-graders will visit Philadelphia for their culminating class trip before graduating. The PTO will sponsor a planetarium assembly program, and one about eel conservation by the Raritan Headwaters Association.

Preschool through fourth-grade students will perform their spring concert on May 7 at 6:30 p.m., and the Spectrum Showcase—the end-of-year chorus and band concert and art show—will be May 28 at 6 p.m. All are welcome!

Frenchtown School Centennial Celebration

On the afternoon of Sept. 26, the Frenchtown School will celebrate its 100th anniversary. The school staff is hard at work planning the celebration. It will be a community birthday party with live music, carnival games, face-painting, food trucks, and possibly a small antique car show.

Frenchtown School The highlight will be the opening ceremony, where attendees will learn about the Doughboy statue that adorns the front lawn, as well as the opening of the cornerstone that was placed when the building was built. There will be tours through the building to showcase a wonderful collection of memorabilia and the building itself.

If you, or someone you know, would like to assist with the planning, help build some carnival games, and/or volunteer to help with various tasks on the day of the event, please call Sandy Miller at 908-996-2751 or email smiller@frenchtownschool.org.

Mark your calendars and spread the word! It will be a Frenchtown celebration for all!

Age-Friendly Frenchtown

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In March 2025, Frenchtown Borough was one of 17 local governments in New Jersey that received a grant from the N.J. Department of Human Services to identify challenges facing older residents throughout the borough.

Over the past eight months, the borough has undertaken an “Age-Friendly” planning process, which will culminate with Borough Council adopting an Age-Friendly Action Plan this June. The Action Plan will summarize challenges and opportunities to promoting Age-Friendliness in the borough and outline priority actions moving forward as part of its Age-Friendly initiative.

A committee of Frenchtown residents has guided the Age-Friendly planning process, this included: inventorying existing services for older residents, conducting a community-wide survey, engaging local leaders, hosting two Mayor’s Age-Friendly Town Halls, researching innovative efforts in other communities, and studying data about the borough’s population.

Additionally, the Frenchtown Borough Council endorsed the borough’s application to join the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities, and, in August 2025, the borough became the 1,006th community across the country enrolled in the AARP initiative.

Updates to the borough’s Age-Friendly initiative will continue to be included in The Sun.

Frenchtown Public Library

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The Frenchtown Public Library is open for business after recent improvements, including air quality remediation and a new wood floor.

The library hours are Mondays and Tuesdays, 3:30- 7 p.m. and Thursdays and Fridays, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Computers, printers and copiers are available for use. The Frenchtown library is part of the Hunterdon County Library system and its Main Library Alliance. We have full access to the system catalog and librarian Kelly Pickering can assist with obtaining a library card, ordering materials, and helping to access digital resources available to all library patrons.

On the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, canine friends visit the library from 6 to 6:45 p.m. Young friends are invited to try their read-aloud skills on golden retrievers Marley and Jake.

Obituaries

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Kyle J. Alleger

KYLE J. ALLEGER 26, died on March 10 in Ewing Township as the result of an automobile accident.

He was the son of Joel R. and Sue Ann D. (Sliker) Alleger of Frenchtown.

Kyle was born June 4, 1999, in Princeton and grew up in Frenchtown.

He graduated from Delaware Valley High School in 2017. Kyle worked in the Logistics/Parts Department of Penske Truck Leasing in Burlington.

His dedication to his work was admired by his peers, and he took pride in being part of a team that emphasized efficiency and support.

Besides his loving parents and brother Colin, Kyle is survived by his maternal grandmother, Diane Campbell of Milford; his paternal grandmother, Agnes Alleger of Flemington; and several aunts and uncles, as well as many cousins who will cherish his memory.

His funeral was held on March 17 at HolcombeďżľFisher Funeral Home in Flemington and interment was in St. Magdalen Cemetery, Flemington.

Contributions in Kyle’s memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Dennis B. Carr

DENNIS B. CARR, 79, of Holland Township passed away on Feb. 17 at St. Luke’s Warren Hospital in Phillipsburg. He was president of the Frenchtown Cemetery Association for more than 20 years.

Born on Jan. 3, 1947, in Frenchtown, Dennis lived in Mount Pleasant before moving to Holland Township 50 years ago. He was a 1965 graduate of Delaware Valley High School.

Dennis was drafted into the Army in 1966 and was stationed in Germany. Afterward, he worked for the U.S. Postal Service for more than 30 years in Morristown, Flemington, Hillsborough, and South River, before retiring in 2001.

Dennis was a member of the Frenchtown American Legion and the Everittstown United Methodist Church, where he taught Sunday school, and served as a trustee. Dennis served his country, his community, and his church faithfully and with quiet dedication. Most of all, he was a dedicated and loving husband, father, and “Pop” or “Poppy” to granddaughter Kylee.

Son of the late William Carr Sr. and Cora (Pursell) Carr, Dennis is survived by his beloved wife of 54 years, Patricia A. (Rounsaville) Carr, his son Eric M. and his wife Nicole, his three brothers Harry, William Jr. and Theodore, his sister Sandra Lutz and her husband William, his granddaughter Kylee, his granddog Baylee, and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

A celebration of Dennis’ life will be announced at a later date. Interment will take place at the Frenchtown Cemetery. Arrangements are under the care of the Johnson-Walton Funeral Home, 24 Church Road, Holland Township. Memorial contributions can be made to Frenchtown Cemetery, PO Box 8, Frenchtown 08825.

Frenchtown churches

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FRENCHTOWN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

A social justice book club, hosted by Frenchtown Presbyterian Church Pastor Emily McCachren and Frenchtown United Methodist Church Pastor Peter Mantell, kicked off in March. The group read selections from Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson. They meet on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 6 p.m. If you have questions, contact Rev. McCachren at rev.emily.mcc@gmail.com.

FRENCHTOWN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Every Tuesday and Friday morning, the Frenchtown United Methodist Church cooking club cooks from 9:30 a.m. until noon. The club prepares about 200 meals for the Open Door Community Pantry.

If you would like to the donate to the pantry, commonly needed items include: shelf-stable milk, tomato products, peanut butter, jelly, cereals, no sugar-added juices, soups, mac and cheese, canned tuna, canned chicken, canned vegetables and canned fruits.

Frenchtown then & now

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THE ODD FELLOWS BUILDING at 17-19 Bridge Street is 47 feet tall, making it Frenchtown’s tallest. Completed in 1897, it was built for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Frenchtown’s most prestigious and affluent lodge. The lodge brothers, who were dedicated to doing good deeds, met on the third story. When the picture (below, left) was taken circa 1930, the lodge was still going strong. In the 2026 photo (below, right), the building is missing its next-door neighbor. Over the years, that brick residence was the home of Bridge Street merchants Hugh Warford (b. 1826-d.1887), Charles N. Reading (1854-1919), and Samuel Frenchtown then & now O. Eddy (1864-1934). It was saved from the Great Frenchtown Fire of 1878 by men with ladders, buckets, and strips of wet carpet. But in 1962 Wilbur Stout of Pennington bought it and let it decay, finally demolishing it in 1972. —Rick Epstein

Then Now