CRESCENT GOLF

As summer approaches, so too do days filled with barbeques, swimming pools, and baseball. What better way to enjoy America’s pastime than by grabbing your batting gloves and getting yourself into your local batting cages to prepare for pick-up games or little league championships? Whether you’re interested in softball or baseball,
practice does indeed lead to perfection—and batting cages offer a great opportunity to hone your swing and time the delivery of opposing pitchers. The lessons you can learn from continued simulation will undoubtedly aid you when you step into the batter’s box for the first time.

Crescent Golf Range offers nine automatic, multi-speed pitching machines to help you perform at your absolute best when it counts. Each cage is tailored for a different pace, from little league to major league speeds. The machines also range from high arc slow pitches to fast pitch, so summer softball league participants are always welcome.

Another national obsession, golfing, takes a similar regimen to keep your handicap low. Before you hit the links, avail yourself of Crescent Golf Range’s practice facility. The facility offers over sixty climate controlled booths on two levels, so you can work towards taking your game to the next level be it rain or shine. Take advantage of the
chipping area, sand trap and nine-hole putting green to sharpen your short game. This summer, clinics are offered at affordable prices for new players of all ages.

Crescent Golf Range, 908-688-9767; www.crescentgolfrange.com.

UCC SUMMER CLASSES

In spite of the tendency to treat summer as a break from the normal routine, students are finding that the large menu of courses and schedules offered by Union County College can take some pressure off the regular academic schedules they face in fall and spring semesters.

This summer, Union County College is offering over 350 credit classes in subjects that are transferable to almost any college program. Summer offerings include classes in English, Business, Economics, Fine Arts, History, Sociology, Chemistry, Biology, Psychology, Physical Education, Mathematics, Physics, Government, Computers, Foreign Languages, Criminal Justice, and Accounting.

With variable starting dates that from May through July, and sessions that can be as short as three or as long as 12 weeks, UCC affords students maximum flexibility. Most courses are held Monday through Thursday.

For added convenience, students can select from a large number of distance education courses also being offered this summer. With online or telecourses, students can learn at home at their own pace. These courses are equivalent to traditional courses, except that most of the information is presented over the Internet or on a set of videotapes.

Union County College; 908-709-7518

QUICK CHEK NEW JERSEY FESTIVAL OF BALLOONING

The 24th annual Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in association with PNC Bank will take off July 28-30, 2006 at Solberg Airport in Readington, NJ. The annual event is North America’s largest summertime hot air balloon festival and is the premier family entertainment event in the Garden State, attracting 150,000 people each year. The three-day festival features up to 125 hot air balloons and offers morning-through-night family entertainment, including fireworks, live musical entertainment, children’s amusement rides, and hundreds of arts and crafts booths and food vendors, truly something for everyone.

A special return feature this year is the Quick Chek Original Toasted Italian Sub Eating Contest. Here’s an overview of this year’s Festival highlights:

Up to 125 colorful hot air balloons, both sport and special-shaped, are scheduled to fill the skies. Special-shaped balloons are a staple of the festival. This year’s group includes the 135-foot-tall Quick Chek Eagle; the PNC Bank American Flag; the Little Bees, the only balloons that hold hands and kiss in mid-flight, a pink, 16-story-high Energizer Bunny; and Beagle Maximus, the world’s largest dog, who is making his festival debut. Balloon ascensions are scheduled at the calmest hours of the day: Friday at 6:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday at 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., wind and weather permitting.

• Kachunga & The Alligator and the Purina Incredible Dog Team top the list of family attractions.
• The Festival concert series on the Bud Light Main Stage begins Friday at 8:00 p.m. with New Riders of the Purple Sage. Headlining Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. will be The Charlie Daniels Band, presented by State Farm in association with NJ101.5 FM. Peter Frampton, presented by PNC Bank and Q104.3 FM, takes center stage Sunday at 3 p.m. His performance will be followed by the Festival’s final hot air balloon ascension at 6:30 p.m. Musical performances are held rain or shine.
• The Marriott Hotel Fireworks Extravaganza is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Friday. The New Jersey Office of Travel & Tourism Balloon Glow lights up the Festival grounds Saturday night at 9 p.m.

Festival hours are July 28, from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.; July 29, from 6:00 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and, July 30, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Call 1-800-HOT-AIR-9 or visit www.balloonfestival.com to order tickets.

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