It’s been a busy few weeks with some business travel of late and I’ve been meaning to catch up on a few items, including some recent accolades.

During the annual Rahway Day in May, the Rahway Chamber of Commerce doled out its roster of awards, including Business of the Year — which went to yours truly, RahwayRising.com.

It’s humbling and incredible to even be mentioned in the same sentence as previous Business of the Year honorees like The Waiting Room  and Liberty Harley-Davidson & Buell. Lucky for me, the award wasn’t based on revenues 😛

I started this blog in 2007 (wow?!) as a journalism experiment/hobby of sorts and a simple way to inform neighbors and perhaps engage more citizens in the process of redevelopment. It’s amazing how journalism has changed to the point that one guy in his parents’ basement (kidding!) can produce coverage on his own, with limited resources other than a notebook, laptop and WiFi connection.

The blog is still just a part-time hobby for me. Two years ago, the website was redesigned, shifting to a WordPress platform, to accommodate display advertising. It was a step to try to offset expenses but also as an avenue for Rahway businesses to increase their web presence — ever more important in this day and age. Thanks to all our supporters over the years, it’s always been fun meeting folks who visit the site regularly. And special thanks to advertisers who’ve provided support over the last year (If you’re a local business interested in raising your online profile, check out our advertising rates).

Also in May, the Society of Professional Journalists – New Jersey Chapter announced winners of its annual contest. RahwayRising.com was awarded third place in the Independent Blog category. Our entry was for coverage of the city’s Special Improvement District (SID) expansion.

The Rahway Chamber of Commerce annual awards also included the following honorees:

• Citizen of the Year – Jack Burket
• Business Person of the Year – Amy Garcia Phillips
• Bank of the Year – Rahway Savings Institute
• Student of the Year – J.C. Huertas
• Teacher of the Year – Maria Hennessy, Rahway High School
• Teacher of the Year – Caroline Defreitis, Rahway Middle School
• Teacher of the Year – Vincent Crisafi, Franklin School
• Teacher of the Year – Denise Jacob, Roosevelt School
• Teacher of the Year – Devi Misir, Madison School
• Teacher of the Year – Gavin Walters, Cleveland School
• Special Recognition – Rahway High School Robotics Team