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ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS HERALD
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T E L L T H E M Y O U S A W I T I N T H E H E R A L D
Recently, I received a letter from the Atlantic Highlands
Fire Department inviting me to a fire fighting demonstration
and training. The training was scheduled for Sunday, October
19, 2003 As we pull into the Middletown Fire Academy I notice all the buildings are black with soot and the air is acrid with the smell of smoke. I watch as everyone starts to get their gear on and run checks of their systems to make sure everything is working properly. The camaraderie these men share is evident in their light hearted joking and chastising of one another, but that all stops when Chief Russell Mount and Captain Damien Emerick summon everyone into a circle to discuss the plan for the initial training. The faces that were just a moment ago laughing and joking become serious because it is now time to go to work.
"Sounds like an oven to me," I thought to myself, but who am I to judge.
The pumper group is the first on the scene. They approach the front door to the building methodically working as a team. The door is opened, and they proceed into the building with the water from the hoses as their only defense against the flames. I watch as Bill Mount enters the building with a hose and realize his wife and children are standing beside me. “I guess your used to this” I say. “No”, Bill’s wife Marcie reply’s, “this is my first time watching him”. I can only imagine what this woman is thinking with her children at her side, as Bill disappears into the burning building.
Afterwards, the group assembles into a circle. Chief Russell Mount starts with the first question, “What could we have done better?” he asks. Suggestions come at him from all directions, though they have to make split second decisions the firemen all point out how they could have done the job better. Captain Emerick tells the men that he and Fireman Murphy staged the “Fireman Down” scenario, Emerick asks the group “Why did Murphy have to yell mayday five times to get a response?” One fireman shoots back “We couldn’t understand him, the microphone on his radio was not picking up his voice. We were hearing everything but him”. I interject “Why? Was the microphone wet or damaged?” “No” Chief Mount reply’s “The microphone was on the outside of his mask, which makes it difficult to hear him. They make microphones for the inside of the mask, but we cannot afford to purchase them right now. We currently are trying to raise the money for this equipment through fundraisers”. I think to myself that has to change…
The Atlantic Highlands Fire Department is an all volunteer organization. If your interested in joining the fire department or sending a donation their address and phone number are: ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS FIRE DEPARTMENT, Inc. Phone: (732) 291 -2002
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Peters' campaign files ELEC complaint against DeSevo indicating pattern of “dirty politics” MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Mayor Rosemarie Peters’ campaign filed a complaint last week with the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) against her Democratic opponent, Alex DeSevo, charging him with campaign finance violations.The campaign cited DeSevo with attempting to hide who in fact is paying for his campaign. It charges he failed to report in-kind contributions and expenditures from the Middletown Democratic Party. It also charged he failed to report his receipts, expenses and in-kind contributions, some of which he received from The Courier. The candidate has charged The Courier, owned by the Azzolina family, with being turned into a vicious attack piece against her and for her opponents. Candidates are required to file contributions that exceed $400 with ELEC. The Democratic Party and the DeSevo campaign have placed ads with The Courier for DeSevo since June. The most recent ELEC filing doesn’t show payment for those ads and/or report them as contributions he received. Campaign literature in the form of this tabloid newspaper has been distributed all across Middletown on behalf of the Democrat party and DeSevo campaign. The DeSevo campaign did not report as real or in-kind contributions or expenses for the costs for the purchase, copying or distribution of The Courier as his campaign piece in his 29-day filing which was filed on October 6, 2003. Peter Carton, Chairman of the Middletown Republican Party, stated that these “violations are blatant and disregard the very basic campaign finance laws of the State of New Jersey whose intent is to bar a candidate and party from hiding who is paying for the campaign. ELEC is currently hearing a complaint regarding violations last year. Carton charged that not only did the Democrats attempt to hide contributions and disbursements and failed to use appropriate disclaimers for campaign material last year, but also that the use of multiple accounts to fund the campaign this year and last are intended to conceal who was paying for the campaign. “There is a clear pattern of violations that have occurred by the Democratic party here in Middletown. Last year there were multiple violations. This year we have The Courier, parading as campaign literature, being distributed door to door that no one will admit to paying for and distributing. I ask the voters of Middletown if DeSevo cannot follow the very basic election laws, can he be trusted to serve on its governing body”, said Carton.
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ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ — New Jersey's first ever Halloween Haunted Walking Tour scheduled for this weekend to raise money for the Henry Hudson Regional School Marching Band Trip to play at Disney World in the Spring. Modeled after the famous Haunted House Tours in Gettysburg this new idea represents quite a first for New Jersey, Monmouth County and Atlantic Highlands and promises to be great fun for Adults and Kids alike - many ready for a respite from haunted hayrides, etc that have become so commonplace.
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ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ — Calling all volunteers! The Atlantic Highlands Environmental Commission is in great need of more volunteers to help with the maintenance of Lenape Woods Nature Preserve.On Sunday, November 2nd , from 1 – 4pm, the Environmental Commission will host an autumn trail maintenance and cleanup of Lenape Woods Nature Preserve, eastern section. The entrance is located near the corner of Ocean Blvd. and East Highland Avenue. Volunteers will help install trail signs, spread mulch along the trails, remove litter, and prune back vegetation. These activities will help to beautify and improve the ecological health of Lenape Woods for all species to enjoy. Volunteers are asked to bring their own tools to help, such as rakes, shovels, wheelbarrows, weed cutters, and post hole diggers. In addition, volunteers should bring their own gloves and water. The Commission will supply the fresh air and sunshine. Nestled in the hills of Atlantic Highlands, Lenape Woods Nature Preserve contains over 50 acres of forests and wetlands. Among the two miles of trails that journey beside tall trees of oak and beech, and mountain laurel bushes, the preserve is home to a diversity of wildlife, such as screech owls, red-tailed hawks, box turtles, butterflies, and salamanders. What better way to spend an autumn weekend than to be outdoors to reacquaint yourself with nature. If you would like to make a positive difference in your local community, plan to attend Sunday. Bring you friends and family. You will have a great day in the woods! For more information, please contact Joe Reynolds, Environmental Commission member, at 732-291-1444 or by email at sosap2002@comcast.net
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MIDDLETOWN, NJ — The Township Committee introduced an ordinance Monday to regulate the use of cell phones while driving within Middletown’s borders. “We had planned to waited for the state to introduce a statewide ban on using hand-held cell phones while driving but they seem to have run into too many snags,” said Mayor Rosemarie Peters. “For the safety of pedestrians and the motoring public, it’s time to enact this ordinance and require drivers to pay full-time attention to the operation of their motor vehicle.” The township would be the third municipality in Monmouth County to prohibit talking on a hand-held cell phone while driving if the ordinance is adopted as expected next month. Neighboring Hazlet and Malboro townships have already enacted similar bans. Under the proposed ordinance, motorists will be prohibited from using their cell phones while driving on any street in Middletown unless the phone is equipped with “hands-free” technology for dialing, talking, and listening. Under the proposed ordinance, motorists will still be allowed to use their cell phone while the vehicle is parked and to call for help. The ordinance does not apply to law enforcement, public safety or police officers, emergency management officials, first aid, emergency medical technicians and personnel and fire safety officials who need to use a cellular phone in the course of their duties. “Middletown includes over 1,300 streets and 300 miles of road. Once the ordinance is adopted, signs would be posted in strategic locations throughout the 42-square-mile-township, especially along the township’s borders to alert motorists that they cannot use their hand-held cell phones while driving in Middletown,” Peters said. Police Chief John F Pollinger, who supports passage of the ordinance, said warnings will be issued to motorists, in most cases, for the first few weeks to give motorists a chance to learn about and adjust to new law. Motorists who violate the ordinance could have to pay fine of up to $250.
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ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ — Atlantic Highlands Scenic Five Mile Run will be held on Sunday November 2. Beginning at 10:30 a.m. the race will take runners through the hilly streets of Atlantic Highlands. All proceeds from the race will benefit the Atlantic Highlands Recreation Commission. The race is in its fifth year and over 300 runners and walkers participated in last year’s event. Atlantic Highlands Mayoral Candidate Jack Archibald has officially entered this year’s race. “This is a great event for our community. The race staff has been working hard all year. Mike Fortier and his committee should be proud of their efforts and the kids in our community will be the ultimate beneficiaries,” said Mr. Archibald. “I am excited about participating in this year’s race. This is the one of the most challenging courses at the shore and I hope to better my time from last year.” The race starts in the Atlantic Highlands Harbor, traverses west of First Avenue and continues up into the hill to the Hofbrauhaus. The last mile of the race is downhill and the finish is on First Avenue. Applications are available at borough hall and entries will be accepted on the day of the race. There will be children’s races as well. For more information contact the race director, Mike Fortier at 732-291-7320.
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TINTON FALLS, NJ — Life for Captain Jonathan Holder, a Matawan Marine on special assignment in Afghanistan will be a little more tolerable next week. He’ll soon be seeing his mother, father, and the family dog, CJ, who will be sending a message via Project Video Connect. VIDISolutions, America Online, and Hewlett Packard have joined forces to bring this video messaging service to the Red Cross. The Jersey Coast Chapter is one of only 50 chapters in the country to offer the system, which allows families to send video messages to military personnel overseas.Holder’s mother, Rosemarie, and his father, Tom, will record the video message at the chapter headquarters Monday, October 27 at 6:30 p.m. CJ the family dog will also be peering into the video camera. Family members with loved ones overseas are welcome to call the Red Cross at 732-349-2131 to schedule an appointment to visit the headquarters located at 1540 West Park Avenue, Tinton Falls. The program is easy to use. A message is recorded using a computer equipped with a video camera, than sent out as a regular e-mail over AOL Broadband to be viewed from anywhere in the world. Project Video Connect is just one more way the Red Cross is working to support military families, especially when it comes to communication. The Red Cross already provides 24/7 emergency communications between troops and families through its Armed Forces Emergency Services. Armed Forces Emergency Services are provided free-of-charge to military families and their loved ones overseas. The services, as well as all other services provided by the American Red Cross, are made possible by voluntary donations of time and money. You can help by making a financial gift to the Jersey Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross located at 1540 West Park Avenue, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724-0131 or by calling 732-493-9100 or by making a secure internet contribution at www.jerseycoast-redcross.org.
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Date: November 15, 2003 SANDY HOOK, NJ — Enjoy all the diversity Sandy Hook has to offer! We will explore the Old Dune Trail, a 150-year old maritime holly forest, bay wetlands at Plum Island, Horseshoe and Spermaceti Coves and historic Fort Hancock. We will stand atop the Audubon observation platform scanning the skies for fall migrants and enjoy spectacular views of New York City and Long Island. Bring water and a lunch. For more information or to register contact Rebecca Free, Outreach Coordinator, at 609-735-2200, ext. 17 or by email at rfree@tnc.org. All trips are $5/Adults & $2/children for Conservancy members or $8/Adults & $3/children for non-members. The Nature Conservancy is a leading international, nonprofit organization that preserves plants, animals and natural communities representing the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 14 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 83 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Active in the Garden State since 1955, the Conservancy established the New Jersey Chapter in 1988. Within the state, the Conservancy has protected over 50,000 acres and has completed over 300 conservation transactions with the help of 33,000 individual members, as well as corporate sponsors and foundations. The Nature Conservancy of New Jersey opened a community-based program office in historic Whitesbog Village in July 2000 to safeguard the globally significant Pinelands, designated by the Conservancy as a Last Great Place. Visit us on the Web at www.nature.org/NewJersey.
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BELLE MEAD, NJ — Assemblyman Sean Kean has been endorsed by the two unions representing law enforcement officers throughout Monmouth County. Kean, who is running for reelection to the Assembly in the 11th Legislative District, was given the support of both the New Jersey Police Benevolent Association (PBA) and the New Jersey Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). Combined, the two unions represent more than 47,000 police officers throughout the state. "I am honored to have the support of the brave men and women who put themselves in harm's way in order to keep us safe," said Kean. "I have a very good relationship with the law enforcement community and I am very pleased that they are supporting my candidacy. The New Jersey PBA represents more than 33,000 municipal, county. state and federal law enforcement officials. The New Jersey FOP is the nation's largest law enforcement organization with more than 14,000 members in New Jersey. Kean said that in this post 9/11 world, the role played by law enforcement officials is very difficult and more important than ever. "Our police officers perform an extraordinarily difficult job with both courage and dignity," he said. "Police officers deserve our support and gratitude and I will continue to be an advocate for these brave individuals who work so hard to protect our communities." The 11th Legislative District includes the municipalities of Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Atlantic Highlands, Avon-by-the-Sea, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Brielle, Deal, Eatontown, Highlands, Interlake, Loch Arbor, Long Branch, Monmouth Beach, Neptune, Neptune City, Ocean, Rumson, Sea Bright, Sea Gin, South Belmar. Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights. Wall and West Long Branch.
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LINCROFT, NJ — The Monmouth County Park System invites area residents of all ages to join in celebrating the holiday season at its annual "Holiday Happening" on Sunday, December 7 from 12noon to 5pm. This special event will take place at Thompson Park, Newman Springs Rd., Lincroft. The public is invited to enjoy visits with Santa, wagon rides, toy hunts, kids races, a holiday sing-along, and family entertainment. Other activities include make & take crafts and an arts & crafts show. Admission and parking are free. For more information or directions to the park, call (732) 842-4000. For persons with hearing impairment, the TDD machine number is (732) 219-9484.
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“TRIAD University” Hosted at Monmouth County Police
Academy The New Jersey Triad Officers Association is a three-way partnership between the Sheriff’s Office, the Office on Aging, and the Chiefs of Police Association. The goal of Triad is to improve the quality of life for older residents and reduce the danger of criminal victimization. In addition to personal safety and crime prevention, Triad focuses on scams and predatory financial practices that target seniors. “Triad University brings together the region’s preeminent thinkers and leaders, to discuss senior safety, cooperation with law enforcement, and the ways we can work together to improve the quality of life for our older residents,” Monmouth County Sheriff Joseph W. Oxley said. “My Grandmother, who lives in the Grumman Towers of Long Branch, often reminds me of the important role and invaluable resource our seniors provide through their wealth of life experiences.” Through a combination of lecture and workshop sessions, Triad University features nationally recognized speakers as well as New Jersey law enforcement and senior association professionals. Michael Greene, Deputy Police Chief of Northbrook Police Department of Northbrook, Illinois and Judy Hallman, Senior Victim Witness Assistance Unit of Frederick Police Department in Frederick, Maryland both provided presentations. Terri Hicks, program coordinator of National Association of Triad also spoke. The free program was conducted from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and a buffet lunch was provided. Among the topics covered at Triad University, presenters discussed: the activities of Triad at the national level, starting a local Triad chapter, working with your local office on aging, and the role Sheriff’s can play in improving senior safety. Other workshops included how to start a senior victim assistance unit, training and implementing an elder service officer program, preventing electronic fraud against the elderly, as well as afternoon sessions that included Emergency ID for seniors, consumer crimes against the elderly, and Project Lifesaver. Project Lifesaver is a program that supplies bracelets with radio-tracking devices that enable law enforcement officials to track Alzheimer’s patients wearing them in the event that they got lost. The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office maintains an active role in the safety of the county’s senior population. Since March of 1998, over 39,700 Monmouth County seniors participated in senior safety programs and presentations provided through the sheriff’s office. More than 15,000 seniors have received free, wallet-size, “IDENT-ADULT” photo-identification cards providing emergency contact and medical history information. “IDENT-ADULT” ID cards can help emergency responders save a life in the event the card bearer is incapacitated. “I am very proud of the great senior safety programs we’ve created and the success achieved by our IDENT-ADULT photo ID cards,” Sheriff Oxley said. “Triad University is an important addition to the comprehensive senior safety initiatives in place at the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office.” For more information, contact Monmouth County Sheriff Joseph W. Oxley at (732) 294-5901 or log onto http://www.sheriffoxley.com. ../news/2003/1023/mcso_triad_univ.htm PRINT THIS ARTICLE
RED BANK, NJ — Join the Monmouth County Audubon Society for a morning of exploration at Island Beach State Park on Saturday, November 22. The walk will begin at 9:00 a.m. The public is welcome; admission is free. Shaped by storm and tides, Island Beach State Park is a narrow barrier island stretching for 10 miles between the restless Atlantic Ocean and the quieter Barnegat Bay. Island Beach is one of New Jersey’s last significant remnants of a barrier island ecosystem that once existed along much of the coast and is also one of the few remaining undeveloped barrier beaches on the north Atlantic coast. Over 3,000 acres and 10 miles of coastal dunes remain almost untouched since Henry Hudson first described New Jersey’s coast from the ship, the Half Moon, in 1609. Miles of sand dunes and white sandy beaches offer habitat to maritime plants and diverse wildlife that is almost the same as it was thousands of years ago. Island Beach contains outstanding examples of sand dunes, thicket community, freshwater wetlands, maritime forest and tidal marshes. The state's largest Osprey colony, as well as Peregrine Falcons, wading birds, shorebirds, waterfowl and migrating songbirds, are found here. Island Beach is nationally known as a unique resource with over 300 plants identified, and the largest expanses of beach heather in New Jersey. Linda Mack, past president for the Monmouth County Audubon Society and leader of the trip, comments, “Island Beach State Park can be one of the best places in New Jersey to observe fall migration. Sometimes sea birds fly close to shore, providing great looks birds such as Northern Gannet, Red-throated and Common Loons, all three species of scoters and occasionally jaegers.” Anyone interested in participating in the event should meet at 9:00 am in the parking lot just outside the entrance to the park. The trip is open to both members and non-members of the Monmouth County Audubon Society, and admission is free. While there is no charge for the field trip, the State of New Jersey charges a $4 per car admission fee to the park. Advance registration is recommended, so participants can be notified in the event of changes or cancellations. To register, contact Debbie Grob, field trip committee, at (732) 751-9131 at least 24 hours in advance. Participants should dress appropriately for the weather, which can be blustery and unpredictable along the coast; wear comfortable shoes and bring binoculars and field guides. ../news/2003/1023/mcas_island_beach.htm PRINT THIS ARTICLE
TRENTON, NJ — More than 100 New Jersey residents attended a public hearing Monday to express their opinions on the State's transportation needs and funding sources in Newark, as Governor McGreevey's Blue Ribbon Commission held its second of three public hearings designed to collect public comments.People gathered at the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority offices in Newark Monday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. BRC members Barbara Lawrence and NJDOT Commissioner Jack Lettiere addressed the gathering. "We recognize the importance of transportation in New Jersey and how it effects our resident's quality of life," said Barbara Lawrence, Executive Director of New Jersey Future. "We need to focus on public transportation as well as strengthening our state economy. People and goods need to move efficiently throughout the state." On January 7, 2003, the Governor issued Executive Order 43 establishing the Blue Ribbon Transportation Commission to examine and make recommendations on the pressing transportation issues facing New Jersey over the next ten years. The Commission is charged with providing a final report of recommendations to the Governor by the end of the year and the report will be made available to the public at that time. "As the McGreevey Administration works to improve the quality of life for New Jersey's residents, transportation remains a critical issue," said Transportation Commissioner Jack Lettiere. "We must rebuild our Interstate highway system, repair our aging bridges and plan for the future, and our childrens' futures. We are grateful for the public's help in getting this very important work done." The Commission is accepting public comments and as part of this process, the next meeting will be held as follows: October 22, 2003 6:00pm-8:00pm Rutgers, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy, Civic Square, 33 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. These meetings provide an opportunity for the public
to submit verbal and/or written comments to the
Commission. Members of the public are asked to limit
their verbal comments to five minutes; in addition,
written comments are also accepted. People who are
unable to attend, but wish to submit written comments,
can email them to
BRTC@dot.state.nj.us, or mail them to:
../news/2003/1023/transportation_panel.htm
WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ — Monmouth University recently announced that more than 80 students from different organizations on campus will be working with the Long Branch Police Department to patrol the streets of Long Branch on Mischief Night.Alpha Chi Rho fraternity is organizing the annual neighborhood watch, which is in its second consecutive year. Joseph Sodano and Christian Gropper (who are Monmouth University students and a members of Alpha Chi Rho) are coordinating the project in cooperation with Lieutenant Gilbert Horrach of the Long Branch Police Department. Ed Silvey, president of Alpha Chi Rho, states: “This is a great event for Monmouth University students to give back to the community. We look forward to working with the Long Branch Police Department and our neighbors in creating a safe Halloween for children and families in the area.” Students involved in the neighborhood watch will patrol the streets of Long Branch in pairs, equipped with a two-way radio that will be set to a different frequency than the police use. The students will be instructed to radio headquarters whenever they spot vandals or potential trouble. The students and members of the Long Branch Police Department will be having a strategy session at Monmouth University on October 23 at 9:30 p.m. in Young Auditorium located in Bey Hall. For more information, contact the Long Branch Police Department at 732-222-1000. ../news/2003/1023/mu_mischief_night.htm PRINT THIS ARTICLE
LINCROFT, NJ — Aspiring actors are invited to audition for the Brookdale Performing Arts Center (PAC) production of Student One-Acts Festival. Audition dates are October 27th and 28th, 6:00 P.M. for Brookdale students and community. The PAC Experimental Theater will host the auditions. Parking is most convenient in lots 1 and 2. Performers will be asked to read from the script. An estimated 15 males and 15 females will be cast in the production. The show will consist of 11 short plays, ten to 15 minutes in length, directed by students in the Stage Directing class. Production dates are December 15th and 16th. Interested individuals may call Susan Carle at the PAC Box Office at 732-224-2411 for additional information. ../news/2003/1023/bcc_auditions.htm PRINT THIS ARTICLE
“Facing Fear” Course Funded by Monmouth County United Way TINTON FALLS, NJ — “What does war mean?” “Am I safe?” “How can I help?” These are just a few of the questions raised in the minds of adults and young people alike during this time of heightened tension. In schools around the nation, teachers are turning to the American Red Cross to help their students cope with their fears about war, the threat of terrorism and the uncertain times we live in. The Red Cross Facing Fear: Helping Young People Deal with Terrorism and Tragic Events curriculum contains preparedness information addressing tragic events, natural disasters and other human-caused tragedies, including war and terrorism. The ready-to-go lessons are available for K through grade level 12 and meet national education standards in health, social studies and language arts. In the weeks following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Red Cross brought together experts and educators from coast to coast to develop Facing Fear. This curriculum is available online for schools nationwide at www.redcross.org for no charge. Already, 40,000 copies of the curriculum have been placed in schools throughout the country, and over 13,000 copies have been downloaded at no cost. The course was designed as a supplement to the Masters of Disaster curriculum. “As much as we would like to protect our children, we cannot isolate them from tragedies,” said Bill Murray, CEO of the Jersey Coast Chapter. “Today’s unique circumstances place tremendous stress on children, and they often turn to their teachers for support. Now more than ever before youth are relying on the adults in their lives for reassurance and guidance, and we can help them to learn about facing and moving beyond their fears.” “The United Way of Monmouth County is providing a grant of $12,000 to fund the school supplies, said Murray. “Their Board of Directors saw the Facing Fear curriculum, which is being funded through their Venture Grants program, as a valuable service to the students of Monmouth County.” For more information on Facing Fear: Helping Young People Deal with Terrorism and Tragic Events, contact the Jersey Coast Chapter at 732-493-9100. Governed by volunteers and supported by community donations, the American Red Cross is a nationwide network of nearly 1,000 chapters and Blood Services regions dedicated to saving lives and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. With 1.2 million volunteers and 30,000 employees, the Red Cross annually mobilizes relief to families affected by over 67,000 disasters, trains almost 12 million people in lifesaving skills and exchanges more than a million emergency messages for U.S. military service personnel and their families. The Red Cross is the largest supplier of blood and blood products to more than 3,000 hospitals across the nation and also provides relief and assistance to those suffering from conflict, disasters and other international crises worldwide.
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BELLE MEAD, NJ – They marched against the war build up and the invasion of Iraq. Now they are marching against the occupation and saying to “Bring the troops home now!” On Saturday, October 25, there will be simultaneous demonstrations in San Francisco and in Washington DC and Somerset County residents are preparing their footwear to join the one in Washington DC. The demands of the march are to “Bring the Troops Home Now” and to “End the Occupation of Iraq.” The bus from Somerset County is being organized by a group called the Committee to End the Occupation of Iraq, http://EndOccIraq.org made up of opponents of the occupation of Iraq mostly from New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania but including members from other states and other countries as well. One of the founding members of the committee, which was formed this past June, is Bob Witanek. Previously as a coordinator for SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE US WAR ON IRAQ!, Bob Witanek had organized numerous demonstrations around Somerset County as well as transportation to several previous national marches in Washington DC. He believes that opposing the occupation is the natural progression from his previous opposition to the war on Iraq. According to Bob Witanek, “We demanded that the US lift the sanctions, stop the bombing and withdraw its troops that were threatening war with Iraq. We said no to invasion. We stated clearly that we did not believe that there were weapons of mass destruction of Iraq and we refuted assertions and innuendo that falsely suggested an Iraqi tie to 9-11 terrorism. We have been proven to be right – no WMD’s have been found and Bush just admitted that there was no Iraq connection to 9-11. The war was sold to us based on a pack of lies and now there are hundreds of dead GIs.” He continues, “Now the US is bogged down in a counter insurgency war trying to impose its will on the Iraqi people who have a proud tradition of resisting foreign occupation. US troops are dying almost every day and Iraqis are perishing in much greater numbers – either being killed by the foreign troops or perishing from the impact of the occupation. It is time to reunite GIs with their families by getting them out of Iraq today – before another one dies – and to let the Iraqi people enjoy true sovereignty where they can build a new nation without the boot of foreign military occupiers on their necks.” The bus from Hillsborough in Somerset County will leave from the commuter lot on Amwell Road across from the Post Office at 7 am and return around 9pm. Bus fare is $35 although Bob Witanek states that discounts are available and promises that if there are seats left on the bus, nobody will be turned away for inability to pay full fare. Those interested in joining the march from Somerset County should contact the Committee to End the Occupation at 908-881-5275 or by e-mail, to bwitanek@igc.org . More information is available at http://EndOccIraq.org . In addition to organizing a bus to the march in DC, the Committee to End the Occupation has organized over a dozen slide show presentations and discussions in the last month about the US occupation and is petitioning congress to vote no to the request for $87 billion more for the occupation costs, Buses leaving from other locations around the state are listed here: http://nowarnj.org/2003_Oct25_DC.htm ../news/2003/1023/iraq_occupation_protest.htm PRINT THIS ARTICLE
Project alleviates congestion, improves traffic flow SAYREVILLE, NJ – State Transportation Commissioner Jack Lettiere, joined by other state and local officials, Tuesday opened the northbound span of the $48 million Route 9 Edison Bridge project in Sayreville - shaving nearly 15 minutes off northbound rush-hour trips. The opening of the northbound span to traffic marked the long-awaited conversion of the old Route 9 Edison Bridge from a one-span, 4-lane structure with no shoulders to a two-span bridge with a total of six lanes with shoulders. "Today we mark another milestone in Governor McGreevey's commitment to reducing congestion and improving the quality of life for New Jersey residents," said Lettiere. "Area commuters can now spend 15 minutes more each day with their families rather than stuck in bottleneck at the foot of the Edison Bridge." The original Edison Bridge span opened to traffic in November 1940 and now carries more than 82,000 vehicles daily. With Route 9 corridor traffic counts increasing over the years, the old bridge became a "hot spot" for traffic congestion and bottlenecks. The federally funded project, which broke ground 2001, constructed a new span adjacent to the existing bridge, which was rehabilitated. "The completion of this project shows how the federal funds our delegation fights for in Congress can make the lives of real, working New Jerseyans better," said U.S. Senator Jon Corzine. "This project will help New Jersey commuters spend less time in transit and more at their destinations." "I'm happy to have played a role in funding this most important project," said U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg. "I will continue to fight in Washington for the funds to rehabilitate our bridges where possible, and build entirely new structures where necessary. When it comes to our bridges and the millions of lives that travel over them, safety is of the utmost importance. I am committed to doing all I can to see that we get the resources to continue that." In an effort to repair the state's aging transportation infrastructure and ease congestion in the region, the McGreevey Administration has invested nearly $250 million on three river crossings in the region * the Edison Bridge, the Victory Bridge and the Driscoll Bridge. Last year, Governor McGreevey announced an unprecedented inter-agency agreement between the NJ Turnpike Authority and the NJ Highway Authority to fund and construct a new southbound Driscoll Bridge adjacent to the existing bridge, which will be reconstructed for northbound traffic. The Route 35 Victory Bridge project, which started in December 2002, will construct a new bridge to replace the existing bridge connecting Perth Amboy and Sayreville. "The Raritan River crossings are critical points for our region's commuters and business industry," said Assembly Transportation Committee Chairman John Wisniewski. "Although the Edison Bridge project was primarily funded with federal money, it was our state's Transportation Trust Fund that provided the important final dollars necessary to bring the improvements to fruition. I look forward to the reauthorization of the Transportation Trust Fund so that the final dollars for this important project are not the final dollars from the Transportation Trust Fund." "I'm glad that the opening will start to alleviate some of the congestion in the area," said Assemblywoman Arline Friscia.
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LINCROFT , NJ — While others invent tales of horror, parapsychologist and writer Peter Jordan will share his 15 years of paranormal investigation with a Brookdale audience Thursday October 30. The free pre-Halloween treat will be held at 12:00 noon in the Navesink III room of the Donald D. Warner Student Life Center. Light refreshments will be served.Jordan's extensive private film collection is the culmination of more than 30 years of psychic research. All are invited to view his taped documentaries of chilling real-life encounters with poltergeists, haunted houses, UFO's, ESP, reincarnation, out-of-body and near-death experiences. Jordan's camera lens captures a twilight world inhabited by strange creatures, religious miracles, demonic possession, spirits, spontaneous human combustion and the hidden powers of the mind. The Associated Students of Brookdale Community College invites you to determine for yourself if seeing is believing. Parking is most convenient in lots #6, 7, and 1. For information, call 732-224-2500.
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SANDY HOOK, NJ — Two days of volunteering and historic programming will be held at the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area the weekend of October 25th and 26th.Saturday, October 25 is Make a Difference Day, a national day of environmental awareness and volunteering for the betterment of public lands. Working with Clean Ocean Action, a Sandy Hook based environmental organization and The National Parks America Tour, volunteers will participate in beach cleanups, planting dune grass and rehabilitating historic gun batteries. The day’s activities will begin at Beach Area E at 9 a.m., and will conclude with a rally at noon. Volunteers will also be assisting with the rehabilitation of the Proof Battery in historic Fort Hancock. Employees from Home Depot will join others in this restoration project, which has been funded by a grant from The Home Depot. Unilever and the National Park Foundation will also be recognized for their donation of recycled plastic lumber for the repair of the boardwalks at Beach Areas D and E. Their donation is part of the 2003 Recycling at Work Grant Program. The Sandy Hook Maintenance Division installed the boardwalks. Members of the Army Ground Forces Association will be continuing their on-going restoration of Battery Gunnison, also known as Battery New Peck.. The battery will also be open for tours. On Sunday, October 26, Fort Hancock Day will commemorate the establishment of the U.S. Army facility on Sandy Hook in 1895. The day’s activities will begin at the Fort Hancock Museum at noon and continue until 4 p.m. Tours of historic gun batteries, demonstrations and displays about the lifestyle of U.S. Army soldiers from 1899 through WWII, and a collection of late 19th and early 20th century uniforms and memorabilia will be offered. Members of the Army Ground Forces Association will be conducting tours of Battery Gunnison where they will discuss the vital roll the U.S. Army’s Coast Artillery played in defending major U.S. harbors and coastlines during World War II. A program with the day's activities will be available at the Fort Hancock Museum. Other sites that are open on this weekend include History House, a restored home along Officer's Row, which will be open from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. Battery Potter tours will be given from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Fort Hancock was established on October 30, 1895. The Sandy Hook Lighthouse will be open for tours from noon until 4:30 p.m. Lighthouse tours are limited and are given on a first-come, first-served basis; children must be 48 inches tall to climb the tower. Also open on this day from noon to 4 p.m. will be the Nike Radar Site, located adjacent to the Horseshoe Cove parking lot. For more information or a calendar of events, call (732) 872 5970 or stop at the Visitor Center. Sandy Hook is located fourteen miles east of Exit 117 on the Garden State Parkway, via Route 36. ../news/2003/1023/sandy_hook_programs.htm PRINT THIS ARTICLE
MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Thanks to the heroic actions of the Port Monmouth Fire Company, the Middletown Fire Department has received a Unit Citation as part of the Monmouth County Medal Day and the 2003 Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service. “We are very proud that the Middletown Fire Department was recognized by the Monmouth County Fire Marshall, said Mayor Rosemarie D. Peters. “This award reaffirms the fact that Middletown’s firefighters are a highly-trained and dedication group of men and women who do an excellent job protecting lives and property in our community.” The award recognized exemplary firefighting and rescue skills displayed by the Port Monmouth Fire Company during an August 27,2000 structure fire. In addition to extinguishing the fire, which occurred at Trevett Plumbing on Route 36, a Middletown resident was rescued from the fire, explained Fire Chief William Gilmartin, who joined the Township Committee tonight in congratulating firefighters on receipt of the noteworthy award. Port Monmouth Fire Company is one of 11 all-volunteer fire companies that comprise the 75-year-old Middletown Fire Department. Firefighters are trained at the Middletown Fire Academy, which was founded in 1974. Initial and continuing training is provided to 400 Middletown Firefighters and about 350 firefighters from 55 other municipalities annually. Training is free to Middletown volunteers. Outside agencies pay a fee to receive the training costs associated with operating the facility. This is the first time in more than five years the Middletown Township Fire Department has received a unit citation from Monmouth County, which includes 53 municipalities, noted Fire Chief William Gilmartin. ../news/2003/1023/mt_port_monmouth_fire_co.htm PRINT THIS ARTICLE
MIDDLETOWN, NJ — The Township Committee awarded two Middletown Life saving awards and one Good Samaritan award to three Middletown youths Monday night for exemplary actions that required great bravery and honesty. “We are very proud of each of these young men. In three unrelated incidents, each one demonstrated great bravery, maturity and strength of character, said Mayor Rosemarie D. Peters. “They are a fine example of the caliber of youth we have in Middletown Township.” Michael Cooke, a Middletown Police Explorer, received a Middletown Life Saving Award for providing levelheaded assistance to a woman who was in great distress after a vehicle mishap. Michael found his neighbor, who was nine months pregnant at the time, in the woods wedged between her truck and a tree. Despite her urgent requests to have Michael move the truck, he called 911 so that experienced emergency professionals could tend to the woman. As a result of his brave actions, the woman is fine and recently gave birth to a healthy baby girl. It was learned later that if Michael, who is a teenager had moved the vehicle, which was on unstable ground, it was probable the truck have caused further injury to the woman and would have crushed her against the tree. Justin Valletta, who is just three years old, also received a life saving award tonight for his bravery and intelligence when he ran to his neighbor’s and asked them to call 911 for help immediately following his father’s accident on September 24th . Thanks to his quick thinking, his father, Anthony, escaped serious injury after the car he was working under on fell off a jack and pinned him beneath the vehicle. Emergency personnel extricated Valetta from under the vehicle. Richard Black, who is 12 years old, received Middletown’s Good Samaritan Award for his commendable and successful efforts to return a lost purse and its contents to its rightful owner. Richard, who found the purse at Foodtown in Port Monmouth, on September 30th, contacted the woman directly and returned her purse, which included various papers, personal items and $200 in cash, which was a week’s pay. “I am honored to have had this opportunity to meeting each of these outstanding young men,” said Mayor Rosemarie D. Peters. They are a credit to their generation, their family and their community.” ../news/2003/1023/mt_youths_honored.htm PRINT THIS ARTICLE
RUMSON, NJ — Rumson resident, Peter G. Engle, PE has been elected President of the Garden State Chapter of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI). Mr. Engle is a licensed Engineer and President of Almost Home, a Rumson based engineering and building inspection company and he is one of the first licensed home inspectors in the state of New Jersey. He is active in the local community in preservation of historic buildings and is currently acting as project manager for Fair Haven’s Bicentennial Hall restoration. For more information about Peter G. Engle, PE or Almost Home, please visit www.almosthome.com.For information about the American Society of Home Inspectors, go to www.ASHI.org or www.GardenStateASHI.com ../news/2003/1023/president_ashi.htm PRINT THIS ARTICLE
By Carol MacAllister Today's superstitions stem from our past history when man believed the entire earth was alive with energies and that he was just one facet in the scheme of things. Technology and education advanced society. Today, beliefs that once played a "real" role in our ancestors' lives have moved forward with us. Many have crossed over into a new category called superstition. Our ancestors based their beliefs on observations and trial and error: some have proven correct. Plants that once supported herbal healing of tribal shaman have been modernized by drug companies: fox glove, chamomile, rose hips are now digitalis, sedatives, vitamin supplements.
Dracula was a real person considered crazed, but revered because he was instrumental in slaying thousands in defense of his country. True vampires are not destroyed by daylight. They are present day or night. Just holding up a cross to ward off vampires will not work if your belief system is not strong. You must have the strength of your convictions or the vampire can push the cross from your trembling hands. Vampires, the embodiment of evil, can be the source of wide spread disease, famine and death. Victims bitten by vampires might be better off eating their cloves of garlic because of garlic's beneficial effects in cleansing the blood and strengthening the heart. Vampires can pull stakes out of their hearts and rise up. They must be tied and bound inside their earthen graves. A vampire can enter your home whenever he cares to come in. He doesn't have to wait for your invitation. Gargoyles placed on your eaves might help ward off vampires. Sorry, there is no hotline to call for vampire slayers this Halloween. But if you are feeling particularly shaky this Halloween about the roaming undead, there is a new book out with all kinds of useful information: A Field Guide for Vampire Slayers.
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CELEBRATING THE GOODNESS OF GOD When I came to Central Baptist Church, I saw a bottle that contained some paper ashes. Being new in a church gives you an opportunity to ask all sorts of questions for which few people have the answers. I wanted to find out what sort of ashes were in that bottle, since Baptist churches are not known for keeping them. One gentleman informed me that those paper ashes are the celebration from the first burnt mortgage that the congregation had on this building. They are a remnant of a previous celebration. (I looked recently to find them, but someone must have placed them in the archives because I could not find them. I hope it was not my question that prompted their disappearing!). When I do premarital counseling I ask the couple to tell me one of their accomplishments which they hope to achieve. Most of the couples can tell me a number of accomplishments that want to achieve in 10, 20, or 30 years. My follow up question is: When you achieve your greatest accomplishment, who is going to be there at the pinnacle to share your happiness? This seems to be a more difficult question and people have to think extensively before they give an answer. Celebration is about achieving and sharing. In fact, most of the accomplishments that we have are because all along there have been people who have traveled with us and shared the burden of what we have desired to accomplish. There have been two verses that have guided me as a church leader. One has to do with our understanding of temptations. If one sees a temptation or trial as a trap, as a derailment, one becomes bitter in life. If one sees a temptation as an opportunity permitted by God in order for us to become better, then one can press forth knowing that every temptation makes us better. “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” 1 Cor. 10:13. The commonality of the temptation, the faithfulness of God, the provisions that God will make for us are so that we will be found not crawling, complaining or cursing God, but standing tall in the power of God. The second verse is from Hebrews 12:3. After the author talks about Jesus as our example of standing up under the pressure of the cross, he tells us: “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Every church has hundreds of ideas that in the discussion stage have looked wonderful. These ideas became plans and then their implementation started. Yet in the arduous process of implementation, people have grown weary and they have lost heart. It is the same author who later in the epistle wrote: We are not of those who shrink back.” Heb. 10:39. A celebration is an occasion to rejoice over the goodness of God, since we know that every good and perfect gift comes from God. At the same time, it is a time to look at those things that we have accomplished – those ideas that became plans and those plans that we completed for the glory of God and the enjoyment and blessing of His people. Thus, this Sunday, we come to celebrate the 110th Anniversary of Central Baptist Church. We are celebrating with members who have provided stability for 75 years and 50 years and 25 years and 10 years. They came and stayed, and what we are here is due in great part to them. We are celebrating with members who have been here for 5, 3, 2 years. They brought vitality, energy and asked all those questions that new people ask. We are celebrating with our community friends who have spoken an encouraging word, a word of wisdom, and who cheered us along as we traveled the Christian path. Paraphrasing the Psalmist who wrote: Come let us go to the house of the Lord, we invite you to come and celebrate with us 110 years of preaching the same gospel from the same corner.
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----PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT---- ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS' CONTINUED PATH TO PROSPERITY The next few years can be the most exciting in our town’s history. The Republican administrations of Bob Schoeffling and Mike Harmon have set the table to change the face of our borough and I want to make sure that Atlantic Highlands continues this path to prosperity. We have set an ambitious agenda that will require energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to complete. Our goals include the completion of the cleanup of Many Mind Creek, the transformation of our downtown, and the redevelopment of our waterfront. When these physical improvements are finished, Atlantic Highlands will maintain its status as Monmouth County’s most desirable destination. At the same time, we need to make sure that our taxpayers are protected and receive fair value for their hard earned dollars. You can be sure that my administration will continue to seek more federal and state grants to offset taxes and that our expenditures continue to be responsible. We will continue to upgrade our infrastructure, paving roads and fixing drains that are nearly one century old. We will do these things recognizing the fragile nature of our environment, while making sure that that every part of town is taken into consideration when it comes to public works. Through the use of the Internet and other technologies, we will make sure that our residents are better informed about their town. One of my beliefs is that government doesn’t have all the ideas, and that we can always do better. We will always try new recreation programs for the enjoyment of all our citizens and we can never stop promoting Atlantic Highlands as a great place to live, shop, and invest. Most importantly, our residents will be treated fairly and with the respect that they deserve. All the campaign promises don’t mean much if our citizens don’t think they can communicate with their town leaders. The residents may not like the answer every time, but they always deserve an answer. A vote for Marty, Debbie and I is a vote for continued good government, a vote for experience, and a vote for clear and proven leadership. Paid for by the AHGOP Campaign Committee
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WITCHY WOMEN A Girls’ Weekend Away in Salem, MA A couple of weeks ago I, along with eight other girls, went up to Salem, Massachusetts for the weekend. That’s nine girls, two cars, two rooms, five beds, fourteen suitcases, eight hairdryers, five curling irons, two straightening irons, twelve makeup cases, twenty-seven pairs of shoes, six leather jackets, two boxes of Tampax, three bottles of Midol, two gallons of wine, two coolers, nine cell phones, and one guitar. Now, there are some women out there who, upon being offered the opportunity to leave town with a gaggle of women, would want their own room. I’d gamble that there are some men out there who would think that we were certifiable. But then there are others like us who feel that the trip is more than having the bed to yourself, the bathroom to yourself, the TV to yourself and all the peace and quiet you could ever desire. The trip is more than getting up when you want to, going to sleep when you want to, eating when you were hungry, and getting to see everything you had your heart set on seeing. The trip is about the place. But the place is a whole lot more fun when you can share it. Regardless of the destination, someone in the group has to start the ball rolling. In this case, that person was me. I had seen a show last year about Salem during the Halloween season and vowed that I would get up there someday. I asked my husband to reserve a room, before I had even asked anyone else to go. A few days later, after the word got out that there was a Girls’ Road Trip in the works; we had to reserve two rooms. Someone also has to find out where the major attractions are, what the weather is like, what time the pool opens, and what time the bars close. And in our case, someone also has to decide who’s going to get up first, who’s going to take their shower first, who’s going to go downstairs and get everyone coffee, and who’s going to call the transportation van. Someone also has to get directions to the place. I don’t know how people found their way anywhere before MapQuest was invented. We only had to ask someone for directions once. It did, however, take us 8 hours to get to Peabody (where our hotel was located) instead of MapQuest’s “estimated” 4 ½ hours. But we hit some traffic. (Note to self: MapQuest is not to be completely trusted.) Once everyone is up in the room, there are some more decisions to be made. You have to decide which bed you want, what side of the bed you want, and who you’re going to sleep with. I don’t know how girls decide who their bedmate is going to be so quickly, but they do. Relatives usually pair up first (sisters, cousins, or mother/daughter teams). It seems that friends who have been girlfriends the longest pair up next. Odd person out gets the couch. No sooner are the bed assignments made, that the topic of snoring comes up. Men don’t seem to care if anyone knows if they snore or not. But women take it as a personal insult to their femininity if someone tells them that they snore. In fact, a woman will proclaim that she doesn’t snore, before she even has her nightgown out of her suitcase. And anyone who even suggests the next morning that they heard her snoring will be bombarded with defenses such as, “No I don’t!” or “It must have been the air conditioner!” or “My husband/boyfriend/significant has never told me that I snore!” (Why would they?) In my experience, it seems that, the woman who is most vehement in her snoring denials is usually the woman who snores the loudest. (Note to self: do not choose friend who is in Snoring Denial for bedmate.) You’d think that it would be extremely difficult to get nine women out of a hotel room early in the morning. With nine showers, nine outfits, nine makeup applications, nine hairstyles, and eighteen underarm and leg shavings, you’d think that you wouldn’t be on your way until well past noon. But not us. None of our party was ever late. You’d also think that it would be extremely difficult to make nine girls happy. Everyone has her own expectations. Someone wants to go to a reenactment of a Salem Witch Trial. Another wants to go to Dracula’s Castle. A few wanted to go to Boston. You compromise. But there’s one thing that every single one of us wanted to do: go shopping! (Suggestion: if someone really has her heart set on doing something, send her/them on their way and meet up later.) If you’ve never had the opportunity to go on a Girls’ Weekend Away, I highly recommend it. You’ll come back exhausted. Your throat will be hoarse from all the taking (and laughing). But, it will be well worth it. You’ll always remember the place, but the memories you created with your friends will be even clearer. I wish my friends and I had thought of going away when we were younger and the kids were little. Somehow, we thought our families couldn’t survive without us. Maybe we thought, deep down, that our husbands wouldn’t approve. We might have thought that we could have bought a month’s worth of groceries with the money we spent in one weekend. Something stopped us. But not anymore. In fact, when the girls we left back home heard about our trip, they said they all wanted to go next time, too. (Note to self: reserve three rooms next year.)
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BITS AND PIECES Finally things are coming together for the Two River Theater Company. Joan and Bob Rechnitz, surrounded by well wishers and local town and business leaders, were shown overwhelming support for the project at a ground breaking ceremony yesterday. The goal to have a theater dedicated to off Broadway shows has been the dream and passion of Bob and Joan's for the last eight to nine years. The Two River Theater Company has produced top quality stage performances in area theaters for years now. It was Bob's goal to have the theater in Red Bank. He has finally achieved that goal. The construction will start full time around November 10th and will last about a year. Bridge Avenue will lose ten parking spaces in front of the project to make from for a temporary sidewalk. If all goes will the theater will open in about a year. From start of construction onward this project will change the face of the Arts and Antique District. Besides the cultural enhancement it will bring additional business to the area. Restaurants and service industries as well as retailers will benefit from the influx of theater fans. It has spurred us here at Danny's to open up again for lunch starting on November 10th. We are bringing back the pasta and pizza buffet and a menu featuring “BIG" classic sandwiches, meat loaf and beef stew for lunch during the winter months. This project is just he beginning of the changes that will take place in Arts and Antique District over the coming years. I have lived here for 60 years and been in business for 34 years and have been waiting this side of town to really come alive. Years ago the only distention spots on this side of town was The Little Krut, Creates Liquor Store, Red Bank Pizza, The Brothers Bar and Danny's Italian Restaurant. With the opening of the antique centers and the Galleria the stage was set for this area to come into its own. It has taken a lot more years than I thought it would but its time has finally come. I would like to pass something on to you that was sent to me by a friend. It involves a driving warning regarding cruise control. It seems that if you are driving in the rain or on wet or slippery conditions and have the cruise control on the car can accelerate when the tires lose traction with the road. This can cause hydroplaning and loss of control. A resident of Kilgore, Texas, she was traveling between Gladewater & Kilgore. It was raining, though not excessive, when her car suddenly began to hydroplane and literally flew through the air. She was not seriously injured but very stunned at the sudden occurrence! When she explained to a highway patrolman what had happened he told her to never drive in the rain with the cruise control on. She had thought she was being cautious by setting the cruise control and maintaining a safe, consistent speed in the rain. But the highway patrolman told her that if the cruise control is on and your car begins to hydroplane - when your tires loose contact with the pavement - your car will accelerate to a higher rate of speed and you take off like an airplane.
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IF TERRORISTS WIN, AMERICA & THE FREE WORLD LOSE ! The liberal Left is demanding that President Bush get the U.S. military out of Iraq. Now. The liberal media and the liberal politicians are comparing today’s World War III battle between fanatical Arab terrorists and America and the free world, to the Vietnam War, which the United States lost because it left before the enemy (Communism) was destroyed. If liberals have their way, America and its allies might as well step aside and allow the terrorists to continue their reign of terror wherever they want, including the USA. America already has been hit twice by terrorism. The first was in February 1993 at one of the World Trade Center towers, and the second on 9/11/01, blowing up both towers, one side of the Pentagon, and a jet plane that crashed in a field in Pennsylvania on its way to taking out either the national Capitol building, or the White House. The total death toll: around 3,000 innocent people, victims of Islamic hate. America retaliated by routing the Taliban (Al-Qaida) terrorists in Afghanistan in a three-week attack, and taking over Baghdad, the Capital of Iraq, in a three-week attack. The liberation of these two countries will take some time, as did the reconstruction of Germany and Japan after World War II, which required a more than seven-year timetable at a cost of billions of dollars. One big difference is that Iraq has enough oil in the ground to pay for both the war and the restoration of that once murderous, dictatorial regime. So far, America is on the winning side of this global war, a maniacal war with far more socioeconomic and cultural repercussions than both World Wars I and II. World War III is the 21st Century “war of wars.” pitting 1.6 billion Christians and Jews against 1.3 billion Muslims worldwide. Unlike the Old and New Testaments that imbued Western Civilization with a Judeo-Christian ethic, starting with the 10 Commandments given to Moses from God, the bible of Islam is the Koran, put together by the “prophet” Mohammad for Allah (his God). The huge difference between the Koran and the Old and New Testaments is that the Koran declares war on all Christians Jews. In fact, the Koran explicitly says if a Muslim cannot convert a Christian or Jew to Islam, “kill them.” And that’s exactly what the fundamentalist Muslims are doing in Israel, America, and throughout the Christian countries where the Judeo and Christian faith are practiced. This is not a war about one dictatorial power trying to take over another dictatorial power for the resources and other “spoils of war.” This is a spiritual war where either the terrorists win, or the civilized world wins. Liberals are essentially secularists, separating religion from the state (government). In so doing, liberals are undoing the basic foundation of America: The right to practice one’s own religious beliefs under the U.S. Constitution. Our founding fathers were against a “national religion,” which is what Great Britain did (the Anglican church) under the rule of Kings and Queens. Instead, the founding fathers put in place a Constitutional Republic where people could believe in their own religions, freely and publicly. The liberal secularists are doing everything they can to do confuse the distinction between a “national religion” imposed by government, and the right of free people to believe in their own religions. What the liberals are doing is what Karl Marx wanted to impose on all nation states: A godless, classless society where “everyone was equal” through the redistribution of wealth. The Soviet Union, Cuba and other tyrannical countries adopted Marxism, creating “Communist” nations that have failed, economically and spiritually. Marx and Communism never really perished. The liberals have kept it alive for their own politically destructive purposes. President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II were the world leaders who brought down the Soviet Union and the Berlin Wall. President George W. Bush is leading the charge in World War II to bring down the Taliban and the mass murderer Saddam Hussein and his two sicko sons, who were shot to death in a losing gun fight with American troops. Let not liberalism do to America what Marxism did to the Communist world – no freedom, no liberty, no opportunity for the people. (Gordon Bishop, a national award-winning author, historian and syndicated columnist, is New Jersey’s first “Journalist-of-the-Year” – New Jersey Press Association/1986.) ../bishop/2003/gb031023_terrorists_win.htm PRINT THIS ARTICLE
RELIVING HISTORY WITH CHICAGO CUBS My wife and I didn’t realize we would be reliving a spooky historical inversion with the Chicago Cubs when I snapped on the radio on the night of October 14, 2003, as we neared the end of a daylong drive to our son’s home, near Atlanta, GA. We tuned in to the Cubs Radio Network as the 6th game of the National League Championship Series was in the Florida Marlins’ half of the 8th inning. The Cubs, ahead 3-2 in games, held a 3-0 lead. There was one out. The Cubs were just five outs away from the World Series. As we turned the car onto the interstate in northern Georgia, The Marlins’ Juan Pierre drove a hit to the outfield that went for a double. “Prior must be getting tired,” I remarked – speaking of the Cubs’ pitcher. “They should take him out and bring in their closer.” The next hitter, Luis Castillo, ran the count full. Then Bizzarro, the god of strange historical coincidences, struck without warning. Castillo hit a pop foul toward the seats along the left field line. Cubs left fielder Moises Alou chased it, leaning into the first row to attempt a catch that would have made the second out of the inning. However, fan Steve Bartman also reached for the ball, touched it and prevented Alou from making the catch. The count stayed full. The next pitch was called ball four and Castillo went to first base. Then the roof fell in for the Cubs. As their long-suffering fans watched in numb disbelief, the Marlins drove hit after hit around the field – ultimately winning the game, 8-3. The Cubs’ first World Series appearance since 1945, palpably close moments before, had gone a-glimmering. The next night the Marlins swept into the World Series as 2003 National League champions by defeating the Cubs, 9-6.. History had cruelly engineered a kind of rough equalization of an old score, although only a few centenarians were around to recall it.
On October 8th, with the regular season over, the two teams were tied for first place with records of 98-55. The “Merkle’s Boner” game (as it was already being called) was replayed at the Polo Grounds before the largest crowd in baseball history (40,000), to that time. Thousands more watched from the elevated train tracks overlooking the park. (One man fell to his death.) The Cubs won, 4-2, and moved on to the World Series, in which they defeated the Detroit Tigers. Baseball aficionados have argued, ever since, about whether the inexperienced Merkle really had made a boneheaded play, or whether League President Henry Pulliam had unjustly cheated the Giants out of the Pennant. Many critics argue that such a decision would never be made today and should not have been made then. Officials’ loss of control over the field of play, say some, should have overruled the minor technicality of Merkle not touching second. Even at the time, no one argued that Merkle might have been forced at second by a close throw in normal circumstances – i.e., without the obstacle of a crowd of spectators. The Giants had clearly won the game, but they “wuz robbed” on a technicality.
League President Pulliam, caught in the middle of the unfortunate Merkle controversy, ended up the most tragically of all. Unable to deal with the criticism and bad feeling caused by his decision, he took his own life in July 1909. The Cubs fielded many great teams over the next 40 years. They appeared in the 1910, ‘18, ‘29, ‘32, ‘35, ‘38 and ‘45 World Series, but never won another World Title. This year (2003) they led the NLCS, three games to one over the Marlins, but Bizzarro decided that they weren’t finished paying for the injustice done to Merkle and the Giants in 1908. The Bible says the sins of the fathers will be visited to the third and fourth generations. Remember Merkle and the Cubs the next time you think you’ve gotten away with something you know you shouldn’t have. And smile indulgently at anyone who says baseball is “just a game”.
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EVERY CHILD IN NEW JERSEY DESERVES THE BEST EDUCATION Educating our children is one of the most essential aspects of a thriving society. The future of our great country lies in the hands of these children. They have the power to build upon our accomplishments and hopefully create a world in which we can all be proud. Without a good education, our children will be at a disadvantage, not only on American soil, but in the new global market place, as well. Our world's borders are no longer as small as we once thought. We are merging as peoples, and it is absolutely vital that America's youth be prepared to face these challenges and further the ideals we all value. Seven years ago the New Jersey legislature acknowledged this importance by passing a law that mandates a New Jersey Report Card for every school in the State. This report card was meant as a tool for educators, parents, and legislators to measure the success of our schools. In 1995, my colleagues and I, felt this was an important step for New Jersey. To further signal the importance of measuring the performance of America's Schools, the Federal Government passed the No Child left Behind Act in 2002. This act collects a multitude of information on school effectiveness, student assessments, teacher qualification and other variables. This act is endeavoring to measure success, highlight oversights, and correct problems. This year the state released the latest list of schools that were unable to meet the requirements on the Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment. 376 of New Jersey's schools, 18 of which are in Monmouth County, have been unable to meet the required proficiency levels. This does not mean that they have failed, just that many have received "early warning" and "needs improvement" designations. These numbers are telling, but what is more significant is the thought that each number on that list represents thousands of children who are not getting the education they deserve. Another facet of this educational dilemma is the situation of equitable funding in abbot districts. $26 billion in funding in the last decade went to Abbot districts, $6.8 billion this year alone. This equates to half the entire school budget. A recent media report noted that , nearly 60% of the 11th graders in Abbot High Schools failed at least one section of the basic skills test in 2002. Many professional educators dispute the reports findings. The investigation asserted that of the 10,213 high school seniors in abbot districts that took the 11th grade proficiency tests just 43% past both the English and math sections. In all other districts throughout the state the passing rate was80%. These numbers indicate that massive funding is not bringing about the results we hoped for, and school's that do perform well do not receive the funding they deserve. Upon returning to Trenton in November, I look forward to investigating this system more thoroughly to ensure every student receive the best education that New Jersey can offer, while creating a system of funding that is both fair and equitable. Doing this we will be able to assure that no student is left behind.
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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25 IS A BUSY DAY AND OTHER COUNCIL ACTION Next Saturday 10/25 will be a very busy day for our borough with two separate town participation events scheduled to take place on the same day. Luckily, both events are happening at two different times one being a morning event and the other a late afternoon event. I would like to highlight those events separately here this week and make note of the fact that volunteers are still needed for one of the two events. The information for each has also been in the upcoming borough events section below. The first event on Saturday 10/25 will be the fall Clean Ocean Action Beach sweeps. All volunteers for this event will be greatly appreciated and there will be enough work to go around. Please come prepared for the weather, wear sturdy shoes and bring work gloves. This is an all volunteer event and items removed from the beach are catalogued for entry into Clean Ocean Actions database. This is a rain or shine event and it will be held on Saturday October 25 at 9 AM. Volunteers are asked to meet in the large borough parking lot at the foot of Oakwood on Beachway. The second event of the day will be our towns fourth annual Halloween Monster Bash. As usual, the event will be held on Beachway near the intersection with Raritan Avenue. The plans include at this point the hayride and other events on the street. There will be a costume parade year as in the past with a new category included for best costume on a pet. In addition, each child who attends will at least receive a small goody bag. The rain date for the event will be Sunday October 26 with the time and place to remain the same. Lastly, I would like to write a little more about the last council meeting on 10/9 as it was a very busy meeting. In addition to the bond ordinances and the "Keansburg Moving Forward" plan I wrote about last week 9 resolutions and 9 discussion items were on the agenda. All of the resolutions were normal borough business such as payment of bills request for extensions on grants and refunds. One resolution that was a little out of the ordinary was resolution 150 that was an application by our borough for admission into the statewide insurance program. Our town has applied for inclusion in the package program that includes items such as comprehensive general liability, auto liability and other types of coverage allowed under the state program. In addition, resolution 158 was an appointment to fill one of the vacant seats on the Recreation Advisory Board. I also would like to speak briefly about two of the discussion items since they will be placed on the agenda of a future meeting for further actions. One of the discussion items was the consideration of a plan to ban the use of any type of motorized scooters on the public streets, sidewalks and all other areas of our town. The plan would limit their use strictly to the private property of the owner. This proposal is in response to numerous complaints from all over our town about errant scooter operators. Another discussion item was the consideration of a plan to allow for closing of the bay walks at dusk like all parks in our town. An allowance will be made for the bay walks to remain open at least until midnight only during the summer months. Upcoming Council meetings. The last regularly scheduled meeting of the Keansburg Borough council for October will be on Thursday 10/23 at 7 PM. Upcoming Borough Events. Clean Ocean Action Beach Sweep - Keansburg will participate in the fall Clean Ocean Action Beach sweeps. This is a volunteer event and items removed from the beach are catalogued for entry into a database. This is a rain or shine event and it will be held on Saturday October 25 at 9 AM. Volunteers are asked to meet in the large borough parking lot at the foot of Oakwood on Beachway. Halloween Monster Bash - On Saturday October 25 with registration beginning at 4 PM our town will host the annual Halloween Monster Bash. As usual, the event will be held on Beachway near the intersection with Raritan Avenue. The plans include at this point the hayride and other events. In addition, each child who attends will at least receive a small goody bag. The rain date will be Sunday October 26 with the time and place to remain the same.
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ARE SILICONE BREAST IMPLANTS COMING BACK ON THE MARKET? In hearings held last week by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Washington, silicone breast implants were discussed at great length. Silicone implants date back to the 1960's and became very popular for their use in breast augmentation. They have also been used for breast reconstruction in patients who have undergone a mastectomy for breast cancer. In 1992, the implants were taken off of the market due to health concerns, as there was an association between silicone implants and a variety of connective tissue disorders (such as arthritis). Thus only saline implants could be used for breast augmentation and reconstruction. Although saline implants (implants filled with salt water) yield good results, they can sometimes cause rippling in the breast and do not feel as natural as silicone implants. Since the early 1990's, large scale research has been done, looking into the safety of silicone breast implants within the population. We now know that many of the ailments associated with silicone implants are just anecdotal, and that there is no statistically significant differences in disease rates among the population of women who have silicone implants and women who do not. Therefore, the FDA is now considering putting the implants back on the market. Additionally, a scientific panel who reviewed the data has gone on record supporting the safety of silicone breast implants, and has made their recommendation to the FDA to allow physicians to once again have access to them. Although there will be some women who will not want silicone implants or who will not feel that they are safe, it is comforting to know that they will be available to those women who choose not to have saline implants or who have not had an acceptable result with saline implants. This gives women and their surgeon the freedom of choice with regard to both cosmetic and reconstructive breast surgery, which is the most important aspect in all of this.
Email-
Aldozac@netzero.net
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GRANDMA'S BISCUITS & GRAVY Once a year when I was a boy, my parents and I would visit my paternal grandparents at their farm in Virginia. Tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains in southwestern Virginia, my grandparents had 40 acres devoted to cattle, chicken, and vegetables. I have endless fond memories of milking the cows, riding on the tractor with my grandfather, and getting into trouble with my BB gun. One of the best things about visiting the farm was my grandmother’s cooking. She made everything from scratch, often with ingredients fresh from the farm. There are no words to describe the disparity between the canned Green Giant peas I grew up on and her peas picked fresh from the garden. Or the milk gleaned from the cows that same morning. But the best dish of all, one of my favorite foods to this day, was her homemade biscuits and gravy. Every morning Grandma would get up before dawn and labor to produce, in my opinion, the greatest comfort food of all time. Indescribably flaky and delicious biscuits topped by a decadently rich and creamy sausage gravy. Sadly, my grandparents have since passed on and the farm sold off. But my memories of grandma’s biscuits and gravy will last forever. I have tried numerous times, with limited success, to recreate the taste of those biscuits and gravy. Even if I had her exact recipe, I will never succeed with store bought suburban ingredients. But, after repeated experimentation, below is the recipe I feel comes as close as possible. I owe gratitude to Debra Cazille for the gravy recipe. Debra owns the Living Spring Farm Bed & Breakfast in Adamstown Pennsylvania, (www.livingspringfarm.com). Debra, like me, had a southern grandmother famous for her biscuits and gravy. Debra is an accomplished cook and prepares all the homemade meals at the bed & breakfast. For the biscuits: 2 cups all purpose flour Combine and sift the dry ingredients. Gently knead in the butter. Add the buttermilk and knead on a floured board just enough to bring the dough together. It is vital that you knead gently and no more than is necessary or you will develop the gluten in the flour and make the biscuits tough. Good biscuits are as much a function of technique as ingredients. Form a flat mass with the dough and cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter. Don’t make them too high or the outside could become over browned by the time the inside is cooked. Place them on parchment paper on a sheet tray and then into a preheated 400-degree oven. Start the gravy immediately. It should be done close to the same time as the biscuits, which is when they are golden in color. For the gravy: ½ pound ground breakfast sausage. Sauté the sausage until it is cooked and has released as much of its fat as possible. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and do NOT drain the grease. You’ll need it to make the roux. (I said this was delicious, not health food). You should have about 2 tablespoons of rendered pork fat. Add the butter and melt it. Then add the flour a little at a time over medium heat, constantly whisking. Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Now start adding the cold milk a little at a time, whisking incessantly. Toward the end of the milk add the sausage back in. When you reach the desired consistency add salt and pepper to taste. Cut the biscuits in half, pour the gravy over them, and enjoy one of the most embracing and comforting taste sensations known to man. A few points here. The perfect roux has equal amounts of fat and flour. If for some reason your sausage renders noticeably less or more than two tablespoons of fat, adjust the amount of flour accordingly. If you end up making more roux you will need more milk so have extra on hand. Make sure the roux is cooked on no more than medium heat. We do not want to burn or brown the roux, just cook out the floury taste. Four things are necessary to assure a smooth lump-free gravy. You must constantly whisk the roux and the gravy throughout the process. You must add cold milk to the hot roux. You must incorporate the milk a little at a time. And finally, keep the heat at no more than medium. You can adjust the consistency however you like, but a thick creamy gravy is the target viscosity. ../food/2003/ft_031023_biscuits.htm PRINT THIS ARTICLE
Series on Change 2003 (Part 4) CHANGING YOUR HABITS Biting your nails, arriving late to appointments, and overeating are obvious bad habits. However, there are some habits, which are not bad outright, but which over time might have negative consequences. If you have a habit of seeing the same friends, that is not bad, but it likely means your network is limited and like-minded. If you take the same route to work each day, you may miss a better view or a more efficient way to go. Even good tendencies can lead to bad habits, if you allow yourself to fall into a rut and be blinded to new possibilities. Because ruts are unconscious, you need to make a conscious effort to break them. Look at your career over time, and see if any patterns emerge. Is there a recurring reason for your job dissatisfaction? Are you stuck with projects you don’t like? These patterns exist because you are doing something to perpetuate them. Your bad habit might be not speaking up, waiting to be assigned rather than volunteering, or simply going from job to job without a clear sense of overall career. Whatever you identify as the problem, think about ways to change this. If your problem is bad projects, find ways to transition to better ones. This means delegating the bad projects or at least minimizing your time spent on these, identifying the better projects, and ensuring that you get these better projects. How do you get the plum assignments? Find out how they’re assigned. Then, move out of your comfort zone to get them. Your comfort zone is a tendency that becomes a bad habit if it keeps you from what you want. There is nothing wrong with being comfortable, if it also means satisfied and content. We all know people who are never satisfied, and that’s not a better alternative. However, if your comfort zone keeps you settling for less than your ideal, then comfort is a habit worth changing. Caroline Ceniza-Levine, head of career consultancy CL Search Services, is also an adjunct professor of Professional Development at Columbia University and a career/life coach. Caroline can be reached at 212-502-8593 or at her website at www.thinkasinc.com.
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TAKE A DEEP BREATH Sometimes there's so much to do that we do everything except breathe. You can almost create your own near-death experience. Have you ever been in such a rush that you were completely unaware of holding your breath? I mean it's less like a surprise than it is a rude jolt to find that you have been toying with self inflicted suffocation. The favorite place to come to this realization is at traffic lights where you can look around at other drivers and see that they, like you, are suddenly deflating and letting go. The release is an audible, "Pheew! That felt good! We might say that breathing is a life saver. It's also something we never had to practice. We started life breathing in a way where no one had to tell us how to do it. It was perfect. Watch how gently a baby's belly rises and falls with each breath. The problem with our breathing is that we got re-taught what used to come naturally. We were taught that good posture required sucking in our belly, throwing out our chest, and taking a deep breath simultaneously. Now that's completely wrong. I'm learning again to breathe the right way through Qi Gong. I'm only into my third lesson and thought I'd wait a bit to talk about it. But instead I'd like to give you some small indication of the practice because it is such a stress-breaker. I originally wanted to learn yoga, but the opportunity for Qi Gong came unexpectedly and it seemed so right. Qi (Chee) means energy or life force. Gong is the work we do with that energy. And believe me, it is nothing like any "work" that I've ever experienced. It is all about ease of movement. It's graceful and flowing, and best of all calls for gentle, non stressful moves. Can you be "working" and relaxing the body and mind at one and the same time? Yes. It relieves tension and brings energy with it. The tradition comes from China and is thousands of years old. The year was 1122 B.C. when the book "I Ching" referred to this study. In China there are literally millions of people performing this practice daily. Old people are in the parks early in the morning doing the gentle movements. They find they are less fatigued and forgetful. Energy used in the movement is like the "bread you cast on the waters." It is returned to you many-fold. It is said that the crisis in modern medicine now requires that we enhance our own health, and surprisingly simple measures will do that. Breathing is one of them. It is said that we use only a quarter of our lung capacity. In the Western world are inclined to discount or ignore the marvelous benefits of increased oxygen to our heart, lymph system, and to all the organs of our body. It moves us toward balance, homeostasis, the condition which our bodies will naturally strive for in order to achieve proper function and good health. It only needs a little support and good intentions from us. There are constant reports of those people who achieve recovery from many adverse conditions by giving attention to breathing properly and naturally, and making gentle movements to exercise all of the organs. More . . . Both Monmouth County and Ocean County Health Departments have set up schedules for Flu and Pneumonia Vaccines in many different locations. Check them for time and place.
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REPORTS OF RIVER, BAY AND OCEAN FISHIN Monmouth Beach Car Topper's Bass Tournament set for Saturday November 1, 2003 Go East Young Man Most of the best reports are from Long Island. Start at Rockaway and head east for stripers. Clams and trolling are the best bet. There still are some reports of spotty bass blitzes in on the bayside of the Hook. Striped bass fishing was generally tough over the weekend in local waters, but that didn't bother Harry Svenson of Union Beach and John Elkovics of Keyport, who ran Cheap Shot from Keyport into Long Island Sound and bunker chunked bass of 47 and 37.8 pounds for a combined weight of 84.8 pounds to run away with the 40-hour Hi-Mar Striper Tournament. None of the local fishermen managed even half that weight. Frank Culleton and Frank Rios from Rockaway Beach, N.Y., were second on Bongo with a total of 39.3 pounds. Third went to Chuck Many of Clinton and John Thomas from Belvidere on Tyman 2 at 37.3 pounds. T-Hawk, with Tom Rudolph of Monroe and Rusty Richards from Helmetta, had 36.6 pounds for fourth. Fifth went to Al Dudas and Don Gavoury of Monroe Township with 35.4 pounds on Naughty Boy. Jesse Moat of Parlin was the junior winner with a 15.7-pound bass, and the ladies' prize went to Lynn Bister on Twisted Two at 12.6 pounds. The bait (peanut bunker) seems to be very thick in the bay and the rivers. I suspect that this cold snap may entice some bigger bass to our table. The Canyon is still producing. Captain Chad Hacker on the Sea Fox had 2 good trips this week finding medium bluefins plentiful. ../fish_report/2003/nb_031023.htm PRINT THIS ARTICLE
HAZLET NEEDS TO VOTE YES FOR OPEN SPACE How much development is enough in Hazlet Township? How many strip malls, town houses, and roads does a town really need to be livable? The Bayshore Regional Watershed Council believes that Hazlet Township has changed enough in the past 40 years and it is now time for residents to start preserving land for open space. Acres of land are lost every year in Hazlet Township to unplanned development. Land that might have been used for nature preserves or ball fields. Unfortunately, the most desirable land for new development is typically natural areas that are important for wildlife habitat and public recreation. Without a doubt, residential or commercial development costs a town more money in terms of added services (schools, police, sewer, garbage disposal, and other public functions) than a single property might provide a town in real estate taxes. Do not be fooled to think that if nothing is done, things will get better. They will not! The benefits of open space are numerous. Open space provides a relief to unplanned growth, and helps to decrease infrastructure costs, traffic, crime, and sources of pollution and noise. In addition, open space supports many different forms of public recreation, such as fishing, hiking, biking, bird watching, and other nature-based tourism activities. In countless surveys, a majority of people invariably list open space as one of the top reasons they decide to live in a community. For instance, in a 1995 Money magazine poll of the “Best Places to Live in the US,” individual Money subscribers (medium age 45 and medium household income $62,500) were asked to rank 41 factors that affected their decision to live in a community from low crime to job growth. Clean water was rated number one with clean air following second, both important components of open space. Also important, open space helps to provide a sense of place. Many of the aspects that help to define a particular community are associated with the benefits of open space, including parks, historic structures, and scenic vistas. Please vote yes on Election Day (Tuesday, November 4th) on the Hazlet Township Public Question for Open Space. Probably one of the most important choices you can make that day is to vote yes to start an open space fund. Future generations of Hazlet Township residents will adore you. Since 2000, the Bayshore Regional Watershed Council has been working to improve the environment in the Bayshore region of Middlesex and Monmouth counties. The council is made up of volunteers, including citizens, scientists, environmental commissioners, and municipal officials. Our goal has been and continues to be the restoration and conservation of Raritan and Sandy Hook Bays.
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The Volunteer Center of Monmouth County, (732) 728-1927, offers hundreds of unique volunteer opportunities. The Center is now located at 1900 Highway 35, Oakhurst, NJ, and is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. See Volunteer
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If I don't know the author, I usually rely on the review excerpts on the cover and in the first few pages of the book. (Of course, this only works with paperbacks. The hardcovers don't have them.) Sometimes, for my own entertainment, I re-read those excerpts to see how well they apply. To be honest, I think some of them are self-serving. I think the reviewer may try to come up with a phrase or two that will make it into the paperback. Maybe I'm jaded, but I've left a lot of "page turners" unfinished. I chose these two novels because of the authors. They are reliable. The plots are linked by the existence of a strange new micro-miniature blend of medicine and computer technology. Imagine robots so small that a platoon of them could fit on the point of a pin. Chasing the Dime by Michael Connelly Henry Pierce is the head of Amedeo Technoogy, recently divorced, and living in a barren apartment. His newly connected phone had it's number re-assigned from an on-line hooker who is now among the missing. His curiosity gets the better of him. Before long, he is the chief suspect in a murder investigation. The story is entertaining, as it should be. The weakness lies in his motivation. Why on earth would a rich, successful young man spend one minute chasing down a missing prostitute? The answer is revealed about three-quarters through the book, but it is tenuous at best. The review excerpts are tricky. If you read them a few times, you realize that most of the kudos are for the author and his body of work, not this particular book. It's well written, but Connelly has done better. The Jury by Steve Martini Again, a leader in the field of nano-robotic medicine is accused of murder. But this one is written from the perspective of his lawyer. The sub-structure of the plot, (those hundred and one coincidences that we must believe) is stronger than that of Chasing the Dime. Because the review excerpts do not go over the top with superlatives, they are suprisingly accurate. This is a well-crafted story. Martini knows what he's writing about, and it shows. Go ahead. Read it. I will recommend this one. I would not call The Jury a page turner. It can be put down. Just not for long! ../leafnotes/2003/ln031023.html PRINT THIS ARTICLE
TO LUCINDA ON HER FIRST BIRTHDAY Dear Lucinda, Here at home the yellow, orange, and red leaves are clinging to the tree branches. A slight breeze of autumn wind plucks their stems from the bark and these leaves gracefully twirl to the ground. The air is getting colder. In the mornings, you can see your breath. But in the afternoons, the sun shines, and if you close your eyes and hold your face up toward the sky, you feel the warmth on your eyelids and across the bridge of your nose. It’s sweater season again, and in a couple of months we’ll have to don the heavy winter coats before we head outdoors. We have a smiling orange pumpkin decorating our front door, and on the post on the porch, a green-faced witch hangs to greet trick-or-treaters on the 31st. Your sister Miranda is going to be dressed as a devil; she was hoping you would be an angel for your first venture out into the neighborhood to collect candy, but since you are still not yet home, she will be a solo devil awaiting her angel in Guatemala. Don’t worry—she has grand plans for you for other Halloweens to come! It’s an American tradition that I know you will love. Your bedroom is now painted and polished and ready for you. The mint-green walls will soothe you when you first open your eyes in the morning. The sun streaks in through the blinds, and you will have a big smile on your face when you wake up and see the new day beginning around you. The shelves are filled with books; some are Miranda’s favorites when she was your age, and some are brand new because I just couldn’t resist. What you need to know about Mommy that you’ll soon discover is that she LOVES books and the written word. So don’t worry that we haven’t had a chance to glimpse together Goodnight, Moon or I’ll Love You Forever or all of those funny Dr. Seuss stories—we’ll tackle them with vigor when you are home and we cuddle on the rocking chair. English won’t be familiar to you at first, but you will see how fast it will become second nature to your lips! I will teach you. Something tells me that when you look into my eyes and I look into yours, we will understand each other; no words will be needed right away… The drawers and shelves in your bureau and closet are bare. I have been so tempted to buy all those pretty little dresses, overalls, bathing suits, snow suits… Each season brings new versions of pink outfits that dance before my eyes. Miranda and I always take the opportunity to walk through baby departments in stores and malls, touching the little clothes. We talk about which outfit we WOULD buy for you if we knew you were coming home today. Then we get quiet when we realize that you’re not here…but we squeeze our hands together and walk away, determined that ONE DAY SOON all THREE of us girls will go shopping to fill up that closet of yours! You won’t even be home one week and all of your clothes will be neatly folded and ready for ware. The relatives are anxious to send you crocheted sweaters and hats and booties. So don’t worry—as soon as I know you’re coming home, I am going to go shopping with Miranda and buy lots of clothes in your size! You will be quite fashionable. Stuffed animals, dolls, plastic rings and colorful teething keys are awaiting your arrival. I bet you will be ready to play when you get home! Here in the U.S. there are toys that make sounds, that wind up, that pop up, that vibrate, that sing, that dance, that move… My favorites are the old-fashioned ones, though, the ones that you can quietly, on your own timetable, touch, hug, throw, and imagine in lots of magical ways. Miranda saved some of hers for you, and when you are ready, I’m going to put you in a shopping cart and we’ll take a trip to Toys R Us to buy some other ones! You won’t believe your eyes when we walk down the aisles and you see so many colors, shapes, and sizes! It’s a day that I am looking forward to. Daddy, Miranda, and I bought a carriage for you. We’ll have fun taking walks and admiring the trees and the flowers and the outdoor cats that sometimes cross our paths. Miranda likes to test out the umbrella stroller that we purchased in the beginning of summer. It has little brown teddy bears in sailor suits and pictures of boats on the fabric. Miranda likes to pretend that you’re already home, and she walks you (you being substituted for a baby doll) in the playroom basement. The wheels are pristine white, but when you come home, they’ll see some ware and mileage, that’s for sure! That’s how it’s meant to be, so I won’t mind if it doesn’t look brand new anymore. It’s yours. Our cats Ed and Ashley aren’t yet sure what all the fuss is about. They enjoyed watching us paint your bedroom walls, and they even liked jumping up on the changing table that awaits your diapers. Once we heard a jingle coming from your room, and when I went in to investigate, I saw one of the cats playing with a rattle that I bought for you when you were born! A butterfly is inside the circle, and it has a big smiling grin on its friendly face! That waits for you, too, even if you may be a little too old to like shaking a rattle. You might find it amusing. I know that the cats will amuse you! They are funny to watch, and most of the time, if you pet their soft fur, they will start to purr and sit near you. You will like that. Today is Thursday, October 23, 2003, your first birthday, my Lucy, and even though you are in Guatemala still and we are way over here in the United States, we are still a family. Today we will bake a cake, light candles, and celebrate your first year anniversary in the world! It’s sad, thinking about what we haven’t been able to do together in your first year, but what makes us happy is thinking about all the times together we have ahead of us. You have a daddy that made sure not a single speck of green paint ended up on your white ceiling…a big sister who carries to school every day your picture in her wallet…grandparents in New Hampshire and Florida who smile at your pictures on their refrigerators… and a mommy who thinks about you when she wakes up, who wonders what you are doing throughout the day, and prays to God to take care of you each night. The love, the family, the furniture, the toys, the books, the pets—it’s all here, waiting for you when you come home. Tonight, when you close your eyes to go to sleep, I hope you feel a soft breeze graze your soft cheek as God whispers in your ear “Happy Birthday, Sweetie! You are so loved!” Then my birthday wish on your birthday will come true… Happy 1st Birthday, my sweet Lucinda! Love,
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WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE? While most would agree that arising out of a warm and comfortable bed in the early morning hours is not the most anticipated part of their day, the reward for doing so is a most magnificent show put on every morning in the eastern sky. During the fall months as we arrive to await the Manhattan bound boats, the sun rises over the bay offering a sky full of glorious red hues. As we marvel at these colors, questions may ensue as to how this happens.
Color in the form of pigment does not exist in the atmosphere. Instead, the
color we see in the sky results from a scattering, refraction and diffraction of
sunlight by particles of gas, moisture or dust in the atmosphere. As light moves
through the atmosphere, it goes straight and is colorless until it bumps into a
bit of that moisture, dust or gas. What happens to the light then depends on the
wavelength and size of the molecule it hits. Each color in the spectrum is
associated with a different wavelength, whites and blues have the shortest, reds
the longest. The brilliant swirls of color are produced from the random patterns of dust particles or gas molecules. During the fall season there are more molecules in the atmosphere than normal and the result is an amazing sunrise or sunset. Our boat schedules along with the timing of both sunrises and sunsets contribute to our views.
The differences in colors of the sky at sunrise and sunset are simply due to dust. On earth during the day, activity on the ground stirs up dust into the air which scatters the light we see at sunset. At night, the dust settles, there is less scattering by dust at sunrise, thus different colors in the sky. Recently, if we were riding in the dark, we were able to see Mars. On October 21st and 22nd, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week just before dawn, sky watchers and early morning riders were able to see two bright planets, the crescent moon and a meteor shower. Jupiter was visible in approximately the same location that we saw Mars, while Saturn was also visible off to the right but lower. The meteors, oddly enough, come from Halley’s comet and will be streaking out of the constellation Orion. So, if you are up very early, getting a jump on the day or finishing a late night, look to the south, in the clear sky over the water, providing it isn’t raining or very cloudy, it should be a very pretty meteor shower followed by a spectacular sunrise. ../ferry/2003/fr031023_sunlight.htm PRINT THIS ARTICLE
A BELL RINGS Each morning, in a small commune across the globe Mindful and thankful Since September 11th, 2001 each morning, in a building on Wall Street in
lower Manhattan Mindful and thankful A bed to sleep on and the roof above their heads The bell reminds us The bell reminds us The bell reminds us The bell reminds us Let us not return to "life as usual"
../poet/2003/pl031023_bell_rings.htm
(editors note: Do you have poetry to share? Send your submission to editor@ahherald.com.)
Picture This!
../picture_this/2003/pt_031023.htm or click herePicture This! We'll show you a photo each week and you tell us where in Monmouth County that photo was taken. If you have not won in the last 30 days and you know the answer, send your response to editor@ahherald.com along with your name and the town where you live. Be the first person to respond with the correct answer before next Thursday and we will publish your name and the town where you live. In addition, we'll send you a gift certificate for $25 from Bahr's Landing Marina and Restaurant in Highlands, NJ. Only those responses received on, or after, the date above will be accepted. Last Week's Picture This! Answer
The AH Herald provides this space for community commentary on issues of local importance. The extended format of our Readers Write page will remind many of the Op-Ed pages in print newspapers. We hope you find the information compelling and informative. If you have something to say about a LOCAL issue, send your comments, along with your name, street address and daytime phone number to: editor@ahherald.com VIEW ARCHIVEAH DEMOCRAT LEADERSHIP WEAK, UNFOCUSED I am proud to say that very few negative letters have been written during my 16 years of service to Atlantic Highlands. One only has to look around the borough and see the improvements in our town. However, it is time for me to step aside and endorse those that should lead us in the coming years. In my mind, that is Councilman Jack Archibald and longtime borough volunteers Marty Shann and Debbie Traphagan. They have the best interests of Atlantic Highlands at heart and are willing to put in the time to get the job done. We need an energetic Mayor with a vision for Atlantic Highlands’ future. One of Councilman Archibald’s favorite comments is “there is always room for improvement.” Jack does his homework, he works well with others and has been a champion of our open space and recreation programs. He has a background in municipal finance and he has been instrumental in our budgeting, finance and communication systems at borough hall. Furthermore, Jack has been active in our First Avenue streetscape and harbor improvement plan programs. With local Democrat leadership fighting us every step of the way, Republicans along with many independents have preserved many acres of open space, built trails and protected nearly all of Atlantic Highlands’ waterfront for the public. Our profitable harbor is home to a manageable ferry operation and the many amenities include walking areas, fishing piers as well as tennis and basketball courts. We turned a construction dump into Hobie Cat Field, a revenue producing sailing club along with a public beach and park.
Together with the business community, Republican enacted the county’s first tax
abatement program for rehabilitation of older buildings, restored the old
municipal lot and added more parking spaces. Because of programs like that, you
see the new buildings going up in town, on and around First Avenue. We have
refurbished Edwards Way and Veteran’s Park, and next spring the Streetscape
project will begin. A large part of each of these projects was funded by grants
that were secured by Republicans. Today, I am not sure what the local Democrat party is about. I have served the people for 16 years on the governing body and I have made an effort to get to know and work with 20 different council people during my service. I served with many community minded Democrats but today their leadership is weak and their ideas unfocused. These new Democrat party sits on the side lines and criticizes volunteers that serve our community. As my grandfather was fond of saying, “those who do nothing, do nothing wrong”. There may be some Atlantic Highlands residents that forget or were not here in the 1970s. During that time, Democrat Pete Donoghue served on the Atlantic Highlands Council. After an unsuccessful council tenure, Donoghue ran for Mayor in 1979 and was soundly defeated by a margin of 2:1. He received only 546 of 1,924 votes cast, barely 25%. He lost by an amazing 1,378 votes in one of the largest defeats in Atlantic Highlands history. Not convinced of the voter sentiment, Donoghue ran for Council again the next year, and lost again. Now Donoghue is back, without new ideas or the energy to do a better job than he did in the 1970s. His record is in direct contrast to Councilman Jack Archibald, who after volunteering, has been a member of borough council for 7 years and has served on every committee. The voters have elected him to office three separate times and his many accomplishments say something about his track record and the Atlantic Highlands voter’s good sense.
Mayor Mike Harmon
../readers_write/2003/031023_dem_leadership_weak.htm OPPOSITION TO TOWN CENTER IS NOT ATTACK ON FAMILY This is in response to a recent letter from Assemblyman Joe Azzolina. Unfortunately, Mr. Azzolina sees the very legitimate opposition to his proposed town center mall as an "attack" on him and his family. However, to the opposition's credit, they have tried to keep the focus on the plan itself, which offers more than enough fodder to make their case. In fact, if Mother Tersesa were behind this project, the opposition would be equally fierce. This is not about the Azzolina family, this is about a project that many see as destructive to Middletown. No one can dispute Mr. Azzolina's years of public service or charitable works. Yet, that does not give him the right to do anything he wants, nor does it absolve him of his responsibility to put the interests of Middletown before his own personal interests. While it is admirable to show such concern for the financial well-being of one's own children, it should not come at the expense of the other 67,000 residents who are not family members. As for the opposition to the project being termed "NIMBYS," so what? Isn't it laudable for people to take an active interest in the issues confronting their community? Are Middletown residents supposed to meekly watch in silence as the largest tract of undeveloped land left in the township is paved over with 4500 parking spaces, department stores, restaurants, a Super Foodtown, houses, etc.? Are we supposed to "grin and bear it" as Route 35 is widened to highway proportions, scenic Kings Highway East becomes a mere artery of the mall, and unquantifiable noise, pollution and traffic besets our historic district? Shouldn't we raise our voices when the promised $4 million dollar tax benefit covers only a fraction of the cost of upgrading the municipal infrastructure? What makes Middletown great is that its citizens care about their homes, their schools, their community - their backyards. As for wanting to "shut out those who seek the same lifestyle they have," nothing could be further from the truth. If anything, we are desperately trying to protect the lifestyle we already have. As for "shutting people out," this is impossible, since there are an inordinate amount of houses up for sale that newcomers can buy, many because of the looming prospect of the town center mall and what it will bring. Finally, Mr. Azzolina states that I am one of Rosemarie Peters biggest supporters. Finally we agree on something. Mayor Peters has set the standard for public service in our town. She has core convictions that reflect the desires and needs of the township in the year 2003 and the courage not to waver in the face of immense pressure from special interest groups. Unlike her opposition, she will not flip-flop on issues for political expediency, but rather, stay focused on what is best for the people of Middletown.
Gerard P. Scharfenberger
../readers_write/2003/031023_town_center_opposition.htm AH DEMOCRATS NEED BASIC EDUCATION ON LENAPE WOODS AND OPEN SPACE If the Atlantic Highlands Democrat candidates record on open space weren't so pathetic, their new "open space" campaign signs would almost be believable. When it comes to discussing the Lenape Woods, these candidates need some basic education. For starters, mayor Mike Harmon and Councilman Jack Archibald have been present and involved since the creation of the Lenape Woods. If it weren't for their determination to preserve open space, our Lenape Woods would not exist. They have continuously and diligently fought the battle against over development, and Atlantic Highlands residents know who has been fighting to preserve our woods. Our town can thank them for saving our borough from both "Sudden City" and "Sardine City" on our borders. Their efforts in preserving our open space has increased property values as well as the quality of like for the entire town and their pursuit of Green Acres funding has lessened the burden on our taxpayers. That Mr. Donoghue finally decides to acknowledge open space is interesting. Why didn't he preserve these woods when he was a Councilman 25 years ago? As for his running mates, Ladiana and Nolan, they are doing their best to jump on the open space bandwagon. The former has never attend a single fund raiser to help preserve the woods, nor has she even participated in a single Lenape Woods cleanup. As for Mr. Nolan, he did not even reside in our town during the fights, and he opposed the recent acquisition that adds more acreage to our nature preserve. Atlantic Highlands residents know who is preserving open space and who is perpetuating a farce. Councilman Archibald and his running mates Marty Shann have actually worked in the Lenape Woods, and Debbie Traphagen is a long time resident of Atlantic Highlands who has supported open space. I doubt that any of the Democrats have even walked in the woods and it is time for these open space hypocrites to pick another issue. Valerie Freitas
../readers_write/2003/031023_lenape_education.htm BELFORD FERRY'S FIRST ANNIVERSARY - AN ASSESSMENT Conceived in 1988, the Belford Ferry Terminal has been open for a year now. It is time to review the stated goals and measure the success of this Monmouth County project built with over $20 million in taxpayers’ money. The public purpose of the terminal was to take cars off our congested highways. Other benefits included acting as a catalyst to replace fishermen’s cottages surrounded by drying nets with luxury condominiums and thus increase the area’s tax ratables. During the eight-year study and planning process leading to the required permits, the county recognized that federal transportation funds could not legally be used to build a facility that would compete with private transportation operators. To avoid an apparent conflict with this law, the county claimed the then existing ferry operations in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands were collectively limited to 450 car parking spaces which could not be expanded. In order to grow, all ferry service to Wall Street would move to Belford. The county also said that to put a ferry terminal at Belford, it was necessary to widen and deepen the channel. In 1996, when the US Army Corps of Engineers rejected the channel widening and deepening, the county agreed to use smaller (than the 250-passenger design) boats. On the basis of this amendment and other information in the county’s application, the corps granted the last of the permits required for the construction of a two-slip terminal with a 500-car parking lot. In 1999, NY Waterway offered the only response to the county’s request for proposals to operate a commuter ferry service to Manhattan. This ferry operator had been looking for a Bayshore base so that it could break into the long-haul suburban ferry business. That proposal, and the contract signed with the county in October 2000, offered seven trips from Belford to Wall Street and eight trips back each day using two 150-passenger boats. (A third boat would provide limited service to the World Financial Center and the company’s terminal at West 38th St.). The base rent for the county’s slips, terminal, and parking lot under that contract is 25-cents per passenger trip -- 2% of the least expensive ticket. Direct Line, TNT, Express Navigation, SeaStreak, and NY Fast Ferry – every company which has ever offered commuter service from the Bayshore to Wall St. – all spent more than 10% of ticket revenues to provide piers and parking. Construction began at Belford in 2001 with contract completion required by June of ’02. However, before the end of ’01, the county’s operator asked that the opening be delayed so that the slips could be redesigned to accommodate 350-passenger boats. As the opening day approached, the ferry operator told the county it planned to use three 300-passenger boats to make 38 revenue trips a day in order to compete with the existing operators. The ferry company pointed out that this number of large-boat trips could not cover costs with only 500 parking spaces. The county rode to the rescue. Before opening day, the site for a possible future "Interpretive Center" was illegally filled in and covered with gravel to create a 230-car "overflow lot" and the county authorized the use of both sides of all terminal roads (and any other accessible areas) so that over 930 cars could be parked on-site. With 38 revenue trips supported by 930 parking spaces, Belford quickly captured 43% of the Bayshore’s 2,400 daily roundtrips to Wall Street. When NY Fast Ferry was forced into bankruptcy, NY Waterway got that company’s customers. Although the remaining established operator, SeaStreak, has 50 scheduled trips to and from Wall Street, they are spread among three Bayshore communities. With 38 trips a day, NY Waterway offers more return trips than any one community served by the competition. As a result, SeaStreak has lost some ridership. So what is the score card? Putting aside the county’s false statements and law-breaking (they are paying $10,000 in government-imposed penalties for breaches of its permit), there is no doubt that this operator has diverted 1,100 roundtrip commuters to Belford from other tax-paying Bayshore ferry operators. One under-financed competitor went bankrupt and the other sustained reduced profits. While this redistribution of ferry commuters did nothing to relieve congestion on the highways to Manhattan, it did lead to the construction of some luxury condominiums on local wetlands that had never been developed. And the property tax ratables in the newly gentrified community are going up. What do these successes suggest for Belford’s future? NY Waterway, chafing at paying 2% of revenues in rent, "overlooked" paying for weekend passengers. When the county requested payment, the ferry operator submitted 25 cents for the passengers on 16 of the 22 weekends in which service had been operated but neglected to pay for the other 6 weekends. The county, like FEMA, the Port Authority, and NYC, may no longer have unshakable confidence in its ferry operator NY Waterway was supposed to buy the two 350-passenger boats (the FINEST and the BRAVEST) it has been leasing from the bankrupt NY Fast Ferry by May 30. After four postponements of that closing date (most recently until November 19), it is apparent that NY Waterway may be unwilling or unable to purchase the boats the piers were redesigned to accommodate. Nevertheless, the county has awarded a $496,037 contract to design a new two-phase Belford construction project. Phase 1 construction will add over 400 terminal parking spaces. With these additional spaces, the county’s ferry operator expects to attract more of SeaStreak's late morning customers from Atlantic Highlands, where parking spaces were recently added at SeaStreak's expense. The designs also provide for removal of about three acres of east bank land to more than double the tie-up space for fishing boats in the channel beyond the ferry terminal. It seems unlikely that federal or state transportation funding could be used for this last construction. Federal funds for this design work were approved last February. In August, the Birdsall Engineering firm was selected and the feds authorized the award of the design contract. However, the county waited until October to award. Since federal and state project funding plans for fiscal 2004 do not include any money for Belford, this delay will have little impact on the timing of parking lot expansion -- unless the county is going to foot the bill. The recent delivery of SeaStreak's third 400-passenger boat and its use to improve service to Wall St. will help that company compete. Long before the 400 additional parking spaces can be constructed, NY Waterway will lose a $1 million per month federal operating subsidy it has been drawing for post 9/11 service. This may restrict its ability to offer 38 trips a day at Belford. The playing field has become less tilted but there is likely to be a lengthy competition before either operator quits. Expansion of the fishing boat tie-up area and the construction of the "Interpretive Center" will likely wait even longer for the discovery of an abundance of surplus funds. Robert J. Riker PRINT THIS ARTICLE
ARCHIBALD HAS THE RIGHT IDEA ON COMMUNICATION
I am all for
online means of disseminating information of the
Borough. I am a busy Mom and would much rather read and
communicate on my schedule, not another's. Usually this is
early morning, while the children are still quiet and I have
time to myself.
Janeen Stoever
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DEMOCRATS ALSO FAVOR OPEN SPACE I would like to take this time to respond to two letters which appeared in your October 16th edition. One of the letters was from Republican crony Jake Hoffman, who serves as the vice-chair of the Harbor Commission, and one from Stephen Slovenz and Linda Ellis, residents of East Highland Avenue. In their letter both Slovenz and Ellis claim that the the Republican candidates for office are the "incumbents." They are not. There are no incumbent office holders seeking election in the November 4th General Election. Slovenz and Ellis also refer to Republican Jack Archibald as the Borough Council President. This, also, is not the case and it goes to show just how much Slovenz and Ellis know about local government. I would like to let both Slovenz and Ellis know that the Atlantic Highlands Democratic Party, like the local Republican Party, is committed to the preservation of open space in our community. Maintaining and preserving open space should not become a political issue. Democrats such as Artie Weimer, Dwayne Harris and Councilman Charlie Niles have been in the forefront on the issue of preserving and maintaining open space. As your new Mayor, Pete Donoghue, will continue this non partisan tradition, along with Stephanie Ladiana and Carl Nolan. Democrats believe that the issue of preserving and maintaining open space must be done in an open and honest manner- not behind closed doors. Perhaps both Slovez and Ellis feel that operating in secret, behind closed doors, is an appropriate way in which local government should operate? Just because Democrats questioned the backroom deal making of Archibald during the Cottage Gate saga does not translate into Democratic opposition in the preservation of open space. The fact is that Archibald and his fellow Republicans took Middletown Township to court over an extended buffer in the Gate Cottage development. The end result was that the taxpayer's of the Borough of Atlantic Highlands paid out $175,000.00 in litigation for a politically well connected attorney and another $225,000.00 of hard earned taxpayer's money for 1.38 acres of land from the developer of Gate Cottage. A total of $400,000.00 all for a buffer in a development that had already contained a buffer in it's plans. Does Mr. Slovenz and Ms. Ellis really believe that this is sound public policy? $400,000.00 for 1.38 acres of land? Perhaps they can afford a deal such as this. The reality is that the average taxpayer in Atlantic Highlands cannot afford it. In his letter Republican crony Hoffman goes on the attack and has the audacity to defend the widespread Republican mismanagement of our harbor. How he can defend something such as this is beyond anyone's comprehension. Let us look at the record Hoffman is defending. The Republican controlled Harbor Commission, under the rule of GOP boss Jane Frotton, installed a fire extinguishing system on all seven piers at the harbor at a cost of $292,000.00. This project was a part of a $3.9 million dollar bond issue. This system was removed shortly after it's installation. $292,000.00 down the drain, gone. This money could have gone for needed property tax relief here in Atlantic Highlands. The Harbor Commission recently awarded a contract for the former Pete's on The Bay and Fishtales Restaurants to the Bayshore Restaurant Group for $19.00 a square foot. Pete Crosta, the former tenant, was paying $43.00 a square foot. In addition Frotton and fellow crony Hoffman gave the Bayshore Restaurant Group six months of free rent and another five months of half rent. These free spending political wheelers and dealers also assisted the Bayshore Restaurant group in obtaining a liquor license for $1,000.00 a year which is very unfair to the other establishments in our borough who purchased their retail liquor consumption licenses for $50,000.00, or more. I can go and and on, however, I feel, the our local Democratic our message of change to the voters of Atlantic Highlands have been heard loud and clear. The voters of our beloved community have responded and have indicated they are fed up with the status quo. Hang in there, Atlantic Highlands, help is on the way!
Joseph Hawley, Atlantic Highlands
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NO ANSWERS TO SANDY HOOK TRAFFIC On 9/28/03 I attended a meeting a meeting at Monmouth Hills Club. It was to be an information session held jointly by the National Park Service represented by Mr. Russ Wilson and the developer Mr. Wassel. During the course of this presentation it was stated that the process now being proposed was ok under a directive/law adopted in 1974 which permitted "adaptive reuse" of government property. Some of the uses proposed were for education, conferences and meetings, general office office space, and a hospitality center with food and lodging. To support all this Mr. Wassel stated that he expected to employ approximately 1,000 people!!! Yet neither he nor the Park service expect any significant change or impact to the local communities. This is incredibly naive or misleading. In addition, "research facilities" are planned to conduct hyperbaric testing. I am not a scientist, but there happened to be one in the audience who very seriously questioned the feasibility of this because of what she felt was an inadequate amount of power available. NOAA was cited as conducting experiments and so forth at their facilities but I believe that they have their own power plant. which brings me to another point which is that Mr. Wassel stated that there would be no new construction!!! In addressing the traffic problems, their traffic studies were cited and we were told that there would be turn around areas for people to more easily exit when the park is closed. But what happens to the cars sitting in traffic as far back as several miles, almost to the Atlantic Highlands border? NO ANSWERS. As a final example of what I see as a seriously flawed project from beginning to end, when an audience member asked about the impact of 1,000 people working there and the new traffic that these employees would generate as they told their friends and family about Sandy Hook Mr. Wassel and Mr. Wilson did not think that there would be any increase. As I had stated in previous letter to The Atlantic Highlands Herald and the Asbury Park Press, I do not fell that the Park Service has the necessary skill and background to successfully and efficiently manage a project of this scope and impact not only the immediate communities, but on New Jersey in general. This still has a significant potential to become an expensive mess laid at the doorstep of the taxpayers.
Louis Rivera
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WHEN HOME SCHOOLING WAS STANDARD PRACTICE I see the issue of Home Schooling has surfaced here. Good. I was born in NYC in 1931, and home schooling was standard for most children before they entered First Grade in the Public Schools. There was no "Pre-School" or Kindergarten, but by the time we entered First Grade, most of us could read and write at what seems to be Second or Third Grade level today. These were depression times, and mothers stayed home and raised their families. In my own case I had the advantage of being the 4th generation under the same roof in Jamaica, so I had my mother and grandmother to teach me. This was rather common in those days, by the way. The source of this education was The McGuffey Eclectric Readers. All education must start with learning to read. Seven bound volumes of readers that were the standard of excellence, before Rush, in teaching children as young as 3 and 4 to read. The original 1836 version of the fabled reading instruction books which for three-quarters of a century were used by four-fifths of all American school children. Some 120 million sets were sold. No other books ever had so much influence over so many children over such a long period. Families would trade volumes of these books to suit the ages of their children, and some mothers would teach a few neighbors children when teaching her own. It was a great neighborhood by the way, and a locked door was considered an insult. Honest. Father Martin Malachy and Mario Cuomo were also raised here. McGuffey's educational course begins, in the Primer, by presenting the letters of the alphabet to be memorized, in sequence. Children are then taught, step by step, to use the building blocks of their language to form and pronounce words. Vocabulary and spelling are next. These are beautifully illustrated books, with lessons that include the fact that morality is not subjective. Old fashioned? Yes, definitely, as well as correct and effective. The bound editions are available from Amazon and other book stores for under $50. and there is a CD ROM version for $29.95 including shipping from Bookworks, 5100 US Highway 287 North, Tennessee Colony, Texas 75861 . (I have no affiliation with this, I submit is as a public interest only.)
Ed Toner,
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SMOKESCREEN OBSCURES REAL ISSUES IN ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS With the Atlantic Highlands Mayor and Council election rapidly approaching, it is not surprising that opponents are attacking the Democratic slate of mayoral candidate Peter Donoghue (my husband) and Council candidates Stephanie Ladiana and Carl Nolan. Though I have no intention of denigrating the other side, I want to correct some of the things recently put into print by present and past Republican candidates who are worried their organization's 16-year majority is about to end. First, just as it is no surprise that I support my husband's candidacy, despite the untold hours serving as mayor will take, it is no shock that the two most recent Republican mayors, Schoeffling and Harmon, and a former Republican councilwoman and recent appointee to the Republican-controlled Harbor Commission, Valerie Freitas, are writing letters endorsing the Republican candidates. That's not news. What would be real news would be if they didn't. So too, a column in the Courier by another former Republican councilwoman who is chairman of both the Harbor Commission and local Republican party, touting the virtues of her slate, is no shocker. What is jolting are charges that my husband hasn't done much for the town over the years and that he opposes open space (and would sell off Lenape Woods). The facts are that since completing 13 successful years in public office in the 1980s, Peter has been working hard with the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, serves as an elder in his church, has labored in the cause of providing a first-class education at Henry Hudson Regional and has been supportive of local good causes in many ways. And by now everyone knows that public open space land won't be sold off by anyone even if it could be. Of course, these petty charges by the long-time majority are merely a smoke screen aimed at obscuring the real issues: that Republicans award leases and buy property largely in secret, that they have failed to get either the Hudson bike trail or the gas company cleanup finished, and that they have no real plan for improving the downtown or the First avenue traffic problem. In actuality, little or no improvement can be expected if Republicans stay in power. Voters have a marvelous chance to make a change for the better by electing my husband and his two outstanding runningmates. Then the borough will have a Mayor and Council that is dedicated to making our town an even better place. Louise I. Donoghue PRINT THIS ARTICLE
GORDON BISHOP'S RANTS DO NOT QUALIFY AS POLITICAL COMMENTARY As a longtime visitor to your area, I now and then have the opportunity to read your local news. I look forward to it. It was thus with some shock that I read Gordon Bishop's screed about the Clinton administration. Does this ranterism qualify as coherent political comment? Let me be clear, I am a registered Republican. Vince Foster's "sudden, unexplained death" still worries Bishop, despite Ken Starr's finding that the death was a suicide. Ron Brown's death in an airforce plane, part of a conspiracy? Unnamed homicides? Since when does The Herald need to compete with supermarket tabloids? You insult your readers when you publish this tripe. Today's issues are serious. Why not expose your readers to rational commentators who disagree in a serious fashion. "Blame Clinton!" hardly qualifies. Doesn't New Jersey have a pool of competent journalists and commentators to draw from? Lift your editorial sights, pleeeeese.
John H. Petito
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We don't need ethics reforms, we need reformed politicians with ethics. Barry Caulfield
../readers_write/2003/031023_ethics.htm
This is in responds to the letter written last week by Gordon Bishop in response to the letter written by Brian Unger What Mr. Unger and Mr. Bishop have to fight about is between the two of then. Mr. Bishop, when was the last time you went to a Green Party Meeting? You seem to know so much about them. Well, I am a member of the Green Party, and let me assure you the only red thing in my body is my blood. I believe in Constitution Law. You know "We the people" not we the government. I do not know what your political beliefs are nor do I care. As an American you have the right to vote for what you believe in. And so do I. As an educated man you can understand this I hope. Before you write hate letters and condemn a whole Party think. Then ask yourself, am I being a bigot. I hope you will understand what I am trying to say.
Fran Donnelly
../readers_write/2003/031023_bigot_bishop.htm
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