CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK
Letters to the Editor
Motivation For Ticketing Questioned; Motorist Speeding Should Be Focus
I talked to a lot of people last fall while running for Town Council. A lot of people were concerned about the speed of cars traveling over their streets.
People on Sandra Circle, Wychwood Road, Benson Place, Sherwood Parkway, Oak Avenue, South Chestnut and South Euclid, among others, expressed concern about the speed of cars on their streets.
Not one person expressed concern about pedestrians jay walking in our community. Not that I haven’t seen examples of people taking their lives into their own hands jaywalking.
For example, crossing East Broad in front of the Rialto in the middle of that awful intersection. Or the flood of commuters crossing Broad at the underpass when a train has just arrived.
It’s the speed of cars, though, that citizens of the community are concerned about. The spate of jaywalking tickets last week was the wrong response to the complaints of the BRAKES organization at the Town Council Meeting. It was inappropriate and provocative.
I am actually puzzled as to why this jaywalking ticket blitz happened.
I doubt that it was directed by the elected town officials. My sense is that they have a pretty good finger on the pulse of the people. I doubt that it resulted from individual actions of police. They seem to be an intelligent and competent force comfortable with the community.
My suspicion is that someone in professional leadership decided that this move would make some sort of political point that served their purposes.
If true, this wrongheaded approach speaks to a larger concern that I have
with our town bureaucracy. Any institution functions best when it operates with sensitivity to the will of its constituents.
I am amazed at the number of people that complain about access to services that should be readily available from our town government. The professional management of Westfield should be focused on making sure that the services of this town are responsive to the needs and concerns of the people.
I urge the professional leadership to get back to the business of the people and focus the police force where the concern of the people lies, on excessive speeding in our community.
Joe Stoner Westfield
YMCA Director Urges Attendance Of Service Institute Presentation
Imagine a community where all children received the basic building blocks of healthy development. A community where youth felt valued by adults, a community where adults were interested and active in the well-being and shaping of youth.
A community where parents knew where to go to get information about any resource in town and a community where synagogues, churches, the school system and service organizations interacted easily and frequently.
Is this pie in the sky? Maybe, and maybe not.
The Search Institute, a non-profit organization that has done extensive research about youth development in America, has identified 40 developmental assets — basic building blocks essential to raising healthy, caring, responsible children.
These factors range from family support and clear parental standards to extracurricular involvement, strong values, and self-esteem. Their impact is nothing short of remarkable.
In the town of Westfield, an overview meeting was attended by over 50 people representing 30 organizations, and a second community-wide meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 25, at 7 p.m. at the Westfield “Y” to map the resources that are already present in town. A consultant from the Search Institute will facilitate the meeting.
This is a way for us to commit to raising not just our own children, but everyone’s children. That’s what this is about — people in the community collaborating to make sure all kids are healthy and successful.
This grass roots movement has already begun in other New Jersey communities like Hopewell Valley, Ridgewood, and South Brunswick.
I urge all interested adults and teens in Westfield to be sure to come and take part as we start our journey on this assetbuilding approach to help our kids succeed.
Stan Kaslusky Executive Director
Westfield YMCA Area Resident Honors
Memory of Dr. Levy
It was with great shock and sadness that I learned of the death of Dr. Donna Levy of Westfield Pediatrics.
She had been my son John’s pediatrician for three years, since his birth, and he loved her.
Dr. Levy was a warm, kind and caring person who always took the time to listen to my concerns and to explain things carefully. She was an excellent doctor who was very dedicated to the children in her care.
Her passing is a tremendous loss, not just for my family and the families of all her patients, but for the entire community.
Jacqueline Boyle Scotch Plains
Resident Responds to Recent Letter; Thanks All Public Servants, Police
The untimely death of any human being is a tragedy. I would hope that the steps taken by our local public servants of the Town of Westfield to address the death of a “non-commuter pedestrian,” as Janis Arnold calls this victim, will not “shock, anger, or flabbergast” anyone.
Instead, I hope that they educate everyone about the importance of not only vehicular safety laws, but pedestrian safety laws as well.
I could not help but notice that Ms. Arnold uses the word commute, or another form of the word, 14 times in her letter to the editor.
Could it be, Janis, you are a disgruntled commuter that covets one of those hard to get, three-year waiting list permits that will allow you to park right smack dab in the middle of commuter parking heaven — the South Avenue train station parking lot?
Are you attempting to use “the traffic related death of some non-commuter pedestrian” as you state, as a lobbying vehicle to pressure the town into finding a solution, as soon as possible, to your commuter pedestrian woes?
You, yourself, said she was “a noncommuting pedestrian.” You also state that the route that you and every other jaywalker needs to take is the shortest distance from point A to point B. Why not allow cars, motorcycles, bicycles, skateboarders, rollerbladers, joggers, and pedestrians to all take the shortest route?
It wouldn’t be fair to just let jaywalking commuters be the only ones to be able to travel where it’s convenient. If we are all given the opportunity to travel where we want, I hope I grow wings so I can fly past you all in what would be the straightest route from point A to point B — through the air.
The main issue for all of us should be safety, not convenience. We teach our children at a very young age to “cross at the green, not in between.” There is a good reason for that Janis.
I would like to address Janis Arnold’s comment, “those recent upscale stores,” in the downtown shopping district, “are
only there now due to the high income commuters.”
I am not a high income commuter. I was raised in Westfield and I have chosen to raise my family here. I also shop in the same stores as you do Janis, just like a lot of other non-commuters, so they are not here just because of the “high income commuter.”
In closing, I would like to take the opportunity to express my gratitude to all of Westfield’s “public servants” for all that they do to make this town such a wonderful place to live.
This includes, but is not limited to: the office of the Mayor, the Westfield Town Council, the Westfield Department of Public Works, the Westfield Fire Department, and most of all our “men in blue,” the Westfield Police Department.
Herman W. Gwynn Westfield
Dangerous Intersections Detailed By Resident
I noted that two danger spots were not mentioned in your articles.
The first is the stop sign at the corner of Central Avenue and East Broad Street. Most of the drivers don’t pay any attention to the sign. This should be strictly enforced.
The second problem is the intersection of North Avenue and Broad Street near the Monument. Westbound traffic has a left turn signal and Eastbound traffic does not. Why not?
When you drive east during heavy traffic you have to wait for the red light to make the turn onto Broad Street. Even then you take a big chance because a number of westbound drivers run the red light.
I hope something can be done about these two danger points.
George Popper Westfield
has been the message of our party ever since Abraham Lincoln’s day,” Mr. Treffinger told Republican supporters.
Noting the 8-1 Democratic advantage over Republicans in Essex County, a figure which is based on voting records over the past three decades, he noted that if Republicans can win a county-wide race in Essex, “We Republicans can do it anywhere.”
Mr. Treffinger will seek the party’s nomination for the United States Senate seat currently held by three-term Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg.
Among those current and former officials in attendance were Seventh District Congressman Bob Franks of Berkeley Heights, and 22nd Legislative District Assemblymen Alan M. Augustine of Scotch Plains and Richard H. Bagger of Westfield.
Also in attendance were Assemblymen Kevin O’Toole and Joel M. Weingarten of Essex County, representing the 21st District (which in
James Treffinger Urges Republicans to Focus On Smaller Government
cludes part of Union County); State Senate President Donald T. DiFrancesco of Scotch Plains, Senate Majority Leader John O. Bennett of Monmouth County, and Senator C. Louis Bassano of Union.
Westfield First Ward Councilman Gregory S. McDermott and Scotch Plains Councilman Martin Marks were also in attendance, as was former Westfield Mayor Bud C. Boothe.
Former Scotch Plains Mayors Joan Papen, Irene T. Schmidt, William L. McClintock and Gabe Spera were also on hand, along with former Freeholders Frank H. Lehr of Summit, Edwin H. Force of Cranford, Henry W. Kurz of Roselle Park, Linda Di Giovanni of Union and Linda Lee Kelly of Elizabeth.
Republicans are hoping to maintain their majority in the State Assembly this year, as well as in the Governor’s Office and the State Senate in 2001. All seats in the Assembly will also come up again that year.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
chooses to remain with their traditional utility, they will still receive the mandatory rate reduction.
However, beginning on August 1, customers will also have the opportunity to reap even more savings by shopping around for an alternate electric supplier. To help consumers make informed decisions, the bill calls for a public education program designed to educate citizens about the benefits and pitfalls of shopping for an electric or natural gas supplier.
In a further effort to help secure the greatest rate discounts possible for New Jersey consumers, the deregulation bill permits municipalities to pool together the energy demand of their residents and negotiate a more attractive energy contract. To avoid the unauthorized switching of customer’s electric companies, the bill provides residents with two opportunities to sign-up or stay-out of the aggregation pool. The choice rests solely with the consumer.
With all of these changes happening so quickly in the electric industry, many citizens have asked what will happen to the high quality of service New Jerseyans have come to expect from utilities. Consumers can anticipate no change in that regard. Traditional utilities will continue to “deliver” power to homes and will
continue to be regulated by the state regardless of the electric supplier a customer has chosen. Should a customer need service, they would continue to call their traditional utility for assistance.
The bill also makes a significant effort to maintain and improve New Jersey’s commitment to clean air by redirecting $140 million to new energy efficiency programs in New Jersey, including grants to fund the development of technologies such as solar power. In addition, renewable energy consumption will grow from half a percent in 2001 to 4 percent by 2012.
In undertaking the task of deregulating New Jersey’s energy marketplace, the Legislature recognized we had a responsibility to usher in the evolution of a competitive market only if it brought substantial, tangible benefits to consumers. We have lived up to the challenge by crafting a bill that guarantees lower electric rates, provides for consumer choice, and protects the environment.
* * * * *
Donald T. DiFrancesco, a Scotch Plains resident, is President of the New Jersey State Senate. He represents the 22nd Legislative District which includes Westfield, Mountainside, Scotch Plains and Fanwood.
Electric Industry Deregulation To Produce Sustained Savings
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
Rotary Club Announces Philhower Award Deadline
WESTFIELD — Stanley Kaslusky, President of the Westfield Rotary Club, has announced that the deadline for receipt of nominations for the Charles Philhower Fellowship Award, which is granted to a Westfield elementary school teacher, is Friday, February 26.
The club is sponsoring the award for the seventh consecutive year.
Letters of nomination must state ways in which the teacher has demonstrated outstanding teaching, interest in children and continued pursuit of profes
sional growth. Interested citizens and Westfield public school staff members and students are welcome to submit nominations.
All letters should be addressed to: Charles Philhower Fellowship Committee of the Westfield Rotary Club, c/o The Superintendent of Schools, 302 Elm Street, Westfield, 07090.
The Fellowship winner, who must be a full-time elementary school teacher in Westfield for a minimum of five years, will receive the award on Tuesday, April 20.
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Seventh Congressional District Mr. Franks Urges Ms. Reno To Appeal Internet Decision
WASHINGTON, D.C. Seventh District Congressman Bob Franks, Co-Chairman of the Missing and Exploited Caucus, is urging Attorney General Janet Reno to appeal a recent court ruling that temporarily blocks implementation of a new law aimed at protecting children from pornography on the Internet.
Congressman, a Berkeley Heights resident, signed a letter to the Attorney General urging the United States Department of Justice to appeal the recent court decision concerning the Child Online Protection Act (COPA).
On February 1, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania temporarily blocked the enforcement of the law. COPA requires commercial distributors of pornography to screen out minors before they distribute or sell certain adult material on the
By Congressman Robert D. Franks
Internet. “I urge the Department of Justice to appeal this decision. We don’t let porn shops admit minors — and we should not allow commercial pornographers to peddle obscene material to children in cyberspace,” Congressman Franks stated.
Mr. Franks continued, “This court decision undermines a thoughtful and reasonable attempt by Congress to protect children online. I believe that we stand a good chance of reversing the District Courts decision on appeal.”
Congressman Franks is also the sponsor of “The Children Internet Protection Act,” House of Representatives Bill No 543, which requires schools and libraries to install blocking technology on computers if they accept federal subsidies to connect to the Internet.
Young Careerists Competition Deadline Announced By BPW
WESTFIELD — The Business and Professional Women’s Organization of Berkeley Heights, Clark and Westfield (BCW-BPW) has announced that they are seeking candidates for their Young Careerist Competition.
The competition will be held on Tuesday, March 16, at the Kenilworth Inn in Kenilworth.
The program recognizes the career and community service accomplishments of those persons who meet the following eligibility criteria:
· Between the ages of 21 and 30 by Saturday, July 31.
· Employment with at least one year full-time work experience in career area.
· Record of accomplishment in professional career field, scholastic work,
or community service.
· Reside, work and/or study in New Jersey;
· Support the goals, objectives, and legislative platform of BPW/USA and BPW/NJ.
· Being a member of the BPW is not required.
The winner of the local competition will go on to compete with other local winners across the state for the chance to represent BPW/NJ at the BPW National Conference in Rochester, New York in July.
For additional information and applications, please contact Anita Heaton, Young Careerist Chairperson, at (201) 842-3438, or email aheaton@home.com. Completed applications will be accepted through Saturday, March 6.
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