Another Letter to Lance

Congressman Lance got an earful on his unexpected vote for cap and trade  and another letter at a protest at his Westfield office Monday afternoon. 

Mr. Lance was gracious as is his signature. But more important... let's hope he got the message.  A conservative constitutency sent him to Washington for a reason.  We expect him to represent us in the fashion in which he campaigned. There is too much at stake for us these days  for him to be switching gears on the people who trusted him enough to put him in offce. We want results.    

Contact him and let him know what you think.

"Politics ought to be the part-time profession of every citizen who would protect the rights and privileges of free people and who would preserve what is good and fruitful in our national heritage" - President Dwight D. Eisenhower

Here's  another great site to track also.  

Smart Girl Politics

Read more from this author at The View From Flemington!

An Open Letter to Leonard Lance

Mr. Lance,

 Many of us saw the storm clouds gathering even before Barack Obama entered the Oval office. Obama is a big government / big spender politician whose legislation coasts through on charm/bullying,  not substance.

 Running on a tax cutting platform, many of us voted you into office to quash as best you can this president's hunger to consume our assets to his own ends. We are trying to protect our children and their children from this generational theft Obama is so at ease perpetuating. 

Even though the president's agenda is aggressive and his debt load is staggering, quite beyond belief , Republicans still can have a practical  impact on the outcomes.  Had you banded together like brothers  in oppositon, you could have defeated that economy wrecking tax, known as Waxman-Markey. You didn't. You failed us. You lied. You voted in favor of cap and trade. We are stunned and disappointed.  

If I wanted these taxes, I had every opportunity to show my support. I could have voted for Stender the Spender.  I guess I did, through no fault of my own.

Read more from this author at The View From Flemington!

YMCA PLANS SEVENTH ANNUAL GOLF OUTING

The Hunterdon County YMCA is pleased to announce its seventh Annual Golf Classic to be held Monday, October 19, 2009 at Stanton Ridge Golf and Country Club in Whitehouse Station, NJ. This will be the first time the YMCA Golf Classic will be held at Stanton Ridge Golf and Country Club. Registration begins at 10 a.m. with a 12 p.m. shotgun start. The scramble event will include 18 holes of golf, golfer giveaways, lunch, and a buffet dinner. Prizes will be awarded in several categories with special prizes for on-course challenges including long-drive, closest to the pin and more.

Individual golfers pay $225. Corporate sponsorships begin at $1,200 and include one foursome and associated recognition benefits, including a sign on a hole. Other participation opportunities include tee/green sponsors, beverage sponsors and more.

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Interstate truck crash delays overnight traffic

A two truck wreck late Wednesday night and the resulting hazardous materials threat caused eight-mile delays on Interstate 78 and diverted traffic well into the Thursday morning rush.

At approximately 10:50 p.m. a tractor-trailer tanker truck carrying liquid oxygen driven by Frank Pineyro, 32, of Garfield was parked in the right shoulder of Interstate 78 just west of milepost 14.6 near the Rupell’s Road overpass when a box truck carrying bulk newspapers operated by Yusef Lakes, 31, of Newark lost control, entered into the right shoulder and struck the rear of the oxygen truck, according to the state police report filed at Perryville barracks.

Westbound traffic on I-78 from Exit 12 to 17 in Hunterdon County and surrounding roads were closed to traffic for precautionary reasons, with traffic diverted to Route 31 for most of the night, police said.

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Foundation provides money to buy bikes for Central Jersey police patrols

Raritan Borough Patrolman Robert Jones rides a $1,500 bicycle donated by the Neumann Foundation outside police headquarters. (BRANDON LAUSCH / MyCentralJersey)

BRANDON LAUSCH

For some local police departments, the top-of-the-line bicycles represent a new piece of equipment at a time of tight budgets. For other departments, they’re a new beginning.

About a month after 101 patrol bicycles were donated to 89 departments statewide through the Pine Beach-based Neumann Foundation, officers across Central Jersey are starting to hit the streets in the name of one of their own.

The nonprofit Neumann Foundation was established in memory of Essex County Patrolman Keith Neumann, who was accidentally shot and killed at age 24 during a drug raid in August 1989.

Lt. Kenneth Cop of the Rutgers University Police Department said 17 officers at the New Brunswick campus are trained for bicycle patrol. The new bicycle, he said, will supplement a fleet of six or seven others, some of which are aging and may eventually be replaced by the donated Cannondale bicycle.

“It’s an environmentally friendly way of making us both highly visible and a deterrent to crime and more approachable as a police force,” Cop said of bicycle patrol. “What it ultimately does is allow us access to places that are not accessible by police cars. … We’re grateful to be part of the program and look forward to using the bike in the name of Officer Keith Neumann.
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Hunterdon Youth Services to host open house

Hunterdon Youth Services (HYS), a private, nonprofit agency, is in its 30th year of providing services to adolescents needing out-of-home support.

To celebrate this anniversary and to honor its many donors and friends, HYS will host an Open House from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Friday, June 12 at its home, 56 Sand Hill Road, Flemington. The event will take place rain or shine.

The agency originally provided a shelter for Hunterdon County youngsters in a facility on Route 12, but relocated its Group Home to its present location in April 2002. HYS provides a multitude of services for up to 12 adolescent males at a time.

Although boys from all counties in the state are admitted, priority is given to children from Hunterdon and Warren counties. Children are referred by the Department of Children and Services and are served at HYS for an average of one year.

Having the benefit of individual and group counseling, much life skills training, a structured, consistent and nurturing environment, the boys are prepared to return to their homes or for independent living. All residents attend local schools with tuition paid by their sending district. Many even work at local businesses.

For more information or to RSVP, call at 908-782-1046.

Polytech instructor Arnaz Dotivala appointed as NJ delegate

Polytech Adult Cosmetology instructor Arnaz Dotivala was selected to represent New Jersey as a national delegate representative for the National Cosmetology Association’s (NCA) Delegate session August 2009 in Chicago.

For the third consecutive year as a nominated delegate, Dotivala will represent NCA members during the NCA annual business meeting. She will be charged with reviewing past accomplishments within the industry, shaping new policies and legislation and appointing the new governing board.

The delegate meeting will be held in conjunction with the 85th annual Convention and Education Event for the NCA which includes SalonLife and the International Esthetician, Cosmetology and Spa conferences.

Dotivala is with the Hunterdon County Polytech Adult Daytime cosmetology program at the Bartles Corner Road campus. For more information about the school and her program, call 908-806-3855, ext. 105.

Petitioners call it quits on Trout recall

By WALTER O’BRIEN, Courier News Staff Writer

Hunterdon County Sheriff Deborah V. Trout

Organizers of the petition drive to oust Hunterdon County Sheriff Deborah V. Trout from her elected post have officially called it quits.

OutWithTrout.org leader Donna Simon on Wednesday admitted that the group’s efforts to collect 21,866 signatures from county voters to force an election to remove Trout from office have fallen short of the goal.

“We are officially conceding,” Simon said Wednesday afternoon by telephone. “The July 2 deadline is only a couple of weeks away and we only have about 6,000 signatures.

Simon was in Washington, D.C., on an official tour of the White House and Capitol Building led by Rep. Leonard Lance, R-Clinton Townshp, when she confirmed the news.

“When we started this in January through 35-degree weather and gust-force winds, we were all dedicated, committed and passionate,” Simon said. “This was a phenomenal experience that says a lot about who we are as a people in this county.”

Simon said she was pleased so many residents offered support, especially considering how often people told her they would not sign, fearing possible retaliation from the sheriff. Simon said that OutWithTrout.org will continue to oppose Trout and keep residents informed about the sheriff’s actions.

“We’re still hopeful that an indictment will come from the prosecutor’s office and that her demands that her staff sign loyalty oaths will be found unconstitutional,” Simon said. “She’s been quiet for a while, but now that the sheriff knows we failed, it’s going to be a bumpy ride for the freeholders and citizens of Hunterdon County.”

Trout was told of the petition’s failure by telephone at her office.

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Smoking Workshop this Thursday

Hunterdon Prevention Resouces will host a Comprehensive Tobacco Control Program from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 18 at 4 Walter Foran Blvd., Flemington.

The cost is $5, which includes lunch. The presenter will be Cathy Butler, Mom’s Quit Connection.

Every clinician, who interacts with pregnant women, mothers, caregivers of young children and teens, will deliver effective smoking cessation advice and counseling in a nonjudgmental manner.

Participants will learn health risks associated with second-hand smoke and smoking during pregnancy.

To register, call Anne DeVito at 908-782-3909, ext. 111, or e-mail at adevito@hunterdonprevention.com.

Local firefighter indicted on child-molesting charges working on plea deal

Frank Venabale

Hunterdon County prosecutors are “in the midst of plea negotiations” with a former firefighter indicted on charges of molesting six children.

Frank Venable, 54, appeared Friday before Superior Court Judge Stephen Rubin for a status conference. Assistant Prosecutor Brian Shevlin, who is handling the case, said afterward that the appearance was adjourned because four or five tapes of witness interviews that the state supplied to the defense were not clearly recorded.

Before Venable’s next day in court, scheduled for the afternoon of July 24, Shevlin said prosecutors will supply new copies of the tapes for review. Shevlin also said he told the court that both sides are “in the midst of plea negotiations” on the Hunterdon charges.

Because Venable also has been indicted in Ocean County on similar offenses, Shevlin said he plans to communicate with authorities there.

Venable has pleaded not guilty to a 15-count indictment returned by a Hunterdon County grand jury that included charges of sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child and prostitution involving six children in acts from 1996 through 2008 allegedly committed in Delaware Township, Kingwood and Flemington.

Venable was arrested in February 2008 at his Flemington home, which also served as a fire-equipment business. A firefighter for more than three decades, Venable had maintained high-ranking posts with the Sergeantsville Volunteer Fire Company and the Hunterdon County Fire Chiefs Association, and he was a member of the Raritan Township Fire Department.

He remains free on bail.

Brandon Lausch: 908-243-6606; blausch@MyCentralJersey.com

Free Facebook workshop at Flemington Library on June 15

Mediatech Foundation presents a free novice workshop, “Facebook for Grown-ups” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, June 15 at the Flemington Free Public Library, 118 Main St., 2nd Floor.

The workshop will be conducted by Michelle Ritger, Mediatech Board Member and Supervisor of Educational Technology at the Flemington Raritan Public School District designed specifically for novices wanting to learn what Facebook is, how it works, and what it means.

Computers will be provided, but bring your own wireless laptop if you prefer. Open to the public, handicapped accessible. Free, but a $5 per person donation is suggested. Bring your son or daughter as a coach if you like. No prior computer or technology experience is required. Space may be limited. If capacity is exceeded an additional session will be scheduled at a later date. Free two hour parking available on Main St. or Maple Ave. For information call 908-782-5733, e-mail warren@mediatech.org or go to www.mediatech.org.

Flemington Hockey Club Creates Scholarship Fund

By JOEY LEWANDOWSKI

The New Jersey Renegades have announced the creation of a Youth Hockey Scholarship Fund.

The scholarships will be awarded to children 6 to 10 years old and will reduce their annual tuition by more than 40 percent to $1,500. The fund was inspired by several parents of Renegade players who saw value in the Renegades program and wanted to share it with more children in the community so they may have a chance to learn the sport.

One such parent is Joe Aihini, who is a founder of the fund.

“Cliff (Graziano) founded the New Jersey Renegades 10 years ago, giving my son an opportunity to not only play hockey, but to be part of an organization that taught him such tremendous values that he is now carrying into his college years,” Aihini said in a statement. “This fund is a way to say thank you for all the Renegades have done for our family.”

In addition to the parents’ endowment, Family Wealth Planning of Edison found the fund to be a way to give back to the community and marked the club’s first corporate donation.

“Hockey is growing in popularity throughout the region and we’re proud to make a corporate donation to help support the program,” Eric Rosenberger, director of Family Wealth Planning, said in a statement.

The Renegades’ family-run organization has a lot to do with the regional growth. Founded more than 10 years ago by Cliff Graziano Sr., the Renegades teach students as young as 7 and as old as 20. The organization aims to develop highly skilled players in preparation for future hockey endeavors.

“There’s a lot of growth and experience (the kids) can get out of it,” Amy Graziano, who handles the administrative duties for the organization, said in a telephone interview. “At the younger ages, it’s the basics of hockey. Not only do we teach them respect and discipline that goes along with the sport, we teach them life lessons as well. What we look for them to get out of it is for them to be a good hockey player but also to be a good individual.”

The children are not the only ones who benefit. Graziano added that she gains from the experience.

“When they execute something they’re taught, the smiles on their faces — that is a reward in itself,” she said. “Just to see them moving forward, their pride — that’s the best part for me. Your heartstrings get pulled when you see little kids smiling.”

Contributions to the New Jersey Renegades Youth Hockey Scholarship Fund can be made by contacting Graziano at AMY.G@njrenegades.net or 973-219-2013.

Two former Flemington roommates indicted on homicide

Nicole Kelly

Two former roommates from Flemington have been indicted in the homicide and robbery of an 86-year-old man whose body was found last November by one of his children.

Rachel Atkinson, 27, was indicted on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree robbery, as well as the lesser offenses of burglary and weapons possession.

Nicole Kelly, the 29-year-old former roommate of Atkinson’s at the Hunter Hills Apartments in Flemington, was indicted on the robbery and burglary charges, as well as third-degree hindering apprehension and some of the weapons offenses.

The 13-count indictment, released Friday by the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office, stems from the November homicide of Arthur E. Seiple, whose body was found two days later by a daughter inside his condominium in the Flemington South Estates development.

Authorities have said they believe Atkinson committed the homicide sometime between the night of Nov. 12 and Nov. 13 during a planned robbery.

Court papers indicate that Kelly acknowledged her role in aiding in the planning of the burglary and hindering Atkinson’s apprehension. Kelly’s involvement in the alleged plot is unclear, and police have said Atkinson was alone at the time of the robbery and homicide.

Police have also said Atkinson knew Seiple, a widower who lived alone, and had stayed at his home before. An affidavit states that Atkinson confessed to causing Seiple’s death in his home “and provided specific details of the crime establishing her personal involvement.”

Atkinson is in custody in the Hunterdon County Jail in Flemington in lieu of $500,000 cash bail while Kelly remains in the Somerset County Jail in Somerville on $50,000 bail with an option to pay 10 percent, officials said.

The women are being held separately under an unspecified agreement between the supervisors of both facilities.

Seiple’s naked body was found on his bedroom floor, his throat apparently slit and his head possibly smashed in, according to a 911 call to police.

The weapons listed in the indictment include a knife, hammer and statue.

Seiple, killed less than a month before his 87th birthday, has been described as a friendly and active man who still drove and hardly missed breakfast at a nearby McDonald’s. A Navy veteran and retired postal worker, he has four children and two grandchildren.

Boy, 16, has Hunterdon’s first confirmed swine flu case

Hunterdon County has its first case of swine flu, the Health Department confirmed Wednesday.
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A specimen collected Monday from a 16-year-old boy who attends school in Mercer County tested positive for the virus after testing by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services Laboratory, according to a written statement released Wednesday evening by Hunterdon County Department of Health Communications Director Carl Rachel.

“As we said in April when this national outbreak was first detected, we expected to see this influenza strain arrive here in Hunterdon at some point,” said John Beckley, health officer and director of the Hunterdon County Department of Health. “We’ve already been in preparedness-mode for weeks, with heightened epidemiological surveillance and collaborative planning between agencies.”
FEW DETAILS

The status of the teenager’s health, where he lives and what school he attends were not immediately clear Wednesday evening.

The county health department, as part of the national Health Alert Network and New Jersey’s Local Information Network & Communication System, or LINCS, uses multiple methods to keep private and public entities updated about the swine flu.

“Up until now, we’ve been using LINCS to update health care providers and schools in the county,” said Rose Puelle, director of the health department’s Public Health Preparedness division. “With this confirmed case now detected, we will widen our reach to include other parties likely to be impacted should the footprint of this influenza widen here. We strive to be ahead of any crisis curve so people can begin to prepare.”
BASIC PREVENTION

Swine-origin novel influenza A or H1N1 is a new flu virus that infects people and is capable of spreading by person-to-person contact.

As a result, the county health department is reminding people to practice traditional respiratory etiquette stressed during flu season.

“The best way to reduce your risk of getting or spreading the flu is to cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze,” Puelle said. “And be sure to discard the tissue in the trash after you use it. Also very important, be sure to wash your hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand cleaners, especially after you cough or sneeze; avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth; and stay home for a full seven days if you get sick.”

Prosecutor’s office faces discrimination lawsuit

A whistleblower suit filed by a sergeant in the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office claims his reputation is “forever marred and ruined” after mocking images of him — including one depicting his face between two women kissing — were posted in the office.

Detective Sgt. Michael Nugent claims in the federal suit filed June 5 in Trenton that he “has lived a nightmare” for more than three years because of the malicious acts of several prosecutor’s office employees.

A former member of the state Division of Criminal Justice, Nugent had a “pristine and unblemished” reputation within law enforcement before a high-ranking member of the prosecutor’s office was overheard saying in July 2005 that he used Nugent’s identification photo to create “funny” pictures, which were reportedly sent to law enforcement agencies statewide, the suit states.

According to the suit, pictures posted in the prosecutor’s office included Nugent being “depicted on a coffee break, slovenly attired, with a firearm in his belt and drinking liquor” while another showed him as a groom with a heavy-set black woman as his bride.

Nugent, who is white, was also depicted as a sibling of three black children and, in another image, “with a mocking religious symbol on his forehead,” according to the suit, which claims no one investigated who was responsible for the images.

The lawsuit, filed by Caldwell attorney Patrick P. Toscano Jr., also claims members of the office have discriminated or retaliated against Nugent, whose working conditions have become “unbearable.”

According to the suit, Hunterdon County Prosecutor J. Patrick Barnes also held an unexplained “deep-seeded animus” toward Nugent, who still works in the office.

The retaliation from superiors violated the state Conscientious Employee Protection Act, commonly called the whistleblower act, the suit claims. Nugent is seeking to clear his work record of any files reflecting “retaliation animus,” as well as unspecified relief and court costs.

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Farmers Market has more than just produce

Come for the fresh, seasonal produce from local farmers, but stay for the live music and workshops.

The Hunterdon Land Trust Farmers’ Market presents its first special event of the season from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, June 14 at Dvoor Farm on the Route 12 circle, featuring live music, a natural wreath making workshop and seed planting for kids.

Singer/songwriter Ed Manning will play folk music while shoppers browse the wide variety of locally grown food and products including meats, poultry, cheese, seasonal fruits and vegetables, honey, artisan bread, baked goods, soap, llama and alpaca products, flowers and native plants.

Marie Saldarini, who will guide a wreath making workshop, encourages interested persons to bring freshly cut materials from their gardens including vines, grasses and flowers.

“The objective is to make a creative work from natural materials,” Saldarini said. “There’s no such thing as doing it wrong.”