Saturday, March 13, 2010
WHS student talks about her experience lobbying Congress.
OPINION|4 hours ago
Editor's Note: Temple Emanu-El organized a trip earlier this year for a group of Westfield students to travel to Washington to participate in the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism trip to DC. During the trip, students had the opportunity to present issues to the offices of U.S. Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-Edgewater) and Robert Menendez (D-Hoboken) and Rep. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon County). Westfield Patch is publishing some of the students' viewpoints on important national issues and their trip to Washington. This is from Hannah Bass. On the confirmation class trip organized by Temple Emanu-El and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, I was able to meet many other Jewish Reform teenagers while right outside our nation's …
40.66071
-74.33852
Temple Emanu El
756 E Broad St
/articles/student-viewpoint-hannah-bass-reflects-on-temple-washington-trip
9721
/locations/306305
Thursday, March 11, 2010
County's top official questions Skibitsky's thoughts on issue.
OPINION|2 days ago
As a lifelong resident of Union County, I look forward to the day when our 21 municipalities can plan for the future instead of being thwarted at every turn by the bureaucracy known as COAH. COAH – the Council on Affordable Housing - was created by state law in 1985. It's been a disaster ever since. COAH has blocked development of all kinds and run roughshod over vital community issues such as environmental quality and open space preservation. County government has an up-close close view of the problem because we administer state and federal grants that create new housing and restore blighted properties. That in turn creates new business opportunities and jobs throughout Union County. For the past 25 years COAH has slowed the process …
BOE incumbent discusses three term tenure in race for reelection.
SCHOOLS|2 days ago
To the Editor, My wife, Amy, and I have lived in Westfield for over 22 years. We moved here for many of the same reasons other people tell me they chose Westfield… the great downtown, the relatively easy commute, the colonial feel, and the schools. We have never regretted our decision. Both our children have attended Westfield public schools since kindergarten. Josh is now a senior and David is a freshman, both at Westfield High School. Nine years ago I decided to volunteer my time and become a member of the Westfield Board of Education. I did so believing that I brought a lot to the table, but knowing that I had a lot to learn. During my tenure on the Board, I have been a member of the Finance, Policy, Facilities and Long Range Planning …
40.654507
-74.351978
Westfield Board of Education
302 Elm St
/articles/letter-to-the-editor-solomon-details-boe-accomplishments
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/locations/305137
Monday, March 8, 2010
Board of Education candidate discusses platform.
OPINION|Monday, March 8
To the Editor, As a parent of two, I have been fortunate to see my children experience many wonderful aspects of a Westfield education. When my son, Harrison, entered first grade at Tamaques School in 1999, he had an extraordinary teacher named Miss Loesner (now Mrs. D'Onofrio). Miss Loesner made Harrison feel like a million bucks— her warmth, dedication and enthusiasm provided the perfect foundation for his journey through the Westfield Schools. My daughter, Georgia, has a seventh grade English teacher at Roosevelt Intermediate School who brings her "A game" every day. Miss Hodges' intelligence and creativity encourages students to to dig deep—to stretch their minds and to write with great passion. It's teachers like these, and the …
40.654507
-74.351978
Westfield Board of Education
302 Elm St
/articles/letter-to-the-editor-slater-stresses-finance-and-budget-experience
13023
/locations/302663
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Are we really paying more taxes than we used to?
Here in New Jersey it has become conventional wisdom that we are grossly overtaxed—that tax cuts are the only cure for the slew of evils besetting us. After having watched my own property tax bills more than double since I moved to Maplewood in 1997, it was a sentiment I found hard to gainsay. I did wonder though, if my taxes are so high, why does there seem to be no money available to pay for anything? Our schools and municipalities, after all, have been retrenching and cutting back on programs almost continuously during my entire 13-year tenure in the state, despite vertiginous (some might say outrageous, or even confiscatory) local tax increases. I did some poking around on the internet and, much to my surprise, found that far from …
Monday, March 1, 2010
Westfield Patch editor learns curling.
As a journalist you find yourself in some interesting situations. A little over a week ago I found myself in what reminded me of starting blocks from my high school track days. I wasn't about to push off to run at Kehler, but rather I was balancing on a stone and a stabilizer, on a sheet of ice, about to glide down the ice, before releasing one of the things I was balancing on. That's right, I was curling. While I was doing something that to be honest seems a bit unnatural at first (aren't we taught not to glide on ice in sneakers), I was actually fulfilling something that has been in my mind for a couple of Olympics now. I have been interested in curling since the 1998 Nagano Olympics. Some of you may know I went to college up in Western …
Friday, February 26, 2010
Board of Education candidates announces campaign e-mail address and Facebook page.
OPINION|Friday, February 26
To the Editor, In the winter of 1991, my wife and I made one of the best decisions of our lives—deciding to settle in Westfield. We chose this town for a number of reasons, but first and foremost we were drawn to Westfield's exceptional school system. At the time, Westfield, like the rest of the nation, was in the midst of a difficult recession. But the shining light—then and now—was our school system. It attracted young families to the town, supported the value of our real estate, and brought our community together. For nearly 20 years, I have watched my kids enjoy the benefits of this town's caring teachers and dedicated administrators. Day in and day out, Westfield's educators strive to find the best in our children, unlocking their …
Monday, February 8, 2010
Scouts talk about their favorite scouting memories on 100th birthday of the Boy Scouts.
As a part of today's celebration of the centennial of the Boy Scouts of America, Westfield Patch asked Westfield's scouts to share their favorite memories and thoughts about scouting. The local centennial celebration will begin tonight at 7 p.m. on the front lawn of Westfield High School on Dorian Road. Evan Gruters - Webelos 1 in Pack 172 My favorite scouting activity is by far the Pinewood Derby. Everyone is a part of the fun. It's fun because you get to be creative with all different designs possible for the cars. Anyway you can get a lot of scouting out of this. You can get a little woodworking done. Same with the art when you're painting the car. So far I have made two cars (I started as a wolf scout) in scouts. My first was a Jets …
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Step-by-step instructions for making chicken wings at home and a number of flavor variations to try.
It took me a long time to find the perfect chicken wings. I'll give you a hint: I didn't find them at a restaurant or a take-out joint. As it turns out, the best chicken wings I had came out of my own kitchen. And I'm confident that they can come out of yours as well. Making them yourself is not only by far the cheapest option, but also produces superior chicken wings. And it's really not as difficult as you might think.To start with, go get yourself some fresh chicken wings. There's no need to go frozen unless you have to. You can buy them pre-cut, but you'll end up spending more and not getting an equal amount of drumettes and wings. Just buy the wings whole and cut them at the joints into three pieces. Throw the tips away or save them …
Friday, February 5, 2010
Ten ideas for better, cheaper, semi-homemade Super Bowl fare that will leave jaws dropped.
Sure, football is exciting and the commercials are certainly entertaining, but to me, the Super Bowl is all about the food. I'm a sucker for dishes that are unabashedly game-day fare. They're not overly dressed up, they're comforting, they're delicious, and they get washed down with beer. What's not to love? Will I have to subsist on a diet of salads for the next week to make up for all the carbs and fat? Yeah, but I can live with that.Here are 10 do-it-yourself ideas to spice up your Super Bowl fare. Get inspired and have fun!1. Make-your-own sub: Why spend the money buying subs when you can easily create your own? Make it special and grab some loafs of French bread at least a couple feet in length. Slice them in half lengthwise and fill …
This is so cool, John! I'm obsessed with it. And great video skills too! Sign me up for the Patch curling team! :) more ›