Calling all military veterans
To the editor:
Pennington and its local neighbors will hold the annual Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 30, beginning at 11 a.m. sharp, on South Main Street in front of the Hopewell Valley Regional School District Administration Building.
Veterans are asked to show up no later than 10:45 a.m. so we can get lined up and be ready to step off at 11 a.m., and get those who are riding up on the pickup or trailer.
"Veterans" are not only those who served in WWII, Korea or Vietnam. If you have served in any of the military services, at any time, and received an Honorable Discharge, you are a veteran and should join us. You know who you are!
Should there be any active duty troops, or Guard or Reserves, available in the area on May 30, we would be honored to have you join us. What would a Memorial Day commemoration be if there were no military veterans participating in honoring those who gave up their lives for our freedoms?
Those veterans who cannot walk or march to the Pennington School area, may ride, but you have to call me, Sevy DiCocco, 737-9147, as soon as possible so I can ensure there will be a seat available for you. So you see, there really is no valid reason for any veteran not to join us. If you are healthy enough to stand and watch us go down Main Street, you should either be riding with us, or marching with us. We must represent those who cannot represent themselves!
Uniforms, although desirable, are not a prerequisite to joining us. Wear whatever you wish as long as it is suitable for wear in public and does not disrespect our comrades in arms. Anyone wishing to purchase items of uniform, or even complete uniforms, call me right away and we will see what we can do for you. We have access to a military surplus warehouse.
Group leaders please review the rules for the proper way to carry our national flag, especially the small children.
Spectators please show proper respect for our national flags being carried by the leaders of each marching group by standing and holding your right hand over your heart while the flag is a couple of steps before and after a point directly in front of you.
Remember Freedom is not free!
Sevy DiCocco
veteran’s coordinator
Goldman gets response
To the editor:
In his recent letter to the editor, Norm Goldman expressed some opinions on recent events in and around the state, and I wanted to respond with a few details on the items he mentioned.
On March 29, Verizon purchased the once vacant 1.3 million-square-foot facility on a 135- acre parcel in Basking Ridge from Pfizer, who originally bought the facility from AT&T. The value of the deal is expected to be between $125 million and $242 million, depending on the extent of the renovations Verizon performs on the facility. The tax incentives Mr. Goldman was taking exception to are common in deals of this size, and amount to approximately $64 million, and increase as the price of required renovations increase. In addition, Verizon will occupy this facility for the next 15 years, and will have approximately 2,800 employees.
Virginia tried to attract Verizon, so it is a false assumption that Verizon was going to remain in New Jersey/New York area. Verizon operates domestic telephone operations in 29 states and operates wireless service nationwide. That they chose to remain in New Jersey is a good thing.
The Verizon CEO earned $11.9 million last year in total compensation so what, that is a matter between the Verizon Board of Directors and Verizon shareholders, and has nothing to do with tax incentives. That the CEO lives in New York is interesting, but again, doesn’t relate to the net positive impact of 2,800 jobs staying in New Jersey for the next 15 years, paying wage taxes, property taxes, gasoline taxes, sales taxes here in New Jersey.
As for the Merrill Lynch deal, I question the impact people feel: Merrill Lynch has sewer service for all their existing facilities on the east side of Scotch Road, and all future development on that side of Scotch Road also will be covered by existing agreements with ELSA; traffic increases have been minimal across the township, except between I-95 and the Merrill Lynch facility (as far as I can tell), and the Merrill Lynch facility has had no impact on our school costs. In addition, the Merrill Lynch facility in Hopewell Township produces no significant pollutants, so it could be considered a clean ratable.
I suspect the $9.2 million Merrill Lynch pays in local taxes more than offsets the drain they place on our scarce township resources and as Merrill Lynch increases its investment in Hopewell Township, so will its tax obligations increase. Without tax incentives like Mr. Goldman complained about, we wouldn’t have a neighbor like Merrill Lynch. We’d have hundreds more families living on 6-acre lots, adding hundreds of students to our school system. Personally, I would be happy to see another "Merrill Lynch-size" neighbor move into the 400+ acres on the west side of Scotch Road once all outstanding zoning matters are resolved.
Ken Hansen, Hopewell Township
Seniors, speak up!
To the editor:
Why is it that Hopewell Township has money to build a Skate Park and money to light the fields behind the Municipal Building, but they must layoff police officers, maintenance workers and clerks. Why is it that anytime someone suggests that something be done for the seniors, there is no time at the township meetings and certainly no money unless the children are also included?
Isn’t it time for the seniors to wake up! We pay a disproportionate amount of taxes for the value received. We need to make our voices heard at all elections and express our feelings in venues such as this so that we get what we deserve.
Walter G. Bittner, Hopewell Township
Chorus says thanks
To the editor:
On behalf of the Hopewell Valley Chorus we want to thank the Hopewell Valley News for helping to promote last Friday’s concert in Pennington.
We also want to thank those who bought tickets and gave generously to our annual fundraising efforts. Thanks to the help of so many in the Valley, we were able to double our scholarship support this year, awarding two $1000 scholarships to Central High School seniors, Helen Aberger and Ned Milly, and provide $2500 in scholarship aid to the Trenton Children’s Chorus (where we are involved in tutoring) for two students to attend the American Boychoir Camp Albemarle this summer. We were especially blessed by an anonymous donor who agreed to match all funds given at our free Spring Into Song concert in April for up to $1000, and then when the audience donated more, the donor matched the full $1500.
We particularly want to thank these supporters: Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission, William and Judith Bozarth, Harold and Rosa Lee Eickhoff, Betty Wold Johnson and Douglas F. Bushnell, Robert Ridolfi, Sid and Sigrid Haller, the Allison family, Fred Cushman, Tom and Lynn Ebeling, General Land Abstract Co., Hopewell Valley Community Bank, International Schools, Mason Vickers Productions, Michael Noland, Princeton Fuel Oil, Kurt Salmon Associates, Max and Barbara El Tawil, Trustees of the Baptist Congregation of Hopewell, Bill and Ruth Williams, Bob and Barbara Wolfe, Bob and Carole Woodford, Amboy National Bank, Dr. Robert Bowden and Jonathan Bowden, Rush Holt and Margaret Lancefield, Hopewell Pharmacy, The Independent Traveler, Pennington Dental Associates, Pennington Quality Market, Pennington Quilt Works, Drs. William Roberts and Tanja de Marsche, Jeanne Sharp, Mark W. Smith and Maureen M. O’Rourke, Valley Oil, Hilda Aubrecht, Ernest Consoli and Sons, Dr. Daniel Saporito, George and Judy Sheffield, Amos and Marion Stults and West Trenton Pharmacy.
Bill Williams, president; Ben Primer, treasurer, Hopewell Valley Chorus
A sport to watch!
To the editor:
For the 13th consecutive year, the Hopewell Valley Lacrosse League held their invitational tournament at Princeton University. And once again it was a great success, providing excellent competition and fun for the 48 premier teams who came representing six states.
Jim Sweetland, Mark Amantia, Joel Cermele and Jim Clarkeson deserve congratulations and thanks for the effort they put into organizing this year’s event.
Congratulations also are in order for the fifth-, sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade Hopewell Valley teams who amply met the challenge of playing four full games in one day against very talented teams. The growth of the Hopewell Valley youth lacrosse program, combined with the significant success that second-year coach Rob Siris is having at Hopewell Valley Central High School against some of New Jersey’s finest teams, suggests that lacrosse is a sport to watch in the Valley for years to come.
Dennis Devlin, Pennington
Social support appreciated
To the editor:
The Hopewell Valley Historical Society would like to thank everyone who came out for our second annual Spring Social at Hopewell Valley Vineyards.
Our intent was to celebrate a successful return to Pennington Day and the weather cooperated for both events.
We would also like to thank the following individuals and businesses: Main Street Design, the Hopewell Valley News, David Berends, The Dadz, The Catering Company, Kerr Korn and Flower Stand, Cup of Joe, Jann’s Sweet Shoppe, Pennington Presbyterian Church and especially Hopewell Valley Vineyard for providing such a spectacular setting.
In addition, we also thank those of you who joined our society and those of you who could not attend but made monetary donations. All of you are a part of Hopewell Valley history, and we hope you will continue to support the Hopewell Valley Historical Society.
Debbie Gwazda, Benji Orr, co-chairs, HVHS Spring Social

