LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

From the issue of May 10, 2007.

Lessing thanks voters for support
To the editor:
   
I wish to personally thank the residents of Manville who came out to vote on May 1, for the school board candidates and the school budget.
   Our election was postponed due to the floodwaters of the April nor’easter.
   Many of you suffered damage to your home, property, and businesses but you found the time to come out and vote to make your choices known.
   I am honored to have been chosen to serve a term on our local school board. I will diligently work with all of the board members to ensure the children of Manville get the best public school education.
Ken Lessing

Dukes Parkway

Visit congressman when in D.C.
To the editor:
   
As warmer weather approaches, families are finalizing their summer vacations — including to the nation’s capital.
   Hundreds of New Jersey families visit my Capitol Hill office each year as part of their vacations in Washington. If you are planning a trip to Washington, please contact my congressional office at (202) 225-5361.
   I can mail you brochures and other information on must-see stops in Washington, and we’ll be happy to assist you and help to ensure that your visit to the nation’s capital is a memorable experience.
   For example, we can help arrange tours of many popular destinations, including the Capitol, the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
   We can arrange tours of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, where billions of dollars are printed each year. We also can provide information on Washington’s newest memorial commemorating World War II, which is located on the National Mall between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.
   Because of high demand, tours of the White House are strictly limited. Please contact my office at least two months in advance of your trip, and we can request tickets from the White House.
   Most attractions in Washington are free and open to the public — from the Vietnam Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History and National Air and Space Museum. And don’t forget to stop by Washington’s famous National Zoo — where you can see giant pandas from China, African elephants, and explore reptiles, amphibians, and wild birds of the Amazon. Another popular attraction, the International Spy Museum, does charge for admission, but is well worth a visit.
   Some families visit nearby Mount Vernon, Va., the famous working farm and home of George Washington, or view the moving changing-of-the-guard ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery across the Potomac River from Washington. These and other historical places make great additions to any Washington vacation.
   From Capitol Hill to the Georgetown section of the city, Washington offers visitors so many highlights that it can often be overwhelming. We’re here to help you navigate through the historical sites to make sure you visit the ones important to you.
   I encourage you to visit my congressional office at 214 Cannon House Office Building. My office is on the second floor of that building, which is located across the street from the Capitol South Metro station.
   When I’m in Washington for votes in the House, I regularly meet with residents of the 7th District, and I look forward to seeing you, too, and helping to make sure your family experiences the rich history offered by our nation’s capital.
Mike Ferguson
Mike Ferguson, R-Warren, is the U.S. House of representatives member for the Sixth Congressional District, which includes Hillsborough.