By: Merle CItron
Mary Sheppard, best known as Lambertville’s City Clerk, has more titles than a member of the English royal family.
Aside from her title as city clerk, she also holds the following titles: registrar, municipal assessment officer, personnel officer, certifying officer for health benefits, joint insurance fund commissioner and board of health secretary.
But that’s not the end of it. Mary then went on to tell me, "I work four jobs in order to make my mortgage payments. I am the business administrator for the Lambertville Fire Commission, recording secretary for the East Amwell Fire Commission, custodian of school monies for Lambertville Public School and the dog and cat licensing agent."
Obviously, our Mary Sheppard means many things to many people. It also means this woman has amazing energy.
Joe Perricone is a familiar face around town.
He’s been in the area for 26 years and has developed a thriving business that specializes in "restoration of motor cars of distinction" at his shop in Stockton.
He is also the proud owner of a 1924 Dodge Speedster, which was featured at the Buckingham Car Show booth at this year’s Philadelphia Auto Show.
Bob Tettemer of Buttonwood Street told me when he was a kid, if anybody saw the same person three times during the same day, the one who said, "Next time you treat" was owed a free meal by the other person.
Wouldn’t you know it when we ran into each other for the third time on the same day, the first thing Bob said was, "Next time you treat."
Luckily, I haven’t seen him since that day because a free meal for Bob Tettemer could be an expensive undertaking. The man knows fine food!
Roberta and Richard Hindermyer live on Hancock Street in the same house in which Richard was born.
"The noon whistle went off," Roberta told me, "and Richard arrived with that whistle, screaming and yelling."
In September, Roberta started working at United National Bank, a job she really enjoys. Before that, you probably remember her waiting on you at the Ben Franklin. Richard runs a crusher for the 3M Company in Belle Meade. The Hindermyers have four children, four grandchildren and their health.
"Life is good," Roberta said.
After his father’s death, Paul Cronce, Lambertville director of Public Works, went through his dad’s possessions.
This was how Paul discovered a letter from a German family, with whom his father had stayed during World War II. To the best of Paul’s knowledge, the letter arrived shortly after the war ended.
Paul knows it is an inquiry concerning his father’s welfare. But that’s all he knows. He would love to know what else is in this letter, but he can’t because it’s written in German.
If you read or speak German, please give Paul a call so he can finally know what the letter says.
Polly and Bill Dorman of Clinton Street care about beauty.
Polly makes beautiful gardens, and Bill makes beautiful music. Let me explain.
Polly has been a professional perennial gardener for more than 15 years. She also wrote a garden column for a local newspaper. Now Polly works almost full-time for an estate in Solebury.
Bill is the president of the Lambertville Historical Society and is the development director at the South Branch Watershed Association.
But all this info about Bill begins to pale in light of the fact he used to have an eight-piece band. Bill’s band loved to play the music of the Dorsey brothers, Glenn Miller and Harry James. Bill played the saxophone and still does. Now he’s looking for a few musicians to start a new band.
As Bill said, "I’d love to find three woodwinds that want to make some music!"
Okay, you woodwind players, give Bill a call.
In a recent conversation with Dave Del Vecchio, our mayor, Dave made it abundantly clear that he, his wife, Karen, and their son, Alex, are now official York Street residents.
After what seemed like an eternity, they finally finished the renovations on their new house. Dave is very pleased and is especially excited about the bathroom accommodations.
"Our house is probably one of the only houses in town with three full baths," David proudly boasted, "and now our parents can stay with us and have all the creature comforts."
Dave told me Alex loves his new home, and he lures young women up to his room to see his computer. Of course, Alex is only 4 years old!
Walking down South Main Street, you’re bound to see Drawing Room Antiques, owned by Solebury resident Alex Cimadevilla.
Alex is also the vice chairman of the Lambertville Antique Dealers Association.
He arrived in the United States from Spain 15 years ago to sell Gaudi antique furniture at Sotheby’s in New York City.
"When I came here I spoke no English, and that wasn’t really a problem," Alex said.
Alex likes living and working here, and he speaks English beautifully.
Stop by and say hello to the new ophthalmologist who’s also a pyrotechnic expert.
Dr. Doug Hahn lives in Milford, N.J., and now shares an ophthalmology office with Dr. David Dondero on Bridge Street.
Remember the terrific fireworks celebrations we used to have along the river July 4? Well, it was none other than Dr. Hahn who lit up our eyes and skies with his dazzling displays. And it was none other than Dr. Hahn who was the hands behind the sparklers for the first two years at the July 4 Riverside Symphonia picnic in Tinicum Park.
Welcome to town, Doug, and may your days in downtown Lambertville be dazzling.
Speaking of dazzling, Dr. Stuart Freedenfeld of Stockton Family Practice may be on to a very exciting antidote to aging.
Imagine? Dr. Freedenfeld’s practice has been selected as one of the sites for a national study, which uses an FDA-approved growth hormone that shows promise as an anti-aging medicine.
Dr. Freedenfeld told me it really does remove wrinkles. I guess the only problem now is trying to get an appointment to get some of this stuff since it’s going to be mighty crowded as lots of us hurry to his office for the "cure."
Congratulations to a very proud Vernon Barlow, who can’t get over the fact he’s a grandfather.
"Yup," he told me, "she was born last Thursday."
Alicia Barlow is Vernon’s first grandchild, and she is the daughter of Michael and Tara Barlow, who live on North Union Street.
"She’s a beauty," Vernon added. "I’m a grandfather. That means I’m getting old."
And then we commiserated.
And there you have it folks, a little chit and a little chat.
